Some minority MPs have questioned the majority in parliament and the governing NPP for targeting Dome-Kwabenya MP Sarah Adwoa Safo for absenting herself from parliament.
Reports suggest that her last appearance in the Chamber was in December during the vote by majority MPs to overturn the earlier rejection of the 2022 budget by NDC MPs.
Efforts to get her to return to the House for another crucial vote to approve the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) Bill appear to have proved futile.
Her absence has triggered rumours that she is sabotaging the governing party.
Consequently, there are reports of ongoing moves by the NPP and the majority in parliament to trigger processes for her seat to be pronounced vacant.
Her colleague MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, alleged that she was refusing to return to parliament because the party is yet to meet her demand of giving her the deputy majority leader position.
But NDC MPs for North Tongu, Ningo Prampram, and Adaklu have argued that singling out Adwoa Safo is unfair when most NPP MPs are not always in the chamber.
In a Facebook post, the MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said, “I am therefore perplexed and wondering in all sincerity, the basis for the discriminatory and unprincipled attacks on Sarah Adwoa Safo by our colleagues on the NPP side of the house and particularly from Ken Ohene Agyapong who is equally guilty of the same offence he has been raving and ranting about.”
According to him, the Greater Accra Regional Minister Henry Quartey, and Mr Agyapong, had absented themselves for more than two weeks in 2021.
“Votes and proceedings confirming the absentee status of the offending three NPP MPs remain intact and well-secured. The unprincipled discrimination against Sarah Adwoa Safo by her own colleagues simply because of obnoxious E-levy must cease forthwith,” he demanded.
Ningo Prampram’s Samuel Nartey George also criticized the majority for being selective in applying the law.
“It would be interesting to see when the NPP makes a move for the Speaker to declare the Dome-Kwabenya vacant. Between 2019 and 2020, the MP for Lower West Akim, Hon. Kyei Baffour was missing for over a year from Parliament, yet no such move was made. Principles versus expediency.” he tweeted.
Reacting to moves by the majority to pronounce the Dome-Kwabenya seat vacant, the MP for Adaklu Kwame Governs Agbodzah wondered why Adwoa Safo’s case had drawn special interest from the NPP.
Article 97 (1) (c) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 17 of the Standing Orders of Parliament state emphatically: “A Member shall not absent himself during a meeting for more than fifteen sittings without the permission in writing of the Speaker. Any member infringing this Order shall have his conduct referred to the Privileges Committee.”
According to reports from the House, the Gender Minister has exceeded the 15-day rule.
Explaining the long absence of the lawmaker, Mr Blay said: “I know that she asked for a period off to take care of some health issues and so let’s not make any hasty decisions. We must appreciate the situation she also finds herself in,” he said.