GRA produces hand sanitisers for staff
The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has begun the manufacture of hand sanitiser for its staff to assist in the fight against the novel COVID-19.
The product, which is being formulated at the GRA Laboratory, is composed of ingredients such as ethanol, hydrogen peroxide, glycerol and purified water, and has been approved by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).
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The initiative is in line with the President’s call on local companies to produce high quality sanitisers to help contain the spread of the virus in the country.
Protecting staff
At a media briefing about the product in Accra last Thursday, the acting Commissioner of the GRA, Rev. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, said the initiative was to protect staff at their various offices and every GRA outpost as a precautionary measure to fight the spread of the disease.
He said the laboratory had already produced and distributed 5,799 litres of the 10,000 litres production target to various offices of the GRA across the country.
He said the initiative formed part of the measures the authority had put in place to support over 14,000 permanent and non-permanent staff of the institution who worked at the frontlines to help the country generate its revenue.
In addition, he said, the authority had procured personal protective equipment (PPE) to be used in all offices, including the border posts and entry points.
He said the GRA anticipated that the production of the sanitiser was going to save the authority GH¢164,000 as opposed to procuring from the open market where the prices had been inflated.
Safety measures
Following the directive of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Rev. Owusu-Amoah noted that the GRA had also introduced a mandatory washing of hands, the use of hand sanitisers and checking of body temperature before entry into its various offices.
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He added that all door handles, metal knobs, objects such as telephones and keyboards, surfaces including desks and tables were also being disinfected regularly.
“I want to assure everybody that the GRA is not going to relent in its efforts to deliver on its mandate. We will do all we can to ensure that the needed revenue is generated to meet government’s needs as we all put our shoulders to the wheel to fight this deadly pandemic,” the acting Commissioner-General stated.
He further expressed his appreciation to the government for the various interventions it had introduced to save businesses in the wake of the pandemic.
He, therefore, entreated employees, corporate and other institutions who continued to make various incomes, sales and provide services to file and pay their taxes to support the government.
Support
The acting Assistant Commissioner in-charge of Customs Laboratory, Ms Phyllis Sakyi-Djan, expressed hope that within the next five days, the set target was going to be achieved.
She said the authority was also going to extend a helping hand to other government institutions by providing them some of the products to equally enhance the effort to contain the spread of the virus.