The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has accused Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa of failing to ensure accountability over the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa, describing the arrangement as an alleged scheme to siphon public funds.
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.
Speaking on the matter at a press conference in Accra Tuesday October 27, 2026, Mr Abu Jinapor said the Minority’s concerns were based on evidence it had gathered and that its approach had been thorough, methodical and guided by integrity.
He challenged anyone who disagreed with the allegations to contest the evidence presented by the Minority, insisting that it raised serious concerns about the charter flight arrangement.
“The evidence is damning. It’s damning. And as I said in my statement, it smacks of a grand, well-thought-through, well-calculated corruption scheme to siphon public funds,” he stated.
Mr Abu Jinapor argued that the government had been in office for two years and had the necessary investigative and prosecutorial powers to establish the facts surrounding allegations of wrongdoing.
He referred to previous corruption allegations, including those relating to the National Cathedral project, arguing that such claims had not produced the outcomes he expected from the investigations.
According to him, the Minority was not interested in the minister’s attempts to portray its concerns as politically motivated but remained focused on its responsibility to demand accountability.
Mr Abu Jinapor further argued that if Mr Ablakwa was committed to transparency, integrity and accountability, he should resign and submit himself to an independent inquiry into the evacuation exercise.
The Minority has maintained that an independent investigation is necessary to establish the true cost of the charter flight and determine whether public funds were misused.
By: Jacob Aggrey
