A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Communications Team, Sammy Darkwa, has questioned the government’s handling of the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa, describing the exercise as a political publicity stunt rather than a genuine humanitarian intervention.
Speaking on ABC In The Morning, Mr. Darkwa said although the NPP welcomes every sincere effort to support Ghanaians stranded abroad, concerns remain about the government’s true intentions behind the evacuation exercise.
“For me, as part of the NPP, we welcome every genuine support from government, if indeed it is genuine and not only to make the headlines,” he stated.
According to him, some of the scenes and videos circulating online after the arrival of the evacuees created the impression that the exercise was being used for political gains.
“Because yesterday, some of the videos I saw, some of us felt it is not really genuine, it was just to score political point,” he said.
Mr. Darkwa also cautioned Ghanaians against travelling to South Africa in search of better opportunities, citing the recurring xenophobic tensions in the country.
“If you look at the circumstances there [South Africa], it is not a place to seek greener pastures,” he added.
The NPP communicator further called on government to be transparent about the support package promised for the returnees.
“They spoke about something, they said they want to bring on board financial support, but we don’t know the amount they gave them,” he noted.
He also urged authorities to ensure that promises of psychosocial care for the evacuees are fulfilled and not abandoned after the media attention fades.
“They also spoke about psycho social care, we hope it will be done, and it will not be their politics as usual,” Mr. Darkwa stressed.
Government recently received the first batch of Ghanaian returnees evacuated from South Africa following renewed xenophobic tensions, with authorities assuring them of support and reintegration assistance.
