Ghana welcomes first group fleeing anti-Semitism protests from South Africa | Story

The refund comes after anti-immigration protests in recent weeks, with campaigners calling for tougher controls on what they say are illegal immigrants.

A plane carrying 300 Ghanaians who left South Africa due to anti-immigration protests has landed in Accra.

The group, which consisted of women and children, arrived on Wednesday at the airport in the capital of Ghana. Officials have described the deportations as voluntary retaliation against Ghanaians who no longer feel safe in South Africa amid a growing crackdown that has left migrants vulnerable to abuse, job losses and violence.

South Africa has worked with Ghanaian authorities on a list of about 800 people who have said they want to leave. anti-immigrant protests he has seen campaigners calling for tougher controls on “undocumented immigrants,” and accusing foreigners of contributing to crime and unemployment.

“Wherever Ghanaians are, we will ensure that you are protected,” Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said as he greeted the group at the airport.

South Africa’s Border Management Authority said about 90 percent of those who traveled on Wednesday were undocumented, with “many” overstaying their visas for more than 30 days and “some” a year or more.

The head of Ghana’s association in South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, has criticized South African authorities for the delay in the entry process for people who want to renew their passports.

Anti-immigrant protests have been accompanied by violence against migrants from sub-Saharan Africa.

One Ghanaian said repeated harassment made him decide to leave.

“I’m happy that I’m going to my country… it’s not easy to live in someone else’s country and you’re always confused,” he told Reuters.

“It has not been easy for us in South Africa in the last few weeks,” Victor Atsu Togbe, one of the 300 returnees, told AFP.

“We want to thank the government of Ghana for bringing us out of the lion’s den.”

Migrant rights groups say they are vilified by South Africans, who blame them for the country’s economic woes, particularly high unemployment, which is more than 30 percent and affects black people the most.

Quashie said the withdrawal is one way to try to resolve the conflict and maintain strong relations between the two countries.

“The demonstrators have said that they want us to work together. We must ensure that the undocumented return home and that the organizations are allowed to work,” said the head of the organization, rejecting the idea that there is a lack of cooperation between South African countries.

The authorities in South Africa have condemned the violence against foreign nationals and have promised to deal with violence by people from other countries, saying that such acts have no place in the country’s democracy.