South Africa evacuation expenditure: Ablakwa harassing Foreign Ministry staff over RTI disclosures – Asafo Adjei alleges

The Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Nana Asafo Adjei Ayeh, has accused Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa of harassing civil servants at the ministry over information released to the Minority on the expenditure for evacuating Ghanaians from South Africa.

The allegation follows the Minority’s demand for an independent audit of the GH¢49.72 million spent on evacuating 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa between May 27 and September 4, 2026, following xenophobic attacks.

After reviewing documents obtained from the ministry through a Right to Information (RTI) request, the caucus alleged discrepancies in beneficiary payment registers, flight manifests and other expenditure records.

It estimated that GH¢16.4 million required further explanation and called for a comprehensive audit of the exercise.

In a social media post on Wednesday, October 21, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker alleged that the minister had initiated efforts to identify officers suspected of leaking information to the Minority.

“The Minority has picked up information that some so-called investigators have entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and are harassing officers there,” he stated.

Asafo Adjei alleged that the exercise was intended to identify officers who had released information about attempts to alter documents submitted to the Minority in response to its RTI request.

He cautioned the minister against intimidating public servants and creating tension within the ministry, arguing that such actions could undermine staff morale and their ability to perform their duties.

“The Minority will not be intimidated, and Ghana’s public servants should not be either,” he added.

However, the Media Relations Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fred Duhoe, has denied the allegations, describing them as an attempt to damage the minister’s reputation.

In a separate social media response, Mr Duhoe insisted that no such incident had occurred at the ministry and challenged the lawmaker to substantiate his claims.

“There was NO SUCH THING at the Ministry. This agenda to tarnish the image of the Foreign Minister at all costs is an evil ploy,” he wrote.

Mr Duhoe also invited media organisations to visit the ministry to verify the claims, insisting that the allegations would not distract the minister from his responsibilities.