Joseph Osei-Owusu confirms payment to MPs after vetting but denies bribery claims

Former First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has acknowledged that members of the Appointments Committee receive money from the Chief of Staff after completing the vetting of nominees.

However, he insists that this practice does not amount to bribery, arguing that the funds are intended to facilitate their work rather than influence decisions.

“When I joined the Appointments Committee, most of the time, at the close of our work, the Chief of Staff would bring money to the members of the committee. It’s like facilitating our work,” he admitted. “I wonder how anybody could link that to bribery?”

Mr Osei-Owusu expressed frustration over what he described as the ease with which allegations are thrown around in Ghana without evidence.

He recalled his experience in 2017, when he was accused of being involved in bribery during the vetting of a ministerial nominee. According to him, the accusations, led by Mahama Ayariga and other MPs, had no basis. After discussions with parliamentary leadership, he considered legal action, confident that the claims were unfounded. A committee set up to investigate the matter later revealed that the allegations stemmed from comments made by then-Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak, who ultimately denied them.