The Ghana Airports Company has said the price reduction of COVID-19 testing for ECOWAS nationals will take effect from Monday, February 8, 2021.

This means that travellers from West African countries who arrive at the Kotoka International Airport will now pay $50 instead of $150.

The company clarified that payment must be made online and a receipt shown to the airline before boarding.

It adds that airlines which fail to enforce the directive will be fined $3,500.

The development follows the ECOWAS’ capping at $50, the cost of COVID-19 PCR test for nationals travelling within the region.

This was agreed at the 58th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS held on Saturday, January 23, 2021.

Following the announcement last month, passengers were complaining they were still paying the old fee as they requested clarity.

Despite this reprieve for ECOWAS members, the Member of Parliament for North-Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto said the fee needed to drop for all travellers.

He described the government’s decision to maintain the $150 COVID-19 testing fee for non-ECOWAS members as “unconscionable”.

“Maintaining the cut-throat amount of US$150 for non-ECOWAS nationals is most unconscionable, particularly as Ghanaian nationals are not treated this way in other jurisdictions. What will be our reaction if other Governments reciprocate?”

Ghana has detected 1,135 cases from COVID-19 testing at the Kotoka International Airport since airports were reopened.

Overall, Ghana has 5,786 cases of COVID-19 infection.

The country has also recorded 433 deaths from 68,559 known cases.