The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in Ghana has initiated an examination into suspected corruption and related offences regarding the government's expenditure on evacuating Ghanaian nationals from South Africa. This investigation follows reports of apparent inconsistencies between the expenditure declared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the corresponding payment records.
Between May 27 and September 4, 2026, the evacuation exercise facilitated the return of 1,964 Ghanaian citizens who were facing xenophobic attacks and growing threats in South Africa. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported an expenditure of GH¢49,721,786 to finance the operation, which included logistical and welfare arrangements for the returning citizens.
The OSP's preliminary examination has identified concerns requiring further scrutiny, particularly discrepancies in financial documentation and payment records. Issues under examination include suspected duplicate entries, insufficient supporting documentation, and payment records attributed to beneficiaries who have reportedly disputed receiving the amounts recorded against their names.
The investigation aims to establish whether public funds allocated to the evacuation were properly accounted for, whether recorded payments reached their legitimate recipients, and whether any public official or private individual improperly benefited from the expenditure. The OSP will reconcile the Ministry's declared expenditure with actual financial transactions and determine whether any criminal conduct occurred.
The OSP's examination is not directed at questioning the government's decision to bring stranded and threatened Ghanaian nationals back home. Instead, its focus is on the financial administration of the humanitarian intervention and whether substantial public resources were managed transparently and in accordance with applicable financial and legal requirements.
The OSP has clarified that additional information will be communicated to the public when circumstances warrant such disclosure. The public is reminded that individuals connected to the matters under examination are presumed innocent unless their guilt is established through the appropriate legal processes.
The development places the financial management of the GH¢49.7 million evacuation programme under increased scrutiny. The outcome of the OSP's examination is expected to clarify whether reported discrepancies arose from administrative shortcomings, accounting errors, or potentially criminal activities.
Key points
- The OSP is investigating suspected corruption and related offences in the government's expenditure on evacuating Ghanaian nationals from South Africa.
- The evacuation exercise cost GH¢49,721,786 and facilitated the return of 1,964 Ghanaian citizens from South Africa.
- The investigation aims to establish whether public funds were properly accounted for and whether any criminal conduct occurred in the administration of the funds.
