<\/p>\n
By Elsie Appiah-Osei<\/p>\n
Accra, Nov. 11, GNA \u2013 Madam Sarah Adwoa Safo,\u00a0Member of Parliament, Dome-Kwabenya,\u00a0returned to Parliament on Friday after almost a\u00a0year stay outside the country. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The former Deputy Majority Leader requested a\u00a0leave of absence in 2021 to attend to personal\u00a0issues.\u00a0<\/p>\n
However, a statement dated Wednesday,\u00a0October 6, 2021, signed and issued by the\u00a0Director of Communications at the Presidency,\u00a0Mr Eugene Arhin, explained that Madam Safo\u2019s\u00a0leave was to have ended August 31, 2021, but\u00a0was further extended indefinitely.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Making her first appearance, Madam Safo said:\u00a0\u201cToday protection day and I am hoping that\u00a0subsequent weeks are going to be good.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026ooh, it feels good to be back, that is all I can\u00a0say,\u201d she told the Parliamentary Press Corps on\u00a0Friday.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She also extended her warm regards to her\u00a0constituents.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The former Minister for Gender, Children and\u00a0Social Protection was living in the United States\u00a0of America and had a series of queries about her\u00a0continuous absence from Parliament.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was subsequently removed from office as a\u00a0Minister of Gender, Children, and Social\u00a0Protection by President Nana Addo Dankwa\u00a0Akufo-Addo on July 28, 2022.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Parliament\u2019s Privileges Committee tried severally\u00a0to get Madam Safo to appear before it, following\u00a0Speaker Alban Bagbin\u2019s referral of the case of\u00a0absentee MPs to the Committee without\u00a0success.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As a result, the committee had failed to reach a\u00a0consensus in its recommendations on whether\u00a0absenting herself for more than the mandatory\u00a015 days without permission warranted her seat\u00a0being declared vacant.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Majority Leader, in\u00a0October took strong exception to the Speaker of\u00a0Parliament\u2019s decision to direct the plenary to\u00a0debate the fate of Madam Safo and two other\u00a0legislators over absenteeism.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He said the Speaker erred in referring the matter\u00a0back to the House, explaining that the ruling flies\u00a0in the face of the constitution and threatened to\u00a0challenge the decision.\u00a0<\/p>\n
GNA<\/p>\n