The Parliament of Ghana has introduced a compulsory body scan at the entrance of the Chamber as part of efforts to beef up security in the House.
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, announced the new feature while outlining the various security measures to be implemented at the Parliament House on November 16, 2022.
He explained that the measures to increase security are for the good of members, staff and visitors given the times the country finds itself.
“It’s compulsory for all members, including me, Speaker, to pass through the machine to be scanned before we enter the Chamber of Parliament.
“All strangers who intend to come in, whether to the public gallery, the press gallery, or to the important visitors’ gallery, are to pass through the scanning machine. It’s for your own good that we want to implement this rule,” he said.
The Speaker stressed that individuals who refuse to subject themselves to a body scan would not be granted access to the House.
“So please, starting tomorrow, any person who is not willing to pass through this machine will not be allowed to enter this chamber.”
The Marshall’s Office in the House is also considering the idea of banning the use of mobile phones by journalists in the press gallery.
This is a move that members of the Parliamentary Press Corps have vehemently opposed.
The journalists say they cannot do their work if they are not allowed to use their phones and therefore threatened to boycott parliamentary proceedings.
Parliament has, however, temporarily suspended the decision.