Akufo-Addo sacks Adwoa Safo as Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has revoked the appointment of the Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo as Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection.
In a letter signed by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, the President has revoked the appointment with immediate effect.
The letter tasked the acting Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah to continue in her role till a substantive Minister is appointed.
The President has come under criticism in the past few months on the continuous appointment of Adwoa Safo as the Gender Minister though she has been out of country since 2021.
The woes of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP continues as the Speaker of Parliament deferred judgement on declaring her seat vacant earlier today.
Addressing members of the house before they go on a break, the Speaker said he will defer his decision till the house resumes sitting.
“Honourable Members, I have consulted the old lady, the old lady has given me an advise and I think that advise is correct. The issue raised by the Majority Leader is both of substantive and procedural law.
“I need time to submit to this house a reasoned, written ruling. I cannot in a haste of today, give you the ruling. In the circumstance, I will urge this House for us to call it a day”, he said.
The Privileges Committee of Parliament recommended that Adwoa Safo’s seat should be declared vacant due to her absenteeism from the house.
The Committee maintains that Sarah Adwoa Safo failed to take advantage of the numerous opportunities to explain her absence without leave.
The Majority MPs on the committee cited Article 97 (1) (c) of the 1992 Constitution and the Court of Appeal decision in the case of Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare v the Attorney General & 3 Ors, in this regard.
Sarah Adwoa Safo, on July 17, opened up about the ordeal she is facing in the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
According to her, she has become a victim of a sustained political witch-hunt by certain elements in the NPP and in Parliament for their own parochial goals.
READ THE PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT BELOW
Source: Pulse Ghana