The Chamber of Parliament is to be disinfected before MPs convene for sitting tomorrow Thursday 10th March 2020.
Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye disclosed this to the House.
The exercise, he said, has become pertinent in the light of the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid)-19, to ensure the safety of members.
He observed that seating arrangements in the Chamber do not also comply with the World Health Organization (WHO) order that requires a certain distance between people.
He directed the leadership and the Clerk to work on the arrangement such that adequate spaces between the seats are created to ensure intervals between the members.
“These are global health directives and we must also accept and adhere to them.”
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“When we visited the Flagstaff House we saw clearly that they are adhering and we had to sit far from each other.”
“All other arrangements, therefore, including the possible use of the public gallery and other spaces the leaders can create within the chamber should be considered,” he stated.
Speaker Mike Oquaye maintained Parliament is compelled to act in any state of emergency regardless of the issues.
The House, he said, is therefore expected to be around to take steps under the 1992 Constitution that are demanded to direct the state and institute relevant orders.
Minority Whip, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, commended the Speaker for the directives but urged the House to reduce contact time for the MPs.
He disclosed that Parliaments across the world are closing down and stressed if the House decides to continue working, the sitting hours should be decreased.
He stated that a member of the Burkina Faso Parliament has been reported dead of the Coronavirus this morning hence the need for Ghana’s Parliament to institute all precautionary measures at its disposal.
By Osumanu Al-HassanlFrontpageghana.comlGhana
