The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to establish a Ghanaian Diaspora Consular Fund to finance emergency assistance for Ghanaians in distress abroad.
The Fund is intended to provide dedicated and sustainable resources for urgent evacuations, repatriations and other consular interventions involving Ghanaian nationals outside the country.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced this in Accra on Monday at a media briefing on the conclusion of the evacuation of Ghanaian nationals from South Africa.
He said the Fund would enable the Government to mobilise resources swiftly to safeguard the rights, dignity and welfare of Ghanaians facing emergencies anywhere in the world.
The announcement follows the evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa amid a resurgence of xenophobic attacks and intimidation against African nationals.
Mr Ablakwa said recurring emergencies requiring the repatriation of Ghanaians from different parts of the world had placed significant financial and logistical demands on the Government and its diplomatic missions.
He said the experience had demonstrated the need for a dedicated mechanism to finance emergency interventions without relying solely on ad hoc arrangements.
“Precisely why it has become imperative to establish the Ghanaian Diaspora Consular Fund,” he said.
The Minister said the Fund would “afford us a dedicated and sustainable emergency funding mechanism to ensure that Ghana can promptly mobilise resources to safeguard the rights, dignity and welfare of our citizens.”
He said the decision was informed not only by the South Africa evacuation but also by several repatriation exercises undertaken since 2025 to assist Ghanaians in distress in various countries.
Mr Ablakwa said 4,972 Ghanaians had been repatriated to Ghana between 2025 and September 2026 through interventions by the Ministry, its diplomatic missions and international partners.
He said the figure comprised 3,807 Ghanaians from Libya; 440 from Côte d’Ivoire who were victims of QNET activities and a demolition exercise; 246 from Nigeria who were also victims of QNET activities; 244 from Cambodia; and 201 from Algeria.
The remaining returnees were 18 from Kuwait, eight from Sierra Leone, five from Mauritius, two from Morocco and one from Iraq.
Mr Ablakwa said the repeated operations underscored the financial and logistical demands associated with responding to unforeseen emergencies involving Ghanaians abroad.
He said the proposed Fund would provide the Ministry with a structured mechanism for mobilising resources for such interventions.
The Minister said the South Africa evacuation had not been anticipated and, therefore, was not provided for in the budget, but the Government had to act swiftly when the safety of Ghanaian nationals became a concern.
A total of GH¢49,721,786 was spent on the evacuation, which began on May 27 and ended on Sept. 4, 2026.
Of the amount, GH¢38,835,512 was spent on chartered flights, tickets, ground transportation, feeding, hotel accommodation in South Africa, medical care and hospitalisation.
An additional GH¢10,802,000 was used for reintegration and transportation allowances, while GH¢84,274 was spent on the repatriation of two mortal remains.
The Government spent GH¢33,721,786, while Engineers and Planners, owned by businessman Mr Ibrahim Mahama, donated GH¢16 million towards the exercise.
Mr Ablakwa said the total evacuation cost had been fully paid, with no outstanding liabilities.
The evacuation followed a deterioration in the security situation in parts of South Africa, where anti-foreigner sentiments had intensified from April 2026.
The Minister said the situation resulted in the loss of lives and property belonging to some Ghanaians, with four Ghanaian nationals losing their lives.
He said the Government’s response demonstrated the need for Ghana to maintain the capacity to respond rapidly when its citizens encountered emergencies abroad.
Mr Ablakwa said the proposed Fund would complement the work of Ghana’s diplomatic missions in providing consular assistance to nationals in difficult circumstances.
He said the Ministry, its diplomatic missions and international partners had intervened in several countries to repatriate Ghanaians in distress.
The Minister said the proposed mechanism would address a broader challenge than the South Africa crisis by supporting emergency responses involving Ghanaians in different parts of the world.
He said the Government remained committed to protecting the lives and welfare of Ghanaian citizens wherever they might be and would continue to take timely action whenever their safety and security were at risk.
Mr Ablakwa also cautioned Ghanaians, particularly the youth, to be wary of illegal recruitment agencies and human trafficking networks that promised greener pastures abroad but could expose unsuspecting persons to dangerous situations.
He said the Government had intensified efforts to clamp down on the activities of such criminal networks.
The Minister said the need for stronger emergency response mechanisms had become increasingly important as Ghana continued to undertake repatriation exercises involving citizens stranded or exposed to difficult circumstances abroad.
He said the establishment of the Ghanaian Diaspora Consular Fund would provide a dedicated framework for mobilising resources quickly to respond to emergencies and protect Ghanaian citizens outside the country.
