The Member of Parliament for Bosome-Freho, Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, has invoked the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989) to demand a full account of public funds used to evacuate Ghanaians from South Africa.
The Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee is seeking detailed financial and operational records from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs covering the evacuation exercise, which began in May 2026.
His RTI request follows a statement issued by the Ministry on August 13, 2026, indicating that more than 1,600 Ghanaians had been evacuated from South Africa and that the exercise was being funded by the Government of Ghana and “Ghanaian partners.”
According to the MP, however, the Ministry did not disclose the overall cost of the exercise, the sources of the funds or the identities of the private entities referred to as Ghanaian partners.
He is therefore demanding that the Ministry disclose the total amount spent in both Ghana cedis and US dollars, together with a detailed breakdown of the expenditure.
MP seeks supporting documents
Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh is also requesting documentary evidence to support the expenditure, including invoices, receipts, payment vouchers, contracts, purchase orders and charter agreements.
He wants the Ministry to indicate whether funds for the exercise were drawn from the Consolidated Fund, Contingency Fund, its 2026 budget allocation, supplementary appropriations or resources held by the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria.
The MP is further demanding the identities of all individuals, companies and institutions classified as “Ghanaian partners”, as well as details of their financial or material contributions and any agreements governing their participation.
Details of evacuation flights demanded
The RTI request also seeks a comprehensive schedule of evacuation flights undertaken since May.
This includes the dates of the flights, airlines or service providers used, number of evacuees transported, cost of each operation and the procurement methods employed.
Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh is also seeking information on assistance provided to returnees after their evacuation.
He wants the Ministry to disclose details of reintegration support and transport fares paid to evacuees, including the approved and actual amounts per person, eligibility requirements and the total number of beneficiaries.
The MP has additionally requested information on relief items distributed to evacuees, including quantities, unit prices and total expenditure.
Says disclosure is in public interest
Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh said his request was motivated by the need for transparency and accountability, particularly because the Ministry had already publicly confirmed that government resources were being used to finance the evacuation.
He argued that once the funding of the exercise had been placed in the public domain, citizens should also be able to access information on how much was spent, where the money came from and how it was utilised.
The MP has asked the Ministry to provide the requested information electronically and determine the application within the statutory period prescribed under the Right to Information Act.
