Following the public discussion over the cost of the recent evacuation of some Ghanaians from South Africa due to xenophobic attacks, one of the evacuees has reacted to the allegations by the Minority.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Monday (October 26, 2026), Michael Addo, who said he was representing the returnees defended the government’s payments, insisting that all evacuees received the full GH¢5,500 support package contrary to the allegation that some received just GH¢2000.
He appealed to the government to overlook the allegations and focus on bringing home an additional 46 Ghanaians who are still in South Africa and have appealed for help with evacuation.
What are the issues?
Following a media briefing on September 7, 2026, during which the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the government spent GH¢49.72 million to evacuate 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa, with the explanation that each returnee received GH¢5,000 as a reintegration grant and GH¢500 for transportation, the Minority in Parliament questioned the expenditure.
They filed a Right to Information for documentation on the expenditure, following which they called for an independent audit of the expenditure, alleging that documents supplied by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs leave more than GH¢16 million unexplained.
Reacting to the Minority, the sector minister Mr Ablakwa said he has invited the Auditor-General to audit all evacuation exercises undertaken since 2017, explaining that the ministry holds airline receipts, boarding passes and a flight manifest containing the names of all 1,964 returnees.
It is based on this that the Minority and the sector minister and Ghana's High Commissioner in separate media engagements have been discussing some details on the expenditure.
The Minority on its side has stated that, all it was asking for was accountability with an independent audit.
Monday's press conference by evacuee
According to one of the returnees, Michael Addo who addressed the press conference on Monday, contrary to the allegation that some of the evacuees received only GH¢2,000 even though they signed for GH¢5500 including transportation and reintegration grant, he said that allegation was not true since all evacuees were handed the envelopes containing the money and they counted it before leaving the airport.
He was reacting to the narrative that three people contacted from the evacuation list by the Minority has claimed they received GH¢2,000 instead of GH¢5,500.
Addo insisted that all the returnees counted the money in their envelopes at the airport before leaving the premises, dismissing claims that some received only GH¢2,000.
“When we arrived at the airport, loud announcements were made about the GH¢5,500 package and we all opened and counted the envelopes we received before leaving the airport,” he said.
He said in addition to the cash payments, each returnee received five kilogrammes of rice, cooking oil and a blanket, as well as psychological support. They were also registered on the National Health Insurance Scheme free of charge, he said.
Michael Addo said he returned to Ghana on July 31, 2026, and challenged the public to verify his flight details.
He alleged that some members of the group had received calls and been coached to speak against the government.
“Our conscience will not allow us to do so,” he said, without identifying those who allegedly made the calls.
He accused some members from the Minority side of Parliament in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and their allies of attempting to establish wrongdoing by the government.
Another evacuee, Emmanuel Akwoko, who said he returned with the second batch, said all six members of his family, including the children, received GH¢5,500 each, bringing their total to GH¢33,000. He said his wife signed for the children.
Akwoko added that he had received no complaints about non-payment from returnees in the WhatsApp groups he belonged to.
At a media briefing on September 7, 2026, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the government spent GH¢49.72 million to evacuate 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa. He said each returnee received GH¢5,000 as a reintegration grant and GH¢500 for transportation.
The Minority in Parliament has called for an independent audit of the expenditure, alleging that documents supplied by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs leave more than GH¢16 million unexplained.
Mr Ablakwa has said he invited the Auditor-General to audit all evacuation exercises undertaken since 2017. He has also stated that the ministry holds airline receipts, boarding passes and a flight manifest containing the names of all 1,964 returnees.
