By Aaron Hammond 
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is demanding a detailed account of the GH¢49.72 million spent on evacuating 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa following xenophobic attacks.
The party wants Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa to provide documents showing how the money was received, managed and spent. NPP Communications Director Dennis Miracles Aboagye made the demand at a press briefing on October 18, 2026. The party has given the minister seven days to provide the requested records. The issue has sparked public debate about transparency, public spending and the need for government officials to account for money used in national emergencies.
Why Is the NPP Questioning the GH¢49.72 Million?
The evacuation exercise took place between May 27 and September 4, 2026, bringing 1,964 Ghanaians home from South Africa. Ablakwa previously explained that the total cost reached GH¢49,721,786, with the government providing GH¢33,721,786 and businessman Ibrahim Mahama’s company, Engineers and Planners, contributing GH¢16 million. The expenditure covered chartered flights, commercial tickets, accommodation, feeding, medical care, transport and allowances for returnees. However, the NPP says some payment records do not clearly account for all the beneficiaries. Aboagye has questioned whether the available documents prove that every returnee received the stated GH¢5,500 in reintegration and transport allowances. He also wants original flight invoices, charter contracts, boarding records and payment vouchers to help verify the expenditure. These concerns remain allegations that require examination, not proof that public funds were misused.
What Has Ablakwa and the Majority Said?
The government has maintained that the evacuation costs were fully accounted for. The Majority Caucus on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee rejected the NPP Minority’s allegations on October 13. The caucus said the ministry had submitted detailed financial records and information covering all 1,964 evacuees. It also said the documents included evidence of the GH¢16 million contribution from Engineers and Planners. The two sides therefore disagree over whether the documents sufficiently resolve the questions raised. An independent review could help establish whether the records reconcile and whether any gaps require further explanation.
The dispute matters because citizens deserve clear information about how public money is spent, especially during emergencies involving the safety of Ghanaians abroad. The GH¢16 million contribution from Engineers and Planners formed part of the overall evacuation funding, rather than an additional amount on top of the GH¢49.72 million total. The key questions concern the supporting records, the cost of charter flights and evidence of payments to returnees. Publishing verifiable documents and allowing an independent audit, if undertaken, could help resolve the competing claims. For now, the NPP is demanding further disclosure, while the Majority maintains that the expenditure is properly documented. The evidence, rather than political arguments, will be essential in determining whether the accounting fully answers the concerns raised.
Also Read: NPP Demands Answers Over Reported GH¢16m Ibrahim Mahama Donation