Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie has announced that the first batch of Ghanaians being evacuated from South Africa will arrive in Accra on Wednesday, May 27.
Benjamin Quashie, disclosed that Ghanaian authorities, in collaboration with South African officials, are carrying out screening and verification exercises to finalise the list.
He detailed that the evacuation process will not end with the first flight, as arrangements have already been made for additional flights.
Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa further disclosed that the first aircraft has the capacity to carry about 300 passengers.
Speaking in an interview with DW Africa on Sunday, May 24, the Ghana High Commissioner to South Africa stated, “We are screening them, and once we are done, we will let them know the number of people who will be going to Ghana, and we are expecting to have between 200 and 300 people here today, and Home Affairs will set up at 10 am today for them to be able to leave on Wednesday at 6 am to Ghana.”
“The first group has an aircraft that will take 300, and after some few days, we will take another 300, and then there will be a third flight with another 300 to ensure that we get everyone home.”
The new date comes after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a temporary postponement of the planned evacuation of Ghanaian nationals from South Africa.
In a post shared by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa, revealed that more than 800 Ghanaians have registered to be evacuated.
He disclosed that Senior Government Officials on both sides are engaging on South African legal conditions, passenger screening, managing the high numbers and multi-institutional coordination as they work on a new date for the evacuation.
Meanwhile, a Ghanaian man identified as Pkay has explained why some Ghanaians living in South Africa cannot return home despite the xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals.
According to Pkay, many Ghanaians living in South Africa are working mainly to settle debts owed to individuals who sponsored their travel to the country.
Pkay detailed that before travelling to South Africa, a woman called “madam” paid for his trip, together with several others, and they are now required to work and repay the money spent on them.
Speaking in an interview with Gossips24 Avenue Pkay disclosed, “It’s not a deliberate attempt to stay here, even though the government wants to help us. I have been in this country for close to four years. When I was coming, nobody told me the reality of what people are facing here.
“I have been here for three years, and what do I even have to show for it to return to Ghana? When I was travelling, my madam paid for my ticket. At the time, I only knew how to trim hair, but I had to learn how to do dreadlocks because barbering alone cannot sustain you.
“Immediately you arrive, you have to work for the first year just to settle your debt with your madam. Some of us even borrowed money in Ghana before travelling, so how can we return home without settling those debts, not to mention the responsibilities waiting for us back home?” he said.
PKay also shared details about how saying, “Those of us who have finished paying our debts to our bosses are now into susu. Assuming everyone contributes 1,000 every month, by the time it gets to your turn to collect the money, you end up spending it on rent, family responsibilities, and other utilities. You can barely save anything, so life here is very difficult,” he added.
