President Akufo-Addo has ordered board chairman of the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL), Paul Adom Otchere to stop the imposition of fumigation fees on visitors to the airport.
Paul Adom Otchere, the GACL chairman, informed the President upon his return from France according to Jubilee House sources. According to reports, the President further ordered that such a policy should not even be considered.
On Saturday, June 24, information about the potential implementation of a US$7 per passenger’s bag fumigation levy appeared in both social media and mainstream media. On social media and in the mainstream media, the news story has drawn criticism and censure.
Without receiving consent from Parliament, such a levy or tax cannot be implemented in Ghana. When other two additional GACL board members were contacted, they confirmed that no such proposal had ever been brought up before the board. They claimed that the report was breaking news.
“I very much doubt the authenticity of this story. But, even if there is any truth in the news report about any such proposal, I can assure you that it is not a policy. It cannot be a policy of GACL. This is because the board of GACL has absolutely no idea.
“And any such significant policy proposal, which, indeed, has tax implications on passengers has to be brought to our board, discussed and approved or otherwise. But, no such proposal has been brought to us. Indeed I am only now reading about it on the internet,” Kwabena Nyarko, a member of the GACL board told Asaase News.
Meanwhile Kwame Agbodza, the minority chief whip and ranking member of the Roads and Transport Committee, urged various Airlines to disregard the government order to impose that fee by government.
“The stakeholders have been unhappy about it, the airlines feel this will make their work even more difficult knowing that after COVID, many airlines and related businesses are still struggling to recover. You’d realize that airline tickets are still considerably high. To charge this amount for the fumigation of bags is an absurdity. We are not going to accept this.
“No agency of government has the right to impose additional charges without the knowledge of Parliament and I encourage airlines to disregard this for now until we all come to the conclusion that this is relevant,” he said.
