On Saturday, October 10, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa declared his readiness for a comprehensive audit of the GH¢49.7 million spent on evacuating Ghanaians from South Africa. Speaking on TV3’s The Key Points, Mr Ablakwa said he had invited the Auditor‑General to conduct a thorough review of all evacuation exercises undertaken since 2017.
He added that the government had nothing to conceal regarding the expenditure, insisting that the Auditor Service would examine every evacuation since 2017. Mr Ablakwa confirmed he had responded to a Right to Information request from the Minority in Parliament and had written to the Auditor‑General to initiate the audit.
The call for scrutiny comes after the Minority demanded documentary evidence to support the government’s claim of spending GH¢49.7 million to evacuate 1,964 Ghanaians following xenophobic attacks in South Africa. On September 7, the minister disclosed the figure, but the Minority has urged Parliament and the public to verify the expenditure with financial and operational records.
Nana Asafo‑Adjei Ayeh, Deputy Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, filed an RTI request seeking details of the evacuation, including expenditure records, invoices, travel details and the final number of evacuees. He clarified that the Minority was not after private information about evacuees but rather documents necessary to establish the accuracy of the government’s financial account.
The Minority supports the government’s decision to assist Ghanaians wishing to return home, but insists that public expenditure must be backed by verifiable documentation. Mr Ablakwa’s announcement of an audit is the next step in addressing these concerns.
