Speaker responds to Minority's concerns on bipartisan approach to COVID-19
The circumstances under which a letter, written by the Minority Leader in Parliament, Mr Haruna Iddrisu on how the spread of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) could be contained and was addressed to the Speaker, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye but was not first delivered to his office and found its way unto social media even before the Speaker received it has been described by Parliament as strange.
In a press statement, signed and issued by the Director of Public Affairs in Parliament, Kate Addo, the Parliamentary Service said the letter, dated March 20, 2020, which related to the Imposition of Restrictions Bill, 2020, had not still reached the office of the Speaker as of the morning of Tuesday, March 24, 2020.
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The letter was said to have been received at 12.40 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24
"It is very strange that a letter addressed to the Speaker has gone viral on social media and other sources, while the addressee is at a loss as to its content,” the Parliamentary Service stated.
Viral
“The Hon. Minority Leader knows the appropriate procedures for handling all matters in Parliament and it would have been 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."
Minority Leader’s letter
The Minority Leader, in the said letter dated March 20, 2020, suggested how Ghana could deal with COVID-19 and its associated challenges.
He also recommended the need for the Speaker to institute a bipartisan committee that would draw up plans to enable the country deal with the spread of the viral disease.
Due process
The statement said the letter addressed to the Speaker only came to light on Monday, 23, 2020 during a press briefing by the Speaker on what Parliament was doing to prevent the possible introduction and spread of Coronavirus in the House.
It said given the seriousness of the outbreak of COVID-19, the Speaker expected expeditious actions where the Minority Leader would have approached and conferred with the Speaker for necessary action.
The statement indicated that on Saturday, March 21, 2020, the Minority Leader was absent from the House.
Attached below is a copy of the statement