Kofi Tonto questions Ablakwa over errors in South Africa evacuation data

Spokesperson for Employment on the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Policy Committee, Kofi Tonto, has challenged Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa to explain alleged inconsistencies in records relating to the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.

Tonto cited what he described as errors in dates of birth, duplicate passport numbers and alleged double payments, insisting that the Minister must address the concerns raised by the Minority in Parliament.

In a Facebook post, Tonto questioned Ablakwa’s response to the controversy, arguing that his public explanations had not adequately addressed the issues identified in the evacuation records.

“The demand is simple; respond to the gaps in your own data. We are interested in answers not more questions,” he wrote.

According to Tonto, the documents presented by Ablakwa contain entries with dates of birth that appear impossible or inconsistent.

He cited examples of individuals allegedly recorded as having been born in 2034 and 2036, as well as another entry showing a date of birth of February 31, 1990.

He also alleged that different individuals appeared under the same passport numbers and that some beneficiaries received duplicate payments.

The claims raise questions about the accuracy of the records used to account for the evacuation exercise and the allowances reportedly paid to returnees.

However, the allegations require verification against the original records and supporting documentation before any conclusion can be reached about their cause or financial implications.

Tonto maintained that Mr Ablakwa should focus on providing explanations for the discrepancies rather than engaging in further public exchanges.

“Ablakwa should not think for a second that his bogus media gymnastics has exonerated him,” he stated.

The controversy follows concerns raised by the NPP Minority in Parliament over flight records and payment documentation for the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.

Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said the Minority’s examination of documents supplied by the Foreign Affairs Ministry revealed gaps between the reported number of evacuees and the passengers it could identify in the available flight records.

The Minority has questioned the whereabouts of some individuals listed as evacuees and whether the expenditure associated with the exercise can be fully reconciled with the supporting documents.

It has also raised concerns about payment registers and discrepancies in the records used to account for allowances distributed to returnees.

In an earlier assessment, the Minority said its review of flight documentation identified 1,173 passengers across the records it examined, compared with the official figure of 1,964 evacuees.

It has argued that the difference requires further explanation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.