Dome Kwabenya constituents divided over calls for Adwoa Safo’s removal from parliament

Adwoa Safo absent from parliament

Calls grow for Dome Kwabenya seat to be declared vacant

Majority Leader speaks on Adwoa Safo’s absence

The continuous absence of the Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya, Sarah Adwao Safo from parliament has led to calls for her seat to be declared vacant to pave way for a by election to appoint a new parliamentary representative for the area.

Sarah Adwoa Safo who has been outside the country has been accused by members of the ruling New Patriotic Party of deliberately sabotaging the government business by absenting herself from parliament and from her post as Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection.

During a visit to her constituency on Wednesday, the residents of Dome Kwabenya shared with GhanaWeb varied views on the matter of Sarah Adwoa Safo’s absence from parliament.

Despite their varying views on the subject, the people of Dome Kwabenya appeared to be sharply divided over calls for Adwoa Safo’s removal from parliament.

According to some of her constituents, the under-fire MP deserves an opportunity to redeem herself – thus she should be given time to make herself available for parliamentary duties.

Others who took a dissenting view however urged for her seat to be declared vacant in accordance with parliamentary procedures to pave way for a by-election in the constituency.

There were also others who pointed out that the MP stands the chance to lose out on another term in parliament following recent developments.

According to some persons backing Adwoa Safo’s removal, her absence from parliament over the period fulfills the requirement in Article 97 (c) which states that an MP shall vacate their seat ‘if he/she is absent, without the permission in writing of the Speaker and is unable to offer a reasonable explanation to the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges from fifteen sittings of a meeting of Parliament during any period that Parliament has been summoned to meet and continues to meet.'

Watch GhanaWeb’s report on the reaction of some Dome Kwabenya Constituents to calls for Adwoa Safo’s removal below: