Business organizations satisfied with the level of participation in the cargo disinfection exercise

News from Sunday, February 3, 2019

Source: Ghananewsagency.org

2019-02-03

The professional organizations welcomed the level of consultation between the Ministry of Health and LCB Worldwide regarding the implementation of cargo disinfection exercise in Ghana's seaports.

In 2018, organizations expressed concerns about the lack of stakeholder deliberation on the disinfection of cargoes, cars, vans and other vehicles visiting ports, which led to the suspension of Exercise last year.

They had accompanied Mr. Kweku Agyeman-Manu, Minister of Health, Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare, Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), and Mr. Raphael John Marfo, Director of Port Health, for the Health Unit. inspection of the disinfection tunnels installed at seven exits. and entry points to the port of Tema.

Mr. Joseph Paddy, Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Federation of Merchant Trade Unions (GUTA), told the Ghana News Agency that his request for participation in the exercise had been accepted, which had resulted in several meetings with the Ministry of Health and the implementers, LCB, who had subsequently been reconditioned.

GUTA supported the disinfection exercise to the extent that it would benefit all Ghanaians, as the project would ensure mandatory disinfection of key markets, in addition to disinfection of all high school residential schools in the country, said M Paddy.

Mr. Samuel Aggrey, General Secretary of the Ghana Food and Beverage Association, spoke on behalf of the consumer, explaining that the end consumer should be protected from insects and insects.

"Importers do not know where and under what conditions their containers pbad and what pathogens they have been able to attract before reaching the shores of Ghana," he said.

Mr. Aggrey said that the government had taken the right path, especially when it was trying to implement it in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) regulations.

The US $ 15 million project is a 100% private investment that involves the mobilization, construction and operation of disinfection facilities in the country's seaports and other points of interest. 39; entry.

The GHS has signed a service agreement with LCB Worldwide following Ghana's ratification of the WHO International Health Regulations and its inclusion in the Public Health Act No. 851 of 2012 to prevent and protect Ghana risks and threats of dangerous infections from abroad as a biosecurity measure.

A service charge including value-added tax (VAT) between $ 7 and $ 20 should be paid for by cars, other vehicles and freight trucks.

A disinfection certificate valid for international trade of each container that has pbaded through the system will be processed and badigned quickly.

After the inspection, Mr. Agyeman-Manu expressed his satisfaction for the facilities and announced that the current commitments would end soon for the beginning of the fiscal year by the end of February. 2019.

He added that if Ghana did not implement the disinfection requirement, the time would come when shipments from the country would not be allowed in other ports around the world.

Mr. Kareem Abu, Public Relations Manager and local partner of LCB Worldwide, explained the concept and operation of the disinfection facilities.

The tunnels were constructed with steel and aluminum frame panels featuring the latest technology for spraying disinfectants sprayed from installed nozzles when the integrated vehicle radial detection system identifies the presence of a vehicle to the vehicle. entrance or exit.