The Minority in Parliament has called for an independent audit into the GH¢49.72 million spent on evacuating 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa during a period of xenophobic tensions. The Minority says there are possible differences between the payment records and flight documents provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, said an independent accounting firm should carry out the audit. He also called for the audit’s terms of reference and final findings to be made public.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, October 11, Mr Ayeh said the Minority had reviewed documents provided by Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa following a Right to Information (RTI) request. According to him, the review found inconsistencies in records covering reintegration grants, transport allowances and flight costs.
Mr Ayeh said the Minister had indicated that each of the 1,964 evacuees received GH¢5,000 as a reintegration grant and GH¢500 as a transport allowance. However, the Minority’s review found that only 824 names appeared in both payment registers.
He also said the flight records provided accounted for 926 people who travelled on chartered flights and another 247 listed in detailed commercial flight records. This brings the total number of people accounted for in the documents to 1,173.
The Minority argues that the records do not adequately explain how the remaining 791 people, out of the reported 1,964 evacuees, were transported.
Mr Ayeh further claimed that some names appeared more than once across the reintegration grant, transport allowance and flight records. He said the Minority had also found 442 minors listed in the reintegration payment register and wanted clarification on how their payments were handled.
In particular, the Minority wants to know whether the money was paid directly to the children or given to their parents or guardians on their behalf.
Mr Ayeh acknowledged that the Minister’s response to the RTI request had provided more information for public scrutiny. However, he said some important questions remained unanswered, including how the payments were matched with the records, why some entries were duplicated or unsigned, and whether there were enough documents to support the flight and other logistical expenses.
The Minority has proposed that the audit be conducted by Deloitte Ghana, KPMG Ghana, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Ernst & Young Ghana, or another reputable firm that is independent of the Minister and the contractors involved in the evacuation.
It wants the audit report made public to help determine whether the total amount spent and the number of people evacuated can be properly matched with the available documents.
“Only a thorough independent and transparent audit with findings made public can restore the confidence of the Ghanaian people in the public management of their funds,” Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh said.
The Minority says an independent audit is necessary to promote transparency and ensure public funds used to evacuate Ghanaians from South Africa are properly accounted for.
