The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, yesterday deferred the decision on the fate of Sara Adwoa Safo, MP for Dome/Kwabenya, and two other legislators referred to the Privileges Committee for absenteeism.
Mr Bagbin, after listening to debates from both sides of the House, indicated that he would present a reasoned written ruling to the House at the next sitting.
“I have consulted the old lady; the old lady has given me an advice, and I think that advice is correct. I need time to submit to this House a reasoned written ruling. I cannot in the haste of today give you a ruling. In the circumstances, I will urge this House for us to call it a day. On return, I will deliver a written ruling,” he told the House.
Sara Adwoa Safo failed to appear before the Privileges Committee to justify her absence for over 15 sittings after many attempts by the committee to reach her failed.
The Committee then submitted its report to the plenary after its sitting, and recommended that the House should declare the seat of the MP vacant.
Before adjourning sitting yesterday, Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu drew the House’s attention to the Privileges Committee’s report on Sara Adwoa Safo, urging the House to adopt the report and take a decision on the fate of the MP.
Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, however, objected, arguing that the entire House, made up of 275 Members of Parliament, had to take the final decision, not the Speaker or the Privileges Committee.
He cited how Parliament concluded on the fate of Eric Amoateng, a former MP Nkroanza North, advising the House to follow that convention.
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