Residents of Dome-Kwabenya have voiced their dissatisfaction with the conduct of their Member of Parliament (MP), Sarah Adwoa Safo, following nearly a year's absence from parliament and her subsequent apology.
According to the constituents, they eagerly awaited Adwoa Safo's return to address the pressing concerns in the constituency and in parliament.
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However, her long absence has left many feeling neglected and frustrated.
This comes after the MP Sarah Adwoa Safo, on September 14, 2023, in a video address, offered an unreserved apology to her party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and members of her constituency after being absent for nearly a year.
She cited some personal issues she and her family had to endure throughout the period of her absence from parliament.
The MP, Sarah Adwoa Safo, said her absence was unintentional and therefore she is sorry.
Some of the residents in her constituency, Dome-Kwabenya, shared their reaction to the apology of their MP with GhanaWeb.
One resident expressed his disappointment, saying, “When someone offends you and comes back to apologise, you are left as the victim of the wrong to think through the apology to decide whether to forgive or not to forgive. So, we are also thinking about it.
“Sometimes these politicians take us for granted. They are not the only people who knows how to spend money, just look at the economy. They come and cause a mess and then leave us the citizens to our fate and move out of the country. So, we are thinking about it.”
Another also said, “The MP knows what she is doing. We voted you into power, and we expected you to work for us. But you’ve gone to hide somewhere all these whiles, you are now coming back to apologise, that means she is aware of her actions. So, we have nothing to do with her anymore.”
Others shared similar sentiments, emphasising the need for more active engagement from their elected representative.
They argued that an apology, while appreciated, should be accompanied by visible efforts to improve the constituency's welfare.
“Before Adwoa Safo will say something for us to accept her, she needs to come and work on the things she promised us. She made a promise and just like anybody who makes promises, she needs to come and fulfil them,” one of the residents told GhanaWeb.
“Personally, I do not accept the apology. We have not benefitted from her as our MP and since we have not benefitted from her, why then should we accept her apology, what for? She should continue to stay on her social media, for us, we don’t want to have anything to do with her. In fact, if she wants to contest again then I will not even vote at all,” a disgruntled resident said.
Another resident who joined the conversation stressed that “You were able to enter parliament because of us s if there is an issue, we are the best people come and talk to. People kept asking of her whereabout but there was no response. Now that things are getting out of hand, you are back here to apologise. I will not forgive her just like that.”
Additionally, one other resident said, “When someone asks you for your forgiveness, you are required to forgive. But often we get disappointed in politicians. Before Adwoa Safo went to parliament, she came here to see us and gave us car dusters with her photo printed on it, we followed her and voted her into office. But since she won, she doesn’t remember us anymore. But you see, comfort sometimes brings forgetfulness.
“So, since she has come to apologize, we don’t have anything to tell her. But she should make sure that when she gets the chance to come back as a member of parliament, she will not misconduct herself again,” a taxi driver also added.
“We are not allowing this to continue. In fact, we want Elikplim to come not Adwoa Safo. This is because she hasn’t done anything in Dome-Kwabenya for her to apologise and then she some back to spend our money and run away. I don’t need her to come back again, otherwise something will happen in Ghana here,” another resident also shared his opinion with GhanaWeb.
The Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo has been absent from parliament since November 2021.
Due to her extended absence, the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, referred Dome Kwabenya MP to the Privileges Committee on April 6, 2022, for being absent for fifteen sitting days without permission in writing but she failed to appear before the committee.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo subsequently revoked her appointment on July 29, 2023, as the Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection based on Article 81 of the 1992 Constitution.
Adwoa Safo, in her apology, acknowledged her shortcomings and promised to do better in serving her constituents when she gets another opportunity.
However, residents are keen to see these words translated into tangible actions that directly benefit the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency.
Ghana’s leading digital news platform, GhanaWeb, in conjunction with the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, is embarking on an aggressive campaign which is geared towards ensuring that parliament passes comprehensive legislation to guide organ harvesting, organ donation, and organ transplantation in the country.
