The Government of Ghana has affirmed its readiness to evacuate more Ghanaian citizens from South Africa should the security environment in the country worsen amidst persistent anti-immigrant sentiment.
According to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the ministry’s Consular and Humanitarian Affairs Bureau is closely monitoring developments and assessing the safety and welfare of nationals who may require emergency support.
Speaking on the matter, Mr Ablakwa revealed that Ghana’s diplomatic mission in Pretoria had submitted a formal report describing the current conditions on the ground as “quite a dire situation”.
He noted that the ongoing tension is partly linked to a recent ruling by South Africa’s apex court regarding asylum seekers.
Despite previous rescue operations, the Minister emphasised that the government has not shut the door on further intervention if fresh acts of violence put Ghanaian lives in danger.
“It does not mean that if we have another wave, a deterioration of the situation and there are Ghanaians who need assistance, it does not mean that the door is shut and that we will not move in. We will indeed,” he said.
Highlighting the state’s broader commitment to citizens abroad, Mr Ablakwa stated that Ghana’s 72 diplomatic missions worldwide remain actively engaged in safeguarding the welfare of Ghanaians within their respective host nations.
He further disclosed that more than 6,300 Ghanaians caught in distress situations across the globe have been successfully evacuated since last year, including citizens retrieved from Libya, Myanmar, and Cambodia.
Out of this overall figure, a total of 1,964 Ghanaians were safely brought home from South Africa during the most recent evacuation exercise.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
