GH¢49.72m S.A. evacuation: Asafo-Adjei says government’s figures do not add up

The Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, has raised concerns over the GH¢49.72 million reportedly spent on evacuating 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa, insisting that the figures presented by the government do not add up.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, October 24, the opposition lawmaker questioned the credibility of the expenditure, arguing that the inability to satisfactorily establish the number of beneficiaries raises serious concerns about the entire evacuation exercise.

"I am at this point confident in everything in me that the figures don't add up. If you cannot even establish the 1,964, then there is a problem with everything you did," he stated.

Mr Asafo-Adjei maintained that the documents presented to justify the expenditure must be subjected to thorough scrutiny, stressing that the details should support the government's public explanations.

According to him, the Minority's concerns are based on the contents of the available documentation rather than political disagreements or unrelated issues.

"The content of the document is what matters. The devil is always in the details, and that is what we are looking at, and it doesn't support your communication," he said.

The Deputy Ranking Member emphasised that his focus remains on establishing the facts surrounding the expenditure and ensuring that the government provides satisfactory explanations for the amount spent and the reported number of evacuees.

He rejected suggestions that the Minority was diverting attention from the substantive issues, insisting that his interventions have consistently centred on accountability and transparency.

"If you listen to the Minority, particularly me, I have never majored in any tangential. I am focused on this matter, and I want to get to the logical conclusion of this matter," he stressed.

His comments come amid scrutiny of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the reported GH¢49.72 million expenditure on the evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa.