Deputy Minority Leader and Asokwa Member of Parliament, Patricia Appiagyei, has strongly denied authoring or circulating a memorandum that allegedly linked her to a GH¢70,000 payment in connection with Parliament’s vetting of ministerial and Supreme Court nominees.
The Asokwa MP described the document currently circulating in the media as fake, insisting that she neither wrote, authorised nor distributed the purported memorandum.
The alleged document, reportedly addressed to Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh, claimed that Patricia Appiagyei had received and subsequently returned GH¢70,000 said to have been provided as an advance from the Majority Chief Whip.
It further purported to connect the alleged funds to the parliamentary vetting of two ministerial nominees and three Supreme Court nominees, while raising questions about the source and purpose of the money.
However, Patricia Appiagyei has categorically rejected the claims, stating that she never received GH¢70,000 or any other payment in relation to her work on Parliament’s Appointments Committee.
“I did not write, authorise, or circulate this document. It is fake and should be disregarded by all,” she said.
According to the Deputy Minority Leader, she has consistently performed her responsibilities on the Parliamentary Appointments Committee with integrity and professionalism.
She stressed that because she never received the alleged GH¢70,000, there was no basis for claims that she had returned such funds.
“I state expressly and without qualification that I did not receive any payment of GH¢70,000, or any other sum, from any person in connection with the vetting of ministerial or Supreme Court nominees, or in connection with my duties as a member of the Appointments Committee,” she stated.
Patricia Appiagyei Seeks Legal Advice
Patricia Appiagyei explained that she first became aware of the purported memorandum while attending the funeral of a friend.
She said that after discovering that the document appeared to have originated from her office, she initially believed that simply marking it “FAKE” would be enough to dismiss the matter.
However, the situation changed after the alleged memorandum gained significant attention across the media.
The Asokwa MP described the fabrication and circulation of the document as a serious matter, adding that she is seeking legal advice on possible action against individuals responsible for creating or distributing it.
She further stated that she reserves the right to pursue legal action against anyone found to have fabricated or knowingly circulated the document.
NPP Minority Caucus Unity
Patricia Appiagyei also alleged that unidentified individuals were attempting to create divisions within the NPP Minority Caucus in Parliament.
“It is clear to me that some faceless individuals are up to some mischief to sow seeds of discord in our Caucus but this will fail,” she stated.
She assured New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporters and the general public that the Minority Caucus remains united behind the party’s flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, ahead of the 2028 Ghana general election.
OSP Investigates Alleged GH¢70,000 Memorandum
The controversy follows an announcement by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) that it had commenced preliminary investigations into the authenticity of the purported memorandum.
The investigation also concerns the alleged source and intended purpose of the GH¢70,000 referenced in the document.
The OSP subsequently invited Patricia Appiagyei to assist with the preliminary investigation.
With the Asokwa MP now publicly disowning the memorandum and denying that she received any money connected to the parliamentary vetting process, the authenticity, origin and circulation of the document are expected to remain key issues in the OSP’s preliminary investigation.
The alleged payment and any suggestion of wrongdoing should not be treated as established facts unless confirmed by credible evidence or the appropriate investigative authorities.
Source: newsthemegh.com