NPP To Ablakwa: Accounts, Not Explanations – Produce Documents For GHS 49.7M S/A Evacuation

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has demanded full documentation from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, over GHS 49,721,786 spent in the name of 1,964 Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa following xenophobic violence.

Addressing the press in Accra, the NPP National Communications Director, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, said Ghana did not ask for explanations and PowerPoint presentations, but for a full account backed by invoices, receipts and signed sheets.

“Ghana did not ask the Minister for an explanation. Ghana asked for an account. And until the account is produced, this matter is not closed,” he said.

The Party said while it is glad the evacuees returned home and mourns Bashiru Issahaq, Kwadwo Antwi, Amoonu Jailor Nash and Ebenezer Ayi Tawiah who did not return alive, the account for the evacuation does not reconcile.

According to Mr. Aboagye, everything the Minority in Parliament, led by Hon. Asafo-Adjei, Deputy Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee for Bosome Freho, has raised comes from documents signed and released by the Ministry itself – the RTI response of 18th September 2026, the report to Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee and its annexes.

What The Minister’s Own Documents Show:

1. More than half with no invoice: GHS 27,183,700, representing 55% of the total cost, was spent on chartered flights with no invoice, no contract, and not even the name of the operator.

2. Signatures do not match headcount: The Minister says all 1,964 received GHS 5,000 plus GHS 500. His own signed sheets show only about 1,001 signatures for the GHS 500 allowance and 1,508 for GHS 5,000. Only 824 names appear on both lists. That leaves 1,140 Ghanaians in whose names GHS 5,500 each was declared – totaling GHS 6,270,000 – without matching signatures.

3. Payout multiplied, not counted: The Ministry reports GHS 10,802,000 for reintegration and transport – exactly 1,964 x GHS 5,500. The NPP says a genuine account totals what was actually paid.

4. One airline document, two prices: An ASKY “Invoice” and “Receipt” with the same number KP/GO9/05/09/26/001 and same date 5th September 2026 show two totals – USD 79,727 and USD 89,918 – a difference of USD 10,191. Same documents show USD 13,000 paid for 50 passengers who never boarded.

5. One letter, two promises: The letter inviting the Auditor-General, Ref CC/7 of 17th September 2026, appears in two versions. One promises all records “within its purview”, the other promises only records “we are able to produce”.

6. GHS 16 million described two ways: The Minister’s letter to Engineers & Planners thanks the company for a “cash donation” of GHS 16 million, while his RTI response says the company bought tickets and reintegration support directly. Airline receipts cover about GHS 9.4 million. Where is the remaining GHS 6.6 million?

7. Records no auditor would accept: Registers list children recorded as “Minor” with signatures against their names, some with dates of birth in 2032 and 2036 – years yet to come – and some rows with no signature at all.

Five Demands:

The NPP is demanding that within 7 days, the Minister:

1. Produce the complete set – every charter invoice, contract, payment voucher, signed sheet and full list of 1,964 with proof of payment against each name.

2. Name the charter operator and show procurement process under the Public Procurement Act.

3. Account for the GHS 16 million – whether cash or purchases, which account received it and how every cedi was applied.

4. Explain the two ASKY totals and the two versions of letter CC/7 and publish the version the Auditor-General received.

5. Submit to a truly independent audit by a firm of international standing, with terms of reference and findings made public.

If not met, the Party says it will support the Minority to pursue urgent questions in Parliament, formally petition the Auditor-General to prioritise the evacuation in the special audit, pursue remedies under the RTI Act, and keep the questions before Ghanaians.

“Hon. Ablakwa built his reputation, in opposition, on demanding receipts from those in government… Accountability does not change sides when its champion changes seats. The standard he set for others is the standard we now ask him to meet,” Mr. Aboagye concluded.

He stressed: “Not explanations. Not assurances. Not power point presentations but the full and complete Documents.”