Parliament has been caught up in a web of controversy over the alleged Coronavirus (Covid-19) positive cases recorded in the House of Representatives. The controversy has been stirred by the Member for Asawase, Mohammed Muntaka, who has come out to debunk an earlier statement from the Public Affairs Department of the House that neither MP nor a staff has tested positive for the Covid-19.
The statement, signed by the Director of Public Affairs, Kate Addo, stated categorically that “the results of the tests are not yet known, and so the report by starrfmonline is not true. Parliament would, therefore, like to urge starrfmonline to pull down the said report, and update its audience with the relevant information to the effect that the results from the test are unknown to Parliament.”
The release added further that the confidentiality protocol of testing for COVID-19 was that those who test positive would be called directly by the testing team, and be taken through the necessary steps for quarantine and treatment.
“Officially Parliament is unaware of any such call, and has no official figures from the National COVID-19 Response Team,” the statement asserted.
Meanwhile, a disappointed Muntaka could not fathom the position taken by the August House to debunk reports of some of his colleagues testing positive. To him, the leadership should have met to discuss how to address the issue when the information leaked.
The House, after the meeting, could have then come out to inform the public that testing was still ongoing, and that the Ghanaians should remain calm till the process was over. This would have then given Parliament breathing space to think about the next line of action, instead of the outright denial.
“I’m worried about this, because the image of the institution is at stake, and I gave this analogy; if I Muntaka tested positive, the first I will speak to is my wife; I will tell my children; I will tell my parents, and I will tell my brothers. And then later they hear Parliament says there’s no COVID in Parliament, how would they see Parliament? It is not in our interest to do that,” he remarked.
He added that some of them called for the mass testing of Parliament, the Executive and Judiciary to deal with stigma, for people to see that the process was not a hell.
“So, to conceal this, for me, is an abominable offence, because it is not in the national interest to do that. Because, one, you will be endangering the lives of other Members of Parliament, other staff. You tell the people the truth, and the steps being taken,” he said.
According to Muntaka: “What (the results) you heard was for Wednesday – one MP, one staff. Thursday – one MP, twelve staff. Once the thing has leaked, if you ask me as a whip how I would have communicated this – I would have simply called the press that look, my brothers and sisters, we don’t have to create panic. Parliament is still testing, please be patient with us, by Friday we would have been done with the testing, and hopefully by Monday or Tuesday, I would have the full results, then we communicate to you officially the position of Parliament, and leave it at that.
“To deny, was to smear the institution, and, in my view, that was not in the national interest, so I had to speak in the national interest and tell the public that this is not true,” he asserted.
According to Muntaka, the leadership of Parliament was very much aware of the fact that some members and staff had tested positive and had been isolated, adding that, “and that was why the Speaker was to repeat the announcement…,” for the mass testing.
Meanwhile, he said the identities of the infected MPs and staff are not known, as was agreed, though he was of the view that, at least, the Chief Whips of both sides should have been told to know how to manage their members.
The development has ignited confusion among the public over who to believe, whether the MP or parliament itself.
The post Muntaka blows cover of Parliament appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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