A member of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) National Communications Team, Jesse Jakes, has called for an independent investigation into the reported GH¢49.72 million expenditure on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa, insisting that the alleged financial discrepancies require answers from the government.
Mr Jakes has also urged President John Dramani Mahama to terminate the appointment of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa over the controversy involving the evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Wednesday, October 28, he said concerns raised by the NPP Minority in Parliament over GH¢16.42 million in disputed expenditure demanded a detailed explanation to assure the public that taxpayers’ money had been properly accounted for.
He said documents obtained by the Minority from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through a Right to Information request reportedly contained inconsistencies in passenger records, duplicate names and signatures suspected to be forged.
Mr Jakes also questioned reports that some returnees had not received the full financial assistance they were allegedly entitled to after arriving in Ghana.
“How would you explain a situation where an evacuee says she received only 500 Ghana cedis but did not receive the 5,000 Ghana cedis motivation grant?” he asked.
He argued that the issues raised warranted scrutiny under the standards of accountability expected of public officials, citing Section 5.1 of the presidential code of conduct, which he said addresses financial misconduct and irregularities.
“If the president is a man of principle and has any measure of conscience left in him, he should terminate the appointment of Honourable Okudzeto Ablakwa,” Mr Jakes said.
He maintained that the NPP was demanding the same standards of transparency and accountability that Mr Ablakwa had advocated while in opposition.
Jakes rejects claims of coached evacuees
Mr Jakes also rejected suggestions that the Minority had paid or coached some returnees to make allegations against the government.
He insisted that the Minority’s concerns were based on documents it had obtained from the ministry and were not an attempt to manufacture a controversy.
However, he alleged that some returnees who recently held a press conference defending the government were NDC supporters who belonged to a WhatsApp group for evacuees. He did not provide evidence during the programme to substantiate the claim.
NDC cautions against premature conclusions
Julius Kattah, who represented the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on the programme, cautioned against treating the allegations as proof of criminal conduct before investigations had established wrongdoing.
Mr Kattah said an independent audit would be appropriate to clarify the disputed records and determine the nature of the alleged discrepancies.
The position highlights the need to distinguish between accounting inconsistencies and evidence of deliberate wrongdoing, which would require further investigation.
Disputed expenditure under scrutiny
The controversy centres on the reported GH¢49.72 million spent on evacuating 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa and the Minority’s claim that GH¢16.42 million requires further reconciliation.
Mr Jakes maintained that the government owed the public a transparent account of the expenditure, arguing that the funds involved belonged to taxpayers.
An independent audit could help establish whether the disputed figures arise from accounting errors, procedural irregularities or more serious misconduct.
The allegations against Mr Ablakwa have not been established as findings of criminal wrongdoing, and the proposed audit could provide a clearer basis for assessing the claims.
