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GENERAL

Majority Caucus: Foreign Ministry’s Accountability Should Be Celebrated, Not Condemned

The Majority Caucus of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Foreign Affairs has strongly defended the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, insisting that the unprecedented level of accountability demonstrated in the evacuation of Ghanaian nationals from South Africa merits national commendation rather than political attacks.

Date Created : 10/14/2026 : Story Author : Ghanadistricts.com

Addressing a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Committee, Honourable Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, stated that the Ministry had voluntarily rendered a comprehensive account of the evacuation exercise, a feat never before achieved in the history of Ghana’s foreign policy operations.

Honourable Vanderpuije revealed that on 18th September 2026, the Committee received a meticulous report from the Ministry detailing the evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaian nationals from South Africa, complete with a full roll of evacuees including their names, dates of birth, passport numbers, professions, contact information, amounts received, and duly appended signatures. He emphasised that not a single name was missing from the list, with minors’ particulars fully captured and attested to by their parents or legal guardians, describing the documentation as evidence of the Ministry’s commitment to transparency and parliamentary accountability.

The Chairman further disclosed that the Ministry furnished extensive financial records, including receipts and supporting documentation for chartered flights, commercial tickets, transportation, feeding, accommodation, and other logistics, as well as documentary evidence of a GH¢16 million donation from Mr. Ibrahim Mahama’s Engineers and Planners. He noted that the total cost of the evacuation, amounting to GH¢49,721,786, represented a prudent expenditure, adding that no evacuated Ghanaian had come forward to claim they did not receive the GH¢5,500 integration and transportation allowance.

“I cannot recall any previous evacuation exercise in respect of which such an extensive and impressive account, accompanied by such a wealth of supporting documentation, has been submitted for parliamentary scrutiny,” Honourable Vanderpuije declared, stressing that this level of transparency never occurred during any of the evacuations carried out under the previous New Patriotic Party administration over its eight years in power.

The Majority Caucus also confirmed that the Ministry had written to the Auditor-General on 17th September 2026, inviting an independent and comprehensive audit of all evacuation exercises from 2017 onwards, including the COVID-19, Ukraine, Sudan, and South Africa evacuations. According to the Chairman, this move unequivocally demonstrated the Ministry’s willingness to submit to independent scrutiny, and he urged that accountability be applied consistently across successive administrations rather than selectively invoked for partisan expediency.

The Caucus expressed regret over what it described as baseless allegations by the Minority Caucus suggesting that funds expended on the evacuation remained unaccounted for. Honourable Vanderpuije noted that the Minister had voluntarily sought to brief the Committee after the exercise, but Minority members boycotted the engagement, only to resort to public allegations thereafter, a posture he said raised legitimate questions about their sincerity and smacked of political mischief.

Concluding, the Majority Caucus called on the public to recognise the Ministry’s exceptional sacrifice, competence, and patriotism, stating that the Honourable Minister and his team deserve the highest commendation for their exemplary transparency and responsible stewardship of public resources. The Caucus urged the globally celebrated Minister to remain focused on his work for all Ghanaians, home and abroad, and invited Honourable Ibrahimah Mohammed Zuwera, Member of Parliament for Salaga South, to provide a more detailed exposition of the Majority’s findings in response to the Minority’s allegations.

GENERAL

Majority Caucus: Foreign Ministry’s Accountability Should Be Celebrated, Not Condemned

Date Created : 10/14/2026 : Story Author : Ghanadistricts.com

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