The Government of Ghana has announced the next phase of its evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa, with about 1,000 citizens expected to be flown home following renewed xenophobic attacks targeting migrants.
The evacuation, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will be carried out in batches, with the first group scheduled to arrive in Accra on Sunday, July 26, and Monday, July 27.
In a statement released on Saturday, July 25, the Ministry indicated that the exercise will begin with Ghanaians who have already registered with the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria and have voluntarily expressed their willingness to return home with government assistance.
It explained that priority will be given to women, children, the elderly, persons with underlying medical conditions and students, in line with the government’s humanitarian response policy.
The ministry also appealed to distressed Ghanaians who are yet to register to contact the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria for assistance with travel arrangements, assuring that emergency consular services have been reactivated to support those seeking to return home safely.
As part of the ongoing response, the government expressed gratitude to the Ghanaian leadership of the Church of Pentecost in Pretoria and Johannesburg, as well as Global Kingdom Investment Pty. Ltd., for providing free shelter to Ghanaians displaced by the attacks while they awaited processing by the High Commission.
According to the ministry, the support offered by the two institutions has provided temporary relief for many affected Ghanaians who were forced to flee their homes in the wake of the violence.
