President Akuffo-Addo has announced that the Kotoka International Airport will reopen and resume operations from Tuesday, 1st September 2020.
This decision, according to the President, has been communicated to international airlines.
He said “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.”
The President made this announcement during his 16th address to the nation on measures taken by the government to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
He, however, emphasized that borders, by land and sea, continue to remain closed to human traffic until further notice.
The President outlined that 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.
He said, “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”.
President Akufo-Addo noted that disembarking passengers must do so wearing face masks adding that 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 results, according to him, will be available within thirty minutes.
He revealed that children under the ages of five will not be required to undergo testing at the airport.
President Akufo-Addo added that passengers, who test positive for COVID-19, will be handled by the health authorities for further clinical assessment and management; and those who test negative, can, thereupon, enter Ghana to go about their lawful activities.
He said they will be advised to continue to observe COVID-19 safety precautions during their stay in Ghana.
“The Ministries of Information, Health and Aviation, and their respective agencies – the Ghana Health Service, the Ghana Airports Co. Ltd., on 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”, said President Akufo-Addo.
