Bosome-Freho Member of Parliament and Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Committee, Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, has invoked the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989) to demand full disclosure of the cost and funding arrangements for the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa following the recent xenophobic attacks.
The legislator is seeking detailed financial and procurement records covering the evacuation exercise, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says has brought more than 1,600 Ghanaians home since May 2026 following recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
In a formal request to the Ministry, Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh asked for the total amount spent by the government on the evacuation, including the amount in Ghana cedis and US dollars.
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He also requested a detailed breakdown covering air charter and commercial air tickets, ground transportation, accommodation in South Africa, consular and travel documentation, staff costs, reintegration payments and relief items.
The MP wants the Ministry to provide supporting financial documents, including invoices, payment vouchers, receipts, contracts, purchase orders, charter agreements and payment or expenditure approvals associated with the evacuation.
He argued that although the Ministry has publicly confirmed that government resources have been used to finance the exercise, it has not disclosed the total expenditure or the specific sources of funding.
Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh said the absence of such information leaves Parliament and taxpayers without sufficient information to assess the cost of the exercise.
He is therefore demanding details of whether funds were drawn from the Consolidated Fund, Contingency Fund, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ approved 2026 budget allocation, any supplementary appropriation or funds held by the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria.
He also wants copies of relevant warrants, releases, expenditure authorisations and internal payment approvals.
The MP has further requested the identities of the private individuals, companies, institutions or organisations referred to by the Ministry as “Ghanaian partners” who helped fund the evacuation.
The Ministry, in its August 13, 2026 statement, said the evacuation was fully funded by the Government of Ghana and “our Ghanaian partners” and that Ghana did not seek financial or material support from the South African Government.
Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh wants the Ministry to disclose the amount or value contributed by each partner and whether each contribution was made in cash or in kind.
He is also seeking records showing whether any of the partners received or are entitled to receive reimbursement, tax benefits, procurement consideration, acknowledgement of debt, future commitments, or any other benefit from the government.
The Bosome-Freho MP is also demanding a comprehensive schedule of every evacuation flight or rotation undertaken since May 2026.
The requested information includes the date of each flight, airline or service provider, whether the flight was chartered or commercial, the number of evacuees transported and the cost.
For each procurement or service arrangement, he wants the Ministry to disclose the procurement method, contract or reference number, and whether the service was obtained through competitive tendering, restricted tendering, single-source procurement or an emergency procurement procedure.
Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh is further seeking information on the financial assistance provided to returning Ghanaians.
He wants the Ministry to disclose the approved reintegration support and transport fare payable to each eligible evacuee, the amount actually paid per person, the total amount disbursed, and the eligibility criteria.
The request also seeks the name of the approving authority and the number of evacuees who have received the support.
The MP wants a detailed inventory of relief items supplied to evacuees, including quantities, unit costs and total expenditure.
Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh said his request is being made in the public interest, stressing that once the government has placed the funding of the evacuation exercise on the public record, the supporting financial information should also be accessible to citizens.