Business24 Newspaper - August 21, 2020

Page 1

EDITION B24 | 88

THEBUSINESS24ONLINE.NET

FRIDAY AUGUST 21, 2020

Noguchi tests rapid PCR kit ahead of planned airport re-opening GNPC to seek new revenue streams as COVID-19 impacts oil output The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) says it will pursue diversified revenue generation sources following a 15 percent reduction in oil production from the country’s oil fields in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. BY BENSON AFFUL

By Dominick Andoh

T

he Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research of the University of Ghana is currently testing the efficacy of a COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Detection Kit, to be used for testing in-bound international passengers when the airport is reopened next month. An efficient and reliable COVID-19 PCR Detection Kit is key to any plans of re-opening the country’s airport for international travel, following the decision of the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to tie the re-opening of Terminal 3 of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), possibly on September 1, to the country’s ability to test each passenger upon arrival. Business24 sources have reliably confirmed that the trial of the kit is expected to be completed within days and a decision made on the final modalities for the re-opening by August 26, 2020. Preliminary COVID-19 safety modalities under

discussion require departing travellers to show proof of a negative PCR test before being allowed to access the departure hall of Terminal 3—which is used for international operations—and to undergo temperature checks at the entrance and wear face masks throughout their pre-departure formalities. Arriving passengers will have to take a PCR test at the upper arrival section of Terminal 3. It may take up to 30 minutes for the result of a test to be known. The passenger is also to bear the cost of the COVID-19 test, estimated at between GH¢250GH¢500. Only in-bound passengers with negative PCR tests will then be allowed to descend to the arrival hall to complete their arrival formalities and exit the terminal. The other two options on the cards include allowing arriving passengers with credible PCR test results from specialised hospitals in their place of embarkation to fill out a comprehensive form MORE PAGE 2

.. PAGE 3

Body to regulate safe, quality drugs on the continent gets legal nod .. PAGE 3

BY EUGENE DAVIS

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

MPS terminal 3 breaks the all-time productivity record on MSC LIVORNO

Ghana Infectious Disease Centre receives IFC EDGE certification

*EXCHANGE RATE (INT. RATE)

USD$1 =GHC 5.6734*

*POLICY RATE

14.5%*

GHANA REFERENCE RATE

15.12%

OVERALL FISCAL DEFICIT

11.4 % OF GDP

PROJECTED GDP GROWTH RATE AVERAGE PETROL & DIESEL PRICE:

GOLD $/TROY OUNCE

.. PAGE 5

GHc 5.13*

INTERNATIONAL MARKET BRENT CRUDE $/BARREL NATURAL GAS $/MILLION BTUS

.. PAGE 5

0.9%

CORN $/BUSHEL

43.22 1.79 1,842.40 329.50

COCOA $/METRIC TON

1,562.00

COFFEE $/POUND:

$109.65

COPPER USD/T OZ.

220.15

SILVER $/TROY OUNCE:

17.07

Copyright @ 2020 Business24 Limited. All Rights Reserved. Tel: +233 030 296 5297 editor@thebsuiness24online.net


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.