“Nothing Will Happen to Them”: Ghana Reassures South Africans After Return of 300 Citizens

• Ghana’s Diaspora Affairs Director, Kofi Okyere-Darko, has assured South Africans in the country of their safety
• This comes after Ghana repatriated about 300 citizens from South Africa amid rising immigration tensions
• He said Ghana remains committed to stability, regional cooperation, and its “Borderless Africa” vision, and rejects anti-foreigner demonstrations

GHANA – The Director of Diaspora Affairs to the President of Ghana, Kofi Okyere-Darko, has moved to reassure South Africans living in Ghana that their safety and businesses will not be affected, despite rising regional tensions linked to illegal immigration debates across parts of Africa.

His comments come after Ghana facilitated the return of around 300 of its citizens from South Africa, following months of heightened tensions over illegal immigration and growing pressure from advocacy groups such as the March and March movement.

The group had previously called for foreign nationals in South Africa without legal status to return to their home countries by a June 30 deadline.

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"South Africans are safe", says Ghana

Okyere-Darko emphasised that Ghana was committed to protecting foreign nationals who reside and operate legally in the country.

“Nothing is going to happen to South Africans living in Ghana; their businesses will run as it should,”

The returning Ghanaian nationals arrived in Accra on 28 May 2026, with several reportedly sharing emotional accounts and expressing concerns about feeling unsafe while living in South Africa.

Despite the developments, Okyere-Darko stressed that Ghana is not pursuing retaliatory action against South Africans residing in the country.

“There won’t be any demonstrations in Ghana aimed at sending South Africans back to their country,” he said, adding that Ghana remains committed to peaceful coexistence and regional unity.

He further reinforced Ghana’s long-standing Pan-African stance, positioning the country as a key advocate of the “Borderless Africa” vision, which promotes freer movement and integration across the continent.

“Ghana has always been the pathway and safest way to Africa, and we mean every bit of that. South Africans who live in Ghana and abide by the laws of this country, this is their home as well,” he said.

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Okyere-Darko also highlighted ongoing reforms aimed at improving travel and business mobility, including the rollout of an e-visa system designed to ease entry for visitors, including South Africans.

“Demonstrations against Africans are not what we represent,” he added, reiterating Ghana’s commitment to maintaining stability and promoting cross-border investment and cooperation.

See video of Okyere-Darko here:

Ghanaian returnee details how he obtained asylum in SA

In related news, a Ghanaian national who lived in South Africa for 21 years admitted he applied for asylum solely to secure employment, despite his home country having no active war. The returnee stated that he and others utilised available documentation pathways to secure employment. He noted that they faced difficulties changing their visa status after finding work. His admission highlights how he obtained asylum in South Africa despite Ghana being a peaceful nation.

Ghana's High Commissioner blames Home Affairs for immigration problems

South Africans have slammed Ghana’s High Commissioner to the country following his recent remarks about undocumented foreign nationals. The High Commissioner, Benjamin Quashie, blamed the Department of Home Affairs for the issue of illegal immigrants in the country, something that did not sit well with South Africans. Quashie made the comments after 290 of the 300 Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa were found to be in the country illegally.

Source: Briefly News