The absentee Member of Parliament (MP) for Dome Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo once again failed to appear before the Privileges Committee to respond to queries for her absence from Parliament for more than 15 sitting days without permission.
The Minister of Gender and Social Protection Minister failed to appear before the Privileges Committee through virtual link which was provided to her to join proceedings on her case after indicating on previous occasions that she had not received an invitation from the committee.
Interestingly, the committee also failed to take a concrete decision on her conduct as it is unclear what will be her fate after the latest snub.
Similarly, the committee is yet to take decision on other two MPs, Kennedy Agyapong and Henry Quartey who honoured the summons to appear before the committee.
The Privileges Committee convened today to consider the Speaker’s referral in relation to absentee MPs.
The Committee has asked for an extension of time from the Speaker to do its work after the initial three-week time frame elapsed.
The Committee has been tasked by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, to engage Adwoa Safo, Kennedy Agyapong and Henry Quartey over complaints of chronic absenteeism brought against them.
The three were expected to give justifiable reasons for their absenteeism, failure of which actions will be taken to remove them from Parliament. Kennedy Agyapong and Henry Quartey had cited ill health for their absent.
The Committee had said it “has employed all available means, both official and unofficial, to serve Adwoa Safo with an invitation letter, including sending the invitation letter to her office and pigeonhole in Parliament,” but it is yet to get any response from her.
Meanwhile, Adwoa Safo in a previous interview with Joy News, said she was in the US and had not been served any invitation from the committee.
By Vincent Kubi