Debates of 4 Mar 2005

MR. SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:10 a.m.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 10:10 a.m.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs/ Majority Leader (Mr. F. K. Owusu- Adjapong) 10:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I was clearing something with the Clerk. I wanted us to take note that a number of committees met yesterday and when I checked up from the Clerk's office, it looked like they closed late. Maybe, later on we shall let the House have records of other committees that met, like the Committees on Mines and Special Budget. So the Votes and Proceedings for today is not complete, from my information.
Mr. Speaker, the Committee met yesterday, Thursday, 3rd March 2005 and arranged Business of the House for the Eighth Week ending Friday, 11th March 2005. Mr. Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows:
Arrangement of Business
Papers and Reports
Mr. Speaker, Papers and Reports may be laid before the House for consideration.
Mr. Speaker, hon. Members would observe that Reports on the Budget Estimates of the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are expected to be presented by the

Committees of the House. Mr. Speaker, this gives an indication that debate on the various Budget Estimates will soon commence. I will therefore urge all hon. Members to hold themselves in readiness for the exercise ahead of us.

Statements

Mr. Speaker may allow duly authorized Statements to be made on the floor of the House.

Motions and Resolutions

Mr. Speaker, motions may be debated and their consequential Resolutions, if any, may also be considered.

Questions

Mr. Speaker, the Committee has programmed one Urgent Question to be answered by the hon. Attorney-General on Wednesday, 9th March 2005. The Urgent Question stands in the name of the hon. Deputy Minority Leader, Mr. Edward K. D. Adjaho.

Conclusion

Mr. Speaker, in accordance with Standing Order 160 (2) and subject to Standing Order 53, the Committee submits to this honourable House the order in which the Business of the House shall be taken during the week.

Statements

Laying of Papers --

(a) Report of the Committee on Local Government and Rural Develop-ment on the Annual Budget Estimates of the National Commission on Culture for the

year 2005.

(b) Report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the year 2005.

(c) Report of the Committee on Youth, Sports and Culture on the Annual Budget Estimates of the National Commission on Culture for the year 2005.

(d) Report of the Joint Committee on Youth, Sports and Culture and Employment, Social Welfare and State Enterprises on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employ- ment for the year 2005.

(e) Report of the Committee on Roads and Transport on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Road Transport for the year 2005.

(f) Report of the Committee on Works and Housing on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Works and Housing for the year 2005.

(g) Report of the Finance Committee on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Government Machinery for the year 2005.

(h) Report of the Committee on Gender and Children on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs for the year

2005.

(i) Report of the Judiciary Committee on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Judicial Service for the year

2005.

(j) Report of the Committee on Trade,
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs/ Majority Leader (Mr. F. K. Owusu- Adjapong) 10:10 a.m.
2005.
(k) Reports of the Special Budget Committee on the Annual Budget Estimates for the year 2005 of the following:
i. Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).
ii. Electoral Commission (EC).
iii. National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE).
iv. National Media Commission
(NMC).
v. Public Services Commission.
vi. Audit Service.
v i i . D i s t r i c t Assembl ies C o m - m o n F u n d Administrator.
viii. Office of Parliament.
Motion --
That this honourable House approves the Financial Policy of the Government for the year ending 31st December 2005.

Committee Sittings.

Statements

Urgent Question --
Mr. Edward K. D. Adjaho (NDC -- Avenor-Ave) 10:10 a.m.
To ask the Attorney- General and Minister for Justice the status of the late Issa Mobila's murder docket which was submitted to his office.
Mr. Speaker, I would want to assure
hon. Adjaho, who was present when I talked to the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, that he has confirmed that he would be available to answer his learned Friend to his satisfaction.
Laying of Papers --
(a) Report of the Finance Committee on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning for the year
2005.
(b) Report of the Committee on C o n s t i t u t i o n a l , L e g a l a n d Parliamentary Affairs on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Justice for the year 2005.
(c) Report of the Committee on Mines and Energy on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Energy for the year 2005.
(d) Report of the Committee on Envir- onment, Science and Technology on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Environment and Science for the year 2005.
(e) Report of the Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Private Sector Development and President's Special Initiatives for the year 2005.
(f) Report of the Joint Committee on Lands and Forestry and Mines and Energy on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Lands, Forestry and Mines for the year
2005.
(g) Report of the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture
Mr. Edward K. D. Adjaho (NDC -- Avenor-Ave) 10:10 a.m.
(h) Report of the Committee on Defence and Interior on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Defence for the year 2005.
(i) Report of the Committee on Health on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Health for the year 2005.
(j) Report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Regional Co-operation and NEPAD for the year 2005.
As a matter of fact we are trying to negotiate with the Chairmen and Ranking Members that even if they have been scheduled to lay their Papers on Wednesday or Thursday but it is ready on Tuesday, we shall lay it and programme the time for the motion.
Motion --
That this honourable House approves the Financial Policy of the Government for the year ending 31st December 2005.

Committee Sittings. Thursday, 10th March 2005

Statements

Laying of Papers --

(a) Report of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parlia- mentary Affairs on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs for the year 2005.

(b) Report of the Joint Committee on Education, Youth, Sports and Culture on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of
Mr. Edward K. D. Adjaho (NDC -- Avenor-Ave) 10:20 a.m.
Education and Sports for the year
2005.
(c) Report of the Finance Committee on the Annual Budget Estimates of the National Development Plan- ning Commission for the year 2005.
(d) Report of the Committee on Roads and Transport on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Harbours and Railways for the year 2005.
(e) Report of the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Fisheries for the year 2005.
(f) Report of the Committee on Communications on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Communications for the year 2005.
(g) Report of the Committee on Communications on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Information for the year 2005.
We have already recorded a number of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) whose motions will be taken. These may be subject to change depending upon the circumstances, but we believe that we should commence the debate relating to the MDAs on Thursday. I believe by Wednesday evening or even Tuesday, we would be in a position to indicate which of them were laid on and would have therefore matured for us to take the motion on Thursday.

Statements

Laying of Papers

Motions --

(a) That this honourable House ap- proves the sum of ¢184,675 million for the services of the Ministry of Trade and Industry for the 2005 fiscal year.

(b) That this honourable House approves the sum of ¢128,103 million for the services of the Judicial Service for the 2005 fiscal year.

(c) That this honourable House ap- proves the sum of ¢25,242 million for the services of the Commission on Human Rights and Admi- nistrative Justice for the 2005 fiscal year.

(d) That this honourable House ap- proves the sum of ¢31,896 million for the services of the Electoral Commission for the 2005 fiscal year.

(e) That this honourable House approves the sum of ¢30,700 million for the services of the National Commission for Civic Education for the 2005 fiscal year.

(f) That this honourable House approves the sum of ¢1,500 million for the services of the National Media Commission for the 2005 fiscal year.

(g) That this honourable House approves the sum of ¢43,663 million for the services of the National Commission on Culture for the 2005 fiscal year.

(h) That this honourable House approves the sum of ¢446,767 million for the services of the Finance and Economic Planning for the 2005 fiscal year.

Committee Sittings

Mr. Speaker, this is not part of the Report but let me add that the Leadership is in contact with the various Ministries and more importantly the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning to ensure that Ministers and their officers would attend upon the committees and also attend on the House whenever the motions are supposed to be considered on the floor of the House, so that we can conclude our programme and end this Meeting possibly on the 18th of March as we have already planned. But this will call for total co-operation from all hon. Members, especially the leadership of the committees.
Mr. Speaker 10:20 a.m.
I have admitted two Statements for today. The first one is by the hon. Member for Komenda/Edina/ Eguafo/Abirem.
Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom (CPP -- Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem) 10:20 a.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for allowing me to make a Statement in this House on the occasion of Ghana's 48th Independence Day celebration.
Mr. Speaker, on 6th March 1957, Ghana attained independence from Great Britain. And forty-eight years on, we must, all of us Ghanaians examine all aspects of our life to determine what our balance sheet looks like. At the dawn of independence, our first President, the Osagyefo, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah proclaimed that, “Ghana, our beloved country is free”. But at the dawn of 6th March 2005, we must ask ourselves what we have done with this freedom.
Mr. Speaker, as we consider what we have done with our freedom gained at independence, we must pay tribute to the ordinary men and women, the unsung heroes who suffered to make it possible for us to gain this freedom. Some suffered at the hands of the colonial authorities. Others suffered through our own people by way of violence that took place before independence. We owe a big debt of gratitude to those who held our people's heads high over the years before independence such as George (Paa) Grant. We should at this time give thanks to the dedicated efforts of the Big Six -- Dr. J. B. Danquah, Mr. E. Obetsebi- Lamptey, Dr. E. Ako Adjei, Mr. William Ofori-Atta, Mr. Edward Akuffo-Addo and Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and all those who dared to get actively involved in politics and political activism that enabled us to become an independent nation.
Today, all of us are proud to be Ghanaians. All of us are proud that we are an independent country even though it was not always universally accepted that independence was a good thing. But we must take time to appreciate what we have and take solid steps to protect our independence won for us through a struggle that involved some loss of blood.
Mr. Speaker, we are growing as a nation. Our democratic credentials are also multiplying. However, our national motto of freedom and justice must not be taken for granted. Its realization depends not just on the Government in power, but on all institutions of state -- the Judiciary, Parliament, Civil Service and others. All of us must act carefully to protect what we have. We must guard jealously our peace and stability.
The party in power has responsibilities to encourage all politicians to act in the national interest. At the same time, it is important that parties in opposition play their role effectively and in a manner that guarantees stability and national security. Our politicians have not always acted appropriately. And when that has happened, our nation has suffered. As we celebrate our independence, let us be conscious of putting the national interest ahead of party, ideology and ethnic considerations.
Mr. Speaker, we must remind ourselves that a pattern of destructive military coup- making in Ghana was launched on February 24, 1966. In 1966, it was the CPP tradition and its leaders who were overthrown, vilified and persecuted. In 1972, it was the turn of the Danquah-Busia tradition, in the form of the Progress Party, to suffer the pain of being overthrown by force of arms. They also suffered indignation and crucifixion. In 1981, Dr.
Hilla Limann, one of our most democratic, peace-loving and tolerant Presidents at the head of the PNP Government suffered the humiliation of a coup.
In all instances, Parliament was dissolved and the Constitution was abrogated. We in Parliament must be conscious of the fact that we have a lot at stake. We must, all of us in this honourable House, work to ensure that we do not return to the dark days of the culture of silence, of decrees and hijacked liberties.
Mr. Speaker, fortunately, the 4th Republic is continuing and is seeing its 4th Parliament. With continuity in constitutional multiparty democracy, we are seeing an expansion of the frontiers of freedoms enjoyed by our people. We must work, all of us, to let freedom become real and abiding everywhere in this country.
Mr. Speaker, there is time for partisan talk and action. But after elections, we must find sufficient ground and time to tolerate one other's views as politicians and become more inclusive in our search for prosperity and good quality life for all Ghanaians.
Mr. Speaker, as we march towards our 50th year of independence, we must increasingly turn our attention to making the prosperity of the Ghanaian individual a reality. The Ghanaian man and woman must ultimately feel independence in their individual pockets and homes. This should mean all Ghanaians and not just a few well-connected ones. And that is why we should all take seriously the task of reducing poverty in our society. The liberation and independence of the pocket will lead to more freedom and stability of our politics and constitutional multiparty democracy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for this opportunity to make this Statement on
Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom (CPP -- Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem) 10:30 a.m.
the occasion of the 48th anniversary of Ghana's independence that will be celebrated on Sunday, 6th March 2005. And I wish all hon. Members and all Ghanaians a restful and an enjoyable independence day.

Capt. Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey (rtd.) (NPP -- Berekum): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to associate myself with this important Statement on the occasion of our 48th anniversary as a nation.

Mr. Speaker, at that time, I was a tiny child of just about three years or more, and I did not see the dawn of our Independence. But as the nation grew in years, I also grew in years and I have come to realize that Ghana which is indeed an acronym for “God Has A New Africa”, is indeed a blessed nation.

Mr. Speaker, as I speak today on the floor of this House, a Ghanaian is ECOWAS Executive Secretary; a Ghanaian is the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa and a Ghanaian is the ultimate Secretary- General of the United Nations. It shows that God indeed has blessed our nation.

Mr. Speaker, I have had the golden opportunity of travelling to every district in this country and I have observed that in every district in Ghana, God has given us some special resource -- it could be gold; it could be mercury; it could be a mountain range full of diamonds or bauxite. Indeed, in the whole of Western Region, the sub- soil is full of gold deposits, apart from having cocoa. Mr. Speaker, Ghana indeed is a blessed nation, both in human potential and natural resources. It is against this background that Mr. Speaker, I join my hon. Colleague in saluting the nation that we have managed to stand on our feet for forty-eight solid years.
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu (NDC -- Tamale South) 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to associate myself with the important Statement made by the hon. Member for Komenda/ Edina/Eguafo/Abirem (Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom) on the occasion of Ghana's 48th Independence Anniversary Celebra-tion scheduled for the weekend.
Mr. Speaker, as we acknowledge and pay glowing tribute to our founding fathers, especially Dr. Kwame Nkrumah,
it is important for us to put in context what lessons we have learnt as a country. Indeed, President Kwame Nkrumah was committed to a balanced development in this country, especially in the distribution of national infrastructural facilities. He was committed to addressing some huge educational imbalances that existed in the colonial era which were inherited in the post-independence era; and that culminated in the building of several educational institutions across the country.
But Mr. Speaker, not even the dream of our first President of achieving continental unification was to be realized following the coup d'etat of 1966. I have heard some attempts by some Ghanaians to justify the intervention of 1966, but Mr. Speaker, the coup d'etat of 1966 later ushered in the coup culture of Ghana, at least, the beginning of military intervention and the continuous oscillation of Ghana between constitutional rule and military rule.
Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the 48th anniversary of our independence, we have every right to be proud as Ghanaians. Indeed, our quest towards building a humane, prosperous society with the Ghanaian feeling more dignified and more secured is everything to celebrate. But Mr. Speaker, we need to learn lessons, especially on the issue of justice, as selective as it may be in some circumstances.
Mr. Speaker, one of the provisions of the Constitution, especially that which relates to the Directive Principles of State Policy, was to address many of the dark spots in our constitutional and military history as we move along. We should be asking ourselves at the National Assembly, including the Judiciary and the Executive, the extent to which we have demonstrated commitment to be guided
in our conducts and in our attitudes to the Directive Principles as laid down in the Constitution. Mr. Speaker, none-theless, I associate myself with it.
Indeed, we are informed that His Excellency the President, in exercising his prerogative of mercy presumed on the fact that we are celebrating 48th Independence Anniversary, has granted some amnesty -- or call it a pardon -- to some convicted criminals including some former Ministers of State, namely; Messrs Kwame Peprah and Victor Selormey.

Capt. Effah-Dartey (rtd.): On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member is misleading the House. He has made reference to former President Rawlings granting special amnesty to Mr. Kwame Pianim even though he was on the other side of the political divide at the time. Mr. Speaker, as far as the records would show, Mr. Kwame Pianim was sentenced to seven years imprisonment; he served the full sentence and then, after the expiration of the seven years in jail, he continued to stay in custody without being released according to law.

So when finally he was suddenly released, that cannot be described as a pardon; it cannot be described as amnesty;
Mr. H. Iddrisu 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for the intervention but he needs to appreciate what operates in law as a full pardon and what in law is referred to as a remission. In the case of Mr. Kwame Pianim, the essence of the pardon or the amnesty he enjoyed -- You remember he was prevented from running as presidential candidate because of the initiative of Rosemary Quarm in that particular case which was raised.
The essence was that if you suffer a criminal conviction, there is a disability associated with it that you may not be able to run for public office. The essence of the full pardon, even as the Senior Minister enjoyed, was to quash the criminality associated with it to allow them to enjoy.

But Mr. Speaker, coming to the substantive issue, I think as a country, in 1993 we all rededicated ourselves to multiparty constitutional rule and it is important that as a people we commit ourselves to the ideals and principles of transparency and accountability.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I associate myself with the Statement.
Mr. Asamoah Ofosu (NPP -- Kade) 10:40 a.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for allowing me to associate myself with this very important statement made today on the floor of the House. Mr. Speaker, I will be very brief.
Mr. Speaker, some 48 years ago, as the

[CAPT. EFFAH-DARTEY (RTD.)] Statement proclaims, Ghanaians had their independence; but for the 48 years, I have been wondering what type of indepen- dence we have achieved. It seems to have limited itself to political independence, but economically, Ghana has not been independent. It is true that as a country we cannot be an island on our own; economies of one country are linked to the other. But economically our economy is so linked up with that of our colonial masters and other European nations that it has almost become reliant on them.

After asserting our political indepen- dence the presumption was that we could stand on our own; but even in assessing our own strength certainly, we must compare it with another. And what do we see? The cedi has fallen so low; the cedi has become so weak against the pound that today one pound goes for about seventeen thousand cedis whilst at independence it was one pound to two cedis.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:40 a.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, my hon. Colleague is misleading this House. Mr. Speaker, it is perhaps because of his age. At independence, our currency was not the cedi so his statement to the effect that at independence one pound was equivalent to two cedis cannot be right. He is misleading himself and this House, and it is perhaps because of his age.
Mr. Ofosu 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I was only referring to the time when we started using the cedi. It was two cedis to one pound -- [Interruption.]
Mr. Francis Agbotse 10:40 a.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member is still deceiving the House. When the cedi was introduced, it was eight shillings and four pence and not ten shillings.
Mr. Ofosu 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I disagree with him; I still maintain my position. Mr. Speaker, the records are not here and they cannot prove it, so they should allow me
to continue.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 10:40 a.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member for Kade (Mr. Asamoah Ofosu) is misleading this House. As at independence, how many schools did we have in this country? Did we have the Akosombo dam? Did we have the Tema township? And what about the state of our roads? Let us not talk as if we have not made progress; we have come a long way.
The white man was here for over hundred years, since the Bond of 1844 and left after 113 years; what was the legacy? Did we have fully-fledged universities in this country? How many do we have today? Rome was not built in a day. Let us check the history of the country; where did we come from? So we have made some progress -- political progress and some economic progress.
Mr. Ofosu 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, all that I was saying was that we have attained our political independence 48 years now but economically we have not been independent. Our economies are not only linked to that of our colonial masters and other European countries but we have become reliant on them.
Hon. Members will bear testimony to the fact that even in this House, as a legislative body, we spend more time approving loans from our European neighbours and colonial masters than even making laws for this country. So what I am saying is that in times like these we do not only have to celebrate the independence of Ghana by organizing watch nights and march pasts at the Independence Square, but we have to sit down, rethink and reassess our independence by focusing towards the time when Ghana shall not only be politically independent but
economically independent.
On the night independence was declared, our then Prime Minister, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah said -- and Mr. Speaker, with your permission, I quote:
“The Independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked with the total liberation of the African Continent.”
Mr. Speaker, what type of liberation was Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the then Prime Minister talking of? Was it just liberating ourselves from our colonial masters just because they were white people or we wanted to liberate ourselves? Mr. Speaker, was it liberation from some of the atrocities we suffered or from the dictatorship of the then colonial masters? Perhaps, successfully we were able to assist other African nations to liberate themselves from their colonial masters only to be taken over by dictatorship of our own people.
Just as during the fight towards independence, Ghanaians were sent to other African countries to assist their brothers; today Ghanaians continue to be in Sierra Leone, Liberia, la Cote d'Ivoire and until recently Togo when Ghanaians had to join their colleagues in the ECOWAS to liberate the people of Togo from the imposition of the son of the late President Eyadema. Mr. Speaker, we see that the fight still continues, and the question is, when shall it end?
Mr. Kojo Armah 10:40 a.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I would want the hon. Member to clarify his last statement that only recently Ghanaians were sent to Togo to help liberate Togo from the son of Eyadema. It is a little cumbersome and he should explain it further for our education.
Mr. Speaker 10:40 a.m.
Hon. Member, you have not raised any point of order at this stage. Hon. Member for Kade, wind up.
Mr. Ofosu 10:40 a.m.
Very well. Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, for the sake of the records, I did not say that Ghanaians were sent to Togo. I said that Ghanaians had to join their brothers in the ECOWAS, to see to the liberation of the people of Togo from the imposition of Foure Eyadema on them.
In winding up, all I want to say is that it is important to celebrate a day of such a nature but then we have to use the time to rethink and to reassess our independence not only politically but work towards economic independence as well as realizing the total liberation of Africa not only from the white man but also from the dictatorship of our own people.
Mr. Henry Ford Kamel (NDC -- Buem) 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to associate myself with the submissions of the maker of the Statement and the subsequent contributions made by hon. Members.
I think that the history of this country, for the past 48 years, has been a mixed one. It has been one of sadness and one of joy. There are certain times in the history of this country when people had even been caged and paraded in the streets of this country. We have also gone through coups d'etat and we have gone through revolutions. All is not that bad, but Mr. Speaker, after 48 years of independence, when we compare ourselves with countries that we started with, one big issue that comes to my mind is the level of poverty in this country.

Mr. Speaker, I represent a rural constituency; I do not know what pertains in other constituencies, but I believe that the level of poverty in my constituency and for that matter this country is nothing that we should be proud about.

Mr. Speaker, there are people who take boiled corn for supper in my constituency

simply because they cannot afford supper. There are instances where people eat mangoes to sleep. If after 48 years of our political history we still quote figures that we are able to satisfy the demands of the Bretton Woods but people in this country have to eat boiled corn and sleep, then we are not going anywhere.

The poverty level is so serious that people cannot even pay school fees. Mr. Speaker, payment of school fees is now becoming a matter of privilege; it is not easy. So what we have to do is to really think about improving the living standards of this country. It is very, very important that after 48 years of our history we should be looking at the welfare of the people of this country.
Mr. Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon. Members, we have Order Paper Addendum; may we take item 1, that is, Laying of Papers.
PAPERS 10:50 a.m.
Mr. F. W. A. Blay 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, whilst on my feet I would crave your indulgence to inform members of the Committee that the meeting for the vetting of other Deputy Ministers is ongoing and hon. Members of that Committee should join us. The Vice-Chairman -- I can see; indeed the Ranking Member too is here. So I would take the opportunity to inform the House that Members can kindly join us in your committee's room at the Conference Room.
Mr. Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Members of the Appointments Committee, you may join the Chairman in conducting your business.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:50 a.m.
Mr.

Speaker, I want to believe that what the Chairman meant is that the meeting is about to commence. It cannot be ongoing when he as the Chairman, the Vice- Chairman and the Ranking Member are in this Chamber. Mr. Speaker, I believe that the meeting is about to commence.
Mr. Blay 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the correction is accepted.
Mr. Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon. Members, let us go back to the Order Paper, and the second Statement is by the hon. Member for Evalue-Gwira.
Statement in Memory of the Late Dr. Hilla Limann
Mr. Kojo Armah (CPP -- Evalue- Gwira) 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to make this short Statement in remembrance of the late Dr. Hilla Limann, President of the Third Republic of Ghana.
Mr. Speaker, the late Dr. Hilla Limann was President of this country for only 27 months, from September 24, 1979 to December 31, 1981 following the People's National Party (PNP) electoral victory in a general election in August 1979. His Government, the PNP Administration was overthrown on December 31, 1981 by the same person who handed power over to him in September 1979.
After his release from custody in September 1983, Dr. Limann imposed upon himself a life of “constructive silence” for 10 years without uttering a word or opinion in public even on national issues despite persistent media pressure. He was rarely seen in public except for the funeral of a deceased colleague, and even then very briefly.
When the ban on party politics was
lifted in 1992, Dr. Limann broke his silence at a historic press conference in Accra where he announced his return to partisan politics. He then founded the People's National Convention (PNC) and led it into the 1992 general elections. He lost his bid. The rest is now history, starting off from the publication of the “Stolen Verdict”.
Mr. Speaker, in remembering Dr. Limann today, on the occasion of the seventh anniversary of his death, one seeks not just to celebrate the memory of yet another past leader of this potentially great country of ours, but one wishes to recall, lest we forget, the life of a person whose short presidency contributed immensely to good governance, respect for the rule of law and constitutionalism, accountability and sustainable development.
His simple lifestyle, modesty in government, tolerance of all shades of opinion and hard work are all core values that should constantly remind us all of our duty and commitment to the cause of our nation, especially in these times when once again good governance has become a benchmark in our national affairs.
Mr. Speaker, Dr. Hilla Limann became President after the 3-month revolutionary blitz of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC). It was a particularly chaotic period as the military junta of the AFRC had created such a situation that all facets of our national life, namely security, political, economic and social life had been affected in a most unsavoury manner in spite of their own stated motive. Insecurity, military brutality, economic blockade, international ostracism, among others, were the lot of Ghana in those days.
In the 27 months that Dr. Hilla Limann led the PNP to run the country, he steered the country back to normalcy. In his inaugural address on September 24, 1979 Dr. Hilla Limann promised a government
Mr. Kojo Armah (CPP -- Evalue- Gwira) 11 a.m.
that would work, a government that would be open and honest, modest but vigorous, one that would wage a relentless war on poverty, corruption, indiscipline, inefficiency and dishonesty while upholding the rule of law.
Mr. Speaker, it is instructive to note that after the coup in 1981 when the PNDC embarked upon a clean-up of our country, using instruments such as the Citizens Vetting Committee, the Limann Administration came out with a clean bill of health. He as President was in the country at all material times but had no charges pressed against him. He was subjected to extreme discomfort as a former President. He had neither a pension nor any state sustenance. Yet he remained stoic and resilient without complaining.
As we continue to deepen our democracy, it is good to remember such people whose sacrifices have laid the foundations for democratic government. Their lives of modesty and honesty should encourage and inspire us.
Mr. Speaker, good governance is a key policy the NPP Administration has set itself. Dr. Hilla Limann lived and extolled the tenets of good governance, believing in the rule of law, freedom of speech and the media, honesty in political office and disciplined statesmanship. Dr. Limann died on 23rd January, 1998 after a very short illness. Today, he is no more but we remember him for all he stood for and would have fought for to push our agenda of democracy, good governance and sustainable development forward.
In describing his presidency in an interview with the BBC, Dr. Limann stated what could be a best epithet to his presidency in the following words:
“It was 27 painful but very rewarding
months during which Ghanaians demonstrated their determination to make sure that civilian democratic rule worked in Ghana for once in the face of numerous distractions, difficulties, frustrations, unfulfilled aspirations and rapid changes from one crisis to another.”
Dr. Limann was a Ghanaian with abiding faith in Ghana and without much bitterness even after his regime had been bitterly truncated.

It is our prayer that with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government's declared intention to honour our past leaders, someone will remember that there once lived a patriot, simple, modest Ghanaian called Dr. Hilla Limann, and raise a monument in his name.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for your time.

E. Nana Yaw Ofori-Kuragu (NPP -- Bosome-Freho): Mr. Speaker, thank you for allowing me to associate myself with the Statement on the floor.

Firstly, I would like to thank the President, John Agyekum Kufuor, for granting amnesty or pardon to Messrs Kwame Peprah and Victor Selormey. This should be seen as a lesson for all because being in the high office of Minister should carry a lot of dignity. From time to time, these things have happened and they have gone without caution or sanction. And Mr. Speaker, for the President to be bold enough to set these people free, means he is really a caring President; because that was not a small crime.

Mr. Speaker, secondly, the Member just spoke about military interventions. Yes, military interventions set Ghana back a great deal. Anytime we tried to move forward, the soldiers took power
rose
Mr. Speaker 11 a.m.
Hon. Member for Jomoro?
Mr. Ocran 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I thought the Statement was on the death of Dr. Hilla Limann, but it seems the hon. Member is veering into a different area altogether. Maybe we need your direction.
Mr. Speaker 11 a.m.
Hon. Member, speak to the Statement.
Nana Ofori-Kuragu 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, my understanding of the Statement is that it is a bit of a tribute to Dr. Hilla Limann, in remembrance of his good works done to the nation. In any case, I will carry on -- [Laughter] -- Military interventions, Mr. Speaker, have a lot to do with Dr. Hilla Limann.
Mr. Speaker, my father, hon. Ofori- Kuragu, in that same regime was in opposition in this House and I can remember him being in jail for quite a while and that had an effect on our family. So, Mr. Speaker, military intervention is truly something I know about. Also, my mother was in the army as a Major. So Mr. Speaker, I know a little about the military as well and I do not think that the military and politics have anything in common because they fought tooth and nail everyday -- my mother and my father.
But then Mr. Speaker, the real point is that Ghana, in a couple of days, will be celebrating her 48th anniversary. We should have been way ahead, maybe comparing ourselves with South Korea, because they have left us way behind when we look at their per capita income which is now around US$18,000 compared to our meagre $400 or so. So Mr. Speaker, we have a lot of catching up to do. If the soldiers should come back, I think maybe we will all have to look for greener pastures.
Mr. Speaker 11 a.m.
Hon. Member, are you winding up?
Nana Ofori-Kuragu 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, indeed I am. Mr. Speaker, basically what I am trying to say is that, we are truly free and we are glad that the freedom of these two former Ministers would be a lesson to all.
Mr. Lee Ocran (NDC -- Jomoro) 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would want to support the Statement of the hon. Member for Evalue- Gwira. There is nobody in this House who can speak about the Limann period more than me, having served Dr. Limann as the first ever Deputy Regional Minister for the Western Region and as Deputy Minister for Trade until the last day of 1981.
Dr. Limann was a very good person, a very modest man and very well focused. But it seems the Statement on the floor
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member is misleading this House. The specific Statement celebrating the life of Dr. Hilla Limann alludes to the coup that toppled Dr. Limann and my hon. Colleague here is saying that those who introduced coups should be blamed. What is the inference? Mr. Speaker, I think the connection is not there.
Mr. Ocran 11 a.m.
I will go on. If you throw a ball at a wall, it comes back. So, those who began the tradition should be blamed, because we never knew it; somebody started it and others copied. I am happy and let me repeat, very happy, that for the past 23 years we have not had any military intervention, because no one will want what Dr. Limann suffered to be suffered by any other person, whether in my party or in any other party. Coups have disrupted our lives; they have disrupted my life twice and, therefore, I very much sympathise with Dr. Limann. I used to visit him; we used to talk and when he died, I was at his funeral.
I believe that in our quest to honour those who have once upon a time run our lives, we should do something for the widow of Dr. Limann. During one of the trade fairs a few years ago, I saw this former First Lady sitting behind her
batik tie-and-dye in a stall at the Trade Fair. I was very sad. I think if you even led this country for two weeks, you have contributed your part in moving this country forward. Therefore, I wish to call on the Government to look into the circumstances of Mrs. Hilla Limann and do something to help improve the lady's life.
Majority Leader (Mr. Felix Owusu- Adjapong) 11:10 a.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to associate myself with this Statement made on the floor of this House. Indeed, it is right when we begin to make the call that we should recognize the contributions of very good personalities, like His Excellency the late Dr. Hilla Limann.
I came to see this gentleman the first time when he won power. I was privileged to join the then Chief Administrator of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to brief His Excellency, President Limann on the affairs at SSNIT. I had had long association with his Vice- President, the late Dr. de-Graft Johnson and so I was made to feel at home at this particular briefing.
Mr. Speaker, I was also privileged to have known him a bit more; not directly but through a cousin of mine who had worked with him when he was in the Foreign Ministry and became one of the typists in his office.
I can say that possibly President Limann suffered that fate because he trusted human beings. He suffered because he believed in people. He suffered because he thought we all loved Ghana, and I am saying this bearing in mind what was communicated to me on the day of that 31st December coup.

I happened to have had the privilege of hosting four of the secretarial staff who were working in his office, who had to run away, for their own lives sake, and I lived with them for some hours of that day until I had the opportunity to send them to their respective places. And I will conclude by saying that we should not create situations that in the future will prevent people from trusting their fellow human beings, so that this country will advance to where we all want it to be. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Hon. Members, the hon. Member for Asawase (Dr. Gibril M. Adamu) met his untimely death on the 26th of February, this year. The Leadership of the House will make a statement on this loss sustained by the House.
Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I was going to make a small plea that we give opportunity to two of the People's National Convention (PNC) Members to speak. That is why I spoke as an ordinary Member here. I am pleading that if at least one of them can be allowed to speak.
Mr. J. A. Ndebugre (PNC -- Zebilla) 11:10 a.m.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. With Mr. Speaker's indulgence, I wish to thank the Majority Leader as well for his timely intervention.
I beg to say that I fit in very well to contribute to this Statement, maybe to the surprise of my hon. Friend from Jomoro. I did not serve in Dr. Limann's Government of People's National Party (PNP) but I met him somewhere in 1988 and worked very actively with him from that time on, until he died on the 23rd January, 1988.
I can bear testimony to some of his characteristics. The man was modest, which has already been said. He was firm. He believed in whatever he set out to do and anytime he set out to do something,
he tried hard to do it. He believed in excellence. I was one of his draftsmen and I do not want to be accused of being boastful but I write some good English.
But every time I took a draft to him, and he looked through and gave it back, he would really mutilate the draft so much so that even if you also wanted to correct something within the correction, you would have no space to do it. And when you went back and got his corrected version typed to the last copy, the last one ready for use, let us say a press statement to be read at the press conference or such similar occasions, there would be more ink in the final copy than in the draft -- the original one.
The man was craving for excellence all the time. I think that was one of his attributes which did not endear him very much to many people because in many parts of this world, many people want to do things in a hurry and get the result, claiming that the end justifies the means. So the man believed very much in excellence and I think that that is also the reason why he has gone down as somebody who was too trustful. Because, he believed that God would not produce anything that was not excellent and God in His wisdom created all of us; and anybody who came before him he presumed such person to be an excellent handiwork of God himself.
Well, we do not all believe in these principles and therefore he ran into problems. I have other PNC Members here who may be given the chance, so I do not want to cover the whole hog. What I want to say is that we do not pay tribute to people just to praise them or just to say some idle things about them, especially when we are dealing with national leaders. We pay tribute or we remember people so that we can put them in the historical perspectives of such persons and draw
Mr. Moses Dani Baah (PNC -- Sissala East) 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to associate myself with the Statement made by the
hon. Member for Evalue-Gwira.
Mr. Speaker, I happened to be the Member of Parliament from the constituency that the late Dr. Hilla Limann hailed from. I got to know the late Dr. Limann in my early years and that is over thirty years back. Mr. Speaker, I can say that we in those days as young men saw Dr. Limann as a role model. I am saying this because this was a man who had to work and educate himself from the level of a pupil teacher up to doctorate level in Political Science, French and so on.
Mr. Speaker, at the time Dr. Limann became the President of Ghana, I can say that he was very much unknown in Ghanaian politics. He came in at a time that things were extremely difficult in this country. And Mr. Speaker, you may recall that this was the period soon after the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) regime, when we had long queues for petrol in our towns and cities; this was a period when all commodities in the shops had been sold out by auction. And this was the period when Ghanaians were yearning for multiparty democracy. And this was also the period when Ghanaians had so much faith in the late Dr. Hilla Limann as President and Ghanaians expected so much from him. And, indeed, I believe he was himself willing to do so much for the people of this country.
Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, under those circumstances, I believe it was not easy or possible for him to command the magic wand to have things flow in our shops as Ghanaians expected. I remember those days when we had to go across the border to Togo and Burkina Faso -- because I lived in Bolgatanga -- to buy ordinary commodities. But Mr. Speaker, I believe that by the time the 1981 coup d'etat took place, the shops were beginning to fill up, the petrol queues were removed and I believe that we were heading for true multiparty democracy.
Mr. Speaker 11:20 a.m.
The Leadership of the House, may we at this stage take a Statement from you on the loss of the hon. Member for Asawase.
Tribute to the Late Dr. Mohammed Gibiril Adamu
Minority Leader (Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin) 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to pay tribute, our last respects to the memory of our Colleague, the late Dr. Gibiril Mohammed Adamu who was the Member of Parliament for Asawase constituency in the heart of Kumasi, Ashanti Region.
Mr. Speaker, because of the few days our Colleague spent with us here, a lot of the Members are struggling to recollect him and as a result of that, I brought a portrait of him for hon. Members to try and recollect the late Member we are trying to pay tribute to this morning.

Mr. Speaker, this is a portrait taken whilst the hon. Member was performing his function as a member of the Appointments Committee.

The late Dr. Gibiril Mohammed Adamu was born on the 31st of March, 1961 at Larteh, Akwapim in the Eastern Region. He had his elementary education in Ayikuma District Council Primary and Middle Schools. He later attended St. John's Grammar School, Achimota and Mfantsipim Secondary School at Cape Coast. He also attended King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and studied medicine in the University of Istanbul, Cerra Pasa, Turkey where he graduated as a medical doctor in 1995.

The late Dr. Gibiril Mohammed Adamu throughout his life held various leadership positions. Even in the elementary school, he was the school prefect and throughout his education he was always the head of the Muslim Students Association both in Mfantsipim and St. John's Grammar School. He later chaired the foreign students association in Ghana.

On his return to Ghana, he decided to join politics and he became a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) where he served as a member of the Regional Finance Committee of the party in the Ashanti Region. Then he later became a member of the council of elders of his constituency, that is Asawase constituency and also Asokwa East constituency. I think that was the name before the new creation, Asawase constituency.

As a medical doctor, he practised at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi for some time and later established his own clinic called Sir Gibiril Memorial Health Centre at Asawase, Sepe Tempom, Pankrono and also at Sabon Zongo.
Minority Leader (Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin) 11:30 a.m.
Mar. Speaker, the funeral of our late hon. Colleague is coming on tomorrow, 5th March, 2005, and I believe the greatest tribute that this honourable House can pay to him is for hon. Members of this House to attend the funeral in their numbers.
It is sad that our Colleague did not get ample time to serve his people but we all know that even though we love him, we think that Allah loves him more than us. Allah being the all-knowing has decided that his time was ripe and that he should come home, where we shall all go. I believe that we should not be too sad about his departure because he served for only 50 days as a Member of Parliament. I was told his death on a Friday in the Muslim custom is a good omen; that Allah himself has gladly called him to come and rest.
So may the soul of our late hon. Colleague, hon. Dr. Gibiril Adamu rest in the bosom of the Almighty, Merciful Allah. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs/ Majority Leader of the House (Mr. F. K. Owusu-Adjapong): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to associate myself with this solemn Statement made by my hon. Colleague, the Minority Leader.
Mr. Speaker, this young hon. Colleague of ours has died far below the biblical age of three scores and ten, and that alone should give us an indication as to the great loss that this country, the people of Ashanti, particularly his constituency, his own people, the Larteh people, and all of us here in Parliament have suffered.
Mr. Speaker, as my hon. Colleague said, the announcement itself was not too friendly. We had gathered at Elmina on
According to the curriculum vitae (CV) of the late Dr. Gibiril Adamu, his hobby was service to mankind. And in fact, at his funeral last Saturday, we had copious testimonies of how he selflessly served his people offering free medical treatment and sometimes giving money to the poor and needy to take care of their transport costs back home after medical treatment.
Mr. Speaker, the late Dr. Gibiril Adamu as we all know contested the 2004 General Elections on the ticket of the NDC and because of this selfless service the people supported him massively and voted massively for him. In fact, he beat his closest rival with over ten thousand votes and humbly took his seat in this honourable House this year. He started very well representing his people and because of the qualities we saw in him, he had the opportunity to serve as a member of the Appointments Committee. He was as usual punctual, very humble looking, a very quiet gentleman and did ask a few questions before asking for permission to attend to an urgent matter in his constituency.

I later received a message that he was taken ill and I kept in constant touch with his family. Last Thursday, I was told, before I left for Elmina the next day, that he was recovering. I was therefore struck dumb when an hon. Colleague relayed in a very unusual manner the news of the sudden death of hon. Dr. Gibiril Adamu when I was just about to take my breakfast.

Mr. Speaker, I was shocked; I lost my appetite and we had to immediately organize to leave Elmina to go and attend the burial of our hon. Colleague on Saturday, 26th February, 2005. A number of hon. Members agreed and we drove

Saturday morning, taking our breakfast so as to start this meeting of the leadership of the committees of the House. Perhaps, the shock our hon. Colleague got did not even allow him to look at the normal customary Ghanaian principle and broke the news to my hon. Colleague who relayed it to me. The effect is that his death did not even allow some of our hon. Colleagues to participate fully in this workshop. We had no choice, but to agree that the Minority Leader and some members of the Committee should move to Kumasi so as to pay our last respects to our dear Colleague.

Mr. Speaker, we continue making losses because his death and the funeral tomorrow are also going to make it impossible for some Members of Parliament to be at the respective committees to look at these Estimates. So it means this is a great loss to us. It is an untimely death; it is our hope that Allah will shower all His mercies on him.

Mr. Speaker, I am becoming worried about the information that he is married with children. At this very young age what future is there for the dear wife and the children? I hope that with time, we should be able to get a good way of solving problems like this.

With these few comments, I join my hon. Colleague in wishing him God's mercy wherever he would be. May Allah be with him.
Mr. B. K. Ayeh (NPP -- Upper Denkyira West) 11:40 a.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the Statement on the floor.
Mr. Speaker, the late Dr. Gibiril Adamu was a personal friend. We were friends from the age of 14 till death parted us last Saturday. In fact, a couple of weeks earlier when he was rushed to the hospital, his
wife called me and I had to inform the Leadership of the Minority that my hon. Friend had been admitted at the Komfo Anokye Hospital.
Mr. Speaker, as the Leader of the Minority rightly said, the leadership qualities of the late Dr. Gibiril Adamu were really exceptional. During school days, even within our friendship group of four, he was still the leader of what we called “The Hunters' Group” at that time. At St. John's we used to call him, “The Great Motion”, because more often than not he was the one who got things moving.
His contribution to society is something that if we were to talk about, we would not leave here today. Not only was he generous to friends and family but also to society at large. His close friends, like me, were not surprised that Dr. Gibiril Adamu decided to take medicine as a profession, as part of his avowed aim to help humanity.
Somewhere around 2004, when he came to discuss with me that he wanted to enter politics at the forefront -- In fact, all along we knew our differences. The only time we had differences was when it came to partisan politics. I knew he belonged to the other side and I belonged to this side but we got on very, very well.
I wondered why he wanted to go into politics since he was still serving humanity through his private clinic and, as the Leader again rightly said, not only was my good friend giving free medical services to people in his catchment area, but sometimes he also had to even provide transport. If he gave prescriptions, and the people could not afford, he had to part with money himself. Then when the patients were not able to come back for follow-ups he would drive to their homes. He himself would drive to their homes to follow up to see what was happening, and perhaps,

continue with treatment if need be.

In 2004, he confided in me that he wanted to get involved in national politics. I asked him why. Little did I or any of us, the group, know that our good friend, perhaps, wanted to just make the last impression at the national level and leave us.

On his sick bed, you would visit Dr. Gibiril Adamu and it would be smiles all the way; he would just be smiling. Even on his sick bed, in pain, he was still showing that human side; he was still showing how lovely and concerned he could be. Everything humanly possible was done to save the life of our very good friend but the Good Lord knew best and decided to call our good friend back home. It is my prayer that our good friend Dr. Gibiril would have not only a peaceful place in the bosom of Allah but will as well receive all the blessing that he needs in the next world.

With these few words, I want to thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity.
Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu (NPP -- Suame) 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to associate myself with the Statement made by the Minority Leader, Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin, in respect of the transition of Dr. Gibiril Mohammed Adamu.
Mr. Speaker, he represented one of the Kumasi constituencies, just like I do. Mr. Speaker, we have been told and I do know that the hon. Colleague toiled and worked very hard to win victory in Asawase which is a very difficult terrain in the geo-politics of Kumasi. Mr. Speaker, but the massiveness of the margin of victory, perhaps, was an indication of the resilience and the fortified nature of Dr. Gibiril Adamu. It is most regrettable that after so much sweat, so much toil, so much
MOTIONS 11:40 a.m.
Mr. M. D. Baah (PNC -- Sissala East) 11:50 a.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for
giving me this opportunity. Mr. Speaker, let me thank you also for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the motion that this honourable House approves the Financial Policy of the Government for the year ending 31st December 2005, which was moved on Thursday, 24th February 2005 by the hon. Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, hon. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu who is also, Mr. Speaker, my namesake.
Mr. Speaker, let me say right from the beginning that this Budget, I believe, is a Budget of hope. I am saying this because, soon after the hon. Minister presented this Budget Statement on the floor of this House, there were so many varied reactions to it and, indeed, some Members of this House, especially on the other side said it was a Wahala Budget. But Mr. Speaker, after going through the Budget Statement, I realised that there are so many good things in this Budget and I am wondering why Members on the other side described it as a Wahala Budget.
Mr. Speaker, coming particularly from a rural area, there are a number of things in this Budget Statement that I believe would bring relief to the people in the rural areas and indeed, my constituency, the Sissala East constituency.
Mr. Speaker, in the area of rural water supply, I am indeed very grateful to the NPP Government for extending rural water supply to my district because during the last two or three elections which I participated in, that was in 1992, 1996 and in 2000, most of the villages that I visited were complaining bitterly about the fact that they had no water to drink and about the fact that they had talked to the District Chief Executive and the former Member of Parliament about this problem and yet nothing happened.
Mr. Speaker, fortunately, only four years after the NPP Government came into power, and during the last General Elections -- the 2004 elections -- when I went again to contest my seat here in Parliament, the same people who were complaining were this time round congratulating His Excellency the President and myself for a very good job done -- [Hear! Hear!] -- Because in the last four years over 140 new boreholes have been drilled and indeed, this is the first time since independence that some villages in my constituency have seen a borebole. So I am at a loss as to why people would describe this year's Budget Statement which is still continuing and making provisions for the drilling of about 1,900 new boreholes in the country as a Wahala Budget.

Mr. Speaker, in the area of guinea- worm, the Budget Statement has indicated that provision has been made to drill 220 boreholes in guinea-worm endemic communities. I remember the hon. Minority Leader himself and some hon. Members of the other side of the House accusing or blaming the NPP Government for the guinea-worm situation in Ghana and describing Ghana as being the second from the bottom of the guinea-worm league table in the whole world.

Mr. Speaker, we all know that guinea- worm, even though it is a disease, can best be managed when the communities where the disease exists is provided with potable drinking water. Guinea-worm is acquired when you drink water contaminated with the disease. I thought that at the turn of the 21st Century and after 48 years of independence, Ghanaians should not be talking about good quality drinking water if we had managed our affairs as a nation well enough. So I believe that this Budget is making provision and ensuring that we as a nation will get what we deserve.
Mr. M. D. Baah (PNC -- Sissala East) 11:50 a.m.


Apart from this major road link within my constituency, we have also been lucky to have a number of new feeder roads being constructed and I wish to mention in particular the feeder road linking Nabulu through Bele and also the one from Kutwoku Kokul and Guru. All of these feeder roads existed in the Gold Coast but since independence, nothing has been done on them until now. So again, I believe that since this Budget is supporting the construction of these roads, this Budget is a “Budget of hope and peace” for my constituents.

Again, there is another very important link road which has been started and it is continuing according to this year's Budget and that is the link road from Welembele through Nabulu to Satinja and ending at Fumbisi which is in the Builsa South constituency. I believe that proper construction of this road has been long

overdue because I remember in the middle 1970s or during the period of the late Dr. Busia's Progress Party Regime this road had been planned to be constructed -- the road from Welembele through Nabulu, Santija linking the Builsa district -- the overseas area of this country.

But from that period, 1970 up till now, nothing has been done. So for the people of this area, I think the news about the construction of this road is coming as a big relief and the Budget is coming as a “Budget of hope” for those people.

Again, I want to talk about education. And a lot of very good initiatives have been put in the Budget. We have been told that from this year on our children will begin school at the age of four and I believe this is a very, very laudable initiative because the age of four onwards is the time that children learn faster and better. And so if our children are able to enter school at that age I believe they will make better progress than some of us who suffered when we started school at the age of six and seven, and for others at the age of eight.

Mr. Speaker, educational infrastructure has seen great improvement and I think that this year's Budget is still continuing to support educational infrastructure. We have been told by hon. Members that their constituencies have no schools; there are no furniture and there are no books.

But again, let me thank the NPP Government for the good job done in my constituency because over the last four years more than thirty new schools have been built and all of these schools have been well furnished and have been given books. And indeed, with the help of some very good non-governmental organizations (NGOs) they also have teachers to teach in these schools. So good progress is being made and I think that this Budget is actually coming as “a

Budget of hope”.
Mr. John Tia noon
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I want a clarification from the hon. Colleague opposite. He just stated that over the past four years, over 30 schools have been built in his constituency and he went ahead to refer to some NGOs and so on. So I would want to know whether non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have become part of the NPP Government.
Mr. M. D. Baah noon
Mr. Speaker, I thought the hon. Member, being an old Member of Parliament, understood the work of NGOs and therefore should not be asking me this question; I think he knows better. What I am doing is to acknowledge the good work of the NGOs in my constituency which are helping Government to develop educational infrastructure.
Mr. E. K. D. Adjaho noon
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I do not know but it appears the hon. Member is misleading this House. This is because we are debating the Government's Financial Policy so if he wants to bring in the NGO
it must be made very clear.
Is it that the Government and the NGO combined to build the schools, or the NGO built some separately and the Government built some, or they all put their resources together? So that we know whether the praise should go to the NPP Government or whether the praise would go to the NGO, because the motion is dealing with the Government's Financial Policy. So when we combine NGOs and Government then we are not sending the message clearly to those of us who are listening.
Mr. Speaker noon
Hon. Member for Sissala, are you concluding?
Mr. M. D. Baah noon
Mr. Speaker, I am concluding. But what I am saying is that Government has its role to play. The NGOs are collaborating and indeed, supporting Government's efforts and we should appreciate and acknowledge the good works of the NGOs in this country. Those that are working in my constituency, whilst talking about Government's efforts, I would want to acknowledge their support; and this is exactly what I am doing.
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu noon
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member is seriously misleading this House in acknowledging the contribution of NGOs in his area. He ought to recognize that the Catholic Relief Services, Plan Inter- national and Action Aid have been in his jurisdiction and the entire Northern Region in the last decade and not to suggest by narrowing it as if they emerged there only in the last four years. So I just thought I should bring him back to order.
Mr. Speaker noon
Hon. Member for Sissala, please wind up.
Mr. M. D. Baah noon
Mr. Speaker, I was just coming to the last point in winding up. But I also want to inform my hon. Colleague that Plan Ghana in particular got located in my district only three years ago. They have not been there all this while. I am talking of my constituency and that is what I am concerned about.
So Mr. Speaker, the final issue I want to talk about is the Rural Electrification. I think, again, that the Government has done its bit in providing extension of electric power from district capitals to rural areas and to typical rural villages. And in this respect my constituency has benefited tremendously from the power extension to rural communities. Here, I wish to acknowledge the good work of the Ministry of Energy and for that matter the Government for this support.
Mr. John Tia noon
On a point of clarification. Mr. Speaker, I just want the hon. Member to clarify his position to me. The People's National Convention (PNC) to which he belongs has described the Budget as a “Budget of maintenance” and he is on the floor here -- I thought he would be articulating the position of the PNC that he belongs to. Or is he taking a different position from his party?
Mr. Speaker noon
Hon. Member for Sissala, wind up.
Mr. M. D. Baah noon
Mr. Speaker, I am here to represent a constituency; and I am doing exactly that. I am informing the House about the good work done in my
constituency.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate the hon. Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, hon. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu for presenting this year's Budget Statement and Economic Policy to this House and I also wish to urge hon. Members of the House to support and approve this year's Budget.
Mr. C. S. Hodogbey (NDC -- North Tongu) noon
Mr. Speaker, because of time factor I would concentrate on three areas regarding the debate on the Budget Statement and the Economic Policy of
2005.
On monetary pol icy, the NPP Administration said that their monetary policy was to reduce inflation and maintain stability in the exchange rate. By so doing they are sacrificing growth and unemployment. This is because anytime you begin to reduce inflation it is likely to affect growth and unemployment. In their case growth has not been sacrificed but employment has been sacrificed as a result of the economic policy.
Mr. A. K. Obbin 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. My hon. Colleague is misleading the House. He is trying to suggest that it is because there is hardship in the country that is why the Bank of Ghana (BOG) lowered the interest rates. Mr. Speaker, that is not so. It is the sound monetary policy that has been taken by
the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning that has reduced the prime rate. So for him to suggest that because there is hardship -- I do not know of this economic theory that when there is hardship in the country, the interest rates also go down. So I think the hon. Member should clarify his position very well.
Mr. Hodogbey 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think I did not say it is the hardship which caused the Government to reduce the rate, but it is the monetary policy -- It is as a result of the hardship in the Ghanaian society -- that caused it. Let me continue.
On the exchange rates, the Government claims or they attributed it to the improved foreign exchange liquidity, fiscal discipline and firm commitment. You do not have to go to Havard School of Economics to know that because of the monetary policy adopted, because people are not buying goods on the market, because things are lying on the shelves, the demand for money or funds or foreign exchange has dropped.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I believe my hon. Colleague is seriously misleading this House. His theory on reduction in the prime rate and the stability in the exchange rate do not hold water at all. Mr. Speaker, he is propounding some “voodoo economics” and my hon. Colleague should be stopped in his track. Mr. Speaker, this
Mr. Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Order! He has raised some objections; let the hon. Member for North Tongu continue. That is all I have to say at this stage.
Mr. Hodogbey 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I say to the hon. Member at the other side that I think I have done away with the prime rate. But when I came to the exchange rate, the rate of the cedi compared with convertible currencies, I was saying that you do not need to go to Harvard School of Economics to know that the demand for convertible currencies by our traders who go to these forex bureaux, who go to the banks to get foreign exchange has dropped because their merchandise are sitting on the shelves.
As opposed to four years ago when people were actually buying things, the turnover was so high. Because of that brisk business, the demand for these convertible currencies was shooting up. So the rates of exchange were going up -- galloping. But today, because of the monetary policy or economic policy of the NPP Administration, the trader goes across the border or anywhere to buy merchandise, the merchandise sits on the shelves or remain in his hands for a whole year, not being bought. For that reason the demand for these currencies has to go down and the rates also have to go down.
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I am not sure which economic theory my hon. Colleague over there is propounding at the moment. He prefaced it by saying you do not need to be a student of Harvard School
Mr. Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Hon. Member for North Tongu, you are not quoting from Harvard, are you? You said that you are not quoting from Harvard School of Economics, that is what you said.
Mr. Hodogbey 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I could have said, that one does not have to go to the University of Ghana to know what they are trying to do.
Mr. Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Are you quoting from any other source? I just want to find out whether it is from your own source.
Mr. Hodogbey 12:10 p.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker 12:10 p.m.
All right, let us hear you.
rose
Mr. Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Hon. Minority Chief Whip?
Mr. Tia 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, since my hon. Colleague said it is coming from his own source, I would want to get some clarification from my two hon. Colleagues, that is, the hon. Majority Chief Whip and the hon. Deputy Minister-designate for Tourism and Modernisation of the Capital City.
Mr. Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Order! The two hon. Members raised points of order; that was all. Hon. Member for North Tongu, kindly proceed.
rose
Mr. Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Hon. Member for Okaikoi South, do you have a point of order?
Nana Akomea 12:20 p.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker. I would like to draw the hon. Member's attention to the Budget Statement,
paragraph 140, page 43. Mr. Speaker, paragraph 140 talks about the overall balance of payments position. I would want him to refer to it and it will better inform him on the statement that he made, that goods are on the shelves and they are not being bought, that is why the cedi is stable. Because if you read that paragraph, and Mr. Speaker, with your permission I quote:
“Provisional estimates of the balance of payments (BOP) in 2004 indicated that economic transactions with the rest of the world posted a deficit of $123.4 million . . .”
That shows that we were buying more from abroad than we were selling abroad. And it goes on to say that this outturn was attributed to a surge in import values over the period, thereby enlarging the deficit on the merchandise trade account to US$1,425.4 million. So to say that import trade had declined because people were not buying things is totally false and it goes against the figures we have. He has made a statement without providing figures and he expects us to go with him. He should inform himself accordingly with the Budget Statement.
Mr. Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Hon. Member for North Tongu, please proceed and take whatever he said into account.
Mr. Hodogbey 12:20 p.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to move on to agriculture. As a matter of fact, the Government has concentrated so much on cocoa production -- [Interruption.]
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu 12:20 p.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when my hon. Colleague, Nana Akomea was reading, he deliberately jumped over an
important sentence on page 43 -- he left it out deliberately, Mr. Speaker; this deals with remittances. Mr. Speaker, with your permission, I will quote for him to recognize the importance of that particular sentence in his terms of trade theory of imports and exports. Mr. Speaker, it reads:
“In spite of this outturn, substantial inflows of inward remittances and exceptional financing enabled the build-up of reserves to US$1,732.0 million . . .”
He left it out and Mr. Speaker, further to his argument was the import value being high; it does not specify here the categories of goods and services that constituted our imports.

Mr. Speaker, it is very possible that the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning can mop up excess liquidity by holding out our access to liquidity in terms of finances and cash.
Mr. Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Hon. Member for North Tongu, please continue and then wind up.
Mr. Hodogbey 12:20 p.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just to address what the hon. Member at the other side said, the reserve is only to cover 3.8 months, so that is not a big thing to be proud of in the first place.
Mr. Speaker, in relation to agriculture, as I said, about 46.7 per cent forms the Gross National Product, and out of that
Nana Akomea 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like the hon. Member speaking to give credit where credit is due. Mr. Speaker, we have a reserve position that allows us 3.8 months of import cover. He says it is not enough, but before this period our import cover was three weeks. So if you move from three weeks to 3.8 months, it is creditable. He should give credit where it is due so that we can move forward as a nation.
Mr. Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Proceed and wind up, hon. Member for North Tongu.
Mr. Hodogbey 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, the concentration on cocoa, the same concentration could be shifted to other crops. Rice production in my area, for example, which is Aveyime, has been stopped but we continue to import rice. I think the Government should set a target whereby it could say by the year, so and so importation of rice should stop; but closing other rice production projects is not going to help us very much. Concerning other crops and livestock the Government should give inputs to my people because that is the main job that they do.
In relation to water and electricity, I think Ghana has a whole lot of water bodies but today, even as you go to any part of the country, Ghanaians are struggling to get common water to drink or to bath. It is high time we changed our way of doing things instead of allowing everybody to tap water. The water company should have control over water so that it is not every landlord or anybody who digs a trench and connects a pipe to his house.
In view of that I will suggest that we look into seriously privatizing water whereby there will be serious control so that nobody else can just get up and connect water from a small pipe to his house and therefore reducing the pressure.
Ms. Josephine Hilda Addoh (NPP --Kwadaso) 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the motion on the Budget Statement for the year 2005.
Mr. Speaker, the Budget seeks among other things to throw light on His Excellency the President's vision for the nation, his party's aspirations and specifically the action to be taken to achieve the vision. It is a re-enforcement of the issues raised during His Excellency the President's Message on the state of the nation some few weeks ago.
The Budget again, Mr. Speaker, throws light on some of the achievements made during the implementation of “Positive Change Chapter I”. Most relevant to me at this stage, Mr. Speaker, is the favourable macroeconomic achievements. These achievements in my opinion were due to good governance and prudent economic policies followed.
Mr. Speaker, the decision to opt for HIPC, for example -- this can be referred to on page 7, paragraph 18 of the printed copy of the Budget Statement -- has saved Ghana some ¢13.65 trillion through debt cancellation alone. This is a big amount, Mr. Speaker. The judicious use of part of this money, in my opinion, has helped in preparing the grounds for “Positive Change Chapter II”. The President said in focus, Mr. Speaker, the 2005 Budget indicated that we were going to sustain the 5.8 per cent GDP growth rate. Inflation will still be brought down. Mr. Speaker,
the Government has built a foundation and it is fortifying it with the indicators touched on.
Mr. Speaker, the Budget does not lose sight of the fact that macroeconomic indicators being favourable is a necessary condition but not sufficient condition for macroeconomic growth. So the Budget makes provision for the creation of an enabling environment for private sector development. The Budget is pro-poor, to crown it all.
Mr. Speaker, may I draw attention to the downward trend of inflation to 11.8 per cent and the reduction of the corporate tax from 32.5 per cent to 28 per cent for the year 2005, and to 25 per cent from 2007 -- pages 270 and 271 of the Budget Statement refer.
There is reduction of the withholding tax from 7.5 per cent to 5 per cent, the cushioning up of the taxable income level from ¢1.5 million to ¢1.8 million, the strong commitment to build ten thousand affordable houses with five thousand out of that starting this year as indicated on page 109 of the Budget Statement.
Then there is the expected increase of the Metro Mass buses from three hundred and fifty-four to nine hundred and fifty at the end of this year, with fares for pupils pegged at ¢500. School fees, sporting fees, cultural dues are all absorbed by the Government from primary level to the -- junior secondary school (JSS) level.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that if these and others not mentioned do not make the 2005 Budget human-centred, pro-poor and visionary, no description, Mr. Speaker, suits this Budget. The Budget is a Budget of hope but with scattered blessings.
May I suggest that hon. Members who
have not seen the Budget in this light go through it once again, count all the good things in there, count their blessings, so to speak, and come out and realise what the 2005 Budget has in store for them and Ghanaians.
Mr. Assumeng 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member mentioned the words “scattered blessings”. How can scattered blessings be of hope to any one? I do not understand it. I would like her to clarify her stand.
Mr. Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon. Member, you will be given plenty of time to contribute but not at this stage.
Ms. Addoh 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, they are scattered in the Budget. It takes time to read to understand and come out with the facts.
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am rising on a point of order. The hon. Member is misleading this House. She is suggesting that the “withdrawal of subsidy which others term increases in fuel prices . . .” Which subsidy is she referring to? I am not aware that any subsidy has been withdrawn. Mr. Speaker, this honourable House only last week, with their enthusiastic participation, approved the Customs Excise (Amendment) Bill which had tolls of taxes imposed. Therefore they cannot be collecting these and talk about subsidy. Mr. Speaker, if she can clarify that point further it will be useful.
Ms. Addoh 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I shall do that for the hon. Member. The Government -- [Interruption.]
Nana Akomea 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, on a point of clarification. Mr. Speaker, this business about subsidies -- to say that because the Government has collected taxes it cannot talk about subsidies, means that the whole concept of subsidies is irrelevant. This is because whatever expenditure the Government makes, whether it is to subsidise healthcare, education or whatever, comes from taxes. So to say that the moneys that the Government spends do not come from the pockets of the President or the Ministers -- they come from taxes. So to say that because petroleum is being taxed you cannot talk of petroleum subsidy, he is throwing the whole concept of subsidies overboard and that cannot be. So the hon. Member should inform himself accordingly.
rose
Mr. Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon. Member, do you have any point of order to raise?
Mr. Kuntu-Blankson 12:30 p.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member on the other side said he was giving a point of clarification. But the hon. Member for Kwadaso was specifically talking about petroleum products, hence the intervention of our hon. Colleague who said that the Government was collecting taxes which was the Bill that we approved here the other day. And my other hon. Colleague there talked about a subsidy that the Government had put on petroleum products. That is what my hon. Colleague is talking against. So I see no point of clarification from our hon. Colleague saying that once the Government is
collecting taxes, that does not mean that it is not giving subsidy. I do not see that point clear.
Mr. Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon. Member, you do not have any point of order. Let her continue with her contribution.
Ms. Addoh 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, fuel is part of petroleum. Whatever the name given to that, as I have said, I have no objection. But fuel or petrol is just one of the items under the Budget. Yes, not as we all had wished. Nobody will really want increases in anything, whether you call it increase or subsidy. It is not as we had wished. But the reality is that we needed to do what we did and that was the right thing for the Government to do. It may be -- [Interruption.]
Mr. Tia 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I heard my hon. Colleague say that fuel is part of petroleum. I think that should be corrected to be “petroleum is part of fuel”.
Mr. Speaker 12:40 p.m.
Hon. Member, proceed and wind up.
Ms. Addoh 12:40 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, Ghanaians would have to accept the situation, no matter how bitter some of us may describe that. It may be a bitter pill now but if we go through the Budget, we would come to realise that there are so many things that would give us the excitement that we have been telling people about. The overall effect of the Budget would bring excitement to Ghanaians.
I would entreat people to read and know that in our lives, we come to realise that the darkest moment of a night precedes a dawn. So behind the petroleum whatever is excitement, is hope.
Mr. Speaker, this is a big document; it is voluminous, and we need time -- all Ghanaians, not only those of us here -- to deliberate on it and appreciate fully the blessings that the Budget has brought to us all.
Mr. Speaker, I harbour no doubt at all by saying that this is a Budget of hope and we all need to do our best to achieve the targets set.
I would end by saying that we should all support the motion. Long live our young democracy; long live Ghana.
Mr. Simons Addai (NDC -- Techiman South) 12:40 p.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity given me to contribute to the motion on the floor, the 2005 Budget as presented to this House by the hon. Minister for Finance and Economic Planning.
Mr. Speaker, I had opportunity to read the 2004 Budget which was dubbed the “Business Friendly Budget” under “Positive Change Chapter 1” In the Budget, the 130 kilometres stretch of road from Kumasi to Techiman was to be constructed, but the 2005 Budget dubbed, “Budget of Hope” failed to capture the road which is very dear to the hearts of the people.
Mr. Joe Danquah 12:40 p.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member is alleging
that Positive Change Chapter 1 put an end to the Techiman market construction. Mr. Speaker, it is not true. The market has been constructed and he is aware that traders and sellers are using the market. So he is just misleading this august House.
Mr. S. Addai 12:40 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I cannot mislead the House. I am from Techiman. The pavements were laid, buildings started and they are still there uncompleted. Work is not even going on, as I speak now, so I cannot mislead the House. Mr. Speaker -- [Interruption.]
Mr. Robert Sarfo-Mensah 12:40 p.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I do not know whether we should go there and look at it or not, but I cannot understand my hon. Friend from the other side. It is never true that Techiman market has been abandoned. As I am speaking now, work is still ongoing; it is never true. He is aware that what he is presenting is not true.
Mr. Speaker 12:40 p.m.
Hon. Member, go ahead.
Mr. S. Addai 12:40 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I do not know the Techiman he is talking about. I am talking of Techiman as a market centre and that is where I come from. For the past four years, nothing has been done on the market and that is what I am talking about.
Mr. A. K. Obbin 12:40 p.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. Colleague is misleading the House because in the Budget Statement it is there, stated clearly,

that the Government would be setting up a tomato factory in Techiman. So if nothing is said about the road, it does not mean that the Techiman people have been denied their share of the national cake. So he should read the Budget very well and know that there is something going on in Techiman. It is not only roads that Techiman needs, it needs several other things.
Mr. Speaker 12:40 p.m.
Hon. Member, go ahead.
Mr. S. Addai 12:40 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think I am dwelling much on Techiman-Kumasi road, so if for nothing at all, my hon. Colleagues should be patient and listen to me.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:40 p.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, my hon. Colleague is misleading this House. He is talking about the Kumasi-Techiman road. The road was awarded on contract in November last year. Messrs Taysec are the contractors. As I speak today, work has started in earnest from the Makro end, that is the Kumasi end, towards Techiman. The first phase is supposed to end at, I think, Sanproso and the second phase continues thereafter. The contract was awarded last year.
Mr. Speaker, he should look at the Estimates of the Ministry of Road Transport. So the fact that it was not mentioned in the Budget Statement does not mean that it has not been captured in the Budget. The hon. Member may inform himself and realise that he is peddling untruths.
Mr. S. Addai 12:40 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, we are discussing the Budget; I do not know which other source I would have the information from, that the Kumasi- Techiman road is being constructed. He may have the information; I do not have
it because I did not get it from the Budget Statement.
rose
Mr. Speaker 12:40 p.m.
Minority Chief Whip, are you taking a point of order against what the hon. Member for Techiman South is saying?
Mr. Tia 12:40 p.m.
No, Mr. Speaker, it is a point of clarification. Mr. Speaker, my hon. Colleague opposite has just said that the Kumasi-Techiman road is ongoing, and so on. But surprisingly, in the Budget Statement, the Minister was able to tell us the percentage of work that as been done on various roads that were awarded on contract, but that of Kumasi-Techiman road is missing; it is not stated here. So I am tempted to believe the hon. Member for Techiman South that nothing is being done on that road, because it is not stated here.
All the roads which have been worked on and have reached certain stages have been indicated. Roads that are to be commenced this year have also been indicated, yet nothing is said about the Kumasi-Techiman road. So I am tempted to believe what the hon. Member for Techiman South is saying than what my hon. Colleague wants us to believe.
Mr. Speaker 12:40 p.m.
Hon. Minority Chief Whip, it is not time yet for you to contribute. Let him proceed.
Mr. S. Addai 12:50 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I welcome the idea of the rehabilitation of the Tanoso Irrigation Project. Tanoso is noted for the cultivation of tomatoes and the breakdown of the irrigation system has affected the people negatively. It is the hope of the
people that this Budget of Hope will bring smiles on the faces of the people.

Mr. Speaker, let me however add that the people would be happier if the Government takes a second look at the petroleum prices because it has affected the cost of fertilizer, agro-chemicals and even labour on their farms. For this reason, I find it difficult to understand how after the rehabilitation, the people would get fertilizer, labour and agro- chemicals to farm. So it is our plea that the Government takes a second look at the petroleum prices.

Again, Mr. Speaker, the 2005 Budget of Hope also captured tomato processing factory at Techiman, as my hon. Colleague rightly said earlier on. Mr. Speaker, it is welcome news indeed, but before the factory can operate successfully, we have noted that there is the need to augment power supply in Techiman. The Volta River Authority (VRA) sub-station at Techiman is faced with acute shortage of transformers; last week I was at their office. Mr. Speaker, enough transformers would have to be provided for the tomato factory to have power to run its machines.

Mr. Speaker, the people of Techiman also welcome the establishment of urban road units in Techiman, as captured in the 2005 Budget of Hope; and the people would have the hope if only the unit is resourced enough to construct the urban roads in Techiman.
Mr. Joe Danquah 12:50 p.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member has just mentioned “Ministry of Mines and Energy”; may I know which Ministry he is talking about since currently we do not have any Ministry of Mines and Energy?
Mr. S. Addai 12:50 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I thank him for the correction. The point I am driving at is that there are certain towns like New Techiman, Oforikrom, Nsuta, Sansama and parts of Techiman town itself that are in dire need of electricity and it is our hope that they would be provided for under the Positive Change Chapter II.
Mr. Speaker, permit me to add that considering the present economic hardships, compounded by the recent fuel increases, one wonders how ¢13,500.00 as a minimum wage would be sufficient for a worker who has about three or four children attending school. Mr. Speaker, if the Budget is to bring any hope to Ghanaians, then our humble appeal is that the minimum wage, as prescribed in the Budget, should be raised to enable workers to live. Mr. Speaker, the present levels of school fees, prices in the market and the general living conditions make the minimum wage a mockery of the working people of Ghana. Mr. Speaker, the situation where people think that everything is rosy with the people of Ghana is very deceptive. We need to be emphatic when addressing issues concerning workers, because Mr. Speaker, it is life and death affair down the ladder.
Mr. Speaker, I find it difficult, if not impossible, to believe that the 2005 Budget will bring any hope to the millions of Ghanaians who have already thrown up their hands in despair and have completely lost hope.
With this, Mr. Speaker, I thank you very much.
Mr. A. K. Obbin (NPP -- Prestea/ Huni Valley) 1 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government for the 2005 Financial Year, presented to Parliament on Thursday, 24th February, 2005 by our Finance Minister on behalf of His Excellency the President of the Republic.
Mr. Speaker, as Chairman of the Committee on Environment, Science and Technology, I will limit myself to science and technology. Mr. Speaker, our aspiration as a nation is to propel our economy into a middle-income economy. Mr. Speaker, if a nation is to reach that level or that bracket, then one of the major ingredients is science and technology.
Mr. Speaker, in the Budget Statement, the Finance Minister made mention of the development of science and technology as a tool for propelling our economy into a middle-income economy. He made mention of the national forum for harnessing research, science and technology for national development. Mr. Speaker, over the years, the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) has been developing nuclear science and technology including biotechnology as a tool for developing the socio-economy of this country.
Mr. Speaker, my position as chairman of the Committee sent me to the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission and in fact I saw wonderful things over there; one important thing being tissue culture. I was told at Ghana Atomic Energy Commission that even during the Kokomba-Nanumba conflict, when all yams were destroyed, it was as a result of tissue culture that they were able to get the yam head for replanting. Surely, it is a very good thing that can help the nation.
Mr. Speaker, I also saw the development of pineapples as a result of tissue culture. But over there, the problem that we had at that time was lack of finance. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, it is also a good idea that in the Budget, the Minister made mention of the commercialization of certain departments and agencies, and that includes the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission. There are a lot of equipment over there which are obsolete and they need funds to purchase new equipment to develop a number of these crops.
For example, Mr. Speaker, as I am speaking now, we import oil palm seedlings from Malaysia and other places. If we are able to resource the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, I think it would go a long way to help develop the oil palm seedlings in Ghana also.

Mr. Speaker, another area is the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). In the Budget Statement, it was said that the CSIR will also develop cassava planting materials for farmers, to promote the President's Special Initiative on cassava. This is also welcome news. If we are able to give the science institutions in the country the needed support, I believe it can go a long way to move our economy into the middle-income bracket.

Mr. Speaker, le t me move to communication. In the communication sector, the President in his Message on the State of the Nation said that we have been able to hook 50 per cent of the towns that have senior secondary schools (SSS) onto the national communication fixed lines. Also in the Budget Statement, the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning made mention of the Ghana Investment Fund for Telecommunication Services. This is a good idea because when this is done, it will speed up telecommunication, which is an essential ingredient for economic development and poverty reduction.

Mr. Speaker, as I am speaking now, the

world has become a global village and for us also to be hooked onto globalization, we need to develop our telecom-munications so that we will be able to have access to the Internet and other services. This is a very good idea.

I also want to make a little comment about te lecommunica t ion in my constituency. It is government policy that all towns with senior secondary schools and training colleges will be hooked onto the national telecommunication line. But even though in my constituency we have three major towns, Prestea, Bogosu and Huni Valley, which are highly commercial and have senior secondary schools, they are not hooked to the telecommunications fixed lines. However, as the Government says it has hooked 50 per cent of the country to the fixed lines, I believe that in the coming years, these towns will also be hooked onto this facility.

Another area that can also propel us into the middle-income bracket, as we all know, is human resource development as stated by the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning in his Budget State- ment.

One heart-warming news is the mainstreaming of the pre-school education into the formal sector. I believe that initially this sub-sector or this area was left in the hands of unprofessional people and sometimes village com-munities. But now, with the pre-school going to be mainstreamed into the formal sector, it will help develop the human resource or the educational levels of this country.

One other welcome news is the incentive for teachers, which is also in the NPP manifesto -- the Agenda 2000 -- that the centrality of the teacher is going to be our aim and objective. One could see that a lot of incentives have also been made for teachers in this Budget Statement.

The Budget Statement made mention of accommodation for teachers, improvement in their promotions and others. I believe this is also going to help in the human resource development of our country. It is also gratifying to note that there is going to be feeding of school children in every district. This is also welcome news because it is going to serve as an incentive for parents to send their children to school and for the children also to have interest in being in school. But the problem is that it is going to be one in each district.

I am appealing or suggesting to the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning that instead of one in each district, he should make it one in each constituency so that it will not create a lot of stress on the Members of Parliament; because when it is made one in each district, the districts with two constituen- cies will have problems as to where it should go. But when it is made one in each constituency, the Members of Parliament will have an input to make as to where it should go. This will reduce the stress in areas or in constituencies that have two districts.

With regard to pr ivate sector development, it is also another area that can help us to realize our aspirations, that is trying to propel the economy into a middle-level economy. Now, without a vibrant private sector, we are not going to reach there; and for us to have a vibrant private sector, the corporate taxes should be reviewed.

When there are a lot of corporate taxes, it scares private investors. Therefore, it is also welcome news that corporate taxes, personal income taxes and withholding taxes have also been reduced. It is against the background of what I said earlier, that I join my Colleague to congratulate the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, on behalf of His Excellency and also to say that the Budget is a Budget of
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, we have done considerable business; we have indeed covered the entire business set for us for the day. There are about twelve or so committees that should be meeting. Some are meeting in as far away as Ho and others are supposed to be at Akosombo and Ada. That being the case, I beg to move, that this House do now adjourn till Tuesday next week at ten o'clock in the forenoon.
Mr. John Tia 1 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I second the motion.
ADJOURNMENT 1 p.m.
  • The House was accordingly adjourned at 1.10 p.m. till 8th March 2005 at 10.00 a.m.