All markets in the Ashanti Region will be closed down on Friday, March 27, 2020, to pave way for a mass spraying exercise, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon Simon Osei Mensah, has announced.

This exercise to be conducted in all the 43 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in the region, forms part of the government's drastic measures in controlling the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

Early this week, a similar exercise was conducted in market enters in the capital, Accra.

Hon Simon Osei Mensah in a Press Release explained that the lockdown of the market centres is to prevent all obstruction during the disinfection exercise.

He appealed to all the traders to cooperate and comply with the directive.

"I wish to take this opportunity to passionately appeal to all traders in the market to co-operate and comply with the ban on activities in the region on Friday 27th March, 2020", portions of the statement read.

It added: "I also wish to assure the general public that the chemicals used for the spraying exercise are not harmful and there is therefore no cause for fear of negative effects".

Below is the full statement: