Scandal at kotoka international airport

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ADWEN 11 years ago

Ebo, I am surprised you went round who should be blamed for the rot - corruption and fraudulent practices in Ghana.
Who has the authority over the police, the immigration outfit, the customs officials or the management of th ...
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Ebo, I am surprised you went round who should be blamed for the rot - corruption and fraudulent practices in Ghana.
Who has the authority over the police, the immigration outfit, the customs officials or the management of the KIA, etc.,?
Are those in authority who are supposed to be controlling and supervising these bodies not aware of the daily corruption and malpractices happening on these public organisations?
Are people wrong to blame the incumbent government? The incumbent government have failed to manage Ghana even on a basic level and they continue to fail miserably on a daily basis.
princewilly@ymail.com 11 years ago

A distinguished young woman on a flight from America to Ghana asked the Priest beside her, "Father, may I ask a favor?" "Of course. What may I do for you?"
"Well, I bought an expensive woman's electronic hair dryer for my mo ...
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A distinguished young woman on a flight from America to Ghana asked the Priest beside her, "Father, may I ask a favor?" "Of course. What may I do for you?"
"Well, I bought an expensive woman's electronic hair dryer for my mother's birthday. The dryer is unopened and well over the Customs limits; and I'm afraid they'll confiscate it. Is there any way you could carry it through Customs for me? Under your robes perhaps?"
"I would love to help you, dear, but I must warn you: I will not lie."
"With your honest face, Father, no one will question you."
When they reached the Customs area, she let the priest go ahead of her.
The official asked: "Father, do you have anything to declare?"
"From the top of my head down to my waist, I have nothing to declare."
The official thought this answer strange, so asked, "And what do you have to declare from your waist to the floor?"
"I have a marvelous instrument designed to be used on a woman, but which is, to date, unused."
Roaring with laughter, the official said, "Go ahead, Father."
Lily 11 years ago

I have recently relocated from the UK to Ghana and have witnessed what you have decribed in your article. The corruption in Ghana is beyond belief. Every human being in Ghana is infected with the cancer of corruption, not jus ...
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I have recently relocated from the UK to Ghana and have witnessed what you have decribed in your article. The corruption in Ghana is beyond belief. Every human being in Ghana is infected with the cancer of corruption, not just government officials. Lying, cheating and dishonesty has become part of Ghanaian culture such that, people think it is a normal way of life to lie and cheat. The country needs revival. God save Ghana!!!!
charles obiri 11 years ago

our dear Nation needs a real revival and I believe it will happen as our GOD has HIS own time for everything.

our dear Nation needs a real revival and I believe it will happen as our GOD has HIS own time for everything.
CHARCOAL SELLER. 11 years ago

Capitalism breeds corruption you can't have one without the other.

Capitalism breeds corruption you can't have one without the other.
OBRONI 11 years ago

Is this news, everybody knows that these kind of things happen on a daily basis in Ghana. Either we accept it and shut up or fill our newspapers of 200 pages daily with news like this and fight it head on.

Is this news, everybody knows that these kind of things happen on a daily basis in Ghana. Either we accept it and shut up or fill our newspapers of 200 pages daily with news like this and fight it head on.
Vuvuzela 11 years ago

Mr. Mends

Do you refuse to understand the situation?

“The overall response to all these three articles, specifically portraying the corrupt nature of the institutions mentioned was minimal. I wonder why.”

Why do ...
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Mr. Mends

Do you refuse to understand the situation?

“The overall response to all these three articles, specifically portraying the corrupt nature of the institutions mentioned was minimal. I wonder why.”

Why do you wonder? The situation is simply this, populations are no longer stunned about corruption in Ghana for so many reason, the least of which is, “the authorities would not be impressed, and nothing will be done” if you wail, weep, insult or even demonstrate over it. If you like, I have documented so many serious case of corruption since 2000, the time I began to cover them. These goes into hundreds yet none has been reprimanded or investigated to an end where people faced jail terms for them. But corruption has been a lifelong problem. So talking about new ones only bring them into focus. Readers would just think it would be another waste of their time. Several hundreds new cases will be incubating within the next four years and nothing may be done because the seat of the government is corrupt, and most of all the judiciary is the more corrupt.

On the other hand, the Vaccination certificate problem is ONLY in West Africa. I saw it in Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania and Senegal. I had written an article I published on a Senegalese website denouncing Customs Officials and the Police in Mali and Senegal. Whether you go by air or land is irrelevant to the case.

It is a pretext to money more than anything else. No one asks for it in Europe and the USA. I have been asked twice at Kotoka. At one time, I had to menace to frighten off those who asked for it. The Immigration services and Customs Officials find every occasion to ask for money, even using threats. They just simply beg for the money if they can’t extort it by subterfuges.

Look, even if you planted CCTV at Kotoka, it might not solve the problems because those to man the TV scopes would most certainly be in the sack with those corrupt officials.
Did you recently read how Emirates Airlines caught on Video baggage handlers breaking onto people’s bags in the airplane on arrival before the bags would be transported to the belt?
B. Ador 11 years ago

These are stark realities we face as a nation. Unless we sacrifice and take the bull by the horn to get rid of the corruption canker we can never progress as a nation!

These are stark realities we face as a nation. Unless we sacrifice and take the bull by the horn to get rid of the corruption canker we can never progress as a nation!
charles obiri 11 years ago

Mr u said it all.

Mr u said it all.
Vodoo Xebieso 11 years ago

Can you believe this? Every government official in Ghana is bribe-taking positive. The Immigration post at Sogakope just before one crosses the bridge is another gold mine or toll gate where these immigration officials milk t ...
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Can you believe this? Every government official in Ghana is bribe-taking positive. The Immigration post at Sogakope just before one crosses the bridge is another gold mine or toll gate where these immigration officials milk travellers on their way to Accra - 4 Cedis per head!

I was rudely embarrassed the other day on my way to Accra. At this very immigration post, the passengers disembarked for "screening" and non-Ghanaians were asked to pay 4 Cedis. I feigned a Nigerian but refused to pay the 4 Cedis. When they later got to know I'm Vodoo Xebieso from Keta, they became jittery.

Those blokes must be called to order before they get lynched.

Kwame Asante 11 years ago

Hi Ebo, I share your concern but the only sad thing is that in Ghana, one finds it easier to do the wrong thing than the right thing. Your pal should thank his luck for indulging in the wrong act and managed to complete his a ...
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Hi Ebo, I share your concern but the only sad thing is that in Ghana, one finds it easier to do the wrong thing than the right thing. Your pal should thank his luck for indulging in the wrong act and managed to complete his agenda. I can tell you for sure that it would have taken more than two week had she wanted to do it right. The system must be changed. Bye
Sammi 11 years ago

I can only blame your friend if she is really a nurse, for not finding out what vaccinations is required to travel to where ever she is going. Any traveler should know that for their own sake. I live in the UK and was in Gh ...
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I can only blame your friend if she is really a nurse, for not finding out what vaccinations is required to travel to where ever she is going. Any traveler should know that for their own sake. I live in the UK and was in Ghana last summer. It cost each family member £78 for a yellow fever jab. This includes children. Also, the Ghana High Commission in London, made it a requirement to show a valid yellow fever certificate before a visa will be issued. I think we even had to give details of it on the online visa application form. So I find it difficult to understand any of this. If you do not have all your required documents then as is done in Ghana, you will be prepared to pribe. The giver and receiver are of the bribe are both guilty!.
Sammi 11 years ago

...And not only that, you could get very ill and make many others ill too.

...And not only that, you could get very ill and make many others ill too.
Ebo Mends, New York 11 years ago

Sammi, as indicated inthe piece, she was never told at the US Consulate here in New York that she needed Yellow Fever vaccination for entry into Ghana. As a US citizen, she needed an entry visa to visit Ghana. I am yet to en ...
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Sammi, as indicated inthe piece, she was never told at the US Consulate here in New York that she needed Yellow Fever vaccination for entry into Ghana. As a US citizen, she needed an entry visa to visit Ghana. I am yet to encounter any Ghanaian here travelling to Ghana who had been told at the Consulate that he/she needed to show proof of Yellow vaccination at the port of entry in Ghana.
zola (usa) 11 years ago

YOU HAVE A POINT MY BROTHER BUT I GUESS THIS IS HER FIRST TIME VISITING GHANA. AS YOU STATED THEY LOOK AT APPEARANCE AND PREY ON THEIR TARGET.SIMILAR SITUATION NEARLY HAPPENED TO ME LASTLY. mY RESPONSE TO THEM WAS IF YOU CAN ...
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YOU HAVE A POINT MY BROTHER BUT I GUESS THIS IS HER FIRST TIME VISITING GHANA. AS YOU STATED THEY LOOK AT APPEARANCE AND PREY ON THEIR TARGET.SIMILAR SITUATION NEARLY HAPPENED TO ME LASTLY. mY RESPONSE TO THEM WAS IF YOU CAN GIVE ME THAT VACCINATION HERE AT THE AIRPORT IM READY TO PAY WHATEVER THE COST MAY BE. THAT IS WHEN THEY REALIZED THIS DUDE IS DIFFERENT.I TOLD THEM RIGHT IN THE FACE I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN NIMA, AND THAT YOU CAN TAKE A MAN OUT OF NIMA BUT YOU CANNOT TAKE THE NIMA OUT OF HIM. CASE CLOSE!!!! IMMEDIATELY THEY GAVE MY PASSPORT BACK.
Sammi 11 years ago

On my return, I weight all my bags on the scales provided at the airport and joined a queue. But as it got to my turn, the airline staff asked where my slip was? I asked what slip a d she said if I didn't have one then I di ...
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On my return, I weight all my bags on the scales provided at the airport and joined a queue. But as it got to my turn, the airline staff asked where my slip was? I asked what slip a d she said if I didn't have one then I didn't go through the staff who is checking bag. I said what the hell was she talking about? I said I was not an illiterate and I have weighed my bags with the airports own scales and none of my bags were over weight. She realised I was not going to leave my position in the queue just so another good for nothing staff will check the weight of my bag. We have to do the right thing by ourselves then we can help fight corruption. Playing ignorance is not good enough in this day and age.
Brukutu 11 years ago

Of course they are smart thieves.. they all drive big SUV 4x4 cars. I passed through the same shit routine . Look at the number of barriers u have to pass through before you come out of this small congested airport? And yet ...
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Of course they are smart thieves.. they all drive big SUV 4x4 cars. I passed through the same shit routine . Look at the number of barriers u have to pass through before you come out of this small congested airport? And yet every barrier want to get something from you. Is tha a way to create jobs in ghana ? OH MY GOSH. Aside what I discovered was more nasty than your issue.. inthe crowded congested arrival section., while in the cue, some people with no uniforms were walking around the arrivals picking up people they are familiar with, or they know or being described by thier superior , just to pass behind the back door for quick services bypassing the usual arrival procedural. More or less like a VIP visitors. Look ghana immigration.. just as some policemen were sent to italy for training I think the customs and immigration personals must also take a step for further training. They lack simple etiquette. For the fact that you have been checked from europe or usa, and also checked from your transit airport, there shouldn't be even any more questions to be asked at our arrivals.. and with thier stupid declaration documention they give in the plane to fill.. cancel that shit.. its through that document immigration get the chance of collecting money from poor travellers.. how can you collect $20.00 and provide fake documents.. the moment you arrive (KIA), you see live corruption. Fake vaccination docs, people connecting other travelers from the cue outside, barriers upon barriers. All want some bucks.. wake up ghana government.
Kwame 11 years ago

The problem with Ghanaian officials is that some of them do not know the rules they are supposed to play in the act of their duties. For instance I was at the Adabraka Polyclinic, Accra yesterday to have an x'ray and people w ...
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The problem with Ghanaian officials is that some of them do not know the rules they are supposed to play in the act of their duties. For instance I was at the Adabraka Polyclinic, Accra yesterday to have an x'ray and people with National Health Insurance Card premium, which covers x'ray were charged for the same.
Shedule II, Part I, Minimum Healthcare Benefirs, Section 1. The healthcare services specified in this part are the minimum healthcare benefits under the national health insurance scheme and shall be paid for by the schemes.
1. (2) Requested Investigations including laboratory investigations, x'rays and ultrasound scanning for general and specialist out-patient services. But that health facility is charging GHC 20.00 for the same service which it will recover from the National Health Insurance Scheme.
However what you Mr. Ebo Mends wrote may be fiction because how can a health personnel not be interested in what are her obligations before she enters Ghana or she is interested in cutting the face of Ghana to spite her face to save the interest of another state.
Abeeku Mensah 11 years ago

Yes Ghana is corrupt but Ghana has been and was corrupt when you guys left Ghana for those greener pastures. Some of you did obtain your Ghanaian passports via bribes before leaving Ghana. Some of you bribed someone even to g ...
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Yes Ghana is corrupt but Ghana has been and was corrupt when you guys left Ghana for those greener pastures. Some of you did obtain your Ghanaian passports via bribes before leaving Ghana. Some of you bribed someone even to get your Visa's and or travel documents from those foreign consulates before leaving while some of you paid off people at the KIA to look the other way as you took some Ghanaian foodstuff out of the country.
Ghana is corrupt not because it is some ailment that affect only Ghanaians but because of the very people who do patronize those practices. If your former Ghanaian friends, now naturalized American citizens, knew their rights why do they not explain things to those officials at KIA? What you and your friends do is very much what enablers do in any society. You see Mr. Ebo Mends, the dangers and or evils in society are sustained because of the ignorance of the very educated in society. When people see the uneducated being abused by people in authority it is not good to accept those acts as facts of life but for the educated to follow up with inquiries to ensure those events do not continues to happen to the least in society.
Secondly, is it not the very Ghanaians in the Diaspora and now citizens of those nations who buy and ship discarded and sometimes dangerous items from developed nations into Ghana for sale just to make a few bucks knowing good and darn well of their effects on the Ghanaians society and or the inability for Ghanaians to properly dispose off those dangerous items you send over for cheap and easy profits?
We all have our faults and we contribute to the moral decadence in Ghana. It is about time we stopped this “I live in the USA or UK and therefore I am better” crap. The US and or UK is developed and do have standards and laws but above all they have citizens and residents alike with love for country and not for tribe and or political party. I dare say that your so-called naturalized American citizens do have political party preference in Ghana and it’s not based on ideals, ideas, and reasoned deliberations but on purely tribal and party slogans. It is the property owning ideas brought upon Ghanaians that has swept Ghana's greedy bunch into the quest for money by fair or foul means; enjoy it whilst it last.
Ebo Mends, New York 11 years ago

Uncle Abeeku, you will get an argument from me on this one. My piece, apart from the factual narrative provided, never indicated that corruption is practiced by only those living in the motherland and for some reason we outs ...
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Uncle Abeeku, you will get an argument from me on this one. My piece, apart from the factual narrative provided, never indicated that corruption is practiced by only those living in the motherland and for some reason we outside are immune to it. In fact, I agree with you that some of us are truely enablers as you aptly describe it. Nowhere in the piece did I imply that those of us outside are better because we live in UK or the US. In fact, some of us here are worse.

I was making a general, but not an absolute, point that we have to examine ourselves, as we shout corruption here, corruption there, corruption everywhere and stop pointing fingers at others.

As Ghandi said, "the only person I can change is me". That was the crux of my general point.

Ebo Mends, New York 11 years ago

I meant to write, you will NOT get an argument .........

I meant to write, you will NOT get an argument .........
zola (usa) 11 years ago

THANKS BRO EBO

THANKS BRO EBO
Akadu Mensema 11 years ago

You just don't like Ghanaians resident overseas. How many Ghanaians live overseas? More Ghanaians live in Ghana so train your guns on the thievery Ghanaian lot in Ghana. Most of us didn't know better when we traveled outside ...
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You just don't like Ghanaians resident overseas. How many Ghanaians live overseas? More Ghanaians live in Ghana so train your guns on the thievery Ghanaian lot in Ghana. Most of us didn't know better when we traveled outside of Ghana. Now we have double-consciousness that allows us to see what is wrong with our polity. Regardless even if we stole visas, the key factor is that unlike you who is subtly defending corruption
arguing that those who are pointing out corruption were once corrupt, the author at least wants Ghana to do better! Your conclusion is foolish. We all grow so grow up!
Kofi Ata, Cambridge, UK 11 years ago

Abeeku, you are absolutely right that Ghanaians in the Diaspora are part of the problem. In fact, when I read the article, I was surprised that the nurse did not demand a receipt and therefore was an accomplice to the fraud. ...
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Abeeku, you are absolutely right that Ghanaians in the Diaspora are part of the problem. In fact, when I read the article, I was surprised that the nurse did not demand a receipt and therefore was an accomplice to the fraud. Perhaps, for fear being tagged as being "too known" or the risk of being refused entry she kept quiet.

Regarding the environmentally dangerous second hand items shipped to Ghana by Diasporians, it is because of greed and also contributes to the lawlessness and indiscipline in Ghana.

The fact is, corruption is in every society, including the developed world. Except that in the developed world such as USA and UK,it's by the very rich and powerful and the corporate world such as tax avoidance, contributions to political parties for favours, etc. The difference is, when one is caught for being corrupt or breaking the law, the law is most likely to take its course. Again, in the developed world the givers and takers are few and easy to deal with when caught. On the other hand, the givers and takers are many in the developing world such as Ghana and therefore it becomes difficult to deal with them even when caught in the act. This because the axe may fall on almost everybody, so we all keep quiet because we are guilty by participation, association and our silence.

I really do not know how Ghana will be able to reduce corruption. In fact, these days when I watch Ghanaian television news on my laptop, I am saddened by what I hear and see. The country has become lawless and it appears the institutions charged with the responsibility of maintaining law and order are either unable or unwilling to act to enforce the laws, rules and regulations and that is the most single challenging policy area for the country in national building. No country can develop without the ability to enforce her laws, rules and regulations through rule of law. Corruption and the indiscipline in Ghana will reduce substantially if a third of the laws, rules and regulations are enforced to the letter.

You are also right that we were perhaps, the same in Ghana but disagree with you that we all might have paid bribes or used illegal means to travel. Perhaps, we now see corruption as a problem because we have been out of Ghana and seen, observed and experienced what is practised in our host countries. Our culture or the way we see things have changed. Corruption has become part and parcel of Ghanaian culture and it's killing the nation.
Brukutu 11 years ago

Masa abeeku, the way u are supporting issues on behalf of this corruption topic seems you might be one of these officers. Calm down abit. How can you aasume that diasporians letf ghana through those means u were assuming "the ...
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Masa abeeku, the way u are supporting issues on behalf of this corruption topic seems you might be one of these officers. Calm down abit. How can you aasume that diasporians letf ghana through those means u were assuming "the connetion method" ? Well I cant write what I want unless you kindly reply where you you travelled to..I have travelled 18 countries in the world. There are corruption hidden somehere but its unseen. In ghana its gaanigaani.
zola (usa) 11 years ago

ABEEKU FROM THE WAY YOU SOUND I CAN EASILY TELL YOU ARE ONE OF THE CORRUPTED OFFICIALS. WE NEED ARTICLES LIKE THIS FOR A WAKE UP CALL. THE REASON FOR THIS ARTICLE IS TO HELP FIGHT CORRUPTION IN GHANA. IT IS NOT GOING TO TAKE ...
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ABEEKU FROM THE WAY YOU SOUND I CAN EASILY TELL YOU ARE ONE OF THE CORRUPTED OFFICIALS. WE NEED ARTICLES LIKE THIS FOR A WAKE UP CALL. THE REASON FOR THIS ARTICLE IS TO HELP FIGHT CORRUPTION IN GHANA. IT IS NOT GOING TO TAKE ONE DAY FOR US TO SUCCEED BUT I BELIEVE ONE ARTICLE CAN CHANGE THE WAY WE ALL DO THINGS.APPRECIATE WHAT THE GOOD JOB OF MR EBO MENDS SO THAT WE CAN ALL MOVE FORWARD. KUDOS EBO
Pastor, Bobby Brown 11 years ago

Dude, great article. However I am somewhat surprised that you are just figuring out that every Ghanaian need to change his/her ways. Think about this for a moment. Have you noticed how many commercial vehicles in town has som ...
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Dude, great article. However I am somewhat surprised that you are just figuring out that every Ghanaian need to change his/her ways. Think about this for a moment. Have you noticed how many commercial vehicles in town has some type of Bible quotation or Bible verbage scripted on them. Noticing that upon arriving in Ghana for the first time I said to myself woow this land is full of Christians. Unfortunately my mind changed two weeks later after I left Ghana. We are simply a bunch of jokers that is why our leaders have free reign to do as they please.
Yao 11 years ago

Good one there.Wish whoever is in charge of KIA read this piece and do something about.

Good one there.Wish whoever is in charge of KIA read this piece and do something about.
Pastor, Bobby Brown 11 years ago

Do what?...My brother are you serious. Come on men. Trust me nobody will do Jack about it...

Do what?...My brother are you serious. Come on men. Trust me nobody will do Jack about it...
Castro 11 years ago

These Corrupt Officials goes to Church
on Sundays to thank God for their lot at the week withou telling God they have cheated thier Brother and Sisters
and beg to make them reap (Cheat)the
coming weeks and monthe.Halleluj ...
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These Corrupt Officials goes to Church
on Sundays to thank God for their lot at the week withou telling God they have cheated thier Brother and Sisters
and beg to make them reap (Cheat)the
coming weeks and monthe.Hallelujah.

Andy 11 years ago

For all you should know this corrupt officials pay chunk of the monies they collect to their bosses at the head office to keep them there. You dare them and you will find yourself in hot hot waters without question. we are re ...
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For all you should know this corrupt officials pay chunk of the monies they collect to their bosses at the head office to keep them there. You dare them and you will find yourself in hot hot waters without question. we are really corrupt
PC Eben 11 years ago

my 18 year old sister who has never been to Ghana before nearly fall for that trap but with my intervention and threaten to sue every individuals involve results me been called per per boga.Even an immigration officer demande ...
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my 18 year old sister who has never been to Ghana before nearly fall for that trap but with my intervention and threaten to sue every individuals involve results me been called per per boga.Even an immigration officer demanded money from me and when I refused, I was told that I am in a wrong queue therefore I must go and join the international queue as I have a foreign passport. bizaaaaare
Adongo Tongo 11 years ago

This guy in Washington DC, Baffour Ennin said it all in his article today. "The enigma of the African politician"
Mr. Mends, you should read. It confirms everything you said. Corruption is an African Disease.

This guy in Washington DC, Baffour Ennin said it all in his article today. "The enigma of the African politician"
Mr. Mends, you should read. It confirms everything you said. Corruption is an African Disease.

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Scandal at kotoka international airport

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