‘End the baseless attacks’ – Evacuees defend government over South Africa operation

The leader of the Aggrieved South Africa Evacuees, Michael Addo, has called for an immediate end to what he describes as baseless attacks against Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa and the government that facilitated their return.

According to him, the ongoing public controversy surrounding the evacuation exercise has subjected returnees to humiliation, despite the trauma and hardship they endured while living in South Africa.

“We are here to seek answers and demand an immediate end to the baseless attacks on the government that was sympathetic towards us,” he stated.

His remarks come amid heightened scrutiny of the government's reported GH¢49.72 million expenditure on evacuating 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa.

The evacuation of over 1,900 Ghanaians from South Africa followed renewed xenophobic attacks in the country.

The government spent GH¢49.7 million on the evacuation exercise, with each evacuee receiving a GH¢5,000 reintegration grant and GH¢500 transportation allowance.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, provided a breakdown of the expenditure, which included chartered flights, accommodation, feeding, and medical care.

The Minority in Parliament has demanded a detailed breakdown of the expenditure, questioning the amount spent per evacuee. The Minority Caucus on the Foreign Affairs Committee boycotted a planned briefing by the Minister.

Mr Addo expressed disappointment that the pursuit of accountability had, in his view, turned into attacks on vulnerable returnees struggling to recover from their experiences.

“While we bravely recover from our trauma and pain, the very society we expect to protect us has reduced our pain to humiliation under the guise of seeking accountability,” he lamented.

He accused some elements within the Minority, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and sections of the media of attempting to establish wrongdoing against the government.

Mr Addo also questioned allegations concerning financial assistance and relief packages reportedly given to evacuees, urging journalists who witnessed their arrival at the airport to provide an accurate account of the circumstances.

He further disclosed that 46 Ghanaians who were expected to be part of the evacuation exercise remain stranded in South Africa, but the ongoing controversy has discouraged the group from seeking additional government assistance.

“Currently, we still have 46 people who were supposed to be among the flight, but because of what is currently spreading on social media, we don’t even have the balls to beg the government to go and rescue them,” he said.

Expressing appreciation for the government's intervention, Mr Addo maintained that many Ghanaians had endured xenophobic attacks in South Africa for years without receiving similar assistance.

“We have experienced xenophobia for many years, but this is the first time a government has taken our plight into account and come to our rescue,” he added.

He consequently urged an end to the allegations and public attacks, stressing the need to protect the dignity of evacuees while addressing the plight of Ghanaians still awaiting assistance in South Africa.