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Deputy Minority Chief Whip of Parliament, Ahmed Ibrahim, has proposed that Frst Deputy Speaker of the House who also doubles as the Chairman of the Privileges Committee, Joseph Osei-Owusu must recuse himself from the committee.

He believes per certain utterances he (Osei-Owusu) has passed about the Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo, the likelihood of him being impartial when he presides as Chairman of that committe cannot be guaranteed.

The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin has referred three (3) Members of Parliament to the Privileges Committee for absenting themselves for fifteen (15) sitting days. In an official communication to the House, the Speaker mentioned Sara Adwoa Safo (MP Dome Kwabenya), Kennedy Agyapong (MP Assin Central) and Henry Quartey (MP Ayawaso Central) for absenting themselves for more than fifteen sitting days within the First Meeting of the Second Session, per the records from the Clerks at Table.

Speaker Bagbin supported his ruling with article 97 (1)c of the Constitution which states that: "A member of Parliament shall vacate his seat in Parliament if he is absent, without the permission in writing to the Speaker and he is unable to offer a reasonable explanation to the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges from fifteen Sittings of a meeting of Parliament during any period that Parliament has been summoned to meet and continues to meet", the Standing Orders and a number of rulings from the Supreme Court.

The Rt. Hon. Speaker indicated that his ruling was also based on petitions submitted to him on absenteeism of Members of Parliament.

His position has, however been vehemently opposed by the minority caucus in parliament.

Both Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka and the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, have respectively disagreed with the ruling of the Speaker, arguing that the matter ought to have been raised on the floor by a Member of Parliament first before the Speaker could act on it.

Speaking to this in interview on Okay FM's Ade Akye Abia programme, Ahmed Ibrahim, who is also the MP for Banda MP pointed out that having already passed judgement over the absentee Dome-Kwabenya MP, it will be fair and proper if the first deputy Speaker opts out as presiding chair of the Privileges Committee.

"It is rather unfortunate that some leadership of the NPP have made certain comments about Hon. Adwoa Sarfo's situation. We from the NDC believe that this is something that can affect any other member of parliament and that we should not be seen to be denying one of our own.

"We are not fighting for Hon. Adwoa Sarfo alone but the MPs (Hon. Kennedy Agyapong (MP Assin Central) and Hon. Henry Quartey (MP Ayawaso Central) who have all been hauled before the privileges committee," he added.

He added that the minority have filed for a rescission motion in parliament hoping that it will be heard once parliament resumes from its recess.

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