The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has begun examining possible corruption linked to the GH¢49.7 million the government spent bringing 1,964 Ghanaians home from South Africa after xenophobic attacks earlier this year.

In a statement on Monday, November 9, 2026, the OSP said it was looking into "allegations of corruption and corruption-related offences" arising from the expenditure. The evacuation ran from May 27 to September 4, 2026.

What the OSP is examining

According to the OSP, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported spending GH¢49,721,786 on the exercise. That figure covers chartered flights, commercial tickets, transport, accommodation, feeding, medical services and reintegration allowances.

The Office says it is examining alleged discrepancies between that reported spending and the payment records, including:

  • duplicate entries
  • inadequate supporting documents; and
  • payments recorded against beneficiaries who say they did not receive them.

The aim, the OSP said, is to establish whether the funds were properly accounted for and disbursed, who actually received the payments, and whether any public officer or private individual improperly benefited.

Not a verdict on the evacuation itself

The OSP stressed that its work concerns the management of public funds, not the government's humanitarian decision to evacuate citizens whose safety was at risk. It said further information would be disclosed where appropriate, and reminded the public that everyone concerned is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

How we got here

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced in September that the exercise cost GH¢49.72 million, made up of GH¢33.72 million in direct government funding and GH¢16 million contributed by Engineers and Planners, Pulse Ghana reports.

The Minority in Parliament has questioned the spending, alleging discrepancies in payment records for the GH¢5,000 reintegration grant and GH¢500 transport allowance meant for each evacuee, and has called for an independent audit, according to Citi Newsroom. Mr Ablakwa has rejected the claims, saying all 1,964 evacuees, including children and infants, received the GH¢5,000 and GH¢500.

The probe was announced on the same day the OSP said it had also opened an investigation into the alleged sale of service passports, another matter involving the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

What's next

The OSP has not given a timeline. It says it will release more details when it can do so without compromising its work.