NAQS Restates Commitment To Partner Sister Agencies At Seaport Over Coronavirus Spread

The Nigerian Agriculture Quarintine Services, (NAQS) Apapa Seaport, has restated its commitment to synergise with other sister agencies at the port in ensuring sensitisation campaign against the dreaded Coronavirus.

Coordinator, NAQS Apapa Seaport, Dr. Stephen Ekoro who stated this last week, noted that the service had taken proactive steps in the area of collaboration with relevant agencies at the port towards ensuring prevention of the virus.

Dr. Ekoro recalled that the case of Ebola in 2014, NAQS was in the forefront of educating port users on how to embark on safety measures to prevent the spread of the dread disease adding that the Coronavirus is not an exception.

According to him, port health officials and the NAQS alongside other relevant authorities are working harmoniously to provide the necessary items needed to prevent any form of spread of the dreaded disease.

He noted that officials of the service while on board vessels ensured proper sanitisation mechanism before dealing with foreign crew members of the vessel.

Dr. Ekoro stated that the collaboration with other agencies at the seaport applied technical approaches in dealing with foreigners and joint examination of consignments, which in turn has been successful since the outbreak .

“The Customs, Immigration, NDLEA, Port health and NAQS no doubt have been up and doing in the port about preventive measures on the Coronavirus issue. We are working assiduously to sensitize port users about the virus and the synergy has helped us a lot.

“We take precautionary measures during joint examination and boarding of vessels. The issue at hand is not what a single agency of the government can handle and that is why all hands must be on deck to prevent the spread,” he said.

By Roland Ekama