The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has denied allegations of financial impropriety regarding the evacuation of Ghanaian nationals from South Africa, asserting that no conflicting records have been identified in the operation.
Francis Gborglah, Director of the Information at the Public Affairs Bureau at the Ministry, affirmed that official records remain accurate and transparent.
Speaking on Rainbow Radio’s flagship news programme Nyankonton Mu Nsem, he stressed that the Ministry operates with high integrity under the sector minister and welcomes scrutiny from state auditors.
The South African evacuation exercise has drawn public scrutiny following claims of discrepancies in beneficiary payments, including duplicate names on payment registers and disputed signatures.
Addressing the allegations, Mr Gborglah stated: “Let me assure you that as far as the Ministry is concerned, we uphold the highest level of integrity. The Minister is a person we hold in high esteem, and in all our dealings, we look up to him. There is nothing we are running away from as far as accountability is concerned. We want to assure Ghanaians that there are no wrongdoing or corruption-related activities attached to this exercise.”
He emphasized that the Ministry stands firmly behind its published figures and took proactive measures to ensure public trust.
“We still stand on our feet that, as to the information we have already put out there about the whole exercise and its expenditure, everything was done right. That is why the Minister invited the Auditor-General’s Department to audit us. Our books are open, and we are not going to hide from accountability,” he added.
Despite the Ministry’s assurances, the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has pressed for a forensic audit into the operation. The party alleges that several evacuees did not receive their full allowances as scheduled, while others reported missing out on transportation stipends.
Meanwhile, the Minority caucus in Parliament has rejected claims that it compensated or coached evacuees to fabricate allegations against the government.
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, October 27, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, clarified that the Minority acted solely in the public interest and advocated for an independent review by a reputable private audit firm.
Reiterating the Ministry’s openness to an inquiry, Mr Gborglah noted that opposition calls for an investigation are within standard parliamentary oversight.
“On this issue, I would want you to allow us not to dwell so much on it. It is within the right of anybody to call for an independent inquiry into the matter. I want to give them all due respect and say that it is within their right to call for an independent audit. We have no issue with that,” he concluded.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana