The Minority in Parliament has declined to support the Imposition of Restrictions Bill, 2020 aimed at helping to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ghana under a certificate of urgency.
The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Ms Gloria Afua Akuffo, on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 laid the Imposition of Restrictions Bill, 2020 before Parliament.
The bill, which is to back President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's directives on measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 in Ghana, is intended to provide a legislative framework, in consonance with the Constitution, for the imposition of restrictions as a quick and effective means of intervention to address emergencies.
However, the Minority in Parliament has indicated that they cannot support the Bill under a certificate of urgency.
The Graphic Online understands the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Ms Gloria Akuffo is in Parliament Thursday afternoon meeting the Constitutional and Legal Committee of Parliament, praying that it should approve the Restrictions Bill to be considered under a certificate of urgency.
The Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah in a tweet said: "Unfortunately, the minority has declined to support the view that the bill be considered under a certificate of urgency."
The Graphic Online's reporter in Parliament, Nana Konadu Agyeman reported that the Minority's argument was that the Bill was not an urgent one on the grounds that it failed to focus on measures that would be instituted to deal with the outbreak of Coronavirus in Ghana.
Contrary, it argued that the Bill was intended to give the President “overbroad powers” to restrict freedom of movement, freedom of speech and freedom of thought.
“So we cannot allow the Bill to override Chapter 5 of the Constitution because it is a general restriction of freedom in Ghana,” they said.
Addressing the press outside Parliament Thursday afternoon, the Chairman of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee of Parliament, Dr Dominic Ayine said, “Not because we do not want the President to adopt measures to address the Coronavirus pandemic but let it be known to all Ghanaians that the Minority support the taking of measures that are narrowly-tailored in dealing with Coronavirus pandemic," the Graphic Online's Agyeman reported.
The Bill is intended to provide a legislative framework in consonance with the Constitution for the imposition of restrictions as a quick and effective means of intervention to address emergencies.
It is also to provide power to the President to impose restrictions on persons in the event of disaster, emergency or similar circumstance to ensure public safety and protection, as well as in the interest of defence, public health among others.
The Second Deputy Speaker, Mr Alban Bagbin, referred it to the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee for consideration and report to the House.
more to follow...
Source: Daily Graphic
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Has the NDC party ever supported anything that's in the interest of Ghanaian people before. Health insurance they boycotted parliament you and, free shs they said it 419,Drones they said it will take naked pictures of women, NBCO they said it can not be possible, . Look at this, every social intervention that is benefiting Ghana people was introduced by the NPP. list them now
Do you people think at all or you are just following your NPP government stupiiiiidly. Probably you should wait and read the entire bill before writing such comments.
Look at their faces, do you have Ghanaians interest in your heart at all? 3d!ots
May the virus visit the homes of the ndc in Jesus name ! We call upon God in humility to send his angels to mark all doors of Ghanaians with the blood of Jesus and send healing to those marked homes and leave ndc homes for they dont belong to Ghana. Enemies of Ghana! May their evil intentions visit them ! Wicked, callous, cruel and evil ndc and the most sad thing is ndc mps come from the most poorest among the poor constituencies but they always resist good things for their people.
NDC IS JUST EXHIBITING WHAT IS THEIR DNA.ALL THEY ARE MEANT TO DO IS TO OPPOSE ANYTHING GOOD AND SUPPORT EVIL. HENCE THE ARE INCONSISTENT AND UNPRINCIPLED.
What good thing that will benefit Ghana, has NDC EVER SUPPORTED? EVIL paety that only supports CRWAT, LOOT & SHARE!
ndc ne gyimie them ***barred word*** aaaa I some times wonder the kind of people that follow these an1mals. government must ignore these nation wrecking brigade and go ahead to pass the bill, left to these ediots the negative side of things should happen so that they can have some thing to do propaganda, enkwasiafour party
This NDC paa de3 if they come to power Ghana will be hell. ***barred word*** paa ni?
Government do not need minority support pass restriction Bill. This is national emergency and every measures must be put in place control spreading of Covid-19 Virus.
It seems NDC is more concerned about the rigging of the 2020-elections by the NPP-Administration, and the EC than the fatal danger the coronavirus poses to our life as a Nation. If that is the case, and what NDC wants us to believe, then, I would suggest that we postpone the 2020-election to 2024 and allow the President pro bonus four-year term of one. After all, he is doing marvelously well and NDC, as it stands now, can never be a better alternative in terms of good Governance and competent management of the economy. I'm confident NDC would be more comfortable with this solution than the rig-phobia stance it had ardently taken to the 2020-elections. Just look at their faces in the picture above and you would agree with my suggestion.