Abena Osei Asare fires back at A Plus for calling for her removal as PAC Chair

The Chairperson of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Abena Osei Asare, has publicly defended her eligibility and competence to lead the committee in response to calls for her removal by Gomoa Central MP Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A Plus.

Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Point of View with Bernard Avle on Monday, November 10, 2025, Osei Asare insisted that her appointment followed proper constitutional and parliamentary procedures.

She explained that committee chairs are selected by party caucuses and approved by the House, stating:

“The Committee Chairs are selected by the parties and the leadership of the respective caucuses. And so, my caucus chose me to head the Public Accounts Committee and to serve in that capacity. It’s something I want to do, and I’m qualified to do it as well.”

Addressing concerns about a conflict of interest, given her previous role as Deputy Minister of Finance under the former NPP administration, Osei Asare said internal safeguards are in place to ensure impartiality.

She noted that the PAC is usually chaired by a member of the opposition, and that parliamentary standing orders provide that whenever reports under review pertain to a period in which the chairperson was in government, the Ranking Member assumes leadership for that session.

“That is why in Order 2294 of our Standing Orders, it says that when issues or reports from the Auditor-General pertain to the year in which the chairperson was in government, proceedings will be taken over by the ranking.

Consistently, you see me announcing that this pertains to a 2024 report for which I was in government. So I am ceding the chairmanship role to my ranking,” she said, emphasizing that these procedures promote fairness, accountability, and transparency.

Her comments come after A Plus submitted a petition to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, on Monday, November 3, requesting her removal.

In his petition, A Plus argued that Osei Asare’s previous tenure as Deputy Minister of Finance during the audited period presents a clear conflict of interest that could compromise the credibility of the PAC.

A Plus also cited specific controversies that occurred under her watch, including contracts awarded during the former NPP administration, such as the Strategic Mobilization Limited (SML) deal, the ECG–Beijing Jao Loss Reduction Agreement, and the Service Ghana Auto Limited ambulance procurement contract, all of which are under investigation by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

“It is morally indefensible for Hon. Abena Osei Asare to preside over a committee that demands accountability from newly appointed officials on matters that occurred under her direct watch as Deputy Minister of Finance. Such a situation compromises the impartiality of the Public Accounts Committee and diminishes public trust in Parliament’s oversight role,” A Plus said in his petition.

Abena Osei Asare, however, defended the institutional safeguards in Parliament, stressing that accountability is institutional, not personal, and that the PAC operates under clear rules to prevent individual influence over audit proceedings.

She reiterated that the measures, including ceding leadership to the Ranking Member when necessary, ensure impartiality and credibility in oversight.