The Minority Caucus on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has demanded documentary evidence on the expenditure of almost GH¢50 million on the evacuation and reintegration of Ghanaians from South Africa.
The caucus says it will not participate in a planned closed-door meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa unless the Ministry provides an itemised account and supporting records on how the funds were spent.
The Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, for the Minister to brief members on the evacuation exercise, which involved 1,964 Ghanaians.
However, the Minority says it cannot meaningfully participate in the discussions without first receiving financial records it requested from the Ministry.
In a statement signed by the Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel A. Jinapor, the caucus said it had submitted a request under the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), on August 17, which was received by the Ministry on August 25.
The request sought detailed information on the expenditure incurred during the exercise, including sources of funding and contributions from private partners.
The Minority also requested records covering transportation, accommodation, feeding, medical services and reintegration payments made to the returnees.
The caucus said the demand for the information became particularly important after Mr Ablakwa announced on September 7 that almost GH¢50 million had been spent on the evacuation and reintegration of the 1,964 Ghanaians.
The Minority argues that the expenditure figure must be supported by detailed financial documentation to enable Parliament to properly scrutinise the use of public funds.
It therefore objected to holding a closed-door meeting on the evacuation while its formal request for the underlying expenditure records remained outstanding.
“In these circumstances, the Minority does not consider it appropriate to participate in a closed door meeting intended to discuss the same subject matter while its formal request for the underlying expenditure records remains outstanding,” the caucus stated.
It consequently announced that it would not attend Wednesday’s meeting unless the Ministry first provides the requested itemised account and supporting documentation.
The Minority reiterated that government has an obligation to account for the use of taxpayers’ money and urged the Ministry to disclose the full financial details of the evacuation and reintegration exercise.
The dispute is expected to put the financial management of the evacuation exercise at the centre of parliamentary scrutiny when the Foreign Affairs Committee considers the matter.
