Kwesi Pratt fires warning at Ablakwa as NPP intensifies calls for his removal

Veteran journalist cautions Foreign Affairs Minister against personally handling every ministry issue, while insisting that calls for his dismissal over the South Africa evacuation expenditure must not be based on suspicion alone.

Veteran journalist Kwesi Pratt Jnr. has sent a strong word of caution to Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa amid mounting pressure from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for his removal over alleged discrepancies in the expenditure on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.

Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, the Managing Editor of The Insight Newspaper urged the minister to be more careful in how he handles administrative matters, warning that his tendency to personally front issues could expose him to unnecessary political and administrative risks.

Pratt argued that a minister occupying such a sensitive office should allow the ministry’s established structures to function rather than taking responsibility for every matter.

‘The minister is the last resort’

He pointed to the presence of deputy ministers, chief directors and departmental heads, saying they should be allowed to perform their respective duties, with the minister intervening when necessary.

Pratt questioned why Ablakwa appeared to be the person constantly responding to controversies that could ordinarily be handled by the ministry’s public relations department.

He advised the minister to distance himself from the potential fallout of routine administrative decisions and ensure that officials responsible for particular departments are held accountable for their work.

Pratt rejects calls for dismissal based on suspicion

The journalist also addressed the controversy surrounding the reported GH¢49.7 million spent on evacuating 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa.

His comments followed a demonstration by NPP supporters in Accra, led by the party’s National Youth Organiser, Yakubu Fusani, popularly known as NPP Abanga. The protesters petitioned the Presidency, demanding an independent audit of the expenditure and calling for Ablakwa’s removal.

Pratt maintained that inconsistencies in financial records do not automatically establish wrongdoing, insisting that the figures must first be examined and reconciled by competent professionals.

“You cannot actually punish people on the basis of suspicion,” he argued, adding that possible malpractice had not yet been established.

NPP insists minister must account

NPP Third Vice-Chairman Nana Akomea, who also appeared on the programme, agreed that the discrepancies required answers. He argued that failure to provide satisfactory explanations could deepen public suspicion.

Akomea urged Ablakwa to engage Parliament, particularly the Foreign Affairs Committee, and provide supporting documentation on the evacuation costs.

The controversy continues to place the Foreign Affairs Minister under scrutiny, with growing calls for transparency over the use of public funds and questions about his handling of the ministry’s affairs.