Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye and Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Asawase, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, is disputing the position of Parliament that two MPs and some 13 staff of Parliament have not tested positive for Covid-19.
The Minority Chief Whip was emphatic yesterday that the two MPs and the 13 staff had tested positive after the Speaker ordered mandatory testing of all MPs and staff of Parliament.
He told journalists at the precincts of Parliament that “it is indeed true that two MPs and 13 staff have contracted the disease,” and added that denial of the truth meant “stretching it.”
The NDC MP insisted that the report by the news portal was accurate and that it was not in the national interest for Parliament to deny what is true.
“In my view, it is not the right thing to flatly deny it. Let’s admit and tell the public the steps taken to reassure them that everything is safe and under control but not to lie about it,” he said, adding “it is a fact. One MP and one staff of Parliament tested positive for the virus for the Wednesday [edition] of the screening exercise, and another MP and 12 other parliamentary staff tested positive on Thursday.”
NDC Plan
DAILY GUIDE sources are claiming that the NDC is bent on stopping the new voters’ register compilation, and the Covid-19 issue is one of the tactics being deployed.
A source claims they want Parliament to stop operating if indeed there are confirmed cases among the MPs to fit into their plans of delaying any attempt to conduct voters’ register compilation.
Speaker’s Caution
On the Floor of Parliament yesterday, the Speaker, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye, called on the MPs not to dabble in ‘sensationalism’ regarding the Covid-19.
“We should show that we are not in a hurry to disclose names worthy of a headline, and in my view such sensationalism must stop because it might encourage stigmatization. When you sensationalize news you encourage stigmatization,” he pointed out.
“It is only for an individual to voluntarily put this in the public realm. And we are all learning from this as decent and honourable people. And this honourable House will follow that example,” Prof. Oquaye stressed.
His comments followed a presentation of statement on stigmatization by the NDC MP for Nabdam, Dr. Mark Kurt Nawaane, on the Floor of the House.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House