The Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye, has given the assurance that the House would consolidate Covid-19 safety protocols on Thursday, when the Finance Minister will deliver the mid-year review budget.
He explained that the measures were in conformity with the national and World Health Organisation established protocols for the prevention and spread of the Covid-19.
The Speaker gave the assurance on Wednesday, in Accra, a day ahead of the presentation of the mid-year review budget.
He detailed a number of measures, which he said were agreed upon in consultation with the Leadership of the House.
These include free sitting in the Chamber, where members would sit on alternative seats, restricted number of journalists in the press gallery, no admittance of visitors in the House, and no crowd will be allowed outside the Chamber area.
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The number of journalists that would be allowed in the gallery, the Ghana News Agency learned, is 25.
To ensure free sitting, name tags on seats would be removed and members may only sit alternatively such that there will be an empty seat between every two members seated.
Members who are unable to find seats may sit at the public gallery where no others will be admitted, to follow proceedings, or monitor the presentation from their offices.
The Speaker reminded the public that the protocols that debarred visitors to the House remained in force, and advised them to watch the proceedings from their homes, as the programme would be aired on both state and private media.
He urged the Public Affairs Department and the Parliamentary Press Corps to ensure social distancing; and journalists who may want to cover the event to get the news from the Press Corps or from the live broadcasts on radio and television.
Speaker Oquaye stressed that social distancing was imperative and directed the Marshall and Security Department to ensure the protocols were complied with on the day of the presentation and the debates that would follow in the days after.
He urged the legislators to strictly comply with the protocols for their own safety and that of their colleagues and be good examples for the citizenry.
GNA
