SA evacuation is not the highest; COVID-19 evacuation cost us GH₵96m – Ablakwa

An evacuation of citizens is an organised effort to bring nationals home from another country. It can involve arranging transport, identifying returnees, providing support, and managing health or safety requirements. Here, Ghana used evacuation exercises to return citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic and from South Africa.

The COVID-19 exercise included quarantine and testing arrangements. However, more than 80 per cent of pandemic returnees reportedly paid for their own flights. Most also paid for their own quarantine, while the government supported a smaller group of vulnerable people who could not afford the costs.

The meaning matters because the exercises involved public spending and different levels of government support. The South Africa exercise cost GH¢49.72 million. The COVID-19 exercise cost GH¢96.97 million, prompting questions and an audit to clarify how the money was used.

Ghana spent GH¢49.72 million on the recent evacuation of citizens from South Africa. Records available at the Foreign Affairs Ministry put the COVID-19 evacuation cost at GH¢96.97 million. The comparison matters because it shows the earlier exercise cost almost twice as much as the more recent one.

The difference was unexpected to Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. He said most people returning during the pandemic paid for their own air tickets, quarantine, and COVID-19 tests. Government support was mainly directed toward a smaller number of vulnerable people who could show they could not afford the costs.

The figures are now part of a public spending debate. An audit has been initiated to establish how the GH¢96.97 million was used. Ablakwa said the figures alone should not lead to accusations of theft before the audit is completed.

The cost is surprising because public spending remained high despite most returnees paying their own airfare. Ablakwa said more than 80 per cent of Ghanaians returning during the pandemic covered their own flights. The vast majority also paid for their own quarantine, according to his comments.

Government support was therefore not expected to cover most passengers’ travel or medical costs. Yet the total recorded expenditure reached GH¢96.97 million. The government also incurred GH¢44 million in quarantine costs, which formed part of that total. Ablakwa said he expected the pandemic figure to be lower than the South Africa cost.

The high total does not itself prove wrongdoing. Ablakwa said he would not accuse anyone of theft before an audit. The audit is intended to show what the expenditure covered and whether the available records explain the figure.

During the COVID-19 evacuation, the government covered some costs connected with returning citizens. The Foreign Affairs Minister said government expenditure included GH¢44 million for quarantine. State support also went to a small number of vulnerable people who could demonstrate that they could not afford the required costs.

Most returnees paid for their own air tickets. Ablakwa also said the vast majority paid for their own quarantine. He added that the government did not pay for most passengers’ flights, COVID-19 tests, or medical bills. These distinctions explain why the spending figures became controversial.

The available records still show total COVID-19 expenditure of GH¢96.97 million. The minister said he did not know what fully accounted for that amount, so an audit was invited. The audit is expected to clarify the spending before anyone draws conclusions about wrongdoing.

The South Africa evacuation involved 1,964 evacuees, according to the records discussed by the Minority caucus. The exercise cost GH¢49.72 million, a figure that has prompted public debate and demands for clearer financial information.

The Minority argues that documents supplied by the Foreign Affairs Ministry do not fully reconcile with the government’s reported expenditure and the total number of evacuees. It says more than GH¢16.4 million still requires explanation. In this context, reconciliation means matching the reported money with the supporting records and the stated exercise details.

The disagreement has increased pressure for an independent audit of the South Africa exercise. Separately, Ablakwa has initiated an audit of the GH¢96.97 million COVID-19 expenditure. The article does not state the final outcome of either audit.

An audit could establish what the GH¢96.97 million COVID-19 expenditure covered. It could examine the ministry’s records, compare payments with the services provided, and clarify how costs such as quarantine fit into the total. This matters because most returnees reportedly paid several expenses themselves.

One known component is GH¢44 million spent on quarantine for returning Ghanaians. Ablakwa said more than 80 per cent paid for their own flights, while the government did not pay most passengers’ tests or medical bills. The audit could therefore identify the remaining categories and verify their amounts.

The audit could also determine whether the spending records reconcile with the reported total. It would provide evidence before conclusions are reached. Ablakwa said the figures alone were not enough to accuse anyone of theft and that he would wait for the audit.

An independent audit is a formal examination of financial records by reviewers who are separate from the officials managing the money. Its purpose is to test whether reported spending is supported by documents, payments, and services received. Independence helps make the findings more credible.

For the COVID-19 evacuation, auditors could examine the GH¢96.97 million total, including the GH¢44 million quarantine cost. They could compare invoices, payment records, contracts, and returnee numbers with the ministry’s account. They could also check whether the government paid costs that returnees reportedly covered themselves.

The audit would not automatically prove theft. It would establish what the money was used for and whether the records reconcile with the reported figure. That evidence could guide further action. Ablakwa said he would not pass judgment or accuse anyone before the audit was completed.