The Minority Caucus in Parliament has threatened to initiate a vote of censure against Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa over alleged financial irregularities in the evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa.
The caucus issued the warning at a press conference on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, where it demanded an independent audit of the GH¢49.72 million evacuation exercise and called for the minister’s immediate resignation.
The Minority said it would consider invoking Article 82 of the 1992 Constitution and Order 138 of Parliament’s Standing Orders to pursue a vote of censure if Mr Ablakwa remained in office.
Also read:vGH¢49.7m evacuation scandal: Sack Ablakwa – Minority tells Mahama
The threat comes amid growing controversy over the expenditure, with the Minority alleging discrepancies in payment registers, duplicate entries, gaps in supporting documents, and payments that require further explanation.
Addressing the press conference, the Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and MP for Damongo, Samuel Abu Jinapor, indicated that more concerns have emerged after it obtained documents from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through a request under the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989).
According to him, they examined the records and compared them with figures previously announced by the minister, identifying discrepancies that he believes warrant further investigation.
It also cited media investigations that reportedly uncovered evacuees who said they had not received allowances recorded against their names, as well as alleged payments without signatures and expenditure for which receipts were unavailable.
The caucus argued that the reported discrepancies raise serious questions about the management of public funds and the need for an independent examination of the evacuation accounts.
Beyond the threatened parliamentary action, the Minority called on President John Dramani Mahama to terminate Mr Ablakwa’s appointment if he fails to resign.
It cited Article 81(a) of the Constitution and section 2.1(j) of the President’s 2025 Code of Conduct and Ethics for Political Appointees in support of its demand for the minister to step aside.
The caucus argued that the allegations surrounding the evacuation exercise have undermined public confidence in the minister’s stewardship of the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
It also called for an internationally reputable accounting firm to conduct a comprehensive independent audit to establish how the GH¢49.72 million was spent and whether the recorded payments reached their intended beneficiaries.
Abu Jinapor denied claims that the Minority has paid or persuaded evacuees to speak against the government, insisting that those who raised concerns had done so voluntarily.
He also questioned reports that the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria had warned evacuees against speaking to the media about the controversy.
The caucus said its proposed parliamentary action would be considered if the minister remains in office despite its demands for his resignation and an independent investigation.
The Minority maintains that an independent audit is necessary to resolve the discrepancies it has identified and establish whether public funds were properly accounted for.
The unfolding controversy centres on the evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa, for which the Foreign Affairs Minister announced a total cost of GH¢49,721,786.