Pacome Emmanuel Damalie
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has explained that the government of Ghana has not been able to evacuate a second batch of Ghanaians voluntarily willing to leave South Africa as of now because the finalisation of chartered flight permits were still underway.
Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of the Korea–Africa Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Seoul on Monday [June 1, 2026], Mr Ablakwa said all was set for the next batch of evacuees to leave and that the Ghana government was awaiting the finalisation of flight permits by South African authorities to allow chartered flights to move in and bring all registered Ghanaians home.
“I can assure you that all is set for the next batch to arrive. We’re just waiting for the South African authorities to finalise our request for the flight permits so that our chartered jets can move in and bring all the Ghanaians who have registered,” he said.
The first batch of 300 Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa arrived in Accra on Wednesday [May 27].
The evacuees included 26 persons detained for visa violations in South Africa. They touched down at about 3 p.m. in a chartered Ethiopia
Speaking in Seoul on Monday morning, Mr Ablakwa said the final batch of Ghanaians in South Africa had now registered, with the number exceeding 900.
“We have a little above 600. Earlier, those who wrote their names were in the region of 800, but it’s clear that we’ll have to go beyond that. We are now exceeding 900,” he stated.
Mr Ablakwa dismissed claims that the Ghanaians being evacuated were illegal migrants.
“Let me use this opportunity to say that contrary to a lot of disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda out there, the vast majority of Ghanaians we have registered, we’ve looked at their documentation, these are legal migrants.
Already the South African immigration officials have said out of the 300 evacuated last week, only 10 had proper documentation to be in South Africa and the remaining 290 had no documentation.
Mr Ablakwa did not give specific numbers but urged the public to disregard claims that the registered Ghanaians were illegal migrants, stressing that, “it is not true at all, and we’ve challenged those who are making these claims to put out the evidence. They have not been able to put out any evidence”.
The Minister said the registration was being carried out in collaboration with South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs, whose officials were present at Ghana’s High Commission to screen registrants.
“So far, not a single Ghanaian is of interest to the South African authorities. You have the security officials there with their database, their computers, with their wanted lists, checking fingerprints, and all of that.
“Clearly, Ghana is not responsible for any high crime rates or any avalanche of illegality going on in South Africa,” he stated.
Mr Ablakwa said President John Dramani Mahama had directed that no Ghanaian in distress should be left behind.
“Thanks to the compassionate leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, he has said that all Ghanaians in harm’s way, in distress, who are being harassed, being dehumanised, we should not leave anyone behind. Our foreign policy is that of compassion, and that of leaving no Ghanaian behind,” he said.
He affirmed that, once the safety and the dignity of any Ghanaian anywhere in the world is affronted, Ghanaians could be rest assured that the Ministry of Foreign, acting on behalf of the government, will come and offer assistance you.
Mr Ablakwa added that, government do not want anybody in this world thinking that Ghanaians are orphaned, Ghanaians don’t have a government and are of no value.
Source: graphic.com.gh