Speaker gives directives to re-organize seats over coronavirus

The Speaker, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye has directed the Clark and the Leadership of Parliament to re-organize the seats in the chamber in order for Members of Parliament (MPs)to keep sufficient distance from one another in tandem with the World Health Organization (WHO) protocols.

Additionally, the Speaker also directed the administration in Parliament to fumigate the chamber and other areas of the legislature before the House sits on Thursday.

The Speaker further tasked the leaders to consider creating spaces using the public gallery and other available areas in the House to prevent MPs from sitting too close.

The measure is to ensure that Members of Parliament (MPs) and staff of parliament are protected against the coronavirus pandemic.

Prof Oquaye also called on the Clerk and the Leadership of the House to work to ensure that at least there was one space interval in the siting arrangements of the chamber.

He said the WHO guidelines for the sitting arrangements due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease are global directives that the House adhered to.

“This is a matter of vigil and it is for them to oblige accordingly together with the Medical Director” he said.

Prof Oquaye also explained that Parliament unlike other organizations cannot stop working even in a State of emergency and that members must be around to approve the emergency orders that are brought before House.

“Even in a matter of the state of emergency Parliament has to act on it. Be that no matter the emergencies that arises Parliament must be around to take steps under the constitution which are the magnet to direct this nation and relevant orders”.

The Speaker also tasked the Clark, the relevant administration as well as the leadership to take in account all the matters that are peculiar to members’ circumstance to enable perform their duties.

Mr Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Majority Leader in his remark disclosed that the leadership is exploring moving sitting to the Accra International Conference Centre to improve on conditions in the chamber Alhaji Mubarak Muntaka, Minority Chief Whip in his remark suggested that MPs should be allowed to sit at different desks other than their own to improve spacing among members in the chamber.

He bemoaned the ongoing registration by the National Identification Authority in parts of the country saying they were endangering the lives of Ghanaians.

“Mr Speaker, as we speak… the National Identification Authority is still registering people, and if you see the masses of the people in the queue doubt whether they were aware of the directive from the President”.