Thousands of NPP supporters on Tuesday poured onto the streets of Accra in a “Yɛgye Yɛ Sika” demonstration, demanding the dismissal and prosecution of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa over the GH¢49.7 million spent on evacuating Ghanaians from South Africa and concerns over the issuance of diplomatic and service passports.

Displaying placards reading “Chobo hene Ablakwa, give us our money” and “We need accountability”, the protesters demanded an independent audit of the evacuation expenditure, publication of flight contracts and payment records, and disclosure of the names of evacuees and recipients of diplomatic and service passports.

Organised by the NPP youth wing, the march began at Villaggio near the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange, proceeded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ended at Jubilee House, where the National Youth Organiser, Commander Abanga Fusani Yakubu, presented a petition to the Presidency.

Dressed predominantly in red and black, the demonstrators waved party flags, sang party songs and marched to drums and horns.

They included party youth organisers, polling station executives, Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON) members, and representatives of the women’s and Nasara wings, with supporters drawn from across the country.

The march was peaceful, with police providing security along the route.

At Jubilee House, Mr Yakubu gave President John Dramani Mahama 14 days to act on the demands, warning that the party would organise another demonstration if the government failed to respond.

“Behind me stand thousands of Ghanaians. Young men and women. Traders, students, workers, the unemployed,” he said. “They have marched peacefully today with one message: Yɛgye yɛ sika. We want our money accounted for.”

The petition asks the President to dismiss Mr Ablakwa and direct the Attorney-General and the Office of the Special Prosecutor to investigate the minister and any other officials found culpable.

It demands the release of original invoices, contracts and proof of payment for all charter flights, complete passenger manifests and beneficiary lists, and an independent audit of the evacuation expenditure.

On diplomatic and service passports, the NPP wants details of all documents issued since January 2025, including recipients’ names, qualifying official positions or status, and approving authorities.

It is also demanding the cancellation of passports found to have been issued improperly.

Copies of the petition were addressed to the Speaker of Parliament, the Attorney-General, the Special Prosecutor and the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps.

The Deputy Presidential Spokesperson, Shamima Muslim, who received the petition on behalf of the Presidency, acknowledged receipt and assured the protesters that their concerns would be communicated to the appropriate authorities.

“This is not the end. It is the beginning,” Mr Yakubu said. “We will watch. We will wait fourteen days. And if there is no answer, we will be back, peacefully and lawfully, until every cedi is accounted for.”

The disputed evacuation bill

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it spent GH¢49.7 million to evacuate 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa.

The Minority in Parliament has questioned more than GH¢16.4 million of the expenditure, citing concerns over charter-flight costs, supporting financial records and the number of people evacuated.

The NPP says documents released by Mr Ablakwa show that each of the three charter flights cost US$750,000, which it considers substantially above an industry rate of no more than US$300,000 per flight.

The party also alleges that invoices and contracts supporting about GH¢27 million in charter-flight expenditure have not been made available.

It disputes the ministry’s figure of 1,964 evacuees, maintaining that the three charter flights carried about 900 people.

A Deputy National Communications Director of the party said the demonstration was intended to compel the government to account for the disputed amount.

“It is simple; we are demanding the GH¢16.4 million that Okudzeto Ablakwa has shortchanged Ghanaians, so the protest is simple; we are demanding our money,” the official said.

Mr Ablakwa has rejected the allegations, insisting that no money is missing and that the ministry has the supporting documents and signed records to account for the operation.

National Youth Organiser of NPP Abanga Fusani Yakubu

Parliamentary action

The NPP has also threatened to pursue parliamentary processes to remove the minister from office.

The MP for Damongo, Abu Jinapor, told Ms Muslim that the party would use parliamentary procedures to seek Mr Ablakwa’s removal over what he described as misleading statements to Ghanaians.

Mr Yakubu urged President Mahama to compel the minister to publish the names of evacuation beneficiaries to enable the public to verify who benefited from the exercise.

The youth wing says the demonstration forms part of a broader campaign for transparency in the management of public funds and official documents.

It has warned that it will return to the streets if the government fails to address its demands within the 14-day period.

The allegations against Mr Ablakwa remain disputed.

The minister maintains that the evacuation expenditure is fully accounted for.