The Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has called on major South African companies operating in Ghana to contribute financially to the evacuation of Ghanaians fleeing afrophobic attacks in South Africa.
According to the legal practitioner and policy analyst, the Ghanaian government should not bear the full cost of emergency repatriations while South African multinational companies continue to generate and repatriate significant profits from the Ghanaian market.
Mr Bentil argued that requiring these companies to support the evacuation effort would demonstrate their commitment to condemning the violence and standing with affected Africans.
He stressed that corporations benefiting from Africa’s integrated markets have a responsibility to publicly oppose attacks on fellow Africans and assist communities affected by such violence.
Referring to major South African retail, telecommunications, and financial companies operating across the continent, he stated, “Companies that make billions across Africa cannot remain silent when Africans are attacked in their home country. What the government is doing comes at a cost. They must bear part of the cost”.
He also called for a tougher approach in Ghana’s diplomatic engagement with South Africa, arguing that repeated attacks on Ghanaian migrants should be treated as a serious national concern rather than a routine immigration issue.
“When citizens of a country are under attack, the country itself is under attack,” he said.
Mr Bentil praised the government’s efforts to evacuate affected citizens, revealing that he had earlier advised authorities to organise emergency flights for Ghanaians whose safety could no longer be guaranteed.
He urged Ghanaians to put aside political differences and unite in defending the country’s interests during times of national crisis.
“There are times when a nation must assert itself, and one of those times is when its citizens are under attack,” Mr Bentil stated.
The IMANI Vice President also rejected arguments that attempt to justify the attacks based on the immigration status of some victims, insisting that everyone within a country’s borders deserves protection.
“If anybody enters your territory, you have a responsibility to protect that person,” he argued.
Mr Bentil described the repeated attacks as evidence of a broader failure by South African authorities to tackle xenophobia, noting that the recurring incidents can no longer be dismissed as isolated events.
“When something happens once, it may be accidental. Twice may be a coincidence. By the third time, it becomes a pattern that demands accountability,” he noted.
He also criticised the African Union (AU) for what he described as its limited response to challenges affecting ordinary Africans, urging the continental body to take stronger action in protecting citizens and holding member states accountable.
While making it clear that he was not calling for retaliation against South African businesses or citizens in Ghana, Mr Bentil suggested that Ghana should review aspects of its economic relationship with South African companies if decisive action is not taken to stop the attacks.
He maintained that governments have legitimate economic, fiscal, and regulatory tools available to protect national interests and should consider the treatment of Ghanaians and other Africans in South Africa when engaging with South African businesses.
“We must ensure that our citizens are respected wherever they are. There has to be accountability and there has to be consequences,” he concluded.
