The Electricity Company of Ghana is stepping up its efforts aimed at preventing the assembling of crowds at its offices across the country in a move to curb the spread of the novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
As social distancing of about 2 metres is recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) at all places to contain the spread of the disease, ECG insists that since the Company is a key player in the utility sector, it has outlined measures to control crowding.
Speaking with the Goldstreet Business, Acting District Manager of Kasoa North District of the ECG Mr. David Ashitey Aluley, said since the outbreak of the disease, the Company has taken pragmatic steps to reduce crowding.
He added that in order to maintain social distance and avoid congestion, its main hall – which is relatively a small area – has been locked to customers whereas the main entrance to the office has also been locked while water and soap has been provided for customers to wash their hands before entering the outer vicinity.
In fact, only a small number of customers have been allowed to enter the outer vicinity whereas the crowd outside was also being managed.
“The principles we are using today started barely two weeks ago. Last Saturday there were some people here, but we used the same principles to control the crowd”, he stressed.
Lockdown
Since the President, Nana Akufo-Addo announced a partial lockdown for most parts of Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions, some key service providers including ECG, LPG stations have seen a dramatic increase of patronage resulting to overcrowding.
The Goldstreet Business on Monday, being the first day of the lockdown, was in some parts of the Ga- South and Awutu Senya East Municipalities to observe how business activities that were exempted from the President’s directive were being carried out.
As expected, lots of shops were closed for business with the exception of those in the food value chain such as food vendors in the markets among others.
For many of these market goers, social distance was not being observed as lots of people got crowded together at the Kasoa markets while carrying out their usual business activities.
To some, it was like a normal day as many were seen loitering the streets, until a number of them were bundled away by security operatives.