A disgruntled member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has voiced his disappointment over the absence of Health Minister Kweku Agyemang Manu and his two deputies at the committee meeting on Tuesday, January 30, 2024.

The situation escalated when the Ministry's Director of Policy Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation, Emma Ofori Agyemang, informed the committee that she was standing in for the Chief Director and the Ministers, who had not yet arrived.

She continued, "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."

Unhappy with the information, a visibly upset Member of Parliament for Bole Bamboi, Hon. Yusif Sulemana retorted, "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 further queried, "Are they resigning? If they are not, they should be here. The worst of it is that the Chief Director is also not here. They are not taking us seriously."

Another contentious situation arose when the leadership of the Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Centre at the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital was noticeably absent.

This irked the committee members, who sought additional answers in the absence of the responsible officials.

A member of the Committee, Samuel Atta Mills said "This is really serious."

"Ministry of Health, Ministers is 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?" the Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem MP quizzed further.

Madam Emma Ofori Agyemang, in response, asserted that the absence of the Health Minister, his deputies, and the leadership of the Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Centre was not intentional.

"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," she explained.

Committee Chairman James Klutse Avedzi urged the delegation to investigate and ascertain the whereabouts of the absent heads to ensure the smooth continuation of the hearing.

"Detail someone to get in touch with them and let them come," he directed.