A comprehensive disinfection exercise at the Kotoka International Airport and other major airports across the country on Tuesday heralds the possible easing of air travel advisory in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The President ordered the review of Ghana’s travel advisory in March, shutting its air traffic from countries with more than 200 cases of the disease. Domestic flights were also limited.

On the sidelines of Tuesday’s exercise, Minister of Aviation, Joseph Kofi Adda, said the disinfection prepares the grounds for the commencement of domestic flights.

He said the disinfection, spearheaded by waste management giant, Zoomlion Ghana Ltd, is also in keeping with the protocols introduced to fight the virus in Ghana.

“We want to start the domestic flights first…in all of Africa, we are the only country that closed down the airport and are about to begin,” he said.

The disinfection exercise was carried out concurrently at the Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale airports.

Over 200 personnel from Zoomlion Ghana, put in 14 groups sprayed the entire Kotoka International Airport including all three terminals, departure lounges, civil aviation buildings, roads among others.

Head of Zoomlion Disinfection Team, Rev Ebenezer Kwame Addae, said the exercise will take not less than eight hours to complete, confident that the possible vectors – including viruses – at the airport will be immobilised.