The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has alleged that the Foreign Affairs Ministry under Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa inflated the charter flight for Ghanaian South African evacuees by $450,000.
According to the NPP, documents released by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa show that each of the three charter flights cost US$750,000, a total of US$2.25 million to airlift about 900 evacuees.
The NPP detailed that industry checks put the cost of chartering a comparable aircraft from Ethiopian Airlines or Air Tanzania at between US$180,000 and US$300,000 per flight.
The NPP argued that the cost of the three flights shouldn’t have been more than US$900,000.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye, the NPP National Communications Director, said the reported cost meant about US$2,500 was spent to fly a single passenger from South Africa to Ghana.
Speaking at a press conference, Dennis Miracles Aboagye stated, “The Hon. Minister for Foreign Affairs is telling us he paid $750,000 for one aeroplane. Just one”.
“Our checks from the industry place the maximum cost of chartering a flight from Ethiopian Airlines and Air Tanzania between $180,000 and $300,000”, Aboagye said.
He added, “Strangely, the Hon. Minister for Foreign Affairs is telling us he paid $750,000 for one airplane.
Publish the original Ethiopian Airlines invoices for all three flights,” Aboagye said. “If the figures are honest, the original invoices will settle this in a day.”
“If the figures are honest, the original invoices will settle this in a day. If they are not produced, Ghanaians will draw their own conclusions”, he stated.
In related news, the opposition party is demanding the release of documents covering the evacuation exercise, particularly the original invoices for the flights, to enable public scrutiny of the expenditure.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye, the NPP Director of Communications, made the demand at a press conference in Accra on Sunday, October 18, insisting that the government must account for the reported cost.
“Publish the original Ethiopia Airlines invoices for all three flights so we can have some proper conversation with the airlines and ask them questions as to how and why it ripped off this country at such a crucial time,” Dennis Miracles Aboagye stated.
The NPP demand comes amid concerns over the management of funds allocated to the evacuation exercise.
NPP alleged that more than GH¢16 million remains unaccounted for.
In the meantime, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has published the names and signatures of Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa, alongside records relating to the payment of reintegration and transportation allowances.
However, the NPP is seeking further documentation on the cost of the charter flights.
Also, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has issued a seven-day deadline to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa to disclose detailed records of expenditure on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa, threatening to pursue additional action if the documents are not provided.
According to the NPP, they want Ablakwa to release contracts and invoices for chartered flights, payment vouchers, signed payment records and a comprehensive list of all 1,964 evacuees, including evidence of payments made in respect of each individual.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye said the documents should be made available within seven days through the relevant Right to Information (RTI) process and to Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee.
The NPP is also demanding an explanation of the process used to select the charter flight operator, including whether the procurement complied with the Public Procurement Act.
Miracles Aboagye stated, “Produce the complete set of documents within 7 days. Lay before the RTI requisition and Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee every charter invoice and contract, every payment voucher, every signed sheet, and the full list of 1,964 evacuees with proof of payment against each name”.
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