Second Deputy Minority Whip Jerry Ahmed Shaib has dismissed claims that Deputy Minority Leader and Asokwa MP Patricia Appiagyei returned GH¢70,000 allegedly given to her in connection with the vetting of ministers and Supreme Court nominees.

Speaking to Citi News, Mr Ahmed described a letter circulating on social media in Mrs Appiagyei’s name as fake, saying she had confirmed that she did not know its origin or authorship.

“She has confirmed that she has no idea where the letter emanated from or who authored it,” Mr Ahmed said.

The purported letter claimed that Mrs Appiagyei had returned GH¢70,000 because she was unaware of the source of the money and did not want to personally benefit from the vetting of government officials and Supreme Court nominees.

It also reportedly referred to the Minority’s decision not to participate in the vetting of three Supreme Court nominees, citing concerns about the process.

Mr Ahmed said checks conducted with officials on the Majority side of Parliament also indicated that no such letter or payment had originated from them.

The development adds to the controversy surrounding allegations of financial allocations to members of Parliament’s Appointments Committee in connection with the vetting of presidential nominees.

The purported letter had triggered public debate over whether MPs should receive money in relation to their duties on the Appointments Committee.

However, the Minority’s latest position is that the document circulating in Mrs Appiagyei’s name is not authentic, with questions remaining over who produced and circulated it.

The controversy comes as Parliament faces increased scrutiny over the operations of the Appointments Committee and allegations concerning financial arrangements linked to the vetting of presidential nominees.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has commenced a preliminary investigation into an alleged GH¢70,000 payment linked to Parliament’s Appointments Committee and involving Deputy Minority Leader and Asokwa Member of Parliament, Patricia Appiagyei.

The investigation follows the circulation of a purported memorandum allegedly authored by Mrs Appiagyei and addressed to the Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh.

According to the OSP, the contents of the document raise questions about the authenticity of the memorandum, the source of the alleged funds and the purpose for which the money was provided.

The memorandum, dated September 2, 2026, reportedly indicates that Mrs Appiagyei returned GH¢70,000 she had allegedly received as an advance from the Majority Chief Whip of Parliament.

The money was reportedly connected to the Appointments Committee’s activities, including vetting ministerial nominees and three nominees to the Supreme Court.

Mrs Appiagyei allegedly explained that she decided to return the money because she was unaware of its source. She also reportedly expressed reservations about receiving any financial benefit associated with the vetting of members of the Majority leadership.

The memorandum reportedly made specific reference to the vetting of Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga and Deputy Majority Leader Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings.

The alleged payment has also been linked 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, Justice Anthony Forson Jnr.

Members of the Minority on the Appointments Committee walked out of the proceedings on August 27, 2026, citing concerns about the procedure adopted for the exercise.

The Minority argued, among other things, that the nominees had been scheduled for vetting without sufficient notice.

Mrs Appiagyei reportedly stated in her memorandum that, having taken a principled position against participating in the exercise, she considered it inappropriate to accept money connected to the process.

She also reportedly said she did not intend to benefit financially from, or “extort any money” from, the nominees.

The OSP said its preliminary investigation is focused on establishing three key issues:

Whether the purported memorandum is genuine;

The source of the alleged GH¢70,000; and

The purpose for which the money was provided.

The Special Prosecutor’s Office further indicated that the contents of the document could potentially raise questions about whether the alleged funds had characteristics associated with extortion of parliamentary nominees.

However, the OSP stressed that the investigation is at a preliminary stage and that the allegations contained in the circulating document have not been established as facts.

As part of its inquiries, the OSP has dispatched a communication inviting Patricia Appiagyei to appear before the office.

Her invitation is intended to enable investigators to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged payment and the memorandum attributed to her.

Investigators are also expected to determine whether the document accurately represents her position and whether the alleged GH¢70,000 was indeed connected to Parliament’s vetting activities.

The development has triggered broader questions about the financial arrangements surrounding the work of Parliament’s Appointments Committee.

The Committee plays an important constitutional role in scrutinising presidential nominees for ministerial positions and other major public offices.

Consequently, allegations that Members of Parliament may receive money connected to the vetting of nominees have raised concerns about the integrity, transparency and independence of the parliamentary vetting process.

The Africa Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA) has called for an independent investigation into the matter.

Its Executive Director, Dr Rasheed Draman, has reportedly urged authorities to determine whether the alleged payment was an isolated incident or indicative of a wider practice within parliamentary committees.

Anti-corruption campaigner Vitus Azeem has also called for investigations by the OSP and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

He has urged authorities to establish who authorised the alleged payment, why it was made and whether similar payments were made to other MPs.

The purported memorandum also reportedly indicated that Mrs Appiagyei’s decision to return the GH¢70,000 was consistent with a decision by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin to return his own share of the money.

Mrs Appiagyei consequently requested that her GH¢70,000 be returned to the Majority Chief Whip, together with an explanation for her decision to reject the funds.

The authenticity of the document remains a central issue in the controversy.

The Minority Caucus has reportedly disputed aspects of the claims surrounding the memorandum, while the OSP has specifically identified verification of the document as one of the main objectives of its preliminary investigation.

The OSP’s inquiry will therefore have to establish whether the memorandum was genuinely authored by Mrs Appiagyei before assessing the allegations contained in it.

In its September 4 public notice, the OSP also indicated that it is actively investigating extortion allegations involving Members of Parliament.

The GH¢70,000 matter therefore forms part of a wider scrutiny of allegations concerning financial transactions and parliamentary vetting.

At this stage, the OSP has not announced criminal charges against Patricia Appiagyei or any other person in connection with the alleged GH¢70,000 payment.

The immediate focus of the investigation is to authenticate the document, establish the source of the alleged funds and determine the purpose for which the money was allegedly provided.

The investigation remains ongoing.

The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has emerged as a significant source of foreign exchange for commercial banks, supplying hundreds of millions of dollars to the formal banking system under a new collaborative financing model designed to strengthen liquidity and support stability in Ghana’s foreign exchange market.

In August 2026, GoldBod generated US$1.315 billion in foreign exchange, marking the first full month of implementation of the new financing arrangement. Of the total, US$668.21 million was sold directly to commercial banks through spot sales and funded forward arrangements.

A further US$646.59 million was made available to the Bank of Ghana (BoG) for the accumulation of international reserves under the Ghana Accelerated National Reserve Accumulation Policy (GANRAP).

GoldBod said the direct supply of foreign exchange to commercial banks is intended to improve access to dollars within the formal financial system.

Commercial banks serve as a major channel through which businesses and individuals obtain foreign currency for legitimate transactions, international payments and other economic activities. The additional FX supplied by GoldBod is therefore expected to strengthen banks’ ability to meet demand and improve liquidity in the foreign exchange market.

The arrangement also creates a closer link between Ghana’s gold resources and the country’s foreign exchange market. Gold generated through artisanal and small-scale mining operations is aggregated and converted into foreign exchange, which is then channelled into the formal financial system and, in part, into the country’s international reserves.

The financing model commenced on August 3, 2026, following consultations involving GoldBod, the Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Ghana, commercial banks and other stakeholders.

Its implementation followed the approval of GANRAP by Cabinet and Parliament. The model provides a framework for financing GoldBod’s gold aggregation operations while simultaneously supporting foreign exchange generation, market stability and reserve accumulation.

The August figures represent the first full month under the arrangement, with the US$668.21 million supplied to banks supporting foreign exchange market liquidity and the US$646.59 million transferred to the BoG contributing to the accumulation of national reserves.

GoldBod is expected to build on its August performance by generating US$1.4 billion in foreign exchange in September 2026.

Under the September plan, US$700 million is expected to be made available to commercial banks to support foreign exchange market stability, while up to US$700 million will be provided to the Bank of Ghana for reserve accumulation under GANRAP.

The projected September figure is about US$85 million higher than the US$1.315 billion generated in August.

The increased flow is expected to provide continued support to Ghana’s external position by simultaneously improving FX availability within commercial banks and strengthening the country’s international reserve position.

GoldBod said it remains committed to its statutory mandate of generating foreign exchange for Ghana and will continue working with the Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Ghana, commercial banks and other stakeholders to implement the financing model transparently.

The development further positions Ghana’s gold sector as an important source of foreign exchange while linking gold aggregation more directly to financial-sector liquidity, exchange-rate stability and national reserve accumulation.

The Upper East Regional Police Command, in collaboration with the Military, has recovered an AK-47 assault rifle and 28 rounds of ammunition during a joint operation targeting suspects linked to a series of shooting incidents in the Binduri District.

The intelligence-led operation was launched in response to several recent shootings and other firearm-related offences reported in the district, as security agencies intensified efforts to identify and arrest those behind the incidents.

The Police, in a statement issued on Thursday, September 3, 2026, identified one of the suspects as 32-year-old Isaka Sabani, alias “Culture.”

The Command said Sabani sustained gunshot wounds during the operation and later died.

An AK-47 assault rifle, loaded with 28 rounds of ammunition, was subsequently recovered from him.

The Police said preliminary investigations had established that Sabani was wanted over an attempted murder and unlawful discharge of firearms case reported at the Bawku Police Station on August 28, 2026.

He was also suspected of being involved in a series of shootings recorded in Binduri between August 29 and 31.

According to the Police, the incidents included shootings at Agenda 111 on August 29, Aniisi on August 30 and Gumyoko on August 31.

The latest operation forms part of an intensified security response aimed at tracking down individuals responsible for the recent attacks, recovering firearms and preventing further incidents in the district.

The recovered weapon and ammunition have been taken into custody as investigations continue into the shootings and other firearm-related offences.

The Upper East Regional Police Command has assured residents that it will continue to work with the Military, other security agencies and relevant stakeholders to apprehend other suspects and restore lasting security in the region.

“The Upper East Regional Police Command will continue to collaborate with sister security agencies and all other stakeholders to bring all other perpetrators to justice and ensure security, law and order in the region,” the statement said.