KIA passengers comfortable with new security measures

Accra, Jan. 5, GNA - A number of passengers at the Kotoka International Airport(KIA), have told the Ghana News Agency, that they have not been inconvenienced by the new security measures that have been introduced at the port.

"Security measures have been tremendously intensified but basically, I feel as comfortable as I have always felt when I am travelling," said a young male passenger. Another passenger said questioning about certain particulars had become a lot more thorough and grilling.

She said inspite of that and other security measures, she had not experienced any inconvenience such as being unduly delayed or treated unfairly. Following the Christmas day attempt by a Nigerian passenger to blow up an aircraft in the US, airports all over the world are taking a second look at their security measures.

Mrs Doreen Owusu Fianko, Managing Director of the Ghana Airports Company Ltd, told journalists on Monday, that authorities at the KIA were having series of high level meetings to ensure that security was not in the least compromised.

She said extreme measures, especially final boarding security check procedures on passengers, had been taken, adding that these procedures made it much easier to ensure maximum security.

As part of the new security measures, the central security screening point at the airport have been re-positioned to ensure that passengers are better screened and monitored, before they board an aircraft or depart at their respective destinations. Several other measures which cannot be mentioned for security reasons have also been taken at the KIA.

On December 25, 2009, 23 year old Farouk Umar AbdulMutallab, a Nigerian national, attempted to blow up North West Airlines flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit.

AbdulMutallab who was also a passenger on the flight carrying almost 300 passengers and crew, attempted to blow up the aircraft with explosives, which were attached to his body but was overpowered by passengers who had grown suspicious of his behaviour. He has since been detained by US authorities. 5 Jan. 10