Mrs Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, has urged Ghanaians in the lockdown areas to take opportunity of the restrictions to clean their homes and surroundings to complement their personal hygiene efforts.

She said this would ensure people become more conscious of hygiene and become healthier in a bid to fight against the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Mrs Dapaah was speaking at a press briefing in Accra to update Ghanaians on what the Ministry is doing to get rid of filth in the country.

She announced that the Ministry would from Friday, April 3, lead a three-day clean-up exercise in Accra and Kumasi to back the fight against the spread of COVID-19.

The exercise, which would be undertaken with the Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies and the Members of the Environmental Service Providers Association, would end on Sunday, April 5, 2020.

According to the Minister the exercise sought to use the restriction of movement period to ensure effective cleaning and cleansing of those cities.

The activities would focus on the desilting of all gutters; collection and disposal of refuse from homes, public places, markets and lorry parks; and the emptying of street litter bins.

She urged all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies across the country to ensure the continuous cleanliness of their respective jurisdictions.

She assured of a regular collection and disposal of waste from homes within their concessional areas by Environmental Service Providers.

She entreated all to cooperate and pray for the success of the exercise as it would go a long way to mitigate efforts to stop the spread of the disease.

Mrs Dapaah advised residents to also keep their homes and immediate surroundings clean at all times and refrain from the indiscriminate littering and disposal of refuse.

Ghana has so far confirmed a total of 204 cases of COVID-19 with a death toll of five and three having recovered completely.