Minority says Foreign Ministry has failed to release GH¢50m evacuation records despite RTI request

The Minority Caucus on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has decided to boycott an upcoming closed-door meeting on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa. The meeting, set for September 16, was to allow Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa to provide a briefing on the evacuation. However, the Minority refuses to participate due to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' failure to release documents detailing the GH¢50 million spent on the evacuation.

The Minority Caucus, represented by Damongo MP and Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, expressed their support for the evacuation due to the threat posed by xenophobic attacks in South Africa. While acknowledging this support, they stressed that the government is still obligated to account for public funds used in the operation.

The Caucus had submitted a Right to Information Act request on August 17, seeking detailed information on the costs and financing of the evacuation. These included expenditures on flights, transportation, accommodation, feeding, medical services, reintegration payments, and procurement. The Ministry was requested to provide these details and supporting records, covering private partners involved in the exercise.

Despite the Ministry announcing on September 7 that nearly GH¢50 million had been spent on the evacuation and reintegration of 1,964 Ghanaians, the Minority Caucus has not yet received the requested itemized account and supporting documentation. Consequently, they argue that attending the closed-door meeting without this information would be inappropriate.

The Caucus has reasserted their demand for full disclosure of the evacuation expenditure, renewing their call for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide transparent and accountable use of taxpayers' funds.