Akwatia MP advises Ghanaians in South Africa to return home over security concerns

Member of Parliament for Akwatia, Bernard Bediako Baidoo, has urged Ghanaians living in South Africa to prioritise their safety and return home if they feel threatened, stressing that no opportunity abroad is worth risking one's life.

Speaking on TV3's Key Points on Saturday, July 4, 2026, in reaction to the recent killing of Ghanaian national Bashiru Isaka, he appealed to Ghanaians in affected communities to remain in close contact with the Ghana High Commission and leave the country if necessary.

"If you find yourself in such a situation, please report to the High Commission and find your way back to Ghana. If you have life, you have everything," he urged.

Emphasising the importance of personal safety, Baidoo added, "There is nothing more precious than life."

His comments come amid growing concerns over attacks targeting foreign nationals in parts of South Africa.

Baidoo noted that although the Government of Ghana had previously facilitated the voluntary repatriation of some citizens, it could not compel Ghanaians living abroad to return home.

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He also expressed disappointment with the response of South African authorities, arguing that earlier assurances that perpetrators of attacks against foreign nationals would be prosecuted had yet to result in meaningful action.

"I would have thought that by now the authorities in South Africa would have taken action," he indicated.

Baidoo maintained that while citizens have the constitutional right to demonstrate, they have no authority to enforce immigration laws through violence.

"It is not for citizens to pick up arms and insist on enforcing the law. South Africa has law enforcement agencies for that purpose," he stated.

He urged Ghanaians in South Africa to make their safety their top priority, insisting that preserving life must take precedence over remaining in an increasingly dangerous environment.

MRA/EB

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