Ghana rejects MTN's GH¢20m support for South Africa returnees

• Government has declined MTN Ghana’s GH¢20 million support package for Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa.

• MTN Chairman Dr Ishmael Yamson said the company doubled its initial GH¢10 million support to help returnees rebuild their lives.

• More than 1,600 Ghanaians have so far been repatriated from South Africa amid renewed xenophobic attacks.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday, August 26, that the government had already made adequate financial provision for the evacuation and reintegration of affected Ghanaians.

“The Government of Ghana commends MTN for the offer, however, we respectfully decline,” the Ministry said in a statement.

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The latest development comes after MTN Ghana’s Board Chairman, Dr Ishmael Yamson, in an interview on Joy News, disclosed that the company planned to establish a GH¢20 million fund to help affected Ghanaians rebuild their lives after returning home.

He said MTN initially set aside GH¢10 million to welcome the returnees but later decided to double the amount for longer-term support.

“When the issue broke, I can tell you, the board immediately decided that we would set aside ¢10 million as a welcome back,” Dr Yamson said.

Dr Yamson also acknowledged that MTN should have engaged the Foreign Affairs Ministry earlier.

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“I think the mistake that we made was not to have engaged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately about this,” he said.

The Ministry said the government’s position had already been communicated to Dr Yamson and MTN’s CEO during their meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on August 14.

It said the government remained committed to providing financial support for every Ghanaian brought back from harm’s way.

“The Government of Ghana remains fully committed to current humanitarian evacuations and reintegration financial support for every Ghanaian brought back from harm’s way,” the statement said.

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The Ministry also pledged to publish a comprehensive account of the evacuation costs once the exercise is concluded, “in the interest of transparency and accountability”.

“The welfare of all Ghanaians remains our utmost priority,” it added.

The attacks in South Africa have targeted African migrants, including Ghanaians, prompting Ghana to evacuate nationals who felt unsafe and introduce measures to support their reintegration.

Meanwhile, more than 1,600 Ghanaians have so far been evacuated from South Africa since May 2026, with the exercise still ongoing, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.