The Dome-Kwabenya parliamentary seat has been declared vacant, Chairman of Parliament’s Privileges Committee, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has disclosed.

This comes after the Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency, Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo failed to honour an invitation extended to her to appear before the Privileges Committee of Parliament.

Hon. Adwoa Safo had been invited with two other MPs, the Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong and Ayawaso Central MP, Henry Quartey, for absenting themselves from Parliament for more than 15 consecutive sittings without any permission from the Speaker.

The two MPs, Kennedy Agyapong and Ayawaso Central MP, Henry Quartey, appeared before the Privileges Committee but Ms Adwoa Safo  failed to do so. The two MPs have since been pardoned.

The reason for Adwoa Safo's failure to appear before the Committee is not yet known to Ghanaguardian.com but the MP had earlier indicated in a Joy News interview that she had not received official communication from Parliament to appear before the Privileges Committee.

Joseph Osei-Owusu's disclosure

Speaking on the development on Thursday, July 14, 2022, Chairman for the Privileges Committee, Joseph Osei-Owusu said "a vacancy has occurred".

He, said, as such, the Electoral Commission must be informed by the Clerk of Parliament that Adwoa Safo's seat has become vacant.

“In accordance with the law, it is for the Clerk to inform the Electoral Commission that a vacancy has occurred, that is what the constitution says, that is what our report reflects,” the Committee Chairman told Joy News.

He explained that the Privileges Committee offered the opportunity to the Dome-Kwabenya lawmaker to appear before them to justify her absence but refusing to accept the opportunity means her seat is automatically vacant.

Adwoa Safo's whereabout

Currently, Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo who doubles as the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, is in the United States.

Om why she had left her parliamentary and ministerial duties and cooling off in a foreign land, she told Joy News in an interview that her son was unwell and until his condition becomes stable, she could not her back on her own family.

Source: Ghanaguardian.com