Ghana High Commission admits clerical errors in South Africa evacuation data

The Ghana High Commission in Pretoria has officially taken responsibility for clerical errors in the records of citizens evacuated from South Africa following recent xenophobic attacks. High Commissioner Benjamin Anani Quashie clarified that discrepancies flagging "future" birth dates for 15 individuals resulted from transcription mistakes during the documentation of 1,964 returnees. The admission follows significant public scrutiny after reports highlighted data showing some evacuees were listed with birth years as late as 2034 and 2036. The High Commission has emphasized that these were minor administrative lapses and not an attempt to falsify identities.

According to the High Commission, the errors occurred when passport expiry dates were accidentally recorded as birth dates during the data entry process. Officials assured the public that every person listed had undergone proper identification and processing before being cleared for repatriation. Despite the transcription errors, the commission stated that the identities and entitlements of the 15 affected evacuees remain valid. The High Commission has since provided the verified details to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate an update of the official records and maintain transparency in the reintegration process.

The data inconsistencies had sparked a political debate in Ghana, with the Minority in Parliament calling for an independent audit of the GH₵49.72 million evacuation expenditure. The cost breakdown includes GH₵33.72 million from government funding and GH₵16 million from Engineers & Planners, covering flights, accommodation, and medical care. Adding to the pressure, Koku Anyidoho, a former Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, demanded the removal of High Commissioner Quashie, describing the clerical error explanation as "nonsense" that harmed the reputation of the Foreign Ministry.

In response to the financial concerns, High Commissioner Quashie clarified that while his office was responsible for identifying and verifying the 1,964 returnees, the actual payments for the chartered flights and allowances were managed directly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Accra. He confirmed that all evacuees have received their reintegration and transportation allowances. Moving forward, the High Commission acknowledged the need to improve verification procedures to prevent similar transcription errors in future exercises, while maintaining that the core mission of safely returning Ghanaian citizens was successfully completed.