A tense moment unfolded at Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) sitting on Monday, May 18, after a heated exchange broke out between the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, and the Committee Chairperson, Abena Osei-Asare, over the state of telecommunications service delivery in Ghana.
The confrontation occurred during discussions on concerns surrounding poor services provided by Mobile Network Operators across the country.
While responding to questions from the committee, the Minister attributed the persistent challenges in the telecommunications sector to what he described as weak policy direction, governance failures and poor leadership 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 while addressing the Chairperson, who previously served as a Minister of State at the Finance Ministry.
“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.
His remarks, however, prompted an interruption from the Chairperson, who cautioned the Minister against making comments she considered offensive and urged him to focus on the matter before the committee.
“I am not heckling you, but we beg you, just go straight to the point,” she stated.
The interruption appeared to aggravate tensions in the room, triggering a sharp response from the Minister. He appealed to the Ranking Member of the Committee, Samuel Atta Mills, who was presiding over the sitting at the time, to intervene.
“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.
Despite the heated back-and-forth, the Chairperson insisted her intervention was only intended to keep proceedings focused and ensure clarity in the 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 that is all the sentiments I am trying to put across,” she explained.
The brief confrontation temporarily disrupted proceedings before calm was restored and the committee continued its sitting.
