Asokwa Member of Parliament Patricia Appiagyei has returned GH¢70,000 she received as an advance from the Majority Chief Whip, citing concerns over the source of the money and the circumstances surrounding the vetting of three Supreme Court nominees.
Mrs Appiagyei, who is also a Deputy Minority Leader, returned the money in a memo dated September 2 addressed to the Minority Chief Whip and MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh.
In the memo, she said she was returning the amount because she did not know its source.
“It is with regret that I return the amount of seventy thousand cedis (GHS70,000.00) allocated to me as an advance of money from the Majority Chief Whip of Parliament of Ghana,” she stated.
“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 added.
Concerns over judges’ vetting
Mrs Appiagyei also linked her decision to the Minority Caucus’ decision not to participate in the vetting of three Supreme Court nominees.
The nominees are Justice Sophia Rosetta Oduokuwa Bernasko Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante and Justice Anthony Forson Jnr.
She said that, given the Minority’s protest and non-participation in the vetting, she considered it inappropriate to receive any financial benefit associated with the exercise.
“Due to the Minority’s protest and non-participation of the vetting of the three Judges… 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 further said it was not her intention to “extort any money” from any of the nominees.
Mrs Appiagyei said her decision was also in support of Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who had earlier returned his share of the money.
She therefore requested that the GH¢70,000 be sent back to the Majority Chief Whip, together with an explanation of her reasons for returning it.
Minority walks out of vetting
The development follows a walkout by members of the Minority Caucus during the vetting of the three Supreme Court nominees on August 27.
The Minority cited what it described as an irregular procedure adopted by the leadership of Parliament’s Appointments Committee.
Before leaving the session, Mr Afenyo-Markin challenged the procedure, arguing that the Committee had not provided sufficient notice for the exercise.
“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 led to an extended exchange with the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Bernard Ahiafor.
Mr Afenyo-Markin maintained that the standard practice was to provide 14 days’ notice and advertise the nominees in newspapers before the vetting process.
He also cited concerns previously raised by former Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Forson when a similar short-notice arrangement was used for the vetting of Supreme Court nominees.
Addressing the nominees before walking out, Mr Afenyo-Markin said the Minority was not opposed to their nominations but objected to the procedure adopted.
“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 session, followed by other Minority members of the Committee.
