The Member of Parliament for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the Speaker Alban Bagbin must be commended for showing leadership in the fight against covid-19 in Parliament.
According to him, the Speaker has shown courage and transparency towards the fight of covid in the legislature.
He said for the Speaker to put out the number of MPs and parliamentary staff who have tested positive is commendable.
Parliament will from next week sit twice after 15 MPs and 56 members of staff tested positive for covid-19.
The affected persons have been asked to self-isolate and undergo treatment.
Also, the immediate families are to be traced and tested to prevent re-infection.
“I make this statement today to formally inform honourable members of the COVID-19 situation in parliament and to update you of the results received so far from the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research on the testing of members and staff which ended yesterday.
The Institute has generously accepted to do a mop-up tomorrow Friday 5th February 2021. I want to urge members who haven’t taken the opportunity to do so to kindly do it tomorrow.
Reports from parliament’s medical centre reveal that 227 members submitted themselves for the test while others conducted their own tests at private medical facilities. I want to urge those who conducted their own tests at private medical facilities to submit the results of these tests to the director of the parliamentary medical centre.
Out of those who submitted themselves for the test in parliament, fifteen members of parliament tested positive for the virus. All the fifteen members have been conducted and advised to self-isolate. They have also been given prescriptions to facilitate their recovery.
Results of 193 staff received so far reveal that 56 of them tested positive for the virus. All the 56 staff have been contacted and advised to self-isolate. They have also been given prescriptions to
Commenting on this, Mr. Ablakwa wrote: ”Rt. Hon. Speaker Alban Bagbin deserves commendation for the leadership he has exhibited in fighting COVID-19 within the precincts of Parliament since assuming office. As I said on the floor today, his courage and transparency in putting out the numbers of MPs and staff infected will go a long way to address the challenge with stigma.
Cracking the whip on personal responsibility and obligations to self-isolate is another positive step.
His decision to reduce the number of meetings of the plenary and to pursue for testing all the household and other contacts of those infected is another refreshing development.
Hoping we shall soon get to the next level where as in other jurisdictions, Ghanaian politicians and other notable public personalities will be more open about their personal experiences with the corona.
Let us all in our little corners show greater responsibility, courage, respect for data and may we put the safety of the public ahead of other selfish considerations.
We shall win this battle together.
Please stay safe
By: Rainbowradioonline.com
