Kwasi Kwarteng demands account of GH¢49.7m evacuation costs

Kwasi Kwarteng of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has challenged the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to provide a transparent and detailed accounting of the GH¢49.72 million spent on the evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa. Speaking on Channel One TV, Kwarteng called for the Minister's resignation if he fails to adequately explain the high costs associated with the operation, which was launched in response to xenophobic incidents. The demand highlights growing concerns over the management of public funds and the accuracy of the government's reporting on the mission. The controversy is intensified by reports of significant clerical errors at the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria. These errors reportedly involved misrecording passport expiry dates as dates of birth, leading to the erroneous listing of 'unborn' citizens among the evacuees. In addition to these administrative lapses, discrepancies have emerged regarding the distribution of payments intended for the returnees' reintegration and transportation. Kwarteng criticized the Ministry's defensive stance, arguing that clear financial reconciliation is necessary to address public skepticism and ensure that the funds reached the intended beneficiaries. The Minority in Parliament has echoed these concerns, calling for an independent audit to verify the total expenditure and the exact number of citizens rescued. While acknowledging the importance of bringing Ghanaians home safely, critics argue that the scale of the spending requires a higher level of scrutiny. Kwarteng maintained that the NPP's push for accountability is not politically motivated but is a necessary step to protect the national purse. As pressure mounts, the focus remains on whether the Ministry will provide a full breakdown of the evacuation budget to resolve the ongoing dispute.