The Government of Ghana has postponed the planned evacuation of Ghanaian nationals from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks in parts of the country.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on May 21, the evacuation exercise, which was expected to begin on Thursday, has been delayed for a few days to allow authorities to complete important logistical, legal and aviation processes required for the operation.
The ministry disclosed that more than 800 Ghanaians living in South Africa have so far registered with Ghana’s High Commission in Pretoria, requesting evacuation due to growing fears over the latest attacks targeting foreign nationals.
Officials explained that the large number of people involved in the exercise, together with South African legal requirements, made the postponement necessary to ensure a smooth and safe evacuation process.
“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,” part of the statement said.
The ministry further indicated that mandatory passenger screening, coordination among multiple institutions and the acquisition of flight permits are among the outstanding requirements delaying the operation.
“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,” the statement added.
Government assured affected citizens and their families that efforts are underway to complete all processes to facilitate the evacuation as soon as possible.