Ghana’s High Commission in South Africa confirmed errors in the records of 15 evacuees who returned from the country amid recent unrest. The discrepancies involved birth dates that appeared to be set in the future. The mission clarified that these were not birth dates but passport expiry dates mistakenly recorded as such.
The High Commission’s statement, issued on Monday from Pretoria, addressed reports by JoyNews that questioned the legitimacy of reintegration and transportation allowances paid to some evacuees. Those reports suggested that some beneficiaries had birth dates that had not yet occurred.
“Our verification of the records indicates that the dates interpreted as dates of birth were, in fact, passport expiry dates,” the mission said. It acknowledged clerical errors by officials transcribing passport details during the evacuation exercise. The mission attributed the mistakes to the emergency circumstances surrounding the operation.
The errors affected 15 of the 1,964 Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa. The High Commission insisted that all evacuees completed required identification, data-processing, and departure procedures before leaving. It added that the clerical errors did not invalidate the evacuees’ identities or their entitlement to allowances.
The mission supplied corrected birth and passport expiry dates for several individuals cited in the reports, including James Akoto Baffour, Precious Sekyiwaa, Philip Oduro, and Victoria Eduaquah. It also clarified that six members of the Jibril family, a mother and five children, travelled on Emergency Travel Certificates.
An amended list with the corrected information was provided to update official records. The High Commission said it respected the media’s role in promoting transparency and accountability. It encouraged verification with official sources whenever discrepancies arise in administrative records.
“Fundamentally, we are proud of our efforts and sacrifices to save the lives of Ghanaians and bring them home safely,” the mission said.
The evacuation followed violent xenophobic attacks in South Africa, which led to the Ghanaian government arranging transport and reintegration support for nationals seeking to return. The mission’s clarification came after public scrutiny over administrative errors in the documentation process.
The controversy around the birth dates raised questions about the integrity of the records but the High Commission dismissed concerns that errors compromised the evacuation exercise. It emphasized that the affected individuals were accounted for and that the allowances were correctly disbursed.
The situation illustrates challenges faced during emergency repatriations involving thousands of people and the pressure on officials to process documentation swiftly. The High Commission’s statement suggests that human error, not fraud or mismanagement, caused the issues.
The Jibril family’s use of Emergency Travel Certificates also sheds light on the variety of travel documents used during the evacuation. Emergency Travel Certificates are typically issued when passports are unavailable or expired but still allow repatriation.
The High Commission’s effort to correct the public record and provide official data reflects the sensitivity around the evacuation and its aftermath. The mission called on the media and public to rely on the corrected information going forward.
The episode raises questions about administrative practices in crisis situations and the balancing act between rapid response and accuracy. The Ghanaian government’s response to the xenophobic crisis in South Africa remains under close observation as the country manages the return and reintegration of its citizens.
According to Joy Online.
