The Minority Caucus on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has said it will stay away from a closed-door meeting on the South Africa evacuation until the Foreign Affairs Ministry releases documents showing how the funds used for the exercise were spent.
The committee meeting is scheduled for today, Wednesday, September 16, 2026, with Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa expected to brief members on the evacuation of Ghanaian nationals from South Africa.
The Minority, in a statement explained that it supported the evacuation but believes the expenditure involved must be subjected to full parliamentary and public scrutiny.
It said it submitted a formal Right to Information request on August 17 for records covering the financing and cost of the exercise.
The caucus said the requested documents included details of expenditure on flights, transportation, accommodation, feeding, medical care and reintegration, as well as procurement records and information on contributions from private partners.
The Minority said the Minister subsequently announced that almost GH¢50 million had been spent on evacuating and reintegrating 1,964 Ghanaians.
It said the Ministry had yet to provide the detailed records needed to verify the expenditure.
“The expenditure of public funds carries with it a corresponding duty of accountability. Government must be prepared to account, not only for the total amount spent, but also for how that expenditure was incurred and the basis upon which public funds were applied.”
The caucus therefore said it would not participate in the scheduled meeting unless the documents were supplied.
“We therefore reiterate our call on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make full disclosure of the expenditure relating to the evacuation exercise.”
The Minority also said its position should not be interpreted as opposition to the evacuation itself, noting that it had supported measures to protect Ghanaians whose safety and welfare were at risk.
The government said the evacuation exercise, which ran from May 27 to September 4, involved 1,964 Ghanaians.
The total cost was reported as GH¢49,721,786, covering transportation, accommodation, feeding, medical care and reintegration support.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
