Parliament considering use of public gallery by MPs during sittings - Majority leader

To properly observe the social distancing protocol, the leadership of Ghana’s Parliament is considering allowing some Members of Parliament (MPs) to occupy the public gallery when the House reconvenes on Tuesday [May 19, 2020].

Members of the public who usually occupied the gallery were banned from visiting parliament to witness proceedings following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in the country

In an interview with Citi News, Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu noted that various options which include the use of the public gallery by MPs are being considered by the leadership, to protect members of the house during sittings.

“We’ve also stopped the public from visiting to observe proceedings. That space is free and as part of discussions, we are thinking that perhaps if members come in their numbers, we may ask some of them to relocate upstairs, to populate what otherwise should serve as the public gallery,” he said.

Ranking Member on Parliament’s Health Committee, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh in an interview last week noted that until pragmatic measures to ensure social distancing are put in place, government's posture will not be taken seriously.

He also proposed that the house convenes intermittently to protect legislators from the virus.

“As Members of Parliament, we need a lot of measures to be put in place so that Ghanaians will not see us as different human beings because we are also potential carriers of the virus. If you say we should not gather more than 25 and 275 of us gather in the same chamber without ensuring social distancing, the government’s posture will not be seen as serious unless there are pragmatic measures put in place to ensure social distancing.”

“They should call us to come and deal with specific issues and then go back. By now every Member of Parliament should have been tested. We travel more than anybody in this country. It should not be as though we are superhuman beings. I think if indeed we are going to be called to do a specific business, I do not have a problem. But sitting as though there is nothing at stake, I vehemently oppose that idea,” he said.