On Saturday, September 5, NPP Communications Team member Kwasi Kwarteng voiced doubts about the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s (OSP) ability to independently investigate an alleged GH¢70,000 payment tied to parliamentary vetting of ministerial and Supreme Court nominees. “No, I don’t trust OSP. The current office, in this current form, in this current state, it’s not something that I have so much confidence in,” he told Channel One TV.
The controversy began after a memorandum, purportedly from Deputy Minority Leader and Asokwa MP Patricia Appiagyei, surfaced claiming she had returned GH¢70,000 allegedly given to her as an advance by the Majority Chief Whip during the vetting exercise. Mrs Appiagyei has denied the bribery claim and called the memorandum fabricated.
Despite her denial, calls for a thorough probe have intensified. The OSP has already launched preliminary investigations to determine whether the payment was made, its source and the circumstances surrounding it. Kwarteng stressed that the allegations must not remain unresolved and urged other state institutions to conduct parallel inquiries. “The most important thing is that there ought to be an investigation to get to the root of this matter. Even if OSP is investigating, there should also be other bodies that can investigate the same,” he said.
Observers note that the case highlights concerns over parliamentary transparency and the need for robust oversight mechanisms. The next steps will likely involve the OSP’s findings and any subsequent actions by independent bodies, as demanded by the opposition.
