Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya, Sara Adwoa Safo, has spoken candidly about the challenges she faced during her tenure in office. According to her, she endured character assassination that severely impacted her political career and personal reputation. Her remarks came during an interview on JoyNews’ The Pulse on March 20, where she set the record straight regarding the circumstances that led to her absence from Parliament.
Adwoa Safo, who previously served as Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, revealed that at a crucial point in her career, she was dealing with significant personal hardships. She disclosed that she tragically lost a child while also caring for her seriously ill son in the United States. Given the gravity of these situations, she made the difficult decision to travel abroad to be with her family.
She emphasized that before leaving Ghana, she followed due protocol by informing the appropriate authorities and individuals about her situation. She believed she had taken all the necessary steps to ensure her absence was properly accounted for. However, despite her efforts to communicate transparently, her time away from Parliament was misconstrued and misrepresented.
According to Adwoa Safo, her absence was portrayed as a deliberate dereliction of duty rather than a necessary and compassionate decision to address pressing family matters. This, she explained, led to a wave of backlash from both political opponents and members of her own party. The public narrative surrounding her situation quickly shifted, with accusations that she had abandoned her parliamentary responsibilities without justification.
Reflecting on the ordeal, she described the attacks on her character as unwarranted and deeply unfair. She noted that the misinformation spread about her absence severely damaged her reputation, making her a target of intense scrutiny and criticism.
“There is character assassination, and there is a need to set the record straight. My reputation has suffered because of the false narratives that have been pushed. Things that were said about me have stuck in the minds of Ghanaians. I have been branded in ways that do not reflect who I truly am. I owe it to myself to clear the air and let Ghanaians hear my side of the story,” she asserted.
Adwoa Safo expressed her disappointment over how quickly the situation escalated, leading to calls for her removal from office. The intense public criticism culminated in discussions about her possible dismissal as Gender Minister, further exacerbating the challenges she faced.
Throughout her political career, she had been known for her strong stance on social issues, particularly those affecting women and children. She played a key role in advocating policies that sought to protect vulnerable groups in Ghanaian society. However, she believes the controversy surrounding her absence overshadowed her contributions and painted an unfair picture of her leadership.
She lamented the fact that instead of empathy and understanding, she was met with harsh judgment. The political landscape, she said, often fails to acknowledge the human side of leaders who also experience personal crises.
“I was not just an MP; I was a mother dealing with unimaginable loss. I had to make a painful choice between my duty to my constituents and my duty as a parent. I did what any responsible mother would do, yet my actions were twisted to serve a different narrative,” she explained.
Despite the challenges, Adwoa Safo remains committed to setting the record straight and rebuilding her reputation. She reiterated that public figures, especially women in politics, often face undue scrutiny that ignores the complexities of their personal lives. She called for a more balanced approach to political discourse, where individuals are not unfairly vilified without a full understanding of their circumstances.
Her experience, she said, highlights the need for greater empathy and fairness in politics. She hopes that by sharing her story, she can challenge the culture of character assassination that often plagues public servants in Ghana.
As she continues to navigate her political journey, Adwoa Safo remains determined to clear her name and ensure that her legacy is not defined by misrepresentation. She urged Ghanaians to seek the truth and consider the full picture before passing judgment.
While her time in office was marred by controversy, she believes the lessons learned from this experience will shape her future endeavors. Whether or not she returns to frontline politics, Adwoa Safo remains steadfast in her commitment to serving the people of Ghana and advocating for justice, transparency, and fairness in leadership.
Her story serves as a reminder of the challenges that come with public service and the importance of standing firm in the face of adversity. Adwoa Safo’s call for fairness and truth in political discourse resonates beyond her personal experience, highlighting the broader issue of character assassination in Ghanaian politics.
