Accra, Ghana – May 28, 2026 – A wave of public anger has surged in Ghana following the government's airlifting of 300 Ghanaian citizens from South Africa on May 27, leading to widespread calls for a comprehensive boycott of South African businesses and products operating within the country.
The repatriation effort has ignited a fierce social media campaign, with many Ghanaians urging the government to sever ties with South African multinational corporations. The protest is framed as a direct response to the treatment of African nationals in South Africa, which critics are calling unacceptable.
A prominent voice driving the advocacy is Kofi Bentil, a Vice President at the policy think tank IMANI Africa. Bentil has publicly called on the government to refuse the renewal of the mining lease for Goldfields, a major South African mining company operating in Tarkwa. His social media posts have gained significant traction, with supporters arguing it is time for Ghana to prioritize its own local industries and workforce.
Echoing this sentiment, Eric Adjei, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), has supported the call for local content policies, drawing a direct parallel to similar nationalist economic demands made by South Africans.
Further amplifying the protest, Stephen Zoure, the Managing Editor of mynewsgh.com, has joined the advocacy, explicitly calling on citizens to boycott South African products as a form of protest. Political activist Kofi Osei has also pledged his support for any organized demonstrations or advocacy campaigns targeting South African interests in Ghana.
The mounting pressure places the Ghanaian government in a delicate position, balancing diplomatic relations and existing business contracts against a potent wave of public sentiment demanding economic retaliation. As of now, the government has not issued an official response to the boycott calls.
This report is based on an original news story published by mynewsgh.com and featured on GhanaWeb.
