Ketu North MP Edem Agbana has accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of conducting a “calculated smear campaign” against Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa over alleged irregularities in spending on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.
The Minority in Parliament has called for Mr Ablakwa to resign and is also demanding an independent audit of the funds used in the evacuation exercise.
Speaking on TV3 New Day’s The Big Issue on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Mr Agbana said the NPP was entitled to seek answers from the minister, but argued that its case had been weakened by inconsistent claims about the number of evacuees involved.
“The NPP is not wrong in demanding accountability from the Honourable Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa or any other public official. However, there is a fundamental difference between demanding accountability in the interest of the public and a calculated smear campaign, and that is what the NPP is engaging in,” he said.
Mr Agbana described the Minority’s position and comments from NPP communicators as a “ridiculous political gimmick”, insisting there was no proof that the minister had committed wrongdoing.
He focused on what he said were conflicting figures given by the opposition about the evacuees who could be verified.
According to the Ketu North MP, the Minority’s first press conference featured claims by Deputy Ranking Member Asafo-Adjei that only 824 of the 1,964 evacuees cited by Mr Ablakwa could be accounted for.
Mr Agbana said that figure formed the basis of an allegation that the minister had caused financial loss of GHC6.2 million. He explained that the claimed shortfall of 1,140 evacuees had been multiplied by GHC5500.
However, he said Fifi Boafo, an NPP spokesperson who also appeared on the programme, later stated that 1,500 evacuees could be accounted for.
“The first press conference by the Minority, Asafo-Adjei, the Deputy Ranking alleged that out of the 1964 evacuees that the Minister mentioned only 824 could be accounted for.
“Then they took the difference which was 1140, multiplied it by GHC5500 and said the Minister had caused financial loss of GHC6.2 million. Then later today on this platform, you, Fifi Boafo who speaks for the NPP, you tell me that now you can account for 1500 evacuees,” he added.
Mr Agbana said the differing accounts demonstrated what he called the NPP’s “flip-flopping” over the issue and criticised the party’s approach to seeking accountability.
“You see the contradictions, you see why I described them as a group of people who are unprincipled and just engaging in a ridiculous flip flopping,” he stated.
