Accra:Kofi Tonto, spokesperson for Employment on the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) Policy Committee, has called on Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa to address alleged inconsistencies in records related to the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.
According to Ghana Web, Tonto highlighted discrepancies such as errors in dates of birth, duplicate passport numbers, and alleged double payments, underscoring the need for the Minister to respond to concerns raised by the Minority in Parliament. In a Facebook post, Tonto criticized Ablakwa's public explanations, claiming they did not sufficiently address the issues in the evacuation records.
Tonto pointed out that the documents presented by Ablakwa included entries with implausible dates of birth, such as years 2034 and 2036, and a non-existent date of February 31, 1990. He also noted instances of different individuals being recorded under the same passport numbers and alleged duplicate payments to some beneficiaries. These claims question the accuracy of the records used for the evacuation exercise and the allowances reportedly paid to returnees.
The allegations necessitate verification against original records and supporting documentation before concluding on their validity or financial implications. Tonto emphasized that Mr. Ablakwa should prioritize explaining these discrepancies over engaging in further public discourse.
The controversy follows concerns from the NPP Minority in Parliament, particularly over flight records and payment documentation for the evacuation. Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, stated that the Minority's review of documents from the Foreign Affairs Ministry revealed discrepancies between the reported number of evacuees and the passengers identified in the flight records.
The Minority has also questioned the whereabouts of some listed evacuees and whether the exercise's expenses can be reconciled with the supporting documents. An earlier assessment by the Minority noted a discrepancy between the reported 1,964 evacuees and 1,173 passengers identified in the flight records, arguing that further explanation is required from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.