The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has declined a GH¢20 million donation intended for Ghanaian victims of the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa, offered by MTN Ghana.
In a statement issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, in Accra on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, the ministry said that while the government commended MTN for the gesture, it was unable to accept the offer. "The Government of Ghana commends MTN for the offer, however, we respectfully decline," the statement said.
The statement followed media reports suggesting that MTN Ghana, a subsidiary of the South African-owned MTN Group operating in Ghana, was preparing to donate GH¢20 million for the victims, with the reports attributing the announcement to an interview granted by MTN Board Chairman Dr Ishmael Yamson.
According to the ministry, the government had made adequate provision for the ongoing evacuation and reintegration of Ghanaians affected by the attacks and was therefore not in a position to accept the donation. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirms that the Mahama Administration has made adequate provision for ongoing evacuations and reintegration of Ghanaians and is therefore unable to accept this offer," it stated.
The ministry disclosed that the government's position had earlier been directly conveyed to the Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MTN when they called on Ablakwa on August 14, 2026.
The statement reaffirmed the government's commitment to the humanitarian evacuations and financial support for the reintegration of all Ghanaians brought back from harm's way. "Meanwhile, the Government of Ghana remains fully committed to current humanitarian evacuations and reintegration financial support for every Ghanaian brought back from harm's way," the ministry said. It further assured the public that a comprehensive account of the total cost of the evacuation exercise would be presented once the exercise concluded, in the interest of transparency and accountability.
The ministry added that government would continue to create the best business ecosystem for all international brands operating in Ghana to succeed, irrespective of which country their businesses originated from. "The welfare of all Ghanaians remains our utmost priority," the statement said.
