General Manager of Waste Masters and Agro Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of Jospong Group of Companies (JGC), Edmund Kweku Vidjah, who is in charge of the disinfestation exercise in senior high schools in the North East Region has said the chemical used against insects was ‘very potent.’

According to him, the schools being disinfested to rid them of the menace of bedbugs will attest to the potency of the chemical when they are re-opened.

While he fell short of disclosing the name of the said chemical, Mr Vidjah argued it was one that had the approval of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the Ministry of Education for the national disinfestation exercise in SHS across the country.

Mr Vidjah made the observation when Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL) begun the May 14 - 17 disinfestation and disinfection exercise in the region.

While the disinfestation is targeted at bedbugs, the disinfection was against the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

GM of Waste Masters and Agro Ghana Limited described the exercise so far by his team of sprayers as a success.

“We have enjoyed the full cooperation of the school authorities which has facilitated the pace of our work. In fact, the school heads have been very helpful,” he expressed.

About 12 schools were expected to be disinfested and disinfected in the region.

Speaking to a cross-section of journalists after the exercise in his school, Assistant Headmaster in charge of Administration at Nalerigu SHS, Ali Nantomah was full of praise for the government and Zoomlion.

According to him, the school has been battling with bedbugs over the years, a situation, he lamented, sometimes compelled the students to sleep outside their dormitories.

“…and to make matters worse, many of my students could not even have the peace of mind to do any meaningful academic work,” he bemoaned.

“That is why our school is very grateful to the government and Zoomlion for this initiative. Indeed, it will go a long way to ease our burden of using our scare resources to spray the school, and further give the students the peace of mind to study,” Mr Nantomah gladly expressed.

The team also sprayed Gambaga Girls SHS also in the North East Region. Among the facilities sprayed included the dormitories, administration blocks, dining halls, beds, mattresses, lockers, kitchens, various offices etc.

The exercise is a collaboration between Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service.

Already the exercise had been undertaken in Eastern, Ashanti and Volta Regions. And was currently taking place in Bono, Bono East, Ahafo, Northern, North East, Oti and Savannah Regions.