Odekro | What has your MP done for you?

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Hon. Members, Votes and Proceedings of yesterday, Tuesday, 12th December, 2006. Any corrections to be made? Pages 1. . . 5, 6 . . . 18? [Pause.] In the absence of any corrections, hon. Members, we would assume that what we have in our hands in principle appear to be what indeed happened yesterday.
We also have the Official Report for

We move now to Public Business. Hon. Members, I have just been prompted to inform the House -- maybe most of us are aware -- of the death of our dear Friend, and Member of Parliament for Fomena, hon. Akwasi Afrifa. It has officially come to the notice of the Speaker, the death of that young affable man. At the appropriate time the House would be appropriately briefed but I want you to appreciate that it has now come to the notice of the Speaker.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Special Budget Committee Chairman -
Majority Leader (Mr. F. K. Owusu-
Adjapong): Mr. Speaker, I thought we were going to start with item 4.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Laying of Papers, that is what I am saying. The estimates for the Judicial Service for the year 2007 to be laid.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Annual Budget Estimates for the Judicial Service for the year 2007. Chairman of the Committee?
By the Chairman of the Committee --
Report of the Judiciary Committee on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Judicial Service for the year
2007.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Item 4 (b), Chairman of the Committee?

Mr. Adjaho

Yes -- [Interruption.]

Please, as it is, he is doing it for and on behalf of the -- [Interruption.]

Mr. Owusu-Adjapong

Mr. Speaker, I think we need to be very careful about what we do here. Mr. Speaker, hon. Addo-Kufuor acted for a number of years, and the House was never informed -- [Interruptions]-- Please, the House was never informed. Ministers have been acting whenever other colleagues travel or are on leave and there has not been such a thing.
Mr. Speaker, if the House's intention is that in future they would want the President to inform them when he asks somebody to act for three days or more, that is a different matter. We should then look at our procedures and see whether there is any obligation on the part of the President to do that.
For the moment, as I said the other day when I read the Business Statement, the President has asked me to take temporary responsibility for the Ministry of Transportation. [Hear! Hear!] Mr. Speaker, the President, passionately listening to the statements made by the hon. Deputy Minority Leader, and as a listening President and therefore head of a listening government has duly issued a statement, signed by his Chief of Staff.
Now, let us make progress. If they want us to debate this matter, Leadership can take a position on the matter later on.
Mr. Speaker, Administration is ¢ 23.74 billion; Services is ¢10.49 billion; Investments from Government of Ghana is ¢890.147 billion; Investment from donors is ¢1,699.60 billion; Internally generated Funds ¢3.998 billion and others -- HIPC -- ¢25 billion, making a total of
¢2,738,787,000,000.
The Ministry of Transportation has
oversight responsibility for the road sector which comprises road infrastructure and road transport services and safety. The departments and agencies that operate under the Ministry of Transportation are: Ghana Highway Authority; Department of Feeder Roads, Department of Urban Roads, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), National Road Safety Commission, Technical Training Centre, Metro Mass Transit Limited and Road Fund Secretariat.

Mr. Speaker, the total planned budget

for the transportation sector for 2007 is ¢6,911.48 billion. This compared to the recommended budget which is to be approved by Parliament is ¢3,852.57 billion which is only 55.74 per cent of their requirement. This means that we should anticipate a shortfall.

Therefore, when my hon. Colleagues are making requests, as to when their roads will be tarred, when they will be rehabilitated, they should take note of the fact that there is a shortfall of approximately 44 per cent.

Mr. Speaker, even though this amount is not enough, I hope and pray that my Colleague, the hon. Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, should he have an opportunity to prepare a supplemen- tary budget would look at it so that my Colleagues would be satisfied as to the number of roads and projects that are to be undertaken in their constituencies.

Mr. Speaker, with this short statement, I urge all hon. Members to wholly support this motion and also endorse our plea that at any opportune time, more money should be given to the Ministry of Transportation to enable us undertake more roads.

Chairman of the Committee (Mr.

S. K. Obodai): Mr. Speaker, I beg to

Mr. Owusu-Adjapong

second the motion and in doing so, I wish to present the Committee's Report.

1.0 Introduction

1.1 The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2007 financial year was presented to Parliament by the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, hon. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu on Thursday, 16th November 2006 in accordance with article 179 (1) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.

Pursuant to Orders 140 (4) and 189 of the Standing Orders of the House, the Committee on Roads and Transport was charged to consider and report to the House, the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Transportation.

1.2 The Deputy Minister, hon. Magnus E. Opare-Asamoah, accompanied by officials of the Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP) and the underlisted Departments and Agencies under the purview of the Ministry, attended the Committee's sitting to provide further clarifications on the Estimates:

a. Ghana Highway Authority (GHA)

b. Department of Feeder Roads

(DFR)

c. Department of Urban Roads (DUR)

d. Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA)

e. Government Technical Training Centre (GTTC)

f. National Road Safety Commission

(NRSC)

The Committee is grateful to all the above-mentioned officials for their assistance in its deliberations.

2.0 Reference Documents

The Committee made reference to the following documents in its deliberations:

a. The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.

b. The Standing Orders of Parliament.

c. The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2007 financial year.

d. Report of the Committee on Roads and Transport on the 2006 Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Transportation.

e. A Presentation by the Deputy Minister for Transportation on the Review for the 2006 Budget and Performance of the Ministry of Transportation and the 2007 Annual Budget Estimates.

3.0 Mission Statement of the Ministry of Transportation

The mission of the Ministry of

Transportation is to ensure the provision of an integrated, well-managed and sustainable transport infrastructure and services that meet national and international standards through:

a. The formulation and implementation of policies that are responsive to the changing needs of the nation.

b. The promotion of Private Sector Participation.

c. Developing, implementing, moni- toring and regulating standards.

d. Carrying out strategic investments so as to establish safe, reliable, efficient and affordable services for

all transport users.

4.0 Objectives of the Ministry

The Ministry of Transportation has set for itself, the underlisted objectives in an effort to achieve its stated mission:

i. To provide transport infrastructure and services at a minimum cost throughout the country for accelerated economic growth, especially in the agricultural, industrial, trade and services sectors whilst ensuring cost- recovery.

ii. To review existing and develop new policies, regulations and laws that conform to changing trends and needs of the transport infras- tructure and services of the country.

iii. To develop and implement an equitable and integrated transport network programme in support of socio-economic development of the country.

iv. To strengthen the institutional capacities in the management of the transport system in the country.

v. To institute standards to ensure safety, reliability and efficiency of the transport system to meet national and international requirements.

vi. To ensure sustainable funding of road transport sector programmes.

vii. To progressively improve transport infrastructure and services in the deprived areas to reduce the incidence of poverty.

viii. To identify and institute measures which provide private sector participation in the transport sector.

5.0 Review of 2006 Budget and Performance of the Ministry

5.1 For the year under review, the Ministry of Transportation was allocated a sum of three trillion, six hundred and sixty-five billion, eight hundred and forty- four million cedis (¢3,665,844,000,000) to cater for its services.

An additional amount of eight hundred and sixty-eight billion, eight-hundred and seventy million cedis (¢868,870,000,000) was again allocated to the Ministry for specific road projects in the 2006 Supplementary Budget. The breakdown of this amount is as follows:

¢

GHA -- 601,200,000,000

Mr. Kenneth Dzirasah (NDC -- South Tongu)

Mr. Speaker, I would like to raise two issues for the consideration of the hon. Minister.
Mr. Speaker, the first issue I would like to raise has to do with the administration of the Road Fund and the source from which it is generated. Mr. Speaker, it has to do with the toll booths that we have at various locations on our main roads. I have observed because I also have one of the toll booths in my constituency and that is across the Lower Volta Bridge at Sogakofe.
Mr. Speaker, at regular intervals, the management of those toll booths changes hands. At times, they go under the management of private contractors and at times they move to caretakership by the Ghana Highway Authority staff. Mr. Speaker, I really do not understand why that is happening. Probably, the hon. Minister may do well to explain to us.
This is because if we have the Ghana Highway Authority staff all over the country and they are in their various regional and district offices not constructing roads, at least, the caretakership of these toll booths must be given to them. They are in their various district offices idling about. And yet they are paid their salaries and we hire private contractors to manage the toll booths for
us; we need some explanation for this.

Mr. Speaker, the next issue has to do with the management of the ferry that runs from Ada to Akuse. This ferry is still under the management of the Minister for Transportation. I think that now that we have a Ministry for Harbours and Railways and that Ministry is assuming direct responsibility for safety on our water bodies, it stands to reason that we should now assign the responsibility of caretakership or management of our ferry craft on our water bodies to that Ministry, and in that way, the ferry craft can be better taken care of.

Mr. Speaker, I am saying this because time and again, I have personally appealed to the hon. Minister for Transportation to look at the possibility of fixing economic fares for the cartage of goods and human beings on the River Volta so that the service can be maintained -- and it would be maintained continuously.

Mr. Speaker, because the amount or the fare that is being charged on such river crafts are so low, the Highway Authority that is responsible for the management of these river crafts invariably are unable to maintain them and therefore their services are so irregular. I think that in tune with economic reality there is the need to charge that which is very reasonable to enable the Authority to maintain these ferries so that we can have continued and uninterrupted services on the River Volta.

Mr. Joseph Boahen Aidoo (NPP -- Amenfi East)

Mr. Speaker, your Committee informs us that the allocation to the Department of Feeder Roads, Department of Urban Roads and Ghana Highway Authority fell short of the

Mr. John Gyetuah (NDC Amenfi West)

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the motion on floor.
Mr. Speaker, it is an indisputable fact that the road sector is very crucial as far as the infrastructural development of this country is concerned. Mr. Speaker, I was indeed glad when the Budget Statement for the financial year, 2007 captured on page 81, paragraph 331 that the Government would embark on the tarring of selected roads in most cocoa growing areas whilst solar lighting systems would be provided in some of the villages.
This is aimed at improving the standard of living of farmers. The Government, through the Ghana Cocoa Board has embarked on a $50 million programme. Mr. Speaker, my worry is that the actuals in the Budget were not submitted to the Committee as to what roads would be tarred in the cocoa producing areas.
Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of disparities in the allocation of resources as far as the tarrying of feeder roads is concerned. When you look at the diary which was given to Members of this Select Committee on 2006, it is clearly stated that as at 30th September, 2005, 224 kilometres of feeder roads in the Greater Accra Region had been tarred. In the Central Region, 480 kilometres of feeder roads had been tarred; and in the Western Region, 56 kilometres of feeder roads had been tarred. In Ashanti Region, 209 kilometres of feeder roads had been tarred whilst in the Volta Region, 129 kilometres of the feeder roads had been tarred. In the
Eastern Region, 224 kilometres of feeder roads had been tarred whilst in the Upper West Region 16 kilometres of feeder roads had been tarred -- [Interruptions] -- Upper East Region, 7 kilometres had been tarred and in the Brong Ahafo Region, 66 kilometres of feeder roads had been tarred.

Mr. Kwadwo Agyei-Addo

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. Mr. Speaker, it is interesting the way the hon. Member on the floor is coming out with figures. May we know the source of his figures because he cannot, as it were, concoct or fabricate statements --[Interruption.]

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Hon. Member, you are out of order.

Mr. Gyetuah

Mr. Speaker, thank you very much for ruling him out. The hon. Member himself is aware and it is in the diary that I am holding - The hon. Member should come for it and look at the information; everything is in this diary.
Mr. Speaker, when you look at the resources that actually come from the Western Region, the region produces 65 per cent of the country's cocoa.
The region is endowed with so many natural resources but we are relegated to the background. Mr. Speaker, I cannot count on a single 30 kilometre of feeder road that is tarred in the Amenfi West constituency or the whole district; but it is the third largest producer of cocoa in this country.

Mr. Speaker, when you go to Samreboi right now, from Prestea to Samreboi, the road is inaccessible. The road is in a very deplorable state; cars have actually ceased going to that area. Mr. Speaker, it is very sad. Samreboi of all places -- In the olden days, the AT & P Company there was the biggest company in the whole of West Africa. Now the road from Samaters to Samreboi is very bad. Not even one culvert is made of concrete; they are all wooden culverts which are being maintained at the magnanimity of Samaters Timber Company Limited.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is about time that Western Region was given special attention. Because when you look at the resources that come from the Western Region, they are actually not commensurate with the sort of development that goes on in the area.

On this note, I believe that the best comes from the Western Region and the worst goes to the Western Region. So it is about time that Western Region was taken seriously and the road problems over there addressed so that in the final analysis we would all see a better Western Region than it is now.

Mr B. D. K. Adu (NPP -- Okere)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the oppor- tunity to contribute to the motion -- [Interruption.]

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Hon. Members, I believe you should be brief, because we have a lot of motions to go through.

Mr. B. D. K. Adu

Mr. Speaker, the worry on these roads are about how

Colleague is clearly misleading this House. He knows that yes, indeed, we have many more mileage of feeder roads than highways. But the works do not ensure to the same. Of course, the specifications and everything are not the same, so if he says that there is greater allocation to highways than feeder roads and for that matter there is an injustice, as he is alluding to, it is neither here nor there.

Mr. Speaker, he is clearly wrong, he is misleading this country.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Yes, hon. Collins Dauda, for your information the specifications are different. Resources for those particular roads -- that for Highways is different and that for the feeder roads may also be different. So you are all wrong.

You have less than a minute to wind up. Concentrate on that.

Alhaji Dauda

Mr. Speaker, there are
several roads - I remember when your Committee travelled around this country to inspect some roads, it reported that most of the contracts given out had been abandoned.
Mr. Speaker, it is a worrying situation that has to be rectified. I cannot understand why a contract should be awarded to a contractor, he abandons it and we cannot find where he is - we do not know whether he has returned the mobilization fund that was given to him.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that in any contract there is a provision for addressing such situations. If a contractor abandons the project for a period of time and has taken government money, there is a way of dealing with the situation. We have not heard anything. I believe that if we begin to address the situation that way, at least, it will ensure discipline in the road sector, particularly among the contractors. I think that if that is done it will help solve the problem of contractors abandoning road contracts in the country.
But the contractors also say that they lack capacity because of the numerous impediments that the Ministry puts in their way. So I would call on the Ministry to kind of look at some of the impediments they put in their way; if they are not being paid properly and timely, they should look at that issue so that the capacity of our contractors would be developed, and they would not abandon our roads.
Deputy Attorney-General and

Mr. Speaker, it is exactly what he has said -- [Interruption.]

Alhaji Abukari

Mr. Speaker, I am very sorry; I did not know that the Majority Chief Whip wishes the President dead. Mr. Speaker, I do not wish it at all; I do not wish it at all. I wish him long life. I hope he lives to be 97.9 -- he should not curtail his life, please.
Mr. Speaker, I would say that we also have a sitting former President -- His Excellency Jerry John Rawlings. I think that we should start by making sure that his security is enhanced, and by starting to prepare to add the sitting President to him by the 9th of January, 2009. Because, whether that side wins or we win -- and they have no chance of winning; we all know it -- he will be out of office, no matter who will be President.
We shall make sure that he is properly secured. But for now, I think that, please, the Minister for National Security, should ensure that Jerry John Rawlings is properly secured and protected.
With these few words, I support the
motion on the floor.

Mr. A. K. Agbesi (NDC -- Ashaiman)

Mr. Speaker, we are all aware that this Ministry is so important, so necessary for our security, and we have to do all things possible for them to function because if they are performing well we are all secured. We can go to bed and wake up and say that we are secured. So if there is anything the Ministry would need, in terms of money, please we should find the money for this Ministry.
Mr. Speaker, at page 2 of the Report, it is stated that the Ministry is to advise government and to implement Government policies on security of the State and relevant issues, internally and externally, to ensure the stability of the State for the benefit of the people of Ghana. Yes, they are to ensure the stability of the State to the benefit of the people of Ghana.
That is the reason why, Mr. Speaker, when recently a whole vessel came into this country, and the security was not able to monitor this vessel which was alleged to be carrying cocaine and it managed to have its colour changed and the consignment got missing, everybody in this country became alarmed. What is the Ministry of National Security doing? Mr. Speaker, we are all for the success of this Ministry because we also want to be secured. My hon. Colleague has stated a lot about the security of Members of Parliament, security of Ministers, security of Judges and the security of the people who voted for us.
Mr. Speaker, we want to have a situation where everybody in this country would wake up, would go about his work freely without any hindrance, without looking “at his back”. And that is why this Ministry exists. We pray that the Minister himself will have long life, will have strength to be able to live and do the work that he has
been appointed for. If that is happening, the next time he comes here, all the money he wants we will be able to give to him because we will be secure.

Mr. Speaker, this Ministry has an onerous duty, a responsibility to ensure that the State called Ghana exists, that nobody interferes with its existence, whether internally or externally. That is why we want to make sure that they have their budget and when we are sleeping they make sure that externally we do not have any problem.

Mr. Kojo Armah (CPP -- Evalue

Gwira): Mr. Speaker, I also rise to support the motion and also add my voice to the call that the sum approved for the Ministry is rather inadequate.

Mr. J. K. Avedzi

On a point of order.
Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. Member is misleading the House when he says that national security should be the responsibility of everybody; which is true.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

If it is true, then he is misleading the House? Why do
you say that?

Mr. Avedzi

If everybody is responsible for national security, then there is no need for the Ministry to come here to be asking for money.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

You are out of order. Sit down.

Mr. Armah

Mr. Speaker, my hon. Friend has a lot to learn. Mr. Speaker, I was saying that it is everybody's business to assist in maintaining security. The Ministry co-ordinates what we do. I was at the point of saying that sometimes some of us get worried at media reports on certain aspects of our national life, which should not be.
A recent case was a routine exercise by the military which is not new, something that even in my district the military comes to do.

Mr. Speaker, I think that the hon. Member must be stopped from raising these questions. Nowhere under this sun do they call the Minister for National Security into the open to come and answer questions on whether the coup scares are justified, and whether they are sponsoring newspapers. It is never done. Elsewhere, in other jurisdictions, there are intelligence committees that deal with these matters in camera, in the national interest. Please, I think he is old enough and a very experienced hon. Member. What he is doing is totally out of order.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Yes, hon.
Deputy Minority Leader, do you also want to say something?

Mr. Adjaho

Mr. Speaker, surprisingly
the hon. Deputy Majority Whip did not give a specific example of the particular jurisdiction he is talking about. Mr. Speaker, we know for example that in Britain, on the kind of committee that he is talking about, the Minority Leader is represented on it; the Opposition Leader is a member of that kind of committee.
So when you have that kind of arrangement in place, he comes back to brief his side and there is no need to raise such matters on the floor. But where you have an arrangement where that information is not shared, then there is no other avenue than to raise it on the floor. So please, when he wants to give a particular example he should give us the particular jurisdiction that he is talking about.

Which specific points are you talking about?

Mr. Adjaho

Mr. Speaker, on page 4 of the Committee's Report. It is going into the record so I want the Committee to clarify the position before the Question is put.
Mr. Speaker, if you look at the Office of National Security, we were told that ¢366 billion is being given to them alone. When you get to the grand total, it is the same figure recorded there. Meanwhile, this thing is going into the record. So I would want the Committee to tell us exactly what it is -- Mr. Speaker, if you look at the Report -- Personal Emolument is there; if you look at the grand total, it is there. If you look at the Office of National Security budget alone, we are told it is ¢366 billion.
If you look at the grand total, even
though other figures have come to add to it, we are told it is the same ¢366.6 billion and these are matters for the records; they are going into the Hansard. And so the Committee should take this opportunity to clarify this position before you put the Question.

Mr. Joe Hackman

Mr. Speaker, we have not actually taken these new figures into consideration but my understanding is that, a total amount of ¢366.666 billion would be required for the budget. I have not added those other figures but my impression is that that is the grand total.

Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, that this honourable House approves the sum of ¢42.670 million for the services, activities and programmes of the Ministry of Fisheries (MOFI) for the 2007 fiscal year.
Mr. Speaker, it will be recalled that
the Ministry of Fisheries is relatively a new Ministry and therefore it requires adequate funds for its physical infras- tructure, furnishing, equipment and vehicles to enable the Ministry set up a Credible Management and Financial Administration Systems which will help to revamp and modernize the fisheries as well as register effective presence and render efficient services for the people in the fisheries industry.
In the past years, the industry, despite its great potential has recorded slow growth to the extent that its contribution to the country's GDP growth rate has been negligible.
The industry is beset by a number of problems and challenges which has been caused basically by overexploitation of the country's aquatic resources. The causes of the slow growth of the industry include dwindling fish stocks, under- developed and dangerous infrastructure, illegal fisheries practices, ageing fishing fleet and canoes, old-fashioned gear, lack of refrigeration and cold storage facilities and inadequate private sector investments into the industry.
Mr. Speaker, it is in the light of the above-stated reasons that the Ministry has been mandated to promote sustainable and thriving fisheries enterprises, through research, techno-logical development and extension services to fishermen, fishermen processors and fishmongers, in order to fulfil its crucial role as instrument of poverty reduction.
The functions of the Ministry are as follows:
To formulate, disseminate and co-ordinate the implementation of policies and programmes for the sector.
To provide technical support and facilitate financial assistance to fishers, fish processors and traders.
To facilitate effective and efficient input supply and distribution.
To facilitate fish production to ensure fish food security.
Mr. Speaker, the Ministry has not yet overcome its teething problems of establishment. It has therefore become practically difficult to pursue the Ministry's programmes and activities with the required vigour and establish strong regional and district presence to achieve the desired results. However, the Ministry is determined to make the desired impact within the shortest possible time.
Performance in 2006
Mr. Speaker, the problems and challenges notwithstanding the Ministry did a lot with its allocation of ¢41.840 billion which was distributed to its component units as follows:
From the Consolidated Fund ¢15,840 billion was allocated, expected Donor Funding was ¢12 billion and expected IGF was ¢14 billion.
Mr. Speaker, the total budget of ¢41.840 billion was shared among the component units as follows:-
i. For General Administration (Min. HQ.) an amount of ¢14,241 billion was allocated.
ii. For the Directorate of Fisheries, an amount of ¢22,911 billion was allocated for its operations.
iii. For Research, an amount of ¢4,114 billion was allocated.

Chairman of the Committee (Dr. M. K. Antwi)

Mr. Speaker, I rise to second the motion as moved by the hon. Minister for Fisheries that this honourable House approves the sum of ¢42,670,000,000 for the services of the Ministry of Fisheries for the 2007 fiscal year.
Mr. Speaker, before I present the Report of the Committee I would want to make some corrections on the front page of the Committees Report. It is not a draft annual estimate; it should read: “Report of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs on the 2007 Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Fisheries.” It is not a draft
Estimates of the Ministry of Fisheries
4. The Budget Statement and Economic Po l icy o f the Government for the 2006 Fiscal Year
5. The Budget Statement and Economic Po l icy o f the Government for the 2007 Fiscal Year
6. The 2007 Draft Annual Budget of the Ministry of Fisheries.
4.0 Mission Statement
The Ministry of Fisheries exists to promote sustainable and thriving fisheries enterprises through research, technology development, extension and other support services to fishers, processors and traders and to fulfil its crucial role as an instrument of poverty reduction.
5.0 Objectives of the Ministry
For the 2006 fiscal year, the Ministry will pursue the following objectives:
1. Prepare and keep under con- tinual review plans for the management and development of fisheries in waters under the jurisdiction of Ghana.
2. Ensure availability and adequate supply of fish from capture and culture fisheries for the local and export market.

Mr. S. K. B. Manu (NPP -- Ahafo Ano South)

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the motion and to use the opportunity to say a few things about the Ministry.
Mr. Speaker, this Ministry is one that if Ghana was to take a serious look at, it would help preserve some of the foreign exchange that we send out. Mr. Speaker, in this country fish consumption is very high among Ghanaians but we tend to import about 50 to 60 per cent of what we consume. I am not too sure about the percentage but what I know is that we import a very large quantity of fish into this country whereas we have lands and sites in this country where we can do inland fishing, dig ponds and rear the type of fish we want.
But the Ministry is so ill-resourced; even to hire a bulldozer to dig a pond is too expensive for the ordinary Ghanaian that we cannot do this.
So I urge the Government not to see this Ministry as an infant Ministry but to pump more money into it so that farmers who are interested in doing inland fishing can have the machines at a lower and affordable cost so that we can expand the fishing industry in Ghana.
We cannot rely on the seas and the lagoons for the fishes because we do not control those fishes. But if we are to dig ponds of about the size of this chamber and

Mr. Lee Ocran

On a point of

The Committee accordingly recom- mends to the House for approval the sum of thirty-four billion and sixty-four million cedis (¢34,064,000,000) for the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs for the 2007 financial year.

Respectfully submitted.

Question proposed.

Mrs. Juliana Azumah-Mensah (NDC -- Ho East)

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the motion on the floor and in so doing I would like to raise one or two points.
Mr. Speaker, your Committee feels that this particular Ministry is a very important one because, as we all know, women and children all over the world are no doubt the vulnerable in our communities.
However, Mr. Speaker, creating a Ministry and paying lip-service to it, not giving it adequate resources to work with effectively to really have the needed impact on the targeted group is not good enough. Last year, the allocation for Women and Children was just around twenty-six billion cedis. This year, thirty- four billion cedis, plus a little, is still on the low side.
Mr. Speaker, having said that, it is very important that where micro-credits are being given, they should properly be monitored to make sure that they are disbursed fairly and equitably so that the impact can be seen and felt at the grass roots.
Mr. Speaker, your Committee also found out that it is important, if we are supposed to get this impact, that the Ministry collaborates more with other
relevant Ministries such as the Ministry of Health to address the rising infant and maternal mortality situation, water, education, to cut down the number of teenage pregnancy cases and to retain young people in school. Yesterday, we heard about the agricultural sector where women are doing very well, so the Ministry could work with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
Mr. Speaker, there is also the belief that some of the banks that are given monies to be given to the beneficiaries are somehow sitting on these monies and frustrating the beneficiaries. Mr. Speaker, it is therefore important to approach these banks and make sure they do the right things and not frustrate the poor beneficiaries.
Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs (MOWAC) continues to train a lot of female porters also known as kayayei in the districts -- a lot of resources are being put in to train them in skills of some sort. Mr. Speaker, we also know that these kayayei tend to come back to Accra or the bigger cities, leaving their sewing machines or whatever behind. I believe we have to look at this properly and see what is causing the problem before they come back again after having acquired those skills.
Mr. Speaker, with these few points, I urge hon. Members to approve the sum of 34 billion cedis-plus and hope to have a top-up from the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning later on in the year with a supplementary budget.

Mrs. Alice Teni Boon (NDC -- Lambussie)

Mr. Speaker, I also rise to impress upon hon. Colleagues to pass the budget for Ministry of Women and
Children's Affairs to enable them carry on with their activities.
Mr. Speaker, I want to talk on a few issues that I have observed. I think that if the Minister carries them on board it would help the Ministry a lot. Mr. Speaker, of late, we have seen a lot of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) coming up and either pretending or claiming to be supporting women's issues here and there.
I know the Ministry is trying to monitor these various NGOs but I think it is important that the Ministry keeps an eye on them to see, at least, the impact of such NGOs in what they claim they are doing. It is very, very important. I know a lady who went for such training and according to her she did not even know what the NGO was. She said they were told to try and see how best they could do farming. So I actually do not know whether it was coming from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture or from the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs.
But I think that it is important for the hon. Minister to keep an eye on such NGOs so that she will try to collaborate with them closely and make sure that whatever agenda they have would, at least, be on track.
Mr. Speaker, I also think that the various Ministries' desks need to be re- looked at, such that they would put a little bit of weight on the desks. Some of the desks are just there and I think that it will be appropriate if the Minister does bring the concerns of her Colleagues such that they will put some amount of impact on the activities of the various desks, so that they would give more effective assistance to the Ministry than they are doing now.
I know they can do better than what they are doing, but we need to add a little bit of persuasion. I do not think what they are doing is enough.
A clear example is the issue of infant mortality that is on the increase now. I think that the Ministry of Health needs to work alongside the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs so that we will have a great feel of its impact on the ground.
I thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I urge all hon. Members to support the budget.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved:
That this honourable House approves the sum of ¢34,064,-000,000 for the services of the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs for the 2007 fiscal year.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Minister for Communications, are you ready? [Interruption] -- Well hon. Minister for Health, if you are here -- [Pause] -- Minister for the Interior, hon. Kan- Dapaah, are you ready?

Minister for the Interior (Mr. Albert Kan-Dapaah)

Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, that this honourable House approves the sum of ¢1,479,510,000,000 for the services of the Ministry of the Interior for the 2007 fiscal year.
Mr. Speaker, I need not reiterate the
importance of the security agencies, at this point in time, in our economic development. Last year, with a budget of ¢907 billion that was allocated to the

Chairman of the Committee (Mr. J. K. Hackman)

Mr. Speaker, I beg to second the motion and in so doing to present the Committee's Report.
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Following the presentation by the hon. Minister for Finance and Economic Planning of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government to Parliament on Thursday, 16th November 2006, the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of the Interior were referred to the Committee for its consideration and report, in accordance with article 179 of the Constitution and Standing Orders 140 (4) and 158 of the House.
1.2 The Committee met to deliberate on the estimates. In attendance were the hon. Minister for the Interior, his Deputy and officials from both the Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.
1.3 The Ministry of the Interior consists of the Headquarters and the following
underlisted Agencies:
(a) Ghana Police Service
(b) Ghana Prisons Service
(c) Ghana National Fire Service
(GNFS)
(d) Ghana Immigration Service
(GIS)
(e) National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO)
(f) Narcotics Control Board
(NACOB)
The Ministry also has additional responsibility of overseeing the affairs of the Ghana Refugee Board and the National Commission on Small Arms.
2.0 Sector Performance in 2006
2.1 A total amount of ¢906.885 billion was allocated to the Ministry of the Interior for the 2006 Financial Year. This amount though not adequate, the Ministry was able to perform creditably within its budgetary constraints.
2.2 In the year under review, the Headquarters of the Ministry continued its co-ordination of activities with stakeholders to promote peace in the country. The Ministry also increased awareness on the dangers associated with the proliferation of small arms.
2.3 The Police Service on its part, recruited and trained 2,500 personnel, clothed them adequately and improved the development of its human resources. Police personnel attended both local and foreign training programmes. The Peace- keeping Documents Centre was started

Mr. A. K. Agbesi (NDC-- Ashaiman)

Mr. Speaker, I rise to contribute in support of this motion and urge the House to approve the estimates for the Ministry and also to say that if it is possible, in view of the many problems associated with the various agencies under this Ministry, the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning could find ways and means to get more money for this Ministry.
Mr. Speaker, I get worried about the condition that faces the Police Service, the Fire Service, the Prisons Service and others. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, I have a situation at the Tema Harbour where the personnel at the Fishing Harbour Police Station face serious accommodation problems to the extent that newly posted officers have to sleep at the counter. They even have students' mattresses which they put at the counter and they sleep there and even run shift.
Mr. Speaker, the situation is even more serious at places where they call barracks. They have 12 feet by 12 feet rooms and and one is being occupied by a police officer with his wife and children. Mr. Speaker, this is an officer who is to go out and protect us so that we have peace in the system. This is an officer who is on call anytime to go and perform his duty.

Mr. Lee Ocran

On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to draw your attention to the fact that the hon. Minister

Mr. Kan-Dapaah

Mr. Speaker, I take very serious objection to it. My hon. Colleague has just made an excellent case for the Ghana Police Service and has ended by requesting that if need be, additional resources should be added to it. Mr. Speaker, I wonder how I could not have been listening to such an impressive submission.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

He has not finished. He is giving specific examples and making references to some situations that are worth listening to.

Mr. Agbesi

Mr. Speaker, as I said, I have situations where police officers or police personnel are located in 12 feet by 12 feet single rooms and they live with their families. And I am saying that such a situation does not make it possible to perform to their best.
Mr. Speaker, some of their bungalows have not seen painting for the past twenty years. I have a big storey building in my constituency which houses the police. It is right by the roadside and it has not seen painting for years. In fact, I am organizing to paint it for them. But I think that the hon. Minister needs to do something and I am urging him to go out and look for something for the police.
Mr. Speaker, we have a situation where we do not even have fire tenders for the various stations. Ashaiman which is a fire- prone area is without a fire tender. We have made several requests and always we are faced with “there is no money to buy a fire tender”. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister for Finance and Economic Planning must look seriously for money to get fire tenders for the Fire Service. This is because anytime
there is fire outbreak, you have to call Accra, you have to call VALCO and other places before you get services.
Mr. Speaker, our men who we put at these various places are indeed suffering for lack of residential and office accommodation. Mr. Speaker, I think that if we need to get our men to work for us, then we have to make sure that their accommodation is perfectly provided.
Mr. Speaker, I have been seeing policemen going on patrol duties in the night. Sometimes, I follow them. Sometimes, you would realize that they go into areas where there are no lights. they must go there to patrol the area. I have seen recently that they are digging on the Motorway and I believe they are going to put streetlights on the Motorway.
Mr. Speaker, sometimes we have to prioritize our needs. Putting streetlights on the Motorway and then putting lights at the various dark corners in our various constituencies, which is of priority? I believe that we need streetlights for the Motorway but for the meantime the corners, where the armed robbers have been hiding, where the thieves have been hiding to snatch our mobile phones need to be lighted.
I therefore urge the Ministry to look at those areas because the Motorway streetlights can wait a bit whilst we look at our various environments.
Mr. Speaker, this Ministry is one that we need to look at and I urge the hon. Minister to seriously work on the personnel.
With these few words, Mr. Speaker, I support the motion.

Mrs. Elizabeth K. T. Sackey (NPP -- Okaikoi North)

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the motion on the floor that the amount of ¢1,479,510,000,000 be

Mr. Speaker, I will continue.
The above achievements were not without some constraints. The problems included:
Insufficient funds and associated delays in their release that hamper our activities in favour of the poor, vulnerable, disadvantaged and the destitute; Inadequate staff especially of the professional/technical class due to lack of funds to recruit;
Lack of logistics (vehicles for monitoring and evaluation), office equipment (PCs, fax machines, etc) and unsuitable office premises just to mention a few.
2007 Programme
Mr. Speaker, the Ministry will in 2007
continue work on ongoing programmes and activities. It will also formulate and implement some new strategic activities and initiatives.
Specifically the Ministry will:
Complete and implement the National Employment Policy to address employment, decent work agenda and labour migration;
Develop the Labour Market Information System to provide relevant information to all key stakeholders in the areas of employment levels, unemployment rates, wages and training;
Pilot a Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme to provide conditional social grants to the extreme poor with no alternative means of meeting their subsistence needs and uncon- ditional grants to individuals with limited or no productive capacity. Target groups include extreme poor farmers and fisherfolk, orphans and vulnerable children and lactating mothers with HIV/AIDS among others;
Collaborate with and participate in programmed activities of inter- national Agencies such as the ILO, AU, ECA, et cetera for quality assurance, adherence to standards and adoption of best practices for employment, labour and wages matters;
Strengthen institutional capacity- building for all categories of staff to improve upon service delivery;
Continue with the National Youth

Chairman of Committee (Mr. Paul Okoh)

Mr. Speaker, I beg to second the motion and in doing so, present the Report of the Committee.
Mr. Speaker, I will crave your indulgence to read only the “Conclusion” and pray that Hansard captures the entire Report as having been read.
1.0 Introduction
In pursuance of article 179 (1), (2) and (10) of the Constitution of the Republic and Standing Order 140 (1) the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2007 Financial Year was presented to the House on Thursday, 16th November 2006 by the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, hon. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu.
In compliance with Standing Orders 140 (4) and 184, the 2007 Draft Estimates of the Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment were referred to the Joint
Committee for consideration and report, and the Joint Committee having held a meeting to so consider the Estimates reports as follows:
1.1 Acknowledgement
The Committee is grateful to the Sector Deputy Ministers, the Chief Director and Officials of the Ministry who attended the Committee Budget hearing session to assist the Committee deliberate on the Estimates.
2.0 Reference Documents
In considering the estimates of the Sector Ministry the underlisted documents were referred to:
i. The 1992 Constitution of the Republic
ii. The Budget Estimates and Economic Po l icy o f the Government of Ghana for the 2006 Financial Year.
iii. The Budget Estimates and Economic Po l icy o f the Government of Ghana for the 2007 Financial Year.
iv. The Annual Estimates of the Ministry of Public Sector Reforms.
v. The Standing Orders of the Parliament of Ghana.
3.0 Mission Statement of the Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment
The Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment exists to promote sustainable employment opportunities, management and vocational skills development, training and retraining, harmonious labour relations, safe and healthy working environment, co-operatives and group formation and social integration of
the vulnerable, the excluded and the disadvantaged for the development and growth of the economy.
The Ministry does this through formation and implementation of policies, co-ordination, monitoring and evaluation of performance of the sector; guided by belief in improved productivity, efficiency, equity and prompt responsiveness to clients. The latter comprises the labour force, employers, people with disability, the disadvantaged and the vulnerable.
4 .0 Object ives of the Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment
In order to realize its Mission Statement, the Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment has set these objectives for itself:
To become a high profile, well- resourced and efficient as well as effective Ministry committed to human resource development.
To create a sustainable environ- ment for gainful employment.
To enhance the social well-being of all Ghanaians.
Challenges
In spite of the apparent high budgetary allocation for the year under review, the Ministry encountered a number of difficulties some of which are outlined below:
4.1 Inadequate Personnel
The Joint Committee noted with serious concern, the inadequate staffing levels of the Ministry and observed that this could have an adverse effect on the Ministry with respect to its set objectives which were considered vital to creating a sustainable environment for gainful employment.

Mr. Dan Abodakpi (NDC -- Keta)

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the motion on the floor. But in so doing I want to make a few comments.
Mr. Speaker, clearly this Ministry has a very wide mandate which can inure to the good of the economy generally. It has become clear, reading from the presentation in the main Budget document and the discussions, arguably, that the Youth Employment Programme was one flagship project that the Ministry undertook in 2006.
Even though it operated within just four months some relative successes were achieved. However, my concern is that the department that was set up under the Ministry to oversee this important programme is not captured in the budget estimate. Certainly, that department has to meet the personal emoluments, that department has to meet administration costs, et cetera, but these were missing and we could not get any real explanation for that kind of situation.
As we stand now, one does not know how many people are in that department, what administrative problems or difficulties they are having and how they are going to resolve those problems. I think that we will need some clarification on this matter in order for us to appreciate fully the import of that department.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Hon.
Manu, I think that will be enough for you. Let someone else also make a contribution. Yes, hon. Gidisu.
Mr. Joe Kwashie Gidisu (NDC --
Central Tongu): Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the debate. Mr. Speaker, I would want to say that the Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment is one of the very loaded Ministries in the country. And looking at the resources that are made available to them, they are always under-resourced.
Mr. Speaker, if one looked at the various departments and agencies under the Ministry, one would have expected that they would be doing more than they are doing now to generate internally available resources for themselves. Mr. Speaker, I am saying this with reference to your Committee's Report.
Mr. Speaker, your Committee's Report noted that, for example, for the 2006 financial year, the MDAs were able to generate ¢12.9 billion but for 2007 they estimated only ¢13.5 billion. So what is the forward-looking with regard to such internally-generated funds (IGF)? Mr.
Speaker, if for 2006 they were able to generate ¢12.9 billion and for 2007 they have indicated ¢13.5 billion as the amount that the MDAs are aiming at generating then it is a very serious situation.
At one time last year we said a lot of the MDAs could be self-accounting. For example, the Management Development and Productivity Institute (MDPI) had the same focus as GIMPA and given the necessary encouragement they should be able to do more and sustain themselves and a lot more also of other departments and agencies under them.
Mr. Speaker, apart from that, we have been quite worried also about the fluid relationship between the Ghana Cooperative Council and the Ghana Cooperative College. If you look at these two departments, the distinction in terms of job orientation is very, very lean, and one would have expected that for such a long time now it would have been possible to come out with a unification or perhaps synchronization of their activities so as to reduce their operational costs.
Mr. Speaker, for sometime now we have been talking about youth policy. In the hon. Minister's reaction he said that one of the major activities that they are trying to formalize this year is a national youth policy, which has been in a draft form. Mr. Speaker, I want to challenge the situation that the youth policy that the NDC came up with and the draft policy of the present government -- The only difference is the distinction between the age of a youth which NPP put at 29 and the NDC put at 31.
Mr. Speaker, apart from the age difference, it is word-to-word in the draft policy that would be brought before this House if it would ever be brought. So in effect, it is only postponing the situation
--[Interruption] -- I am speaking as a former Ranking Member of the sector.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Hon.
Gidisu, you should be winding up. I give you half a minute to do so.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Hon.
Members, what are you doing? Let us have some order here.

Mr. Abuga

Mr. Speaker, I have a
few comments about the allocation. Mr. Speaker, on page 7 of the Committee's Report, you would find that the GOG fund has been broken down into the various sectors and the allocations made. But Mr. Speaker, there is total silence as to the
other sources or other funds that would be available to the Ministry for 2007. The hon. Minister might want to clarify how those other funds are going to be spent.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member who spoke earlier mentioned that we do not find in the estimates of the Ministry the portion that is allocated to the Youth Employment Programme. If you add the ¢1.3 trillion that was earmarked for the programme for 2006 and the Ministry's ¢73 billion, then definitely the volume of allocation to that Ministry should not each ¢73 billion. That is why we are much concerned about its place in the estimates of the Ministry.
The programme directly falls under Manpower, Youth and Employment Ministry so we expect that everything under the programme would be controlled by the Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment; otherwise your sub- committees would be handicapped in trying to monitor and do their oversight work on the Ministry.
Mr. Speaker, another problem about this Youth in Employment Programme is the fact that many of the sources of those funds are from statutory funds like HIPC, VAT, GETFund, Road Fund, and so forth. Mr. Speaker, at the committee meeting the hon. Minister indicated that they got 5 per cent of the HIPC fund allocation. If all these funds are statutory funds and they are fixed, and we know the percentages to be taken from those statutory funds, then where was the balance of the funds lodged? Why were they not released to the Ministry? Why was it the case that only 5 per cent of the HIPC fund was allocated to the Ministry for the programme?
Again, Mr. Speaker, we know that ¢1.3 trillion was what was earmarked for

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Hon. Member, speak to the Chair, if anybody wants to raise any intervention, or come by way of an intervention, the person should catch the eye of the Chair.

Mr. Abuga

Mr. Speaker, as at the period the Committee met to examine the estimates of the Ministry, they had succeeded in employing, according to their own statement, about thirty-nine thousand and I hear the figure now is seventy thousand or slightly above seventy thousand. Mr. Speaker, how much of the ¢1.3 trillion went into the programme to the extent that only seventy thousand of employable youth were employed in this country?
Mr. Speaker, we also want to urge that the Ministry, has under its responsibility a lot of youth training institutes and we know that many of these youth who have been trained in these institutes are capable individuals who, given the necessary motivation and help, can really be placed in very lucrative employment areas.
Mr. Speaker, why is it not possible for the Ministry, rather than just go and start afresh with some youth and train them and give them employment, to allocate some of these funds to some of these institutes to strengthen them, make them better employed because they have been trained already? Why do we go and start with training fresh youth when some
youth have already been trained? We have many of these institutes spread all over the country. It would do the country a lot of good if we handled those we have already trained, allocate funds to them and help them to settle down, rather than allocate these funds to train fresh youth and bring them into employment.
Mr. Speaker, there is also the disturbing problem of the Ministry employing youth and releasing them to some of these agencies, like the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Customs, Excise and Preventive Service and other organizations.

Mr. Opare-Hammond

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I heard my hon. Colleague make a statement that is not correct.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Which statement are you referring to?

Mr. Opare-Hammond

Mr. Speaker, he is misleading this House and the entire nation. No one is recruiting youth and giving them to the various agencies that he was talking about. Mr. Speaker, what is happening is that the Youth in Employment Programme is helping to identify young people who have the training and requisite qualification to be engaged in such areas. So they are only being used as a kind of conduit through which these people can be engaged.
Mr. Speaker, we need to correct that so

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

You are out of order; let him continue.

Mr. Abuga

Mr. Speaker, some of these agencies are well-established agencies; they have their own procedures of recruitment. They are well versed in the issue of recruitment; they have their channels and they have a way of reaching out. They normally advertise -- [Interruption.]

Hon. Deputy Minority Leader, I appreciate what
has been happening and you would also appreciate that I have been in this Chair since 10.00 o'clock in the morning and I am equally eager to leave this place but as usual this has been the pattern. We have a few more motions and maybe tomorrow we will take very good care to look at all the problems involved in it. I pleaded with you. The Chair has asked you that please, let us go on with this one.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Hon. Akua Dansua, please take your seat, I am not giving you the chance; take your seat.

Ms. Dansua

I just want to find out if there would be any Additional Duty Hours Allowance (ADHA) for us, for Sitting late? [Laughter.]

Chairman of the Committee (Mr. Opare-Ansah)

Mr. Speaker, I beg to second the motion and in doing so I wish to present the Report of your Select Committee on Communications to which the Ministry's budget estimates was referred.
1.0 Introduction
1.1 The draft Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Communications for 2007 was referred to the Select Committee on Communications on 16th November 2006 for consideration and report in
accordance with Standing Orders 140 (4) and 181. This followed the presentation of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government to the House by the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning (MoFEP), hon. Kwadwo Baah- Wiredu (MP) in accordance with article 179 of the Constitution and Order 140 (1) of the Standing Orders of the House.
1.2 The Committee met on 8 th December, 2006 with the Minister for Communications, hon. Prof. Aaron M. Oquaye (MP) accompanied by officials of the Ministry and its Agencies as well as an official of the MoFEP. The Committee is grateful to the hon. Minister and his team for their very warm cooperation.
2.0 Reference Documents
i. The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.
ii. The Standing Orders of the House.
iii. The Budget Statement and Economic Po l icy o f the Government of Ghana for the 2007 Financial Year.
iv. Report of the Select Committee on Communications on the Annual Est imates of the Ministry of Communications and Technology for 2006.
3.0 Mission Statement and Objectives of the Ministry
The Ministry of Communications (MOC) exists to facilitate the development of a reliable and cost-effective world- class communications infrastructure and services, driven by appropriate techno-logical innovations to enhance the promotion of economic competitiveness in a knowledge-based environment.
In pursuance of this mission statement,
MOC has the following objectives:
i. To promote the development of nationwide communi- cations and technological
infrastructural backbone and services.
ii. To support the creation of a broad based communication and technological environ- ment that maintains a balance between stake-holders.
iii. To facilitate the application of computer systems to improve the quality and efficiency of Public Services.
iv. To strengthen the institu- tional and human resources capacities for quality service delivery.
v. To review and develop policies that will enhance well-functioning and self- financed regulatory bodies in a competitive Information C o m m u n i c a t i o n s Technology (ICT) environ- ment.
vi. To facilitate the provision of quality meteorological data and forecast in support of weather sensitive sectors of the economy.
4.0 Agencies Under MOC
The MOC has the following agencies for the implementation of its programmes and policies:
National Communications Authority
(NCA)
Ghana Telecom (GT)
Ghana Post Company Ltd.
Ghana Meteorological Agency
(GMA)
Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (KACE)
Ghana Information and Commu- nication Technology Directorate
Postal and Courier Services

Regulatory Commission (PCSRC)

Ghana Investment Fund for Telecommunications (GIFTEL)

These agencies are tasked to handle specific functional areas in line with the Ministry's mission and objectives. However, the administrat ive and development expenses of the NCA, GT and Ghana Post are not charged on the Consolidated Fund because they are self-financing. The Central Systems Development Unit (CSDU) under the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning is expected to be transferred to the MoC during the 2007 fiscal year.

5.0 Performance in 2006

The Ministry was allocated a sum of ¢67,762,000,000 from GOG, IGF and HIPC Resources for its operations in 2006. Of this amount ¢33.3 billion represented the GOG component. The achievements of the Ministry in 2006 were well captured in the Budget Statement presented to the House. Suffice it, however, to recap a few in this report:

A marked growth in telephone subscriptions in both fixed and mobile lines. From December 2001 to September 2006, there has been a total increase in both fixed and mobile subscriptions from 464,861 to 4,946,357 representing a cumulative percentage rise of 2,268 per cent.

The Ministry commenced separate processes of privatisation of both Ghana Telecom and Westel to enable the two national operators to source adequate capital for more competitive operation. These processes are expected to be completed by June 2007.

A new Radiosonde Equipment for the Ghana Meteorological Agency was commissioned at Tamale Airport in March 2006. This has facilitated prompt weather forecast

to serve the aviation industry. A Climate Database Management System was upgraded in March to enhance processing and archiving of historical meteo data.

The Ghana Telecom University College was formally inaugurated as a tertiary institution for ICT and telecom focused learning. The College admitted 238 students into various degree and certificate programmes for the 2006/7 academic year and trained 120 technicians in short-term courses.

The Kof i Annan Cent re o f Excellence in ICT trained about 4,000 persons to bridge the ICT gap between academia, government and industry.

Under the Community Information Centre (CIC) programme, the following were accomplished:

72 centres completed and equipped

49 CIC coordinators were trained in technical and managerial skills

Coordination arrangement set up between the MoC, Ministry of Information and National Orientation and the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment to facilitate the harmonisation of technical and operational programmes.

One underserved area was selected in each region under the GIFTEL arrangement for extension of telecom access. These are Tokope (G/Accra) , Twifo Mampong (Central), Donkorkrom (Eastern), Dadieso (Western), Odumase (Ashanti), Damanko (Volta), Daboya (Northern), Gwollu (U/ West), Fumbisi (U/East) and Kwame Danso (B/A).

6.0 Expected Outputs in 2007

In the coming year, the Ministry will commence the implementation of an e-Ghana project aimed at supporting concrete initiatives to implement the ICT- led socio-economic development strategy. To achieve these objectives the Ministry plans to pursue the following:

Develop the relevant policies, legis la t ion, regulat ions and procedures for the Telecom and ICT Sector.

Liaise with the Ministry of Information to discuss future legislation to cover convergence of t e lecommunica t ions and broadcasting under the e-Ghana Project. An integrated and shared national portal would also be developed in conjunction with the Ministry of Information to help departments reduce cost and improve security of databases.

Liaise with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service to develop a scheme of service for the ICT Class within the Civil Service so quality staff could be attracted and retained to support the deployment of Government's e-applications.

Continue to facilitate the practical creation of wealth through ICT by promoting Business Process Outsourcing and ICT Incubation.

Monitor the expansion of telephone facilities to the Rural Area to support the extension of broadband connectivity to towns with senior secondary schools and/or training colleges to facilitate extension of computer literacy facilities in the schools.

Moni to r the comple t ion o f construct ion works and the extension of connectivity to model Community Information Centres (CICs) and commence work on additional CICs under the HIPC programme.

Monitor policy development process of the Ghana Investment

Fund for Telecommunications (GIFTEL) to generate funds to support the development of telecom infrastructure in the underserved areas of the country.

Pursue the development of the g o v e r n m e n t I C T N e t w o r k Infrastructure Policy. Facilitate the provision of qualitative ICT human resource development for the sector.

Promote messaging and colla- boration between MDAs.

Pursue the development of a national IT infrastructure backbone via fibre- optic extension nation-wide.

Promote the development of the Technology Park concept.

Ensure the attainment of 30 per cent teledensity penetration.

7.0 Budget Estimates for 2007

For its operations in 2007, the Ministry of Communications has been allocated an amount of two hundred and seven billion, six hundred and eighty-two million cedis (¢207,682,000,000). This is made up of the following components:

a. GOG -- ¢

60,283,000,000

b. IGF -- ¢

856,000,000

c Donor - - ¢

126,543,000,000

d. HIPC - - ¢

20,000,000,000

Total - -

¢207,682,000,000

The table attached shows the proposed allocations to the various MDAs.

8.0 Observations

8.1 Headquarters

Chairman of the Committee (Mr. Opare-Ansah)

The Headquarters of the Ministry has a total allocation of ¢182,892,000,000 as compared to last year's allocation of ¢32,976,361,000. As the table shows, the allocation includes a donor component of ¢126,543,000,000 which is part of the disbursement the two credit facilities approved by this honourable House in July this year for specified ICT services and infrastructural projects across the country.
The Committee observed that the allocation for P.E. had risen by 169.8 per cent over that of 2006 as a result of government's salary realignment policy. This will serve to improve the quality of the Ministry's human resource and thereby increase productivity by motivating staff.
8.1.1 Internally Generated Funds
The Committee was told that the Min i s t ry 's p ro jec ted r ece ip t o f ¢19,450,000,000 in 2006 was over- opt imist ic . This is because the commercialisation of the GMA, which was projected to yield about ¢9,000,000,000, was still at a teething stage and hence could not achieve the target. Upon discussions with the MOFEP therefore, a projected receipt of ¢3,356,000,000 is expected from GMA and KACE in 2007. Out of this amount, MoC is expected to retain ¢856,000,000 to be utilised as follows:
Administration -- 250,000,000
Service -- 350,000,000
Investment -- 256,000,000
8.1.2 HIPC Funds
The Committee noted that allocation from HIPC Funds to the Ministry has been increased to ¢20,000,000,000 from ¢15,000,000,000 in 2006. Again, the bulk of the allocation would be applied to the CIC projects to mainstream ICT knowledge and application in the country particularly in under-served communities.
8 . 1 . 3 Tr a n s f e r o f C e n t r a l Systems Development Unit (CSDU)
The Committee was informed that the transfer of the Central Systems Development Unit (CSDU) under the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP) will be effected in 2007. The transfer would strengthen the operations of GICTeD. The Committee noted that the budget for CSDU in the sum of ¢5,050,000,000 has been captured under MOFEP for approval hence this is not included in the budget of MoC.
2.2 Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT
The Committee noted that the Ghana- India Kofi Annan Centre has been provided with approximately ¢10,033,-000,000 for its operations in 2006. The Centre is intended to become self financing in the long run and therefore it is authorised to charge appropriate fees for its services. According to the Budget Statement for 2007 (Appendix 9, pg. 329), the Centre is projected to collect an amount of ¢2,500,000,000 in 2007 and this is expected to be lodged in the Consolidated Fund.
The Committee was told that the Centre was beginning to make impact on ICT capacity in the country. In view of high patronage of its programmes therefore, there is the need to expand training facilities at the Centre as well rehabilitate a structure acquired to house faculty members.
8.3 Ghana Meteorological Agency
The Ghana Meteorological Agency is a specialised scientific agency, whose objective is to ensure the provision of
reliable meteorological information to support socio-economic activities. The Committee noted that for its operations in 2007, GMA has been allocated an amount of twenty-four billion, five hundred and thirty-four million, cedis (¢24,534,000,000). This includes an allocation of four hundred and eighty million cedis (¢480,000,000) which they are expected to retain from their IGF.
The Committee noted that as part
of its commercialisation, a new salary structure based on job assessment has been proposed and forwarded to the appropriate authorities for consideration and possible implementation in 2007. The Committee was told that implementation of various approved strategies under the commercialisation programme will commence in 2007. A key part of this programme is revenue generation from the aviation industry.
8 . 4 P o s t a l a n d C o u r i e r Services Regulatory Commission
(PCSRC)
For its operations in 2007, PCSRC has been allocated an amount of ¢1,811,000,000. Quite a huge shortfall of ¢1,653,610,850 between the request by the Commission and the allocation was noted by the Committee. This would pose major challenges in the implementation of the Commission's activities under Adminis- tration and Investment.
9.0 Conclusion
In today's globalised world, an integrated ICT infrastructure is central to Ghana's poverty reduction and investment drive.
The Commit tee has care fu l ly considered the draft Annual Estimates and recommends that this honourable House approves the sum of two hundred and seven billion, six hundred and eighty- two million cedis (¢207,682,000,000) for the services of the Ministry of Commu- nications for the 2007 financial year.

Question proposed.

Mr. Haruna Iddrisu (NDC -- Tamale South)

Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the motion for the approval of ¢207,682,000,000 for the services of the Ministry of Communications for the 2007 financial year. And in doing so, Mr. Speaker, I would like to state that this is a very important Ministry, especially recognizing the contribution of Information Communi- cation Technology (ICT) to modern development trends.
Indeed, it is significant that we mainstream ICT. I think that even from Ministry to Ministry they should be able to share information. But Mr. Speaker, I would like to raise one fundamental problem, beginning with the National Communication's Authority and the Ministry of Communication to consider taking urgent steps to ensure that Ghanaians get value-for-money, espe- cially when it comes to access to mobile telephony.
Indeed, Mr. Speaker, most Members of Parliament have been accused wrongly by their constituents of unsuccessful attempts to reach them on phone -- the constituents would conclude that the MP or the Minister has turned off his phone when, in fact, it has to do with the poor quality of service that is being provided by the service provider. And it has to do with

Mr. Haruna Iddrisu (NDC -- Tamale South)

those entities? That, I believe, will need to be clarified.
Mr. Speaker, on Ghana Telecom, I have an honest belief that the Telenor Management Partners -- or call it Telecom Management Partners, as they want us to call it today -- My view is that in this country we operate under the laws of Ghana and not under the laws of Norway. Therefore, I suspect -- that is why I am calling for an investigation into the transition from -- Telenor Management Partners (TMP) to Telecom Management Partners -- that it was a fraud.
Because, I am aware that Telenor Management Partners had no interest in Asia and Africa and for that matter could not be in Ghana. And the records of Ghana Telecom (GT) point to the fact that there has been some questionable transition between TMP maintaining TMP as a title -- it is no longer Telenor Management Partners but Telecom Management Partners.
Mr. Speaker, they have left Ghana Telecom worse than they met it. I believe what we needed was a strategic investor and not a management contract. We have absolute faith in the competence of Ghanaians -- we believe that Ghanaians can do it better if they are given the opportunity to man Ghana Telecom.
Mr. Speaker, they have no cause even to operate at a loss because they determine their tariff regime and if they decide that they want to charge ¢2,500 per minute, per call, they will know what their cost of production is and at all times they can break even and make profit.
Mr. Speaker, I am aware that Ghana Telecom contracted some short-term loan facility from China and it is due for
payment. Without fear of contradiction I can say that today Ghana Telecom is facing liquidity crisis and is heavily indebted. When the Minister appeared before this honourable House he was unable to provide answers as to how many expatriates were working, even though by our intelligence we were aware that they exceeded 30. Gladly, we are hearing some reports in the media that the management contract has been terminated. There has been debate over the number of fixed lines that they promised.
Mr. Speaker, the Memorandum of Understanding that was signed in 2002 was specific that they were to roll on at least 400,000 fixed lines. Today, we still have about 365,000 fixed lines. It does not mean that they came to meet a zero regime in terms of fixed lines; there were already some fixed lines in existence, about 200,000 or more.
Therefore, they failed in their contractual obligation. Government was running between looking for a strategic investor and ending up with management contracts, paying huge sums of money whether in Norwegian dollars or American dollars, for their purpose. And I renew my call that we will need a forensic audit into the activities of Ghana Telecom in order to inform which investor will come in.
Mr. Speaker, if you look at the transition even before Telecom Malaysia left, they were doing better. They recently brought in these telephone booths -- many of them have collapsed, yet huge sums of money were invested in them.

I have always been against even the nationalization of Ghana Telecom and WESTEL, especially for a Government that professes to believing in private sector participation. I think that we must

open it up and allow for private sector participation in the provision of telephony.

Mr. Speaker, people are complaining

today about how much money Areeba sends abroad or how much they earn, yet our own national service provider, Ghana Telecom can do better. Our people, I understand, are looking for the opportunity to access mobile telephony. I think that something ought to be done about that.

Mr. Speaker, my final comment will

be on GIFTEL. We are aware that a fund was established in order to bridge the gap between access to telephony involving rural and urban areas in the country. Mr. Speaker, so far, over ¢39 billion has been generated for the fund and the hon. Minister will have to explain to this House either today or some other day, why Ghana Telecom has since the establishment of GIFTEL not contributed a farthing to that fund; and even today, GIFTEL is still in huge arrears involving many of the service providers. Mr. Speaker, we need to do something about that.

Many of our rural communities still do not have access to telephone facilities. Mr. Speaker, why would one have ¢39 billion sitting -- I do not have my statistics right but that will convert into several million dollars. Mr. Speaker, we need to improve access to rural telephony. We also need an assurance from the hon. Minister that the community information centres would be dealt with.

Mr. Speaker, E-crime, internet fraud, is now on the increase and we need to do something about E-legislation, and I hope that the Ministry will take particular interest in it. It is encouraging to hear that some attempts have been made.

Mr. Speaker, if we refer to page 5 of your Committee's Report, we are

particularly interested in under-served areas when it comes to the provision of telephone facilities. There are some listed communities here -- Twifo, Mampong, Donkorkrom, Dadieso, Damanko, and then Daboya area in the Northern Region. Mr. Speaker, I believe the Ministry can do more. With ¢39 billion sitting at GIFTEL, they can assure three communities in Ghana. They can choose the most deprived in terms of access to rural telephony and roll them on under the facility of GIFTEL.

Mr. Speaker, with these few comments, I support the motion and hope that the hon. Minister will allow for private sector participation in the activities of WESTEL and Ghana Telecom in particular and authorize a forensic audit into their investigation. We need to know how much even our spectrum was sold for. The hon. Minister appeared before this House and gave a figure of $56 million when we said he should compartmentalize it in terms of how much came from Areeba, how much Kasapa paid for its spectrum that was not disclosed.

But Mr. Speaker, we need to know because in Nigeria, they have raised over $500 million through the sale of mobile spectrum to them. We can do same for Ghana and generate more resources for our country.

Mr. Speaker, I support the motion.

Mr. Kenneth Dzirasah (NDC -- South Tongu)

Mr. Speaker, I just wish to raise two points to buttress the call by our Ranking Member on the need for Ghana Telecom to be investigated.
Ghana Telecom stands out as a very fat cow that anybody milks. I recall that several years back, when things were not very well, Ghana Telecom used to serve or provide money for budgetary support.

Minister for Private Sector Reforms (Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom)

Mr. Speaker, I wish to speak on this motion but I am very much concerned about some of what

Minister for Private Sector Reforms (Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom)

is being said about Ghana Telecom. Mr. Speaker, I know an hon. Member just now has talked about liquidity crisis at Ghana Telecom. He has also talked about forensic audit at Ghana Telecom. He has talked about fraud at Ghana Telecom and also talked about, maybe, the Malaysians doing better than the Norwegians. We have thrown out all manner of things like these.

But Mr. Speaker, everybody recognizes that Ghana Telecom is an important matter for all of us and yet what we have demonstrated over the years has been a certain inferiority complex in this country about Ghanaian professionals and Ghanaian management. That is what has gotten us to where we are and so if we are going to be selective and talk about what is happening now without reference to what we have been doing over the years, we would not get to the bottom properly.

Alhaji Sumani Abukari

On a point of
order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Minister for Public Sector Reforms is disa-ppointingly misleading this House. Mr. Speaker, this is an hon. Minister who is supposed to carry us forward. What he has suggested is a forensic audit into the activities as of today. Now this hon. Minister is up and
is talking of what happened in the 1990s -- [Interruption.] We want to go forward not to go backwards. That is why he is sitting where he is sitting.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Hon. Member for Tamale North, you are out of order.

Hon.
Member for Tamale South, are you on a
point of order?

Mr. Speaker, they are
changing words -- [Laughter] -- but at least that is a movement from the original position. [Interruption.]
Mr. Speaker, we started from a point. If you look at the previous Appropriations, we do not even put a clause there for IGF at all. It is because we are trying to make sure that these IGFs are used transparently that it has come. But you are authorized to
collect in the first instance and you must be authorized to retain for your use, to defray your administration expenses, before you can even provide for it.
But to even provide for it before the Appropriation Bill is passed -- I do not know what kind of arrangement this is. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is totally wrong and I believe that this House ought to do the proper thing.

Prof. G. Y. Gyan-Baffour

Mr.
Speaker, on a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I think my senior Brother is misleading everybody. What we are doing is actually a preparation towards an Act of Parliament. If they apply to Parliament to approve of it and then after the passage of the Appropriation Bill it becomes a law, what is wrong with that? I think that this is actually in line with what is in the Constitution. So I think the hon. Deputy Minority Leader is misleading everybody in the House.

Mr. Adjaho

Mr. Speaker, I believe that the hon. Deputy Minister maybe is now trying to join the debate so I would excuse him. Mr. Speaker, the point that we are raising is that the law says that you must make a law for specific purpose; and it is in that law that you would know how much you have to retain.
Mr. Speaker, I am asking the hon. Member that in those laws that they

CORRECTION OF VOTES 10:05 a.m.

AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE 10:05 a.m.

OFFICIAL REPORT 10:05 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:05 a.m.

PAPERS 10:05 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:05 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:05 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:05 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:05 a.m.

Mr. Yaw Baah 10:05 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:05 a.m.

-- 10:05 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:05 a.m.

Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 10:05 a.m.

Mr. Adjaho 10:15 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.

Mr. Adjaho 10:15 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.

Mr. Adjaho 10:15 a.m.

Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:15 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.

Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:15 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.

Mr. Adjaho 10:15 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.

CONSIDERATION OF ANNUAL 10:15 a.m.

ESTIMATES 10:15 a.m.

Chairman of the Special Budget Committee (Mr. Fe l ix Owusu- Adjapong) 10:15 a.m.

Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu (on behalf of Vice Chairman of the Committee) 10:15 a.m.

Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu (on behalf of Vice Chairman of the Committee) 10:25 a.m.

Mr. Samuel Sallas-Mensah (NDC -- Upper West Akim) 10:25 a.m.

Mr. Samuel Sallas-Mensah (NDC -- Upper West Akim) 10:25 a.m.

Mr. P. C. Appiah-Ofori (NPP - Asikuma/Odoben/Brakwa) 10:25 a.m.

Mr. E. K. D. Adjaho (NDC -- Avenor/ Ave) 10:25 a.m.

Mr. Sallas-Mensah 10:35 a.m.

Mr. Adjaho 10:35 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.

Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 10:35 a.m.

Mr. Speaker 10:35 a.m.

ANNUAL ESTIMATES 10:35 a.m.

Alhaji Sumani Abukari 10:35 a.m.

Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 10:35 a.m.

Alhaji Abukari 10:35 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.

Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 10:35 a.m.

Alhaji Abukari 10:35 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.

Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 10:35 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.

Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 10:45 a.m.

Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 10:45 a.m.

D F R - - 10:45 a.m.

T O T A L 10:45 a.m.

-- 10:45 a.m.

Mr. Kenneth Dzirasah (NDC -- South Tongu) 10:55 a.m.

Mr. Joseph Boahen Aidoo (NPP -- Amenfi East) 10:55 a.m.

TABLE 10:55 a.m.

Mr. John Gyetuah (NDC Amenfi West) 10:55 a.m.

Mr. Kwadwo Agyei-Addo 10:55 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:55 a.m.

Mr. Gyetuah 11:05 a.m.

Mr B. D. K. Adu (NPP -- Okere) 11:05 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.

Mr. B. D. K. Adu 11:05 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.

Alhaji Dauda 11:05 a.m.

Mr. Oppong-Kusi 11:15 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.

Alhaji Dauda 11:15 a.m.

Alhaji Dauda 11:15 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.

Alhaji Collins Dauda (NDC -- Asutifi South) 11:15 a.m.

Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:15 a.m.

Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.

Alhaji Dauda 11:15 a.m.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Kwame Osei- Prempeh) 11:15 a.m.

Mr. E. D. K. Adjaho (NDC - Avenor/ Ave) 11:15 a.m.

PRAYERS

CORRECTION OF VOTES

AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE

OFFICIAL REPORT

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

PAPERS

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Mr. Yaw Baah

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

--

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Mr. Owusu-Adjapong

Mr. Adjaho

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Mr. Adjaho

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Mr. Adjaho

Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Mr. Adjaho

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

CONSIDERATION OF ANNUAL

ESTIMATES

Chairman of the Special Budget Committee (Mr. Fe l ix Owusu- Adjapong)

Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu (on behalf of Vice Chairman of the Committee)

Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu (on behalf of Vice Chairman of the Committee)

Mr. Samuel Sallas-Mensah (NDC -- Upper West Akim)

Mr. Samuel Sallas-Mensah (NDC -- Upper West Akim)

Mr. P. C. Appiah-Ofori (NPP - Asikuma/Odoben/Brakwa)

Mr. E. K. D. Adjaho (NDC -- Avenor/ Ave)

Mr. Sallas-Mensah

Mr. Adjaho

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Mr. Owusu-Adjapong

Mr. Speaker

ANNUAL ESTIMATES

Alhaji Sumani Abukari

Mr. Owusu-Adjapong

Alhaji Abukari

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Mr. Owusu-Adjapong

Alhaji Abukari

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Mr. Owusu-Adjapong

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Mr. Owusu-Adjapong

Mr. Owusu-Adjapong

D F R - -

T O T A L

--

Mr. Kenneth Dzirasah (NDC -- South Tongu)

Mr. Joseph Boahen Aidoo (NPP -- Amenfi East)

TABLE

Mr. John Gyetuah (NDC Amenfi West)

Mr. Kwadwo Agyei-Addo

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Mr. Gyetuah

Mr B. D. K. Adu (NPP -- Okere)

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Mr. B. D. K. Adu

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Alhaji Dauda

Mr. Oppong-Kusi

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Alhaji Dauda

Alhaji Dauda

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Alhaji Collins Dauda (NDC -- Asutifi South)

Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

Mr. First Deputy Speaker

Alhaji Dauda

Minister for Justice (Mr. Kwame Osei- Prempeh)

Mr. E. D. K. Adjaho (NDC - Avenor/ Ave)

Mr. First Deputy Speaker