Coronavirus: Elubo GPRTU branch ensures passengers wash hands before joining cars

Correspondence from Western Region:

As part of measures to calm the spread of the world deadly Coronavirus in Ghana, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) branch at Elubo in the Jomoro Municipality of the Western Region, is ensuring travellers at the station wash their hands with alcoholic-based sanitizers and liquid soaps before they board cars.

This move is in a quick response to the directive given out by the President of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to all lorry stations in the country to practice personal hygiene in a way to avoid contracting and spreading the Coronavirus.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb's Western Regional Correspondent Daniel Kaku, the Branch Chairman of Elubo GPRTU, Mr. Kofi Assuah said they have no option than to adhere to the President's directive to ensure passengers do not contract and spread the virus.

He said since Elubo is a border town the virus could easily spread hence their measures put in place to fight against the virus.

He emphasized that they had installed washing dispenser at the station for the passengers to use, adding that "when they finish washing their hands with the water they use liquid soaps and hand sanitizers to clean their hands thoroughly".

He also said they provide each passenger with a nose mask.

Mr. Assuah who is also the District Chairman for the three Nzema GPRTU said apart from the aforementioned items, regular education has been given to the passengers about the virus.

"We always advise them to minimize conversation in the cars and also use tissues whenever they want to cough or sneeze", he said.

Some of the passengers who spoke to our Correspondent commended the Elubo GPRTU branch for the measures putting in place to combat the killer virus.

They said the move would help them not to contract and spread the virus.

"I came from Asante Akyem to do something in Elubo and this morning I have come here to take a car to Kumasi and when I got here I saw the GPRTU has put measures in place to prevent the spread of the virus and in fact I was allowed to wash my hands before joining the car, they gave me a liquid soap and hand sanitizer and also tissue to clean my hands, I have to commend them, they have done well and I think this will help us not to contract the virus", one passenger gave the testimony to our Correspondent.

Elubo is the main border post between Ghana and La Cote D'Ivoire. It is also a cosmopolitan town dotted with different towns apart from Nzemas.

Ghana has so far recorded seven of the deadly Coronavirus and these cases are imported cases.