Ghana Brings Back 137 Citizens After Mass Expulsion in Cote d'Ivoire
The Central Regional Coordinating Council on Friday morning received 137 Ghanaians repatriated from Cote d’Ivoire following a forced ejection by Ivorian security agencies earlier in the week, marking the latest chapter in an escalating diplomatic and humanitarian episode between the two West African neighbours.
The returnees — largely fisherfolks — arrived at 0300 hours under arrangements facilitated by the Government of Ghana. They were immediately screened by a multi-agency team comprising the Ghana Immigration Service, Police Service, National Disaster Management Organisation, Social Welfare, and the Ghana Health Service.
More than 5,000 people are believed to have been affected by the Ivorian security operation across major communities including Zimbabwe, Viridi-Acoe, Viridi-Cannal, Porte-bour, Conzak, Annani, Assibisa, Anyone, Abidjan-Kumasi, Abidjan-Tresvii, and Abidjan-Mangoase. The forced removals were carried out on Tuesday on the grounds that the Ghanaians were occupying state lands.
The contingent of 137 comprised 17 men, 31 boys, 55 women, and 35 girls. No disabled persons were among them, though three returnees are pregnant, including a 15-year-old from Mankessim in the Mfantseman Municipality.
Regional Distribution of Returnees
Profiling of the first batch revealed that the returnees originated from four districts in the Central Region. The Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem Municipality accounted for the largest share with 74 people, followed by Mfantseman Municipality with 22, Cape Coast with 19, Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese District with 19, and Ekumfi District with three.
The repatriation echoes an earlier incident in which 327 Ghanaians were brought home after mass demolitions in the Port Bouet municipality of Abidjan left them homeless and stranded. That episode, too, raised questions about the safety and legal protections of Ghanaian nationals living across the border.
Government Response
Regional Minister Eduamoah Ekow Panyin Okyere addressed the returnees and expressed deep concern about the forced expulsions. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to provide immediate humanitarian assistance, including free medical screenings, temporary shelter, and psychosocial support for vulnerable returnees, particularly pregnant teenagers and children.
“While we mount a coordinated response to assist our people to return home safely, we will also engage relevant national agencies and the Ivorian authorities to clarify the circumstances that led to this action and to prevent recurrence,” the Minister said.
He urged returnees to find comfort in being back home and to rebuild their lives with hope, encouraging them to make use of available services. The Minister also stressed the importance of maintaining good sanitation and hygiene to protect public health during the transition period.
Psychosocial Support
Mr Kwesi Dawood, Regional Director of NADMO, pledged close collaboration with regional and local partners to ensure that post-traumatic stress among returnees was identified and treated. NADMO teams, he said, would coordinate psychosocial outreach, link affected individuals to mental-health professionals and social services, and run community-based activities to restore normalcy.
The government had previously pledged full support for Ghanaians repatriated from Cote d’Ivoire, with Greater Accra Regional Minister Linda Akweley Ocloo assuring that comprehensive assistance would be provided. The latest incident tests whether those commitments can be sustained as the number of affected citizens continues to grow.
Mr Stephen Otoo, a returnee who led the delegation, expressed gratitude to the government for facilitating the safe return. “We are particularly thankful for the medical screenings, temporary shelter, and psychosocial support provided, which will help these families — particularly the pregnant teenagers and children — rebuild their lives with dignity,” he said.
The incident underscores the precarious situation facing many Ghanaian communities in Cote d’Ivoire and raises broader questions about cross-border land rights, diplomatic protections for diaspora communities, and the adequacy of regional frameworks for addressing forced displacement within West Africa.
Image Source: GHANA BUSINESS NEWS
