Hours after Ghanaians were treated with a heavy dose of American slangs apology by the Member of Parliament (MP), Sarah Adwoa Safo, some executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have popped up from her Dome-Kwabenya constituency, saying they have taken her pleas with a pinch of salt.
The former Minister of Women and Children Affairs, had deserted her ministerial job, as well as her parliamentary duties, to go and live in the US in protest against the government for reinstating Gertrude Quashigah as the Coordinator for the School Feeding Programme.
She rendered a public apology to President Nana Akufo-Addo, Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia, Chief of Staff Frema Osei Opare, Majority Leader and others for her conduct for her prolonged absence from Parliament.
However, the NPP constituency Secretary for Dome-Kwabenya, Theophilus Larbi, described her apology as habitual, adding that her re-election as parliamentary candidate for the next general elections, could adversely affect the party’s chances in the constituency.
“If she has rendered an unqualified apology, who are we as humans to say we are not taking it, we have accepted her apology, but what does she want us to do for her after the apology? Probably, if she’s interested in the seat again, then what I will say as a constituency secretary is that we are sorry.
“The reason being that we are the representation of the people in this constituency. The majority of the people say that if we bring Hon Adwoa Safo back again, they will not vote for the party. And as a person and officer who means well for this party should listen, because we are delegates of this party.
“The majority of people are not happy about what happened. She has apologised, severally, but I’m sorry we have the men and women. As far as I’m concerned, it can no longer be Adwoa Safo. Dome Kwabenya cannot be represented by her,” He told Citi News in an interview.
He added that residents are tired of Adwoa Safo’s repeated absences from Parliament and her lack of communication with her constituents. They believe that she has damaged the party’s reputation in the constituency and that she should not be re-elected as a parliamentary candidate.
The former deputy majority leader whose seat was under contention finally broke her long silence to apologize for her frequent absences from Parliament without permission. But her plea for repentance rings hollow and does little to remedy the distrust she has sewed.
Adwoa Sarfo, claims her misconduct was not deliberate and cites personal issues as the cause. But that begs the question – where was this explanation for the past year as Ghanaians demanded answers? She ignored repeated calls to return to duty and face the consequences of her actions.
Now she comes forward only because the heat has intensified and she probably has plans for re-election, after escaping calls for her to be officially removed from Parliament. It seems her supposed repentance is motivated more by self-preservation than genuine remorse.
Even more bizarre is the fact that she could spend time on TikTok, but couldn’t get time for Ghanaians to explain herself like she claim to have done now. She snubbed her parliamentary responsibilities for months on end with no care for how her absence impacted governance—her own party’s. She did not seem concerned about letting down her constituents who elected her.
If her apology was sincere, the honourable thing for Sarfo to do now would be to quit politics. Ghanaians will not so easily forget how she treated the duties of public service with such contempt. We should not accept empty words after the damage is already done.
Adwoa Sarfo has proven she cannot be trusted to serve the people. It’s time for her to take her final bow from politics and make room for representatives who will show up for work every day. Only a full exit can even begin to make amends.
Her long overdue ‘apology’ changes nothing. The only acceptable response is for her to exit the political stage for good. Ghanaians deserve better than representatives who treat their mandates as optional.