NPP youth wing demands accountability over GH‵49.7m evacuation funds

On November 3, 2026, hundreds of New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporters and youth wing members marched through the streets of Accra in the ‘Yəgye Yə Sika’ (We need our money) demonstration. The protesters demanded immediate accountability for GH₵49.7 million allocated for the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa following xenophobic attacks. Led by National Youth Organiser Abanga Fuseini Yakubu and Second National Chairman Henry Nana Boakye (Nana B), the group called for the dismissal and investigation of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, alleging that over GH₵16 million remains unaccounted for.

The protest followed a Right to Information request from the Minority in Parliament, which revealed alleged irregularities in the financial records of the evacuation exercise. According to Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the findings include duplicate entries and inflated costs for chartered flights. While the government reported evacuating 1,964 individuals—providing each with GH₵5,000 for reintegration and GH₵500 for transport—the NPP claims many evacuees received less than the promised amount. Nana B criticized President John Mahama for what he termed weak leadership, accusing the administration of shielding the minister despite inconsistent figures.

The government has dismissed the demonstration as premature and politically motivated. Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Shamima Muslim confirmed receipt of the protesters' petition at Jubilee House but insisted that President Mahama would not sack appointees based solely on allegations without due process. She also criticized the protesters for what she described as a pattern of disrespect toward the Presidency. Similarly, NDC General Secretary Fifi Kwetey characterized the protest as a total joke, arguing that the NPP has failed to provide concrete evidence of wrongdoing and is merely targeting Ablakwa for his own history of exposing corruption.

Beyond the immediate political conflict, other voices have called for objective scrutiny. Dr. John Enyonam Kpikpi of the Progressive Alliance for Ghana (PAG) urged the formation of an independent commission to examine the expenditure, arguing that public trust is at stake. However, the Minority’s push for a parliamentary censure of Minister Ablakwa faces significant hurdles. Dr. Rasheed Draman of the African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA) noted that a successful censure requires a two-thirds majority, an uphill task given current party dynamics. As the petition moves to the Chief of Staff’s Office, the NPP maintains that the Office of the Special Prosecutor must investigate the matter to ensure any recovered funds are redirected toward social infrastructure.