Shippers’ council collaborates with NCDC to contain COVID-19 in port, freight industries
Samson Echenim is business a.m. correspondent providing coverage for maritime, aviation, travels and hospitality. A former business correspondent at the Punch and Leadership newspapers, he has a vast experience in business reporting. Samson can be reached on samhapp2000@yahoo.com and +2348037363024
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) is collaborating with the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the port and freighting industries.
In a statement by Rakiya Zubairu, head Public Relations, on Wednesday, the council said it had readied packs of hundreds of face masks and hand sanitizers to the leaders of seven trucking associations.
“This is particularly significant because truckers, being essential workers, are some of the few people who are allowed to move across state lines as they deliver essential cargoes all around the country,” the NSC said.
Recall that the shippers council, through the Federal Ministry of Transportation, had made an intervention for truckers and freight forwarders to be allowed free movement as they convey goods from the ports to the lengths and breaths of Nigeria and indeed beyond the borders of the country.
“Also, starting today, NSC will be making the rounds of terminals and shipping companies on a COVID-19 sensitisation campaign.
“The NCDC has assigned one if its doctors to deliver a talk on COVID-19 at the various locations where freight forwarders and staff of these organisations will be present,” the statement added.
Zubairu said the Port Health Services department of the Federal Ministry of Health would also be present at the sensitisation events.
“The shippers’ council, as the promoter of this sensitisation campaign will give out face masks and sanitisers to all present at all the terminals and shipping companies,” Zubairu said.