Kanawu Radio number 1 news portal
Parliament has passed the Imposition of Restrictions Bill, 2020 to give strong legal backing to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s directives to deal with the devastating threats posed by Coronavirus in the country.
The Act will vest the President with the powers to impose restrictions on persons in the event of disasters and emergencies in the interest of public safety, health and protection.
It will also provide the legal framework in dealing with cases of affront to the collective integrity of the country, particularly to the defence and disruptions in the running of essential services.
Amendments
The passage of the Bill came after it had undergone intensive two-day amendments since it was laid before the House on March 18, 2020 under a certificate of emergency in accordance with Article 21 (4) (c) and (d) of the Constitution.
The green light given the Bill followed the approval by the House last Friday that Bill was of an urgent nature in accordance with Article 106 (3) of the Constitution and Order 119 of the Standing Orders of the House.
Prior to its passage, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Ms Gloria Akuffo, moved the motion for it to be read the third time and it was seconded by the Chairman of the Constitution, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Ben Abdallah Banda.
Good legislation
Moving the motion for its third reading, Ms Akuffo said acknowledged the concerns that had been expressed about the Bill since it was first laid.
She said she understood the concerns lack of reference of Coronavirus in the memorandum that accompanied the Bill but explained that the legislation was not all about dealing with the disease today.
“Putting this concerns in the Bills is not what the Bill is about. The emphasis is creating a Bill for legislation that will deal not only with the risk that our country has been exposed to presently but also in the future.
“Mr Speaker, I can assure the House that by the time we are done we will all feel proud that we have done a piece of work that will serve our country well in the future, and that comfort will be found in the proposed amendments that the House approves of,” she said.
