Minority boycotts Foreign Affairs Committee meeting over South Africa evacuation expenditure

The Minority Caucus on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee says it will not participate in a closed-door meeting on the government’s evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa unless the Foreign Affairs Ministry provides an itemised account of expenditure on the exercise.

The position was contained in a statement signed by the Minority’s Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel A. Jinapor, dated Tuesday, September 15, 2026.

The statement followed a notice for a committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 16, where Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa is expected to brief members on the evacuation exercise.

The Minority said it had supported the government’s decision to evacuate Ghanaians whose safety and welfare were threatened by xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

However, it maintained that support for the evacuation did not remove the government’s obligation to account for the use of public funds.

“That support, however, cannot dispense with the equally important obligation of Government to account fully and transparently for the expenditure of public funds.”

According to the caucus, it submitted a formal request under the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), on August 17 seeking comprehensive information and supporting records on the cost and financing of the evacuation.

The request, it said, was received by the Foreign Affairs Ministry on August 25.

The Minority said it requested details of expenditure on flights and other transportation, accommodation, feeding, medical services and reintegration payments, as well as procurement and payment records.

It also requested information on the sources of funding and the identities and contributions of private-sector partners involved in the exercise.

The caucus said Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa subsequently announced on September 7 that almost GH¢50 million had been spent on the evacuation and reintegration of 1,964 Ghanaians.

The Minority, however, said the Ministry had yet to provide the itemised account and supporting documentation requested under the RTI Act.

It therefore said it would not participate in the closed-door meeting while its request for the expenditure records remained outstanding.

The caucus added that it would continue to demand transparency and accountability in the use of taxpayers’ funds.

“The Minority will remain resolute in the discharge of its constitutional and parliamentary responsibility to demand transparency and accountability in the use of taxpayers’ funds.”

The evacuation exercise followed renewed xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals in South Africa.

Government figures indicate that 1,964 Ghanaians were evacuated between May 27 and September 4, 2026.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry put the total cost of the exercise at GH¢49.72 million.

Of that amount, GH¢38.84 million was spent on flights, transportation, accommodation, feeding and medical care, while GH¢10.8 million went towards reintegration and transportation allowances.