Story: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The Member of Parliament (MP), for Bekwai Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Mr. Joseph Osei-Owusu, has hinted that some MPs will go to court over the embattled MP for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo’s seat.
According to Mr. Osei-Owusu, he will be surprised if the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin rules against the recommendation of his committee over the seat of Dome-Kwabenya lawmaker, Mad. Sarah Adwoa Safo.
“Some members may seek court interpretation if the Speaker rules in variance to the recommendation to have the Dome-Kwabenya seat declared vacant,” the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Chairman of Parliament’s Privileges Committee told the media.
The Committee of Privileges in Parliament has by a majority decision recommended that the Dome-Kwabenya Parliamentary seat, currently being occupied by Sarah Adwoa Safo, should be declared vacant for having absented herself from Parliament for more than 42 days without permission from the Speaker.
A few minutes before Parliament was to adjourn sine die on Thursday, July 28, 2022, the Majority Leader, Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, drew the attention of the House to the Privileges Committee’s report on Mad. Sarah Adwoa Safo, MP for Dome-Kwabenya.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu wanted the House to adopt the report and take a decision on the fate of the MP.
He wanted the House to adopt the committee’s report and declare the Dome-Kwabenya seat vacant, but the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, objected.
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, in raising the objection, said the entire House, made up of 275 Members of Parliament (MPs), has to take the final decision, not the Speaker or the Privileges Committee.
He cited how Parliament decided the fate of Eric Amoateng, a former MP of Nkroanza North, and advised that the House should not “set a precedent where tomorrow the Privileges Committee submits a report and recommends the removal of an MP”.
After a back and forth and with contributions from others in the House, the Speaker explained that he needed to provide a written ruling and therefore needed more time to do that.
The Privileges Committee report was, however, left hanging until the House resumes sitting.
