A Ghanaian genius, Richard Kwarteng Aning, has invented a solar-powered sensitive handwashing sink to help in the country’s battle against the novel coronavirus. Ghana has so far recorded 641 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 83 recoveries and eight deaths.
The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has already certified the breathtaking invention to allow for its commercial production amid the race to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected 2,165,500 people globally with 145,705 deaths.
“It’s a small start, I would admit but it’s a huge jump for the Ghanaian industry. If other companies will realize that their job is to partner others so that they can make a lot of good products and profit then we can be self-sufficient,” local media Citi FM quoted the Chief Executive Officer of the GSA, Prof. Alex Dodoo.
“That is the challenge we have been throwing to the industries. Industries must rise to the challenge. There are so many areas. This is a small product but it’s a huge jump, in fact, it’s a mega leap for us if you are thinking of domestic self-sufficiency and building domestic capacities,” he said.
Prof. Dodoo added: “It is difficult to see how the inventor can move very fast, however, what the standard authorities promised is that we have a team of engineers, biomedical and civil engineers, so we have promised him that we are happy to partner in the name of the authority to help them to scale up.”
Developed from a recycled barrel, the sink comes with a double-tap, one for water and the other for soap.
With an inbuilt sensor, the solar-powered sink allows for the flow of soapy water immediately a hand goes beneath the tap. It then follows with an alarm notifying the user of the readiness of the other tap to discharge water which lasts for 25 seconds.
Aning – the inventor – a BSC Marketing graduate, hopes the certification will help in the country’s battle to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, noting that he had already put up a factory for mass production.
“…So we are going to employ a lot of people and get this thing on the market because lots of calls are coming in for orders and we can’t fail Ghanaians and Africans.
“So, we have to do this and do it well. That is why we are partnering with the GSA to get this standardized for the international market,” Aning was quoted as saying.
