Hon. George Ricketts-Hagan, a Ranking Member on the Privileges Committee of Parliament, has stated that the MP for Dome Kwabenya Constituency, Adwoa Safo, has not responded to any of the calls and invitations sent to her by the parliament of Ghana.
He said that there has been no response from her and nobody knows what is happening to her because she has not made an appearance since she was called.
“She has not even come back to say ‘I’m coming’ and she didn’t come, or ‘I’m not coming’. It is complete silence.”
Hon. George Ricketts-Hagan
This is why the decision should be referred to the Right Honorable Speaker, he stated, adding that the determination of whether or not Adwoa Safo keeps her seat depends on the deliberation and debate of the Members of Parliament.
“Thirty or thirty-one of us cannot make such a critical decision for a member of parliament to lose their seat, whatever the reason is.”
Hon. George Ricketts-Hagan
Hon. George explained that to be able to declare a seat vacant, one should actually have the power to make this declaration, and this must be the Speaker.
“So, the point we’re trying to make here is that, if you don’t have the powers to declare someone’s seat vacant, you cannot go about talking about it. Our job was to make a recommendation, and that is what we have done.”
Hon. George Ricketts-Hagan
According to him, the issue of admissibility should either come as a motion which will be deliberated and debated or it should come as a piece of information; this way, it gives the Privileges Committee the power to declare a seat vacant.
Numerous Absenteeism Issues Handled By Parliament
Executive Director, Africa Centre for Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Rasheed Draman, intimated that this particular government and its Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, have handled more cases of absenteeism than any other government under the fourth republic.
He disclosed that this issue has been with parliament for some time, and he stands to be corrected that no speaker has been able to take this issue to the level that the current Speaker has taken it to. He also stated that Adwoa Safo refused to make use of all the opportunities given to her and the committee seems okay with it.
“…The member refuses to take advantage of all the opportunities that were given to her and the committee is comfortable that this is okay, we can take it like that. We gave her an opportunity and she didn’t take the opportunity, she’s not in contempt of parliament. I find it very difficult to understand.”
Dr. Rasheed Draman
Dr. Rasheed said it was difficult for him to understand how senior parliamentarians who meet and work at a committee level, come out with conclusions that are completely different from the report put together by the committee.
He added that it is becoming clear to him that the parliament is continuously failing the people of this country when it comes to the process of regulating itself.
“I think it’s becoming clear that we cannot rely on parliament to travel this route, because what is appearing to me is that when issues like this come before the house…it looks as if at different times, there are many considerations that are taken into account, apart from the spirit in the meaning of the law.”
Dr. Rasheed Draman
Dr. Rasheed indicated that the common question on the tongues of Ghanaians right now is why the NPP wants to expel Adwoa Safo from the house, and why the NDC is against it.
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