Debates of 16 May 2006

MR. SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10 a.m.
WELCOME REMARKS 10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker 10 a.m.
Order! Order! Hon. Members, it is my pleasurable duty to welcome you to the Second Meeting of the Second Session of the Fourth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana. I know you have had sufficient rest to enable you to work assiduously up to the end of this Meeting which will coincide with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region Conference here in Accra.
Hon. Members, I ask for your support and cooperation to complete our allotted tasks. We shall continue to Sit on time for dispatch of parliamentary business
and I do expect hon. Members to do likewise. Thank you very much for your understanding.
ELECTED MEMBER OF 10 a.m.
PARLIAMENT FOR TAMALE 10 a.m.
CENTRAL CONSTITUTENCY 10 a.m.
TAKES OATHS 10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker 10 a.m.
Hon. Members, the Electoral Commissioner has informed me that at the recent by-election held on Tuesday, 4th April 2006 - Mr. Inusah Fuseini - [Hear! Hear!] - Mr. Inusah Fuseini was declared elected. [Hear! Hear!] It is therefore my honour and privilege to invite Mr. Inusah Fuseini to come forward and take the appropriate oaths. [Hear! Hear!]
Mr. Speaker 10 a.m.
Order! Order! Hon. Member for Tamale Central, on my own behalf I welcome you as an hon. Member of this august House. I wish you well.
Minority Leader (Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin) 10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think it is
Minority Leader (Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin) 10:10 a.m.
appropriate that we all welcome the newest, freshest hon. Member of Parliament (hon. Inusah Fuseini) into Parliament. Mr. Speaker, definitely we in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are so grateful to the people of Tamale Central for adding to the signal that the beginning of the end has commenced earnestly and that come 2008 - [Hear! Hear!] - Once again, in the annals of the history of this country, there will be a baton change.
Mr. Speaker, this is what we call in the game of cards “Ayele” - [Hear! Hear!] - We have scored three against zero; that is, “Ayele”. We are being told that it was our seat and that we captured back our seat. They have forgotten that in the First Parliament of the Fourth Republic some of our seats slipped into their hands and they were happy. Now that we are recapturing them, they are telling different stories. But Mr. Speaker, gradually, in the 2004 elections we recaptured all those lost seats and we are back in this House.
I think that I have to, on behalf of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), once again, congratulate Ghanaians for the peaceful manner in which we are conducting ourselves in Ghana. We are being seen as a mantle of democratic practice and I will continue to be grateful to all Ghanaians for their contribution to the success of democracy in this country.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is also proper that I welcome some of my hon. Friends who left us and were sojourning in the Executive Arm - I mean some of the former Ministers and Deputy Ministers who through no fault of theirs found themselves lost in the wilderness and were redirected back into the House. They are all welcome to this Parliament.

Meeting so that we contribute towards the speedy development of this country. I know that we have some welfare problems that hon. Members will very soon be asking the Leadership about. I want to assure you that with the support of my hon. Colleague, the Minority Leader we should be able to get solutions as early as possible.

Mr. Speaker, it is time we advised leadership of all Committees to work a little bit harder so that we get all reports on time and be able to complete the assignment we set ourselves to do this Meeting.
COMMUNICATION FROM THE 10:20 a.m.
PRESIDENT 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker 10:20 a.m.
Hon. Members, I have received communication from His Excellency, the President.
“May 15, 2006
Mr. Speaker,
Appointment of Ministers and Deputy Ministers
I hereby inform you that, in conformity with articles 78 (1), 79 (1) and 256 (1 & 2) of the Constitution of the Republic, I have nominated the following for the positions indicated against their names:
Ministers
Mr. Francis Poku -- Minister of National Security
In fact, Ineed to congratulate my hon. Colleague, the Majority Leader for surviving the - [Laughter] - I think he has done very well and the fact that he survived shows that, at least His Excellency the President has recognized his record of performance in the House. Congratulations to my hon. Colleague. I hope those who have found themselves removed from under the canopy of the Executive Office will not be discouraged, they will still try to put up their best; that is life; one day, somehow, maybe, they could be like hon. Adjei-Darko, turn the tables and come back to office.
Mr. Speaker, I also welcome all hon. Members from recess. It has not been a time of rest. I rather think that it was a time of hard work where we had to, together with our constituents, try to understand better the system of multi- party governance and what Government is doing and not doing so that together we can be better informed to take decisions that will inure to the overall interest of the country.
Mr. Speaker, I also add my voice, as you have done, to welcome all hon. Members. It is important for hon. Members to recognize that we have a tall list and soon, Mr. Speaker will be signalling us with a long list of some new nominees that we have to look at and I can assure Ghanaians that we will be as critical as before to make sure that it is only good material that ascends to the high office of Ministers of State. So we will look at that seriously and also the Committees. Hon. Members would do well to let us get the reports on the pending matters before the House, especially the Whistle Blowers Bill and the Disability Bill, not forgetting the Domestic Violence Bill; I think it is of much interest to all of us.
But Mr. Speaker, let me just end up by once again, wholeheartedly welcoming hon. Inusah Fuseini who we all know as a
very young, vibrant and intelligent lawyer practising in Accra who decided to take up the mantle of leadership in Tamale Central. Mr. Speaker, we are sure that the next one, Nkoranza North will be soon and again we will go to take it back - [Uproar.] -- Mion is a foregone case; it is a “no-go” area. I can assure my hon. Colleagues opposite that Mion is not for them; we will trash them there.
Majority Leader (Mr. Felix K. Owusu-Adjapong) 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I happily join my younger Colleague, the hon. Minority Leader in welcoming and congratulating our new hon. Colleague, hon. Inusah Fuseini to this House. It is my prayer and hope that the Leadership of the House, especially those on the Minority side, will take him through the whole exercise so that he becomes a very useful part of this House.
Mr. Speaker, I believe we also need to congratulate millennium Chairman, Mr. Mac Manu for creating an opportunity of no contest in this election. [Uproar.] Mr. Speaker, I believe that - [Interrruptions] - I believe that Mr. Mac Manu's contribution in not encouraging the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to put up a candidate also spurred up the peace we all enjoy in Tamale and therefore it is good that our hon. Colleague on the other side took very good advantage of the situation created by Mr. Mac Manu and we therefore have hon. Inusah Fuseini with us.
As my colleague pointed out, we will continue to work very hard during this
Mr. Joe Ghartey -- Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Ms. Gloria Akuffo -- Minister of State, in charge of Aviation
Mr. K. Adjei-Darko -- Minister of State, in the office of the President

Mr. S. Asamoah-Boateng -- Minister of Local Government, Rural Develop- ment & Environment

Regional Ministers

Mr. E. A. Owusu-Ansah -- Ashanti Regional Minister

Mr. I. Baffour Awuah -- Brong Ahafo Regional Minister

Nana Ato Arthur -- Central Regional Minister

Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris -- Northern Regional Minister

Mr. A. Evans Amoah -- Western Regional Minister

Deputy Ministers Mr. K. Osei Prempeh -- Deputy Attorney-General & Deputy Minister of Justice

Mrs. Oboshie Sai-Cofie -- Deputy Minister of Information & National Orientation

Mr. Joe Baidoe-Ansah -- Deputy Minister of Tourism and Diaspora Relations

Deputy Regional Ministers Mr. L. Akwasi Prempeh -- Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister

Mr. A. Kwadwo Kwakye -- Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister

I should be grateful if Parliament would act on these nominations expeditiously. Please find attached herewith the nominees' curricula vitae.

(Sgd.) JOHN AGYEKUM KUFUOR
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA 10:20 a.m.
THE SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT 10:20 a.m.
PARLIAMENT HOUSE 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker 10:20 a.m.
Hon. Members, let us have decorum, please.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:20 a.m.
Phase II, Mr. Speaker, which was executed in 2002, consisted of widening and deepening the stream from the Motorway crossing towards the Sakumono Lagoon to effectively collect flood waters from Ashaiman, Lashibi and Tema Communities 18, 19 and 20. The second Phase was carried out jointly with the Tema Municipal Assembly (TMA). Our Ministry provided two long boom excavators and the TMA provided the fuel for the excavators.
Work had to be curtailed, Mr. Speaker, due to unfavourable ground conditions for the excavators to operate. The excavators had to be returned to the Korle Lagoon Ecological Restoration Project, and we are waiting for the completion of that project so we can return the boom excavators to the site and to complete the work.
Mr. Agbesi 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to know from the hon. Minister when the work on the Korle Lagoon Ecological Restoration Project would be completed to enable the machine to be brought back to the project site at Ashaiman.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
by present estimation, that would be in some two and a half months.
Hon. Members, let us move to item 3 - Correction of Votes and Proceedings. CORRECTION OF vOTES
AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker 10:20 a.m.
Hon. Members, Votes and Proceedings for Friday, 17th March, 2006. Page 1, 2, 3 … 15. [No correction was made to the Votes and Proceedings.]
Hon. Members, we have the Official Reports for 15th, 16th and 17th March
2006.
Item 4 - Questions - Hon. Minister
for Water Resources, Works and Housing.
Question number 424 and it stands in
the name of hon. Alfred Kwame Agbesi, Member of Parliament for Ashaiman.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS 10:20 a.m.
MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, 10:20 a.m.
WORKS AND HOUSING 10:20 a.m.
Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing (Mr. Hackman Owusu- Agyemang) 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, since we have just come from a very refreshing vacation, I think that we are all very refreshed. But I thought that I should let the hon. Minority Leader - [Interrup-tions.]
Mr. Speaker 10:20 a.m.
Order! Order!
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:20 a.m.
I used to play cards quite a bit. Now, if you have Ayele and you play six cards then you can steal. So Ayele is not important here - [Interruptions.]
Mr. Speaker 10:20 a.m.
Hon. Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, what you said, is it part of the Answer? [Laughter.]
Mr. Agbesi 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister has said that the works were curtailed due to unfavourable ground conditions for the excavators to operate. Mr. Speaker, from his Answer this thing was done in the year 2002. I want to know from the hon. Minister whether from 2002 up to 2006 the ground has not been favourable for the machines to be brought back.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
Mr. Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Hon. Members, let us
have order.
Mr. Agbesi 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I have to say
sadly that three days ago there was a heavy rain and three people died because of the work that is not going on, on this project. This morning I am informed that two more people have got drowned in the lake that is created as a result of the inability of the water to flow.
Mr. Speaker, I want to know from the hon. Minister whether he has any emergency plan to come to the aid of people living along this stream who are getting drowned everyday. When there is little rain, because the project is at a standstill -- For four good years now nothing is being done and people are dying daily. I want to know whether the

hon. Minister has any emergency plan for the area.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
I am not aware of this tragedy, but if indeed it did happen then my sincerest condolences go to the families concerned. Mr. Speaker, the difficulty has been lack of resources. As late as 9.00 p.m. yesterday I was trying to speak to the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning to find some money. This morning at 6.30 a.m. I spoke to him before he left and he told me he was going to try and find some resources for us to do some drainage improvement so that we can contain the situation.
Last year when we had funds there was absolutely no tragedy; this year we have not -- I have just had the privilege of talking to the Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning and he has assured me that after this Meeting we have to meet because we do need the resources in order to carry out the disilting and the improvement of the drains. It was due to lack of funds that is why we were not able to do that work.
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
this is a follow-up question. It appears from the hon. Minister's Answer that his only hope of dealing with that particular Ashaiman project is to depend upon some equipment from the Korle Lagoon Ecological Restoration Project. Is he suggesting to this House that other than relying on the Korle Lagoon to borrow equipment the Gbemi problem does not deserve or qualify on its own to be a project of its own funded by the Government of Ghana or in association with other donors? Because it means that so long as the Korle Lagoon Restoration is ongoing the people of Ashaiman should as well forget any opportunity to get a say. If he can clarify that, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
the inferences are a bit far-fetched. I did say that the equipment are quite expensive and they are the only ones we have in this country; we are only now arranging to have the Dutch to assist us through an ORET grant to acquire such equipment. We have never had them in this country and those that we have are being used for that project.
Mr. Speaker, that project has consumed some 89 million dollars and so when they finish then we can have them. But inasmuch as the hon. Member for Ashaiman has told me of this problem, as soon as I leave here, I shall either go myself or send people there to see whether we can have some palliative measures to make sure that the place is safer.
It is unfortunate they have lost some lives but it has happened and we would do everything we can, Mr. Speaker, to make sure that we correct the situation. For the time-being we shall also contact the management of the Korle Lagoon Project to see if they can, on an emergency basis, release the equipment to us because after all we have to take out also the mangrove swamps which we would be doing later. So now that it has been brought to my notice I shall take the necessary action, sir.
Mr. E. K. D. Adjaho 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
I want to find out whether the use of excavator that he referred to in his Answer is for free. In other words, apart from providing the fuel by TMA was there no financial commitment made by his Ministry? Secondly, in view of the information provided by the hon. Member for Ashaiman, is he giving any assurance to this House that immediately he leaves this House he is going to make sure that they start doing some work on the project?
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
my information is that inasmuch as the equipment belongs to the Korle Lagoon Project, which Ghana is funding, we were not charged for the use of the machine apart from the salaries of the operators and the lubricant that was given by TMA. That is my understanding but I could check on that. Secondly, I have here in the House the Director for Hydrological Services of the Ministry and as soon as we leave he would go there. I may have other commitments and so may be unable to go myself, but certainly we would go there to take a look at it, sir.
Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I
just want to know whether these are the only excavators we have in the country because the issue is a very serious one. On Saturday when we had the downpour a lot of us were cut out from getting to our communities. I am in Community 19 and we could not swim through the flood so we were cut out, waiting somewhere until the water subsided before we could drive through even with a four-wheel drive. So are these the only excavators we have in Ghana so that we have to wait for this project to complete before we have the use of those excavators? Can he not get others from somewhere?
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
my hon. Friend, maybe, like me, does not know how to swim so I was not expecting him to swim across to get to where he was going. But on a more serious note I am not really seized with the facts of the situation. They are boom excavators; they are huge things and I would ask them if there are any available elsewhere. As I said, I have spoken this morning with the Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning and I hope some money would be forthcoming for us to work on it. I would check on it. As far as I know the boom excavators are the only ones available, but I stand to be corrected; I will have to check. I do not have that confirmation, sir.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:40 a.m.


Integrated Sea Defence Prohject for Ada Coastline

Q. 425. Mr. Alex Narh Tettey-Enyo asked the Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing when the Integrated Sea Defence Project proposed for the Ada coastline in the 2005 Annual Budget would take off.
Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I completely appreciate the grave situation in Ada, I have been there myself and we are doing everything possible to try and resolve the situation.
But sir, the Ministry was trying to source some external funding from FMO/ ORET Grant and Fortis Bank to start the work this year. Unfortunately, we have not been able to secure the funds yet and the Budget itself made no provision at all for sea defence projects. The issue of the coastal line of Ada has engaged our attention and in order to achieve a long-term success, a thorough feasibility study was carried out in 1998 at the cost of about DGL 400,000.00 by Royal Dutch Government and Dutch Maritime Management International DMMI) B.V. of the Netherlands.
The objective, Mr. Speaker, was to define and understand the causes of beach erosion along the entire coastline in general and Ada in particular, as well as the formation of sandbar at the estuary of the Volta River and to recommend appropriate technology for resolving it. Two options were proposed.
The first was what we called an integrated approach to the coastal protection problem and Volta Estuary. The other one was the protection for the 5-km shoreline from sea erosion, which will in
Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang 10:40 a.m.


turn assist the salt production, fishing and tourism, and again, prevent the formation of sandbar at the estuary to ensure regular tidal motion to enter the Volta River and to reduce the incident of bilharzia, because bilharzia is normally in stagnant water and as the water keeps going in and out, it will stop it.

Four alternatives were proposed, out of which two options were recommended for review by the Ministry.

(i) The first was the beach nourishment over the critical five-kilometre stretch at a cost of €15.3 million.

(ii) The more comprehensive one was the construction of groyne fields using armour rocks (big boulders) with initial beach nourishment as an integrated solution at a cost of €60.0 million.

Mr. Speaker, while reviewing the two options, the Ministry received a concessional financial offer from a Dutch team in the latter part of 2003 for the beach nourishment option which appears to be cheaper, and also offer a short-term measure to halt the sea erosion only. Based on this, the Ministry programmed to implement the beach nourishment option in the 2005 fiscal year.

Mr. Speaker, in order to achieve the desired objective of the project, the Ministry decided to go in for the long-term measure action which calls for the construction of groyne fields from armour rocks, which will, apart from protecting and stabilizing the five- kilometre shoreline, also prevent the formation of sandbar at the Volta River Estuary and which in turn will allow sea water intrusion into the Volta River to reduce the incident of bilharzia.

Naturally, we have to source these funds, and as I speak, the submissions have been made to three groups of possible financiers who are looking at the position.

The latest information I got three days ago was that they may be interested in funding the Ada project. It is very serious; even the cemetery is being washed away. So we know that we will do that, and God willing, we would be able to find the funding for it. The E60.0 million is quite a lot of money and we have not come by that yet but we are working on it. It is the first priority in the shoreline protection programme, sir.
Mr. Tettey-Enyo 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I was temporarily saddened when the hon. Minister said that the Ministry was finding it difficult to negotiate with the Dutch for funding of this project. Over the past months, we had a lot of negotiated loans with the Dutch; and I was surprised that the Dutch who were among the first to establish trading routes at Ada refused to come back and save us. But I was happy at the end of the Answer that it appears that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that they are getting interested in supporting it.
But my main question is, is the hon. Minister aware of the rate of erosion taking place along the entire 37-km coastline of Ada and whether in view of that there are plans to revise the Intergrated Sea Defence Project which is covering only 5-km to take care of the extensive erosion taking place along the Ada coast?
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I did not say that we were finding difficulty in negotiating with the Dutch. What I said was that we were finding difficulty in assessing the fund. What has happened is that with the ORET Grant, which normally takes care of a minimum of 35 per cent or 50 per cent or, we have completely exceeded our limit because most of the urban water systems have been the beneficiaries of the ORET Grant facilities and that is why we have not done - But the Dutch Ambassador is very interested in this Ada project. We have been there, and,
as I said, the cemetery is being washed away; the little fort is also being washed away so we are going to do the best that we can.
But Mr. Speaker, by our latest estimate from Ada through Keta all the way to Dixcove and Axim, we need in excess of $2.6 billion to handle the project. So we have to do them in parcels; and I am advised that the major one is the 5-km one of which is more serious, just as we are doing at Nkotompo, Nglesia in Sekondi. Some of them are so critical that we must tackle those first but the long-term programme is quite a huge one. Because the whole sealine including even the one near the castle needs to be protected; and that is a long-term programme, but for the emergency programme it is the 5-km that we will do. This is the point that I was trying to make but maybe, it did not come across too well.
Mr. Tettey-Enyo 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the sea erosion at Ada is a serious matter and I would like the hon. Minister to shift his attention from the cemetery to the District Assembly itself. The District Assembly block will be washed out in a few weeks time if steps are not taken to start work on any of the issues he has raised in his Answer to protect, at least, the 5-km stretch of the coastline from Azizanya. We do not know how soon the Dutch loan will come, but in the meantime,we would like to suggest also that a complete review of this project should be looked at so that we have an Ada Sea Defence Project instead of what I would consider a simple Integrated Sea Defence Project.
Mr. Speaker 10:40 a.m.
Hon. Member for Ada, that was not a question; it was only an advice.
Mr. Felix Twumasi-Appiah 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in the Minister's Answer he
Mr. Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon. Members, let us have decorum. Hon. Member for Sene, would you be kind enough to repeat your question.
Mr. Twumasi-Appiah 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister mentioned partly in his Answer that the technical proposal recommended an integrated approach to the solution of the coastal erosion and the formation of sand bar at the Volta Estuary. And I am saying that the formation of this sandbar at the Volta Estuary is causing an immediate great danger to the inhabitants of the areas, especially those living in the Sene District, Kete Krachi and the Afram Plains. What immediate steps is the hon. Minister taking to ensure that the problem of the formation of the sandbar is immediately taken care of?
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, again, it was not clear but he was talking about the sandbar at the Volta Estuary. Yes, it is one of the things we have to tackle because when we have the sandbar it prevents the water from going in and so bilharzia then builds up.
The immediate steps that we can take are to get some funding and make sure that we take them off now, we do not have the resources but I believe that following
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:50 a.m.


this we have to pay - I have been there myself -- yet another visit to the place to see whether there can be some temporary measures to prevent the formation of the sandbar that we can put in place. I did not quite get the import of the question but we have to tackle it and I promise that we will send people there so that we can give a report to the hon. Member of Parliament for the area.
Mr. Twumasi-Appiah 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the import of the question is that the recent Volta Lake disaster that affected the people of Afram Plains and the Sene District is partly responsible for this formation of the sandbar, in that the formation of the sandbar forces the water to overflow its banks and for that reason it poses a great danger to the people who live there. So I am saying that in view of the disasters that we keep having, what immediate steps is he taking to ensure that these disasters do not happen again?
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:50 a.m.
M r . Speaker, we do appreciate the difficulty and the dangers involved, but as I stand here, I cannot hazard an answer. I would ask them to go and take a look and to see what immediate measures can be taken to avoid a possible tragedy. But in the case of Ada, people really are not seen on it and it is a matter of the sea water flowing in so that bilharzia is reduced to the minimum. But his point is well taken. The Director for Hydro Services is here; he has heard the question so we will put our heads together and see how best we can handle it.
Mr. Lee Ocran 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to know from the hon. Minister whether in trying to solve the problem of coastline erosion in Ghana his Ministry collaborates with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) since currently there is a project going on, a multnational project called the Guinea Large Marine Eco-System aimed at solving the same
problem - [Interruptions.] I am asking whether his Ministry, in resolving the problem, collaborates with the EPA because currently the EPA is running a project called the Guinea Large Marine Eco-System in conjunction with the US Oceanography Institute.
Mr. Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon. Member, please be kind enough to repeat the question. Hon. Members, let us have decorum.
Mr. Ocran 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I was asking the hon. Minister whether in trying to resolve the problem of coastline erosion along the coast of Ghana, his Ministry collaborates from time to time with the Environmental Protection Agency since currently that Agency is running a project called the Guinea Large Marine Eco- System aimed at solving the same problem that his Ministry is trying to solve.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:50 a.m.
M r . Speaker, if I understood him correctly, there is a comprehensive programme for tackling the issue of coastal line protection; and we can make a copy available to him. As far as this area is concerned, again we are working on it. But I did not hear that part about the Environmental Programme. Is he asking whether we do an environmental assessment or what? [Interruptions.] It is so noisy I cannot even hear.
Mr. Ocran 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am asking the hon. Minister whether his Ministry, in solving this problem, collaborates with the Environmental Protection Agency. In fact, formerly it should have been the Ministry of Environment because the project is being run, called the Guinea Large Marine Eco-System which also deals with sea erosion, that is what I am asking.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:50 a.m.
M r . Speaker, I understand him now. Most of the projects have integrated approach in the various Ministries because they cut across various Ministries. And the EPA in most of these instances are involved in the formulation and the monitoring of the project. Yes, EPA is involved.
Aveyime Water Project
Q. 426. Mr. Alfred W. G. Abayateye asked the Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing when the DANIDA- supported Aveyime Water Project would start so as to provide potable water for the people of the Sege constituency.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:50 a.m.
M r . Speaker, we refer to this programme as the 3-District Water Supply Project which is supposed to serve about a hundred thousand people in the North Tongu, Dangbe East and Dangbe West districts. What he is referring to forms part of it and this is being funded by the Government, DANIDA and DFID.
The tendering process, Mr. Speaker, has already started and contractors for the execution of the work involved are being selected. The Evaluation Report by the Technical Advisory Committee will be submitted to us very soon, and that will mean the award of contracts for the intake and treatment plant, transmission mains from Sege to Nakoonkope and 88,000 gallons High Level Tank and transmission mains and distribution networks from Sege to Dawa as well as 44,000 gallons High Level Tank is under consideration by the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA).
The Entity Tender Board, Mr. Speaker, will be meeting pretty soon on this because it has been brought to my personal attention and other works will be tendered in due course. The sod-cutting ceremony
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 10:50 a.m.


for the beginning of the works at the intake is planned for early next month and the whole scheme should be completed by the end of 2008. It is completely on course, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Abayateye 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, please the name is Sege, the constituency is Sege. I would like to ask the hon. Minister - [Interruption.]
Mr. Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon. Member for Sege,
is it part of the question you are asking - [Laughter.] All right, go ahead.
Mr. Abayateye 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the hon. Minister, because it is noted that small rural communities are being asked to contribute five per cent of the project cost. A small town of about three hundred and twenty people is being asked to pay about twenty-six million cedis. It cuts across almost all the one hundred and ten communities. So I would like to ask why the rural communities are being asked to contribute five per cent of the project cost.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, this is a policy that this Government inherited, that rural communities must pay five per cent of the cost of construction and the District Assembly should do that. We have looked at the situation and indeed a month ago I announced that I did not think that there was equity in the system. We have just submitted a policy document to Cabinet proposing that that five per cent contribution that is required of communities that cannot afford should be waived.
Indeed, last week I ordered the Strategic Investment Programme of the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) to revise that part of it. I think that there is
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 11 a.m.


no equity in that situation because clean water is life and there must be some social element to water provision. And so we are certainly, God willing, going to take out that provision but the District Assemblies will continue to contribute to it.

The philosophy behind it, as I am told by the previous Administration, was that that encourages ownership of the system, but I personally do not believe that contributing five per cent to it makes them take care of a system better than if they do not contribute anything, because they know the essence of good and potable water. And I believe that this situation is being reviewed positively to eliminate the contribution of five per cent of the rural community to it. This is all in line with the Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II) and the Millennium Development Goals that we are pursuing very vigorously.
Mr. Abayateye 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, again, I would like to ask the hon. Minister that in the course of the mapping out, some of the communities have been left out so what is their fate?
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, somehow in these projects, occasionally, a few communities are left out but as they come to our notice then they are connected to the mains, especially in the Central Region, for example - [Pause.] Even in Dodowa, we take the water from Dodowa but then they are bypassed. But these would be addressed in due course. If there are any communities that the distinguished Member thinks we have left out, if he brings them to our attention, we would then give them to the people to do it. [Interruptions.]
So I think that the thing is just to bring
it -- But where we cannot connect it to the mains then we sink boreholes. So it is a complementary process of either you have a small water system or you have a borehole which will serve the same
purpose at the end of the day.
Mr. Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the five per cent contribution that rural people make for water delivered to them, maybe, in their wisdom the policy might be good. But the question is, over the years this five per cent contribution they have collected, what have they done with it?
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, again, there was so much noise - Does he mean what we have done with the five per cent contribution? If the budget is hundred and the donors provide ninety and the Assembly provides five. Naturally, the five per cent goes to make up hundred. So if the project costs a hundred million that is what it will be -- I do not think that we have collected the money for anything, it is used for maintenance and it is managed normally by water boards and water system operators; and that is what they do.
It is not as if that money is put in a pool to be used collectively, that particular five per cent is applied to that particular water system. If I have understood his question very well, I do not think that Government keeps that money anywhere to be used for any other purpose, unless of course he is referring to the surcharge on urban water where 0.5 per cent is given to them in the case of CWSA.
Storm Drains at Middle East, Ashaiman
Q. 427. Mr. Alfred K. Agbesi asked the Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing when work would start on the Storm Drains at Middle East, a suburb of Ashaiman.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, works on the storm drains in Middle East, Ashiaman started in October, 2004. The works involved widening and deepening
of the channel to increase its flood carrying capacity, over a distance of 1.8 km from Lebanon bridge to Tema Community 22, and Ashaiman Newtown. The works have, however, been at standstill since November, 2005. The Ministry is sourcing funds from HIPC to reactivate and to continue but for now, we have not received any funding at all from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.
Mr. Agbesi 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the situation now is that the work has widened up the drains and water has accumulated to the extent that it is like a flood, but the work is not going on. The recent rains have made it impossible for people to live in their homes.
I would want to ask the hon. Minister whether he would consider it as an emergency situation to move to Ashaiman now and see the plight of the people so that he can make a very good case for funds to be released from HIPC Funds for this work to continue because the people are rendered homeless, their mattresses and belongings are outside now.
I would like to know whether the hon. Minister would consider the situation as that he could move there to see the situation for himself and release money for the work to go on.
M r. O w u s u - A g y e m a n g : M r. Speaker, we have made passionate appeal to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning for such projects and interventions as well as the drilling of boreholes in guinea-worm infested areas. I am assured that it is receiving sympathetic consideration. So as soon as we get the funding, we certainly would be coming over to continue the project.
Meanwhile, we could also take a look at it. But when we do not have any resources, there is hardly anything that we can do. That has been the major problem; the national cake has not been that big but I think everything possible would be done to take a look again at it and I would convey
Mr. Agbesi 11 a.m.


the sentiment of the House yet again to the hon. Minister for Finance and Economic Planning. I am afraid I have made the request but I have received nothing so far.
Mr. Agbesi 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, my appeal to the hon. Minister is that there is an emergency situation in Ashaiman now. I would want the hon. Minister, being a member of the “listening” Government, to move to Ashaiman today and see the plight of the people who are staying outside their homes; their rooms have been filled with water since Saturday.
Mr. Speaker 11 a.m.
Hon. Member for Ashaiman, that is an appeal. Are you asking a question?
Mr. Agbesi 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, my question is whether the hon. Minister would consider it a matter of emergency that people have been staying outside their rooms since Saturday and if he would move to Ashaiman and see the situation.
11. 10 a.m.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang) 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, if there are difficulties there, NADMO would be requested to look at the plight of those that are affected. But in talking about a listening Government, yes we listen; but we also need the resources to work.
I believe it is an emergency and the hon. Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning is here. I think he has heard him loud and clear, and I believe if
the funds are made available we would do it. Even if it is an emergency and we do not have the resources, we cannot do it. We will see what we can do. We shall visit the site and try and make sure that we give some relief to the people of Ashaiman. We hear you loud and clear, we will do what we can do.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, since the hon. Minister has recognized that it is an emergency, it is a situation where we do not need NADMO. NADMO are just fire-fighters but if we can put together a team - the hon. Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning is here, if we can put together a team to go and do something there.
Mr. Speaker 11 a.m.
Question number 428.
Mr. Joe Hackman 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
the hon. Member for Gomoa East is unavoidably absent and with your permission, I would like to ask the Question on his behalf.
Mr. Speaker 11 a.m.
You may ask the Question, hon. Member.
Provision of Pipe-borne Water to Nyanyaano, Lome and Kweikrom
Q. 428. Mr. Joe Hackman (on behalf of) Mr. Richmond Sam Quarm asked the Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing when the following townships would be provided with pipe-borne water: (i) Nyanyaano, (ii) Lome, and (iii) Kweikrom.
Mr. Owusu-Agyenmang 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, Kasoa and its environs are served from the Weija Headworks, through a 700 mm pipeline recently completed under the Contract for Distribution Network Improvement funded by the Dutch Government. The riparian communities of Kasoa, which included New Weija, Bortianor, Kokrobite, Amanfrom and

Nyanyaano are to be served from this main pipeline.

Present Situation

About 15 km out of the 100 km of distribution pipelines has so far been laid and some suburbs of Kasoa are now enjoying supply of water. All the works are being funded by Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) from its internally- generated funds. There is however, still inadequate distribution network in the Kasoa township. The transmission mains to Nyanyaano is also yet to be constructed.

As I speak now, a submission has been made to the Dutch Government for assistance to improve the distributive network of the system from Winneba as well as the system from Kwanyaaku which we are working on.

Proposed Improvements

Mr. Speaker, it is proposed under the Priority Mains Extensions Programme to extend water supply from Kasoa to Nyanyaano and communities en-route. A 300 mm pipeline is to be extended to Nyanyaano, including 100 mm/150mm town distribution network at an estimated cost of ¢30 billion. Mr. Speaker, this is no small money. Works are programmed to start after completion of the first phase of the Priority Mains Extensions works this year. This proposal is expected to be progressively financed from GWCL's internally-generated funds, as well as with budget from the Medium-Term Expen- diture Frameworks (MTEF).

As far as Lome is concerned, this is served from Kwanyaaku Headworks and due to low pressure, water is not flowing. Mr. Speaker, the Kwanyaaku Headworks which we are now building is fifty-eight per cent complete. We are seven months ahead of schedule and God

willing, we should be able to finish that project sometime towards the end of this year; and if we do, we should then be in a position to provide water to Lome. And until the Kwanyaaku Headworks are finished - unfortunately, the situation is as it is, but I would ask the CWSA to look at the situation and see whether they can assist with a couple of boreholes.

As far as Kweikrom is concerned, this town is situated near Gomoa Buduatta, and Kweikrom itself has no connection. Plans apparently were laid to extend water to the town but due to the inadequacy of water supply, again from Kwanyaaku, we have not been able to do that.

It is proposed to extend water to Kweikrom after we have finished the rehabilitation and a capacity expansion of the Kwanyaaku Headworks. As I said, this is going at a very good rate. Requests have also been made to the Dutch Government for four million euros to extend the networks so that if we finish that all the areas around Kasoa, including Kwanyaaku, Kweikrom and Lome would be served. That is what we are doing. We have every reason to believe that ORET would give us a fifty per cent grant on the four million euros and then we should be able to extend water to Kweikrom.

Supply of Pipe-borne Water to Bimbilla Township

Q. 429. Mr. Ibn Mohammed Abass

asked the Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing what the Ministry was doing to ensure adequate supply of pipe-borne water to the Bimbilla township.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Bimbilla Water Supply Scheme was rehabilitated under a CIDA/IDA co-financed rehabilitation project in 1999/2000. Due to limited funds at the time, only minor improvements to

stabilize the system were carried out.

As part of the efforts towards the eradication of guinea-worm in the Northern Region, the EU is providing funds through UNICEF for rehabilitation and expansion of existing water supply scheme with facilitation from CWSA. The Bimbilla water supply scheme would be considered under the project. The project is expected to start by early 2007. We are still negotiating and the consultants are being appointed and we believe that when it starts we would be in a position to help the people of Bimbilla with water.
Mr. Abass 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would want to ask the hon. Minister what constitutes the expansion that he had indicated and whether such expansion would result in adequate supply of water to the people of Bimbilla.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
could my dear hon. Colleague repeat the supplementary question? I did not quite hear him.
Mr. Abass 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, what I am
saying is that the hon. Minister indicated that there was a programme to ensure an expansion in the water delivery. The question is, what constitutes the expansion? This is because in the previous Question asked by my hon. Colleague, there was a detailed explanation of what was to be done. So my question is, what constitutes the expansion and whether such expansion would result in the supply of adequate water to the people of Bimbilla.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
the policy we are pursuing is that for every water system, the expansion that we undertake should take us to at least
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 11:20 a.m.


the year 2015, in most cases to 2020. And I believe that this is what has been done and with the expansion that is supposed to start, funded by the European Union, in 2007; it would cater for that. All the water expansion systems that we are doing and in the North would also take care of that. I am told that that has been taken care of in the detailed proposal that is being put together.
Mr. Abass 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would also
want to find out whether in the expansion, the Ministry would consider relocating the headworks from the current location, that is the Wafu Dam, to the River Oti, which is a few kilometres away from Bimbilla.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,

Well, I am told now that feasibility studies are being undertaken to look at that particular option; but I was not aware of that.
Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
I just want to know how much funds the European Union is providing for the rehabilitation and expansion of existing water systems. How much?
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
I have so many figures and I am not so sure I remember that particular one. But I will find the figure and give it to my hon. Friend. The last one we signed was fifteen million euros; I am not sure that was for

Mr. Speaker, I was right on target.

I have just got a paper saying that it is fifteen million euros. That is precisely what I said because there are so many of these projects, but fortunately I think my memory has been very good this morning so I remembered that figure.
Mr. Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Hon. Minister for Water
Resources, Works and Housing, thank you very much for appearing to answer these Questions. You are discharged.
Mr. F. K. Owusu-Adjapong 11:20 a.m.
Mr.
Speaker, I think this is the right time for us to adjourn for the day. I therefore beg to move, that this House do adjourn till tomorrow at ten o'clock in the morning. I so move.
Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I
second the motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
ADJOURNMENT 11:20 a.m.
  • The House was accordingly adjourned at 11.25 a.m. till 17th May 2006 at 10.00 a.m.
    • PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 11:25 a.m.
    OFFICIAL REPORT 11:25 a.m.
    CONTENTS 11:25 a.m.
    DAY 11:25 a.m.