A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Communications Team, Kwasi Kwarteng, has called for an independent audit of the GH¢49.72 million spent on evacuating 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa amid xenophobic tensions, citing unanswered questions over the expenditure.
Mr Kwarteng said an independent investigation was necessary to establish the accuracy of payment registers and flight records submitted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and restore public confidence in the exercise.
His call follows concerns raised by the Minority in Parliament over the reported number of evacuees and the GH¢49.72 million expenditure, particularly the cost of chartered flights and allowances paid to returnees.
Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV on Saturday, October 31, Mr Kwarteng said the audit must be conducted transparently, suggesting that international audit firms such as KPMG and Deloitte could be considered.
“We need an independent audit done with the highest level of transparency to the good people of Ghana,” he said.
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He clarified that the proposal was not intended to discredit the Auditor-General but to ensure that the findings were credible and acceptable to the public.
Mr Kwarteng also cautioned against accusing Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa of misappropriating public funds without evidence, admitting that he could not establish whether any money had been stolen.
“If at the end of the day we come to the realisation that Ablakwa is clean, so be it,” he said.
“I am very slow in hastily concluding that he has stolen state money. Because if today, if you ask me how much he has stolen, I cannot tell you,” he added.
However, he maintained that the Minister had yet to provide a satisfactory account of how the money was spent.
“But I can reasonably believe that he has not been able to provide an efficient, effective and conclusive account of what he expended. That one, I can boldly say,” he said.
The Minority has continued to demand clarification on the evacuation expenditure, questioning the flight costs, passenger records and allowances associated with the operation.
