Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, has called on the Minority in Parliament to name a Ghanaian who was evacuated from South Africa but reportedly did not receive the GH¢5,500 reintegration allowance. The minister said he has been searching for a single individual who could publicly state that they did not receive the allowance or the GH¢500 transportation stipend.
The evacuation operation, carried out amid rising anti‑immigrant sentiment and attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa, concluded on 4 September 2026 after three days. Ablakwa briefed the press on 7 September to provide an account of the exercise to the public.
He questioned the claims that some people on the evacuation list could not be traced and that the funds allocated for the exercise had not been fully accounted for. “All of that propaganda out there that some people on the list cannot be found and that some voodoo analysis they have done showed that there's some money that has not been accounted for,” he said.
In a further statement, the minister asked why the evacuation had become controversial, insisting there was no scandal to uncover. “So what is this desperate attempt to create a scandal when there is none? When the whole world is commending that all of that propaganda…,” he added.
The dispute centres on the government’s management of the evacuation and the use of public funds to support returning Ghanaians. While Ablakwa maintains that the allowances were paid, the Minority’s concerns include the whereabouts of some individuals on the evacuation list and whether all expenditure has been properly accounted for.
Moving forward, the minister urged Parliament to provide the requested information and to clarify any misunderstandings regarding the disbursement of funds. He remains confident that the allowances were distributed as intended and that the operation was conducted transparently.
