Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa denied allegations that any Ghanaian evacuated from South Africa failed to receive the GH¢5,500 reintegration allowance. The government’s evacuation operation ended on September 4, 2026, after anti-immigrant violence targeted foreign nationals, including Ghanaians.
Ablakwa challenged the Minority in Parliament to name a single evacuee who did not receive the allowance. “I have been looking for one Ghanaian to step forward and say that when we were evacuated from South Africa, the 5,500 Cedi reintegration allowance I didn’t get it as a Ghanaian,” he said. He added that the GH¢500 transportation allowance was also disbursed.
The minister dismissed claims of unaccounted funds and missing evacuees as “propaganda” and attempts to fabricate a scandal. “All of that propaganda out there that some people on the list cannot be found and that some voodoo analysis they have done showed that there’s some money that has not been accounted for,” he said.
Ablakwa’s comments followed his public briefing on September 7, three days after the evacuation ended. The briefing aimed to provide an account of the operation and the disbursement of funds to returning Ghanaians.
The evacuation took place amid heightened tensions and attacks on foreigners in South Africa. The Ghanaian government arranged for the safe return of its citizens and provided financial support to help them reintegrate.
Despite Ablakwa’s assurances, the Minority in Parliament has raised concerns about the management of the evacuation. Their questions focus on the whereabouts of some individuals listed as beneficiaries and whether all public funds allocated for the operation have been fully accounted for.
The dispute centres on transparency and accountability in the use of government resources. While Ablakwa insists that the allowances were paid in full and that all evacuees were accounted for, the Minority remains sceptical, calling for further scrutiny.
Ablakwa rejected the Minority’s claims outright. “So what is this desperate attempt to create a scandal when there is none? When the whole world is commending that all of that propaganda…” he said.
The Foreign Affairs Minister’s statement adds a new dimension to the ongoing debate over the evacuation’s conduct and financial management. The government has yet to disclose detailed records verifying the complete disbursement of funds or the status of all evacuees on the list.
The controversy comes as Ghanaian officials face pressure to demonstrate transparency in handling crises involving citizens abroad. The evacuation from South Africa was one of the government’s most visible responses to regional instability in 2026.
Ablakwa’s public challenge to the Minority places the burden of proof on opposition leaders to substantiate their allegations. So far, no evacuees have stepped forward to claim they missed the payment.
The focus now shifts to whether Parliament will conduct a formal inquiry or accept the Foreign Affairs Minister’s account. The absence of named beneficiaries who allegedly missed out leaves the government’s version largely uncontested.
The evacuation operation and its aftermath remain under close watch. The government’s next moves may determine whether the controversy escalates or subsides in the coming weeks.
According to Joy Online.
