Advocacy for Citizens Ghana (ACG), a governance pressure group, has petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over alleged financial irregularities involving more than GH¢49 million spent on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.
The petition calls for an independent investigation into the management, disbursement and accountability of public funds allocated to the evacuation exercise, following concerns about discrepancies in the ministry’s financial records.
ACG said assurances by Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and the ministry that the expenditure was properly accounted for had been challenged by documents examined by the Minority in Parliament and Joy News.
The group identified several areas of concern, including payments to evacuees, chartered flight expenses, hotel accommodation, commercial airline tickets and inconsistencies in supporting documents.
GH¢5,500 Allowance Payments to 1,964 Evacuees Questioned
One of the major issues raised in the petition concerns the GH¢5,500 reintegration and transportation allowance reportedly allocated to each of the 1,964 Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa.
According to ACG, findings from the Minority’s parliamentary investigation indicate that only 824 beneficiaries could be confirmed as having received the allowance.
This leaves 1,140 evacuees whose payment status remains unclear, raising questions about whether the full amount allocated for the allowances reached the intended beneficiaries.
The group is therefore asking CHRAJ to establish whether all eligible evacuees received their payments and determine how the funds were disbursed.
Questions Over GH¢141,797 Hotel Accommodation Expenses
ACG has also questioned the ministry’s reported expenditure of GH¢141,797.86 on hotel accommodation for Ghanaians awaiting evacuation from South Africa.
The petition cited statements allegedly made by some evacuees during a press conference at the Ghana International Press Centre on October 26, 2026.
Some of the returnees reportedly said they slept in churches, buses and parking lots while waiting to be transported back to Ghana.
The accounts have raised questions about the ministry’s claims that accommodation was provided and whether the reported hotel expenses accurately reflected the services delivered.
ACG wants investigators to establish the number of people accommodated, the duration of their stay and the actual services covered by the expenditure.
GH¢9.4m Commercial Flight Expenses Under Scrutiny
The pressure group has further identified discrepancies in the ministry’s documentation relating to commercial flight tickets and layover expenses.
According to the petition, the ministry reportedly declared GH¢9,420,463.68 in expenditure on commercial air tickets and layover arrangements for all 1,964 evacuees.
However, the supporting documents allegedly account for only 1,173 individuals, leaving 791 people unaccounted for in the available records.
ACG is asking CHRAJ to verify the transactions and establish the reasons for the discrepancy.
The group has also questioned the reported GH¢27,183,700 expenditure on chartered flights, arguing that sufficient supporting documents have not been made available to independently verify the payments.
ACG Identifies Duplicate Records and Documentation Irregularities
Beyond the major expenditure items, ACG has raised concerns about other inconsistencies in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ evacuation records.
These reportedly include duplicate names, repeated passport numbers, identical telephone numbers and discrepancies in signatures.
The group believes these issues require a comprehensive investigation to establish the accuracy of the beneficiary records and determine whether the financial documentation reflects the actual evacuation exercise.
ACG is consequently asking CHRAJ to investigate the overall management of the operation, verify the identities and total number of Ghanaians evacuated, and establish how the more than GH¢49 million allocated to the exercise was utilised.
The group stressed that protecting public funds is a constitutional responsibility and an essential part of transparent and accountable governance.
It maintained that taxpayers’ money must be managed with integrity, prudence and accountability.
Background to Ghana’s South Africa Evacuation Exercise
The controversy follows the Ghana government’s voluntary evacuation programme launched in May 2026 after renewed xenophobic attacks, anti-immigrant demonstrations and intimidation targeting African migrants in South Africa, including Ghanaian nationals.
The exercise, which ended on September 4, 2026, reportedly facilitated the return of 1,964 Ghanaians amid concerns over threats to personal safety, reported deaths and the destruction of property.
Following the incidents, the Ghana government raised diplomatic concerns with South African authorities and the African Union over the treatment and protection of African migrants.
However, the financial arrangements surrounding the evacuation have increasingly attracted public scrutiny, particularly after the Minority in Parliament and Joy News examined the ministry’s expenditure records and identified alleged gaps in the supporting documentation.
NPP Joins Calls for Accountability Over GH¢49m Evacuation Funds
The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has also joined calls for transparency and accountability over the expenditure.
On November 3, 2026, the party organised a protest march in Accra to demand answers regarding the government’s handling of the GH¢49 million South Africa evacuation funds.
With ACG now petitioning CHRAJ, attention is turning to whether an independent investigation will be launched to establish the accuracy of the ministry’s financial records and determine whether public funds were properly utilised.
The outcome of any investigation could provide further clarity on the expenditure and address growing concerns about transparency, public financial management and accountability in Ghana.
Source: newsthemegh.com