A Plus Petitions Speaker to Remove Abena Osei-Asare as PAC Chair Over Alleged Conflict of Interest

The Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A Plus, has petitioned the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin, calling for the removal of Abena Osei-Asare as Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

In his letter dated Monday, November 3, 2025, A Plus argued that the continued leadership of the Atiwa East MP on the committee poses a clear conflict of interest. He said the committee’s current deliberations involve financial matters that occurred during her tenure as Deputy Minister of Finance — a role she held under the previous administration.

“The issues before the Public Accounts Committee happened during her watch as Deputy Minister of Finance,” the Gomoa Central legislator stated. “It is unacceptable for her to now preside over inquiries into the same period. That is not only a conflict of interest but also a disservice to the integrity of Parliament.”

He maintained that his petition was not politically motivated but intended to “safeguard the integrity and dignity of Parliament,” especially in relation to a committee tasked with scrutinising the management of public funds.

The Basis of the A PLUS Petition

In his submission, A Plus said it was “hypocrisy” for a former member of the Finance Ministry to now question officials over financial irregularities that may have originated from her period in office. He argued that such a scenario undermines public confidence in Parliament’s oversight role and weakens the credibility of the Public Accounts Committee.

“She cannot turn around to demand answers from newly appointed officials on issues that happened under her own watch,” he insisted. “This situation is not just hypocrisy but an insult to the intelligence of the Ghanaian people.”

The Gomoa Central MP further contended that individuals who previously held executive or fiscal management roles should be excluded from leading accountability committees to ensure objectivity and fairness. “Those who presided over financial irregularities should not sit in judgment over them,” he stated.

The Public Accounts Committee is one of Parliament’s key oversight bodies responsible for examining the Auditor-General’s reports and holding ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) accountable for the use of public funds. The committee’s leadership plays a critical role in determining how effectively Ghana can enforce transparency and financial discipline in government operations.

A Plus’s petition has therefore drawn public attention, as it touches on the broader issue of institutional integrity and the separation between executive and oversight functions. In Ghana’s governance system, where ministers often return to Parliament after serving in executive positions, questions about impartiality in oversight roles frequently arise.

Political analysts note that such petitions are rare, but they highlight growing civic and parliamentary activism around ethical governance. Some observers say this development could strengthen accountability if handled within the confines of parliamentary procedure.

The Public Accounts Committee, currently chaired by Abena Osei-Asare, has been examining various Auditor-General’s reports covering state institutions’ expenditures between 2018 and 2022. The committee’s mandate includes investigating financial irregularities, unaccounted expenditures, and non-compliance with procurement and financial regulations.

Abena Osei-Asare, who also serves as the MP for Atiwa East, was appointed Deputy Minister of Finance during the Akufo-Addo administration. She has been widely recognised for her work in financial management and economic oversight. However, A Plus insists that her former ministerial role compromises her impartiality in leading the PAC’s current investigations.

As of Wednesday, the Speaker of Parliament had not issued an official response to the petition. Parliamentary sources indicate that the matter may be referred to the leadership of both the Majority and Minority caucuses for consideration, in line with the Standing Orders of Parliament.

Ghana has made steady progress in institutionalising accountability frameworks, but public concerns persist about political influence and weak enforcement. The 2023 Auditor-General’s report revealed that over GHS 17 billion in public funds could not be properly accounted for across various MDAs, prompting renewed calls for stronger oversight.

Civil society groups such as the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) and OccupyGhana have consistently demanded that Parliament exercise greater independence in its scrutiny of government spending. They argue that the credibility of committees like the PAC depends on leadership free from perceived or actual conflicts of interest.

A Plus’s petition therefore adds to ongoing national debates about the boundaries between executive responsibility and legislative oversight — a key pillar of Ghana’s democratic system.

While some members of the public have praised A Plus for raising legitimate questions about transparency, others have described the petition as premature and politically motivated. Legal analysts note that the Standing Orders of Parliament do not expressly prohibit former ministers from chairing committees that oversee financial matters, though the principle of impartiality is often cited as best practice.

A constitutional lawyer, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained that “conflict of interest must be proven with clear evidence of personal benefit or influence over decisions.” He added that the Speaker’s role in such petitions is limited, as committee leadership changes must be approved by the Committee of Selection and the leadership of the House.

The controversy underscores a recurring theme in Ghanaian governance — the need to strengthen institutional checks and balances. For Parliament, maintaining public confidence in its oversight role is as important as enforcing compliance among public officials.

If properly examined, this petition could set a precedent for how Parliament handles future allegations of conflict of interest within its committees. It could also reinforce Ghana’s reputation as a democracy that values transparency and the rule of law.

For now, all eyes are on the Speaker’s office to see whether the petition will be referred to the appropriate parliamentary committee for review or dismissed on procedural grounds.

The debate over Abena Osei-Asare’s continued leadership of the Public Accounts Committee is more than a matter of political rivalry — it reflects the growing demand for ethical leadership and institutional integrity in Ghana’s democracy. Whether or not the petition succeeds, it highlights an essential truth: public accountability depends not only on laws but also on the moral credibility of those who enforce them.

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