{"id":552,"date":"2026-06-02T06:15:26","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T06:15:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=552"},"modified":"2026-06-02T06:15:26","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T06:15:26","slug":"ablakwa-on-why-second-batch-of-ghanaian-evacuees-have-still-not-left-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=552","title":{"rendered":"Ablakwa on why second batch of Ghanaian evacuees have still not left South Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>3 Minute, 55 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>


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The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has explained that the government of Ghana has not been able to evacuate a second batch of Ghanaians voluntarily willing to leave South Africa as of now because the finalisation of chartered flight permits were still underway.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of the Korea\u2013Africa Foreign Ministers\u2019 Meeting in Seoul on Monday [June 1, 2026], Mr Ablakwa said all was set for the next batch of evacuees to leave and that the Ghana government was awaiting the finalisation of flight permits by South African authorities to allow chartered flights to move in and bring all registered Ghanaians home. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI can assure you that all is set for the next batch to arrive. We\u2019re just waiting for the South African authorities to finalise our request for the flight permits so that our chartered jets can move in and bring all the Ghanaians who have registered,\u201d he said. \u00a0<\/p>\n

The first batch of 300 Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa arrived in Accra on Wednesday [May 27].<\/p>\n

The evacuees included 26 persons detained for visa violations in South Africa. They touched down at about 3 p.m. in a chartered Ethiopia<\/p>\n

Speaking in Seoul on Monday morning, Mr Ablakwa said\u00a0the final batch of Ghanaians in South Africa had now registered, with the number exceeding 900. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a little above 600. Earlier, those who wrote their names were in the region of 800, but it\u2019s clear that we\u2019ll have to go beyond that. We are now exceeding 900,\u201d he stated. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Mr Ablakwa dismissed claims that the Ghanaians being evacuated were illegal migrants. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me use this opportunity to say that contrary to a lot of disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda out there, the vast majority of Ghanaians we have registered, we\u2019ve looked at their documentation, these are legal migrants.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Already the South African immigration officials have said out of the 300 evacuated last week, only 10 had proper documentation to be in South Africa and the remaining 290 had no documentation.<\/p>\n

Related article: VIDEO: \u2018Only 10 were legal\u2019 \u2013 South African immigration claim as first batch of 300 Ghanaians head home<\/a><\/p>\n

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The first group Ghanaian nationals are on their way back home. They have been boarding their flight at OR Tambo International Airport, after taking up a repatriation offer from their government. Out of the 300 screened before the departure, only 10 were in South Africa legally.\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/5A88HVRcRX<\/a><\/p>\n


\n\u2014 eNCA (@eNCA) May 27, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Mr Ablakwa did not give specific numbers but urged the public to disregard claims that the registered Ghanaians were illegal migrants, stressing that, \u201cit is not true at all, and we\u2019ve challenged those who are making these claims to put out the evidence. They have not been able to put out any evidence\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Minister said the registration was being carried out in collaboration with South Africa\u2019s Department of Home Affairs, whose officials were present at Ghana\u2019s High Commission to screen registrants. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cSo far, not a single Ghanaian is of interest to the South African authorities. You have the security officials there with their database, their computers, with their wanted lists, checking fingerprints, and all of that.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cClearly, Ghana is not responsible for any high crime rates or any avalanche of illegality going on in South Africa,\u201d he stated. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Mr Ablakwa said President John Dramani Mahama had directed that no Ghanaian in distress should be left behind. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks to the compassionate leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, he has said that all Ghanaians in harm\u2019s way, in distress, who are being harassed, being dehumanised, we should not leave anyone behind. Our foreign policy is that of compassion, and that of leaving no Ghanaian behind,\u201d he said. \u00a0<\/p>\n

He affirmed that, once the safety and the dignity of any Ghanaian anywhere in the world is affronted, Ghanaians could be rest assured that the Ministry of Foreign, acting on behalf of the government, will come and offer assistance you.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mr Ablakwa added that, government do not want anybody in this world thinking that Ghanaians are orphaned, Ghanaians don\u2019t have a government and are of no value.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n