Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has rescheduled a planned briefing by Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa after the Minority declined to participate in the meeting.
The Minority had boycotted the closed-door meeting, demanding that the Minister provide 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, told Citi News that the meeting was rescheduled to ensure all committee members 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 remained committed to providing the information requested by the Minority, including details of expenditure incurred during the evacuation 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,” he said.
He explained that the Minority’s request for the information was 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 said he remained committed to fostering cooperation among members of the committee as it continues its consideration of the matter.
“I am always committed to ensuring that in our committee, we will work together,” he said.