Sam George clashes with Abena Osei-Asare during PAC sitting over poor telecom service (Watch)

Josephine Amuzu 16:23 - 18 May 2026

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Sam George clashed with PAC Chairperson Abena Osei-Asare over poor telecom service in Ghana, defending government efforts and announcing plans by MTN and Telecel to roll out 1,150 new network sites in 2026.

A heated exchange broke out between Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George and PAC Chairperson Abena Osei-Asare during discussions on poor telecom service delivery in Ghana.
The minister said MTN Ghana will roll out 800 new sites while Telecel Ghana adds 350 to improve network quality.
Sam George said telecom equipment is expected to arrive between July and August, with noticeable service improvements anticipated by the end of Q3 into Q4.

A tense exchange erupted at a sitting of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) as Ghana’s Communications Minister, Samuel Nartey George clashed with PAC Chairperson Abena Osei-Asare over poor telecommunication service delivery in Ghana.

The heated moment unfolded during discussions on challenges facing telecom companies and efforts to improve network quality across the country.

During the session, Sam George defended the government’s efforts to address persistent complaints about poor network connectivity and service delivery by major telecom operators.

The minister argued that while telecom companies are private businesses focused on making profits, government policy must protect consumers and improve service standards.

He stressed that the current administration’s policy direction under its “reset agenda” was already producing results.

Policy decision and policy leadership ought to make sure that we took steps to protect the customer and I'm saying that we under this reset agenda and under a responsible government have done so, he said.

Tensions escalated when the minister and the PAC Chairperson interrupted each other during questioning. Sam George insisted on completing his response after being questioned about delays in improving telecom services.

Here are the excerpts below

Osei-Asare: Minister, I beg you.

Sam George: Honorable, I'm also a Member of Parliament, don't do this. Please, I am on the floor, let me make my point. No, you won't heckle me. Don't play sentiment.

Osei-Asare: I'm not heckling you but we beg you, just go straight to the point. We are tired of this politics.

Sam George: Honorable, you need to rein in the honorable member. She's being unruly. You're being unruly. Please, this is unbecoming of a Member of Parliament. Please, stop doing this.

Osei-Asare: Listen, you don't have the floor (sic) so respect us.

Sam George: No, I have the floor. No, you have asked me a question. I have the floor. You will let me answer the question. No, you won't do that, Abena. You won't do that today. Let me finish.

Osei-Asare: Minister, respectfully, this is our committee and you don't tell us what you want to do.

Sam George: But you've not brought me here to talk down on me as well. I listen to you go on, you must listen to me as well.

Osei-Asare: Minister, nobody's doing that to you. No.

Osei-Asare: Please, when you come here and we address issues, it is not that we want to take anybody down. Never. You and I, we go beyond this. It is not that we want to take anybody down, but minister, the situation is serious and that is all the sentiments I'm trying to carry across.

Addressing concerns about poor mobile network performance, Sam George revealed that major telecom providers are expanding infrastructure to improve service quality nationwide.

According to him, MTN Ghana is expected to roll out 800 new network sites, while Telecel Ghana will add 350 new sites in 2026.

In total, Ghana is expected to see 1,150 new telecom sites this year. He explained that telecom infrastructure upgrades involve technical and logistical processes, including land acquisition, ordering specialised radio equipment, and regulatory approvals.

The minister disclosed that the National Communications Authority (NCA) is overseeing the process, with telecom operators expected to receive key equipment between July and August.

He expressed confidence that Ghanaians would begin to experience improved network quality by the end of the third quarter of the year.

We gave that order in the first quarter of this year. It will take about three to six months. I am confident that by the end of Q3, going into Q4, we will see a remarkable improvement, he stated.

Sam George also argued that the scale of planned infrastructure expansion marks a significant jump compared to previous years, noting that the average number of telecom sites added annually since 2016 had been about 223.

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