Go for the Covid-19 test – Speaker urges Parliamentarians

Speaker of Parliament, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin has expressed concern over the unwillingness of some Parliamentarians to go for Covid-19 tests scheduled for MPs.

This follows the refusal of some members to avail themselves during the 3-days allocated for members of the House to partake in a health screening exercise.

According to reports, less than a third of the House participated in the event which ended last Friday.

“We arranged with the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research to use 3 days and the 3 days are over but I am reliably informed that a number of our members have not yet taken the opportunity to either do the screening or to even undergo the Covid-19 test.

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“Honorable members, I humbly urge that you all take this opportunity seriously and go test by the end of today,” he said.

The Speaker in his open remarks, Tuesday, January 26, said the screening exercise has since been extended to the close of business today to ensure that members go and take the test.

Currently, Ghana has about 3,613 active cases, with 58,150 recoveries and 372 deaths with an average of 600 cases being recorded daily.

The situation has been described as worrying by the Ghana Health Service and the Ghana Medical Association.

Meanwhile, Parliament’s sitting is being held in the tent within the premises of Parliament as part of temporary measures put in place by the leadership of the House to curtail any possible threats from Covid-19.

Earlier, Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin had disclosed that sitting will be virtual and as such only one-third of members are expected to be present in the chamber while others transact business from their offices.

But today, the House is expected to debate a motion moved on Wednesday, 20th January 2021 by MP for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga requesting the President to take urgent steps to absorb the fees of students of public tertiary education institutions for the 2020/2021 academic year.

Government is also being urged to extend support to accredited private universities as part of the national Covid-19 alleviation measures being implemented.

Source: MyJoyOnline.com