President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said the government is working to re-open Ghana’s borders depending on the readiness and ability to ensure that every passenger who arrives in Ghana is tested for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Consequently, he said the government is hoping that by September 1, 2020, the assessment of the readiness to test all passengers would have been completed to enable the borders to re-open.
In his 15th national address on measures being taken against the spread of COVID-19 on Sunday night [August 16, 2020], President Akufo-Addo said the re-opening of the borders will depend on the assessment.

He reiterated that the limit on the numbers of persons who can attend conferences, workshops and award events, has not been lifted, subject to the maintenance of social distancing amongst participants, fresh air ventilation of the premises, and a two-hour limit for each session.

On the current of the covid19 situation in Ghana, President Akufo-Addo said the recovery rate of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ghana has improved from 89.5 percent to 95.1 percent in the last three weeks, as the death rate on its part continues to be low at 0.5 percent He stated that as of July 24, the number of active cases stood at 3,307.

As of Saturday, August 15th three weeks later, the number of active cases stoood at 1,847, a clear indication that the government policies were working.

On the phasing in the academic calender, the president directed that tertiary institutions should re-open on August 24, 2020 for continuing students who have not been able to complete their academic work for the year to do so.

To alleviate the effects of the pandemic on students, the President also revealed that all final year Junior High School (JHS) students and staff in both public and private schools across Ghana are to be provided with one hot meal a day to enable them fully comply with COVID-19 safety protocols as they prepare for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in September.