PAC probe into GH¢3.46bn payments halted after majority walkout

Proceedings of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) investigating GH¢3.46 billion in contractor payments by the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition were abruptly suspended on March 25, 2026, after Majority members withdrew from the sitting, leaving the committee without the required leadership to continue.

The hearing, which formed part of a broader examination of the Auditor-General’s report, was halted midway while officials, including the Deputy Minister and the Director of Finance, were being questioned over payments made to three contractors over several years.

The Chairperson of the committee, Abena Osei Asare, explained that the absence of a ranking member made it procedurally impossible to proceed, forcing an adjournment. The disruption comes at a time when the committee is under strict instructions from the Speaker of Parliament to complete its work within three weeks.

Addressing the House, Mrs Osei Asare described the interruption as a setback to an important national assignment, noting that the sitting had begun as scheduled with all invited stakeholders present.

“We began today. It was advertised and we began today at 9:00. Around 11:15, one of the whips from the Majority side walked in and said we have to excuse their members,” she said.

She stressed that the absence of key members undermined the committee’s ability to function.

“Without their members, because if you don’t have an available ranking, we cannot continue with the proceeding. So today we had to halt it…”

The Minority has since accused the Majority of deliberately disrupting the committee’s work, particularly as it probes a special audit report covering GH¢68 billion in government arrears.

Mrs Osei Asare raised concerns about the implications of the disruption, especially given the limited timeframe for completing the assignment.

“So, I want to seek your indulgence. What is the way forward? One, since it’s been referred to us, two, we have been given some time frame to do this, and three, we have called the invitees. They were all seated and waiting,” she added.

However, the Majority has rejected claims of deliberate obstruction. Responding on the floor of Parliament, Majority Chief Whip, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor, said the withdrawal was necessitated by competing parliamentary business rather than an attempt to derail the probe.

“The impression that we are not interested in the committee’s work is not accurate,” he said.

Mr Dafeamekpor explained that a prior decision had been taken to temporarily suspend committee sittings to allow Members of Parliament to focus on plenary proceedings.

“We met yesterday and took a decision that because of the heavy nature of business for plenary, committee activities should be suspended until Friday, so that after Friday, the committees can sit,” he stated.

He noted that alternative arrangements had been proposed to accommodate committee work without affecting plenary attendance.

“Indeed, we even suggested that after adjournment, the committees can work, or alternatively, if the committees can sit from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., before the plenary starts,” he said.

According to him, overlapping schedules could undermine quorum requirements, as the same Members are needed for both committee sittings and plenary sessions.

“If you fix committee activities that clash with plenary, it is hurting our numbers, because they are the same people who may raise issues of quorum,” he explained.

He maintained that the PAC still has sufficient time to complete its work within the deadline set by the Speaker.

“The Public Accounts Committee by all means has the time to do their work… and that has not been affected in any way,” he said.