The Majority Caucus on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has defended the GH¢49.72 million spent on evacuating 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa.
The Caucus said the detailed expenditure records submitted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was first of its kind to ensure “openness and transparency”.
It, therefore, backed a request to the Auditor-General to carry out a comprehensive and independent audit of evacuation exercises undertaken from 2017, including those involving Ghanaian nationals in Ukraine, Sudan and South Africa as well as the COVID-19 evacuation since 2020.
“The comprehensiveness and meticulous detail of these records underscore the ministry’s commitment to transparency, financial probity and parliamentary accountability,” it said.
Comprehensive report
The Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, who announced the position at a press conference, said the ministry submitted a comprehensive report on September 18, this year, detailing the evacuees and the financial transactions associated with the exercise.
“The report contained a list of all 1,964 evacuees, including their names, dates of birth, passport numbers, professions, contact details, amounts received and signatures.
He said the particulars of minors were also captured, with the required attestations provided by their parents or legal guardians, he said.
Besides, the chairman said the ministry also submitted receipts and supporting documents covering chartered flights, commercial airline tickets, transportation, feeding, accommodation and other logistical arrangements undertaken by Ghana’s High Commission in South Africa.
He said the documentation included evidence of a GH¢16 million donation by Ibrahim Mahama of Engineers and Planners as well as correspondence and letters of appreciation acknowledging the contribution.
“Not a single name is missing or unaccounted for,” he said, referring to the list of evacuees submitted to the committee.
“The Majority Caucus, having had the benefit of a careful and thorough examination of the report submitted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, can state with the utmost conviction and without the slightest equivocation that the ministry has rendered an exceptionally comprehensive, impeccable and credible account of the evacuation exercise,” he said.
Minority’s hypocrisy
The chairman said the Majority Caucus, after examining the report, was satisfied that the ministry had provided a detailed account of the evacuation exercise.
Mr Vanderpuije therefore rejected the allegations levelled against the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and maintained that the ministry’s submission demonstrated its commitment to transparency and parliamentary accountability.
He further said Mr Ablakwa had voluntarily sought to brief the committee following the evacuation exercise but members of the Minority Caucus boycotted the engagement.
The Majority Caucus, he said, considered the subsequent public allegations inconsistent with the opportunity for parliamentary scrutiny that had been offered.
Independent audit
On the proposed audit, the chairman confirmed that he had received a copy of a letter dated September 17, this addressed to the Auditor-General, requesting an independent and comprehensive audit of evacuation exercises undertaken from 2017 onwards.
The exercises identified for scrutiny included the COVID-19 evacuation in 2020, the evacuation from Ukraine in 2022, the Sudan evacuation in 2023 and the recent operation in South Africa.
The request also covered any other evacuation exercise the Auditor-General considers relevant.
The chairman said the proposed audit would provide an opportunity to establish the facts and ensure that expenditure incurred under successive administrations was subjected to the same standards of accountability.
He said accountability should be comprehensive and impartial rather than selectively applied for partisan purposes.
The Majority Caucus also drew attention to GH¢44.46 million reportedly spent on quarantine arrangements during the 2020 COVID-19 evacuation under the previous administration, arguing that expenditure on earlier evacuation exercises should also be examined.
The chairman, however, said the caucus would not substitute political accusations for evidence and welcomed an independent examination of the expenditure.
Allowances and total expenditure
The chairman further said the Majority Caucus had not received any complaint from an evacuated Ghanaian claiming not to have received the GH¢5,500 integration and transportation allowance.
He maintained that the total expenditure of GH¢49,721,786 represented an accurate account of the South Africa evacuation exercise.
He caucus commended the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Minister for their handling of the operation, describing the submission of supporting documentation as evidence of administrative diligence.
Mr Vanderpuije also urged the minister to remain focused on his responsibilities to Ghanaians at home and abroad.
