Jinapor denies Minority coached South Africa evacuees to attack government

Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, rebuffed claims that the Minority sought to influence Ghanaians repatriated from South Africa into making statements against the government. At a press conference on Tuesday, Mr Jinapor categorically stated that the Minority both paid and persuaded no one among the returning evacuees to express grievances about the evacuation process or the allowances they received.

Allegations surfaced on Monday when some returnees claimed the opposition had coached them on how to voice criticism over the government’s management of the repatriation. Mr Jinapor, however, dismissed these claims, asserting that some evacuees independently brought up discrepancies between funds they were owed and what they actually received. The controversy has spotlighted financial arrangements tied to the evacuation, with the Minority demanding greater transparency and accountability in the handling of the funds.

Among the discrepancies cited are duplicate entries in payment records, unsigned documents, missing receipts, and conflicting figures on paperwork. Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa had earlier offered explanations regarding the payments, but Mr Jinapor insisted further scrutiny was warranted. He reiterated the Minority's demand for an independent audit of the evacuation expenditure, adding that an unbiased review would clarify financial records and help resolve disputes over the allowances paid to the returnees.