Data and forensic analyst Dr Evans Yaw Mintah has called on the government to engage an independent data and forensic institution to scrutinise documents relating to the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa, insisting that a thorough examination is necessary to establish the facts and restore public confidence in the exercise.
Dr Mintah, a Data and Forensic Analyst with the Defence Management Data Centre of the United States Department of Defence, made the call in a media interview on Kumasi-based Pure FM, where he expressed concern about discrepancies identified in documents submitted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to JoyNews and the Minority in Parliament.
He said an independent forensic assessment would help determine the accuracy of the records, reconcile inconsistencies and establish a credible account of the expenditure incurred during the evacuation.
“It is very important for Government to get an independent data and forensic institution to analyse the documents submitted to JoyNews and the Minority by the Foreign Affairs Ministry to arrive at the truth of the matter,” he said.
According to him, the controversy surrounding the exercise should not be resolved solely through competing claims by interested parties but through an impartial examination of the underlying data and supporting documents.
He maintained that an independent institution with the requisite expertise would be better positioned to establish whether the discrepancies resulted from clerical mistakes, weaknesses in record-keeping, administrative lapses or other issues requiring further investigation.
Dr Mintah cautioned against automatically interpreting every error detected in the records as evidence of misconduct, noting that discrepancies could arise without deliberate wrongdoing. He nevertheless argued that such errors could undermine public confidence in the evacuation process, particularly where the management and expenditure of public funds were concerned.
“Some of the detected errors may not necessarily be acts of wrongdoing, but it impugns and raises doubt about the integrity of the evacuation process in terms of expended monies,” he stated.
He therefore called for an independent audit covering the entire exercise, including beneficiary records, payment registers, expenditure statements and supporting receipts, to establish whether the amounts reported by the government could be reconciled with the available documentation.
Dr Mintah said the objective should be to arrive at a credible and satisfactory conclusion that Ghanaians could trust, rather than allow the controversy to persist amid competing interpretations of the records.
He stressed that a transparent investigation would help establish the facts, protect the integrity of public institutions and provide the public with a clearer understanding of how resources were utilised during the emergency operation.
Dr Mintah also emphasised the importance of reviewing the exercise as a learning opportunity for future emergency evacuations, describing it as a significant undertaking for the Ghanaian state.
He noted that, given that this was the first time Ghana had evacuated its citizens from a foreign country under such circumstances, it was imperative to identify both the shortcomings and the strengths of the operation.
According to him, the findings should provide a baseline for planning and executing similar interventions in the future, ensuring that emergency responses are more efficient, transparent and accountable.
“Some of the detected errors may not necessarily be acts of wrongdoing, but they impugn and raise doubt about the integrity of the evacuation process in terms of expended monies.”
The analyst maintained that a comprehensive review would help government and relevant institutions establish clear procedures for documenting expenditure, verifying beneficiaries and maintaining accurate records during emergency operations.
The call comes amid growing public debate over the GH¢49.72 million spent on evacuating 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks and threats against foreign nationals.
Source: Purefmonlinegh.com || Evans Osei-Bonsu || 2026
