Final evacuation of 900 Ghanaians from South Africa to begin July 25

By: Eugene Dogbatse Atsu
The Government of Ghana will begin the final evacuation of about 900 Ghanaian nationals from South Africa on July 25, marking the last phase of its repatriation programme.

Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, announced that the exercise is intended for Ghanaians who voluntarily registered to return home following months of xenophobic attacks and growing concerns over their safety and welfare in the country.

Addressing members of the Ghanaian community in South Africa on Tuesday, July 14, Mr Quashie said government support through the Office of the President and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had made the final repatriation exercise possible.

“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 stated.

According to the High Commissioner, nearly 926 Ghanaians have already been successfully evacuated under previous phases of the programme. The remaining registered individuals will be transported to Ghana through daily flights beginning July 25 until all have returned home.

Mr Quashie explained that the operation would follow the same arrangements used during earlier evacuations, with officials coordinating transportation from churches, hotels and other temporary shelters where affected Ghanaians are staying across South Africa.

“The modalities will be the same as the modalities of the previous three repatriations that we’ve had,” he said, adding that authorities would ensure an orderly and coordinated process.

He stressed that only individuals who have already completed the registration and screening process will be eligible for the evacuation, noting that no fresh registrations will be accepted.

“We are not doing new registrations. We are going according to those who have been registered and screened,” he cautioned.

The High Commissioner further urged beneficiaries not to travel to the Ghana High Commission without prior notification or arrive with luggage expecting accommodation, assuring them that departure schedules would be communicated in advance.

Mr Quashie said the July exercise would bring the government-sponsored mass repatriation programme to an end. Future requests for assistance to return home, he noted, would be handled individually through Ghana’s consular services.

He also expressed appreciation to President John Dramani Mahama and Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa for supporting the initiative.

The evacuation programme was introduced following anti-immigration tensions and xenophobic attacks in parts of South Africa that prompted hundreds of Ghanaians to seek voluntary repatriation back home.