Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has refuted allegations that some Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa were paid less than the GH¢5,500 support package announced by the government. He emphasised that his ministry has not received any complaints about payment shortfalls, asserting that every one of the 1,000 evacuees—including minors—received the full package: GH¢5,000 for reintegration and GH¢500 for transportation.
Speaking to the Ghanaian community in Ottawa, Canada, during an official visit, Mr. Ablakwa challenged the validity of the claims, noting that the payments were distributed transparently and no beneficiaries had reported underpayment. His remarks come after reports that at least three individuals from the evacuation list said they received only GH¢2,000 instead of the promised GH¢5,500.
The minister insisted that since the evacuation began over four months ago, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not recorded any complaints. He added that no issues were reported at the airport regarding missing envelopes or incomplete payments.
“For more than four months since the evacuation commenced, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not received a single complaint. We didn’t receive a complaint at the airport that an envelope has not been received or an amount is not up to the figure. Up until this day, there has been no complaint by any of the Ghanaians evacuated,” he stated.
Mr. Ablakwa described the government’s support package as unprecedented compared to previous evacuation exercises, which did not offer similar reintegration and transportation allowances. Despite criticism, he reaffirmed his commitment to supporting Ghanaians in distress abroad, stating, “But I give you one assurance that despite all the vilification, I remain fully committed to the welfare, the protection of the dignity and the rights of Ghanaians. I am not discouraged at all.”
Meanwhile, the Minority has called for an independent audit of the GH¢49.72 million spent by the government.
