The government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, has placed a ban on flights arriving from Israel, South Korea, and Malta commencing Monday, December 20.
The travel ban to and from the three countries is the latest measure from the government to help limit the importation of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 into the country.
According to the Ministry the travel ban on Israel would last for a period of 14 days except in exceptional humanitarian cases or during official visits where permission would have to be obtained from the Ministry.
The ban on flights from South Korea would also last for 14 days while that of Malta is indefinite.
In the press release the ministry further noted that aside from the indefinite travel ban, “the Government of Ghana does not recognize any vaccine certificate from Malta.”
The Ministry thus urged the traveling public to take note of the directive and adhere to it accordingly.
Travel Requirements
President Akufo-Addo in his 27th address outlined new travel requirements amidst the continuous closure of the country’s land boards.
All persons seeking to travel to the country in addition to being fully vaccinated must be in possession of a negative PCR test of not more than 72 hours, and also take a mandatory Covid-19 test upon arrival at the airport excluding children aged five to 12, he said.
Airlines would do not comply with the directive would be fined $3,500 for each passenger who arrives at the Kotoka International Airport without being fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
“Any passenger, testing positive at the airport, will be kept in isolation, at a designated isolation facility, and a non-Ghanaian will receive treatment at his or her own cost, The President said.
Again, unvaccinated Ghanaians and residents in Ghana, who departed the country before 14th December, and who return by 28th December, would be offered vaccination on arrival at the airport.
“The Ghana Health Service tells us that an overwhelming majority, that is, seventy-five percent (75%), of the positive cases recorded at Kotoka have come from passengers who are not vaccinated,” President Akufo-Addo said.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri