MTN Ghana has doubled its financial commitment to support Ghanaians returning from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks, increasing its initial allocation from GH¢10 million to GH¢20 million.
The company’s Board Chairman, Dr Ishmael Yamson, said the decision was driven by the need to provide more than immediate relief and help affected returnees rebuild their livelihoods after returning home.
Speaking to Joy News on Thursday, August 20, Dr Yamson explained that MTN Ghana initially earmarked GH¢10 million to support the returnees but subsequently increased the amount after assessing the scale of their long-term needs.
He said the additional GH¢10 million would be combined with the initial allocation to create a dedicated fund aimed at helping the returnees restart their lives and become economically independent.
Dr Yamson also acknowledged that MTN Ghana could have responded earlier, particularly by engaging the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the initial stage of the evacuation and reintegration process.
He expressed regret over the delay but insisted that it should not be construed as indifference towards the affected Ghanaians.
“We will do it. We’ll do it in a big way. We’ll do it in a way that will make more meaning,” he said.
The MTN Ghana chairman strongly condemned the xenophobic attacks and said the telecommunications company had no connection to the violence.
“I condemn it. I completely dissociate MTN Ghana from it. We have nothing to do with it,” he said, while noting that the company’s support for affected Ghanaians had not received sufficient public attention.
Dr Yamson further admitted that MTN Ghana had been slower than some other corporate organisations in publicly announcing its intervention.
“It’s something that I regret, because we should have moved faster,” he said.
He commended organisations that had already stepped in to assist the returnees, specifically mentioning Telecel and the Pentecost Church for their contributions.
The renewed wave of xenophobic attacks in South Africa has affected several African migrants, including Ghanaians. Two Ghanaian nationals have reportedly been killed in separate incidents amid the violence.
In response to the deteriorating situation, Ghana has evacuated more than 1,000 nationals who felt unsafe in South Africa, with authorities also putting measures in place to facilitate their reintegration.
MTN Ghana’s GH¢20 million intervention is therefore expected to provide financial support for affected returnees as they seek to rebuild their livelihoods and reintegrate into communities across Ghana.
