Parliament: Adwoa Safo, Two Other MPs Hauled To Privileges Committee Over Absenteeism

• Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has referred three MPs to the Privileges Committee of Parliament
• The MPs, Sarah Adwoa Safo, Kennedy Agyapong and Henry Quartey, are said to have absented themselves for 15 consecutive sitting days
• The Constitution states MPs who absent themselves for more than 15 sitting days consistently risk having their seats declared vacant

Speaker Alban Bagbin has today, Tuesday, 5 April 2022, referred Dome Kwabenya MP, Sarah Adwoa Safo, and two others to Parliament's Privileges Committee for absenting themselves from Parliament.

Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong, and Ayawaso Central MP, Henry Quartey, complete the list of three governing NPP MPs referred to the committee.

The Privileges Committee will report to the House two weeks after they resume sitting from the Easter break.

They will then then announce what sanctions will be imposed on the lawmakers.

Read also

"We have been limping, I must admit" - Majority Leader on Adwoa Safo's absence

The absence of the MPs from Parliament violates the Standing Orders, which stipulates that MPs must not absent themselves from parliamentary sittings for 15 days consistently without being permitted to do so.

Article 97 (1) (c) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 17 of the Standing Orders of Parliament state the following:

“A Member shall not absent himself during a meeting for more than fifteen sittings without the permission in writing of the Speaker. Any member infringing this Order shall have his conduct referred to the Privileges Committee.”

The Majority has been struggling because of Adwoa Safo's absence: Kyei-Mensah Bonsu admits

Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has admitted that the long absence of Sarah Adwoa Safo from Parliament has caused his side to struggle.

The Suame MP told Joy News yesterday, April 4, 2022, that it has proven a most challenging task to get Ms Safo, MP for Dome Kwabenya, back to Parliament since last year.

Read also

E-Levy becomes law as Akufo-Addo quickly assents to the bill

It is not clear why the Dome Kwabenya lawmaker has been absent for over six months and taken an extended leave of absence from her position as Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, but many unverified explanations have popped up.

Alban Bagbin Denies Claims He Granted Adwoa Safo Permission To Be Absent From Work

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has dismissed reports that he granted Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo permission to be absent from the house.

In a report sighted by YEN.com.gh on pulse.com.gh the speaker said he had not granted any such permission to the MP who doubles as the Minister of Gender and Children be it on health grounds or any other grounds.

Alban Bagbin went on to say that he was not the one to determine who was present or absent in the House adding that the proceedings in the House expose whoever is present or not.

Source: YEN.com.gh