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Category: General
MPs and staff of Parliament begin testing for COVID-19
As early as 9:00am on Wednesday, 20th May 2020 before the House started its 10:00am sitting as direct by Speaker Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye lawmakers from both side of the House and staffs of Parliament has started testing against COVID-19.
The Speaker under the direction of the Parliamentary Service Board yesterday directed all staff and Members of Parliament to make themselves available for testing against COVID-19.
As early as 7:30am the staff were seen seated in the foyer of Parliament waiting for the medical staff of Parliament’s clinic to start the testing exercise they have been directed to undertake.
Members of Parliament (MPs) as early as 8:30am were seen queuing for their turn to be tested as directed by the Speaker.
MPs were given the privilege to take their test quickly, while members of staffs were seen struggling among themselves to get their testing done as quickly as possible so that they can get back to continue with their works.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com
Speaker directs Chairpersons of Committees to facilitate completion of works
Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye has urged chairpersons of various Committees of the House to collaborate to complete the tall order of work in the second meeting of the fourth session of the seventh Parliament of the fourth Republic.
He appealed to them to facilitate timeous completion of works on all referrals to the respective Committees.
In his welcome address, the Speaker indicated that plans are underway to mark the official conclusion of an important partnership to coincide with the official launch of a strategic plan for Parliament 2020-2024.
He announced to the House that the Parliamentary Service Board has approved of a new clerk-to the House Mr. Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah at its 23rd regular meeting held on Thursday 7th May 2020.
He also directs leaders to ensure that there is one space (one chair apart) during sitting, adding that when there is an overflow, the whips would decide what to do.
“As we commence work for the meeting may I request MPs to continue to give up their utmost best and be punctual to all official engagements of the House.
Let us demonstrate in every way we are ready to work like soldiers at war for Mother Ghana, we shall face every emergency and responds to every call to duty never draw back as we support the Executive in the work of Ghana”.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com
Members of Parliament, staffs to be tested for COVID-19 — Speaker
Speaker of Parliament Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye has urged Members of Parliament (MPs) to cooperate with him as the House takes measures to test lawmakers against the spread of COVID-19.
He further added that members of staff would also be tested for virus and assured that all the necessary protocols would be adhered to by the House when he welcome lawmakers back for the second start of the second meeting.
Supporting the Speaker, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu emphasised the need to observe social distance and observe the needed protocols.
Again, “we are concerned of the growing numbers, we need to know if we are at the peak and we would not trade the health of our citizens; we should have discussions on post COVID-19”.
The Majority Leader urged his colleagues in the Minority to try and observe social distance and he did not see that with the Minority front beach when he gave his welcome remarks.
Mr. Ras Mubarak on his part appealed to the Majority Leader Osei-Kyei to consider a virtual parliament as the House is talking about physical distance and in view of the impending mid-year review of the budget.
“We should have a situation where MPs can contribute to debate from their offices, we do not want to see the chamber being full when it comes to presentation of midyear review we have the chamber being full”.
Professor Oquaye noted that the idea was good but members should bear in mind that the House per its standing order needs to form a quorum and there are MPs who would raise the issue of quorum.
Mr. Joseph Osei-Owusu first Deputy Speaker of the House before adjourning the House announced to the House that testing begins today Wednesday.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com
B5 Plus Ltd donates free oxygen to hospitals
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Ghana needs a structural reform in the legal education sector—Kulendi
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Parliament to consider 36 bills as the House resumes today
The second meeting of the Fourth Session of the seventh Parliament is scheduled to start today Tuesday 19th May 2020, and the House is expected to be presented with thirty-six bills.
These Bills include Affirmative Action Bill, 2020, Criminal Offences (Amendment) Bill,2020, National Ambulance Service (Amendment) Bill 2020, Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2020 and Borrowers and Lenders Bill, 2020 etc.
Currently, there are eighteen Bills at the Committee level and are expected to be worked on during this meeting. Among them are, Public Universities Bill, 2020 (Committee on Education), Intestate Succession Bill, 2018 (Committee on Constitutional Legal and Parliamentary Affairs), Conduct of Public Officers Bills 2018 (Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs), Legal Profession (Amendment) Bill 2018 (Committee on Constitutional Legal and Parliamentary Affairs), Exemptions Bill 2019 (Finance Committee.
The Ghana Cocoa Board (Amendment) Bill, 2017 which is with the Committee on Constitutional Legal and Parliamentary Affairs will be taken through a second reading.
Whiles the Educational Regulatory Bodies Bill 2019, Pre-Tertiary Education Bill, 2019 the Land Bill, 2018 among others are at the consideration stage.
In a statement by the Director of Public Affairs, Madam Kate Addo, she noted that motions, debates and statements would be admitted by the Speaker during this meeting as sector Ministers are also expected to attend upon the House and answer questions pertinent to their ministries.
“Parliament would like to assure Ghanaians that the House will observe the social distancing protocols during this meeting”.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com
Supreme Court nominee sorry for endorsing Prez Akufo-Addo
Nominee to the Supreme Court, Justice Clemence Jackson Honyenuga, who caused an uproar with his endorsement of President Akufo-Addo earlier this year, has recanted his statement.
According to him, the speech he delivered that has received so much condemnation was not a personal opinion but the sentiment of the paramount chiefs in the South Afadjato district of the Volta Region where he is a traditional ruler.
He indicated that he was nominated by his peers to read the statement during President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s visit to the area.
He expressed regret over the matter and offered an unqualified apology.
“I am sorry. Let’s forget about it,” he stated.
Justice Honyenuga rated President Akufo-Addo highly for perceived developmental policies for the country while addressing the durbar last February, with the President in attendance.
“With the vision of the President and the gains made in his first term, Ghanaians may consider giving him another four years,” Justice Honyenuga said at the durbar.
His comment generated a lot of discussions on social media with many people criticizing his conduct.
Many also argued his endorsement of the President earned him the nomination to the Supreme Court and not his competence.
However when Justice Honyenuga appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Monday 11th May 2020 for vetting, he offered an apology for his statements.
According to him, misrepresentations in the reportage by the media with respect to the venue of the durbar and the occasion served as basis for confusion.
The event, he said, was a durbar of chiefs and people held at the district capital and not at the Nyagbo Traditional Area as reported in the media.
He was nominated as custom demanded to read the speech of the Chiefs. He argued that the chiefs were looking for developments for their respective traditional areas, which has been happening for years in the country.
He said, “This was a group of paramount chiefs and it was a special occasion when the President had visited the district. I made the statement on their behalf.”
“Our understanding was that we were wishing him well, and such things have been happening all the time and for years, since the colonial times.”
“If some people out of political dissatisfaction of whatever I have read affect them, then I’m sorry. Just forget about it,” he stated.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com
Minority clash with Vetting Committee Chairman
Minority members on the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Monday clashed with the Chairman of the Committee when he stopped a nominee from responding to a question.
Chairman of the Committee and also First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu, halted a question from Member of Parliament from North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa to the Supreme Court nominee, Justice Clemence Jackson Honyenuga.
The MP had quizzed the neutrality of the Supreme Court nominee who endorsed President Akufo-Addo at a durbar in February, which he described as very political contrary to expectation of the office he occupies.
Mr. Okudzeto had sought clarification from the nominee, when in an earlier response he suggested the media had misrepresented his speech.
Justice Honyenuga stated that contrary to a report by the state media, the Daily Graphic, the occasion was a durbar of Chiefs to welcome the President to the Afadjato South District capital and not an event at the Nyagbo Traditional Area, where he is the Paramount Chief.
According to him, the speech he delivered was a statement on behalf of the Chiefs who nominated him for that duty and not an expression of personal opinion.
Mr. Ablakwa, however, expressed surprise at the claims of misrepresentation and indicated that the transcription and audio-visuals of the entire address suggest differently.
Referencing from the speech, the North Tongu legislature stressed it was in breach of the Code of Conduct for Judges, sections of which demand impartiality and refraining from publicly endorsing or opposing another candidate for political office.
“Here you are on the 18th of February 2020 endorsing the President. How do you reconcile your conduct with the rules under the Code of Conducts for judges and magistrates,” he quizzed?
The Chairman, however, directed the nominee not to respond to the question, much to the chagrin of the Minority members on the Committee.
He said, “My Lord, please don’t answer it. I am refusing to admit this question because he has explained reading the speech not for the traditional area he represented. He was nominated to read the speech on behalf of the others. For that reason it will be difficult to pin that on him as a personal opinion.”
The directive did not, however, go down well and Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, expressed his side’s dissatisfaction of the development.”
“This is a high judicial office and the nominee is very capable; you should allow him to vindicate himself with an answer to the question.”
He stressed that the Minority might be forced to come by way of procedure because of the directive, which would be difficult.
He said, “Let’s do a fair job to him and the office he is to occupy. There are audios and the public have access to them but to disallow the question, you will be making it difficult for us to perform our duties.”
“We are to assess him in respect of his judicial oath and in respect of his conduct and character as a person to the high office of a judge. We take strong objection to your ruling on this matter,” he added.
The Minority members thereafter vacated their seats but returned a while later to resume with the vetting.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com
COVID-19 Pandemic: “Gov’t must desist from giving false hope”—Minority
The Minority in Parliament has urged the President Nana Akuffo-Addo led government to desist from providing false hope on the COVID-19 pandemic to Ghanaians that the situation is under control by using its management of information as a cover up.
According to the Minority, it is an insult to the intelligence of Ghanaians when the rate of infection keeps rising up and added that what the President and his team must understand is that the issue is beyond public relations gimmick.
“It is not for a person to be egoistic or feel high when addressing the nation, we in the Minority do not want to tolerate any failure as this would cost lives despite assurance from the President; our health facilities remain very stretched”, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu said at a press conference.
Again, Mr. Iddrisu noted that apart from vitamin C being given to patients isolated at the GA East Hospital they are not getting any support from government and government must come clean and be transparent with data on Ghanaians infected with the COVID-19.
“PPEs should be made available, sufficient and adequate in quantities across the country to all health professionals. They cannot face the weeks ahead without adequate health equipments”.
Meanwhile the Minority is demanding accountability of funds towards the fight against the coronavirus spread as it points out that NADMO claims it was spending two million cedis a day on feeding without any mention of the number of Ghanaians being fed.
“Let us know the number of Ghanaians you are feeding, we can do a simple mathematics, if you were spending hundred or two hundred on a person tell us how much you spend daily, and the category of people you spend on in the interest of full transparency”.
Mr. Iddrisu further noted, the Minority would demand full disclosure through a thorough audit of all funds received.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com