...Offered option of refuelling of planes
Ghana's security apparatus and an official of government have prevented America's Delta Airlines from using the country's airport for an evacuation exercise in Liberia deemed to be detrimental to the safety of Ghanaians in the wake of an Ebola scare.
America is evacuating its citizens from Liberia because of the outbreak of the Ebola virus.
As part of the evacuation plan, Delta Airlines was engaged to airlift the U.S. citizens and it was decided that they should be brought to Ghana before going to the U.S.
However, the Ghanaian security apparatus and a government official, who does not want to be named, scuttled the move.
“Delta Airlines was fully made aware that Ghana would not allow such an idea to be carried out.
“In fact, Delta Airline was told in plain language that the role Ghana will play will be to allow the airline to refuel in Accra, but not to disembark passengers”, the official said.
Even with that, there were strong deliberations as to whether the airline could do so at Senegal, which is closer to Liberia as compared to Ghana.
As at press time on Sunday, all attempts to reach officials of Delta Airlines and the American Embassy for a response proved futile.
There were speculations earlier that Ghana had banned all flights from Nigeria and other Ebola struck countries.
“Ghana has never banned any flight from Nigeria”, an official government response clarified, adding:
“The only restriction placed on an airline is the prevention of Delta Airline from bringing the American citizens in Liberia to Ghana.
“The decision was in the best interest of Ghana because of the high incidence of the Ebola virus in Liberia”.
Delta Airlines was to undertake the evacuation without any contingency plan, a situation the Ghanaian security apparatus found awkward.
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