Transparency International Ghana (TI-Ghana) and the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) have called for full disclosure and accountability over an alleged GH¢70,000 payment linked to the vetting of ministerial and Supreme Court nominees by Parliament’s Appointments Committee.In a joint statement issued on Friday, September 4, the anti-corruption groups described the controversy as the latest in a series of integrity concerns that have affected public confidence in Parliament in recent years.They said although Deputy Minority Leader and Asokwa Member of Parliament, Patricia Appiagyei, was reported to have rejected and returned the money, the issue required further scrutiny.The groups said the controversy could erode public trust in Parliament if the source, purpose and handling of the funds were not properly established.“While Hon. Appiagyei’s refusal to accept the payment is commendable, the controversy has the potential to erode trust in Parliament if no accountability is brought to bear,” the statement said.TI-Ghana and GACC referred to two previous publicly reported allegations concerning bribery and the vetting of nominees between 2020 and 2026.In March 2023, then-Cape Coast South MP George Kwaku Ricketts-Hagan alleged that some Minority MPs had received bribes to vote in favour of former President Akufo-Addo’s ministerial nominees.The allegation attracted public concern, including criticism from then-opposition leader John Mahama. However, no MPs were publicly named or sanctioned over the claim.In January 2025, activist Oliver Barker-Vormawor alleged that members of the Appointments Committee were demanding money from nominees before their vetting sessions.The committee’s chairman, Bernard Ahiafor, denied the allegation and summoned Mr Barker-Vormawor to appear before the committee. The activist subsequently retracted the claim.The anti-graft organisations said the handling of those allegations did not inspire sufficient public confidence in Parliament.TI-Ghana and GACC commended Mrs Appiagyei for reportedly refusing to accept the payment, as well as other MPs who may have returned similar funds.However, they stressed that commendation for individual action could not replace a transparent institutional explanation.The controversy has also been complicated by conflicting accounts over the authenticity of a memorandum attributed to Mrs Appiagyei.The Office of the Special Prosecutor has commenced preliminary investigations into the document, including its authenticity, the source of the alleged funds and the purpose for which the money was intended.The Minority Caucus, however, has disputed the authenticity of the memorandum, with Second Deputy Minority Whip Jerry Ahmed Shaib describing it as fake. The anti-corruption groups have demanded that the Parliamentary Service publish details of the GH¢70,000 allocation.They want Parliament to disclose the source, purpose, authorising authority and budgetary basis for the payments, as well as clarify whether the funds were public, private, caucus-related or connected to nominees.They are also demanding a comprehensive financial account showing the total amount involved, the disbursement formula, the intended recipients and confirmation of all payments made or returned.The groups further called for a clear legal and procedural explanation of whether such payments are permitted under Parliament’s Standing Orders, the Parliamentary Service Act, the Public Financial Management Act and applicable codes of conduct for MPs.TI-Ghana and GACC urged Parliament to develop and publish a binding framework governing gifts, allowances, sitting allowances, facilitation payments and other financial benefits associated with committee work and vetting.They said the framework should include mandatory disclosure thresholds, restrictions on third-party payments linked to oversight functions and sanctions for non-compliance.The organisations also referred to comments by Speaker Alban Bagbin in January 2025, when he acknowledged that misconduct associated with the Appointments Committee had contributed to historically low public trust in Parliament.They said the Speaker must now translate his pledge to restore the dignity and credibility of the House into concrete and verifiable action.“We therefore call on the Right Honourable Speaker to translate his pledge into verifiable action now, as tomorrow might just be too late,” they stated.The groups said the current controversy should not be allowed to end in silence, partisan explanations or internal accommodation.According to them, Ghana needs full disclosure, independent scrutiny and lasting reforms to protect the credibility of parliamentary vetting.“The credibility of future vetting and the legitimacy of Parliament as the nation’s premier accountability institution hinge on how this moment is handled,” the statement said.The OSP’s preliminary investigation is expected to establish the authenticity of the purported memorandum and clarify the source and intended purpose of the alleged GH¢70,000 payment.TI-Ghana and GACC urged Parliament to cooperate fully with the investigation and take steps to restore public confidence in the institution.