MTN Ghana has committed GH¢20 million to support Ghanaians returning from South Africa following a wave of xenophobic attacks, with the company saying the intervention is intended to help affected people rebuild their livelihoods rather than provide only immediate relief.
The announcement was made by MTN Ghana Board Chairman Dr Ishmael Yamson, who said the company initially set aside GH¢10 million but later doubled the amount after assessing the longer-term needs of the returnees.
Dr Yamson said the additional GH¢10 million would be combined with the original allocation to create a fund for returning Ghanaians.
The aim, he explained, is to provide assistance that can help beneficiaries restart their lives after leaving South Africa.
The intervention comes as Ghana continues efforts to reintegrate nationals who returned after feeling unsafe amid the attacks.
Yamson also acknowledged that MTN Ghana had been slower than some other organisations in publicly announcing its support.
He expressed regret over the delay and said the company should have moved faster. He also indicated that the company should have engaged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier.
The chairman, however, maintained 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.
Yamson separately condemned the violence and stressed that MTN Ghana should not be associated with the attacks.
“I condemn it. I completely dissociate MTN Ghana from it. We have nothing to do with it,” he said.
His comments come against the backdrop of concerns in Ghana over the treatment of Ghanaian nationals in South Africa.
MTN Ghana had previously sought to reassure the public that the South African unrest would not affect its operations in Ghana. In July, the company’s Chief Internal Audit and Forensics Officer, Michael Gbewonyo, said MTN had no plans to leave Ghana and described the country as a strategic market for the group.
The corporate intervention follows a government-led evacuation exercise that brought hundreds of Ghanaians home from South Africa.
The first batch of 300 returnees arrived in Ghana in May, after the government approved the evacuation of nationals who felt unsafe.
By June 7, the government had completed the evacuation of 979 Ghanaians through a three-phase exercise, according to the Graphic report on the final batch.
The government subsequently expanded its reintegration support. In July, the Information Services Department reported that each evacuated Ghanaian was to receive a GH¢5,500 package, comprising a GH¢5,000 reintegration grant and GH¢500 for travel and transport. Other measures included relief items, National Health Insurance registration and assistance with employment and business opportunities.
The government has also continued receiving returnees. On August 19, the Information Services Department reported that another 87 Ghanaians had arrived as part of the second phase of the evacuation exercise.
Yamson also commended organisations that had already assisted the returnees, specifically mentioning Telecel and the Church of Pentecost.
The effectiveness of MTN Ghana’s GH¢20 million commitment will ultimately depend on how the fund is structured, who qualifies for assistance and how the money is distributed.
Those details have not been fully disclosed in the report announcing the commitment.
MTN Ghana is expected to work out the mechanism for deploying the GH¢20 million fund, with Yamson indicating that the company intends to engage relevant stakeholders.
The company has also reaffirmed its commitment to Ghana despite the tensions linked to the South African attacks.
