'The Battle is still the Lord's' - defiant Adwoa Safo reacts to Parliamentary summons

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo, has stated that she still holds her portfolio as Ghana's Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection and has no fears of losing her seat in Parliament.

According to her, she has also not been served to appear before the Privileges Committee of Parliament for absenting herself for more than 15 sitting days in Parliament.

"I am not worried because I am very, very, prayerful and I don't believe only in the physical, I also believe in the spiritual and I know my Lord knows exactly why I am not there and he is going to fight my battle," Ms Safo said in an interview on Joy News on Thursday afternoon [May 26, 2022].

"So, as we say and have always said the battle is still the Lord's and the Lord is going to fight my battle, I am not worried at all even in my third term election, nobody thought I would win because you know the situation I was in."

"Nobody thought I could win, even my primary, people thought I couldn't win but God made me win, so God has the final say".

'I sought permission before leaving Ghana'

On whether she sought the appropriate permission from the Speaker of Parliament to go beyond 15 days after leaving the country, Ms Safo said attempts to be granted an extension were frustrated by some members of the Majority group in Parliament.

She said this prompted her to contact the Speaker directly to let him know about her difficulties and request the extension directly.

"There are interests and there are intentions and motives for people doing what they are doing. What I am saying is, I am staying focused and doing what I have to do as a mother."

"I want to be the best mom because my Ministry takes care of children. If I fail my family, I have failed my Ministry, I have failed the people of Ghana".

"I did seek permission for the first time. Whether or not the latter request was granted or not lies in the bosom of the Speaker and so I am not to answer whether he permitted it or not.

"I have to do what I have to do as a Member of Parliament, which is that, there's a 15 day, I am going beyond it, what do I do in the circumstances as a reasonable person and that is exactly what I did".

It will be recalled that the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin in February this year denied media reports suggesting that he had granted Ms Safo permission to absent herself from Parliament.