Debates of 22 Jun 2005

MR. FIRST DEPUTY SPEAkER
PRAYERS 10:07 a.m.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:07 a.m.
Hon. Members, correction of Votes and Proceedings of yesterday, 21st of June 2005. Any corrections thereon?
Prof. A. W. Seini 10:07 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I
was marked here as absent, but I asked for your permission to be absent, and it has not been indicated as such. The same thing happened on Friday. Mr. Speaker, I would like the records to be done correctly.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:07 a.m.
Very
well. So you did ask for permission for both yesterday and the day before and for that matter it must reflect in the records?
Mr. John Gyetuah 10:07 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, page
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:07 a.m.
Are you
hon. kunsu?
Mr. Gyetuah 10:07 a.m.
I am hon. John Gyetuah.
Hon. kunsu was present yesterday.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:07 a.m.
Is he
with us here?
Mr. Gyetuah 10:07 a.m.
He has just gone out,
please.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:07 a.m.
You
saw him here yesterday and he has been marked absent?
Mr. Gyetuah 10:07 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:07 a.m.
Very well. Then the records should be corrected to reflect same.
Mrs. Agnes A. chigabatia 10:07 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, page 9, the Committee on Government Assurances met on Tuesday and not on Thursday. Yesterday was Tuesday, not Thursday, 21 June, 2005.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:07 a.m.
Very well, that must also be corrected.
Mr. Samuel K. Adu-Gyamfi 10:07 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday I was at the meeting of the Committee on Government Assurances but my name is not there.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:07 a.m.
Your name is missing, is that not it?
Mr. Adu-Gyamfi 10:07 a.m.
Yes.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:07 a.m.
Are you a member of that Committee? Very well, that also must be corrected.
Mr. Kwabena Appiah-Pinkrah 10:07 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am a member of the Government Assurances Committee and I was at the meeting two days ago but my name shows -- [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:07 a.m.
And your name is conspicuously absent, is that it?
Mr. Appiah-Pinkrah 10:07 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:07 a.m.
It should also be corrected. [Pause.] -- On that note we would assume that what we have in hand is a reflection of what took place
yesterday, by way of records.
We also have with us the Official Report for Wednesday, 15th June, 2005, I believe hon. Members have their copies.
Mr. Lee ocran 10:07 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, column 988, paragraph (2), the last but (4) lines, what I said was that “I wonder what would happen if the dam is full and the spillways are opened”. I did not say “stream-ways are open”. We do not have “stream-ways”, we have “spillways”.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:07 a.m.
Very
well.
Mr. Kofi Frimpong 10:07 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
with reference to the Official Report of Wednesday, 15th June, 2005, column 939, paragraph (2), my name is “kofi Frimpong” and not “k. O. Frimpong” as recorded.
Secondly, the sixth line, I said, “his
name always appears among those who are present”. I did not say, “who were present”; “. . .but he is hardly seen in the House”.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:07 a.m.
You
mentioned hon. Twumasi-Appiah Felix, is that not so?
Mr. Kofi Frimpong 10:07 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:07 a.m.
Very
well. That should be all. Hon. Members, that should be the end of correction time for the Official Report of 15th June, 2005. Questions for the Minister for Education and Sports -- I believe he is here with us.
Mr. A. o. Aidooh 10:07 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, may
I suggest that we have a slight variation in the programme and attend to items 5 and 6 before we take that one.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:07 a.m.
I can see that the hon. Minister for Education and Sports is here with us.
Mr. A. o. Aidooh 10:07 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, I am aware, but we propose that we attend to the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice first.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:07 a.m.
Fair

Hon. Acting Majority Leader, which

Ministry?
Mr. A. o. Aidooh 10:07 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, items
5 and 6.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:07 a.m.
All right,
you are asking for a major change, asking us to go to Public Business before we come to Question time. Is that what you are saying?
Mr. A. o. Aidooh 10:07 a.m.
That is so, sir.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:07 a.m.
All right,
that is quite a big favour you are asking; we would do so. Hon. Members, let us move on to Public Business -- Presentation and First Reading of Bills.
BILLS -- FIRST READING 10:07 a.m.
PAPERS 10:07 a.m.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:20 a.m.
Hon. Members, let us now go back to Question time. We have quite a number of Questions for today. So hon. Members, you will understand if we do not allow too many supplementary questions for us to exhaust the list.
oRAL ANSWERS To QUESTIoNS
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION 10:20 a.m.
AND SPORTS 10:20 a.m.
Minister for Education and Sports (Mr. Yaw osafo-Maafo) 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the construction of an office block for the District Education office at Agona Ahanta is in progress. The project was awarded on 24th August, 1999 and was expected to be completed by 24th August, 2002 at an initial contract sum of ¢669,513,916. To date, an amount of ¢417,098,757 has

been advanced for the work.

This year, a further ¢200,000,000 has been approved to continue the works. It is expected that the Administration Block will be completed by the end of the next financial year.
Mr. Johnfiah 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister has indicated in his Answer that the construction is in progress and also an amount of ¢200 million has been provided to continue with the project, but as far as I know, the contractor is still not on site. May I know why this is so.
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, as he himself realised, he said that they have abandoned the project, so the contractor obviously moved out of site because of lack of funds. Now that funds have been put in the budget, steps are being taken to bring the contractor on site to continue with the work, and therefore I can assure him that by next month the contractor will be on site.
Mr. Johnfiah 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, an amount ¢669 million was awarded in 1999 and we are in the year 2005. May I know from the hon. Minister if revaluation has been done; and if so, how much is the amount now.
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, obviously, a project awarded in 1999 at the cost of ¢669 million appropriately would not cost the same now. Looking at the data we have and with ¢417,000 already spent, my good guess is that we would require a little bit more than ¢200 million to complete the work. If we take an inflation rate of 14 per cent on the average for five years, we are talking about almost doubling the original cost and therefore, definitely, there would be the need for additional resources for it, and I will get this done.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in the hon. Minister's Answer, line 2, he said that the work is in progress; but his answer to the supplementary question indicated that the contractor moved out of site and is yet to go back to site. So does he still stand by his Answer that the work is in progress?
Mr. osafo- Maafo 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I do not know the definition he puts on “work in progress”. Hon. kunbour will assist him. As long as we have not determined the contract, work is in progress. There was lack of funding so it got halted for some time but the work is on. We have not determined the contract; the contract is ongoing. There was lack of funds; there was a cash flow problem.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, with my background I understand the words, “work in progress.” The issue is that the hon. Member who asked the Question said the contractor had abandoned the project, and he said that work is in progress. And then when he followed with his supplementary question, he indicated that he abandoned it for lack of funds and has come back to the site, that is it. So the work was temporarily abandoned; the work was not in progress, that is the issue that we are talking about.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:20 a.m.
Well, do you want to answer that question?
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the two positions are not mutually exclusive. I am saying that the contract has not been determined and therefore work is going on. The contractor had problems with cash flow; now money has been found and therefore work will continue. So I think it is all right.
The Kpando Sports Stadium
Q. 35. Ms. Akua Sena Dansua asked the Minister for Education and Sports if the kpando Sports Stadium would be rehabilitated for use in international tournaments, especially the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in 2008.
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am surprised at this Question but I will answer it. Mr. Speaker, it is the intention of Government to rehabilitate/upgrade a number of stadia throughout the country to promote the development of sports. It is expected that the kpando Sports Stadium will be one of such stadia to be rehabilitated when funds become available.
For the CAN 2008 tournament however, four sites will be used, namely, Accra, kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi and Tamale. Two new stadia will be built in Sekondi and Tamale whilst the existing ones in Accra and kumasi will be rehabilitated.
Unfortunately, kpando will not be one of the sites for CAN 2008 but it does not mean that kpando, like Sunyani, and Oda, including Adeiso would not be rehabilitated and improved upon.
Ms. Akua Dansua 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I have three supplementary questions.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:20 a.m.
I will allow you two.
Ms. Akua Dansua 10:20 a.m.
Two?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:20 a.m.
Yes, I did mention from the beginning that we have a list of Questions and we want to exhaust them. So please continue with the one you have to pursue.
Ms. Akua Dansua 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, before answering the Question the hon. Minister said he was surprised at the Question, I would like to know from him why the surprise; what does he think about the Question?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:20 a.m.
Is that
your question?
Ms. Akua Dansua 10:20 a.m.
That is question number one.
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am still surprised. The Media has carried the selection of these four sites for the CAN 2008; hon. Akua Dansua is professionally a top-class journalist; she should have known that kpando was not one of the four and therefore I am surprised at the Question. That is it.
Ms. Akua Dansua 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am also surprised at the answer the hon. Minister is giving me -- [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:20 a.m.
Is that your question?
Ms. Akua Dansua 10:20 a.m.
I am following up.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:20 a.m.
Then ask your question.
Ms. Akua Dansua 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I asked this question because kpando and Ho Stadia in the Volta Region are quite close to Accra; they are about two hours' drive from Accra so why would he not consider at least using these two stadia, particularly the kpando Stadia as a training ground for the CAN 2008?
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, sports development needs a holistic approach. If you are talking about nearness then the Tema Sports Stadium should have been the obvious choice for the whole tournament in relation to Accra. But that is not the idea.
Mr. Speaker, the idea is that teams would be settled in groups one, two, three and four. Therefore, distance in this case is not important. Distance in relation to what? We are not measuring relations to
Accra, we are measuring groups. There will be four groups and they will be stationed in Accra, kumasi, Sekondi and Tamale and therefore distances in relation to what? kpando is near to where? And therefore Tema would have been the nearest but Tema was not selected. So that is the basis. Nsawam and even keta and Tema are all closer.
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister in his Answer mentioned Tamale as one of the proposed venues for the CAN 2008. I would want to find out from the hon. Minister when work would commence on the proposed stadia for Tamale and Takoradi.
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, as he may be aware, site at Tamale has already been selected; soil samples and details have been done, and we expect the contractor to move to site latest in August.
Basic Textbooks to Every Ghanaian School child
Q. 36. Ms. Akua Sena Dansua asked
the Minister for Education and Sports whether the Presidential Promise in the 2003 State of the Nation Address to provide every Ghanaian school child a desk and basic textbooks had been fulfilled.
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Education and Sports has taken measures to fulfil this promise. In 2001, the Ghana Education Service (GES) undertook an assessment of desk requirement of all schools in the country. And Mr. Speaker, I have a copy of the detailed reports which, if hon. Members are interested, I will make available. Since then the Ministry has been supplying desks to schools. Since 2002, the Ministry/ Ghana Education Service has embarked upon a programme to supply desks to all

districts.

Between 2001 and 2004, 537,620 pieces of desks were supplied to schools throughout the country. This year, provison has been made for the supply of additional 300,000 desks. Furthermore, under the recently approved GETFund allocation by Parliament, there is an allocation of ¢10 billion for the provision of school desks for schools in the three Northern Regions. This would be founded at Schedule 4 of the paper this House had approved.

On the issue of textbooks, evaluation of bids has already been completed. It is anticipated that by September 2005 when the new academic year begins, textbooks will be available in schools.
Ms. Akua Dansua 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I
would like to know from the hon. Minister, going by the Answer that he gave us, if His Excellency the President has not deceived the nation about the provision of all these facilities by the end of the year 2003.
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am equally surprised at the way the reaction has been and I want all of us to listen very carefully. Supply of desks is a recurrent expenditure based on addition to schools and therefore if you count desks requirement of today, it will be different by tomorrow, as long as we are adding new classrooms to the schools. Therefore, there is an instant figure which varies from time to time. Indeed, most of the desks, as the study revealed, have been supplied but we have added so many schools to the system that we continuously have to add.
In fact, the addition of ¢10 billion particularly for the three Northern Regions is a measure of the education-for-all programme which is asking us to put up a lot more schools up north and
therefore a lot more desks. The President has certainly fulfilled his promise, and supplying about 800,000 desks by the end of this year is something that has never happened. If you take what we call the Assessment Register of the Ministry of Education, there is no year that I know of that the Government supplied more than 200,000 desks in this country.
We will supply about 800,000 desks by the end of next year and that is more than enough; and the President has indeed fulfilled his promise. [Interruptions.] Yes, the GETFund has been of assistance, there is no doubt about that; but that does not mean that that number has not been supplied. The President has fulfilled his promise and we should congratulate him for it. [Interruptions] -- And he has not deceived the nation in any way. [Hear! Hear!]
Ms. Akua Dansua 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Hon. Akua
Dansua, will you ask your next question.
Ms. Akua Dansua 10:30 a.m.
Yes, Mr. speaker. I would want to know from the hon. Minister if he watched TV 3 news bulletin yesterday, between 6.30 p.m. and 7.30 p.m., to the effect particularly that even in the Greater Accra Region there are schools that do not even have a single textbook and they use the Junior Graphic as a substitute for textbooks. Is he aware of that and if he is, what is he doing about that?
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I did not watch TV3 yesterday. As a matter of fact, I was in the office at the time. I have watched TV3 on other occasions where the negative aspects of infrastructure in education have consistently and constantly
Ms Akua Dansua 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
the hon. Minister has not answered my question.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Yes, he has answered your question.
Ms. Akua Dansua 10:30 a.m.
No, he has not
answered my question. I asked a question about books.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Hon. Akua Dansua, I am in the Chair. You asked a question. We all heard it and the hon. Minister has given an answer, let somebody else ask another question.
Ms. Akua Dansua 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, this is not fair to me, please.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
I will give you the opportunity, hon. Akua Dansua; ask another question if you want to.
Ms. Akua Dansua 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, my
second supplementary question was on the lack of books in schools in the Greater Accra Region and particularly that there
are schools that use Junior Graphic as a substitute for reading books. What is the hon. Minister going to do about such situations?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
I think that is a fair question. Yes, hon. Minister?
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think the book situation in the classrooms today is not satisfactory and in my Answer, I said that by September there would be books in all classrooms. An order has been placed and we are going to get all the books, and I believe that every single classroom in this country will get books. So yes, I admit that today the situation is not satisfactory. Work has been going on since the year 2001 on supply of books; it ended by closing the order and the books will be available latest by the end of September.
10. 40 a.m.
Mr. A. N. Tettey-Enyo 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister in his response has been very emphatic on the supply of textbooks. May I ask if he can tell us a little bit about the titles involved?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Hon. Member, could you go over your question? You are asking for the titles of the textbooks?
Mr. Tettey-Enyo 10:30 a.m.
Yes.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
I will not allow you that -- [Interruptions] -- Hon. Member for Ada, do you have any other question that I would give you the privilege of asking?
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister in his answer to the question regarding TV3 highlighting inadequacies in the provision of educational infrastructure sought to accuse the television station of unbalanced reporting. Mr. Speaker, I want to find out from the hon. Minister if the television station is not helping him
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Hon. Member, you are soliciting an opinion but I will allow that. Soliciting an opinion is not normally allowed but in this case I will allow it.
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, he has really answered the question himself. If you are talking about balanced reporting, I need to know the inadequacies and I also need to know those areas in which we have performed very well. We should not forget we are addressing -- [Interruptions] --Yes, Mr. Speaker, TV3's audience are Ghanaians who watch television. Ghanaians also need to know the other side and it is therefore unbalanced reporting to talk about inadequacies only; you must also talk about adequacies and the good things done. That is what I am saying. The audience is not Osafo-Maafo; it is the total Ghanaian population and they should know both sides of the coin.
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I have a supplementary question. Mr. Speaker, by the hon. Minister's answers I want know if he respects the editorial discretion of TV3 as a media house.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Your question again, hon. Member.
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister in his answers has made reference to a particular media house and I just want to know if he has respect for the editorial discretion -- [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Hon. Member, I will not allow your question.
Mr. J. K. Avedzi 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the answer given by the hon. Minister on the provision of the desks has elaborated
a very nice programme for the year, for schools to be provided with writing desks. My question for the hon. Minister is, what happens to the schools that have their classes under trees and sheds? What happens to the desks that will be provided to them? Where will they keep them? My question is that there are schools that have their classes under trees and sheds, meanwhile they have been programmed to be provided with desks. How will this go?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
You have made a statement -- classes being conducted under trees; have been programmed to be provided with desks -- So?
Mr. Avedzi 10:30 a.m.
Where will they keep the desks? They do not have classrooms.
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think the whole development programme of education is ongoing. The question was specifically about desks. For his information we also have a programme of actual infrastructure provision of classrooms and therefore those under trees will be located in classrooms and books will be supplied to be used in the classrooms. It is an ongoing process.
Dr. Benjamin Kunbuor 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, my question to the hon. Minister is whether the physical buildings will be provided first before the furniture or the furniture will be provided before the infrastructure.
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, that
is a good question. Naturally, there are classrooms today which may not have all the desks, so the desks which will be supplied immediately will go to places where we have shelter. When we put up the infrastructure we will then put in the desks and the books. We cannot do all at the same time so I will say, yes, infrastructure first before the desks and the books.
Alhaji Sumani Abukari 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,

I would want to know from the hon. Minister for Education and Sports whether he has emergency funds in his Ministry for schools whose roofs are ripped off during the start of the rainy season each year, because it appears the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and the District Assemblies are not able to cope with the disaster. Do they have emergency funds to re-roof and re-equip schools which are destroyed during the commencement of the rainy season? And if so, how do we access those funds?
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in normal budgeting we prefer to call such funds contingency; we do not call it emergency relief fund. Therefore, as long as we have contingency funds in the various Ministries if there is an emergency the Ministry can fall on its contingency funds to address some of these problems; so there is.
Alhaji Sumani Abukari 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want to know from the hon. Minister whether I can therefore come for contingency funds to re-roof four of the schools in my constituency. And how would I go about it?
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, first of all every district has been given some District Assembly Common Funds, the Member of Parliament also has the MPs' Common fund; he should exhaust the two before calling on me; and when he does, I would help him.
Mr. Joe Gidisu 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would want to find out from the hon. Minister whether the supposed textbooks that he is anticipating to flood the schools with by September are produced locally or from outside.
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, eighteen firms or eighteen publishers -- let us be specific; the use of the word is very important. Eighteen publishers have been selected to supply the books by 15th
September; sixteen of them are local and two are foreign. Eighteen firms -- sixteen local, two foreign - and note “publishers”.
Mr. Lee ocran 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the
hon. Minister in his answer to one of the questions said that textbooks will be supplied to all schools by September. May I know if that includes exercise books.
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, specifically, what I referred to meant textbooks. The orders given relate to textbooks; exercise books are normally ongoing. We never had problems with exercise books; but if that is a problem it is easier to supply exercise books than textbooks and that will surely be taken care of.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want to know from the hon. Minister, given his Answer to the question asked by hon. Akua Dansua to the effect that the President has misled this nation, does he not think that given his Answer and the text of the Question the speechwriters misled the President into deceiving the nation?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Hon. E. T. Mensah, what is your question? Are you asking about speechwriters or about textbooks -- [Laughter.]
Mr. E. T. Mensah 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister has got the question. My question is that when you look at Question number 36, hon. Akua Dansua asked the Minister for Education and Sports whether the Presidential promise in the 2003 State of the Nation Address to provide every Ghanaian child a desk and basic textbooks has been fulfilled. The substantive Question indicated that the President has deceived the nation but the hon. Minister disagreed. And listening to his response he said the thing is ongoing; so my question is, does he not think that the speechwriters of the President misled
him into deceiving the nation?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon. E.
T. Mensah, I will not allow this question; it is soliciting an opinion and in this circumstance I will not permit it. Let us move on to the next Question.
Mr. R. K. Ahaligah 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon. Member, I believe he has given you his consent to ask the Question on his behalf; that is exactly what you want to say. Please go ahead.
Hostel Facilities for Girls and Boys at Amankwakrom Fisheries and Agricultural Technical Institute
Q. 37. Mr. R. K. Ahaligah (on behalf of Mr. J. T. Agbenu) asked the Minister for Education and Sports when his Ministry would provide hostel facilities for both girls and boys at Amankwakrom Fisheries and Agricultural Technical Institute (AFATI) in the Afram Plains North constituency.
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, thank
you very much, after the Answer I will be the one to cite the letter of attorney -- [Laughter.] Mr. Speaker, Amankwakrom Fisheries and Agricultural Technical Institute (AFATI) was established in the early 1970s as a day school to initially run courses in fashion, block laying and concreting, and carpentry and joinery. The school was to enroll junior secondary school graduates in the above trade areas. In 1996, the institute commenced operation with its maiden intake when very limited infrastructure had been

developed at the time.

The focus this year is to extend electricity to the school and to service the carpentry workshop. An allocation of ¢500 million has been made in this year's (2005) GETFund allocations for this purpose.

Mr. Speaker, the Ministry's priority is to concentrate on the upgrading of Donkorkrom Agricultural Senior Secondary School which is part of the 2nd Phase of the upgrading exercise funded by African Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Ghana. Once upgrading is completed, due consideration will be given for the provision of a hostel facility for the Amankwakrom Fisheries Agricultural Technical Institute (AFATI).
Mr. Ahaligah 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, there is a and supplementary question.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Do you also have his authority to ask a supplementary question to his Question? -- [Laughter.]
Mr. Ahaligah 10:50 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in his Answer to the Question he said that once upgrading is completed due consideration will be given to the provision of hostel facilities for the Amankwakrom Fisheries and Agricultural Technical Institute. I would want to know when -- he should be very specific about this answer -- when?
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:50 a.m.
This is a fair question. Mr. Speaker, the ADB programme in twenty-five selected schools will commence in August and we expect that within eighteen months most of the basic upgrading work would be completed. Therefore, there is a specific date for it. Funds are available and we should all be comfortable.
Mr. Kwame osei-Prempeh 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister in his Answer
is tying the fortunes of Amankwakrom Fisheries and Agricultural Technical Institute to Donkokrom Agricultural Senior Secondary School. Mr. Speaker, I would want to know the link. What is the link between the two schools, that upgrading should affect the other school?
Mr. osafo-Maafo 10:50 a.m.
This is also a good question. Mr. Speaker, the Donkokorm Agricultural Senior Secondary School and the Amankwakrom Fisheries and Agricultural Technical Institute are nine miles apart, and indeed we want to develop them as a complex. So the two would be linked so that there will be concentration of technical training on one site and then agricultural training on the other. There is a link, and we virtually intend to develop them as a complex institution.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:50 a.m.
The next Question.
Mr. Ahaligah 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, thank you very much for allowing me to continue. Donkokrom Senior Secondary School
(Girl's Dormitory)
Q. 38. Mr. R. K. Ahaligah (on behalf of Mr. J. T. Agbenu) asked the Minister for Education and Sports what plans his Ministry had to provide Donkokrom Agricultural Senior Secondary School with a girl's dormitory.
Mr. Y. osafo-Maafo 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, Donkokrom Agricultural Senior Secondary School has been selected as one of the schools to be upgraded in the district under the 2nd Phase of the upgrading of Senior Secondary School Programme which is due to start this year. The provision of a girl's dormitory block will be part of the structures to be provided under the programme.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:50 a.m.
We have finished with the hon. Minister for Education and Sports. Thank you
very much for being around to answer Questions. I wish they could have asked you more but thank you all the same. The hon. Minister for Food and Agriculture will now have to take the hot seat.
MINISTRY OF FOOD AND 10:50 a.m.
AGRICULTURE 10:50 a.m.
Minister for Food and Agriculture (Mr. Ernest A. Debrah) 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is my Ministry's objective to modernize agriculture and reduce the drudgery and the uncertainty that our farmers face. Various interventions have been initiated and are being implemented to achieve the objective.
Among these init iatives is the development/ improvement of the irrigation sub-sector. We are using a two- pronged approach, being:
i. Micro and small scale irrigation: This focuses on the provision of boreholes, tube wells and other simple water harvesting structures. The target bene- ficiaries are the small-scale farmers; and
ii. Medium/large scale irrigation: This will involve rehabilitating a n d c o n s t r u c t i n g d a m s , pumping stations, diversion structures, canals and long distance conveyance pressure pipe systems. The target bene- ficiaries will be commercial

investors.

It is against this background that issues relating to the irrigation sub-sector should be looked at.

chabchab Irrigation Dam

Mr. Speaker, information available to us indicates that the dam in question is Chabchab and not Chebichebi as reported in the question. The Chabchab Irrigation Dam was implemented under the just- ended Village Infrastructure Project (VIP). The contract was signed between the Savelugu/Nanton District Assembly (Client) and the Contractor (Messrs Chinese Long Da Company Limited) on 4th May 2001. Messrs TREND was the consultant and the contract sum was ¢644,135,250.00. The job was scheduled to be completed in four and one-half (4½) months on 18th September 2001. Termination of contract

The contract was terminated for fundamental breach of contract, non- performance, on 25th March 2003. The contractor was made to pay a fine of

¢122,506,380.00.

Before the termination, meetings were held by stakeholders, the beneficiary communities, the District Assembly and the RICU Zonal office aimed at getting the contractor to perform so as to complete the work. Both the consultant and the contractor were judged to have failed in the discharge of their responsibilities.

community-Based Rural Development Project (cBRDP)

The District Assembly has been desirous to complete the project and has therefore included the project in the Assembly's 2005 budget. The project has consequently been repackaged for

implementation under the Community- Based Rural Development Project

(CBRDP).

Consultants have been invited to present proposals to get the work completed. Evaluation is currently in progress and it is expected that a competent consultant will be selected to implement the project by the end of July 2005. The consultant will assist the District Assembly to prepare tender documents for the selection of a qualified contractor to complete the dam construction.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Any supplementary questions?
Alhaji Alhassan Yakubu 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the Minister that the correct pronunciation of the name of the dam is Chebichebi, the Chabchab is a corrupted pronunciation. The indigenous people call it Chebichebi and not Chabchab.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister in his Answer indicated that the initial contract sum of the dam was ¢644.1 million and after the termination of the contract, a total amount of ¢122.5 million was paid to the contractor. May I know the quantum of work done before the termination of the contract?
Mr. Debrah 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, as I said, a new consultant is to be appointed to prepare documents for the contract. In his preparation, he will then indicate the cost of work that needs to be done and what has already been executed.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
Hon. Member, are you satisfied with the Answer given by the hon. Minister?
Alhaji AlhassanYakubu 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am not very clear with the Answer.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
Hon. Minister, the hon. Member did ask whether you could tell the House the quantum of work that has been done on that contract that was abrogated.
Mr. Debrah 11 a.m.
At the time of the termination of the contract, the work that was not executed was what they asked the contractor to pay, and that was the ¢122 million. So less the cost of the contract will show you the volume of work that was executed at that time.
Dr. Benjamin Kunbuor 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in the hon. Minister's Answer, he indicated that he had a two-pronged approach to irrigation matters - one micro and small- scale and the other medium and large-scale irrigation. I want to ask the Minister how he reconciles this with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) manifesto that says priority is on small-scale irrigation.
Mr. Debrah 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, if we say priority is on small-scale irrigation, it does not mean that we would totally abandon large-scale irrigation systems. Priority is on small-scale irrigations to target small- scale farmers, but it does not mean that we will leave out completely large-scale irrigation systems. As I said, large-scale irrigation systems would be targeted to big commercial farmers.
Alhaji Alhassan Yakubu 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in the hon. Minister's Answer he indicated that the District Assembly has budgeted to complete the work this year or some time - or they have made provision for it

in their budget. May I know the amount of money budgeted for the work in the District Assembly's budget.
Mr. Debrah 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I said the District Assembly has been desirous to complete the project and has therefore included the project in the Assembly's 2005 budget. And then, I went on to say that the project has been consequently repackaged for implementation under the Community-Based Rural Development Project (CBRDP) which is a continuation of the Village Infrastructure Project (VIP). So the Assembly has put it in their budget and now going to be taken up by the CBRDP. The Assembly may not have the necessary resources to determine the exact cost of the projects; they would only put a figure in their budget. But the CBRDP is now taking it over and the cost of work would be determined when the consultant goes in to estimate the work for completion.
Mr. A. W. G. Abayeteye 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in the course of the Answer by the hon. Minister, he stated that the project was initially to take four and a half months to complete but it took over two years before the contract was terminated. What happened within the time frame?
Mr. Debrah 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, if he knows contract administrations, a contract is terminated after certain practices have gone on. So when you give a contract period and you realize that the guy is not going within time, you invite the contractor, meet him and find out what the problems are. So contract termination is not just simple, that you walk to the site and say you are supposed to complete in two and a half months and it is not completed so let us terminate it. There are
processes that go on for termination; that was why it took a bit of time to terminate the contract.
Dr. Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want to know from the hon. Minister who constitute commercial investors and whether the irrigation scheme is to be developed for their use or they are to invest in the development of the scheme.
Mr. Debrah 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, commercial investors are commercial farmers. They can develop their own irrigation scheme or the Government can develop an irrigation scheme and then let them pay as they use the scheme. So either way, it can be developed. So the Government can develop an irrigation scheme, invite commercial farmers and then sell the water to them on commercial basis, or they pick their own land and develop their own irrigation system.
Alhaji Sumani Abukari 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister has told the House that a competent consultant would be appointed by the end of July. When would the dam be completed thereafter?
Mr. Debrah 11:10 a.m.
The consultant would be appointed by the end of July and then we went ahead to say that the consultant would assist the District Assembly to prepare tender documents for the selection of qualified contractors to complete the dam construction. When the work involved has been assessed, then the consultant would be able to indicate the period within which the work can be executed. So let us get to that point and then I will be able to tell the House when the job will be completed.
Mr. Debrah 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, when you ask specific questions demanding specific dates like this, it is difficult to answer. The work is there, terminated and we have given a specific time for the appointment of the consultant; that one we are certain about. When the consultant is appointed, then he will come in and then estimate the quantum of work to be done and then he can tell us that when this contract is awarded, it should take three months or four months or five months to complete the work. I am saying that let the consultant get it and estimate the work that needs to be done, then he will estimate the time that is required to complete the work. So at that point, when he finishes with his documentation, the preparation of the bills for the award of the contract, the time for the construction of works would then be determined and then I will be able to tell you.
Dr. M. K. Antwi 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister in his Answer said that the contractor was made to pay a fine of over ¢122 million for non-performance. At the same time, he said that both the consultant and the contractor were judged to have failed in the discharge of their responsibilities. May I know why the consultant was not also made to pay a fine? Thank you.
Mr. Debrah 11:10 a.m.
Well, offhand, I cannot tell the hon. Member why the consultant was not made to pay a fine. But I can easily find out why he was not asked to pay a fine. The non-performance was more due to the contractor's fault, which affected
Mr. Debrah 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to inform the House that it is one of a number of dams and dugouts in the Volta Region constructed by the then Irrigation Department in the early 1960s. The dam was constructed and managed by the Russians.
It was used for rice cultivation until 1966. As a result of the military takeover, the Russians left the country.
Most of the facilities including the workshop, the offices and the irrigation system were vandalized. The design drawings were also burnt.
For all this while the facilities were not used, the system either deteriorated or was damaged completely.
The Government being desirous of empowering the rural population living in poverty to improve their living conditions has planned to rehabilitate most of the dams and dugouts built in the Volta Region since the 1960s. Inventory has been taken of almost all the dams in each appropriate district and prioritized in terms of benefits to the community.
The Tedeafenui-Dekpe Dam is among the dams selected for rehabilitation in the North Tongu District.
The Irrigation Development Authority IDA) is sourcing funds to rehabilitate
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in this year's budget, the hon. Minister for Food and Agriculture identified over 20 dams for rehabilitation in the Volta Region. Now if the hon. Minister is telling us that the Irrigation Development Authority (IDA) is sourcing funds to rehabilitate those dams in phases, under which of these fundings is the dam in question coming?
Mr. Debrah 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am not very sure about what the hon. Member said. In the budget, we said that we have earmarked 30 dams to be rehabilitated and I say that yes, we earmarked 30 dams; we are sourcing for funds to rehabilitate them. Some funds are coming from HIPC Fund; they come at certain stages, and some of the dams would be rehabilitated through that IDA. So we are now sourcing the funds to rehabilitate them.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the year is almost mid-way through and in the budget, it was said that over 30 dams are going to be rehabilitated. If the hon. Minister is at this time of the year telling us that they are still sourcing funds through the IDA, when would those, for funds through the IDA, when would those funds come for them to carry through the budgetary provisions as outlined in this year's budget?
Mr. Debrah 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think he is missing the point. Various dams and dugouts have been mentioned in the budget. We have taken inventory of almost all dams and dugouts in the Volta Region, and prioritized them. So in terms of priority, 40 dams are going to go. We are now sourcing for funds to go ahead to rehabilitate the other dugouts. So there is a prioritized list of dams and as we get
funds, we would put them on stream. This is exactly what I am trying to tell him.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, under which of these fundings is the Tedeafenui- Dekpe Dam? Is it under this year's budgetary provision or they are now going to source funds for its rehabilitation? The dam in question, is it coming under this year's budgetary provisions under his Ministry or it is coming under the IDA provisions, which are now being sourced?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:10 a.m.
It is a legitimate question. Hon. Minister, react to that.
Mr. Debrah 11:10 a.m.
What came under the budget -- The 30 dams came under the budget. We are going to rehabilitate them this year. [Interruptions.] Wait a minute. Let me finish. IDA has now taken inventory of all dams in most districts in the Volta Region. So if we are able to source the funds through IDA, then this would come on stream this year, otherwise in terms of priority, we will then budget for it next year and have it done.
So if we are lucky and we are able to secure funds, it will go this year, if not, next year or the year after. So the policy is specific -- we are going to rehabilitate these 30, but in order of priority; this may be the 31st, 32nd or 33rd; we are still sourcing funds from IDA. If we get the funds, we will put it on stream.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:10 a.m.
Will the -- [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Unfort- unately, hon. Gidisu, you may have to come some other time. You have already asked more than three or four questions.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is the same question -- [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:10 a.m.
I understand, but I do not think we should use the floor for a debate in and out. I am not honestly very, very satisfied with the answer given but we cannot spend all the time -- [Interruption.]
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:10 a.m.
I am not satisfied with the Answer he gave.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Let us move on to the next Question, and that stands in the name of hon. Tetteh Assumeng.

Rice Farmers on the Kpong Irrigation Project

Q. 65. Mr. David Tetteh Assumeng asked the Minister for Food and Agriculture what plans his Ministry had to assist rice farmers on the kpong Irrigation Project in Osudoku.
Minister for Food and Agriculture (Mr. E. A. Debrah) 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, various interventions aimed at assisting rice farmers have been introduced. Among these are equipment that have been provided to repair and maintain canals for the preparation of land in the kpong Irrigation Area. We are also implementing currently a programme to repair old tractors for the use of the farmers. Two drying floors out of the targeted seven have been completed for the farmers.
The kpong Irrigation Project funded by the Africa Development Bank (AfDB), which was sourced by my Ministry has a credit improvement for rice farmers. This facility is being managed by the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) and farmers are currently accessing that credit component.
Mr. Speaker, all efforts by the Ministry

are aimed at assisting the farmers and making life less hazardous for them and the kpong Irrigation Project is being supported by a credit component for the farmers. We are repairing the canals and we are repairing the tractors for the use of the farmers.
Mr. Assumeng 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want to know from the hon. Minister, what is the acreage of the project and how many tractors are operating currently on the project?
Mr. Debrah 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the project was a big project; part of it is now under operation. The other part is not under operation but I cannot tell the hon. Member the exact acreage of the project. But currently, I know that five tractors are in operation for the farmers.
Mr. Assumeng 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the project is over 800 hectares and so five tractors cannot suffice the farmers. I want to find out from the hon. Minister if he will consider an emergency visit to the site to see the plight of farmers on the project.
Mr. Debrah 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I visited
the site; I have been to kpong Irrigation Project. I have visited the site. Of the 800 hectares, about half of it has not yet been developed; it is now going to be developed. And what the farmers are working on right now, there is a group of farmers and with their executives and others they plough at different times; they work at different times and for what we are working on right now, five tractors are adequate. They asked for them and we supplied them. As the number increases and as we expand the area under crop farming, we intend to increase the number of tractors to the site. But let me tell you that I have visited the site twice.
Mr. charles S. Hodogbey 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in an answer to the various questions regarding irrigation, the hon.
Minister alluded to the fact that several irrigation projects are being done all over the country and particularly in certain regions. My question is, assuming the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) wants to know irrigation projects which have been completed and are in operation, can he tell the House which ones are under construction and which ones are completed?
Mr. Debrah 11:20 a.m.
If he wants to know that, he should ask a specific Question on that and I will provide him with the figures. I came here to answer specific Questions but not to talk about irrigation in general. He should ask a specific Question and I will provide him with the answers.
Mr. M. T. Nyaunu 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, may I kindly know from the hon. Minister what effort his Ministry is making to assist these rice producers to market their produce, considering the high rate of importation of rice now.
Mr. Debrah 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think a lot has been done in the past to support rice farmers to market their produce. In the first instance, a lot of interventions have been made to improve the quality of rice that we produce so that the demand for Ghana's rice will rise. Some of the interventions are: to provide the rice farmers with small mills so that they can mill their rice on the site. And if you go to the North and rice growing areas we have got a lot of the mills around. Secondly, to improve the quality of the rice, we have to take away stones. Formerly, these mills had no de-stoners; we have now got de- stoners to ensure that we get good quality rice to the market.
Finally, we are having problems with the marketing of the rice. Brokers have been supported financially to take what the farmers produce, mill them, produce good
quality rice and send them to the market. All these interventions are interventions that are made on behalf of the farmers to ensure that we get good quality rice on the market to substitute imported rice.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Hon. Members, that will bring us to the end of the Question. The last Question stands in the name of hon. J. k. Gidisu.
Hon. Minister, I think we will be happy with you; we are satisfied with the Question that you have answered. Thank you for making time to do so. You can take your leave.
Mr. Abraham ossei Aidooh 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, may we seek your permission to allow the Deputy Minister for Environment and Science to act for his Minister.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:20 a.m.
I will permit that. Hon. J. k. Gidisu, ask your Question.
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT 11:20 a.m.
AND SCIENCE 11:20 a.m.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:20 a.m.
I have already given you the permission. Go ahead and answer the Question.
Dr. Agambila 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the
Dr. Agambila 11:30 a.m.


However, the construction of the dams, alteration of flow rates and nutrient inputs from agricultural and other human activities such as livestock raising and human settlements disturb the natural balance and create conditions that promote the rapid growth and spread of these weeds. This is the situation in the Lower Volta Basin.

Mr. Speaker, the Ministry through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Volta River Authority and other collaborators have eliminated water hyacinth in the Lower Volta Basin. Awareness campaigns have also been launched in the riparian communities.

Below the kpong head pond, the dominant weeds are the giant grass, Vossia, and the submerged Cerato-phyllum. The EPA has permitted the Volta River Estate Limited to harvest and compost the giant grass from the Lower Volta and use it as fertilizer.

Mr. Speaker, several of the riparian communities are participating in the control exercise by harvesting and selling the weed to the company, thus linking poverty reduction to the control measure. Other agro-based companies are being encouraged to promote the harvesting and

economic use of the weeds.

Aquatic weed infestation as mentioned earlier, is of major concern to the Government because many ponds, dams and major rivers in the country's river basins have become infested with various forms of aquatic weeds. These include submerged as well as floating plants. Aquatic weed infestation has created several socio-economic problems for communities whose livelihoods depend on resources from the water. It is also threatening several water supply schemes.

Mr. Speaker, to deal with the problem in a comprehensive manner, the Government is negotiating for a loan facility of UA 1,680,000 (one million, six hundred and eighty thousand Units of Account) from the African Development Bank to finance the integrated management of invasive aquatic weeds throughout the country including the Lower Volta Basin. Due to the transboundary nature of aquatic weeds, Ghana will collaborate with other countries in the West African subregion in the implementation of the project which has three components, namely:

i) Integrated Management of Invasive Aquatic Weeds -- This involves manual and mecha- nical removal of weeds;

ii) Capacity Building -- which involves awareness creation and training to equip communities to harvest weeds manually and transform them into compost to boost agriculture;

iii) Project Co-ordination -- which involves monitoring and evaluation of the project.

Mr. Speaker, the loan agreement will be submitted to Parliament in due course
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would want to find out from the hon. Deputy Minister whether he is aware of the stretch which constitutes the Lower Volta Basin. And if he is aware, how can he come to tell this House that water hyacinths have been completely eliminated in that stretch of the Lower Volta Basin? And secondly, that the Volta River Estate Limited which is only located in the Asuogyaman District which is itself only a very insignificant portion of the Lower Volta Basin to have embarked on the project to eradicate river weeds as he is talking about -- [Interruption.]
Dr. Agambila 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I did ask this question myself within the Ministry. In the Answer that I read, I said it had been eliminated but I did not say completely. I think that weed infestation is not a problem that you can completely eliminate. You can try to control it and as you try to control it, every year there would be a certain amount of infestation remaining but we are making good efforts to control the weeds.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. Deputy Minister would come to this House to tell us that he had no effective control or knowledge over what he has to read to this House how then do we take him seriously on those issues?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Is that your supplementary question? I thought you wanted to ask a supplementary question relating to the water hyacinth and other weeds. Could you ask that supplementary question, please?
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, he said he came to read the Answer --
rose
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Yes, you want to come to his assistance?
Mr. A. o. Aidooh 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, he never said that. He referred to earlier Answer to the second Question. He did not say that he had no knowledge of what he had come to do here.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:30 a.m.
I will allow him to ask his supplementary question. Hon. Member, go ahead.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, my supplementary question is, if the hon. Deputy Minister was aware of the stretch of the Lower Volta Basin, how would he come to this House to say that water hyacinths have been completely eradicated?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Hon. Member for Central Tongu, I believe what you want to say is that the water hyacinths have not been eradicated. Is that not? Make that point clear.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, very well. And then secondly, that the Volta River Estate Limited which he alleges to embark on the eradication of waterweeds in the Lower Volta Basin is completely not true. This is a very nagging problem in the Lower Volta Basin and that is why I have come up with this question.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Hon. Deputy Minister, it appears that the problem is more than what you appear to appreciate. That is what he is trying to point out.
Dr. Agambila 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I did not say that the problem had been completely eradicated. What I said was that we are making progress in eliminating the weed infestation in the Lower Volta Basin. And if it is true that the Volta River Estate Limited is not living within the
geographical location of the Basin, they are part of the solution to this problem. And I do not think that the distance from the location of the infestation prevents them from having a programme to eliminate weed infestation in the Lower Volta Basin.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, what specific programme has his Ministry to address that peculiar problem in the Lower Volta Basin other than embarking on that omnibus -- putting it in the countrywide situation? Specifically, what has his Ministry got for the Lower Volta Basin concerning the problem?
Dr. Agambila 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, as has been indicated in my presentation, we are sourcing for money. Solving problems requires money and we are sourcing for money to comprehensively deal with the problem, not only in other parts of the country where there is an infestation problem but hyacinth, indeed, particularly in the Lower Volta Basin where the problem is acute.
Mr. c. S. Hodogbey 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, as a Member of Parliament representing that area -- [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:30 a.m.
I know that, go ahead to ask your supplementary question.
Mr. Hodogbey 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am asking the supplementary question from the Answer -- If the hon. Deputy Minister will listen to what I am saying -- I am asking a supplementary question from the Answer the hon. Deputy Minister gave.
In his Answer, he stated that the EPA had permitted the Volta River Estate Limited to harvest and compost the giant grass from the Lower Volta Basin and use it as fertilizer. My first supplementary Question is, has the Volta River Estate Limited already started this project? If not, when will it start? That is the first supplementary question.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:30 a.m.
The
Mr. Hodogbey 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, yes, that is the supplementary question.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Is that all that you want to ask?
Mr. Hodogbey 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, that is the first supplementary question.
Dr. Agambila 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that this programme has started. If the hon. Member would want us to find additional information that we can provide to him at a later time we would be happy to do so, but it is my understanding that this programme has started.
Mr. Lee ocran 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the problem of water weeds is an environmental problem and it is a trans- boundary problem. For those five (5) riparian states that use the Volta Basin, it is a major problem and for this reason an attempt was made to establish an integrated Volta Basin Management Commission. May I know from the hon. Minister if this Commission has been established, and if it has been established, whether it is working and dealing with the problem.
Dr. Agambila 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think I would be in a better position to provide a more recent answer to the hon. Member's question if he would give me time to consult with my people in the Ministry.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:40 a.m.
We would allow you to consult. On that note, hon. Members, we draw the curtain on Questions for today. I think we have taken a little time on that and we need to go to some other business. We shall now proceed to Statements. We have a
couple of Statements here, we would allow, maybe, one or two. The first one is on sports and there are two Statements submitted on that, one from the Chairman of the Committee on Youth, Sports and Culture and the other by the hon. Member for kintampo North. I would allow, first of all, the Chairman for the Committee to read his and also allow, to some extent and more exhaustively, the hon. Minister from kintampo to also comment on it.
Hon Deputy Minister, thank you very much for making yourself available to answer Questions from the House.
STATEMENTS 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Stephen Kunsu (NDc -- Kintampo North) 11:50 a.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for making it possible for me to make a Statement on the remarkable achievement of the Ghana Black Stars in their match against the much dreaded Bafana Bafana of South Africa on Saturday and also to congratulate them on their well-deserved victory.
We all know how difficult it is to play outside one's country as one has to encounter a host of intractable obstacles. It is against this backdrop that I urge all Ghanaians to harmonise all discordant views about the vulnerability of the Black Stars and synchronise their efforts towards the rebuilding of the team into a
formidable one.
By beating the South African Bafana Bafana at home and away, the Black Stars of Ghana have broken the invincibility of the Mandela boys before the raptured eyes of their own 60,000 spectators who had elbowed their way into the crowded stadium to witness the humiliation and annihilation of the Black Stars.
Mr. Speaker, the ability of the Black Stars to puncture the pride and impregnability of Bafana Bafana with that sound thrashing has brightened Ghana's chances of participation in the World Cup Tournament. It must be noted however that victory was not achieved on silver platter; it was achieved by dint of thorough preparation, hard work, dedication to duty, sacrifice, patriotism, unity of purpose and concentration.

It was a real delight to watch the Black Stars play their hearts out with cohesion, mathematical precision, enthusiasm and youthful exuberance. In fact their ebullient reaction to victory was reminiscent of the good old days when Ghana reigned supreme in Sports in Africa. The twinkle, twinkle, little Stars sparkled like diamond in the sky as they allowed their patriotic sentiments to eclipse all internal concerns.

Mr. Speaker, the Black Stars have really demonstrated in practical terms that all is not lost and that they are capable of regaining their lost glory. Moreover, the erroneous impression embedded in the minds of pessimists about the vulnerability and hopelessness of the Black Stars has been decolonised. Pessimism has now given way to optimism and this should be a good starting point and the fulcrum for soccer regeneration in Ghana. The

splendid performance of the Black Stars must radiate confidence in the team and ginger the players to forge ahead and make the sky their limit.

Much as we are transported with joy over the overwhelming victory, I will also like to caution against complacency as pride always goes before a fall. The players must not rest on their oars as they are going to face more difficult tasks ahead.

Mr. Speaker, Ghanaians are looking up to the Stars with eagerness and cheerful readiness to redeem the sporting image of Ghana from the doldrums to buoyancy.

As the Black Stars move to the next stage of the competition, they must go in a hopeful frame of mind. Nothing should be done to plunge them into mental disorientation so as to derail them from achieving the acme of their desire. The players must recoil from their strait- jacketing and focus their minds on the object of their mission. This is the time the players need the unflinching support of all Ghanaians. All hands must be on the deck. They need motivation in order to revitalize them and propel them into action.

Mr. Speaker, what Ghana needs now is a pragmatic approach to Sports development. The ad hoc measures adopted in the past had proved porous and ineffective.

In this scientific and technological era of globalisation every country under the sun is undergoing a great deal of metamorphosis and Ghana cannot be left behind in this emerging phenomenon.

Constant changes of players and coaches cannot be a solution to our woes. The practice whereby the national teams are immediately dissolved after their defeat is not only demoralising but
Mr. Kwame osei-Prempeh 11:50 a.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, hon. Baidoe- Ansah, Member of Parliament for Effia kwesimintsim made a Statement. When he got up, I thought he was supporting it, but he is reading copiously as if he is also making another Statement -- [Uproar.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:50 a.m.
Hon. Osei-Prempeh, you are out of order. Hon. kunsu, continue and be fast.
Mr. Kunsu 11:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, maybe, the hon. Member who raised the point of order needs a pair of spectacles. I was not reading copiously -- [Interruptions.]
In order to instil discipline, enthusiasm and love for sports in pupils and students, physical education with its component of physical training (P.T.) must be made a compulsory subject in the curricula of first and second cycle institutions.
The Ministry of Education and Sports must supply all schools with the basic sports equipment so as to whet pupils' appetite for sports. Opportunities should be created for inter- and intra-school sporting competitions.
Mr. Abuga Pele (NDc noon
None

Paga): Mr. Speaker, I wish to associate myself with the two Statements made this morning. Mr. Speaker, in doing so, it is my hope and I think it is the hope of the whole country that the crisis in our sporting arena, particularly in football is a thing of the past.

Mr. Speaker, while commending the Black Stars for their impressive performance, I think that it is appropriate at this stage to also congratulate and commend the Black Starlets because whilst the Black Stars are about to qualify for the World Cup, the Black Starlets are already in the World Cup and I think that this is the appropriate forum to congratulate the Black Starlets for their impressive performance in The Gambia.

Mr. Speaker, while we have to

congratulate the Black Stars, it is a good thing that the hon. Member who made the Statement cautioned that we should not relax; we should attend the remaining two

matches with all the seriousness that led us to defeat the Bafana Bafana in South Africa. We all know that the Black Stars would be travelling to Cape Verde, and all the nations want to participate in Egypt.

Even where they have lost every hope of qualifying for the World Cup, they still want to place either second or third to be able to participate in the continental championship in Egypt. So we should beware; the Cape Verdians are not going to play very lightly for the Black Stars and the fact, we beat Bafana Bafana is not the end of the matter. We should camp seriously and prepare very well so that the remaining two matches are absolutely within our reach. We should beat them convincingly and when we have qualified we can then come home and start celebrating.

Mr. Speaker, I must thank the

hon. Minister and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for taking the trouble to motivate the boys. We now see the role motivation can play in soccer and while we motivate the national team, we should not forget the Black Starlets who are already in the World Cup; they should be brought early to camp, go on a training tour and prepare them very well.

I think that even when the Black Stars have qualified, we should begin to look towards the next World Cup in South Africa. And apart from the forthcoming one which will be taking place in Germany, we should begin to think of the forthcoming World Cup in South Africa.

In that competition, it is not very likely that all these crop of players who are now playing for the Black Stars would be the

same players playing in that World Cup. It is the Starlets who are going to complement and support the national team. When they have gone to the international competition, when they have played the World Cup and come back, they would gather a lot of experience and the few of them who are beginning to show a lot of promise would be picked to supplement the effort of the Black Stars. So we should not joke with the Starlets. It is the team that we should see as the team of the future.

Mr. Speaker, we know the role financing can play in football so I would urge the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to pursue their financing agenda with aggression. If we qualify for the World Cup, for the fact that we even qualify, there would be large sums of money available to the nation and participation is going to bring to the nation a lot of finances.

Apart from the fact that it would improve the standard of our game, it will also make our football a marketable commodity in this country once we participate in the World Cup. So I would commend the GFA for motivating the boys and urge that it should be a total effort toward clinching the final victory for the World Cup.
Mrs. Grace coleman (NPP -- Effiduase-Asokore) noon
Mr. Speaker, I stand to associate myself with the Statement that is on the floor.
Mr. Speaker, for many years in this
country, I have witnessed that the passion of Ghana as a country is football. Ghanaians are so passionate about this sport that sometimes I witness negative reactions to the effort of players. We realized that anytime there was a competition between the major football teams the country virtually was divided; people may be supporting team A and others would be
Mrs. Grace coleman (NPP -- Effiduase-Asokore) noon


The only time I witnessed this kind of

behaviour was when I was in Holland and the Dutch national team won. I have to say that this should show Ghana that we as a country should come together and become one in everything we do. Look at this country at the moment; we are all happy; even those who are not fans of the game are really happy and we are supporting each other.

Mr. Speaker, we want to continue with this. I have to say that even though they must have worked or trained hard to have won, I am very sure that the motivational comments by Ghanaians went a long way to bring us this victory. I am asking Ghanaians that from now on, they should eschew the tendency of insulting athletes who do not do well. Mr. Speaker, I am sure every athlete, when going for a competition, would want to win; even if you know that your opponent is much stronger than you in terms of the sport, you would still want to win. But what would make the difference is what people behind you do.

In Ghana, we know that when we go to the sports stadiums we support our teams, but we do it to an extent that it divides us. We must know that if team A wins, it wins for Ghana; and if team B wins, it is also for Ghana because we are Ghanaians. And from now on, perhaps, we should know that through football, we would become a very loving and united nation.

Mr. Speaker, with these few words,
Prof. A. W. Seini (NDc -- Tamale central) noon
Mr. Speaker, I would like to associate myself with the two Statements that have been made this morning.
Mr. Speaker, it is worth noting that
one issue on which this country is totally united is our national team, the Black Stars. We have been so proud of them throughout the years. I still remember, with pride, the very first time the Black Stars trounced Nigeria 7 - 0, in their very maiden match against Nigeria.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker noon
Hon. Member, did I hear you say 7-0?
Prof. Seini noon
Yes.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker noon
When was that?
Prof. Seini noon
That was in 1958 -- I remember. So Mr. Speaker, throughout the years, it is football which keeps the spirit of this nation going; it is not only football but also other sports disciplines; but football in particular keeps this nation united and very happy. Particularly the victory over Bafana Bafana on their own soil, and in their own backyard is a landmark victory that this nation must be very proud of.
Mr. Speaker, it was achieved with the assistance of many people in the background, especially the coach and his technical staff. Whilst congratulating the Black Stars, we have to congratulate the coach and his technical staff and hope that they would continue to endeavour to
Prof. Seini 12:10 p.m.
coach the team and bring more victories to this nation.
Mr. Speaker, the coach himself underlined the fact that it is the discipline of the players that accounted for this victory outside the country. He himself noted that there are no divisions and there are no grudges in the current team of the Black Stars. In the past we had very good teams that never made it to the World Cup. Mr. Speaker, I still believe that the world shall not see the best of African football until Ghana appears in the World Cup and I believe that we have only two steps to reach there in Germany.
As hon. Members have said, we should avoid complacency. There is a saying that even a dead scorpion can still sting. The two other matches we have are very crucial to our qualifying for the World Cup in Germany so we should not rest on our oars; we should not over-jubilate and we should not over-congratulate our people.
Whilst congratulating them, we should always make them to understand that even a dead scorpion can still sting. In other words, even if Uganda and Cape Verde have no stake or they have nothing to compete for, they still have their pride to protect, so the Black Stars should guard against that. Pride can enable a team to rise to the occasion and cause a major shock. That is what happened to us in the Olympic Games; we were all too sure that we were going to beat Japan to qualify for the next stage because all the other teams in our group had already beaten Japan. So please, let us avoid complacency. Let us congratulate our team. Let us urge them not to rest on their oars. As they say in football parlance, they should never take their eyes off the ball. In other words, their objective is to be in Germany and they
should make sure that they reach there by training hard and winning their next two matches.

Deputy Attorney-General and
Minister for Justice (Mr. Joe Ghartey) 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to associate myself with the Statement. But Mr. Speaker, in associating myself with the Statement I wish to differ slightly from what most of my hon. Colleagues who spoke earlier said. A lot of my hon. Colleagues have said that the battle is not over; that we should be careful and so on. Yes, I agree with them but I also want to say that blessed are those who have not seen but yet believe, and that at this stage where we have reached there is no way we shall not qualify for the World Cup -- [Hear! Hear!]
Mr. Speaker, whilst people talk about
the euphoria and the joy and the peace that football brings, one thing that we tend to forget is the phenomenal economic benefits that it brings. Indeed, there is no time in the life of man in this world that the whole world is concentrated on one event for such a long time as the World Cup. Cameroon was brought onto the world map by Roger Miller and his famous dribbling. After the last World Cup everybody had heard about Senegal; and after the next World Cup, the question that you are sometimes asked when you say you are from Ghana is as to whether it is Guyana, will be a thing of the past. Everybody will know about Ghana.
We shall qualify and we shall make an impact on the world through the World Cup. In fact, Mr. Speaker, it is about time, and it is far past time, that the four times African Champions announced them- selves on the world stage in a big way.
Mr. Speaker, there is another matter
which has been sharply brought to the forefront of my mind, listening to the debate by various hon. Colleagues. Mr. Speaker, a few days ago we laid before this House the Representation of the People Bill. And in that Bill was a provision that stated that the Electoral Commissioner will decide when the Bill will take effect.
Mr. J. D. Mahama 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker,
the hon. Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice is violently out of order. In the Standing Orders you cannot anticipate a Bill that is coming to this House, so I think he should withdraw the statement he has made.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:10 p.m.
You
should veer away from it, hon. Member.
Mr. Ghartey 12:10 p.m.
I thank my hon.
Colleague but I am not violent in character so I wonder how I can be violently out of order. Mr. Speaker, I will not mention the Bill but I will just say that I think that all the people who live outside this country, including the eleven young men who represented the Black Stars, have the right to vote in this country; whether they live in the country or not, they are Ghanaians.
Mr. J. D. Mahama 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, you did not rule on it; he is still very much out of order. That is the core of the Bill that is coming before this House and he is anticipating the Bill. He cannot do that.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:10 p.m.
I did ask that he should veer away from it. I thought you had risen to contribute, but if not I want to give the floor to the hon. Member for Ashaiman.
Mr. A. K. Agbesi (NDc -- Ashaiman) 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this Statement.
Mr. Speaker, before the match was played on Saturday the skipper of the Black Stars, when he was interviewed in South Africa, said that the South African match represents the key to the World Cup and that Ghana was prepared to take that key. Mr. Speaker, the key has been taken by Ghana and I want to urge the Black Stars that now that the key is in our hands we should go forward and open the gate to the World Cup. Whether it is a steel gate or it is made of anything we should be able to open that gate and enter the World Cup Tournament.
Mr. Speaker, from the speech of the skipper of the team they are prepared to sacrifice and die a little for Ghana; and they have died a little for Ghana. We are now urging them to go and die the more for Ghana. Mr. Speaker, if they do that, let us look at them and compare their efforts to what others have done for Ghana; and when they sacrifice and go to the World Cup, we are asking for nothing more than the World Cup to be brought to Ghana; and when it comes I want the authorities, the Ministry, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to all make a package for them. We have had a lot of players who had sacrificed for Ghana but they are now forgotten. It is for us to remember our heroes; it is for us to also plan for those who are yet to become heroes.
On this note I support the Statement.
Minister for Women and children's
Affairs (Hajia Alima Mahama): Mr. Speaker, I rise to associate myself with the Statement and also to congratulate the Black Stars for the joy they brought to all Ghanaians last Saturday. We are all so very happy -- men, children and women were all so happy -- and we congratulate them and urge them on to continue and make us
happier after the next two matches.
Mr. Speaker, I would also want to
recognize the technical team and the management, the handlers of this team and to also encourage the Ministry of Education and Sports to look for packages to motivate the management and the technical handlers. Just as we are motivating the players and we are all saying that that motivation is necessary and very important, we should also consider motivating the technical handlers and the management so that in the next two matches they would put in their best, together with the players. There is no gainsaying the fact that the management and the handlers played a very significant role and I would wish that we look for packages to motivate the management and the handlers just as we motivate the players.
Deputy Minister for Education and Sports (Mrs. Angelina Baiden- Amissah): Mr. Speaker, in associating myself with the Statement on the floor, I wish to say that sports is now climbing to a commanding height and I realize that all Ghanaians have now raised their voices and their hearts to support our players, especially for the fact that they are doing their best.
Mr. Speaker, as I watched the players play, I could read and observe the patriotic tendencies that came out of them, the sacrifice and the fact that they were playing for Ghana and not playing for themselves, such that even those who had injured themselves continued playing until we won by two goals. Mr. Speaker, even after the first half we could see the cheer in the players by the fact that they did not exhibit any form of tiredness but continued to play on. They assured us that they would win and surely they won.
Mr. Speaker, some of the South Africans started shouting even before the match “Bafana Bafana! Ghana, down,

down, down!” But Mr. Speaker, I just watched them without saying anything and after we had won I saw the same people who shouted, so I also shouted: “Black Stars! Black Stars! Two goals! Down with Bafana Bafana!” And surely, Mr. Speaker, they could not say anything because they had started it and I had given them a fitting reply.

Mr. Speaker, talking about the

supporters in South Africa, I am talking about Ghanaians resident in South Africa, they did their best. Mr. Speaker, one of them hired two buses to bring supporters, so the supporters that we saw on television had not all travelled from Ghana to the place but some Ghanaians, irrespective of party affiliations, brought a lot of supporters there; they paid and fed them there. Mr. Speaker, we watched them with admiration. And Mr. Speaker, not forgetting about the High Commissioner there, she did her best. Looking at the whole atmosphere one could see that the atmosphere was charged and that Ghanaians are now doing their best.

Mr. Speaker, as I s tand here ,

I congratulate the hon. Minister for Education and Sports for his magnanimity, the pep talk that he even gave, the prayers that he gave to the Black Stars, before they went for the match. The room was charged with the Holy Spirit which kept on pouring the gift onto the players such that they did not even feel any tiredness.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to say that as I congratulate the management, the Ministry and the players, I would urge them on and still want them to know and feel that we are going to win come the matches with Uganda and Cape Verde. South Africans were rather wishing that we lost because I read from one of their newspapers, The Star that in case Ghana loses to Uganda and Cape Verde, it meant that Ghana would not qualify for the 2006 matches;

but I just smiled because watching the boys play, I knew for sure that they would be going to Germany in 2006.

Long live the Black Stars! Long live the Ministry! Long live Ghana sports and long live everybody!
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu (NDc - Tamale South) 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to associate myself with the Statement. Mr. Speaker; I wish to assure you that I will be very brief.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Well, it has been mentioned.
Mr. H. Iddrisu 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, in the statement itself they were restricted to the Ministry and GFA, but I am saying that - [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Hon. Member, I am telling you that in the Statement that has been read on the floor Goldfields has been mentioned so please if you have something else to say -
Mr. H. Iddrisu 12:20 p.m.
For the avoidance of doubt, Mr. Speaker, I state for the emphasis of it that we need to express our profound gratitude to them and to encourage other private sector actors to be on board in ensuring that incentives are made available to motivate the Black Stars to aim at nothing but to ensure that Ghana shows its presence for the first time at the World Cup.
Mr. Isaac K. Asiamah (NPP - Atwima-Mponua) 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to associate myself with the Statement
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Lastly, the hon. Member for Ningo/Prampram and
after that the Minister himself.
Mr. E. T. Mensah (NDc - Ningo/ Prampram) 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I also rise to associate myself with the sentiments raised by my hon. Colleagues; they have said almost everything.
I would like to congratulate the handlers and also Goldfields. Never in our history has any single company supported sports in this country to the extent that they have been able to do. Whenever we mean to sponsor such an event we have to take it out of the national chest so I think they need commendation.
I would also like to congratulate the young players for the unity of purpose. We have never had a crop of players who are united towards their goal like we have had this time round, and the performance of the Appiahs and the Essiens has put to rest the issues that we have been using over-aged players. Eleven years ago they were part of the Starlets who won the Under-17 World Cup -- most of the players that we used this time.
So it is important that we support them and give them the encouragement that they need. And whilst congratulating them I would want to re-emphasize that they should not lose focus. Let those of us outside jubilate. They must focus on the last two matches so that this time round we would go to the World Cup.
I would like to end here by congra- tulating the Minister and above all, the supporters in South Africa. They have done it every now and then; any time the Black Stars or any athlete went to South Africa, the Ghanaians there would mobilize to feed them, organize buses to and fro. In 1996, when we went to play the African Cup there, they were the ones who took about half of the burden off the
Ministry. So I think it is important that we also place on record our appreciation for what they have been doing all this while.
Minister for Education and Sports (Mr. Yaw osafo-Maafo) 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is just in order that Parliament congratulates the Black Stars for that victory. Obviously, the most critical match we have played so far is the match with the Bafana Bafana, being an away match with South Africa. And we should not lose sight of the fact that South Africa is hosting the World Cup competition in the year 2010. So their determination to go to the World Cup 2006 in Germany was just unequalled. They wanted to be there so that they would come back and stage the next one. Therefore, they were very determined to win the match.
Mr. Speaker, I would want to place on record the support the Stars enjoyed from our mission in Pretoria. From the time the Black Stars arrived, they did not drink any water from anywhere; they had to be given water and food throughout their stay in Pretoria by the Embassy. This is because the players believed that they did not want any contamination of anything because of their previous experience. And the Embassy took care of them and gave them three meals a day until after the match; and I think this is very commendable.

Mr. Speaker, we must also recognize the role the coach played. Those who have followed the Black Stars matches

very well know that we always do better in the second half; and that is the style of the coach. The coach is able to read the match and make changes to improve on the performance. This happened in our match with Burkina Faso and it also happened in our match with Bafana Bafana.

Mr. Speaker, the Black Stars motivation

should not only dwell on financial motivation. They know, and we all know, that any player who dons a jersey for a World Cup competition, his market goes up. Our players know this, and we have told them that in fact it is in their interest, in their own market value, to qualify for Germany.

Football today is money; football today is business and if we support them to get there, it will enhance their own value to a level that will make each one of them happy. I think they have recognized this and they are working very hard at it. We must congratulate all Ghanaians for their prayers and the support given.

As was stated very clearly by some hon. Members, Tarkwa Goldfields has also done a good job by recognizing the need to have a corporate conscience in an environment such as Ghana. They recognized that since Ghanaians liked football they could lift football up in this country, and this they have done by sponsoring the Black Stars. We use this occasion to appeal to other corporate entities in Ghana to look at the other teams, the Starlets, the Black Queens and the under-23 side. They all need sponsorship. Let us see other corporate bodies come to support these teams, particularly the Starlets, who have qualified to play the World Cup competition in Peru. We must congratulate them.

The team spirit is good. The divisions which existed for a long time in the Black Stars today is gone and to me, that is the secret of the success. They played under one captain, Stephen Appiah, and it worked. They are united; they are purposeful and enough arrangements would always be put in place to make sure that they also prepare well for the cup.

Mr. Speaker, it was not easy. We took these players to Nairobi, kenya to camp them for about two weeks so that they would play in the high altitude like they had in Johannesburg. kenya is even higher, therefore once they were acclimatized to that altitude they could perform; so the preparation towards their training was also scientifically done - [Hear! Hear!] -- to make sure that the boys were in good shape and would continue.

We are all praying and we think that “Operation Six Points” as declared by His Excellency the President would be fulfilled. We would win the remaining two matches and be in Germany. [Hear! Hear!] We are determined to leave no stone unturned. We have a mission and our mission is that Ghana shall be in Germany, 2006. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:30 p.m.
On that note, we draw the curtain -- [Pause.] I have seen my own good Friend, hon. John Mahama; he wants to contribute and so I will give him the floor for a minute.
Mr. J. D Mahama (NDc - Bole- Bamboi) 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to say that it is a good music in the ear to hear the coach being praised. Mr. Speaker, coaches are very, very unfortunate people. As soon as we lose one match - [Laughter] -- the coach's blood is sought after.
Mr. Speaker, I hope that we would realize that building a strong national team
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon. Members, that also brings us to the end of Statements. We have finished with Public Business and we have a few committee meetings to attend. I would urge you all who belong to the various committees to make it a point to be at those meetings. Under the circumstances, I want to rely on you -
Mr. A. o. Aidooh 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I beg
to move that you adjourn proceedings to tomorrow morning at 10.00 o'clock.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I beg to second the motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
ADJoURNMENT
The House was accordingly adjourned at 12.35 p.m. till 23rd June, 2005 at