- During a Public Accounts Committee hearing on August 25, 2025, Chairperson Abena Osei-Asare criticized officials from the Ministry of Finance for failing to bring representatives from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), which had been cited in the Auditor-General’s report for infractions totaling GH¢6,400.
- The Ministry claimed GSS was not invited but had submitted evidence of recovery.
- The PAC Chair rejected the explanation, stressing that all agencies under the Ministry’s purview are expected to appear when summoned and that procedural excuses would not be tolerated.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearing in Cape Coast took a tense turn as Chairperson Abena Osei-Asare challenged the Ministry of Finance over the absence of Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) officials, despite the agency being flagged in the Auditor-General’s report.
The report cited GSS Cape Coast for infractions amounting to GH¢6,400 and directed the regional head to ensure the funds were refunded. However, when the Committee convened to examine the findings, GSS representatives were notably absent.
Officials from the Finance Ministry explained that GSS had not been formally invited but had submitted documentation showing the amount had been recovered. That explanation didn’t sit well with the PAC Chair, who questioned why the Ministry would accept responses from an agency that wasn’t present and why it failed to ensure GSS appeared before the Committee.
She emphasized that the Ministry of Finance is responsible for coordinating its agencies and that accountability cannot be sidestepped through procedural loopholes. The Committee made it clear that it expects full transparency and participation from all entities cited in audit reports.
