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Category: General

“It’s petty for MPs to renege on an occasion like this”—Speaker Oquaye

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs
Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye has said he feels petty for Members of Parliament who renege on coming to Parliament to pass a stimulus package for Ghanaians on Saturday.

He thanked members of the Majority side who were sitting on his right hand side who showed up in their numbers.

“We should be mindful of the fact that for very obvious reasons, the state is in an emergency and emergency measures including sacrifices are expected in such circumstances; some are laying down their lives so that others may live in hospitals and in homes. And throughout the World I pray that we would continue to show this kind of sense of patriotisms in the light of our present circumstances which is pleasing to all concern Ghanaians”.

Professor Oquaye further noted that if sacrifice is not shown to the nation now he does not know when again the House can die for the nation.

He noted that the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta has been ready to address the House on matters concerning financial implications and the present state of affairs but has to stop this for Monday, adding that sometimes we want to see him in the House to present papers and when he is ready to come to see to such matters which would bring about the appropriate response from MPs, it’s so petty for MPs to renege on such an occasion.

Another development is when MPs raise the issue of quorum, and stated that this does not give positive image about the House as it is obvious that the nation is standing at a moment of national emergency. It is a state of life and death and thanked the Majority side for showing up on Saturday morning, “we would continue at the service of our nation”.

Meanwhile, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu had indicated to the House two weeks ago that sitting on Saturdays are not part of their meeting days and in the wake of the coronavirus where MPs need to rest and boost their immune system he cannot guarantee that his side of the House would be coming to the House on Saturdays.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Saturday Meetings: “They are rather exposing us to COVID 19”—Dr. Ayine

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

Former Deputy Justice and Attorney General Minister, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine has taken a swipe at the Majority side of the House for rather exposing them to the Coronavirus infection by insisting that the House meets on Saturdays before the House goes on recess April 4, 2020.

According to him it is far from the truth that the Minority did not show up in the House to do Business because they are not patriotic.

Dr. Ayine noted in an interview that the House does not sit on Saturdays and there has to be a justifiable reason for the House to sit on Saturdays and a pressing Government Business that cannot wait.

He made this remarks in the wake of the Minister for Defense condemning the Minority for not showing up on Saturday and the Speaker Professor Oquaye feeling petty for the Minority Members for not showing up in this national crises.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Ghana’s Parliament observes national day of fasting and prayer

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

Parliament on Wednesday observed the National fasting and prayer during its proceedings declared by President Nana Akufo-Addo to be observed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship and Member of Parliament for Ho West, Emmanuel Kofi Bedzrah led the Christian prayer while the Muslim prayer was led by the Chairman of the Muslim Caucus, Inusah Fusenie, MP for Tamale Central.

The Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye asked God for forgiveness as he offered the closing prayer to mark the day.

According to the Speaker, there are two dominant religion in Ghana, Christians and Muslim, and they both observe fasting and prayer as part of their faith.
“The good book talks about if in times of crises his people would humble themselves and seek his face he would come to our aid”.

As at the time of writing this story yesterday, March 25, 2020, the Ghana Health Services had confirmed two deaths with ninety-three confirmed cases.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Minority Leader’s letter arrives on Tuesday 12:40pm

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs
Office of the Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye has reveled that the said memorandum written by the Minority Leader on last week Friday 20th March 2020 Emergency Bill 2020 with suggestions on how coronavirus should be handled through a joint national effort was received on Tuesday 24th March 2020 at 12:40pm.

Journalists at a media briefing of the Speaker on Monday afternoon questioned the Speaker if he had received a letter from the Minority Leader on suggestions on how to approach the curbing of the spread of the coronavirus.

In a statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs, Madam Kate Addo noted that the Speaker finds it strange that a letter addressed to him had gone viral on social media and other sources, and was at a loss of its content.

“Minority Leader knows the appropriate procedure for handling all matters in Parliament, and it would be most appropriate if these in-house channels had been explored rather than circulating the information in the media, especially since it is an internal memo”.

The statement noted that given the seriousness of the matter, the Speaker expected an expeditious action where the Minority Leader would have approached and conferred with the Speaker for necessary action.

As the Minority Leader was conspicuously absent on Saturday and Monday morning at 10:00am during the leadership conference for any comment, the Speaker noted that all concerned should take note that the issues contained in the said memo are issues that have been dealt with using due process and being done, “the interest of the citizens and the nation remains paramount”.

Professor Oquaye reminded Ghanaians that the country is in a state of emergency at the moment and Parliament will therefore proceed to do the business of the House as an emergency situation requires and want the cooperation of all well-meaning and patriotic MPs and Ghanaians to cooperate and to be inhibitive in any way against national interest.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

COVID-19: “Let us avoid panic and adhere strictly to advice”—Speaker Tunis

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

In the wake of the scourging effect of the coronavirus in the West African sub-region, Speaker of the Community Parliament, Rt. Honorable Sidie Mohamed Tunis has urged citizens to avoid any form of panic and face the situation boldly by adhering strictly to medical advice.

According to him, travel restrictions should be obeyed if there is no need to, as well as observing social distance and large gatherings with constant washing of hands with soap under running water, and use of hand sanitizer.

“Avoid fake news especially unscientific theories to the effect that COVID 19 does not affect Africans as tropical climate conditions have significant impact against it; they do not have scientific backing and should be immediately discarded”.

He further urged sub-region citizens to avoid self medication as the first port of call should be the hospital with experience of symptoms as there is no proof traditional medication can cure the disease, also no proof of overdose of chloroquine as a cure.

“Avoid complacency, especially comparing our ebola experience in 2014 to the current situation, while we are dealing with the virus, as in the case of Ebola, the characteristics of the present virus differs significantly from ebola”.

The speaker commended the sub-regional Governments for their proactive efforts by acting fast in putting in place measures that would help limit the spread of the virus, including travel restrictions imposed by countries hard hit by the disease, creation of isolation centers, and added that it shows how Governments want to address the scourge head-on.

He further underscored the need for Governments to make adequate provisions for the dedicated doctors, nurses and other medical personnel who put their lives on the line to respond to emergencies, urging them to make available the needed basic supplies especially hand gloves, facemask and protective jackets.

He has directed that all political activities of the ECOWAS Parliament be put on hold, including the Ad Hoc Committee on elections of Members by direct universal suffrage as they would continue to monitor the current situation as it unfolds to determine the appropriateness of holding the first Ordinary Session this year initially scheduled for the month of May.

The Speaker urged all to be steadfast and look forward as well as taking personal health as a primary concern as West Africans sharing common destiny. “We should remain optimistic that together we shall overcome this scourge and come out of it even stronger”.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Speaker Sidie Mohamed Tunis on Tuesday, March 24, 2020.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

COVID-19: Parliament would not shut down—Oquaye

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs
Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye has given clear indications that parliament would not shut down and backed his stand on the fact that parliament is recalled to attend to emergencies even when the House is on recess.

His declaration follows continues pressure from the Minority for the house to suspend sittings and lockdown in the face of the corona virus outbreak.

“If we should go on holiday tomorrow, we would be recalled anytime so we should be on the alert and we expect the media to cooperate with us and let our country men and women know this” the Speaker added.

He again urged the media to advice members of the general public who do not have serious business to perform in the House not come to the House, “those who use this House as a tour fair should stop”.

“Our proceedings can be followed on our internet sources; facebook, website and we hope we can publish as much as possible what we are doing to curb the spread of the virus. We would not reduce this to politics, we have a nation to build if you have a good suggestions bring it on board for us to do something for our nation”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Facemask wearing: “I have the power to deal with non-complying staff” — Oquaye

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye has served the strongest of warning that he would deal with any member of staff who disobey his directive on measures meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus including wearing of facemasks.

According to him, he would ask any member of staff who disobey these directives to proceed on leave should it come to his attention.

“I have got the power to deal with the workers and for the MPs anyone who disagree with me let him or her do so, but it is my duty to bring the best of global practices to this House I consult my experts and doctors again I do listen to global development and consult my leaders on this I would not renege”.

He made this remarks on Monday when he had an encounter with a section of journalists in Parliament House to deal with some misinformation that has gone on to Ghanaians on measures he is putting in place currently as Parliament in the wake of the spread of the coronavirus.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

COVID-19: “I have not seen any memo from Haruna”—Prof. Oquaye

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs
Speaker of Parliament has denied categorically seeing any memo from the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu giving suggestions on how to fight corona virus, “I have not seen any letter from the Minority”, he lamented.

“Let me also say, we meet regularly every Monday before the House sits. This morning I met with the Majority Leader and Chief Whip, from the Minority side, we had madam Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah, the Minority Leader has not been here neither Saturday”.

Professor Oquaye noted that if the Minority Leader had any good thing he could even tell him, and he was willing to accept any suggestions from any quarters especially from the Minority Leader in the House.

He expressed shock about a memo from the Minority in the media of which he is not aware of and hoped the Minority Leader is not keeping it away from him as a media secret. “I am shock at the mention of it before two gentlemen mention it this morning. There must be something in it I do not know of and I do not see why such a document should be kept away from me”.

He made this remarks on Monday when he had a media briefing with journalists at his conference room on the fight against corona virus.

In addition, he noted that he has good reasons he want to limit himself to the parameters of Parliament which he has mandate until the end of this year as this is the peoples House and I would like the cooperation of the people, and further advocated for Ghanaians to do something which goes beyond politics.

“We cannot do politics with every inch of grass in our country, let us think Ghana to save our Republic, in my mind I would do what matters most for Ghana”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Speaker brief media on preparation to combat corona

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs
Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye on Monday briefed a selected media in Parliament on preparation being put in place so far to ensure that there is no spread of Coronavirus in the House.

Due to the limited space of the Speaker’s conference room, only a limited number of journalists in the House were invited to this press briefing.

He started by saying there are speculation out there as to why in this emergency times Parliament is still sitting. “There are matters of national importance which had to be tackled, whether it is war of weapon, disease, therefore we need to explain some of these for the public to understand”.

Also this is the House of the people where we enact a lot of laws and the public should know what we are doing for them, and pointed out that the media sees lawmakers wear facemask so we need to explain to the public.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Ten MPs and five staff of Parliament in self quarantine—Oquaye

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs
Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye has revealed that ten (10) Members of Parliament and five (5) members of staffs who returned from official assignment abroad are currently in self quarantine.

Eight more has been revealed making ten to the already two initially mentioned on the floor of the House.

At a media briefing at the Speaker’s conference room on Monday journalists question the Speaker on the identity of the MPs in self-quarantine, but he told the media not to expect him to reveal the identity of the eight lawmakers.

“It is not done, they are under the supervision and advice of our medical doctor names and details are not issued just like that, this should tell you that we are handling this matter in a professional way”

The Majority Leader Osei-Kyei who revealed the names of the other two lawmakers on the floor of the House came in to explain that it was difficult to locate one of the lawmakers who had returned from abroad hence the identify was revealed.

The Speaker further noted that the self-quarantine is not punitive but rather for the lawmakers and staffs to protect themselves, their families and guests who visit parliament.

In addition, Parliament fumigated the whole parliamentary enclave on Sunday from morning to evening and was supervised by marshal, clerk and doctor of Parliament, the speaker said.

“Notice is all around parliament to prevent the spread of COVID-19, even the conference room that use to be cold is being kept warm per the advice of our doctor, unfortunately we have not cordon off the premises of Parliament, that is why we are advocating to have our own kind of enclave to keep us secured as much as possible”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com
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