JOHANNESBURG - The evacuation of Ghanaians out of South Africa will be delayed by a few more days.
Ghanaian Foreign Minister Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa made the announcement Thursday afternoon after the morning evacuation did not go ahead as planned.
The north-west African government announced on Monday that they were planning to evacuate 300 Ghanaians on Thursday.
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To sweeten the move, the country promised transport assistance to various destinations in Ghana upon arrival. The government also promised evacuees a reintegration allowance and free psychosocial support.
The country also promised that those returning would be placed in a database for jobs and start-up opportunities.
However, on the planned day, only one 22-year-old national arrived.
In a later update, the government said in a social media post that over 800 Ghanaians had registered with the Consulate in Pretoria.
The delay in the evacuation was due to South African legal conditions that include the screening of passengers upon their exit from the country. Multi-institutional coordination and obtaining flight permits were proving to be a hindrance for the department.
"Senior government officials on both sides remain actively engaged in this important exercise," Ablakwa said in a statement
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has called for African countries to partner with South Africa to address issues of migration.
Head of Diplomacy, Clayson Monyela, has, on social media, called Ablakwa to talk.
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"I propose we should rather put more effort into countries working with South Africa to address the push and pull factors behind migration," he said.
"We need a solution-driven, holistic discussion," he adds.
Monyela said South Africa is a nation built on a profound commitment to human rights, non-discrimination, equality, and the rule of law.