The Chairperson of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Abena Osei-Asare, has criticised the Ministry of Food and Agriculture for failing to present key witnesses for further questioning in a special audit inquiry into GH¢69 billion in outstanding government claims and commitments.
She said the Ministry’s failure to attend a rescheduled meeting had disrupted the committee’s work and delayed the completion of its review of the special audit report.
Speaking on Monday, October 12, Mrs Osei-Asare said the committee had invited suppliers and other persons mentioned in the report to answer further questions and clarify issues that emerged during an earlier hearing.
“Other people who had been cited in the reports, we never heard from you, and because of the Ministry of Agric, we are not done with the special audit reports,” she said.
Mrs Osei-Asare said the committee had raised several concerns during the Ministry’s initial appearance, but the responses provided did not adequately address all the issues.
She said members later agreed to invite the individuals named in the report, believing they could provide more detailed explanations to help clarify the outstanding questions.
Mrs Osei-Asare said the Ministry had agreed to present the relevant individuals before the committee and was given the flexibility to select a suitable date for the follow-up hearing.
She explained that the Ministry later requested a postponement, citing a visa appointment involving one of the stakeholders.
According to her, the committee granted the request and expected the officials to attend on the new date, but they failed to appear.
“You asked that we shift it to another day because one of the stakeholders had a visa appointment on that particular day. We did that, and we never heard from you again,” she said.
The PAC chairperson criticised the Ministry’s handling of the arrangement, stressing that public institutions were expected to cooperate with Parliament in the discharge of its oversight responsibilities.
“I don’t think this is how you should treat the committee,” she added.
PAC Seeks Further Clarification on GH¢69bn Audit Findings
Mrs Osei-Asare said the committee needed additional information to thoroughly scrutinise the issues raised in the special audit report before concluding its work.
She explained that the follow-up session was intended to clarify the audit findings and give the individuals concerned an opportunity to respond to the questions and concerns raised by the committee.
“Respectfully, we are here together to work in the interest of the nation. An audit finding, a special audit report, has been brought to us. We needed further and better particulars,” she said.
She said the Ministry had previously appeared before the committee and presented its submissions, but members required further details to address unresolved concerns.
Mrs Osei-Asare added that the Ministry had been given adequate time to organise the attendance of the relevant stakeholders, describing its failure to appear at the rescheduled meeting as a setback to the committee’s inquiry.
“You came here, you made some submission, and we felt that was not enough. We permitted you. You chose the date, and yet you refused to attend upon the committee,” she said.
Mrs Osei-Asare stressed that the committee’s review of the report would remain incomplete until the Ministry presented the relevant individuals to address the outstanding questions.
“Until you come, we cannot submit that report,” she stressed.
Probe into GH¢69bn Government Claims
The committee is examining a special audit report covering GH¢69 billion in outstanding government claims and commitments, with members seeking further clarification from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and other individuals named in the report.
The additional hearings are intended to help the committee scrutinise the audit findings, resolve outstanding questions and obtain further details before concluding its work.
The Ministry is expected to reappear before the committee with the relevant stakeholders to respond to the concerns raised.
However, PAC Chairperson Abena Osei-Asare did not announce a new date for the follow-up meeting.