NewzForeign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has criticised the Minority’s handling of concerns over the South Africa evacuation expenditure, saying its actions seek to damage his reputation and the image of his ministry. On JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, October 17, 2026, Mr Ablakwa expressed disappointment at the caucus’s approach, arguing that it had rushed to discredit the ministry. “When you say that the Minister (himself) has not accounted for GHC 16.4 million or GHC 16.3 million, what does that mean?
It means that the people of Ghana should hold me responsible for a missing GHC 16.4 or GHC 16.3 million,” “So they (the Minority) have been most unfair when you cannot be diligent, take your time, you know, this indecent rush to assassinate the character of the foreign ministry. He was responding to the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, who said the Minority had not accused the Minister of wrongdoing but was seeking an audit into perceived expenditure anomalies. Mr Ablakwa maintained that the Minority’s handling of the matter has been unfair and has already inflicted reputational damage, despite its explanation that it was only demanding further scrutiny.
The Minister also rejected suggestions of financial impropriety, insisting that not a cedi was missing from the evacuation funds. The evacuation brought 1,964 Ghanaians home between May 27 and September 4, 2026, following renewed xenophobic attacks and intimidation against foreign nationals in South Africa. The Ministry put the total cost at GH¢49,721,786.
On September 18, the ministry submitted a report exceeding 200 pages to the Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, in response to a Right to Information request. The documents included evacuees’ contact details and signatures. Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has defended the payment of equal reintegration and transport allowances to children and adults evacuated from South Africa.
He said each evacuee, including children, received GH¢5,000 as a reintegration allowance and GH¢500 for transport upon arrival at the airport in Accra. “You heard the Minority saying that they have seen minors on the list. I stated publicly on the 7th of September when I addressed the country.
That was the day I revealed for the first time that Engineers and Planners have supported the exercise with GH16 million,” “I stated clearly that on President Mahama’s instruction, all the children received the same amount,” he noted on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, October 17. His explanation followed concerns raised by the Minority in Parliament about the inclusion of minors on the list of allowance recipients. Mr Ablakwa said the children also needed financial support to rebuild their lives, particularly to enrol in schools and continue their education in Ghana.
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