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Minority Caucus Questions GH¢16.4m in Ablakwa’s South Africa Evacuation Spending
Ghana’s Minority caucus has called for an independent audit of the government’s GH¢49.72 million South Africa evacuation exercise. The caucus alleges that records from the Foreign Affairs Ministry leave more than GH¢16.4 million requiring further explanation.
Deputy Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh presented the allegations after reviewing documents from Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. The Ministry supplied more than 200 pages of records in response to a Right to Information request. The Minority reviewed the documents name by name and subjected them to independent third-party scrutiny.
1,140 Names Missing From Payment Registers
A central concern involves the registers for reintegration grants and transport allowances. Mr. Ayeh said only 824 names could be matched across both lists. However, the government said it evacuated and paid 1,964 people.
Furthermore, the difference of 1,140 people, multiplied by the combined GH¢5,500 package, amounts to GH¢6.27 million. Therefore, the Minority argues the documents reviewed do not adequately establish payment of that amount. It wants the Ministry to explain whether the gaps reflect incomplete records, missing signatures, or separate payment arrangements.
What the GH¢49.72 Million Evacuation Covered
The South Africa evacuation followed renewed xenophobic violence against foreign nationals. The Ministry said the exercise ran from May 27 to September 4, 2026, when the final group of 41 returnees arrived in Ghana. On September 7, Minister Ablakwa announced total expenditure of GH¢49,721,786.
This included GH¢33,721,786 in direct government funding and GH¢16 million from Engineers and Planners, a company owned by businessman Ibrahim Mahama. The expenditure covered chartered flights, commercial tickets, ground transport, feeding, accommodation, medical care, and reintegration support.
Emergency Nature Does Not Remove Accountability — Minority
The documents also contain discrepancies involving commercial flight records, duplicate entries, and payments involving minors. The Minority acknowledges the humanitarian importance of the evacuation. Nevertheless, it stresses that the emergency nature of the exercise does not remove the government’s obligation to account for funds spent.
Moreover, the allegations do not establish that funds were stolen or beneficiary numbers deliberately inflated. As a result, the Minority is demanding an independent audit and requesting itemized expenditure records, payment registers, flight manifests, and procurement details to resolve the outstanding questions.