The Government of Ghana spent a total of GH¢49,721,786 to evacuate 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa following renewed concerns over the safety of foreign nationals amid reported xenophobic attacks.
The evacuation exercise, which began on May 27 and ended on September 4, 2026, involved a combination of chartered and commercial flights, ground transportation, accommodation, feeding, medical services and reintegration support for the returnees.
According to the expenditure breakdown released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, chartered flights accounted for the largest single expense, costing GH¢27,183,700.
A further GH¢9,420,463.68 was spent on commercial flight tickets and layover-related expenses. Together, the two categories of air transportation accounted for more than GH¢36.6 million of the total expenditure.
Another major component of the exercise was the reintegration and transportation allowance provided to the returnees. The government spent GH¢10.802 million on this support.
Each of the 1,964 evacuees received a GH¢5,000 reintegration grant and GH¢500 for travel and transportation, giving each returnee a total of GH¢5,500 in direct financial assistance.
Other expenses included GH¢997,644 for ground transportation in South Africa and GH¢634,349.99 for feeding during the evacuation exercise.
The government also spent GH¢141,797.86 on hotel accommodation, while GH¢20,148 was used for medical services and hospitalisation.
Communication-related expenditure amounted to GH¢153,728.09. This covered items including airtime, internet data and the establishment of an evacuation centre.
The exercise further recorded GH¢98,151 in printing expenses and GH¢162,917.76 in logistics, including sanitation and screening-related items.
The repatriation and autopsy of two mortal remains cost GH¢84,274, while GH¢22,610.84 was recorded as miscellaneous expenditure.
Beyond the direct financial assistance, the returnees received several forms of support upon their arrival in Ghana. These included free medical screening, registration under the National Health Insurance Scheme, food packages and SIM cards loaded with airtime and data.
The International Organisation for Migration, the National Disaster Management Organisation and the Ghana Red Cross also provided support, including psychosocial assistance, logistics, meals and water.
The Church of Pentecost provided accommodation for affected Ghanaians in Pretoria, Kempton Park and Johannesburg while they awaited evacuation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government itself financed GH¢33,721,786 of the exercise, while Engineers and Planners, owned by businessman Ibrahim Mahama, contributed GH¢16 million towards the operation. The government has stated that the full evacuation bill has been settled and that there are no outstanding liabilities.
The evacuation was undertaken after the government raised concerns about deteriorating security conditions and reported anti-foreigner attacks in parts of South Africa.
The first flights prioritised vulnerable groups, including children, sick persons, older people and women. The exercise was coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with Ghana’s High Commission in Pretoria and other government institutions.
The expenditure breakdown comes amid calls from the Minority in Parliament for supporting documents to enable Parliament and the public to independently verify how the funds were spent. The Minority has requested detailed financial and procurement records relating to the evacuation.
The government has also announced plans to support the long-term reintegration of returnees by linking them to employment, entrepreneurship, skills development and other livelihood opportunities.
Source: Thepressradio.com
