West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) has donated personal protective equipment including surgical nose masks, latex gloves and hand sanitizers to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at Onne Port, Rivers State to support the prevention of the spread of coronavirus at the port.
The company also donated similar items to its host communities namely Onne and Ogu towns.
WACT Managing Director, Mr. 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 realization 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,” Aamir, who was represented by WACT’s Chief Financial Officer, Lewis Sarpong, said while presenting the items to the Port Manager of Onne Port, Ismaila Al-Hassan.
Mirza said that in addition to the items donated to NPA, Customs and the host communities; WACT has contributed N50million into the Federal Government’s COVID-19 Relief Fund Account through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The Onne Port Manager, Mr. Ismaila Al-Hassan, who received the items on behalf of NPA, said COVID-19 has created severe challenges for the Nigerian economy, stating that the sooner the pandemic is over, the better for the people and the economy.
“A donation like this to assist the workers and the communities around the port is a welcome development,” he said.
Each donation made to NPA, Customs and the host communities include 1,100 surgical nose masks; 50 packs of latex gloves and 60 bottles of hand sanitizer.
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