Speaker dismisses motion by Majority to declare Adwoa Safo’s seat vacant

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has dismissed the motion filed by the Majority in Parliament to declare the Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo’s seat vacant.

This follows the legislator’s failure to honour an invitation from the Privileges Committee on her continuous absence from Parliament.

The committee failed to achieve a consensus in its recommendations on whether absenting herself for more than the mandatory 15 days without permission warrants her seat being declared vacant.

According to the report, Sarah Adwoa Safo has been afforded the opportunity to explain the rationale behind her absence from the house.

The Majority MPs on the committee cited Article 97 (1) (c) of the 1992 Constitution and the Court of Appeal decision in the case of Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare v the Attorney General & 3 Ors, in this regard.

The Majority Leader in Parliament expressed his disappointment with Dome-Kwabenya MP for accusing the caucus of witch-hunting her.

In ruling on the matter, the Speaker, Rt Hon. Alban Bagbin gave his ruling based on three (3) reasons namely,

Unpermitted absence, inability to appear in parliament for fifteen consecutive sittings without permission, and inability to give tangible reasons for her absenteeism.

However, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu is of the view that the honourable speaker has a total misunderstanding of the constitution, and he does not agree with the speaker’s ruling.

source: republiconline