Data compiled by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) shows that about 1,051 Ghanaians boarded flights from various countries around the world to Ghana using the Ghanacard.
Monthly arrivals
The monthly arrivals are: January – 125, February – 330, March – 521, April – 39, May – 32 and June – 4.
The data was recorded for flights boarded to Ghana between January 3 and June 29, 2022.
The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has a booth at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), which processes Ghanaian holders of the Ghanacard returning home.
Airlines
So far a total of 21 airlines allowed Ghanaians to use the Ghanacard to board at various destinations around the world to Ghana.
Number of passengers each airline brought to Ghana
The airlines and the number of Ghanaians using Ghanacard that they brought into the country during the period are: Emirates-554, Air France – 80, KLM – 123, British Airways – 76, Ethiopian Airlines – 67, United Airlines – 42, Delta Airways – 28, ASKY Airlines – 14, Brussels Airlines – 12 and African World Airlines-10.
The rest are Kenya Airways – 9, South African Airways – 6, Egypt Air – 6, Qatar Airways – 6, Turkish Airlines – 4, Air Cote D’Ivoire – 4, Tap Air Portugal – 3, Air Burkina – 1, Middle East Airlines – 1, Royal Air Maroc – 1 and Rwand Air – 1.
Monthly arrivals for Airlines
The monthly arrivals for Emirates are; January – 37, February – 176, March – 300, April – 2 and May – 3.
For KLM, the monthly arrivals are January – 22, February –43, March – 34, April – 13, May – 9 and June – 2.
For Air France, the monthly figures are; January – 19, February – 47, March – 8, April -2 and May – 4.
According to the data, British Airways’ monthly figures are; January -8, February – 14, March – 38, April – 11, May – 4 and June – 1.
The monthly breakdown for Ethiopian Airlines arrivals are February -26 March – 40 and April – 1.
Monthly arrivals for United Airlines
Per the records, United Airlines brought monthly passengers as; January – 3, February – 20, March – 16, April – 1, May – 1 and June -1.
Delta Airways’ monthly arrivals are; February – 3, March – 20, April – 3 and May – 2.
ASKY Airlines flew in 14 Ghanaians who used Ghanacard to board all in the month of March.
Monthly arrivals for Brussels Airline
In three months, Brussels Airlines were: March – 5, April -2 and May – 5.
African World Airlines also flew into Ghana 10 passengers who boarded with Ghanacard.
Kenya Airways also allowed 9 Ghanaians to embark from other countries to Ghana in March.
Monthly arrivals for South African Airways are; March – 5 and May – 1.
In the two months that Egypt Air brought in such passengers, the figures were March – 5 and May – 1.
For Turkish Airlines, the monthly arrivals are; February – 1, March – 2 and May – 1.
Air Cote D’Ivoire brought four passengers in March while Tap Air Portugal recorded three arrivals in the same month of March.
Four airlines recorded figures as follows; Royal Air Maroc one passenger in March, Rwand Air, one passenger in March, Middle East Airlines, one passenger in May and Air Burkina one passenger in April.
Ghanacard as travel document
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), in February 2022, officially announced the Ghanacard as meeting the requirements for an international travel document, which means holders of the card, once Ghana enters into bilateral agreements with individual nations, will be able to use the Ghanacard as a travel document to those countries with electronic visas.
The Vice-President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, revealed in November 2021 during a lecture at Ashesi University that processes had been completed for the Ghanacard to be recognised as an international travel document by ICAO, the global body that certifies means of international travel identification.
Following this, the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) sent circulars to all airports and airlines on the use of the Ghana Card as an acceptable International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) compliant Machine Readable Travel Document (MRTD) for Ghanaians for international travel to all Ghanaian airports.
Travellers can verify the cards at airports and with airlines to travel directly to Ghana from anywhere in the world.
Also, Ghanaians can travel to countries that enter into agreements with Ghana to permit the use of the Ghana Card to travel to their countries as has been agreed amongst Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries whose cards meet the ECOWAS Machine Readable Travel Document (MRTD) e-passport ICAO compliant specifications and put in the right legal regime.