Ablakwa Rejects Claims Evacuees From South Africa Received Short Payments
Government has dismissed reports alleging that some Ghanaians repatriated from South Africa were paid less than the officially approved GH¢5,500 relief package.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, clarified that every individual on the evacuation list received the full monetary allocation without any deductions.
Addressing the Ghanaian diaspora in Ottawa, Canada, during an official working visit, the Minister noted that no formal complaints or petitions regarding shortfalls have been received by the ministry since the exercise commenced.
His clarification comes on the back of circulating media reports suggesting that at least three evacuees received GH¢2,000 rather than the total GH¢5,500 state package.
Setting the record straight, Mr. Ablakwa explained that all 1,000 listed beneficiaries—including minors—were handed the complete package comprising GH¢5,000 in reintegration assistance alongside GH¢500 to cover immediate transportation costs. He stressed that the disbursements were carried out transparently.
“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 said.
Highlighting the historic nature of the relief effort, the North Tongu lawmaker pointed out that the financial backing provided to the returnees remains unprecedented in the history of national evacuation operations, as previous exercises offered no such transport allowances or reintegration packages.
Addressing the public backlash and criticism surrounding the program, Mr. Ablakwa affirmed his unwavering dedication to safeguarding citizens abroad.
“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,” he added.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
