Keda Ghana Ceramics Company Limited, producers of Twyford Ceramic Tiles in the Shama District of the Western Region it has imposed a travel ban on staff to limit the risk of exposure to COVID-19.

Mr David Yevugah, Human Resource Manager of the company said the measure was as part of control measures to ensure the safety of staff against the coronavirus.

He said contrary to speculations on social media that the company had sacked some of its staff, the measure to restrict their movement was to ensure the safety of staff.

“In view of the President’s directive on the lockdown of Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Kumasi to restrict human activities as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, and in order to protect the safety of all its employees against the spread of the coronavirus and minimize the transmission risk, Management embarked on a voluntary lockdown of the company,” he explained.

He said that the ban included the two days off duty for staff resident on-site, while all resident staff who wish to leave the site for their two days off duty would not be granted and can only be approved strictly on an emergency basis by Management.

Mr Yevugah who disclosed in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at the site, emphasized that any staff who leaves the site during the period would not be allowed entry and should not report to work temporarily until the outbreak is fully resolved.

According to him, arrangements have been made for groceries and food vendors at the site to serve the needs of staff and that any staff who wanted to leave the site during the period would have to seek approval from the Managing Director.

He, therefore, called on all staff who would take exeat to report to the Health and Safety Department immediately they resumed from sick leave or any other approved emergency leave for screening before reporting for work or to the dormitory.

He indicated that the company had developed a sound preparedness response plan to protect all staff and urged them to cooperate in order to ensure that the health of all staff of the company were protected.

Mr Prince Nicholas Amuah, Safety Manager of the Company, said his outfit had put in place adequate measures throughout the site to ensure the safety of all staff and clients in line with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Government of Ghana (GoG) prescribed protocols.

Among the measures were continuous and thorough disinfection of trucks before loading, provision of running water and soap for washing of hands on-site, provision of hand sanitizers throughout the site and checking the temperature of visitors at all entry points.

The rest were ensuring the practice of social distancing, the introduction of a shift system where few staff were represented each day to avoid crowding as they provided the required services to customers and the display of graphical materials on COVID-19 at vantage points throughout the site to educate all staff and visitors.

Mr Amuah further said adequate Personal Protective Equipment have been provided for staff with a sickbay stocked with the state-of-the-art equipment for emergency purposes, whereas training had been given all staff on the COVID-19 pandemic.