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Chief of Staff gave us money after vetting, but it’s not bribery’ – Joseph Osei-Owusu

Accra, Ghana – Former First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has admitted that members of the Appointments Committee receive money from the Chief of Staff after vetting ministerial nominees. However, he insists the payments do not constitute bribery.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Wednesday, the former Bekwai MP defended the practice, stating that the funds are intended to facilitate the committee’s work and have no bearing on their decisions.

“Yes, indeed. I told him (Manasseh Azure) that 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 revealed. “I wonder how anybody could link that to bribery?”

Osei-Owusu expressed frustration over what he described as the tendency to make baseless allegations in Ghana.

“The easiest thing in our country is throwing about allegations. Often, people will just say things, and when you ask them to provide evidence, they are found wanting,” he lamented.

He also recalled being accused of bribery during the 2017 vetting process of a ministerial nominee. The allegations, led by MP Mahama Ayariga, were later dismissed after a parliamentary inquiry.

Reacting to journalist Manasseh Azure’s book, which suggested that money is given to MPs after vetting, Osei-Owusu maintained that the practice is not improper.

“Somebody forwarded that Facebook thing to me. So I contacted Azure, and I sent a message, forwarded the thing to him, and he called me. He said that if perhaps I had read the book, I would see the difference,” he stated.

When pressed on whether the payments could influence parliamentary decisions, he dismissed the notion, arguing that the money is given only after the work is done.

However, former Auditor General Daniel Yaw Domelevo, who was also on the show, strongly disagreed, describing the practice as problematic and calling for its immediate cessation.

“It sounds very unfortunate for me to hear from my colleague Joe Wise say that the Chief of Staff used to bring them money after their work,” Domelevo remarked. “Does it mean Parliament falls under the budget of the Chief of Staff? Are they not allocated their own budget?”

He warned that such payments could compromise the integrity of Parliament.

“If we know that after doing this work, we will be remunerated, it influences the work that we are doing. So there is influence peddling there. If it is true, then I think that practice must stop,” Domelevo asserted.

The revelations have sparked intense debate about parliamentary independence and whether financial incentives—regardless of when they are given—could compromise the vetting process. While Osei-Owusu insists the payments are harmless, critics argue they undermine transparency and accountability in governance.

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