Ranking member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, has commended the government for its ongoing evacuation efforts to bring home Ghanaian citizens caught up in unrest in South Africa.

Speaking in an interview on JoyNews' Newsfile on Saturday, May 30, the Damango MP described the evacuation operation as “commendable” and said it reflects the importance of citizenship and national responsibility in times of crisis.

“The efforts the government is making are welcomed and commendable,” he stated, adding that the Minority had consistently called for the deployment of all available logistics and resources to ensure the safe return of affected nationals.

He, however, noted that there were early concerns about the pace of the evacuation exercise, describing initial challenges as “hiccups” that raised anxiety among some stakeholders.

“At the beginning, we seemed to have been struggling with the evacuation efforts, and some of us were very concerned that it was taking that long,” he said.

The lawmaker referenced Ghana’s historical record of evacuation and repatriation efforts, citing operations during conflicts in Sierra Leone and Liberia, as well as large-scale evacuations from Ukraine during the COVID-19 pandemic, when thousands of Ghanaians were brought home safely.

He stressed that Ghana has “been extraordinary” in responding to its citizens in times of international crises and should maintain that standard.

The government has begun evacuating Ghanaians affected by the situation in South Africa. The first 300 batch of evacuees arrived on Wednesday with officials assuring the public of continued efforts to ensure the safe return of all citizens who wish to come home.