Debates of 2 Mar 2005

MR. SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:05 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:05 a.m.
MOTIONS 10:05 a.m.
Mr. Kojo Armah (CPP - Evalue- Gwira) 10:05 a.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Budget Statement for 2005.
Over the past few weeks this nation has heard three different speeches from the Government. The first one was during the Inaugural Address which His Excellency the President called on the youth of this country to take advantage of these opportunities being opened to them. The second one was the Message to the Nation where His Excellency the President also assured the nation that these were exciting times and a time for us to be proud as Ghanaians.

During that debate, Mr. Speaker, many issues were raised; some questioned the depth of the State of the Nation Address; some even thought it was not good enough. But in the course of debates the hon. Minister for Education and Sports who moved the motion assured us that it was only one of three or four documents with which the Government was going to work and that the Budget would give us the details of what the President's vision is.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 10:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, my hon. Friend is misleading this House by saying that he has endorsed the President's saying that these are exciting times and that he sees this Budget as a “budget of hope”. Is he trying to tell us as a Convention People's Party (CPP) element that these times are better than when President Nkrumah launched his seven-year development programme - issues which were vehemently opposed by the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) tradition -- Is that what he is telling us? Then he is not a good CPP man.
Mr. Speaker 10:05 a.m.
Hon. Member, you know you are out of order. Let him continue.
Mr. Armah 10:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the point I
am trying to make is that this country must move forward. Any time we are talking about the economy and development in this country, people are very quick to compare this country to the so-called Asian Tigers - Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and all those countries with which all of us started at the same
Mr. E. T. Mensah 10:05 a.m.
My hon. Friend is further misleading this House that we started with the Asian Tigers, he must locate these things in the right perspective. The Malaysians started their development based on socialism. The country has been governed by the same political party to date but has had three Prime Ministers over the period. So he cannot compare Malaysia with us; we have gone through several changed hiccups and things like that. So I think that he is misleading this House. So he should locate the things in the right perspective.
Mr. Speaker 10:05 a.m.
Hon. Member, you would be given time to contribute, if you so wish after him.
Mr. Armah 10:15 a.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do hope that the hon. Member is not being haunted by his past. [Uproar.] Mr. Speaker, what is “Malaysian Tigers”? While the Asian Tigers were spending time in the forty-eight years of their independence to do research and apply research and technology to development, we in this country used most of our time to organize demonstrations, organize coups d'etat and then change in administration.
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am rising on a point of order. The hon. Member has made a statement which is very disturbing and I would want him to
withdraw it. He said, and I quote:

Mr. Speaker, I do not know of any group which is organizing coups d'etat, neither do I want to believe that anybody in this country, especially in this honourable House, would be making statements that suggest throwing away the Constitution of Ghana. Because to organize a coup d'etat means this House will be dissolved. Mr. Speaker, I think that he must withdraw that word as decorum to this House.
Mr. Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Hon. Member for
Evalue-Gwwira, kindly proceed.
Mr. Armah 10:15 a.m.
Thank you. I appreciate
the youthfulness of our hon. Friend; but you would also appreciate that there can never be any coup d'etat that is not organized and planned for; it does not matter who does it. My position is that any time we have had a coup d'etat in this country, we have gone back in our development. It does not matter which area it came from; I have not pinpointed any particular group.
Mr. Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Hon. Member for
Jomoro?
Mr. Lee Ocran 10:15 a.m.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker. I was not going to react to his constant reminder of coups d'etat. But I want to tell the hon. Member that South Korea under President Park Chunghee, a coup maker, was able to succeed. It does not matter; we need a coup maker with
Mr. Nyaunu 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise
on a point of order. Mr. Speaker, if the hon. Member had just made a general statement, I think that it would have been acceptable. But I think that there is something personal in the submission he has made.
First of all he said the hon. Member for Ningo Prampram is haunted by his past. Then he went on to make allusions to coups d'etat. It means that he is linking the hon. Member to coups d'etat; it is no more a general statement and I do not think that it should be so. I am therefore rising on a point of order and to crave your indulgence to ask him to withdraw the statement and apologize.
Mr. Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Hon. Member, I am not
too sure of what he said. Hon. Member for Evalue-Gwira, what was the point you were making?
Mr. Armah 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the point I
was making was that if the hon. Member for Prampram is being haunted by the past - I recall that I used the word “his” which was not intended - I was talking about the past because I know that he was the key operator in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Regime and possibly the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC) Regime. But I am not alluding to him as a coup maker or a coup planner. It is a general statement that I am making that our past, the general practice of coup-making has done a lot of harm to our development effort and therefore if we are not going forward this, I believe, is the problem.
What I am trying to say is that if now, after twelve years of constitutional rule, good governance is being made a benchmark, it is good for us all to support
Mr. E. T. Mensah 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, on a
point of order. Mr. Speaker. I take strong objection to the aspect that I am being haunted by my past. President Kufuor was appointed first as PNDC Secretary in the early days and then appointed - toward the end of 1983. And if he wants to talk about coup- making, he should check his facts correctly because in 1958 when Ghana was less than one year old - the R. R. Amponsahs and whatnot, who were the ones behind it? So I take strong objection to that and I want him to withdraw. I demand that he should withdraw that aspect that I am being haunted by my past. I take strong objection to that.
Mr. Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Hon. Member, you referred to “being haunted by the past”. What is it? What is it in relation to -- I do not know.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 10:15 a.m.
He said that my past -- and he linked that to coups, that I was being haunted by my past because - He even stated that I was an active participant, key operator, and that is why I said I was only a Metro Chief Executive and the current President was a Minister for Local Government in that Regime. So I am demanding that he should withdraw that aspect that I am being haunted by my past with reference to coups. My Friend, J. A. also is here; he was also a Minister in that Regime.
Mr. Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Hon. Member for Evalue-Gwira, did you mention anybody by name?
Mr. Armah 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I referred
Mr. Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Hon. Member, I
asked you a question as to whether you mentioned anybody by name.
Mr. Armah 10:15 a.m.
I did not, Mr. Speaker.
I did not mention him by name.
Mr. Speaker 10:15 a.m.
I did not understand
the point you were making on that at all. Yes, Hon. Chief Whip?
Mr. John Tia 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, by our
Standing Orders, we refer to each other either by name or by saying “the hon. Colleague opposite”. So once he said his Colleague Member for Ningo Prampram constituency, then he is identifying the person because it is only one person. I think that is the problem, so he should withdraw and apologize to the hon. Member.
Mr. Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Over to you, hon. Member for Evalue-Gwira.
Mr. Armah 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in the interest of consensus building, I am ready to withdraw that bit of my statement and apologize to the hon. Member. [Hear! Hear!] Mr. Speaker, but the essence of the point I am driving at -
Mr. J. A. Ndebugre 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. Mr. Speaker, it is just logical that if the hon. Member who had the floor had been compelled to withdraw the reference he made to the hon. Deputy Minority Chief Whip or the hon. Member for Prampram, the hon. Deputy Minority Chief Whip should withdraw that aspect of his point of order that His Excellency the President and my goodself were also members of some government and therefore - [Interruptions.]
Mr. Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Order!
Mr. Ndebugre 10:25 a.m.
I am on a point of
order. I am saying that he had imputed -- I cannot speak for His Excellency President Kufuor but I am in this House by the grace of God and by the grace of my constituents, and not by the grace of some “coup government”. Therefore, for him to say that the hon. Member for Evalue-Gwira was wrong simply because he was only a Metro Chief Executive and that His Excellency the President and I were even Ministers and that shows that we were more connected to coup-making than he was -- He must withdraw that.

Mr. Speaker, to make myself clear, the coup d'etat took place on the 31st December, 1981 when I was doing a contract in Nigeria -- It is because of my ability to stabilise situations that I was called to come in and help - [Interruption.] Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member should withdraw the statement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker 10:25 a.m.
Hon. Member for
Zebilla, you have had more than an ample time to explain your situation. So the hon. Member should proceed.
Mr. Armah 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, we are at
a point where we are looking forward as a nation to progress and I am saying that the Budget Statement ably moved by the hon. Minister for Finance and Economic Planning gives this country ample hope, the hope that if all of us build on consensus, look at the indicators of good governance which have been brought into the Budget it will send us where we want to be; and that as a nation we must now begin to cut across party lines, forget about the demonstrations, do our
Mr. Armah 10:25 a.m.
criticisms in a democratic manner and accept the fact that in a democracy it is important that opinions will differ but at the end of the day we shall come to one conclusion that we want this country to move forward.
Mr. Speaker, in the parameters set
for good governance, the Budget talks about institutional reforms, it talks about monitoring of government expenditure, and it talks about the establishment of a national register of assets. I believe these are very important steps that ought to be taken. We have had institutional problems in this country which have made the implementation of government projects and programmes somehow not too even and not too efficient. Particularly, when you get to the district level, Mr. Speaker, we have problems dealing with the capacity of the staff of the local government structures that we have. The District Assemblies now constitute a very major building bloc in our development and it is important that in any programme for good governance we should not forget about the District Assemblies and we should try to resource them, build their capacities for them to be able to deal with the resources that are transferred to them out of the national kitty.
Mr. Speaker, if we have all the good
plans, putting up the schools, putting up the clinics, transferring money for poverty reduction programmes but we do not have the capacity at the local level to manage these things, we would find that the resources will not be used in a very efficient and effective manner.
In talking about local government
structure, Mr. Speaker, I would also want to bring to the attention of the hon.

Minister that in late 1998 and early 1999 the then Minister for Local Government and Rural Development directed that staff should be employed for the urban and area councils in each administrative district or metropolitan area. Some districts did appoint the staff and some did not.

Now, in my district, the Nzema East district for example, all the area councils were staffed. And the guideline was that it should be the secretary, the treasurer and the messenger. Contracts were signed with them in terms of appointment letters. But from 1999 to 2002 no salaries were paid at all to them. This has hampered the development of the substructures in the sense that as at the end of 2004 we still owe about three hundred and thirty million cedis to the local council staff that had then been retrenched because we were not continuing. As a result of this, we cannot employ staff to man the area councils.

It appears to me that this is not a peculiar situation to my district because any time we attended the District Chief Executives meetings of the Western Region the same problem came up. So I would like to appeal to the Ministry to look at this aspect and try to clear the debt so that the employment of staff for the area and urban councils of the districts can enhance efficiency at the local level.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that, of the

inefficiencies in the administration of government programmes, one area that we also ought to look at seriously is how to deal with the many lands that the Government owns either in the form of the erstwhile state farms -- all those landed properties that we have on which hospitals, clinics and schools are built, most of them do not have title deeds.

Most of them have not been properly

documented and this is giving cause for worry to many of the Assemblies as many landlords are now beginning to claim those lands which have been acquired for over fifty, sixty years ago but which have not been properly documented. It is an expensive exercise because it is a legal process; but all the same, we need to do it to safeguard the lands of the State.

Mr. Speaker, you would realise that it

is difficult these days for people to sell lands because lands have become more or less gold mines and it is important for the Government to streamline this area so that its interests and assets can be properly catered for. That is why the national register is very important.

Mr. Speaker, by way of winding up,

I would also want to commend the steps taken by the Government in terms of education, human resource training, the ICT training, and the capacity building that it intends to give to various aspects of the shop-floor operators of the economy.

I would want to state again that these

are times of hope, and hope is only hope until it is translated and actualised into real concrete achievements. And this can be done not only by the Government but also by all of us together, both sides of the aisle, the media, and civil society. All of us should begin to define and identify what our national objectives are and how we can all pull our resources together so that it does not become a tug-of-war between one side of the government machinery and the other side which will lead to demonstrations christened Wahala and all those things that are beginning to determine our national psyche.

Mr. Speaker, we are forty-eight years old and I believe that if all of us give our support to this Budget and the indicators

given therein we would be able to break the ice and move forward as a nation.

With these few comments, Mr. Speaker, I commend the Budget to the House for approval.

Thank you very much.
Prof. Al 10:25 a.m.
None

Tamale Central): Mr. Speaker, thank you for giving me the opportunity to take part in the debate on the Budget that was presented to this august House last Thursday.

Mr. Speaker, I have a number of points

that I would like to raise on the Budget. They are worrying points. First of all, the Budget Statement tells us that we grew by 5.8 per cent. Clearly from the Budget, the growth came from the agricultural sector and more importantly just from one commodity, that is, cocoa.

Mr. Speaker, even the growth in cocoa production is something which has confused many minds, for two years ago we registered a negative point-five per cent growth in the cocoa sub-sector, then followed by a huge increase in growth to 16.14 per cent, and now we are told it is 29.9 per cent. The Budget ascribes the reason to mass spraying and proper husbandry methods.

But Mr. Speaker, these sources are normally difficult to push growth to such levels because we are told -- In fact, if you look at the literature on supply response in cocoa production short- term measures such as are being taken in the spraying of cocoa and routine maintenance can only result in short- term responses which normally will not exceed two to five per cent. So those who are suggesting that the crisis in la Cote d'Ivoire has some effects on the cocoa
Prof. Al 10:35 a.m.
production in Ghana -- I am inclined to believe that most of the growth is coming from that crisis.

In fac t , some commenta tors , particularly if you refer to the State of the Ghanaian Economy report of ISSER, they also say that apart from the mass spraying, it is just possible that the crisis in la Cote d'Ivoire has two effects on the production of the cocoa, or the output of cocoa in Ghana. First, it has stopped smuggling of cocoa from Ghana into la Cote d'Ivoire, and secondly, it has encouraged smuggling of cocoa from la Cote d'Ivoire into Ghana.

Mr. Speaker, so it is possible that -- If it is not possible for the short-term growth to increase by that much, I am inclined to believe that maybe the net effect of smuggling which has been sparked by the crisis in la Cote d'Ivoire seems to be playing a major role in the growth in output of cocoa. But Mr. Speaker, if we take out the growth in cocoa, it looks as if the growth in the economy has slowed down a little bit.

Mr. Speaker, on the cocoa industry, I
Nana Akomea 10:35 a.m.
On a point of
order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member is misleading this House. Mr Speaker, the increase in cocoa production in this country within one and a half years is a hundred and fifty thousand tonnes of cocoa; there is absolutely no way that amount of cocoa can be smuggled in a war-torn country to Ghana to increase our cocoa. He is misleading the House and the country, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Hon. Member, take that
into account and proceed.
Prof. Seini 10:35 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, I have
Mr. H. Owusu-Agyemang 10:35 a.m.
Right
Hon. Speaker, my very dear Colleague, I think, has not got the import of the statement, the intervention by the hon. Member for Okaikoi South. I believe that what he has done is to challenge the veracity of the statement that he has made and unless he can produce the evidence, I think it is the standard practice in this House not to pursue that line of argument for the simple reason that this issue has been discussed ad nauseam and been proven conclusively that in the border areas, there were no dramatic increases in production and that the increases in production were elsewhere. So I do not think that he has really, in all honesty, answered the objection as raised by the hon. Member for Okaikoi South.
We have debated this issue; it started at the time of hon. Asiedu Nketiah. Almost on a monthly basis we debated this issue and I do not think it is an issue that he must flog because he has not got the facts nor the statistics, apart from the fact that it is also dangerous for this economy. If you do not have the facts you do not make such sweeping statements because it is not good for the economy, it is not good for the nation and industry.
Mr. Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Order! Order! Hon.
Member, for Tamale Central, this is the fact that he is making. What is your stake on that?
Prof. Seini 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think I have
said it over and over again that empirical evidence shows that -- [Uproar] -- I can give him the references, if he wants, he can go and look at Pitman's Studies on Supply and in Responses in Cocoa Production, for example, and he can see that for these short-term measures, it is impossible to get increase in supply response of more than 5 per cent.
Mr. F. K. Owusu-Adjapong 10:35 a.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the point of order is that we have debated this issue before and the people who started it withdrew it because they did not give evidence to support the survey. Talking about the empirical evidence, it works against him. Because the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning at that time came to the floor of this House to give data to indicate that the increase in production was from the Eastern Region, Central Region, and Ashanti Region.
Therefore this is an evidence available to us that if the smuggling took place, then I believe they were very special smugglers. We were expecting that if there had been any effect of smuggling from the neighbouring countries then it should have been in the Volta Region, Brong Ahafo Region and Western Region; but the data that was given to us in this House indicated that the increase was rather in these two inland regions.
Therefore we need concrete evidence to contradict it, otherwise it would be a song that they would be singing every day. And if it is one of the wahala type of demonstration -- [Laughter] -- he can bring it here.
Mr. Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Hon. Member for Tamale Central, this being a point of order, I must deal with it before maybe I call the Deputy Minority Leader. Hon. Member for Tamale Central, the point which is being made here is that sometime ago the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning was here to give evidence on this, would you remember that? [Pause.] I am sorry, this is where the problem is; I was not here.
Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
the problem is that those of us who have been privileged - [Interruptions] - Well, he wants more information to enable him rule. We are saying that we have been given evidence that the increase was in these three regions I mentioned and he is now saying “empirical evidence”. So we now need to be convinced again by evidence; otherwise, he withdraws, goes back, do his research, and possibly he can bring some new information.
Otherwise, anybody can get up and say that by empirical evidence Ghana's population is 40 million; then we ask -- we sit down and continue -- We cannot look on that way; this is a House of honest
Mr. Speaker 10:35 a.m.
I want to give you the
opportunity to say what you want to say, hon. Deputy Minority Leader.
Mr. E. K. D. Adjaho 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I

This is a different debate; he should produce the figures from the Brong Ahafo Region, Eastern Region, Volta Region and Western Region. This is a different Parliament; Mr. Speaker was not in the Chair at that time. So the point he is making is just misleading the House -- Where are the figures?
Mr. Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Hon. Member for
Tamale Central, you are making a point; do you have any evidence in support of the points you are making?
Prof. Seini 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I have made
Mr. Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Order! Order!
Prof. Seini 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am making
references to studies that have been done on the cocoa industry and almost all these studies show clearly that in the shor-trun the measures that you take cannot give
Mr. Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Order! Order! Hon.
Member, please address the Chair. You are making a point that you have the necessary evidence to support the stand you are taking. Do you have the evidence here at the moment or you do not have it? Because we would always give you the opportunity.
Prof. Seini 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, that is why I added that even in the State of the Ghanaian Economy report, it is said that in the short-run you cannot get that sort of response. So it is likely that because of the crisis in la Cote d'Ivoire, smuggling to la Cote d'Ivoire has stopped and so that can increase our supply. Also, the smuggling inside la Cote d'Ivoire could have increased and so that can also increase our supply. So what is wrong with that statement?
Mr. Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Hon. Members, please let us deal with this matter and finish it. The point you are making is that you do not have the evidence here at the moment - [Interruption] -- Yes, so I would myself suggest that you bring the evidence later; but in the meantime, you forget about that matter and if you may at this stage do the proper thing so you can come back again -- [Interruptions.]
Prof. Seini 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am telling you I have the evidence; I will not withdraw it. Mr. Speaker - [Interruption.]
-- 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Order! Order! Hon. Member for Tamale Central, I hope you
rose
Mr. Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Order! Order! Hon. Member, you have been standing for a very long time but you must understand we are dealing with a point of order, we will call you later.
Mr. Ackah 10:45 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, it is a point of information.
Mr. Speaker 10:45 a.m.
A point of information?
Mr. Ackah 10:45 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker - [Interruptions.]
Mr. Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Hon. Member, not at this stage; let us finish with him. Are you prepared to allow him to come to your aid?
Prof. Seini 10:45 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker 10:45 a.m.
All right, let us hear you.
Mr. Ackah 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, here is a newspaper, Crusading Guide, with a lot of information supposed to have been copied to the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning and the topic is “Magic behind Ghana's Cocoa Boom”, and they have aligned a whole lot of figures here - [Interruptions.]
Mr. Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Order! You are addressing the Chair.
Mr. Ackah 10:45 a.m.
And Mr. Speaker, the figures start from 1964/65 all the way to 2003/2004. And in 1964/65, Ashanti Region was then leading. In 1971/72,
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:45 a.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, he is quoting from a document. I just want to know the source. He says it is Crusading Guide; let him tell us the date and so on so that we shall all know; that is all that I want to hear.
Mr. Ackah 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, Crusading Guide of 17th February to 23rd February 2005 issue. Now, 2002/2003, Western Region produced 276,586 metric tonnes; that was 55.7 per cent on the whole. Then 2003/2004, Western Region jumped to - [Interruption.]
Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 10:45 a.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, we have a principle in this House which he is aware of, that when you are quoting from a document like a newspaper, you have to go further to give the source of that information; otherwise, any paper can start writing something. Because it is not an authoritative document when it comes to cocoa production.
So he has to - [Interruptions] - Please, you have done this before. Why is he behaving like a village magician, just showing papers here and there? “It is in the paper”, so do we need to have - [Interruptions.]
Mr. Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Order! Order! The hon. Member is coming to the aid of the hon. Member for Tamale Central, and I wonder whether the hon. Member for Tamale Central is adopting the argument that is being made at this stage. I just want to find out whether the hon. Member for Tamale Central is really adopting the stand of the hon. Member.
Prof. Seini 10:45 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, he can go on.
Mr. Ackah 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, these figures were compiled -[Interruption.]
Mr. Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Hon. Member, you are quoting from?
Mr. Ackah 10:45 a.m.
The Crusading Guide.
Mr. Speaker 10:45 a.m.
And this article?
Mr. Ackah 10:45 a.m.
An article - “Magic behind Ghana's Cocoa Boom”.
Mr. Speaker 10:45 a.m.
And who is the source of that article?
Mr. Ackah 10:45 a.m.
Compiled by R. K. Kyei, Special Advisor, Cocoa Affairs - [Uproar.]
Mr. Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Order? Go ahead.
Mr. Ackah 10:45 a.m.
-- Addressed to the hon. Minister for Finance and Economic Planning.
Mr. Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Go on.
Mr. Ackah 10:45 a.m.
So 2003/2004, Western
Mr. Akwasi Afrifa 10:45 a.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, it has become a principle, as the Majority Leader said that, in this House we are not going to depend upon publications in newspapers - [Uproar.]
Mr. Afrifa 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, just last
Mr. Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Hon. Member, proceed.
rose
Mr. Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Hon. Minority Chief Whip, do you have a point of order?
Mr. Tia 10:45 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, thank you very much. My hon. Colleague referred to me in his statement. Mr. Speaker, I do remember what I said or did at that time. He was quoting figures, and just as my hon. Colleague opposite did, I demanded of him to tell us the source. And when he flashed the paper at us, I said, “Fine, do you want me to now believe today that we can now rely on newspaper publications?” And then he said, yes; and then he quoted the figures; and the Hansard is there.
So I do not think I stopped him from providing the information. I only tried to seek a clarification from him as to whether we can now rely on a newspaper publication and report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker 10:45 a.m.
All right, proceed. You have explained yourself.
Mr. Ackah 10:45 a.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if you look at the differences between 2002/2003 and then 2003/2004,
Western Region alone had an increment of one hundred and thirty-two thousand plus metric tonnes within one year. If you look at the total for the whole country, in 2002/2003, it was 496,846; 2003/2004; one year difference, it jumped to 736,991.
Mr. Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Hon. Member, you are quoting from a source to support him, why do you not leave him? The article which you just quoted, does it refer to smuggling? I just want to find out because you never read that.
Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. Member who just spoke is just confused. He was talking about the Western Region. The argument being marshalled here is that the increases did not occur on the border areas, and he started talking about the Western Region -- [Interruptions.]
Mr. Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Order! Order!
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:55 a.m.
I was jotting down the figures and so if the hon. Member wants to aid his Colleague, what he has to do is that he should say that there were increases in the border areas as opposed to what the Majority Leader is saying. But now, he is dropping from the aggregated national average, which is not the point at issue, the point that has been made by the hon. Member for Tamale Central (Prof. Wayo Seini).
The hon. Member's point was to prove that indeed, the increases did not occur in
the three regions that the hon. Majority Leader mentioned. That is all that we have been waiting for, and I have been studiously writing them down; and then he just jumps from the Western Region to national. It does not work that way. This is pure statistics and it does not work that way.
Mr. Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Hon. Member for Tamale Central, would you provide the evidence later, or you think this is the evidence which supports the contention?
Prof. Seini 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, from what my hon. Colleague has just said, it is very clear that even within one year in the Western Region -- and the Western Region borders la Cote d'Ivoire -- production increased by more than hundred per cent, which is not possible. So Mr. Speaker, let me - [Interruption.]
Mr. Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Hon. Member for Tamale Central, you wanted time to produce evidence, and now I am asking you whether you still stand by it that you would produce evidence later. But are you then prepared to take a certain course in respect of what you said earlier?
Prof. Seini 10:55 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker 10:55 a.m.
That is all.
Prof. Seini 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I was going to talk next about the figures that my Colleague has just quoted. If you look at the cocoa industry and its structure, it has been changing and changing over time, and one can see that we started production from the Eastern Region, Volta Region, where the areas were good in cocoa production; and the frontier has been shifting until now that it has reached the Western Region. If you take the Western Region - [Interruption.]
Mr. Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Hon. Member, I just want to find out because you said you would want to come later on with
Prof. Seini 10:55 a.m.
Yes. I am now moving to another area. [Interruption.]
Mr. Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Oh no, I want us to clarify the matter.
Prof. Seini 10:55 a.m.
What I am saying is that it is worrying for us as a country that the cocoa frontier has shifted almost to the Western border of the country; which means that we no longer have land for us to continue shifting the frontier, on and on. And if you look at the production figures as project statistics, you will see that the Western Region is now the leading producer of cocoa and even in that place, you will realize that a lot of marginal lines have been pressing to cocoa production. What I am saying is - [Interruption.]
Mr. Gyamfi 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. Member on the floor is misleading us. When you look at the analysis that they are making and the document that my hon. Friend read to support him, we are aware and we know that now the emphasis on cocoa cultivation is shifted to the Western Region; and people from Brong Ahafo, Volta, Northern, Eastern and Ashanti regions and all over Ghana are now cultivating cocoa farms in Western Region and new farms are emerging.
This therefore means that there would be increase in cocoa production in the Western Region. [Hear! Hear!] They should not attribute the increase to smuggling. I am a farmer myself and my hon. Friend is also a farmer, and we are all aware that all over Ghana people are shifting to Western Region to cultivate cocoa farms because the lands in other regions are not supporting cocoa
cultivation.
I do not think that anybody here would allude to the fact that the Western Region is smuggling cocoa from la Cote d'Ivoire. It is the hard work of the Ghanaian farmers who have left their farms in Ashanti Region, Brong Ahafo Region, Northern Region and all other regions to go and cultivate new farms in the Western Region.
Prof. Seini 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. Colleague. That is just the point I was making, that we are leaving in our trail old cocoa growing areas and not doing anything about increasing productivity and rehabilitating the cocoa industry for so many years. [Inter- ruption.]
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think we are getting a bit confused here. Mr. Speaker, you did say that if anyone wants to come properly to the House with his or her statistics -- then for the time being what Mr. Speaker said was “do the right thing”. In parliamentary parlance, it means you have to withdraw but the hon. Member seems to be going back to argue again. He has been challenged - [Interruption.]
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, a challenge has been thrown to the distinguished professor on the veracity of his statement. The Majority Leader did say that the increases did not occur in the border areas but rather in other areas. What he read there, we have just said, was talking about the aggregated national average and not the breakdown
- [Interruptions.] He did not give us the breakdown - [Interruption.]
Mr. Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Order!
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I did not understand you to mean that in view of the intervention by our hon. Friend on the opposite side of the House he has been absolved of the onus of proving that indeed, cocoa was smuggled into Ghana.
Again, the hon. Member for Fomena (Mr. Akwasi Afrifa) also said that he had been requested to produce the evidence from a newspaper publication he quoted. So what the hon. Member has said has been stated as unacceptable to the House. So if Prof. Wayo Seini continues to make that same argument, we do not understand. I do not think that that document there shows that there was smuggling from la Cote d'Ivoire to Ghana.
That is not what he is saying, he is just paraphrasing and using the paragraph that suits him. That can never come from the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning when the Minister himself has stated here categorically that the increases did come from the three regions and not from the borders. So how come his special assistant writes now to confirm that it was smuggled from there? The hon. Member is misleading the House.
We need to see the documentation and for that matter, Mr. Speaker, your ruling is what we stand by; we will not go along with what he is reading from the newspapers. Mr. Speaker says the hon. Member must produce the evidence and do the right thing, and we expect him to do the right thing. That is all.
Mr. Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Hon. Members, there is a point of law and I would direct it to hon. Member for Tamale Central. Hon. Member for Tamale Central, you promised to produce evidence on the contention that you made and I am prepared to allow you to do that. In the meantime, what do you do in respect of that aspect of evidence -- that part of the argument that the increase in production was due to smuggling? That is all that I want you to deal with. You may come back later and justify your stand but in the meantime, what do you do on that aspect? Only that aspect.
Prof. Seini 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think what this hon. Member has done is to show that cocoa production jumped by more than 100 per cent within one year and I do not think there is anything wrong with the State of the Ghanaian Economy report saying that a lot of that production could have been through two things --either by stoppage of smuggling because of la Cote d'Ivoire's case, or in the smuggling to Ghana.
rose
Mr. Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon. Deputy Minority Leader, are you coming to his aid? I want to get it clearly, because he is dealing with a point of order; if you are coming to his aid you may say so.
Mr. Adjaho 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think you
Mr. Adjaho 11:05 a.m.


Mr. Speaker, the information that the Member produced is from the Research Department of Ghana Cocoa Board. The information here clearly indicates that Western Region, contrary to what the hon. Majority Leader and the hon. Minister for Works and Housing are saying, that the increases are not from Western Region, is not true. The information is here; it is from Cocoa Research Department. The was the basis of asking him to withdraw because the increases were from Ashanti and Eastern Regions and not from the Brong Ahafo and the Western Regions which border la Cote d'Ivoire.

Mr. Speaker, the truth of the matter is that that information, the basis upon which they are asking him to withdraw, is wrong because Western Region's share is 56.8 per cent -- a very big increase. And the document here has admitted that Western Region's production has gone up. So the basis upon which they are saying he should withdraw is what we are contesting, that the increases are not from Western Region but that they are from Ashanti and Eastern Regions. That is our problem. They have not brought any figure here to dispute the figure that the Minority is giving; they are only objecting to it.
Mr. Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon. Deputy Minority Leader, I am worried about the point that was raised about the question of smuggling. That is my problem -- the

question of smuggling. The hon. Member for Tamale Central (Prof. Wayo Seini), if you say you have evidence on that, I am prepared to allow you to produce the further evidence. But in the meantime, on the question of smuggling, you may wish to take a certain course on the word that you used that the increase was due to smuggling. That is the only matter I am worried about.
Prof. Seini 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think people are trying to misunderstand what I said. Let me repeat what I said. I said that commentators and researchers have attributed the increase, the sudden jump of cocoa production, to three factors, first to routine maintenance and mass spraying, second, to the crisis in la Cote d'Ivoire which has two sub-effects: first to stop smuggling out of Ghana and second, it could have encouraged smuggling into Ghana; and that is stated there. So what else do you say? It could have encouraged smuggling into Ghana; that was what I said - [Interruption.]
Mr. Speaker 11:05 a.m.
The hon. Member is entitled to his opinion; let him go on, please. [Interruption.] Hon. Member, address the Chair, do not be distracted.
Prof. Seini 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, that is my worry and that is the worry for the whole country. The fact is that this country has depended on cocoa for a very long time, but in the old cocoa growing areas we need to do something about the rehabilitation of cocoa. Otherwise, if that new frontier - [Interruption.]
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:05 a.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, my hon. Colleague again was making very useful points. But then beyond the three reasons that he gave he made a categorical statement that the increases in cocoa production that we are witnessing in Ghana cannot be attributed
to what has happened in Ghana. Mr. Speaker, he then also went on to say that the increase in production in the Western Region had more than doubled; and the he quoted the figure of 100 per cent.

Some hon. Members -- rose -
Mr. Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon. Members, he is raising a point of order, so you may have to resume your seats.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in 2003, as I said, I produced 65 bags. In 2004, it increased -- I have stated this in this House -- to 90 bags; and that is over 50 per cent; and that is in the Central Region. Mr. Speaker, so for him to say that that output, that the 56 per cent increase, is not possible, clearly he is misleading this House; he does not know what he is talking about.
Mr. Speaker, I am a cocoa farmer and the hon. Member is not a farmer, he is depending on some kind of research. And indeed, as I have said, the statistics that were given by my hon. Colleague, indicate that Western Region produced 56 per cent higher than the base year. In any event, the issue as he alluded to is simply this. My hon. Colleague, the hon. Member for Tamale Central, started by saying that that is confirming what the Colleague said; that it is due to smuggling.
The issue raised by the Majority Leader was that the dramatic increases -- and he used the word “dramatic” -- did not happen in the Western Region and for that matter the border regions; and indeed it is on record. The Minister for Finance and Economic Planning - [Interruption.] Mr. Speaker, the point that was made was that along the border regions, the farmers did not experience any considerable increases. That was the point made by the Majority Leader so he should address that issue.
Mr. Speaker 11:05 a.m.
I am not entertaining any further point of order on this. I just want us to make progress and that is why I am asking the hon. Member for - [Interruption.]
Mr. John Tia 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, with the greatest of respect --
Mr. Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Do you want to raise a point of order?
Mr. John Tia 11:05 a.m.
Yes.
Mr. Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Against his point of
order?
Mr. John Tia 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, yes.
Mr. Speaker 11:05 a.m.
That is not allowed. I always give you opportunity but at this stage -
Mr. John Tia 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want to seek your guidance on something.
Mr. Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Guidance? All right, go ahead.
Mr. John Tia 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the practice in the House is that when there is an issue before you, you give judgment or you rule on it. And in this particular case, you ruled that the Member should
Mr. Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Order!
Mr. John Tia 11:15 a.m.
The point that I want you to provide guidance on is that, it does not lie in the bosom of the Majority Chief Whip to challenge your ruling. If he has to challenge your ruling, then he knows what to do, he has to come by way of a substantive motion -- [Interruption] - That is what he is doing. And he also took the opportunity to debate; which is wrong. So Mr. Speaker, I think that if we want to allow these things to be going on, we will saddle this House with too many arguments and no progress will be made in this House.
So I would wish, Mr. Speaker, that, when you rule on any issue you have to let any Member getting up to challenge you come by the proper means. And he should not put words in people's mouths and then interpret them the way he wants.
Mr. Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon. Member, the problem is going on because I did not have the impression that he had understood the point that I was making. Hon. Member for Tamale Central, the point is that you have withdrawn that, and you want to come back later. If that is the point, then say it and let us go ahead.
Prof. Seini 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, what I said was that those figures quoted buttressed the point that I was making, and I further explained - [Interruption] - Please, listen. The fact is that I am not a cocoa farmer but if the cocoa farmer wants, for us agricultural scientists, we are not farmers but we advise farmers. I can advise him to improve on his cocoa -- [Laughter.]
Mr. Speaker 11:15 a.m.
So in conclusion, hon. Member for Tamale -- [Interruption] - No, I am not asking you to conclude your arguments. I am saying that therefore you have accepted my direction, that is the point you are making?
Prof. Seini 11:15 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker. So Mr. Speaker, let us move on to food production. The evidence throughout the world is that in order to develop, you should be able to feed your country as much as possible. In other words, you should achieve a very high degree of self-sufficiency. If you look at all the countries that have developed, they take food for granted. They have increased their food production to a level of self- sufficiency or near self-sufficiency, so that they do not import much.
Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, we all know that our farmers when they produce more, because food is an inelastic commodity, they tend to suffer in terms of revenue; and to add salt to injury, the cost of production has been going up so high.

If you look at last year's increase in the price of fertilizer alone, fertilizer prices increased by between 100 per cent and 172 per cent in one year, according to the State of the Ghanaian Economy report, page 120. Those who want to write that down can do so. So let us do something about food production.

But we realize, Mr. Speaker, that in the Budget we talk about modernizing agriculture through just mechanization, without thinking of the complementary inputs that wi l l accompany the mechanization, in order to bring about the productivity that we are all looking for, and in order to ensure that our staple foods are produced in sufficient quantities for us to move ahead and develop. Because, if we do not eat well we are not going to develop properly. If we wake up, sitting and thinking about food, then we are not going to have time to do other things. So let us ensure that we move our food production forward.

Mr. Speaker, it is also the same thing with the fishing industry. Our per capita consumption of fish has been going down. In the early 1970s, it was about 55 kilograms per person, per annum. Today, it is around 20 kilograms per person and yet fish is a major source of protein in this country, particularly for the rural folk.

Let us pay attention to fish production because in other countries, because we -- [Interruption] - Because we have over-fished our marine sources we ought to pay more attention to aqua culture. But this Budget does not talk much about that, apart from hatcheries that would be done. We should encourage the establishment of modern fish -- aqua culture farms.

Mr. Speaker, I want to link to peri- urban agriculture. In the not too distant

past, I was part of a survey in the Weija area for the establishment of aqua culture farms. Today, Mr. Speaker, if you go there, that place which was earmarked for agriculture has been converted into buildings. This is not good for our development. In fact, as our capital city Accra grows, it has to depend on cheap sources of food, and yet we are making use of good agricultural land which is designed and supported by irrigation, to build houses.

It is not good for the development of our country, because the bottom line is that this country must be well fed. Yet, if you look at the food security indices, you would see that countries like Burkina Faso, which are supposed to be poor, are better fed than we are. They are more secure in terms of food security than we are. So let us pay attention to that.

Mr. Speaker, I also have a problem with the location of agricultural sector in the Budget. I have raised this point and if you look at page 111, paragraph 354, Mr. Speaker, I crave your indulgence to read this:

“In this regard, the Ministry will not only formulate policies but will continue to actively assist and support the private sector in agro processing, equipment develop- ment and fabrication . . . ”

You see, “actively assist and support the private sector”, which is pre-supposing that the agricultural sector is not part of the private sector. And in any case, all contemporary agricultural development models show that agriculture stands alone and the private sector and the public sector then assist the agricultural sector. You then find out how you can assist the agricultural sector to grow. I am completely lost -- when it suits you, agriculture is in the private sector; when it does not suit you, the private sector is different from agriculture.
Prof. Seini 11:15 a.m.


Please, let us put agriculture where it is and address its problems fully so that we can move the agricultural sector forward. Let us remember that we cannot develop as a country if we do not develop our agriculture.
Mr. Speaker 11:15 a.m.
I am sure you are now about to wind up.
Prof. Seini 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, look at rice production, for example. The production, according to the State of the Ghanaian Economy report, page 114, has reduced by minus 7.9 per cent (that was maize); and on rice minus 14 point something per cent. You see, whether we like it or not, rice and maize are major food staples in this country. There is nobody who does not consume rice or maize in this country. That is where our target should be; that is where we have to try hard to be self- sufficient in them. I remember that in the mid-1970s, Ghana was self-sufficient in rice production; thanks to good policies at that time. So let us go back to such policies.
In fact, food self-sufficiency is a very important objective for any country that wants to develop. So Mr.Speaker, let us bear this in mind and let us try to help our farmers by not increasing their wahala, by not increasing petroleum prices astronomically, which trickle down to the farm level.
Let us face facts. The cost of food is about 70 per cent due to transportation alone; and cost of transportation goes up when fuel prices go up. So for all you know, this recent price increase is going to increase the farmers' wahala by increasing the cost of transportation.
Dr. A. A. Osei 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, my good hon. Friend, Prof. Seini is obviously misleading the House. This august House should not be misled by conjectures, that if this goes up, that will go up. He should give us the evidence so that we have the facts. He is misleading the House.
Mr. Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Order! Hon. Member for Tamale Central is winding up.
Prof. Seini 11:25 a.m.
So Mr. Speaker, I think we all know that for agricultural development -- that the hon. Akoto Osei knows too well -- that fuel is the blood of any economy; when the price goes up, it affects any other thing in the country, including particularly the farmers who are the main producers in this country. That one, he knows it. I think he is just trying to pull our legs.
But let me say, Mr. Speaker, that it is our responsibility; let us not sit down here and think we are working on partisan lines, but it is the responsibility of the entire House - not NPP or NDC -- to pursue proper and meaningful policies in the agricultural sector, particularly with regard to food production.
I remember in the Acheampong regime, he declared the transitional zones and the savannah zones as the granaries of this country; and let us truly show that these areas are the granaries of this country. Let us also remember that in developing realistic policies for food production or for other strategic crops like sheanuts, we are also bridging the gaps in the disparities in the development of this country. I regret, and it is sad to note, that for the past four years in particular, sheanut has not been given the attention that it needs, which is mainly because it is under the jurisdiction of the COCOBOD, which just treats it as an appendix.
Let us take measures to develop agriculture. In fact, by developing
Nana Akomea (NPP - Okaikoi South) 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, if I would just take off from where the former Vice Chairman of the NPP and now Member of Parliament for Tamale, NDC, -- [Interruption.]
rose
Mr. Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon. Member for Abokobi-Madina, do you have any point of order?
Alhaji Sorogho 11:25 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my senior Brother got up and -- [Interruptions.] When I say, “senior brother”, you should understand. He is my Colleague; in terms of parliamentary procedure, he is my Colleague. He got up and whether formal or informal he referred to our Professor as former Vice Chairman of NPP and now NDC, Tamale. There is no “NDC, Tamale”, never. I want him come again. Do we have any “NDC, Tamale”? I do not know of any constituency by that name. So whom is he referring to? Do we have somebody here who is from NDC, Tamale? [Uproar.]
Mr. Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon. Member for Okaikoi South, please continue.
Nana Akomea 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, let me
ignore this rather unnecessary diversion. But the hon. Member referred to me as his senior Colleague. Mr. Speaker, there is nothing like a senior Colleague in this House. Mr. Speaker, we are Members of Parliament; we are supposed to be honourable men and women and we are
Mr. Adjaho 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. Mr. Speaker, we have seniority in this House and so for the hon. Member to say that we do not have any seniority in this House, in fact, he is not only misleading the House, but he is also not giving very good example to hon. Members of this House. Mr. Speaker, we have senior Members of this House and indeed, in any Parliament there are senior Colleagues. He has been here longer than the hon. Member on his feet. So when he qualifies him as senior, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.
But Mr. Speaker, the truth of the matter is that, there is not “NDC, Tamale” and he should just do the proper thing and then we - [Interruption] -- He knows what to do. Mr. Speaker, to use your parlance; he knows what to do. He should take a certain course of action and then we proceed.
Nana Akomea 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I have said that hon. Members of Parliament are supposed to set a standard for this country and in setting the standard we should be as balanced as possible. We should be as objective as possible in our pronouncements and in our contri- butions, especially on the floor of this House.
AMr. Speaker, we talked about cocoa. In the last four years, cocoa production has been one of the most notable features in Positive Change Chapter 1 because cocoa production has come to record levels never before seen in the history of this country. It has jumped from less than 400,000 to 700,000 tonnes in four years. So it is a notable achievement that we should talk about. But we should be objective.
Mr. Speaker, a jump of 300,000 tonnes
rose
Mr. Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon. Member for Tamale Central, do you have a point of order?
Prof. Seini 11:25 a.m.
I am rising on a point of order, Mr. Speaker. The hon. Member says that increase in cocoa production could not have been due to just one factor. That was not what I said. He said he was following from where I left off. So I am thinking that that is why I am justified to say that he is talking about what I said.
Mr. Speaker, I did not say it was just from one source. I said that it was from different sources; it was from three different sources, which I explained clearly. I even said that the other two sources, people who have commented on the increase in cocoa production, have all written about it. It is not me who is saying it. I also read it.
Nana Akomea 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. Member has changed his mind, so be it; because from what I heard, he made a categorical statement that the increase is mainly due to smuggling. [Interruption.]
rose
Mr. Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon. Member for Tamale North?
Alhaji Abukari 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am surprised at the mode of argument of my hon. very good Friend. He never said one factor; he mentioned three sources - maintenance, mass spraying and stoppage
of smuggling; that because of the conflict in la Cote d'Ivoire, cocoa that was being smuggled there can no more get there. So naturally, our cocoa production was increased because they cannot get there again.
Thirdly, those people cannot export theirs, so they will bring theirs into our country. And so that could have also increased it. So, three sources; he did not say one; he did not change his stand. I do not see why he is insisting that he is changing his mind. He has not changed his position. Maybe, he did not hear him clearly because he was busily talking with hon. Akoto Osei.
Mr. Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon. Member for Tamale North, you have plenty of time to contribute. Let him go on.
Nana Akomea 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is good that this position has been cleared up, that it is not just smuggling but there are so many other factors which have accounted for the development of this cocoa sector. Mr. Speaker, the vision of Government is that - [Interruption.]
Alhaji Sorogho 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member on the other side is misleading this House, and I want him to check his records properly. He made a categorical statement that production in cocoa jumped from less than 400,000 to more than 700,000. He made it here, right here. It is never true. From their own records, the statement that they made is that cocoa jumped from 496,000 to 736,000; so it could not have been less than 400,000 to over 700,000. It was a categorical statement that he made and I want him to withdraw that statement, because that is not the correct thing, and apologise to us. [Interruptions.]
Mr. Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Order!
Alhaji Sorogho 11:25 a.m.
Because he has
Dr. Osei 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I sympathise with my hon. Colleague on the other side. As a Ghanaian, we should be jubilating because the economy is doing well. But in an attempt to mislead this august Body, he did not even take his time to listen to my hon. Friend.
Mr. Speaker, he said “within four years”. Mr. Speaker, I want him to read page 127 so that he would know what he is talking about. Mr. Speaker, this august House has this document in front of us and in an attempt not to be too patriotic, he has not been looking at the facts. Please, he said within fours years, and the numbers are: 389,772 which is less than four hundred thousand to 736,911 which is over seven hundred thousand. So he should please withdraw his statement.
Alhaji Sorogho 11:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am surprised that my hon. Brother is saying this. He said: “We do and hear”. Perhaps, his ears were not cleared - [Inter- ruptions.] Then Mr. Speaker, number two, he referred to me as not being patriotic; I think this is not a word that he should use. Right now, he said here that the hon. Member was not more patriotic. Please, I do not know how more patriotic he is than me. I want him to define what patriotism means. He must withdraw and apologise. It is a serious thing. Then the point of order that I raised was that the hon. Member got up and said that it jumped up from less than four hundred thousand a year to over seven hundred thousand; if he were not listening then please he should not blame me. So he must withdraw the statement that I am not patriotic.
Mr. Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Hon. Member for Old Tafo, did you refer to him as being unpatriotic?
Dr. Osei 11:35 a.m.
Yes. Hon. Speaker, perhaps my Colleague did not listen well. I did not say he was not patriotic. I said as Ghanaians we should be jubilating, but perhaps in an attempt not to listen to my dear Colleague, he might be appearing unpatriotic. That is not the same as saying he is unpatriotic.
Mr. Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Hon. Member for Old Tafo, it appears the hon. Member for Abokobi-Madina is taking offence for the word that you used. You may wish to correct that impression.
Dr. Osei 11:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, if he happenes to have had the impression that I think he is unpatriotic, then as you directed, I want him not to have that perception.
Mr. Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Order! Order! Hon. Member for Old Tafo, you are therefore withdrawing, are you not?
Dr. Osei 11:35 a.m.
If that is the perception, then I withdraw.
Mr. Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Let us proceed.
Nana Akomea 11:35 a.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, these supposed points of order are really not necessary. But just to set the records straight, Mr. Speaker, what I did say was that within four years - and I repeat it again; within four years - cocoa production has jumped from less than four hundred thousand a year to more than seven hundred thousand. That was the statement that I made and I said that this kind of jump has never happened in the history of this country.
Mr. Speaker, for the benefit of my good Friend from Abokobi, let me give him the figures - In the 2001 cocoa year, the production was three hundred and eighty-nine thousand tonnes; this is from the Budget Statement which he has. In the year 2000 2001 cocoa season, the
Mr. Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Hon. Member for Tamale South, do you have a point of order?
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu 11:35 a.m.
Rightly so, Mr. Speaker. I have heard my hon. Colleague make a statement to the effect that Ghana intends to achieve a per capita income of more than $1,000 in 2012. I am getting lost; in one breath, you hear 2013 and in another breath it is 2015. But the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) is consistent; it says $1,000 in ten years; it does not say more than $1,000. Therefore, he cannot be accurate in that assertion. Mr. Speaker, thank you.
Mr. Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Hon. Member, you will have plenty of time later but not now. Let him proceed.
Nana Akomea 11:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, these points of order are so unnecessary that I will just proceed. Mr. Speaker, a per capita income in excess of $1,000 by 2012 calls for a growth rate in excess of 8 per cent a year, from the current 5 per cent. And the key to achieving such a

growth rate of more than 8 per cent, so we can achieve a per capita income of more than a thousand dollars is the growth of the private sector. And the ability of Government to engender growth in the private sector to achieve this micro objective should not be in any doubt at all.

Indeed, the record of Government in the last four years in engendering growth in the private sector is very clear. There is no doubt about it. Twenty years before 2001, Mr. Speaker, per capita income never went much beyond $400. Today, in four short years, per capita income is now $460 - [Hear! Hear!] And in the twenty years before 2001, we never had this level of per capita income.

Mr. Speaker, growth rate in the last ten years -- In the ten years before 2001 our growth rate never went beyond five per cent a year. As I speak, Mr. Speaker, for the first time since 1992, our growth rate has crossed the five per cent mark. Indeed, in 2003 we grew by 5.2 per cent and in 2004 we grew by 5.8 per cent. And we have never crossed this five per cent mark in the period after 1992 until “Positive Change Chapter One” in 2003.

Mr. Speaker, the growth rate has never been as consistent as it had been in the last four years. It had always been up and down -- up and down before “Positive Change Chapter One”. But since “Positive Change Chapter One”, every year there has been an increase in the growth of this country. From 4.2 per cent in 2001 to 4.8 per cent in 2002 to 5.2 per cent in 2003 to 5.8 per cent in 2004. There has never been a period in this country where the growth rate has consistently grown year after year as we have had in the last four years.

Mr. Speaker, our international reserves

have grown from less than three hundred million dollars to the current one point

five billion dollars in four short years. And this gives a higher degree of comfort to the private sector.

Mr. Speaker, inflation has moved
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu 11:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
I am rising on a point of order. Mr. Speaker, my hon. Colleague does not seem to want to be accurate with his statistics; and many of them are very important for us. I heard him say that inflation was down to thirteen per cent.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister for
Finance and Economic Planning reported eleven -- I have a difficulty appreciating him attributing figures to the hon. Minister that in fact, do not represent the true view. If he can correct himself, Mr. Speaker, it will serve this House.
Nana Akomea 11:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, if it
is eleven per cent, it even makes my case stronger. So let me thank my hon. Colleague for making my case stronger.
Mr. Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo 11:45 a.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member is consistently giving us figures which are unsubstantiated. We do not know his source; and it is very important for this august House for him to tell us how he got those figures.
He has made a lot of comparative analysis and has come out to say that within the last four years there had never been a period in Ghana where growth had consistently been that much. So can he give us the reason why he has said that? What happened in the last years since Ghana gained her independence or even the last forty years? On what basis is he saying that that was the only period when growth had been consistent?
Mr. Speaker, I would want him to be very clear about that so that he does not mislead the House.
Mr. Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Hon. Member, I do not
think this is a point of order. You will be given plenty of time to contribute in due course. Let him proceed.
Nana Akomea 11:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, for the
rose
Mr. Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Hon. Member, you are
up again. Do you have a point of order to raise?
Mr. Pelpuo 11:45 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. Member is misinforming the House. He said that there had never been a period in Ghana with this kind of growth as we had from 2000 to 2004 where there had been a consistent increase in growth. And I am saying that Ghana started being Ghana in 1957 to date. If he is doing
Mr. Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Hon. Member, as I am
saying, you will be given your time to contribute. Let him go on.
Nana Akomea 11:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I did
make the point that in the period after 1992 -- and I hope that my hon. Friend will take that into account. I did give the exact period and the exact context in which I am quoting these figures.
Mr. Speaker, the cedi -- the local currency -- everybody knows that the cedi has never enjoyed the kind of stability that it has enjoyed in the last four years, especially since the period after 1992; and that is beyond dispute.
Mr. Speaker, treasury bill rate, which
also affects the interest rates, has moved down from 33 per cent in the year 2000 to 17 per cent now. And Mr. Speaker, the Ghana Stock Exchange was the best performing emerging market in 2003. Last year it was one of the best performing stock exchanges in the emerging world.
So Mr. Speaker, all the indicators are
Mr. Hodogbey 11:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, on a
point of order. Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. Member is trying to mislead the House by just saying that the treasury bill rate is seventeen point something per cent. The treasury bill is divided into separate days. So I do not know whether he is talking about 91-day treasury bill or 182-day treasury bill. He should try to define which one he is relating to.
Mr. Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Hon. Member, I will call you in due course but not now. Let him proceed except you would want to yield to him.
Dr. Osei 11:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, my good
friend called my hon. Colleague here, “honorary Member”. I am not sure whether there is a new terminology that this House has adopted. I thought we are called “honourable” but he said “honorary”. I would like your ruling on that so that at least we are informed.
Mr. Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Hon. Member for
Okaikoi South, please proceed.
Nana Akomea 11:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, of
course, I was referring to the 91-day treasury bill rate.
Mr. Speaker, I have also said that as
evidence of the performance in the macro- economy, the Ghana Stock Exchange was the best performing emerging market in the year 2003 in the whole wide world. And in 2004, it was still one of the best performing emerging markets in the whole wide world.
Mr. Speaker, the manufacturing
industry has also received a boost. Mr. Speaker, for the first time in twenty years, lending to the manufacturing sector was more than lending to the trading sector. It had never happened in this country in twenty years until last year - [Interruption.] The hon. Member for Nabdam (Mr. Moses Asaga) knows; ask him, he will tell you.
Mr. Speaker, for the first time in
Mr. Lee Ocran 11:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, on a
point of order. Mr. Speaker, may the hon. Member provide us with the source of the twenty years information? Could he, please? He was a baby at that time
Mr. Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Hon. Member for
Okaikoi South, the hon. Member for Jomoro is calling for evidence in support of your contention.
Nana Akomea 11:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the evidence is in the previous Budget Statement, which I do not have here. But if the hon. Member is interested, I will deem it necessary to provide him with the evidence after this Sitting. Mr. Speaker, beyond lending to the manufacturing sector having exceeded lending to the trading sector for the first time in 20 years, let me also state that customs duty for the - [Interrruption.]
Alhaji Collins Dauda 11:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
on a point of order. Mr. Speaker, my hon. Colleague, in trying to justify his position, referred to the previous Budget, which I suppose is the 2004 Budget. I have a copy with me and with your indulgence I would want to offer it to him so he can quote from this Budget.
Mr. Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Hon. Member, later
and not now.
Nana Akomea 11:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, let me also state that - [Interruption.]
Alhaji Dauda 11:55 a.m.
On a point of order.
Mr. Speaker, I think precedent has been set in this House. When my hon. Colleague for Tamale Central made reference to a document and you asked that he should produce that document, you politely requested my hon. Colleague to withdraw because the document or the information was not immediately
available; which he did.
The hon. Member for Okaikoi South is toeing a similar line and with your kind indulgence, if you ruled that that be taken another time, I will kindly ask him to withdraw that aspect of his statement and come at the time that, with your indulgence, you would ask him to refer to that Budget.
Mr. Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Hon. Member for Asutifi South, I hope you allow me to give directions as and when appropriate. I would do so as and when appropriate. I hope you do that.
Alhaji Dauda 11:55 a.m.
I thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Dr. Osei 11:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, on a point of information. My hon. good Friend said he referred to the statement as previous Budget Statement. That is not what he said; he said previous Budget Statements, so if he is quoting him -- “previous Budget Statements”. So please withdraw. Mr. Speaker, that is what he said and this is where we all do not agree.
Mr. Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Hon. Member for Okaikoi South, you may be winding up.
Nana Akomea 11:55 a.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have tried to set the context that is going to engender private sector growth in this country, and I have tried to demonstrate that the time for private sector growth has never been better in this country than this time and this period; the figures are very clear and we are all aware of the figures. Mr. Speaker, beyond the general context - [Inter-ruption.]
Mr. Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Hon. Member for Jirapa, are you really sitting down or standing up? I want to know. If you are down or on your feet, let me know. If you are now on your feet then may I hear you.
Mr. E. K. Salia 11:55 a.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I am presently standing up. And I have a point of order on the figures my hon. Colleague and Friend often mentions. Particularly in respect of the last three years' figures, I would be very grateful if he could confirm and always state that they are provisional figures, and they have been so provisional for so long that some of us are beginning to doubt their accuracy. So he should indicate that these are provisional figures. I am sure that at the appropriate time they could be reduced, so he should state that they are provisional, at least.
Nana Akomea 11:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I will just proceed. Mr. Speaker, I have set the general context that is going to allow us achieve a per capita income of thousands of dollars in the year 2012 and I have said that the general conditions to achieve that have never been better than they are now at present. [Interruption.]
Mr. Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Hon. Member, you may be winding up.
Nana Akomea 11:55 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, beyond these general conditions the Budget for 2005 also contains very specific provisions that are going to further empower the private sector to deliver the kind of growth that all of us aim for in this country. Mr. Speaker, specifically, corporate tax rate which was deemed to be quite high has been reduced from 32. 5 per cent to 30 per cent; and this is further set to reduce to 28 per cent in 2006 and 25 per cent in 2007. Corporate tax rate has been reduced to give further room for the private sector to operate.
Mr. Speaker, withholding tax has been reduced from 7.5 per cent to 5 per cent; the national reconstruction levy has been reduced by margins of 2.5 per cent to 1 per cent; listing on the stock exchange means you get a corporate tax reduction
of 25 per cent. These are major incentives to the private sector to further empower the private sector to deliver the kind of growth rate that would push this country into per capita income of a thousand dollars.
Mr. D. T. Assumeng (NDC - Shai Osudoku) 11:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker I beg to contribute to the debate on the floor.
Mr. Speaker, the increment in petroleum prices renders the Budget a potential virus. Mr. Speaker, the virus, if not reversed, will turn the economy into full-blown AIDS. [Laughter.] Mr. Speaker, the virus has started to attack the agricultural sector - [Inter-ruption.]
Mr. Kojo Armah 11:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I heard the hon. Member for Shai Osudoku say that if some steps are not taken, the Budget could be turned into full-blown AIDS. Mr. Speaker, I want to take objection to that reference. This is because stigmatisation is one of the things that we are fighting in this country, so that people living with the HIV will feel comfortable. If you are now subjecting a national document or the Budget, likening it to full-blown AIDS - [Interruptions.]
Mr. Armah 11:55 a.m.
I believe that is hitting below the belt. Mr. Speaker, I would want my hon. Colleague to withdraw that statement and save us from the embarrassment.
Mr. Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Hon. Member, what do you want him to withdraw? I did not get it.
Mr. Armah 11:55 a.m.
That the Budget could turn into full-blown AIDS; I think it is a bad reference.
Mr. Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Hon. Member, what did you say about AIDS? I did not get it. It is a matter of interest.
Mr. Assumeng 11:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am very cautious about my word; I used the word “virus” and I said the virus could turn to full-blown AIDS; the AIDS I am talking about is the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and this is not referring to anybody per se - [Laughter.]
Mr. Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Hon. Member for Evalue-Gwira, do you have a further point of order to raise?
Mr. Armah 12:05 p.m.
A further point of order. Mr. Speaker, I believe my hon. Friend is very much aware of the problem of the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) worldwide. And in Ghana particularly, so much effort is being made so that people living with that disease - it is not a good disease - but people living with it could feel comfortable.
If you are now going to liken a national Budget to full-blown AIDS, whether - [Interruption] - He has explained that it is Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome; yes, we know that and that is why we are saying that he should spare us that comparison. He can describe the Budget anyhow, but please, let us be more sympathetic to the AIDS patient by not referring to it as a bad thing. Thank you,
Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon. Member, he is asking us to be more sympathetic to AIDS victims.
Mr. Assumeng 12:05 p.m.
No, Mr. Speaker, I am not referring to any AIDS victim; I am talking about the seriousness of the problem that we are confronted with, and I am not referring to any individual. In fact, I did not use the word “HIV”. If I had even used the word “HIV”, then there, I may be referring to human beings; but I used the word “virus”, I am cautious of the word; I used the word “virus”. [Hear! Hear!]
rose
Mr. Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon. Member, are you not satisfied with it?
Mr. Armah 12:05 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I also did not talk about “virus” because I know you can have computer virus; you can have other “viruses”. I am comfortable with the word “virus”, but I am not comfortable with the word “AIDS” because we know its origin; we know whom it refers to. Even though he did not mention anybody specifically, I am very worried about the fact that AIDS as a disease which the nation is fighting can now be used to refer to a national exercise like the Budget. It may not necessarily refer to an individual, no, but we all know what AIDS is about.
Nothing can convince us that he is not referring to the same AIDS that we are referring to, and for the sake of those who have acquired that disease, we must be sympathetic to them by not using denigrating words or comparison in that sense. So I will kindly request my hon. Friend to look for another word to describe how he wants to describe the Budget, but not AIDS.
Mr. Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon. Member, you have
Mr. Assumeng 12:05 p.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, an acre of land, which was ploughed at a hundred and fifty thousand cedis, now attracts a fee of two hundred thousand and above in my constituency. Mr. Speaker, rice farmers on the Kpong Irrigation Project paid seven hundred thousand cedis for tilling and crossing. Today, they are confronted with nine hundred to one million cedis per hectre, not to mention the high cost of fertilizers and weedicides and so on. Mr. Speaker, the Kpong Irrigation Project has a total acreage of three thousand and twenty-eight hectres - [Interruption.]
Mrs. Gifty E. Kusi 12:05 p.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member is reading copiously from his notes. This is the second presentation and I think he should have learnt by now that in Parliament we do not read. [Laughter.]
Mr. Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon. Member for Shai Osudoku, go ahead and make reference to your notes.
Mr. Assumeng 12:05 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, this is my maiden statement to the House. So I have the opportunity to do that. Mr. Speaker, the project, when supported, could become the southern food basket of Ghana. Mr. Speaker, with these difficulties facing the farmers, how can they be part of “Ghana Incorporated” and again be part of the property-owning democracy that we are talking about?
Mr. Kofi Frimpong 12:05 p.m.
On a point of
order. Mr. Speaker, I heard the hon. Member saying that his constituency has been adversely affected; by what, he did not say; and to what extent, he did not say. Mr. Speaker, I would want him to come out with certain figures, telling us and making comparison as to how far what he is talking about has adversely affected his constituency. This is a sweeping statement, Mr. Speaker, and he cannot be allowed to go unchecked.
Mr. Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon. Member, it is not a point of order.
Mr. Assumeng 12:05 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I hope the National Youth Policy Bill would be passed this year. It is my hope as well that the National Youth Council would be given adequate resources to enhance its leadership role in this country.
Mr. Speaker, the construction of the Akosombo and the Kpong Dams have rendered life of the people in my constituency very miserable. Mr. Speaker, the livelihood of the people has been destroyed. And I would like to appeal to the Minister to put in place a poverty reduction programme to alleviate the suffering of the people in the Lower Volta Basin. And as has been mentioned in paragraph 937 of the Budget Statement, I believe the people would be taken care of.
Mr. S. K. Obodai 12:05 p.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member in his presentation is appealing to the Government to come to the aid of his people, but he is not able to tell us the problem; he only goes about, “they have been affected, they have been affected”,
we do not know the extent of the problem and we do not know even what the problem is. So I think that he should make himself clear in his presentation so that it can be taken on board for him.
Mr. Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon. Member, proceed.
Mr. Assumeng 12:05 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, to alleviate the suffering of the people in my constituency, as has been spelt out, these are the measures that I think would address the situation:
1. There is the need to reduce the price of petroleum products as recently announced.
2. We also think that there must be a complete abolition of the National Reconstruction Levy.
Mr. Speaker, I nope when these measures are adhered to, life in my constituency as well as Ghana as a whole will return to normalcy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. R. S. Quarm (NPP Gomoa East) 12:15 p.m.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, for allowing me to contribute to the debate on the floor. Mr. Speaker, I am speaking on the Budget Statement and the Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2005 financial year presented to this august House on 24th February, 2005 by hon. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister for Finance and Economic Planning on behalf of His Excellency, President John Agyekum Kufuor.
Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, I am delighted about the Budget timetable and this is referenced at page 279, paragraph 986. Mr. Speaker, for the first time -- and this is not the first time - the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Administration has been chalking so many successes

in this Fourth Republican dispensation. You are talking of a President giving an Address to this august House at the end of his tenure of office; and that was His Excellency, President Agyekum Kufuor.

Then again the Budget timetable in accordance with article 179 (9) of the Constitution and Mr. Speaker, I beg to quote:

“Where, in the case of a financial year, a supplementary estimate has been approved by Parliament in accordance with clause (8) of this article, a supplementary Appro- priation Bill shall be introduced into Parliament . . .”

We have been promised and we find that at page 279, paragraph 986 that henceforth, the Budget Statement of the year will be presented to this august House before the beginning of the ensuing financial year. And this is a big plus to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Administration.

Mr. Speaker, with regard to poverty
Mr. Sallas-Mensah 12:15 p.m.
On a point of
order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member is speaking on authority so I would like to call on the Chairman of the Government Assurances Committee to put it on record that what he is saying should be implemented. If the Chairman is around, he should take note.
Mr. Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Hon. Member for
Gomoa East, proceed.
Mr. Quarm 12:15 p.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, when we go to page 263,
Mr. James Klutse Avedzi 12:15 p.m.
On a
point of order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member on the other side of the House is misleading the House. The State of the Nation Address did not mention “private participation” but rather Private Sector Development.
Mr. Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Hon. Member for Gomoa East, proceed.
Mr. Quarm 12:15 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon.
Member who just spoke is my good old Friend and so I take his terminology in good faith. He has been following me; we worked at the same place and he has followed me here into Parliament. And so I am very happy that he will follow me everywhere.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to talk briefly about Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and I am interested in GDP in sub- Saharan Africa. Hon. Colleagues have talked at length about GDP growth in Ghana and Mr. Speaker, permit me to quote from page 16, paragraph 59 of the Government's Financial Policy:
“. . . GDP growth in sub-Saharan Africa is projected to improve marginally to 3.6 per cent in the year 2005.”
We should not only be talking about intra- comparison but also inter-comparison. In sub-Saharan African countries GDP grew at 3.2 per cent. That of Ghana was 3.8. per cent in the year 2005; the projection in sub-Saharan Africa was 3.6 per cent and if in Ghana, we are projecting at 5.8 per cent, that should certainly be a “Budget of hope” for the people of Ghana, that within sub-Saharan Africa Ghana is certainly on top.
Alhaji Sorogho 12:15 p.m.
On a point of order.
Mr. Speaker, I do not know where the hon. Member on the floor is coming from. He concludes that because in sub-Saharan Africa the projection is 3.6 per cent and that Ghana has done a provisional 5.8 per cent, we are the best in sub-Saharan Africa. I do not know whether he
understands the mathematics very well. Some countries could have even gone to 8 per cent, that is the aggregation.
We have about 16 countries in sub- Saharan Africa so if somebody had gone to 9 per cent and another person had performed 1.2 per cent and we have performed 5.8 per cent - of course, that is provisional -- and he says the average for sub-Saharan Africa is 3.3 per cent -- He just took 5 per cent and concluded that because we have 5.8 per cent as the provisional figure, we are the best. He should go back and do his mathematics well. Mr. Speaker, he is misleading the House.
Mr. Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Hon. Member for
Abokobi/Madina, you are not contri- buting, are you? I will call you in due course. Let him proceed.
Mr. Quarm 12:15 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I do not
Mr. Sampson Ahi 12:15 p.m.
On a point of
order. Mr. Speaker, I want the hon. Member who just spoke to explain to us why he is asserting that this Budget is a “Budget of hope” when in the year 2004 the GDP stood at 5.8 per cent and then the expected GDP growth in the year 2005 is also fixed at 5.8 per cent -
Mr. Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Order! Order! Hon. Member for Juabeso, this is not a point of order at all. Hon. Member, proceed.
Dr. Osei 12:15 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon.
Mr. Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Order! Order! Hon.
Member for Gomoa East, continue.
Mr. Quarm 12:15 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, all that I
Mr. Sallas-Mensah 12:25 p.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member has goofed again. He said I was the Finance Committee Chairman for ten years in a provisional government. Mr. Speaker, I was the Finance Committee Chairman from 1993 to 1997 when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Government which was not a provisional government was in power. Mr. Speaker, he should check his facts very well.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:25 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, we were told and given assurance by our hon. Colleagues opposite that they were going to be in government for at least 50 years. They were there for 8 years. Mr. Speaker, that really means that it was a provisional administration. [Laughter.]
Mr. Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon. Member for Gomoa East, please wind up.
Mr. Quarm 12:25 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, in terms of the agricultural sector, pages 20 to 21, paragraph -- [Interruption.]
Mr. Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Are you winding up?
Mr. Quarm 12:25 p.m.
I am winding up, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am just making some little comparison of crops and livestock, fishing and then the cocoa industry. Mr. Speaker, between 2002 and 2004, cocoa intra-sectoral growth, the
Mr. Lee Ocran 12:25 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I need clarification. He is saying, what? That cocoa produced in 2000 recorded negative growth, negative growth of what? He should tell us. Mr. Speaker, we need clarification. He should clarify.
Mr. Speaker 12:25 p.m.
That is not a point of order. Hon. Member, you may continue.
Mr. Quarm 12:25 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, my hon. Colleague should refer to pages 20 - 21, paragraphs 69-70. Mr. Speaker, all that I am saying is that within those two years of growth in crops it was from 5.2 to 5.4 and the difference was just about 0.2 per cent growth within crops. Meanwhile, in 2002, crops contributed 28 per cent to GDP. With the increase from 5.2 to 5.4 per cent it contributed 22.6 per cent. All that I am saying is that if 30 per cent injection in terms of growth in cocoa contributed from - 4 to about 17.9 -18 per cent of GDP now a little injection into crops, for instance, even if it were 5 per cent, would have seen a much better improvement. I am saying so because - [Interruption.]
Mr. C. S. Hodogbey 12:25 p.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member is misleading the House because in the computation, crops and livestock were combined. The question is, why did they combine them? If they were able to separate crops from livestock, then
we would have been able to justify whether there has been an increase in crop production or not. So for him to be quoting crops and livestock as a great thing to support the Budget Statement, the argument is not correct.
Mr. Quarm 12:25 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member has not been listening. Mr. Speaker, I am just appealing to the Government - [Interruption.]
Alhaji Sorogho 12:25 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. Mr. Speaker, my hon. Colleague referred to paragraph 69, page 20 and I have been reading and reading and I have not seen the negative - [Interruption] - yes, unless I have a different - [Interruption] - page 21, 2003 - 2004. If you are talking of 2001, you cannot make reference because we are not referring to two years back.
Dr. Osei 12:25 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, this is only a point of clarification. Earlier, I listened to my hon. Good Friend talking about averages in mathematics. Mr. Speaker, at page 21, table 1, Percentage Growth in Agriculture, 2002 - 2004, Cocoa, - 0.5. [Interruption.] Let me finish. If you want to confirm it, go to page 127 and you will see that in volume terms it went from 389,772 to 340,562; that is what it causes you to get negative growth.
Mr. Speaker, if he has glasses, page 21, it is very clear; everybody should
go to that page. That is the negative he is referring to; unless he has the wrong book. So please, desist from misleading the House when it is clearly there. Mr. Speaker, he can look at it for himself.
Mr. Ocran 12:25 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. Member on the opposite side for educating me. I did not know that they managed the cocoa sector so badly as to record a negative growth from the positive growth of 2001 and -
Mr. Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Order! Order! Hon. Member, you would have your time to contribute but let him wind up. I think his time is up.
Nii Amasah Namoale: Mr. Speaker, negative growth is negative growth. In 2002, you are saying you had -4 percentage contribution to overall growth - negative. Does that mean that no cocoa was produced? Maybe, we had all our farms burnt.
Mr. Quarm 12:25 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, in winding up finally, when we talk of poverty, we are talking of - [Interruption.]
Mr. Speaker 12:25 p.m.
You must wind up.
Mr. Quarm 12:25 p.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, I am saying that if the injection into cocoa - [Interruption.]
Nana Akomea 12:25 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, my hon. Friend on the other side, hon. Nii Amasah Namoale said that there was no cocoa production at all. Mr. Speaker, negative growth means that the cocoa production was below the level that had been achieved. This is Wahala deception - He should desist from it.
Alhaji Sorogho 12:25 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, on a
point of order. Mr. Speaker, I do not know the point of reference that my hon. Friend is referring to because in 2003, on the same table, the growth was 9.8 and then they projected to grow by 17.9 and ended up doing better. So how do you then tell me that it is from -4 to the present? At what time is he referring to? How do you then compare 2002 to 2004? Why does he jump over one year? Mr. Speaker, let him clear himself because he is misleading the House.
Mr. Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Order! Hon. Member for Gomoa East, are you still yielding to the hon. Member for Old Tafo?
Mr. Quarm 12:25 p.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker.
Dr. Osei 12:35 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, please, I want my Colleagues to remember that we are trying to educate the public. It is very important that as parliamentarians we are seen to be, at least, doing the right things on the facts. My good Friend, Professor Wayo Seini can teach his people.
Mr. Speaker, the concept of growth and contribution to growth as shown in Tables 1 and 2 are different concepts. One table talks about growth; the other talks about contribution to growth. So please, Mr. Speaker, the public is watching us. Let us not be seen as not knowing what we are about because growth is growth and contribution to growth is a different concept.
So on page 21, Mr. Speaker, my good Friend should please be careful because -- Professor Wayo can correct him - he is misleading this House and we are all going to look like we do not know what we are doing. Mr. Speaker, I beg to tell my Colleagues that we should respect ourselves properly.
rose
Mr. Speaker 12:35 p.m.
You have mentioned
Prof. Seini 12:35 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon.
Member has mentioned my name twice, as if we are here in a lecture room. We are not in a lecture room. Here, we bring our experiences to bear on the debate. So please, to say that I should teach somebody means he is making it look as if we are in a lecture room -- [Inter- ruptions] But there are many teachers in this House and we are not in a classroom, Mr. Speaker. So please, Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member should desist from mentioning names just because we belong to certain professions.
Mr. Speaker 12:35 p.m.
You have made your
point. Hon. Member for Gomoa East, wind up.
Mr. Quarm 12:35 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, in winding up, I am appealing to my own Government that with the injection of about 30 per cent into cocoa from negative 29 per cent, the resultant effect to GDP growth contribution was 17.9. So if even half of such resource is also allocated to crops and livestock and fishing, still within the cocoa sub-sector, I am inclined to believe that poverty incidence in the three northern regions and Central Region in particular and Gomoa East, my constituency, will certainly come down. And with 32 per cent contribution to GDP, a little financial injection into crops and livestock will lift us into the $1,000 income bracket.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. William Ofori Boafo (NPP - Akropong) 12:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity given me to contribute to the motion moved by hon. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Finance Minister, asking this august House to approve the Budget

Statement and Financial Policy of His Excellency President Agyekum Kufuor and his Government for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2005.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to contribute on the Judicial Service. Mr. Speaker, the Judicial Service is primarily charged with the administration of justice in this country. It interprets and at times enforces the laws of this country; and the Judiciary is the final repository of judicial power in the country. It is an institution which assures the good people of Ghana, foreigners and investors a fair, just, full and adequate hearing and remedy of contentious and non-contentious disputes.

Mr. Speaker, how do the fiscal

measures and policies achieve these objectives for the Judicial Service? Mr. Speaker, firstly, the 2005 Budget seeks to mainstream alternative dispute reso- lutions in our courts with the view to decongest the courts and also provide a forum or environment for informal and more flexible proceedings.

Mr. Speaker, the Judicial Service is establishing commercial courts which would comprise about 6 automated courts and in the system of the proceedings there will be pre-trial settlement conferences. Mr. Speaker, this intro-duction will require the services of experts, assessors and consultants and it is proposed to resource these persons so as to sustain their interest and thereby pay them sitting allowances and other incentives.

Mr. Speaker, there would be the need to train registrars and supporting staff including bailiffs to assist in the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) proceedings.

Mr. Speaker, within the Judicial Service

also, there is the need to strengthen and ensure that the district magistrate courts where justice is administered at the grass roots are well-equipped to ensure good governance.

The 2005 Budget provides for continuing training and appointment of career magistrates who are being trained at the Ghana School of Law. At present, a total of 63 persons are under training; 43 out of the 63 will be coming out in June, 2005 and the remaining 20 in 2006. There will be an additional intake of 50 students this year.

Mr. Speaker, during the period of their training, these persons are paid allowances by the Judicial Service. It is therefore appropriate that the Judicial Service is well-resourced to retain these trainees.

Mr. Speaker, in order to reduce the backlog of cases in the magistrate courts, the 2005 Budget makes provision for the following: There will be weekend sittings of the magistrate courts under a pilot scheme in Accra and possibly in Kumasi and Takoradi. Mr. Speaker, these sitting magistrates will be paid extra allowances.

There is also the intention to automate 10 magistrate courts and within the current fiscal year, 5 of them will be undertaken. This automation will, as a matter of course, reduce the long delays in proceedings because the magistrates will now have the assistance of machines to take down the proceedings instead of the proceedings being taken down in long hand.

Mr. Speaker, this is the determination of the Government of His Excellency

President J. A. Kufuor to reduce trial delays so that justice will not only be seen to be done but also be seen to have been manifestly done. [Hear! Hear!]. Mr. Speaker, the automation involves the provision of security for the equipment as well as installation of air-conditioners and the training of copyists both technically and also in writing and understanding of good English. Mr. Speaker, it is necessary to have the Judicial Service well resourced.

Mr. Speaker, it is gratifying to note that His Excellency President Agyekum Kufuor and his Government in March 2001 embarked upon the establishment of a fast-tract court and in addition, automated all the regional high courts. Apart from this, the present Government has also constructed six automated courtrooms, which will be operating as a commercial division of the High Court in Accra. This is going to be inaugurated very soon. And as I indicated earlier on, these automated high courts or commercial courts will undertake pre- trial settlement conferences, all in the course of mainstreaming the alternate dispute resolution process.

Mr. Speaker, one of the major problems which faces the Judicial Service is accommodation. Many rooms within the buildings meant for other purposes have been converted into offices. It is gratifying to note that the Government of President J. A. Kufuor has taken a bold initiative and in 2004, it resurrected the profile of an administration block behind the Supreme Court building which was lamely started in the late 1990s; and this was expected to be completed during this financial year.

For the foregoing, the projects and the purposes, the 2005 Budget has allocated
Majority Chief Whip (Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu) 12:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, we have covered some grounds and done considerable justice to the motion. There are about five important committee meetings. In the circumstances, Mr. Speaker, I beg to move that this House do now adjourn till 10 o'clock in the forenoon tomorrow.
Minority Chief Whip (Mr. John Tia) 12:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I second the motion.
ADJOURNMENT 12:45 p.m.