Yes, There is such a thing as Ghanaian Efficiency - At Kotoka Airport it is powered by Digital & Humans
The current government of Ghana has a lean mean PR and propaganda machine that sometimes announces a fait accompli when a project is still a work in progress (much to the chagrin of my Ivy League foreign-educated Ghanaian experterati friends) but the level of efficiency at Kotoka International Airport since it reopened earlier this month (with new travel protocols) is remarkable.
Ghana Health Authority’s digital portal and the passenger-centered customer service delivered at airport Arrival with all new Covid-19 travel protocols is a best practice for innovation and efficiency.
This is a true story.
We landed at Kotoka International Airport at 9 pm. I disembarked and followed the Covid-19 social distancing signs.
We waited in line for no more than 5 minutes when the glass door at the end of the walkway slid open. There were greeters at the entrance to wave us to the next station. Obviously a sign would have sufficed but seeing humans during a pandemic was reassuring, it made me feel like we had been planned for.
We walked to the first station down a corridor that had more airport staff waving us through (more assurance). This was my first time back home to Ghana since Covid-19 locked me out back in March.
I had filled out my Ghana Health Declaration Form on the online portal. So I walked past the four screens set up for those passengers who hadn't done so prior to arrival. Those who hadn't already filled out theirs were guided, no one made them feel bad for not having done so ahead of time. Yes to digital with a human in the picture.
I moved on and presented my passport to an airport official who was holding a tablet. He input my passport number into his tablet to verify that I had indeed filled out the digital health declaration. After that, he waved me through to the next section.
Less than three minutes later I was in front of a bank teller where I paid $150 (900 cedis) to take the mandatory Covid-19 test. This portion could have also been done online had I opted to do so.
After I paid he waved me on to the next station where someone put a barcode on my passport.
Another three minutes, I was sitting in a chair to take my Covid-19 test. After I took the swab down the nostril—a one minute experience from the time I sat to when I heard ”I'm done”—it was time to move on. The lab tech told me my test would be ready before I got to immigration passport control.
I left the testing area. Flashed my yellow fever card before anyone could come and ask. I kept on moving.
I went down the escalator and arrived at the grand and familiar immigration arrival area. The lines were normal (none is that December Year of the Return madness). I queued for about five mins before I was in front of a health official. She asked for my test result from my country of origin. I presented it. She then informed me that my test result was not ready but I could proceed to the the immigration desk. I went there—another three minutes wait time and before I knew it I was in the baggage claim area (I hadn't checked any bags so no time was lost there).
When I was told my test result was not ready I didn't feel any panic or unease because of the manner the health official communicated to me. She sounded like she trusted the system and that my test not being ready was normal. Also, my test not being ready did not stop me from completing the next step in the immigration process. It showed a high level of preparation and agility.
The process exactly followed this flow chart I found online while trying to figure out how Ghana had made this happen.
Other passengers who had claimed their bags headed to one of four different lines to check on their results. Then I noticed that the health booths in front of the queues had a message ”login here to check your test result” followed by the web address for the health declaration portal.
On that site, there was an option to check the Covid-19 test. I entered my passport number and got a notification: ”Result Pending Try Back in 500 seconds”.
I waited for 500 seconds and I checked again and Walahi the test result was ready. I got in line and two minutes later I got a print out a receipt with my negative test result.
I spent a total of 55 minutes from exiting the plane to exciting the airport. It was incredible.
The efficiency was so correct that when my eyes made contact with a white guy in the line next to mine we couldn't help but smile at each other. I asked him where he was from and he said Germany.
Even before I could ask how this experience was for me he excitedly waved his phone in the praising the efficiency.
”I am very impressed”, he said.
Not wanting to appear as though this wasn't our normal I said:
”This is Ghana, it is always like this.”
We stood basking in the afterglow of Ghanaian efficiency. I knew we were both gonna go out into the world and spread the word.
I want to end this piece with the following famous words of President Akuffo Addo:
”Fellow Ghanaians, The battle is the Lords.” :-)
Kotoka International Airport reopened on September 2, 2020, I arrived 18 days later. Ghana is open again and it is so good to be back home.
