Xenophobic attacks: Ghana must pursue justice for victims beyond evacuation – Bosome Freho MP

The Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, has called for stronger diplomatic action against South Africa over the recent xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals, insisting that justice must be pursued for affected Ghanaians.

Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen following the arrival of 300 evacuated Ghanaians from South Africa on Wednesday, the Bosome Freho MP said African leaders and the African Union must take decisive steps to address the recurring violence.

According to him, the attacks have become deeply troubling and should no longer be treated as ordinary diplomatic concerns.

“When this issue started, I was even calling for the closure of some of the embassies so that it would demonstrate to South Africans that this thing is unbecoming,” he said.

He warned that the continued attacks against foreign nationals could escalate if firm action is not taken.

“I won’t be surprised if we wake up one day and they apprehend all foreign nationals, put them in a room and set ablaze,” he stated.

The lawmaker argued that African countries, including Ghana, played a major role in supporting South Africa during the apartheid struggle and therefore deserve better treatment. “The freedom South Africa is enjoying, they didn’t get it alone. We all fought for it. Ghana just didn’t fight; we even supported with our money,” he stressed.

Mr Ayeh further accused some local politicians in South Africa of exploiting anti-foreigner sentiments for political gain.

“The individual politicians involved are making political campaign promises with it to embolden their base, so they are not able to deal with it as they should,” he said.

He also expressed concern over videos showing alleged attacks taking place in the presence of police officers without intervention.

“You sometimes see videos with police present but doing nothing about the attacks. So it tells you clearly that the South African government itself cannot deal with the issue,” he added.

The MP believes African leaders must collectively impose tougher diplomatic measures to send a strong signal to South Africa.

“We must pick the venom and tell South Africa that we are not happy,” he stated.

He further urged the African Union to consider continental resolutions and possible legal action to seek justice for victims of the attacks.

“We can take this matter up as a country to get justice for our people who have suffered these brutalities,” he said.

According to him, Ghana should properly document cases involving affected citizens and pursue compensation and justice through international legal processes where necessary. “If we are able to document our evidence well and put all the facts together, we can pursue this case at the international court,” he noted.

He stressed that victims who lost livelihoods and property deserve more than repatriation support.

“Any Ghanaian who suffered any loss and now has to start from ground zero, a reparation package alone is not enough for such a person. You must let him have justice beyond bringing me back home,” he added.

المصدر: MyJoyOnline (GH)