No coronavirus tests for some KIA arrivals on reopening day

Some passengers who arrived at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) on Tuesday, September 1 said they did not undergo the mandatory coronavirus testing.

The passengers started arriving in the country on Tuesday, September 1 after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced the reopening of the country’s international airport while addressing the nation last Sunday.

TV3’s Komla Adom, who was at the KIA on the first day of reopening, reported that some passengers who are embassy officials were asked to quarantine home on arrival while the others were escorted in buses to isolation centres.

He further reported that these passengers who arrived in the country through KLM do not fall into the category of passengers expected to undergo the mandatory tests at the Airport.

These are chartered flights that have arrived in Ghana – one from Amsterdam and the other from Lisbon, Komla reported.

“Our flight is not part of the new protocol yet,” a passenger said, “so I can’t tell you very much.”

He added: “We are allowed to do home-quarantine and all other flights coming will go through the test stations.”

However, Deputy Interior Minister Henry Quartey denied the claims, saying all the passengers were taken through the mandatory testing before allowed to go home depending on the results.

He told Komla Adom in an interview that he would “be surprised if any passenger will say that he or she did not go through that”.

“We are all aware that some stranded Ghanaians abroad were being evacuated. Those who were outside doing government business and they were caught in the middle of the pandemic. Those who had gone out to search for greener pastures.

“So there were three categories and they have been coming down. They go through the 14-day mandatory quarantine. Way out of that sort.

“KLM had already put in place some mechanisms. Passengers will have to pay and indicate the hotels that they will be quarantined.”