‘Yɛgye Yɛ Sika’ Protesters Chase Minister Over GH¢49.7m Evacuation Scandal

Thousands of supporters of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) have taken to the streets of Accra, demanding answers from the government over an alleged GH¢16.4 million discrepancy in the expenditure on Ghana’s evacuation exercise in South Africa.

The protesters, marching under the banner of ‘Yɛgye Yɛ Sika’, are also demanding an independent investigation into the reported GH¢49.4 million expenditure, as well as full disclosure of individuals issued with diplomatic and service passports since January 2025.

The demonstration, organised by the party’s youth wing on Tuesday, November 3, saw supporters dressed predominantly in black and red, march from the Accra Mall towards the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Jubilee House to make their demands known and call for action.

Carrying placards bearing inscriptions such as “Chobo hene Ablakwa, give us our money” and “We need accountability”, the demonstrators accused the government of failing to provide adequate documentation to justify the expenditure on the evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa.

At the centre of their protest is the GH¢16.4 million difference the NPP claims remains unaccounted for in the reported GH¢49.4 million cost of the operation.

Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on the same day, the party’s Director of Communications, Banning Clinton Baffour, said the youth wing wanted Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to produce the supporting documents to substantiate the expenditure.

He said the party had concerns about the cost of chartered flights used in the evacuation, alleging that the minister had indicated that each flight cost $350,000, while engagements with industry experts suggested a standard rate of about $180,000.

According to him, the difference in the figures raised questions about the total amount spent and how the funds were accounted for.

Baffour further claimed that the party had not received the necessary documents despite making requests through the Right to Information (RTI) process.

“We don’t even have the payment vouchers. We don’t know the transaction details, all the source documents that are necessary to validate this information,” he said.

The NPP youth wing is consequently demanding the release of original invoices, contracts and proof of payment for all chartered flights used in the exercise.

It also wants the government to publish the full passenger manifests, boarding passes and beneficiary records to establish the number of people evacuated and verify the expenditure.

The protesters insist that an independent audit or investigation is necessary to establish how the GH¢49.4 million was utilised and resolve the concerns surrounding the alleged GH¢16.4 million discrepancy.

Beyond the evacuation expenditure, the issuance of diplomatic and service passports has emerged as another major issue driving the demonstration.

The NPP youth wing alleges that some of the documents may have been issued to individuals who do not qualify for them under the relevant regulations.

It is therefore demanding that the Foreign Affairs Ministry publish the names of all recipients since January 2025, their qualifying official positions or status, and the authorities responsible for approving the documents.

The group is also calling for the cancellation of passports found to have been issued improperly.

Baffour said the party had requested information on the individuals who received the diplomatic and service passports but was yet to obtain the details.

The youth wing maintains that access to such information is necessary to ensure transparency in the management of official travel documents and prevent possible abuse of the process.

The demonstration forms part of the opposition party’s broader call for accountability in the management of public funds and state resources.