Chairman of the Privileges Committee, Joseph Osei Owusu (Joewsie) has said that he has been informed about a claim by Dome-Kwabenay Member of Parliament Sara Adwoa Safo to the effect that she has not been served by the Committee to appear before them.
Joewise who described the development as interesting, told TV3’s Evelyne Tengmaa in interview in Parliament on Friday May 27 that the committee duly sent a formal letter to her through her email, whatsapp number and her office.
As for as the committee is concerned, she has been served, he said.
Adwoa disclosed on Accra-based Joy FM Thursday May 26 that she any summon from the Privileges Committee of Parliament.
“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.”
“I have to be served,” she added.
“I have read that, that is interesting. Let me confirm that we have written a formal letter, sent one to her email , sent one to her whatsapp address and we delivered one to her assistant in the office , that was about three weeks ago. Subsequently when we changed the date we sent another letter.
“As to whether she has received them or not I cant confirm but what I can tell you is that the committee has formally written to her , sent her a letter through her email address, through her whatsapp number and through her office. Because she has not responded to us we will send a reminder,” the Bekwai lawker who is also First Deputy Speaker said.
The Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin referred Kennedy Agyapong, Assin Central, Sarah Adwoa Safo, Dome Kwabenya and Henry Quartey, for absenting themselves from Parliament without permission for more than fifteen sittings.
The Committee’s scheduled meeting with Henry Quartey on Thursday May 26 been rescheduled indefinitely due to time constraints.
The Committee scheduled to start hearing today Thursday May 26 but that did not happen even though Mr Quartey showed up, TV3’s Evelyne Tengmaa reported.
Ranking Member on the Committee, Kwaku Rickets-Hagan is ranking member of the com
He said “We did have what we will call a very short or brief meeting with Honourable Henry Quartey this afternoon. Basically, he was scheduled to be with us this morning, the original time was 11O’Clock. Because of activities in the house, we pushed it to to mid day but it also happened that the Second Deputy Speaker is not around. So the First Deputy Speaker is working together with the Speaker in terms of taking terms in the House.
“We have some visitors with us from Canada that the Speaker is interacting with, so then, Honourable Osei Owusu who is First Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Privileges Committee was meant to be on standby to take over from the Speaker at a moment notice. So we planned to reschedule the time to 2PM, Honourbale Quartey was already in, I was the first person to go in there at exactly 11 O’Clock but Honoruable Quaryey came in. So, I had to inform the Chairman that this is what is happening.
“So when we asked him to come at 2PM, as you know he is also the Greeter Accra Minister, he informed us that he has something to do at 2PM. So then we had to meet up with him so Honurable Osei Owusu came and we started the meeting.
“As I said, he had an appointment at 2 PM so even if we start the meeting, he might not be bale to finish it, depending on what happens. On the other side, the chairman himself might have to come back into the Chamber to sit, so he too cannot guarantee his being there, and of course, constitutionally, I cannot chair the meeting, so then, the best way out was to try and adjourn the meeting for a future date.
“The Honourable Minister will also be out of the jurisdiction, he will be traveling, as he indicated to us, for about a week so then we had to, in the end, agree that we will covey a new date to him.”