B&FT: Public-spirited assistance will go a long way to help contain spread of coronavirus

In times like these, only public-spirited gestures can get us through such crises. GOIL Company Limited has donated sanitisers and personal protective items for the Ghana Private Road and Transport Union, GPRTU, to fight the coronavirus disease.

The gesture comes at a time when the Traders Union Congress (TUC) is calling on government to provide free hand-sanitizers to people since the commodity has run out of stock, and the few that remain are priced out of the reach of ordinary Ghanaians. Therefore, GOIL’s gesture is exemplary.

The items were 3,000 pieces of Hand gloves, 30 gallons of sanitizers, 2,000 pieces of nose masks and 300 pieces of rubbing alcohol. In addition, the company gave GHC 10,000 to support the item’s smooth delivery to the regions.

Similarly, GCB Bank Ltd. provided GHC 100,000 to support government in the fight against spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country. The donation is the first of its kind by a financial institution in the country, and was made through the Ministry of Health.

GCB, Ghana’s largest indigenous bank, has been following challenges confronting the country ever since the dreaded COVID-19 landed on our shores. In a similar vein, the Ghana Association of Bankers has also donated GHC 10million in support of measures to contain and prevent the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The money will be used to purchase critical equipment and for the purpose of public education. The Ghana Association of Bankers, in addition, says it will continue to monitor the likely consequences of the pandemic on the banking sector, and actively take steps to mitigate possible impacts on customers, employees and the general public.

Coronavirus confirmed cases have reached 24 as at the time of going to press, with 23 of the confirmed cases receiving treatment in isolation; and one of the cases, who had an underlying chronic pulmonary condition prior to having COVID-19, died on Saturday, March 21, 2020.

With the virus tearing down whole communities and with several experiencing lock downs, it is imperative that the country institutes measures which contain the spread of the virus; and the gestures demonstrated by corporate Ghana are indeed a step in the right direction.