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MTN Ghana has pledged GH¢20 million to support Ghanaians returning from South Africa following a resurgence of xenophobic attacks targeting African migrants in the country.
The company’s Board Chairman, Dr Ishmael Yamson, said the funds are intended to go beyond immediate relief by helping the returnees rebuild their livelihoods and regain economic stability.
Speaking to Joy News on Thursday, August 20, Dr Yamson disclosed that MTN Ghana initially allocated GH¢10 million to assist the returnees.
However, after assessing the situation, the company decided to double the amount to GH¢20 million, recognising that short-term assistance alone would not adequately address the challenges facing those affected.
According to Dr Yamson, the combined funds will be used to establish a dedicated support mechanism aimed at helping the returnees restart their lives.
He acknowledged that MTN Ghana should have engaged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier in the process and expressed regret that the company’s intervention had not been rolled out sooner.
He stressed, however, that the delay should not be interpreted 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.
Dr Yamson also condemned the xenophobic attacks and strongly dissociated MTN Ghana from the violence.
“I condemn it. I completely dissociate MTN Ghana from it. We have nothing to do with it,” he stated, adding that the company’s efforts to support affected Ghanaians had not been sufficiently visible.
He further admitted that MTN Ghana was slower than some other corporate organisations in announcing its support.
“It’s something that I regret, because we should have moved faster,” he said.
The MTN Ghana Board Chairman commended organisations that had already stepped forward to assist the returnees, specifically mentioning Telecel and the Pentecost Church.
The renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa have affected several African migrants, including Ghanaians, with two Ghanaian nationals reportedly killed in separate incidents.
In response to growing concerns over their safety, Ghana has evacuated more than 1,000 nationals from South Africa, while authorities have begun measures to support their reintegration.
MTN Ghana’s GH¢20 million intervention is expected to complement these efforts by providing longer-term assistance to help affected returnees rebuild their livelihoods.