The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has paid a courtesy visit to the leadership of the Church of Pentecost to express gratitude for the church's role in sheltering about 500 Ghanaians who fled xenophobic attacks in South Africa earlier this year.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, led a delegation that included the ministry's Chief Director, Kadidja Iddrisu, to the Church of Pentecost's General Headquarters in Accra to meet the Chairman of the Church of Pentecost Ghana, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, and convey appreciation on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama and the government.
According to the minister, the church hosted about 500 Ghanaians for two months and two weeks across three branches: the Campton Park branch, which sheltered around 100 women and children; the Johannesburg branch, which hosted 98 men; and the Pretoria West branch, which took in 298 Ghanaians. He said Apostle Bernard Anyimedu, Head Pastor of the Church of Pentecost in South Africa, coordinated the relief effort.
Ablakwa praised the church for its swift humanitarian response, calling it an example of faith in action and a demonstration of what partnership between the state and religious institutions can look like in a crisis.
He recalled that following a recent wave of xenophobic attacks in South Africa, President Mahama made what he described as a preemptive decision to prioritize the safety of Ghanaians in the country. The ministry lodged a formal protest, summoned the acting High Commissioner, and subsequently moved to evacuate Ghanaians from the affected areas.
The first round of evacuation involved about three chartered flights carrying an average of 300 passengers each, covering Ghanaians who had quickly registered for evacuation. But as the situation worsened, more Ghanaians found themselves stranded after groups such as "March and March" and "Dudula" targeted foreigners and immigrants, looting shops and threatening lives, forcing many to flee their homes and businesses.
Given South Africa's vast geography and Ghana's single diplomatic mission in Pretoria, Ablakwa said the Church of Pentecost's wider network became essential. "The Pentecost Church has more branches than we have embassies across the world, or even in South Africa. So, the church decided that it will step in and offer a haven, offer refuge to Ghanaians who were fleeing," he said.
In response, Apostle Nyamekye called for stronger collaboration between the church and government in mission work, both within Ghana and among Ghanaians in the diaspora. He said the church's reach now extends well beyond Ghana's borders, presenting an opportunity for deeper state-church partnership.
"Moving forward, I think you may have to think about how we can collaborate here; we can collaborate in terms of our mission work," he said, adding that there were several areas where the church could support government efforts but such opportunities were often missed for lack of structured collaboration. "There are certain things we can help with, but sometimes we don't get our collaboration. So, you may want to think about that," he said.
