By Ashiadey Dotse
The government spent GH¢49.72 million to evacuate 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa following a wave of xenophobic attacks, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced.
Mr Ablakwa disclosed this at a press briefing on Monday, September 7, 2026, where he presented a report on the evacuation and its financial implications.
He said the evacuation began on May 27 and ended on September 4, 2026, adding that Ghana was the first country to evacuate its citizens in response to the situation.
Of the total cost, the government spent GH¢33.7 million, while businessman Ibrahim Mahama’s company, Engineers and Planners, contributed GH¢16 million towards the exercise.
“The lives protected and the dignity of Ghanaians far outweigh the cost,” he said.
According to the minister, GH¢38.84 million was spent on chartered flights, air tickets, ground transportation, feeding, hotel accommodation, medical care and hospitalisation.
A further GH¢10.8 million went towards reintegration grants and transportation allowances, while GH¢84,274 was spent on repatriating two bodies.
Each evacuee received GH¢5,000 as a reintegration grant and GH¢500 as a travel and transport allowance to support their return to Ghana.
Mr Ablakwa said the government also provided free medical screening and health insurance registration. The returnees received food packages and SIM cards loaded with data and credit.
Psychological support and trauma counselling were also provided to help them cope with their experiences.
Several organisations, including the Church of Pentecost, the International Organization for Migration, the National Disaster Management Organisation and the Ghana Red Cross, supported the exercise.
Mr Ablakwa said the government had enrolled the returnees in a special national database to help connect them to employment opportunities, entrepreneurship support, skills development and start-up programmes.
He stressed that the government would continue to support Ghanaians returning home under difficult circumstances.
The minister also disclosed that four Ghanaians lost their lives amid the incidents in South Africa. They were Bashiru Issahaq, Kwadwo Antwi, Amoonu Jailor Nash and Ebenezer Ayi Tawiah.
He said the government was engaging South African authorities to ensure that those responsible for the deaths were brought to justice.
Mr Ablakwa further announced that the African Union Commission had responded to Ghana’s petition on the xenophobic attacks and indicated that the matter would be discussed at the AU Summit expected in January 2027.
He also announced plans by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to launch a Ghanaian Diaspora Consular Fund to provide emergency assistance to Ghanaians facing crises anywhere in the world.
