MTN Ghana commits GH¢20m to support returnees affected by South Africa xenophobic attacks
MTN Ghana has committed GH¢20 million to support Ghanaians returning from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks targeting African migrants.
Board Chairman of MTN Ghana, Dr Ishmael Yamson, said the intervention would focus on helping the returnees rebuild their lives and livelihoods rather than providing only immediate relief.
Speaking to Joy News on Thursday, August 20, Dr Yamson disclosed that the company initially allocated GH¢10 million to support the returnees but later doubled the amount after recognising that the immediate assistance would not sufficiently address their longer-term needs.
He said the combined GH¢20 million would be used to establish a fund aimed at helping the returnees restart their lives and become economically self-reliant.
MTN Regrets Delay
Dr Yamson acknowledged that MTN Ghana should have engaged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier and expressed regret that the company’s intervention had taken longer than expected.
He, however, stressed that the delay should not be interpreted as indifference towards the plight of the affected Ghanaians.
“We will do it. We'll do it in a big way. We'll do it in a way that will make more meaning,” he said.
The MTN Ghana board chairman also condemned the attacks and strongly distanced the company from the violence.
“I condemn it. I completely dissociate MTN Ghana from it. We have nothing to do with it. One thing that maybe has not been visible is what we have done to support,” he stated.
He admitted that MTN Ghana had been slower than some other corporate organisations in publicly announcing its support.
“It's something that I regret, because we should have moved faster,” he said.
Dr Yamson commended organisations that had already provided assistance to the returnees, specifically mentioning Telecel and the Pentecost Church.
“And for those who did it, Telecel and the others, I really congratulate them. Pentecost Church, I congratulate them,” he added.
Ghanaians Evacuated from South Africa
The renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa have targeted African migrants, including Ghanaians, with two Ghanaian nationals reportedly killed in separate incidents.
More than 1,000 Ghanaians who felt unsafe have since been evacuated from South Africa, with the government and other stakeholders putting measures in place to support their reintegration.
MTN Ghana’s GH¢20 million intervention is expected to complement these efforts by providing returnees with longer-term support to rebuild their livelihoods and reintegrate into their communities.