‘I regret coming back’ – SA returnee says promised job has not materialised after four months

A Ghanaian returnee from South Africa, Kofi Baah, has expressed frustration over his situation four months after returning to Ghana, saying he regrets leaving South Africa because a job he says was promised to returnees has not materialised.

Baah was among the Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa following concerns over anti-immigrant attacks. He said the decision to return was influenced by assurances that the government would assist returnees with employment and other forms of support.

Speaking in an interview, Baah said the GH¢5,000 he received from the government after arriving in Ghana has not been enough to meet his family’s needs.

According to him, he is responsible for four children, including one who is completing Senior High School this year and another who is still in basic school.

Baah said part of the money he received was used to secure accommodation after his return, leaving him with limited funds to support his family.

He also claimed that employment opportunities promised to the returnees were a major factor in convincing many of them to leave South Africa.

Baah said he submitted his curriculum vitae as requested but, four months later, had not received a job offer.

According to him, whenever he follows up, he is told that his details have been forwarded to companies, but he has not been contacted by any employer.

“I am a driver. Till now, I have heard nothing from them,” he said during an interview reported by local media.

The returnee also claimed that some other commitments made to the group had not yet been fulfilled. He specifically mentioned the Ghana Card, which he said returnees had been told would be processed for them.

Baah said the situation has left him questioning his decision to return to Ghana.

“If I had known they were only going to give us 5,000 cedis, I wouldn’t have returned to Ghana,” he was quoted as saying.

He acknowledged the security concerns that affected Ghanaians living in South Africa but argued that some returnees had developed ways of protecting themselves during periods of unrest.

Baah explained that members of their group would sometimes organise themselves so that some stayed indoors while others monitored developments outside and alerted the group when they detected possible danger.

He said, in hindsight, he believes he could have continued taking precautions in South Africa rather than returning without the employment support he expected.

The concerns raised by Baah come against the background of government efforts to support Ghanaians who returned from South Africa. Earlier reports indicated that the government had announced employment opportunities as part of the reintegration process.

However, Baah says he has yet to benefit from such an opportunity despite submitting his CV.

His account has drawn attention to the challenges some returnees may face after leaving behind their livelihoods and returning to Ghana.

Baah is therefore appealing for the authorities to follow through on the support arrangements communicated to the returnees and help those still struggling to rebuild their lives.

The claims concerning promised employment and other forms of support remain his account of the situation.

I wouldn’t have come to Ghana if I had known this was how things were going to be – Kofi Baah (a repatriated Ghanaian from South Africa).#MaxTV #MaxOnline #MaxNews #SouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/FQiAlfMFaJ

— Max TV Ghana (@maxtvgh) September 23, 2026

We’ve not heard from the government four months after our repatriation from South Africa – Kofi Baah #MaxNews #MaxTV #MaxOnline #SouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/BWsjgZWs5o

— Max TV Ghana (@maxtvgh) September 23, 2026

Source: Thepressradio.com