Henry and Esther, a Ghanaian couple among the returnees repatriated from South Africa as part of the government’s evacuation exercise, have explained that life has been difficult since they were brought back to Ghana.
Speaking to ZionFelix, the couple said that although the government promised to provide them with jobs following their return, the promise has yet to be fulfilled several months later.
According to them, they have made several follow-ups with the relevant authorities regarding the promised jobs, but their efforts have so far yielded no results.
The couple said they have therefore decided to take matters into their own hands by searching for employment opportunities on their own, as they cannot continue to sit and wait indefinitely for the government’s promise to materialise.
They explained, however, that their efforts to find jobs have also been difficult because of the low salaries being offered by some employers.
According to the couple, some employers have quoted salaries as low as GH¢600 and GH¢800, while the highest offer they have encountered was GH¢1,500.
They noted that even with a salary of GH¢1,500, the amount left after deducting transportation costs would be too little to adequately take care of their family.
“The authorities promised to give us jobs, but we have followed up several times and nothing has happened. We cannot sit idle simply because they promised to offer us jobs and wait for them. We have tried looking for jobs elsewhere, but the salaries employers are offering are as low as GH¢600 or GH¢800, with the highest being GH¢1,500. Even with GH¢1,500, once you deduct transportation costs, what is left is not enough to live on,” the couple stated.
‘I regret coming back’ - SA returnee speaks after 4 months without promised job
Esther further disclosed that since returning to Ghana, she had been contacting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Labour several times to follow up on the job opportunities that were promised to them.
She said that in mid-September 2026, the authorities eventually informed her about a job opportunity at Saladmaster Ghana, a company located in Nungua, and scheduled her for an interview.
According to Esther, the company deals in cooking utensils made with titanium, which she said have health benefits. However, she explained that the position was commission-based, meaning she would be required to find her own customers, with the amount she could earn at the end of the month depending on the payment plans of the clients she managed to secure.
She disclosed that some of the utensils sold by the company cost about GH¢70,000, while others cost as much as GH¢240,000.
Esther said she was concerned that such expensive products might not sell quickly because reaching the target market could be difficult.
Despite this, she said she was willing to take up the opportunity if the company could provide her with a transportation allowance to enable her to move around in search of customers.
However, Esther said she did not receive any further response from the company after the process.
The couple has therefore appealed to members of the public for assistance, stressing that they are willing to take up any legitimate job opportunity available to them.
They are seeking job leads and other forms of assistance as they continue to struggle to establish themselves and provide for their family following their return to Ghana.
AK/AM
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