Ghanaian aviation authorities announced Monday a raft of tough measures to ensure the safety of passengers and prevent the importation of COVID-19 ahead of the reopening of its major airport.

Minister for Aviation Joseph Kofi Adda said at a press briefing in its capital airport that apart from providing a negative COVID-19 test result from a certified laboratory in their countries of origin, passengers shall also undergo mandatory COVID-19 tests upon arrival in Ghana.

Adda said the authorities had gathered enough experience from the resumption of domestic flights in May to guide them in the management of inbound international traffic amid the pandemic.

“Sticking to the protocols, therefore, will not be new to us. It is rather the increase in the number of passengers that could pose a challenge,” he added.

Deputy minister for health Bernard Okoe-Boye said the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service were prepared to handle the task at hand, to obstruct any importation of the pandemic.

The official said the decision to take passengers through another COVID-19 test on arrival was to ensure that passengers who may get infected during their flights were identified, isolated, and treated.

Ghana’s infection figure stood at 44,298 on Monday, with 42,963 recoveries, 276 deaths, and 1,059 active cases.

Source: newsGhana