He announced that some stringent measures 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.
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Here's the amount you will pay for COVID-19 test at the Kotoka International Airport
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his 16th address to the nation on Sunday, August 30, announced the reopening of the Kotoka International Airport for international flights from today, Tuesday, September 1, 2020.
Kotoka international airport
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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," he said.
However, Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye, Deputy Minister of Health, on Monday, August 31, 2020, announced that passengers arriving into the country through the Kotoka International Airport will pay 150 dollars for the COVID-19 test.
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He said the amount was cost-effective considering what passengers paid in other countries.
Addressing the press in Accra, he said countries like Zimbabwe, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria charged more than 150 dollars with test results delaying for hours and causing congestion.
He added that the country's testing equipment was certified by the regulatory agencies including the Ghana Standard Authority, Food and Drugs Authority with a sensitivity rate of 99 percent.
"The country has gone for a testing regime that identifies the virus in a maximum of 30 minutes. The equipment that will allow for taking samples of passengers is all in a safe and ready to reopen the facility.
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"As a ministry and a government who are stakeholders in the management of COVID-19, we were very much interested in the cost of the test. We wanted to make sure that the cost of the test will not put an unnecessary burden on the passenger. So we quickly looked at what is being charged across the globe," he noted.
He explained that "when you go to a place like Zimbabwe you will pay about $210 for the test. In China, you will pay about $150 for the test. In Togo and Benin, you will pay about 150 euros and in Nigeria, it is 130 dollars but you will have to go to a hotel and lodge till the results are ready.
"With the turnaround time and accuracy of the test assured, we had to decide whether the $150 was enough to cover all the expenses. We finally agreed to peg it at that for now," he added.
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