President Akufo-Addo says there are discussions ongoing with stakeholders to reopen the Kotoka International Airport by September 1.
Stakeholders including the Ministry of Aviation, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority and the Ghana Airports Co. Ltd are in talks to ascertain how ready the country is to open the border by air.
“The outcome of that exercise will show us the way, and determine when we can reopen our border by air. I am hoping that, by God’s grace, we will be ready to do so by 1st September,” President Akufo-Addo said during his 15th address to the nation on measures taken to fight the coronavir.us
He explained that care is being taken to make sure that the country does not record a spike in Covid-19 cases when the borders are opened.
“I want to ensure that we are in a position to test every single passenger that arrives in the country to avoid the spread of the virus.”
On March 22, the President in his third address to the nation on measures government is taking to tackle the pandemic, announced the closure of the country’s borders.
He reviewed the directive on April 4, during the country’s 21-day lockdown when Ghana’s Covid-19 cases were rising.
The extension, he explained, was to ensure the importation of the coronavirus remains curtailed, while the government deals with the enhanced tracing and testing program that was going on at the time.
However, the President ensured that Ghanaians stranded in foreign countries were brought home.
They were put in selected hotels to observed strict mandatory quarantine and undergo Covid-19 testing before they were reunited with their families.
In his 15th address, Akufo-Addo stated that without the needed data Ghana cannot risk importing in new Covid-19 cases, especially after the country’s active cases have reduced.
For Ghanaian residents stranded abroad, the President said special dispensation will continue to be given for their evacuation back to Ghana, where they will be subjected to the mandatory quarantine and safety protocols.
“Until further notice, our borders, by air, land and sea, remain closed to human traffic,” he stated.