The Member of Parliament for Damongo, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to appear before Parliament to explain the delay in evacuating Ghanaians affected by xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
The request comes after the government announced that it had temporarily postponed plans to bring affected Ghanaians back home from South Africa.
In a statement released on May 21, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said officials needed a few more days to complete important legal and logistical arrangements before starting the evacuation exercise, which had originally been scheduled for Thursday, May 21.
Speaking at the opening of the Second Meeting of the Second Session of Parliament on Thursday, May 21, Mr Jinapor stressed the need for Parliament to receive direct information from the Foreign Affairs Minister.
“The matter has become urgent because there are Ghanaians in South Africa who are going through all kinds of difficulties and are expecting that, as citizens, the government, will come to their aid,” he said.
Mr Jinapor explained that the government had earlier informed Parliament that nearly 300 Ghanaians who needed assistance would be repatriated.
“Suddenly, we have been told that the whole exercise has been postponed. We don’t know why. Given the development, it has become urgent for the Foreign Affairs Minister to appear before us tomorrow so that we don’t get information from the BBC but from the Minister,” he added.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also revealed that more than 800 Ghanaians in South Africa had registered with Ghana’s High Commission in Pretoria and indicated their desire to return home because of fears linked to the recent attacks on foreign nationals.
According to the ministry, the large number of people involved in the operation, together with South African aviation and legal procedures, made the postponement necessary to ensure that all requirements are fully completed before the evacuation flights begin.
