Report on recent Evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.
The full text of the statement made by Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP), Minister for Foreign Affairs, during a Press Briefing held on Monday 7th September, 2026, focusing on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa, which ended on Friday 4th September, 2026.
The statement, names of Ghanaians evacuated, receipts of tickets purchased, invitation to the Auditor-General to conduct an audit into all evacuations since 2017 and other relevant documents are hereby attached.
The Foreign Ministry will continue to uphold the principles of transparency, integrity and accountability.
MEDIA BRIEFING BY
SAMUEL OKUDZETO ABLAKWA (MP), MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS ON THE CONCLUSION OF THE EVACUATION OF GHANAIAN NATIONALS FROM SOUTH AFRICA, MONDAY, 7TH SEPTEMBER 2026
Good afternoon, distinguished Members of the Media.
2. I welcome you to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and thank you for responding to the invitation for this press briefing.
3. The Ministry's briefing today is to present to the public a comprehensive report and the full financial cost of evacuations of Ghanaians from South Africa following the latest wave of xenophobic attacks. We do this on the authority of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana in the interest of transparency, accountability and good governance.
BACKGROUND
4. As the media will be very well aware, these recurring xenophobic violence against African nationals, including Ghanaians, have been a source of great concern to the Government of Ghana. Since April 2026, there has been a disturbing resurgence of anti-foreigner sentiment and intimidation in parts of the Republic of South Africa, particularly within the Durban Central Business District in KwaZulu-Natal Province.
The proximate triggers of the attacks against African nationals are related to the campaign initiated by vigilante groups known as "March and March," and “Operation Dudula” which began with the pretext of cleaning up the cities but has evolved into unruly groups whose activities target African nationals without any visible State intervention to protect the lives of foreign nationals against the perpetrators of these xenophobic attacks.
5.The members of the March and March group have been observed stopping individuals in public places, questioning them about their nationality and immigration status, and, in some instances, engage in "citizen's arrests" of suspected undocumented migrants and the looting of their shops.
6.These confrontations, many of which occurred in busy commercial areas, were widely shared on social media, creating an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty. Some of the viral videos that were circulated included those of a Ghanaian national, Mr. Emmanuel Akowuah Asamoah, who was threatened and intimidated by members of the March and March group.
His case attracted widespread attention in Ghana and across the African continent, likewise other videos and reports on traditional and social media that have shown many African migrants being subjected to harassment, intimidation and threats of violence, generating widespread concern among migrant communities and their families.
7.The public statements by anti-immigration groups that called for foreign nationals to leave South Africa by 30th June 2026 have had devastating consequences. Besides some of our nationals losing property and assets, four (4) Ghanaians lost their lives. I provide the details as follows: a 44-year-old Ghanaian national and father of three, Mr. Bashiru Issahaq was brutally murdered on 30th June 2026 in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, when violent anti-immigrant demonstrators attacked him.
8.The identity of Mr. Bashiru Issahaq was initially disputed by the South African authorities. However, upon the insistence of the Ghana side, his identity was eventually confirmed. The Government, through the High Commission of Ghana in Pretoria, activated the necessary diplomatic and consular response.
The High Commission formally lodged Ghana's protest with South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation, filed a complaint with the South African Police Service and commenced close engagement with the relevant investigative authorities to monitor the progress of investigations. At the same time, the Ministry maintained regular contact with Mr. Issahaq’s family, provided the necessary consular assistance and, with the family's consent, facilitated the repatriation of his mortal remains to Ghana.
9. The Government has consistently maintained that the circumstances surrounding Mr. Issahaq’s death must be established through a full, transparent and expeditious investigation and would therefore continue to demand the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for this gruesome murder. This demand has been communicated directly to the South African authorities and reiterated at the highest political level and the Government of Ghana still awaits the response of the @Government of on this matter.
The Government authorised the autopsy of Mr. Issahaq on arrival of the mortal remains in Ghana to determine the cause of death. However this report was inconclusive because of the state of the body which raised further concerns. The body has since been released to the family for burial.
10.The Government is committed to pursuing all appropriate diplomatic and legal avenues to ensure that justice is served. While awaiting the outcome of the investigations and the independent autopsy from South Africa, Government will continue to keep the bereaved family informed of significant developments and provide the necessary support.
11. In the case of Mr. Kwadwo Antwi, who was murdered in Prieska in the Northern Cape Province on 18th July 2026 in the early hours at 01.30 am, his death received considerable attention across traditional and social media. The High Commission of Ghana continues to engage with the relevant South African authorities to bring the case to its final conclusion and hold the perpetrators of this heinous crime to account.
12.As you may be aware, Mr. Amoonu Jailor Nash was murdered in East London in South Africa by unknown assailants on 3rd April 2026. Information available indicate that the South African Police is investigating the matter.
The Government of Ghana repartriated his mortal remains on Thursday, 3rd September 2026. The body was received by officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the deceased family. The mortal remains have been handed over to the family for burial. Ministry will continue to follow up on the investigations to ensure that justice is served.
13.Mr. Ebenezer Ayi Tawiah who was sick but could not access medical care due to the harrassment by South African vigilantes regrettably died on arrival at the Accra International Airport on Monday, 17th August 2026. The Ministry ensured the transfer of the mortal remains to the Police Hospital in Accra, and arranged for an autopsy to be conducted.
14.On behalf of the President and the people of Ghana and in my own name, I wish to convey heartfelt condolences to the families of Bashiru, Amoonu, Antwi and Tawiah. The Government will continue to engage the South African Government to ensure that the perpetrators of these heinous crimes are brought to justice.
15.The despicable xenophobic attacks against our compatriots in South Africa required the urgent intervention of the Government. At the diplomatic level, the Government formally conveyed its concerns to the South African Government.
I spoke directly with my counterpart the South African Minister for International Relations and Cooperation and summoned the Acting High Commissioner of South Africa in Accra to express Ghana's strong objection to the attacks and sought assurances regarding the safety of Ghanaian nationals.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
16.In the face of these unfortunate incidents in South Africa, the Government initiated continental action to address the recurring xenophobic attacks against Ghanaians and other African nationals in the Republic of South Africa. On 6th May 2026, Ghana formally petitioned the Chairperson of the African Union Commission to place on the agenda of the African Union as a matter of urgent continental concern the item of "Xenophobic Attacks in the Republic of South Africa against African Nationals". The petition highlights the recurring loss of lives, attacks on African migrants, destruction of businesses and threats to the principles of African unity, free movement and continental integration. Ghana believes that the best way to address this matter is not to look away and pretend nothing serious is happening, but to bring it into the open and have an honest discussion on this concern and how best to address it, including the root causes of this xenophobic violence.
17.Although the Eighth African Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, at which the petition was expected to be considered, was postponed, Government maintained the petition and secured the unanimous endorsement of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS to pursue this concern within the context of the African Union to ensure that the matter is formally discussed at the next appropriate meeting.
18.His Excellency John Dramani Mahama also raised the concern with His Excellency Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, on 22nd July 2026 in Accra when the Chairperson called on the President. As emphasised by President Mahama, Ghana's petition is undergirded by good faith and Pan-Africanism as it seeks to encourage a collective continental response to a challenge that undermines the rights, dignity and security of African citizens and threatens Africa's integration agenda.
19.Government is encouraged by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission’s response, which reaffirmed the Union's commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of African citizens and indicated his engagements with President Cyril Ramaphosa and South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Honourable Ronald Lamola on the concern. I can confirm that the AU Commission has formally written in response to Ghana’s petition and indicated that the matter will be tabled for deliberations at the AU Summit expected to convene in January 2027.
Evacuation of Ghanaian Nationals
20.Following the deterioration of the situation in South Africa, the government of Ghana took the prompt and firm decision to prioritise the safety and welfare of Ghanaians in South Africa by undertaking an evacuation exercise using chartered and commercial flights. A total of 1,964 Ghanaians were evacuated through out the exercise which commenced on 27th May 2026 and ended on 4th September 2026. Ghana was the first country to evacuate its citizens. It is worth mentioning that the evacuation could not have been anticipated hence, it was not budgeted for. However, the Government had to act swiftly to protect the lives of its citizens. The lives protected and the dignity of Ghanaians far outweighs the cost.
21.The first flight on 27th of May prioritised vunerable groups such as children, the sick, the aged and women. The evacuation exercise was coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with Ghana’s High Commission in Pretoria, with the active support of the Presidency, National Security Secretariat, relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
Cost of Evacuation
22.In strict adherence to the principles of transparency and accountability, I can today report that the total cost of evacuating Ghanaians from South Africa amounted to GHS 49,721,786.00.
23. The break down is as follows:
Chartered Flights, tickets, ground transportation,
feeding, hotel accommodation in South Africa,
medical and hospitalisation -GHS 38,835,512.00
Reintegration and Transportation allowance-GHS 10,802,000.00
Repatriation of 2 mortal remains. - GHS 84,274.00
Total - GHS 49,721,786.00
24.Out of the total amount of GHS 49,721,786.00 the Government of Ghana spent GHS 33,721,786.00, while Mr. Ibrahim Mahama’s Engineers and Planners donated GHS 16,000,000.00. The Government of Ghana commends him for his extraordinary commitment to the welfare of Ghanaians.
25. Each evacuee received reintegration grant of GHS 5,000.00 and Travel and Transport Allowance of GHS 500.00. The welfare support packages were to ensure that all our nationals returning home under the evacuation programme were received with dignity, compassion and adequate institutional support. Psychologists and trauma counsellors were deployed for arrival responses and to follow up in community-based sessions. We also partnered with faith-based organisations and civil society groups to provide additional emotional and spiritual support, recognising that many of these citizens have endured horrors no human should face. In brief, the Government mobilised its full machinery to ensure that these returnees were received and reintegrated with dignity.
26. Other support measures provided to our compatriots included the following:
• Free medical screening by Port Health
Free health insurance registration by NHIS
Free sim card, loaded with data and money from Airtel Tigo and Telecel
Food package for every evacuee by NADMO
• Psychosocial, logistics, hot meals and water by IOM, NADMO and Red Cross.
• Free accomodation by the Church of Pentecost in Pretoria, Kempton Park and Johannesburg
27.The Government is considering the long-term economic empowerment of returning nationals. Accordingly, all evacuees have been enrolled in a special national database through which they may be linked to employment opportunities, entrepreneurship support initiatives, skills development programmes, and startup opportunities, in collaboration with relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, as well as private sector partners.
28.The Government believes strongly that no Ghanaian returning home under distressing circumstances should feel abandoned or excluded from national support systems. These interventions reflect Government’s broader commitment to protecting the dignity, welfare and prospects of every Ghanaian citizen, irrespective of where they may be in the world.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
29.Let me emphasise that the evacuation was voluntary, impartial and nationalistic. I would like to extend Government's profound appreciation and gratitude to all the following stakeholders for the invaluable support and cooperation extended to the government for the evacuation exercise:
• Engineers and Planners
• The Church of Pentecost
• NADMO
• National Security Council Secretariat
• Ghana Airport Company
• Ghana Civil Aviation Authority
• Port Health
• 37 Military Hospital
IOM
Telecel Ghana
Airtel Tigo
• Ghana Immigration Service
• NHIS
• Ghana Armed Forces
• Ghana Police Service
• the Ghana Red Cross
• Ghana Immigration Service
• Ghana Airport
• Asky Airlines
• Air Tanzania
• Egypt Air
• Ethiopian Airlines and
• Ghanaian media.
30.Permit me to convey enormous appreciation to colleagues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our Mission in Pretoria for their tremendous contributions and sacrifices towards the success of this operation.
Conclusion
31. I wish to take this opportunity to reiterate the commitment of the Government of Ghana to protect the lives and welfare of its citizens wherever they may be and will continue to take timely and decisive action wherever the safety and security of Ghanaians abroad are at risk.
32. I convey special gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama , the President of the Republic for his inspirational leadership and his unwavering commitment to the welfare of Ghanaian nationals.
33. I assure you that the Ministry remains committed to maintaining an open and constructive relationship with the media and will continue to provide timely and accurate information in the interest of transparency and accountability.
34. I commend all Ghanaians, for the solidarity demonstrated in defending the rights of our compatriots who were caught up in the xenophobic attacks in South Africa. We have demonstrated what we can achieve by ourselves when we are united. Our creed is not in doubt: touch one, touch all. Team Ghana is the winner in this entire evacuation exercise.
35.I wish to announce that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will soon launch a Ghanaian Diaspora Consular Fund which will serve as an emergency response funding mechanism to swiftly take care of Ghanaians in distress and during crisis situations anywhere in the world.
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https://mfa.gov.gh/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/SOUTH_AFRICA_EVACUATION_EXERCISE-1.pdf