Nearly 300 Ghanaian nationals evacuated from South Africa arrived in Accra on Wednesday as part of a government-led repatriation exercise prompted by escalating anti-immigrant tensions in the southern African nation.
The group was welcomed at Kotoka International Airport by Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, while patriotic music played through the arrival terminal to receive the returnees.
Authorities say close to 800 Ghanaians are expected to be flown back from South Africa in the coming days following reports of hostility and threats directed at foreign nationals, both documented and undocumented.
For many of those returning, the past few weeks had been marked by fear and uncertainty.
South Africa, regarded as Africa’s most industrialised economy, has for years attracted migrants from across the continent seeking work opportunities.
However, recurring outbreaks of xenophobic violence have frequently placed foreign communities at risk, particularly during periods of economic strain and high unemployment.
The latest tensions intensified after a video circulating widely on social media allegedly showed a Ghanaian citizen being assaulted, sparking outrage among Ghanaians and renewed calls for government intervention.
Addressing the evacuees, Ablakwa assured citizens abroad that Ghana would continue to defend their welfare wherever they may be.
“Wherever Ghanaians are, we will make sure you are protected,” he stated.
The Minister disclosed that 26 of the passengers on the flight had previously been detained by South African authorities over immigration offences related to visa violations.
South Africa’s Border Management Authority later indicated that around 90 per cent of the repatriated travellers lacked valid documentation.
Officials said many had overstayed their visas for more than 30 days, while some had remained in the country illegally for over a year.
However, Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa has argued that delays within South Africa’s immigration system contributed to the situation, noting that many migrants had struggled to renew permits because of administrative backlogs.
The Ghanaian government has announced plans to provide psychological counselling and financial reintegration support to assist the returnees as they settle back into life at home.
“If you mess around with Ghanaians anywhere in the world, thinking that they are orphaned or nobody cares about them, you are mistaken,” Ablakwa said. “And you are making a mess of yourself.”
The developments have once again brought attention to broader debates across Africa surrounding migration, xenophobia, and the challenges facing efforts to promote continental unity and pan-African cooperation.
Concerns over possible violence have grown after a citizen-led organisation reportedly issued a June 30 deadline for undocumented migrants to leave South Africa.
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