Coronavirus: Oppong Nkrumah reveals why Ghana’s land, sea borders remain closed

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Minister for Information has disclosed why Ghana’s land and sea borders remain closed to human traffic despite the reopening of the Kotoka International Airport.

After more than five months of closure to passenger traffic, the Kotoka International Airport has resumed operations following clearance by the government.

In announcing the decision to reopen Ghana’s air borders, President Akufo-Addo said he was satisfied with the measures put in place to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

The President however said that all land and sea entry points remain shut until further notice.

“I am glad to announce that KIA will reopen and resume operations from Tuesday, September 1, 2020. This decision has been communicated to international airlines across the world. After weeks of thorough work, I am satisfied that it is safe to do so,” he said on Sunday.

“For the avoidance of doubt, our borders, by land and sea, will continue to remain closed to human traffic until further notice,” he said.

In an interview with Okay FM, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah made allusions that unlike the airport, the government is yet to finish with safety measures being instituted at the various boarders, habours and ports in the country.

He held that once the measures meet the evaluation of the health experts and the president, approval will be given for their reopening.

“We’ve closed our airports for over five months and all provisions needed to ensure safety at the airports have been done. Every machine needed for testing and isolation centres have been made. We have not reopened our various borders and Tema port because we are not done with the measures”.

Oppong Nkrumah also disclosed that children below the age of five years will not undergo the mandatory coronavirus test.

He defended the $150 pricing of the testing, noting that the human life is worth more than that amount.