Civil society group Arise Ghana has called on the Government of Ghana to refuse any renewal of mining leases involving South Africa’s Gold Fields and to immediately repatriate South African nationals domiciled in Ghana.
They claimed that the moves are necessary to “enable Ghana fix herself” in the wake of renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
Mr Richard Kasu-Adzadu, the Secretary of the organisation, told the Ghana News Agency that, it was deep concerned and outraged by recurring xenophobic attacks against African nationals, including Ghanaians, in South Africa.
“The violent incidents in South Africa undermine African unity and violate fundamental human rights enshrined by the African Union,” he said.
He explained that many traders, workers, students and residents in South Africa continue to live under fear and uncertainty as a result of repeated assaults, intimidation, destruction of businesses, displacement and targeted harassment of foreign nationals, especially Ghanaians.
He said the group condemned, in the strongest terms, and described the incident as a culture of impunity in South Africa that has allowed such attacks to recur over the years despite repeated diplomatic engagements and public assurances by South African authorities.
“We commended the Government of Ghana, through the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quarshie, for efforts that led to the safe return of 300 Ghanaians and for the reintegration support package provided to returnees.”
Mr Kasu-Adzadu noted that the persistent attacks was described as an apparent failure of adequate preventive and accountability measures, and the organisation demanded decisive legal and diplomatic action, including pursuing redress through African Union mechanisms such as the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Arise Ghana argued that continuous targeting of African migrants violates the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and undermines regional integration protocols and insisted that victims deserve justice, reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence from offending states.
The group further urged the government to take an economic stance by rejecting any renewal of mining leases involving Gold Fields until the company of South African interests demonstrate responsible corporate citizenship and respect for Ghanaian national interests.
Arise Ghana said that granting strategic economic privileges “at a time when Ghanaian citizens are facing hostility and violence in South Africa” would be unacceptable without a broader assessment of reciprocal respect, accountability and mutual benefit between the two nations.
In place of foreign concessions, the organisation recommended that strategic mining concessions be granted to indigenous Ghanaian firms, such as Engineers and Planners, so that mineral proceeds remain in Ghana to support local economic development.
They also called for the immediate repatriation of South African nationals domiciled in country “for business or any other purpose” to enable comprehensive national renewal and the implementation of domestic reforms with urgent attention.
Arise Ghana said its demands are rooted in a broader conviction that Africa’s future cannot be built on division, violence and hostility against fellow Africans, which they warned would weaken regional cooperation and damage economic integration.
The group invoked the pan-African vision of Ghana’s founding fathers, including Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and urged the Ghana Government to continue to be firm and courageous in defending its citizens and in seeking continental solidarity against xenophobic attacks.
Arise Ghana, called on other civil society organisations and political stakeholders to back the organisation’s demands and push for strong diplomatic measures.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and representatives of Gold Fields were yet to respond to the statement at the time of publication.
Meanwhile, some 300 Ghanaians who suffered xenophobic attacks have been evacuated by the Ghana government through the Foreign Ministry from South Africa while others have further registered for to be evacuated in the subsequent days.
GNA
