Ghana: Airlines to pay $3,500 fine per unvaccinated passenger

Ghana says airlines will pay a fine of $3,500 for each passenger who arrives the country without being fully vaccinated against COVID.

On December 9, the Ghana Health Service had reviewed its COVID-19 protocol for international travellers owing to the rise in cases of the Omicron variant detected in the country.

It said all travellers must show evidence of full COVID-19 vaccination — or be vaccinated at airport.

However, according to an updated guideline for Kotoka International Airport, airlines that bring in unvaccinated passengers to Ghana will pay a fine.

Airlines also will be penalised the same amount for passengers who did not fill out a health declaration form before entering Ghana.

The guideline will be effective from December 14.

“Airlines that bring passengers to Kotoka International Airport who are not fully vaccinated shall be surcharged $3,500 per passenger,” the guideline reads.

“All passengers are required to present evidence of having filled Ghana’s health declaration form (HDF) at www.ghs.hdf.org at the point of embarkation.

“Airlines that bring passengers to Kokota International Airport who had not filled the HDF shall be surcharged $3,500 per passengers.”

According to the statement, “airlines who board passengers without PCR tests or transport and disembark passengers with positive PCR test results into Accra will be fined $3,500 per passenger”.