The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has given a lifeline to Member of Parliament for Dome/Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo after dismissing a report that required him to declare her seat vacant.
Mr. Bagbin, on Wednesday, October 26, 2022, said, he cannot as a speaker declare the seat vacant without a formal debate on the Privileges Committee’s report.
The Privileges Committee of Parliament submitted their report on three absentee Members of Parliament to be tabled and discussed in the House.
In his ruling, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin said, “As I have noted in this ruling, the decision on not admit a motion is the exclusive preserve of the Speaker. In view of the foregoing, the House is well within its to receive and consider reports of the committee and make a determined arising out of the consideration.
“In the circumstances, it is my ruling that the motion was rightfully admitted and the report of the committee is subjected to the consideration of the house. It goes without saying that the objection of the Majority Leader today is hereby dismissed… “he concluded
The three members – Kennedy Agyapong, MP for Assin Central, Henry Quartey, MP for Ayawaso West, and Adwoa Safo, MP for Dome Kwabenya – were referred to the Privileges Committee for absenting themselves from Parliament beyond the permissible period without any reason.
While Kennedy Agyapong and Henry Quartey appeared before the committee and attributed their absence to ill health, Adwoa Safo failed to honour the summons.
She attributed her long absence from Parliament to family issues, saying, among other things, that her son was unwell.
She was recently sacked by the President from her portfolio as Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
Source: theGhanaianvoice.com