Foreign Affairs Ministry denies Minority’s claim of harassing staff over South Africa evacuation expenditure

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied allegations that its officials are harassing civil servants suspected of providing the Minority with information on the records of evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.

The ministry’s Media Relations Officer, Fred Duhoe, dismissed the allegation as an attempt to tarnish the image of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

His response follows claims by the Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Nana Asafo Adjei Ayeh, that the minister was targeting staff over information released to the Minority.

In a social media post on Wednesday, October 21, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker alleged that investigators had entered the ministry to identify officers suspected of leaking information about attempts to alter documents submitted to the Minority through a Right to Information (RTI) request.

“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.

The allegation comes amid 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 through the 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.

Mr Asafo Adjei cautioned the minister against intimidating public servants, arguing that the alleged actions could undermine staff morale and the ministry’s effectiveness.

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

However, Mr Duhoe rejected the allegations, insisting that no such incident had occurred at the ministry.

“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 in a separate social media response.

He also invited media organisations to visit the ministry to verify the claims and insisted that the allegations would not distract the minister from his responsibilities.