The Government of Ghana has announced a comprehensive support package for Ghanaians being evacuated from South Africa amid ongoing xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals in the country.
A public notice issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reveals the government has outlined five key benefits that all evacuated citizens will be entitled to upon their return home.
Returnees will receive a Welcome Home Financial Package to help cushion the immediate economic impact of their displacement. The government will also provide transportation assistance to ensure that evacuees can travel safely to their destinations across Ghana upon arrival.
To help returning citizens rebuild their lives, the package further includes a Re-integration Allowance, as well as free psychosocial support to address the emotional and mental health toll of the traumatic experiences many may have endured.
Additionally, evacuees will be enrolled on a special database for jobs and startup opportunities, giving them access to employment and entrepreneurship prospects as they work to re-establish themselves back home.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the welfare of all Ghanaians, stating: “We value and cherish all our citizens.”
The first batch of 300 Ghanians is expected to be evacuated from South Africa through a special chartered flight scheduled for Thursday, May 21.
Xenophobia in South Africa is not a new phenomenon. For years, the country has grappled with intermittent but widespread xenophobic violence against African and Asian foreign nationals, whether refugees, asylum seekers, or documented and undocumented migrants.
The recent xenophobic attacks, which began in April, stem from the country’s worsening economic conditions, including an unemployment rate of over 43 percent, which has driven anti-immigrant sentiment and empowered vigilante groups.
Two movements — March and March, led by Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, and Operation Dudula, fronted by Zandile Dabula — have been organising city-by-city marches against foreign nationals.
Between April and May, violent demonstrations have erupted in Pretoria, Johannesburg, and Durban, with sometimes fatal consequences.
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