By Hannah Dadzie
The Government of Ghana will begin the final phase of its voluntary evacuation of Ghanaian nationals affected by xenophobic attacks in South Africa on July 25, with close to 900 people expected to be repatriated.
Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, announced that, the latest exercise has been approved by President John Dramani Mahama through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support Ghanaians who have opted to return home following months of insecurity and threats to their continued stay in South Africa.
Addressing the Ghanaian community in South Africa and neighbouring countries including Seychelles, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mauritius and Comoros, Mr Quashie acknowledged the difficult circumstances many Ghanaians have endured as a result of xenophobic attacks.
“I know this has been a very difficult period for us in South Africa. Especially because of these xenophobic attacks and how our citizens have been treated and continue to be treated,” he said.
He disclosed that nearly 926 Ghanaians have already been successfully evacuated under previous phases of the government’s voluntary repatriation programme.
According to him, arrangements have now been completed for a final evacuation of about 900 registered Ghanaians who have expressed their willingness to return home.
Mr Quashie said, the exercise would follow the same procedures used during the previous three evacuation operations, with officials visiting churches, hotels and other locations where affected Ghanaians are currently staying before transporting them to departure points.
He explained that the South African Department of Home Affairs and Border Management Authorities had approved July 25 as the start date for the operation, with daily flights scheduled until all registered persons have been transported back to Ghana.
The High Commissioner stressed that, no fresh registrations would be accepted for the final evacuation. He noted that, only individuals who had already completed the registration and screening process would be eligible.
“We are not doing new registrations. We are going according to those who have been registered and screened,” he emphasised, urging applicants to cooperate fully with officials to ensure a smooth process.
Mr Quashie appealed to Ghanaians not to travel to the High Commission uninvited or arrive with luggage expecting accommodation, saying beneficiaries would be informed of their travel schedules and transported according to established protocols.
He said, the approximately 900 people selected for the final exercise are individuals who had been verified as genuinely requiring assistance to return home due to the challenges they were facing.
The High Commissioner added that, after the completion of the latest evacuation, the government’s mass repatriation programme would officially come to an end. Any future requests for assistance would be handled individually through the High Commission’s consular services.
He expressed gratitude to President Mahama and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, for supporting the evacuation programme despite competing national priorities.
Mr Quashie urged members of the Ghanaian community to cooperate with the High Commission throughout the exercise to ensure another successful and orderly repatriation process.
