Debates of 25 Mar 2009

MADAM SPEAKER
PRAYERS 11:15 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 11:15 a.m.
rose
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon Member, are you going to lay some Papers?
Mr. Agbesi 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I want to raise an issue with your permission, before the Commencement of Public Business.
Madam Speaker, some few days ago, the attention of this House was drawn to the time of Sitting. Madam Speaker, this was raised from the opposite side. Madam Speaker, it was clear that circumstances led to the House not Sitting at the time prescribed. Yesterday, the Sitting of this House was delayed, apparently because the Members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on the other side, were holding a press conference.
Madam Speaker, this morning also the Sitting of this House was delayed because, again, they were holding a meeting. Madam Speaker, the impression earlier
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had been given as if the delay in Sitting is being created from this side of the House. It is now clear that our Brothers on the other side - the Members on the other side are delaying the Sitting of this House.
Madam Speaker, I want to say that it was said by them that the Sitting of this House starts at 10.00 a.m. and if there is any reason why it cannot commence at 10.00 a.m., then it should be made known to us. In this case, Madam Speaker, on two occasions, I want to believe that they deliberately delayed the Sitting of this House at 10.00 a.m.
Madam Speaker, nobody can prevent anybody from holding a press conference or a meeting, but it should be done when the House is not Sitting. On these two occasions, Madam Speaker, I want to believe that this thing is being done deliberately to create the impression that this side of the House is delaying the Sitting of the House.
Madam Speaker, I want to say that this is of serious concern to me and to Members of this House and that the Sitting of this House starts at 10.00 a.m. and if the Minority wants to hold a press conference, which they are entitled to do, they should do it outside the Sitting. It was my Colleague Hon Member for Sekondi, Papa Owusu-Ankomah who raised this matter but here again he is on the side deliberately delaying the Sitting of this House at 10.00 a.m. Madam Speaker, this is a serious matter.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, it is very correct that the last time I raised this issue. I did not raise it on behalf of the Minority. I raised it
as a representative of the good people of Sekondi and it was not my intention to apportion any blame. Indeed, I respect my Hon Friend very much, he is my mate but I am sorry to say that the statement that he made is most irresponsible - [Interruptions.] I am not used to using such harsh words on Colleagues, but it is most irresponsible. It is a very irresponsible statement.
Mr. Agbesi 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I raised an issue in response to what my Hon Colleague has raised. Indeed, he is my mate -- [Interruptions.] [Some Hon Members: Where?] He is my mate at the University of Ghana and to the Law School. He has raised an issue about the Sitting of this House.
I am also in the same vein raising the issue of the NPP holding press conference at the time when Parliament should be Sitting, and this is exactly what I am saying. To say that my statement is irresponsible, Madam Speaker, I want to say that I take serious offence to that statement and it must be withdrawn with a big apology to me.
I am saying this because, Madam Speaker, I represent the people of Ashaiman, the people of Ashaiman have sent me here to talk on their behalf, to make laws for them and to say things that will advance the cause of democracy in this country, that this country must move forward in the right direction and that is exactly what I am doing.
If you delay the Sitting of this House and the House does not Sit at 10.00 and you are the same person who said that we should abide by time and I am just pointing this out to you, what is irresponsible about this statement? Madam Speaker, I demand withdrawal of that statement and apologies
to me.
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Hon Members, I want to rule on this point. The word irresponsible, I do not think, is a parliamentary word. It is most un- parliamentary -- [Interruptions] -- Can you use another word?
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 11:45 a.m.
Very well, Madam Speaker. [Interruptions.] I sub- stitute it with the word “uncharitable”.
Some Hon Members 11:45 a.m.
No, no, no.
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Can I listen, please.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 11:45 a.m.
The statement is most uncharitable and unfortunate and has no basis in fact.
I did not hold the Majority responsible. I was expressing a concern and on that day, Madam Speaker, if you could even remember, I said that I had discussed this matter with both the leadership of the Majority and the Minority and it seemed as if we had made not much progress.
Madam Speaker, I have not been told that yesterday's Sitting delayed because the Minority held a press conference, neither have I been told that today the Sitting was delayed because the Minority had a meeting, neither have I been told that Friday, when there was no meeting, we started at 10.00 a.m. -- or rather on Thursday.
If we have problems we ought to address it as a House. This is the problem that we are facing as a House when matters that affect the House are considered on partisan basis. We have moved far away
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
I want to rule on this point; I want to rule on this matter, please sit down. Hon Member, what powers were you urging me to use; I have a lot of powers under the -- [Interruptions.]
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, you preside over the Business of this House and you can determine the time when we Sit. There is only one Speaker in the House -- [Interruptions.] And the Deputies only assist you. If Madam Speaker, you insist that we Sit at ten, we will Sit at ten. And if you come and there are only four people you can commence Business and you pass on the message. [Interruptions] -- And that is what I am
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Order! Order!
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 11:55 a.m.
Hon Members can howl and shout, I am completely unfazed. I am in my elements this morning, I have been very much provoked, Madam Speaker -- [Interruptions.]
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Hon Member, thank you very much for reminding me of my powers. I am very much aware of them and if I do not use them it is not because I do not know them; it is to get the work of the House going. I will revert to the point of objection raised. Hon Member, did you use another word for “irresponsible”?
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 11:55 a.m.
I said that statement was most uncharitable and unfortunate - [Interruption] - Those were the two words I substituted.
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Thank you very much. All right, that is all right. That is acceptable -- [Hear! Hear!] -- Class- mate, please accept it -- [Laughter.]
Mr. Agbesi 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker --
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Shall we continue, please, I think he has changed that word. Let us carry on, we are now on item 4 on the Order Paper - [Interruptions] - I have been asked to use my powers; will you not let me use my powers? [Interruptions] - We are moving to item 4. Hon Leader, are you not supporting the Hon Member for Sekondi, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, that I use my power and move ahead?
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, you Sit in the Chair and you exercise your discretion. But clearly the language and tenor of the words that have come from the mouth of our dear Colleague representing Ashaiman is most
unfortunate -- [Interruption] -- Madam Speaker, he indicated to this House that we on this side deliberately delayed the Sitting of this House. Madam Speaker, that goes against the grain of Order 93 (2) which states and with your indulgence I read:
“It shall be out of order to use offensive, abusive, insulting, blasphemous or unbecoming words or to impute improper motives to any other Member or to make personal allusions.”
Madam Speaker, his insistence on the aspects of deliberateness on the conduct of the Minority is improper. He is imputing improper motives to us and Madam Speaker, if the use of the word “irrespon- sible” has been withdrawn, I urge you to urge him, because this clearly alludes, borders on improper motive on the part of us, that is the conduct of us in these matters and that is unacceptable. So we urge you to urge him to withdraw that. He cannot question our motives.
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Hon Member, the objection you took, the Hon Member has withdrawn it. Now there is another objection that by what you said you imputed improper motives that they are deliberately - So can you withdraw that and put it in another context?
Mr. Agbesi 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, with the greatest respect to the Chair --[Inter- ruptions] -- With the greatest respect, the Hon Member did not withdraw; he never withdrew his word of “irrespon-sibility”. Madam Speaker, I am insisting that I am a responsible man, I am a responsible man; he has used that word, he has not withdrawn it. Madam Speaker, if he withdraws that word and apologizes to me -- [Interruption.]
Madam Speaker, if the Minority Leader insists that the words I used were not parliamentary or so, I will be prepared to withdraw. But he has not withdrawn. He has insulted me on the floor of this House.
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Order! I will rule on this matter again; I will rule. I am permitted to ask a Member who refers to a word which is objected to either to change that word and if he does not, then to -- in this case he changed it. I said he should change that word. It is an implication of withdrawal of the offensive word, or unparliamentary word. So I think that matter has been dealt with -- [Interruptions] -- Now we are dealing with your imputation that they deliberately -- and that is what they take objection to, that it is not a deliberate attempt to delay the House; so maybe you can also change the word “deliberate”.
Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I think the request on both sides of the House is for a withdrawal of some specific words or specific imputations of improper motives. So Madam Speaker, once you have been called upon to exercise your powers, those powers should be exercised in such a way that the Members comply with the specific requests that are made.
I believe that the Members should withdraw, one, the words and two, the improper imputations that are made against the Minority. I believe that will clear the way for the loss of cool of Members in the House to enable us continue with the Business of the House.
I want to plead with my Colleague, whom I have worked well with as a Majority Leader of this House before, to not just change but withdraw those words and also to plead with my Colleague Hon Member for Ashaiman (Mr. Alfred Agbesi) to withdraw the improper imputations of
Madam Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon Member, I asked you to change the word and you did and I took it to mean withdrawal. Can you repeat that you are withdrawing that word and substituting it with “uncharitable”, then I will work on the other side.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I respect my Hon Colleague opposite, the Hon Member for Ashaiman. I know he is a very responsible father, a very responsible husband, a very responsible lawyer and a very responsible Hon Member of Parliament. If my saying that his statement was irresponsible was taken by him as a personal allusion to his behaviour, I am sorry; I did not intend to impute that he is irresponsible and I withdraw it.
And as I said, I substitute the words “uncharitable”, and “unfortunate”. My Hon Good Friend, I withdraw. I did not mean any offence at all. But never make those statements on the floor of the House again. We would come back to it.
Madam Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Please, withdraw your implication.
Mr. Agbesi 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I know the Opposition, the NPP, have no intention of stalling the work of this House. I therefore humbly, without any condition, withdraw whatever I have said against NPP. [Some Hon Members: Shame, shame.]
PAPERS 12:05 p.m.
CONSIDERATION OF ANNUAL 12:05 p.m.
ESTIMATES 12:05 p.m.
Minister for Youth and Sports (Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka) 12:15 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I beg to move, that this honourable House approves the sum of GH¢45,773,162.07 for the services of the Ministry of Youth and Sports for the 2009 fiscal year.
Madam Speaker, in doing so, I wish
to make the following comments: The Ministry of Youth and Sports is one of the newly recreated Ministries and hence had very minimal inputs in the budget that is currently being presented. The Ministry of Sports - the Youth was with Employment and the Sports was with Education and therefore in preparing this budget last year, the full Ministry was not in place and therefore, we had very minimal input.
That notwithstanding, Madam Speaker, we have few challenges. If you look at the amount of money given us, we think we need to be heard again by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in the sense that bringing up the new Ministry has its challenges. We need to renovate our block; we need to be able to get new staff.
As I am speaking, Madam Speaker, today we have only two Directors out of the four line Directors that we need to operate with. It is really a big challenge and we think that the amount of money that has been earmarked for General Administration, which we could use part to renovate the block is woefully inadequate. I was speaking with the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning and I hope that this House in looking at our supplementary budget would have this in mind and help us to be able to fully set up the Ministry.
Madam Speaker, the National Sports Council is one of the four other agencies that are under my Ministry. The agencies are: National Sports Council, the National Sports College and then the National Youth Council. I then have more or less a semi-independent association which is the Ghana Football Association. Because of the FIFA rules it tends to stand as more
or less a semi-autonomous agency under me. Then we have a big programme which is the National Youth Employment under the Ministry of which I am the Minister. If you look at the National Sports Council and the role that it has to play, it has 34 associations under it, running from athletics to soccer.

Madam Speaker, if you look at what they propose to do within the year, the association's total budget itself is $3,489,379 and the Ghana cedi component is GH¢8,424,025. Madam Speaker, if you look at the budget allocated for the National Sports Council to perform these functions, it is seriously and woefully inadequate.

Madam Speaker, the reason why we may not be able to do much but to ask for more funds is that some of the programmes are international and mandatory. For example, if the athletes do not participate in some of the events, Ghana could be banned from participating at the international level.

The same goes for the volleyball and many of the disciplines, which means that most of the programmes and activities that they have are mandatory and we as a country must necessarily participate. It is in view of this that I would want to plead that this House, when we have the opportunity to look at mid-year review budget, should reconsider the allocation to the National Sports Council.

Madam Speaker, now to the Ghana Football Association (GFA). Madam Speaker, as I rightly said, we are all talking about the World Cup 2010, but it is very clear that if we would go to the World Cup 2010, it depends on the work that we would do this year.

Madam Speaker, all the qualifiers for
Chairman of the Committee (Mr. S. M. E. K. Ackah) 12:25 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I rise to second the motion on the floor and in doing so I beg to present the Committee's Report.
1.0 Introduction
1.1 The Annual Estimates of the Ministry of Youth and Sports were referred to the Select Committee on Youth, Sports and Culture for consideration and report, in accordance with Orders 140 (4) and 187 of the Standing Orders of the House. This followed the presentation of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government for 2009 to the House by the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor in accordance with article 179 of the Constitution and Order 140 (1) of the Standing Orders of the House.
The Committee met on 19th March 2009 to examine the estimates. Present at the meeting was the Sector Minister, Hon Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka (Alhaji) (MP), accompanied by officials from the Ministry and its agencies. Officials from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP) were also present.
The Committee wishes to express its appreciation to the Hon Minister and his team for attending upon the Committee.
2.0 Reference Documents
i. Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, 1992;
i i . T h e S t a n d i n g O r d e r s o f
Chairman of the Committee (Mr. S. M. E. K. Ackah) 12:25 p.m.


the Parliament of Ghana;

i i i . T h e B u d g e t S t a t e m e n t a n d E c o n o m i c P o l i c y o f the Govern- ment of Ghana for the 2009 Finan- cial Year;

i v . T h e M e d i u m T e r m Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for 20092011 and the Annual Estimates for 2009 for the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

3.0 Mission Statement and Medium- Term Objectives

The Ministry of Youth and Sports exists to create an enabling environment for effective youth and sports development through policy formulation, co-ordination, monitoring and evaluation and the facilitation of the provision of facilities.

In order to realize its mission, the Ministry of Youth and Sports has set these objectives:

To be committed and effectively mobilize the youth in productive engagement of their talents and energies and the creation of an environment which will enable the youth to realize their full potentials;

To reintegrate the youth and sports into the development process and refocus efforts on youth training and employment;

To formalize, regulate and invest in vocational and technical training and apprenticeships.

4.0 Agencies and Institutions Under the Ministry

The Ministry has oversight res-

ponsibility over the following agencies

and institutions:

a. National Sports Council

b. National Sports College

c. National Youth Council.

5.0 Performance in 2008

A draft National Youth Policy Imple- mentation Action Plan was finalized and expected to be submitted to Cabinet in 2009 for consideration. The draft policy reflects the growing needs of the youth as well as their contributions to national development. Consequently, all youth programmes and activities are to be guided by the new youth policy.

The National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) created job oppor- tunities for 108,403 persons across the country.

Government provided resources for the development and management of sports in the country. The construction of Sekondi and Tamale sports stadia as well as the rehabilitation of the Ohene Djan Stadium, and El Wak Stadium both in Accra and Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi, were completed in time for the hosting of African Cup of Nations (CAN) Tour- nament, 2008.

Ghana successfully hosted the CAN 2008 Tournament from January to February 2008. Government also provided funds for the national teams' participation in international tournaments including Olympic Games, Beijing, the FIFA Under 17 Women's World Cup, New Zealand, the Senior CAF Women African Cup Tour-nament in Guinea, the Under 20 Men ECOWAS Tournament in Nigeria and the Under 17 Men Four Nation Tournament in la Cote d'Ivoire.

The lesser-known sports were also

supported to develop the programme of building the national teams through the organisation of Schools Sports Festivals and Security Services Sports Association (SESSA) Games also received the necessary attention.

6.0 Outlook for 2009

The Ministry will initiate action to review the National Youth Policy to make it dynamic, pro-youth, and multipartisan in line with the government's youth manifesto.

Unemployment is very high across the globe due to the recession being ex- perienced currently and the youth are the hardest hit. Government will therefore place greater emphasis on employment of the youth.

In line with this, the National Youth Employment Programme will be evaluated with the view to making it effective and efficient for youth employment.

Graduate unemployment has been identified as a disincentive for pursuing higher education and investment in education. The Ministry in collaboration with other stakeholders will initiate action this year to find a lasting solution to the problem. The Paid Internship and Industrial Attachment Module of the NYEP will be reorganized to provide avenue for gaining some experience for graduates after National Service.

A three-year strategic plan which will detail out the policies, strategies and activities for youth and sports development in the country will be prepared in collaboration with stakeholders.

The Ministry will develop, promote

and organise a mass of amateur and professional sports in the country to put Ghana high on the world map of sports. In this regard, the Ministry will initiate the process of developing a comprehensive sports policy and related legislation to regularize and guide sports administration and development in Ghana.

The Ministry will partner the Ghana Football Association and other stakeholders to ensure a second appearance at 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa of the Black Stars. In the same vein, the Black Satellites will be supported to participate in the FIFA World Cup in Egypt this year. Similarly, the Ghana Hockey Association will also be supported to host the 2009 Africa Hockey Cup of Nations which will be staged in Ghana.

The Ministry will continue cons- tructional works on the Cape Coast Sports Stadium and the process of acquiring land for the construction of regional stadia will also be pursued.

As a matter of urgency, the Ministry will revamp school sports to identify and nurture sports talents in the schools to support the national teams. In addition, programmes on various sports academies will be reviewed to combat the exploitation of youth in sports.

6.1 Budget Estimates for 2009 The Ministry of Youth and Sports has

been allocated an amount of forty-five million, seven hundred and seventy- three thousand, one hundred and sixty- two Ghana cedis and seven pesewas (GH¢45,773,162.07) for its operations for the fiscal year 2009. The breakdown is as follows:

a. GoG GH¢44,453,162.07
Mr. I. K. Asiamah (NPP -- Atwima- Mponua) 12:35 p.m.
Thank you, Madam Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the motion on the floor. Madam Speaker, as a Ranking Member on Youth, Sports and Culture, I have a difficulty in supporting this motion. Madam Speaker, the main reason being that -- and I have discussed it with my Chairman this morning so I thought the Committee would sit down again to reconcile some of these inconsistencies in the Report.
Madam Speaker, it is unfortunate
the motion has been moved by the Minister and my Chairman too has seconded the motion. That is the most unfortunate part; I thought we would sit down to resolve,- iron out some of these differences contained in the Report.
Madam Speaker, the first inconsistency -- the Budget was presented by the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning on behalf of H.E. the President. What has been allocated to the Ministry is an amount of GH¢91, 200,823. Madam Speaker, the Report signed by the Chairman of the Committee is indicating that this House should approve an amount of GH¢45,773,162.07, the highest level of inconsistency that you can think of. So first of all, that is my first major objection to this whole Report.
The other issue is that, Madam Speaker, on page 6, paragraph 7.4 of the Committee's Report, you can see that there is a relocation of the National Youth Employment Programme to the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Madam Speaker, initially the allocation to the youth programme was not part of the estimates that came from the Ministry. At the committee level we raised an objection to that. So we were made aware that they were going to correct the anomaly.
Madam Speaker, if you look at the figure that has been allocated to the Youth Employment Programme, there is a huge figure of GH¢137 million and above and this amount is part of a Ministry's budget which is even higher than the total amount they are asking the House to approve of.

Madam Speaker, what is this inconsis- tency? In conclusion, the Committee is recommending to this House that we should approve an amount of GH¢45

million and out of it a component of this total amount is even higher than the total they are asking for.

Madam Speaker, so for me, I would humbly urge this House to ask the Committee to go back and do the right thing. It is important for this august House. It is not about any partisan consideration but we have a clear issue to settle at the committee level.

Madam Speaker, the other issue is that initially they shifted the National Service Scheme to the Ministry of Youth and Sports --
Alhaji Muntaka 12:35 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I believe at the committee level, this was looked at into details. With the first issue that he mentioned that has to do with the total sum of money allocated to the Ministry, and he would agree with me that the National Service Scheme was supposed to be added to the Ministry of Youth and Sports but he was told that the National Service Scheme was established by an Act of Parliament and the only way one could move it is to amend the Act.
Therefore, we had to pull back to get this Act amended before we could merge them. Therefore, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning sat with us and even agreed, because of not trying to distort the Budget, put the amount of GH¢45 million as contingency under the Ministry, should we be needing it. And the letter was provided at the committee level.
So I believe my Hon Colleague is well- informed about this but I do not know why he is arguing here.
Madam Speaker, the second concern that he raised about the National Youth Employment Programme, yesterday you will remember the controversy on the floor of this House as regards the statutory payment.
Madam Speaker 12:35 p.m.
Well, the Hon Member is entitled to refer to that again. He can always refer to anything. I think all he did was to maybe correct you, but go on.
Mr. I. K. Asiamah 12:35 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I think he has rather worsened the situation. He has not indeed convinced me and other -- [Interruptions.]
Madam Speaker 12:35 p.m.
He does not have to convince you. Carry on with your intervention.
Mr. I. K. Asiamah 12:35 p.m.
He has indeed
confused the entire House. Madam Speaker --
Madam Speaker 12:35 p.m.
Carry on.
Mr. I. K. Asiamah 12:35 p.m.
Yes. At the committee level, even that issue was raised by our side of the House and Hon O. B. Amoah raised the issue of the illegality of their action. We have been part of the process of correcting him. So he should be humble enough for us to help him run the Ministry. That is more important -- [Uproar.] Yes, we pointed out the illegality.
Madam Speaker, in an attempt to correct the illegality, this is the letter signed by Kwabena Agyei Mensah, Director of Budget -- [Shows a document] indicating that they have moved the initial budget of GH¢83 million --
rose
Mr. I. K. Asiamah 12:35 p.m.
Madam Speaker, my professor is here. I would yield to Hon Gyan-Baffour to continue then I will come back.
Prof. Gyan-Baffour 12:35 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I think the Hon Member here is right. You see, what we have here is in the Budget and we are approving the Budget. [Shows a copy of the Budget Statement.] That statutory payment that we are referring to from all this time are not reflecting here in the GH¢91 million. It is not there. If it were there, then probably, we could have just expunged it but it is not in here. The total that add up to the GH¢91,232,823, when you look at that column, there is no statutory fund mentioned there. So there is no statutory fund in that amount.
I think if it is because the Ministry has just been created and there is that type of problem it can be done administratively. And the Hon Minister for Finance and
Economic Planning will have to do that administratively; maybe the Hon Minister for Youth and Sports and the Minister in the other area can meet and do that.
But when it comes to the actual Appropriation, what we have done is that we have approved of this -- [Shows a copy of the Budget Statement] -- and that is what is in it. And that is the way it should go first and then allow Mr. Kwabena Agyei Mensah and the rest to do the administrative thing down the road. But as we stand here, that is what has been approved by the House. And that is the way it should go.
Dr. A. A. Osei 12:35 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I want to crave your indulgence to ask the Hon Minister for Youth and Sports -- [Interruptions] -- [An Hon Member: It is not Question time.] Oh, please. Madam Speaker, there are two fundamental problems with the Committee's Report that I think can be resolved if we withdraw and do it properly.
Madam Speaker, in this House when a Minister comes with a motion that we are looking at, as my Hon Colleague just said, nobody else has the authority to change it without the Hon Minister coming back to change it. And the Hon Minister, as he said, has brought something for us, that is the GH¢91 million. But we are being told that it is less. He has not done it.
Secondly, even if we accept the authority of the President to move the Programme to the Ministry of Youth, that letter went to the Hon Majority Leader. It did not come to you, Madam Speaker. Correspondence between the President and this House comes through you. So those two issues cannot be used for us to approve this budget. But I think it can be rectified. And I think it is only proper that we request that we all withdraw, sit down properly and do the proper thing; it will help us. Otherwise, I think that there
is some constitutional issues that we are facing.
Mr. E. K. D. Adjaho 12:35 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I think that I agree entirely with the submission of the Hon Ranking Member on the Finance Committee. I think that we have to defer the discussion for now so that further consultations can be done together with the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, so that we come back to it.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:35 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I am happy that the Hon First Deputy Speaker has put the matter beyond dispute because, clearly, there are many inconsistencies. The figure that exists in the Budget is GH¢91,232,823. Now, assuming we deduct the GH¢37,625,367 from it, how do we land at GH¢45 million? It is clearly an inconsis-tency.
Madam Speaker 12:35 p.m.
Yes, I would do that. I think I will defer this; stand it down now and move on with the work.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 12:35 p.m.
Madam Speaker, there was another fundamental issue raised by Hon Akoto Osei. We may have to have the letter routed through you so that it will be properly laid before this House.
Madam Speaker 12:35 p.m.
We defer further debate on this one and move to item 10.
ANNUAL ESTIMATES 12:45 p.m.
Minister for Finance and Economic Planning (Dr. Kwabena Duffuor) 12:45 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I beg to move, that this honourable House approves the sum of GH¢146,681,167 for the services of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning for the 2009 fiscal year.
Madam Speaker, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning is entrusted with the implementation of policies and programmes that will foster economic growth and macroeconomic stability for the promotion of sustainable development of Ghana.
Madam Speaker, in 2009, among other activities, the Ministry will deepen its capacity development effort in macro- economic modelling to enhance policy analysis and ensure evidence-based policy-making. The Ministry will develop a four-year strategic plan within the context of the Long-Term Development Plan to facilitate effective and efficient planning and execution of its core functions.
In addition, the Ministry will ensure that MDAs annual budgets are linked to the long-term national development plan of the country.
Madam Speaker, as part of domestic revenue mobilization strategy, the Ministry will continue to improve revenue collections through tax administration, broaden the tax base, reduce tax leakages and reform the regime of tax reliefs, waivers and exemptions. The Ministry will intensify its effort at generating enough domestic resources through tax and non- tax revenue.
The goal is not to impose an excessive burden on incomes but to explore secure ways of financing development expendi- tures and reducing our dependence on loans and grants. The Ministry will assist selected MDAs to prepare viable revenue enhancement projects and facilitate the leveraging of funds from Commercial Banks using Internally Generated Fund (IGFs) to be retained by these MDAs. Funds acquired will be utilized to improve MDAs equipment holding and logistics, as well as infrastructural base to facilitate revenue generation.
Madam Speaker, the Ministry will improve the budget preparation and implementation process to ensure that government priorities are captured, funded and executed. The Ministry will institute effective cash management System to ensure availability and timely release of funds to MDAs for the imple-mentation of their programmed activities and reduce government borrowing.
Madam Speaker, for the various activities to be undertaken this year by the Ministry, I humbly request for the sum of GH¢146,681,167 for the services of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning for the 2009 fiscal year. I beg to move.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr. James K. Avedzi) 12:45 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I rise to second the motion and in doing so I present the Report of your Committee on Finance.
1.0 Introduction
Madam Speaker, the 2009 Annual Budget Estimates for the Ministry of Financeand Economic Planning and its agencies were laid in the House on Thursday, 5th March, 2009 and referred to the Finance Committee for consideration
and report in accordance with article 179 of the Constitution and Order 140 (4) of the Standing Orders of the House. This followed the presentation of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government for the 2009 Financial Year by the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Hon Dr. Kwabena Duffuor.
To consider the 2009 estimates of the Ministry of Finance, the Committee met with the Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon Seth Terkper, heads of the relevant agencies and officials from the headquarters of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and reports as follows: 2.0 Reference Documents
In considering the estimates, the Committee referred to and was guided by the following documents:
i. The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana
ii. Standing Orders of the House
i i i . The Budge t S ta t emen t a n d E c o n o m i c P o l i c y of the Government for the 2009 Financial Year.
3.0 Background
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning exists to ensure macroeconomic stability for the promotion of sustainable growth and development of Ghana and her people through:
The formulation and implemen- tation of sound financial, fiscal and monetary policies;
The e ff ic ien t mobi l iza t ion ,
allocation and management of financial resources;
Establishing and disseminating performance-oriented guidelines and accurate user-friendly financial management information system;
Creating an enabling environment for investment.
In furtherance of the foregoing, the Ministry is committed to the pursuit of excellence, transparency, probity and accountability in the management of financial resources. 4.0 Objectives and Targets
The primary objectives and targets for the Ministry among others are:
To improve human resources and institutional management capacity of the Ministry and its agencies
To account for all public finances properly
To formulate and implement sound macroeconomic policies
To p romote e f f ec t i ve deb t management
To strengthen the financial sector To improve public expenditure management
To mobil ize resources from domestic and external sources, with authorization from Parliament, and advise Government on the total resources to be allocated to the public sector
In consultation with Ministries,
-- 12:45 p.m.
Dr. Anthony A. Osei (NPP - Old Tafo) 12:55 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I rise to support the motion that this House approves the sum of GH¢146, 681, 167 for the services of the Ministry of Finance. Madam Speaker, I stopped at the Ministry of Finance for a reason. I am glad that after protest from my Minority Leader and some of us we are reliably informed that
Mr. Avedzi 12:55 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I just want to inform my Ranking Member that the Executive Instrument (E.I.) that we have here, we will give a copy to the Hansard Department so that they can effect the changes.
Dr. Osei 12:55 p.m.
I thank you, my Chairman.
Madam Speaker, I want to urge all
to be conscious of that. And I think as he and I talked about before on this matter, it is a Ghana position, it is not a New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), Convention People's Party (CPP) position. We stand ready to help in that regard.
Madam Speaker, there are a few things that I want to give as an advice to the Minister in terms of what I think are two key areas that we have already talked about. One is in the Public Financial Management (PFM) area. There is a lot of money going to the Controller and Accountant-General's Department as well as the Office of the Director of Budget to streamline the Public Financial Manage- ment Unit.
My view is that there is probably a lot of duplication in the area. Some of the programmes we have had for almost 15, 16 years, I think it is time to go and be decisive about what is it that we really want to do. The payroll matter is on his table, I am aware and I think those areas he needs to look at almost immediately.
On the revenue side, clearly, he faces a problem with our agencies still thinking their “independent” and I think we have to pay particular attention. There is a board, I am aware, but the board reports to the Minister and I think it would be important that, that matter also be looked at. When we were looking at the Budget there was a budget that was presented by his deputy and there was one that was presented by the agencies.
Obviously he only took the one from his deputy but he can see that as he moves into putting them together under National Revenue Authority (NRA), he is likely to face some resistance. But I think this is the chance to move ahead with those reforms because without those reforms he would not be able to reach his revenue targets that he sets.
Dr. Osei 12:55 p.m.


Take my hat, it is there. Madam Speaker, the amount of effort that the Ministry had to put in to present us this document was quite significant.

Nevertheless we have seen what we are going through in terms of trying to reconcile the work that they have to do. As we all know, we expect that they will be coming back to us some time in the year to, as it were, revise what they have brought to us. But in the interim there are several tasks ahead of them that they need our support.

I expect for example that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) would be meeting with them some time in May in what is called the Article 4 consultations. And at that time they will need their support to ensure that their policies are what is brought back to us and not the policies of the IMF or the World Bank. You will remember, Madam Speaker, that the World Bank is offering the possibility of front-loading money to the Govern-ment but that depends on the type of consultations that are held with the Fund.

These are not going to be easy times. You know the Fund is a short-run stabilization agency. They will be exacting blood from the Ministry to try and raise more revenue and cut more expenditure and incidentally today one of Ghana's foremost economists, Globind Nankani, in the Statesman is recommending further cuts.

But we want to assure the Hon Minister that this side of the House, as long as the right thing is done, we would be willing to assist in making sure that the consultations with the Fund are done in the context of the Government's policy not in the context of the Fund's programme. As it were, the Fund will ask for your blood but in the times where every nation is suffering it will not be very responsible for us to go on much deeper cuts than we are already facing and I think we ought
Madam Speaker 12:55 p.m.
You are within time. Thank you.
Mr. Alfred W. G. Abayateye (NDC -- Sege) 1:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I stand to support the motion and seeking the indulgence of Hon Members that we wholeheartedly approve the sum of GH¢146,681,167.00 for the operations of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.
Madam Speaker, as my Chairman and the Ranking Member have said, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning is the heart where all the parts of the body cling to and this part of the heart has to have its energy to move about. Indeed, they need more than what has been voted but looking at the situation in which we are, that has been catered for.
In this year, the Ministry hopes that with their assistance and the assistance of the Office of Parliament some Bills might be brought in here for passage. The Bills and Cheques Bill, Public Private Partnership Bill, Financial Services Bill, Legislative Instrument on Second Tier
Pension Regulatory Authority, the Review of Securities Industries Bill and the Review of the Companies Code, all these are things which are going to generate from the Ministry with the appropriate quarters and assistance will be sought for all these.
Again, in the course of our work, we call on the Controller and Accountant- General to come out with the new charts of accounts and the proper headings so that in the course of our work it will be facilitated. And they need assistance and the expertise to go through all these.
Again, we encourage the Ghana Statistical Service to come out with appropriate data so that we would be on the right path in all our work. They promised that this year there is going to be the Time User Survey (with gender dimension) and the Integrated Business Establishment Survey will also be carried out. In all these they will need to do proper work and they cannot work without the petrol in the vehicle. The petrol I am talking of here is the money that will push the Ministry on. So we realize that had it not been the cut in the general they should be given more.
And looking at the remuneration, general wages all over the country, everyone is trying to leave for where the pastures are green but for the love and heart they have for the country -- people who if they were in other areas would have been paid more, the meagre things they are getting, they are willing to stay and work for the country. Therefore, in the course of the work, you will realize that it will be even good for the Ministry if it is coming again with supplementary to push in something further for the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.
The revenue agencies are also there; when they are cushioned well, their money will come in and everyone will put in well. So we expect that in his supple-mentary budget that the Minister will bring he should make room for something more to be given to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning as the engine so that Government work can go on well.
With these few words, I want to urge Hon Members here that we whole- heartedly support and move the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to be on its feet by approving the amount allocated to the Ministry, that being
GH¢146,681,167.00.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Nana Yaw E. Ofori-Kuragu (IND -- Bosome-Freho) 1:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me the opportunity to make a few comments on the motion on the floor. As a member of the Finance Committee I was also pleased to hear that the original name of the Ministry has been restored and we have it working as normal again.
There is only a couple of things I want to point out, that the revenue agencies year after year keep telling us they have exceeded their targets. Yet still when it comes to distributing the money there is no money to distribute. It is a serious matter so I will urge the new Minister to really put his foot down on this, to make sure that the informal sector contributes to the national coffers.
The NPP Administration did very well when it introduced the flat rate, the VAT of 3 per cent or so and I think it has really given quite a lot of revenue to the Government. I would urge him to
introduce similar measures, maybe a lower rate, to go to the markets, et cetera and raise more money for the Government. This is because I think a lot of people are getting away without paying anything.
We also found out that some importers are getting away by paying at the harbour 1 per cent instead of coming up with their Tax Clearance Certificates and paying millions to the nation. They evade taxes by paying just 1 per cent of the value of goods imported. I think this is another loophole where a lot of importers are getting around the system. I will therefore, again urge the Minister and the revenue agencies to look at that.
Madam Speaker, the second thing is about the discretionary power some of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) officials have in valuing items coming into the country; because sometimes items come in and you look at the documents and you see that the items that have been cleared at the port, the value of the items have no reflection at all on the actual value of the goods.
So again we want him to look at that. If GCNET and other new technologies being introduced can be extended to cover the whole range of goods coming in rather than giving some officials a leeway to make their own judgements and reduce these values drastically.
With these few words, I support the motion.
Dr. Kwabena Duffuor 1:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank this honourable House for giving approval to spend this money in my Ministry. I also thank them for expressing satisfaction with the persuasion of the other side of the Ministry. I thank all of them very much.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Question put and motion agreed.
Resolved:
ANNUAL ESTIMATES 1:15 p.m.
Madam Speaker 1:15 p.m.
The Chairperson of
the Committee to second?
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:15 p.m.
Madam
Speaker, I am not the Chairperson of the Committee. Really, this Budget, the Budget of the Electoral Commission, as a constitutional body, ought to be laid in this House as it has always been by the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs. Today, we are witnessing something completely different.
Madam Speaker, the independence of the Electoral Commission is guaranteed under the Constitution. And that is why the Majority Leader who is the Leader of Government Business has always piloted the motion in Parliament.
Unfortunately, the Majority Leader now cannot move this motion because, as we do know, by practice and by convention, the motion ought to be moved by a Minister, and that is the difficulty we are having. And that is how come the Minister responsible for Finance and Economic Planning is moving this motion.
Madam Speaker, this really is an abnormality, and I plead with His Ex- cellency the President to look at this again. Because if we should place this under the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, it will not ensure the indepen- dence of the Electoral Commission. Madam Speaker, that is the position; that is the difficulty. So I know the Chairman of the Special Budget Committee is in the House now; he will, in his capacity as the Chairman of the Special Budget Committee, lead the debate by supporting the motion; that is how it is supposed to be.
But indeed, the practice and con- vention of this House has always been that this thing had been done by the Majority
Chairman of the Special Budget Committee (Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin) 1:25 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I second the motion, and in doing so just say a few preliminary points to explain the issue that has been raised by the Minority Leader.
Madam Speaker, in fact, this House decided some years back that there was the urgent need to try to comply with both the letter and the spirit of the Constitution by insulating the independent governance institutions from any Executive control. And in so doing, Parliament proceeded to set up a Committee to handle the estimates of these institutions so that they do not come under any Ministry.
Particularly, that time they were being handled by the Ministry of Justice; and we established the Special Budget Committee chaired by the Majority Leader with the Vice Chairman being the Minority Leader.
So Madam Speaker, we have for sometime now been handling this but because they are estimates coming from His Excellency the President, it is usually the requirement that the representative of the President in the nature of a Minister should move the motion. And that is why the Majority Leader who used to also double as the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs was permitted to move the motion also as Leader of the House.

Madam Speaker, we are today faced with this problem because that authority no longer exists in the House; and therefore, we discussed it extensively. The Committee has considered the estimates, and we are presenting the report.

Faced with this problem, we decided that since it was the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning that presented the Budget for and on behalf of the President, we will, in the interim, permit the Hon Minister to, on behalf of the President move these particular motions. But that we will move to make sure that this is refined and that the status quo is retained.

Madam Speaker, we discussed this yesterday, and I got in touch with the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning and instructed him to move the motions on behalf of His Excellency the President; and that is why the Hon Minister moved the motion today.

Madam Speake r, I t he re fo re , stand to second the motion that this honourable House approves the sum of GH¢7,091,990.00 for the services of Electoral Commission for the 2009 fiscal year.

Let me also add that I owe this to my Hon Colleague, the Minority Leader and Hon Prof. Gyan-Baffour for a good work done. In my absence, they helped the Committee; they presided over the deliberations, and in fact, they presented this Report. I only had to go through it myself and as the Majority Leader and Leader of the House, append my signature. So I am extremely grateful to them for their efforts.

Madam Speaker, these are very paltry sums and in fact we are insisting that in future, governments should look favour-

ably to these commissions. There were good reasons why the commissions were established as constitutional com- missions. They have very important functions and duties to perform and I think that the attitude of governments just looking at them as institutions merely existing to give some semblance of good governance in the country should not be encouraged.

I think that Government should rather empower these government institutions so that they can clarify a lot of the doubts on the practices and procedures of governance and even the functions of the institution of Parliament.

If some of these institutions had been properly funded,supported and strengthened, the people of the country would have by this time had a clear vision of what type of government we are practising now. But we are unfortunately not empowering them and the Electoral Commission only comes in as an instrument for organizing elections and after that not much support is given to it.

We bemoan the situation and we in the meantime because of the transition, will accept this figure that is proposed by Government and we urge the House to approve the amount as stated on the Order Paper numbered 6.

It is with this, Madam Speaker, that I support the motion.

Question proposed.
Prof. G. Y. Gyan 1:35 p.m.
None

Wenchi): Thank you, Madam Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to support the motion that this House approves the

sum of GH¢7,091,990.00 for the services of the Electoral Commission for the 2009 fiscal year.

Madam Speaker, there are lingering doubts, mistrust and indeed, suspicion from all parties in the country about the activities of the Electoral Commissioner during the last election, both at the national and constituency levels.

Madam Speaker, in order to minimize this lack of trust which really undermines the integrity of this major pillar of our democracy, there is the need for the Electoral Commissioner to have a con- tinuous educational process throughout the country to really remove those doubts from the minds of Ghanaians and then to reassure us that they are indeed the pillar and a neutral observer in our elec- tioneering process.

Therefore, if you look at the allocation that was given to the Commission, the Service vote, which is far below what was given last year, this continuous education process may not be forthcoming and I think they need to do that and do it very, very quickly. So I will urge the Finance Minister to relook at the Service allocation that was given to the Electoral Commission.

But Madam Speaker, a more fundamen-

tal issue is that these government institutions, their functions are mainly service, they are service oriented organizations and when of course in line with the thinking of the President that in an attempt to reduce frivolous expenditure by cutting down the service vote of most of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) a pro rata arrangement where all the twenty-nine MDAs are put together and then slashed by 30 per cent or 40 per cent, I think, is not the way to go.

I think the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning should look at all these sectors and look at those whose operations are actually based on service

and not apply this rule pro rata. That is the reason why most of these institutions are facing this difficulty. So the allocation, not the supplementary but the con-tingency, maybe it has to be looked at in that direction.

In fact, most of the institutions under this Commission are service-oriented and they are facing the same problem. And I can imagine that when you look at it, it is actually the fact that there is a linear application of that rule and I suggest that the Minister maybe looks at that very closely.

Madam Speaker, I also think that the electoral process itself is being questioned by a lot of people and therefore there is the need to start that modernization process of our elections to reduce human error and indeed to reduce human interference. By this I do not think we should wait until 2012 to go in for the money. This year, we had a tough time getting GH¢55 million beyond the regular budget that is being shown here.

So I will urge maybe the Electoral Commissioner to contact the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning to ensure that this process can be phased out over the period between now and 2012. And that will be about item 4.

Madam Speaker, this allocation that we

see in the report as GH¢7 million for last year or maybe GH¢6 million for last year was really the allocation for their normal operations. The actual allocation for the election is about GH¢55 million which is not reflected here in the breakdown that we have because that is the normal year compared with this normal year, that is why the Ministry did it that way.

Madam Speaker, I think if the Electoral Commissioner is here he should go quickly to the Minister for Finance and

Economic Planning to tell him how that money was spent and if there is anything left he has to declare it to the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning so that it can be used for something else because I am sure in my mind that this GH¢55 million, there must be something left somewhere. GH¢55 million for the two; for the first round and then the second round, and even the third round.

Madam Speaker, with these few words I will urge all Hon Members of the House, both sides of the House to approve motion number 6 as appearing on the Order Paper, page 2, today.

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr. Emmanuel Kwame Duut (NDC

-- Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo): Madam Speaker, I am grateful you have called me to support the motion on the floor of this House to approve the budget estimates of GH¢7,091,990.00 for the services of the Electoral Commission.

Madam Speaker, it is in the right

direction that the Commission is well resourced to carry out its activities to ensure that there is free, fair and transparent elections in the country to promote the course of democracy for good governance and for a peaceful nation for the people to live in a peaceful nature for good development of the country.

We all know that the activities of the Electoral Commission are what had brought all of us here to represent our constituencies. We witnessed the difficulties we passed through in the last election to be able to come out successfully as representatives of our constituencies for the governance of this country.

I therefore call on this august House to support this motion to approve the
Mr. Francis Addai 1:45 p.m.
None

Mampong): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity offered me to contribute to the motion on the floor regarding the Report of the Special Budget Committee on the 2009 Annual Estimates of the Electoral Commission.

Madam Speaker, before I go on, I would like to read, with your permission, from the Inaugural Address delivered by the President of the Republic, Prof. J.E.A. Mills. On page 2 of that Address he said and I read:

“We have just emerged from one of the most keenly contested elections in the history of our country. Our democracy has been tested to the utmost limits. Thanks to the steadfastness of the good people of Ghana, the sovereign will has prevailed. We give thanks and praise to the Almighty.”

Madam Speaker, associated with democracy is the conduct of free and fair elections and if free and fair elections are conducted then it emanates from the acceptability of the outcome of the elections as well as the legitimacy of the people who have been voted into power. Therefore, for the conduct of free and fair elections, our Constitution has created the Electoral Commission to be responsible for this and so the Commission, Madam Speaker, is not under the control of any authority as indicated in the Constitution.

In 2008 the Commission successfully completed the conduct of the elections and in 2009, among the functions that the Commission is supposed to undertake, one of them, and with your permission I

would like to read from article 45 (d) of our Constitution --

“. . . to educate the people on the electoral process and its purpose”.

The Commission at the meeting with the Committee indicated that there is the need to undertake electoral reforms prior to the 2012 elections and to do this, it is a process that every year they will do continuous voter education on the electoral process of this Republic. But what do we find?

Madam Speaker, in the estimates for 2009 the Commission has been given an amount of GH¢297,763.00 for the purpose of its service vote. Madam Speaker, we all know that the core function of the Commission finds its expression in the activities undertaken under its service vote.

But if you find out the figure that has been allocated to the service vote, it is about 30 per cent reduction from what was given the Commission in the year 2008 and therefore one finds it a bit difficult to understand how the Commission is going to undertake its activities for 2009. And so the omnibus application of cost- cutting, the across-board application of cost-cutting, in this case, Madam Speaker, I think it is inappropriate.

Madam Speaker, on page 6 of the Report, at the meeting with the Commission, the Commission indicated that usually it budgets for about three bye elections for each year. Meanwhile its service vote has been drastically reduced and already we have one bye-election on our hands and how is the Commission going to find money should it happen that another bye-election will be required -- [Interruptions.] So Madam Speaker, perhaps we need to pray in this House that

we do not encounter any bye-election after the one which is just ahead of us.

Madam Speaker, at the meeting with the Commission, some members of the Committee expressed concern about what we call the voter transfer and upon clarification, the Deputy Commissioner of the Commission indicated that there is what we call permanent insertion or permanent transfer for any registered voter.

But Madam Speaker, if you look at our Constitutional Instrument 15 of 1996, which regulates the conduct of public elections in Ghana, and on the matter of voter transfer, there is nothing like permanent transfer in that regulation. And so we need the Electoral Commission at a point in time to really educate us on what is meant by permanent transfer or permanent insertion.

Madam Speaker, what I mean by permanent insertion is that -- [Inter- ruptions.] This is exactly what the Deputy Commissioner of the Commission told us at the committee level. That if one wants to transfer his vote from a constituency to another constituency and he intends to participate in the general elections, what the Commission does is to permanently insert his or her name as a candidate in the new constituency that he seeks to contest the election.

Madam Speaker, the point I am making is that this appears to be alien to the Constitutional Instrument 15 which regulates the conduct of public elections in Ghana. If one intends to transfer his vote from one constituency to another constituency for the purpose of participating in a general election, the regulation requires that 21 days before

the nomination, he takes steps to do the transfer of vote.

It is on this note that I would like to urge the House to endorse the recommen- dation of the Committee that an amount of GH¢7,091, 990.00 be approved for the Electoral Commission for the 2009 financial year to undertake its work.

I thank you very much, Madam Speaker.
Minority Leader (Mr. Kyei 1:45 p.m.
None

Bonsu): Madam Speaker, just two points. The first one relates to one service activity of the Electoral Commission which has been budgeted for. It is in respect of deepening and increasing public participation in governance. They intend to foster civic advocacy to nurture the culture of democracy.

Madam Speaker, some of us believe that the periods after elections, this particular activity ought to be carried out by the National Centre for Civic Educa-tion (NCCE). There has been this fight over turf, if so to put it, between the Electoral Commission and NCCE and I believe that we should define the turfs properly.

If one looks at the service budget for the NCCE, it is very very paltry and I thought that this is one service that could be best performed by the NCCE and not the Electoral Commission. That is one.

The second one, again another service activity expense, relates to what the Electoral Commission (EC) is indicating to us that they intend to undertake programmes that will facilitate the mainstreaming of concerns on issues of disability, gender, HIV/AIDS and the environment. Clearly, this does not
Minority Leader (Mr. Kyei 1:45 p.m.


fall within the ambit of the Electoral Commission.

Madam Speaker, last year we had a similar provision and some of us argued against it. That it does not lie within the competence of the Electoral Commission to pursue such a programme, main- streaming the concerns on issues of disability, gender, HIV/AIDS and the environment. What business has these got to do with the Electoral Commission?

Madam Speaker, I believe it is completely out of place and this year we have a similar budget, about GH¢45,000.00 budgeted for this activity. The figure is not much though, but four hundred and fifty old Ghana cedis however, if they could have that money to spare, appropriately it belongs to NCCE and not the Electoral Commission. So we should be looking at all these things if we have to look at efficiency levels; I believe clearly we must relocate this functions or activity to the NCCE.

Madam Speaker, there is the need to provide a mechanism to ensure financial independence of these independent governance institutions. The Constitution provides for the Judiciary. The Auditor- General came with a request, it was granted and Parliament passed an Act to that effect.

I believe the time has come for this House to look at these independent governance institutions in the same spirit and consider same for them. Parliament on its own had some discussions with the former President and we did something to that effect, for Parliament as an arm of Government.

Even though that has not been

conclusive yet, certain bold steps have been taken and I believe that this Parliament should take it to the next level so that we have complete financial autonomy; and I plead that in due time we may also have to look at these other IGIs and grant them the autonomy that they deserve in this respect.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.
Madam Speaker 1:45 p.m.
Hon Minister for
Finance, can you now wind up.
Dr. Duffuor 1:45 p.m.
Permit me, Madam
Speaker, to express my sincere thanks to this honourable House and your goodself for allowing me to move this motion on behalf of the President.
Madam Speaker, we have taken note of the comments and contributions made by Hon Members and I know that these will enrich our work.
Madam Speaker, the amount of money allocated to the Commission even though may look small, during the year, I hope that with the comments and contributions we will be able to enhance this amount to enable them deepen democracy and therefore help us achieve good gover- nance in this country.
Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker 1:45 p.m.
Hon Members,
having regard to the state of business of the House, I direct that Sitting be held outside the prescribed period.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved: That this honourable House approves the sum of GH¢7,091,990.00 for the services of the Electoral Commission for the 2009 fiscal year.
ANNUAL ESTIMATES 1:55 p.m.
Dr. Duffuor 1:55 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I beg to move, that this honourable House approves the sum of GH¢4,206,832.00 for the services of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice for the 2009 fiscal year.
I beg to move.
Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 1:55 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I beg to second the motion and in doing so I will present the Report of the Committee.
1.0 Introduction
The 2009 Annual Estimates of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) was referred to the Special Budget Committee for consideration and report pursuant to Standing Order 140 (4) of the House.
This was subsequent to the pre- sentation of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government for the year 2009, by the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor in accordance with article 179 of the 1992 Constitution.
The Committee met with the acting Commissioner of CHRAJ, and officials from the Commission and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and discussed the draft budget estimates and reports as follows: 2.0 Background
2.1 Reference Documents
The following documents were referred to:
The 1992 Constitution of the
Republic of Ghana;
The Standing Orders of the House;
The Budget Statement and Eco- nomic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2008 Financial Year;
The Budget Statement and Eco- nomic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2009 Financial Year;
The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2007 Financial Year;
The 2008 Annual Estimates for the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice.
2.2 Mandate of the Commission
The mandate of CHRAJ includes:
Investigating complaints of viola- tions of fundamental human rights and freedoms, administrative injustice, all instances of alleged or suspected corruption, misappro- priation of public monies by officials, breaches of Code of Conduct for public officials; and
Educating the public on their fundamental human rights and freedoms, in order to create a free, just and equitable society.
3.0 Performance in 2008
Some of the activities carried out by the Commission in 2008 have been broadly categorized into three areas:
Anti-corruption
Training of trainers workshop for district directors of the Commission on conflict of interest;
MR. SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER
Prof. G. Y. Gyan-Baffour (NPP -- Wenchi) 2:05 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the motion that this honourable House approves the sum of GH¢4,206,832 for the services of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice for the 2009 fiscal year.
Mr. Speaker, as mentioned by the
Majority Leader and Chairman of the Committee, the President, to ensure that these independent governance institu-tions perform their functions effectively, stated that it would be appropriate for the heads of these institutions to appear before the House, maybe not by other Ministers, but by the heads of these institutions.
I think the import of the President's statement was that maybe, by they getting involved directly would enhance their chances of getting higher votes, which I doubt. Maybe we may have to discuss that because before they get here, the harm may have already been done so they may have to go direct to the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning or maybe Cabinet is the one which can actually effect that. This is because as we know, with Parliament, the powers here are limited to reducing what we have or accepting what we have and not increasing it.
But nonetheless, the import was that he feels that these independent institutions require a lot of resources to ensure that they perform their mandates effectively. And Mr. Speaker, CHRAJ as we all know has a great mandate and I quote the mandates at paragraph 2.2 of the Committee's Report:
i. Investigating complaints of violations of fundamental human rights and freedoms, administrative injustice, all instances of alleged or suspected corruption, mis- appropriation of public monies by officials, breaches of Code of Conduct for public officials; and
ii. Educating the public on their fundamental human rights and freedoms, in order to create a free, just and equitable society.”
And this is an important ingredient in this democratic dispensation.
Mr. Speaker, the President was also very concerned about frivolous expenses and indeed, he also mentioned in the State of the Nation Address his willingness or his eagerness to cut cost on travels, workshops and those kinds of operations which are indeed or again found in Item
3 of the budget.
Mr. Speaker, when you look at the activities of CHRAJ, they are mainly on workshops; workshops on sexual harass- ment for the staff of the Commission, workshop on gender mainstreaming, conflict resolution training, workshop to review CHRAJ complaints, development and indeed, the activities are all outreach activities and these are the very activities that the President was referring to.
So if you go in there to cut their service vote in an attempt to meet what the President said, it is very likely that you are going to reduce them to an institution that would not be able to perform their functions. Their functions are mainly about workshops, training and travels.
So again when you juxtapose the operations within the context of the President's concern, if you do not manage the tension properly, the tendency would be that you would reduce their service vote and that is exactly what has happened this year.
In 2008, CHRAJ had GH¢129,600, in 2009 GH¢68,818 for service item, which is almost about 50 per cent cut. And Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, I think the rule was again applied pro rata and therefore as the Hon Majority Leader rightly stated, if there are any revenues coming in during the year that may warrant the preparation of a supplementary budget, I would urge that these independent governance institutions should be relooked at to ensure that those whose functions are basically services, their service allocations are restored.
On that note, I urge all Hon Members
to support the motion to approve the sum of GH¢4,206,832 for the services of the Commission on Human Rights and
Administrative Justice for the year 2009.
Dr. Kwabena Duffuor 2:05 p.m.
Mr. Speaker,
we have taken note of the comments and contributions made by Hon Members. We are mindful of the importance of this Commission and therefore during the review period, we hope that the revenue institution would permit us to enhance what we are giving them.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved:
That this honourable House approves the sum of GH¢4,206,832 for the services of the Commission on Human Rights and Adminis- trative Justice for the 2009 fiscal year.
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader, let me know where we should go next.
Mr. Bagbin 2:05 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, motion number 9 cannot be moved today because the Committee on Food and Agriculture has not finished its work and therefore there is no report, so we move on to motion number 10, which is on the National Commission for Civic Education before we go to motion number 12. So we move motion number 10 now and we would seek once again the services of the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning to move the motion. I am so grateful to Hon Members for their indulgence.
ANNUAL ESTIMATES 2:05 p.m.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin) 2:15 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I second the motion and in doing so, present the Report of the Special Budget Committee on the Annual Estimates of the National Commission for Civic Education.
Mr. Speaker, the estimates were referred to the Committee immediately the Budget was presented to the House on Thursday, 5th March, 2009 for con-sideration and report. Your Committee duly considered the estimates together with the officials from the National Commission for Civic Education.

1.0 Introduction

The Minister for Finance and Economic Planning presented the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government for the year ending 31st December 2009 to the House on Thursday, 5th March 2009 in accordance with article 179 of the 1992 Constitution.

Pursuant to Order 140 (4) of the Standing Orders of the House, the Speaker referred the draft annual budget estimates for the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) to the Special Budget Committee for consideration and report.

The Committee met with the Chairman and members of the Commission and, officials from NCCE and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and discussed the said estimates and accordingly reports as follows:

2.0 Background

2.1 Reference Documents

The Committee referred to the following documents:

The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana;

The Standing Orders of the House;

The Budget Statement and Eco- nomic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2009 Financial Year;

The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2008 Financial Year;

The 2008 Annual Budget Estimates for the National Commission for Civic Education.

2.2 Mandate

The NCCE is a constitutionally established institution with a mandate to create, promote and sustain awareness of constitutional democracy for the achievement of political, economic and social stability in the country, by stimulating citizens of Ghana to appreciate their civic rights and responsibilities.

In pursuit of this mandate, the NCCE seeks to undertake the development and implementation of programmes that are aimed at inculcating in the citizenry, their civic rights, duties and responsibilities for their personal well-being and national development.

3.0 Performance in 2008

Activities carried out by the NCCE in 2008 are as follows:

Celebrated fifteen years of the life of the 1992 Constitution by organizing the Annual Constitution Week celebration under the theme, “The Sovereign Will of the People'';

Intensified civic education club activities in senior high schools on “Project Citizen Strategy” nation- wide and sensitized the public on child labour in selected districts; and

Conducted research on the concerns of the voter as a tool to inform political parties' policy direction for the 2008 parliamentary and presidential elections as well as intensified and expanded sensitiza- tion of the citizenry for a peaceful and violence-free elections.

4.0 Outlook for 2009

The Commission intends to pursue its mandate by undertaking the following activities:

I n c r ea s e adv ocacy f o r t he in t roduc t ion of “c iv ics fo r democracy'' in the educational curriculum and strengthen civic classes, clubs and centres in all districts as well as targeting civic education for the vulnerable and socially excluded;

Create constitutional awareness through Annual Constitution Week celebration;

Deepen the social audit programme which is aimed at educating the public on its rights, responsibilities and powers to hold both elected and non-elected public office holders and providers accountable, particularly at the district level of

governance;

Strengthen partnership with the public and private media and religious bodies to promote civic responsibility, accountability and national unity nationwide;

Develop programmes aimed at educating the citizenry on harmful customary practices and discri- mination against women.

4.1 Estimates for 2009

An amount of GH¢5,044,605 has been allocated to the Commission for 2009. This amount represents an increase of GH¢748,079 or 17.4 per cent over the previous year's figure of GH¢4,296,526.

The breakdown is as follows:

Comparative Table for 2009 and 2008

5.0 Observation of the Committee

5.1 Inadequate Administration and Service Allocations

A total amount of GH¢5,044,605 has been allocated NCCE for its activities for the year. Of this amount, only GH¢126,838 is earmarked for its service activities to be disbursed amongst its 179 regional and district offices. This implies an average of GH¢709 per office for the year or GH¢59 per office per month. In addition, only GH¢645,126 has been provided under Item 2 for the year and this implies an average of GH¢300 per office per month.

The reduction implies that the Commission will not be able to effectively carry out its core activities during the year. Most of these activities were rolled over from the previous year to this year as a result of inadequate funding.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin) 2:15 p.m.


But unfortunately after that process the good people of Ghana are not enabled to follow what is happening in govern-ment, they are not enabled to understand the workings of government, they are not able to make inputs into governance so that this country could be properly managed to the betterment of all.

So Mr. Speaker, I think that this Commission is so key and that it is important that we enable this Commission to undertake this public education cam- paigns and awareness creation and also to remove some of the overlaps and in fact sometimes government is compelled to fan out some of these activities to the private sector; and I think it is important we refocus on the NCCE, the Electoral Commission and if possible the In- formation Services Department to do some of these activities.

In spite of all that, we have as a committee been constrained to accept the provision that has been earmarked because we were told that during the course of the year there would be a supple-mentary budget where the estimates would be looked at again.

It is with this that Mr. Speaker, I second the motion that we approve the sum of GH¢5,044,605.00 for the National Commission for Civic Education for the 2009 financial year.

Question proposed.

Prof. G. Y. Gyan-Baffour (NPP

-- Wenchi): Mr. Speaker, I also rise to support the motion that this House approves the sum of GH¢5,044,605.00 for the services of the National Commission for Civic Education for the year 2009.

Mr. Speaker, this is also one of these IGIs and my concern is the same as the

commencement of the project. 5.3 Public Education

The Committee observed that a number of organizations are undertaking public education campaigns on various issues. Some of these campaigns sometimes overlap leading to duplication of effort and an uncoordinated delivery. Some of these organizations include NCCE, EC, Information Services Department, IRS, among others.

The Committee therefore wishes to

recommend that these institutions should consider pooling their resources towards ensuring efficient service delivery.

6.0 Conclusion

The Committee, after careful examination of the draft estimates, accordingly recommends to the House to approve the sum of five million, forty-four thousand, six hundred and five Ghana cedis (GH¢5,044,605) for the National Com-mission for Civic Education for the

concern that I have expressed about the previous institutions like CHRAJ and the Electoral Commission.

This year 's a l loca t ion to the Commission for the service item has actually reduced by about the same amount, that is about 50 per cent from GH¢272,315.00 to GH¢126,848.00.

Mr. Speaker, I need not bore you with this because it is actually something that I have talked about before. But when you look at the allocation to this institution which should be disbursed among about 179 regional and district offices, it implies that an average of GH¢709.00 per office for the year is GH¢59.00 per office per month.

Mr. Speaker, the Majority Leader is giggling, I think maybe he can even pay for that for a month so I think this time around the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, with your indulgence is not to wait until the review is done but to find some resources from the Contingency Fund to ensure that this institution actually survives.

Mr. Speaker, the functions of NCCE in fact overlap certain functions of other institutions such as the Electoral Commission, Information Services Department, even Internal Revenue Service, among others. Therefore there is the need for these institutions to really consider pooling their resources to together to ensure that they have efficient services where these overlaps exist.

But Mr. Speaker, a more serious issue is about where these competing institutions are located. The NCCE is currently housed in the premises of the Electoral Commission, and by proximity I think there is that conflict, and these

overlaps are creating a lot of conflicts maybe not overtly but covertly between these institutions. And therefore there is the need as they have themselves decided to do, to ensure that they get the complex that they are trying to put up near the University of Ghana, Legon, to be completed. And we are told that this would cost GH¢8.7 million over the years. But unfortunately, they were given GH¢256,597.00 for their investment vote this year. We have advised that maybe they can begin with that but I will also urge the Minister that come the time for the mid-year review, maybe that can also be looked at.

On this note, I urge Members of the House on both sides to approve motion number 10 as it appears on today's Order Paper.
Mr. T. T. Chaie (NDC -- Ablekuma Central) 2:25 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to support this motion that this House approves the sum of GH¢5,044,605.00 for the services of the National Commission for Civic Education for the 2009 fiscal year.
Mr. Speaker, this is one institution that for a very long time has not had adequate funding. In fact, it is very very appalling that an institution which is dedicated to the education of the masses has been starved of funds for a very long time.

Mr. Speaker, if you look at the Report that has been submitted to us, page 4, item 5.1, an amount of GH¢126,838 was earmarked for service activities and this is to be distributed to 179 regional and district offices. This means that GH¢709 per office for a year or GH¢59 per office per month is allocated to a particular office. And Mr. Speaker, how can such an amount run an office for a full year?

In fact, during the last elections,

most of us were criticising the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) for not actually educating the public concerning issues of our elections. I had the opportunity to meet some of the leaders within the Commission and Mr. Speaker, even after seminars water to drink is something hard to come by in such offices.

If one looks at the motivation of staff in the offices, it is very, very low and I think the budget allocation for this particular office needs to be looked at.

I am pleading with the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning that the National Commission for Civic Education is an institution that we as politicians need to actually help survive. The Commission is dying and the workers are de-motivated. We need to actually strengthen this Commission if we want our democracy to strive.

With these few words, I urge my Hon
Mr. Frederick Opare 2:25 p.m.
None

Suhum): Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the motion that this House approves the sum of GH¢5,044,605 for the services of the National Commission for Civic Education for the 2009 fiscal year.

Mr. Speaker, a lot has been said for

other MDAs in respect of the inadequacy of their budgetary allocations. But let me add my voice to the case of the NCCE. In fact, if one considers that for a whole month the service allocation to this very important Independent Governance Institution (IGI) of the State is GH¢59.00 then we begin to wonder whether we have any cause to demand accountability from

the workers within this institution. I do not know what they will be doing and rather be receiving their salaries month after month.

Indeed, if one extends this to the earlier argument that was made by the Hon Majority Leader in respect of something being done, looking at the independence of the financing or financial matters of the IGIs, I think it is something that should be considered with some urgency.

We all know that year after year funds would be generated and accrued into the Consolidated Fund, the Contingency Fund and other funds as have been established by law. I believe that it is not for nothing that the framers of the Constitution sought for these institutions to be independent. And we will all agree that having functional independence without the requisite financial indepen- dence to back one is really meaningless.

If one really wants to exert one's authority only to turn round and go begging for the budget which will help one to actually exert that authority from some institute of state or some arm of government which one probably has to be independent from then it does not really make sense for us. So we would like to urge the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning that in considering his supplementary budget allocation, to make adequate provision for this particular IGI.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, whilst this is being done, when one goes through the budgets of most MDAs one will realise that there is usually provision made for some public education. When one goes through the Constitution and looks at the specific functions of the NCCE, again, one will realise that there are certain broad areas, most of which specific sectors also try to do their own education.

I would like to urge such institutions
Mr. Frederick Opare 2:35 p.m.


of State to collaborate with the NCCE and support them to be able to help them also function and help them carry out the message that they need to carry to the population of the country.

Specifically, in this case, for instance Members of Parliament who will find it nearly impossible to explain their own functions to their constituents -- what their responsibilities are supposed to be and what are not supposed to be -- I believe by working closely with the NCCE will be able to find ways of getting the message gently across to their consti-tuents without endangering their own existence as Members of this august House.

With these few words, I beg to support the motion and urge all Hon Members to support it.

Mr. E. T. Mensah (NDC -- Ningo/

Prampram): Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the motion on the floor that this House approves the estimates which stand in the name of the NCCE.

Mr. Speaker, I do not think that after 16

years of our democratic practice, we are not making progress. I do not think that we, as a people appreciate the importance of the NCCE and the role that they have to play. Those of us who have been out there, like my Hon Colleague just said, know the amount of ignorance and naivety out there. Sometime last year, Parliament organised an outreach programme, we went to the Eastern Region and the Western Region.

The Outreach programme was to let the public know the role of Parliament in the democratic dispensation and the role of Members of Parliament. I was surprised that respectable officers, senior officers who were in Takoradi, after we had explained our role vis-à-vis the role of

level of directorship, chief executives of corporations, what they have --

And then you come to another level, that is, the Judiciary - We were supposed to be at the same level with the High Court Judges. They do not take loans to buy their cars. They do not. Why is it that the level which is very important - When you have no Parliament it ceases to be a democracy. We are treated shabbily, people do not appreciate what we do. We cannot go out there and be telling our own stories.

The institution which is to stimulate people to know their civic rights and responsibilities need to be educated. If at the highest level people do not appreciate it.

There was this issue about the statute of Liberty in New York, in the eastern end. I remember one of the renowned Presidents of the United States of America, President Lincoln, said that when we talk about the statute of Liberty at the eastern end he wished that there was a statute of responsibility at the western end. People think they know their rights; you listen to the radio and everybody thinks he knows about politics.

So Madam Speaker, I believe that this House, there is nothing that can be done about what has been put here. But I think that there is the need for the House to take a certain stand, come out with something that would have to be discussed for us to strengthen the NCCE. I am saying this because on the day that we had the discussions the Board of the NCCE lamented, when he told us about how much had been given to him. That was a joke. And then the duplication of functions of education, where the Electoral Commission also takes up the functions of education when they have their core functions, should be looked at so that we

the District Assemblies,the District Chief Executives and the governance structure, they were surprised, they did not know and said that we should have told them this long ago.

There was another programme

organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) where there was a round table conference where we had all these people who claim to be social commentators, political gurus around the table and the NCCE was there. At the end of it all, everybody thought that we should resource the NCCE and also expand their mandate. Their mandate is limited and what we have even captured here as their mandate on page 2 (2) of the Committee's Report -- and Mr. Speaker, I beg to quote:

“The NCCE is a constitutionally established institution with a mandate to create, promote and sustain awareness of constitutional democracy for the achievement of political, economic and social stability in the country by stimu- la t ing c i t izens of Ghana to appreciate their civic rights and respon-sibilities.”

“. . . stimulating citizens of Ghana . . .” -- Mr. Speaker, if we had explained to educated people well enough, the brouhaha about what they call end-of service benefits which is a gratuity would not be an issue at all. Listen to the phone- ins. People think that as Members of Parliament, our work starts and ends here on the floor of the House because of what they see on television.

As we sit here, there are several committees meeting. Members have been meeting weekends, holidays and nobody knows about it. We have got to a point where we need to let people know what we are doing. People are not aware that leadership of the Executive have free cars, they do not take loans to buy their cars. They have petrol, even people at the
Mr. Frederick Opare 2:35 p.m.


do align these institutions.

When we look at all the Ministries, there are many, many of such things which have to be done for us to start correcting. After 16 years we have no basis, we have no excuse whatsoever to behave the way we are behaving and for the ignorance which is out there as far as politics is concerned.

Madam Speaker, with these few words, I support the motion and I want to plead with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning that the little money that is being approved for them must be released fully for them to be able to carry out the little work that they would be able to carry out.
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:35 p.m.
I will call upon the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning to please wind up.
Dr. Duffuor 2:35 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, once again, may I thank you for allowing me to move this motion on behalf of His Excellency the President.
Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning is conscious of the importance of this Commission. We will, during the year, as we grow the revenue, take into account the concerns expressed by Hon Members today and we will, during the year, as we have promised come back here for a review and at that time, we would be able to add something to the allocation made to this important segment of the Government.
Thank you very much.
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:35 p.m.
Hon Members, I shall now put the Question --
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu -- rose
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:35 p.m.
Oh, an
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:35 p.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, an intervention that is not meant to arrest the Question that you want to put; I do not intend in any way to arrest it. But before you put the Question Mr.
be looked at.
When you take the presidential system that we are using, when you are selected the President you come with your team all throughout the Ministries. So you do not have a Chief of Staff only at the presiden- cy; you have it at all the Ministries. You survive or you sink together with them. Then when you go down to even the local level where they elect the mayors, it is the same. You are elected a major, you appoint your heads of departments, they are commissioners, you appoint them. So they know that you have the same goal that they are working towards.
But what we have here, we have people who are there; they have survived all the regimes and they are there and sometimes they even gossip, that: “Oh, this Minister, he is being too known, he is just passing by, he would go very soon”. You know what I am talking about. So beyond this there are many other things that we need to create a platform for. We can initiate it as Parliament and bring people Let us brainstorm, let them understand the way the system works; otherwise we would still be marking time.
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
I believe the Clerk would ensure that after the relevant consultations appropriate communications are addressed to the Executive on the consensual position of the Legislature on this matter.

Question put and motion agreed to.

Resolved.

That this honourable House approves the sum of GH¢5,044,605.00 for the services of the National Commission for Civic Education for the 2009

fiscal year.
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
Item
11, motion -- Minister for Employment and Social Welfare. Is there a contrary indication, Hon Chief Whip?
Mr. E.T. Mensah 2:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, you
can see the Minister for Employment around me, he has been taken ill and he wants this to be stood down for tomorrow. But before then when we were considering the motion for the Ministry of Youth and Sports, there were some problems which cropped up and we requested that they should withdraw and go and have them resolved; all the issues have been resolved.
The issue of the realignment of the Ministry which was wrongly addressed has been resolved and then the difficulties in the budgetary allocations have also been resolved. So the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, if you permit will speak to the issues before we move on.
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
Minister
for Youth and Sports.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 2:45 p.m.
The Hon Minister
for Finance and Economic Planning, is here and he would address these concerns.
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
The
Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning will assist us to have these issues resolved.
ANNUAL ESTIMATES 2:45 p.m.
  • [Resumption of debate from column 2413.]
    • Dr. Kwabena Duffuor 2:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, you would recall that in the morning there was a controversy on the Ministry of Youth and Sports' data. I would like to set the records straight. [Interruption.] I will make corrections. The estimates for the Ministry of Youth and Sports -- the
    Mr. E.T. Mensah 2:45 p.m.
    Madam Speaker, I want to assure my Hon Minority Leader that we have taken judicious note of all the concerns raised and the problems that we are having with regard to this vacuum and I believe that the message would be conveyed to the appropriate quarters and would be responded to accordingly.
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
    Hon Majority Chief Whip, do I take it that you share the sentiments expressed by the Hon Minority leader in this matter and that you are together of the same mind, that this must be looked at?
    Mr. E.T. Mensah 2:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, it is something that we have been discussing all along. What is obvious is obvious and we share the sentiments raised so that we do not go through confusion. The problem is the hybrid system that we have. We always get confused. We take aspects of the American system, the presidency, we leave some parts of it hanging and then we take part of the Westminster system; that is the major problem. And as we keep on saying, it is only this issue that needs to
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
    If the
    Hon Member for Atwima-Mponua (Mr. Isaac K. Asiamah) is in the House; because I thought the hon. Member was in the process of arguing in a certain direction. Hon O. B. Amoah?
    Mr. O.B. Amoah 2:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I rise
    to speak as a member of the Committee.
    Mr. Speaker, in the morning we had a little challenge and the matter was deferred. Amongst us as members of the Committee we have come to a certain conclusion and with the intervention of the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning we believe we can proceed on this matter. Initially he had some difficulties especially when we did not know whether we were doing the right thing, given the fact that what had been set as seed in the budget was being reduced
    by about 50 per cent.
    But with consultation and consensus we believe we can now move forward on this matter. I do not know whether we should ask the Hon Minister for Youth and Sports to move the motion again whilst we do the right thing. We second it, debate and move on.
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
    I think the Hon Minister for Youth and Sports can simply, in winding up, review the figure to GH¢45,773,162.03 and not .07. This is what we have here. Is that correct? If you may proceed accordingly.
    rose
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
    The
    Hon Prof. Gyan-Baffour, an intervention?
    Prof. Gyan-Baffour 2:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker,
    I am not sure what it is. Is it that we are amen-ding the motion here or what are we doing right now?
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
    The
    Hon Minister for Sports, are we amending the figure to GH¢45,773,162.03 so that we can proceed on that?
    Allhaji M. M. Muntaka: Mr. Speaker,
    it is .07. The whole figure we have is GH¢
    45,773,162.07.
    Prof. Gyan-Baffour 2:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker,
    do I understand that the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning is actually referring this letter to you for your approval so that we can amend what is in this document? Is that the idea?
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
    I think
    if we will formally hear the Minister for Youth and Sports then we can proceed accordingly. After his explanation, Hon Members will have the opportunity to contribute where necessary.
    Alhaji M. M. Muntaka 2:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, it is just like what happened in the morning. The understanding is clear, this House has the power to reduce budgetary allocations and when this House does, all what needs to be done is to do the realignment at the Appropriation stage. And what we have in the budget document is only a proposal that is coming to the House.
    In this instance, the understanding is that once the National Service Scheme could not just be moved to the Ministry of Youth and Sports without the amendment of the Act, the vote for that Service is being moved into Contingency and in doing so GH¢37,625,267.7, like the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning rightly mentioned, is being given to the Ministry of Youth and Sports to look at its service activity with the rest of it going back into the Contingency Fund.
    So Mr. Speaker, that is where we are and that is how come the figure has shot down from the 86 to the 45 which we are now seeking approval for. So Mr. Speaker, once again, the figure we are seeking approval for is GH¢45,773,162.07
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:55 p.m.
    Hon Gyan-Baffuor, is every difficulty cleared now? I thought there was consensus on this matter.
    Prof. Gyan-Baffuor 2:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I think so. I think in the morning the concern was that this arrangement should have been communicated to you directly. Now, my question was whether the Minister was communicating it to you and I think the answer is that, yes, this letter that he read is addressed to the Speaker so that he can go in there to help us amend this document. And when he
    is coming with the Appropriation Bill, he can then fix it at that point. So if there is the understanding, then I think actually we are all right. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:55 p.m.
    The Hon E. T. Mensah, I thought all difficulties have been ironed out?
    Mr. E. T. Mensah 2:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I was going to say that we are ad idem on this issue. All the concerns have been addressed and as Hon Gyan-Baffour rightly said, we will address these things in the Appropriation Bill itself.
    Mr. I. K. Asiamah 2:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I think that Leadership of this House should take committee work more seriously, especially the Ranking Members and what we do here. It has been assumed that all is well with Leadership but I am the Ranking Member of the Committee, so at least if a little bit of respect should be given to my side and of course, my Colleagues on the other side.
    I believe we have been given detailed reports or estimates of the National Youth and Employment Programme. That is the expected projection for 1st January, 2009 to December 2009. We have gone through it and I do not want to take the House back, but we will do more diligent work, at least, my side or the Committee is given another opportunity to go through this detailed expenditure of the National Youth and Employment Programme.
    An amount of GH¢127 million is being earmarked for the programme. And the Committee members have not had the opportunity to go through this very important national programme. We were just given the report and that is it; so I believe that at least, at committee level, we should have sat down to look at it in detail.
    Mr. Speaker, there are many, many com-ponents and I have a difficulty in
    Mr. S. K. B. Manu 2:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order to say that the Minister for Youth and Sports is misleading this House. Under the Act of National Service, National Service Secretariat is under Education --
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:55 p.m.
    The Hon Balado, the Hon Asiamah was on the floor at the relevant time so if the Hon
    Asiamah may please conclude.
    Mr. J. K. Asiamah 2:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, for example if you look at the Report we are being told that 2008 revenue from the talk time tariffs was about $20 million gross, and then 2009 projections would be about GH¢34 million. This is all and there is a footprint there that talk time tariff is 70 per cent increase of the 2008 estimates.
    Our concern is even with the Communication Service Tax. At least, we would expect that, at the committee level the Finance Ministry would brief us on this service tax well so that we actually know the challenges they are faced with and how much is coming into the kitty. I do not think it will be doing ourselves any good if we should go ahead to approve this Committee's Report.
    So I believe that it should be stepped aside so that tomorrow we can do better work on this Committee's Report. It is being rushed, that is my personal observation, and I do not think as a Ranking Member it is good for this House and this House should not be seen as rushing through a report that has not actually been well exhausted.
    So I urge the House to at least step aside this Report, for the Committee to go and critically look into it and come out with something that will satisfy this House and indeed serve the test of time and serve mother Ghana well. This is my contri-bution; thank you.
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I thought that after the consultations we will be able to reconcile and harmonize the figures. My difficulty really is in respect of the allocation to the Ministry.
    Now, if you look at the budget as
    presented to us, for Ministry of Youth and Sports, items one to four, the total of Government of Ghana (GOG) component comes to GH¢89,912,823 and then we have IGF, GH¢13,200. If you total it, it comes to GH¢91,232,823.00. Now we are talking about taking some amount meant for the National Service which is
    GH¢37,625,267.83.
    Please, what you have stated here on page 5, the last but one paragraph, subsequently the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning advised that an amount of GH¢37,625,267.7 of the GH¢83,184 meant for the National Service being moved from the Personal Emolument (PE) of the Ministry to service activities while the remaining 45 -- now we are told it is GH¢45,773,162, being paid to the Contingency Fund. I am saying that even if they take it that, that one is part of the GH¢91,232,823.00 and now we are going to hive it off, the figure is still higher than the figure that they have given us. That is all that I am saying.

    So we need really to be very clear in our minds what we are doing; that is my problem. The figures do not add up, and if maybe, we will have more problems, I am sorry my Hon Colleague has to do some rounds; and we have to help him to do it. But let us get it straight before we go.
    Alhaji Muntaka 3:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I believe that my Hon Senior Colleague was not following. The thing is that, if you look at page 305, as he rightly mentioned, item 12, Ministry of Youth and Sports; you will see that the Personal Emoluments (P.E.) there is GH¢86,425,555; in this P.E. is embedded GH¢83,184,927 which was meant for national service activities. So if you take the GH¢83,184,927 as per the
    Committee's Report, you will be left with GH¢3,240,627 -- [Pause] -- I hope you are following.
    Mr. Speaker, if you look at the P.E.
    which is GH¢86,425,555, GH¢83,184,927 is meant for national service activities. So it is what has been taken out, and when you take that one out, you will see that the P.E., as per the Committee's Report is left with GH¢3,240,627. And then the GH¢83,184,927 that has been taken off, GH¢37,625,267.07 had been taken out of this amount to be added to the Service.
    If you go to this Budget, if you look at the service vote of the Ministry, that is Item 3, you will see that until now it was GH¢728,455; if you add the GH¢37,625,267.07 to it, you will now come to the GH¢38,453,722.07 which is now as per the Committee's Report, the Service. So part of the P.E. that we took from Item 1, it is there, so look at the Committee's Report. If you look at the Committee's Report, you will see that the service vote there is higher by GH¢37,625,267.7; higher than what we have here.
    B u t w h e n y o u l o o k a t t h e GH¢3,765, there will be a balance of GH¢45,559,658.93 which is now going to Contingency. Because, technically, what would have happened was that after deciding that the national service activity was going back to Education, and this was double count, you simply take all the 83 into Contingency, away from the Ministry.
    But at the committee level, because we made arguments that when Sports was with Education and there was a heavy cut it affected Sports, we were able to convince -- why all the 83 should not be taken away. But out of that 83 that was to be taken away, 37 should be given to us to beef up the service activity, and that is what has been done. So if you
    Prof. Gyan-Baffour 3:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker,
    I think what he is trying to say here is that the money that was earmarked for National Service has been removed from the Ministry's allocation; but then part of it had been hived back in terms of service. So my question is -- Maybe the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning in his summary will explain that. How is the Hon Minister going to pay for the entire National Service Secretariat? [Interruption] -- That is why I am saying, maybe the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning will explain that.
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 3:05 p.m.
    Hon
    Minority Leader, do I take it that now there is understanding on this matter, and that both sides are ad idem?
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:05 p.m.
    Mr.
    Speaker, I think that the principle is well understood. I am just talking about the figures; because the Hon Minister called out not GH¢45,559 but GH¢45,773,162. That is why I am saying that let us look at the specifics. The principle, we under- stand is, there should not be double counting, that principle, I accept. I am saying that let us look at the figures well because he has given a new figure which is different from what the Hon Minister himself just quoted.
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 3:05 p.m.
    Hon
    Minority Leader, is your side satisfied?
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I am saying that the principle is understood; but the figures, the actuals are what we are talking about. Because when he got up, inadvertently, I heard
    him say that the approval for the figure for the Ministry is GH¢37,625,267. I knew it was a mistake but the Hansard will capture that as having come from him. Please, that is why I said, let us look at the figures. When you started first, you said so, the figures before us that we are going to give approval to; and you quoted GH¢376,252.67; I thought it was inadvertent, but that is what you said.
    That is why I am saying that, let us be very clear in our minds, as to what we are doing. And what of this GH¢45,773,162.03 that he is talking about because if you should subtract the GH¢37,625 from the GH¢83,184,927, you have a figure. Now, we are being told that the figure is no longer GH¢45,559 but rather GH¢45,773,162.03. So let us get it clear and sort it out before we move on.
    Alhaji Muntaka 3:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, please,
    for the avoidance of doubt, the figure we are seeking approval for is GH¢45,773,162 and the breakdown is there. But if you look at what is going away, that is contingency, it is also around that -- that is why maybe the Hon Minority Leader is thinking that it is the same. No, it is not the same figure because that one too is about the same GH¢45,559, but that is not what we are seeking approval for; that is what is going to contingency. But what we are seeking approval for is GH¢45,773,162.07.
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:05 p.m.
    Mr.
    Speaker, you see where the problem is further compounded? Now, he has given us this figure. We expect that, maybe, we will have a breakdown, and we are talking about a report before us. The report talks about the total being GH¢44,453,162.07. The correct figure is GH¢45,773,162.07, where do you situate the variants? Where do you situate it? That is what I am saying we should look at.
    The figure before us in the document is GH¢44,453,162.07, and the Hon Minister further explained that now, the new figure is GH¢45,773,162.07, so the total now is this. And I am saying that there is a slight variance. So where is it to be put in the report that we have before us? That is all that I am saying.
    Alhaji Muntaka 3:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I am
    sorry, my Hon Colleague is not reading the complete report. Because when you go to the end, you will see that you have an IGF which will give you a total of GH¢45,773,162.03, when you go to page four. What we are being given is in a table as per the Committee's report, page five. But you know that we have an IGF which we must seek approval for, all of them here. And when you add all of them, you will get the GH¢45,773,162.07, which we are seeking approval as a total. So please, if you look at the report.
    Mr. Paul Okoh 3:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker. I know what we are doing presently; it is what had been done at the committee level. This is why I want to support what Hon Asiamah said, that we stand this thing down so that the Committee will meet again and look at the report very well and come back. So we are wasting the time of the whole House.
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 3:15 p.m.
    Hon Members, I can see other Hon Ministers waiting their turn. We will give the Committee an opportunity to present this maybe at the end of the day. It does not make any difference. If we may please move on to item 12, motion, I can see the hon. Minister for Environment, Science and Technology. It can still be taken by the end of the day but let us do other things
    whilst you sort that out. It will make our time be maximized.
    ANNUAL ESTIMATES 3:15 p.m.
    Mr. Osei-Owusu 3:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I come
    under Order 91 (c) --
    Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 3:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I
    think it is important to draw the attention of the Hon Member to the fact that Committees are in session now. In fact, I was communicating with the Minority Leader to move on to our Committee to consider the Budget Estimates for Parliament, but because of this issue that has been raised we are compelled to sit back.
    Again, if you go through the rules you realize that when even we raise the issue of quorum, there is a period of time that is given for the attention of Members to be called from whatever business they are engaged in to come to the floor of the House. So Mr. Speaker, if he is insisting on that, then the ten minutes be permitted for Members to be called to leave their committees and to come back to the floor of the House for us to go on with the debate.
    But this has some consequences. The consequences are that there will be delay in the submission of reports for us to work on. We thought we could schedule the work in such a way that we will complete by Friday. If it is not possible by Friday, we take it to the next day. But if Members are looking at it this way, we still have the business to do; it is not something that we can shelve.
    So I would want to plead with Members to let us go on and to allow the committees to meet so that tomorrow they can submit their reports for us to approve the
    estimates. It is very essential; Votes on Account is up to the end of March and after March Government has no authority to run governance and that will affect all of us and not any particular individual.
    So Mr. Speaker, I urge my Colleagues to let business go on but if they insist, we will call the Members to come from their committees to join the debate on the floor.
    Thank you very much.
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:15 p.m.
    Mr.
    Speaker, indeed, if one wants to be technical, one would say that the issue raised by my Colleague, the Member for Bekwai (Mr. Osei-Owusu) is a genuine one.
    On many occasions when we were on that side and our Colleagues raised the matter, we were talking about it that when it comes to the business of making laws and the business of the passage of the estimates as related to the various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) concurrent to the plenary business, committees would also be meeting elsewhere. So we had always pleaded with our Colleagues that they should allow us to transact business. Occasionally there were hiccups; which is why maybe this thing is being raised.

    Please, Hon Alhaji Sumani Abukari, you know this is true. On occasions even the then Deputy Minority Leader, Hon

    Doe Adjaho descended to do this and I told him that it was not proper. But we are not -- we will not want to follow the same lines, we all want to tread a beaten path which is why I am pleading that we allow the debate to proceed.

    But indeed, if one wants to be technical, one could resort to that easily. I will plead with my Colleague, please relax; let us go on just like the Majority Leader has said; he has also thrown in the plea.
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 3:25 p.m.
    I can see the Hon Member for Bekwai has yielded to his leader and there is a happy consensus. Therefore, I call upon the Hon Minister for Environment, Science and Technology to continue.
    Mr. Osei-Owusu 3:25 p.m.
    I thank you, Mr.
    Speaker, for pushing me to give in. I will give in to my leader but I hope that this co-operation will be reciprocated when the need arises.
    Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
    Ms. Sherry Ayitey 3:25 p.m.
    Thank you Mr. Speaker. I beg to continue with my motion.
    Mr. Speaker, specific activities will be conducted by the Ministry and these will include:
    Development of a N a t i o n a l Action Plan for the promotion and popularization of science and technology;
    Raising awareness of the value of science and technology in everyday social, cultural and economic activities;
    Promot ion of research and development as an integral part of industry; Strengthening capacity of science and technology policy management at the national level and the re- launch of the science and tech- nology fund within the framework of the Lagos Plan of Action;
    Facilitation of the passage of the Biosafety, Weapons of Mass Destruction and other Bills, some of which are far advanced in this august House;
    Strengthening Ghana's participa- tion and involvement in regional and sub-regional science and technology activities, including the ongoing African Science, Tech-nology and Innovation Indicators Initiative;
    Collaborate with relevant Ministries and Agencies towards the revam- ping of the Science and Technology Museum; Establishment of an annual Science Congress to focus attention on Science and Technology to impact on all sectors of the economy;
    Collaborate with the Ministry of Education and relevant Agencies to facilitate the revamping of Science and Learning Centres in the districts;
    Stimulate the interest of women in science and technology and ensure their quantitative growth and the quality of their participation in science and technology application particularly in agriculture, manufac- turing, agro-based and service enterprises.
    Mr. Speaker, in the area of Environ- ment, the Ministry will review the
    Chairman of the Committee (Mr. Raymond A. Tawiah) 3:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I rise to second the motion and in doing so present the Report of the Committee on the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology.
    1.0 Introduction
    1.1 The Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning delivered the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government to Parliament on Thursday, 5th March, 2009. Following this, the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST) was referred to the Committee for its consideration and report, in conformity with article 179 of the Constitution and Orders 140 (4) and 185 of the Standing Orders of Parliament.
    1.2 The Minister, Hon Sherry H. Ayitey, accompanied by officials of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST), Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and the underlisted Departments and Agencies under the purview of the Ministry, attended the Committee's sitting to provide further clarifications on the Estimates:
    (a) The Counci l for Sc ient i f ic and Industrial Research (CSIR);
    (b) T h e G h a n a A t o m i c Energy Commission (GAEC);
    (c) T h e E n v i r o n m e n t a l Protection Agency (EPA);
    (d) T h e To w n a n d C o u n t r y Planning Department (TCPD);
    The Committee is grateful to the Hon Minister, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and all officials of MEST for their assistance in its deliberations.
    2.0 References
    The Committee referred to the under-
    listed documents during its deliberations:
    (a) T h e 1 9 9 2 C o n s t i t u t i o n o f the Republic of Ghana;
    (b) T h e S t a n d i n g O r d e r s o f Parlia- ment;
    (c) T h e B u d g e t S t a t e m e n t and Economic Pol icy of the Government for the 2009 financial year;
    (d) T h e 2 0 0 9 D r a f t B u d g e t Estimates of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology.
    3.0 Mission Statement
    The Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology exists to establish a strong and vibrant scientific and technological base for accelerated and sustainable development to enhance the quality of life for all through the development and promotion of appropriate technologies, safe and sound environmental practices and regulated human settlements.
    4.0 Objectives
    The Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology intends to pursue the following objectives for the attainment of its Mission:
    (a) T o e n s u r e a c c e l e r a t e d socio- economic development of the nation through the formulation of sound policies and a regula- tory framework to promote the use of appropriate a n d e n v i r o n m e n t a l l y - f r i e n d l y, s c i e n t i f i c a n d technological practices and techniques.
    Consequently, the Ministry seeks specifically to achieve the following goals:
    Chairman of the Committee (Mr. Raymond A. Tawiah) 3:35 p.m.
    i. To intensify the application and en fo rcemen t o f s a f e science and technology and environmental practices;
    ii. To ensure proper planning of Human Settlements and en fo rce compl iance wi th guidel ines , s tandards and regulations;
    iii. To strengthen the capacity of the MEST in the management o f t h e e n v i r o n m e n t a n d natural resources and in the promotion of Science and Technology (S&T) products and services;
    iv. To promote , co-ordinate , monitor and evaluate rural and develop-ment activities in environment/S&T sectors;
    v . T o a c c u l t u r a t e S & T policy, products and services at all levels of society;
    v i . To s t r e n g t h e n l i n k a g e s
    with local, sub-regional, regional and international collaborating agencies;
    v i i . T o s t r e n g t h e n institutional capacities in human resource management, infrastructure, policies and legislation for effective service delivery.
    5.0 Review of 2008 Budget and Performance of the Departments/ Agencies
    The Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST) has not been in existence since May 2006 but its Departments/Agencies as established
    by law operated under the Ministries of Education, Science and Sports and Local Government, Rural Development and environment.
    The table below shows the budgetary allocation made to the various departments and the shortfalls. These disbursements are made up of Personal Emoluments (P.E.), Administration, Service and Investment Expenses.
    Table 1
    2008 Budgetary Allocation to the Departments/Agencies
    Notwithstanding the constraints on the allocations made to these Departments/ Agencies for year 2008, they focused on their core mandate of creating the required enabling environment in order to enhance private sector participation in the development of the environment and science sectors for the socio-economic development of the country.
    Some of their major achievements are as follows:
    Science and Technology
    Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
    i. CSIR developed 20 new crop varieties. These included m a i z e , r i c e , s o r g h u m , groundnuts , soya beans , cowpea, cassava, yam and plantain;
    i i . C S I R a l s o d e v e l o p e d pozzolana cement from local clay as a substitute for clinker which is used for the production of Portland cement;
    i i i . T h e I n s t i t u t e o f Industrial Research (IIR) developed Activated Charcoal
    from local materials for use in reducing and eliminating pollutants in foods, beverages, mining and pharma- ceutical industries while the Water Research Institute (WRI) developed a biological control technique for the control of mosquito larvae.
    Ghana Atomic Energy Commission
    (GAEC)
    iv. GAEC commenced the up- grading of the Gamma Irradia- t i o n F a c i l i t y ( G I F ) f o r the treatment of food and medical i tems for export and domestic use. It also started the cons-truction of the National Acce-lerator building project to house the accelerator facility for research and training and in addition, completed about 90 per cent of the construction works on the lecture halls and hostel for the
    Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences.
    Environment
    Environmental Protection Agency
    (EPA)
    v. EPA con t inued a i r and noise quality monitoring in Accra and the other major cities and also issued over 800 environmental permits and certificates coun- trywide for operators in various sectors of the economy.
    v i . E P A o r g a n i z e d training programmes for pest ic ide inspectors and finalized guidelines for the safe transport of hazardous chemicals and shortlisted PR/Advertising firms for the production of TV documentaries on national environmental issues. The Agency continued monitoring programme for mining com- panies.

    Environment Science & Tech
    Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi (NPP -- Techiman North) 3:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker,
    Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi (NPP -- Techiman North) 3:45 p.m.
    as the Ranking Member on this side, I support the motion for the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST) to be provided with an amount of GH¢113,045,554.00.
    Mr. Speaker, a resurrected Ministry like Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST) should for all intents and purposes be helped to ascend into heaven, but unfortunately, the allocation given to the Ministry is not going to provide enough fuel for the ascension.
    The agencies under the Ministry over the past several years have been doing a lot of good work. From Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), we are aware of their efforts at developing new crops, plenty of them. They have worked on the Portland cement from local clay. From the Institute of Industrial Research they have developed the activated charcoal. From Water Research Institute they are working hard on biological control of mosquito larvae.
    From Ghana Atomic Energy Com- mission (GAEC), radiation experiments in the area of post-harvest losses; the EPA has been working very hard on noise, air and water pollution. But there appears to be a de-link between these efforts and the general public as well as the industrial set ups. And when the Ministry is asking for funds to disseminate knowledge acquired to the public and to industries we give them a kwashiorkor allocation with the excuse that there is very little money.
    Mr. Speaker, as the Hon Minister outlined, the Ministry, together with the Agencies, have been working very hard on a national action plan for promotion and popularisation of science and technology.
    The Hon Minister and her team are
    going to work very hard to promote research and development (R&D) to become an integral part of all industrial set ups. They hope to strengthen the capacity of science and technology policy management, yet in the Budget, there is very little money for this kind of activity.
    On motivation, Mr. Speaker, the staff of the CSIR are still awaiting a 15 per cent salary increase which was indicated in 2008. They had hoped to recruit more scientists and technologists but alas, allocation for these exercises is so small and I wonder whether the Hon Minister can help them achieve this.
    Mr. Speaker, I think if we believe that science and technology will help propel us out of our present predicament, then we ought to do something about money given to them for their efforts.
    The Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning has disappeared so has his Deputy, but I hope that the Hon Minister for MEST will get in touch with them to drum home the need for this nation to support science and technology.
    Some of my Hon Colleagues would be talking on environment and in trying to be brief, let me just make this final comment on what some of our research institutions can do.
    We have been hearing of internally generated funds (IGF). A few of the institutions have indicated how much is derived from IGF, like some of our higher institutions of learning; some of these institutions stay away from declaring what their levels of IGF are for very good selfish reasons, I believe.
    I would urge the Hon Minister to monitor the generation of IGF and of course, be ready to appeal to this House, in particular, for the utilisation of the IGF
    in the various institutions.

    In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, let me repeat what I said earlier on: if we believe science and technology is going to help us out, then it is time we all as a nation supported efforts in that area. We should put money where our mouth is.

    I thank you, Mr. Speaker.
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 3:45 p.m.
    Hon Members, please, all others have two minutes' each.
    Mr. Clement Kofi Humado (NDC -- Anlo) 3:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the motion that this honourable House approves the sum of GH¢113,045,554 for the services of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology.
    As a member of the Committee myself, I only wish to throw more light on some critical aspects and also provide some additional information, which for want of time and space, could not be properly captured in the Report.
    In the first place, I also join the Committee members in expressing appreciation and gratitude to the Government in reconstituting the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology. [Hear! Hear!] We believe that with this new development, there would be a better focus, better co-ordination to enable the agencies meet their national and international obligations.
    Mr. Speaker, I want to touch on the critical role that the agencies under the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology play in the technological advancement and the development process of this country. There is no gainsaying
    Mr. Clement Kofi Humado (NDC -- Anlo) 3:45 p.m.


    that if we invest adequately in science and technology and in research and development, we can fast-track our development process and probably move it from where we are now as a developing country to the developed country in the fastest possible time.

    However, Mr. Speaker, when we went through the budgets of the agencies under the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, we realised that the request that each agency has made and the allocations that have been provided are at gross variance. That is, there is huge shortfall between what has been requested and what has been provided by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.

    We realise that these shortages, as it were, would affect the operations of these agencies in some critical areas. For example, these agencies have inter- national obligations and therefore pay subscriptions to international institutions; they also operate donor funded pro- grammes and projects which require counterpart or matching funds.

    So where we have allocations from the Ministry, even much below the barest requirement to meet international obligations and counterpart funds, then we have a serious problem. And it is in this regard that since the supplementary budget has become the flogging horse, we are appealing to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to consider these critical activities, particularly, those that are aimed at meeting international obligations and also meeting the counterpart funding, this should be considered seriously in any supplementary funding that would come later in the year.

    Mr. Speaker, we all agree that funding research and development or science and technology is very costly, but it is something that we need to do in order to move Ghana into the technological age.

    In our discussions with the agencies, we realised that internally, there are possibilities of generating some funds to supplement what is provided from the Consolidated Fund. But in some of these cases, we realise that the statutes or the laws that set up some of the agencies do not provide for such IGF collection. And therefore we urge the Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, to sit with the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning and the Director- Generals of some of these agencies and review the statutes, to enable some IGFs to be collected where possible.

    Of particular importance is the Town and Country Planning Department, which is also an agency under the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology. In our discussions with this department, we realised that all the IGF that is collected in the form of permits, fees -- [Inter- ruption.] Mr. Speaker, all these are just given to the District Assemblies under whom they operate in terms of arrangement, and nothing is kept by them to improve their own logistical resources.

    We believe that it is possible for the Minister for Environment, Science and Technology and the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning and that of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, to work out some percentage of the IGF collected by the Town and Country Planning, to be used to improve the logistics and equipment position of the Town and Country Planning Department.

    Presently, they are very impoverished, they do not have any other sources of income and because of the perception that they are collecting fees, normally during budgetary allocations,very little is provided them.

    There are a few other things which we also looked at, there are possibilities also of introducing intellectual property rights in the form of branding, copyright and in the form of patents where possible. We all know that most of these institutions are publicly funded and therefore they cannot sell outright their products and services to their clients but there are some areas where this can be done. We urge the Hon Minister to look at this and see whether this can also form part of the IGF.

    Mr. Speaker, with these comments and observations, I support the motion and I urge all Hon Members to do same.
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 3:45 p.m.
    Hon Addai Nimoh -- [Interruption.] Hon. Member, since there is a long list of interested Members, if you may be very brief.
    Mr. Francis Addai-Nimoh (NPP -- Mampong) 3:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I would be brief in my contribution on the motion on the floor.
    Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the motion regarding the Report on the Annual Estimates of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology. My brief contribution would be on the environment.
    In the area of environment, the environmental media consists of the air, the water and the soil and therefore we are all very particular about how we manage these environmental media. Mr. Speaker, if you look at the budget that has been allocated to the EPA under the Service vote, it is just an amount of GH¢100,000.00 which is required to monitor the issuance of environmental permits to private operators. And it is very worrying to what extent the EPA can
    undertake its activities during the course of the year.
    Mr. Speaker, we all know that we are confronted with the problem of water pollution; we are confronted with the problem of air pollution, we are confronted with the problem of soil pollution and we need the EPA after the issuance of permits even to monitor how the operators with these permits do undertake their work.
    I do hope that the Minister will take a very good interest in the EPA in terms of their Internally Generated Funds (IGF) so that it will be managed well. The IGF in respect of EPA is estimated to be GH¢2,493,311.00. I hope there could be ways to increase it so that the EPA's functions can be fully met.
    Mr. Speaker, with these few words I want to urge the House to support the motion on the floor in approving the sum of GH¢113,045,554.00 for the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology to undertake its activities for the year 2009.
    Mr. C. S. Hodogbey (NDC -- North Tongu) 3:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I rise to contribute to the motion. I would like to touch on some few things. The first thing is that the budget of GH¢113,045,554.00, about more than half is a donor budget. What is happening here is, if the donors are not able to give us the entire money it means we have a problem of service delivery.

    In addition, Mr. Speaker, I would like to suggest that we should institute emission

    tests for our automobiles so that at least vehicles beyond four years because of this ozone problem, should be tested every year -- they should go in for emission test.

    I would also like to suggest to the Minister that burning and setting fire to our bushes, we should find a way of controlling it because it has been causing a whole lot of havoc to our soil. The most important thing, Mr. Speaker, we see our refuse being dumped anywhere. We have open gutters and sometimes the refuse are dumped in. There should be a way to stop constructing open gutters and follow the way some other countries do by using underground system of sewerage.

    Mr. Speaker, when you look at the Town and Country Planning you will see that our streets go a very short distance and they are cut off. In all countries, for easy access of direction, streets are laid in a rectangular format so that when one takes one street one goes all the way before it ends. Always one takes a street, one does less than a quarter of a mile, then the street ends. I think we have to desist from that type of planning.

    Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to seriously talk about the galamsey mining which pollutes the water that people drink downstream. Something has to be done about this.

    With this short contribution, I request Hon Members to support the motion.
    Mr. Stephen Yakubu (NPP -- Binduri) 3:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute to this motion. In doing so, I would like to concentrate on the Town and Country Planning Department under the Ministry.
    Mr. Speaker, I think we all, when we leave here, drive to our homes and sometimes drive to our constituencies when the time allows us to do so and
    Mr. Stephen Yakubu (NPP -- Binduri) 4:05 p.m.
    we see the way our towns and cities are planned, sometimes it is very very difficult to have access roads into areas that are so important. Because of difficult access to places, when there is a fire outbreak you see the fire engines finding it very difficult to get to these areas to put the fire off.
    So I think that the Hon Minister would have to encourage the planners in the districts and all regions to really look at how our towns and our cities are planned. The difficulties that they face, I think is personnel. I am a planner myself and I know how difficult it is to get planners to the districts. So I think the Hon Minister should look at that and see how planners would be enticed to the districts to do their work very well.
    The other problem that we face under
    this department is how building permits are issued and I think this honourable House should probably help the Minister to design a framework whereby building permits should be issued to clients very, very early. If one applies for a building permit it takes sometimes months, if not years, to get the building permit; and it is because of this that people build anyhow. To get a building permit one has to have one's land registered and I think that is why it is so difficult to get building permits.

    So building permits should be allowed to be issued whether the land has been registered or not. Because issuing a building permit does not actually mean that the person should go and build on a land that does not belong to the person.

    The other issue is that one sees

    surveyors from various places without proper qualification actually demarcating lands. And sometimes the land that they demarcate if one situates it on the regional plan it does not actually fit.

    I also noticed that the money voted for

    the Ministry is very small. I, personally, do not have a problem with that, because I think if one used GH¢20 million to do one thing, maybe now one can use GH¢10 million to do exactly the same thing. So I am happy with that and I think we are going to be introducing efficiencies into the system. And therefore I think the Hon Minister should make sure efficiencies are inputs into the MDAs.

    On this note, I urge Hon Members to

    support the motion.
    Dr A. Y. Alhassan (NDC -- Mion) 4:05 p.m.
    I
    thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to support this motion.
    I would like to start by saying that the importance of science in the economy cannot be overemphasised and to state again that no country has achieved heights in its economy without science being at the core. Unfortunately, as a country, our attitude towards science leaves a lot to be desired. Indeed, if we have a vision to become a middle income country by the year 2020, then it must be clear that we have to invest more in science straightaway.
    Indeed, the issue is that our national attitude seems to be that when we invest in science then we are investing in the scientists. But it must be made clear that any investment in science is investment in science for our social and economic
    development and therefore on ourselves. And so it is time that we had a change in attitude.
    We have the building blocks in place and what the nation needs to do is to provide the needed logistics to get our science in motion. We have very well trained scientists in the country who are getting attracted by higher paid jobs and moving very quickly into those sectors and therefore running science down.
    It must be made clear that motivation is needed, as ably stated by the Hon Ranking Member, for our scientists to work extremely hard for the development of the nation. If we pay them bigger salaries, and we demotivate them, they will not give us the needed results. We must get out of the habit of always blaming scientists because we do not understand science for things not happening in the country.
    It is most unfortunate that even as Government does not invest in science the scientists have their hands tied because we do not even pay our international subscriptions to allow our scientists to get the little resources from international agencies to keep the wheels turning in the area of science.
    Mr. Speaker, I would like to make a humble suggestion that science, research and development have reached their crucial point in terms of funding that, perhaps, it is time we made an attempt to amend the GETFund law to accommodate our scientific research community in the law so that they can get consistent funding from such a statutory fund.
    It is also important that we should not neglect our scientists when they are in office to the point where even when national awards are being given
    to outstanding citizens of this country, scientists are neglected.
    The last awards system speaks for itself; the situation where several hundreds of citizens of this country were awarded for the outstanding services they have delivered to the nation and yet scientists were not considered. I do believe that we have to invest more in science, resource them properly so that they can get the consumables to keep the wheels of science turning.
    Scientists have worked extremely hard but because they are always looked down many people think nothing has been done. A couple of decades ago, it took two years to harvest cassava and get it to the table; today, it takes six months. It was not only two years in duration but it was also poisonous and we needed to keep it for several days and weeks before we could consume the cassava. Now, one can take it from the field straight to the pot. This is just a small indication that a lot has been done by science.
    Twenty years ago, soya bean was not a crop in this country. Today, soya bean is making a significant contribution to agricultural economy.
    rose
    Dr. Alhassan 4:05 p.m.
    Hon Asiamah,
    sit down. [Laughter.] Soya bean is making a significant contribution to agricultural economy and I believe that it is hardworking scientists who made this to happen. It is time we put scientists where they belong and I think they belong to the front row of hardworking citizens of this country. And the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning must take notice and ensure that when the Hon Minister for Environment, Science and Technology is asking for more resources to invest in science and technology, she will have a
    rose
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 4:05 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, do you stand on a point of order?
    Dr. Osei 4:05 p.m.
    Yes, Mr. Speaker, Order 89.
    With your kind permission, I would read:
    “A Member shall not read his speech, but may read extracts from
    . . . ”
    Mr. Speaker, I am turning my back to my Hon Colleague and I see him reading copiously -- [Interruptions.] My Leader said I should be looking forward, but I was trying to listen to him. So Mr. Speaker, if you can remind him.
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 4:05 p.m.
    Hon
    Member for Old Tafo, are you not sure the Hon Member for Ablekuma North is referring to his notes?
    Hon Member, you may continue.
    Mr. Joe Appiah 4:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I was
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 4:15 p.m.
    Mr.

    So I am suggesting to him that he did not see anything and he has not seen anything.
    Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi 4:15 p.m.
    Madam Speaker, I am sitting closest to Hon Joe Appiah and unless my glasses failed me -- [Laughter] -- and I know they did not, I beg to differ with my Hon ex- Finance Minister. As the Hon Leader said, I wonder whether he can see with his back towards a reader. So he did not see anything. The Hon Member is clearly not reading; he is making periodic references to his notes.
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 4:15 p.m.
    Hon Joe Appiah, you may refer to your notes and continue. [Hear! Hear!]
    Mr. Joe Appiah 4:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, the
    budget allocation for Ghana Atomic Energy Commission is inadequate --
    Mr. E. T. Mensah 4:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, there
    Mrs. Gifty E. Kusi 4:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, is
    my Hon Majority Chief Whip indicating that the Hon Akoto is a wizard? I want to find out.
    Dr. Osei 4:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, Hon Dr.
    Owusu Afriyie Akoto is not even in the House. So I do not know whom the Deputy Minority Chief Whip is referring to as Hon Akoto. There is Hon Akoto Osei; Hon Akoto Afriyie is not even in the House. So why is he making reference to him being a wizard?
    Mr. Joe Appiah 4:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, Ghana
    Atomic Energy Commission requires funds to carry out research in areas like -- Mr. Speaker, I am referring to the notes again -- planning for sustainable energy through the introduction of nuclear power in Ghana energy mix, (b) research of isotope, hydrology technique to assess and manage ground water resources in Ghana, micro propagation of economy plants as pineapple, banana, plantain and more through tissues --
    Mr. Kofi Frimpong 4:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker,
    truly, the Hon Member is copiously reading from his scripts. [Laughter.] He may take this advice from me free of charge. Mr. Speaker, since he is a
    new Member of Parliament he can take permission from you and read copiously from his notes. Anyway, I can see some people naked in the House.
    Mr. Speaker, the Hon Member for Shama is not parliamentarily attired. Mr. Speaker, I think since he is a new Member he is fond of coming to the House naked. Can he stand; let us see him up. So Mr. Speaker, I think the two must be brought to order.
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 4:15 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, you may continue.
    Mr. Joe Appiah 4:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I am
    not reading; I am not a scientist. So as a new Member and not a scientist, I have to refer to my notes -- Training of nuclear scientists and engineers at the Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences to manage existing and future nuclear facilities. Application of sterile insect technique -- if you do know science, you cannot read -- science for absolute eradication of tsetseflies and mosquitoes.

    With these few words I support the motion on the floor.
    Mr. George K. Arthur (NDC -- Amenfi Central) 4:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the motion for the approval of the estimates presented by the Ministry of Environ- ment, Science and Technology.
    Mr. Speaker, Ghana as a country started
    with some other countries, which I will say we were even better off than. We can mention countries like Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa, Nigeria and other African countries. But what we
    Mr. George K. Arthur (NDC -- Amenfi Central) 4:25 p.m.
    see is that scientific-wise or technology- wise they have made a lot of appreciable improvements.
    But when you come to Ghana I do not know whether we train our scientists only to go and sit at the offices or we train our technologists only to go and sit at home. Mr. Speaker, the age of technology started from the Stone Age which has gone through the Silver Age up to the Golden Age. But we do not know where we find ourselves as a country.
    Mr. Speaker, some years ago, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) came out with a vehicle known as Boafo and since that manufacturing we have not seen any other manufacturing from them again. I do not know whether it is the Ministry that did not support the institution or it is the institution herself that did not go on with the manufacturing.
    Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of minerals
    that we find in our country. But the most interesting thing is that these minerals are exported to other countries before they can be processed into the final product. Minerals like bauxite are taken outside the country to be processed before they bring the aluminum into the country for manufacturing.
    We can talk of gold, we can talk of diamond, even our cocoa; it is just recently that some companies in Ghana have started turning our cocoa into the final products.

    Mr. Speaker, when we look at the import and export of the country we can say that about 90 per cent of our technology and the science equipment are imported. We talk of vehicles, that is automobile; we talk of electronics; so many things that we can say, in general

    about 90 per cent of technology that we use in Ghana are imported. So I ask myself, what are we doing as a country? Do we not have scientists here? Do we not have technologists here?

    I quite remember just last year or two a certain Ghanaian came out with a discovery in a plant. He discovered bio- diesel in the jathropha plant and after the first experiment we did not see anything from this man again. So I do not know whether we are not ready to support our people to come out with their best or we intentionally look down upon that.
    Ms. Cecilia A. Dapaah 4:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker,
    point of correction. Did I hear my Hon Colleague say that it is only recently that factories started processing cocoa products? Is that so? If this is so I think it is wrong because Cocoa Processing Company was set up earlier, earlier on even before I think he was born.
    We have West African Mills Co. Ltd. in Takoradi, we have Cargill in Tema which is recent. [An Hon Member: When?] I do not have the correct date but it was in the First Republic. So please, let us get the facts right because we are doing science.
    Mr. G. K. Arthur 4:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I think
    there are a lot of products that we get from our cocoa ranging from food, cosmetics -- a lot of things. But when we started processing our cocoa into this final product they were chocolates. They did not go to the extent of coming out with cosmetics like cream, sprays and those things from our cocoa. It is just recently that they came out with those products.
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 4:25 p.m.
    On a
    point of order. Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity. The Hon Member is misleading this House. There is not a single cocoa processing factory in this country that produces cosmetics. There is not a single one. So what is he talking about that it is only recently that they started producing those products, sprays and so on. There is not a single one that does it.
    Mr. G. K. Arthur 4:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, what I was saying is that they have started. That is what I am saying. They have started going into that. There is a company in Takoradi where they have the WVLC -- opposite WVLC. Mr. Speaker, this man has in fact made an appreciable excellence in the field of technology and I think the Ministry must do their best to support this man to come out with mass production of their products like the vehicles, like the agricultural equipment, the construction equipment and the electronic equipment.
    I think most people refuse to encourage their children to go into science all because -- I did science myself. What we see is that when one comes out as a graduate in science, it is unfortunate if one finds himrself or herself in a country like this to fit in somewhere. If you yourself do not struggle to find yourself somewhere, unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, it becomes very interesting. All the experiences and the skills that one has acquired go waste.
    So I will urge the Ministry to consider the education and then people who spend so much time in going into science as well as people who have made some discovery in science.
    I think I must congratulate the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). I have not been there but when I watch them on television there are a lot things that they have started producing, especially agricultural materials. I think they are making a lot of improvement so I wish to also encourage them. Mr. Speaker, what I am saying is that the amount allotted to the Ministry though is very small, I think it is something that all of us have to go in unison and approve for them.
    With these few words, Mr. Speaker, I support the motion.
    Mr. J. B. Aidoo (NPP -- Amenfi
    East): Mr. Speaker, mine is just an observation on the Committee's Report. Observation -- that is 8(i), the Funding Gap, that is page 9. Mr. Speaker, the Committee reports that there is a funding gap and quoting from the Report:
    “For the year 2009 the Ministry's budgetary requirement is GH¢ 95,600,704 while the budget ceiling given by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning is GH¢41,320,001, indicating a shortfall of GH¢ 54,230,703.”
    Mr. Speaker, when you go to page 13 we are being asked to approve of an amount of GH¢113,045,554, which I believe is what the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning had given to the Ministry and that should be the ceiling. But my attention has been drawn by the ranking Member that what had been captured on page 9 is actually referring to the GOG component, that is, excluding the
  • [MR. ARTHUR donor funding and I think this should have been clearly expressed here. This is because as it stands here, if we are not careful, we may be tempted to believe that the Ministry required GH¢95 million and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning gave them only GH¢41 million bringing about that shortfall and since this is going to the Hansard the right thing ought to be done so that it will reflect same in our Official Reports.
    • Mr. E.T. Mensah (NDC 4:35 p.m.
    None

    Prampram): Mr. Speaker, I also rise to associate myself with the sentiments raised and the motion that this House approves the sum of GH¢ 113,045,554.00 for the services of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology for the 2009 fiscal year. I will just make a very short contribution and I will touch on this item, Town and Country Planning.

    When you look at the portion on environment we have Town and Country Planning out there and we are saying that the Department provides support for the land use planning in management projects on pilot basis in some selected areas.

    Mr. Speaker, the Department of Town and Country Planning is one department which has suffered the same fate as that of the Youth Ministry in this country. It is moved from Ministry to Ministry. But it is the key player in issues about environment. The insanitary conditions that we see around us, the haphazard development we see all over the place is the product of lack of proper planning. If you look at all the Local Government Acts that we have had in this country, we have

    a portion in the section captured from one law to the other talking about planning and monitoring of planning.

    The Town and Country Planning, if it is properly located, and it is obvious where it should be, that is, Local Government -- If it is properly resourced to perform its monitoring function for the top because every District Assembly is required to have a planning unit -- And if you have an effective planning unit you benefit from it, two things happen; proper layouts are prepared; there is no haphazard development and development is monitored and the money that accrues -- because if you are going through the process of building a house you need a planning permission, which is supervised by the District Assemblies.

    Anyway every Assembly has a chairman of the Committee as the Chief Executive. And after they have gone through -- all the departments will be represented on that committee. After they have given you the planning permission, you pay fees. The fees that you pay is enough to be put in special funds. You pay development permit fee before you move on to building permit fees.

    The amounts that you generate will be used to develop the roads, the drains in the respective areas with a little support from the Central Government. If the planning is not haphazard, the numbering of the house is perfect, collection of property rate is done without any sweat and so the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning is relieved of monies from the centre for development in the various areas. Travel to any civilised country, the Town and Country Planning are always on top. If they do not give you permit you do not move in to build and the permit is also given on time.

    But when you come here the difficulty

    is that we have not resourced the Town and Country Planning well because of the location. I remember when the Accra District Rehabilitation Project started, one of the companies was to deal with Town and Country Planning and they were resourced from the centre and this was to be replicated all over.

    When the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology came on stream they were moved to work with them and so the Local Government did not have any control.

    Mr. Speaker, to cut a long story short, what I am saying is that if we are really serious about dealing with our sanitation situation, if we are serious about the environment; the Sodom and Gomorrahs and what have you, if you have a solid planning unit on top of itself, you do not have a Sodom and Gomorrah. When you go to Abeka Lapaz, just move behind the main street, you will be surprised about what you see there, the filth that you see there. And when you are able to deal with these things and things are moving well even the money that you put into medical care will be reduced.

    So the Minister would have to look at it again and if we still want to leave Town and Country Planning where it is, it should be properly resourced and linkages established with all the District Assemblies. Let us make sure that all District Assemblies have solid Town and Country Planning Units and see to it that they are well resourced to monitor and deal with the issues of the environment.

    Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 4:35 p.m.
    Hon Minister, you may make the concluding remarks.
    Ms. Shirley Ayitey 4:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I would not like to comment on the budgetary request of GH¢113,045,554.00 because in my report I gave the breakdown about how we got to that figure.
    I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Hon Members of Parliament for the opportunity that they have given the Ministry to present our budget for the year 2009. We have taken note of all the discussions and contributions and the Ministry is going to work actively on it and we hope that when we bring our supplementary request, the honourable House should give us due consideration to enable science and technology to play a very vital role in the development of this country.
    Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
    Question put and motion agreed to.
    Resolved:
    That this honourable House approves the sum of GH¢113,045,554.00 for the services of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology for the 2009 fiscal year.
    Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 4:35 p.m.
    This honourable House has approved the sum of GH¢113,045,554.00 for the services of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology for the 2009 fiscal year.
    ANNUAL ESTIMATES 4:35 p.m.
  • [Resumption of debate from column 2497]
    • Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 4:35 p.m.
    Leader-ship, shall we have any indication at this stage?
    Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 4:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, we want to, at this stage, ask you to adjourn the House to tomorrow. The other motions would be taken tomorrow.
    I take this opportunity to thank Hon Members for their cooperation and the patience in waiting this long.
    Thank you very much.
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 4:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, it being close to 5 o'clock no formal motion for closure is required, otherwise I was going to second the motion for adjourn- ment but he did not move for adjournment. He was requesting you to adjourn and so I may go along with that.
    Thank you very much.
    ADJOURNMENT 4:35 p.m.
  • The House was adjourned at 4.42 p.m. till 26th March 2009 at 10.00 a.m.