The Ghanaian government has rejected a proposed GH¢20 million (about ₦2.4 billion) donation from MTN Ghana meant to support citizens affected by recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed the decision in a statement shared by Foreign Minister Samuel Ablakwa on Wednesday, following media reports that MTN Ghana planned to set up a fund for Ghanaian victims of the attacks.
According to the ministry, the reported donation was linked to comments made by MTN Ghana Board Chairman, Dr Ishmael Yamson. “The Government of Ghana commends MTN for the offer, however, we respectfully decline,” the ministry stated.
The government explained that the administration of President John Mahama had already made adequate financial provisions for the evacuation and reintegration of Ghanaians affected by the violence, making the corporate donation unnecessary.
Decision Was Communicated Directly To MTN Executives
The ministry said it had already communicated its position to Yamson and MTN Ghana’s Chief Executive Officer during a meeting with Ablakwa on August 14, 2026.
It added that government remains committed to funding the evacuation and reintegration of every Ghanaian rescued from the affected areas, and pledged to publish a full account of evacuation costs once the exercise concludes.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs assures that it will present to the general public a comprehensive account of the total cost of evacuations as soon as the exercise is concluded, in the interest of transparency and accountability,” the statement added.
MTN’s Proposed Fund Grew From GH¢10 Million To GH¢20 Million
The development follows a report by another online media, MyJoyOnline, published on August 24, which quoted Yamson as saying MTN Ghana initially planned to spend GH¢10 million on welcoming Ghanaian returnees before expanding the initiative into a GH¢20 million reintegration fund.
Yamson was also reported to have acknowledged that MTN Ghana should have engaged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier over the proposed intervention.
The reported plan could not be independently confirmed by JolibaLive News, and MTN Ghana had not issued its own official statement as of the time of filing this report.
The controversy comes amid renewed xenophobic attacks targeting African migrants in South Africa, including Ghanaians, and ongoing efforts by Ghana’s government to evacuate its affected citizens.
MTN, one of Africa’s largest telecom operators, previously supported Nigerians evacuated from South Africa during earlier waves of xenophobic violence, donating free SIM packs loaded with ₦50,000 worth of data to returnees and pledging ₦100,000 to the bank account of each affected person, a pattern that gives context to the company’s now-declined offer to Ghanaian victims.
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