Ghana escapes South Africa’s repatriation bill

Ghana has potentially avoided a repatriation bill from South Africa following a decision to independently evacuate its citizens amid xenophobic attacks in the country. South Africa is seeking reimbursement from several African nations for part of its costs in housing and transporting migrants who requested to return home. Ghana, which was among the first to repatriate citizens, is not among the countries being asked to pay.

A total of over 1,600 Ghanaians have been repatriated through chartered and commercial flights, funded by the Ghanaian government with private business support. Each returnee received a reintegration allowance and transport fare upon arrival at Accra International Airport. The government's swift response was praised by many Ghanaians for protecting citizens and saving lives during the unrest.

South Africa offered to support Ghana's repatriation, but the offer was declined as the government chose to take responsibility for evacuating its nationals. Financial details of South Africa's repatriation efforts were shared during a meeting with Parliament's Home Affairs Committee, where officials revealed significant expenses such as bus rentals and temporary facilities.