E-Levy: Adwoa Safo's absence has been more beneficial to Ghana - Felix Kwakye Ofosu

Sarah Adwoa Safo conspicuously missing from Parliamentary sittings

NDC mocks majority for lacking numbers to pass E-levy

MPs divided over controversial E-levy

Former Deputy Communications Minister, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has suggested that the absence of Dome-Kwabenya Member of Parliament (MP), Sarah Adwoa Safo has rather become a blessing to the country.

This blessing, he says, is attributed to the inability of the majority side of Parliament to marshal their numerical strength to pass the controversial E-Levy.

In a post on his social media timeline, Kwakye Ofosu stressed that Ghana has derived more benefit from Adwoa Safo than all 136 NPP MPs.

He also had a subtle jab at the Fomena MP, Andrew Asiamah, who he describes as “very dependent on the NPP” although he is an independent MP.

“Adwoa Safo’s absence from Parliament has been more beneficial to the people of Ghana than the presence of all the 136 other NPP MPs and the Independent (but very dependent on the NPP) MP who is obsessed with approving the loathed E-Levy,” Felix Kwakye Ofosu tweeted.

In a separate tweet as well, the aide to Former President John Dramani Mahama compared the performance of the NPP government to the absence of Adwoa Safo.

In his view, "Adwoa Safo has done more for Ghana by her absence than the NPP government has done in the last few years."

“Adwoa Safo has done more for Ghana by her absence than the NPP government has done in the last few years. They wanted to impose hardships through the E-Levy and she thwarted that with her absence,” he added.

Background

Sarah Adwoa Safo has in recent times become very topical as a result of her absence from Parliament.

Two NPP MPs, Kennedy Agyapong and Michael Okyere Baafi claim that she is holding the NPP party to ransom.

According to them, she is blackmailing the party to be made Deputy Majority Leader.

JoyNews’ Parliamentary correspondent, Kwesi Parker Wilson reports that the majority is set to trigger the removal of Adwoa Safo

Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story programme, he stated that some members of the Majority Caucus had hinted that she will be reported formally to the Privileges Committee for onward action.

According to Kwesi Parker-Wilson, the official records show that the MP has been absent for the whole of 2022.

He explained further that MPs with valid reasons for being away are usually recorded as “Absent With Permission.”

“There are some NPP MPs who are attributing the delay of the passage of the E-Levy to Adwoa Safo. In fact, today (February 18) is 15 Parliamentary sittings. She has missed 15 sittings”

Per Article 97(1)(c) of the 1992 Constitution, an MP shall vacate their seat "if he/she is absent, without the permission in writing of the Speaker and is unable to offer a reasonable explanation to the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges from fifteen sittings of a meeting of Parliament during any period that Parliament has been summoned to meet and continues to meet."