The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has released a detailed report on government expenditure on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks that began in April this year.

Following the exercise, the Minority in Parliament, on 17 August, demanded detailed records and funding information relating to the evacuation exercise. After receiving the report of the records, they alleged discrepancies, particularly citing that more than GH¢16 million in evacuation funds remains unaccounted for.

In response, the Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa presented a public report via a press briefing, detailing that the total cost of evacuating Ghanaians from South Africa amounted to GH¢49.72 million, comprising GH¢33.72 million from the Government of Ghana and GH¢16 million from the Engineers and Planners.

He said the expenditure covered chartered flights, commercial tickets, ground transportation, feeding, hotel accommodation in South Africa, medical care and hospitalisation, as well as reintegration and transportation allowances.

The Minister presented a breakdown of the funds spent of the evacuees stating that,

“In strict adherence to the principles of transparency and accountability, I can today report that the total cost of evacuating Ghanaians from South Africa amounted to GHS 49,721,786.00.

Chartered Flights, tickets, ground transportation, feeding, hotel accommodation in South Africa,

medical and hospitalisation: GHS 38,835,512.00, Reintegration and transportation allowance: GHS 10,802,000.00, Repatriation of 2 mortal remains: GHS 84,274.00 Total ​​​​​​-​ GHS 49,721,786.00

“​Out of the total amount of GHS 49,721,786.00, the Government of Ghana spent GHS 33,721,786.00, while Mr Ibrahim Mahama’s Engineers and Planners donated GHS 16,000,000.00. The Government of Ghana commends him for his extraordinary commitment to the welfare of Ghanaians.

“Each evacuee received a reintegration grant of GHS 5,000.00 and a Travel and Transport Allowance of GHS 500.00. The welfare support packages were to ensure that all our nationals returning home under the evacuation programme were received with dignity, compassion and adequate institutional support”.

He continued that, “Psychologists and trauma counsellors were deployed for arrival responses and to follow up in community-based sessions. We also partnered with faith-based organisations and civil society groups to provide additional emotional and spiritual support, recognising that many of these citizens have endured horrors no human should face. In brief, the Government mobilised its full machinery to ensure that these returnees were received and reintegrated with dignity”

“So far no Ghanaian evacuee from South Africa has denied ever receiving both reintegration and transportation allowances,” he said.

Mr Ablakwa rejected the Minority’s claims that either GH¢16,423,470 or GH¢16,302,586 remained unaccounted for, insisting that the figures were inaccurate.

He also disputed the claim that only 247 Ghanaians returned on commercial flights, saying the documents provided to account for the evacuation expenses included passenger manifests, air tickets, boarding passes, receipts and signed payment records.

The minister further questioned the basis for the Minority’s figure of 442 minors who allegedly received the allowances, given its position that only 247 evacuees arrived through commercial flights.

He explained that the government’s position was that every evacuee was entitled to reintegration and transportation allowances, irrespective of age.

Mr Ablakwa said the decision to publish the names and signatures of beneficiaries was intended to demonstrate the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability in the use of public funds.

“We welcome scrutiny. We only ask that reading the report comes before condemning it. The answers were there; perhaps the reading is still in progress,” he said.

The exchange adds to the ongoing disagreement between the government and the Minority over how funds spent on evacuating Ghanaians from South Africa have been accounted for.