By Desire Emmanuel
A diplomatic row is imminent between Ghana and South Africa as the Ghanaian government has asked its citizens to avoid non-essential visits to South Africa over recent attacks targetted at foreigners in the country.
It will be recalled that Ghana recently brought back over 300 of its citizens from Pretoria and other cities in South Africa after some people in the country attacked the Ghanaians and other Africans doing businesses there, just as they looted their shops and other businesses premises.
However, Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ghana, in a statement it described as ‘travel advisory’ on Monday, June 1, asked its citizens to avoid ‘non-essential travel’ to the country until further notice following the increasing xenophobic attacks.
“The government of the Republic of Ghana has observed with great concern the increasing xenophobic attacks in South Africa targeted at Africans by groups presenting themselves as anti-immigrant vigilantes, which have resulted in degrees of injuries, closure and takeover of businesses, looting and loss of properties.
“The government of Ghana hereby advises Ghanaian nationals to exercise extreme caution in their travel plan and avoid non-essential travel to South Africa until further notice,” the ministry warned.
The government said it has already taken several diplomatic and protective measures in response to the situation.
These included lodging formal protests through diplomatic channels, summoning South Africa’s Acting High Commissioner in Accra and petitioning the African Union over the developments.
It also said efforts have been made to evacuate more affected Ghanaian nationals from South Africa.
“The Mahama administration has taken a number of steps, including conveying formal protests at the highest diplomatic level, summoning the South African Acting High Commissioner in Accra, petitioning the African Union and evacuating our nationals,” the statement noted.
The statement urged authorities in South Africa to “provide adequate security for targeted groups of Africans in its territory and take measures to enforce law and order in the spirit of genuine Pan-Africanism and African integration.”
