Speaker Alban Sumana Bagbin, has suspended Parliament sitting for three weeks as the Covid-19 cases in the House rises. He explained that the decision was reached after 17 MPs and 151 parliamentary staff tested positive for the virus.
This, the Speaker maintains, will help curb the spread, protect other members from catching the virus and give those with the virus the chance to recover.
“The fact that the Appointments Committee is yet to commence the consideration of the President’s ministerial nominees, I have in consultation with leadership decided that the sitting of the House be suspended for three weeks”.
Previously, the House had implemented measures to conduct Parliamentary sessions only twice a week with only a third of MPs allowed in the Chamber. The rest were to participate virtually.
However, following this surge, the House deems it necessary to suspend its sitting for the next three weeks. Mr. Bagbin further noted that as part of measures to curb the spread of the virus in Parliament, all MPs and Parliamentary staff are to resubmit themselves for testing two weeks from tomorrow, February 10.
Moreover, while the House is on this three-week break, “Parliament will continue with the weekly disinfection and sanitization of the precinct of Parliament”.
Meanwhile, the Appointments Committee of Parliament will commence consideration of President Akufo-Addo’s nominees as scheduled. With this, Mr. Bagbin indicated that the break will give the committee the chance to vet and put together their reports before parliament resumes work.
“It is hoped that within this period of adjournment, the Appointments Committee will commence consideration and public hearing of the President’s nominees for ministerial appointments”.
Mr. Alban Bagbin
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Apaak last week called for the shutdown of Parliament for at least two weeks over the outbreak of the virus in the House. According to him, the COVID-19 positive MPs are not known and some still attend the business of the house which endangers the rest of them.
In a Facebook post, he stated that, “15 MPs and 56 staff of parliament have tested positive for COVID-19. The best option is to shut down Parliament. We don’t know the IDs of those positive, who still attended Parliament. Shut down Parliament, all MPs and staff, self-isolate. Get us tested after 14 days, then we resume if negative“.
The Speaker, Alban Bagbin had prior to this announced on Thursday, February 4, 2021, that “only members of Parliament and members of staff who are needed for the business of the House on those days will be allowed in the precincts of Parliament from next week.”
This was at a time when some 15 MPs and about 50 parliamentary staff had tested positive for COVID-19.
