The Member of Parliament for Asokwa and Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei, has returned GH¢70,000 she received as an advance to the Members of Parliament’s Appointments Committee, citing concerns about the source of the money.
Mrs Appiagyei said she was returning the money because she did not know where the funds originated and did not want to receive any financial benefit connected to the vetting of government nominees.
In a memo dated September 2 and addressed to the Minority Chief Whip and MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Mrs Appiagyei said she had decided to return the money allocated to her by the Majority Chief Whip.
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“It is with regret that I return the amount of seventy thousand cedis (GH¢70,000.00) allocated to me as an advance of money from the Majority Chief Whip of Parliament of Ghana.”
She explained that her primary reason for returning the GH¢70,000 was that she was unaware of the source of the money.
“My first reason is the fact that I do not want to enjoy any financial benefit under any circumstances to vet our own colleagues in leadership from the other side, being either Hon. Mahama Ayariga or Hon. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings,” she stated.
The Deputy Minority Leader also linked her decision to the Minority Caucus’ protest and subsequent withdrawal from the vetting of three Supreme Court judge nominees.
The nominees were Justice Sophia Rosetta Oduokuwa Bernasko Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante and Justice Anthony Forson Jnr.
According to Mrs Patricia Appiagyei, the Minority’s decision not to participate in the vetting on principle made it inappropriate for her to accept what she described as a gift associated with the process.
“Secondly, due to the Minority’s protest and non-participation in the vetting of the three Judges, namely: Justice Sophia Rosetta Oduokuwa Bernasko Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante and Justice Anthony Forson Jnr, on a matter of principle, I consider it totally unthinkable that I should enjoy any gift presented by any of the above judges,” she stated.
She added that she had no intention of obtaining money from any of the nominees.
“It is also not my intention to extort any money from any of the above judges,” Mrs Appiagyei said.
Appiagyei supports Afenyo-Markin’s decision
Mrs Appiagyei further said her decision was in support of the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who had also decided to return his share of the money.
“Instead of the above, and also in support of the Minority Leader’s decision to return his share of the amount sent to him in that respect, I humbly return the amount of seventy thousand cedis (GH¢70,000.00) to be sent back to the Chief Whip of the Majority Caucus in Parliament,” she stated.
Patricia Appiagyei also indicated that her reasons for returning the money should be brought to the attention of the Majority Chief Whip.
The development follows a dramatic walkout by members of the Minority Caucus during the vetting of the three Supreme Court nominees on August 27, 2026.
The Minority MPs cited what they described as an irregular procedure adopted by the leadership of Parliament’s Appointments Committee.
Before leaving the proceedings, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin objected to the procedure used to conduct the vetting.
“The procedure that has been adopted is at variance with the orders of the House. How can you ask us to vet Supreme Court judges with three days’ notice?” he questioned.
His objection triggered an extensive exchange with the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Bernard Ahiafor.
Mr Afenyo-Markin argued that the established practice required adequate notice before nominees were vetted.
“The standard practice is to give fourteen days’ notice, advertise in the newspapers before the vetting is done,” he stressed.
He subsequently referred to concerns previously raised by then-Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Forson over a similar situation involving short notice for the vetting of Supreme Court nominees.
Addressing the nominees before the Minority members left the proceedings, Mr Afenyo-Markin stressed that their objection was not directed at the individuals nominated to the Supreme Court.
“To the nominees, we are not against your nomination; we are against the procedure, and we cannot be part of this,” he stated.
He subsequently walked out of the Appointments Committee proceedings, followed by other Minority members.
The Asokwa MP’s decision to return the GH¢70,000 adds another dimension to the controversy surrounding the vetting of the three Supreme Court nominees.
Patricia Appiagyei maintained that her decision was based on principle, particularly her objection to receiving a financial benefit while participating in the vetting of colleagues from the Majority side and amid the Minority Caucus’ decision not to participate in the Supreme Court nominees’ vetting.
The returned funds are expected to be sent back to the Majority Chief Whip of Parliament, according to Mrs Appiagyei’s memo.