By Hannah Dadzie
The Government has concluded its evacuation exercise for Ghanaians affected by xenophobic attacks in South Africa, with the final batch of 41 returnees arriving in Accra on Friday, September 4, 2026.
The exercise, coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has brought nearly 2,000 Ghanaian citizens who voluntarily registered for evacuation back to Ghana since the process began in May.
The remains of two Ghanaians who were attacked and killed during the violence were also repatriated. One returnee, however, died upon arrival in Accra, bringing the total number of deaths recorded in connection with the evacuation exercise to three.
Addressing the final batch of returnees, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, described the completion of the exercise as a significant humanitarian intervention by the Government.
He expressed gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama for what he described as his unwavering commitment to the welfare and safety of Ghanaians, both at home and abroad.
“A lot of countries would have wished that they would be able to evacuate their nationals, but it’s not all of them who were able to be as organized as we have and to be as successful as we have become. And I would like to thank God for helping us and also giving us a leader who is very compassionate, very committed to the cause of Ghanaians and a foreign ministry, many of my colleagues who have been very, very dedicated and dynamic.” The Foreign Minister said
Mr Ablakwa also commended the various state institutions, diplomatic officials, security agencies and private-sector partners whose collaboration contributed to the successful evacuation of the affected citizens.
The Foreign Affairs Minister assured the public that the Ministry would provide a full account of all funds expended throughout the evacuation exercise, stressing the Government’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
“Next week, we will address a press conference, then account for the total number of Ghanaians, the cost involved, all the partners who came to assist us in Ghana, from the Red Cross, NADMO, Immigration, Police Service, Armed Forces, IOM, National Security, colleagues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I will have the opportunity to thank everybody.” Mr Ablakwa noted
He urged the returnees not to lose hope following their traumatic experiences, but to remain resilient and channel their time, skills and energy into rebuilding their lives and contributing to Ghana’s development.
“If you are a Ghanaian and something happens, no matter which part of the world you are, the government of Ghana will be there for you. And that is a message that we are sending to all Ghanaians, because it is a nation. No matter which part of the world that a Ghanaian is, we must have that collective responsibility. That is the spirit within which we have carried out these evacuations. Almost 2,000 Ghanaians have now been successfully evacuated. After this group, we have closed the chapter of evacuations.” He assured
Mr Ablakwa further stressed that the Government’s responsibility did not end with bringing the affected citizens home, noting the importance of supporting their reintegration into society.
Beyond the reintegration allowance being provided by the Government, he encouraged the returnees to prioritise their health and seek medical attention whenever necessary as they begin the process of rebuilding their lives.
The conclusion of the evacuation brings to an end months of efforts by the Government to safely return Ghanaian nationals who opted to leave South Africa following the attacks.
Attention is now expected to shift towards the reintegration and economic recovery of the returnees as they seek to rebuild their livelihoods in Ghana.
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