Ghana will repatriate 300 nationals out of South Africa on Thursday as part of the effort to protect its citizens from the xenophobic tension and violence in the country.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Ablakwa, disclosed this on Monday in a post on X.
This group will be the “first batch” of evacuees since the latest round of xenophobic attacks started.
The “special chartered flight” provided for the trip will depart Pretoria by 5 a.m. on Thursday, according to Mr Ablakwa.
“The first batch of 300 Ghanaians will be evacuated from South Africa on May 21, 2026. The welfare and safety of all Ghanaians is a non-negotiable priority of the Mahama Administration,” he wrote.
He also noted that the “service is fully paid for by the Government of Ghana.”
PREMIUM TIMES reports that the Ghanaian government announced plans to repatriate citizens in April and began the repatriation process last week after compiling the names of citizens who had indicated interest.
Mr Ablakwa previously announced that President John Mahama had approved the repatriation of citizens threatened by the latest wave of xenophobic violence.
The crisis triggered a range of reactions across Africa and strained diplomatic relations. Ghana wrote to the African Union demanding that the xenophobic attacks in South Africa be added to the agenda of the upcoming African Union summit.
The Nigerian government summoned the South African High Commissioner in Abuja and demanded a thorough investigation into the death of two citizens allegedly killed by Pretoria’s security operatives last month. Kenya also issued a travel advisory to its citizens, urging them to take safety precautions and avoid areas known to be hostile to African immigrants.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Nigeria had also announced plans to repatriate its citizens. Around 300 nationals are said to have indicated interest in returning to Nigeria. But the Foreign Ministry said those interested will be responsible for the cost of the trip back to Nigeria.
While the South African government has condemned attacks against African immigrants, it insisted that the crisis is a result of broader migration pressures in the country.
The Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation said undocumented migration is a major contributor to tensions in parts of the country.
It said South Africa, with three million migrants, struggles with unemployment and service-delivery challenges as employers in the country often opt for the cheap labour from illegal migrants.
“It is also a fact that South Africa’s history of migration and its diverse foreign-born population have intersected with economic anxieties around unemployment and service delivery, contributing to period tensions between some locals and foreign nationals, most of whom lack a legal immigration status, resulting in tension,” the ministry said.
While Accra has said it will repatriate the “first batch” of its citizens in a few days, it remains unclear when Nigeria will commence its evacuation.
The Nigerian foreign ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said this will depend on the financial capacity of citizens seeking repatriation.
“Those willing to leave are expected to approach the high commission, and given that their decision is voluntary, must have the resources to fund their return to Nigeria. “
The government will not “provide an aircraft from Nigeria to convey them.”