Accra: President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference, Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, has urged Ghanaians to remain calm amid rising tensions over xenophobic attacks in South Africa and growing calls for retaliation against South African businesses operating in Ghana. Speaking to Citi News, Gyamfi warned that emotional retaliation could worsen tensions across Africa and undermine continental unity and peaceful coexistence.
According to Ghana Web, Gyamfi emphasized that Ghanaians who have been repatriated, and indeed all Africans, should view the situation as a misunderstanding by some individuals in South Africa, advising against retaliatory actions such as repatriating South Africans. His comments come at a time when anger is growing in Ghana, driven by renewed reports of attacks, intimidation, and hostility targeting foreign nationals in South Africa. These events have sparked calls from some Ghanaians for tougher measures against South African businesses operating locally, with debates heating up on social media and political platforms.
The Catholic Bishop warned that retaliatory actions could trigger dangerous consequences across the continent. He noted that once retaliatory measures begin, they could have a snowball effect throughout Africa. He urged everyone to maintain calm, acknowledging that initial emotional responses to settle scores are not the proper way to handle these issues. Gyamfi stressed the importance of Africans continuing to coexist peacefully despite occasional tensions and isolated incidents.
Gyamfi also highlighted the need for unity and love between Ghanaians and South Africans, noting that citizens of both nations will continue to reside and conduct business in each other's countries. He expressed concern over Africa's ongoing division along colonial boundaries, lamenting that Africans continue to build on divisions created by Europeans instead of breaking away from them. He emphasized that isolated incidents and misunderstandings should not define relationships between African countries.
In recalling historical parallels, Gyamfi referenced previous tensions between Ghana and Nigeria, during which both countries expelled each other's citizens at different times. He expressed optimism that both nations have learned from past mistakes and will not repeat them. His comments come as Ghana continues to evacuate citizens from South Africa amid fears of renewed xenophobic violence, with authorities assuring returnees of government support and reintegration assistance.