The Government of Ghana has evacuated 150 more Ghanaians from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks, bringing the total number of citizens repatriated since May 2026 to 1,324.
The latest group arrived at the Accra International Airport on Monday, 3 August, where they were received by the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, James Gyakye Quayson, accompanied by management and staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other senior government officials.
Addressing the returnees, the Deputy Minister thanked God for their safe return and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to supporting their successful reintegration into society. He encouraged them to remain hopeful and to use the skills, experience and resilience gained during their time in South Africa to rebuild their lives and contribute to Ghana’s development.
Mr Quayson urged the evacuees not to harbour resentment towards South Africans despite the hardships they had endured. He stressed that South Africans remained Ghana’s brothers and sisters within the wider African family and underscored the need to promote African unity, solidarity and peaceful coexistence.
He reiterated that the Government, under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, places the highest value on the safety and welfare of every Ghanaian. According to him, measures are being put in place to ensure the returnees are adequately supported as they resettle in their communities.
The Deputy Minister announced that the Government would compile and categorise the returnees’ details according to their skills and career aspirations to facilitate appropriate employment and livelihood opportunities. He also disclosed that each evacuee would receive a reintegration cash grant to assist with restarting their lives.
He further acknowledged the support of AirtelTigo and Telecel Ghana for providing free mobile connectivity to the returnees to ease their reintegration process.
Speaking on behalf of the evacuees, Mr Phillip expressed appreciation to President Mahama and the Government of Ghana for facilitating their safe return and extending a warm reception upon arrival. He also thanked Ghana’s High Commissioner to Pretoria, Ambassador Benjamin Quashie, officials of the High Commission, religious leaders and other stakeholders for their support throughout the evacuation process.
Representatives of the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana Immigration Service, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ghana Red Cross, Port Health authorities and other relevant institutions were on hand at the airport to provide assistance and ensure the returnees’ smooth transition.
