Security at Kotoka Airport beefed up

Accra, Aug. 10, GNA - Security at the Kotoka International Airport has been beefed following reports of a terrorist plot to blow up a plane in flight from the United Kingdom to the United States.

These measures mainly have to do with the screening of departing passengers, Mr Eric Noi, Head of Public Relations of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra on Thursday.

He said upon receiving information from the British High Commission on the new developments in the United Kingdom, the GCAA immediately introduced drastic security measures at the airport. He said passengers were now prohibited from travelling with alcoholic beverages or any liquid in bottles or flasks, batteries or wires in any form.

Mr Noi said there would also be random inspection of footwear of departing passengers.

"We have also decided to beef up security personnel at the entrance to the departure and arrival halls with hired security personnel to augment the number of Police personnel.

Mr Noi said the lighting system in front of the arrival and departure halls would be improved while close circuit television cameras would be deployed to cover the public arena of the airport. Commenting on media reports of an influx of loiters at the airport as well as laxity in security he said GCAA would put notices at vantage points and also broadcast through the media that the Airport was a restricted area.

The British authorities on Thursday said they had foiled a plot to blow up planes in flight from the United Kingdom to the United States. High security arrangements are said to be causing flight delays at all United Kingdom airports.