Ghana to restart international flight 1st September – President Akufo Addo
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President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana
Ghanaian President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has announced the 1st September 2020 as the restart date for international travels in Ghana.
He made the declaration yesterday night, on his 16th nationwide broadcast to the people of Ghana on the progress the country had achieved in her resolve to halt the spread of COVID-19 in Ghana and ultimately banished the scourge from the planet earth.
The President said government had installed COVID-19 testing facilities at Kotoka International Airport, and after weeks of thorough work and various simulations satisfactory outcomes, “I am satisfied that it is safe to do so” he said.
He said, “Fellow Ghanaians, I am glad to announce that Kotoka International Airport will reopen and resume operations from Tuesday, 1st September 2020. This decision has been communicated to international airlines”.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, highlighted tracks the government had since the emergence of COVID-19 in Ghana covered thus; “It has been well-established that the very first cases of COVID-19 in Ghana were imported into our shores. We are determined to make sure this scenario does not recur. The commitment to ensuring that the gradual easing of restrictions, including the reopening of our airports, does not lead to the importation or resurgence of the virus into our country, is firmly in place. That is why the following measures have been taken and duly communicated to airlines wishing to resume flights to Ghana:
Kotoka International Airport
GHANA AIRPORT COVID-19 PROTOCOL
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced the layered bio security instituted thus;
“1. Any passenger arriving in Ghana must be in possession of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result from an accredited laboratory in the country of origin. The test should have been done not more than seventy-two (72) hours before the scheduled departure from the country of origin. All airlines have been instructed to ensure compliance with this directive for all passengers wishing to travel to Ghana, and those airlines who fail in this regard will be duly sanctioned;
2. disembarking passengers must do so wearing face masks;
3. upon disembarking from the aeroplane, each passenger will undergo a mandatory COVID-19 test at the airport terminal, at a fee to be borne by the passenger. The test result will be available within thirty (30) minutes;
4. children under the ages of five (5) will not be required to undergo testing at the airport;
5. passengers, who test positive for COVID-19, will be handled by the health authorities for further clinical assessment and management; and
6. passengers, who test negative, can, thereupon, enter Ghana to go about their lawful activities, and will be advised to continue to observe COVID-19 safety precautions during their stay in Ghana.
Baggage claim hall, Kotoka International Airport, Ghana
The Ministries of Information, Health and Aviation, and their respective agencies – the Ghana Health Service, the Ghana Airports Co. Ltd., and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority – will spell out in further detail the protocols surrounding the re-opening of our international airport, and the procedures to be adhered to by passengers arriving in Ghana at the COVID-19 media briefing tomorrow, Monday, 31st August. For the avoidance of doubt, our borders, by land and sea, will continue to remain closed to human traffic until further notice”.
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