The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers-Ghana (COPEC) says it has initiated process to procure protective equipment for commercial drivers and fuel pump attendants in the country to help mitigate the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak.
The initiative is being undertaken together with the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and Association of Oil Marketing Companies (AOMCS).
This revelation, which was contained in a press statement issue by COPEC on Sunday, March 15, 2020 comes in the wake of an announcement of four more cases of the contagious coronavirus (COVID-19) in Ghana.
“The Chamber further encourages as many fuel stations to make all the necessary arrangements to install self-serving or automated pumps across some service stations to reduce the possibility of physical contact between the customer and attendants at the various stations within this period,” COPEC said in the statement.
So far, Ghana has recorded six cases of the virus, necessitating in the temporal ban on travels in and outside the country and the suspension of public gatherings which included church services, schools, weddings, funerals, among others.
The Executive Secretary of COPEC, Mr Duncan Amoah, in the statement, further called for the use of electronic payment systems and platforms to effect payment for the services and products provided at these service stations as well as the payment of fares for public transport where possible.
“We encourage the public to strictly abide by and observe all the health protocols as spelt out by the Ghana Health Service under the current circumstances to prevent an escalation in the number of infections as authorities continue to work strenuously to contain and eradicate the upsurge and incidence of this virus outbreak,” it added.