Minority caucus questions GH¢16.4m in Ablakwa’s SA evacuation spending, demands independent audit

Minority legislators in Ghana have raised concerns over the government's GH¢49.72 million evacuation program from South Africa, alleging that official records reveal an additional GH¢16.4 million requiring clarification. Deputy Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, pointed out discrepancies in documents provided by Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa in response to a Right to Information request.

The documents, Ayeh argued, contain inconsistencies related to reintegration grants, transportation allowances, commercial flight records, duplicate entries, and payments involving minors. He pointed out that the records do not fully align with the government's reported expenditure and the total of 1,964 evacuees. The Minority Caucus asserts that these discrepancies do not suggest theft or intentional overstatement of beneficiary numbers, but rather require verification of the underlying records.

The evacuation took place in response to renewed xenophobic violence in South Africa, beginning on May 27, 2026, and concluding on September 4, 2026, with the final 41 evacuees arriving in Ghana on September 7. The government reported a total expenditure of GH¢49,721,786, including GH¢33,721,786 in direct government funding and GH¢16 million in support from Engineers & Planners, a company owned by businessman Ibrahim Mahama.

The expenditure covered various costs including chartered flights, commercial airline tickets, ground transportation, meals, accommodation, medical care, reintegration support, and other logistics. Each evacuee was reportedly given a GH¢5,000 reintegration grant and a GH¢500 transport allowance. Ayeh requested detailed expenditure records, payment registers, flight manifests, procurement information, and other supporting documents.

The Ministry provided over 200 pages of records, which Ayeh claims were reviewed meticulously, line by line, and subjected to independent third-party scrutiny. A key issue revolves around the reintegration grant and transport allowance registers, where only 824 names could be matched between the two lists, whereas the government claimed 1,964 people had been evacuated and received the combined GH¢5,500 payment.

This discrepancy of 1,140 individuals translates to GH¢6.27 million, which the Minority Caucus contends is not adequately proven by the provided documentation. The Caucus seeks to understand whether these discrepancies stem from incomplete records, missing signatures, separate payment arrangements, or other explanations.