Parliament Calls for Investigation into Alleged GH¢70,000 Return Memo

Parliament has called for a thorough investigation into a memorandum circulating on social media that allegedly links Deputy Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Asokwa, Patricia Appiagyei, to the return of GH¢70,000.

The Parliamentary Service said the document has attracted significant public attention because of claims surrounding an alleged payment connected to the work of a parliamentary committee.

According to Parliament, the authenticity of the memorandum has not been independently established, while reports have also emerged denying both the document and the circumstances described in it.

In a statement issued by the Parliamentary Service and signed by David Sebastian Damoah, Director of Media Relations, Parliament said it would not make a definitive judgment on the competing claims until the facts surrounding the document are properly established.

The institution said allegations involving payments purportedly connected to parliamentary committees, particularly the Appointments Committee, require serious scrutiny. Parliament also expressed concern over the possibility that a document could have been fabricated and falsely attributed to a Member of Parliament.

Such an occurrence, it noted, could damage public confidence in Parliament and raise questions about the integrity of its processes. Parliament further disclosed that it had taken note of reports that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) had begun investigations into the matter.

The Speaker has welcomed the investigation and encouraged the OSP to pursue it thoroughly and swiftly.

The investigation is expected to establish whether the circulating memorandum is authentic and determine the accuracy of the allegations contained in it. Parliament said it is prepared to cooperate with the OSP and any other legally authorised investigative body as they work to establish the facts.

Parliament indicated that the matter could go beyond simply determining whether the GH¢70,000 allegation is true. If investigations establish that the memorandum was fabricated or falsely attributed to the Deputy Minority Leader, Parliament wants the appropriate authorities to identify those responsible for producing and circulating the document.

Where evidence supports wrongdoing, the institution said the individuals involved should face the consequences provided by law. The Parliamentary Service described the deliberate creation and distribution of documents falsely presented as originating from Members of Parliament or parliamentary offices as a serious threat to the institution's reputation and integrity. While investigations continue, Parliament has urged the public and media organisations to exercise caution when sharing the document or drawing conclusions from its contents.

The institution stressed that the authenticity of the memorandum and the circumstances surrounding it must first be properly established.

The development comes at a time when allegations involving public officials and parliamentary processes can quickly gain traction online, making verification particularly important before such claims are treated as established facts.

Parliament reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability and the integrity of its procedures, adding that the facts of the matter must be established and any appropriate legal consequences allowed to follow.

The focus will now be on the ongoing investigation by the Office of the Special Prosecutor. Its findings could determine whether the GH¢70,000 allegation has a factual basis or whether the memorandum circulating online was fabricated.

Until the investigation is concluded, Parliament has maintained that no definitive conclusion should be drawn about the claims or the individuals allegedly connected to the document.