As part of the measures put in place by the government through the Ministry of Health(MOH) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to help halt the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Ghana, it’s sanctioned that all people living in Ghana must wash their hands frequently or sanitize their hands where necessary, always maintain a distance of at least one (1) meter between two or more persons, and above all wear nose masks when walking around.
From a very close observation, it has become an eyesaw that the demand of nose masks and hand sanitizers have increased. This in a way has ignited the spirit of entrepreneurship in the Ghanaian society. Many individuals in the form of sole proprietorship or in the form of partnership have been producing either hand sanitizers or nose masks and even in some cases both of them.
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the Ghana Standard Authority (GSA) in their constant education given out to the public concerning the quality of the hand sanitizers and nose masks respectively, have emphatically made it clear that the hand sanitizers for it to work effectively, should contain at least 75% of alcohol content. Also the nose masks advisably, is expected to contain more of fabric (cotton) to achieve its purpose and should be approved by the authorities.
In perspective to the above directive sanctioned by the government, many have started producing such items at their homes. In as much as some try their best to produce quality goods to satisfy the exact needs of the populace, many are woefully in adverse producing fake hand sanitizers and fake nose masks and selling them at road sides and markets with no approval by the FDA or the GSA.
The General Secretary of Kumasi Youth Association (KuYA) and Social Commentator, Mr. Kwabena Frimpong in an interview with a Kumasi based TV station (Mabesh TV), vigorously lamented that, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) as well as the Ghana Standard Board (GSA) should educate the public especially those businesses producing such items to use approved materials or substances in their production. This Mr. Frimpong sees it to demeaning and very disastrous to the health of the Ghanaian populace and even putting the lives of Ghanaians at risk to this deadly virus.
Mr. Frimpong further ask the FDA and GSA with the assistance of the Ghana Police Service to make arrest where needed in order to discourage and put a stop to this societal menace.
He also added his voice as a stakeholder in the affairs of the country and encouraged all Ghanaians to abide by the directives sanctioned by the government to stop the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana, especially by washing their hands frequently or using hand sanitizers and also constant wearing of nose masks.
This was Recorded, when he had an interview with Kumasi Based Mabesh TV station.
Source: Thepressradio.com|Ghana|Ofori Frimpong
