Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa following xenophobic attacks earlier this year say allegations of corruption surrounding the evacuation exercise and the support provided to them upon their return are affecting their mental health.
The evacuees have expressed concern over media reports and public discussions questioning the financial arrangements for the exercise, insisting that some claims about the transportation and reintegration allowances they received are inaccurate.
Speaking to the media on Monday, October 26, a representative of the evacuees, Michael Addo, said the repeated allegations and public scrutiny had caused considerable distress among members of the group.
He appealed for an end to what the evacuees consider misleading reports, while acknowledging the need for accountability and transparency in the management of public funds.
“The various allegations we have heard in the media and the dragging of our names in these discussions are taking a toll on our mental health.
“We demand an immediate end to this. Accountability is important. Transparency is also important and that is exactly what this government demonstrated when the Minister for Foreign Affairs addressed a press conference on September 7, 2026, to account to the public and we are aware that he has invited the Auditor General to audit all evacuations since 2017,” he said.
The controversy follows concerns raised by the Minority in Parliament over the number of Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa and the total expenditure incurred during the exercise.
The Minority has questioned the figures associated with the evacuation, as well as the amount spent on chartered flights used to transport the returnees to Ghana.
It has also raised concerns about the transportation and reintegration allowances provided to the evacuees upon their arrival in the country.
