The Minority in Parliament has demanded a full documentary reconciliation of the GH¢49.7 million spent by the government to evacuate Ghanaians from South Africa.
According to the Caucus, the government is right to bring home Ghanaians who faced violence and threats to their lives and livelihoods, but insisted that the expenditure must now be backed by verifiable records.
The Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, recently disclosed that 1,964 Ghanaians were evacuated at a total cost of GH¢49,721,786.
Of the amount, GH¢38,835,512 was reportedly spent on chartered flights, commercial air tickets, ground transportation, feeding, accommodation, medical care and hospitalisation, while GH¢10,802,000 was used for reintegration and transportation allowances.
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Government also disclosed that it contributed GH¢33,721,786, while Engineers & Planners contributed GH¢16 million towards the exercise.
Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament for Foreign Affairs, Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, who made the demand at a press briefing, said the figures must be reconciled with the underlying records.
“A headline figure is not an invoice. A press briefing is not a contract. And a total is not an account,” he told journalists.
The Bosome Freho MP said the government’s figure of 1,964 evacuees raises questions because the GH¢10.802 million spent on reintegration and transport allowances, divided by the GH¢5,500 allocated to each evacuee, produces exactly 1,964.
He wants the government to establish whether the 1,964 people who travelled are the same individuals who received the GH¢5,500 package.
He also raised questions over discrepancies in earlier figures for the first phase.
According to him, South Africa’s Border Management Authority recorded 300 Ghanaians processed on May 27, with 295 cleared to board and depart, while Ghana’s High Commissioner was separately reported as saying 297 travelled.
For June 6 and 7, South African records reportedly showed 323 passengers on the Saturday charter and 340 on the Sunday charter.
However, Ghana’s contemporary public account put the three first-phase arrivals at 297, 340 and 342 — a total of 979.
The Foreign Minister later gave the first-phase total as 926.
“This is not an accusation of fraud. It is a reconciliation question,” Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh said.
He called for the passenger manifests to determine the authoritative figure.
The MP is also demanding a complete account of the commercial flights used during Phase Two.
He said the government should disclose the date, airline, flight or itinerary, number of passengers, and cost for each batch.
He cited the 50 Ghanaians who arrived on an Air Tanzania flight on August 14, asking government to disclose who issued the tickets, who was paid, who made the payment and the total cost.
He said emergency circumstances could justify exceptional procurement procedures but could not eliminate the need for documentation.
“Emergency procurement does not mean procurement without records,” he stressed.
Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh also wants government to account for the GH¢16 million contribution from Engineers & Planners, owned by businessman Ibrahim Mahama.
He said earlier reports indicated that the company was financing air tickets for returnees under Phase Two, but the final government account did not identify the particular flights, batches, invoices or suppliers covered by the contribution.
He therefore wants a schedule showing which invoices and passenger batches were settled with the money and who received the funds.
The MP stressed that he is not accusing Engineers & Planners of wrongdoing. “We have no documentary basis for such a claim, and we will not make one,” he said.
Beyond the financial account, Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh wants the government to disclose what it is doing to secure compensation for Ghanaians who suffered attacks, loss of property and disruption of their businesses and livelihoods in South Africa.
He wants details of claims registered, losses documented, representations made to South African authorities and investigations or prosecutions arising from the attacks.
“Bringing people home is the first duty. Pursuing justice for what happened to them is also part of the State’s responsibility,” he said.
The MP has requested a final evacuation ledger, beneficiary-payment records, flight schedules, procurement documents, payment records, details of the Engineers & Planners contribution, contingency-funding records and a breakdown of the GH¢38.835 million operational expenditure.
“We are asking for enough documentary information to verify the public account. If the books are closed, open the books,” Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh declared and added, “A total is not an account.”