Chairperson of Parliament’s Privileges Committee, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has rejected claims that the Dome-Kwabenya Member of Parliament (MP), Sarah Adwoa Safo, has not been invited for interrogation.

He says letters have been written officially to the MP through her email address, with copies sent via her WhatsApp contact and to her office.

“Subsequently, when we changed the date for the meeting, we sent another letter; as to whether she received them or not, I can’t confirm. But what I can tell you is that the Committee has formally written to her,” the Bekwai legislator told the media on Friday, May 27.

Mr. Osei-Owusu noted that since Madam Adwoa Safo has not responded to any of their letters, the Committee would send another reminder.

He added that if she still fails to show up, the Committee will take a decision on the way forward. He, however, declined to disclose what the decision would be.

“Because she has not responded to us, we will send a reminder. In any case, we have rescheduled our meetings; so, we will send her a reminder. In our letter to her, we stated that we’d offer the opportunity to interview her via zoom.

“We cannot confirm whether the letters sent through her secretariat have reached her. I was surprised to read that the same person through whom we sent the letter is the same person through whom the press managed to get her to talk,” Joe Wise noted.

Meanwhile, the Ranking Member on the Committee, Ricketts Kweku Hagan, has hinted that they are considering hearing the MP who is still in the United States via zoom.

He stressed that the Committee is yet to have any formal communication from the embattled MP over her availability or otherwise.

“I’m sure that there are various ways [to get a response from her]… In this modern-day, there are various ways to do things. During the Covid era, we were doing meetings via Zoom.

“So, if there is a tangible reason why the person cannot appear in person, I’m sure other arrangements can be made if the person can do this by Zoom or whatever means that is available.”

Background

The Gender Minister has disclosed that she has not been served any notice to appear before Parliament’s Privileges Committee.

In an exclusive interview on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Thursday, she said she only heard of the meeting through her interview on the channel.

“I am not aware such a thing has been given to me. I am just hearing it from you. As we speak, I don’t know that I have been invited,” she said.