Debates of 7 Jul 2006

MR. SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:10 a.m.
CORRECTION OF VOTES 10:10 a.m.
AND PROCEEDINGS AND 10:10 a.m.
THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker 10:10 a.m.
Order! Order! Correction of Votes and Proceedings, Thursday, 6th July, 2006. Page 1…17. Hon. Members, we have the Official Report for Friday, 30th June, 2006.
Mr. Speaker 10:10 a.m.
Item 3 -- Business Statement for the Ninth Week; Chairman, Business Committee?
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 10:10 a.m.
Mr. Baba Abdul-Rahman Masoud (Pru) 10:10 a.m.
To ask the Minister for Health if he is aware of the resurgence of guinea-worm infection in the Pru constituency and if so what the Ministry is doing to address the situation.
Questions --
Minister for Communications --387, 388, 389, 480, 481 and 482
Minister for Health - 492, 493, 494 and 549
Statements
Presentation and First Reading of Bills --
Millennium Development Authority (Amendment) Bill
Mr. Baba Abdul-Rahman Masoud (Pru) 10:10 a.m.
Committee Sittings.

Questions --

Minister for Energy - 307, 433, 434, 435, 436, 437, 438 and 439

Statements

Consideration Stage of Bills --

Institute of Journalism Bill, 2006

Committee Sittings.

Statements

Laying of Papers --

(a) Supplementary Estimate

(b) Report of the Committee on Mines and Energy on the Petroleum Agreement amongst the Government of Ghana, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation and Amerada Hess Ghana Limited for the conduct of petroleum exploration and production operations in the Deepwater Tano/Cape Three Points Contract Area.

(c) Report of the Committee on Mines and Energy on the Petroleum Agreement amongst the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, Tullow (Ghana) Limited and Sabre Oil and Gas

Limited in respect of Shallow Water Tano Contract Area.

(d) Report of the Committee on Mines and Energy on the Petroleum Agreement amongst the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, Tullow (Ghana) Limited, Sabre Oil and Gas Limited and Kosmos Energy (Ghana) Limited in respect of Deep Water Tano Contract Area.

Party Caucuses Meeting.

Questions --

Minister for Transportation -- 356, 357, 358, 359, 360, 361 and 362.

Statements

Consideration Stage of Bills --

Laws of Ghana (Revised Edition) (Amendment) Bill.

Committee Sittings.
Alhaji M. M. Mubarak 10:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in this week's Order Paper, it was advertised that we were going to take the Food and Drugs (Amendment) Bill through its Consideration Stage but it is conspicuously missing on today's Order Paper. And when you look at the Business for next week, it is equally missing; and as an hon. Member of the Committee, I am worried.
I think that this Bill has kept too long in this House. It has been here since October last year and our inability to pass it is allowing so many wrongs to occur outside the House, and it is causing a lot of discomfort to our people. I want to find out from the hon. Majority Leader, why
Mr. Speaker 10:20 a.m.
Hon. Majority Leader, do you have any observation to make?
Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I have been advised that there is the need for some further consultations and that is why it has not been scheduled.
Mr. Speaker 10:20 a.m.
Order! Order! Hon. Member for Upper West Akim?
Mr. S. Sallas-Mensah 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, on the Business Statement for Thursday, July 13, it is said that there is going to be a party caucuses meetings. How did it arise that we are going to have party caucuses meeting? Normally, it is the individual parties which determine what days to have their party caucuses. It is very strange. Can the Leader explain? [Laughter.]
Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I had the understanding that both parties -- the two sides, wanted to have caucus meetings and in order that we take note of these and therefore allow it to affect the programme for the day, there was the need to state it so that there would be no committee sittings scheduled for that day. This is just a question of forewarning the chairmen of committees that they should not interfere with such an important item as caucus meetings which are essential for the development of parliamentary democracy.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want to find out from the hon. Majority Leader whether he wants these meetings to be institutionalized, to be part of parliamentary time because we have all along taken time off ourselves, either we meet in the mornings like we met this morning or after adjournment. And in
taking such decisions we always looked at the programme for the week before we decide when to meet. So this seems a bit alien. I want some further explanation why they have introduced this “virus” into the programme.
Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 10:20 a.m.
As I have explained, this is progress in that occasionally you schedule such important meetings like that of the Committee of the Whole and if you do not give enough notice to hon. Members, you have a Chairman and the Ranking members also fixing another meeting. In fact, originally, it was going to be Wednesday but I got the feeling from the Minority Whip that the normal day they meet is Thursday.
Then there was compromise that in that case we should not encourage any further committee meeting on Thursday. That is it. If it happens that the caucuses do not want to meet, there should be no problem. This does not also preclude the caucuses from scheduling other meetings. I can tell you for a fact that just this morning we had to have an emergency caucus meeting, but that was not advertised because it was outside the time we had parliamentary Sitting.
We are thinking of a situation where possibly, we may have to close early, maybe 12.00 or 12.30 instead of the normal 2 o'clock. If you do not draw attention to this, you may have other committee meetings being scheduled. That is all.
Mr. Speaker 10:20 a.m.
Item 4 -- Questions, Minister for Transportation.
Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister had to do some quick inspection this morning but he said in case he was late, I should ask your permission
to allow his Deputy who he asked to take the lead to respond. I am sure somewhere along the line, he would be around so that if there is the need for any further clarifications he will make them.
Mr. Speaker 10:20 a.m.
Hon. Deputy Minister for Transportation, you may respond to Question number 348 by hon. Evans Paul Aidoo, Member of Parliament for Sefwi Wiawso.
Mr. Herod Cobbina 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Evans Paul Aidoo is on a parliamentary programme and with your indulgence, he has asked me to ask the Question on his behalf.
Mr. Speaker 10:20 a.m.
Yes, hon. Member proceed.
ORAL ANSWERS TO 10:20 a.m.
QUESTIONS 10:20 a.m.
MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION 10:20 a.m.
Mr. G. K. Arthur 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
Mr. Opare-Asamoah 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
we gave these statistics to show the interventions that we have provided in terms of bridges and culverts in the Western Region because of its peculiar streams and rivers. We will answer this Question if he can ask a specific Question on where we provided these bridges, but these were provided as a background as to what we are doing in the Western Region as interventions for culverts and bridges.
Mr. Arthur 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in paragraph
7 of his Answer, the Minister said Anyinabrim-Sui-Bodi road had been ceded to the Ghana Highway Authority. When was that road ceded to the Ghana Highway Authority? I want him to state why the contract sum of ¢1,190,555,000 supposed to cover two spot improvement projects was limited to one.
Mr. Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Deputy Minister, did
you get the question? Yes or no?
Mr. Opare-Asamoah 10:30 a.m.
I would request
him to repeat the question.
Mr. Arthur 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, according
to the hon. Minister, on page 2 of his Answer, the Sui-Anyinabrim-Bodi road had been ceded to the Ghana Highway Authority. My question is, when was this road ceded to the Ghana Highway Authority? And why was the contract sum of ¢1,190,555,000 which was supposed to cover a two-year period from 2005 to 2006 was reduced to a one-year maintenance programme on the road.
Mr. Opare-Asamoah 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the amount stated was the entire contract sum for the contract and as stated, the contractor only graded once. At the time of the determination of the contract, only 15 per cent of the work had been completed and the amount paid to him was ¢175,000,000.
Mr. Arthur 10:30 a.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister only spoke on Anyinabrim-Sui road and said work had been done once in 2005. What immediate maintenance programme has the Ministry for these roads and bridges from 2006 up to the time these projects would be awarded in 2007?
Mr. Opare-Asamoah 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
in my Answer, I did state that Messrs Kingsman Limited has been asked to continue with the work. So this is the current intervention that the Ministry is undertaking on the road until 2007 when the future programme will begin.
Mr. Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Yes, last question, hon.
Member for Amenfi Central?
Mr. Arthur 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, if you look at
the Question, it was about Sefwi Dwinase- Nsuonsua-Kwamebour, Anyinabrim-Sui, Asawinso-Bechiwa-Akurafu, Asafo- Achiachen roads, but the Answer has been shifted to only Anyinabrim-Sui road. That is why I am now asking what immediate programme has the Ministry for the rest of these roads mentioned in the Question.
Mr. Opare-Asamoah 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
the first part of the Answer covered the entire four roads that the Question required; so that Answer has been provided in the first section.
Mr. Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Question No. 349 -- Hon. Kwadwo Agyei-Addo, hon. Member for Fanteakwa?
Mr. A. O. Aidooh 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister is in the Chamber now, so if you will permit him to take over.
Mr. Agyei-Addo 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, is the hon. Minister aware of the fact that less than 5 km of the town roads are paved contrary to his Answer that 5 km had been paved? Also, is he aware that there is nothing fair about the condition of the paved portion? [Interruption.]
Mr. Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Hon. Member, one
question at a time please.
Dr. Anane 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I may not
be very certain about what my hon. Colleague means by less than 5 km. By the measurement of the technocrats, 5 km of the road is paved. I may grant that there
are other parts of the township which he may wish to get included in the length considered for tarring but Mr. Speaker, from all measurement, 5 km had been paved and the remaining 4 km is what we have considered and 2 km are just about to be tarred. We hope that when we finish with the 2 km we may continue to do the rest. If my hon. Colleague wishes that we do more, he could put in some submission and we will consider that.
Mr. Agyei-Addo 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I asked
Mr. Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Order! Order! Hon.
Member for Fanteakwa, please, ask your question.
Mr. Agyei-Addo 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I
asked the first supplementary question because I wanted it to be put on record that less than 5 km of the our roads have been tarred. I also want to find out whether he will then redirect his men to do another stock-taking of what is actually on the ground.
Dr. Richard Anane 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I have maintained that by measurement, five kilometres have been paved. My hon. Colleague may wish to make further submissions but I will think about what he has said.
Fanteakwa Constituency Roads (Rehabilitation)
Q. 350. Mr. Kwadwo Agyei-Addo asked the Minister for Transportation when the following roads in the Fanteakwa constituency would be rehabilitated:
(i) Bosuso-Bunso; and
(2) Bosuso-Dwenase-Osino.
Dr. Anane 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Bosuso- Bunso feeder road is about 6 km long and is located in the Fanteakwa District of the Eastern Region. It is an old tarred road. I am told that it is over 30 years old. It is in poor condition and has lost significant proportion of the bitumen.
Routine maintenance involving the cutting of grass, reshaping of the gravel sections and patching of the bituminous road surface will be carried out this year. Evaluation of tenders is in progress and the contract should be awarded by the end of this month, July, 2006.
The road will be rehabilitated up to bituminous surface next year.
Background
With respect to the Bosuso-Osino road, it is similarly an old bituminous road that has lost a significant proportion of its bitumen surface. It is about 16.7 km long. The road has also been programmed for routine/recurrent maintenance this year.
The routine maintenance involving the cutting of grass, reshaping of the gravel sections and the patching of the bituminous road surface will be carried out this year. Evaluation of tenders is also in progress and the contract should be awarded by the end of this month, July, 2006.
Mr. Speaker, studies are to be carried out after the completion of the rehabilitation of the Bosuso-Bunso feeder road.
Mr. Agyei-Addo 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, on the Bosuso-Bunso road, I want to find out from the hon. Minister whether he is aware that this particular road has lost every portion of the bitumen, not just a significant portion of it. I ask this question because it will determine the nature of works that will be carried out when the contract is eventually awarded.
Dr. Anane 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the road
has lost a significant proportion of the bituminous surface. Mr. Speaker, we are aware and we are even aware of the fact that we may not have to scarify the entire road corridor.
The reason is that the villagers may not wish us to remove all the bitumen surface which create some dust nuisance. That is why where we have some patches of bitumen surface instead of scarifying in order to rehabilitate the road, until we have made up the necessary arrangement to bitumenise the entire corridor, we will not, and we are not going to remove even the few bitumen surfaces but rather do pothole patching on some portions of them. So we are aware, but we are also aware that it is only just a significant proportion which has lost the bitumen surface.
Mr. Agyei-Addo 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, on the
Bosuso-Dwenase-Osino road, I want to ask the hon. Minister whether he is aware that in the year 2001, some rehabilitation work was done on this particular road. If he is aware, I want to find out the nature of the work that was done on this road, since there is nothing on the road, at the moment, to show work that was done in
2001.
Dr. Anane 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said,
routine maintenance works are done on all the roads and pothole patching is also done. Mr. Speaker, this is not the answer to the problem on the road and that is why we are going to start our studies to give the requisite solution to the corridor. So we know that whatever intervention we do today, they will only be temporary and that the final solution is what is going to result from the studies that we are going to embark upon.
Mr. Agyei-Addo 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in the hon. Minister's Answer, on the future programme, he said that studies would be carried out at the completion of the rehabilitation work on the Bosuso- Bunso feeder road. Mr. Speaker, I want to find out from the hon. Minister the nature of
Dr. Anane 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the intention
is to give the ultimate solution, which is what he requires and wants. But Mr. Speaker, in road works, we do not just get up and go and do what we have to do. We have to be advised by studies to know the appropriate interventions and even to know the costing before we can procure works for the works to be done. So the studies will entail engineering evaluation of the entire corridor and then also give us an idea about the costing so that we can procure for the works to be done.
Mr. Speaker 10:40 a.m.
Question number 351,
hon. Kwadwo Agyei-Addo, Member of Parliament for Fanteakwa?
Mr. Agyei-Addo 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the last
answer that the hon. Minister gave does not really answer the question that I asked. Probably, he may not have understood the question. So with your permission, I want to ask that question again.
Mr. Speaker 10:40 a.m.
You ask Question No.
351 now.
Fanteakwa Constituency Roads (Reshaping)
Q. 351. Mr. Kwadwo Agyei-Addo asked the Minister for Transportation when the following feeder roads in the Fanteakwa constituency would be reshaped/rehabilitated:
(1) Obuoho-Ahomahomasu- Feyiase;
(2) O b u o h o - A b o o s o - Dedeso- Mpaem;
(3) O b u o h o - Nkankama- Osubenbuom.
Dr. Anane 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Obuoho- Ahomahomasu-Feyiase road is 24 km. It is engineered. It forms part of the Obuoho- Owusukrom-Miaso feeder road which is about 30.6 km long. This road is located in the Fanteakwa District of the Eastern Region.
The Obuoho-Ahomahomasu-Feyiase feeder road was recently improved under DFID funding in two phases covering the entire Obuoho-Owusukrom-Miaso stretch, a section of which includes Obuoho- Ahomahomasu-Feyiase feeder roads.
The first phase contract covered Obuoho-Owusukrom section which is 16.2 km while the second phase covered the Owusukrom-Miaso section of 14.4 km. All the two projects were awarded in October 2004 and were completed in December 2005.
The first phase contract cost ¢500 million and was executed by Messrs Fadidi (GH) Limited.
The works which were carried out on this section were the reshaping of the 16.2 km and the construction of one culvert.
The second phase contract cost ¢698 million and was executed by Messrs Al- Saddique Limited.
The works which were carried out on this section were reshaping of the 14.4 km and the construction of three (3) culverts or bridges.
The road has been included in the packages for the 2006 routine/recurrent maintenance programme. Tenders for the maintenance of this road were received on 5th July 2006. After evaluation which will take one month, the contract will be awarded for the works to be executed.
Mr. Speaker, with respect to the Obuoho-Abooso-Dedeso-Mpaem road,
it is a trunk road which forms part of a continuous road link from Begoro-Abooso (R32)-Dedeso-Mpaem-Adawso (IR3) in the Fanteakwa District of the Eastern Region. It is a gravelled road with a total length of about 68.3 km in a fair to poor condition. Mr. Speaker, the section from Mpaem to Adawso is a track. The road is hilly and slippery at certain sections. Between Begoro and Mpaem, there are two critical spots where surface run-off from the hills has cut across the road. A bridge spanning one of these spots, anytime that it rains, gets overtopped and seems inadequate in size.
Mr. Speaker, the Begoro-Obuoho- Abooso-Dedeso-Mpaem road together with other roads were awarded to Messrs Gyacken Royal Ltd. in April, 2005 at a contract price of ¢1,798,710,000 for routine maintenance by grading, sectional gravelling patching and re-excavation of the ditches for completion by 31st December, 2006. Under this contract, the track section from Mpaem to Adawso is earmarked to be cleared to open it up as a first stage for future development.

Mr. Speaker, the Bridge Maintenance Unit has been asked to look at the possibility of spanning Bailey bridges across the two critical sections between Begoro and Mpaem or design appropriate size of box culverts to be constructed at these spots in future.

The Begoro-Obuoho-Dedeso-Mpaem- Adawso road will be programmed for sport improvement and sectional regravelling under the 2007 periodic maintenance budget to be funded by GoG.

Obuoho-Nkankama-Osubenbuom

Mr. Speaker, the Obuoho-Nkankama- Osubenbuom (12 km) is engineered and forms part of the Obuoho-Anyieso feeder
Mr. Agyei-Addo 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I have with me a letter from the Ghana Highway Authority, and with your permission, I would want to read just a portion of it, on this particular road:
“The Abooso-Mpaem road is now completely broken at two sections and we have pictures attached. The Mpaem area is therefore completely inaccessible, since there is no motorable access from Kwahu Adawso-Mpaem.”
Mr. Speaker, the Minister's Answer mentions routine maintenance and recurrent maintenance. I want to find out from the hon. Minister what emergency programme he has to link Abooso to Mpaem, since the drivers are now charging ¢35,000.00 instead of ¢10,000.00.
Dr. Anane 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, my hon. Colleague is aware that the corridor to Mpaem is in fact, a track and we have mentioned it in our Answer. It is our
intention and we are even trying to source for funding to open the entire stretch because we believe it should be a trunk road. But for the time being, we have to keep the corridor open and that is why we have even given a contract to open up the corridor for future development.
Mr. Speaker, we do not have an emergency action. We do not take emergency actions on such important corridors. We are planning to do it and the studies will advise us on the measures that we will have to take. But in order for it to be accessible, we are correcting the gully which has been spanned by a bridge which is failing so that it can still be accessed.
Mr. Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Order! Order!
Mr. Agyei-Addo 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am satisfied at this time.
Akatawiah Junction-Sekesua (Pothole-Filling)
Q. 353. Mr. Stephen Amoanor Kwao asked the Minister for Transportation when the pothole-filling project on the Akatawiah Junction-Sekesua road would be completed.
Dr. Anane 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Akwatawia-Sekesua feeder road is engineered. It is 4 km long and is located in the Manya Krobo District of the Eastern Region. The road is tarred but is in poor condition.
The Ghana Highway Authority is currently carrying out pothole patching on the road. The road is one of three other roads that form one lot for pothole pataching under the 2006 routine/recurrent maintenance programme. The other roads are Osiem-Begoro and Bunso-Busoso. Messrs Kodaf Engineers Limited, is the firm executing the contract at the cost of ¢1.016 billion. The contract started on 19th April, 2005 and is expected to be
completed by 31st December, 2006. After the completion of the ongoing contract, the DFR will carry out studies on the road to enable the necessary interventions to be continued.
Mr. Kwao 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am highly flabbergasted by the Answer the hon. Minister has given. [Laughter.]
Mr. Speaker, it is about one year now
since the contract was given; it is just a pothole-filling exercise for a 4 km road. May I know from the hon. Minister why it is taking so long for the contractor to complete the project.
Dr. Anane 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I presume that my flabbergasted hon. Colleague may not have appreciated any of the Answer given. In the Answer, I said it is one of the three projects that are being undertaken, and Mr. Speaker, I said that the contract will end on 31st December 2006. We have not come to the end of the contract period and it is not the only corridor that the contractor is working on; there are two others including that which are also being worked on. And so I hope his doubt is cleared and his mind is now able to capture what I told him.
Mr. Kwao 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, on Monday, I was on that road just to see the extent of work done and what I saw was that the place that had been done had already peeled off. They were filling potholes and those that they had filled had been washed away by the rains. So in actual fact, no work had been done. May I know from the hon. Minister whether his men had been there to assess the work done so far?
Dr. Anane 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is possible that even as a project goes on, some faults would be identified, but Mr. Speaker, it is when the contract comes to an end and when we are certifying for payment that we can say that, yes, this work has been
done or not been done. I am sure they have started the filling of the holes with some gravel materials and we know that it has been raining in the past, so if by filling by gravel material, it is washed away, that is normal and natural.
But Mr. Speaker, even if bitumen has been added and it was still washed off they have not come to the end of the contract and we are going to ensure that at the end of the time when we have to certify and take over, it would have been completed. So can we wait till the project is finished.
Mr. Kwao 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, judging from the nature of work being done, may I know from the hon. Minister whether a proper rehabilitation of the 4 km Akatawiah Junction-Sekesua road would not have been more profitable in terms of cost and durability?
Dr. Anane 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am not very certain whether my hon. Colleague is seeking my opinion, but Mr. Speaker, I thought rehabilitations are rehabilitations and that there is no redefinition of rehabilitation. But if my hon. Colleague wants to make a submission for a reconsideration it could be welcomed. But Mr. Speaker, for the time being, to keep the corridor motorable, we have to make sure that the potholes are corrected.

Tarring of Asesewa-Akateng Road

Q. 354. Mr. Stephen Amoanor Kwao asked the Minister for Transportation when the second phase of the Asesewa- Akateng Road Tarring Project would commence.
Dr. Anane 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Asesewa- Akateng feeder road is 12 km long. The road is engineered and is located in the
Mr. Kwao 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in the hon. Minister's Answer, he said the project which is expected to be completed in July 2006, is about 45 per cent completed; and we are already in July 2006. May I know from the hon. Minister, when exactly the first phase will be completed to allow the second phase to begin?
Dr. Anane 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the contractor
has done up to subbase level; what is left is the topping up with bitumen surfacing. So Mr. Speaker, we hope that with the preparation that he is doing, he will be
able to do the surfacing very soon and the corridor will be opened up, and the dust nuisance will be cleared.
Mr. Speaker, whilst my hon. Colleague
is very interested in the continuation in the second phase, we cannot go to the second phase when we have not finished with the first phase and that is why we thought we have to make sure the contractor finished with the first phase. But when I said 45 per cent, the 45 per cent is what is entailed in the works that have been done. The remaining, which is the bituminising, occupies the remaining 55 per cent, with other works to be done to complete the work.
Mr. Kwao 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, again, I
was on this road on Tuesday and I saw the extent of the work done. What the hon. Minister talked about as laying, formation, the subbase and those things have not been completed. Again, is he aware that most of the U-drains that he talked about are of sub-standard?
Dr. Anane 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think my
hon. Colleague is being a bit judgemental. Mr. Speaker, I do not know the profession of my hon. Colleague, but sometimes we tend to make comments which are uninformed just because what we expect to have been done is not what has been done.
Mr. Speaker, by the evaluation, by the studies which were done, that is the type of drain that was required. If my hon. Colleague has seen something that he is not comfortable with, I will be happy to learn about that so that we go and have a look and see what further measures could be taken. But I would wish my hon. Colleague be not judgemental.
Mr. Kwao 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think it is
a duty of an hon. Member of Parliament to make sure that proper work is done in his constituency, otherwise, he would be compromising with the contractors to do shoddy work. From what I have seen
and from the reports that my constituents have given to me, it looks as if the work is not going according to plan; but the hon. Minister is defending the contractor. Where do we stand now?
Mr. Speaker 11 a.m.
Hon. Member, this
is not a supplementary question at all. Question number 544.
Tarring of Some Roads in Tain
Q. 544. Mr. Joe Danquah asked the
Minister for Transportation when the following roads in the Tain constituency would be tarred:
1. Nsawkaw-Sampa;
2. Tainso Junction-Badu-Sunyani.
Dr. Anane 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Wenchi- Nsawkaw-Sampa road is a regional road R93 and has a total length of 76.2 km. The section from Nsawkaw to Sampa is 45.2 km and it is a gravel-surfaced road in fair to poor condition.
Mr. Speaker, the tarring of Wenchi- Nsawkaw-Sampa road is being undertaken in phases. The tarring of the first 30 km was awarded to Messrs J. A. Adom at a contract sum of ¢10 billion and $4.3 million. The contract was awarded on 30th May, 2000 for completion by 31st October, 2004. The project was substantially completed on 7th July, 2005 and it is currently in Defect Liability period for one year for the contractor to complete minor maintenance works during this period.
Mr. Speaker, the grading and sectional gravelling of the remaining 46.2 km Nsawkaw-Sampa section and other roads were awarded to Messrs Dynamic Star Limited at a contract sum of ¢1.4 billion. The project was awarded on 6th May, 2005 for completion by 31st December, 2006.
Mr. Speaker, the tarring of a further 30 km of the Wenchi-Nsawkaw-Sampa road would be considered under the Transport Sector Development Programme (TSDP) which will take off by the end of 2007.
Mr. Speaker, meanwhile, grading of the road will continue until the start of the next project.
With respect to the Tainso Junction- Badu-Sunyani road, the DFR awarded the Badu and Asuofo town roads for surfacing in June 2004 at a contract sum of ¢2.1 billion. The project which is under HIPC funding was expected to have been completed in April 2005. The amount paid to date is ¢532 million and percentage of works completed to date is 28 per cent. Works completed to date are construction of 1,160 m concrete U-drains and the laying of 1.5 km subbase.
Mr. Speaker, the delay in the completion of the project was due to the fact that the works in the Badu town had to be suspended in December 2004 as a result of demands by the communities to increase road width from 6 m to 9 m. The demand sparked off unrest and the community threatened to burn the contractor's equipment.
As a result of the agitation, the project was modified to increase the width from six (6) metres to nine (9) metres and also increased the length from two kilometres to three kilometres. Works resumed in May this year and it is ongoing.
Mr. Speaker, the Tainso Junction-Badu- Sunyani road has been proposed for tarring under the Transport Sector Development Programme (TSDP). Engineering design has already been done by Messrs KE & T Consult Limited.
Mr. Joe Danquah 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister stated that the defect
liability period will end on 7th July, 2005. What I have observed on the road is that we have one-sided drains. I want to find out from the hon. Minister, whether this minor maintenance that he is talking about includes the one-sided drains that we have on the road, especially in the major towns along the road.
Dr. Anane 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, 1,160 metres of drains -- concrete U-drains -- were constructed. The placement of the drains is determined by the studies which we do. There are some areas where we do drains on both sides, and there are other studies which advice placement of the drains on one side. So for the time being, the advice is what has been done; and then we want to continue with what will complete the works that have been awarded so that the people will also at least enjoy some dust- free environment.
Mr. Danquah 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the
Minister mentioned that regravelling and reshaping of the Wenchi-Sampa road, the second part, has been awarded to Messrs Dynamic Star Limited. I want to find out from the hon. Minister whether he is aware that the contractor has not done any work on the road.
Dr. Anane 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the contract was awarded in 2005 and it is to be completed by December, 2006. I am unable to give the percentage of works done and therefore I am not very certain whether what I am being told could be the case. I know the contractor has gone to the site, but Mr. Speaker, I would have to find the right information and provide it.
Mr. Danquah 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want to find out from the hon. Minister whether he has received any report from his field men. The contract was awarded on 6th May, 2005 to be completed by 31st December, 2006; but we are now in July and the contractor has not started any work on the project -- [Interruptions.] I want to find
Mr. Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Order! Order! Hon. Members, let us have decorum, please.
Mr. Danquah 11:10 a.m.
Is he aware that the
contractor has not started work? And what effort is he making to get the contractor back on the road?
Mr. Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Order! Order! Hon.
Members, let us have decorum. You may ask your supplementary question.
Mr. Danquah 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think it is very important that I ask this question because it is an international route -- [Interruption.]
Mr. Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Go ahead.
Mr. Danquah 11:10 a.m.
I want to find out from
the hon. Minister whether he has received any report from his district or regional officers. And what has he done if he has received any report? The contract was awarded on 6th May, 2005 and it should be completed by 31st December, 2006 and we are in July, 2006; so I want to find out from the Minister whether he has received any report.
Dr. Anane 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the extent of the works are the grading and gravelling of the remaining 46.2 kilometres. This was awarded to Messrs Dynamic Star. When corridors are graded, they normally do not last and that is why we are preparing this corridor for the appropriate intervention, which is the tarring that we have to do. I am not really certain whether my hon. Colleague has been visiting the site to see what has been going on.
But Mr. Speaker, yes, some grading has been done but I do not think the contractor has completed the works that have been given him. But we are still within the contract period and therefore it will not be easy to take on the contractor. However, we take note of his concern and we will see what we will find out.
Mr. Danquah 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I asked a question on the Tainso Junction-Badu- Sunyani road but the Minister in his Answer did not mention that road. Rather, he talked about Badu and Asuofo town roads. I want to find out whether that satisfied my Question, because I did not ask any question on Badu and Asuofo town roads. I am asking when Tainso Junction-Badu-Sunyani road will be tarred but it looks like the Answer is on the work on Badu and Asuofo town roads.
Dr. Anane 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, Badu and Tainso are very important areas which are to be served by the Tainso Junction- Badu- Sunyani road. As part of the preparation towards constructing this length of road, we thought it wise to remove the dust nuisance in the townships; that is why I talked about the townships. I have also mentioned that we have done the studies and design of the roads and that this has been completed by Messrs KE. & T Consult Limited. Mr. Speaker, because we have finished the studies and design, the next step is to go forward to do the construction; and that is what has been placed under the next programme which is the Transport Sector Development Programme which is to take off this year.
Mr. Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Minister for Trans- portation and Deputy Minister for Transportation, thank you for appearing to answer these Questions. You are discharged.
PAPERS 11:10 a.m.
-- 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Yes, Majority Leader.
Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
there is a small typographical error. The C.I. number is 53 and not 52. With that correction made, I accordingly lay the documents:
(b) Political Parties (Registration Fee) Instrument, 2006, C. I. 53.
Referred to the Committee on Subsidiary Legislation.
STATEMENTS 11:20 a.m.
Minister for Education, Science and Sports (Papa Owusu-Ankomah) 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured and excited to make a Statement today, on the occasion of the visit of the Black Stars to Parliament after their heroic performance at the 2006 World Cup Tournament in Germany.
First, I wish to take the opportunity to present to this House, the Black Stars of Ghana. Indeed they are known as the Black Stars of hope and honour following their splendid show at the World Cup.

Mr. Speaker, on the eve of their departure to Europe and Germany for training and the World Cup Tournament, the Black Stars called on H.E. the President, John Agyekum Kufuor, at the Castle, Osu to promise all of us that they were determined to bring honour, fame and pride to the nation.

The President on behalf of the nation also assured the Stars of our prayers, support and resources to enable them face the world and distinguish themselves.

The President assured them of the provision of the required resources and his presence at the tournament to motivate them to bring fame and honour to Ghana and I am happy to inform the House that true to his promise the President ensured that the team was fully provided with unprecedented resources, and was also present at the first match.

True to the belief and hope that the President especially had in the players and technical team, he predicted that the Black Stars will make Ghana and Africa proud and their names will be written in letters of Gold; and that has surely come to pass.

The Black Stars by their feat, have dramatically promoted and marketed Ghana, opening our country up to curious tourists and enthusiastic investors.

Indeed, major international media
Minister for Education, Science and Sports (Papa Owusu-Ankomah) 11:30 a.m.
networks have confirmed how the Stars have managed to positively sell Ghana to the whole world during the fifteen days of their participation in their first historic World Cup.
Mr. Speaker, if the international community is excited about Ghana, then the euphoria in Ghana and across Africa has been unprecedented. I can state without a shadow of doubt that the nation's spirit is at a very exciting level.
The feeling is that we can achieve a lot in every sphere of our lives and not only in soccer or sports. Through the Black Stars, we have demonstrated to the whole world that we are capable of achieving whatever we resolve to accomplish.
The Stars have shown or demonstrated to the entire country that with unity, dedication and commitment, this nation, with abundant human and material resources can achieve the ultimate goal of development and peace and become indeed the bright Star of Africa and one of the best nations in the world.
Indeed, Mr. Speaker, the achievement of the Black Stars has been through the collective effort of all Ghanaians, but we must place on record our special appreciation to H.E. the President who was personally interested in the welfare of the team and before every match directed your humble servant to read out his goodwill message under his hand to the players and the technical team before they set off from their hotel to the stadium. Indeed, on one occasion, he even spoke on phone to the captain of the team and the coach before they set off and this really motivated the players and the technical team.
Mr. Speaker, it is also instructive to place on record that the President personally instructed the Minister to stay
with the team till the end of the tournament. Even when I had decided to come home so that whatever major decisions, particularly logistical, which needed the intervention of the Government, could be dealt with immediately without reference to Accra; and this greatly contributed to making all involved, particularly the players and the technical team, to be in a very good mental state during the period of the tournament.
Mr. Speaker, of course, we must also reserve special praises for the players. Indeed, we can say that individually, as compared to some previous national teams that we have had, we may not have had extraordinarily brilliant collection of Stars but they have proved that it is teamwork that is important in sports; and it is also in teamwork that we can build our nation. [Hear! Hear!] Each and everyone ought to play his part and collectively our nation can be a brilliant nation emulated by other nations in the world.

Mr. Speaker, I also use this opportunity to thank the technical team led by Coach Ratomir Dujkovic, popularly called Doya -- [Hear! Hear!] Mr. Speaker, he had faith in the team even when faint hearts doubted the team's ability. And Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to express the appreciation of the Black Stars to the headline sponsors, Goldfields for believing in us and agreeing to invest as much as a million dollars a year for three years in the Black Stars.

Of course, we also wish to thank other sponsors including ECOBANK, Guinness, Areeba, CCTC and other major firms and financial institutions. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, before we came to Parliament, I had the singular pleasure and honour

He was so much impressed with the dazzling and scintillating performance of the Stars that after the United States match, through H.E. the President he pledged to donate the sum of US$100,000 as a token of his appreciation of the performance, promising that if the Stars progressed further, they would have enhanced appreciation.

The National Supporters Union also played its part, travelling far and wide to cheer the Black Stars to this historic victory.

It is with pleasure and pride that I announce that Mr. Samuel Aggrey, popularly known as Obuor or “One Man Supporter” was adjudged the best supporter for the Ghana group and was awarded a trophy or a medal. Indeed, at the end of the tournament, if he is adjudged the best supporter of the tournament, he will have a car as his reward. We are hoping that this will happen.

It is my honour and privilege to report
Mr. Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Order! Order!
Papa Owusu Ankomah 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
I say this to emphasise a point that where a government has a programme that it follows assiduously and diligently,
Mr. Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Majority Leader?
Majority Leader (Mr. F. K. Owusu- Adjapong) 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, today is a special day in that we hon. Members are gathered here to honour members of the Senior National Team (the Black Stars), their management and technical team (their handlers), for their splendid performance at the World Cup. It is befitting that the Stars are not sitting at the Public Gallery but at a special area reserved for our Special Honoured Guests.
We must also thank the sponsors, especially Goldfields Limited, Daamang,
Areeba, Guinness, ECOBANK and the rest, of course, not forgetting the Government and people of Ghana for their immense contribution in cash and in kind for this tournament and for this campaign for the world title.
Mr. Speaker, the Black Stars travelled to Germany about a month ago, to participate in the World Cup. Before the beginning of the tournament, the general feeling among Africans was that the five African representatives at the World Cup did not have the wherewithal to do well and make Africa proud. This feeling was borne out of the fact that countries like Camerourn, Nigeria, Senegal and the rest that has done remarkably well at the World Cup for Africa before had failed to qualify for the World Cup. Even the few people who believed that an African team could spring a surprise at the World Cup were looking at la Cote d'Ivoire to achieve that feat.
But the Black Stars, an unknown team at the world stage proved them wrong by not only putting up a wonderful performance but also emerging as the revelation of the tournament. The gallant Stars rose to the occasion and changed the gloomy situation of the African teams at the World Cup into a bright, happy one. When Africans had almost lost hope in African teams, the Black Stars stood up and defended the dignity of Africans. Even though, the Stars stopped short of equalling or surpassing the quarterfinal mark set by Cameroun and Senegal, the quality of their play at the world's biggest soccer summit was matchless.
Not even Brazil, the defending champions could find an antidote to the flow of Ghana's brand of soccer. The Stars beat the Brazilians to their own Samba game and but for the biased officiating by the Slovak referee, Lubos Michel, the
Stars would have caused another major upset. Accuracy in marksmanship could have taken them farther than they got to in the tournament, though.
Mr. Speaker, if what we read in the Thursday, 8th to Monday, 12th June issue of “The Point” newspaper which stated that Brazilian Star Ronaldinho had asked referees to protect him and his teammates at the World Cup is correct, one will hope that somewhere along the line, FIFA will prove that they were not a party to such a conspiracy.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to appeal to our sponsors to consider supporting our boys for a friendly match between the Black Stars and Brazil as part of our 50th Anniversary celebrations.

Mr. Speaker, even though the Stars got eliminated possibly because of this protection theory, the Stars were the toast of the world, not to talk of the unprecedented feeling of nationalism their exciting performances exuded among Ghanaians. That thousands of Ghanaians thronged the Kotoka International Airport to welcome the Stars vividly attests to the fact that Ghanaians and for that matter, Africans are happy with their performance at the World Cup, which has helped to raise the Flag of Ghana and the image of Africa high.

Mr. Speaker, there are some lessons the success of the Black Stars should teach us. The Black Stars showed us unity in diversity, because even though the Black Stars held the record of the team with every player playing for different teams -- there were no two or more Ghanaian players playing for the same team -- it never reflected in the way they played. Knowing the victory would indelibly etch the name of Ghana on the world soccer map, the players went out of their way to go the extra mile for one another to

ensure victory.

The Stars played with a lot of determination, dedication and devotion to write those memorable pages in the annals of Ghana football. The Stars showed us that success, in any field of endeavour, can only be achieved through hard work.

Ultimately, what the Black Stars are telling us is that, with unity, discipline and a sense of purpose and direction, we can surmount the myriad of economic, social and political challenges that face us as a nation.

Mr. Speaker, what happened in Germany should mark the beginning of good things to come. However, how far we can go in future depends on the lessons we learn from our mistakes at the World Cup and the Nations Cup. We need to build on the World Cup experience and ensure that the team becomes more formidable for the CAN 2008 and also the World Cup 2010 in South Africa. The World Cup has proved to be a wonderful experience and never should we miss out on subsequent World Cups. I advise that we maintain the current team with a few inclusions in the interest of consistency.
Mr. E. T. Mensah (NDC -- Ningo/ Prampram) 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to add my voice to the commendations and congratulations for the Black Stars.
Mr. Speaker, listening to the hon. Majority Leader, he congratulated and acknowledged quite a number of people who have made it possible for us to come this far and I think he fell short. The current crop of players here did not start as the Black Stars yesterday. Six years ago, they were nurtured. The building that we are all sitting in now, some people were in charge of the foundation, others were in charge of the superstructure, others roofed it and others painted it -- [Uproar] -- It is
therefore important that the records must be properly corrected.
We have congratulated the Black
Stars and the officials, but there are some officials that we need to mention. Nana Brew Butler, for instance, was an effective Chairman of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), and it was during his time that we identified and put these young ones together. They won gold in 1991, they won gold again in 1995 and they had silver thrice. In Japan, these young men from Starlets went to Under-20. They did well and many of them were in Australia, and they matched Brazil. Many of them were in New Zealand and many of them also participated in Atlanta 1996 at Under-23 level, and they were handled by people -- Nana Butler, Alhaji Jawula, Joshua Alabi, Ade Coker; and there are some coaches that come to mind. There are many of them -- Coach Afranie, for instance, was quite effective in nurturing the boys. He was in New Zealand with them, and he was in Argentina as well with them. Then coach Arday, coach Attuquayefio are all officials that we need to commend; and your humble servant, Mr. Speaker, was all the time with these young men.
When I identified Appiah, I identified Appiah -- [Interruption] -- the current Captain Stephen Appiah. When we were going to Ecuador, we decided that we would go with him, and some of the players that we had identified, to familiarize with this tournament. We were insulted but we took him there and God has proved us right; that we really identified somebody who was a gem, and many others here. The Essiens and what have you were all part of the 1992/1993 team that we sent out there.
Mr. Speaker, in 1993, when we were
going to Japan, the Starlets were camped for three weeks by Manchester United at no cost to us. So the list, Mr. Speaker,
Mr. E. T. Mensah 11:40 a.m.
You were not a
Minister then; all the records are there. The goodwill messages that were sent were all published. We read these to the players; it is a normal thing whenever we go out to play. It is also not true that we were given twenty-four hours' coverage by Cable News Network (CNN); it is not true, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I want to end by saying
that I just want the records to be set straight; it seemed one-sided. The success of the Black Stars united us as a country but when the story is being told it should be told completely, it should be holistic. It should not be one-sided. Once again, Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Black Stars in their success.
Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo (NPP -- Akim Oda) 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, today certainly is a memorable day for Parliament and for the country. [Hear! Hear!] We are here, officially, to congratulate the Black

There is no doubt that these young men played very well because they had played together much longer as Starlets and therefore hon. E. T. Mensah had a role to play -- [Hear! Hear!] But it is also a fact that from independence, Ghana never qualified to participate in the FIFA World Cup tournament, except under President Kufuor. [Hear! Hear!]
Mr. Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Order! Order!
Mr. Osafo-Maafo 11:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, we
must certainly, as a nation, now look forward and learn lessons from this, and I believe this is a very important part of this exercise.
First of all, there is the need for continuity. It is obvious that this team must be kept reinforced and their major weakness which was their attack be remedied for 2010. And I can assure you that if we have good strikers for 2010, Ghana would bring the cup here. Therefore, we should not hurry to make certain decisions.
Mr. Speaker, Cameroon, after their
first impressive performance at the World Cup, dropped Winfried Schaeffer, the coach. Nigeria also after their first time performance, dropped Clemens Westerhof. Tunisia also dropped their coach Claude Le Roy. In all these cases, their second performances were poorer than the first. Therefore, we must learn from it. In one case, they dropped the coach because the coach was looking for an increase in salary from US$3,500 to US$5,000; and that was enough reason for him to be dropped. I am saying that we must not only keep the team and reinforce it, particularly the attacking machinery, but we should also keep the technical
bench and if necessary reinforce it.

Mr. Speaker, we must also try to emphasise the role the private sector played in this whole exercise. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister pointed out the efforts made by the Goldfields, the banks, et cetera and the hon. Majority Leader did the same. Mr. Speaker, it is important to note that also for the first time our staff at various embassies collected moneys and brought them down to support the Black Stars. These signs are very important. There was that concern nationwide and I think we should also keep this spirit of attracting the private sector to support the funding of sports generally and football in particular. The Government alone cannot do it and in all other countries elsewhere in the world the private sector plays a very major role in the financing of sporting activities, particularly football.

Mr. Speaker, assuming that based on this national euphoria that we have, the leadership of Ghana Football Association (GFA) makes appeal for a special Sunday collection in all churches in Ghana in support of the Black Stars, would this not be supported? I am sure that if we did that one Sunday after the regular service and we have a second collection for the Black Stars - and all Mosques as well -- I can assure you that we can have a very good silver collection for the Black Stars.

Mr. Speaker, it is also important to even learn a lesson about the performance of the Black Stars. In their first match they lost two nil against Italy and that spirit of down-but-not out also came up. In the second match, they came to beat the country ranked second in the world and in their third match they came to beat the fifth ranking country in the world after they had lost to the ninth.

Therefore it is important to note
Mr. Osafo-Maafo 11:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, we cannot monetise the honour and prestige which the Black Star players have brought to this country and we are handling, we cannot -- and this has been said by His Excellency the President and many others. Football or soccer as it is has no political boundaries and the unity that we enjoyed under the performance of these Black Stars must be maintained for other things.
Mr. Speaker, there are certain things around which we must as a nation unify ourselves to move ahead but we get divided.
Mr. Speaker, when we talk about, for instance, the development of the bauxite industry, to me it is very critical; it is very important. Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah dreamt of it; it never came to fruition. President Kufuor is pushing for it and we must together support it. It is a project of national unity. [Hear! Hear!] Mr. Speaker, we are indeed very happy that the Black Stars are here with us and we must congratulate all those who in diverse ways made this possible. Ghana participated in the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) finals and we were not disgraced. The whole of Africa is behind us.
Indeed, if one watched the match with the USA, virtually every other country at the stadium supported Ghana against all the other opponents and Germany in particular. We want to say a big thank you to Germany for that show of support

for us. We also wish them the best in the run-off. Mr. Speaker, we are determined to make the Black Stars team stay.

Let us therefore not shy away from cost. It is not cheap to get football running. It is not cheap to get sports going. [Interruption.] It is not cheap to run Parliament, yes -- [Laughter] -- but we need to also let all Ghanaians know that we cannot leave the expenditure to Government; the private sector should come in and come in a big way to make us proud. The gains are certainly far more than the losses and the unity we are enjoying today, we can never monitor it. Black Stars players, ayekoo, The coach and handlers ayekoo, I want to say that we are indeed very proud of you.
Mr. Abuga Pele (NDC - Chiana/ Paga) noon
Mr. Speaker, we have made a number of Statements beginning from when the Black Stars first qualified to participate in the World Cup and we have continued to congratulate them and we will continue to do it until the Black Stars team takes the World Cup. [Hear! Hear!]
Mr. Speaker, probably this is the right time to indicate that since everybody sees the significance of sports and the value of football and the Black Stars, we should separate the Youth and Sports Sector from Education and Science. [Hear! Hear!] Mr. Speaker, the two Ministries are so important that to marry the two is an impossible marriage, it would lead sooner or later to divorce. [Laughter.]
Mr. Speaker, there were many people who were doubting why so much was being pumped into sports, especially football. Today, everybody is basking in the glory of football. By the hard work of these young men Ghana today is a nation to give a lot of respect to. In fact, those of us who were fortunate to be in Germany, even though very briefly - [Laughter] - were very lucky to see the Black Stars
acquit the whole of Africa. Before the Black Stars' series of victories, people thought of the black man as somebody who could not succeed, who could not go far, who did not know how to think.
One would see the look of dismissal with which they treated the blacks in Germany. When the Black Stars started winning, beating the Czech, beating US, everybody started respecting Ghana and Africa. The Black Stars have acquitted Africa.
Mr. Speaker, they have also broken that mystery that Ghana could not participate in the World Cup. We saw the emergence of Senegal into the quarter-finals. We saw the emergence of Cameroon. We saw Nigeria performing in the World Cup and many other countries whose football cannot even be equated to that of Ghana. But today, we also stand very proud that Ghana has at long last also participated in the World Cup. And as the former Minister for Youth and Sports said, Ghana would soon go ahead and pick the World Cup, probably if not in 2010, in the near future.

Mr. Speaker, we need to lay a very firm foundation. We made statements earlier in this Chamber that there was the need to build a very firm foundation for our football players. It is important for us to recognize that to succeed at the World Cup level, it needs a firm foundation as hon. E. T. Mensah indicated. There is the need to develop juvenile soccer; there is the need to put proper regulations in place to regulate the way our juvenile players are sent outside; there is the need to put in more money into the academies, encourage the private sector to participate in building academies in all parts of this country; there is the need to develop football and sports from the regions.

If we do not do these, then what we have achieved today which has made all of us proud would be a short-lived experience. We do not want to go through a similar experience like that of Senegal and Cameroon. You go to the World Cup, everybody hails you as a strong football nation, then in the next few years you drop off. That should never happen to this country. So we are asking the sports authorities to put in place a very firm foundation for the development of soccer.

Everybody has praised the sponsors; we have praised the coaches; we have praised hon. E. T. Mensah for beginning with the juvenile teams; we have praised hon. Yaw Osafo-Maafo; the late Edward Osei-Kwaku; the hon. Minister for Education, Science and Sports, Papa Owusu-Ankomah who today is basking in a glittering glory.

We have praised everybody but I think that hon. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, we should not forget the all-powerful Minister for Finance and Economic Planning -- [Hear! Hear!] -- But it is important for us also to praise the Committee on Sports of Parliament and Parliament as a whole. [Hear! Hear!] Mr. Speaker, we hope that the Black Stars will go immediately into training. We hope their handlers will not rest, but that they will immediately start building a very strong team towards CAN 2008.

We are also urging the hon. Minister for Education, Science and Sports to probably come to this Parliament at another time and tell us the state of the development of our infrastructure in preparation towards the CAN 2008. Everybody should be brought on board; everybody in this country who knows something about sports development should be brought on board.

If one watches how Germany prepared
Mr. Speaker noon
Hon. Members, over the last couple of days, our country has been thrown into a state of ecstasy -- [Hear! Hear!] -- following the gallant performance of our national team the Black Stars at the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Germany.
Our gallant young men, not frightened by the fact that it was their maiden appearance in this global football fiesta, put up such an excellent performance to reach the 1/16 stage of the tournament. Hon. Members, it is a matter of great joy that we are hosting this great national team and their able officials in the Chamber today.
Distinguished gallant fighters of our national team, it is my singular honour to welcome you all to this august House, the Fourth Parliament of the Fourth Republic. Indeed, Ghana has over the years registered big names like the late Baba Yara, like the late Aggrey Fynn, both of blessed memory; Edward Acquah of Sekondi-Takoradi, Revd. Osei Kofi, Mohammed Polo, Opoku Nti, Opoku Afriyie, Abedi Ayew Pele, Tony Yeboah and many others in world football, but little did the world know that Ghana could match such soccer giants as Italy, Czech Republic, United States of America (USA) and the five times world champion Brazil.
Hon. Members, I believe it is in the
Mr. Speaker noon
right direction that I associate myself with congratulatory messages delivered so far in acknowledgement of the spectacular display of sportsmanship, courage and patriotism by these young heroes whose astonishing achievements have made all of us proud as Ghanaians. The exploits of the Black Stars vindicated what Roger Miller of Cameroon said in the Italia 90 World Cup that the world would wait until they see Ghana in a World Cup tournament.

We must also recognize the contribution of the technical team, management of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) as well as the various corporate sponsors for their enormous support. Special gratitude goes to the Mayor and the people of the City of your stay in Germany for their hospitality.

Leadership, any indications at this stage?
Mr. Felix Owusu-Adjapong noon
Mr. Speaker, I thought that perhaps, you will do what you normally do to our august visitors by recognizing them in the
Chamber.
Mr. Speaker noon
Hon. Members, it is my intention to present to them certificates after this Sitting.
Mr. E. T. Mensah noon
Mr. Speaker, the consensus is that we should introduce them one by one here to be acknowledged before we go down and present the certificates.
Mr. Speaker noon
All right, we would introduce them. If it is the wish of the House I will do so. [Hear! Hear!] I shall do so being the first officer of the House. [Hear! Hear!]
We all know the Captain -- Captain Stephen Appiah -- [Hear! Hear!] -- Mr. John Mensah -- Assistant Captain -- [Hear! Hear!] -- Mr. Sulley Muntari -- [Hear! Hear!]
Mr. Amoah noon
Mr. Speaker, if I may be permitted, I will introduce the players to the august House -- [Some hon. Members: No! No! No!]
Mr. Speaker noon
Order! Mr. Emmanuel Pappoe -- [Hear! Hear!] -- Mr. John Paintsil -- [Hear! Hear!] -- Mr. Michael Essien -- [Hear! Hear!] -- Mr. Haminu Dramani -- [Hear! Hear!] -- Mr. Derek Boateng -- [Hear! Hear!] -- Mr. George Owu -- [Hear! Hear!] -- Mr. Razak Pimpong -- [Hear! Hear!] -- Mr. Asamoah Gyan -- [Hear! Hear!] -- Mr. Richard Kingston -- [Hear! Hear!] -- Mr. Dan Quaye -- [Hear! Hear!]
Officials
Mr. Kwasi Nyantakyi -- President
Mr. Fred Papoe -- Vice-President
Mr. Kofi Nsiah
-- noon
Mr. Owusu-Adjapong noon
Mr. Speaker, the next item listed on the Order Paper should have been Whistleblower Bill -- Consideration Stage but Mr. Speaker, I believe we have blown enough whistle today that I think we can decide to defer the Whistleblower Bill till next week.
Mr. Speaker, again, I am aware that you have planned something for our honoured guests after the adjournment and in order that we do not disrupt their programme, I move that this House do now adjourn till next week Tuesday 10.00 o'clock in the morning, I so move.
Mr. E. T. Mensah noon
Mr. Speaker, I stand to second the motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
ADJOURNMENT noon
  • The House was accordingly adjourned at 12.13 p.m. till 11th July 2006 at 10.00 a.m.