Parliament of Ghana has suspended sittings for three weeks after surge in Covid-19 infections among Members of Parliament (MPs) and staffs.
According to the Rt Hon Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, reports reaching him indicates that at least 17 Members of Parliament and over 151 staff have tested positive for the virus.
The House is expected to resume business on March 2, 2021.
Meanwhile, the Appointments Committee will be allowed to vet ministerial nominees beginning Wednesday, February 10, 2021 and submit their report to the whole House for consideration for approval or otherwise of all ministerial nominees.
Below is the full statement of the speaker:
As Hon. Members would recall, at the last adjourned date on 5th February, 2021, the House, pursuant to the adoption of the Business Statement, decided that Parliament sits on Tuesdays and Thursdays until otherwise decided. The House further decided that not more than one-third of Hon. Members would attend Sittings of the House in the Chamber at any given time. These decisions were in furtherance of the directive of His Excellency the President in his update (Update No. 23) on the COVID-19 situation on 31st January, 2021, announcing new measures to contain the pandemic.
Hon. Members, having regard to the upsurge of the coronavirus infection in the House viz 17 MPs and 151 staff and ancillary workers in the precincts of Parliament, and the fact that the Appointments Committee is yet to commence consideration of His Excellency the President’s ministerial nominees, I have, in consultation with Leadership, decided that Sitting of the House be adjourned for three (3) weeks.
It is hoped that within this period of adjournment, the Appointments Committee would commence consideration and public hearing of the President’s nominees for Ministerial appointments. By the end of the three weeks, the Appointments Committee would have submitted reports on the referral for the consideration of the House.
Accordingly, with the exception of Hon. Members of the Appointments Committee, the Clerk to the Committee and other supporting staff who
will be engaged in the task of considering the President’s nominees for ministerial appointments, the House will take a break as from tomorrow,
Wednesday, 10 February 2021 to Tuesday, 2 March, 2021.
During that period, Hon Members are to comply with the strict COVID -19 protocols and regulations. Members and staff should re-submit themselves to the Parliament Medical Centre for re-testing after two
weeks from tomorrow to ascertain their status before the resumption of the House. Meanwhile Parliament will continue with the weekly disinfection and sanitization of the premises and precincts of Parliament.
The House is accordingly adjourned till Tuesday, 2nd March, 2021 at 14 hours in the afternoon.
I thank you for the attention.
