A dramatic confrontation unfolded in Ghana’s Parliament on Thursday as Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh clashed fiercely with Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairperson Abena Osei Asare during a tense hearing, sparking nationwide debate over transparency and accountability in the health sector.
According to a report by Joy News on October 30, 2025, the heated exchange erupted over the controversial $77 million Lightwave e-Health contract, which has faced months of scrutiny amid allegations of missing funds and incomplete work.
Mrs. Osei Asare, leading the PAC session, demanded detailed explanations from the Health Minister regarding how funds meant for the Ministry’s digitalization programme were utilized. Citing the Auditor-General’s report, she accused the ministry of failing to properly account for disbursements linked to the Lightwave Health Information Management System (LHIMS). “Ghanaians deserve answers. The inconsistencies in payments and contract supervision are unacceptable,” she declared.
An irritated Akandoh, however, rejected what he called “political insinuations,” insisting that the ministry inherited the contract and was conducting a thorough audit. “The Ministry of Health has not lost a single dollar. Every payment made was duly approved. The so-called missing funds are part of ongoing reconciliations,” he retorted sharply.
The confrontation drew gasps and murmurs from MPs, forcing some members to intervene as tempers flared. Osei Asare pressed on, questioning why only 450 of the targeted 950 hospitals had been connected under the project despite the huge financial outlay. “We can’t keep spending millions on failed systems while hospitals lack essential tools,” she fired back.
Akandoh later announced that the Lightwave contract had been terminated and replaced with a new system — the Ghana Health Information Management System (GHIMS) — which he said would enhance data security and improve efficiency across health facilities.
Analysts described the confrontation as a reflection of deep-rooted tensions between Parliament’s oversight bodies and executive ministries. Civil society groups, including IMANI Africa and the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), have since called for the full Lightwave audit report to be made public.
The PAC has adjourned the inquiry to next week, with officials from the Ministry of Finance and Lightwave Technologies expected to testify.
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