The Majority Caucus on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Committee has defended the GH¢49.7 million spent on evacuating 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa, rejecting Minority claims that the expenditure has not been properly accounted for.
Committee Chairman Dr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had provided detailed records and receipts to justify the spending.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, he said the Committee received a comprehensive report from the Ministry on September 18, covering all 1,964 evacuees.
According to him, the records included the evacuees’ names, dates of birth, passport numbers, professions, contact details, amounts received and signatures. Parental attestations were also provided for minors.
Dr Vanderpuije said the Ministry submitted receipts for chartered flights, commercial air tickets, feeding, accommodation and logistical arrangements coordinated through Ghana’s High Commission in South Africa.
He added that the documentation accounted for a GH¢16 million donation from Engineers and Planners, owned by businessman Ibrahim Mahama, towards the evacuation exercise.
The Chairman said the total expenditure of GH¢49,721,786 was justified and prudent. He also noted that no evacuee had complained about failing to receive the GH¢5,500 reintegration and transport allowance.
Dr Vanderpuije disclosed that the Ministry had invited the Auditor-General, in a letter dated September 17, to audit evacuation exercises conducted since 2017.
The proposed audit would cover the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 Ukraine conflict, the 2023 Sudan crisis and the 2026 South Africa evacuation.
He said public spending should be scrutinised consistently across administrations and accused the Minority of making politically motivated allegations intended to damage the reputation of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
