Don't allow your children to sell on the street – Deputy Minister

Mrs. Freda Prempeh, the Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, on Monday advised parents and guardians not to allow their children and wards to hawk and sell on the streets to protect them from contracting Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

She also urged them to teach their children proper handwashing with soap.

Mrs. Prempeh who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tano North indicated that children were vulnerable and allowing them to hawk and sell sachet water and other items on the streets exposed them to avoidable dangers.

Speaking in an interview with the GNA on the sidelines of a short presentation ceremony at Goaso in the Asunafo North Municipality, Mrs. Prempeh indicated that though children had strong immune systems to fight diseases, parents must also restrict their movements so that they would not be contaminated.

The Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council presented items such as Veronica buckets, washing bowls, medicated soaps, litter bins and sanitizers to the Municipal/District Assemblies in the Region to be distributed to public institutions to aid hand washing.

Mrs. Prempeh applauded the level of public education on the COVID-19, and commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for measures put in place to control the spread of the disease.

She said public education and precautionary measures on COVID-19 must be extended and intensified in rural communities to protect rural dwellers as well.

Mrs. Prempeh said Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) should also not be left out or neglected from the public education on the disease and called on the Municipal and District Assemblies to ensure that education on COVID-19 go down well with them.

The MP said she had bought 5,000 sanitizers and 100 Veronica buckets and soaps to be distributed in her constituency.

Mrs. Prempeh called on the media to be circumspect and ensure that their publications on the COVID-19 did not stigmatize infected people.

She also urged Assembly Members and traditional authorities to collaborate with health services to help improve on sanitation in the localities.

Mr. Evans Opoku-Bobie, the Ahafo Regional Minister, emphasised that the RCC would monitor and ensure that the items were being used to benefit the general public.