Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Ghana is likely to open its airports for domestic flights this weekend after disinfecting its international airport in Accra, the Aviation Minister, Kofi Adda, revealed to the media.
According to him, all precautionary measures have been taken at all airports in the country to curb the spread of the COVID-19.
Speaking to the media during a disinfection exercise at the airport by waste management company, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, the minister said: “The airport company, led by the port health officials would make sure that all the things that need to be installed to support the implementation of the protocol would take place.
“All the hand washing devices, sanitizers, and anything that needs to be done would be made available. And that would be checked by the airport company and port health officials to ensure that all that is in place before we start operating. We are deliberately doing this because we want to start domestic flights first.”
He added: “In all of Africa, we are the only country that closed down the airport and is about to begin so we have to make sure that we do it well and right so we can lead the way and set the example for other African countries to follow. Perhaps getting towards the weekend, we’ll now begin the domestic flights.”
The Minister also added that foreign embassies and commissions in the country who would want to evacuate their citizens will be allowed to do so under a special arrangement.
“Permission will be granted to foreign embassies who want to evacuate their personnel as we’ve been doing. As and when they get permission and bring their personnel here, we’ll do what we normally do to ensure that the right thing is done to get them out of the country,” CNR quoted him saying.
Closed borders
All entry points to Ghana have been shut as part of measures to stop the spread of the COVID-19.
The decision, according to President Akufo-Addo, stems from the overwhelming Covid-19 cases imported into the country by travellers or from persons who have come into contact with travellers.
“I have thus, signed an Executive Instrument to extend the closure of our borders for two more weeks beginning Monday the 20th of April,” President Akufo-Addo said in his 7th address to the nation Sunday night.
He recounted a number of arrests made by security personnel at the country’s borders and lauded the men in uniform for their good work.
The President also lifted the ban on restriction of movements in two major cities that have been worse hit by the Coronavirus.
Ghana’s current case count stands at 1,550 with 11 deaths.
Source: Daily Mail GH