979 Ghanaians Home: Final Batch of South Africa Evacuees Lands in Accra, Completing Three-Phase Exercise
Ghana’s evacuation of its nationals from South Africa has reached its conclusion, with the last batch of 342 returnees touching down at the Accra International Airport on Sunday afternoon, June 7, 2026 — bringing the total number of Ghanaians brought home to 979 across three phases.
The first batch of 297 evacuees arrived last week, followed by a second group of 340 on Saturday night, June 6, before Sunday’s final flight completed what has been one of the most significant repatriation exercises in recent Ghanaian history.
Visibly emotional and overjoyed, the returnees broke into songs of praise at the airport, expressing gratitude to God and to President John Dramani Mahama for what they described as a timely and decisive intervention in the wake of escalating xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
A government delegation led by Deputy Chief of Staff Nana Oye Bampoe Addo and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs James Gyakye Quayson was on hand to receive the final group.
Forgiveness and Healing
Addressing the evacuees, Deputy Minister Quayson struck a conciliatory tone, describing the xenophobic incidents as an isolated episode and expressing confidence that South Africa would find its way back to the spirit of pan-African solidarity.
“Everything happens for a reason in life. It’s about how you process it. I want to believe that this is an isolated case. Even though it has happened before, I strongly believe that South Africa will come around and be part of the African community,” he said.
He urged the returnees to extend forgiveness to those responsible for the hostilities, framing it as an essential part of their own healing process. “We also have to learn to forgive our enemies; it’s very important. It’s part of your healing,” he added.
The Deputy Minister attributed the underlying tensions in South Africa to despair, drug-related issues and political exploitation, saying the situation was an aberration in a country with a profound shared history with Ghana. “This is Mandela’s South Africa, where we all fought for them. We owe them the history. Some even got Ghanaian passports when they were fighting for apartheid to end,” he noted.
Support and Opportunity
Quayson assured the returnees that they were coming home at a moment of genuine opportunity, telling them the Ghana they were returning to was a country in transformation. He confirmed that all evacuees had been entered into a government database, with agencies and businesses lined up to provide assistance.
Underlining President Mahama’s deep commitment to Ghanaians abroad, he described the diaspora as the country’s “17th region” and a critical pillar of the national economy, generating close to $8 billion annually in remittances. “Even if it’s on your deathbed, we’ll bring you home,” he pledged.
Resettlement Package
Deputy Chief of Staff Nana Oye Bampoe Addo provided further detail on the government’s resettlement support, assuring evacuees of a comprehensive package that includes employment opportunities, health insurance and national identification registration.
She confirmed that the National Youth Authority, led by Usman Ayariga, had activated the National Apprenticeship Programme to absorb returnees seeking work, and that the National Health Insurance Authority and the National Identification Authority were present at the airport to register all evacuees free of charge.
“Be assured that the government welcomes you with open arms. We are here to serve you and work with you throughout your resettlement. We have put in place packages for all of you. You will receive social intervention,” she said.
With the evacuation now complete, attention turns to the longer and more complex task of reintegrating nearly a thousand returnees into Ghanaian society — a challenge the government has pledged to meet with the same urgency it brought to bringing them home.
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