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The Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) has tightened its Covid-19 guidelines for passengers entering and those leaving the country through the Kotoka International Airport.

As part of the development, Airlines which carry non-Ghanaian citizens without evidence of full vaccination at the point of embarkation at Kotoka International Airport (KIA) will be slapped with a fine of US$3,500 per defaulting passenger, the GACL has warned.

“Non-Ghanaians at the point of embarkation must provide evidence of full vaccination status to the Airline prior to embarkation, as failure to do such comes with a penalty in monetary payment,” the GACL in a statement said.

The GACL disclosed that all foreign nationals travelling to and through KIA with fake or forged vaccination certificates shall be quarantined and returned to their point of embarkation at the passenger’s own cost.

The statement however disclosed that both foreign residents in Ghana and Ghanaian passengers entering the country will only be required to provide evidence of vaccination at the point of embarkation and arrival at KIA if they are 18 years and above.

According to GACL, all vaccinated passengers through KIA will be allowed for either arrival or departure only when they are vaccinated with approved vaccines registered by the Food and Drugs Authority and/or the World Health Organization (WHO).

Key vaccines listed by the GACL as approved in Ghana and duly recommended for all passengers include Sputnik V, Covishiled (Oxford/AstraZeneca), Janssen, Pfizer, Moderna’s Spikevax, Vaxzevira and other WHO emergency listings such as COVAXIN, Vero Cells, COVOVAX and NUVAXOVID.

The new guidelines are effective September 1, 2022.