Ablakwa to drag Agyapong, Quartey and Adwoa Safo before Privileges Committee

The three MPs are; Sarah Adwoa Safo, Dome-Kwabenya MP, Kennedy Agyapong, Assin Central MP and Henry Quartey, Ayawaso Central MP.

According to Ablakwa, the trio has at least been absent from 15 Parliamentary sittings without notice to the Speaker – a situation warranting their seat to be declared vacant per Constitutional Provisions.

In an interview with Accra–based Joy FM, the North Tongu MP noted that, through his own investigations, he discovered that Adwoa Safo was not the only culprit of absenteeism.

He said, “these two other MPs [Kennedy Agyapong and Henry Quartey] would have gotten away with this but for my checks and for going through the records which I took it upon myself to do.”

He indicated that Parliament must itself have the ability to detect MPs who do not show up to perform the duties for which they were elected.

“I am not saying that the law should not take its course in the case of Sarah Adwoa Safo. All I’m saying is let us apply the law fairly. Let us not be discriminatory.

“I have gone through the vote and proceedings between October 24 and November 26 2021 in our last meeting and I have discovered that the Honourable Henry Quartey and the Honourable Kennedy Ohene Agyapong missed 18 working days consistently and consecutively.

“They have breached Article 97(1)(c) clearly and they have also flouted Order 16(1) of our standing orders. I am saying I welcome the discussion on the need for all Members of Parliament to take their work seriously for us to eschew absenteeism and to punish same.

“Therefore, let us apply the law fairly in a non-discriminatory manner and let us ensure that the Privileges Committee, when they come to sit on the matter relating to absenteeism, they sit and consider all three MPs for Dome-Kwabenya, for Ayawaso central, and for Assin Central,” Ablakwa said.

The ranking member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee said he is lacing up his boots to have the three MPs removed and have a bye-lection in their constituencies.

“That is what I have begun. The first thing to do is to conduct your search, put all the evidence together. I have done that. I have gone public with my findings. The next step is to raise it on the floor and I can assure you that that will be done. So I am following the process,” he stated

Asked when he intends to trigger the process to have all three MPs seats declared vacant on the floor of Parliament, Ablakwa said, “we are in talks and it should be sooner than later. I don’t have a specific date but sooner than later.”