“It is true as the Majority Leader has just stated that we are not safe. Even in the House, some members are afflicted by COVID-19,” Mr. Bagbin said on the Floor of the House on Friday, January 29, 2021.
“When I was entering, I myself had to signal some members to respect the physical distancing protocols,” the Speaker said.
Mr Bagbin also noted that a medical team has been brought to Parliament to screen MPs.
However, according to him, over 60 MPs have not availed themselves for testing.
The Speaker therefore threatened to publicly mention the names of those who have failed to undertake the test if they do not make the efforts.
He had already expressed displeasure at the reluctance of some MPs to get tested.
He gave those who hadn’t tested a one-day ultimatum on January 26.
Testing of the MPs begun last week.
Due to the upsurge of COVID-19 cases in the country, Parliament has been compelled to hold proceedings in the tent stationed on the precincts of the house.
Ghana has recorded 13 more deaths from COVID-19 infections since the last update, bringing total fatalities to 390, as of January 25, 2021.
The active cases stood at 3,940 after 625 new cases were recorded in six out of 16 regions.
Dr Patrick Kumah-Aboagye, Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, who announced this at a media briefing in Accra on Thursday, said the daily average cases stood at 600.
The country’s cumulative cases stood at 63,883 after more than 757,000 tests.
The GHS boss said it had stepped up Contact Tracing across the 16 regions, with 330 contact tracers in the Greater Accra Region, which managed to contact 8,679 people.
Dr Kumah-Aboagye expressed worry over the increasing workplace infections, and urged managers of both public and private companies and organizations, to enhance observation of COVID-19 etiquettes at the various workplaces.
Dr Kumah-Aboagye noted that” referral of patients to a public health laboratory for COVID-19 testing is free”.