A former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, says the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) must be ashamed of the conduct of its member, Sara Adwoa Safo regarding her long absence from Parliament.
He said her conduct must be met with the consequences that come with it.
Speaking on The Big Issue on Saturday, Inusah Fuseini said the details that have emerged over the Dome-Kwabenya legislator’s absence from Parliament without due permission leaves much to be desired.
“The conduct of Adwoa Safo and the matters and information coming out of her absence in Parliament is not only embarrassing but shocking. This is because she is an MP and per Article 97 (1) (C) of the 1992 Constitution, an MP cannot be absent without permission from the speaker for 15 days and if she is absent without the speaker’s permission, her conduct must be referred to the privileges committee for a reasonable explanation without which she vacates the seat.”
The Dome-Kwabenya MP has been the subject of criticisms from some of her colleagues for absenting herself from Parliament since the current Parliament started sitting.
They accuse her of holding the Majority Caucus to ransom, considering the numbers needed to pass the controversial E-levy bill.
Adwoa Safo has been accused of requesting to be made the Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament, a position she held in the previous Parliament, and had decided to stay away from Parliament because her demand had been turned down.
According to Inusah Fuseini, Adwoa Safo must be hurled before the privileges committee and made to give reasons for her long absence, and without any justifiable reason, her seat must be declared vacant.
He said any citizen can equally trigger processes at the Supreme Court to have her removed from office over her conduct.
“The constitution is very clear. You can trigger it by going to court… If her explanation is reasonable, she is okay. But if the privileges committee conclude that it is not reasonable, her seat will be declared vacant and a vote taken.”
Dome-Kwabenya voters split on calls for Adjoa Safo’s removal from Parliament
Meanwhile, Adwoa Safo’s constituents are split over calls for her to be removed from Parliament.
While 47% of residents of the Dome-Kwabenya do not support the recall of the Sarah Adwoa Safo, 44% are in support of such a call.
This is according to Global Info Analytics, which conducts economic and market research, political risk forecasting.
