Kotoka International Airport open for international flights Sept 1 - Prez Akufo-Addo

Ghana will on Tuesday, September 1, 2020, open the Kotoka International Aiport (KIA) for international flights, President Akufo-Addo has announced.

The President in the 16th national address on measures taken to control the spread of the Coronavirus on Sunday, August 30, added that the country's land and sea borders remain closed.

"Fellow Ghanaians, I am glad to announce that Kotoka International Airport will reopen and resume operations from Tuesday, September 1, 2020. This decision has been communicated to all international airlines," the President said.

The announcement was made hours after President Akufo-Addo visited the KIA today to ascertain the readiness of the facility to resume international flights.

The President also announced that some stringent measures that have been put in place at the airport to prevent the importation of new Coronavirus cases which may lead to a resurgence of the disease in the country.

The measures which he said had been communicated to airlines who want to resume flights to the country include a requirement for every passenger to possess proof of a negative PCR Coronavirus test from an accredited laboratory on arrival at the KIA.

"The test should have been done not more than 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 would be sanctioned".

The measures also require all disembarking passengers to wear face masks and undergo a mandatory COVID-19 test upon disembarking flights at the Terminal.

The President disclosed that the cost of the test would be borne by the passenger and the test results would be available within thirty minutes. However, children aged five years and below are not required to undergo testing at the airport.

Background

Ghana’s air, sea and land borders were first closed on Sunday, March 22, 2020, following an order by President Akufo-Addo as part of efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Addressing the nation in a televised broadcast, the President said the country’s borders will remain closed for two more weeks beginning Monday, April 20.

The President in that address explained that it was because the majority of confirmed COVID-19 cases have come from travellers or from people who have come into contact with travellers.

"It is, therefore, incumbent on us to continue to be vigilant about travellers into our country until further notice, and to congratulate the men and women of the Immigration Service and the Marine Police Unit for their work in securing our borders, he said".

"The arrest of ten West African nationals in Tamale who all tested positive for the virus; the arrest of the six Nigerian travellers who entered Ghana through unapproved routes along the Ghana-Togo border near Aflao, who also tested positive for the virus; and the recent arrest of ten fishermen in the Western Region, who returned from Cote d'Ivoire and have been quarantined, testify to the determination of our security services to protect our borders. I have, thus, signed an Executive Instrument, to extend the closure of our borders for two more weeks, beginning Monday, 20th April".

Meanwhile, as of Sunday, August 30, 2020, Ghana has recorded 44,205 cases with 42,777 recoveries and 276 deaths. The country's active case stands at 1,152.