Accra:Akosua Manu, an advisor to NPP flagbearer Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has raised concerns about the GHS49.7 million spent on Ghana's evacuation exercise from South Africa. She has called for a transparent account of the expenditure and cautioned against diverting public attention towards political disputes over service passports.
According to Ghana Web, Manu criticized the current focus on allegations regarding Nana Boakye's service passport, stating that this does not address the core issues related to the financial handling of the evacuation exercise. She emphasized the need for clarity on matters such as payment registers, ghost names, and discrepancies in flight records.
The controversy arises amid a public disagreement between the Majority in Parliament's Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Committee and its Deputy Ranking Member, Nana Asafo-Ayeh, over criticism of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. The Majority accuses Asafo-Ayeh of engaging in character assassination against the minister, citing tension from Ablakwa's refusal to grant a service passport to Nana Boakye, a former NPP National Youth Organiser and now NPP 2nd Vice Chairman.
The Majority asserts that Minister Ablakwa's actions align with a presidential directive for holders of diplomatic and service passports to return them. Meanwhile, Salaga South MP Zuwera Ibrahimah Mohammed has supported the minister's stance, emphasizing the importance of public officials adhering to legal protocols.
Despite these political tensions, Manu insists that the focus should remain on the evacuation fund expenditure. She advocates for the release of records for thorough examination and calls for an independent audit to ensure accountability and transparency in the use of public funds.