Parliament on Thursday, 02/04/2020 passed the Covid-19 National Trust Fund 2020. The House sat late into the night, with Speaker Aaron Mike Oquaye presiding over proceedings, to ensure that this all important bill is passed under a certificate of urgency.
The Bill was laid before Parliament on the night of Wednesday April 01, 2020 by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Gloria Afua Akuffo. It seeks to give legal backing to the establishment of the Covid-19 National Trust Fund which is intended to complement the efforts of government in the fight against the disease.
The Fund will receive donations for disbursement to individuals who have been negatively impacted by the disease. It also makes provisions for how the Fund should be managed.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye has donated half of his monthly salary for three months to the Covid-19 National Trust Fund. The Speaker also announced that Parliament is donating an amount of two hundred thousand Ghana cedis to set the fund rolling.
Making the donation, the Speaker urged all Members of Parliament and other workers to contribute to the fund to help the fight against the corona virus pandemic.
Speaker Oquaye has been at the forefront of the fight to prevent the possible introduction and spread of the Corona virus in Parliament. He has also used various platforms to urge all Ghanaians to follow the protocols for preventing the spread of the disease. He has supervised the acquisition and wearing of facial masks in Parliament and has also facilitated the provision of sanitizers of Members of Parliament for further distribution to the citizens.