Minority’s evacuation claims are “pure mischief” or a lack of understanding – Ablakwa

The Minority has questioned a GH¢49.7 million expenditure on a recent evacuation exercise, according to a press conference on September 10. In a statement on October 17, Mr. Ablakwa claimed that his count of publicly announced figures falls short of the 1,964 evacuees reported during his September 7 briefing. He also requested documentary evidence to support the claims.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile, Mr. Ablakwa stated that the documents were sent from the Chief Director's office but could not be located by the Minority members due to Parliament's recess. He emphasized that the questions raised by the Minority about sign-off sheets, including the signing of toddlers, were misplaced since the allowances and grants were paid for children, and parents signed on their behalf.

Mr. Ablakwa dismissed the Minority's concerns as either "pure mischief" or a "remarkable lack of understanding of the documents presented." The Minister highlighted that sign-off sheets are just part of the evidence, and the ministry also holds receipts from airlines that transported evacuees from South Africa to Ghana, including Egypt Air, Air Tanzania, and Ethiopian Airlines.

These receipts provide information on the number of passengers each flight carried. Additionally, boarding passes and a flight manifest listing all 1,964 names are part of the evidence presented by the ministry. Mr. Ablakwa mentioned that no airline has come forward to dispute the passenger numbers or claim that they were not part of the evacuation.