Education Minister Hit With Warning After No-show At Public Accounts Committee Probing Financial Malfeasance

• The Public Accounts Committee has cautioned the education minister after a no-show at the committee on Thursday, July 6, 2023
• The committee's chairman urged the minister to show the committee some respect after a formal invitation was sent to his office
• The education minister faces some action from the committee if he does not show up on the next invitation

The Public Accounts Committee issued a warning to education minister Yaw Adutwum after he failed to appear before the committee on Thursday, July 6, 2023.

The committee’s chairman, James Klutse Avedzi, reminded the minister that the committee had certain powers akin to the high court.

The education minister was expected to appear before the committee for a review of the Auditor General’s report on the ministry.

But his absence compelled Avedzi to demand that the education minister shows some reverence to the work of the committee.

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“Minister, if you are listening to us, kindly give some respect to this committee.”

Avedzi said another date would be scheduled for the education minister to appear before the committee.

He, however, suggested that this would be the education minister’s final chance to honour the committee’s invitation.

“If you fail to come on that date, we will exercise the powers we have as a committee, under Article 103 of the constitution.”

The article of the constitution Avedzi is leaning on grants the Public Accounts Committee certain powers of the high court.

Because of Adutwum’s absence, Avedzi said the numerous issues to consider under the education ministry would have to be suspended.

Ahead of the allotted time period for the education minister, the committee had been grilling officials under the employment of the ministry.

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Previous no-show in Parliament

The education minister has in the past taken heat from the minority in parliament because of similar no-shows when summoned to answer questions pertaining to his sector.

In February 2022, for example, the minority complained that the education minister had failed to appear before parliament on a second successive occasion.

Adutwum's previous appearances in Parliament

YEN.com.gh has reported on previous issues that necessitated the summoning of the education minister to Parliament, like the controversy over text books with offensive content pertaining to the Ewe ethnic group.

The minister also appeared before Parliament to speak on GH¢68.5 million spent on the purchase of past questions for final year SHS students.

The Education Committee of Parliament also summoned the minister to answer questions relating to alleged corruption in the Computerised School Selection and Placement System for senior high schools.

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Source: YEN.com.gh