The Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) has issued a new directive to Ghanaians travelling in and out of the country using the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).

Per the new guidelines, GACL will no longer demand COVID-19 test results from Ghanaians who travel outside the country and return within a week.

However, they will have to undergo mandatory COVID-19 testing at their own cost upon arrival.

“Ghanaian residents who depart Ghana and return within one (1) week will not be required to present a COVID-19 result from the country of departure,” GACL said in a statement on Friday, August 27, 2021.

“They will, however, undergo mandatory COVID-19 testing upon arrival in Ghana.”

The company has also served notice of fining airlines who fail to ensure that their passengers possess a COVID-19 negative PCR test from an accredited laboratory in the country of origin.

“Airlines who board passengers without proof of payment for the COVID-19 test and would/could not pay for the test in Ghana will be fined US$3,500 per passenger.”

GACL, in the statement, added that “Non-Ghanaian passengers [without negative PCR test] may be refused entry and returned to the point of embarkation at a cost to the Airline.”

What is the current requirement?
Currently, all passengers arriving in Ghana are to have in their possession a negative COVID‑19 PCR test result in English from an accredited laboratory in their country of origin.

The tests are to be done not more than 72 hours before the scheduled departure from the country of origin.

At the airport, passengers are subjected to a mandatory COVID‑19 PCR test at a cost of between $50 and $150 for Ghanaian and non-Ghanaian passengers respectively.

Passengers who test positive for COVID‑19 are made to undergo mandatory isolation and treatment at a designated health facility or isolation centre, at a cost to passengers, except for Ghanaian citizens.