Former Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Free Zones Authority, Mike Oquaye Jnr, has called on the government to subject Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa to medical screening, including HIV tests, before they are fully reintegrated into their communities.

Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme on June 1, 2026, Oquaye Jnr argued that while the government's decision to evacuate Ghanaians fleeing xenophobic attacks in South Africa was commendable, authorities must also take steps to address potential public health concerns.

According to him, returnees should be temporarily kept in designated facilities where health assessments can be conducted before they are allowed to return to their homes.

He suggested that the process should include blood tests and other medical examinations to determine the health status of evacuees, particularly because of South Africa's HIV prevalence rate.

“The first thing the government should do is to screen them; instead of wearing all those jackets amid jubilation with the Chief of Staff and so on,” he said.

Oquaye Jnr argued that screening would not only protect public health but could also help identify individuals who may be unaware of their medical conditions and require treatment or support.

“We must cordon them off. We welcome them into a nice tent. Then we take their blood samples. Then when we take their blood sample, so that you that you have HIV; we need to keep you here to monitor you or to give you these drugs,” he stated.

The politician was quick to add that his proposal is not borne out of discrimination but rather a precautionary measure aimed at safeguarding both returnees and the wider population.

He further questioned whether adequate health screening had been conducted on the first batch of evacuees before they were welcomed home.

“There's nothing wrong with you coming to Ghana and we do you a blood test,” he said.

He also criticised South African authorities for what he described as a failure to decisively address the xenophobic attacks and threats targeting foreign nationals, warning that the situation could undermine African unity and the ideals of Pan-Africanism.

NA/VPO

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