Proceedings of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) were abruptly halted on Wednesday, March 25 during its probe into a special audit report on GH¢68 billion in government arrears.
The disruption occurred when Majority members were called out of the meeting to form a quorum in the chamber, bringing proceedings to a halt.
Speaking to JoyNews after the interruption, the PAC Chair, Abena Osei Asare, said the issues tabled for the Committee to probe were deeply concerning and required urgent national attention.
“It is shocking to all of us, too, because this is a report that was submitted by the majority, and it boils down to national issues, which we are all trying very well to see how best we can bring back that confidence,” she said.
She explained that the Committee’s work had just started with the Energy Ministry being the first to be engaged due to the troubling figures which had emerged in the Auditor-General’s report.
“You saw that we had begun with Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, and some very scary issues had come up already, with the overstatement of debts to suppliers to the tune of 1.396 billion, with claims and commitments that had been rejected to the tune of 4.4 billion,” she revealed.
According to her, financial irregularities in government institutions have persisted over time and a lasting solution is needed.
“So clearly it tells you that the issue is structural, and we all need to come together to make sure we address the root cause of these structural problems,” she said, adding that the committee’s work is focused on finding lasting solutions.
However, the session on Wednesday with the Energy Ministry ended abruptly when Majority members were called to the Chamber, leaving the committee without the required composition to proceed.
“They said they are needed in the chamber to form a quorum, to do government business, but this is one of the most important government businesses,” Abena Osei-Asare explained.
She said that the matters under review were equally important as they directly affect the lives of Ghanaians.
“This goes to the heart of our citizens, because every cedi duplicated, misplaced, goes to the root of one being denied a school, one being denied some livelihood, or one being denied some form of hospital that is supposed to come to the community,” she said.
The PAC Chair expressed disappointment over the disruption and called on the Majority MPs to ponder over their actions.
“I hope my brothers and sisters on the other side will go and reflect on this decision that they took,” she added, noting that the committee would resume sittings the following day.
PAC’s probe follows Parliament’s referral of a special audit report on GH¢68.7 billion in arrears and payables to the PAC after suspected irregularities, including falsified records and questionable payment claims, were uncovered.
The report was presented to Parliament on March 10 by the Ministry of Finance through Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem, on behalf of Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson.
