Management of the Kotoka International Airport has revised the COVID-19 protocols for travellers arriving in Ghana following the upsurge of the disease.

Per the new guidelines, Ghanaian residents who depart Ghana and return within a week will no longer be required to present a COVID-19 test result from the country of departure.

Rather, they will undergo mandatory COVID-19 testing upon arrival in Ghana at a cost of $50.

This is contained in the new amendments to Ghana’s air travel guidelines as part of measures to curb the Coronavirus disease.

The Minister-designate for Information, Mr Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, who made this known at a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, noted however that Ghanaian passengers who fail to comply with the guidelines would have their passports seized and the passenger handed over to the state security agencies to undergo a 14-day mandatory quarantine at the passenger’s cost.

He also that Ghanaians who test positive for the virus would undergo mandatory isolation and treatment at a cost to the state.

Non-Ghanaians

According to Mr Oppong-Nkrumah, per the new measures, airlines who board passengers without PCR results or who transfer or disembark passengers with positive PCR test to Accra will be fined $3500 per passenger.

“Also, non-Ghanaian passengers may be refused entry and returned to the point of embarkation at the cost of the airline if there is no proof that they have complied with the guidelines,” he said.

Mr Oppong-Nkrumah noted that non-Ghanaian passengers who test positive will undergo mandatory isolation and treatment at a cost to the passengers.

He said non-Ghana passengers will continue to pay the $150 mandatory COVID-19 test upon arrival in Ghana.

Exemptions

Mr Oppong-Nkrumah outlined that transiting passengers will however not be required to take the COVID-19 test in Accra; rather they will be required to adhere to the COVID-19 testing requirements for the destination country.

Airline crew, as well as children under five years, are also exempted from taking the COVID-19 tests in Accra.

He added that passengers who arrive under emergency circumstances such as diverted flights will not take the test if they do not leave the airport or remain in isolation in the airport.