NPP demands Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa resign over evacuation costs

NPP member Mike Oquaye Jnr and the party's Youth Wing have called for the immediate resignation or dismissal of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. The demand follows allegations of financial irregularities and a lack of transparency regarding the government's recent exercise to evacuate Ghanaian nationals from South Africa. The opposition maintains that President John Mahama must act if the Minister refuses to step down to ensure accountability for public funds.

The core of the allegations involves the disbursement of allowances to the evacuees and the procurement of travel services. Oquaye Jnr questioned why some returnees reportedly received only GH₵2,000 when the intended amount was GH₵5,000, specifically asking for the whereabouts of the remaining GH₵3,000 per person. He further alleged that the costs for chartered flights were significantly inflated and called for a full audit of the expenditures related to accommodation and logistics.

Managing Editor of The Insight, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has weighed in on the controversy by cautioning the Minister against over-involvement in administrative and public relations tasks. Pratt suggested that Ablakwa’s hands-on approach to matters that should be handled by the Foreign Ministry’s professional departments has made him a target for unwarranted political attacks. He advised the Minister to allow the established administrative structures to function, noting that the current level of scrutiny could have negative repercussions for his office.

While no formal charges of wrongdoing have been established, the NPP insists that the Minister owes the public a clear explanation for the use of state funds. The pressure on the Mahama administration to ensure transparency remains high as the opposition continues to highlight discrepancies in the evacuation budget. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is expected to address these specific financial concerns to provide clarity on the total cost of the operation.