Patricia Appiagyei
Parliament has backed investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) into a controversial memorandum purportedly authored by the Deputy Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Asokwa, Patricia Appiagyei, concerning an alleged GH¢70,000 payment.
The memo, which has been circulating on social media, allegedly suggested that Ms. Appiagyei received and subsequently returned GH¢70,000 in connection with the vetting of ministerial and Supreme Court nominees.
In a statement signed by the Director of Media Relations, David Sebastian Damoah, Parliament said it had taken note of reports that the OSP had commenced investigations into the matter.
The Speaker, it said, welcomed any lawful investigation aimed at establishing the facts and urged the OSP to pursue the matter “thoroughly and expeditiously.”
The investigation, Parliament said, should establish both the authenticity or otherwise of the memo and the veracity of the claims contained in it.
The OSP has since invited Ms. Appiagyei to assist with a preliminary investigation into the alleged payment.
The Office said it had dispatched a communication inviting the Asokwa MP to appear before it as part of its efforts to establish the authenticity and circumstances surrounding the document circulating in the media.
Ms Appiagyei, however, has strongly denied authoring the memo and receiving any such payment.
In a statement dated September 4, 2026, the Deputy Minority Leader said the document was fake and urged the public to disregard it.
“I did not write, authorise, or circulate this document. It is fake and should be disregarded by all,” she stated.
She further said she had not received GH¢70,000, or any other amount, from anyone in connection with the vetting of ministerial or Supreme Court nominees or her duties as a member of the Appointments Committee.
“As I received no such payment, I had no occasion to return any such payment, contrary to what the fake document suggests,” she said.
Ms Appiagyei said she had discharged her responsibilities on the Appointments Committee with integrity, including during the recent vetting exercises.
She explained that she was attending the funeral of a friend when she was initially informed about the document, which she described as “FAKE news originating from my office.”
According to her, she initially assumed that the fake stamp she had authorised to be placed on the document was sufficient to address the issue until the matter gained prominence in the media.
Parliament, meanwhile, said it had not independently verified the authenticity of the memo and would therefore not, at this stage, make a determination on the competing claims.
It said allegations concerning payments allegedly connected with the work of a parliamentary committee, particularly the Appointments Committee, deserved proper scrutiny.
Parliament said it was equally concerned about the possibility that a document could have been fabricated and falsely attributed to a Member of Parliament in circumstances capable of undermining public confidence in Parliament and its processes.
It has consequently assured the OSP and any other competent investigative authority of its readiness to provide the necessary cooperation in the lawful discharge of their mandates.
The Speaker has also directed that further action be taken if the investigation establishes that the memorandum was fabricated or falsely attributed to Ms. Appiagyei.
In that event, Parliament said, the appropriate investigative authorities should enlist the assistance of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) and other relevant law-enforcement agencies to identify the person or persons responsible for creating and circulating the alleged false document.
Those responsible should, where the evidence warrants, be held accountable in accordance with the law.
“The fabrication and deliberate circulation of documents purporting to emanate from Members or offices of Parliament would constitute a serious assault on the integrity and reputation of the institution,” Parliament stated.
Ms. Appiagyei has also indicated that she is taking legal advice on the appropriate next steps once the source of the document is established.
She said she reserved all her rights, including action against anyone found responsible for fabricating or knowingly circulating the document.
The Asokwa MP further alleged that “faceless individuals” were attempting to sow discord within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Caucus, but expressed confidence that the effort would fail.
She assured the rank and file of the NPP and Ghanaians that the Caucus remained united and would rally behind the party’s flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, for the 2028 elections.
In the meantime, Parliament has urged the public, media and other stakeholders to exercise caution in sharing the document or drawing definitive conclusions until its authenticity and the circumstances surrounding it have been properly established.
By Ernest Kofi Adu