Foreign Affairs Ministry releases 1,964 South Africa evacuees’ payment records, signatures

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released the names and signatures of Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa, alongside records of payments made to them, following claims by the Minority that more than GH¢16 million in evacuation funds remains unaccounted for.

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the total cost of the evacuation exercise was GH¢49.72 million, comprising GH¢33.72 million provided by the Government of Ghana and GH¢16 million contributed by Engineers and Planners.

In a report, he said the expenditure covered chartered and commercial flights, ground transportation, feeding, hotel accommodation in South Africa, medical care and hospitalisation, as well as reintegration and transportation allowances.

According to the minister, GH¢38.8 million was spent on flights, accommodation, transportation and other related services, while GH¢10.8 million went towards reintegration and transportation allowances.

Mr Ablakwa said all 1,964 evacuees, including infants, received a reintegration allowance of GH¢5,000 and a transportation allowance of GH¢500 each.

“So far no Ghanaian evacuee from South Africa has denied ever receiving both reintegration and transportation allowances,” he said.

The minister rejected the Minority’s claims that either GH¢16,423,470 or GH¢16,302,586 had not been accounted for, describing the figures as inaccurate.

He also disputed the Minority’s assertion that only 247 Ghanaians arrived in the country through commercial flights.

Mr Ablakwa said documents submitted to support the evacuation expenditure included passenger manifests, flight tickets, boarding passes, receipts and signed payment records.

He further questioned the Minority’s claim that 442 minors had received the allowances while maintaining that only 247 evacuees arrived through commercial flights.

The release of the payment records comes amid the dispute over the management and accounting of funds used for the evacuation exercise.