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Ghana has shut down its parliament for three weeks over the rising COVID-19 cases among lawmakers and staff.
No fewer than 17 members of parliament and 151 supporting staff have contracted the virus.
A surge in cases had forced the parliament to limit its sittings to Tuesdays and Thursdays, with entry permitted to only members and staff needed for those days.
Speaker of the House, Alban Bagbin, who announced the closure on Tuesday, said the legislature would be in recess until March 2 to make way for “disinfection and sanitisation of the premises.”
“I have, in consultation with leadership decided that sitting of the house be adjourned for three weeks,” Bagbin said.
According to the Speaker, the parliament’s appointments committee will continue to meet to consider the ministerial nominees of President Nana Akufo-Addo, who was re-elected in December.
The country has reported 73,003 cases of COVID-19 and 482 deaths since the pandemic began.