Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has accused the Minority in Parliament of rushing to damage his reputation and that of his ministry over questions surrounding expenditure on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, October 17, 2026, Mr Ablakwa said the Minority’s approach was unfair, particularly its claims about the accounting of GH¢16.3 million to GH¢16.4 million.
“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 million or GHC 16.3 million,” he said.
He argued that the caucus concluded without carefully examining the available information.
“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. It has to stop,” he added.
His comments followed remarks by Samuel Abu Jinapor, Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, who said the Minority had not accused the minister of wrongdoing but was calling for an audit to examine perceived anomalies in the expenditure.
Mr Ablakwa rejected suggestions that money was missing from the evacuation funds, insisting that not a cedi had been lost. He maintained that the Minority’s handling of the issue had already harmed the ministry’s reputation, despite its explanation that it was seeking further scrutiny.
The evacuation exercise 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 reported a total cost of GH¢49,721,786.
On September 18, the ministry submitted a report of more than 200 pages to Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, in response to a Right to Information request. The documents included the contact details and signatures of evacuees.
