Tema, July 12, GNA – The People’s National Convention (PNC) has called on Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, to have a sense of empathy for Ms. Sarah Adwoa Safo, Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya Constituency, Greater Accra Region.
Ms Adwoa Safo who also doubles as Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, has been absent from Parliament for months, triggering calls for her dismissal.
The PNC, however, says it is worried as the issues involved the wellbeing and welfare of the Minister’s children.
A statement signed by Ms. Janet Asana Nabla, PNC General Secretary and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Tema recounted that the Minister entered Parliament in 2009 and has since worked tirelessly for her party and the country with no record of absenting herself for long period of time.
It added that, Ms. Safo, has no record of showing disrespect to Parliament, it was therefore strange that the MP has absented herself for this long, adding that, “but the reason is obvious as she stated in one of her engagements with the media – child health and related complications.”
The PNC is therefore calling on the leadership of Parliament, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the government to approach issue with empathy.
“The PNC is pleading with the Speaker, the entire membership of Parliament, the NPP, the Dome Kwabenya Constituents, and the government to exercise patience dealing with the MP. The PNC believes that she deserves our support and sympathy,” it said.
It further requested Parliament and its Privileges Committee to cooperate with the MP to be able to schedule an appropriate time to meet her.
The PNC pleaded with the Government and Parliament to pass a law that would enable all employers in Ghana to have a designated place for breastfeeding mothers which may be called Breastfeeding Centres.
“Depending on the nature of the institution, a nurse, a nursing assistant or a public health nurse should be posted there to offer assistance to these mothers,” it explained.
This, it said, would not only help nursing mothers to have peace of mind to concentrate on their work but also increase productivity and create employment for nurses.
GNA