We Can’t Publicize MPs Covid-19 Results, It May Cause Stigmatization – Speaker

The Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Prof Aaron Mike Ocquaye, has chided persons involved in fuelling speculations on the Covid-19 status of the Members of Parliament (MPs) following their mandatory testing last week.

The Speaker said, no individual has been given the mandate to publicly declare the Covid-19 status of the MPs considering the consequences.

"You cannot unilaterally put into the public realm that a person is positive, let everybody know this, let every lady and gentleman, every person know this in this Republic, and it has been well stated in this Honourable House. You cannot unilaterally put in the public realm that a person is positive."

The speaker’s comments comes at the back of contradictions from leadership in parliament on the results from the mandatory testing of MPs.

While a statement from parliament debunked reports about some two MPs being infected with the disease, the Minority Chief Whip, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka insists the speculations are true.

Muntaka said, two of his fellow MPs and 13 parliamentary staff have tested positive for the Covid-19 disease.

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The speaker commenting on the issue said, putting out names of covid-19 infected MPs, might be sensationalized by the media, which may cause stigmatization.

“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 House will follow that kind of example. That’s our public duty…We should show that we are not in a hurry to disclose names worthy of a headline and it is my view that such sensationalism which is going on must stop because they rather encourage stigmatization. When you sensationalize the news, you encourage stigmatization,” the Speaker of Parliament said.