The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday, September 30, sacked officials from the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, Ministry of Food and Agriculture as well as the Judicial Service from their sitting.
The three institutions attended upon the Committee to answer for Auditor General’s reports for their respective institutions.
As required by law, they were expected to appear before the Committee with their Ministers, or their deputies and for the Judicial Service institutional head in the person of Judicial Secretary.
Even though the Ministry of Justice appeared together with the Judicial Service the latter said they were not under any ministry or institution as they are a standing alone institution headed by the Secretary.
They had assumed that, since they were not under the ministry, they were going to be allowed to proceed.
Chief Director of the Ministry indicated to the Committee that, both the Minister Dr Dominic Ayine and his deputy, Dr Justice Srem-Sai could not accompany them because they were called to attend an equally important meeting.
She disclosed that, this is the second time they have been invited to appear before the Committee this year but the first time it was rescheduled. According to her the first time, they were available but the meeting did not happen.
Atta Mills, who will not take that excuse rebutted saying that, the rescheduling of the meeting was at the instance of the ministry and not the Committee. He therefore told them to leave assuring them a different date will be communicated to them.
In the case of the Judicial Service, the officials informed PAC that, the Secretary was also honoring an invitation to attend a meet with the General Legal Council (GLC) hence his inability to could accompany them.
The story was not different when it came to Ministry of Food and Agriculture which is headed by Minster Eric Opoku and his deputy, John Setor Dumelo. The two were absent but the Committee this time did not take it lightly.
According to the officials, the minister was unavailable and the deputy minister too has traveled out of the country.
“Where is the Minister? What about the deputy?” The ranking asked, to which they informed the Committee that they were not with the delegation. He continued “Okay, we have to reschedule this meeting because we need either the minister or a deputy minister here with you. Thank you”.
Abena Osei Asare asked the representatives of the ministry if it was their first time appearing before the Committee to which they answered in the negative.
“Ministry of Agric, is this your first time of attending upon the Committee’s sitting?” They answered in the negative.
She then continued “So, why do you know what is expected of you and then you do something else? Because you know always come with the political heads and the principal spending office which is your chief director and if the minister or the deputy is not in….”
The former Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance continued “Respectfully, we are all serving the nation in different capacities, let’s attach seriousness to what we do. We called your minister here, it is the same with AG and Minister for Justice, they also refused to attend upon the Public Accounts Committee.
We are all discharging our duties in different capacities, let’s respect each other’s mandate and what is expected of us. We would have to reschedule you but there are also equally important things to do. When you do this, you throw our programmes off board and so we don’t expect this to happen again.
The institution are therefore slated to attend upon the Committee at a later date when their respective heads are available to appear before the Committee.
So, tell the Minister for Agric that we expect to see him or his deputy heading the delegation. And it is the same with Attorney General and Minister for Justice. He should come or his deputy should come. That is what the protocol is when Parliament calls you on the Auditor General’s report is given and I don’t expect that under this government this government, you want to do things different. Thank you very much”.
The Committee ended it sitting abruptly before 2pm. It will resume sitting tomorrow Wednesday October 1, and Committee will be expecting the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Ministry of Trade and Agricbusiness and Industry, Ministry of Environment Science and Technology, and Ministry of Transport.
By Gifty A. Boateng