The Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, Kwame Asare Obeng, better known by his stage name A Plus, has formally petitioned the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, requesting the removal of Abena Osei‑Asare as Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
In a letter dated 3 November 2025, A Plus argued that Osei-Asare’s prior role as Deputy Minister of Finance made her continuation as PAC Chair a “clear conflict of interest.” He wrote:
“All the matters currently before the Public Accounts Committee occurred under the leadership of Abena Osei-Asare when she served as Deputy Minister of Finance. She cannot now turn around to demand answers from newly appointed officials on issues that happened under her own watch.” He added.
He described her leadership of the committee as “not just hypocrisy, it is an insult to the intelligence of the Ghanaian people,” and urged the Speaker to act promptly to preserve the integrity of Parliament’s oversight role.
However, some MPs have warned that the petition misunderstands parliamentary procedure. MP Kennedy Osei Nyarko stated that the Speaker lacks unilateral power to remove a committee chairperson. According to him, changes to committee leadership can only be effected through the Committee of Selection or via the party caucuses.
MP Davis Opoku, representing Mpraeso, similarly described A Plus’s move as “deeply misguided, both in law and in principle,” and affirmed that Osei-Asare’s appointment followed the correct process.
The PAC is the parliamentary committee charged with examining the reports of the Auditor-General and holding government agencies to account for public funds. Its chairperson’s credibility is therefore central to public trust in budget oversight and financial governance.
The challenge created by this petition highlights tensions over perceived impartiality, past associations, and the standards to which oversight roles are held.
The Speaker’s response and whether the matter will be taken up by the Committee of Selection or another parliamentary mechanism will be closely watched by observers of legislative oversight and accountability.
Source: Myxyzonline.com
