'Ablakwa spearheaded calculated effort to steal from Ghanaians' – Abu Jinapor

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has accused Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa of presiding over what it describes as a scheme to misappropriate public funds during the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.

Samuel Abu Jinapor, Member of Parliament for Damongo and Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, made the allegation on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, as the Minority renewed its demand for accountability over the GH¢49.7 million expenditure announced by the Minister.

Addressing a press conference on behalf of the Minority Caucus, Jinapor said a review of documents obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had revealed discrepancies that raised serious questions about the management of taxpayers’ money.

The evacuation exercise was undertaken to bring home Ghanaian nationals whose safety had been threatened in South Africa.

According to the Minority, Ablakwa announced that the evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians cost GH¢49,721,786.

However, Jinapor said the Minority’s examination of documents obtained through a request under the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), had uncovered inconsistencies between the Minister’s public statements and payment records supplied by the Ministry.

“The evidence before us reveals grave financial irregularities, compelling indications of the misapplication of public funds and possible fraud,” the Minority stated.

Alleged discrepancies in payment records

Jinapor said the Minority’s review had identified alleged duplicated entries, gaps in supporting documentation, discrepancies in payment records and expenditure items requiring further explanation.

He also cited media investigations that reportedly found cases in which some evacuees claimed they had not received allowances recorded against their names.

The investigations reportedly identified payment entries without signatures and expenditure for which supporting receipts were unavailable.

The Minority argues that the alleged discrepancies warrant a comprehensive independent audit to establish the actual cost of the evacuation, determine whether payments were properly made and identify any possible financial wrongdoing.

The allegations, however, have not established that Ablakwa personally stole or diverted public funds. The Minority is calling for further scrutiny to determine responsibility for the reported irregularities.

Evacuees allegedly did not receive recorded payments

The Minority also rejected suggestions that some evacuees who had spoken publicly about the expenditure had been induced to criticise the government.

Jinapor denied that the Minority had paid or persuaded any evacuees to speak against the government. He maintained that some had voluntarily come forward after identifying discrepancies between the amounts they reportedly received and the payments allegedly recorded against their names.

He also raised concerns over reports that the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria had warned evacuees against speaking to the media.

The Minority questioned why evacuees would allegedly be discouraged from discussing the exercise if the Ministry had nothing to conceal.

Jinapor further said some evacuees who attended a press conference had indicated that they did not receive the amounts they were allegedly recorded as having received.

The Minority says these claims must be independently investigated to establish the accuracy of the payment records and the circumstances surrounding the alleged discrepancies.

Minority demands Ablakwa’s resignation

The Minority has renewed its call for Ablakwa to resign as Foreign Affairs Minister, arguing that the reported irregularities have undermined public confidence in his handling of the evacuation.

It cited Section 2.1(j) of President John Dramani Mahama’s 2025 Code of Conduct and Ethics for Political Appointees, which it says requires resignation where a minister’s actions or leadership result in significant failure, corruption or a breach of public trust.

The Caucus has also called on President Mahama to terminate Ablakwa’s appointment if he refuses to resign, citing Article 81(a) of the 1992 Constitution.

Additionally, the Minority says it will consider initiating parliamentary proceedings for a vote of censure against the Minister under Article 82 of the Constitution and Order 138 of Parliament’s Standing Orders if he remains in office.

Calls for independent audit

The Minority’s principal demand is for a comprehensive independent audit of the evacuation exercise by an internationally reputable accounting firm.

It says the audit should establish how the reported GH¢49.7 million was spent and clarify the discrepancies identified in the records.

The Caucus maintains that its support for the evacuation of vulnerable Ghanaians does not absolve the government of its responsibility to account for public expenditure.

For the Minority, the central issue is whether the funds allocated to the exercise were properly spent and whether the official payment records accurately reflect what evacuees received.

The controversy has renewed scrutiny of transparency in public spending, the reliability of government expenditure records and the accountability of officials responsible for emergency operations involving Ghanaian citizens abroad.