Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Hanna Tetteh has clarified that it is prudent for government to restrict information\u00a0to its evacuation plans for Ghanaian citizens caught up in the xenophobic attacks in South Africa.<\/p>\n
The opposition New Patriotic Party<\/strong><\/a><\/span> (NPP), pressure group Alliance for Accountable Governance<\/strong> <\/a><\/span>(AFAG) among others have said that the bits and pieces of information being released to the public is causing fear and panic among citizens whose family members are in South Africa.<\/p>\n [contextly_sidebar id=”cOs81F5hWOiKIALzIWtxVzptsmpDuOBP”]They also stated that government’s seeming silence on the matter is indicative that not much is being done to protect Ghanaian nationals in South Africa.<\/p>\n Hanna Tetteh however\u00a0indicated that making that information public could further endanger the lives of the affected Ghanaians if there are plans by some South African indigenes to hurt them.<\/p>\n \u201cAs far as our pick up and evacuation plans are concerned, we don\u2019t think it\u2019s a good idea to have that plastered all over social media\u2026but it\u2019s important that those key audiences who need it in South Africa should be the ones to who it is available,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\n The government has been criticized for failing to inform and update citizens on its evacuation plans for other Ghanaian nationals currently in South Africa.<\/p>\n Speaking in a joint interview with Citi Breakfast Show<\/strong> host, Bernard Avle and Radio Gold\u2019s Alhassan Suhinin, the Foreign Affairs Minister acknowledged that although citizens\u2019 back home need constant updates which she said has been ongoing, the individuals who need it most are Ghanaians trapped in South Africa.<\/p>\n She said: \u201cWe felt the important thing was to share that information with Ghanaians in South Africa because they are the ones whom we want and continue to desire to protect and to keep out of harm\u2019s way.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe didn\u2019t think that we will be serving necessarily a useful purpose if we broadcasted all that information because essentially, you are telling somebody who might have bad intentions of what you want to do and where you are going to do it\u2026If indeed there is a desire or motivation to attack Ghanaians and you put out all that information out in the public domain, you are telling them exactly where to go,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n Efforts being made<\/strong><\/p>\n The sector minister mentioned that since the xenophobic attacks began about three weeks ago, the Ghana High Commission in South Africa has been in constant touch with the leadership of the various Ghanaian communities in that country.<\/p>\n Some Ghanaians in South Africa, she said have also been contacting her personally and their concerns and needs have been addressed by the Ghana Mission.<\/p>\n Ms Tetteh further revealed that on Monday, four National Security officers have been sent to South Africa to join Ghana\u2019s Mission.<\/p>\n They have been directed to assess the situation and advise the Mission and the government back home what necessary steps to take if the need arises for an evacuation to take place.<\/p>\n \u201cWe believe that having security professionals working with the Embassy and evaluating what we have done, the plans we have put in place, the actions we have taken will help our assessments and what step to take next,\u201d she remarked.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n By: Efua Idan Osam\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
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