Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has revealed that the ongoing evacuation of Ghanaians affected by xenophobic attacks in South Africa is being funded through the government’s contingency allocation for emergencies.
Speaking in a special interview on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme on Saturday, Mr Ablakwa explained that he formally sought presidential approval to access the emergency funds, a request that was subsequently endorsed through the appropriate parliamentary processes.
According to the minister, the approved resources have since been released from the designated government account and are being used to support the evacuation exercise.
“For those wondering where the resources are coming from, every national budget contains a contingency allocation for emergencies. It is from that fund that the Finance Minister, acting on the President’s instructions, has released resources for this exercise,” he said.
Mr Ablakwa assured Ghanaians that the entire process would be managed with transparency and accountability, stressing that a full report on all expenditures would be made public once the operation is completed.
“There will be full accountability. Nobody is going to run away. Let us complete the exercise, and the public will be given a comprehensive account of how the funds were used,” he stated.
He further emphasised that there would be no secrecy surrounding the financial aspects of the evacuation programme.
“There will be nothing to hide when it comes to the financial component of this arrangement,” he added.
The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that every expenditure related to the evacuation is properly documented and accounted for, assuring the public of strict financial oversight throughout the process.