A fresh group of Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa following recent xenophobic attacks is expected to arrive in the country today, Saturday, July 25, as the government concludes the final phase of its emergency repatriation exercise.
The latest evacuation is part of a wider operation to bring home nearly 900 Ghanaian nationals who voluntarily opted to return after escalating violence against foreign nationals raised concerns about their safety and livelihoods.
The arrival of today’s group follows earlier evacuation flights that returned hundreds of Ghanaians to the country. Government officials say the current operation marks the final stage of the large-scale emergency exercise.
Announcing the repatriation on July 14, Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, said the operation was made possible through the intervention of the Office of the President and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in response to growing security concerns affecting Ghanaians in South Africa.
Speaking to members of the Ghanaian community, Mr Quashie disclosed that 926 Ghanaians had already been repatriated during previous phases, while the remaining registered nationals would begin returning home from July 25.
“We are going to do the final repatriation of close to 900 Ghanaians who have voluntarily given their names here in South Africa that they want to go,” he said.
He explained that the exercise would be carried out in phases, with flights departing daily until all registered Ghanaians had been safely returned to Ghana.
According to the High Commissioner, the completion of the exercise will bring the emergency repatriation programme to an end, after which any Ghanaian seeking to return home will receive assistance through the country’s normal consular services rather than special evacuation arrangements.
Mr Quashie commended President John Dramani Mahama and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, for facilitating the evacuation, describing the initiative as evidence of the government’s commitment to protecting the welfare of Ghanaians living abroad.
The repatriation exercise comes after weeks of uncertainty among members of the Ghanaian community in South Africa, many of whom were forced to seek refuge before deciding to return home voluntarily because of the xenophobic attacks.
The issue has also received attention at the highest diplomatic level. President Mahama recently disclosed that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa had dispatched a delegation to Ghana to discuss the recurring attacks on foreign nationals.
Speaking during a meeting with African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf at the Jubilee House on Wednesday, July 22, President Mahama said he used the opportunity to urge the South African delegation to adopt a more transparent approach in addressing the recurring violence.
He stressed that Ghana’s concerns were not intended to undermine relations between the two countries but to encourage stronger action to protect the lives and safety of African nationals living in South Africa.
With today’s expected arrival, the government will conclude an operation that has reunited hundreds of Ghanaians with their families after they were forced to abandon their homes and livelihoods in search of safety.
www.modernghana.com
