The Minority in Ghana's Parliament has demanded an independent investigation into payments made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa. They have also called for the resignation of Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. The evacuation, which took place between May 27 and September 4, 2026, cost GH¢49.72 million and involved 1,964 Ghanaians. The Minority cites concerns over alleged gaps in flight records, inconsistencies in payment registers, and duplicate entries in documents.
The Ranking Member on Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, addressed a press conference in Accra on October 27. He stated that the Minister's handling of the exercise had brought his high office into disrepute. The Minority questions payments for reintegration and transport allowances, arguing that these issues require thorough scrutiny to establish whether there were any financial or administrative irregularities.
The controversy arose after the Ministry released documents in response to a Right to Information request. The Minority claims these documents contain discrepancies that require further investigation. Minister Ablakwa has denied allegations of financial impropriety, insisting that the evacuation expenditure is accounted for. He has also called for an independent audit of evacuation exercises undertaken since 2017.
The Minority emphasizes that the investigation must establish accountability and ensure transparency in the management of public funds. They have warned that if the Minister fails to step down, they will call on President John Dramani Mahama to dismiss him. The Minority has also threatened to initiate a vote of censure against the Minister in Parliament if their demand is not met.
Separately, the Minority has denied allegations that they paid or attempted to coach some Ghanaian evacuees to speak against the government. Mr. Jinapor rejected the claim, stating that the Minority had not influenced any of the evacuees to speak publicly on the matter. This response followed a press conference by some evacuees who alleged that opposition members had attempted to coach them.
The evacuees who held a press conference on October 26 claimed that some members of the opposition had attempted to coach them to speak against the government over the handling of their repatriation and related allowances. However, Mr. Jinapor explained that some evacuees had decided to speak out after learning of discrepancies between the allowances they were entitled to and the amounts they actually received.
The Minority's concerns include alleged duplicate entries, payment records without signatures, missing supporting receipts, and claims by some evacuees that they did not receive the amounts recorded against their names. Despite explanations from the Minister, the Minority's concerns remain unresolved, and they have renewed their call for an independent audit of the exercise.
Key points
- The Minority in Parliament demands an independent investigation into the GH¢49.72 million spent on evacuating Ghanaians from South Africa.
- The Minority has called for the resignation of Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa over his handling of the evacuation exercise.
- The evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa took place between May 27 and September 4, 2026, amid renewed xenophobic attacks.
