The Chairman of the Privileges Committee of Parliament, Hon. Joseph Osei-Owusu, has issued the Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo, a summons in the public domain after several failed attempts to serve her personally.
In a letter sent to media houses by the Public Affairs Directorate of Parliament, signed by Kate Addo, it asked media houses to publish the summons for “the Hon. member for Dome Kwabenya to appear before the Privileges Committee of Parliament on 6th July, 2022 at 12:00 noon at Parliament House, New Administration Block, Committee Room 1,2 & 3 pursuant to Article 103 (6) of the Constitution and Order 205 of the Standing Orders of Parliament.”
According to the release,” the summons form part of the Committee’s work, declared to it by the Speaker, Rt. Hon Alban Bagbin, pursuant to Article 97(1) c of the Constitution, and Orders 15 and 16 (1) of the Standing Orders of Parliament, for consideration and report to the House on the absence of the Member from Parliament for more than 15 Sittings, without permission in writing of the Speaker, during the First Meeting of the Second Session of the Eight Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana.”
The release noted that all available means to reach her, including her office at Parliament, her private contacts, the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, and her personal assistant, have all failed.
However, per the release, Madam Adwoa Safo can opt to meet with the Committee via online conferencing platform, Zoom.
The assertive lawyer, along with two other MPs, was slated to appear before the Privileges Committee on May 27, 2022.
However, speaking to an Accra-based radio station earlier this month, she denied receiving any invitation from the Committee. She also noted that she will only resume her duties as MP and Minister when she has fully sorted out her family issues back in the United States and that her family is equally important as the business of government.
In the run-up to the vote on the controversial E-Levy bill, she was accused by loyalists of the New Patriotic Party of betrayal owing to the limited numbers on the majority side of Parliament who were qualified to vote.