Ghana will resume evacuations from South Africa if lives are threatened – Ablakwa

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has assured Ghanaians that the government remains ready to evacuate nationals from South Africa if their lives are threatened by further attacks.

He said the completion of the recent evacuation exercise did not mean Ghana had closed the door on bringing home citizens who may need assistance.

Mr Ablakwa made the remarks during an interview on TV3’s The Key Points on October 10, 2026, following concerns over renewed tensions in South Africa after a decision by the country’s highest court on the rights of asylum seekers.

He explained that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its Consular and Humanitarian Bureau (COHAB), continued to monitor the situation and assess the welfare of Ghanaians in distress.

“The Consular and Humanitarian Bureau (COHAB) of the Foreign Ministry continues to be active, and continues to assess every situation, particularly the situation of Ghanaians in distress. And I watch that space very closely,” he said.

The minister stressed that the government would intervene if there were further attacks or a deterioration in the security situation that placed Ghanaians at risk.

He noted that the ministry had continued to evacuate citizens from other parts of the world even after concluding the recent exercise in South Africa.

According to him, Ghana has evacuated nationals from Libya, Myanmar and Cambodia, among other places, as part of efforts to protect citizens facing difficult or dangerous situations abroad.

Mr Ablakwa disclosed that more than 6,300 Ghanaians had been evacuated from various distress situations across the world since 2025.

He added that the ministry’s Consular and Humanitarian Bureau and Ghana’s 72 diplomatic missions worldwide remained active in monitoring the welfare of citizens within their areas of responsibility.

The missions, he said, were expected to keep track of developments affecting Ghanaians in their respective jurisdictions and areas where they also had responsibility for other countries.

Mr Ablakwa assured the public that the government would act swiftly to bring Ghanaians home if the need arose.

“If we have to step in and intervene and bring our nationals back home to safety, we will do that swiftly,” he said.

By: Jacob Aggrey