The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has produced local hand sanitizers for its staff at their various offices to help curb the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The product, manufactured at the GRA's laboratory is made up of ingredients such as ethanol, hydrogen peroxide, glycerol and purified water.

The item has been approved by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) after establishing that it meets the World Health Organisation standards.

It comes in a five litre gallon and 450 millilitre size plastic containers. The GRA has a production target of 10,000 litres for the Customs laboratory.

The Reverend Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, the Commissioner-General, GRA speaking at a news briefing in Accra said the initiative was in line with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s call to local companies to produce high quality sanitizers to help fight the spread of COVID-19.

"Our aim is to distribute to every staff member at GRA, our various offices, and outposts as a precautionary measure to contain the virus. We have begun providing free masks to all of our field workers to protect themselves from the disease", he said.

He said the Authority estimated that GHC164, 000.00 would be saved monthly by manufacturing the product compared to buying it in the open market.

The Commissioner-General said the Authority had instituted adequate measures in all its offices across the country to ensure strict adherence to social distancing and hand washing protocols.

Rev Owusu-Amoah sympathized with those who have lost their loved ones, jobs or businesses as a result of the pandemic.

"We know that COVID-19 has affected all of us and encourage Ghanaians not to lose hope, but support and pray for all the frontline workers leading the fight against the virus", he added.

He said the Authority remains committed to its mandate to ensure maximum compliance with all relevant laws in order to achieve a sustainable revenue stream for government.

He appealed to taxpayers to fulfil their tax obligations to ensure revenue targets were met to support government interventions.

Madam Phyllis Sakyi-Djan, Assistant Commissioner and Head of Customs Laboratory urged the workers to make good use of the products by applying it in the field of their work and adhere to the precautionary measures of COVID-19 to stay safe and healthy.