The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has published the names and signatures of Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa, including records relating to the payment of reintegration and transportation allowances, following claims by the Minority that more than GH¢16 million in evacuation funds remains unaccounted for.
In a report, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the total cost of evacuating Ghanaians from South Africa amounted to GH¢49.72 million, comprising GH¢33.72 million from the Government of Ghana and GH¢16 million from the Engineers and Planners.
He said the expenditure covered chartered flights, commercial tickets, 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 received a reintegration allowance of GH¢5,000 and a transportation allowance of GH¢500 each, including infants.
“So far no Ghanaian evacuee from South Africa has denied ever receiving both reintegration and transportation allowances,” he said.
He dismissed 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.
The minister also challenged the Minority’s assertion that only 247 Ghanaians arrived through commercial flights, saying documents submitted to support the evacuation expenditure included passenger manifests, tickets, boarding passes, receipts and signed payment records.
He questioned how the Minority arrived at a figure of 442 minors who allegedly received the allowances while maintaining that only 247 evacuees arrived through commercial flights.
Mr Ablakwa said the government’s position had been that all evacuees, regardless of age, were entitled to the reintegration and transportation allowances.
He maintained that the publication of the names and signatures was part of the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability in the use of public funds.
“We welcome scrutiny. We only ask that reading the report comes before condemning it. The answers were there; perhaps the reading is still in progress,” he said.
The publication comes amid continuing disagreement between the government and the Minority over the accounting of funds used for the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.
Source: Citinewsroom
