Minority demands Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa resign over GH₵49.72m evacuation

The Minority in Parliament is calling for the resignation of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa or his dismissal by President John Mahama following allegations of financial irregularities. The dispute centers on the GH₵49.72 million spent to evacuate 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa during recent xenophobic attacks. Minority Ranking Member Samuel Abdulai Jinapor announced the demand during a press conference, insisting on an independent audit and threatening a vote of censure if the minister remains in office during the investigation.

Opposition figures have raised specific concerns regarding the transparency of the operation's expenditure, particularly the GH₵27 million reportedly spent on chartered flights. Former Sekondi MP Andrew Egyapa Mercer criticized the minister for failing to meet the standards of accountability he championed while in opposition, noting a lack of publicly available contracts for the flights. Furthermore, the Deputy Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, accused the ministry of attempting to secure or fabricate receipts to conceal what he described as "rot" within the evacuation accounts.

Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has provided a mixed assessment of the situation. While he commended Minister Ablakwa for his initial transparency in voluntarily releasing documents for scrutiny, Awuni noted that discrepancies flagged by JoyNews Research warrant a thorough investigation. He emphasized that the ministry's openness is a positive step but does not exempt the reported financial inconsistencies from a rigorous probe to ensure public funds were managed appropriately.

In contrast, the evacuees themselves have publicly defended the government's handling of the crisis. At a press conference in Accra, convenor Michael Addo stated that the returnees received their full compensation, including GH₵5,000 for reintegration and GH₵500 for transportation. The group dismissed the Minority's allegations as politically motivated and expressed gratitude to President Mahama for the support they received. Despite these testimonials, the Minority maintains that only an independent audit by a reputable firm can resolve the discrepancies between the official expenditure reports and the actual costs incurred.