Govt secures 200 jobs for returnees as second batch of evacuated Ghanaians arrive from South Africa

The Government has secured about 200 employment opportunities for Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa following recent xenophobic attacks, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, has announced.

The Minister disclosed this on Saturday night at the Accra International Airport when Ghana received the second batch of about 340 nationals evacuated from South Africa under a government-led emergency repatriation programme.

He said the jobs formed part of efforts by the Government to ensure the full reintegration of returnees who had lost businesses, properties, and livelihoods as a result of the attacks.

“We are not only concerned about evacuating you, but we are concerned about your full integration. Those of you who are willing, able, and ready to work, we will actively facilitate employment opportunities,” he said.

Mr Ablakwa noted that a special initiative launched by the Government had received overwhelming support from Ghanaian entrepreneurs and chief executive officers willing to employ affected returnees.

According to him, Engineers and Planners Limited had committed 100 jobs, while other companies, including telecommunications firms AirtelTigo and Telecel Ghana, had also expressed readiness to offer employment opportunities.

The Minister said the Government was determined to support returnees to rebuild their lives and restore their economic independence.

He praised President John Dramani Mahama for demonstrating leadership and compassion throughout the evacuation exercise, describing him as a leader who would never abandon Ghanaian citizens in times of distress.

Mr Ablakwa said the successful evacuation reflected the Government's commitment to protecting its citizens wherever they might be.

“I want to begin by extending to you warm greetings from President John Dramani Mahama. He is a leader who cares, a leader who is compassionate, and one who will never abandon his citizens in harm's way,” he stated.

The Minister commended the Ministry of Health, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ghana Airports Company Limited, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, and the International Organisation for Migration for their support throughout the operation.

He also praised staff of Ghana's High Commission in Pretoria for their professionalism and dedication in coordinating the evacuation process.

Mr Ablakwa revealed that Ghana was preparing legal processes to pursue compensation for citizens who had lost assets, businesses, and properties during the attacks.

He urged returnees to provide detailed documentation and evidence of their losses to support the Government's efforts to seek redress through appropriate legal and diplomatic channels.

“We are putting together legal processes that we will activate to ensure that those properties, investments, and businesses you have lost will be compensated,” he said.

The Minister said President Mahama had already instructed him to petition the African Union on the matter and would personally raise the issue at the next African Union coordinating meeting.

He stressed that the Government would continue to stand by affected citizens beyond the evacuation exercise.

Mr Ablakwa said Ghana had so far emerged as a model for other African countries dealing with similar situations.

He disclosed that several foreign ministers had contacted Ghana to learn from its evacuation strategy after observing the speed and efficiency with which Ghana evacuated its citizens.

According to him, unlike some countries that had reported fatalities among their nationals, Ghana had successfully airlifted its citizens without loss of life.

“Life comes first. You may have lost businesses and properties, but once you have life, there is hope,” he told the returnees.

The Minister also highlighted the economic importance of Ghanaians living abroad, noting that diaspora remittances reached a record US$7.8 billion last year, making them the country's second-largest source of foreign exchange after gold exports.

He said the figures demonstrated the significant contribution of Ghanaians abroad to national development and justified the Government's commitment to protecting them.

Mr Ablakwa further revealed that all returnees screened jointly by Ghanaian and South African security agencies had passed security checks without a single arrest.

The development, he said, reaffirmed the law-abiding nature of Ghanaians and disproved attempts to portray them as criminals.

“Not a single Ghanaian has been arrested throughout the screening process. It confirms that Ghanaians are law-abiding and not criminals as some sought to portray them,” he stated.

He announced that the final batch of evacuees would arrive on Sunday, bringing the total number of Ghanaians repatriated from South Africa to nearly 1,000.

Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection assured the returnees of Government’s support and encouraged them to take advantage of available social interventions and economic opportunities.

She urged them to remain hopeful and contribute to national development, saying Ghana was undergoing a transformation that would create better prospects for all citizens.

Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Minister of Health, also welcomed the returnees and announced that all evacuees would be registered onto the National Health Insurance Scheme free of charge.

He said health officials, counsellors, and emergency response teams had been deployed to support the returnees and address any medical or psychological challenges resulting from their experiences.

The evacuation exercise, coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, forms part of Government efforts to ensure the safety and welfare of Ghanaian citizens affected by the recent xenophobic violence in South Africa.

GNA