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By: Sebbie, Edward Graham
The Director-General of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Abraham Amaliba, has called on the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to invite the Deputy Minority Leader of Parliament, Patricia Appiagyei, and all related persons for interrogation over a purportedly rejected cash payment.
His call follows reports that the Asokwa MP has returned GH¢70,000 allocated to her in connection with the work of Parliament’s Appointments Committee, citing concerns over the source of the money.
In a memorandum dated September 2, 2026, and addressed to the Minority Chief Whip and Nsawam-Adoagyiri MP, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Madam Appiagyei said the money had been presented to her as an advance from the Majority Chief Whip, but she had no knowledge of its original source.
“It is with regret that I return an amount of Seventy Thousand Cedis (GH¢70,000.00) allocated to me as advance money by the Majority Chief Whip of Parliament. I am returning the money on the basis of the fact that, primarily, I do not know the source of the money,” the memo stated.
The memorandum, which has since circulated widely on social media, has generated serious public concern, with many Ghanaians calling for a full investigation on grounds of possible corruption.
The debate has revived past controversies surrounding the Appointments Committee, including an admission by former Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu that former Chief of Staff Frema Akosua Osei-Opare used to allocate monies to be shared among members of the Committee to facilitate the smooth and expeditious approval of nominees.
It has also triggered references to the case in which activist Oliver Barker-Vormawor was hauled before Parliament to substantiate allegations that members of the Committee extort money from nominees before approving them.
Speaking on a sister station, Mr. Amaliba, while not directly accusing Parliament of corruption, expressed disgust at the development, saying it casts a slur on the integrity of the legislature. He noted that he used to dismiss such allegations against Parliament until he gained closer exposure to its workings.
He therefore urged the OSP to probe the matter to ascertain who provided the money and for what purpose.
Ghana’s Parliament has been cited in several corruption perception surveys, and critics say the latest development further erodes public confidence in the law-making arm of government.
Meanwhile, at the time of filing this report, the OSP is reported to have commenced preliminary investigations into the matter and invited Madam Appiagyei to assist in safeguarding the integrity of the vetting process.
