Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has downplayed tensions between himself and Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Abena Osei-Asare, following a heated exchange during a committee sitting on Monday, May 18.
The confrontation occurred while the minister was appearing before the committee over concerns surrounding alleged poor service delivery by Mobile Network Operators in Ghana.
Speaking to journalists after the session, Mr. George described Mrs. Osei-Asare as a friend and insisted that there was no animosity between them despite the sharp exchanges during proceedings.
“Abena is a friend, maybe that is why our exchanges were heated. We do this in our regular conversations. But the fact that we are friends does not negate the fact that the work has to be done,” he stated.
The minister further suggested that some members of the committee were giving him the same level of scrutiny he once subjected ministers of the previous administration to during his time as a member of PAC.
“I know my colleagues are returning the favour for what I did for New Patriotic Party ministers when I was a member of PAC. But I’m a tough nut to crack. The next time I come, I will fire them. No hard feelings, no bad blood, I’m going to join them for lunch,” he added.
The disagreement reportedly began after Mr. George linked challenges in the telecommunications sector to what he described as weak policies, poor governance and leadership failures under the previous Akufo-Addo administration.
Mrs. Osei-Asare, who previously served as a Minister of State at the Finance Ministry under the former government, interrupted the minister and cautioned him against making remarks she considered offensive.
She also urged him to confine his comments to the matter before the committee.
Her intervention prompted a response from Mr. George, who appealed to Samuel Atta Mills, the Ranking Member presiding over the sitting, to call the chairperson to order.
, Abena Osei-Asare, following a heated exchange during a committee sitting on Monday, May 18.){kind=link}