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
