A major region-wide fumigation and disinfection exercise has commenced in the North East Region as Zoomlion Ghana Limited, in partnership with Municipal and District Assemblies, steps up efforts to improve environmental sanitation and protect public health.

The exercise targets hospitals, schools, markets, public toilets and other high-traffic facilities across the region as part of broader efforts to strengthen environmental hygiene, control disease vectors and reduce the risk of preventable disease outbreaks.

The intervention is being implemented in major communities including Walewale, Nalerigu, Gambaga, Bunkprugu, Chereponi, Yagaba-Kubori and Yunyoo-Nansua.

Facilities and public spaces covered under the exercise include hospitals, CHPS compounds, market centres, public toilets, schools, government bungalows and lorry parks.

The exercise is aimed at controlling disease vectors and improving environmental hygiene in areas where poor sanitation and high human traffic could create conditions conducive to the spread of diseases such as cholera, malaria and typhoid.

Speaking on the exercise, the Regional Manager of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Abdulai Safian, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting government institutions and local authorities in addressing Ghana’s environmental sanitation challenges.

He said Zoomlion’s involvement demonstrates the company’s broader commitment to deploying its operational expertise, human resources and technical capacity to support the development of healthier and more resilient communities.

“At Zoomlion, we believe that environmental sanitation is fundamental to public health and national development. We are therefore committed to working closely with government, local authorities and communities to ensure that our public spaces are safe, clean and healthy,” Mr. Safian said.

He, however, stressed that fumigation and disinfection alone would not be sufficient to achieve sustainable improvements in environmental sanitation.

According to him, the impact of such interventions would be significantly enhanced if communities adopted responsible sanitation and hygiene practices.

“The sustainability of these interventions requires collective action. Government and service providers can provide the necessary infrastructure and technical support, but every citizen has a role to play in keeping our communities clean and preventing practices that create conditions for disease outbreaks,” he added.

Representing the West Mamprusi Municipal Chief Executive, the Municipal Environmental Health Officer, Faustinus Anchamba, described the exercise as an important component of the municipality’s broader environmental health strategy.

He emphasised that sanitation should not be regarded solely as the responsibility of government and urged residents to complement the efforts of authorities by maintaining clean surroundings and observing proper hygiene practices.

“Sanitation is not merely a government obligation; it is a collective responsibility,” Mr. Anchamba said.

He called on residents to take ownership of their communities and help sustain the benefits of the fumigation and disinfection exercise.

He urged the public to dispose of waste properly and maintain hygienic surroundings to prevent the recurrence of environmental conditions that could undermine the gains made through the intervention.

The Regional Environmental Health Director, Osuman Alebira, said sanitation interventions carried out under the National Sanitation Day programme had contributed to improvements in environmental health conditions across the region.

He, however, cautioned that sustaining those gains would require continuous investment, adequate resources and stronger collaboration among relevant stakeholders.

According to Mr. Alebira, periodic fumigation and sanitation exercises remain important for addressing immediate environmental health concerns, but the long-term objective should be the establishment of a sustainable sanitation system capable of keeping communities clean and healthy throughout the year.

“We have seen improvements from these interventions, but sustainability remains critical. We need to move beyond periodic exercises and strengthen the systems, resources and community behaviours that will enable us to maintain these gains over time,” Mr. Alebira said.

Residents in the beneficiary communities have welcomed the fumigation and disinfection exercise, expressing optimism that the intervention will contribute to safer and healthier public spaces.

The exercise is particularly significant in densely populated communities and locations with high human traffic, including markets, schools, lorry parks and public toilet facilities, where poor environmental conditions can heighten public health risks.

Community members have consequently been encouraged to maintain the cleanliness of treated areas and support ongoing sanitation efforts by practising responsible waste disposal and good personal and environmental hygiene.

Shared commitment to cleaner communities

The North East Region exercise highlights the importance of public-private collaboration in addressing Ghana’s environmental sanitation challenges.

For Zoomlion Ghana Limited, the intervention forms part of its longstanding commitment to supporting national and local initiatives aimed at improving sanitation, protecting public health and creating cleaner and healthier communities.

The company maintains that sustainable environmental sanitation requires a coordinated approach involving government institutions, local authorities, private-sector service providers and, most importantly, community members.

Stakeholders believe that continued collaboration, adequate resources and responsible community participation will be essential to sustaining the gains from the exercise and reducing the environmental conditions that facilitate the spread of preventable diseases.

Deputy Minority Leader and Asokwa Member of Parliament, Patricia Appiagyei, has denied authoring or authorising a memorandum circulating in the media alleging that she received and returned GH¢70,000 in connection with the vetting of ministerial and Supreme Court nominees.

In a statement dated September 4, 2026, Mrs. Appiagyei described the purported memorandum as fabricated and urged the public to disregard it.

“I did not write, authorise, or circulate this document. It is fake and should be disregarded by all.”

She also categorically denied receiving any money connected to the vetting exercise or her duties as a member of Parliament’s Appointments Committee.

“I did not receive any payment of GH¢70,000, or any other sum, from any person in connection with the vetting of ministerial or Supreme Court nominees.”

She added that since she did not receive the alleged payment, there was no occasion for her to return any money, as claimed in the document.

Mrs. Appiagyei said she was attending the funeral of a close friend when she was informed that the document was circulating in her name. She initially believed the issue would not attract significant attention but became concerned after it gained wider media coverage.

The MP further said she was seeking legal advice and reserved her rights to take action against anyone responsible for allegedly fabricating or knowingly circulating the document.

OSP investigates alleged GH¢70,000 payment

The controversy has also prompted the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to commence a preliminary investigation into the matter.

According to the OSP, the disputed memorandum purportedly alleged that GH¢70,000 had been provided to Mrs. Appiagyei as an advance from the Majority Chief Whip in connection with the Appointments Committee’s vetting of two ministerial nominees and three Supreme Court nominees.

The OSP said the allegations warranted investigation because of the constitutional importance of Parliament’s Appointments Committee and the need to safeguard the integrity of the vetting process.

The office has consequently invited Mrs. Appiagyei to assist with the preliminary investigation, which will examine the authenticity of the document, the alleged source of the money and the purpose for which it was supposedly provided.

The Second Deputy Minority Whip, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has also rejected the allegations, describing them as having “no truth whatsoever” and urging the public to disregard the purported memorandum.

The development follows earlier reports that treated the September 2 document as genuine and claimed that Mrs. Appiagyei had rejected the alleged payment because of concerns about its source and receiving financial benefits linked to the vetting process.

Mrs. Appiagyei, however, has completely repudiated that account, insisting that she neither authored nor authorised the document.

The matter remains under preliminary investigation by the OSP. The GH¢70,000 payment allegation remains unproven, pending the outcome of the investigation.

Second Deputy Minority Whip Jerry Ahmed Shaib has dismissed claims that Deputy Minority Leader and Asokwa MP Patricia Appiagyei returned GH¢70,000 allegedly given to her in connection with the vetting of ministers and Supreme Court nominees.

Speaking to Citi News, Mr Ahmed described a letter circulating on social media in Mrs Appiagyei’s name as fake, saying she had confirmed that she did not know its origin or authorship.

“She has confirmed that she has no idea where the letter emanated from or who authored it,” Mr Ahmed said.

The purported letter claimed that Mrs Appiagyei had returned GH¢70,000 because she was unaware of the source of the money and did not want to personally benefit from the vetting of government officials and Supreme Court nominees.

It also reportedly referred to the Minority’s decision not to participate in the vetting of three Supreme Court nominees, citing concerns about the process.

Mr Ahmed said checks conducted with officials on the Majority side of Parliament also indicated that no such letter or payment had originated from them.

The development adds to the controversy surrounding allegations of financial allocations to members of Parliament’s Appointments Committee in connection with the vetting of presidential nominees.

The purported letter had triggered public debate over whether MPs should receive money in relation to their duties on the Appointments Committee.

However, the Minority’s latest position is that the document circulating in Mrs Appiagyei’s name is not authentic, with questions remaining over who produced and circulated it.

The controversy comes as Parliament faces increased scrutiny over the operations of the Appointments Committee and allegations concerning financial arrangements linked to the vetting of presidential nominees.

The Government of Ghana has brought home 41 more Ghanaians affected by recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

The evacuees arrived at the Accra International Airport on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, where they were received by Ambassador Alexander Grant Ntrakwa, Head of the Delivery Unit, and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Health Service, Port Health Authority, Ghana Red Cross Society and the Ghana Armed Forces were also at the airport to welcome the returnees.

Speaking to the evacuees, Ambassador Ntrakwa assured them that the government remained committed to protecting their welfare and helping them settle back into their communities.

He urged them to stay positive and view their return as an opportunity to rebuild their lives. He also encouraged them to make good use of their skills, knowledge and experiences as they reintegrate into society and contribute to Ghana’s development.

The Ambassador said the government was collaborating with relevant agencies and other stakeholders to ensure that the returnees receive the support needed to successfully restart their lives in Ghana.

The returnees expressed gratitude to the government for facilitating their evacuation and ensuring their safe return. They also thanked the authorities for the assistance and support they received throughout the evacuation process.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has commenced a preliminary investigation into an alleged GH¢70,000 payment linked to Parliament’s Appointments Committee and involving Deputy Minority Leader and Asokwa Member of Parliament, Patricia Appiagyei.

The investigation follows the circulation of a purported memorandum allegedly authored by Mrs Appiagyei and addressed to the Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh.

According to the OSP, the contents of the document raise questions about the authenticity of the memorandum, the source of the alleged funds and the purpose for which the money was provided.

The memorandum, dated September 2, 2026, reportedly indicates that Mrs Appiagyei returned GH¢70,000 she had allegedly received as an advance from the Majority Chief Whip of Parliament.

The money was reportedly connected to the Appointments Committee’s activities, including vetting ministerial nominees and three nominees to the Supreme Court.

Mrs Appiagyei allegedly explained that she decided to return the money because she was unaware of its source. She also reportedly expressed reservations about receiving any financial benefit associated with the vetting of members of the Majority leadership.

The memorandum reportedly made specific reference to the vetting of Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga and Deputy Majority Leader Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings.

The alleged payment has also been linked to the Minority Caucus’ decision not to participate in the vetting of three Supreme Court nominees.

The nominees are: Justice Sophia Rosetta Oduokuwa Bernasko Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante, Justice Anthony Forson Jnr.

Members of the Minority on the Appointments Committee walked out of the proceedings on August 27, 2026, citing concerns about the procedure adopted for the exercise.

The Minority argued, among other things, that the nominees had been scheduled for vetting without sufficient notice.

Mrs Appiagyei reportedly stated in her memorandum that, having taken a principled position against participating in the exercise, she considered it inappropriate to accept money connected to the process.

She also reportedly said she did not intend to benefit financially from, or “extort any money” from, the nominees.

The OSP said its preliminary investigation is focused on establishing three key issues:

Whether the purported memorandum is genuine;

The source of the alleged GH¢70,000; and

The purpose for which the money was provided.

The Special Prosecutor’s Office further indicated that the contents of the document could potentially raise questions about whether the alleged funds had characteristics associated with extortion of parliamentary nominees.

However, the OSP stressed that the investigation is at a preliminary stage and that the allegations contained in the circulating document have not been established as facts.

As part of its inquiries, the OSP has dispatched a communication inviting Patricia Appiagyei to appear before the office.

Her invitation is intended to enable investigators to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged payment and the memorandum attributed to her.

Investigators are also expected to determine whether the document accurately represents her position and whether the alleged GH¢70,000 was indeed connected to Parliament’s vetting activities.

The development has triggered broader questions about the financial arrangements surrounding the work of Parliament’s Appointments Committee.

The Committee plays an important constitutional role in scrutinising presidential nominees for ministerial positions and other major public offices.

Consequently, allegations that Members of Parliament may receive money connected to the vetting of nominees have raised concerns about the integrity, transparency and independence of the parliamentary vetting process.

The Africa Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA) has called for an independent investigation into the matter.

Its Executive Director, Dr Rasheed Draman, has reportedly urged authorities to determine whether the alleged payment was an isolated incident or indicative of a wider practice within parliamentary committees.

Anti-corruption campaigner Vitus Azeem has also called for investigations by the OSP and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

He has urged authorities to establish who authorised the alleged payment, why it was made and whether similar payments were made to other MPs.

The purported memorandum also reportedly indicated that Mrs Appiagyei’s decision to return the GH¢70,000 was consistent with a decision by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin to return his own share of the money.

Mrs Appiagyei consequently requested that her GH¢70,000 be returned to the Majority Chief Whip, together with an explanation for her decision to reject the funds.

The authenticity of the document remains a central issue in the controversy.

The Minority Caucus has reportedly disputed aspects of the claims surrounding the memorandum, while the OSP has specifically identified verification of the document as one of the main objectives of its preliminary investigation.

The OSP’s inquiry will therefore have to establish whether the memorandum was genuinely authored by Mrs Appiagyei before assessing the allegations contained in it.

In its September 4 public notice, the OSP also indicated that it is actively investigating extortion allegations involving Members of Parliament.

The GH¢70,000 matter therefore forms part of a wider scrutiny of allegations concerning financial transactions and parliamentary vetting.

At this stage, the OSP has not announced criminal charges against Patricia Appiagyei or any other person in connection with the alleged GH¢70,000 payment.

The immediate focus of the investigation is to authenticate the document, establish the source of the alleged funds and determine the purpose for which the money was allegedly provided.

The investigation remains ongoing.