Ref: CBDO/0013/2020 Dated 16th March 2020
COVID-19
CBOD OPERATING ADVICE TO BULK DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES (BDCs) AND DEPOTS
The Ministry of Information has announced four (4) new confirmed cases of the Coronavirus infection (COVID-19), bringing the total of confirmed cases in Ghana to six (6).
The CBOD in light of this and upon consultation with various public health experts wishes to advise the following:
1. The management of all member-BDCs should adequately acquaint themselves with the preventative provisions and guidelines advised by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and World Health Organisiation (WHO) which may be found on http://ghanahealthservice.org/covid19/.
2. In view of the above, all members are required to equip their offices adequately with hand sanitizers at vantage points, of which the entrance or receptions and bathrooms must necessarily be equipped with hand sanitizers.
3. All offices are also advised to ensure the availability of running water and detergents at all times and are required to facilitate unrestrained handwashing and cleaning.
4. It is further recommended that offices be provided with paper towels (in dispensers) and not reusable hand towels.
5. The personal hygiene recommendations of the WHO must be displayed at vantage points in their offices (receptions highly advised) visible to both members and visitors to the offices.
6. Management of member-BDCs is advised to put in place remote working protocols to encourage staff to work from home where possible. They should endeavour to employ technology to facilitate meetings and gatherings remotely. Members should keep in touch with staff and encourage adherence to basic personal hygiene.
7. All depots are requested to advise protocols for the management of the Covid-19 pandemic at their various facilities. These protocols should be advised to all users of their facilities including OMCs, GRA, BDCs, Tanker drivers, NPA officers, etc.
8. Depots are further advised to ensure that users of their facilities fully equip themselves with all necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and comply with the set down protocols in their facilities. Any user of the facility who refuses to comply with both the standard HSSE and anti-Covid-19 protocols should be forced to leave the facilities.
9. Depots are also requested to adopt recommendations 1 to 5 above. They are further advised to enforce the social distancing protocols recommended by the WHO and communicate remotely with all users of the facilities.
The Secretariat’s operations
The CBOD will operate remotely for the period March 17, 2020, to March 30, 2020. CBOD staff will be available on call, email and teleconferencing to address any issues that members may have. We have also written to the NPA requesting the suspension of all industry engagements over the 4 week period recommended by the President in his national address on Sunday, March 15, 2020. The CBOD secretariat will represent members in the physical engagements when necessary and by this fully adopt the social distancing and hand hygiene recommendations as required by the WHO.
Conclusion
We urge all members to be calm, prioritizing their personal health and the wellbeing of their families at this time. As BDCs and related petroleum service providers, we are however not oblivious to the importance of our role as primary suppliers of petroleum products to the Ghanaian economy. The BDC function is necessary in ensuring that medication, food, and health can be transported from one point to the other. Our function is necessary to ensure that ambulances and healthcare providers can move to save lives amidst this Covid-19 pandemic.
While we pursue our safety we (BDCs and the CBOD) shall in no way neglect our responsibility to Ghana, our motherland.
On behalf of the Board, we urge all to stay safe and keep the wheels of the country running.
Thank you.
Senyo Hosi
CEO
