Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has postponed and rescheduled its planned engagement with Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa after the Minority Caucus declined to participate in the scheduled briefing over concerns about the documentation supporting expenditure on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.
The committee had been expected to receive a briefing from Mr Ablakwa on Wednesday, September 16, concerning the Government’s recently concluded evacuation exercise, which brought thousands of Ghanaian nationals back from South Africa following renewed incidents of xenophobic violence and intimidation.
The Minority, however, indicated that it would not take part in the closed door meeting until the Foreign Affairs Ministry provides detailed financial records and supporting documentation covering the expenditure associated with the exercise. The Caucus has previously requested an itemised account under the Right to Information Act, 2019, Act 989.
Chairman of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Dr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, subsequently explained that the decision to reschedule the engagement was intended to ensure that the committee could deliberate with the participation of all its members.
He said the committee had originally arranged for the Foreign Affairs Minister to appear before members and provide an account of the evacuation programme, but the decision by the Minority not to attend made it necessary to reconsider the timing of the meeting.
According to Dr Vanderpuije, the committee leadership considers the participation of both sides important to the parliamentary examination of the matter and will therefore work towards ensuring that all members are present when the Minister eventually appears.
He further indicated that Mr Ablakwa remains prepared to furnish the Minority with the information it has requested concerning the evacuation, including the financial details associated with the operation.
The chairman explained that some of the information being sought by the Minority was requested while the evacuation exercise was still underway. Since the operation has now been completed, he said, the Foreign Affairs Minister is in a position to provide a more comprehensive account of the expenditure and other aspects of the programme.
The development comes after the Government disclosed that GH¢49,721,786 was spent on the evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa between May 27 and September 4, 2026. The figure covers chartered flights, commercial air tickets, ground transportation, feeding, accommodation, medical treatment and hospitalisation, as well as reintegration and transportation assistance for returnees.
Mr Ablakwa previously disclosed that GH¢38,835,512 of the expenditure was used for flights, tickets, ground transportation, feeding, hotel accommodation, medical care and hospitalisation, while GH¢10,802,000 was allocated to reintegration and transportation allowances. A further GH¢84,274 was spent on the repatriation of the remains of two Ghanaian nationals who died during the crisis.
The Minister also stated that the Government itself financed GH¢33,721,786 of the total expenditure, while Engineers and Planners, owned by businessman Ibrahim Mahama, contributed GH¢16 million towards the exercise. He said the entire evacuation cost had been settled and that there were no outstanding liabilities.
The evacuation programme was launched after an escalation of anti foreigner sentiment and attacks against African nationals in parts of South Africa. Ghanaian authorities subsequently facilitated the voluntary return of vulnerable nationals and others who registered for evacuation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the operation concluded on September 4 when the final group of 41 Ghanaian returnees arrived in Accra. The Ministry said the wider exercise had brought home nearly 1,900 Ghanaian citizens who had voluntarily registered for evacuation, while the remains of two nationals were also repatriated.
Beyond transportation back to Ghana, the Government said returnees received reintegration assistance, medical screening, registration under the National Health Insurance Scheme, psychosocial support and transportation assistance to their final destinations. Authorities also indicated that the returnees had been placed on a special database intended to facilitate access to employment, entrepreneurship, skills development and start up opportunities.
The Minority’s position is that the Government’s announcement of the total expenditure should be accompanied by documentary evidence that allows Parliament and the public to independently examine and verify how the funds were utilised. The Caucus has therefore maintained its request for detailed expenditure records and supporting documents before participating in the closed door parliamentary engagement.
Dr Vanderpuije, meanwhile, has emphasised the importance of maintaining cooperation within the Foreign Affairs Committee as it continues examining the matter. His position is that the Minister remains willing to provide the requested information and that the rescheduled meeting should create an opportunity for members to receive the necessary briefing collectively.
The immediate focus is therefore expected to shift from the completed evacuation operation itself to the parliamentary scrutiny of the GH¢49.7 million expenditure, including the supporting documentation requested by the Minority and the explanations to be provided by the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
