BY DANIEL BAMPOE
Ghana has maintained a strategic position in the leadership of the African Organisation of Public Accounts Committees (AFROPAC) following the re-election of Atiwa East Member of Parliament and Chairperson of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Abena Osei-Asare, as the organisation’s Deputy Chairperson.
Her retention was confirmed at the end of AFROPAC’s 2026 General Conference and Meeting in Accra, where delegates representing Public Accounts Committees from across Africa elected a new Executive Committee to steer the organisation’s affairs.
The decision keeps Ghana in one of the organisation’s top leadership positions at a time when parliamentary institutions across the continent are under pressure to strengthen oversight of public expenditure, promote fiscal discipline and demand greater accountability from governments over the management of public resources.
Osei-Asare’s re-election also means that Ghana will continue to play a direct role in shaping AFROPAC’s programmes and engagements aimed at improving the effectiveness of parliamentary financial oversight.
The newly elected AFROPAC Executive Committee comprises Malawi as Chairperson, Ghana as Deputy Chairperson, Nigeria as Secretary General, Chad as Deputy Secretary General, Eswatini as Treasurer General, and Kenya as Deputy Treasurer General.
The election of Steven Baba Malondera Kamsiyamo as the new Chairperson, alongside Osei-Asare as Deputy Chairperson, marks the beginning of a new leadership chapter for the continental organisation.
Delegates’ decision to retain the Ghanaian legislator was widely viewed at the conference as recognition of her leadership and contributions to parliamentary oversight, fiscal transparency and accountability in public financial management.
As Chairperson of Ghana’s Public Accounts Committee, Osei-Asare occupies a position that places her at the centre of parliamentary scrutiny of public institutions, particularly in examining financial irregularities, audit findings and the use of state resources.
Her continued role at AFROPAC is expected to provide Ghana with an opportunity to contribute to discussions on strengthening legislative oversight and improving the capacity of Public Accounts Committees across Africa.
At the closing session, outgoing AFROPAC Chairperson Patrick Nsamba Oshabe commended Public Accounts Committees across the continent for their efforts in promoting accountability and scrutinising public expenditure.
However, he challenged the committees to strengthen their institutional and technical capacities so they could effectively discharge their constitutional and parliamentary responsibilities without becoming excessively dependent on external assistance.
Beyond the leadership elections, the conference considered and adopted its Conference Declaration, setting out the collective position and commitments arising from the deliberations.
Delegates also approved amendments to the AFROPAC Constitution aimed at expanding eligibility for membership, a move expected to broaden participation in the organisation and strengthen its continental reach.
The decisions formed part of the key outcomes of the 2026 General Conference and Meeting, which brought together representatives of Public Accounts Committees to deliberate on ways of improving parliamentary oversight and accountability in the management of public funds.
The adoption of the declaration and constitutional amendments, alongside the election of a new Executive Committee, provided the institutional framework for the organisation’s next phase of work.
In her closing remarks, the newly elected Deputy Chairperson, Hon. Abena Osei-Asare, joined the new Chairperson, Hon. Steven Baba Malondera Kamsiyamo, in addressing delegates as the conference drew to a close.
