Deputy Minority Leader and Asokwa Member of Parliament (MP), Patricia Appiagyei, has returned GH¢70,000 she received in connection with the activities of Parliament’s Appointments Committee, citing concerns over the source of the money and the circumstances surrounding its distribution.
In a memorandum dated September 2, 2026, and addressed to Minority Chief Whip and Nsawam-Adoagyiri MP, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Mrs Appiagyei said the money was presented to her as an advance from the Majority Chief Whip of Parliament.
However, the Asokwa MP said she had not been informed about the source of the funds and therefore could not comfortably retain the money.
Mrs Appiagyei explained that she was returning the GH¢70,000 parliamentary allocation because she did not know where the funds originated.
She also raised concerns about receiving any financial benefit associated with the parliamentary vetting of political colleagues, particularly members of the Majority side seeking leadership positions.
According to her, she did not want to personally benefit financially from the vetting of Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga and Environment Minister Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings by the Appointments Committee.
The Deputy Minority Leader further linked her decision to the Minority Caucus’ protest and non-participation in the August 27 vetting of three Supreme Court nominees.
The three nominees were Justice Sophia Rosetta Oduokuwa Bernasko Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante and Justice Anthony Forson Jnr. Minority members of the Appointments Committee walked out of the proceedings, citing alleged procedural irregularities.
Mrs Appiagyei said accepting money connected to the vetting process after the Minority had taken a principled position against participating in the exercise would be inconsistent.
She also stressed that she had no intention of benefiting financially from or seeking money from the Supreme Court nominees.
The Asokwa MP said her decision was consistent with the position taken by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who she indicated had also decided to return his portion of the allocation.
Mrs Appiagyei subsequently requested that the GH¢70,000 be returned to the Majority Chief Whip, together with an explanation of why she had rejected the funds.
Her decision is likely to intensify public and parliamentary scrutiny of the GH¢70,000 allocation, including questions about its source, purpose and alleged connection to activities of the Parliamentary Appointments Committee.
The development comes amid continued public interest in Parliament’s vetting process, political accountability, parliamentary ethics and transparency in Ghana’s Parliament.
Source: newsthemegh.com