Minority in Parliament

Also known as: the Minority · First Deputy Minority Whip · Minority MPs · The Minority Caucus · Minority leadership

Parliamentary opposition caucus calling for independent investigation into GH¢49.72 million South Africa evacuation spending amid alleged financial discrepancies.

2026-04-272026-10-29

News reports

Order a long-term news report on Minority in Parliament

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In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

October 2026
28 OctThe Chronicle
… The controversy has prompted the Minority in Parliament to renew calls for an independent audit of the evacuation expenditure and payment records. …
Editorial: An Independent Audit Is Needed To Settle ‘South Africa Evacuation’ Brouhaha
27 OctJoy Online
… Speaking on JoyFM’s Top Story on Tuesday, October 27, Mr Jinapor said the Minority believes GH¢16.4 million remains unaccounted for and has renewed its demand for Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa to resign pending an independent audit. …
South Africa evacuation expenditure ‘smacks of a grand scheme of corruption’ – Abu Jinapor
27 OctThe Ghanaian Times
The Minority in Parliament has accused Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa of concealing alleged corruption in the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa and called on him to resign or be removed from office. …
Minority demands Ablakwa’s resignation over South Africa evacuation
27 OctThe Ghanaian Times
… He maintained that the Minority’s demand for an independent investigation was part of its parliamentary oversight responsibility and was not intended to target the minister for political reasons. …
Abu Jinapor describes South Africa evacuation as alleged scheme to siphon public funds
27 OctJoy Online
The Minority in Parliament has denied allegations that it paid or attempted to coach some Ghanaian evacuees from South Africa to speak against the government over the handling of their repatriation and related allowances. …
South Africa evacuation: Minority rejects claims they coached returnees
27 OctJoy Online
The Minority in Parliament has called for an independent investigation into the payments made to Ghanaians who were evacuated from South Africa by the Foreign Affairs Ministry. …
Minority demands independent probe into South Africa evacuation costs
27 OctJoy Online
The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, has dismissed allegations that the Minority in Parliament attempted to influence Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa to speak against the government. …
Samuel Jinapor denies Minority coached South Africa evacuees to criticise government
26 OctJoy Online
… He said criticism from the Minority and other commentators would not discourage him from carrying out his responsibilities. …
‘I’m not discouraged’ – Ablakwa responds to criticism over South Africa evacuation
26 OctJoy Online
… The Minority in Parliament has demanded a detailed breakdown of the expenditure, questioning the amount spent per evacuee. …
‘End the baseless attacks’ – Evacuees defend government over South Africa operation
26 OctJoy Online
… He further accused some elements within the Minority, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and sections of the media of attempting to establish wrongdoing against the government. …
South Africa evacuees condemn public humiliation, seek rescue of 46 stranded Ghanaians

Politics

JoyNews probe finds discrepancies in Ghana's South Africa evacuation spending

The News

A JoyNews Research investigation identified discrepancies in payment records, duplicate names, and unsupported expenditure related to GH¢49.72 million spent evacuating 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa. Some evacuees allegedly received less than the announced GH¢5,500 package, though a returnee group disputes this; Parliament's Minority has called for an independent audit amid the controversy.

28 October 2026 · The Chronicle →

Yesterday

JoyNews probe finds discrepancies in Ghana's South Africa evacuation spending
A JoyNews Research investigation identified discrepancies in payment records, duplicate names, and unsupported expenditure related to GH¢49.72 million spent evacuating 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa. Some evacuees allegedly received less than the announced GH¢5,500 package, though a returnee group disputes this; Parliament's Minority has called for an independent audit amid the controversy.
28 October 2026 · The Chronicle →

Tuesday 27 October

Ranking Member alleges corruption in South Africa evacuation spending
Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, the Ranking Member on Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, has accused the Foreign Affairs Ministry of failing to adequately account for GH¢49.72 million spent on evacuating Ghanaians from South Africa, describing it as a "grand scheme of corruption to siphon public funds." He claims GH¢16.4 million remains unaccounted for and has called for the Foreign Affairs Minister to resign pending an independent audit, citing concerns including duplicate entries, discrepancies in payment records, and cases where individuals did not receive full allowances.
27 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Minority calls for Ablakwa's resignation over evacuation spending
Ghana's Minority in Parliament has accused Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa of concealing alleged corruption in the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa and called on him to resign or be removed from office. The Minority's deputy ranking member on the foreign affairs committee questioned the minister's quoted cost of $750,000 for a charter flight, arguing that such a flight should cost between $150,000 and $180,000, or up to $400,000 with emergency expenses.
27 October 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Abu Jinapor alleges South Africa evacuation was public fund siphoning scheme
Parliament's Ranking Member on Foreign Affairs accuses the Foreign Affairs Minister of failing to ensure accountability over the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa, describing it as an alleged scheme to siphon public funds. Abu Jinapor says the Minority's demand for an independent investigation is part of its parliamentary oversight responsibility and is based on gathered evidence.
27 October 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Minority denies coaching South Africa evacuees against government
Parliament's Minority has denied allegations that it paid or coached Ghanaian evacuees from South Africa to speak against the government over repatriation handling and allowances. The Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee said the Minority had neither paid nor persuaded evacuees to make allegations, and that some evacuees spoke out after discovering discrepancies between entitled and actual allowances received.
27 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Parliament Minority seeks independent probe into South Africa evacuation costs
Ghana's Parliamentary Minority has called for an independent investigation into GH¢49.72 million spent by the Foreign Affairs Ministry on evacuating 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa between May 27 and September 4, citing alleged gaps in flight records, payment inconsistencies, and duplicate entries in documentation.
27 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Jinapor denies Minority coached evacuees to criticise government
Ranking Member Samuel Abdulai Jinapor denied that the Minority in Parliament influenced South Africa evacuees to criticise the government's handling of the evacuation and allowances. The denial follows allegations by some evacuees that opposition members had tried to coach them to make critical statements.
27 October 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 26 October

Ablakwa defends evacuation spending amid cost criticism
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says he remains committed to protecting Ghanaians despite criticism over the South Africa evacuation exercise. The minister defended his ministry and finance officers against allegations of financial impropriety, maintaining confidence in their work and denying that money was stolen, as media fact-checks and the Minority have questioned whether all evacuees received the reported GH¢5,500 support payments.
26 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Evacuees defend government spending on South Africa return operation
The leader of evacuated Ghanaians has called for an end to attacks on the government and returnees over the evacuation from South Africa, which cost GH¢49.72 million for over 1,900 people. Each evacuee received GH¢5,000 reintegration and GH¢500 transportation allowance, though Parliament's Minority has demanded detailed expenditure breakdown.
26 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Evacuated Ghanaians from South Africa seek rescue of 46 stranded
The leader of evacuated Ghanaians from South Africa, Michael Addo, has condemned public scrutiny of the evacuation exercise as humiliating returnees, stating it discourages appeals for further government assistance to rescue 46 Ghanaians who were expected to be evacuated but remain stranded. The evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians cost the government GH¢49.72 million and has faced controversy.
26 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Minority demands GoldBod CEO resignation over galamsey remarks
Ghana's parliamentary Minority has called for the resignation or dismissal of Ghana Gold Board CEO Sammy Gyamfi over comments it says endorse illegal mining, though GoldBod claims a video circulating on social media was selectively edited and misrepresented remarks made during an engagement with artisanal and small-scale miners in March 2026.
26 October 2026 · The Chronicle →

Saturday 24 October

Opposition questions GH¢49.72m South Africa evacuation costs
Deputy Ranking Member Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh has questioned government figures for the evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa, claiming the expenditure of GH¢49.72 million does not add up and calling for thorough scrutiny of supporting documentation.
24 October 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 22 October

Minority demands inquiry into Obuasi SHTS abuse allegations
The Minority in Parliament is calling for an independent parliamentary inquiry into how complaints of alleged sexual abuse involving as many as 19 female students at Obuasi Senior High Technical School were handled, and whether there was political interference. Deputy Minority Leader Patricia Appiagyei outlined four demands including a thorough investigation, Attorney-General advice, prosecution where warranted, and protection and support for affected students.
22 October 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 19 October

NPP spokesperson demands minister explain South Africa evacuation record errors
Kofi Tonto, NPP spokesperson, has called on Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa to address alleged discrepancies in evacuation records for Ghanaians from South Africa, including questionable dates of birth, duplicate passport numbers, and alleged multiple payments to beneficiaries.
19 October 2026 · Joy Online →
NPP demands audit of GH¢49.7M South Africa evacuation cost
The New Patriotic Party has demanded an independent audit of GH¢49.72 million spent evacuating 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa, alleging discrepancies in expenditure records and citing GH¢27.18 million in chartered flight costs without corresponding invoices or operator identification. The party has given the government seven days to produce supporting documents including flight invoices, contracts, and payment vouchers.
19 October 2026 · The Chronicle →

Sunday 18 October

NPP demands evacuation spending records from Foreign Affairs Minister
The New Patriotic Party has given Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa seven days to produce documents on the expenditure for evacuating Ghanaians from South Africa, including charter flight invoices, payment vouchers, and a list of the 1,964 evacuees, warning of further action if demands are not met.
18 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Hassan Ayariga calls for Parliament scrutiny of Ghana's BRICS bid
The Founder and Leader of the All People's Congress, Hassan Ayariga, has called on Parliament to scrutinise the government's proposed move to join BRICS, arguing that Parliament must demand a comprehensive briefing from the Minister for Foreign Affairs on the partnership, its economic justification, benefits, risks, financial implications, and legal obligations. He warned that the decision has implications for Ghana's economic and political future and should not proceed without adequate scrutiny, and stressed that any arrangement qualifying as a treaty, agreement or convention under Article 75 of the 1992 Constitution must follow constitutional ratification procedures.
18 October 2026 · Joy Online →

Saturday 17 October

Hassan Ayariga demands parliamentary consultation on BRICS membership
APC founder Hassan Ayariga has challenged President Mahama's plan to pursue Ghana's BRICS membership, demanding parliamentary scrutiny and public consultation and questioning whether Cabinet has the authority to decide on long-term international commitments without broader engagement.
17 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Minister Ablakwa dismisses Minority's evacuation spending queries
The Minority has questioned GH¢49.7 million spent on an evacuation exercise and the reported 1,964 evacuees, citing a shortfall in publicly announced figures and requesting documentary evidence. Minister Ablakwa responded that documents were provided electronically via email, and characterised the Minority's questions about sign-off sheets as either "pure mischief" or a lack of understanding, explaining that parents signed on behalf of children who received allowances and grants.
17 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Ablakwa acknowledges poor optics of NDC-linked EC appointee
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the optics surrounding Emelia Affi Agbenyo's appointment as Deputy Chair of the Electoral Commission were unfavourable, owing to her association with the NDC, though he defended her integrity and competence. Agbenyo's appointment has drawn criticism from the opposition over concerns about electoral neutrality, given her role as an NDC spokesperson during the 2024 campaign.
17 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Children received GH¢5,500 allowance same as adults in South Africa evacuation
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa defended paying equal reintegration and transport allowances to children and adults evacuated from South Africa, with each evacuee receiving GH¢5,000 as reintegration allowance and GH¢500 for transport, saying children also needed financial support to rebuild their lives and adjust to new educational environments in Ghana.
17 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Ablakwa denies corruption in South Africa evacuation spending
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has rejected allegations of corruption in the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa, stating that no funds are missing from the GH¢49.72 million exercise. The Minority in Parliament has alleged that GH¢16.4 million in expenditure requires further explanation and demanded an independent audit, citing discrepancies in reintegration grants, transport allowances, and flight records.
17 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Ablakwa challenges Minority to name evacuee denied allowance
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has challenged the Minority in Parliament to identify a Ghanaian evacuated from South Africa who did not receive the GH¢5,500 reintegration allowance, dismissing claims of unaccounted funds as propaganda. The government's evacuation operation ended on September 4, 2026, following anti-immigrant sentiment and attacks in South Africa.
17 October 2026 · Joy Online →

Wednesday 14 October

Minister Kofi Adams rejects dismissal calls over World Cup visa scandal
Sports Minister Kofi Adams has rejected Parliament's Minority calls for his dismissal following an alleged visa scandal in which about 90 people reportedly paid $10,000–$15,000 each for FIFA World Cup visas but only five obtained them. Adams claims government money was not lost and that the Ministry was unaware of the matter, which involved the American Embassy, TRIBE Culture Fest, the NSA, and the GTA.
14 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Minister warns Ghanaians over World Cup visa payment scams
Sports Minister Kofi Adams says some Ghanaians ignored repeated warnings and paid intermediaries who falsely claimed to secure US and Canadian visas for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite the Ministry cautioning against trusting individuals who promised influence through personal government connections.
14 October 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 12 October

Sports Ministry denies World Cup visa scandal involvement
Ghana's Ministry of Sports and Recreation has distanced itself from alleged irregularities in visa arrangements for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying a Criminal Investigations Department probe will clarify the matter and hold accountable those involved. The Ministry presented documents showing engagement between the National Sports Authority and private entity TRIBE Culture Fest predated ministerial involvement.
12 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Minority demands audit over GHS16m South Africa evacuation spending
Ghana's Parliamentary Minority has called for an independent audit into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' handling of funds for the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa, alleging that records fail to adequately account for more than GHS16 million of the GHS49.7 million total spent. The Minority's review of payment registers and flight manifests found significant discrepancies, with only 824 individuals confirmed as receiving both the GHS5,000 reintegration grant and GHS500 transport allowance that the Ministry claimed was paid to all 1,964 evacuees.
12 October 2026 · The Chronicle →
US Embassy introduced TRIBE Culture Fest to NSA and GTA
Sports Minister Kofi Adams says the US Embassy introduced TRIBE Culture Fest to the National Sports Authority and Ghana Tourism Authority ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup activities. The disclosure addresses a visa controversy involving the private events organisation's collaboration with public institutions.
12 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Sports minister says NSA did not inform him of embassy visa arrangement
Minister for Sports and Recreation Kofi Adams says the National Sports Authority did not inform him about any visa arrangements it had reached with the United States Embassy ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, amid controversy over visa arrangements involving the NSA, Ghana Tourism Authority, and private entity TRIBE Culture Fest.
12 October 2026 · Joy Online →

Saturday 10 October

Nurudeen denies Minority's World Cup visa scandal claims
Ghana Social Investment Fund CEO Abass Nurudeen accused Parliament's Minority of exploiting visa controversy around Ghana's 2026 World Cup preparations for political gain, challenging them to produce evidence of wrongdoing against the Sports Minister. The Minority had claimed individuals paid between US$7,000 and US$14,000 for visa processing and alleged inflated personnel lists submitted to US and Canadian embassies by the Ghana Tourism Authority and National Sports Authority.
10 October 2026 · Joy Online →