There was a heated exchange at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) sitting on Monday, May 18, between the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, and Committee Chairperson Abena Osei-Asare over concerns about alleged poor service delivery by Mobile Network Operators in Ghana.
The tension emerged after the Minister attributed the challenges facing telecommunications service delivery to what he described as weak policy decisions, poor governance, and leadership gaps under the previous Akufo-Addo administration.
“Private businesses are about making profits, and those profits they paid to you over eight years at the Finance Ministry as corporate taxes,” he said, addressing the Chairperson of the Committee.
“Policy decision and policy leadership ought to make sure that we take steps to protect the customer. I am saying that under this reset agenda and under a responsible government, we have done so,” he added.
However, the Committee Chairperson, who served as a Minister of State at the Finance Ministry in the previous administration, interrupted the Minister, cautioning him against making what she described as offensive remarks and urging him to stick to the point.
“I am not heckling you, but we beg you, just go straight to the point,” she said.
The interruption triggered a sharp response from the Minister, who urged the Ranking Member of the Committee, Samuel Atta Mills, who was presiding over the sitting, to call the Chairperson to order. He accused her of being unruly and attempting to derail his response.
“This is unbecoming of a Member of Parliament, please stop doing this. You have asked a question, I have the floor, you will let me answer the question. Let me finish. If it is your committee then don’t invite us. Respectfully, let me land,” he said.
The Chairperson, however, maintained that her intervention was intended to ensure focus and clarity in the proceedings, insisting she was not attempting to undermine the Minister.
“When you come here and we address issues, it is not that we want to talk anybody down, never. But Minister, the situation is serious and that is all the sentiments I am trying to put across,” she said.
The exchange briefly disrupted proceedings, however the session resumed.
