The appointment of Sarah Adwoa Safo as Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection has been canceled by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
On Thursday, July 28, Mr. Eugene Arhin, Director of Communications at the Presidency, issued a press release with this information.
She has been out of the area for more than a year.
One of the three New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmakers summoned before the Privileges Committee for skipping out on Parliament without authorization is the Dome-Kwabenya Member.
The other two were Henry Quartey of Ayawaso Central and Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong.
Adwoa Safo could not be met by the Committee since she was outside of its authority, however Ken Agyapong and Henry Quartey were able to meet with them.
By a majority vote, the Committee determined that "Hon Kennedy Ohene Agyapong and Hon Henry Quartey admitted having missed more than the threshold of fifteen Sittings." Hon. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong and Hon. Henry Quartey provided reasonable justifications for their absences, though.
Regarding Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo, despite all attempts to get her to appear before the Committee, she chose not to do so in order to explain why she had been absent from the House without a written excuse for more than the required fifteen sittings.
According to the provisions of Article 97 (1) (c) of the 1992 Constitution, it is the responsibility of Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo to explain to the Privileges Committee why she should not give up her seat despite missing 42 sittings during the relevant period.
"The Minority Members on the Committee concede that reasonable efforts were made to get Hon Sarah Adwoa Safo to appear before the Committee, but the Minority Members believe that the House should be informed of the Committee's repeated invitations to Safo without drawing any inferences from her failure to respond.
Despite the foregoing, the majority felt that Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo had a responsibility to use the many opportunities and facilities available to her to give the Committee a reasonable justification for her absence without leave.
The Dome-Kwabenya should be declared empty as a result, in accordance with Article 97 (1) (c) of the 1992 Constitution and the Court of Appeal's ruling in Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare v. the Attorney General & 3 Ors.
Alban Bagbin, Speaker of the House, however, declared that he would not quickly rule on the suggestions offered by the Privileges Committee.
Therefore, he has postponed making a decision until after the vacation when Parliament reconvenes on July 28, according to Komla Kluste, a parliamentary correspondent for TV3.
Speaking to the House on Thursday, July 28, Mr. Bagbin stated that he required more time to formulate a well-reasoned written decision.
"Respected Members, I talked to the elderly woman, and I believe the advice she gave me is sound. The majority leader's concern involves both substantive and procedural law.
"Give me some time so I can write up a decision and submit it to this house. I am unable to give you the decision right away. I will request that we adjourn this House under the circumstances.
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