Chief Executive Officer of Engineers & Planners and philanthropist Ibrahim Mahama has supported the government’s ongoing evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa by funding air tickets for the latest batch of returnees.
His intervention comes shortly after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the second phase of its voluntary evacuation exercise for about 1,000 Ghanaians who registered to return home following xenophobic attacks targeting African migrants in South Africa.
Before the latest operation, the Government of Ghana had successfully evacuated 926 citizens through three chartered flights.
With the cost of the exercise placing significant pressure on public resources, Mr Mahama stepped in to cover the airfare for the next group of evacuees.
To support their reintegration, each returnee also received a GH¢5,000 grant and GH¢500 for transportation from the government and its partners.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa thanked Mr Mahama for his timely intervention.
He also acknowledged the contributions of other partners, including AirtelTigo, which provided free SIM cards loaded with data and airtime; the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) for relief items; the Ghana Red Cross Society; and the Ministry of Health for supporting the evacuation and reintegration process.
“We would launch the consular fund in the coming days through a public-private partnership, taking into account the considerable financial burden of consular demands on the Ministry,” he said.
Mr Ablakwa also appealed to private businesses to support the returnees by providing employment opportunities and assisting their reintegration into society.
The evacuation forms part of a wider regional response to recent xenophobic violence in South Africa, which has forced thousands of African migrants to return to their home countries.
The attacks have attracted widespread international condemnation over alleged human rights violations.
Ghana has formally petitioned the African Union to include the matter on the agenda of its Mid-Year Coordination Meeting.
In addition, two private individuals have reportedly initiated proceedings against South Africa at the International Criminal Court, seeking accountability over the attacks.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s President has expressed regret over the deaths of foreign nationals during the unrest while maintaining that his government neither supports nor condones the actions of those responsible for the violence.
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