The Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Obiri Boahen, has rejected calls for the outright suspension of Dome Kwabenya MP, Adwoa Safo.

The MP has been absent from Parliament since the House resumed sitting this year.

She has also not been engaged in any government business for a while following an extension of her leave which was granted by the President in October last year.

The absence of the Dome-Kwabenya MP has raised concerns among the party’s rank-and-file amidst calls for her suspension and dismissal from the party.

But speaking on The Pulse on Tuesday, Nana Obiri Boahen explained that the party must apply the proper procedures before taking any final decision.

He argued that the Speaker of the House is the only authority to bring the MP to book due to her absence from Parliament; not the leadership of the party.

“If for one reason or the other a Parliamentarian is absent, it doesn’t lie in the mouth of the party leadership to bring that fellow to book… With all humility, we are not in a jungle, we are in a democratic country. We have the three organs of government...if for instance, a Member of Parliament is absent for twenty or thirty days, it is the Speaker who will declare the seat vacant, anything short of that, legally that should not be the position,” he said.

According to Nana Obiri Boahen, despite the party being worried over the matter, members must apply the rules rigorously by filing a complaint at the party’s disciplinary committee to decide over the matter.

“If you say that somebody has erred and that person must be brought to book, you have the disciplinary committee of the party. You have the National Disciplinary Committee of the party, the individual will lodge a complaint…so if for one reason or the other, someone has not been going to Parliament, those of us the members of the National Executive Committee cannot on our own volition say that we have expelled you from the party,” he stated.

Adwoa Safo impersonated?

Adwoa Safo later became the subject of public debate some months ago following allegations by the Minority that she was impersonated during Parliamentary proceedings on November 30, 2021, because the Majority side needed the numbers at all cost to approve the 2022 budget.

The controversy escalated when videos and photos of a woman believed to be an imposter at 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.

After the approval of the budget, she has failed to show up in Parliament again.

Already, the Minority MPs say they are investigating a suspected case of impersonation.

According to the Minority MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, after reviewing footage of the sitting, it has become apparent that there may have been a case of impersonation of the Dome Kwabenya MP.

Dome Kwabenya MP holding Majority to ransom

Early this month, a livid New Juaben South MP, Michael Okyere Baafi, accused the Gender Minister of blackmailing the government.

According to him, the Dome-Kwabenya MP is using her seat as a bargaining chip to frustrate government business.

“All the problems the government is facing are attributable to Adwoa Safo. Clearly, her intention and posture show that she wants to sabotage NPP,” he said in an interview on Kumasi-based Hello FM.

He revealed how they had to beg her on countless occasions to come to Parliament due to their limited numbers.