To forgive or not to forgive: Adwoa Safo begs presidency, parliament, and party for misconduct

Dome-Kwabenya MP, Sarah Adwoa Safo, has rendered an unqualified apology to the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), particularly President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, and other party officials.

The MP had come under heavy public criticism and ridicule, including her constituents, following her extended stay out of parliament, purportedly without permission.

While she was out of parliament, she was noted for her infamous self-entertainment on social media platforms, including Twitter (now X) and TikTok.

Some opposition MPs had called on the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Babgin, to declare her seat vacant. But the Speaker had referred her issue to the Privileges Committee, which had met on her issue several times with no firm decision taken.

However, in a video circulating on social media on Thursday, Adwoa Safo explained that she was struggling with both personal and familial issues during her undue absence from Parliament.

She therefore pleaded for forgiveness from the NPP leadership and supporters, saying:

“I would like to use this opportunity to apologise to my New Patriotic Party members and the leadership. Firstly, to the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, our mother, the Chief of Staff, Hon. Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, and the entire leadership of Parliament, my colleague MPs, and the Majority caucus. I would like to apologise to all of you for my behaviour some time ago. I would like to say that it wasn’t intended or planned to disrespect you all,” part of her 2-minute video said.

“I was faced with so many personal and family issues. I would like to plead with you in the name of the Lord, my regional executives, Greater Accra, constituency executives, the headquarters of the NPP, the General Secretary and National Chairman, and all your workers. I beg all of you, supporters and sympathisers, who love the party and love me and have faith in the constituency, to please forgive me for all that has happened,” she added.

Meanwhile, members of her constituency are divided over her plea.

The lawmaker will face stiff competition in her party’s primaries in February 2024 from personalities including Ghana Free Zones Authority CEO Mike Ocquaye Jr. and a special assistant to the First Lady, Stella Sakyi.