The Minority in Parliament has criticised the GH¢5,000 reintegration support being provided to Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa, describing the amount as insufficient to help affected persons rebuild their lives and livelihoods.
According to the Minority, several of the Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa lost businesses, jobs and other sources of income following xenophobic attacks, making the government’s reintegration assistance inadequate for their needs.
Minority Questions GH¢5,000 Reintegration Support
Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, September 10, the Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Nana Asafo Adjei Ayeh, said the financial assistance should take into account the difficult circumstances faced by the returnees.
He questioned whether GH¢5,000 could provide meaningful financial support to people who were forced to leave their businesses and livelihoods behind in South Africa.
He cited examples of returnees who previously operated restaurants, boutiques and barbershops in South Africa and questioned whether the amount would be enough to help them restart such businesses in Ghana.
The Minority argued that the reintegration of Ghanaian evacuees should involve more substantial financial and institutional support to enable affected persons to become economically independent after returning home.
Minority Raises Questions Over MTN Ghana’s GH¢20 Million Offer
Nana Asafo Adjei Ayeh also raised concerns over the government’s decision not to accept a GH¢20 million support package reportedly offered by MTN Ghana to assist the evacuated Ghanaians.
According to him, the funding could have provided additional assistance to returnees who were struggling to rebuild their businesses and livelihoods after arriving in Ghana.
The Minority questioned why the offer was rejected at a time when many of the evacuees required financial assistance and other forms of support.
Were Evacuees Consulted?
The Deputy Ranking Member further questioned whether the 1,964 Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa were consulted before the reported decision to reject the MTN Ghana offer was made.
He said the views and needs of the affected returnees should be considered when decisions are taken regarding their reintegration and financial support.
Minority Demands Transparency on South Africa Evacuation
The latest concerns form part of the Minority’s broader call for greater transparency regarding the Ghana-South Africa evacuation exercise.
The Minority is seeking clarity on the total expenditure incurred by the government, the assistance provided to returnees and the measures being implemented to help evacuated Ghanaians rebuild their livelihoods.
The debate has renewed attention on the challenges surrounding Ghanaian evacuees, reintegration support and government assistance following the xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
Source: newsthemegh.com