By James Amoh Junior
Accra, June 7, GNA–The Government has initiated legal and diplomatic processes to secure compensation for Ghanaians who lost businesses, properties, and investments during recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, has announced.
He said the Government would not limit its intervention to evacuating affected citizens but would also seek justice and restitution for losses suffered by victims.
Speaking at the Accra International Airport on Saturday night while receiving the second batch of about 340 evacuated Ghanaians from South Africa, Mr Ablakwa said President John Dramani Mahama had directed that every effort be made to protect the interests of affected citizens.
“The Government of Ghana has decided that we are not going to sit back without any effort in attempting to secure compensation for those of you who have lost your properties, assets, businesses, and shops,” he said.
The Minister disclosed that a comprehensive documentation exercise had begun to gather evidence needed to support compensation claims.
He urged returnees to provide detailed information on assets left behind, including ownership documents, addresses, and records of businesses destroyed or abandoned during the attacks.
“We are putting together legal processes that we will activate to ensure that those properties you invested in, and in some cases your life savings, are not forgotten,” he stated.
According to Mr Ablakwa, some of the affected Ghanaians had spent decades building successful enterprises in South Africa, only to see their investments disrupted by the violence.
He said the Government recognised the sacrifices made by members of the Ghanaian diaspora and was committed to ensuring that they received the support and protection they deserved.
The Minister revealed that President Mahama had instructed him to petition the African Union on behalf of the affected Ghanaians.
He said the President intended to raise the matter at the next African Union coordinating meeting and advocate compensation and justice for victims.
“President Mahama has said he will not abandon you and he will not forsake you. That is why he has instructed me to petition the African Union and make a strong case for compensation,” Mr Ablakwa said.
He described the attacks as unfortunate developments that undermined the ideals of African unity, regional integration, and Pan-Africanism championed by Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Despite the losses suffered, the Minister urged returnees not to lose hope, assuring them that Government was committed to helping them rebuild their lives.
He noted that beyond compensation efforts, measures were being implemented to support their reintegration into society through employment opportunities and social interventions.
Mr Ablakwa said Ghanaian businesses and entrepreneurs had already responded positively to a government appeal for support, resulting in the securing of approximately 200 jobs for returnees.
The Minister underscored the economic significance of Ghanaians living abroad, noting that diaspora remittances reached a record US$7.8 billion last year, making them Ghana’s second-largest source of foreign exchange after gold exports.
He said the contribution of Ghanaians abroad to national development strengthened the Government’s obligation to protect them wherever they lived.
“We value you. You are treasures to this country, and your contribution to Ghana’s economy is immense,” he told the returnees.
Mr Ablakwa further assured the evacuees that the Government would continue to engage relevant stakeholders to ensure that their grievances were addressed and that justice was pursued through all available channels.
The second batch forms part of an ongoing evacuation exercise expected to bring nearly 1,000 Ghanaians back home from South Africa following the recent attacks.
GNA
Reporter: James Amoh Junior
Email: [email protected]
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong