The Minority in Parliament has accused the Majority of deliberately disrupting the work of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) during its probe into a special audit report on GH¢68 billion in government arrears.

The controversy follows the sudden withdrawal of Majority members from a committee sitting, forcing proceedings to be halted.

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Chair of the committee, Abena Osei Asare, raised the matter on the floor of Parliament, describing the move as a setback to an important national exercise.

She explained that the committee had begun work within the timeline given after the audit report was referred to it.

“The audit was referred to the Public Accounts Committee, and we were given some time frames within which we have to work and then bring back our findings,” she told the House.

According to her, the sitting had started as scheduled, with invited stakeholders already present, before it was abruptly interrupted.

“We began today. It was advertised and we began today at 9:00. Around 11:15, one of the whips from the Majority side walked in and said we have to excuse their members,” she said.

She said that without the presence of key members, the committee could not continue its work.

“Without their members, because if you don’t have an available ranking, we cannot continue with the proceeding. So today we had to halt it and ask the invitees to leave, and then come back at another time,” she added.

The PAC Chair expressed concern about the implications of the disruption, especially given the strict timeline for completing the probe.

“So, I want to seek your indulgence. What is the way forward? One, since it’s been referred to us, two, we have been given some time frame to do this, and three, we have called the invitees. They were all seated and waiting,” she said, appealing for guidance on how to proceed.

However, the Majority has rejected claims that it was attempting to undermine the committee’s work.

Responding on the floor, Majority Chief Whip, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor, said the decision was based on the heavy workload of Parliament and not an attempt to obstruct the probe.

“The impression that we are not interested in the committee’s work is not accurate,” he said.

He explained that a prior decision had been taken to temporarily suspend committee sittings to allow Members of Parliament to focus on plenary business.

“We met yesterday and took a decision that because of the heavy nature of business for plenary, committee activities should be suspended until Friday, so that after Friday, the committees can sit,” he stated.

He added that alternative arrangements had been proposed to balance both responsibilities.

“Indeed, we even suggested that after adjournment, the committees can work, or alternatively, if the committees can sit from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., before the plenary starts,” he said.

According to him, scheduling clashes between committee work and plenary sessions could affect attendance and quorum in the House.

“If you fix committee activities that clash with plenary, it is hurting our numbers, because they are the same people who may raise issues of quorum,” he explained.

He insisted that the committee still has adequate time to complete its work.

“The Public Accounts Committee by all means has the time to do their work, and they have a timeframe within which to present their report back to plenary, and that has not been affected in any way,” he said.