Ghana spent GHC49.72 million to evacuate 1,964 citizens from South Africa following a wave of xenophobic attacks, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said Monday, as he announced plans for a dedicated emergency fund for Ghanaians in distress abroad.
Ablakwa said the evacuation cost GHC49,721,786 and covered chartered flights, ground transportation, feeding, accommodation, medical care, reintegration support and the repatriation of the remains of two Ghanaians who died during the crisis.
Speaking at a media briefing in Accra, he said the government financed GHC33.72 million of the cost, while Engineers & Planners, owned by businessman Ibrahim Mahama, contributed GHC16 million.
Of the total expenditure, GHC38.84 million was spent on chartered flights, tickets, ground transportation, feeding, accommodation and medical and hospitalisation requirements.
A further GHC10.8 million was allocated for reintegration and transportation allowances for the returning nationals.
Each of the 1,964 evacuees received GHC5,000 as a reintegration grant and GH¢500 for transportation, bringing the direct support per returnee to GHC5,500.
The government also spent GHC84,274 to repatriate the remains of two Ghanaians who died during the crisis.
Ablakwa said the entire cost of the South Africa evacuation had been settled, with no outstanding liabilities.
He commended Ibrahim Mahama for the GHC16 million contribution, describing it as support for the welfare of affected Ghanaians.
The minister said the evacuation formed part of a broader effort by the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Ghanaian diplomatic missions and international partners to assist citizens facing hardship abroad.
Between 2025 and September 2026, a total of 4,972 distressed Ghanaians had been repatriated from various countries, Ablakwa said.
The largest number, 3,807, were brought back from Libya, while 440 were repatriated from Côte d’Ivoire, including victims of QNET schemes and demolition exercises.
A further 246 citizens were repatriated from Nigeria, 244 from Cambodia, 201 from Algeria, 18 from Kuwait, eight from Sierra Leone, five from Mauritius and two from Morocco.
One Ghanaian each was repatriated from Iraq and another country listed in the ministry’s figures, bringing the total to 4,972.
Ablakwa said the repeated rescue operations were placing a significant financial and logistical burden on the state.
In response, he announced plans to establish a Ghanaian Diaspora Consular Fund to provide a sustainable emergency financing mechanism for Ghanaians facing crises abroad.
The proposed fund, he said, would enable the government to respond more quickly when citizens require evacuation, repatriation or other emergency assistance outside the country.
Beyond the financial support, the South Africa returnees received psychological and trauma counselling to help them recover from their experiences and reintegrate into their communities.
They also benefited from medical screening, health insurance registration, free SIM cards loaded with data and airtime, food packages and other welfare assistance.
The International Organization for Migration, the National Disaster Management Organisation and the Red Cross provided additional support, including logistics, psychosocial assistance, hot meals and water.
The Church of Pentecost also provided free accommodation for some of the returnees in Pretoria, Kempton Park and Johannesburg.
Ablakwa said the government was further considering longer-term economic empowerment initiatives to help returning nationals rebuild their livelihoods and reintegrate into their communities.
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