The chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Abena Osei Asare, appears to have subtly responded to the petition to the Speaker for her removal as the chair of the Committee.
The coded response was that, because the report under consideration was about a government she served in, she would not chair the proceedings.
In her opening remarks to begin the public hearing on Wednesday, November 5, 2025 the Atiwa East Member of Parliament announced that she was ceding the chairmanship to the ranking member, in accordance with the Standing Orders of the House.
The chairperson of PAC is chosen from the minority side of the House, and the Ranking is always from the majority caucus, but the reverse is the case for almost all the rest of the committees.
In her remarks, there was no mention of the petition filed against her by the MP for Gomoa Central, Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A Plus.
However, the giving up of the position, which happens in such situations under various parliaments of the 4th Republic, was affirmed by the Ranking Member, Samuel Atta Mills, who quoted the relevant portion of the Standing Orders, 229 (4).
After the opening prayer and outlining the agenda for the day, the chairperson, AbenaOseiAsare, who served as deputy finance minister under the previous government, yielded her role as the chair to the ranking member, who took over as chair.
It is a way to ensure proper accountability.
She indicated that, “This report relates to 2024 when I was in government. So, usually what we do is that when you are in government, you cede the proceedings of the report to the Ranking Member.
“So, I now hand over to the Ranking Member to take over and I know the Ranking Member will do a good job.”
The Ranking Member, who is the MP for Komenda Edina EguafoAbrem(KEEA) constituency, informed the public of what their Standing Order says.
He said, “Just to let you know, this is in our Standing Orders. And the relevant part is [Order] 229 when it comes to the Public Accounts Committee…”
He continued, “But the relevant part is number 4, where a matter for consideration before the committee relates to the period of administration of the party of the chairperson of the committee, the ranking member of the committee shall be the chairperson for the consideration of the matter. So, that is what she just said.”
PETITION
The Gomoa Central legislator, Kwame AsareObeng, has petitioned the Rt Hon Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, to support the removal of the PAC chair, AbenaOseiAsare, for ethical and moral reasons.
In the letter, he argued that the chairperson’s “close association” with the Ministry of Finance, deputising Ken Ofori-Atta “undermines the credibility of her leadership” of PAC. He cited the issues the Office of the Special Prosecutor has raised about the former Finance Minister to make the point above.
Again, the Gomoa Central MP wants AbenaOseiAsare removed as PAC chair because of her alleged “public defence” of the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Rev. AmmishaddaiOwusu-Amoah, “when he refused to disclose his age.”
The petition stated that what the PAC Chair did before the PAC of the 8th Parliament, when, as deputy finance minister, she led the GRA to meet the committee, “raises serious doubts about her commitment to transparency and accountability.
“Such a situation not only compromises the impartiality of the Public Accounts Committee but also diminishes public trust in Parliament’s oversight role,” he added.
The petition continued, “It is inappropriate and indeed inconsistent with ethical standards of parliamentary oversight, for someone so deeply tied to the very administration and financial irregularities under review to preside over hearings demanding accountability from others.
He stated that such a posture “erodes” public confidence and brings the image of Parliament into disrepute.
“In view of the foregoing, I respectfully urge your esteemed office to take immediate steps to support the removal of Hon. AbenaOseiAsare as Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee to safeguard the integrity, impartiality, and moral authority of both the Committee and Parliament as an institution,” the petition ended.
APPOINTMENT
When forming committees of Parliament, both the majority and minority present members according to the ratio.
It is for the various caucuses to decide who among their members should be in leadership at the various committees.
They are then appointed by the Committee of Selection, which is chaired by the Rt Hon Speaker, and then approved by the entire House.
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