Minority Urged to Demand Independent Audit of GHS96.97 Million COVID-19 Evacuation Costs

A call has gone out to Ghana’s Minority in Parliament to extend its demand for accountability to the GHS96.97 million spent on COVID-19 evacuations, with critics arguing that the pursuit of truth must not be selective. The appeal was made by Erastus Asare Donkoh, who stated: “We need the minority if they stand for truth to also demand an independent audit of the Ghc96.97 Covid 19 evacuations.” His comment adds a new dimension to the ongoing debate over state expenditure during the pandemic, suggesting that scrutiny should apply equally across all COVID-19-related spending, not only to the areas currently under the spotlight.

The GHS96.97 million figure relates to funds used to evacuate Ghanaians stranded abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic. While such operations were necessary to protect citizens during a global health emergency, questions have been raised about procurement processes, cost justification, and value for money. The call for an independent audit reflects growing public appetite for transparency in how public funds were deployed during the crisis. Supporters of the demand argue that an independent audit would provide a credible, non-partisan assessment that could either clear the officials involved or uncover irregularities that demand redress.

The statement also carries a political challenge. By invoking the Minority’s self-professed role as a watchdog, Erastus Asare Donkoh appears to be testing the consistency of the opposition’s commitment to truth and accountability. If the Minority positions itself as a defender of probity, the argument goes, it cannot afford to appear selective in which expenditures it chooses to investigate. An independent audit would, in this view, demonstrate that the pursuit of accountability is driven by principle rather than partisanship, strengthening public confidence in Parliament’s oversight role.

The issue of COVID-19 expenditure has become increasingly contentious in Ghana, with various figures and claims circulating in the public domain. Independent audits are widely regarded as the gold standard for resolving such disputes, as they rely on documentary evidence, procurement records, and expert analysis rather than political rhetoric. Proponents argue that an audit of the evacuation costs would bring clarity, deter future mismanagement, and reassure citizens that the sacrifices made during the pandemic were handled with integrity. Whether the Minority heeds the call remains to be seen, but the demand has certainly sharpened the conversation around accountability and consistency in Ghana’s public discourse.