VIDEO: Evacuation of 300 Ghanaians from South Africa ‘no show’: Ghana High Commissioner to SA engages man who showed up at airport
Evacuation of 300 Ghanaians from South Africa ‘no show’: Ghana High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie engages the only person who showed up at the airport seeking to be evacuated.
Ghana's High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie has engaged the only Ghanaian who showed up at the OR Tambo Airport on Thursday morning seeking to be evacuated to Ghana in the advertised trip, which did not happen on Thursday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has explained that "considering the numbers involved and the South African legal conditions that have to be met, including mandatory passenger screening, multi-institutional coordination, and flight permits, the planned evacuation has been deferred by a few days to enable our High Commission to meet these evacuation conditions."
According to the sector Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, "Ghanaian and South African authorities have agreed to enhanced and more efficient pre-evacuation modalities to expedite the process."
Evacuation of 300 Ghanaians from South Africa ‘no show’: Ghana High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie engages the only person who showed up at the airport seeking to be evacuated pic.twitter.com/dDOrKBOIr9
— DailyGraphic GraphicOnline (@Graphicgh) May 21, 2026
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had planned to evacuate more than 300 Ghanaians from South Africa to Ghana on Thursday [May 21, 2026] due to xenophobic attacks in that country against Ghanaians and other African nationals.
Per the plan, the special chartered flight was supposed to have departed the OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg at 5 am on Thursday.
However, reports suggest that only one person out of the over 300, as announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, showed up at the airport in South Africa. [Watch the attached video below].
On Wednesday, Mr Ablakwa announced that the government was going to offer each of the 300 evacuees from South Africa a financial package, including transportation to their final destinations, and a reintegration allowance to support them in resettling in Ghana.
He said the returnees would also receive “free psychological support” to help them cope with trauma from the xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
They would subsequently be put in a “special database for jobs and startup opportunities” to facilitate their economic reintegration.
“The welfare and safety of all Ghanaians is a non-negotiable priority of the Mahama Administration,” Mr Ablakwa said.
The evacuation was coming after renewed xenophobic violence in parts of South Africa targeting foreign nationals.
However, when reports on Thursday morning indicated that there was no show and that only one person out of the over 300 showed up at the airport in Johannesburg for the said chartered flight, Mr Ablakwa put up the following explanation on social media:
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Update on Evacuation from South Africa.
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More than 800 Ghanaians have registered to be evacuated;
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Senior Government Officials on both sides are engaging on South African legal conditions, passenger screening, managing the high numbers and multi-institutional coordination as we work on a new date for the evacuation.
UPDATE ON EVACUATION FROM SOUTH AFRICA
ACCRA, 21ST MAY, 2026 -
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to provide an update on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa, which was scheduled to commence today, 21st May, 2026.
The Government of Ghana notes that more than 800 Ghanaians have registered with our High Commission in Pretoria seeking to be evacuated due to the latest wave of xenophobic attacks.
Considering the numbers involved and the South African legal conditions that have to be met, including mandatory passenger screening, multi-institutional coordination, and flight permits, the planned evacuation has been deferred by a few days to enable our High Commission to meet these evacuation conditions.
Ghanaian and South African authorities have agreed to enhanced and more efficient pre-evacuation modalities to expedite the process.
Meanwhile, senior government officials on both sides remain actively engaged on this important exercise.
The Government of Ghana assures our nationals in South Africa that best efforts are being pursued to ensure their safe return home. We commend them for their remarkable understanding and patience.
We shall continue to keep the public apprised in a transparent and timely manner consistent with our good governance traditions.
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