Minority Boycott Forces Postponement of Ablakwa’s Foreign Affairs Committee Briefing

Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has postponed a planned briefing by Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa after members of the Minority declined to participate in the meeting.

The Minority reportedly refused to attend the closed-door meeting until the Minister provides detailed records on the nearly GH¢50 million spent on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.

Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Dr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, said the meeting was rescheduled to ensure that all members of the committee are present for the Minister’s briefing.

“We scheduled a meeting for the Minister to come and brief the committee. Unfortunately, the Minority decided that they will not be participating. I, as chair, decided that we must do whatever it takes to have all the committee members be part of the meeting with the Minister,” he said.

Dr Vanderpuije said Mr Ablakwa remains committed to providing the information requested by the Minority, including details of expenditure incurred during the evacuation exercise.

According to him, the Minister was prepared to provide the committee with information on the evacuation, including the costs involved and the overall status of the exercise.

“So the Minister is totally committed to providing whatever information the Minority needs. And he will do same. If we had had the meeting, he was coming to give us some level of information. The whole exercise of the evacuation, what cost went into it and where we are,” Dr Vanderpuije told Accra-based Citi News.

He explained that the Minority’s request for detailed information was initially made while the evacuation exercise was still ongoing.

“At the time when I believe the Minority was asking for the information, the exercise was not over. Now it is over. So the Minister is committed to providing the information,” he added.

Dr Vanderpuije further reaffirmed his commitment to promoting cooperation among members of the Foreign Affairs Committee as it continues its consideration of the matter.

He said ensuring the participation of both the Majority and Minority members would help facilitate a comprehensive engagement with the Foreign Affairs Minister on the evacuation exercise and the expenditure associated with it.