A heated exchange erupted 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 regarding poor telecom service quality.
The tension arose after the minister attributed challenges in the telecommunications sector 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,” Mr George stated, directing his remarks at the chairperson, who previously served as a minister of state at the Finance Ministry.
He further stressed that policy leadership must prioritise consumer protection, adding that the current administration is taking corrective steps.
“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 said.
However, Mrs Osei-Asare interrupted, cautioning the minister against what she described as offensive remarks and urging him to focus on the matter at hand.
“I am not heckling you, but we beg you, just go straight to the point,” she said.
Her intervention triggered a sharp reaction from the minister, who called on the ranking member presiding over the session, Samuel Atta Mills, to restore order. He accused the chairperson of being unruly and attempting to derail his submission.
“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 fired back.
Despite the exchange, the chairperson maintained that her intervention was intended to ensure clarity and focus in the proceedings, stressing that the committee’s concerns were rooted in the seriousness of the issue under discussion.
“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 those are all the sentiments I am trying to put across,” she explained.
The confrontation briefly disrupted proceedings before calm was restored and the session continued.
The incident underscores rising scrutiny over telecom service delivery in Ghana, as policymakers and regulators face increasing pressure to address consumer concerns about network quality and accountability.
