MTN GH¢20m offer: 'Why did Ablakwa delay in announcing the rejection?' – Asafo Adjei Ayeh quizzes

Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Nana Asafo Adjei Ayeh, has questioned the government’s account of its decision to decline MTN Ghana’s GH¢20 million support package for Ghanaians affected by xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

He said the timeline provided by Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa raised questions about what happened between the government’s reported rejection of the offer on August 14 and MTN’s subsequent public statements on August 20.

According to Mr Asafo Adjei Ayeh, the government’s clarification on August 26 also came a day after he had formally requested information on the funding of the evacuation exercise and the “Ghanaian partners” involved.

In a social media post on Thursday, August 27, Mr Asafo Adjei Ayeh questioned why MTN’s Board Chairman, Dr Ishmael Yamson, publicly spoke about the GH¢20 million package on August 20 if the government had already rejected the offer six days earlier.

“So what happened between the 14th and the 20th?” he asked the Minister.

The Bosome Freho MP also questioned why the government allowed what he described as a different public impression to persist for several days before addressing the matter.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry said on Wednesday, August 26, that the government had declined MTN Ghana’s offer because adequate financial provisions had already been made for the evacuation and reintegration of Ghanaians returning from South Africa.

The Ministry said the government’s position had been communicated directly to Dr Yamson and MTN Ghana CEO when they met Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on August 14.

MTN Ghana had announced the GH¢20 million support package to assist Ghanaians returning from South Africa to rebuild their lives and livelihoods following renewed xenophobic attacks.

Ghana has so far evacuated more than 1,000 nationals from South Africa under the government-led exercise, with the second phase continuing since July.

The government has also introduced a reintegration package for returnees, including a GH¢5,000 reintegration grant and GH¢500 for travel and transport expenses.