GPHA suspends high risk ships, port tours and academic internship

The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has suspended high risk ships, port tours and academic internship, in the wake of confirmation of coronavirus cases in Ghana.

In addition to this, the Port Authority is liaising with shipping agents to
identify all high-risk vessels that may be coming into the country for the
necessary precautionary action to be taken, a statement signed and copied the Ghanaian Times by Esther Gyebi-Donkor, General Manager, Marketing and Corporate Affairs, said.

 Already, the Authority, in consultation with agents of cruise vessels has advised the postponement of all cruise ships scheduled to take berth at the Ports of Tema and Takoradi respectively and assured the general public that all other high risk vessels would be treated with the same urgency.

“The Port Authority would also like to take this opportunity to inform all prospective students who wish to undertake their internship with the authority that, this window is suspended until further notice and advises
students to avoid coming to the offices seeking such opportunities for health and safety reasons.”

The statement said that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, visits to patients admitted to“our health facilities in Tema and Takoradi will be strictly regulated and urged family members and loved ones to bear with the medical teams while they do their utmost best to care diligently for the patients under their care.

“We wish to assure the public that there is no immediate threat to the Port
 community but this action has been taken out of abundance of caution and
 part of our collective effort as a nation to beat the virus and safeguard the health of our stakeholders and the general public.”

Meanwhile, the Port Authority will continue with its sensitisation exercise of
port users and all stakeholders and wish to encourage each and every one to
follow the precautionary measures as outlined in our sensitisation exercise by
officials of Port Health, GPHA medical team and Marketing and Corporate
Affairs Department.

“We urge the public to be rest assured that we will resume all port tours and
other public-spirited assignments as and when conditions are favourable,”the statement said.

It said the public can reach the Marketing and Public Affairs sections of Tema and Takoradi Ports on the following numbers for further clarifications on the issue — Headquarters, 0243924972, Tema, 0208225044 and Takoradi on 0244829961.

BY TIMES REPOERTER