Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, has assured Ghanaian business owners in South Africa that the government is taking steps to protect their investments amid renewed xenophobic tensions in the country.

Speaking on Channel One TV, he said the government has begun documenting and registering businesses owned by Ghanaians in South Africa, including details of their legal ownership, to ensure affected persons are protected under the law.

According to him, Ghana has already communicated its concerns to South African authorities and expects urgent action to prevent the matter from escalating diplomatically. He warned that failure to resolve the issue could result in legal action.

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“If not, then compensation and other liabilities they will owe those affected will become matters to be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction,” he noted.

His comments come after Ghana recently petitioned the African Union to include xenophobic attacks in South Africa on the agenda of its upcoming Mid-Year Coordination Meeting.

The petition called for stronger continental action, including fact-finding missions, monitoring mechanisms, and dialogue initiatives to help protect African nationals.

He noted that these measures form part of the government’s efforts to prevent any unlawful takeover or interference with Ghanaian-owned businesses without proper compensation.

“We’ve instituted measures to ensure that everybody who has a business in this country is protected,” he stated.

“And to ensure that if the government of South Africa wants to take over any business, there should be compensation for the owners of those businesses,” he added.

Quashie further stressed that Ghana will demand what he described as realistic compensation for business owners who may suffer losses as a result of attacks or actions against foreign nationals.

“We know what the businesses are, we know the legal documents they possess, and we intend to pursue the matter strongly with the government of South Africa,” he said.

Ghana also facilitated the evacuation of some of its citizens from South Africa, with the first batch arriving in the country on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, following renewed tensions and reports of attacks on foreign nationals.

ANAS/MA

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