Travellers to Ghana to pay over GHC800 as COVID-19 testing fee

- All travellers to Ghana by air are to pay $150, equivalent to GH¢866, as the fee for testing for COVID-19

- The Managing Director of the Ghana Airports Company Limited, Yaw Kwakwa, said the testing will be 99% to 100% accurate

- It would take a maximum of 30 minutes for a passenger to go through the entire process and get his or her results

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Travellers arriving in Ghana by air will have to pay $150, equivalent to GHc¢866, for COVID-19 testing at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).

This was revealed at a press conference in Accra on Monday, August 31, following the announcement of the re-opening of the airport by President Akufo-Addo.

President Nana Akufo-Addo, in his 16th COVID-19 update to the nation, said Ghana’s international airport will be opened on September 1, 2020, after five months of closure.

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Giving further clarification on the president’s directive, the Managing Director of the Ghana Airports Company Limited, Yaw Kwakwa, said the accuracy of the testing is 99% to 100%.

The mandatory testing, which is to be conducted for all passengers coming into the country forms part of directives outlined by the Aviation and Health ministries to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus and ensure that the deadly disease is not imported into the country.

“It takes a maximum of 30 minutes for a particular passenger to go through the entire process and get his or her results," Myjoyonline.com reported.

He further explained that it is compulsory for every airline coming to Ghana to ensure that passengers have a face mask on.

“When you are coming from London, you will probably travel like six hours and so when you land at the KIA and you come through the passenger door and get to the edge of the terminal building, we will give you a fresh face mask," Kwakwa added.

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Defending the $150 (GHC866) fee for the testing, the Deputy Minister for Health, Dr. Benard Oko-Boye described it as a good bargain since “nothing is more expensive than contracting COVID-19 itself”.

He also argued that the decision was taken after assessing charges by other countries.

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has in his 16th Address to the nation on the measures taken to curtail the spread of the coronavirus disease, announced a number of measures taken by the government.

YEN.com.gh has, however, listed some eight major highlights from Akufo-Addo's speech with infographics attached from President Akufo-Addo's Facebook page.

Ghana re-opens Kotoka International Airport to passengers |#Yencomgh

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Source: YEN.com.gh