The Africa Centre for Women in Politics (ACWP), has expressed concern over what it terms as vitriolic attacks against the Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya Constituency and Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Sarah Adwoa Safo.
The group in a statement stated that the comments made against the MP over her continuous absence in Parliament are in bad taste and attempt to drag her name into disrepute.
“We have observed with deep concern the recent vitriolic attacks on Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo, Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya Constituency and Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection.”
“We view this development as a well-calculated attempt to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it. It is nothing but a well-calculated attempt by the two male MPs and the male editor/pollster to make Hon. Adwoa Safo look bad in the eyes of the public, her constituents, and especially members of the NPP”, the group’s statement read in parts.
ACWP cited utterances by a Member of Parliament for New Juaben South and a Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Michael Kofi Okyere Baafi, and Hon. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, MP for Assin Central constituency who have said their colleague MP is sabotaging the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP)
It also expressed disappointment in Mr. Ben Ephson, editor of the Daily Dispatch newspaper and pollster, advocating for the party’s dismissal of Sarah Adwoa Safo.
“It is the view of the Centre that these attacks from her colleague MPs are unjustified, unwarranted, mischievous, and most unfortunate. We are aware that the many male MPs absent themselves from Parliament for similar periods without such calls for them to be sacked. It is our considered view that this is the time Hon. Adwoa Safo deserves the support of her colleagues in Parliament and for that matter the leadership of the NPP to go through these difficult times as a nursing mother.”
“It is therefore difficult for us to come to terms with the recent attacks on Hon. Adwoa Safo. We are of the view that Hon. Adwoa Safo is being persecuted because she is a woman. These persecutions are happening at a time when she is going through difficulties for which she requires the support of all of us and in particular her party leadership.”
“We are therefore calling on all Ghanaians especially Queen Mothers, Women Groups, gender advocates, and market women to rise to the defense of one of our own. This is the time to show solidarity to a fellow woman who deserves our support. We cannot leave her to fight this battle alone. A threat to a fellow woman in politics is a threat to all women”, it added.
Background
Sarah Adwoa Safo had been absent from Parliament for a while following an extension of her leave which was granted by the President.
She had become the subject of public debate some months ago following allegations that she was impersonated during Parliamentary proceedings on November 30, 2021, because the Majority side needed the numbers at all cost to approve the government’s 2022 budget, which they did despite the disapproval by the minority side.
The controversy was deepened by the fact that videos and photos of a woman believed not to be the Dome Kwabenya MP from the proceedings in Parliament went viral on social media.
In the video, the woman was seen wearing a nose mask, leaving the chamber right after the headcount which led to the approval of the budget statement.
Meanwhile, Madam Adwoa Safo has been away from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection Ministry as well, after President Akufo-Addo directed the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, to temporarily serve as caretaker Minister in October 2021.
‘We can’t reach Adwoa Safo; NEC will meet on her case’ – Dome Kwabenya NPP
The leadership of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) is expected to meet to deliberate on actions to take against the Member of Parliament for the Dome-Kwabenya constituency, Sarah Adwoa Safo for her continuous absence in Parliament.
In a Citi News interview, the Constituency Chairman of the NPP for the Dome Kwabenya Constituency, Robert Osei Bonsu, said the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) will meet to decide what actions to take on the MP, who took a long leave from her duties as Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection.
“Unfortunately, we have not heard from our Member of Parliament for some time now. All efforts to get to her have proven futile. The National Executive Committee will definitely decide on the next line of action.”
