Ghana’s president announces date for resumption of international flights

President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana has indicated that the country will resume international flights on 1 September.

Speaking in a national address on Sunday evening, the president however said his government needs to be able to ensure that every prospective entrant into Ghana by air is tested on arrival before Ghana’s borders by air are reopened.

“I want to be sure we are in a position to test every single passenger that arrives in the country to avoid the spread of the virus. The outcome of that exercise will show us the way and determine when we can reopen our border by air,” he said

“I am hoping by God’s grace, we will be ready to do so by 1 September”.

The president noted that the Ministry of Aviation, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority and the Ghana Airports Co. Ltd., had been working “with the Ministry of Health and its agencies, to ascertain our readiness to reopen our airport.”

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President Akufo-Addo gave no indication of when restrictions will be lifted on Ghana’s land borders.

Ghana’s air, sea and land borders were closed on Sunday, 22 March 2020, as part of efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

The closure left thousands of Ghanaians stranded abroad who have consistently appealed for help over the last few months.

The President reminded that “special dispensation will continue to be given for their evacuation back to Ghana.”

But the government’s pre-condition for evacuation was that the stranded citizens bear the full cost of their ticket 14-day mandatory quarantine when they arrive in the country because of the threat of the novel coronavirus.

Felix Dappah

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