Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has challenged claims that Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa were underpaid, insisting that each returnee received the government’s announced support package following the evacuation exercise prompted by anti-immigrant attacks. Editorial Ethics & Independence
The minister has called on critics to identify any evacuee who did not receive the GH¢5,500 allowance, comprising a GH¢5,000 reintegration grant and GH¢500 for transportation.
His comments come amid growing scrutiny of the government’s expenditure on the operation and questions about whether the available payment records adequately support the figures announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The evacuation brought 1,964 Ghanaians home from South Africa between May 27 and September 4, 2026, following heightened xenophobic tensions and security concerns affecting foreign nationals.
The exercise was organised to assist Ghanaians who wanted to return home amid reports of attacks and intimidation.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme on October 17, Ablakwa dismissed allegations that some returnees had been denied their allowances. He said he was waiting for an evacuee to publicly confirm that the promised support had not been received.
The minister maintained that the government had fulfilled its commitment to the returnees and described allegations of missing funds as an attempt to create a scandal.
He also pointed to the public briefing he held on September 7, three days after the evacuation ended, as evidence that the Ministry had provided an account of the exercise.
Ablakwa’s comments followed a demand by the Minority in Parliament for an independent audit of the GH¢49.72 million reportedly spent on the evacuation.
The caucus said its examination of documents supplied by the Ministry in response to a Right to Information request had identified discrepancies involving payment registers, flight records, duplicate entries and the treatment of payments involving minors.
The Minority’s concerns were presented by Nana Asafo Adjei Ayeh, Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee and Member of Parliament for Bosome Freho.
He argued that the records provided did not adequately reconcile the total number of evacuees with the payments and travel arrangements reported by the government. Corrections Policy
One of the key issues relates to the registers for the reintegration and transportation allowances.
According to the Minority’s review, only 824 names could be matched across the two payment lists, despite the government’s assertion that all 1,964 evacuees received the full GH¢5,500 package.
The caucus has argued that the apparent gaps require further explanation. However, the discrepancy between names matched across registers does not, by itself, establish that beneficiaries were denied payment.
Missing signatures, incomplete documentation, separate payment arrangements or other record-keeping issues could also require examination.
The Minority has therefore called for an independent audit to determine whether the expenditure can be fully reconciled and whether the supporting records establish that the allowances were paid as announced.
Ablakwa, meanwhile, has presented a breakdown of the overall expenditure. He said the evacuation cost GH¢49,721,786, with GH¢33,721,786 financed directly by the government and GH¢16 million contributed by Engineers and Planners, a company owned by businessman Ibrahim Mahama.
The minister said GH¢10.802 million was spent on the GH¢5,500 support package for the 1,964 evacuees.
He also disclosed that GH¢84,274 was used for the repatriation of the mortal remains of two Ghanaians and related autopsy expenses. The remaining expenditure covered flights, medical care and other logistical requirements.
Flight records have also become part of the dispute. Ablakwa said 956 Ghanaians travelled on chartered flights, while 1,008 returned on commercial airlines.
He maintained that the Ministry had receipts, boarding passes and flight manifests to support the figures.
The Minority, however, has questioned the commercial-flight records it reviewed and requested a reconciliation of the documents with the reported total of 1,964 returnees.
The different figures presented by the two sides have made a full examination of the underlying records important to resolving the controversy.
The evacuation was a humanitarian response to security concerns in South Africa, but the disagreement over its cost and payment documentation has raised broader questions about public financial accountability.
Emergency operations may require rapid decisions, yet public institutions are still expected to maintain records that can be reviewed and independently verified.
For the returnees, the GH¢5,500 package was intended to provide immediate support for transportation and reintegration after arriving in Ghana. Editorial Standards
Such assistance can help people meet initial expenses as they reconnect with families, secure accommodation or begin rebuilding their lives.
The government’s position is that the allowances were paid, while the Minority says the records it examined leave questions unanswered.
Neither the allegation of underpayment nor the minister’s denial should be treated as independently conclusive without a complete reconciliation of the relevant documents.
An independent audit could help establish whether the payment records are complete, clarify any discrepancies and determine whether the total expenditure corresponds with the reported number of evacuees.
Publishing the findings would also provide the public with a clearer basis for assessing the competing claims.
As the debate continues, the central issue remains whether the government can substantiate its account of the evacuation through verifiable documentation.
Ablakwa has challenged critics to identify any returnee who did not receive the allowance, while the Minority is pressing for an independent review of the records.
A transparent reconciliation of the figures would help resolve the dispute and strengthen public confidence in the management of the evacuation exercise.