‘Yɛgye Yɛ Sika’: NPP youth wing protests over SA evacuation expenditure, diplomatic passports

The youth wing of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has staged a demonstration in Accra, dubbed ‘Yɛgye Yɛ Sika’, demanding accountability from the government over expenditure on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa and the issuance of diplomatic and service passports.

The protesters are demanding a detailed account of the reported GH¢16.4 million discrepancy in the expenditure on the evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa.

Speaking to JoyNews, the NPP Deputy National Communications Director said the demonstration was aimed at compelling the government to account for the money.

“It is simple; we are demanding the 16.4 million Ghana cedis that Okudjeto Ablakwa has shortchanged Ghanaians, so the protest is simple; we are demanding our money,” the Deputy Communications Director said.

The NPP youth wing is calling on the government to publish the original invoices, contracts and proof of payment for all charter flights used in the evacuation exercise.

It also wants the full passenger manifest and beneficiary list released to enable the public to verify the reported number of evacuees and establish who benefited from the operation.

The party is further demanding an independent audit of the total expenditure to determine how the funds were utilised and clarify the concerns raised over the financial records.

The second major issue behind the demonstration is the issuance of diplomatic and service passports.

The protesters are demanding the publication of details of all diplomatic and service passports issued since January 2025, including the qualifying office or status of each recipient and the approving authority.

They are also calling for the cancellation of any passports found to have been issued improperly, insisting that the process must comply with the relevant regulations.

The NPP youth wing says the demonstration is part of its broader campaign for transparency and accountability in the management of public resources and official documents.

By taking their protest to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the organisers say they want the government to provide clear answers on the two issues and address any irregularities identified.