Adwoa Safo: Entire House Of Parliament To Determine Dome-Kwabenya MP’s Fate – Speaker Bagbin Rules

• The Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya MP, Sarah Adwoa Safo, has been handed another lifeline by the Speaker
• Mr Alban Bagbin, in a ruling on a preliminary objection by Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, said the report of the Privileges Committee is not final
• The Majority caucus has, however, served notice of its intention to challenge the ruling of the Speaker and described it as unfortunate

The Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Alban Bagbin, has handed the embattled Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo, another lifeline.

The fate of the MP was expected to be determined by the Speaker today, Wednesday, October 26, 2022, after the Majority caucus on the Privileges Committee recommended that her seat be declared vacant for failing to explain her continuous absence from the Chamber.

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Adwoa Safo causes fight between Majority Leader and Speaker in Parliament

Before Parliament went on recess in July 2022, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, had called on the Speaker not to subject the Privileges Committee’s report to debate in the House.

Delivering the much-anticipated ruling, Mr Bagbin said the report of the Committee cannot be final and thus must be laid before the entire plenary for consideration and approval.

“It is for the House that will go through it because the mandate given to an MP, representation is so crucial that it cannot be left to the subjective view of any person or group of people but the whole house,” Speaker Bagbin said on the floor of the House on Wednesday.

Moments after that ruling, there was drama as the Speaker and the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, clashed over the decision.

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Your Ruling Is Unfortunate And Inconsistent With 1992 Constitution - Majority Leader Clashes With Speaker Bagbin

The Suame MP, who did not take the ruling lightly, described it as unfortunate and inconsistent with the 1992 constitution.

Mr Bagbin, however, took offence to the description by the Majority Leader and demanded a retraction, to which the MP reluctantly obliged.

Adwoa Safo, Ken Agyapong And Henry Quartey Hauled Before Privileges Committee

The Dome-Kwabenya MP and two other MPs – Kennedy Agyapong, MP for Assin Central and Henry Quartey were hauled before the Privileges Committee for breaching the 15-day rule in the House.

Adwoa Safo repeatedly ignored the summons, unlike Kennedy Agyapong and Henry Quartey, who accepted the invitation and claimed to be ill.

But she claimed that her extended absence from the legislature was due to family obligations, citing, among other things, the fact that her son was ill.

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Adwoa Safo's appointment as Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection was recently terminated by the President.

Adwoa Safo: 5 Things Absentee MP Said About Akufo-Addo, Her Family And Parliament

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported how Adwoa Safo had broken the silence on her continuous absence from the Chamber.

Speaking with what many say is a strange American accent, during an interview on Joy News, she said although she would return to her job as MP, she could not give a definite date.

Source: YEN.com.gh