The Minority in Parliament has demanded an independent audit of the GH¢49.72 million spent on evacuating 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa, claiming that more than GH¢16.4 million of the spending is not adequately supported by records released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The call was made on Sunday, October 11, 2026, by Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, MP for Bosome-Freho and Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, at a press conference in Accra.
Mr Ayeh said the Minority reviewed more than 200 pages of documents supplied by Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa’s ministry in response to his Right to Information (RTI) request, and found gaps in payment registers, flight records and beneficiary lists.
The evacuation was launched after renewed xenophobic violence against foreign nationals in South Africa, which had earlier led Ghana to summon South Africa’s High Commissioner over attacks on Ghanaians.
Minority questions GH¢16.4m in SA evacuation spending
According to the Minority, GH¢16,423,470 of the total bill, about one-third, cannot be fully reconciled with the documents the ministry provided.
The caucus said the records accounted for far fewer evacuees and beneficiaries than the 1,964 people the government says it brought home and paid.
It also alleged duplicate names, blank or unsigned entries, and payments recorded for minors in the reintegration register.
How the Minority arrived at the GH¢16.4m figure
As reported by GhanaWeb, the Minority’s figure is built on three main components:
- Reintegration and transport payments – GH¢6.27m: Only 824 names appeared on both the GH¢5,000 reintegration register and the GH¢500 transport allowance register, leaving 1,140 people unmatched.
- Flight costs – about GH¢7.18m: The records showed 926 people on chartered flights and 247 on itemised commercial flights, a total of 1,173, leaving 791 evacuees whose travel was not reconciled.
- Payments involving minors – GH¢2.431m: The Minority counted 442 minors among names on the GH¢5,000 register and wants to know how payments to children were made.
- Duplicates and blank entries: Repeated names were flagged in several registers and on a flight manifest, but this item was not separately quantified.
GhanaWeb also noted that the Minority’s statement cites GH¢16,423,470 in its body but GH¢16,302,586 in its concluding demand, a difference that has not been explained.
How the GH¢49.72m evacuation bill was spent
The evacuation ran from May 27 to September 4, 2026, when the final group of 41 returnees arrived in Accra.
On September 7, Mr Ablakwa announced a total cost of GH¢49,721,786. The ministry’s report, released in response to the RTI request, broke it down as follows:
- Chartered flights: GH¢27,183,700
- Commercial tickets and layovers: GH¢9,420,463.68
- Reintegration support (GH¢5,000 grant plus GH¢500 transport allowance per returnee): GH¢10,802,000
- Ground transport, food, logistics, accommodation, medical care and other costs: about GH¢2.3 million
- Repatriation of the remains of two deceased Ghanaians: GH¢84,274
Of the total, GH¢33,721,786 came from direct government funding, while GH¢16 million was provided by Engineers & Planners, a company owned by businessman Ibrahim Mahama.
Minority names Big Four audit firms
The Minority wants the audit conducted by Deloitte Ghana, KPMG Ghana, PwC Ghana, EY Ghana or a comparable firm that is independent of the minister and the evacuation contractors.
It is also demanding a full reconciliation of every payment against its beneficiary, and every journey against its manifest and tickets, with the findings made public.
Mr Ayeh said the ministry’s RTI response added information to the public record but did not fully address payment reconciliation, duplicate and unsigned entries, or supporting documents for flight and logistics costs.
He argued that only a thorough, independent and transparent audit with published findings can restore public confidence.
Auditor-General already invited to review evacuations
In September, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote to the Auditor-General requesting a special audit of government-funded evacuation exercises since 2017.
That review is to cover the 2020 COVID-19 evacuations, the 2022 Ukraine evacuation, the 2023 Sudan evacuation and the 2026 South Africa evacuation.
Mr Ayeh acknowledged that step but said a broader, independent review is still needed.
What the audit call means for evacuees and taxpayers
The Minority has stressed that it recognises the humanitarian importance of the operation, but says the emergency nature of the exercise does not remove the duty to account for public funds.
For returnees, the questions centre on whether every person listed actually received the GH¢5,500 package, and how payments meant for children were handled.
The allegations do not establish that money was stolen or that evacuee numbers were inflated. The records still have to be verified, and the ministry has yet to respond publicly to the specific findings.
What happens next
The Foreign Affairs Ministry is expected to respond to the Minority’s claims, while the Auditor-General’s special audit of evacuation exercises remains pending.
The matter could also come up before Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, where the Minority has been pressing for the official passenger manifests.
Key details at a glance
- Total evacuation cost: GH¢49,721,786
- Amount questioned by the Minority: GH¢16.4 million (about 33%)
- Evacuees reported by government: 1,964
- Names matched on both payment registers: 824
- Minors identified on reintegration register: 442
- Evacuation period: May 27 – September 4, 2026
- Minority’s demand: independent audit by a Big Four or comparable firm, with findings published
FAQs
How much did Ghana spend on the South Africa evacuation?
The Foreign Affairs Ministry says the evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa cost GH¢49,721,786, including GH¢16 million provided by Engineers & Planners.
Why is the Minority demanding an audit of the evacuation funds?
The Minority says ministry records leave more than GH¢16.4 million unreconciled, citing unmatched payment registers, unaccounted flight records, duplicate entries and payments to minors.
How much did each evacuee from South Africa receive?
According to the ministry, each returnee received a GH¢5,000 reintegration grant and a GH¢500 transport allowance, totalling GH¢5,500.
The Minority’s demand for an independent audit puts fresh pressure on the Foreign Affairs Ministry to reconcile every cedi of the GH¢49.72 million South Africa evacuation bill. With the Auditor-General’s special audit still pending and the ministry yet to answer the specific claims, the dispute over the GH¢16.4 million is likely to remain in the spotlight.
