The Ghana High Commission in Pretoria has acknowledged clerical errors in the records of 15 Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa, following a JoyNews investigation that identified inconsistencies in data submitted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In a statement dated October 19, 2026, the Mission explained that some dates mistakenly recorded as dates of birth were actually passport expiry dates due to errors made during data transcription.
The High Commission said the discrepancies affected only 15 of the 1,964 Ghanaians evacuated during the government’s operation and maintained that the errors did not compromise the identities of the affected individuals or their participation in the exercise.
Passport Expiry Dates Mistakenly Recorded as Birth Dates
The clarification followed a JoyNews data analysis that identified records showing apparently impossible birth dates, including entries listing Precious Sekyiwaa as born in 2034 and James Akoto Baffour in 2036.
The High Commission subsequently provided corrected information for the 15 affected individuals and submitted an amended list to facilitate the updating of official records.
According to the Mission, all evacuees underwent the required identification, documentation and departure procedures before returning to Ghana.
It also maintained that the clerical mistakes did not affect the approved reintegration and transportation allowances received by eligible evacuees.
The Mission clarified that a family of six, comprising a mother and five children from the Jibril family, travelled using Emergency Travel Certificates.
GH¢49.72 Million South Africa Evacuation Cost Under Scrutiny
The record discrepancies have emerged amid public scrutiny of the government’s GH¢49.72 million expenditure on evacuating Ghanaians from South Africa.
The operation began on May 27 and ended on September 4, bringing home 1,964 Ghanaians following concerns about xenophobic attacks and threats against foreign nationals.
According to figures presented by Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, approximately GH¢38.84 million was spent on chartered flights, commercial airline tickets, ground transportation, food, accommodation and medical care.
An additional GH¢10.80 million went towards reintegration and transportation allowances, while GH¢84,274 was used to repatriate the remains of two Ghanaians.
The government contributed GH¢33.72 million towards the exercise, while Engineers and Planners, owned by businessman Ibrahim Mahama, provided GH¢16 million.
Auditor-General Invited to Review Evacuation Expenditure
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has submitted a report containing details of more than 1,900 evacuees to Parliament. Mr Ablakwa has also invited the Auditor-General to audit evacuation exercises conducted by the Ministry since 2017.
The Ghana High Commission said the identified documentation errors should not be interpreted as evidence that the affected individuals were not genuine evacuees.
The Mission acknowledged the media’s role in promoting transparency and accountability, encouraging journalists and members of the public to verify discrepancies with official sources.
It reaffirmed its commitment to providing further clarification and urged the public to rely on corrected records as questions surrounding the evacuation expenditure and documentation continue to receive attention.
Source: newsthemegh.com