Former presidential aide Samuel Koku Anyidoho has called on Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama to remove Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and the country’s High Commissioner to South Africa over the controversy surrounding an evacuation exercise.
Metro TV Ghana reported that Anyidoho made the demand amid questions over the handling of the exercise and calls by the parliamentary Minority for an independent review of the associated expenditure.
Anyidoho, a former Director of Communications at the Office of late President John Evans Atta Mills, criticised the government’s response in a post on X, saying the controversy had damaged Ghana’s international image. He also urged Ablakwa to appear before Parliament to answer questions on the matter.
The Minority had, on October 11, called for an independent audit after identifying what it described as discrepancies in records relating to reintegration payments, transportation allowances, flight records and duplicate entries.
Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said more than GH¢16.4 million required further explanation. The caucus wants an independent examination of the records to clarify the disputed expenditure.
Anyidoho also urged Mahama to prioritise Ghana’s national interests over political affiliations and take decisive action on the controversy. He called for the minister and the High Commissioner to be dismissed in response to the issues raised.
