Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has said Ghana is going to pursue compensation for its citizens who have been evacuated from South Africa following the loss of their businesses and property.
Ablakwa was addressing the evacuees at the Accra International Airport on Saturday night, June 6, 2026, after welcoming a second batch of 340 Ghanaians from South Africa.
In all, a total of 637 Ghanaians have been evacuated from South Africa after the arrival of the 340, according to the Minister. He said a little above 300 more was also set to arrive in Ghana.
The evacuees, who touched down in Accra at 9:00 pm on board a chartered Ethiopian Airline flight were received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and his Deputy, James Gyakye Quayson.
Compensation
Mr. Ablakwa assured the returnees that the Government is going to work assiduously to secure a compensation for those who lost their businesses and property after years of toil in South Africa as a result of the xenophobia.
“We are not going to sit back without any effort in attempting to secure compensation for those of you who have lost your properties, lost your assets, lost your businesses, your shops and what have you.
“We are putting together legal processes that we will activate to ensure that those properties you invested in… we are going to make sure we obtain compensation for you,” he said.
He urged the evacuees to provide all required documentation, including addresses and supporting documents for houses, schools and shops, to aid the case the Government is building.
Also, the Minister assured that President John Dramani Mahama would petition the African Union at its next mid-year coordinating meeting to press for justice and compensation.
Jobs
On jobs, the Minister said about 200 employment opportunities had already been secured through Ghanaian Chief Executive Officers and entrepreneurs who responded to government’s call.
“I’m so impressed that already about 200 jobs have been secured for you. Leading the pack is Mr Ibrahim Mahama of Engineers and Planners; he has offered 100 jobs. AirtelTigo and Telecel, they have also reached out that they have some jobs to offer,” Mr. Ablakwa said.
He said the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), and other CEOs had pledged support to ensure the returnees were fully integrated.
Ablakwa lauded the evacuees for their resilience and contributions to the economy, stressing that diaspora remittances hit $7.8 billion last year, second only to gold exports.
The Minister commended the President and his vice Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, colleague ministers, NADMO, Ghana Health Service, Ghana Airport Company Limited, and International Organisation for Migration (IOM) for supporting the evacuation process.
He said the country’s swift action had inspired other African countries, with several foreign ministers consulting the Ghanaian government on its evacuation strategy.
