Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Anani Quashie, says the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria did not handle payments for the chartered flights used to evacuate Ghanaians from South Africa.
Speaking on GTV Breakfast Show on Tuesday, October 20, he said the arrangements and payments for the flights were handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Accra.
“At the High Commission here in Pretoria, we didn’t deal with a charter. Everything to end the charter was done from the ministry in Accra,” he said.
Mr Quashie explained that the mission was informed when flights were scheduled and told how many seats were available for Ghanaian nationals seeking to return home.
He said the High Commission did not have figures showing how much was paid to the airlines for the flights.
His comments come as questions persist over the GH¢49.72 million reported expenditure on the evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa.
The Minority in Parliament has raised concerns about gaps in the supporting documents provided for the exercise and called for an independent audit.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has previously said the total cost comprised GH¢33.72 million in direct government funding and GH¢16 million in support from Engineers & Planners. The expenditure covered chartered flights, commercial tickets, accommodation, food, medical care, transport and other logistical arrangements.
Mr Quashie said the High Commission had provided responses to questions concerning its own expenditure on accommodation, food and other support for evacuees.
