Atuabo Freeport Ghana Limited, (AFP) and the UNAIDS have signed an agreement for UNAIDS to carry out AFP’s HIV/AIDS awareness programme as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility.
AFP is to construct and operate a specialized deep-water petroleum and hydrocarbon logistics base in Atuabo in the Elembelle district of the Western Region.
[contextly_sidebar id=”MaOmwEqsWOZ1wHjlavlpsQVkgU2Q95lm”]AFP will develop the infrastructure for the offshore oil and gas industry to provide an onshore logistics base as well as facilities for rig and vessel operators to get their vessels re-certified, maintained and repaired.
The facility which is a collaboration between AFP and the Government of Ghana will serve operators in Ghana as well as the entire West Africa Gulf region.
Atuabo Freeport recognises that fishing communities may be highly vulnerable to HIV infection due to various factors.
These may include the mobility of many fisher folk and the time they spend away from home.
The HIV/AIDS campaign is particularly important in view of the fact that the Project is likely to attract migrant workers, traders and other fisher folks to the Project area with the likelihood of unprotected sex.
In anticipation of this potential health menace and in order to curtail the possible spread of the disease, an HIV and AIDS sensitization and prevention campaign has been designed as an integral component of the Livelihood Restoration Programme developed by Atuabo Freeport.
The MOU between the two entities will allow UNAIDS and AFP to corporate in the following areas:
Corporate social responsibility to achieve zero new HIV infections, zero aids related deaths and zero discrimination in communities within the project area; implementation of HIV/AIDS Prevention Programme to include: HIV and AIDS sensitization and outreach programmes for community members and workers, distribution of information, education, and communication materials as well as condoms.
It also includes, development of workplace policy on HIV/AIDS, provision of medical facility for HIV/AIDS testing, treatment and counseling.
The MOU is valid for a period of five years
Source: Atuabo Freeport Ghana Limited