Okudeto Ablakwa believes Adwoa Safo is no longer interested in being MP
Says Ghana will make savings if she accepts to quit Parliament
Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has proposed that President Akufo-Addo should relieve his colleague MP for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo, of her ministerial portfolio.
According to Ablakwa, an appointment as an Ambassador-At-Large to clean up Ghana’s battered image will suit Adwoa Safo – who has been absent from Parliament since December 2021.
In a social media post dated May 7, 2022, the Ranking Member on Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament whiles conceding his proposal was ‘quite hilarious,’ asked if it was not time to “make a passionate appeal to President Akufo-Addo to offer a different appointment to the Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo as Ambassador-At-Large in Charge of the Restoration and Revitalization of Ghana’s International Brand?”
He stated further that the absentee MP had turned Ghana into a tourist destination ‘which she visits sparingly,’ adding that there was talk that she was no longer interested in her ministerial or parliamentary role.
“She is already comfortably well-settled abroad, and so we wouldn’t have to spend extra taxpayer funds on perdiem and other relocation costs that other candidates for the top job will demand;” his post continued.
According to him, the one-time Majority Chief Whip possess lots of experience and qualities to qualify her as the best person to help in branding Ghana to the international community given her strong personality, which attributes he said made Adwoa Safo a powerful and feared candidate ‘untouchable as she is.’
“This may appear quite hilarious but we may want to give it serious thought, at least, for the sake of our battered international image,” Ablakwa’s post concluded.
Adwoa Safo’s absenteeism dominates news
Adwoa Safo earlier this year became topical in political discourse with a number of NPP MPs suggesting that her continued absence from Parliament was adversely affecting government business because of the hung nature of the lawmaking chamber.
In an interview on Okay FM monitored by GhanaWeb, Michael Okyere Baafi, the New Juaben South MP said Adwoa Safo had clearly been attempting to use her seat as a bargaining chip and in essence has been working to sabotage the government.
Similar sentiments were expressed by Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong and some members of the Majority Leadership.
She is currently the subject of a summons to appear before the Privileges Committee of Parliament to answer question over her protracted absence without permission. Two other NPP MPs facing similar summons are Kennedy Agyapong and Henry Quartey.
Read Ablakwa’s full post below:
With the avalanche of recent damning international reports on our dear country, from the infamous downgrades by credit rating agencies, Corruption Perceptions Index, US State Department Country Report on Human Rights Practices and the latest Press Freedom Index, shouldn’t we make a passionate appeal to President Akufo-Addo to offer a different appointment to the Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo as Ambassador-At-Large in Charge of the Restoration and Revitalization of Ghana’s International Brand?
After all, we are told she’s no longer interested in her Gender Ministry portfolio, neither does she seem committed to her parliamentary duties. Indeed, her home country Ghana appears to have become a tourist destination which she visits sparingly.
Hon. Adwoa Safo has many advantages going for her: we will no longer be paying my good honourable friend for no work done — we shall be ending the financial loss to the state; we would be leveraging on her vast international network (remember when she claimed her extensive World Bank contacts helped her establish the Dome-Kwabenya E-Block); she is already comfortably well-settled abroad, and so we wouldn’t have to spend extra taxpayer funds on perdiem and other relocation costs that other candidates for the top job will demand; I cannot think of any other suitable nominee who possesses her unique social media skills which would prove valuable in marketing and rebranding Ghana; and then most importantly, such a coveted high office requires a very powerful and feared candidate who is untouchable as she is, in order to command the attention and respect of big international actors, and also ensure stability in her new role.
This may appear quite hilarious but we may want to give it serious thought, at least, for the sake of our battered international image.
