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The Government of Ghana has declined an offer from MTN Ghana to donate GHS20 million for Ghanaian victims of xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
The government said the Mahama administration has already made adequate provision for the ongoing evacuations and reintegration of its citizens.
Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed the rejection in a press statement issued on Tuesday in Accra.
It said the government’s position had been communicated directly to MTN’s Board Chairman and CEO during a meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on August 14, 2026.
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What the ministry is saying
The ministry said it has become aware of media reports suggesting MTN Ghana was preparing to make the donation, which appeared to be linked to an interview granted by MTN Board Chairman Dr. Ishmael Yamson.
The ministry commended MTN for the gesture while making clear the government would not accept it, framing the rejection as a matter of state responsibility rather than any criticism of the company.
- “The Government of Ghana commends MTN for the offer, however, we respectfully decline,” the statement read.
- “The Mahama Administration has made adequate provision for ongoing evacuations and reintegration of Ghanaians and is therefore unable to accept this offer,” the ministry added.
On transparency around the cost of the evacuation exercise, the ministry pledged a full public accounting once the operation concludes.
- “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs assures that it will present to the general public a comprehensive account of the total cost of evacuations as soon as the exercise is concluded, in the interest of transparency and accountability,” the statement said.
The ministry also signalled that the rejection carried no implications for MTN’s operating environment in Ghana.
- “Government will continue to create the best business ecosystem for all international brands operating in Ghana to succeed, irrespective of which country their businesses originated from,” it said.
Get up to speed
The rejected donation comes weeks after renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa forced African governments to evacuate citizens and placed South African-linked businesses operating elsewhere on the continent under growing pressure.
- On June 1, Ghana warned its citizens against non-essential travel to South Africa and began evacuation efforts as concerns mounted over renewed attacks on African migrants. The country later repatriated about 300 Ghanaians in the first phase of an exercise expected to bring home roughly 800 citizens.
- The crisis also triggered calls for economic retaliation against South African businesses. On June 18, MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita warned against boycotts of pan-African companies, as tensions over the attacks spilled into markets including Ghana and Nigeria.
- Days later, MTN Group Chairman Mcebisi Jonas blamed the xenophobic tensions on failures of the South African state and warned against judging people by their nationality.
On August 18, Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said about 1,600 Ghanaians had been evacuated from South Africa following the xenophobic attacks.
What you should know
Nigeria has also suffered from the xenophobic violence in South Africa, with Nigerians among the foreign nationals affected by attacks that have killed people, damaged businesses and forced some to seek refuge at the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria at some point.
The Federal Government subsequently launched an emergency evacuation exercise for Nigerians who wanted to return home.
By July 15, Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu said more than 1,500 Nigerians had been evacuated from South Africa, including 308 people on the final government-sponsored flight.
