The Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo has likened her motherhood role to her job as the Gender, Children, and Social Protection Minister of the country.

According to her, she will fail as a Minister of State should she ignore her role as a mother.

In an exclusive interview on JoyNews’ The Pulse, on Thursday, Madam Safo explained that she has been away for family challenges beyond her control.

“I am staying focused and doing what I have to do as a mother. I want to be the best mum.

“And my Ministry takes care of children [so] if I fail my family, I have failed my Ministry and I have failed the people of Ghana,” she told Blessed Sogah on Thursday.

While admitting that she has been absent for a very long time, the legislator insisted that she will resume her duties as an MP and a Minister when her son is fit and healthy.

“I will be returning definitely to serve my people. I lead and serve the people of Dome-Kwabenya and I have done that for the past 12 years and I know exactly what my responsibilities are and I am definitely going to do that.

“As you know, my son is unwell and has to transition to school, so I have to ensure that all that is settled before I can resume my duties, and that is exactly what I am doing,” she stated.

On October 6, 2021, President Akufo-Addo extended the leave of absence from office for the Gender Minister.

The Dome-Kwabenya MP’s leave, which she sought for personal reasons, was supposed to have ended on August 31, 2021.

However, the former Procurement Minister could not resume and requested an extension. It did not, however, state when she will resume.

“In her absence, and until further notice, President Akufo-Addo has directed the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, to act as caretaker Minister,” the Presidency said.

Earlier this year, the lawmaker came under fire for neglecting her Parliamentary duties amid speculations that she has vowed not to return until given a leadership role in the House.

Madam Safo was last seen in Parliament in December 2021 when she appeared in the House to dismiss claims by the Minority Caucus that she was impersonated.

She has since not returned to the Chamber. Her action has infuriated her colleagues, who have accused her of blackmailing government with a list of demands, including the Deputy Majority Leader post.

This has infuriated some colleague MPs and members of the NPP who are calling for her removal.

Meanwhile, the First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has indicated that the Majority Caucus does not factor Dome-Kwabenya MP, Sarah Adwoa Safo into its deliberations.

According to the Bekwai MP, all avenues to get the absentee MP to return to the House have proved futile.

As a result, the Majority in Parliament has resolved to conduct parliamentary business, going forward, without recourse to the Dome-Kwabenya MP.

Speaking on Kumasi-based Pure FM, Mr Osei-Owusu said, “in our strategy, we have taken it as going to rescue a kidnapped person, you presume she is dead, but if you go and she is alive, then it is God’s grace, and it adds to your gains, so that is our approach.

“So, as it stands now, we don’t count her as part of us,” he stated.

The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) leadership has admitted that the Dome-Kwabenya MP’s absence affects the party and government business.

John Boadu, the party’s General Secretary, told Joy FM that with Ghana’s hung Parliament, the Gender Minister’s absence is adversely affecting government’s business in Parliament.

He also mentioned that the party is currently considering measures, including triggering the constitutional provision to remove her as MP and declare her seat vacant.

To date, the legislator has not been seen in Parliament; neither has she visited the Ministry which she leads.