First batch of Ghanaians fleeing xenophobic attacks in South Africa arrive in Ghana
This follows the government’s promise to evacuate any Ghanaian living in South Africa who wishes to return home amid xenophobic attacks in the Southern African nation. The evacuees are 300 in number.
The government earlier announced a support package for those who will be evacuated.
In a public notice issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, authorities assured affected Ghanaians that measures had been put in place to support their safe return and reintegration into society.
The statement said all Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa due to the attacks would benefit from several forms of assistance aimed at helping them settle back into life in Ghana.
According to the Ministry, returnees will receive a “Welcome Home Financial Package” as part of the government’s immediate relief efforts.
The evacuees will also be offered transportation assistance to help them travel to their various destinations across the country after arriving in Ghana.
In addition, the government announced plans to provide a reintegration allowance to support returnees as they rebuild their lives after leaving South Africa under difficult circumstances.
Recognising the emotional and psychological impact of the attacks, the Ministry stated that free psychosocial support services would also be made available to affected persons.
The government further disclosed that evacuees would be entered into a special database designed to connect them with job opportunities and startup support programmes.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the intervention as part of the government’s commitment to protecting the welfare of Ghanaian citizens abroad and supporting them in times of crisis.
“We value and cherish all our citizens,” the statement said.
Mahama urges Ghanaians to uphold peace and reject extremism at Eid al-Adha
President John Dramani Mahama has called on Ghanaians to safeguard the nation’s enduring peace and reject all forms of division, extremism, and intolerance. The President made the remarks at the National Eid al-Adha celebrations at Black Star Square in Accra on Wednesday, May 27, stressing that the message of Eid al-Adha is particularly timely, as many countries across the world continue to grapple with conflict, violence, and growing divisions.
He stated that Ghana continues to stand out as a model of peaceful coexistence, where citizens of different religious and ethnic backgrounds live together in harmony.
He noted that Christians and Muslims in Ghana have, for generations, shared communities, schools, businesses, and even family ties, a legacy he urged citizens to safeguard.
He underscored the importance of sustaining unity across all religious and ethnic lines, calling on citizens to promote peace, tolerance, mutual understanding, and respect in their daily lives.
President Mahama also warned against behaviours and ideas that could weaken national unity, urging Ghanaians to reject extremism, political intolerance, ethnic divisions, and any actions that could endanger the country’s stability.
“I urge all Ghanaians, irrespective of religion or ethnicity, to continue promoting peace, tolerance, understanding, and mutual respect. We must reject extremism, political intolerance, tribal divisions, and all acts that threaten our national unity,” he said.
Drawing on Islamic teachings, he cited the example of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), whose life, he said, reflected mercy, humility, honesty, kindness, and justice.
He added that these principles should serve as a guide for both Muslims and all Ghanaians in fostering peaceful coexistence and strengthening national unity.
Otumfuo Leaves for Poland & Canada:
Torgbui Fiti calls for African unity amid South Africa tensions
Torgbui Adzonugaga Amenya Fiti V, Paramount Chief of Aflao Traditional Area and President of the Forum of Kings of Africa, has called for calm and renewed African solidarity following rising xenophobic tensions in South Africa.
In a short video broadcast to traditional rulers, political leaders, and citizens across the continent, Torgbui Fiti appealed to Africans to reject division and uphold the shared values of unity, dignity, and peaceful coexistence.
The Aflao Paramount Chief expressed concern over reported incidents of hostility against foreign African nationals, describing the situation as troubling and capable of undermining decades of continental progress.
He emphasised that Africa’s unity transcends geography, describing it as a bond rooted in shared history, sacrifice, and collective destiny.
Torgbui Fiti warned that silence in moments of moral urgency could erode the foundations of humanity and dignity that Africans hold in common.
He urged South Africans to reject xenophobia and avoid directing frustration over economic and social challenges at fellow Africans.
“This is not the time for xenophobic acts. It is not the hour to turn against those who share our African identity,” he said.
He noted that many Africans residing in South Africa, like citizens, are in pursuit of dignity, opportunity, and a better life and should not be treated as adversaries.
Torgbui Fiti urged South Africans to exercise restraint, stressing that targeting fellow Africans over economic and social frustrations undermines the spirit of Pan-Africanism.
He noted that migration within the continent is often driven by the search for better opportunities and should not be met with hostility or exclusion.
He cautioned that escalating tensions could damage South Africa’s standing as a symbol of African liberation and resilience, while weakening broader efforts toward regional integration.
The traditional leader emphasised that Africa’s strength lies in its unity and diversity, calling for dialogue, tolerance, and mutual respect among citizens of different nationalities.
He further underscored the responsibility of leaders to promote peace and guide their societies away from conflict, especially in times of heightened tension.
WHO Admits Ebola Epidemic Outpacing Response in DRC
The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned on Monday that the rapidly escalating Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has overwhelmed the pace of its own response, with more than 900 suspected cases and 220 suspected deaths now recorded since the epidemic began.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the admission at a Virtual Ministerial Briefing on the outbreak, citing 101 confirmed cases and 10 confirmed deaths across both the DRC and Uganda, while stressing that the true scale of the crisis is far greater than laboratory-confirmed figures reflect.
“It will get worse before it gets better,” Tedros said, while committing to travel personally to the DRC alongside the WHO’s emergencies director.
The outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on May 16, after the WHO confirmed the virus as Bundibugyo ebolavirus, a strain for which no approved vaccines or therapeutics currently exist. The two previous recorded outbreaks of this specific strain occurred in Uganda in 2007 and in the DRC in 2012.
A critical factor behind the explosive case count is a diagnostic gap that delayed confirmation by weeks. Initial laboratory screening relied on tests designed to detect Zaire ebolavirus, the more common strain. Because Bundibugyo ebolavirus was not identified until May 14 and 15, hundreds of suspected cases had already accumulated before any formal outbreak declaration was possible.
The affected provinces of Ituri and North Kivu present additional response barriers. Sustained insecurity has displaced more than 100,000 people in recent months. Last week alone, two security incidents were recorded at health facilities operating in the outbreak zone, compounding existing levels of community distrust toward health workers.
WHO has classified national risk in the DRC as very high, regional risk as high, and global risk as low. The agency has recommended prioritising two monoclonal antibodies for clinical trials as the closest available therapeutic option. Uganda has confirmed five cases and one death, with authorities in Kampala maintaining active surveillance and border screening.
Tedros acknowledged that the pace of the epidemic currently exceeds the reach of health teams on the ground, while affirming that established containment methods remain effective if conditions allow their deployment. Neighbouring countries have been urged to intensify surveillance and preparedness measures immediately.
This is the DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak since 1976, and the first in just five months following the end of a separate outbreak in Kasai Province in December 2025.
Krobia Online Radio reporting. Stay tuned.
