The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rescheduled the date for the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.
The first batch of 300 evacuees was expected to arrive in Accra yesterday.
However, the ministry explained that due to some mandatory legal conditions and logistical arrangements, the arrival date had been rescheduled.
The number of Ghanaians who had registered at the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria to be evacuated had now increased from 300 to 800 following the renewed wave of xenophobic attacks.
A new date for their evacuation is yet to be announced by the ministry.
Statement
In a statement issued in Accra yesterday, the ministry said: “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.”
In line with that, the two countries had agreed on enhanced and more efficient pre-evacuation modalities to speed up the process.
“Best efforts are being pursued to ensure their safe return home, and we commended them for their remarkable understanding and patience,” it added.
The ministry said it would continue to update the public in a transparent and timely manner in line with the government’s good governance policy.
Earlier announcement
The first batch of 300 evacuees was expected in Accra yesterday, as announced earlier by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
The evacuees were to be offered a special support package to assist with their transportation, reintegration allowances, psychological support, and job opportunities.
Each of them was to receive a financial package, transportation assistance to their respective final destinations, and a reintegration allowance to support their resettlement in the country.
Mr Ablakwa added that they would also receive “free psychological support” to help them cope with trauma from the attacks and be entered into a “special database for jobs and startup opportunities” to facilitate their reintegration.
