The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway has assured the nation that Ghanaians living in South Africa are safe following xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
She told Parliament today that the Ghana Mission in South Africa is taking the safety of Ghanaian communities there seriously, visiting shops owned by Ghanaians in Pretoria.
According to the minister, about 10 houses belonging to Nigerians tagged as drug dealers have been burnt down.
Ghanaians there have been told not to open their shops, she said, and have also been informed on the need to activate early warnings using social media groups.
Addressing the media, she said the target of the angry South Africans is largely directed at Nigerians, Pakistanis , Somalis and Zimbabweans.
There have been violent protests in some parts of South Africa over claims that nationals are being enslaved in their own country and are also being deprived of job opportunity.
Meanwhile, Muntaka Mubarak, MP for Asawase is of the strong opinion that it is high time the rest of Africa rose and sent signal to South Africans that they even have more establishments in other African countries more than others have on their soil.
He suggested that if the xenophobic attacks do not stop, then Africans should also stop purchasing South African products in their respective countries.
But Ayorkor Botchway told the media, Muntaka’s suggestion should be the last resort that could be taken at a higher level by ECOWAS.
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