Emirates has been awarded the Presidential Honor for Distinguished Service at the Ghana National Honor Awards 2023 at the Accra International Conference Center.
The airline has received the honorary award from President Nana Akufo-Addo for its distinguished service and role in providing medical supplies, humanitarian aid, and generous support to Ghana during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The national awards recognize individuals and organizations who have made immense contributions in sectors such as civil service, military, education, public health, scientific research, and industry and commerce. Emirates played a significant role in assisting Ghana and other nations in the COVID-19 fight.
The airline’s cargo arm airlifted and distributed 62 tonnes of COVID-19 vaccine doses to Ghana during the pandemic. Worldwide, it transported 4,200 tonnes of vaccines, surpassing 1 billion doses, to over 80 destinations on 2,000 Emirates flights, with two-thirds transported to developing countries.
Emirates also supported the transport of equipment donated by China’s Jack Ma Foundation to the government of Ghana. The foundation donated medical supplies to the government, which included 18,900 test kits, 3,700 protective suits, 3,700 protective face masks, 9,500 pairs of gloves, 36 forehead thermometers, and 12 ventilators.
At the height of the pandemic, the Dubai-based carrier operated 12 repatriation flights from its hub at Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Accra. It brought back more than 3,000 Ghanaian citizens, residents, and others from more than 31 cities seeking to return to Ghana from across its network.
Emirates has been operating flights to Ghana for the past 19 years, supporting the country’s trade and tourism development by carrying visitors into the country and opening trade lanes for businesses and exporters. Today, the airline operates a daily non-stop service between Accra and Dubai.
Leading the aviation and air cargo industry in a timely response to the crisis, Emirates formulated its COVID-19 distribution strategy in 2020. The flag carrier mobilized the movement of vaccines through DXB to developing countries.
Its cargo arm helped transport thousands of tonnes of urgently required PPE and other medical supplies across six continents by rapidly adapting its business model and introducing additional cargo capacity through its modified mini freighters on Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft.
The presidential award was presented to individuals, organizations, and partners who distinguished themselves in the fight against the virus. Ghana received many commendations for the way it handled the viral outbreak, which it could not have achieved individually.
In all, 19,557 frontline health workers received certificates and plaques for their dedicated services in the line of duty. Also recognized were members of the legal team who ensured that the maritime boundary dispute with Cote D’Ivoire ended in Ghana’s favor. President Akufo-Addo said to all selfless stakeholders; “Ghana is indeed indebted to you. The selflessness and commitment demonstrated by the health workers helped save many lives.”
The government instituted about $81.3 million as a relief package to alleviate the plight of the people in the wake of the pandemic. Additionally, personal protective equipment worth several million dollars was procured for the safety of Ghanaian citizens.
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