Government to Pursue Compensation for Ghanaians Affected by Xenophobic Attacks in South Africa
The Government of Ghana is initiating comprehensive legal processes to seek full financial compensation for citizens who lost thriving businesses and life savings during the recent wave of xenophobic violence in South Africa.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, made this announcement on Saturday night, June 6, 2026, while receiving the second batch of 345 evacuated Ghanaians at the Kotoka International Airport.
Interacting with the visibly distraught returnees, many of whom were forced to abandon their investments and properties, Mr. Ablakwa assured them that the government would not allow their decades of hard work to be destroyed without recourse.
“We are putting together legal processes that we will activate to ensure that those properties you invested in, and some of you, your life savings – you have worked for more than two decades, three decades, to put together businesses that were thriving. We are going to make sure that we go all out to obtain compensation for you,” he stated.
The latest group of returnees brings the total number of successfully repatriated Ghanaians to nearly 700, following the arrival of the first batch of approximately 300 on May 27. A third flight carrying over 300 more passengers is expected on Sunday, June 7.
Many of the evacuees had lived in South Africa for years, building successful retail shops, warehouses, and other businesses that contributed significantly to both the South African economy and Ghana through remittances. The sudden escalation of attacks forced them to flee, leaving behind valuable assets that were looted or destroyed.
The Minister emphasised that Ghana’s intervention goes beyond repatriation, with officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the Ghana Immigration Service already documenting losses to build a strong case for compensation. This may involve bilateral negotiations with South Africa or engagement with regional and international bodies.
The government has reiterated its commitment to protecting the lives and economic rights of all Ghanaians abroad, especially amid the ongoing xenophobic crisis that has affected nationals from several African countries.
