Three hundred and twenty-seven (327) Ghanaian nationals stranded in Port Bouët, Côte d’Ivoire, have been brought home by the government.

According to a statement issued on June 12 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, these individuals were displaced residents who lost their homes and sources of livelihood following a demolition exercise by the Ivorian government within the Port Bouët Municipality in Abidjan.

The affected individuals arrived safely in Ghana on Thursday, June 11, after the government provided buses and trucks to convey them. Meanwhile, the Ivorian authorities have expressed desire to compensate the victims, adding, “shall therefore remain actively engaged on the matter to ensure that the promised compensation is received by our affected nationals”.

The statement further added, "The Ministry further wishes to acknowledge that Ivorian authorities have expressed their desire to compensate the victims of their demolition exercise and shall therefore remain actively engaged on the matter to ensure that the promised compensation is received by our affected nationals".

Between March and May this year, the government has evacuated 85 Ghanaians living in Cambodia through the High Commission in Malaysia, which is concurrently accredited to Cambodia. Meanwhile, Ghana is set to receive an additional 76 Ghanaian nationals who have expressed a desire to come back home in the coming days.

According to the Ministry, “It is worth noting that arrangements are ongoing to equally facilitate the evacuation of an additional seventy-six Ghanaian nationals who are currently in Cambodia and have expressed the desire to return home”.

It added that “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working in conjunction with competent authorities in Cambodia to ensure the safe return of these Ghanaians”.

Weeks ago, the Ministry confirmed that over eight hundred (800) Ghanaians have registered at their Commission in Pretoria for voluntary evacuation due to the worsening xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

Consequently, “the planned evacuation has been deferred by a few days to enable our High Commission to meet these evacuation conditions”.

The first batch of 300 Ghanaians in South Africa, amid heightened tensions of xenophobic attacks on foreigners, including Ghanaians, arrived in Ghana on Wednesday, May 27.

The second batch was also in the country and arrived on Sunday, June 7, following a voluntary evacuation programme in response to the rising violent xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa.

Earlier this month, a Ghanaian national, Emmanuel Asamoah, who was captured in a viral video being harassed by a group of individuals in a xenophobic attack in South Africa, was flown home by the government.

The viral video showed several other foreign nationals being intimidated by some South African citizens for allegedly taking jobs meant for locals.

Meanwhile, the leader of South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema, has broken silence following the evacuation of the first batch of 300 Ghanaians in South Africa.

In a viral video sighted, the politician noted that the Ghanaian government could have responded to recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa without resorting to the evacuation of citizens.

According to him, the best approach could have been to pursue stronger diplomatic engagement and protective measures in collaboration with the South African government.

He added, “The Ghana response was not necessary because it now creates an impression that we are all like that when it is a certain section of our society that needs to be contained by law enforcement”.

And one Ghanaian lady was saying, "You see, the problem is, and I wouldn't have taken this option, the problem is we're being beaten in front of the police, and the police are not doing anything. That's a problem. And when this opportunity came for me to leave, I left because if the police can't defend me, it means the state is in agreement with the people who are beating me".

“So, we think it was too quick, we will still resolve this, and the president of Ghana should have given us some time to really deal with this matter and we'll get to the bottom of it. We hope they will come back to their senses".Govt pledges support package for SA repatriates

Before the planned evacuation, the government announced a support package for Ghanaians being evacuated from South Africa. In a statement shared on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' (MoFA) official X (formerly Twitter) account on May 20, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa stated that returnees would receive a welcome-home financial package, transportation assistance to their destinations across Ghana, and a reintegration allowance.

The package also included free psychosocial support for those who may have experienced trauma or violence, as well as counselling and medical assistance to aid their recovery.

In addition, the government indicated that the evacuees would be enrolled in a special database for job and startup opportunities as part of efforts to support their reintegration.

The Ministry described the intervention as part of the government's commitment to protecting the welfare of Ghanaian citizens abroad and assisting them during times of crisis, stating that it valued and cherished all Ghanaian citizens.

The support package was announced ahead of the planned evacuation of the first batch of 300 Ghanaians from South Africa on a special chartered flight.

The evacuation had been approved by President John Dramani Mahama after Ghana's High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Anani Quashie, reported growing fears among Ghanaians living in the country amid renewed xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals.Is this the first time xenophobic attacks have happened in SA?The recent xenophobic attacks on foreigners by South African nations aren't the first. SA has a history of violent xenophobic attacks dating as far back as 1998.In 1998, three foreign nationals were killed in Johannesburg. Two years later, seven more were killed in Cape Town. After a long period of quiet in the attacks, the worst in SA's history happened in 2008 when sixty‑two (62) people lost their lives, 1,700 were injured, and about 100,000 were displaced nationwide, cementing xenophobia as a recurring national crisis.In 2015, violence flared again after inflammatory remarks by the Zulu King. The unrest spread across the country, forcing the government to deploy the military to restore order.By 2019, riots erupted in Durban and Johannesburg, with Nigerian‑owned businesses being specifically targeted.More recently, between 2022 and 2025, smaller but persistent flare‑ups were linked to vigilante movements such as Operation Dudula.These included blocking foreigners from accessing health facilities in Gauteng and KwaZulu‑Natal, reflecting how xenophobia had become embedded in everyday life.