Absence of Health Minister and Deputies sparks controversy at PAC Hearing

During today's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearing on January 30, 2024, a member of the committee expressed disappointment over the absence of Health Minister Kweku Agyemang Manu and his two deputies, Myjoyonline.com reports.

The Ministry's Director of Policy Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation, Emma Ofori Agyemang, informed the committee that she was representing the Chief Director and the Ministers who were yet to arrive.

"My minister too is not back from the constituency, as well as the other two deputy ministers. So I'll be leading the discussion on behalf of the Chief Director."

In response, a visibly upset Member of Parliament for Bole Bamboi, Yusif Sulemana, expressed his dissatisfaction, saying, "Mr Chairman, I'm not convinced with the reason why the minister and two deputies are not here."

"We have colleagues who have contested in the elections and are here. If they've lost, there are people who have lost and are here. If two of the deputies lost, that's fine. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't work," he added.

Sulemana questioned whether the absent officials were resigning, emphasizing that if they were not, they should be present at the hearing. He also criticized the absence of the Chief Director, stating, "They are not taking us seriously."

Concerns grew when the leadership of the Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Centre of the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital was also absent. Committee member Samuel Atta Mills expressed serious concern, saying, "This is really serious. Ministry of Health, Ministers are not here, two deputies are not here. And now when we call the departments, they are not here. What is happening at the Ministry of Health, what's going on?"

Emma Ofori Agyemang clarified that the situation was not deliberate and explained, "Nothing untoward is happening. We asked all the heads to be here. Why they are not here, I cannot tell. I believe they probably are late or something like that, but it ought not to have been so."

Committee Chairman James Klutse Avedzi directed the delegation to follow up on the whereabouts of the officials to ensure the hearing proceeded smoothly, stating, "Detail someone to get in touch with them and let them come."

The matter was subsequently addressed as Emma Ofori Agyemang indicated that efforts had been made to alert the officials to be present as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Patrick Kuma Aboagye, was present to respond to questions concerning his outfit's activities.

NAY/NOQ