The Minority Caucus in Parliament has accused Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa of presiding over financial irregularities in the GH¢49.7 million evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa, and renewed its demand that he resign. Samuel Abu Jinapor, MP for Damongo and Ranking Member on Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, made the allegation on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at a press conference in Accra.
The evacuation brought home 1,964 Ghanaian nationals whose safety was threatened in South Africa. Ablakwa announced the exercise cost GH¢49,721,786. The Minority now says payment records obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs do not match the Minister's public statements, and it wants an independent audit to establish the truth.
What the documents allegedly show
According to GhanaWeb, Jinapor told journalists that a review of documents obtained through a request under the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989) had revealed duplicated entries, gaps in supporting documentation, and discrepancies in payment records.
“The evidence before us reveals grave financial irregularities, compelling indications of the misapplication of public funds and possible fraud.”
The Minority also cited media investigations that reportedly found cases in which some evacuees claimed they had not received allowances recorded against their names. The investigations reportedly identified payment entries without signatures and expenditure for which supporting receipts were unavailable.
It is important to distinguish allegation from proven fact. The Minority has not established that Ablakwa personally stole or diverted public funds. What it has established, at least in its own telling, is a pattern of inconsistencies serious enough to warrant scrutiny. In a country where every cedi of public money matters for schools, roads and jobs, that scrutiny is not optional. It is a duty.
Evacuees at the centre of the controversy
The Minority rejected suggestions that evacuees who criticised the government had been paid or induced to do so. Jinapor denied any role in persuading them, maintaining that some came forward voluntarily after noticing gaps between what they received and what the records allegedly show.
He also raised concerns over reports that the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria had warned evacuees against speaking to the media. The Minority questioned why citizens would be discouraged from discussing the exercise if the Ministry had nothing to conceal. It is a fair question. Citizens who were rescued with taxpayers' money have every right to talk about how that money was spent.
Why Jinapor says Ablakwa must resign
Adomonline reports that Jinapor has called for Ablakwa's resignation, arguing the reported irregularities have undermined public confidence in his handling of the evacuation. The Minority cited Section 2.1(j) of President John Dramani Mahama's 2025 Code of Conduct and Ethics for Political Appointees, which it says requires resignation where a minister's leadership results in significant failure, corruption or a breach of public trust.
The Caucus has also called on President Mahama to terminate Ablakwa's appointment under Article 81(a) of the 1992 Constitution if he refuses to step down. If the Minister remains in office, the Minority says it will consider parliamentary proceedings for a vote of censure under Article 82 of the Constitution and Order 138 of Parliament's Standing Orders.
Citi Newsroom reports that Jinapor has rejected claims that the Minority's campaign is driven by revenge, insisting the push is about accountability, not settling scores. The Ghanaian Times has similarly reported his framing of the evacuation as an alleged scheme to siphon public funds.
The real test: an independent audit
The Minority's principal demand is a comprehensive independent audit of the evacuation by an internationally reputable accounting firm. The audit should establish how the GH¢49.7 million was spent, whether payments were properly made, and whether the official records reflect what evacuees actually received.
Let us be clear about what is at stake. The Minority supported bringing vulnerable Ghanaians home, and the evacuation itself was a legitimate exercise of state responsibility. But supporting the rescue does not absolve the government of accounting for every cido. Ghanaians in the diaspora watch how the state treats its citizens abroad, and how it spends money in their name. Transparency here is not a political luxury; it is the price of public trust.
This controversy has renewed scrutiny of transparency in public spending, the reliability of government expenditure records, and the accountability of officials responsible for emergency operations involving Ghanaian citizens abroad. The audit the Minority demands, if conducted credibly, would settle the questions one way or the other. Until then, the burden of explanation rests with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
FAQ
How much did the South Africa evacuation of Ghanaians cost?
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced that evacuating 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa cost GH¢49,721,786.
What does the Minority want to happen next?
The Minority wants an independent audit by an internationally reputable accounting firm, Ablakwa's resignation, and, failing that, a vote of censure in Parliament under Article 82 of the Constitution.
Has Ablakwa been found to have stolen money?
No. The allegations have not established that Ablakwa personally stole or diverted public funds. The Minority is calling for an audit to determine responsibility for the reported irregularities.