ECOWAS countries to start charging US$50 for coronavirus tests from today

Today, February 8, 2021, will mark the start of the revised charges of $50 for ECOWAS nationals at the KIA, for Coronavirus testing.

This comes on the back of the announcement by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that the previous charge of US$150 for testing for the pandemic at the Kotoka International Airport had been reduced to US$50.

This decision, he added, was occasioned during the virtual 58th Ordinary Session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Saturday, January 23, 2021.

“The Authority approves the harmonised ECOWAS Protocol for cross-border movement of persons and goods during the pandemic and caps the cost of COVID-19 PCR test for travel within the region by ECOWAS nationals at a maximum of US$50,? the ECOWAS communiqué stated.

Meanwhile, all other nationals, according to his address, will still pay the $150 fee for the test at the country’s international airport, reports primenewsghana.com.

President Akufo-Addo said, “At the 58th Summit of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, held virtually, it was agreed that the cost of the COVID-19 test for inbound ECOWAS nationals should be pegged at fifty United States dollars ($50) at the Kotoka International Airport. The cost of the COVID test for non-ECOWAS nationals at the Kotoka International Airport still remains one hundred and fifty (US$150) dollars.”

Some residents using member country airports had cause to complain about the high cost of the tests, pushing for Heads of States to deliberate on it, following which they arrived at the above-reduced figure.