A high-stakes political drama has erupted in Ghana after a governance expert called for a criminal investigation into allegations of impersonation during the contentious 2022 E-Levy vote, while former MP Sarah Adwoa Safo publicly defended her controversial abstention.
Dr. Kwame Asiedu Sarpong, a fellow at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD Ghana), has issued a scathing demand for state agencies to identify an alleged imposter who may have impersonated Adwoa Safo during the Electronic Transfer Levy’s parliamentary passage.
“How a sitting government may have used criminality to impose a tax on us can’t just be swept under the carpet,” Dr. Sarpong wrote on Facebook, citing two damning scenarios:
“The possible scenarios are that she was there and voted which makes her statement today a lie or she wasn’t there and an imposter voted on her behalf which means the vote was won fraudulently. Either way, only an investigation can uncover the truth.”
The CDD fellow argued that either outcome undermines the legitimacy of the E-Levy, which passed by a single vote (138-137) in March 2022.
“In the matter of Adwoa Safo. Assuming her previous comment that she was in the chamber on the day is true and she abstained, the vote will have been 137-137 and the e-levy won’t have passed. If the vote was by voice, then she couldn’t have abstained as that option doesn’t arise in a voice vote.”
Adwoa Sarfo’s Bombshell: “I Abstained, No Regrets”
In a rare interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, the former Gender Minister and Dome Kwabenya MP claimed she deliberately abstained from voting, calling the levy “a burden on citizens.”
“I have no regrets. My conviction was clear: the E-Levy would not benefit Ghana,” Sarfo stated, dismissing critics who accused her of dereliction of duty.
The scandal has reignited debates about parliamentary transparency and the rule of law. Dr. Sarpong warned that unresolved questions could erode confidence in Ghana’s democratic institutions.
“If an imposter voted, it’s a criminal act. If Sarfo lied, it’s a breach of public trust. Either way, the truth must come out,” he urged. The police and security agencies have yet to comment on the matter.
Source: www.kumasimail.com/ Kwadwo Owusu
