Nana Dubin Kwapong, an aide to the Member of Parliament(MP) for Dome-Kwabenya Constituency, Hon Adwoa Safo, has disclosed that the hounorable has arrived in the country and is ready to start work after being away for almost a year.
According to him, the Member of Parliament arrived in the country on Wednesday, November 2, 2022 and made her first appearance at the Taifa Pentecost Church last Sunday, where she worshipped with the congregation and gave a speech.
Speaking in a media interview Today, November 8, Nana Kwapong indicated that Adwoa Safo is yet to make her first appearance at the parliament house after the long break. He noted that she is now engaging with leaders of the house to know her fate.
“You know she has been away for almost a year now and there is also an issue as to whether she is to continue her work or not, so she is engaging the leaders of the house, most especially the leaders of the majority caucus in order to know her fate.”
Dubin Kwapong
He further disclosed that Hon Adwoa Safo has made known to her constituency executives her arrival and will therefore, meet them in the cause of the week. He also mentioned that the MP is not worried about the actions of her collegues with regards to the call for her removal.
“If you really know honourable, you will know that she does not take things too personal, she is cool and not worried about what is going on.”
Dubin Kwapong
This follows the Speaker of Parliament’s ruling for the plenary to decide on the fate of the NPP lawmaker.
She has come under fire for her continuous absence from the country, with the House set to debate and decide in the coming days whether her seat should be declared vacant.
Adwoa Safo’s Absence And Matters Arising
Adwoa Safo 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.
Her continuons absence from the country and subsequently parliament over the period thus breached parliament’s 15-day sitting threshold for absenteeism.
She was subsequently stripped of her responsibilities as Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection.
The Majority in Parliament, then began advocacing for her seat to be declared vacant while the Minority opposed this, calling for her side to be heard.
This led to the Speaker’ decision to refer her together with two MPs to Parliament’s Priviledges committee to inquire into her absence and make recomnendations to the house.
Efforts by Parliament’s Privileges Committee to get the legislator to give reasons for her continuous absence from the House failed to yield any positive results. Parliament will in the coming days, debate whether or not her seat should be declared vacant.
The former Minister, failed to make an appearance before the Committee, not even via the virtual means proposed to her.
That notwithsatnding, her actions over the period had also fomented discussions in the public space, creating division even among her own constituents and party members.
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