Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa defends GH₵5,500 South Africa evacuation package

Minister for Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has strongly denied allegations that Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa received less than their promised GH₵5,500 support package. Speaking at various forums, including an official visit to Ottawa, Canada, the Minister insisted that all 1,964 returnees were paid a GH₵5,000 reintegration allowance and GH₵500 for transportation. He emphasized that the Ministry has not received a single formal complaint regarding payment discrepancies in the four months since the evacuation exercise began, describing the support as an unprecedented commitment to citizen welfare.

Evacuees themselves, led by spokesperson Michael Addo, held a press conference in Accra to corroborate the Minister's statements. Addo stated that the funds were counted and distributed at the airport upon arrival, with every member receiving the full amount. He dismissed claims by the Minority in Parliament that some returnees received only GH₵2,000, calling the reports false. Addo further alleged that some members of the group had been "coached" by political opponents from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to spread misinformation about the disbursement process to undermine the government's efforts.

The returnees expressed significant distress over the ongoing controversy, stating that allegations of corruption are negatively affecting their mental health as they recover from the trauma of xenophobic attacks. Addo called for an end to the "public humiliation" of evacuees on social media and urged the public to focus on the humanitarian success of the mission. During the press briefing, some returnees publicly defended Ablakwa against his critics, praising his personal involvement in facilitating their safe return to Ghana.

Despite the defense from the Ministry and the returnees, the Minority has called for an independent audit into the total GH₵49.72 million spent on the operation, citing concerns over potential irregularities in financial records. Ablakwa has welcomed a comprehensive audit by the Auditor-General into all evacuation exercises conducted since 2017 to ensure full transparency. Meanwhile, the returnees have appealed to the government to extend similar repatriation support to an estimated 46 Ghanaians still stranded in South Africa who lack the resources to return home.