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Xenophobia in South Africa: Ablakwa’s Foreign Ministry Faces First Major Test

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Ablakwa promised swift evacuation. Then 800 Ghanaians registered. Now his ministry faces its first major test.

Just days after Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced a comprehensive support package for Ghanaians fleeing xenophobic attacks in South Africa, his ministry has been forced to delay the evacuation, marking the first major test of his leadership in a crisis.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Thursday, May 21, 2026, that the evacuation, originally scheduled to begin on May 21, has been “deferred by a few days” after more than 800 Ghanaians registered with the High Commission in Pretoria seeking repatriation.

The figure far exceeds initial estimates and has overwhelmed planned logistical arrangements.

“Considering the numbers involved and the South African legal conditions that have to be met including mandatory passenger screening, multi-institutional coordination and flight permits, the planned evacuation has been deferred by a few days,” the ministry said in a press release.

A Promising Start Meets Reality

Earlier this week, Ablakwa, who took office with a reputation as an energetic and outspoken legislator, announced a high-profile support package for evacuees that included a welcome home financial package, transportation assistance, re-integration allowance, free psychosocial support, and entry into a special database for jobs and startup opportunities.

The announcement was widely praised and positioned Ghana as a leader in citizen protection amid a wave of anti-immigrant violence sweeping across South Africa. But the sudden deferral of the evacuation, even if unavoidable, has raised questions about implementation and preparedness.

The Ministry acknowledged that the surge in registrations, coupled with South African legal requirements, created bottlenecks that could not be resolved in time for the planned start date.

Diplomatic Engagement Intensifies

Ghanaian and South African authorities have since agreed on “enhanced and more efficient pre-evacuation modalities to expedite the process,” the statement said, adding that senior government officials on both sides remain actively engaged.

For Ablakwa, who has positioned himself as a vocal advocate for diaspora affairs and consular services, the evacuation represents an early test of his ability to translate political promises into operational reality. The delay, even if temporary, puts him in the difficult position of asking desperate citizens to wait longer while conditions on the ground in South Africa remain dangerous.

The Bigger Picture

The evacuation comes amid escalating xenophobic violence in South Africa, where foreign nationals from across the continent have been targeted by vigilante groups and anti-immigrant protesters. Ghana is among several African nations racing to repatriate citizens.

The Ministry explained that the deferral is measured in days, not weeks, and that “best efforts are being pursued to ensure their safe return home.” It also commended affected nationals for their “remarkable understanding and patience.”

What to Watch

For Ablakwa, the coming days will determine whether the delay is a minor logistical hiccup or the beginning of a more protracted challenge. The government has pledged to keep the public apprised in a “transparent and timely manner,” a commitment that will be tested as anxious families await word.

The minister, who earlier this week welcomed the Church of Scotland’s apology for slavery and renewed Ghana’s call for justice over an attack on its peacekeepers in Lebanon, now faces a more immediate and personal test: getting 800 citizens home safely.

Ghana News

Ghana’s Nationwide Flood Clean-Up Kicks Off with Slow Start

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ACCRA, Ghana – July 10, 2026 – A two-day nationwide clean-up exercise across seven flood-ravaged regions began Friday morning sluggishly.

Authorities have been urging residents, businesses, and institutions to ramp up participation as teams work to clear refuse, desilt choked drains, and restore public spaces following recent devastating floods.

The exercise, which commenced at 6:00 am local time, will run until 1:00 pm and resume on Saturday, July 11, during the same hours. While early-morning activity in several metropolitan areas was initially subdued, officials report that momentum is gradually building as local assemblies, waste management contractors, security services, and volunteer groups deploy to designated hotspots.

According to the government’s outlined schedule, the first day focuses on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), public and private institutions, educational bodies, and waste management firms.

Saturday’s phase will pivot toward community-led efforts, tapping into residents, traditional authorities, and volunteer networks to drive localized clean-up at the grassroots level.

In a bid to maximize turnout, non-essential shops, markets, and commercial establishments within the seven affected regions have been ordered to shut their doors from 6:00 am to 1:00 pm on both days, with exemptions granted only to essential and emergency service providers.

The Ministry has called on transport operators, religious groups, and corporate entities to actively back the initiative, framing it as a critical step toward restoring safe, hygienic communities after the flooding crisis.

Greater Accra, the epicenter of the recent deluge, hosts the bulk of the operation, with authorities identifying 104 flood-prone and affected locations across 17 assemblies. Key areas include, Ga South (Tetegu, STC, Mallam East, New Weija), Ga Central (Awoshie, Kolegu, Israel, A-Land), Ga North (Pokuase Footbridge, Ofankor Barrier), and Ga East (Dome Market, Abokobi Drain). In the capital’s core, heavy machinery and manual crews are converging on major drainage arteries such as Alajo, Kokomlemle, Pig Farm, Mamobi, Nima Highway, the Kanda stretch to Kawukudi, and the 37 Hospital corridor. Coastal communities like Teshie-Nungua, Prampram, Sege, and Tema West’s industrial and residential zones are also actively participating.

Despite the tepid start, authorities remain optimistic that participation will surge as the morning progresses, setting the stage for an even more robust community-driven effort on Saturday.

The exercise represents the government’s most visible response to the recent flooding emergency, mobilizing public administration and local governance structures to tackle the immediate environmental and health hazards facing affected populations.

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Top 10 Newspaper Front Page Headlines in Ghana Today: Friday, July 10, 2026

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Top 10 news stories on Ghanaian newspaper front pages dated Friday, July 10, 2026.

1. GHC350m Contingency Fund Release Controversy

  • Appears in: The New Publisher, The Ghanaian Publisher, The Custodian, The Chronicle
  • Summary: The Attorney General is under fire for allegedly instructing the Bank of Ghana to release GHC 350 million from the frozen Contingency Fund for flood relief, despite a court order blocking it. The Minority in Parliament is demanding a probe and blasting the AG’s “lawless” approach.

2. Abu Trica Extradited to US Over $8m Romance Scam

  • Appears in: Daily Guide, Ghanaian Times, The New Publisher
  • Summary: Socialite Abu Trica has been extradited to the United States to face charges related to an alleged $8 million romance fraud scheme. The extradition happened despite a lack of a court order reversing the decision on the Black Volta project (mentioned in related coverage).

3. GJA Gives NDC Chairman Seven Days to Apologise Over Obaatanpa Radio Attack

  • Appears in: Supreme, Daily Guide
  • Summary: The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has given the Central Regional Chairman of the NDC a seven-day ultimatum to apologise for an attack on Obaatanpa Radio. The incident has sparked significant backlash.

4. Gomoa East NPP Rallies Behind Francis Mensah for Chairman

  • Appears in: Supreme, The Ghanaian Publisher, The Custodian, The Metro Lens
  • Summary: The Gomoa East Constituency of the NPP is rallying to elect Francis Mensah as the next Constituency Chairman. This grassroots movement is a major story across multiple papers.

5. Azumah Resources Denies Reversal of Black Volta Project Ownership

  • Appears in: News Centa, The Chronicle, Daily Guide
  • Summary: Azumah Resources Ghana Ltd has refuted false media reports claiming that an ICC ruling reversed the acquisition of the Black Volta project. They insist they still own the project, calling the reports “a big lie.”

6. Amankwaa Donates GHC 100,000 Seed Fund to Ayawaso West NPP

  • Appears in: Supreme, News Centa
  • Summary: Samuel Owusu Amankwaa has donated GHC 100,000 as a seed fund to the Ayawaso West Wuogon NPP constituency ahead of the election of new executives.

7. North Dayi Boils Over: “Joycelyn Must Go” Protests

  • Appears in: Supreme
  • Summary: Residents of North Dayi are up in arms, with protests erupting under the banner “Joycelyn Must Go.” The protesters are chanting “Enough is Enough” over local grievances.

8. NHIA Cracks Down on Illegal Charges in Eastern Region

  • Appears in: The Metro Lens
  • Summary: The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has launched a crackdown on illegal charges being imposed on patients in the Eastern Region. The NHIA Boss is leading the effort.

9. $208m Methamphetamine Scandal

  • Appears in: The Ghanaian Publisher, The Custodian
  • Summary: An MP is demanding the prosecution of officials involved in a $208 million methamphetamine scandal. There are also calls for the government to name officials implicated, with accusations of a cover-up.

10. National Sanitation Exercise and Flood Recovery Clean-Up

  • Appears in: Supreme, The Punch, The New Publisher, News Centa
  • Summary: A nationwide clean-up exercise is underway to aid flood recovery, with various political figures and MCEs rallying residents to participate. The exercise is scheduled for the weekend, with a focus on recovery from recent floods.
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President Mahama Backs Tighter Checks on His Own Office in Upcoming Constitution Vote

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President John Dramani Mahama has announced that Ghana’s Cabinet will meet on Friday, July 10, 2026, to finalise the government’s position paper on constitutional reform.

The process is expected to recommend significant curbs on executive power, including tighter checks on the presidency itself.

The reforms stem from a year-long nationwide consultation conducted by the eight-member Constitutional Review Committee (CRC), chaired by Professor Henry Kwasi Prempeh, which submitted its final report to the President in December 2025.

The committee’s report, titled “Transforming Ghana: From Electoral Democracy to Developmental Democracy,” addressed perennial governance challenges and recommended measures to strengthen institutional checks and balances.

Speaking at the Jubilee House on Tuesday during a farewell ceremony for Switzerland’s outgoing Ambassador to Ghana, Simone Giger, President Mahama confirmed that significant progress had been made.

“I am pleased to inform you that we have made significant progress. Cabinet is scheduled to meet on Friday to finalise the Government’s Position Paper on the Constitutional Review,” President Mahama said.

He explained that once Cabinet concludes its work, the Legal Counsel and the Attorney-General would take one or two weeks to consolidate the document. It would then be handed over, together with the CRC’s report, to the Constitutional Review Implementation Committee to begin implementation.

President Mahama described the 1992 Constitution as one of the finest Ghana has ever had, noting that it had provided the foundation for the Fourth Republic — the longest-serving republic in the country’s history.

“We therefore believe that any amendments to the Constitution should strengthen it further and ensure that it remains a living document capable of serving Ghana effectively for the next three decades and beyond,” he said.

The Constitutional Review Committee’s recommendations are understood to include proposals to separate the Executive from the Legislature — preventing Members of Parliament from being appointed as ministers — as well as measures to decentralise power and enhance accountability.

The committee also recommended amendments to Chapter 25 of the Constitution to introduce a third route for amending entrenched provisions.

Ambassador Giger, who has supported the constitutional reform process throughout her four-year tenure in Ghana, welcomed the progress.

“We have always rooted for Ghana because we genuinely believe that constitutional reform is central to the country’s future development,” she said, adding, “If Ghana succeeds in adopting a truly people’s constitution, one that decentralises power, strengthens checks and balances on the Executive, and incorporates the many important reforms currently under consideration, I believe the future of this country will be exceptionally bright.”

President Mahama also used the occasion to acknowledge Switzerland’s support for Ghana’s small and medium enterprises, particularly in agro-processing and agribusiness, an area he described as one of the missing links in the country’s agricultural value chain.

The constitutional review process, initiated in 2025, follows two previous attempts that failed to build sufficient consensus for significant change.

The government has pledged to establish the Constitutional Review Implementation Committee to oversee the roll-out of the reforms.

Once the position paper is finalised and consolidated, it will be made public and subjected to the necessary constitutional and parliamentary scrutiny.

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