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The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has presented assorted protective equipment to the Ghana Private Road Transport Union to help in the fight against the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).

The items donated include giant Veronica buckets and their metal stands, gallons of handwashing soap, gallons of hand sanitizers, hand gloves, nose masks and face masks.

Presenting the items, the Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), Mr Thomas Kofi Alonsi said the GPRTU was chosen because of the central role it plays in moving people across the country.

“We know that the Coronavirus is transmitted through human contact and as a transport union that moves people from one place to another, these contacts are inevitable. It is for that reason that we thought we should equip the GPRTU with the important equipment that will ensure that users of our bus terminals are properly sanitized before boarding a bus to their destination,” he explained.

Mr Alonsi said the GMA felt obligated to contribute to the fight against the spread of the virus which has so far claimed five lives locally and more than 33,000 globally.

Ghana has also recorded 152 confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to Ghana Health Service data. The service says all those who died were people with underlying medical conditions.

The Director-General of GMA said all Ghanaians, institutions and even political parties have a duty to support government’s efforts at dealing with the pandemic which has compelled a global lockdown.

Ghanaians in the major cities of Accra and Kumasi have been under lockdown since 1 am Monday, March 30, 2020.

All streets are quiet except a few vehicles of mainly essential service providers like the police, health workers and journalists.

Supported by the Deputy Director General (Finance & Administration), Mr Yaw Akosa Antwi, and Dr Kwasi Wereko Awuah, the Director, Finance, Mr Alonsi presented the equipment to the National Chairman of GPRTU, Kwame Kumah and the Greater Accra regional chairman.

Mr Kumah praised managers of GMA for their thoughtfulness and assured that the equipment will be utilised properly. 

He invited other organisations and individuals to follow the example of GMA and contribute resources to the fight.