The Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo, has finally returned to Parliament after a long absence.
The former Minister for Gender, Women, and Children’s Affairs who was living in the USA had come under fire for her continuous absence from Parliament.
She was spotted in the August house today, blending in easily after her long break
Adwoa Safo told journalists that she has officially returned to Parliament to continue her duties as MP.
The lawmaker said, « It feels good to be back, the reception has been great ».
“I want to greet all my constituents and tell them that as their member of Parliament I’m back by the grace of God, » she added
The former Deputy Majority Leader requested for leave of absence in 2021 to attend to personal issues but in a statement dated Wednesday, October 6, 2021, signed and issued by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Mr. Eugene Arhin, it was explained that Adwoa Safo’s leave was to have ended August 31, 2021, but was further extended indefinitely.
She was subsequently stripped of her responsibilities as Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection.
Efforts by Parliament’s Privileges Committee to get the legislator to give reasons for her continued absence from the house failed to yield any positive results.
The committee had failed to achieve a consensus in its recommendations on whether absenting herself for more than the mandatory 15 days without permission warranted her seat being declared vacant.
Meanwhile, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, in October took strong exception to the speaker of Parliament’s decision to direct the plenary to debate the fate of Adwoa Safo and two other legislators over absenteeism.
He said the speaker Alban Bagbin, erred in referring the matter back to the house, explaining that the ruling flies in the face of the constitution and threatened to challenge the decision.
Watch the full video below:
Pulse
