The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) is examining allegations of corruption and corruption-related offences involving the Government’s expenditure of GH¢49.7 million on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.
The examination follows the evacuation exercise, which took place between May 27 and September 4, 2026, after xenophobic attacks and threats against foreign nationals in South Africa.
A total of 1,964 Ghanaian nationals were evacuated during the exercise, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reporting expenditure of GH¢49,721,786.
The expenditure covered chartered flights, commercial airline tickets, transportation, accommodation, feeding, medical services and reintegration allowances for the evacuated nationals.
According to the OSP, its examination has identified alleged discrepancies between the reported expenditure and payment records, including duplicate entries, inadequate supporting documentation and payments recorded against beneficiaries who claim they did not receive the amounts attributed to them.
The Office said the examination seeks to establish whether the funds were properly accounted for and disbursed, who received the payments and whether any public officer or private individual improperly benefited.
It is also examining the circumstances surrounding the alleged irregularities to determine whether they constitute corruption or other offences within its mandate.
Clarifying the scope of the examination, the OSP stated that “the investigation concerns the management of public funds, not the Government’s humanitarian decision to evacuate its citizens.”
The distinction, according to the Office, places the focus on financial accountability surrounding the exercise rather than the decision to rescue Ghanaians facing threats in South Africa.
The evacuation was undertaken in response to xenophobic violence and threats against foreign nationals, which raised concerns about the safety of Ghanaians living in the country.
The OSP indicated that further information would be disclosed where appropriate as the examination progresses.
It also emphasised the presumption of innocence, stating that “all persons concerned are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.”
The examination is expected to establish whether the reported expenditure was supported by verifiable transactions and whether the funds reached their intended beneficiaries.
