Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, has disclosed that the government is taking decisive steps to protect Ghanaian-owned businesses in the country amid renewed xenophobic tensions and attacks on foreign nationals.
Speaking in an interview on Citi FM, Mr Quashie said Ghana has begun documenting and registering businesses owned by its citizens in South Africa, including details of their legal ownership, to safeguard their investments and support any future legal claims.
“We’ve instituted measures to ensure that everybody who has business in this country, we protect that business,” he stated. “And ensure that if the government of South Africa wants to take that business, there should be compensation to the owners of those businesses.”
According to him, Ghana would demand what he described as “realistic compensation” for affected business owners who have invested heavily over the years in establishing their enterprises.
“We know what the businesses are, we know the legal documents that they have, and we intend to take it strongly up against the government of South Africa,” he added.
Mr Quashie further revealed that Ghana plans to escalate the issue to the African Union in a bid to secure broader continental action against recurring xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
He noted that Ghana has already formally communicated its concerns to South African authorities and expects swift intervention to prevent the issue from escalating diplomatically.
“If not, then compensation and other things they will be paying to those people, it will be a matter that will be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction,” he warned.
His comments come after Ghana petitioned the African Union to include xenophobic attacks in South Africa on the agenda for its upcoming Mid-Year Coordination Meeting.
The petition called for stronger continental measures, including monitoring systems, fact-finding missions and dialogue initiatives aimed at protecting African nationals and addressing recurring violence.
Meanwhile, Ghana recently coordinated the evacuation of some of its citizens from South Africa, with the first group arriving in the country on Wednesday, May 27, following reports of renewed attacks and rising tensions.
Authorities say diplomatic engagements and protective measures are ongoing as the government continues to monitor developments closely.
