Ghana airlifts items to Ebola-hit countries
A consignment of relief items procured by the government was yesterday airlifted to Ebola-hit countries of West Africa by the Nigeria Air Force (NAF).
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The made-in-Ghana products included 1,000 bags of rice and 300 boxes each of cooking oil, milk and cocoa products.
The United Nations (UN) Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), which has its base in Accra, facilitated the airlifting of the products.
UNMEER was set up in response to the unprecedented outbreak of the deadly disease in parts of West Africa.
The mission is temporarily responding to immediate needs related to the fight against Ebola.
About a month ago, President John Dramani Mahama, during a visit to the three countries of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone made similar donation to victims of the disease.
Chief of Staff
Addressing journalists at the Air Force Base in Accra just before the NAF cargo aircraft took off for the Roberts International Airport in Monrovia last Thursday, the Chief of Staff, Mr Prosper Douglas Bani, said a number of similar goods were sent to Sierra Leone to support the victims of the disease.
He expressed deep concern about the rate at which the disease was spreading and said everything must be done to bring the situation under control.
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Latest figures from the World Health Organisation (WHO) put the number of deaths at 4,493.
Containing Ebola
Mr Bani expressed President Mahama's determination to continue working assiduously to ensure that the disease was contained in the three countries.
“The decision by the President to accept the UN request to establish its mission in Ghana is a further testimony of his extraordinary commitment to the fight against Ebola,” he said.
Mr Bani disclosed that ECOWAS had extended $3million support to each of the three countries affected by the disease.
Preventive measures
Turning home, the Chief of Staff stated that government was on top of preventive measures and efforts to contain the disease in the event of any reported case.
The Guinean Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Alafan K. Kaba, expressed appreciation to President Mahama and the people of Ghana for the tremendous support to the Ebola-affected countries.