Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says government has completed arrangements to receive the first group of Ghanaians being evacuated from South Africa.
The evacuation follows reports of xenophobic attacks in the country.
Mr. Ablakwa said the government is committed to helping the evacuees return home safely and rebuild their lives.
Addressing the evacuees before their departure, the minister said government had prepared a five-point support package for them.
He also disclosed that a high-level delegation would welcome them on arrival in Ghana.
According to him, the delegation will be led by the Chief of Staff.
“The Chief of Staff himself has called me to say that he would love to join me to receive you,” he said.
Mr. Ablakwa assured the evacuees that the government would treat them with dignity.
He stressed that they were citizens returning home and not displaced persons.
“You are not refugees, you are not some destitute. Ghana is not some war zone where we cannot take care of our own,” he stated.
The Foreign Affairs Minister said Ghana remains a peaceful and welcoming country.
He noted that many foreign nationals continue to live in Ghana because they feel safe and accepted.
According to him, the evacuation exercise shows government’s commitment to protecting Ghanaians abroad during difficult situations.
Officials say coordination efforts are ongoing to transport and support more evacuees from South Africa.
Government says it will continue to assist affected citizens as part of the wider response to the situation.
