Pretoria: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has confirmed that the evacuation of Ghanaian nationals in South Africa will begin in the early hours of Tuesday, May 26, 2026, following an agreement reached with South African authorities.
According to Ghana Web, the minister was speaking at a meeting with some Ghanaian nationals at the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria, when he disclosed that arrangements had been finalised for the first batch of evacuees to depart South Africa safely and arrive in Ghana by Tuesday afternoon. Ablakwa emphasized that the evacuation timing is set to ensure that returnees arrive during the daytime, giving officials adequate time to process and support them.
The government is expected to provide a structured reception package for the returnees, including financial assistance, transportation to their respective home regions, and psychosocial support services. Ablakwa further disclosed that businessman Ibrahim Mahama has pledged 100 job opportunities for some of the returnees as part of efforts to help them reintegrate into society.
The evacuation exercise follows weeks of appeals from members of the Ghanaian community in South Africa, many of whom raised concerns over worsening safety conditions. Reports indicate that more than 800 Ghanaians registered with the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria seeking assistance to return home after earlier evacuation plans faced logistical and legal setbacks.