Parliament has welcomed 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 linked to the recent vetting of ministerial and Supreme Court nominees.
The purported memorandum, which has been circulating on social media, allegedly stated that Madam Appiagyei had received and subsequently returned GH¢70,000 in connection with the work of Parliament’s Appointments Committee.
However, the Deputy Minority Leader has since publicly disowned the document, describing it as fake and denying that she ever received GH¢70,000 or any other payment in connection with the vetting exercise.
In a statement issued yesterday, Parliament said it had taken note of both the circulating memorandum and the subsequent denial of its authenticity.
According to Parliament, the matter had generated considerable public interest and raised serious concerns that required proper scrutiny.
“Any allegation touching on payments allegedly connected with the work of a Committee of Parliament, particularly the Appointments Committee, is a matter deserving of proper scrutiny,” Parliament stated.
It 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.
Parliament, however, stressed that it had not independently verified the authenticity of the memorandum and would therefore not make any determination on the truth or otherwise of the competing claims.
It said the Rt. Hon. Speaker had taken note of reports that the OSP had commenced investigations into the matter and welcomed any lawful probe aimed at establishing the facts.
The Speaker, according to the statement, has urged the Special Prosecutor to investigate the matter thoroughly and expeditiously, including determining the authenticity of the memorandum and the veracity of the claims contained in it.
Parliament also pledged to cooperate with the OSP and any other competent investigative authority in the discharge of their mandates.
Importantly, Parliament said the matter should not end merely with a finding that the memorandum was fabricated, should investigations establish that the document was indeed falsely attributed to Madam Appiagyei.
In that event, the Speaker said the appropriate investigative authorities should seek the assistance of the Cyber Security Authority and other relevant law enforcement agencies to identify those responsible for creating and circulating the document.
Where the evidence warrants, the persons responsible should be held accountable in accordance with the law, Parliament said.
“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,” the statement noted.
Parliament, therefore, urged the public, the media and other stakeholders to exercise caution in sharing the controversial document or drawing definitive conclusions until its authenticity and the circumstances surrounding it had been properly established.
It reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability and the integrity of its processes, particularly the work of the Appointments Committee.
The latest intervention by Parliament comes as the OSP investigates the circumstances surrounding the purported memorandum, including its authenticity, the alleged GH¢70,000 payment and the purpose for which the money was allegedly allocated.
The controversy has placed renewed public attention on Parliament’s Appointments Committee, which recently vetted nominees for ministerial positions and the Supreme Court.
For now, however, Parliament has maintained that the authenticity of the document and the competing claims surrounding it remain matters for investigation.
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