MTN Ghana is preparing a GH¢20 million support package for Ghanaians returning from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks, the company’s Board Chairman, Dr Ishmael Yamson, has disclosed.
The package is intended to help returnees rebuild their lives rather than provide only immediate relief after their return.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Thursday, Dr Yamson said the company initially planned to spend GH¢10 million on welcoming the returnees.
But the company later decided that a longer-term intervention would have greater impact.
“When the issue broke, I can tell you, the board immediately decided that we would set aside ¢10 million as a welcome back.”
He said MTN Ghana subsequently reconsidered the approach after recognising that immediate support would not be enough.
“But we then later realised that, look, okay, you give them data, you give them this, and then when they have spent it, what next?”
“So what we then began to decide is those, and many of them, some I understand they were allowed only two suitcases when they are on their return.”
“So how do we create a fund that we will use to help these people to start life all over again?”
Dr Yamson said the company therefore decided to add another GH¢10 million to the initial amount and establish a fund to support the returnees.
“So why don’t we do that? So that ¢10 million that we were going to use to welcome them, that putting that into action was delayed because we had to draw it back, because we needed to add an additional ¢10 million that we would put in the fund.”
He admitted that MTN Ghana should have engaged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier on the initiative.
“I think the mistake that we made was not to have engaged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately about this.”
He, however, insisted that the delay should not be interpreted as a lack of concern for the affected Ghanaians.
“But everybody knows. We had discussions many times with the sector minister.”
“So it’s not that we don’t care, not that we don’t have empathy, but we think that we need to do it in a different, more permanent way that will allow these people to rebuild their lives when those arrangements have already been made.”
Dr Yamson said MTN Ghana would proceed with the intervention despite the delay.
“I know that sometimes when you are big, your internal bureaucracy can also delay a few things. But we have not forgotten.”
“We will do it. We’ll do it in a big way. We’ll do it in a way that will make more meaning.”
His comments come amid renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa that have targeted African migrants, including Ghanaians. Ghana has evacuated nationals who felt unsafe, while the government has introduced measures to support their reintegration.
The violence has also had deadly consequences. Two Ghanaian nationals have been killed in separate incidents linked to the attacks, according to reports from Ghanaian authorities and state-linked sources.
Dr Yamson also used the interview to condemn the attacks and distance MTN Ghana from the violence.
“I condemn it. I completely dissociate MTN Ghana from it. We have nothing to do with it.”
He said the company had also been concerned about the welfare of the affected returnees.
“One thing that maybe has not been visible is what we have done to support.”
Dr Yamson acknowledged that MTN Ghana had been slower than some other corporate organisations in making its intervention public.
“It’s something that I regret, because we should have moved faster.”
He commended companies and organisations that had already supported the returnees.
“And for those who did it, Telecel and the others, I really congratulate them. Pentecost Church, I congratulate them.”