Ghana: Xenophobic Attack - Over 700 Ghanaians Return From South Africa

More than 700 Ghanaians, forming the second and third batches of evacuees from South Africa, arrived in the country over the weekend to a warm reception at the Accra International Airport (AIA).

The second batch, made up of about 340 returnees, arrived aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight at about 9 p.m. on Saturday.

The third batch, numbering over 380, touched down at 1:40 p.m. on Sunday.

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Ministers of State, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa; the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey; and the Minister of Health, Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, were at the airport to receive them.

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Addressing the returnees, Mr Ablakwa assured them that the government would take steps to secure compensation for those who lost businesses, shops and other properties under the circumstances that led to their evacuation from South Africa.

He explained that the government was putting in place the necessary legal processes to seek redress for affected Ghanaians.

"We are not going to sit back without making every effort to secure compensation for those of you who have lost your properties, assets, businesses and shops," he stated.

Mr Ablakwa said returnees would be required to provide relevant documentation, including addresses and proof of ownership of houses, schools, shops and other properties, to support the process.

"We are putting together legal processes that we will activate to ensure that for the properties you invested in, we obtain compensation for you," he added.

The Minister further disclosed that President John Dramani Mahama would raise the matter at the next African Union (AU) Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in pursuit of justice and compensation for the affected Ghanaians.

On reintegration efforts, Mr Ablakwa announced that about 200 employment opportunities had already been secured through the support of Ghanaian entrepreneurs and corporate institutions.

He said Mr Ibrahim Mahama, Chief Executive Officer of Engineers and Planners, had offered 100 jobs, while AirtelTigo and Telecel Ghana had also indicated their readiness to employ some of the returnees.

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Mr Ablakwa added that the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and other chief executive officers had pledged their support to ensure the smooth reintegration of the evacuees.

He commended the returnees for their resilience and contribution to the national economy, noting that diaspora remittances reached $7.8 billion last year, making them Ghana's second-largest source of foreign exchange earnings after gold exports.

The Minister also expressed appreciation to President Mahama, Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ghana Health Service, the Ghana Airports Company Limited and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) for their support in the evacuation exercise.

BY CLIFF EKUFUL

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