Tension flared at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) sitting on Monday, May 18, following a clash between the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, and the Committee Chairperson, Abena Osei-Asare.
The tension was sparked over improving network services across the country, raised by the committee.
It started when the minister argued that the government had taken steps to ensure telecommunications service delivery in the country is improved.
“Private businesses are about making profits, and those profits they paid to you over eight years at the Finance Ministry as corporate taxes. Policy decisions 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,” Mr. Nartey stated.
The Committee Chairperson quickly interrupted the minister, admonishing him to go straight to the point and cautioned him against attempts to politicize the matter. However, Sam George responded with accusations of her being unruly towards him.
In response, Abena Osei-Asare stated, “I am not heckling you, but we beg you, just go straight to the point. Minister, respectfully, this is our committee, and you don’t tell us what you want to do. When you come here, and we address issues, it is not that we want to take anybody down, never.”
“You and I, we go through this. It is not that we want to take anybody down, but minister, the situation is serious, and that is all the sentiment I am trying to put across,” she said, maintaining that her intervention was to ensure focus and clarity.
A dissatisfied Sam George took a swipe at the Chairperson, expressing that her actions were becoming too unruly, coupled with sentiments.
“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. I am also an MP; let me speak. You are being unruly. Abena, you can’t heckle me,” the minister said in the heat of the argument.
