Debates of 26 May 2005

MR. FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:05 a.m.
CORRECTION OF VOTES 10:05 a.m.
AND PROCEEDINGS AND 10:05 a.m.
THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:05 a.m.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:05 a.m.
Hon. Members, correction of the Votes and Proceedings for Tuesday, 24th May, 2005. Pages 1 . . . 7? [Pause]. No corrections. Hon. Members, we also have here with us the Official Report of 20th May, 2005. Any correction in the Official Report?
Nii Amasah Namoale: Mr. Speaker, column 268, under “Nii Amasah Namoale”, they have written “Nii Amasah K. Namoale”, there is no “K” attached to my name.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:05 a.m.
There is no “K” to your name? The Hansard Department should take notice of that and effect the relevant correction. Apart from that, is there any other correction? Hon. Members, we will also assume that what we have in hand reflects what took place on that date, that is, Friday, 20th May, 2005.
We have one Urgent Question to be asked by hon. Joe Kwashie Gidisu (Central Tongu), if he is here.
Majority Leader/Minister for Parliamentary Affairs (Mr. F. K. Owusu- Adjapong) 10:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister for Health is not immediately available but by
the nature of the Question, the urgency of it, we have asked the Deputy Minister for Health to come and respond to this Question; so I invite her to come and sit here.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:05 a.m.
Very well, we will allow the Deputy Minister for Health to answer for the sector Minister. Yes, hon. Gidisu?
URGENT QUESTION 10:05 a.m.
MINISTRY OF HEALTH 10:05 a.m.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 10:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, is the Deputy Minister aware that it is not the Ghana Government that built the hospital, as she is alleging, but it rather assisted the EP Church and its partners overseas with a grant of 80,000 pounds then to build that hospital? In other words - [Interrup-tion.]
Dr. (Mrs.) Ashitey 10:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am not aware - [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:05 a.m.
Hon. Deputy Minister, could you hold on; he
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 10:05 a.m.
I am only concluding that it is the Mission that built the hospital with a grant from the Government and that it was not the Government that built the hospital.
Mr. First Deputy Minister 10:05 a.m.
Fair enough, I think the point is clear. Yes, hon. Deputy Minister?
Dr. (Mrs.) Ashitey 10:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am not aware of such information, but information available shows that Ghana Government built this hospital immediately after independence and handed it over to EP Church to run as agency.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want to emphasise that even a flag at the entrance of the hospital indicates this historical fact, that the hospital was built with a grant of eighty thousand pounds - [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Fair enough. Do you have any other question you want to ask her?
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 10:15 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker. Is the Deputy Minister saying that the staff and communities around concluded that the Government should hold on to the hospital instead of handing it over to the Mission?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Hon. Gidisu, again, I hate doing this but you heard her answer; she said that after the request the Ministry had taken steps to consult the workers of the hospital and the position the Ministry had arrived at was that they were not disposing of it or they were not handing it over to the church. Would you want it answered within that context or you want to ask any other question?
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 10:15 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, I would want to find out; if it turns out that the community now is against that idea, is the Ministry ready to revise its position?
Mr. First Deputy Minister 10:15 a.m.
Hon. Deputy Minister, he says, will the Ministry be prepared to revise its position assuming the community itself is against that decision?
Dr. (Mrs.) Ashitey 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, this will actually depend on the community, the staff and their reaction towards this problem that we have at hand. But depending on the issue that is before us, what is coming up is that the community and the staff are still not ready for the Evangelical Presbyterian (EP) Church to run the hospital.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, is the Deputy Minister aware that management at the hospital has completely broken down as a result of the lack of supervision by the Ministry, in terms of enforcing regulations and procedures at that hospital?
Dr. (Mrs.) Ashitey 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am not aware but we would do - [Interrup- tion.]
rose
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Yes, hon. Akua Dansua of North Dayi?
Ms. Dansua 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to find out from the Deputy Minister how the consultation was done between the Ministry, the staff and also the community to arrive at this decision to stay with the Ghana Health Service.
Dr. (Mrs.) Ashitey 10:15 a.m.
That is the information that I think the head will look through later.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Well, hon. Akua Dansua, she says she will provide you with the information; presumably, she might not be in a position to tell you now. She will supply you -- It is only that she needs more time to supply you with that information.
Ms. Dansua 10:15 a.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, but can she tell me exactly when that information would be ready?
Dr. (Mrs.) Ashitey 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, as soon as it is ready, I will supply her - [Laughter.]
Dr. Kwame Ampofo 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to know from the hon. Deputy Minister whether the decision of the Ministry on this matter depends on the attitude or behaviour of the community towards the situation or rather on their policy.
Dr. (Mrs.) Ashitey 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it was among other things, such as management experience, staff experience, the community, all these were involved. The history of the Adidome Hospital - the problem is management so the Government took over its own property.
Mr. A. K. Agbesi 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want to know from the Minister when exactly - [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Hon. Member, what did you say? Do you want to find out or you want to make some - [Interruption.]
Mr. Agbesi 10:15 a.m.
I wanted to find out from the Deputy Minister when exactly this consultation was done with the staff and - [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
The hon. Deputy Minister has answered that question. She said she would supply the information regarding that as soon as
practicable.
Mr. Agbesi 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, what I heard the Deputy Minister saying was that - not the date - I am asking of the day, the year that the consultation was done.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
That is inclusive.
Mr. E. K. Salia 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the hon. Deputy Minister whether the situation in Adidome is applicable to all other Mission hospitals.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Hon. Edward Salia, which situation are you referring to?
Mr. Salia 10:15 a.m.
Whether the policy of not handing over is peculiar to the EP Mission in Adidome or it is applicable to all other Mission hospitals in the country?
Dr. (Mrs.) Ashitey 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, this is a one-to-one issue. Problems with the Adidome Hospital started in 1979.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
There being no other questions, we will thank you, hon. Deputy Minister for making yourself available to answer Questions from the House.
STATEMENTS 10:15 a.m.
Mr. P. E. Aidoo (NDC - Sefwi- Wiawso) 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is with genuine humility and great pleasure that I stand here today to make a Statement on the plight of the people in the Sefwi area, most especially cocoa farmers.
Mr. Speaker, Sefwi-Wiawso consti- tuency is located in the northern part of the Western Region, sharing borders with Asunafo South, Atwima Mponua, Juabeso,
Mr. P. E. Aidoo (NDC - Sefwi- Wiawso) 10:25 a.m.


Akontombra and Bibiani/ Ahwiaso/ Bekwai constituencies. This is just a way of introducing the Constituency to other veteran hon. Members.

Mr. Speaker, my constituency forms part of what the COCOBOD classifies as “Western North Region”. As hon. Members will well know, the Western Region has the highest level of cocoa production in the country. It is because of this high level of production that the region is the only cocoa-producing region to be divided into two sectors by the

COCOBOD.

Mr. Speaker, there are other economic resources as well. The Sefwi area contributes immensely to the foreign earnings capacity of the country not only from cocoa production but also from timber and minerals.

Mr. Speaker, it is regrettable to say that our massive contribution to the nation's earnings is not matched in return through investment in the people by way of economic and social developments.

Mr. Speaker, I must say that the people of my constituency are ill-served. In spite of this, my people over the years have remained patient, hoping upon hope that governments, not only this government alone will realise this act of unjustice and therefore act to correct it. Mr. Speaker, this has not been the case most especially during the past four years.

Mr. Speaker, there was an attempt to improve the well-being of the people of my constituency after decades of neglect in terms of upgrading some roads, provision of potable water and extension of electricity to farming communities but this effort was halted from the year 2001. We now have the worst feeder roads and very difficult terrain leading to sister

constituencies.

Mr. Speaker, the constituency lacks telephone network and this makes communication extremely difficult. Mr. Speaker, if I may ask, why did the President himself on Sunday, 21st November, 2004 officially award the rehabilitation of the Sefwi-Wiawso Bechima junction road at a very beautiful durbar of chiefs and people at Sefwi Boako to Interbeton company but the contractor abandoned the work a day after the sod-cutting ceremony?

Mr. Speaker, I am drawing the attention of the Minister for Road Transport as well as the hon. Western Regional Minister who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Amenfi East to this unfortunate situation. Mr. Speaker, in spite of all these, we have remained true to the country and have continued to contribute to its wealth. But we have never felt more neglected, deceived and oppressed as in the last four years.

Mr. Speaker, my constituency has one main government hospital and one mission hospital. Some years ago, there used to be at least two doctors in the hospital at any one time. For the last four years, this was reduced to “zero doctors” until quite recently when a doctor was posted to the hospital. Mr. Speaker, in this year's Budget, Sefwi-Wiawso was mentioned only twice; the first in connection with some alleged restoration and management of “sacred groves” to “attract tourists” and the second in connection with the “demarcation of settler farmlands in Sefwi-Wiawso and Juabeso-Bia districts”. There was no mention of any significant economic investment that will improve the well-being of the people.

Mr. Speaker, the people of my constituency are fed up to their teeth

with claims by the Government to liberal democracy, rule of law, respect for human rights and social justice, when they know that the Goverrnment denies them those very rights and fail to fulfil its promises.

Mr. Speaker, since the Government is preaching “free enterprise economy”, I will suggest that cocoa farmers are allowed to take their produce to the free market where prices are determined by the principle of demand and supply. Why is it that the Government which claims to be a champion of “free enterprise economy still determines the price of cocoa when cocoa farms are owned by the farmers, and they work in them with their own labour, blood and sweat, pain and sometimes tears? Surely that cannot be deemed as good practice in the arena of the “free market”. If my opinion is right, then this situation is tantamount to pure slavery.

Mr. Speaker, there are two main principles that should guide good governance; either you believe in “to each according to his need” or “to each according to his work”. The Government should tell us which one it believes in - whichever principle the Government believes in. Mr. Speaker, we are demanding a fair return for our investment in the cocoa industry. If they believe in neither, they should tell us so.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to end by saying that unless the political system can offer some prospects particularly to our hard- working cocoa farmers by way of social and economic investment, the farmers will find other means of expressing their frustrations. Part of such display will be farmer's inability to produce more. I am therefore inviting the Government to move alongside cocoa farmers; and I hope the process will be painless for all. Government should make good its word because the farmers and, for that matter, the people in the Sefwi-Wiawso

constituency deserve no less.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for this opportunity.

Deputy Minister for the Interior (Capt. Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey (rtd)): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to associate myself with the sentiments expressed by my hon. Colleague from Sefwi-Wiawso.

Mr. Speaker, I must confess that until

I came to Achimota Secondary School, I was a cocoa farmer -- [Laughter.] I used to follow my mother to the cocoa farm almost every weekend. And in the Jinijini area of Berekum, there were so many cocoa farms and we toiled regularly just to make sure that cocoa plantations were kept productive.

Mr. Speaker, I am very familiar with

the travails of the cocoa farmers and so, as the hon. Member was speaking, I could imagine the toils that cocoa farmers go through. It is unfortunate, Mr. Speaker, because over the years, it is as if successive governments have taken cocoa farmers for granted.

There is something called Cocoa Marketing Board (CMB) Scholarships meant for the children of cocoa farmers. Invariably, research and statistics would show that the majority of the beneficiaries of CMB scholarships are children of “big men” wearing suits, sitting in offices whilst the real beneficiaries of the scholarships are left in the bush.

But Mr. Speaker, whilst recounting these toils, it is important not to forget that when it comes to development of a particular area, the base, the primary function is the District Assembly. When you talk about Sefwi-Wiawso and for that

matter when you talk about Berekum or any locality in this country, the centre- piece for planning and development is the District Assembly.

I am prepared to put the full blame, not on previous governments, not on even the present Government, but on the District Assemblies. My question then is, who have been the District Chief Executives of Sefwi-Wiawso all these years, successively? [Hear! Hear!] My question is, what resolutions and what has been the budget of the Sefwi-Wiawso District Assembly all these years?

Mr. Speaker, it is sad; yes, the

deprivation is very disturbing. But who have they been electing as Assemblymen to go to the District Assembly? Or who have they been electing as their Member of Parliament to come here? And who have they been having to serve as the District Chief Executive? Mr. Speaker, unless we in this country start seeing local government as the base for development then, Mr. Speaker, we will have a long way to go.

The way my hon. Colleague is crying over conditions in Sefwi-Wiawso, I do not know whether he has been to South Dayi constituency or North Dayi constituency. I do not know whether he has been to Zabzugu-Tatale -- [Laughter] -- or for that matter, Nadowli constituency. In fact, Mr. Speaker - [Interruption.]
rose
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.
Hon.
Akua Dansua, are you rising on a point of order?
Ms. Dansua 10:25 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, he has mentioned my constituency, North Dayi. I do not know what relevance it has here to my constituency.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.
You
are out of order, hon. Akua Dansua --
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.


Capt. Effah-Dartey (rtd): Mr.

Speaker, I have mentioned South Dayi or North Dayi for that matter just to demonstrate the fact that almost every district in this country has a problem. I do not know whether hon. Akua Sena Dansua's North Dayi constituency does not have a problem. If they do not have then fine, thanks to God; at least, one district is self-sufficient and it is alright and we can sleep without worrying about North Dayi constituency.

But the problem is that all districts in this country have difficulties. And Mr. Speaker, the solution is local government. We must strengthen the institution of local government, the various town councils, area councils and then strengthen internally-generated funds -- the cocoa farmers in Sefwi-Wiawso. All the farms, the revenue that they get, we must have a system where we can improve revenue collection in Sefwi-Wiawso district and localize the money and use it to develop the areas. Unless we do this, Mr. Speaker, hundreds of Statements of this nature would not solve the problem.
Prof. A. W. Seini (NDC - Tamale Central) 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to associate myself with this Statement.
The cocoa farmer, as we are all aware, is the producer of the bulk of the wealth of this country. Agriculture in particular is the major occupation of our country and the picture that the hon. Member has painted is a very sad one. It is sad indeed because we are all aware that the Western Region is the new and probably the last cocoa frontier in this country. It produces a large chunk of the cocoa that we export. But Mr. Speaker just as the last hon. Member who spoke said, it is very important that district
decentralization is carried much further to give power to the local communities to plan and develop their areas. If this is not done, it is going to be extremely difficult for us to develop as a nation.
It is not only in Ghana that local government is important. In fact, all countries that have developed, have developed through local administration -- giving more power to the local government. In our case, it is particularly important that we decentralize the financial administration system to make sure that districts can plan and control resources that they can use for the plans that they intend to execute.
Mr. Speaker, having said that, the cocoa farmer earns income from the cocoa that he produces but I believe he could have earned even more income and generated more employment not only in the Sefwi-Wiawso district but in all the cocoa-producing areas.
It is well noted that there are plans to increase the volume of cocoa that is processed locally, but Mr. Speaker, you would realize that a lot of the processing is done by the large processing firms, in fact, by one or two centralized modern cocoa processing firms. Cocoa, as we know, is the biggest sector of agriculture and if we are serious about generating further employment outside the cocoa farm then we have to think seriously about encouraging cottage industry related to cocoa; in other words, the processing of cocoa at the local level. Other countries do it and I do not see why we cannot do it so that instead of selling beans, at the end of the day the cocoa farmer should be able to sell other products to the Cocoa Board and to the processing firms, particularly by breaking it down into cocoa butter and other products.
There are, I am told, simple machines
to do this, particularly in India and other fast developing countries. By doing so we would then be generating employment outside the farm, in the localities, so that by generating more employment, income would be enhanced at the local level and the District Assemblies can then generate their local taxes in order to develop these areas.
It is unfortunate that the picture painted, particularly with regard to road infrastructure, is a very bad one. For a district that produces so much cocoa and for the Cocoa Board that has a project to construct cocoa roads, I am surprised that such a district has not been given priority in that area. So I would plead with the Cocoa Board, Mr. Speaker, to allocate more of their road resources to the development of feeder roads, particularly in the new cocoa frontier of Ghana, that is, the Western Region.
Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu (NPP -- Suame) 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to associate myself with the Statement made by my hon. Colleague except, of course, by way of starting, to point out to him that some of the statements that he made regarding the making of the main Statement really call for debate.
Mr. Speaker, my hon. Colleague talked about injustices being done to the farmers in the region and his district in particular. He talked about the fact that the farmers have been deceived, his constituents have been deceived over the past four years. Mr. Speaker, these are statements that arouse debate and I believe that they may not be statements of fact.
Mr. Speaker, my hon. Colleague talked about the fact that the human rights of the people in his constituency have been denied over the past four years. I believe this kind of thing should not be
encouraged here. And then, Mr. Speaker, he goes on to say that the farmers in his constituency should be allowed to take their produce to the free market to sell.
Mr. Speaker, I believe these really are statements that call for debate and as my hon. Colleague knows, as per Standing Order 70 (2), a Statement of that nature should not engender debate in this House because if we are to go into it we would really not be unanimous or we cannot attain any consensus on some of the statements that he made which I consider very outrageous.
Mr. Sallas-Mensah 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Standing Order that the hon. Member quoted, that is, Standing Order 70 (2) refers specifically to Statements made by Mr. Speaker and Ministers of State and not Members of Parliament. The Order number pertaining to Members of Parliament's Statements is Order number 72 which does not talk about anything provoking debate. So with your permission, if he is in doubt, I can quote that Standing Order.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
You do not need to quote it; let us continue. Hon. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, would you finish your contribution?
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am aware of it but if my hon. Colleague would read in-between - [Interruption.]
An hon. Member -- rose --
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Yes, hon. Member, are you also on a point of order?
Mr. Sampson Ahi 10:35 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker. The hon. Member is misleading this House. For him to say that the hon. Member who made the Statement asserting that the people in his constituency were deceived four years ago may not be true is also misleading, because in a situation where a government of a country moves down to a district - [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Hon. Member, you are completely out of order; could you take your seat.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, my hon. Colleague who just spoke is a new Member of Parliament and I would have thought that he would take time to learn when to interrupt; when he wants to raise a point of order. In the meantime he should study that.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to say that I agree substantially with the issues that he raised regarding the way forward in upgrading the lives of cocoa farmers in his district in particular and the country in general. The hon. Member who spoke after him, hon. Prof. Wayo Seini, talked about the way forward; that is subjecting cocoa production to secondary processes before we export them. Mr. Speaker, I believe that is the way forward.
In 1970 we were processing about eighteen per cent of cocoa produced in the country. By 1990 we had gone down considerably to about twelve per cent, that is, in processing cocoa produced in the country. Today, as we speak -- and I must honestly say that it began with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Regime. They wanted to up the level of cocoa that is processed at the various factories in the country.
The NPP Government came and they have further expanded the horizon such that today, as we speak, the Cocoa
Processing Company at Tema is expanding its factory and hopefully by next year, this country will be able to process at least forty per cent of cocoa that is produced in the country. And we believe that, indeed, is the way forward.

He alluded to the COCOBOD that they should try to open up the districts, the communities that produce cocoa because, Mr. Speaker, in the Western and Central Regions where I have my own cocoa farm -- Mr. Speaker, as we speak today, at Assin Nyaduam, where I have my farm, sometimes we have to carry the dry cocoa beans to Awisam, a distance of about six miles on head; and that certainly is not the best. So if we are talking about improving the lot of the cocoa farmers, even before we come to providing them with electricity, as the maker of the Statement said, we must open up the areas first.

Yes indeed, the water that they take is not the best. Today the only stream that serves Assin Nyaduam, for instance, has been taken over by some mining companies. If one goes there, the water is so polluted and yet the villagers have to drink that water. So it is important that we take measures to serve them with potable water such that the people will become healthy; because if they are not healthy, in the first place, they cannot add to the production of cocoa that this Government is urging them to do.

Mr. Speaker, so yes, I agree with the maker of the Statement and I believe that next time around he will take care to take out some of the statements which really do not augur well for us -- which provoke debate -- and therefore, may at the end of it derogate from the Statement which I believe is a good one though.
Mr. Lee Ocran (NDC - Jomoro) 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I stand to associate myself with the Statement made by the hon. Member for Sefwi-Wiawso. I do so not only as a

Member of Parliament from the Western Region but as somebody who is very familiar with the problems of the Sefwi- Wiawso area.

Mr. Speaker, cocoa has always generated intense emotions in areas that produce cocoa. It was cocoa that served as the basis for the agitation of federalism in this country and, therefore, if somebody from a cocoa-growing area today, the largest cocoa producing area, begins to talk of cocoa and the inability of Government in investing some of the proceeds from cocoa in the area where the cocoa is taken from, we have to take that Statement seriously.

Mr. Speaker, the problem in Sefwi is symptomatic of the whole problem of the Western Region. The region that produces, it is alleged, sixty per cent of the resources of this country has the worst road system in the country. Travel through any area in the Western Region, not only in Sefwi -- Until we resolve the problem, the situation will persist. It was only in the 1990s that we saw some development in the Western Region.

The Sefwi-Bekwai/Nobeko/ Sefwi- Wiawso road, the double bituminous road that had been constructed in the Sefwi area in the 1990s, has made travel there a little bit easier. But it is important for all of us to realize that when you take resources from a place you must put back some of the income from the resources you have taken, so that the people do not agitate for or do not make statements that would arouse emotions. That is what I believe the Statement is about.

There have been times when the people of the Sefwi area and the areas around Enchi and so on have agitated for the creation of a North-Western Region out of the Western Region, because of the

difficulty of Central Government policies being carried to the area, because of distance. It is easier to move from Sefwi- Wiawso to Kumasi than to go from Sefwi- Wiawso to Sekondi-Takoradi, the regional capital. So I wish to call on Government to try and improve the conditions of living of the people of Sefwi-Wiawso.

When the hon. Member for Suame was speaking, he talked about processing of eighteen per cent of cocoa in the 1970s, which has been reduced to twelve per cent -- seventeen per cent of what? We can produce eighteen per cent of one hundred and fifty thousand tonnes; that is very little if you compare it with processing ten per cent of seven hundred thousand tonnes.

Mr. Speaker, if the Tema Cocoa Processing Company expands to process thirty per cent of cocoa in Tema, that does not affect the lives of cocoa farmers in the Western Region. We are talking of processing cocoa in the Sefwi-Wiawso area and then shipping it to Tema. It is cheaper to process the cocoa in the Sefwi area, create employment and let people have jobs to do and carry cocoa powder to Tema for export, than to always carry raw cocoa beans in articulated trucks, using very bad roads; this is what the Statement is about.

In the 1980s when the then Government of the Third Republic realized that the lives of the people of Sefwi-Wiawso had to be improved, the COCOBOD Headquarters was removed from Takoradi to Sefwi- Wiawso, and an imposing building was built by COCOBOD in Sefwi-Wiawso area. So the people in Sefwi-Wiawso got jobs to do in the COCOBOD office; this is what the Statement is about.

Mr. Speaker, it is time to move to areas where production of resources take place. Go to the Western Region; they have searched all over the place for gold
rose
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Yes, hon. Ocran, are you rising on a point of order?
Mr. Ocran 10:55 a.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Western Regional Minister is saying that until the New Patriotic Party (NPP) took over power, not a single kilometre of feeder road in the Western Region had been tarred. Mr. Speaker, the road to my hometown had been tarred before the NPP came into
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I stand
by my words that until we took office, not a single kilometre of feeder roads in the Western Region was tarred. [Uproar.] I am talking about feeder roads.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Hon.
Members, let us be a little calm and listen to him. If you want to raise a point of order, rise up and catch the eye of the Speaker. It is not a question of just together shouting at any hon. Member making a statement on the floor.
Mr. Ocran 10:55 a.m.
On a point of order.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister is still misleading the House. He is misleading the House because the statement he is making is not true. If it is true he should tell us the source; we shall go and read the source. It is not true. I come from the Western Region and the feeder road to my hometown was tarred in 2000 - [Interruption.] Do you know my home town? [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Hon.
Lee Ocran, you do not have to talk across; you have to speak to the Chair - [Uproar] -- Because it is the hon. Member who has the floor and if other people are talking to him and they are not talking through the microphone, it is he who has to react through the microphone. Hon. Member, these are the rules of the House.
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, what
I am talking about is coming from the Department of Feeder Roads and I am saying that in January 2005 we had 6,150 kilometres' length of feeder roads untarred; and that is what I am talking about. These include feeder roads in the Sefwi area, feeder roads in Sefwi- Wiawso where the maker of this Statement was once a District Chief Executive. So
I am saying that this phenomenon of deprivation is not new; it is something which has been there for a very long time.
Mr. Herod Cobbina 10:55 a.m.
On a point of
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Hon.
Member, we all listened to him and I have the Statement in front of me. The maker of the Statement had said that since 2001, the situation had degenerated, worsened and, indeed, developments that were started had stopped. That is the statement he had made in this House; so allow him to continue.
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the
Mr. Eric Opoku 10:55 a.m.
On a point of order.
Mr. Speaker, the road being referred to by the hon. Minister is within the Asunafo South district and it is not part of the Western Region. So the hon. Minister must concentrate on what is pertaining in the Western Region.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Hon.
Member, you are out of order. Will you take your seat.
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am
sad a bit because the road we are talking about - I said that the road from Nobeko to Boako -- and Boako is in the Western Region; so it is a link road which we are constructing. Mr. Speaker, the road from Sefwi Wiawso -- that is what is being referred to as Tano River Bridge to Benkyima barrier -- that road, of course, has been awarded to Interbeton and the company is in the process of mobilizing to move to site. But as at now there is sufficient evidence to prove that from the Tano Bridge to the first 5 kilometres has been tarred.
Mr. Speaker, the road from Sefwi- Wiawso to Akontombra has also been given on contract and we have contractors on that road working as I talk now. Mr. Speaker, before then, in 2001, when I travelled on this road -- and if hon. Members of this House -- I mean the old hon. Members would rightly remember, when I came for the vetting I did say that there is a road to a place called Kyorikyori and I know Kyorikyori is in the Akontombra constituency --- the road was so terrible. Now, we can easily move on that road.
That is not the only case. Of course, when we talk about cocoa farmers, the mass cocoa spraying which is going on in this country is also taking place in the Sefwi-Wiawso district; the farmers have
Mr. Cobbina 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the
Kyorikyori road was awarded from 1999 to 2000. Before 2000, there were two contractors working on the road. After 2000, it was suspended until October 2004 when we were about to enter elections when a contractor was moved quickly to make some repairs on the road. This is the actual contract he is talking about now. Mr. Speaker, he is misleading this House. He goes on to say that he came and awarded that road from Wiawso to Kyorikyori. The road ended beyond Wassa Bubrampa and Kyorikyori is ahead of Wassa Bubrampa. How is it possible that he awarded that contract?
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think my good Friend who just intervened has even admitted that just close to the end of last year, work resumed on that road and for that reason the road has been paved, at least, to enable vehicles go to Kyorikyori. I am glad that he has confirmed my own submission here. Mr. Speaker, that is not the only issue. In fact, if I should go on, there are so many roads which we are tackling. But of course, Mr. Speaker, I do not deny the fact that the state of roads in the Western Region is not the best. I do not deny that fact. Of course, we know we have so many road networks in the region which are not in the best of shape, but then the Government is doing all it can to improve upon the state of these road networks.
Mr. Speaker, in your own constituency, I know -- [Interruptions] - Of course, we are talking about the Western Region and the Speaker is also from the Western
Mr. Sallas-Mensah 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it looks like the hon. Minister is trying to brief us on the state of roads in the Western Region. I think he is out of order completely and he should come to the House properly to brief us.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
You are out of order, hon. Sallas-Mensah, please take your seat.
Yes, hon. Minister, have you finished? I will give you one more minute to wind up.
rose rose
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am winding up. Mr. Speaker, the Statement made by my hon. Friend would have done us good if he had not introduced certain controversial issues into the whole Statement. Mr. Speaker, the Government is on course. I want to inform this House

Several hon. Members - rose -
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Yes, hon. Minister, are you finishing? Yes, hon. Dr. Ampofo - [Interruption.]
Dr. Ampofo 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. Minister is finding it difficult to wind up and he must be assisted by you to do so -- [Laughter.]
rose
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 11:05 a.m.
Oh, I thought he was my good Friend?
Alhaji Sumani Abukari 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, yes, the hon. Minister is my good Friend; like he says, we are very good Friends. But I am surprised that an hon. Member from his region has gotten up to make a Statement - [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Are you on a point of order or you want to contribute?
Alhaji Sumani Abukari 11:05 a.m.
No, I am not contributing; I am coming to the point of order.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
What is your point of order?
Alhaji Sumani Abukari 11:05 a.m.
My point of order is that an hon. Member is asking for more development for his region and your region and he is getting up to oppose it; I am surprised.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Do not drag me into it.
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I do not want my hon. Friend to get me wrong. The Statement my name-sake made is full of half truths and that was why I got up to react. Under normal circumstances, I would not but they are full of half truths and that is why I am up. Mr. Speaker, I thank you for giving me the floor.
Mr. Sampson Ahi (NDC - Juabeso) 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to contribute to the Statement on the floor. In doing so, I want to congratulate the maker of the Statement for bringing the plight of Sefwis to the House.
Mr. Speaker, it will interest you to know that since 2001 when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government took office, the road network in Sefwi has worsened and it is good for all the people of Ghana and for that matter Sefwi people to know that the Western Regional Minister is saying that all is well for the people of Sefwi.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon. Member, what did you say?
Mr. Ahi 11:15 a.m.
I am saying that if you travel on the roads in Sefwi, the road network in Sefwi are very bad and for the Western Regional Minister to attest to the fact that the road network in Sefwi are very good, it is not - [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon. Member, I think you are misleading this House. We have not heard that. The hon. Minister has not told this House that the roads in Sefwi are very, very good; do you understand?
Mr. Ahi 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am sure he said
that the road network has been improved tremendously since they took office.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Well, that is not to say that he says the road network in the Sefwi area is very, very good. He is here; do not misrepresent him, please.
Mr. Ahi 11:15 a.m.
Anyway - [Laughter] - Mr. Speaker -
Mr. Joe Baidoe-Ansah 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member is misleading this House. He has just made a sweeping statement, which is not substantiated. Mr. Speaker, he just said that since 2001, the road network in the Western Region has become worse. Mr. Speaker, this is not an issue to be taken lightly. For an honourable Member to come to this House to make such a statement, I think we have to hold him to the facts.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon. Baidoe-Ansah, that is a matter of opinion. According to him, he sees it worse - [Laughter.] So let him continue.
Mr. Ahi 11:15 a.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if you go to Sefwi and for that matter Juabeso, my constituency, there is a particular road called Juabeso-Kade road. This road was awarded on contract three years ago but the contractor has never moved to the site. Recently, when we held a People's Assembly in Juabeso, the Regional Minister himself travelled on that road from Enchi and he saw the deplorable state of that road.
Mr. Speaker, an attempt to draw the attention of the contractor to the state of the road has proved futile. Just recently, I had a call from my constituency that nobody can ply the Juabeso-Kade road because of the setting in of the rains.
Mr. Speaker, it is about time the Government took the people of Sefwi
Mr. Baidoe-Ansah 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member is saying that it is time the Government took the people of Sefwi seriously. Mr. Speaker, it is very derogatory and unparliamentary. Mr. Speaker, may I ask that he should withdraw the statement because it is not something to be allowed to stand in the records of this House. [Hear! Hear!]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon. Member for Juabeso, I am very sure - but for you to say that the Government should take the people of Sefwi seriously means that the Government is not taking the people of Sefwi seriously. I think it is extremely unfair to the Government of the day and governments of the past and even the Sefwi people. Would you reframe or say what you want to say in some other words?
Mr. Ahi 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, if I may explain further. Two weeks to the 2004 general elections, the President of the Republic of Ghana organized a durbar at Sefwi-Boako, cut a sod, moved there with machines to commission the commen-cement of the construction of roads from Dunasi to Enchiman-Nkwanta. Mr. Speaker, immediately after the durbar they left and all the machines were moved from Boako - [Uproar.] And up till now, the contractor is nowhere to be found. That is why I am saying that this Government cannot joke with the people of Sefwi. He should translate the good ideas upon why he moved the people of Boako to organize the durbar into reality by asking the contractor working on that road to come and start work. [Hear! Hear!]
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, my hon. Colleague is grossly
misleading this House. Mr. Speaker, the President has not organized any durbar in this country anywhere. That is one. Mr. Speaker, the same person talks about roads. He mentioned the road and says the road is bad; nobody can “apply” it. Mr. Speaker, I do not know what he means by a road being “applied”. [Some hon. Members: Ply, ply.] But seriously, Mr. Speaker, the President has not organized any durbar.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon. Member, what the hon. Member meant was that maybe that durbar was organized for the President to attend. Yes, hon. Aidoo, the Western Regional Minister?
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member is seriously misleading this House and to some extent too he is showing ingratitude to the Government. [Some hon. Members: How?] Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member - in his own constituency, Juabeso town is being tarred and now he stands on the floor of this House to deceive the whole country. For the first time - [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
What is your point of order, hon. Minister?
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 11:15 a.m.
For the first time - The entire Juabeso-Bia district had no tarred road until you travelled out of Juabeso and came to Sefwi-Wiawso or maybe Kumasi -- you did not see a tarred road. For the first time, we have tarred roads in Juabeso. The road from Juabeso to Benchima barrier is also being tarred.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon. Minister, you are mixing the issues and may probably miss the point. [Interrup- tion.]
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the point I am making -- [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon. Regional Minister, could you please listen
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.


to me? What the Member came out to say - he raised an objection, a point of order that the Member is misleading this House for saying that the Government is not taking the people of Sefwi-Wiawso seriously and the hon. Member sought to explain himself.

He did say that the way he saw what happened, that a contract was given to a contractor and in a funfair it was brought to the notice of the people that the contract over the road was awarded and they were going to work on it. They brought machinery and the machinery immediately thereafter was taken away. He considers that to be not taking the people seriously. I thought that was what you wanted to react to; instead, you are talking about something else. Do you have anything else to say?
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I have been rising up a couple of times because he has made so many sweeping statements and if we are not careful they would be all swept under the carpet. Mr. Speaker, the road he is talking about, I mentioned here during my submission that the contractor is mobilizing to -- [Interruptions.]
Minority Leader (Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin) -- rose -
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
This is a point of order; so you wanted to say something else. You want to raise a point of order against a point of order? Well, I will give you the floor.
Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, even though he is alleged to have raised a point of order, what he is saying is not a point of order. If he makes sweeping statements, does that raise a point of order? That is not a point of order.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
That is not the issue.
Mr. Bagbin 11:25 a.m.
He should wait for his turn then he can now reply - [Interrup- tions.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon.
Minister, I thought that you were reacting to that and not to talk about other sweeping statements. The Hon. Minister did say in his explanation that he brought them all together because if one is not aware, there had been several sweeping statements and maybe he has missed that one. But I said if you want to raise an issue it would be that specific issue that we are talking about before I make a ruling on. Could you continue. Do you have anything to say to that?
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, that road had not been abandoned. I have already indicated to this House that the contractor is mobilizing to go to the site.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Yes, hon. Member, that is what the Minister has said, that the contractor is mobilizing to go to the site.
Mr. Ahi 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the people of Sefwi-Wiawso will be very, very happy if the Government expedites action on moving down the machines to Boako to start work. We want to see the works being started before we can believe what took place two weeks before elections.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon. Members, that brings us to the end of Statement. Hon. Members, we have had
one and a half hours on that particular Statement; I think that is enough.
We now move on to Public Business - Presentation and First Reading of Bills.
Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I crave your indulgence to present this Bill on behalf of the Minister for Energy.
BILLS -- FIRST READING 11:25 a.m.
PAPERS 11:25 a.m.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon.
Members, that brings us to the end of Laying of Papers.
We have a number of committee meetings and I will advise, and indeed the House will also advise that Members attend some of these committee meetings to discharge their business. There are the Business Committee, Finance Committee, Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism and Committee on Education as well.
Dr. Benjamin Kunbuor 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
I actually wanted guidance. I have been hearing references of the various Papers that have been laid being assigned to a number of committees to consider. I do not know whether that also include “to consider and report to this House”.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
You said you did not hear what?
Dr. Kunbuor 11:25 a.m.
I did not hear you say that the Papers to be considered by the committee with the addition that they should report to this House.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
I did. I said for consideration and report. That is what I said. Yes, hon. Member, is that all that you want to say?
Dr. Kunbuor 11:25 a.m.
Yes, I did not hear it.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
If you did not hear it, let me repeat it -- for consideration and report.
Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I move that this House do now adjourn till tomorrow at 10 o'clock in the morning. I so move.
Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I second the motion.
ADJOURNMENT 11:25 a.m.
  • The House was accordingly adjourned at 11.31 a.m. till 27th May 2005 at 10.00 a.m.