Debates of 7 Nov 2006

MR. SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10 a.m.
CORRECTION OF VOTES 10 a.m.
AND PROCEEDINGS AND 10 a.m.
THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker 10 a.m.
Order, order. Correction of Votes and Proceedings - Friday, 3rd November, 2006. Pages 1…5.
Mr. G. K. Arthur 10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, page 5 (17), I was absent with permission but my name is recorded under absent.
Mr. Speaker 10 a.m.
Hon . Member fo r
Amenfi Central, thank you for that.
Pages 6 …13 -- [Pause] - Hon. Members, we have the Official Report of Friday, 3rd November, 2006 - [Pause] -- [No corrections made in the Official Report.]
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS 10 a.m.
MINISTRY OF LOCAL 10 a.m.
GOVERNMENT, RURAL 10 a.m.
DEVELOPMENT 10 a.m.
AND ENVIRONMENT 10 a.m.
Mr. Chireh 10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, from the Minister's Answer, he attaches a lot of importance to the Council and its activities. When will he propose to the President to make permanent appointments and staff the Council's secretariat so that the work can go on smoothly?
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng 10:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, we have the Decentralized Secretariat also functioning effectively and we have already seconded some staff from my Ministry to the Decentralization Secretariat. We have also had support from development partners; and I can confirm that we even recruited one person about two months ago. I would obviously pursue that programme of staffing the Decentralization Secretariat.
Mr. Chireh 10:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon.
Minister does not seem to have understood my question. It is this -- You know that the Local Government Service should have a head, who will be in the position to carry out these things effectively, and the appropriate staff also. When he talks about the Decentralization Secretariat which is located in the Ministry, who is to do what? But I am talking about the Council that was created; and it must have a head with a secretariat. When is he going to do this?
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng 10:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
the process has begun and when we meet in Sogakope with the Service Council, all these information would be available. So I entreat my hon. Colleague to be present at Sogakope.
Mr. Chireh 10:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister mentioned the Decentralization Secretariat; I would want to know the relationship between that Secretariat and the Local Government Service Council
Secretariat.
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng 10:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I thought my hon. Colleague knows all about this; he has been a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee. The relationship is simple. Mr. Speaker, the Decentralization Secretariat, its responsibility is to make sure that all the programmes and activities that have to be done by the Central Government to get the decentralized administration worked out is handled by the Secretariat.
The Local Government Service Council, on the other hand, although it incorporates some of the traditional activity, their main role is to look at the Service, especially staff of the Assembly, training programmes and capacity building, and all those kinds of things. They are interrelated in a way except to say that the Local Government Service Council has a responsibility to make sure that we actually help the line departments all decentralized as well as have the capacity of the departments at the centralized administration worked out and perfectively monitored.
Mr. Chireh 10:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister in his Answer indicated that the Ministry is assisting the Council Secretariat to find accommodation. I do not know how far this search has gone and when they would get adequate office space and a permanent office to do their work.
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng 10:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
it is true the Service Council has not got accommodation; and we have managed to get them a temporary residence at the Institute of Local Government Studies at Madina. They are coping with it but we are not happy; we want to find a permanent accommodation -- So we are looking round and I hope that when we meet in Sogakope, that will be one of the things we will be talking about. We have asked people and, of course, the Service members themselves and Council members to look for any accommodation they can find, and Central Government

would assist in procuring and refurbishing the accommodation. So he should come to Sogakope, as I have already invited him and my hon. Colleagues from the Parliamentary Select Committee, and we will discuss all these in detail.

DCEs Under NDC Government (Ex-gratia Awards)

Q.512. Mr. Evans Paul Aidoo asked

the Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Environment why the former District Chief Executives who served under the NDC Government have not been paid their ex-gratia awards.
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng 10:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Government has indeed paid 58 former District Chief Executives (DCEs) who served under the previous NDC Government administration. Of the remaining 52, those who have legal issues raised against them are 17, and are awaiting for processing; and I believe and I am told, Mr. Speaker, for prosecution.
In effect, there are 35 former DCEs who served in the NDC Government who are yet to be paid. There is however a procedure to be followed before they are paid. And the procedure is that the ex-DCEs are to apply with the following attachments:
a. Copies of Appointment Letters;
b. Copies of their Revocation Letters; and
c. Copies of their last Payslips.
On receipt of the applications and these attachments the Ministry submits them to the Auditor-General's Department where appropriate computations are made and submitted to the Chief of Staff and Minister for Presidential Affairs for payment to be made.
Mr. Speaker, it would interest my hon.
Colleague to know that those who were paid went through the process.
Mr. E. P. Aidoo 10:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to know from the hon. Minister whether he is not aware that all the District Chief Executives who served from 2001 to 2004 under the NPP Government have been paid without being subjected to forensic audit.
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng 10:10 a.m.
Mr.
Speaker, I am not aware of any forensic audit taking place anywhere. I have not mentioned any forensic audit at all. All I said was that there are procedures to be followed so when these ex-DCEs apply they will be paid. The remaining 17, as I said, are going through some processes with the Attorney-General and I have not got the update on that. The Attorney- General's Department would give me that information. But from my point, I am not aware of any forensic audit.
And my colleague, hon. Akua Dansua who was a very good, competent DCE in the Kpando area, and my other hon. Colleague from Mfantsiman have been paid. They applied and they were paid. [Interruption.] Well, if it is not enough -- but they have been paid. So the remainder or those who have not been paid should apply and when they apply the procedure will be applied. I am told and I am aware as my Colleague just said, it is not adequate. If it is not adequate we would consider -- if you bring any proposal we will see to it. But I am not too sure that if they apply we do not pay, we pay you if you apply.
Mr. E. P. Aidoo 10:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, is the
hon. Minister not aware that the NPP Chief Executives did not apply for their ex-gratia award and that a DCE at Kpando who
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng 10:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
I am not aware of the fact that some did not apply. I would investigate and respond appropriately.
Mr. E. P. Aidoo 10:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I
would want to find out from the hon. Minister whether it is not unconstitutional and wrong in law to link the ex-gratia payments to alleged acts of corruption by the seventeen DCEs since the country has lost regarding the treatment of any person(s) found guilty of criminal acts determined through a court of law.
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng 10:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
I did not catch the question properly -- he says unconstitutional and all that. I am not aware of the unconstitutionality of it. But as I have said, there is a process being followed at the Attorney- General's Department and if there is any constitutional matter of which I am advised by the Attorney-General's Department that although there is a process we should still pay them, then I would have no option but to do so. But I will take the advice from the Attorney-General.
Mr. E.T. Mensah 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, one of the questions asked by the hon. Member for Sefwi Wiawso was not answered. He asked whether the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government's District Chief Executives (DCEs) who were paid have also gone through forensic audits. He told us in his Answer that there were some 17 DCEs waiting for prosecution which is as a result of forensic audit ordered by this Government. I want to know whether he is using the same yardstick to judge those who served under NPP Government as DCEs.
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am not aware of any case against any of the NPP DCEs which needed to go through such a process, forensic audit, as he has mentioned. If I become aware I would let the House know. But as far as I know, those who were paid applied; and so those who are remaining, if they apply, they would get it.
The only problem, as we have already identified, is with the 17 who are awaiting the process of prosecution. If the Attorney-General, as I said earlier on, advises, although the process has not been completed, that they should be paid, however, then I would take that advice; but I am not aware of any forensic audit being conducted on NPP DCEs.
Peace-Keeping in Sefwi-Wiawso District (Expenditure)
Q. 513. Mr. Evans Paul Aidoo asked the Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Environment how much the Sefwi-Wiawso District Assembly had spent since July 2005 on peace-keeping and whether this high expenditure would not affect the overall development of the district.
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, as a result of chieftaincy disputes in the district, it became necessary to send security personnel there to keep and maintain the peace. It must be emphasized that peace-keeping is an expensive venture. The District Assembly spent between 22nd July, 2005 and 31st March, 2006, one billion, eight hundred million cedis (¢1,800,000,000.00). Happily this amount has been refunded by the Government.
The District Assembly has again spent nine hundred and fifty-seven million, five hundred and seventy-six thousand,
Mr. E. P. Aidoo 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want to find out from the hon. Minister whether this figure includes compensation which was paid to victims who were brutalized by the military a month ago.
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I was trying to see whether the additional information I have got includes those who were victims, but it does not. Mr. Speaker, I am not aware whether this is included in the amount I gave, but I can find out and let the House know.
Mr. G. K. B. Gbediame 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to ask the hon. Minister whether it is the practice that whenever there is any conflict and the District Assembly spends money in keeping the peace, the district is reimbursed the money that it spent in the peace-keeping.
Mr. Speaker 10:20 a.m.
Hon. Member for Nkwanta South, as you know, this happens to be a hypothetical issue, but if the hon. Minister has an answer I would allow him to give an answer to the question.
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I thought you were ruling him out. Mr. Speaker, I cannot make a general statement here on whether Government pays all peace-keeping bills; that I believe the hon. Minister for Defence and the Minister for National Security or the Minister for Presidential Affairs probably can do. But from my point, in district
administration when a district incurs a cost in peace-keeping, Central Government refunds it. That is true.
Ms. Akua Dansua 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to know from the hon. Minister if the Kpando District would be reimbursed the money it spent on peace- keeping recently in Vakpo, and of course, with interest.
Mr. Speaker 10:20 a.m.
Hon. Deputy Minority Whip, would you repeat your question.
Ms. Dansua 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, is the Ministry going to reimburse the Kpando District Assembly the money it spent recently in peace-keeping at Vakpo resettlement community?
Mr. Speaker 10:20 a.m.
Deputy Chief Whip, this is not a supplementary question.
Mr. Sampson Ahi 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to know from the hon. Minister whether he is considering withdrawing the military from Sefwi-Wiawso and allowing the police to continue to maintain peace, since a state of emergency has not been declared at the place.
Mr. Speaker 10:20 a.m.
Hon. Member for Juabeso, this is also not a supplementary question.
Ashaiman (District Status)
Q. 514. Mr. Alfred Kwame Agbesi asked the Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Environment whether the Ministry would recommend to His Excellency the President to give Ashaiman district status.
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Ministry has no plans of upgrading Ashiaman Area into District status, because it is an important integral part of the Tema Municipality.

Indeed, there is an arrangement to up-grade the Tema Municipality into Metropolitan status. In terms of population, the municipality is qualified because the minimum population for a metropolitan status is 250,000, whereas the municipality by the 2000 Population and Housing Census, had a population of

506,400.

Ashaiman area therefore stands to gain more when the Tema Municipality becomes a metropolitan area, than if it is made a district. That is my opinion and Mr. Speaker, we do not have any plans to elevate Ashaiman to a district status.
Mr. Agbesi 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want to know from the hon. Minister what Ashaiman stands to gain if Tema is made a metropolitan area rather than a district.
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, we have finished the process of upgrading Tema to a metropolitan status. Mr. Speaker, the resources that are allocated by way of the Common Fund increases automatically. We also do have other facilities, especially from development partners when we have unearthed that kind of metropolitan status which we can gear towards Tema; and Ashaiman would get its fair share. Whereas, if it is a district you operate as a normal district, which is good because of administration. You can have a small compact area to administer, but in terms of resource mobilization you would be limited. So we are looking at urban centres to actually go out and explore the potential in those areas to develop their smaller outlying areas, rather than to turn them into districts. That is the thinking of my Ministry.
Mr. Agbesi 10:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister in his Answer said, and with your permission I quaote: “Ashaiman cannot be given a district status because
it is an important integral part of Tema municipality”. Mr. Speaker, I am aware that the newly-created districts were part of other municipalities and other areas, yet they were cut out to stand on their own. Why is it that Ashaiman cannot be cut out and made a district when other areas -- [Interruption.] Those were the criteria used and they became districts.
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I will invite my hon. Colleague to give me the reasons why he thinks that Ashaiman should become a district. I have given him my version and the thinking in my Ministry. I believe that he is not eager to take Ashaiman out of Tema. Tema is a municipality which we believe should benefit more, and that is why we are looking at upgrading -- I and my Ministry believe that if Ashaiman becomes an integral part of Tema, it will enhance Ashaiman's status a lot.
He may well want to find out from those areas that became districts, what is happening there and whether they would not have preferred to be still within, for instance, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly. That would give him more information for us to have a reasonable debate or understanding.
If the hon. Member has any suggestion, he should bring it to my Ministry and we would have a look at it.
Mr. Agbesi 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister has asked me to bring out why I want Ashaiman to be a district. I want to inform the hon. Minister that out of the population he quoted for Tema Municipality, Ashaiman, according to the 2000 Population Census, had a hundred and fifty thousand -- out of the four hundred and fifty thousand. Now, in terms of growth, Ashaiman is leading in West
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
I am not alleging anything. There is no allegation being levelled here. All I am saying is that there is a process and there is a thinking in the Ministry; we are putting some papers together which we would bring out for public hearing, and at that stage, obviously people or the public would get the details.
In the meantime, if my hon. Colleague has any ideas, as I have just said here, he is welcome to bring it to the Ministry and we would consider them.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want the hon. Minister to be forthcoming. He indicated that there is a thinking in the Ministry on one hand, and on the other hand a process; which is which? Has the project started or they are now thinking about it? When you talk of Ashaiman, it is not just the four walls of Ashaiman; Ashaiman comes all the way to Adenta and other villages. And the boundaries of Tema Municipality, on the other hand, covers Kpone, Katamanso and other places.
So my question is this: Is it a “thinking” or there is a process?
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in my response, I said the Ministry had plans. So we have moved beyond the point of thinking. [Mr. E. T. Mensah: You said “thinking”.] Well, maybe, then I used the wrong word.
Mr. Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Hon. Minister, do not be distracted.
Question number 550 -- Hon. Robert Sarfo-Mensah, the hon. Member for Asunafo North.
Mr. Isaac Kwame Asiamah 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, with your permission, may I ask this Question on behalf of my hon. Colleague who is unable to be here with us this morning?
Mr. Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Where is he? Do you have any permission from the --
Mr. As iamah 10:30 a.m.
Yes , f rom the Leadership.
Mr. Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Leadership?
Mr. Asiamah 10:30 a.m.
I have the permission from my hon. Colleague.
Mr. Speaker 10:30 a.m.
From your hon. Colleague? Yes, go ahead.
Mim (Urban Status)
Q. 550 Mr. Isaac Kwame Asiamah (on behalf of Mr. Robert Sarfo-Mensah) asked the Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Environment what plans the Ministry had to give a face-lift to Mim as a town of urban status.
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, before the 2000 Population Census, 34 towns were considered as urban in Ghana. After the census, towns of urban status were increased to 75, including Mim.
The Government recognizes urban centres as growth points in the national development process and therefore under a comprehensive Urban Policy Programme, these towns are being upgraded or to be given “face-lifts” with the assistance of the World Bank, and Mim is very much a part of the programme.
Mr. Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Hon. Minister for Local
Government, Rural Development and Environment, thank you very much for appearing to answer these Questions.
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, 10:30 a.m.
SCIENCE AND SPORTS 10:30 a.m.
Minister for Education, Science and Sports (Papa Owusu-Ankomah) 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Ghana Education Service is currently undertaking the construction and rehabilitation of over 500 projects countrywide which are at various stages of completion. It is the policy of the Service to complete a considerable number of these before new projects are considered for funding.
Mr. Speaker, the provision of a science laboratory at the above-named school would be considered when new projects are being listed for funding, as science laboratories are considered to be an important component for education in secondary schools.
Alhaji Wumbei 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in the interim, would the hon. Minister consider providing the school with some basic science equipment and chemicals so that the teaching and learning of science can go on in the school?
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the matter would be given consideration.
Mr. Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Question number 594 -- hon. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Member
of Parliament for Suame?
Mr. K. A. Okerchiri 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member is unavailable and he has authorised me, with your permission, to ask this Question on his behalf.
Mr. Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Permission granted.
Study Fees Paid by Pupils
Q. 594. Mr. K. A. Okerchiri (on behalf of Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu) asked the Minister for Education, Science and Sports if he was aware that some schools, through the collaboration of PTAs and tutors had introduced study fees per pupil, per day which was defeating the purpose of the Capitation Grant and if so what the Ministry was doing to protect parents/guardians, particularly the needy ones, and prevent pupils from dropping out of school.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Ministry has introduced the Capitation Grant which has recorded a huge enrolment in schools. To sustain and retain the children of all parents in schools, the Ministry will require the support of all stakeholders including Members of Parliament and District Assemblies to monitor the activities in these schools.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to state that no head of a basic school can prevent a child from attending classes for failing to pay any levy or fee.
Mr. Speaker, the Ministry will therefore appreciate it, if the hon. Member of Parliament will give names of specific schools to enable investigations to be undertaken and necessary action on the offending heads. Mr. Speaker, I wish to implore all stakeholders to assist the Ministry to make basic education accessible to all children of school-going age irrespective of the socio-economic

background of their parents.
Mr. Speaker 10:40 a.m.
Question number 595 -- Hon. Ernest Kofi Yakah, Member of Parliament for New Edubiase.
Mr. C. S. Hodogbey 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, hon. Ernest Yakah has asked me to ask the Question on his behalf, so I am asking for your permission to do so.
Mr. Speaker 10:40 a.m.
Please, go ahead.
New Edubiase Senior Secondary School
Q. 595. Mr. C. S. Hodogbey (on behalf of Mr. Ernest Kofi Yakah) asked the Minister for Educastion, Science and Sports what plans the Ministry had to construct administration block and boys'dormitory for the New Edubiase Senior Secondary School.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Ghana Education Service is currently undertaking the construction and rehabilitation of over 500 projects countrywide at the secondary level which are at various stages of completion. It is the policy of the Service to complete a considerable number of these before new projects and suspended ones are considered for funding.
Mr. Speaker, the construction of administration block and boys dormitory at the above-named school would be considered when new projects are being listed for funding.
However, Mr. Speaker, I wish to state that presently the priority of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports is to improve upon academic infrastructure in schools. So schools that need academic infrastructure like classrooms, science laboratories, et cetera, would have their
requests favourably considered.
However, for the provision of dormitory blocks, for instance, we may have to wait for a while, while we complete existing projects.
Mr. Hodogbey 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that the additional answers given by the hon. Minister do not form part of what is on the Order Paper. However, I would want to ask about the key word, “considerable”. What number is “considerable” to be completed before New Edubiase, as he thinks, would fall in?
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, “considerable” depends on the circumstances, but I would assume that probably it is not less than 50 per cent of the existing projects. Let us not forget that projects have been ongoing; everytime projects are being completed. So even though I stated “considerable”, it may well be that within the next six months the request may be considered.
Mr. Speaker 10:40 a.m.
Question number 596 -- hon. Benito Owusu-Bio, Member of Parliament for Atwima Nwabiagya.
Mr. Frederick Opare-Ansah 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member is unable to be here today and with your kind permission he has asked me to ask the Question on his behalf.
Mr. Speaker 10:40 a.m.
Permission granted, go ahead.
JSS GETFund Classroom Block at Abuakwa
Q. 596 Mr. Frederick Opare-Ansah (on behalf of Mr. Benito Owusu-Bio) asked the Minister for Education, Science and Sports when the abandoned J.S.S.
GETFund classroom block at Abuakwa which had been at the foundation stage for two years would be completed.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, information available at the Ministry indicates that the only GETFund project at Abuakwa in the Atwima Nwabiagya District of the Ashanti Region is the Abuakwa Division “B” Primary School renovation project which was started in 2002 and currently at little over 90 per cent completion stage.
Mr. Speaker, reliable information at the GETFund desk at the Ghana Education Service indicates that the project, the solemn matter of this Question is not a GETFund project. And of course, the sources of funding could be added which have not been readily ascertained.
Mr. Speaker, investigation is ongoing in this matter, and I would duly inform the hon. Member if what he is saying is the correct position. Then I would endeavour to remedy it accordingly.
Mankranso Senior Secondary School (Upgrading)
Q. 608 Mr. S. K. B. Manu asked
the Minister for Education, Science and Sports when Mankranso Senior Secondary School, the only one in the Ahafo-Ano South District, would be selected for upgrading as a model school.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, H.E. the President upon assumption of office and recognizing the wide dichotomy in infrastructure between the few endowed and mainly urban-based schools and the less endowed, mainly rural-based schools, decided as a policy objective to bridge the gap in secondary education between all districts in the country.
In pursuance of the above policy objective, the District Assemblies and the District Directorates of Education were
Mr. Manu 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, can the hon. Minister give an indication as to when the third phase would be tackled so that Mankranso Secondary School would be selected, as assured?
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am sure my hon. Colleague appreciates the situation in which we find ourselves as a country and as a Ministry. I cannot give a ready answer, except to say that now as a country, we ought to decide whether some of these good infrastructural projects would have to be suspended or deferred whilst we consider salaries, et cetera, of workers.
But certainly, if the length of time it took to complete the first 31 is anything to go by, I would say that it may be the next three years or so, when we would select these third- phase schools. We will only select when we are assured that we have

finances for the projects. But the hon. Member knows that, well, the next three years, we would still be here to deliver all the promises.
Mr. Manu 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, recognizing the hard work that the Chairman for the Education Committee is doing and realizing that it is going to take at least three years before the selection takes place, can the hon. Minister do something for that school in terms of projects, to give the people of Ahafo Ano the assurance that when the time really comes, they would be considered favourably?
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Chairman of the Education Committee and I have had very fruitful discussions on these matters. I wish to assure him that the Ministry would do all it can to demonstrate its appreciation for the good work of the hon. Chairman and other Members of the Committee.
Mr. Tettey-Enyo 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to know from the Minister for Education, Science and Sports the number of schools involved in the third phase of the model school programme.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 10:50 a.m.
Mr.
Speaker, presently I cannot say. The second phase is 25 and the first phase was 31. It was because funding for the second phase was not as large as we anticipated. But we will endeavour to complete this project or the upgrading probably within the next six years.
Mr. Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon. Member for
Nabdam, please go ahead.
Mr. M. A. Asaga 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the
phase two was supposed to be for the new districts which were supposed to have model schools; I want to know whether the Talensi-Nabdam District model school
has been approved in the phase two and whether the Ministry has sent us letters and whether I have been copied.
Mr. Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon. Member for
Nabdam, this cannot be a supplementary question. You may wish to come properly.
Mr. A. K. Agbesi 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want to know from the hon. Minister whether he is aware that of the 31 schools that were selected for the first phase, some have been taken out of the list. And if he is aware, what is he doing about it, particularly that of Ashaiman which has been taken out of the list?
Mr. Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon. Member for
Ashaiman, I am asking the Minister to answer the Question. But Minister, forget about Ashaiman for the time being. You may wish to answer the Question generally.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
I hold in my hand the list of schools to be rehabilitated and expanded in the second phase; it does not include Ashaiman. The decision as to which school should form part of the schools to be upgraded depends on the District Assembly's choice. So if the hon. Member for any reason thinks that the selection for Tema was Ashaiman and then it has later been reversed, the proper body to answer that question is the Tema Municipal Assembly.
Mr. Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon. Minister for
Education, Science and Sports, thank you very much for appearing to answer the Questions. You are discharged.
Item 4, Statements. Statements by Minister for Education, Science and Sports.
STATEMENTS 10:50 a.m.
Minister for Education, Science and Sports (Papa Owusu-Ankomah) 10:50 a.m.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, for granting me permission to brief the House on the strike action by members of the National Association of Graduate Teachers.
Mr. Speaker, over the last few years,
the Education Sector has had to contend with agitation and industrial action by a section of Graduate teachers who belong to the National Association of Graduate Teachers ( NAGRAT). Sometime in August this year, after its Annual Delegates' Conference held at Tamale, NAGRAT passed a Resolution calling on the Government to address some issues by September 1, 2006, failing which they would advise themselves. Upon hearing of this Resolution in the media, I, as the Minister responsible for Education invited the Executives of NAGRAT on the 30th of August, 2006 to my office.
It was well attended by the President, the Secretary, the Financial Secretary and some other persons including the Greater Accra representative or the Greater Accra Chairman of NAGRAT. I explained to them the position of the Government on the issues raised and appealed to them not to embark on any strike action. This was on the 30th day of August. The National Executives could not give me an assurance that there would not be any strike action as they explained that the Regional Branches had threatened to declare a strike action if the National Executives did not declare a strike action. And of course, since 1st September, 2006 members of NAGRAT have been on strike.
The apparent silence of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports and the Management of the Ghana Education
Service on the matter in the media has been due to the fact that the National Labour Commission (NLC), the body with statutory authority to deal with labour issues had been making efforts to find a solution to the problem. The Ministry and the Ghana Education Service therefore deemed it appropriate to give the National Labour Commission the opportunity to deal with its statutory responsibility.
Mr. Speaker, under the Education
Service Act of 1995 (Act 506) and the Labour Act of 2003 (Act 651), the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) are the recognized bodies with collective bargaining agreement with the Ghana Education Service (GES). For teachers, the collective bargaining certificate has been given to GNAT by the Labour Commission under the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651).
NAGRAT has always disputed the
legality of the Labour Commission granting a certificate to GNAT for all teachers; and I believe that the matter is presently pending before an Accra High Court.
The Ministry however wishes to acknowledge the right of NAGRAT members to form an association. Unfortunately, they currently have no collective bargaining agreement with the GES that will mandate it to negotiate any terms and conditions of service for teachers.
In spite of this, the Government, being their employer has, through the GES held discussions with NAGRAT in an effort to reach an amicable settlement on various concerns of their members at various times. Indeed, upon assumption of office, I have met the National Executives of NAGRAT on two occasions. The last
Minister for Education, Science and Sports (Papa Owusu-Ankomah) 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the issues raised by
NAGRAT in their Resolution after the conference are as follows and I will attempt to brief hon. Members on the position of the Government on this matter and steps that have been taken. The issues are as follows:
1. Government must review salaries of workers, especially that of teachers by September
1, 2006.
2. NAGRAT should be given representation on all committees and panels of Ghana Education Service and the Ghana Education Service Council that deal with matters affecting NAGRAT.
3. The Controller and Accountant- General should cease forthwith the use of the autocode that effects deductions from salaries of teachers.
4. The Acting Director-General of the Ghana Education Service should be replaced since his compulsory retirement was due last year.
5. Government should offer free education to at least two children a teacher up to university level; and
6. All outstanding grievances on which a Memorandum of Under-standing has been signed should be implemented by the Government in 2006.
Mr. Speaker, this resolution was adopted on the 23rd or the 24th of August and the Government was given an ultimatum up to
the 1st of September to fulfil or meet these demands failing which they would advise themselves. As I said, upon hearing of this resolution in the media, I invited them and explained the Government's position before the deadline that they had given.
Mr. Speaker, I informed them at the meeting that Government had embarked on a public sector pay report and that it would be appropriate if NAGRAT would join the Ghana National Association of Teachers to constitute a team to negotiate the conditions of service and salary levels of teachers for the year 2007 as GNAT had done so previously.

But I assured them that under the Education Bill which is presently under consideration, representation of teachers has been made association neutral; so where teachers have to be represented, it is stated that “Teacher Associations” should nominate a representative. I said that first of all, when it came to administrative bodies, representation will be thrown to Teacher Associations so that among Teacher Associations, they could elect whoever was competent enough. And indeed, I added that there is a committee that is working on housing and car schemes for teachers and there is representation from GNAT and representation from

NAGRAT.

Of course, on the issue that the Accountant-General should cease forthwith the use of the autocode, I informed them that I have been assured that IPPD II had made provision for the selection by an employee of his union of choice as part of the new entrants' input form and that the implementation has started since June 2006.

In respect of the Acting Director- General, I informed them that the Government had given him a contract
Minister for Education, Science and Sports (Papa Owusu-Ankomah) 11:10 a.m.
In respect of the letters of conversion to take care of the top-up being paid by GES presently, the initial graduate teacher rate used to be that of Superintendent rising through Senior Superintendent, Principal Superintendent, Assistant Director and then to Director.
Four years ago, in 2001, the initial grade of the graduate teacher was changed, to principal superintendent for the fresh graduate teacher; a grade that used to take seven to nine years for the graduate teacher to attain. The GES as before has issued letters to all the affected graduate teachers through the Regional Directors of Education for the adjustment of salaries of Assistant Directors and above. The change caused major distortions in the levels at which staff who have been in the service before the placement of fresh graduates at the principal superintendent level came into effect.
As a result of the distortions mentioned above, the Ghana Education Service Council set up a committee to work out a revised scheme of service for personnel in the GES. Of course, this went through a tortured bureaucratic path but it was approved by the Ministry of Finance on 1st October, 2006.
Then Meaningful Responsibility Allowance; this relates to allowances for heads of schools, housemasters, et cetera. I must say that these allowances are nothing to write home about. However, the Ministry and the GES are having

In the discussions, we have indicated that instead of allowances we should give duty post salaries so that someone who is a headmaster should be paid as a headmaster taking into consideration his rank; someone who is a senior housemaster should be paid an all- inclusive remuneration instead of paying just the allowance.

And these issues are part of the discussions with the Ministries of Manpower, Youth and Employment, and Public Sector Reforms on the ongoing salary reviews for all public servants.

Mr. Speaker, in respect of the payment of arrears for teachers recruited in 2003/2005, I wish to inform the House that the number of teachers involved is thirty-eight. All over the country, in all the one hundred and thirty-eight districts, the number involved is thirty- eight -- three, eight. Indeed, as at the time that I invited them for the meeting, I invited the Financial Controller of the Ghana Education Service and he showed us a cheque that he had received for the payment of the backpay of the thirty-eight teachers, which he was going to forward to the various heads to be paid.

About three weeks thereafter, when I enquired, information reaching me indicated that some of the heads of the institutions had even returned some of the cheques indicating that the sums involved were more than what was due the teachers. But as of now, I have been informed that the amount (¢415,881,600) has been released to the affected schools for the payment of the staff. Indeed, the impression has been created that the
Minister for Education, Science and Sports (Papa Owusu-Ankomah) 11:20 a.m.
I wish to inform this House that indeed
as far back as January 5, 2006, the Ghana Education Service (GES) met GNAT, NAGRAT, and the Labour Commission to discuss the way forward for managing the industrial relations issue within the GES. And it was indicated that there was the need for GNAT and NAGRAT to set up a joint negotiating team to negotiate on salaries and conditions of service as GNAT has been given the bargaining certificate. And GNAT upon receipt of the bargaining certificate wrote to NAGRAT to submit their nominees for the joint negotiating team and also provide inputs for the negotiations. NAGRAT has not given that a favourable response.
In the year 2006, there were meetings
between NAGRAT and my predecessor and as I said, I have met them twice. The first time was when I was appointed and they congratulated me and I invited them to my office. We discussed all matters concerning them, and after they had resolved these matters at their conference, I again invited them to discuss the issues of concern as I have already stated.
The GES Council had met with the leadership of NAGRAT, this was in July, together with GNAT and agreed on charting a new course in resolving all issues amicably. The Council also met with NAGRAT on Thursday, 12th October 2006, and made a passionate appeal to NAGRAT to consider both the short and long-term effect of their action, especially the effect on the examination classes, and return to the classrooms to enable all parties to try and negotiate these matters.
NAGRAT's position was that the Council's appeal can only be considered

by the congress of NAGRAT as it was the congress that made that resolution. And when they were asked when congress would have time to consider it, the executives were unable to tell the Council when this would take place.

Furthermore, NAGRAT has met representatives of the Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment which is the lead negotiator of Government when it comes to negotiating salaries and conditions of service. CHASS has also met the executives of NAGRAT at the residence of the Greater Accra Regional Minister, sometime ago, I think about two weeks ago.

The Greater Accra Regional Minister undertook to arrange a meeting with H.E. the President so that they could even bypass the Minister and deal with the Head of State directly. But then he wanted an undertaking that whatever the outcome of that discussion, they would go back to work. Their response was that if they did not receive a positive assurance from the meeting, they could not convince their members to go back to the classroom. And since they were being requested to give an undertaking even before the meeting, they would not take up the offer to meet H.E. the President.

Of course, the heads of the religious bodies have met NAGRAT, the Ministry, the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the GES Council on various occasions, and, I, as the Minister, have given them the assurance of my preparedness to attend any meeting convened under the auspices of the religious bodies so that we could amicably resolve this matter.

Of course, the efforts made by the National Labour Commission to resolve this matter is a matter of public record. We know that they took the matter to the high

court; the high court declared the strike illegal. When the GES Council set up a joint negotiating committee to consider proposals on new conditions of service, as I have said, GNAT wrote to NAGRAT inviting them to nominate two persons to join them to negotiate but they have not taken up this matter

Of course, I am keenly aware of the rivalry between GNAT and NAGRAT, for the reason that the National Labour Commission has issued a certificate to GNAT. The Ministry, even though it has held several meetings with NAGRAT on various occasions, over the past three or four years, the meetings have not been designed to negotiate conditions of service.

Mr. Speaker, as I stand here as a Minister, I am more than ever prepared to meet the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT). I am indeed desirous of meeting NAGRAT, but as I informed the religious bodies, I would want them to play, let us say, a facilitatory role and bring all the stakeholders -- Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), NAGRAT, Ghana Education Service (GES), GES Council and the Ministry -- to the table so that we discuss matters in order to resolve the current impasse.

Indeed, whilst exploring avenues for resolving this matter, directives have been given to heads of institution to engage teachers in the interim, in consultation with their boards and the parent-teacher associations to stabilize the situation. Some old students associations have also mobilized their members who are teachers to liaise with heads of institution, to assist in resolving the crisis, and even pay some teachers to teach the third year students.

Of course, retired teachers are also being recruited to support teaching in schools, and national service personnel have been strategically posted to some of these schools as an interim measure. But this is a crisis and these are decisions taken to meet the crisis. We do not believe that this can be a final solution, but being an eternal optimist, I know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I must place on record that Government appreciates the good efforts being made by all teachers, including graduate teachers, to educate the future manpower of this country. And before NAGRAT embarked on the strike action, as I said, I had discussions with them. Circums-tances have not changed, new facts have not arisen, but we are still ready and willing to meet them to dialogue on this matter. I would therefore continue to appeal to the leadership of NAGRAT to try and urge their members to return to the classrooms so that we can dialogue on their concerns and lay this matter to rest.

Mr. Speaker, I thank you most sincerely and the House for your patience in permitting me to give quite a comprehensive brief on this situation so that the House, as representatives of the people of this country can be fully apprised of the situation and then also offer advice on the way forward.

I thank you most sincerely, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Alex N. Tettey-Enyo (NDC -- Ada) 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Statement made by the hon. Minister for Education, Science and Sports so that the purpose of our invitation extended to him, to brief this House so that we can see our way clear in contributing to the solution of the problem, is actually realised. I have to thank the hon. Minister for heeding our call to come
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, just a point of order to correct a statement which may not be true. I told the hon. Majority Leader a week ago, immediately the House resumed, that I would want to brief the House on the NAGRAT strike -- [Interruption.]
Mr. Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Hon. Member for Ada, you may proceed.
Mr. Tettey-Enyo 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would not have said that, but I am a member of the Business Committee and the hon. Majority Leader did not raise the issue at our meeting on Thursday. I thank the hon. Minister for clarifying the issue.
Mr. Speaker, I think it is often said that we can only find solutions to problems, when we really understand the issues at stake and we know the causes of the problem, and we are able to analyse the way we can deal with the problem in various ways. Sometimes, some of the known legal procedures may not solve the problem; you have to look at alternative means of bringing about solutions to the problem.
The issue that this NAGRAT strike has
taken us so long, indicates that we have not really understood the main reasons for the strike or we have ignored the issues as indicated by NAGRAT. Also, we have not sought other means of solving the problem than looking at the legal processes which we think we are aware of and should be used at all costs.
The hon. Minister has clearly indicated
to us all the various steps taken prior to the
strike action taken by NAGRAT and the fact that after the press statement made by NAGRAT on the 23rd of August, 2006, he called them to a meeting on the 30th of August, on the eve of the projected strike and talked to them on various issues. Actually, he outlined all the six points raised at the congress which were the basis of the press statement made by the Secretary to NAGRAT.
We would all recall that at the end of that press conference called by Mr. King Zakari at the NAGRAT national secretariat, he indicated that the main reasons affecting NAGRAT after the congress were only three, namely:
(1) the need for Government to review the salaries of workers, especially teachers by September 1, 2006;
(2) the need for education authorities and other bodies to fulfil all outstanding grievances in the memorandum of understandings (MOUs) signed by September 1,
2006;
(3) the absolute need for Government to replace the Acting Director- General of GES, Mr. Michael Kenneth Nsowah by September
1, 2006.
These were the three main reasons why the NAGRAT embarked upon the strike and we had to go through a lot of problems with the intentions of NAGRAT; because most people in this country only took out of the six points some of the less important issues which the resolution tabled indicated.
One is about the sponsored education of two children of each teacher, the fact that certain allowances must be paid for teachers who undertook marking of examination papers, and so on and so forth, without concentrating on the two main issues which are still the basis of the industrial action, namely the review of the
Mr. Tettey-Enyo 11:30 a.m.


salaries of workers, especially teachers by September 1, and then the need for education authorities and other bodies to fulfil all the outstanding grievances in the MOUs signed by NAGRAT with the GES.

Mr. Speaker, the way we have gone through pain and suffering as a result of this strike, if we are to pave a way for solution to the impasse -- and I consider the hon. Minister is also aware of the impasse between NAGRAT and the GES -- then our focus must be on these two issues.

The hon. Minister has already told us of the attempts made by Government or our Ministry of Education, Science and Sports to bring the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) together to form a joint negotiating committee. The problem which NAGRAT has with that kind of thinking is that whereas they are dealing with the Ministry or Ghana Education Service (GES), the GES and the Ministry are always urging GNAT to engage them rather the Ministry or the GES itself taking the lead in promoting harmony between NAGRAT and GNAT.

On the question of the review of the conditions of service, the hon. Minister mentioned a letter which GNAT wrote to NAGRAT calling upon them to send representatives to negotiate. With your permission, I will read the contents of that letter and see the way the Ministry is handling the issue, allowing GNAT to determine the pace to join up with a rival union. The letter itself was not headed “An Invitation to Constitute a Joint Negotiating Body”. It reads:

“NEW COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT
FOR THE TEACHING STAFF 11:30 a.m.
OF THE GHANA EDUCATION 11:30 a.m.
SERVICE 11:30 a.m.
GENERAL SECRETARY 11:30 a.m.
Mr. S. K. B. Manu (NPP -- Ahafo- Ano South) 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the Statement made by the hon. Minister responsible for Education. Mr. Speaker, this issue of NAGRAT going on strike is not a new phenomenon; it happened some time past but your Committee was able to mediate successfully in sending the teachers back to the classroom.
Mr. Speaker, at that meeting, when all stakeholders were called under my chairmanship -- [Hear! Hear!] -- and I want Ghanaians to listen to me, as a founding father of NAGRAT. When I was a teacher NAGRAT was my brainchild, together with Kwami Alorvi who was my mate. Mr. Speaker, when we met six issues were agreed upon. NAGRAT was
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:30 a.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, my hon. Colleague for Ahafo-Ano South (Mr. Manu) is seriously misleading the House. He is misleading the House on the note that, having identified himself as a founding member of NAGRAT, he as at now would not be painting a picture which is independent of his initial stand -- there is conflict of interest from what he is saying.
Mr. Manu 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, we need time to do serious business and I would have to continue. When we met at that time six issues were agreed upon. Your Committee, Mr. Speaker, did not rest on its oars after reaching those decisions. Your Committee travelled even to the Central Region to monitor affairs that were agreed upon to the extent that even at Aburaman Secondary School a teacher confessed that he had got a letter of conversion which was one of the grievances that had been placed before the mediating team. Mr. Speaker, after that NAGRAT claimed that some of the issues in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or all issues in the MOU were not followed by the GES.
Mr. Speaker, one expected that NAGRAT would come back to the mediator to tell the mediator that it was by their mediation that those points were agreed upon but they had not been followed, then the mediator would have called the other party to bring the other party together in fulfilment of the decisions taken.

Mr. Speaker, your Committee did not hear this; all we heard was that they were on strike, setting aside the Committee that mediated. And this time other issues which
Mr. Manu 11:40 a.m.


did not form part of the six items of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) were added, namely: (1) The Director- General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) should be replaced; (2) that two children of a teacher be sponsored to the university level.

Mr. Speaker, this threw off gear the ability and the capability of your Committee to go into the matter. I am saying these things to let Ghanaians know why their cry that Parliament should come in did not work with us. Because as I said on many radio stations, those powers do not rest in the hands of Parliament. Parliament as a lawmaking body does not have the executive powers to hire and fire. He who hires, fires; and the Director- General was hired by the Executive and could only be fired by the Executive. So if NAGRAT was asking for the firing of the Director-General, then it dis-enabled Parliament to come in and solve the problem.

Secondly, their call that two children of a teacher, meaning every teacher, be sponsored up to the university level, your Committee found it to be impracticable, in the sense that there are so many loopholes in that. What about a teacher who does not have a child? [Interruptions.] Please, this also dis-enabled your Committee to handle the matter --
rose
Mr. Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Hon. Member for
Nkwanta South, do you have a point of order?
Mr. G. K. B. Gbediame 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
I have a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member is trying to mislead this House. When the hon. Member for Ada (hon. Tettey-Enyo) was making his submission he mentioned the three salient points which the people zeroed in
on, and now he is emphasizing on those other points which were not in their final decision. So he should address those other issues and stop --
Mr. Manu 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think
this is also not worth commenting upon. Mr. Speaker, in the Minister's Statement he said -- and I reiterate it -- that the Ghana Education Service and the Ministry recognize GNAT. This does not preclude NAGRAT. The recognition of GNAT was on the basis of those who hold the bargaining certificate; and that decision, I am glad to say, was made part of the law when I was Chairman of the Committee -- [Hear! Hear!] Yes, when that law was being passed -- What the law says is that as many associations as possible can grow at a workplace. But when it comes to who holds the certificate for negotiation of conditions of service, that association with the highest number of membership would hold the certificate. Mr. Speaker, your Committee that promulgated that law did not stop there; we realized that the minority must also be heard.
So it was put in the law that when the one with the highest number of membership holds the certificate, those other associations with minority membership should join in the negotiation. [Some hon. Members: How?] That is how come when GNAT took the certificate they invited NAGRAT to join in negotiation with the employer. I felt that was a golden opportunity for NAGRAT to have joined the negotiation table with GNAT against Government, their employer.
The hon. Member for Ada, Mr. Tettey- Enyo described NAGRAT and GNAT as rival bodies. I shudder to say I regret. These are bodies who are all seeking the welfare of the teacher. They are
Mr. Manu 11:40 a.m.


all seeking the welfare of the teacher; why should they not play ball together against their employer but seek to divide themselves? As the Good Book says, a house divided amongst itself stands to fall -- [Interruptions.] So I expect
NAGRAT -- 11:40 a.m.
rose
Mr. Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Hon. Member for
Nkwanta South, do you have a point of order?
Mr. Gbediame 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The hon. Member is still misleading the House. Mr. Speaker, if we listened attentively, when even the hon. Minister was making his submission, he mentioned that they recognized that GNAT and NAGRAT are rival bodies. He made that statement and why should the hon. Member now attribute that statement to hon. Tettey-Enyo? [Interruptions.]
Mr. Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Hon. Members, this is
a Statement, this is not a motion; it is only a Statement.
Mr. Manu 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I still stand
by my words that the two bodies should not -- I want people to listen and listen well. They may be rivals, but according to me, the Member of Parliament for Ahafo Ano South -- [Interruptions] -- who has caught the Speaker's eye to speak -- [Uproar.]
Mr. Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Order! Order!
Mr. Manu 11:40 a.m.
According to me, Balado,
they need not be rivals -- [Interruptions.] They should not be rivals, they must be two bodies which are fighting for the welfare of the teacher, and must coexist. They must learn to coexist to further the cause of teachers. Mr. Speaker, as I said, I implore or I pray NAGRAT -- [Interruption.]
rose
Mr. Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Hon. Member for Wa
Central, do you have a point of order?
Mr. Pelpuo 11:40 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker. Mr.
Speaker, the hon. Member just told us that NAGRAT is his own brain child and that he was responsible for breaking the teachers' front. But now he is insisting that NAGRAT and GNAT should work together. Mr. Speaker, I am calling him to order that he should not mislead this House by advocating a break in the teachers' front and at the same time insisting that the two should come together to ensure that negotiations take place. Mr. Speaker -- [Interruptions] -- he should ensure that he convinces Government to listen to teachers and ensure that the problem of NAGRAT is solved and that the poor students who are suffering and the generation gap that is going to be created because of students who cannot pass their examinations, because they are not attending classes -- He should ensure that the negotiations take place and that NAGRAT is listened to.
Mr. Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Hon. Member, this is
not a point of order.
Mr. Manu 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, thank you

What I am saying is that it was not to break the front of teachers; it was rather to mobilize teachers from all angles to
Mr. Manu 11:40 a.m.


confront the employer when it came to negotiation for conditions of service, and that is why I am praying that the two bodies -- GNAT and NAGRAT -- should see themselves not as rivals but as people who are fighting for a common cause and come together.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to say that when the hon. Member was speaking -- the one who raised a non-valid point of order -- he said that I should bring the two together. I assure him, but for the case being before court now -- and if I had the mandate of the Minister to do it -- I have done it before. The strike had travelled five weeks; I used two days to solve the problem -- [Interruptions.] Yes, everybody in this country knows. The capacity is there to do it but where the matter is before court there is nothing I can do; the courts have ruled and the court's ruling must prevail. [Inter-ruption.]
Mr. Speaker 11:50 a.m.
Hon. Members should take notice that this is not a debate; you are only commenting on the Statement. Hon. Member for North Tongu, do you have a point of order?
Mr. Hodogbey 11:50 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker. I have a point of order, in the sense that the NAGRAT issue is not only for one Administration; we want a solution which will last. But if one hon. Member like hon. Balado, tries to assert or polarize the House, I do not think it is a good one. Therefore, I appeal to him to speak to the point so that we find a lasting solution to this problem so that when we come to power in 2009 we do not have anything to do with NAGRAT problems. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker 11:50 a.m.
Thank you very much
indeed.
Mr. Manu 11:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in conclusion
therefore, I would like to appeal to the striking teachers -- because it is not only NAGRAT who are on Strike; there are some teachers who are on strike who are not members of NAGRAT. I am appealing to the striking teachers that relating to the condition of service everybody in this country agrees that they have a point, but it should be gone about legally and lawfully.
Let me now turn to the hon. Minister in charge of Public Sector Reforms. Mr. Speaker, all these things have come about because the people's salaries are not enough for them. I am one of them. All workers in the public sector, if they have the chance, will cry over their salaries. So having been charged with the responsibility of coming out with the Public Sector Reforms which will automatically address the remuneration of public workers, he should not sleep. Yesterday I heard a news item that he was spending sleepless nights.
I would want to add that very soon, if he does not work faster, he will even spend sleepless days at work because we want the money for the worker and the reforms should come fast to relieve Ghanaians of all these problems. I know if the worker is well paid all these NAGRAT problem, doctors problem, Members of Parliament (MPs) problem will not come about.
In conclusion, therefore, I thank the
hon. Minister for briefing the House and I urge all and sundry, particularly my Colleagues and Friends, the members of NAGRAT to go back to the classroom in accordance with the rulings of the court. I am not saying they cannot contest it; they can contest the ruling whilst they are in class so that at the end of the day Ghana will be the beneficiary. I thank you for the opportunity.
Mr. Manu 11:50 a.m.


Mr. G. K. B. Gbediame (NDC --

Nkwanta South): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity given me to contribute to the Statement. Mr. Speaker, may I seek your guidance. How many people are going to speak? -- [Pause] -- Otherwise I will yield my position to hon. Joe Gidisu.
rose
Mr. Speaker 11:50 a.m.
Deputy Minority Whip,
what is it? We discussed this matter, you know. So who is to speak?
Mr. E. T. Mensah 11:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, hon. Joe Gidisu.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu (NDC -- Central
Tongu): Thank you, Mr. Speaker; for the opportunity to contribute to this Statement. Mr. Speaker, there are a number of issues that we have to put in the right perspective. In the first place, one would have to identify the point that the labour relation in the Ghana Education Service is different from the labour relation in other establishments. And for that reason stakeholders and people in authority should take note of this in relation to the industrial relation issue that we have in the country.
rose
Mr. Speaker 11:50 a.m.
Hon. Member for Ahafo
Ano South, do you have a point of order to raise?
Mr. Manu 11:50 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker. Mr.
Speaker, the hon. Member is grossly
Mr. J. K. Gidisu noon
Mr. Speaker, some
hon. Colleagues will need tutorials when it comes to labour matters. The point I am making is that the labour relations in the Ghana Education Service which culminates in the industrial relations in that Ministry under the Act 651 is unique in itself. This is in the sense that if you take the Ministry of Health, for example, the labour relations in the Ministry of Health is not coterminous with the situation we have in the Ghana Education Service. I have always been maintaining the point that the situation we have in the Ghana Education Service in terms of even recruitment -- For a long time, until the last two years the entry point into the Ghana Education Service as a professional teacher was a 3-Year Post-Secondary.
It was only the last two years that we started recruiting teachers with Diploma status. We even started with Certificate ‘A', 4-Year to Certificate ‘A', 2-Year Post-Secondary, Certificate ‘A' 3-Year -- And for that reason, all these go into influencing the labour relations in that Ministry.
Mr. Speaker, the point I want to make is that having looked at this, it is very important for stakeholders and for that matter people in authority to take cognisance of this. The fundamental point which had brought about this strike, Mr. Speaker, is when a salary structure which had been in operation for the over eight or ten years was ignored. By this, I am referring to the Ghana Universal Salary Structure (GUSS).

Mr. Speaker, a lot of foreign money had gone into preparing this salary structure under the guidance of the Pricewater House. Mr. Speaker, the point of reference by the teachers on strike is that under that salary structure it was recognized that the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service was placed on the same level with the Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Health Service. And they were all on the salary range which at the end of the month -- They were taking home ¢5.5 million a month.

Mr. Speaker, no one knows how it came about that Government in its pursuance of taking the Health Service Workers out of this salary arrangement has now made the Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Health, who was on the same salary level with the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, take thirty three million cedis a month as against the five million cedis taken by the Director, General of the Ghana Education Service.

Mr. Speaker, these are very fundamental

situations which should be addressed. For the past five or six years, when the NPP Government came to power, it said that it was going to put the issue to public debate. The other time the President was hiding behind the fact that the debate had been set in motion and he expects people to contribute to it. To date, foreign money is being spent on a similar exercise undertaken by Pricewater House and these are very worrying situations in a country where one would have expected that we would be moving forward in terms of what we have been able to put in place.

If there is any problem with the Ghana Universal Salary Structure, it would be prudent for us to look at the dynamics of the salary situation and come out with a better arrangement rather than putting it
Mr. F. K. Owusu-Adjapong noon
Mr.
Speaker, I am of the opinion that my hon. Colleague is not commenting on the Statement made by the hon. Minister and that he is introducing extraneous matters which he does not understand. We are talking about NAGRAT and we are talking about NAGRAT salary. And I believe as a former officer of GNAT he should have been in a better position to speak from that angle rather than deviating and talking about Pricewater House and things like that. So Mr. Speaker, if you can bring him to order.
Mr. Speaker noon
Hon. Member for
Central Tongu, we do not have much time --
Mr. J. K. Gidisu noon
Mr. Speaker, I
tried to give a historical background to this salary distortion -- [Interruptions] -- because it is very very important -- [Interruption.]
Mr. Speaker noon
We do not have much
time.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu noon
Mr. Speaker, the
background to all these agitations is the salary distortions and the basis of the distortion is the putting aside of the Ghana Universal Salary Structure. Mr. Speaker, having mentioned the situation of GNAT and NAGRAT, this is a situation we would have to caution our members in that profession about, that dividing our ranks in terms of status -- Those who know the history of GNAT would realize that we have had splinter units in the Ghana Education Service some years back.
We had Elementary School Teachers
Mr. J. K. Gidisu noon


Minister for Education, Science and

Sports (Papa Owusu-Ankomah): Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member who just spoke is out of order. To say that the employer is taking advantage of it is imputing bad motive to the employer and I do not think it is fair; he ought to withdraw. The Government is being very fair to all manner of persons in the country. To say that because there are various unions the employer is taking advantage of them is imputing bad motive to the employer of whom I am the representative and I believe that that is most unkind and unfair and he ought to withdraw.
Mr. Speaker noon
Hon. Member for
Central Tongu, what do you say to that?
Mr. J. K. Gidisu noon
Mr. Speaker, this
situation of employers taking advantage of such splinter units within the labour force is not peculiar to the Ghana Education Service and those who know about this labour agitations will always recognize the point that, united we stand, divided we fall. For that matter, if you have a divided front
Mr. Speaker noon
Order! Order! Hon.
Member for Central Tongu --
Mr. J. K. Gidisu noon
Mr. Speaker, I am
Mr. Speaker noon
Hon. Member for
Central Tongu, what do you say to the objection he has taken?
Mr. J. K. Gidisu noon
Mr. Speaker, it is not
Mr. Speaker noon
Hon. Member for
Central Tongu, are you saying you did not intend to cause any harm on this issue?
Mr. J. K. Gidisu noon
At all. Mr. Speaker,
it is a general statement that I have made. And it is meant to be no harm to the hon Minister and for that matter the Ministry in particular.
Mr. Speaker noon
All right, go ahead.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu noon
Mr. Speaker, there
is a very serious dimension to the ongoing strike. This academic year, our students in the third year of the Senior Secondary School would be writing their final examination in April/May instead of the July/August time table which had been fixed over the years. It is quite mind- boggling that for almost two months into the new academic year, where most schools have not even finished the syllabi
Mr. Speaker noon
Hon. Member, do you
have any point of order?
Dr. A. A. Osei noon
That is so, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I heard the hon. Member refer to us as those in the Third World. I want to find out from him what he means by “those in the Third World”.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu noon
Mr. Speaker, I
Dr. A. A. Akoto Osei noon
Mr. Speaker,
recently, certain people decided to ask Ghanaians to call the Government to order. I want to know if he is following that directive or not.
Mr. Speaker noon
Hon. Member for
Central Tongu, please conclude.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu noon
Mr. Speaker, up
till now, those in the first year have not started lectures and this is very serious. And I want to say that if you look at the
Mr. Speaker noon
Are you concluding?
Mr. J. K. Gidisu noon
I am concluding,
Mr. Speaker noon
Hon. Member, are you
speaking to the Statement?
Mr. Speaker noon
Hon. Member for Central Tongu, are you concluding?
Mr. J. K. Gidisu noon
Yes, Mr. Speaker, I
Mr. Felix Owusu-Adjapong 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, my hon. Colleague is misleading the House. Mr. Speaker, my hon. Colleague is not aware that the money
Mr. Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Hon. Member, have you concluded?
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 12:10 p.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, I am just winding up on the point that -- It is an advice I am giving to the Government that if they found it prudent to use part of the GETFund to recruit untrained teachers, whilst there are teachers in the mainstream who needed to be paid, and hiding behind the fact that they do not have money, it will equally be very prudent in the interest of the nation -- [Interruption.] -- to find other ways of getting money to pay the teachers and let them go back to school.
Also the twenty million we were going to spend on the anniversary -- It is better to use that to pay for the teachers' salaries instead of using it on the 50th anniversary.
Minister for Public Sector Reforms (Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom) 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, thank you for allowing me to make a contribution to the Statement made by the hon. Member for Sekondi and the hon. Minister responsible for Education, Science and Sports.
Mr. Speaker, when we are talking about important matters such as paying government workers, about 500,000 of them, it is important for us, particularly those of us who represent the people in this honourable House, to engage in a

discussion in a manner that brings unity, in a manner that allows us to find a solution. Because when we have children at home, because teachers are also at home, it affects all of us. None of us here in this House can say that he or she is not affected one way or the other by our teachers being at home.

So, Mr. Speaker, when the discourse here also veers off course and distorts history, it is important that it be corrected. Mr. Speaker, in 1997, the then Government did the right thing by putting in place the Ghana Universal Salary Structure (GUSS). It was the right move to be made, it was a good product and it was a good solution.

However, Mr. Speaker, the GUSS as it has come to be known, was not fully implemented. That is the genesis of the problem that we have today. And I will show you why it was not fully implemented, Mr. Speaker. Number one, an important element of this GUSS was that there should have been put in place a body to maintain the salary structure, a body that throughout the months in the course of any year would do salary surveys, market surveys and determine the relativities between one job and another, between one service and another.
rose
Mr. Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Hon. Member for Central Tongu, what point of order is it?
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister is misleading the House; he is seriously misleading the House. The teachers never went alone, there was the forum -- [Interruption.]
Mr. Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Order! Order!
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, let us address it very well. Mr. Speaker, there was the forum of the Judicial Service workers, the Ghana Health Nurses Association, the teachers and the Civil Servants. These four groups were at the forum. So for him to be saying that each of these units went individually is wrong. There was a clearing house so he should go back as the Public Sector Reform Minister to look at this into details.
Dr. Nduom 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think as I move along, he will understand the point I am making. And I said, once again, when it comes to matters like this, let us sit down calmly and understand the situation and bring about lasting solutions. I do not think it is important for us to engage in unnecessary arguments over this matter.
Mr. Speaker, the point I am trying to make is that over the years ,this job content analysis, this market analysis, all of these things have not been the basis for the salary adjustments that have been made since 1998; and that is the genesis of the problem. And that is, in fact, because that body that was to have been put in place to conduct this analysis, this technical work, was not put in place. And so, as I was saying before, different groups would come, hold government to ransom, different governments would also because of the need to get people to go back to work, have made these decisions.
Mr. Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Order! Order! Hon. Minister, continue please.
Dr. Nduom 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I do not wish to be unkind so I will just continue because there are a number of facts that if we want to just engage in parochial discussions or partisan arguments, there are all manner of things that we could say. But Mr. Speaker, I said earlier on that when we are talking about matters like this -- [Interruption.]
Mr. E. T. Mensah 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, first of all, I think the hon. Minister is misleading this House. The use of the word “parochial” is unparliamentary. And what he should know is that there was a Public Services Commission working, he did not just move into a vacuum; there was something happening. He has been informed about the PriceWater House and Associates and the work that they did, the GUSS. He has been informed about the forum yet he is still misleading us and talking as if nothing had happened -- [Interruptions.] This is rather parochial, his approach is very parochial and I want him to desist from this parochial approach to addressing the issue.
Dr. Nduom 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, as I was
Mr. Yieleh Chireh 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order and also on a point of relevance. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister is a consultant, we all know but this matter now -- we are talking about NAGRAT strike and I would want him to talk about how we can get the teachers to go to the classroom. As for the thing that is coming in the Budget that would not solve the problem.
Indeed, one would have wished that with the consultancy he is doing, the President would call NAGRAT to the Castle to explain things to them and appeal to them as he told the health workers. I think that the issue should be how we can get the teachers back to the classrooms and not to tell us about what consultancy he is doing.
Dr. Nduom 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon.
Member has not only misled this House but has also said something that is grossly inaccurate and he must withdraw the statement. He called me a consultant -- [Laughter] -- Mr. Speaker, I am an hon. Member of this House representing the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo Abirem consti- tuency -- [Hear! Hear!] -- How did I become a consultant?
Mr. Speaker 12:20 p.m.
He has withdrawn
accordingly -- [Laugther] -- Please, go ahead.
Dr. Nduom 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am
concluding and the point I am just trying to make is that the matter associated with the teachers is a very important one. It is one that we should all work together to bring a lasting solution to, because it is not good for our teachers to be outside of the classroom, a situation which is making our children also stay outside of the classroom. The problem did not just come up. The
PAPERS 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker 12:20 p.m.
We shall defer items 6 and 7. Is that the wish?
Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker,
we want to inform hon. Members that this would be discussed on Friday.
MOTIONS 12:20 p.m.
Dr. A. A. Osei 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I beg to
second the motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Report of the Finance Committee on the Loan Agreement between the Government of Ghana and Stanbic
Bank Ghana Ltd.
Mr. Agyei-Addo 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, That this honourable House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee on the Loan Agreement between the Government of Ghana (GOG) and Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited for an amount of USD 13,000,000 for the procurement of Equipment and Services for the Ghana Police and Prisons Services by Paramount Logistics Corporation Ltd. of South Africa.
Mr. Speaker, in so doing, I wish to present the report of the Finance Committee. Mr. Speaker, with your permission I would want to read excerpts of the report notably the background, the observation and the conclusion. But having done that I would wish that you
Mr. Moses Asaga (NDC -- Nabdam) 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, this loan agreement is a little bit difficult for us to look at, at present, because if you look at it, it is a commercial facility. I think that we need to look at it a little bit. So our side here, we are not comfortable with this loan facility, whether it is a supplier's credit; whatever it is because this issue came up two years ago and there was a disagreement as to the packaging of this facility. So I would think that we should look at it again.
Mr. Agyei-Addo 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am really taken aback by the comments made by the hon. Member for Nabdam (Mr. Moses Asaga). He is a member of the Finance Committee himself and we discussed and agreed by consensus, by those at the meeting. So I am really surprised at his effusions on this matter. It is something that we discussed at the committee meeting and the agreement we reached was by consensus, and he is a member of the Committee.
Mr. Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon. Members, I would suggest that the leadership of this Committee should go outside and thrash out this matter. I do not think there is any point for us to continue arguing in this matter. [Interruptions.] Let us defer it for
GHANA POLICE SERVICE 12:30 p.m.
VEHICLES, ACCESSORIES AND SPARE PARTS 12:30 p.m.
GHANA PRISONS SERVICE 12:30 p.m.
VEHICLES AND SPARE PARTS 12:30 p.m.
EQUIPMENT 12:30 p.m.
CARPENTRY 12:30 p.m.
TAILORING 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Kwadjo Opare-Hammond 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I beg to second the motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Finance Committee Report on Commercial Contract Agreement
Vice Chairman of the Finance Committee (Mr. Kwadwo Agyei- Addo): Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, that this honourable House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee on the Commercial Contract Agreement between the Government of Ghana and VDL Jonckheere Bus and Coach N.V. Roeselare, Belgium for the supply of 150 buses and spare parts for public transport.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to be allowed to read only the conclusion, and then

the Hansard Department is entreated to capture the whole body of the report as having been read.

1.0 Introduction

The above Purchase Agreements were laid in the House on 31st October 2006 and referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and report in accordance with article 181 (5) of the Constitution and the Standing Orders of the House.

To discuss this document, the Committee met with the Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, hon. Prof. G. Gyan-Baffour, the Deputy Minister for Road Transport, hon. M. E. Opare-Asamoah and officials from the Ministries of Finance and Economic Planning and Road Transport and reports as follows:

2.0 Background

Hon. Members would recall that the House approved Concessionary Financing for Inter-City passenger services in 2001and 2003. In 2001, the House approved an agreement for the supply of 100 buses. The buses were completed and delivered to the Ministry of Roads and Transport in 2002. Due to its successful implementation, and in order to achieve the desired impact on the operation of the Metro Mass Transit, the Ministry appealed to the Dutch Government for concessionary funding for the supply of two hundred and fifty (250) intra-city buses from DAF Bus International.

In 2003, hundred (100) chassis together with body materials were to be delivered to Messrs Neoplan (Ghana) Limited in Kumasi for the construction of the bodies as phase one. Out of this, eighty-seven (87) buses have been completed and delivered to Metro Mass Transit Limited and the remaining thirteen (13) buses will

be delivered over the next two months.

Additionally, approval was granted for the importation of sixty-three (63) fully built VDL Jonckheere buses under a similar Belgian Government Con- cessionary Financing for the Metro sixty- three (63) buses are in production and will be delivered to MMT between November 2006 and February 2007 for immediate operation throughout the country.

To further boost the operations of the Metro Mass Transit (MMT), the Ministry is entering into an agreement with VDL Jonckheere Bus and Coach N.V. of Belgium for the supply of 150 commuter Buses and spare parts to the Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMT).

The Belgian Government has responded positively with regard to granting export subsidies but due to the requirements of the Belgian Government budgetary constraints, as regards the granting of export subsides, the finance of the 150 buses will have to be spread over two fiscal years (2006 and 2007).

3.0 Financing

The purchase of the 150 buses and spare parts would be financed with two separate loans under Export Credit arrangements from Commerzbank AG, Brussels Branch, Belgium with interest subsidy from the Belgian Government.

4.0 Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions of the Commercial Contract for the supply of the 150 Jonckheere buses and spare parts are as follows:

(i) Total Number of Buses: 150 Intra-City/City Commuter buses.

(ii) Principal Amount : Euro. 25,450,000.00 made up of Euro.

24,450,000.00

for the 150 buses and Euro. 1,000,000.00 for spare

(iii) After Sales Service: VDL Bus International B.V., the manufacturers of the chassis will give support to the repair and maintenance of the buses with an expatriate
Mr. E. T. Mensah 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, the front-liners; the Finance Committee members on this side have all gone out on your suggestion to iron out something -- [Interruption.]
Mr. Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Yes, I did.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 12:30 p.m.
So I want to suggest that we stand them down and wait for them.
Mr. Speaker 12:30 p.m.
I would do so if this also has a problem with it, otherwise, we may go on. Does this also attract a problem?
Mr. E. T. Mensah 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Committee members took certain positions out there and we think that they need to be around when we discuss it.
Mr. Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon. Deputy Minority Whip, would you want to find out from them whether they are aware of this and they have no objection to this one going through.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I understand there is no problem with this one, so we can go ahead.
Mr. Speaker 12:30 p.m.
There is no problem, so we can go on?
Mr. E. T. Mensah 12:30 p.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Are you seconding the motion then?
Mr. E. T. Mensah 12:30 p.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, I beg to second the motion.
Question proposed.
Service Engineer who is already working with MMT in Ghana. 5.0 Observations
The Committee observed that there has been a growing demand for the services being provided by the Metro Mass transport nationwide but the current fleet of buses cannot meet this demand. Therefore, there is the need for more buses to be procured.
The need to procure spare parts to strengthen the maintenance programme of MMT was considered crucial and relevant. Due to this, the agreement with the manufacturers of the buses includes spare parts for the buses. This will go a long way to improve the maintenance of the buses.
The Committee was informed that the Belgian Government has agreed to grant Ghana export subsidies. This would however be spread over two years (2006 and 2007) to conform with the Belgian Government requirements regarding the grant of export subsides.
The technical team informed the Committee that the agreemement is tax exempt.
The Minister informed the Committee that this agreement would be financed by two Belgium loans amounting to €14,417, 425.00 each. This, as explained, is provided for in article 4 of the Loan document and that the buses would be delivered in two (2) tranches of 75 buses each.
The Minister further informed the Committee that the agreement is part of the MMT's plans to expand its services to cover the whole of the country.
The Minister explained that sourcing bilateral funding and on-lending it to the MMT was a cheaper way of securing funding for the MMT as the interest charges are lower. Therefore, the Government has secured a loan from the Belgian Government for the sum of
€14,417,425.00 which is before the House to purchase the first 75 buses plus the credit insurance premium. The Belgian Government would also be granting Ghana Government an additional concessionary loan of €14,417,425.00 for the second 75 buses plus the credit insurance premium.
The Committee observed that the buses when effectively deployed will enhance the operations of the company. It is anticipated that if this happens, there will be a reduction in the number of commercial and private vehicles plying our roads thereby reducing traffic congestion on our roads in the cities.
5.0 Conclusion
In view of the benefits to be derived from the Metro Mass transportation as a result of the supply of the buses, the Committee respectfully invites the House to approve by resolution the Commercial Agreement between the Government of Ghana and VDL Bus International B.V. of The Netherlands for an amount of twenty-five million, four hundred and fifty thousand euros (€25,450,000.00) for the supply of one hundred and fifty (150) inter-city/city commuter buses and spare parts for the Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMT) in accordance with article 181 (5) of the Constitution.
rose
Mr. Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon. Deputy Minority Whip, do you have a point of order?
Mr. E. T. Mensah 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, yes. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member is misleading this House. I do not think that there is any reshuffle in the winds for him to be playing to the gallery. He said that His Excellency, the President when he took office decided to reintroduce mass transport into this country. We had Omnibus Services; they were still operating -- [Interruptions] -- They had not been sold.
Almost all governments did something about mass transport. You would recall City Express Services which was introduced by I. K. Acheampong. So there is nothing new for them to be beating their chests about. Let our children know the truth.
Mr. Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon. Member for
parts.
Adenta, you may wish to conclude.
Mr. Opare-Hammond 12:30 p.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to continue and bring my submission to a conclusion. Mr. Speaker, by the time the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government took over, the public transport system was completely non-existent and it was the President who helped to reintroduce it, and as I said, now it is giving a great service to the people of Ghana.
Mr. Speaker, with the introduction of the Metro Mass Transit system, it is on record that approximately two thousand, eight hundred persons are currently engaged and employed in rendering the services.
Mr. Speaker, on several occasions, the --
rose
Mr. Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon. Member for Wa West, do you have a point of order?
Mr. Chireh 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member insists on misleading the House. His own concept of public transport system is faulty. Either he was not here or he has not been observing what has been going on. We have the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and we have State Transport, all these were running. So which of them was completely non- existent in 2001? Let us be very realistic about the facts, the history and the august nature of this House. We should not make statements that make us look like we are not serious about facts.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Opare-Hammond 12:40 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I have the feeling that my hon. Colleague does not have a clear understanding of

what a public transport system is. If he refers to the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) as public transport then I am afraid it is not; it is a private system. Mr. Speaker, I would like to also add that the Metro Mass Transit, often had been called upon to render services to Government on occasions when we have had to move a lot of people.

Mr. Speaker, there is justification for

this loan. A lot of requests have come before the Ministry and before the Metro Mass Transit that buses should be sent to certain communities. It has therefore become necessary that more buses should be purchased so that the services can be extended to the areas that are calling for it.

Mr. Speaker, although we are benefiting a lot from the buses, there are still a lot of bottlenecks in this transport system. Mr. Speaker, all the areas that I would want to comment on, and I speak on behalf of my constituents who travel on these buses from Adenta, is that, we need to create some lay-bys for these buses, so that when they park they can park off the road for passengers to get on and off.

Mr. Speaker, I would also want to add that since, especially with traffic management a t Te t teh-Quarsh ie Interchange, the system is such that commuters use the bus up to Tetteh- Quarshie and then they have to continue from there to other locations in the city, the Department of Urban Roads should look at how best they can create a parking space for them, so that passengers would be more comfortable in terms of getting on and off the buses.

Mr. Speaker, the road from Tetteh-

Quarshie to the central business district is six lanes, and I believe it is about time that we looked at the possibility of creating bus lanes for the use of these buses. Mr. Speaker, when you go to the advanced countries, a lot of people patronize the
Mr. Speaker 12:40 p.m.
Are you concluding?
Mr. Opare-Hammond 12:40 p.m.
Yes, Mr.
Speaker, I am just about to conclude. Mr. Speaker, we should give them demarcated lanes so that they can travel to and fro the central business district faster than it is now. Mr. Speaker, I believe if we do this, we can get more people getting onto the buses and parking their cars, and this in the long-run would help in saving some cost in terms of the use of fuel and also help to decongest our roads.
Mr. Speaker, with these few comments, I
want to once again ask my hon. Colleagues to support the motion.
Mr. C. S. Hodogbey (NDC -- North
Tongu): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to support the motion and in doing so, I would want to make the following observations.
The Ghana Government has been importing buses from various sources and from various countries. Today, when you go to some institutions, like the Police Service and other institutions, some of these vehicles have broken down because when we are contracting loans from these nations, we do not factor in the recurrent expenditure of importing spare-parts.
Even though this particular loan has spare-parts component in it, my question is, have we made any plans, so that in future, after exhausting the present loan, we can be able to get money to repair these
Dr. Richard W. Anane (NPP -- Nhyiaeso) 12:40 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the motion on the floor and to request all Members of the House to give this the utmost support, so that the people of this nation would benefit from the services of the Metro Mass Transit, which was put in place after the call by His Excellency the President in 2001.
Mr. Speaker, perhaps one information
may be useful; that as at 2001, the Omnibus Services Authority (OSA) was basically not functional; it was under divestiture and was winding up. This company has wound up and has been taken over by the Metro Mass Transit Ltd.
Mr. Speaker, it has been stated that in 2001, His Excellency the President called for the reintroduction of mass transportation. This was started in 2002 by the donation of about 17 buses by the good people of Italy, which was continued over time with a full donation of about 300 buses for the start and continuation of this service. But it needed us to also contribute and that is how come the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana has been called upon, on some occasions, to support the purchase of the buses for mass transportation.
Mr. Speaker, as I speak now, the incorporation of the Metro Mass Transit Company was made with the collaboration of the Government of Ghana and certain
institutions like the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), National Investment Bank (NIB), Prudential Bank and other financial institutions.
Mr. Speaker, in 2005 alone, over 40
million Ghanaians benefited from the services of the Metro Mass Transit Ltd. As we stand now, it is projected that by the end of this year, for this year alone, over 60 million Ghanaians, that is every Ghanaian would have used these buses over three times for the year alone. These are the people who are benefiting from the Metro Mass Transit, and the source is the company itself.
Mr. Speaker, the children of this nation, in school, wearing their school uniforms who move in the direction where the buses also render services are also benefiting, and as we speak now, about four million children, from February this year up to September, have benefited from the service of Metro Mass Transit Ltd. and, over six million children are expected to benefit from the service of mass transportation this year alone.
Mr. Speaker, it would also be useful
for all Members to appreciate that all regional capitals in this country are currently receiving the services of Metro Mass Transit Ltd -- from Wa down to Sekondi-Takoradi. There are perceptions that have been raised and Mr. Speaker, I am sure the Ministry would take note and the Government would take note and act accordingly. But Mr. Speaker, the assurance is that the Government has always been aware of the need to maintain these buses, and I would want to assure Members, at least from the knowledge that I do have, that the Government has not been importing vehicles from so many countries.
Dr. Richard W. Anane (NPP -- Nhyiaeso) 12:50 p.m.
The importation of these vehicles
is basically from four countries: from Belgium, as the august House, I am sure, is going to approve of this with full support, Holland, India and China. These are the only countries where buses are coming in for the Metro Mass Transit and for mass transportation.
Mr. Speaker, your Committee has had a look and it is satisfied that the loan that is being contracted for the purchase of these buses is concessionary and that the terms are acceptable.

Mr. Speaker, the Committee is also convinced that the services of Metro Mass Transit Company have benefited the people of this country and that as we speak now it is helping a lot of our people to go home early when they close from work, and to come to work early. In addition to making life easy for the family it is also making productivity better and better, as time goes on. The concern about the creation of bus lanes has also been addressed and on many of our streets it can be noted that there are markings for bus lanes.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to join my hon. Colleagues to urge the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment to take this seriously so that the authority in whose jurisdiction these buses are help to pass the requisite legislation so that the bus lanes can be operationalized.

With these few comments, Mr. Speaker, I wish to support this motion and to request hon. Members in this House to give it the fullest support so that all citizens of this country would benefit from the services of Metro Mass Transit.

Question put and motion agreed to.
RESOLUTION 12:50 p.m.
Minister for Finance and Economic Planning (Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu) 12:50 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, that
WHEREAS By the provisions of article 181 of the Constitution the terms and conditions of any international business or economic transaction to which the Government of Ghana is a party shall not come into operation unless the said terms and conditions have been laid before Parliament and approved by Parliament by a Resolution supported by the votes of a majority of all Members of Parliament;
PURSUANT to the provisions of the said article 181 of the Constitution, and at the request of the Government of Ghana acting through the Minister responsible for Finance, there has been laid before Parliament the terms and condit ions of a Commercial Contract Agreement between the Government of Ghana and VDL Jonckheere Bus and Coach N.V. Roeselare, Belgium for the supply of 150 buses and spare parts for public transport.
THIS HONOURABLE HOUSE 12:50 p.m.
H E R E B Y R E S O LV E S A S 12:50 p.m.
Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 12:50 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, item 14 is a continuation of this so we can complete that.
Mr. Speaker 12:50 p.m.
We stood one down?
Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 12:50 p.m.
Yes, but as I said this is a continuation of 13. [Interruption.]
Mr. Speaker 12:50 p.m.
All right, we will do that.
Suspension of Standing Order 80 (1)
Vice-Chairman of Committee (Mr. Kwadwo Agyei-Addo): Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, that notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 80 (1) which require that no motion shall be debated until at least forty-eight hours have elapsed between the date on which notice of the motion is given and the date on which the motion is moved, the motion for the adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee on the Loan Agreement between the Government of Ghana and Commerzbank AG, Belgium, for an amount of E14,417,425.00 (fourteen million, four hundred and seventeen thousand, four hundred and twenty-five Euros) to finance the cost and insurance premium for 75 VDL Jonckheere buses and spare parts from VDL Jonckheere Bus
and Coach N.V. Roeselare, Belgium may be moved today.
Mr. K. Opare-Hammond (NPP -- Adenta) 12:50 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I beg to second the motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Finance Committee Report on Loan Agreement between the Government
of Ghana and Commerzbank AG, Belgium to Finance the Cost and Insurance Premium for 75 Buses
Chairman of Committee (Mr. Kwadwo Agyei-Addo) 12:50 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, that this honourable House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee on the Loan Agreement between the Government of Ghana and Commerzbank AG Belgium, for an amount of E14,417,425,00 (fourteen million, four hundred and seventeen thousand, four hundred and twenty-five Euros) to finance the cost and insurance premium for 75 VDL Jonckheere buses and spare parts from VDL Jonckheere Bus and Coach N.V. Roeselare, Belgium.
In so doing, I want to present the Report of the Finance Committee.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to read the “Conclusion” but then request that you ask that the Report be captured in its entirety, in the Hansard.
1.0 Introduction
The above Purchase Agreements were laid in the House on Tuesday, 31st October 2006 and referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and report

in accordance with article 181 of the Constitution and the Standing Orders of the House.

To discuss this document, the Committee met with the Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, hon. Prof. G. Gyan-Baffour, the Deputy Minister for Road Transport, hon. M. E. Opare-Asamoah and officials from the Ministries of Finance and Economic Planning and Road Transport and reports as follows:

2.0 Background

Hon. Members would recall that the House approved similar Dutch Government Concessionary Financing for inter-city passenger services in 2001 and 2003. In 2001, the House approved an agreement for the supply of 100 buses. The buses were completed and delivered to the Ministry of Roads and Transport in 2002.

Due to its successful implementation, and in order to further enhance the operation of the Metro Mass Transit, the Ministry made a request to the Dutch Government for concessionary funding for the supply of additional two hundred and fifty (250) intra-city buses from DAF Bus International in 2003.

Further attempts have been made by the Government of Ghana to secure funding to purchase additional buses to meet the increasing demand for the services that the Metro Mass Transit Limited is undertaking.

In order to meet these challenges and to operationalize the desired impact, the Government of Ghana has entered into a commercial agreement with the Belgium Government for the supply of (150) buses with credit insurance premium. The first 75 commuter buses and spare parts from VDL Jonckheere Bus and Coach N.V. of

Belgium plus credit insurance premium of the office National Du Ducroire (OND) is to be financed from the proceeds of a loan agreement for the sum of €14,417,425.00 which is before this august House.

3.0 Project Financing

The purchase of the 150 buses and spare parts would be financed with two separate loans under Export Credit arrangements from Commerzbank Bank AG Brussels Branch, Belgium with an interest subsidy from the Belgian Government and a grant element of 44.08 per cent. Below are the summary of the facilities:

(i) Total Number of Buses - - 150 Commuter Buses

(ii) Principal Amount
-- 12:50 p.m.
Mr. M. A. Asaga (NDC -- Nabdam) 12:50 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I beg to second the motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
RESOLUTION 12:50 p.m.
Minister for Finance and Economic Planning (Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu) 12:50 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, that
WHEREAS by the provisions of article 181 of the Constitution and section 7 of the Loans Act, 1970 (Act 335), the terms and conditions of any loan raised by the Government of Ghana on behalf of itself or any public institution or authority shall not come into operation unless the said terms and conditions have been laid before Parliament and approved by Parliament by a Resolution supported by the votes of a majority of all Members of Parliament;
PURSUANT to the provisions of the said article 181 of the Constitution and section 7 of the Loans Act, 1970(Act 335) and at the request of the Government of Ghana acting
through the Minister responsible for Finance, there has been laid before Parliament the terms and conditions of the Loan Agreement between the Government of Ghana and Commerzbank AG, Belgium, for an amount of E14,417,425.00 (fourteen million, four hundred and seventeen thousand, four hundred and twenty-five Euros) to finance the cost and insurance premium for 75 DVL Jonckheere buses and spare parts from VDL Jonckheere Bus and Coach N.V. Roeselare, Belgium.
THIS HONOURABLE HOUSE 12:50 p.m.
H E R E B Y R E S O LV E S A S 12:50 p.m.
Mr. Speaker 12:50 p.m.
Now we go back to item 9.
Finance Committee Report on GOG/ Stanbic Bank Loan Agreement
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu (NDC -- Tamale South) 12:50 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, in principle, I think that it is important to support any effort
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu (NDC -- Tamale South) 12:50 p.m.


number of vehicles plying roads, reduce traffic jams, thereby improving the overall traffic situation in the cities.

The Committee noted that the additional buses would be effectively deployed to augment the current fleet of the Metro Mass Transit in order to enhance the operations of the Company in the country.

The Committee was informed that the agreement is tax exempt.

The technical team explained to the Committee that the Government of Ghana has entered into a Commercial Contract with the Belgium Government for the supply of (150) Jonckheere buses. Due to the requirements of the Belgium Government and its yearly

budgetary constraints with regard to the granting of export subsidies, the financing of the 150 buses will be spread over two fiscal years (2006 and 2007).

The Deputy Minister for Road Transport hon. M. E. Opare-Asamoah informed the Committee that this credit facility is to be utilized to pay for the first 75 of the 150 buses. The Deputy Minister further stated that the second tranche of 75 buses plus the credit insurance premium will be financed through an additional concessionary loan agreement from the Belgium Government for the sum of €14,417,425.00 to be arranged in 2007.

The Committee observed that the first 75 buses will be delivered during the third and fourth quarters of 2007.

Some members of the Committee wanted to know whether during the sourcing of loans for MMT, its ability to pay back the loan is taken into consideration.

The technical team explained to the Committee that the MMT is currently at its developmental stage and is on course to satisfy its financial obligations as and when they become due. As part of the financing for the MMT, these loans are being used to supplement the existing

equity to help meet its target of 1,500. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning represented by the Deputy Minister assured Members that it is satisfied with the current operations of the MMT.

The Deputy Minister further explained that MMT is not only providing economic services but also social services to the country. Therefore in considering its viability, its social services ought to be taken into consideration. He informed the Committee that currently the MMT is running such social services as free ride for school children among others and these can only be measured in social terms.

The Deputy Minister informed the Committee that the loan agreement is of an urgent nature as it has to be signed before 15th November, 2006 otherwise the offer lapses.

The Committee noted that the loan facility has a grant element of 44.08 per cent and therefore is concessionary.

5.0 Conclusion

Considering the concessionality of the facility and the anticipated gains to be derived from the Metro Mass transportation
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu (NDC -- Tamale South) 12:50 p.m.


by Government to equip the security agencies, in particular the Ghana Police Service and the Prisons Service, except to say that, I am dissatisfied with the following issues and I would like to raise them.

First, Mr. Speaker, if you read page 1, paragraph 2.0, the Background to your Committee's Report, reference is made to the fact that we need to address a critical shortage of equipment and accoutrements for the efficient functioning of the Police and the Prisons Services -- But when it comes to the details of sharing the money, $10 million is allocated to the Police Service and only a meagre $3 million is given to the Prisons Service.

Mr. Speaker, those of us who have had the opportunity to chance the corridors of the courts know that sometimes the Prisons Service has had to rely on the Police Service. I admit that even in order to be able to cart accused persons on remand and others, because of the lack of vehicles in order to be able to do that, sometimes we are told they use taxis.

Mr. Speaker, there have been instances, and I am sure the Deputy Minister for Defence will testify to this as a practitioner, where they have had to bring accused persons to court in taxis. And sometimes, the trial process is delayed because an accused person, by law, is required to be present yet they are not available.

But Mr. Speaker, there is a more fundamental issue that I would like to raise and that has to do with the second paragraph, paragraph 2.0. Mr. Speaker, it reads as follows and with your permission I quote:

“Honourable Members would recall that at the inception of this administration…”
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu (NDC -- Tamale South) 12:50 p.m.


(I believe we are referring to President Kufuor's tenure of office which began in

2001.)

“. . . the Government had to take emergency arrangements to acquire transport facilities for the Police Service.”

Mr. Speaker, I need an explanation, maybe from the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning as to what were those emergency measures that were taken at the time. I believe strongly that he is referring to the instance where His Excellency the President, through whispers, acquired police vehicles from Nigeria for the Police Service. The country was not under a State of Emergency.

Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning (Dr. A. A. Osei): Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, we are talking about equipping the Police Service and my younger Brother is talking about the President “through whispers”. . . Mr. Speaker, was he present at that meeting? If he was not, then he should withdraw otherwise he is misleading this House. This is a very serious statement and I ask that he should withdraw.
Mr. H. Iddrisu 1 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, thank you very much; I will take that on board. Mr. Speaker, what I was just trying to point out is that, I remember hearing His Excellency the President say that he spoke to the President of Nigeria to assist -- in fact, he used a particular word -- to assist
in the acquisition of those vehicles to check smuggling.
Dr. A. A. Osei 1 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want the young man to be very careful about rumours. Mr. Speaker, recently, I heard rumours that the honourable Member had a problem with the university; should I take that to be true? -- [Interruptions.] We do not deal with rumours. Mr. Speaker, he should be careful when he starts hearing about rumours, that is my advice to the young man.
Mr. H. Iddrisu 1 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I do not want to believe that I ought to be distracted. I have my head sitting on me; whatever knowledge I went to acquire in the university, I have it in me. I do not leave my house with a certificate dangling in front of me or at my back; I have consigned that to history and posterity.
Mr. Speaker 1 p.m.
Hon. Member for
Tamale Central, please just go ahead.
Mr. H. Iddrisu 1 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will address that as a personal matter but this country must be governed by law. I am saying that there was some acquisition of police vehicles. In principle, I support it. His excuse was because there was an emergency; I am quoting the words there so that I am not accused of plagiarism -- I am quoting verbatim from the report.
On page 1 of the report, Mr. Speaker, it says, “. . . had to make emergency arrangements”. What were those emergency arrangements? This is the simple answer that I have demanded; that let us know what the President did under the circumstances. What I am aware of, which many of them are aware of, is that the particular purchase of those Peugeot vehicles is still a mystery. Ghanaians do not know how they were acquired, how much was involved, with whom an agreement was signed, but
Mr. H. Iddrisu 1 p.m.


Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Akwasi Osei-Adjei): Mr. Speaker, I am a little bit lost because we are to discuss a facility from South Africa. And the cars my hon. Friend is talking about are from Nigeria. Therefore, they are two distinct things. Let us concentrate on what we have here, the report and then forget about -- [Interruptions] -- the question was irrelevant.
Mr. Speaker 1 p.m.
The hon. Member for Tamale South is drawing our attention to the background. This is background information. That is what he is drawing our attention to.
Mr. Iddrisu 1 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I had
raised matters that are relevant to your Committee's Report and I have not travelled outside it. The other issue I would like to raise is about the commercial interest on this facility. I have repeatedly said that, in principle, I will support any move to equip the security agencies but if you look at the interest rate, page 3, paragraph 4.0, it is near 10 per cent commercial interest rate.
Should we be going in for commercial loans to equip the Ghana Police Service? I will need an explanation from the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning. I do not think that some of these things -- When we came for the Supplementary Budget, one of the remarkable statements the hon. Minister made was to tell us his source for funding the Supplementary
Mr. Osei-Adjei 1 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, he
Mr. Speaker 1 p.m.
Hon. Member for
Tamale South, did you use the word “deceive” Parliament?
Mr. H. Iddrisu 1 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, finally
Mr. Speaker 1 p.m.
No, I am asking whether
you used the word.
Mr. H. Iddrisu 1 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I
stand by it. In fact, Mr. Speaker, on one occasion because I wanted to personally contribute to the Budget Statement, I had to travel from Tunisia back to Ghana. When I came, the debate was curtailed. I did not get the opportunity but I was available when it was being debated. The Supplementary Budget, how many of us had the opportunity to contribute?
Mr. Speaker 1 p.m.
Hon. Member, I just
asked you a very simple question, whether you used the word “deceived”?
Mr. H. Iddrisu 1 p.m.
No. Mr. Speaker, I
just said “stampeded”. We are right too and I am sure he would acknowledge that.
Mr. H. Iddrisu 1 p.m.


Finally, if you read page 4, we are being told the number of vehicles, 269 and 55 vehicles. The model of the vehicles, as I have read -- It is some Mahindra vehicle.
Mr. Speaker 1 p.m.
Which page are you
referring to?
Mr. H. Iddrisu 1 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I refer
you to Appendix A, page 1 -- Mahindra New Generations Scorpio. We have brought that into this country; have we done an evaluation of its performance in terms of the number of years that it has proven to be durable on the road and be supportive of the Police Service? Because, the danger is that we may not be getting value for money for many of these vehicles we buy for the Police Service.
Mr. Speaker 1 p.m.
Deputy Minister, do you
have any point of order?
Dr. A. A. Osei 1 p.m.
Just for a while, because
I think he may be a good sociologist, but mathematically he is very poor. The loan, paragraph 4 says, 7.6; he said 10 per cent. How does 7.6 per cent become 10 per cent? He said 10 per cent here. [Interruptions.] Mr. Speaker, if 7.6 per cent is now 10 per cent then this House is in trouble. He has to be very careful; he should please say it is 7.6 per cent; it is not even near; it is exactly 7.6 per cent.
Mr. H. Iddrisu 1 p.m.
Finally, I said near
10 per cent; I qualified it -- near 10 per cent. Mahindra vehicles, have we asked the Ghana Police Service how efficient they are, for an assessment of them because I do know that many of them are now parked as rickety vehicles, at their headquarters, across Ghana. They are not durable enough. I support the move and the initiative by Government to equip the Police Service but it should not be done with commercial loans. And we need an explanation on what emergency measures
that were taken in 2001. Whether they were not done with disrespect to the laws of this country and in particular article 181 of the Constitution which requires that every international treaty must be brought to this House for a resolution. I did not plagiarize; this is from my head.
Minister for the Interior (Mr. Albert Kan-Dapaah) 1:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, most of the questions that we have had to answer on the floor of this House with regard to the Police Service, the Prisons Service and indeed the Fire Service have related to the lack of sufficient logistics for these institutions and also lack of vehicles.
Most hon. Members here have had cause, Mr. Speaker, to complain to me about the fact that they do not have police vehicles in their various districts. Mr. Speaker, the truth of the matter is that the problem is a very critical one and we believe that we need to take very bold, very courageous actions to be able to respond to these problems in a holistic manner.
Mr. Speaker, this explains why we are trying to get a loan. Even if it is not concessionary, we are going for a commercial loan so that we would respond to this very urgent need to provide the security agencies with the right number of vehicles. Mr. Speaker, when we add 269 vehicles to the Ghana Police Service, for example, we would have added about 30 per cent to the existing fleet and we think that is quite significant.
Mr. Speaker, my hon. Friend, the hon.
Member for Tamale South was wondering why we should have only $3 million for the Prisons Service and $10 million for the Police Service, and I think the answer is very simple. We certainly would have wished that we had much more money
Minister for the Interior (Mr. Albert Kan-Dapaah) 1:10 p.m.


than this for the two institutions but unfortunately resources are limited. But we have to give $10 million to the Police Service, $3 million to the Prisons Service only because the police tend to need many more vehicles than the Prisons Service, and it probably could have been unfair if we were to share it on a fifty-fifty basis. But again, I do maintain that if resources were available we would have sought to provide sufficient vehicles for both institutions.

Mr. Speaker, I was not very sure what

my hon. Friend was also talking about -- the emergency arrangements and the state of emergency. Because, Mr. Speaker, I am not aware that emergency arrangements are made only when there is a state of emergency. What we met on assumption of power was so critical that we needed emergency arrangements to respond to the problem; that was what we did and I do not really find anything wrong with it.

Mr. Speaker, let me also add that neither the Ministry of the Interior nor the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning or, indeed, Government is forcing anything on the Ghana Police Service or the Ghana Prisons Service. We are rather responding to a request that they have made. They are vehicles that have been used by the Police Service and the Prisons Service before and they are asking for more of these vehicles. So I am sure they would have taken into account the suitability of these vehicles before making these additional requests.

On the use of the vehicles, I think,

Mr. Speaker, we need to be a little bit sympathetic towards the Police Service. The way they use the vehicles -- the police necessarily have to use the vehicles. It is not surprising that most of them break down more often, as is the case; it is because of the nature of the work that the police have to do.

But Mr. Speaker, I do not think this House should run away from contracting a commercial loan to solve this particular problem. The problem we have, we believe, is very critical. Everybody here has demanded that we find an immediate solution to this particular problem. If what has to be done is to go for a commercial loan to solve the problem, I do not really think there is anything wrong with it and I sincerely want to urge hon. Colleagues here to support this particular loan. It is for a very important cause.

I want to thank hon. Colleagues who have shown so much support for this particular loan so far.

Mr. Moses A. Asaga (NDC --

Nabdam): Mr. Speaker, your goodself asked that Leadership should meet to discuss some of the issues about the loans; we have done that accordingly and we have come back to support this loan agreement. But my contribution will just be to highlight a few irregularities.

In future when the Minister for the Interior and the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning are coming to this House they should make sure that their financial and legal languages are quite accurate so that we do not have ambiguities -- because if you look at the Report, page 3, paragraph 3, it is because of the way it has been couched that the Committee noted that this loan amount forms part of the 2006 Supplementary Budget. That is why it is difficult to support it when they are now saying they are taking a loan, because we knew the sources of the Supplementary Budget and this was not part of the sources. That is where my problem is.

We are winding up. If you look at

the shipments, that is page 2, for the Ghana Police Service, shipment alone is about $1.5 million and then that of
Minister for the Interior (Mr. Albert Kan-Dapaah) 1:10 p.m.


Ghana Prisons is about $0.5 million. In percentage terms, for the Police, shipment is 50 per cent of the $10 million and I think that we need to look at it. And in the Report the Committee members took note of this but the Minister says that these are provisional figures.

Parliament would normally not approve provisional figures; it should be accurate and that is why I am saying that when we are using language it should be very precise. Because, if the Ministry is saying that these are provisional and that any balance would be used for other things, then what have we approved it for? I am trying to help him to do a better packaging; I am not against it; and it is true that he has used the word “provisional” here. So I want him to take note of the shipping cost; the fact that it is provisional notwithstanding, it is on the high side.
Mr. Baah-Wiredu 1:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, we
thank hon. Members for the contributions made so far. Mr. Speaker, in presenting the Supplementary Budget the sources of inflow obviously covered revenue, grants, and basically MCA, MDRI and then Areeba one. There were provisions also for loans. So obviously, I know we are linking up Reports so there is nothing extraordinary about the Report, as has been presented.
Mr. Speaker, we thank hon. Members for their contributions and I believe that this will go a long way to improve upon the security of the nation.
Mr. Asaga 1:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I will again
talk of accuracy and aptness in language. The Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, looking at sources of financing, he did specify World Bank, African Development Bank. So under the heading “commercial loans” he should have also given us the other sources and say that Stanbic Bank would be part of it, and not use a general terminology “commercial loans or loans”, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker 1:10 p.m.
Hon. Member for

Question put and motion agreed to.
RESOLUTION 1:20 p.m.
Mr. Baah-Wiredu 1:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, that
WHEREAS by the provisions of article 181 of the Constitution and section 7 of the Loans Act 1970 (Act 335), the terms and conditions of any loan raised by the Government of Ghana on behalf of itself or any public institution or authority shall not come into operation unless the said terms and conditions have been laid before Parliament and approved by Parliament by a Resolution supported by the votes of a majority of all Members of Parliament;
PURSUANT to the provisions of the said article 181 of the Constitution and section 7 of the Loans Act,1970 (Act 335) and at the request of the Government of Ghana acting through the Minister responsible for Finance, there has been laid before Parliament the terms and conditions of the Loan Agreement between the Government of Ghana (GOG) and Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited for an amount of USD 13,000,000 for the procurement of Equipment and Services for the Ghana Police and Prisons Services by Paramount Logistics Corporation Limited of South Africa.
THIS HONOURABLE HOUSE 1:20 p.m.
H E R E B Y R E S O LV E S A S 1:20 p.m.
Mr. Kwadwo Agyei-Addo 1:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to second the motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr. Speaker 1:20 p.m.
Hon. Majority Leader, at this stage are there any indications?
Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 1:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, that this House do now adjourn till tomorrow at 10.00 o'çlock in the morning.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 1:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I beg to second the motion.
Question put and motion agreed to
ADJOURNMENT 1:20 p.m.