Debates of 26 Feb 2009

MR. FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:15 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:15 a.m.
Mr. John Tia Akologu 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think what the Hon Minority Leader is proposing is worth considering but I want to suggest that we do so when we come to revising the Standing Orders of the House. This is because as you put it, this is the standard practice for now and we cannot just, by this suggestion, change it. We should look at the Standing Orders and then make the relevant provision for it, but it is a good proposal that he has made.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.
Very well. Fortunately, both of you are going to be members of the Standing Orders Committee and I think that at the appropriate time, we would take a second look at it. But we know that it is also in the interest of those Hon Ministers to send a certain kind of indication to this House so that they can even use the absence or otherwise at the appropriate time for their own defence.
I think that this is a matter that this House might want to take a second look at again. But I agree with you. There is some point there; if the man is doubling and performing two functions, how do we then say that he is not here? So we may have to look at it again.
  • [The Votes and Proceedings of 25th February, 2009 were corrected. The Official Report of 20th February, 2009 was corrected. There was no correction to the Official Report of 24th February, 2009.]
    • PAPERS 10:35 a.m.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
    The Papers are duly laid and should be distributed to all Hon Members.
    Hon Deputy Majority Leader, I need
    your guidance.
    Mr. J. T. Akologu 10:35 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I think
    in the order of the Business, we are to go to item 5. We would take the continuation of the debate on the President's State of the Nation Address whilst copies of the Papers I have just laid are made available to Hon Members and we return to it at the appropriate time.
    Mr. Speaker 10:35 a.m.
    Very well. Item 5 --
    MOTIONS 10:35 a.m.
    Mrs. Irene Naa Torshie Addo (NPP -- Tema West) 10:35 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, thank you for this opportunity to contribute to the motion to thank H.E. the President for delivering his State of the Nation Address. I wish to congratulate His Excellency the President again for his ascension into the position of President of Ghana. I wish him well and I pray for him.
    My other Hon Colleagues, over the
    days, have spoken and have con-gratulated him on doing a good job of continuing the policies of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government. And I congratulate him in that stead as well.
    However, in reading the whole State
    of the Nation Address, I was greatly disappointed, the reason being that there is a very important subject or issue that I expected him, in continuing the good works of the NPP or in coming out on his own, to have touched on, and that is the subject of --
    Mr. Avedzi 10:35 a.m.
    On a point of order. Mr.
    Speaker, I think my Hon Colleague is misleading the House. She just said she thanked the President for continuing the good work of the previous NPP Government and she continued to say she was disappointed. So, which of them are we talking of now? [Uproar.] Is it the disappointment or the congratulations? She is misleading the House.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
    Hon
    Member, you know that the Hon Member is entitled to her opinion on the President's presentation. That is, she is entitled to express her opinion on the matter; that is entirely her opinion.
    Hon. Member for Tema West, continue.
    Mrs. Addo 10:35 a.m.
    Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe he did not even listen to the
    Mr. E. T. Mensah 10:35 a.m.
    On a point of
    order. Mr. Speaker, my Hon Sister is misleading this House and the country. She is aware that lands were acquired by governments for certain specific purposes. The laws of this land are quite clear -- [Interruptions.] You do not raise a point of order against a point of order -- When land is acquired and Government does not want to use that land for the purpose for which it was acquired, it is returned -- the first option goes to the owners. And we are saying that what is happening in Accra is not happening in other parts of the country. And we have identified that the government of the NDC has decided that this is the way it wants to go. She can be disappointed all that she wants, but our point is quite simple, the NDC Government has decided where to start from. From Accra and it goes elsewhere in the country to deal with this menace of people just arrogantly appropriating to themselves lands that do not belong to them.
    Mrs. Addo 10:45 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I am not
    sure that was a point of order and I had not finished my statement. In any case, Mr. Speaker, in the manifesto it did not say that we are starting from Greater Accra and we would go to other regions. It specifically mentioned Greater Accra. Mr. Speaker, there are regions that the Government has lands and it would not have been fair to the people.
    If you look at Cape Coast we have the leprosarium there, we have the mental hospital, we have the prisons there; they are on vast stretches of land. To build the Cape Coast University, seven villages had to give up land. These are on vast stretches of land. Mr. Speaker --
    Mr. C. K. Humado 10:45 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I am
    rising on a point of order. [Interruptions]. Let me explain, let me talk. [Interruptions]. The Hon Member of Parliament for my area in Sakumono appears to be smuggling into the discussion what is not the issue in his Excellency's Address. She first of all started by saying that she was disappointed that the issue of land was not captured in His Excellency's Address to the nation. So to have gone back to our manifesto and the land issue, I believe she is not speaking to the issue. I think that she should focus debate on His Excellency's Address.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:45 a.m.
    Hon

    Yes, that one we do not know why it is not here. So once it is not here, you cannot go attributing it to him as if it is in the manifesto and I think that you can -- That does not mean that you cannot make reference to it. You can make reference to it and continue. But the way you put it as if it is in the State of the Nation Address,

    and that is the point you are making. I think that that is the difficulty. But let us make some progress. So I would let the hon. Member continue.
    rose
    Mrs. Addo 10:45 a.m.
    Indeed, Mr Speaker,
    one just does not get up to say one is disappointed in the President's State of the Nation Address without -- [Interruptions] -- Then catch his eye. So what do I do? He has not caught his eye. [Interruptions.] I want to yield to my Leader.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:45 a.m.
    Are you
    yielding to the Hon Deputy Minority Leader?
    Mrs. Addo 10:45 a.m.
    Yes.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:45 a.m.
    Hon
    Deputy Minority Leader.
    Mr. Dery 10:45 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I want to
    give information to show that this matter of land in the manifesto is indeed part of the President's Address and I am referring you to the Address on page 2 where His Excellency the President stated and with your permission I quote:
    “Madam Speaker, last December the people of Ghana sat in judgment and ruled in favour of the NDC and our agenda for a better Ghana.”
    Mr. Speaker, that then makes the manifesto in the context of article 55 part of the statement.
    Mr. Speaker, the second point is that the State of the Nation Address, pursuant to article 67 is supposed to --
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:45 a.m.
    Hon.
    Deputy Minority Leader, which page of the State of the Nation Address are you
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:45 a.m.


    referring to?
    Mr. Dery 10:45 a.m.
    Page 2 of the printed
    version; first paragraph -- [Inter-ruptions] -- The late version. Mr. Speaker, so it becomes part of it. Without prejudice to the fact that the said judgment was not a unanimous one, but a slim majority, with an automatic appeal in four years it becomes part of it.
    Mr. Speaker, the second reason why my hon. Colleague is not out of order is that it relates to article 20, which is part of the chapter 5 -- Fundamental Human Rights -- and pursuant to article 34, clause (2), it is supposed to touch on rights. Mr. Speaker, on those two points my Hon Colleague, Hon Mrs. Addo is within the Address and should be allowed to make her useful contribution.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:45 a.m.
    You have two minutes more. [Interruptions.] So continue.
    Mrs. Addo 10:45 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I was just coming to do the same explanation that my senior did. But for those who are even in doubt, if you look at the Official Report of Thursday, 19th February, column 472, the last paragraph, it says and with your permission I quote:
    “Madam Speaker, last December, the people of Ghana sat in judgment and ruled in favour of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and our manifesto . . .”

    Mr. Speaker, indeed, if you look at that statement in the manifesto, as I said, it has the tendency of pitching one tribe against

    the other and I will, on a later date, be calling upon this House to make sure that we can enact a policy or law that would take such sentiments out.

    Mr. Speaker, indeed, the sale of Ga

    lands predated the New Patriotic Party (NPP) era; the sale of lands in North Legon, East Legon and Airport West predated the NPP era in 2001. It is therefore improper that we should have in the manifesto that the NPP Government has sold to private individuals lands and all that and that it is the NDC that is coming up with a rescue mission.

    Indeed, Mr. Speaker, by a Cabinet decision in 2006, the NPP Government decided to give up lands to all the original owners. In fact, most of the regions have received their lands --
    Mr. Fuseini 10:55 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I have a
    point of order, and that point of order is founded on Order 91 of the Standing Orders of this House and Mr. Speaker, with your permission I quote:
    “Debates may be interrupted -- by a point of order being raised . . .”
    And I am seeking, Mr. Speaker, to interrupt this debate by raising a point of order.
    I just heard the Hon Member for Tema West (Irene Naa Torshie Addo) say that the sale of Ga lands to former officers and functionaries of the New Patriotic Party
    (NPP) --

    Mr. Speaker, she is questioning the basis of the inclusion in the manifesto of the NDC a statement that is to the effect that it was wrong for the previous Administration to sell Ga lands to members of the previous

    Administration and its officers and I think that is a statement of fact.

    Mr. Speaker, I do not know whether she is questioning that statement of fact. If she is indeed questioning that statement of fact, she has to provide evidence to the contrary, otherwise she is misleading this House and must withdraw that statement.

    Mr. Speaker, this is a very serious House and if she thinks that the manifesto of the NDC contains a falsehood, she must demonstrate that falsehood. If she cannot demonstrate that falsehood, she cannot say that the manifesto contains lies or she should withdraw the word.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:55 a.m.
    Hon Member, what do you say?
    Mrs Addo 10:55 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, nobody is talking about any falsehood or truth- fulness. I believe that he knows. It is on record. Things that are on record are not some of the things that should be said to be brought into the House otherwise everybody would be challenging who is President, when it is on record. The issue is that, and he can check, it is the ones that are difficult to find that you are supposed to bring any evidence.
    I repeat the sale of Ga lands -- I am a Ga woman and I hail from the royal families and I know what is happening because I was doing the litigations for the Ga lands and I want to state categorically that the sale of Ga lands predated the NPP era. That is the statement and he can check
    it from the Lands Commission. I do not want to get into certain matters about some prominent people who have lands in Ofankor. I want to do my respective job, please.
    Mr. Speaker, I hope this is not part of my two minutes.
    rose
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:55 a.m.
    Hon Member, are you challenging the statement that she --
    Mr. Fuseini 10:55 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, she has not answered my objection. My objection is that she is drawing from the NDC manifesto and I believe the NDC manifesto does not contain a statement that the sale of Ga lands predates the NPP Administration. Mr. Speaker, what I heard the hon. Member for Tema West say was that that statement that the previous Administration sold Ga lands to members of the party is a falsehood. That is what I heard.
    Mr. Speaker, if she did not say so, she has the opportunity to say that was not. But that is what I heard and if she said so, that is a statement of fact. And if she is seeking to challenge that statement of fact she has to produce evidence to the contrary otherwise she would by her own statement say that that was not what she said.
    But the NDC manifesto contains a statement to the effect that it was wrong for the previous Administration to sell Ga lands to members of the Government and that is what the NDC manifesto says. Is she challenging that statement? She should produce evidence to the contrary, if not, she should withdraw.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:55 a.m.
    I think that the point that he is making is that you should look at the NDC manifesto holistically. You should not take that aspect because I heard you also make the
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:55 a.m.


    point that we should not, and I agree with you, create the impression to set people against people which is not good for the politics of this country. But the point that he is making, whether you made the statement, there is the falsehood to the effect that lands being sold to members of the previous Administration is not true -- Did you make that statement?
    Mrs. Addo 10:55 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I did not. But did you hear that statement? I did not. [Interruption.]
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:55 a.m.
    Hon Member, I am not supposed to take part in the debate so if you have not made that statement, say that you have not made that statement, then we move forward.
    Mrs. Addo 10:55 a.m.
    Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
    Mr. Speaker, my sentence was this 10:55 a.m.
    “The sale of Ga lands to private individuals predated the NPP era.”
    [Hear! Hear!] I never said members of the earlier Administration or anything - I do not know, perhaps, he knows, maybe the North Legon that I mentioned or Ofankor, maybe he knows something.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:55 a.m.
    The Hon Member says you have made a statement. If you have not made that statement just say that you have not made it and carry on.
    Mrs. Addo 10:55 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I said I did not. I did not, sir.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:55 a.m.
    Continue.
    rose
    Mrs. Addo 11:05 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, my Leader is
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:05 a.m.
    Mr.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
    Hon Member, I made the point when the hon. Member for Tema West was trying to invite me to make a comment and I responded that I am not supposed to take part in the debate. My role here is to assist the smooth flow of the debate; and I asked her whether the statement being attributed to her, she said it. And that was where she said no, and I said she should continue. Hon. Member, wind up.
    Mrs. Addo 11:05 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, indeed that is a policy. That is, the sale of Ga lands to private individuals, is a policy that the NPP inherited from the NDC Government. In fact what the NPP Government did was to refine it and by a Cabinet decision of 2006 they sought to give out lands to the original owners. - [Interruption.] --
    Mr. E. T. Mensah 11:05 a.m.
    On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I think we have to put this thing in perspective. She was talking about Lands Commission. [Interrup- tions] -- Listen -- the land that we have stated in our manifesto is not what she is talking about but we know as a fact that governments, governments before even NDC do appropriate lands through Lands Commission and the lands are leased to people; that is different from what we are talking about -- where Government has taken over land for specific purposes and then they turn round and sell the land to themselves like Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey appropriated government bungalow -- [Uproar]-- government bungalow that is
    supposed to be used by Ministers. I lived in that house for six years.
    When such a thing is being done, it has to be addressed and that is what we are talking about. Let us draw the line that in Nkrumah's time there were lands people probably got through leases. But when you go and take the land for a purpose and you do not want it anymore, it is quite clear. The first people that you have to consider are the people who own the land. That is what we are talking about, that is what we have in our manifesto.
    If she has not read it well, this is the manifesto and it is in here. That is the issue, the subject-matter of our manifesto and not Lands Commission lands which have been properly allocated to people who have built on as she is talking about; East Legon, name it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
    Hon Member, kindly wind up.
    Mrs. Addo 11:05 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I hope all
    these interruptions are not part of my time because really I have not done three minutes. I have not done three minutes and this subject is important to me because I am a native of this particular tribe; and I can imagine how my kinsmen and my tribe people feel, knowing that the agenda was set as a rescue plan and it did not involve what they had known.
    In my opinion it is the reason why my people, the people of Greater Accra, it is one of the key reasons why they gave their mandate to be ruled by the NDC; because it was drummed into their heads that they are going to receive their lands. The methodology of the receipt of those lands was not put in it, considering the fact that they have the third party interest and
    the fact that Greater Accra happens to be the capital of Ghana and so other regions have a part in it. In any case the policy as I was talking about earlier on to return lands, the NPP Government --
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
    You wind up; so your last statement. [Uproar.] Please, the Hon Member has been on the floor for some time.
    Mrs. Addo 11:05 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, with inter- ruptions. If I should wind up then I may have to leave a few of those very, very important points and get to the second, maybe third point.
    I was also surprised that His Excellency spoke about the security of this country, mentioning armed robbery and not land guards. I believe he should have done something in the area of lands as well. If His Excellency did not want to delve into the dicey subject of land, at least one thing I thought he could also do was to have commended the NPP Government for passing the Act 767 of the Lands Commission in 2008.
    That Act seeks to put under one umbrella the Lands Title, the Lands Commission, the Lands Valuation and Lands Survey so that to the public, it becomes one contract and one payment. We all know the difficulties in land acquisition in this country. Investors have had to leave this country because they buy land from one person and somebody else says they own it; there are different plans, different areas --
    Mr. Agbesi 11:05 a.m.
    On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I want your direction in this matter. The Hon Member on the floor yielded to her Leader, the Deputy Minority Leader, in the course of her contribution. Your direction I am seeking in this matter is whether after she yielded to her Leader, she can come back and continue her
    Mr. Agbesi 11:05 a.m.


    debate. This is the issue I am raising.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
    What she did was absolutely right. She could have said no but once she yielded to receive that information, she was within the rules of the House. [Hear! Hear!]
    But Hon Member, you have been on your feet for well over thirty minutes. I have taken into account the points of order and all those things. That is why I continue to allow you to continue but kindly wind up so that the House can make progress.
    Mrs. Addo 11:05 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, thank you very much. As I was saying, I believe that this Act that has been passed is one that is very, very good. At least people will stop having problems associated with land acquisition. You go to one umbrella and you pay everything and what you get is final.
    For the fact that over the years, over ten years, before the NPP Government came in this has been a problem and for the fact that we have passed that Act, though at its implementation stage, I believe that the Learned Professor, my President Atta Mills could at least have commended the NPP Government on that. I am surprised he did not talk about planning.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
    Thank you very much, I will call the next person.
    Mrs. Addo 11:05 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, thank you for being so indulgent.
    Minister for Communications (Mr.
    Haruna Iddrisu): Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the motion ably moved by hon. Inusah Fuseini and seconded by the hon. Member for Okaikoi South, Nana Akomea, to thank His Excellency the President for the Message on the State of the Nation.
    In doing so, I would like to touch
    on four thematic issues; one, beginning with the economy, the second on the President's quest to build and strengthen governance institutions, the third one, on his anti-corruption measures and probably end with his austerity measures and some comments on some initiatives to be executed by His Excellency the President in the area of communication.
    Mr. Speaker, may I refer you to page 9 of the State of the Nation Address on the economy where the President -- in particular, in the last paragraph, and with your permission I quote:
    “In the space of two years, i.e. between 2006 and 2008, our stock of external debt increased from US$2.2 billion to US$3.9 billion. This contributed to an increase in the overall national debt to US$7.6 billion in 2008 . . .”
    Mr. Speaker, a few months ago we were being told that this economy was strong, the economy was resilient, yet Mr. Speaker, may I also refer you to the first Message to Parliament on the State of the Nation by His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor, President of the Republic of Ghana, specifically page 6. Members may not have it but I will make it available to hon. Members -- 2001. Mr. Speaker, I beg to quote:
    “The total debt stock of our country stood at 41.1 trillion cedis at the end of December 2000. Out of this amount, 31.7 trillion or US$5.8 billion was external and 9.4 trillion cedis or US$1.7 billion was domestic.”
    This was then President Kufuor, reporting on the state of the Ghanaian economy and clearly President Kufuor then, even when the debt was at US$5.8 billion described it as colossal and burdensome because it has implications for servicing the national debt.
    Dr. A. A. Osei 11:15 a.m.
    On a point of order. Mr.
    Speaker, I have been trying to catch your eye for a long time. There is a matter that has just passed this House that we need to bring to your attention. Mr. Speaker, I come by Standing Order 93 (1), and with your permission I want to quote:
    “Reference shall not be made to any matter on which judicial decision is pending in such a way as may, in the opinion of Mr. Speaker, prejudice the interest of parties to the action.”
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    Hon Member, you know that it is not hon. E.T. Mensah who is on the floor now, and he is not here. I think that we have taken note of that order. Everybody should be very careful and should bear that Standing Order in mind when he or she wants to make reference to any matter where judicial decision is pending.
    Dr. A.A. Osei 11:15 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, may I
    ask that that part be then expunged from the Hansard because it is totally inappro- priate.
    Mr. H. Iddrisu 11:15 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I thank you once again. Mr. Speaker, I am raising this matter to make a comparative analysis to guide Hon Members of this House and to further guide members of the Executive that we should not and we should desist from playing politics when it comes to matters of the economy because I have given you a picture in 2001. [Interruption.]
    Dr. A. A. Osei 11:15 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, it is
    obvious that my Hon Colleague was not on the floor of the House yesterday. He is completely not following the House's proceedings.
    Mr. Speaker, when we came into office, the stock of debt as reported was $7.1 billion. This matter has been laid in the official records. He is talking as if he is completely unaware of that fact. The difference is only 500 for eight years. [Interruption.] Mr. Speaker, so we can move forward, it is important that hon. Members follow the proceedings so that they do not take us back. Otherwise, we will be forced to keep -- [Interruption.]
    Mr. H. Iddrisu 11:15 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I was
    quoting verbatim from the last paragraph of page 9 of His Excellency's Address to this House. And whether the quantum has decreased by 500 or 400, the fact still remains that they benefited from
    Mr. H. Iddrisu 11:15 a.m.


    a $5 billion debt forgiveness which, arithmetically could have been added.
    Dr. A.A. Osei 11:15 a.m.
    On a point of order.
    Mr. Speaker, the statement that “we benefited”, he is grossly misleading the House. Mr. Speaker, the fact is that the previous Government worked hard -- [Interruption]-- Mr. Speaker, that is number one. Number two, most of us - I understand that it is not everybody that understands fully what happened with the HIPC thing. The $5 billion he is referring to is over a period of 50 years. So to give the impression that in eight years we have gotten $5 billion, he is grossly misleading this House. [Interruption.]
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    Hon
    Minister for Communications, continue.
    Mr. H. Iddrisu 11:15 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, we are inheriting a huge debt against a promise, which promise was to the effect that we should be able to attain a balance budget. Our quest for single digit inflation remains a dream. We were supposed to have a percentage of our fiscal deficit being a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to meet the convergence criteria. It also remains a dream.
    Mr. Speaker, when I say we should not play politics with the economy, may I with your permission add, on the day that His Excellency delivered the State of the Nation Address, I heard Mr. J.A. Kufuor, former President of the Republic of Ghana, grant an interview to the effect that we should be interested in looking for what went into the deficit; what the money was used for, and that you can see infrastructure, you can see roads.
    I say so for the same period in 2001, that when there was a debt of $5.8 billion it was not as if it went to individual pockets of the previous NDC Administration. It is because -- [Interruption] -- Precisely the same reasons -- that the money went into building the infrastructure of our country and investing in productive sectors. Whether in the area of health; you can talk about the Volta Regional or Sunyani Hospital; whether in the area of roads, you can talk of Kintampo, Tamale, Kumasi, Mampong roads, and many other related issues.
    So it is important that we resolve that when it comes to matters of the economy, we should be united in demanding that, one, we improve upon our revenue enhancing measures; two, there is fiscal discipline to reduce government expen- diture; and three, we stimulate growth within that area.
    Mr. Frederick Opare-Ansah 11:25 a.m.
    On

    In fact, the explanation was warranted by the continuous Ahinomics that the House was subjected to. And he explained to all of us that there was a systemic deficit and the additional deficit was what he explained to us in terms of the infrastructure and other things that we heard President Kufuor also talk about in the interviews.

    So my brother should not confuse this House and the country by saying that in 2001 the debt stock that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Administration met was also due to some projects. We are not relating debt stock to deficit, they are not the same thing and we must make that clarity.
    Mr. H. Iddrisu 11:25 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I am saying this precisely because governments will continue to make huge investments because in our country, there are enormous challenges. There are demands to improve health infrastructure; there are demands to improve energy infrastructure and Government will continue to do so. But at least for purpose of the GDP economics, a certain per-centage of your fiscal deficit is compared against your GDP. If you have it at 13 or 17 per cent, whatever the statistics is, that is not acceptable.
    Indeed, even in the convergence criteria to which Government itself said that it was interested in the second monetary zone, it was a single digit requirement. So you do not need to give
    13 per cent of your fiscal deficit in order to be able to qualify for it.
    Dr. Kojo Appiah-Kubi 11:25 a.m.
    On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I believe the Hon Member on the floor is grossly misleading the House because Standing Order 91 (a) -- the Hon Member is grossly misleading the House. [Interruptions.] The Hon Member talked about a debt stock of US$7.8 billion without mentioning or relating it to the ability of the country to pay. And there are countries which owe extremely higher amounts of debt, Ghana owes US$7.8 billion; let us accept it -- but over the eight-year period of the Kufuor Administration, the Kufuor Administration managed to reduce --
    Mr. H. Iddrisu 11:25 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, His Excellency the President this time, just like in the 2001 situation, accepted that all is not well and he did not need to flatter the Ghanaian public about the real state of the economy. But at least those remarkable words that this should not create room for panic, it should not create room for despair because there are challenges to overcome; and I think that is why we should commend His Excellency the President for being forthright in his analysis of the issues. [Interruption.]
    Mrs. Gifty Eugenia Kusi 11:25 a.m.
    On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member is grossly misleading this House. [Inter- ruption.] Mr. Speaker, Order 91 -- Mr. Speaker, the Hon Minister said that
    Mrs. Gifty Eugenia Kusi 11:25 a.m.


    His Excellency the President is being forthright with Ghanaians and telling the truth. He should know, the actual truth is that when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Administration assumed office, the country had to go HIPC (Highly Indebted Poor Countries). At this particular time, is the country going HIPC? He should thank his stars that his Government is not going HIPC because foreign reserves alone is two and a half months other than the two weeks that we met.
    Mr. H. Iddrisu 11:35 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I am raising this because the kind of debt that Government is inheriting imposes fundamental economic difficulties when it comes to servicing the debt. I will just share one example. For instance, you borrow US$750 million Euro bond at US$8.5 million per annum, and Government will be required to pay not less than US$60 million to service that debt. Whether this Government has the resources or not, it must look for the money. That is why I am saying that we should not do politics with the economy of Ghana.
    Mr. Speaker, may I refer you to page 4 now of His Excellency's Address and in particular to state how encouraged I was when I heard His Excellency make a commitment to the building of viable institutions. And Mr. Speaker, with your permission, may I quote pages 3 and 4 of His Excellency's Address.
    “Our 1992 Constitution established a number of institutions to foster effective balance of powers, provide ample expression for the repre- sentatives of people, guarantee access to Justice, Human Rights, Independence of the media and the right of the citizens to be empowered with knowledge about civic education.”
    He was talking about institutions such as Commission on Human Rights and
    Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE). Mr. Speaker, may I further refer you back to 2001 what His Excellency Mr. J. A. Kufuor said about institutions so that I can build my point on it. And with your permission I am quoting from page 4, what Mr. J. A. Kufuor, then President said.
    “The greatest challenge that faces our young democracy is the fragility of the institutions that are needed to uphold the constitutional structure.”
    Eight years down the line, this statement of His Excellency President Mills indicates that those institutions are not yet in the state that we all desire of them. [Interruptions.] And that it is important that we commend him because our democracy will not succeed if we do not strengthen our state institutions and make them much more accountable to the people of Ghana.
    It is also significant that His Excellency recognized that we have to deepen -- I am aware that under the previous Administration, in nominal terms there were improvements in allocation to these institutions. But what President Mills promises is to do a peer review of the institutions so that they themselves define for us what they consider as their problems, then Government will confront it head on in order that we will have very viable and efficient institutions to deliver to safeguard our democratic evolution. Mr. Speaker, this deserves commendation.
    May I finally also refer you to His Excellency's statement on page 4 on his quest to fight corruption. Mr. Speaker, I was very, very encouraged because I have looked through 2001 and 2002 State of the Nation Addresses, there was always promise to put into law the Freedom of Information Bill.
    His Excellency did not mince words in assuring this House that as part of his commitment which is captured in Agenda for a Better Ghana, the manifesto of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) which, we are told we can debate, a major thematic area of Prof. Mills's pledge was to run an open and a transparent Government.

    In order to give meaning to it, Government is committed to the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill into law and apart from it, Government is further committed to a review of the current assets declaration regime in order to allow for monitoring. So that declarations that are made can be compared against assets acquired in the period, so that those who may acquire assets that are not commensurate to their earnings can be called to answer. It is a commitment that Government made that it will do.

    Government is also committed to a review of the Whistle Blower Act, particularly, the sanctions and the rewards under it and the moral authority of involving chiefs as persons to which people can give information. That is also part of the quest of Government to strengthen and deepen the fight against corruption. Mr. Speaker, what corruption hates is darkness and Government is committed to making corruption a high risk activity by considering this legislation.

    May I continue with some specifics on the Ministry of Communications that Government in the course of the year, as the President indicated, will expand access to fixed and mobile telephony in every part of our country. [Hear! Hear!] Indeed, for us, it is not the pleasurable use of mobile phones; it is not about its social benefits; it is about its economic productive gains.

    We can use ICT as a platform to reduce the cost of doing business. If you look at tele-density which you have achieved around 50 per cent today, Mr. Speaker, it is largely an urban phenomenal. Many of our rural communities are yet to benefit from access to this telephony and it is a commitment that governments make.

    May I finally end with a pledge on Aveyime Rice Project and to remind our Colleagues on the other side that a few years ago, it was unacceptable to have an import purse of hundred million US dollars spent on rice importation. At the time of leaving office this was around the region of US$400. Quite clearly, this cannot be acceptable. It is our commitment as part of His Excellency's commitment to use the private sector; we will modernize agriculture, encourage the growth of indigenous businesses and encourage the production of locally produced rice.

    I thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Speaker.
    Mr. Simon Osei-Mensah (NPP -- Bosomtwe) 11:35 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to add my voice to the motion on the floor that this august House thanks His Excellency the President for the State of the Nation Address. Mr. Speaker, I am thanking him because he honoured his constitutional obligation under article 57, but I wish he could extend it to cover all the various articles in the Constitution -- [Hear! Hear!] -- including article 58, 71, 202 and many others I do not want to mention -- [Hear! Hear!]
    Mr. Speaker, my main issues will be on two -- the first one will be major omissions in the Address and the second one will be on the economy. Yesterday, my Hon Colleague, the former Minister of State for the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, did an excellent work and I will add some things to that.
    Mr. Simon Osei-Mensah (NPP -- Bosomtwe) 11:35 a.m.


    Mr. Speaker, again, one thing we have to note in this country is, we always talk about policies and programmes for poverty reduction, Mr. Speaker, forgetting that the development of tourism in this country is a pivot and a better medium to solve the poverty problem in this country. Why am I saying this, Mr. Speaker?

    Mr. Speaker, if you come to this country, most of the tourism sites in this country are located in the poverty- endowed areas of the country. So Mr. Speaker, whilst developing tourism it means that you are improving upon the employment and income generation capacity of the people in this area.

    Mr. Speaker, you are also improving upon the social amenities in the area and by so doing you are reducing poverty. Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, the President woefully, failed to mention even a word on tourism.

    Mr. Speaker, again, the last election, the NDC Government made a lot of noise on railways. Mr. Speaker, disappointingly, not a single word was mentioned on railways. Mr. Speaker, I want to support what I am saying and the justification for the fact that the President should have mentioned something on the railways. Mr.
    Mr. Humado 11:35 a.m.
    On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, Order 91. I have a point of correction, please. Mr. Speaker, I heard the Hon Member say that tourism is rather in the poverty endowed areas in Ghana. I think that factually it is not correct. Factually, that statement is not correct and for the purposes of the Hansard I want to suggest to him that he should correct that statement. We do not have poverty endowed areas in Ghana. We do not.
    Mr. Osei-Mensah 11:45 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I said “most”-- maybe he did not listen and listen well. Mr. Speaker, let me quote page 16, the last paragraph and I will continue on the next page:
    “The vehicle population is growing at about 8% per annum, with cars and buses contributing significant-ly to the growth. In areas such as Accra and Kumasi, the dominant mode of transport is the cars with occupancy levels of about 2 per car.”
    You move to the next side:
    “The vehicular volumes of about 55,000 per day on the Airport Road, 20,000 per day on the Spintex Road and 30,000 per day on the La- Teshie road make traffic congestion inevitable.”
    Mr. Speaker, after making this comment and analyzing the problem with the use of cars on our roads, then it was paramount that the President should have moved from that point to other areas that will decongest the roads and one of them is railways.
    When we have even approved US$90 million in this House for the construction
    and development of railways the President failed woefully to mention it and we should not forget that in the economy, railways plays a major role. In the mining sector, in the cocoa sector and in most of these sectors railways plays a major role and the President again disappointingly failed to make mention of railways.
    Mr. Speaker, there are several omissions but I will touch on the last one which I will not elaborate because I might not have enough time to move on to the economy. Mr. Speaker, he also never ever mentioned a word on aviation - Jesus Christ. You see, when we are thinking in this country to promote some exports, non-traditional exports like yams, like pineapples, like banana, Mr. Speaker, you know these things you cannot ship them because they are perishable and we need to improve upon the aviation sector. Mr. Speaker, again nothing was said there.
    Mr. Speaker, let me move on to the economy. What we have here Mr. Speaker, is having a deficiency syndrome. All that they said on the economy is, having deficiency syndrome and Mr. Speaker, I call that deficiency syndrome as fair economic facts analysis deficiency syndrome -- [Hear! Hear!] Mr. Speaker, why am I saying that? The President chose to select things that favour the President; he mentioned fiscal deficits, he mentioned external deficits, he mentioned the debt stock of the nation, he failed to mention the GDP growth.

    He failed to mention the money that we left for the NDC, which is over US$2 billion when they left only $233 million for us - [Interruptions] -- Mr. Speaker, let me move into the details of why I am saying this is fair economic facts analysis deficiency syndrome - what they provided in this Address.

    Maj. (Dr.) (Alhaji) Mustapha Ahmed

    (retd): On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, my Hon Colleague is misleading the House. Mr. Speaker, the motion that is being debated is that this honourable House thanks His Excellency the President for the Message on the State of the Nation, which he delivered to this honourable House. Mr. Speaker, the Hon Member is carrying on with criticisms instead of thanking His Excellency the President. And I want to draw his attention to the fact that the motion here is to thank His Excellency for the Address. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
    Mr. Osei-Mensah 11:45 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I
    think my Hon Colleague did not listen to me very well. When I started, I did thank His Excellency the President for honouring his constitutional responsibility under article 57 and I urged him to go ahead and honour all provisions of the Constitution and not to honour some of them and flout others. I even mentioned some of them which I think, for now we have problems, there have been violations as articles 58, 71 and 202 - [Interruption] - Mr. Speaker, so he did not listen well - my Hon Friend the Doctor, next time should listen - [Pause.]
    Mr. Speaker, let me move on. When it comes to the economy, what we say on political platforms should reflect what we say when we take the mantle of governance - we should say the same things. Mr. Speaker, let me move to page 8 - “Challenging Global Economic Environment” - the second paragraph:
    “The financial meltdown has defied logic and economic rationality. As things fall apart, institutions of global economies and financial management are under enormous stress. Such is the gravity of the crisis that no nation can traverse these hard times alone . . .”
    Mr. Osei-Mensah 11:45 a.m.
    “no nation” “underlined -- can we blame any single individual -- underlined, Mr. Speaker -- or government, also underlined -- for causing this? Mr. Speaker, when the NDC was on political platform and we were telling them that this economy had even done well, which President Mills has admitted when he appeared before this House, on column 480 of the Hansard, as it was stated by my Senior Colleague Dr. Akoto Osei yesterday, he said our economy is resilient.

    Mr. Speaker, again on the deficit we

    Mr. Speaker, let me go to page 3, under

    “Governance”, the second sentence -

    “However, we tend to invest far less in the development of our democratic governance than we reap from it.”

    Mr. Speaker, then let me move to page

    28 - the second paragraph:

    “We will also structure management set-up as to maximize returns from the four (4) new stadia built for the Ghana 2008 Africa Cup of Nations

    . . .”

    Mr. Speaker, the same person is saying in one context that we prefer to reap the benefits where we are not prepared to invest and at the same time the same person, when we invested in the economy, the stadia, they are going to generate the returns he is criticizing - You see the double standard that we have here?
    Mr. Inusah Fuseini 11:45 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I
    rise on Order 94 and with your permission, I beg to quote:
    “If a Member uses objectionable words and on being called to order fails to retract or explain these words, and offer an apology…”
    Mr. Speaker, I just heard the hon. Member for Bosomtwe say that the President of the Republic betrayed or exhibited some hypocrisy and double standard. Mr. Speaker, he said“hypocrisy -- [Inter- ruption.] Mr. Speaker, to use a word like “hypocrisy” on the floor of this House against the President of this country is unparliamentary and it is objectionable - [Interruptions.]
    Mr. Speaker, I am rising on Order 94 to
    ask him to withdraw those words that are inappropriate under Order 93 (2) - [Hear! Hear!] Mr. Speaker, he has used abusive, offensive, insulting and unbecoming words on the President of the Republic of Ghana. It is totally unbecoming to denigrate the Office of the Presidency and call the first Gentleman of this land a hypocrite - it is totally unbecoming of a Member.
    Mr. Speaker, I am calling on that
    Member to withdraw those words. I am further saying that if he does not withdraw those words he must not be heard in this House.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Thank you, Hon Member. The Hon Member is saying that the use of the word “hypo- crisy” is unparliamentary - using it on the President is unparliamentary. What do you say to that?
    Mr. Osei-Mensah 11:45 a.m.
    Thank you, Mr.
    Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not know if he wants to equate the Office of the President with the NDC. Mr. Speaker, I said what the NDC said on political platform and the content of their address is hypocritical. Mr. Speaker, I do not think the President is the same as NDC. We should know that NDC is a party - it is a political party registered under the laws of this country. And His Excellency, Prof. J. E. A. Mills is the President of the Republic of Ghana.
    Mr. Speaker, so what he is saying -- Maybe, he heard me wrongly. I was not referring to the President; I am saying that what NDC said on the political platform in relation to the content of the Address is hypocritical.
    Mr. Speaker, now I move ahead to
    page 10 --
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Hon Member, you have not cleared that issue
    11. 55 am.
    Mr. Dominic Azumah 11:45 a.m.
    On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, if I heard my Hon Colleague very right, is he assuming to say that he is referring to the National Democratic Congress (NDC)? I guess we are debating the Address of H.E. the President and matters contained in his Address. The NDC did not make any Address in this House, so the gentleman should be told that those statements are not allowed in the House. He must still withdraw those statements because we are referring directly to H.E. the President from the Address he is holding. He should

    withdraw and apologise.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Hon.
    Mr. Osei-Mensah 11:45 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker,
    what I am saying is that I want my Hon Colleagues on the other side to tell me if H. E. the President Prof. J. E. A. Mills is the same as the NDC party then I will withdraw. [Interruptions.] Mr. Speaker, if they are not the same, then what I am saying is, I am not referring to the President, I am relating what the people of NDC said on political platform to the content of the Address -- [Inter-ruptions.] I do not see their problem. [Interruptions.]
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Hon
    Members, the Hon Member says that he is not using those words on the President; -- [Interruptions] -- but he is referring to political party platform statements and on political platforms we all make all kinds of statements. So we leave it as such. [Interruptions.]
    Mr. Osei-Mensah 11:45 a.m.
    Thank you very
    much, Mr. Speaker. Even before I came to this, if he did listen very well -- I am moving to page 10.
    “An early restoration of stability in the foreign exchange market requires that we expand our exports…”
    Even basic economics will tell you that early in the short-term or the medium-term you cannot use expansion in the export to stop the deficiency in the foreign exchange market. It is not possible.
    Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and in ending, what I am saying is that, I have a serious problem with the official paper for 19th February, 2009 and the document that has been circulated to us. There are a lot of inconsistencies in them so -- [Interruptions.] Thank you very
    Dr. A.A. Osei 11:45 a.m.
    On a point of order.
    Mr. Speaker, I am rather surprised and hope the hon. Minister is not calling those of us in this room women and children. [Interruptions.] I think that is what she said “. . . and my Colleagues women and children on this side”.
    Ms. Dansua 11:45 a.m.
    “including male
    Dr. A.A. Osei 11:45 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I am not
    a child of hers; I am a child of my mother so she cannot call me her child.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    But you
    agree that you are a child of a woman?
    Dr. A.A. Osei 11:45 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, that is what I have been told. [Laughter.]
    Ms. Dansua 11:45 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, H.E.
    the President's Address typifies his personality as a very peaceful, gentle and reconciliatory person and indeed he has proven through this Statement that he is a father to all Ghanaians as he promised he

    would be in his swearing-in Address on January 7, 2009.

    Mr. Speaker, one can see also from this State of the Nation Address that H.E. is a President who believes in the empowerment of women and children and he is ready to walk his talk as far as the empowerment of women and children is concerned.

    Mr. Speaker, if you look at the State of the Nation Address critically, you would see that he clearly outlines his policies and programmes in the statements that would go to enhance the status of women and children and by extension the whole of the society.

    Please permit me to cite specific instances of this commitment -- President Mills says that he would ensure that gender budget units are set up in all District Assemblies in this country to ensure that gender is mainstreamed in our development scheme and also that resources will be made available for us to carry through this campaign of that gender mainstreaming.

    Mr. Speaker, H. E. the President also indicates that the 1998 Affirmative Action Plan of the then NDC Government would be revised to include inputs from other political parties, which I think is a gesture that we should commend and applaud. Normally, sitting governments would not want to have anything to do with the policies of Opposition parties, so if H.E. the President says that he would include in his policies for women and children empowerment in this country -- [Pause] -- intended policies of other political parties, then he is doing the right thing.

    Mr. Speaker, he also says that he would

    include the 2004 Women's Manifesto into the - [Pause] - I am saying that the 2004 manifesto which contains 10 critical areas of concerns of women and children in this country and which also indicates the

    steps that should be taken to address these concerns will also be factored in as far as the empowerment of women and children is concerned.
    Mrs. Gifty Ohene-Konadu 12:05 p.m.
    Mr.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
    Hon
    Mrs. Ohene-Konadu 12:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker,
    let me continue, please.
    Mr. Speaker, the second issue is also on the affirmative action. I just want to draw her attention to it so that it would guide her. On mainstreaming gender, she talked about gender budgeting officers in all the Ministries and Departments. Already, the NPP Administration established gender focal points in all the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, so I am wondering whether we are going to have -- Because we have focal persons and they were trained and given guidelines.

    So I do not know what the gender budget officers are going to do because they represent gender issues in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies and they are there to ensure that budgets become gender sensitive and that women issues are mainstreamed into all these Ministries, Departments and Agencies. So I want to draw the Hon Minister's attention to this.

    Also, the NPP Administration made attempts to also promote women by appointing them to higher positions and offices and we can talk about a few examples like the Immigration Services and other places and also to boards of corporations.

    So Mr. Speaker, I would like to draw the Hon Minister's attention to these facts so that it does not seem as if the NPP Government did nothing for women. Indeed, the NPP Government was very gender sensitive and it did promote women issues.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
    Hon
    Minister, that is more of information than a point of order.
    Ms. Dansua 12:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I do not
    Mrs. Gifty Eugenia Kusi 12:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker,
    I rise on Order 91. Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleague has just been approved, only a week ago. the Hon Gifty Ohene-Konadu had worked in that Ministry as a Director since the Ministry was established before she became a Member of Parliament and I want her to address her Hon Colleague with a little dignity. If she tells her that she cannot stand there and say these things, it is unparliamentary and she should be called to order that she cannot talk to her Hon Colleague -- She went through the vetting and she promised -- I saw her, the way she behaved and I want to urge her to at least treat her Hon Colleague with a little dignity.
    Ms. Dansua 12:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, if we talk about issues like human trafficking or child labour, it is the Department of Social Welfare that is best qualified to handle the fallout and so we think that where they are presently situated is not the best as far as resourcing them is concerned. So we think
    they should be integrated into MOWAC so that the Government would provide the necessary resources and strengthen them to be able to assist us to technically handle some of these concerns.
    Mr. Speaker, His Excellency the President also has indicated that he would collaborate with partners in the cocoa sector to reduce child labour and this is the step that is worth commending. This is because child labour in the cocoa industry has become a topical issue in recent days and if the President has shown his commitment to tackle it and make sure that it is eradicated, it would boost the image of Ghana in the cocoa sector as far as the world is concerned.
    Mr. Speaker, maybe, at this point I
    should also refresh our minds, especially for Hon Colleagues who do not know that gender and children issues are cross- cutting and this is why every step taken in other sectors to improve them would go a long way to benefit our women and also children.
    Here, Mr. Speaker, I want to cite the President's promise to establish the Savannah Development Authority (SADA) which would tackle poverty in the three northern regions, Central Region and parts of Brong Ahafo Region and Volta Region. Mr. Speaker, the same can be said of CEDECOM which has been defunct and which the President said he would revamp.
    Because poverty, as we all know, has a woman's face. If steps are taken to address poverty in any form, then it stands to reason that it is women who would benefit; it is children who would benefit because then high mortality in terms of infant and mothers would be reduced and also the high increase in female school dropout rate would also reduce. So Mr. Speaker, I think that poverty eradication in Ghana would help to make Ghana succeed in its

    Millennium Development Goals (MDG) on schedule; if not all of them at least some of them.

    Mr. Speaker, if we come to the health

    sector, Government is committed to reducing filth in cities and communities and in so doing we would reduce the effect of diseases on the vulnerable in society, which again, I want to say, are mostly women and children.

    For example, we should not wait for pregnant women and children to be bitten by malaria-laden mosquitoes before we think about how to provide mosquito nets for them. And so filth eradication or reduction is a very good step that women and children in this country would benefit from.
    Dr. A. A. Osei 12:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, on a
    point of order. Standing Order 89 says:
    “A Member shall not read his speech, but may read extracts from written or printed documents in support of his argument and may refresh his memory by reference to notes.”
    But Mr. Speaker, I am across from my Hon Colleague and I have seen her copiously reading from a document that we do not see and when she was not reading we saw what happened. So I just want to remind her.
    Ms. Dansua 12:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker. I was
    making references to my notes. I was not reading because I was looking directly in the face of Mr. Speaker, so I am not reading any notes.

    Mr. Speaker, I was going to talk about health infrastructure and I am saying that several projects have been listed for construction or completion at Teshie, Tamale, Wa, Adenta, Twifu-Praso, Wenchi, Salaga, Bekwai and Tarkwa among others; and most of these facilities are going to be sited in NPP strongholds anyway. But it does not matter; my Government is not worried because we have said that women and children's issues know no political colourations so wherever these projects would be sited that would go to reduce the vulnerability of women and children -- we are happy about that.

    And I am saying also that Government is going to continue the free antenatal care that was started by the NPP Government. But here let me caution potential beneficiaries that it goes beyond just having the children. They should be cautious of what it takes to see their children through life, through school, feeding them, clothing them, and they should not be baited by free antenatal care to have too many children that they cannot look after and who would become a burden on society. So I want potential beneficiaries to take note of that.

    Mr. Speaker, then also the National

    Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the President has said that the Scheme would be revised and expanded to include many more children.

    Mr. Speaker, on education the President

    also promises that we will undertake major educational reforms that would address gender inequalities as far as female drop- out rate and high illiteracy rate among women is concerned. And we are happy that the Adult Literacy Programme which was initiated by the NDC Government in those days would be resourced to make them more effective in their work.
    Mr. K. T. Hammond 12:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Hon K.
    T. Hammond, you are out of order.
    Mr. Hammond 12:15 p.m.
    Thank you very
    much, Mr. Speaker.
    Ms. Dansua 12:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, no, I am not referring to him, it was a private discussion we had so - [Laughter.] But there are other Hon Members who are asking for micro-credit for their women and everything so I know that they would be coming from across both sides. So please, let us try and put women's issues on the front burner. Experience shows

    that whenever we raise these issues in the House it is like, “Oh it is women again!” And people do not take us seriously.

    So I want to plead with all of you to try and help enhance the status of women and children because women have contributed a lot to national development, we all recognize that, especially in the informal sector. So let us try and be supportive of the agenda for women's empowerment and for the survival, protection and development of children.
    Mrs. A. F. Osei 12:25 p.m.
    None

    Ayawaso West Wuogon): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the motion that this honourable House thanks H.E. the President for the Message on the State of the Nation.

    Mr. Speaker, I wish to commend H.E. the President on his maiden Address to this august House, particularly, for showing a sense of humour. Secondly, I also commend H.E. the President for stating that he will continue with programmes and policies that are working. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, the social pro-grammes referred to throughout His Excellency's Address are already on the ground and are working and therefore we expect that he should continue those good works and move them forward.

    Mr. Speaker, the past Administration, the NPP Government put in place a number of social protective interventions that H.E. referred to as I said. The NHIS -- a humane, people-centred, socially- responsible programme that replaced an inhuman “Cash and Carry” system; the Capitation Grant that has pulled a lot of otherwise poor children into the various classrooms in our communities; the School Feeding Programme that has contributed significantly to school enrolment, the nutritional status of children as well as the general confidence that students have in

    their schools. It has reduced absenteeism.

    The former Administration put in place a national social protection strategy that has, among other things, programmes such as the National Youth Employment Programme, including the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty. Mr. Speaker, I know that anybody who looks at these social programmes, particularly, the new Government must be jumping and singing and praising God for inheriting such a well-founded and responsible social intervention which in their administration they could not implement.

    Let me look at the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP). I commend H.E. the President, he stated on page 15 that he will continue with the NYEP, he will review it. I want to commend him because, Mr. Speaker, when this programme was established it received a lot of bashing from the then Minority. It was called all sorts of names including “Zoom Police”, “Zoom Nurse”, and so many derogatory names.

    But I am happy that His Excellency examined what was good and decided that this is a good programme for the youth of this nation and he wants to move it forward. I commend him for that.

    Mr. Speaker, the issue of child labour came up in my Hon Colleagues con- tribution. His Excellency, on page 26 of his Address, made a very short but very important statement that I want to draw attention to. He said, Mr. Speaker, with your indulgence if I may quote:

    “We will work closely with the cocoa sector operators at the national and international levels to eliminate child labour.”

    The importance of this statement cannot be understated. Under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government, led by His Excellency, then President Kufuor, bold measures including developing a national plan of action were taken.

    A lot of good work has taken place, particularly, high quality research that involved multi-sector actors, the university researchers of the Department of Agric Economics and Agric Business, the Ghana Statistical Service, Cocoa Research Institute and non-governmental organisations. These are good works that have been started. Again, a number of the forty-six (46) districts that grow cocoa have developed action plans to implement these programmes. Again, there are a number of interventions ongoing at the field level.
    Mr. Abayateye 12:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.
    Mr. Speaker, the Hon Member in her contribution said those on the Minority side in the previous Parliament were against the Zoomlion and the community policing. Mr. Speaker, that is not true. She is aware that the members of the Minority, by then, who were all members of the Committee on Employment, State Enterprises and Social Welfare were those who really pushed up that programme. So for her to say that is wrong, because I was a member of that Committee and we were those who pushed the programme up.
    Mrs. Osei-Opare 12:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I always recognise the contribution of the Committee on Employment, State Enterprises and Social Welfare. I think the context was not understood; he did not listen carefully.
    But Mr. Speaker, as I was talking about the child labour issue in the cocoa
    Mrs. Osei-Opare 12:25 p.m.


    inherited the situation whereby resources have been provided by the former Government to build its capacity. A loan from African Development Bank (ADB) was approved by this House and it is now in place. Therefore, the stage has been set that will really support the development of MOWAC.

    Similarly, the Department of Social Welfare has seen tremendous transfor- mation under the period of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Today, the Department of Social Welfare is the lead implementation agency for the Livelihood Empowerment Programme that has effected support to more than twenty thousand households all across this country.

    Again, money has been found for the

    Department of Social Welfare, through the efforts of the former Administration so that the Department of Social Welfare's capacity can be built to develop its mandate, particularly on social protection.

    I urge my Hon Colleague here again to look seriously at these programmes and ensure that they are not derailed. And in winding up, I want to urge H.E. the President that the many social protection policies of the NPP Government have brought a lot of hope for the poor and vulnerable. It has started a journey of bridging the gap between the rich and the poor. It has touched the lives of many, including the persons with disabilities.

    Mr. Speaker, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Government should not use the accolade of “Social Democrats” in vain. It is time to demonstrate without doubt, that all these programmes, including the School Feeding Programme, will rather be expanded to touch all Ghanaian children rather than curb it. I believe that they have inherited good programmes, soundly prepared, and resources are

    available. Please, invest in the people of this country.

    I thank you for his opportunity, Mr. Speaker.
    Mr. C. K. Humado (NDC -- Anlo) 12:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, thank you for giving me the opportunity to support the motion that this honourable House thanks H.E. the President for the Message on the State of the Nation Address, which he delivered on Thursday, 19th February 2009.
    To begin with, I would like to thank His Excellency the President for his very inspiring and thought-provoking State of the Nation Address.
    I have assessed the State of the Nation Address along three key performance criteria. In the first place, the State of the Nation Address provided an indication where he is starting from, the state of the economy and the state of the social situation at the time he is coming to office.

    He then went on to tell us where he intends to be within the four years; that is, his vision and the manifesto. And then thirdly, he has given an indication of how he intends to get there through the specific programmes and projects that he is going to put in place in order to manifest his vision. I think on those three criteria, he has scored about 99 per cent.

    Now, let me quickly touch on a few aspects of the State of the Nation Address. The first point I want to talk about is his statement that he wants to depart from past vilifications and pettiness.

    Mr. Speaker, I believe that His Excellency has endeared himself to the hearts and minds of Ghanaians, when he
    Mr. C. K. Humado (NDC -- Anlo) 12:35 p.m.


    made that statement that he wants to depart from the past situation, the pettiness of the past, vilifications of the past and he would like to usher in a new era of consensus- building and unity.

    I believe that this statement could not have come at any opportune time than now, because I believe that this is what Ghanaians want; this is what the youth, our children and the future leaders want in Ghana; that we must depart from the past.

    I believe that irrespective of our political differences, and irrespective of our political persuasions, we can look at politics as a way of bringing on board competitive and alternative views into the political melting point of the pot and these views would be distilled and sieved and those that apply to the political situation at the time would be used for the governance of this country. In that regard, I concur a hundred per cent with the position taken by His Excellency on the departing from the past.

    Mr. Speaker, I would like also to touch a little bit on the economy. I know earlier contributors have already belaboured the point on the economy. His Excellency has told us about the deficit that he has come to meet; the fiscal deficit, the external deficit, the rate of inflation and the debt stock. I would like to deviate a little bit from that path because my Hon Colleagues have already delt with the figures. What he said on that score, which pleases me, is that Ghanaians should help him to manage the economy and that we should learn to live within our means.

    I think that that is a very important statement that must get home to all Ghanaians. My interpretation of that is that, many of the excesses that we do, like the budget deficit, the other associated deficits, part of the problem also comes from our own lifestyles and out viewpoint on life. If for example, the hawkers on the
    Mr. C. K. Humado (NDC -- Anlo) 12:35 p.m.
    streets can learn to collect their garbage or litter at the end of the day, the Assemblies would not spend that money to employ people to dispose of this litter.
    If we can learn to patronize made-in- Ghana goods, we would be able to save foreign exchange which we can use for our own development. I think that this is what His Excellency wants to bring home to Ghanaians and he is appealing to us that we should help him manage the economy, we should learn to be simple but descent, and we should not live ostentatious or profligate lives because all these things impinge on the expenditure pattern of Government.
    Mr. Speaker, very often, we are not able to associate or link together the expenditure pattern of Government to our individual actions as Ghanaians. There is a linkage. If Ghanaians intend or pursue foreign items as a way of life, the collective expression of these intents, I believe, is what culminate in the aggregate demand, and the aggregate demand can twist the budget and I believe that that is what His Excellency the President wants to bring home to Ghanaians and I believe that this Message must go home to all of us.
    The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), the educational institutions, the District Assemblies and we parliamentarians should help His Excellency to manage this economy and reduce the deficits so that together we can create a better Ghana for which we all aspire.
    Mr. Speaker, I would also like to talk about agriculture and the role of agriculture that he has stated is to help us develop the economy.
    Mr. Speaker, I am very happy that His
    Excellency has touched on agriculture as the driving mechanism for our development process. In that regard, I am happy he has intended to construct the eastern corridor road which links Tema through Peki, Hohoe to Bimbilla. This road is a very, very important road; it goes into the agricultural heartland of this country.
    Those of you who have travelled on that road before, would realize that during the rains, the yam trucks get stuck on the roads and in certain cases food produce gets rotten. I am therefore grateful to His Excellency that he has taken the construction of this road as one of his objectives and I believe that this road would open up the agricultural heartlands of the northern Volta Region extending even into Northern Region.

    Mr. Speaker, I have heard from radio comments and on television that His Excellency did not mention anything about reducing taxes on petroleum products. I want to urge the honourable House and Ghanaians, that this is an issue that we need to hasten slowly.

    We all know that we have several aspects of the Ghanaian economy that we need to deal with, and in any case when in November 2008, His Excellency the President disclosed his intention that he wants to reduce petroleum prices, quickly

    our Friends on the other side went and did it on his behalf. [Interruptions.] So that one goes as a credit to him. And so further reduction should await other considerations. It will come when it will come and it will come by all means. [Hear! Hear!] Mr. Speaker, having said this I am winding up.
    Mr. K. T. Hammond 12:35 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, something dangerously is going on in this House today. We are thanking His Excellency the President for a work expertly executed, and that is, promising Ghanaians that he would reduce all these prices and we have come here to thank him. That his Member of Parliament is telling His Excellency the President that he is wrong in that respect and that he must not reduce those prices, Ghanaians are listening. [Uproar!] They would go to hold him accountable.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    The Hon Member is expressing his opinion on the matter.
    Mr. Humado 12:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I think the Hon Member is misquoting me. So to wind up, I want to say that His Excellency's Address to the honourable House is very splendid and I think what runs throughout the Address is the need for us to be simple and live descent, simple lives so that we can manage this economy better and attain our developmental objectives.
    With these few comments, I also support the motion to thank His Excellency the President and I urge all Parliamentarians of this House to do same.
    Mr. E. A. Owusu 12:45 p.m.
    None

    Kwabre West): Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the motion before the House to thank H.E. the President for the State of the Nation Address and in doing so, I have a few comments to make.

    Mr. Speaker, H.E. the President has intimated that in the course of his administration, he will place before this House a Bill that will pass into law to honour the first President of the Republic, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and make his birthday a public holiday to be known as the “Founder's Day”. Mr. Speaker, I do not think that I have any problem with it, and I must commend H.E. the President for the good intention.

    Mr. Speaker, the sages have chronicled, and have maintained that a nation that does not honour its heroes is not worth dying for. So, however late in the day, if we have come to the realization that we ought to honour Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, so be it. It is a good intention.

    But Mr. Speaker, I think in honouring our heroes, we must not forget about others. This nation has a lot of people who have contributed to the history and development of this country. This brings to mind the establishment or the institution of a hall of fame.

    If we are able to establish a hall of fame, Mr. Speaker, I think all manner of people who have contributed in diverse ways to the development of this country, would be adequately honoured, either by having their busts in the hall of fame or some replica representing them in the hall of fame. We can talk about sportsmen, legis- lators, politicians, academicians, name them. There are several of them in this country who require recognition.

    Mr. Speaker, but more importantly the one His Excellency talked about was Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. I have
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1 p.m.
    Hon Members, we will suspend Sitting for ten minutes. We have to attend to something very urgent to the Leadership.
    The Sitting was suspended at 12.50 p.m.

    Sitting resumed.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1 p.m.
    Hon Owusu-Ansah, continue, you have the floor.
    Mr. Owusu-Ansah 1 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, along the line, Madam Fathia Nkrumah was chased out of the house, the house that had been given to her by the State. Later the house was restored to her by the immediate past President -- [Interruption.]
    Maj. (Dr.) (Alhaji) Mustapha Ahmed (retd): On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I would like to know from my Hon Colleague whether he is talking about the event that occurred on 24th February, 1966
    Mr. Owusu-Ansah 1 p.m.


    when the military chased the government of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah out of the Flagstaff House.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1 p.m.
    Hon Member, continue.
    Mr. Owusu-Ansah 1 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, so the house was later restored to Madam Fathia and family and they lived happily ever after at Labone. It took fellow- feeling, diplomacy and the traits of good governance of President J. A. Kufuor to visit the ailing lady in Egypt when the woman fell ill. I am saying all these -
    Mr. Charles S. Hodogbey 1 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I just want to draw the attention of the Hon Member to Order 93 (4) and with your permission I quote:
    “ The speech of a Member must have reference to the subject matter under discussion.”
    Before we rose, the hon. Member was speaking about Madam Fathia, whose name was not mentioned in the - They would declare a Founders Day in the name of her husband. [Interruptions.] All along, the discussion he is making is about Madam Fathia.
    I would like him to come back to the actual subject matter, because there are so many things, and if he is trying to find a way to negate the intention of His Excellency President John Evans Atta Mills about the Founders Day to be instituted in his name, there are several things which have been done by the previous Government, creating circles and other places in the name of people who have not actually contributed enough to this country's political development. So I will ask him to come back to the subject matter.
    Mr. Owusu-Ansah 1 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, in my view, the loss of the property to Madam Fathia Nkrumah in circumstances
    Mr. Bagbin 1 p.m.
    On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think my Hon Colleague is misleading the House and creating the impression that the former First Lady was chased out of her premises. In fact -- that is what he said “chased out”. That is not true.
    I can recollect that as a Member of the First Parliament of the Fourth Republic, before the Rt. Hon Speaker Francis Daniel Annan was asked to occupy that premises, that premises was not inhabited by the former First Lady. At that time, the former First Lady had left and it was vacant. It was in 2000 -- [Interruption.] -- is he listening? I am trying to tell him it is not any person who occupied that premises; it was the Speaker of this House who was asked to occupy that premises. This is because the Speaker's premises is where we had the Chief Justice. And because of the first coup d'etat and with the closure of the Parliament, the residence of the Speaker was taken over by the Chief Justice. [Interruption.]
    It is recently that the current Chief Justice put in an application for us in this House, this institution of Parliament to agree that that premises be reallocated to the Judiciary and it was so done. That was during the tenure of the Rt. Hon Sekyi Hughes and I was there. So at that time -- I am giving him the history because the impression he is giving is that she was in occupation and she was chased out and I am saying that that is incorrect.
    It was in the year 2000 not even 2001, it was in the year 2000 that the house was asked to be vacated and possession given to the family. That was the year 2000. The evidence is there, the records are there, he

    can cross-check. That was the decision. So at that

    time, the State was looking for a suitable place for the former Speaker, Rt. Hon Daniel Francis Annan, and since there was no suitable place, he remained in that premises but the decision had been taken and these are the fact that we have. [Interruption.] He was not born by then, so he will not know. [Laughter.]
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:10 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I think the records must be straight. In 2000, the Hon Justice D. F. Annan was the Speaker of Parliament; that year, he was the Speaker. So indeed, as the Majority Leader is saying, a decision was taken late that year, that subsequent to that, that is 2001, they may find another place for the Speaker. So the Speaker continued to be Speaker for the whole of 2000; and when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was hoping that they will win in 2001, when they lost, where was he supposed to be?
    Automatically, he was supposed to leave the premises, which he did, and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Administration then came, reviewed the decision, and said that the house should be given to the former First Lady; that was the decision. So it was a decision that was taken by the NPP Administration. [Interruption] -- Yes. They took a decision to look for accommodation for the former Speaker. That indeed, was the truth, but the decision for the premises to revert to the former First Lady was taken by the NPP Administration. That indeed is the truth.
    rose
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:10 p.m.
    Hon Member for Sene, the Leaders have spoken. What else do you want to add?
    Mr. Felix Twumasi-Appiah 1:10 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, just a quick point of order and information as well.
    Mr. Speaker, I think this whole matter should be put to rest. Indeed, if my hon. Colleague opposite cannot tell this House who chased Madam Fathia out, then he should rather withdraw his sentence and apologize to the Members of this House.
    Mr. Speaker, as young as I am, history tells me that if indeed, Mrs. Fathia Nkrumah was chased out of her residence, it would not be any other Government rather than the coup d'etat that my good Friends opposite encouraged -- [Inter-ruption] -- through the Criminal Investigation Agency (CIA) for our first President to be overthrown. And subsequently, the Dombo group led by the then Prime Minister Dr. Busia, also came and perpetrated the same acts. So if my hon. Colleague opposite cannot tell the hon. Members of this House who indeed, chased Mrs. Fathia Nkrumah out, he should withdraw that sentence and apologize to the hon. Members of this House.
    Thank you very much.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:10 p.m.
    I will take the last comments on this matter from the Hon Minority Chief Whip.
    Mr. Frederick Opare-Ansah 1:10 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, the last Hon Member who spoke, Hon Felix Twumasi-Appiah, made a categorical statement that the coup d'etat that his Hon Friends opposite encouraged
    -- 1:10 p.m.
    Prof. Gyan-Baffour 1:10 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I do
    not think we should allow this statement to go by without any reaction to that. My Hon Friend opposite said that the coup d'etat that was led by Prof. K. A. Busia - [Interruption] -- Busia never led any coup d'etat. [Interruption] -- He said that. No, he said that specifically, and he has to withdraw that. He never led any coup d'etat.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:10 p.m.
    Hon Member for Sene, did you mention Dr. Busia?
    Mr. Twumasi-Appiah 1:10 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, yes. But I did not say that the coup d'etat that was led by Dr. K. A. Busia. I never said that.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:10 p.m.
    What did you say?
    Mr. Twumasi-Appiah 1:10 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, all I said was that the coup d'etat that was encouraged by the tradition of my good Friend opposite -- [Uproar] -- and that subsequently benefited the Prime Minister K. A. Busia. It is the same coup d'etat that saw the wife of our founder and our First President, out of that particular house. So indeed, if my Hon Colleague opposite cannot tell us who chased or ejected Madam Nkrumah out, he should withdraw that sentence of his and apologize to the Hon Members of this House.
    Thank you very much.
    Prof. Gyan-Baffour 1:10 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, if he did not say that or if he said that, let us make sure that it is expunged from whatever records that we have here; because I heard that, he heard it and a lot of us heard it. So if he is denying it, let us look at the Hansard, if it is in there, please, expunge it.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:10 p.m.
    Hon
    Owusu-Ansah, please continue.
    Mr. Owusu-Ansah 1:10 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, the point I am making is that it is important that the nation should apologize to the estate of Madam Fathia Nkrumah for the manner she was treated. And that will be a sure way of re-conciliation, which we all have been preaching as a nation.
    Nii Amasah Namoale: On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the Hon Member is discussing our former First Lady. I mean the First Lady of the First Republic; and we are not discussing the First Lady of the First Republic. We are discussing our first President -- the Founder's Day. So bringing the First Lady in, I think he is grossly out of the way, misleading us; in the sense that, Mr. Speaker, when Osagyefo Dr. Nkrumah was overthrown, I was a member of the Young Pioneer. [Hear! Hear!] I was in primary two, and I saw what happened in Ghana, and I heard how our former First Lady was treated by the benefactors of the coup d'etat, opposite us now, the collaborators.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:10 p.m.
    I think I will not allow this matter to degenerate. Let the Hon Member on the floor proceed.
    Mr. Owusu-Ansah 1:20 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, my aim in introducing this matter is to have reconciliation of all the parties, both

    present and past. So by acknowledging the wrong that we have done to the woman, we will be able to make bridges and then move forward; that is all that I am making.

    Mr. Speaker, that brings me to the next point. It is about the statement that was made by His Excellency the President on energy and in column 486 of the Hansard, His Excellency said and I quote:

    “We will also pay special attention to the areas around the oil and gas fields and ensure that they get their full share of the development.”

    Mr. Speaker, I think this is a laudable statement by His Excellency the President. We must not lose sight of the disturbance, chaos, acrimony and murders that have been taking place in some oil producing countries around us. We must make sure that those who live on the land where we are going to have our oil will also benefit and benefit properly from the oil. I therefore support that vision of His Excellency the President. But Mr. Speaker, we should not leave the matter there.

    Over the years, places in this country like Obuasi, Tarkwa, Dunkwa and Prestea have been the main source of our wealth through gold in this country. But today, Mr. Speaker, take a trip to Prestea, Tarkwa, Dunkwa, probably they look the same way as you saw them twenty years or fifteen years ago. And Mr. Speaker, Obuasi remains an apology of the giant gold producing town.

    So if His Excellency the President is thinking about using part of the revenue from oil to develop these areas, the oil fields, I think it is a good idea. But then he must also look at Obuasi, Prestea, Tarkwa and other places where we have been getting our gold from over the years otherwise, probably if he looks at the oil

    fields alone, these other places will also be up in arms and that will not be good for the country. So once we are doing this for the oil fields, I think the same facility must be extended to other areas which have also been the source of our wealth.

    Mr. Speaker, those of us who live in the Ashanti Region and certain parts of the Eastern Region and the Northern Region, would attest that the landlocked countries up Ghana, particularly Burkina Faso have been using Tema and Takoradi Harbours extensively. If you live in my area, you will find their big trucks plying our roads all the time. Mr. Speaker, the pressure now on Tema and Takoradi is, by the day, going up.

    So under the old Administration, the decision was taken to establish an inland port at Boankra to remove part of the burden on Takoradi and Tema. Throughout His Excellency's Address nothing was said about this giant development project and I think that the whole Address was both micro and macro, short and long-term. So such a big project should have found a place in His Excellency's Address. Sadly, His Excellency was silent on it.
    Mr. Twumasi-Appiah 1:20 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I think at all times we should endeavour to place the facts as they are as much as necessary.
    Mr. Speaker, my Hon Colleague opposite made a statement to the extent that the inland harbour project was started by the former Administration; that is factually incorrect. The inland harbour project was started as far back as 1997 or even before that by the National Democratic Congress
    (NDC) Government. So for him to have said, on record, that the inland harbour project was started just by the previous Administration of which President Kufuor was the President, is seriously misleading and I think he should correct himself or withdraw that statement that he made.
    Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
    Mr. Owusu-Ansah 1:20 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, the Hon Member on the other side has not shown any evidence to prove that the project was started by the NDC -- [Interruption] -- Very well, that they conceived the idea. But the actual implementation of the project was started by the old Administration. When is the project deemed to have started? It is not the day that is on the drawing board but the day that the -- [Interruption.]
    Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 1:20 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I did not raise a point of order at that time because I only heard him say “old Administration”. So I will ask, what does he mean by “old Administration”? Is it the NDC or it is the NPP? That was why I did not raise a point of order because as a member of the Board of Directors of Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, I can testify as to when the project was started. And it was started during the NDC era. And we went there, we launched it, we cleared the place, the project was ongoing before the 2000 elections.
    I as a Member on my oath -- [Inter- ruptions] -- Small boys are young -- [Uproar.] The records are there . At that time -- [Interruptions] -- We construc- ted -- Mr. Speaker, I can keep on referring Members to the records. I am saying I was a member of that Board and I can testify as to when it commenced. It is true it was continued by the NPP Government but it was not started by the NPP Government.
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:20 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, the relevant question really is, when is a project deemed to have started? But Mr. Speaker, the project that was launched by the NDC is completely different from the one at Boankra. The one that they launched was at Aprade, yes, the home village of Dr. Tony Aidoo and it suffered encroachment -- [Interruptions.] I can tell you that, because Hon Dan Abodakpi at that time was the Minister for Trade and Industry and we went to Akosombo on this. The land suffered encroachment and it was relocated when we came to Boankra. So the project they launched is not the same; he knows this for a fact.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:20 p.m.
    Hon Member, you should be winding up now.
    Mr. Owusu-Ansah 1:20 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, in winding up, I will refer to security. And I say that the whole Address, in bits and pieces, His Excellency talked about security. But I think that security of the nation is a major issue that should have engaged his attention more than what he did in his Address. But post-election disturbances leading to loss of lives are certainly on the increase. Agbogbloshie has had its fair share; Kumasi, when an Assemblyman was attacked by some people demanding from him the keys to a washroom -- a toilet. He was badly beaten and injured.
    Mr. A. K. Agbesi 1:30 p.m.
    On a point of order.

    Mr. Speaker, I heard the Hon Member say that there were loss of lives and he mentioned Ashaiman. Mr. Speaker, I think this is factually not correct. There was no loss of life in Ashaiman and I want my Colleague to get these facts correct and correct himself.
    Mr. Owusu-Ansah 1:30 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I have not said that there was loss of lives at Ashaiman. I have not said so. Probably, I made reference to Tamale. I have not said there was any loss of lives in Ashaiman.
    Mr. Speaker, the Dagbon conflict seems not to have caught the attention of His Excellency the President. But I think that that problem in our part of the country has not been resolved yet. So I think that His Excellency should have addressed it in his Address.
    Mr. Speaker, as we speak now Bawku is still under curfew. The curfew in Bawku has not been lifted and it is being reviewed upon time and Mr. Speaker, at a point in time somebody who was not even a Minister by then purported to have acted as a Minister of State. So the people of Bawku are still under curfew. His Excellency the President never made any mention about the Bawku situation and I think that, it is one area that we all have to pay very good attention to, otherwise one day we will get up and the whole of the place will be in flames.
    Mr. Speaker, with these few comments I support the motion to thank His Excellency the President for the State of the Nation Address.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:30 p.m.
    Hon Members, we want to suspend the debate for now and move to item 9 on the Order Paper.
    Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 1:30 p.m.
    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 Leadership on reconstitution of the ECOWAS Parliament may be moved today.
    Mr. Speaker, we are doing this because there are urgent matters on the re- composition of the ECOWAS Parliament and there are some accreditations to be done and there is the need for us to refresh our membership in that Parliament. That is why we want this to be taken and the Standing Orders suspended. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
    Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:30 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I second the motion.
    Question put and motion agreed to.
    Resolved accordingly.
    Report of Leadership on Reconstitution of the ECOWAS
    Parliament
    Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 1:30 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, that this honourable House adopts the Report of Leadership on re- constitution of the ECOWAS Parliament.
    In doing so I will want to present the report of the Committee -- a very short report of about three pages. I will simply urge the Hansard Office to capture the totality of the report and only focus on some areas because we are in a Parliament with many new entrants and we may need
    to say a few things about the ECOWAS Parliament so that Members will take this opportunity to understand some of the elements and essentials of Parliament.
    1.0 Introduction
    Pursuant to the inauguration of the Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic, the need arose for the reconstitution of the membership of the ECOWAS Parliament. Leadership duly met and proposed the composition of the membership of Ghana's representation at the ECOWAS Parliament as presented in this report.
    2.0 ECOWAS Parliament
    Mr. Speaker, the ECOWAS Parliament of which Ghana is a member was formed in 2000 and has a total number of 120 seats made up of representatives from member States. Ghana has eight (8) representatives.
    Its functions are basically advisory as it does not have legislative powers and its members are not directly elected.
    Representatives are selected by national Parliaments or their equivalent institutions from among themselves.
    Under subclauses (I) and (II) of article 7 of the Protocol relating to the community Parliament, Parliament of Ghana has the sole responsibility of electing Ghana's representatives from among themselves to the community Parliament.
    Mr. Speaker, pending the election of members of the community Parliament through direct universal adult suffrage (projected period being 2010), this august House has the prerogative to select such members from among its Members.
    3.0 Tenure of Office
    Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 1:30 p.m.


    Mr. Speaker, the tenure of office of the representatives at the community Parliament is for a period of four years, from the day of swearing-in of members of the ECOWAS Parliament.

    Mr. Speaker, it is worth noting that during the period of transition, representatives who are not re-elected at the national level remain in office until new representatives are selected to take up their positions.

    4.0 Formula

    The composition of the delegation was based on the formula for the composition of Committees and Delegations that was approved by the House on Tuesday, 27th January, 2009. For the avoidance of doubt, the formula is based on the ratio of 117:111 Members which translates into 51 per cent and 49 per cent respectively for the Majority and Minority Caucuses.

    Pursuant to this formula, each caucus is represented by four (4) members.

    5.0 New Membership

    Ghana's eight members to the ECOWAS Parliament have been selected in accordance with article 103 (5) of the 1992 Constitution and order 154 of the Standing Orders of the House and the representation reflects the present respective strengths of the Majority and Minority Caucuses.

    The representation of Members of Parliament of Ghana to the ECOWAS Parliament is proposed as follows.

    i. Hon. John Tia Akologu
    - - 1:30 p.m.
    -- 1:30 p.m.
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:40 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I rise to second the motion. But I think it is important to put this matter in the correct perspective. A Member who is sworn in by the protocol of ECOWAS cannot be removed until the person steps down, that is, if he is a continuing Member of Parliament. I think that each Parliament has its own rules so what we are doing, in my view, is to reconstitute Ghana's representation. Because Mr. Speaker, fancy the situation of the previous configuration, when we were in the Majority, we had five representatives as against three by the NDC. Now that we are in the Minority and the ratio now is 4:4, assuming the person who lost out, rather unfortunately, had won, what was going to happen?
    Was it going to be the case that the Minority would still be represented by five and the Majority being represented by three? Which is why I think that we should put the case across very succinctly that we are reconstituting the Committee, notwithstanding the fact
    in the sub-region should elect their representatives by universal adult suffrage. I am not too sure that the countries in the sub-region are ready for that -- which may mean that the various Parliaments may be called upon to constitute themselves into some Electoral Colleges to continue with the practice.
    The Members that they are sending there now should not think that by any form of arrangement, if they get there, that is, at the end of September, if by any twist the Parliament decides to extend its life, they should construe themselves to be continuing Members. Parliament would have to reconstitute the delegation if we get there, that is, September or October this year.
    Mr. Speaker, I thank you for your indulgence.
    Question proposed.
    Papa Owusu-Ankomah (NPP -- Sekondi) 1:40 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I must apologize to you for not waiting for you to call me to contribute to this debate.
    Mr. Speaker, I believe that the report
    itself is explanatory and in the light of the fact that there is another report to consider before it is 2 o'clock, I am urging you to put the Question.
    Question put and motion agreed to.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:40 p.m.
    The Hon Members mentioned in the report are therefore to represent this House in the ECOWAS Parliament. I accordingly direct that this be communicated to the ECOWAS Parliament.
    RESOLUTION 1:40 p.m.
  • [MR. KYEI-MENSAH-BONSU
    • Mr. Bagbin 1:40 p.m.
    I beg to move, that
    WHEREAS under article 5 of the Protocol relating to the Community Parliament of ECOWAS, a total of eight (8) seats have been allocated to the Parliament of Ghana out of a total of one hundred and twenty (120) seats for the entire sixteen (16) Member ECOWAS Community;
    UNDER subclause (ii) of clause 1 of article 7 of the said Protocol, elected Representatives to the Community Parliament of ECOWAS shall be drawn from the National Assemblies of Member States or their equivalent institutions or organs which shall elect such Members from amongst themselves. THE Bureau of the ECOWAS Parliament is constituted with representations from various component country delegations as the effective leaders of their delegations.
    NOW THEREFORE THIS 1:40 p.m.
    H O N O U R A B L E H O U S E 1:40 p.m.
    HEREBY RESOLVES 1:40 p.m.
    - - 1:40 p.m.
    - - 1:40 p.m.
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:40 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I rise to second the motion that the House adopts the Resolution.
    a common platform for African peoples and their grass-roots organizations to be more involved in discussions and decision-making on the problems and challenges facing the Continent”.
    2.0 Aims and Objectives of the Pan-African Parliament
    2.1 The aim of the Parliament as provided in article 2 (3) of the Protocol is as follows:
    “The ultimate aim of the Pan- African Parliament shall be to evolve into an institution with full legislative powers, whose members are elected by universal adult suffrage. However, until such time as the member States decide otherwise by an amendment to this Protocol:
    (1) The Pan-African Parliament shall have consultative and advisory
    powers only''
    2.2 The objectives of the Pan-African Parliament are set out in article 3 of the Protocol as follows:
    ( i ) “ F a c i l i t a t e t h e effective implementation of the policies and objectives of the OAU/ AEC and, ultimately, of the African Union;
    (ii) Promote the principles o f h u m a n r i g h t s a n d democracy in Africa;
    ( i i i ) E n c o u r a g e
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:50 p.m.
    Hon Members, before we continue I want to refer you to Order 40 of the Standing Orders. It is most likely that we may Sit beyond the 2.00 and therefore I direct that Sitting goes beyond 2.00. Hon. Majority Leader?
    Suspension of Standing Order 80 (1)
    Majority Leader (Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin) 1:50 p.m.
    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 Leadership on reconstitution of the Membership of the Pan-African Parliament may be moved today.
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:50 p.m.
    Mr.
    Speaker, I beg to second the motion.
    Question put and motion agreed to.
    Resolved accordingly.
    Reconstitution of Membership of Pan-African Parliament
    Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 1:50 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I
    beg to move, that this honourable House adopts the Report of Leadership on re- constitution of the membership of the Pan-African Parliament.
    1 .0 Establ ishment of the Pan- African Parliament
    The Preamble of the Protocol to the Treaty establishing the African Economic Community relating to the Pan-African Parliament states,
    “The establishment of the Parliament was informed by a vision to provide
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:50 p.m.
    Mr.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:50 p.m.
    Hon
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:50 p.m.
    So one hopes that we do not experience the recurrence of this. Short of that, I believe that we have very quality representation at that forum and they would ignite that House with wisdom and knowledge.
    Mr. Speaker, I beg to second the motion.
    Question proposed.
    Mrs. A. F. Osei-Opare (NPP Ayawaso West Wuogon) 1:50 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, in considering this motion, I noticed something that I want to draw attention to. The Pan-African Parliament is supposed to have at least, five Parlia-mentarians, at least, one of whom shall be a woman.
    I am wondering how come the Majority
    side of this House which has Majority numbers (3) did not deem it necessary to include a woman. At least one woman, but they cannot have two. I wish to draw attention to this very serious situation and in considering the [Interruptions] 40 per cent target of H.E. the President -- [Interruption.]
    Mr. J. K. Avedzi 1:50 p.m.
    On a point of order.
    Mr. Speaker, I do not know whether the Hon Member wants to loan some of the women from the other side of the House to us. She is very much aware that we have only five Hon Members from the Majority side who are women. So if she wants to loan some of the women on the Minority side of the House, including her
    goodself to us, she should tell us. So she is misleading the House.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:50 p.m.
    Hon
    Member for Ayawaso West Wuogon, continue.
    Mrs. Osei-Opare 2 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, my
    point is that if it says at least, one should be a woman, I think it is a guide but it should not be restricted to one. I commend the Minority side of the House that in spite of having only two spaces they were gender sensitive to ensure that it is a balanced representation.

    I want to urge the Majority to share the vision of His Excellency the President of the Republic and reconstitute their side to include at least, one woman.

    Mrs. Gifty Eugenia Kusi (NPP

    - Tarkwa Nsuaem): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the motion on the floor.

    Mr. Speaker, I am proud of all the Hon

    Members of Parliament who have been nominated, especially your goodself to be the delegation to Pan-African Parliament. But just as my Hon Colleague said, last session, I was a Member of this Parliament and the now Majority was in the Minority, we had to fight -- I even spoke to the hon. Minority Leader then about the fact that they never included a woman, even though that time there were a lot of women who could have been added after hon. Alice Boon was withdrawn.

    It is happening today, it is happening again, we want to urge the Majority,