Minority boycotts Foreign Affairs Committee meeting over South Africa evacuation funds

The Minority Caucus on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has decided not to attend an upcoming closed-door meeting concerning the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa. This decision was made due to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' failure to provide a detailed breakdown of the expenditure related to the evacuation, as requested under the Right to Information Act, 2019.

The Caucus submitted their request for comprehensive information on costs and financing on August 17, 2026, but received no response until August 25. The information sought included expenses on flights, accommodation, feeding, medical services, reintegration payments, as well as procurement and payment records. The Minority Caucus emphasized that while they support the government's decision to evacuate Ghanaian nationals threatened by xenophobic attacks in South Africa, they also hold the government accountable for the use of public funds.

They stressed the importance of transparency and accountability in the spending of taxpayers' money, stating that the government must disclose not only the total amount spent but also the basis for applying public funds. The Caucus has called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide full disclosure of the expenditure related to the evacuation exercise.