NPA, Customs receive protective equipment to enhance safety at Onne Port
As the seaports remain open to operations, strategies to put up preventive measures have been heightened at the Onne Port, Rivers State.
The operatives of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), at the port complex were currently equipped with personal protective equipment, including surgical nose masks, latex gloves and hand sanitizers to guide against the spread of coronavirus.
The terminal operator at Onne, West Africa Container Terminal (WACT), which donated protective equipment urged stakeholders, including the host communities to guide against infection by maintaining social distance, regularly washing of hands, and avoid touching the face.
The company also donated similar items to its host communities namely Onne and Ogu towns.
WACT Managing Director, Aamir Mirza, who commended NPA for keeping the nation’s gateway operational in the face of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, said the donation was necessary to support efforts to stop the spread of the virus, “which has created the worst public health crisis of our generation.”
Mirza said prevention remains the best option available in the absence of vaccine and treatment for COVID-19 infections.
“The best way to prevent and slow down transmission of COVID-19 is to be well-informed about the virus, its symptoms and how it spreads. It is in realisation of this that we carried out a lot of awareness and enlightenment campaign around the port community to educate our staff, port users including agents and truckers about the need to stay safe and adhere to the guidelines issued by relevant government agencies.
“The donation of these items today is also in line with the effort aimed at enhancing preventive measures at the port. We all have the responsibility of protecting ourselves and others from the infection by maintaining social distance, regularly washing our hands and avoid touching our face,” Mirza, who was represented by WACT’s Chief Financial Officer, Lewis Sarpong, said.
He said that in addition to the items donated to NPA, Customs and the host communities; WACT also contributed N50million into the Federal Government’s COVID-19 Relief Fund Account through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The Onne Port Manager, Ismaila Al-Hassan, who received the items on behalf of NPA, said COVID-19 has created severe challenges for the Nigerian economy, saying that the sooner the pandemic is over, the better for the people and the economy.
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