There is pressure on the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, to trigger the constitutional process to remove Dome Kwabenya MP, Sarah Adwoa Safo, from the House.

It follows Mr Bagbin’s disclosure that the Dome Kwabenya MP had absented herself from Parliament without permission for more than the constitutionally allowed period.

The penalty for that is losing her seat if she fails to justify her absence before the privileges committee.

Former Ranking Member of Parliament’s Constitutional Affairs Committee, Inusah Fuseini says it is not enough for the Speaker to make the disclosure and not take action.

“The Speaker appeared to have made a conclusive determination that Adwoa Safo has been absent from Parliament for more than 15 days without the permission of the Speaker.

“After determination, the next rout by the Speaker was to refer the conduct of Adwoa Safo to the Privileges Committee,” he said.

Also a former Chief of Staff during the Kufuor administration, Kojo Piani was the first to ask the Speaker to crack the whip on the MP.

Adwoa 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.

Recently, some leading government officials and some of her colleague MPs in Parliament accused her of blackmailing government with a list of demands, including the Deputy Majority Leader post.

Leadership of the governing New Patriotic Party has admitted that the MP's behaviour is adversely affecting government business in Parliament.

They have also indicated that all options are currently on the table, including triggering the constitutional provision to remove her as MP and declare her seat vacant.