The Ghana High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa, has attributed discrepancies in the records of 15 Ghanaians evacuated from the country to clerical errors, amid calls by the NPP Minority in Parliament for an independent audit of the GH¢49.7 million evacuation exercise.
In a statement dated Monday, October 19, 2026, the Commission said some passport expiry dates were mistakenly recorded as dates of birth, resulting in records showing future birth dates.
The errors affected 15 of the 1,964 Ghanaians evacuated following renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa. The government’s exercise, which ran from May 27 to September 4, 2026, cost GH¢49,721,786, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
“Our verification of the records indicate that the dates interpreted as dates of birth were, in fact, passport expiry dates,” the statement said.
The Commission accepted responsibility for the errors but insisted that all evacuees completed the required identification and departure procedures.
“The High Commission takes responsibility for the minor clerical errors which affects only 15 individuals out of the 1,964 Ghanaians evacuated. It is worth pointing out that it is not unusual in such emergency and traumatic circumstances involving the sudden evacuation of thousands of distressed Ghanaians.”
The NPP Minority has called for an independent audit of the GH¢49.7 million expenditure, alleging discrepancies between the official number of evacuees and supporting payment and flight records.
The Caucus claimed that the registers for reintegration grants and transportation allowances matched only 824 names across both lists, and estimated that GH¢16.42 million in expenditure required further reconciliation. These claims have not been independently established.
The Majority Caucus on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has rejected the allegations, maintaining that the expenditure is documented and the records account for all 1,964 returnees.
The High Commission said it had provided amended details for the 15 individuals to facilitate updates to official records. It also clarified that the Jibril family, comprising a mother and five children, travelled on Emergency Travel Certificates.
The Commission maintained that the mistakes did not invalidate the identities of the evacuees or the allowances they received.
“However, these minor clerical errors do not invalidate the identities of the evacuees, their participation in the evacuation exercise, or the fact that they received the approved reintegration and transportation allowances.”
