As Ghana intensifies its ban on travels in and out of the country’s borders to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, a British Airways bound flight to Ghana, was on Monday, March 23, returned to the UK despite initial permission for the British High Commission to evacuate some 360 UK nationals from Ghana to the UK.
An initial agreement to a request by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority said the approval was given by the inter-ministerial committee on COVID-19.
But Citi Business News understands that the decision was rescinded even before the flight could land in Ghana, leaving the British nationals stranded.
The GCAA has not provided any information influencing the last-minute reversal.
However, Citi Business News understands that such emergency permissions will need to be approved by the Office of the President, suggesting that a Presidential directive may have cancelled the initial approval by both the GCAA and the COVID-19 Committee.
The ban on travels remains for two weeks after which the government will review based on the situation in the country.
Currently, three people have died from the disease in Ghana with 68 cases recorded.
