The Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye has ordered testing of all MPs and staff of parliamentary service for COVID-19 as sitting resumes.

Some MPs had questioned the decision by the Speaker for the House to resume sitting amid the Covid-19 pandemic. But in his welcome address, Prof. Oquaye charged the lawmakers to see themselves as soldiers on the battle line for the country in the war against the virus.

Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu on his part demanded that the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta be made to present a revised budget for 2020 given the economic impact of the Covid-19.

According to him, all approvals given by parliament for extra expenses as a result of the pandemic do not come with enough accountability checks. The Tamale South MP further demanded that the chairperson for the Electoral Commission Mrs Jean Mensah be made to brief the house on the impending elections given the health crisis the country finds itself in.

Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu agreed the EC must brief parliament on preparations for the December 7 polls which according to him cannot be postponed given the failure of the 1992 constitution to address situations of such nature.

Ghana on Tuesday recorded 183 more cases of COVID-19 taking the country’s case count to 5,918, according to latest figures released by the Ghana Health Service.

Two more people have been confirmed dead from the deadly virus taking the death toll to 31. There have been no new recoveries as the number still stands at 1,754.

 

Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM