Debates of 5 Jun 2009

MADAM SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:45 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Hon Members, item 2 on the Order Paper; Correction of Votes and Proceedings for Thursday, 4th June, 2009. Pages 1-7 --
Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, page 6, Hon Doris A. Seidu, the Hon Member for Chereponi is indisposed and she has asked that a leave of absence form be filled for and on her behalf. I thought it had been relayed to your office since last week; if you could crosscheck to see that she is accordingly so treated.
Madam Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Thank you. Pages
7, 8, 9, 10, 11 --
Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei 10:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, there is a name on page 11 that reads “Mr. Anthony Osei-Akoto”; I do not think there is any Member of Parliament here called “Mr. Anthony Osei-Akoto”. I am a member of that Committee and I was at the meeting, but it is certainly not Mr. Anthony Osei-Akoto.
An Hon Member 10:45 a.m.
Akoto Osei.
Madam Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Any more on pages
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 --
Madam Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Page 17 - [Pause.] The Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, 4th June, 2009 as corrected, be adopted as the true record of proceedings.

Hon Members, in the absence of any corrections, the Official Report for Thursday, 4th June, 2009 is hereby adopted as the true record of proceedings.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 10:55 a.m.
Arrangement of Business
Question(s)
Madam Speaker, the Committee has programmed the following Ministers to answer Questions during the week:
No. of Question(s)
i. Minister for Health 1
ii. Minister for Defence 1
iii. Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing 2
Total Number of Questions 4
Urgent Questions
Madam Speaker, the Committee has also programmed two Urgent Questions to be answered during the week under reference. Madam Speaker, the Urgent Questions stand in the name of the Hon Member for Asunafo North, Mr. Robert Sarfo-Mensah and the Hon Member for Kwabre East, Mr. Kofi Frimpong.
Madam Speaker, in all, six (6) Questions are expected to be answered during the week.
Statements
Madam Speaker may allow Statements duly admitted to be made in the House.
Papers and Reports
Madam Speaker, Papers and Reports may be presented to the House for consideration.
Motions and Resolutions
Madam Speaker, Motions may
be debated and their consequential Resolutions, if any, taken during the week.
Conclusion
Madam Speaker, in accordance with Standing Order 160(2) and subject to
Standing Order 53, the Committee submits to this Honourable House the order in which the Business of the House shall be taken during the week.

Questions --

4. Nana Yaw Ofori-Kuragu (Bosome-Freho): To ask the Minister for Health when a District Hospital will be provided for the Bosome-Freho District.

Statements

Laying of Papers --

(a) Supplementary Loan Agree- ment between the Government of Ghana and the African Development Fund (ADF) for an amount of twenty-five million, four hundred thousand Units of Account (UA25,400,000) [equivalent to US$38.10m] for the implementation of the Tema- Aflao Road Rehabilitation Project (Lot 2: Agbozume-Aflao Section, and Akatsi Bypass).

Supplementary Loan Agreement between the Government of Ghana and the African Develop- ment Fund (ADF) for an amount

of thirteen million, four hundred thousand Units of Account (UA13,400,000) [equivalent to US$20.10m] for the implemen- tation of the Akatsi-Dzodze- Noepe Road Upgrading Project (Lot 2: Dzodze-Akanu Section and Overlay).

Supplementary Loan Agreement between the Government of Ghana and the African Develop- ment Fund (ADF) for an amount of four million, three hundred thousand Units of Account (UA4,300,000) [equivalent to US$6.45m] for the implemen- tation of the UEMOA-Ghana Road Programme 1, Techiman- Kintampo Road Rehabilitation P ro j ec t (Lo t 2 : Apaaso - Kintampo).

(b) Report of the Auditor-General on the Public Accounts of Ghana Pre-University Educa-tional Institutions for the Four-Year Period ending 31st December

2004.

(c) Annual Report of the Internal Audit Agency for the year 2006.

(d) Annual Report of the Office of the Administration of Stool Lands for the year ended 31st December 2005.

(e) Annual Report of the Office of the Administration of Stool Lands for the year ended 31st December 2006.

(f) Performance Audit Report of the Auditor-General on Business Registration in Ghana.

(g) Report of the Auditor-General on the Public Accounts of Ghana

(Public Boards, Corpora-tions and Other Statutory Institutions) for the period ended 31st December 2004.

(h) Performance Audit Report of the Auditor-General on the Accoun- tability Arrangements in Solid Waste Management.

(i) Performance Audit Report of the Auditor-General on the Mana- gement of Human Resources for the Effective Primary Health Care Delivery by the Ghana Health Service.

(j) Performance Audit Report of the Auditor-General on the Public Servants Housing Loan Scheme.

(k) Annual Report of the Forestry Commission for the year 2006.

Motions --

(a) Adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee on the Waiver of tax liability on equipment/materials to be imported or purchased locally, corporate and expatriate taxes in respect of Accra Tema Municipal Area (ATMA) Rural Water Supply Expansion (South and North Kpong) Project.

(b) Adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee on the Inter- national Coffee Agreement,

2007.

(c) Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Lands and Forestry on the Voluntary P a r t n e r s h i p A g r e e m e n t (VPA) on Timber Trade and Development Cooperation with
Madam Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 10:55 a.m.
the European Union.

Committee Sittings --

Questions --

Please, it is not your duty, I am presenting the Business Statement. There is no laid-down --

vii. Statements

viii. Laying of Papers --

(a) Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the following:

(i) Report of the Auditor- General on the National and Regional Houses of Chiefs and Traditional Councils for the period 2001- 2004.

(ii) Report of the Auditor- General on the Public Accounts of Ghana (Conso- lidated Fund) for the year ended 31st December 2006.

(iii) Report of the Auditor- General on the Statements of Foreign Exchange Receipts and Payments of the Bank of Ghana for the two half years ended 31st December 2006.

(b) Report of the Joint Committee on Finance and Mines and
Madam Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 10:55 a.m.
ix. Motions --
(a) Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Mines and Energy on the Petroleum Agreement among the Government of the Republic of Ghana, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) and Vanco Ghana Limited and LUKOIL Overseas Ghana Limited for the conduct of exploration and production operations in the Offshore Cape Three Points Deep Water Block.

Committee Sittings

Urgent Questions --

(a) Mr. Robert Sarfo-Mensah (Asunafo North): To ask the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning when will the Government's mass spraying exercise begin this year, 2009.

(b) Mr. Kofi Frimpong (Kwabre East): To ask the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning whether there is under-recovery at the Tema Oil Refinery and if so, how much is it on a daily basis.

Statements

Laying of Papers --

(a) Report of the Committee on Subsidiary Legislation on the Public Office Holders (De-claration of Assets and Disqualification) Regulations,

2009 (L.I. 1957)

(c) Report of the Committee on Environment, Science and Tech- nology on the Annual Report of Ghana Environmental Pro- tection Agency 2003.

(d) Report of the Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism on the Annual Report of the Export Development and Investment Fund 2005.

(e) Report of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs on the Annual Report on Presidential Office Staff for the period January to December 2008.

(f) Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Performance Audit Report of the Auditor- General on Management of Ghana Police Residential Accommodation.

Committee Sittings

Questions --

Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing - 9 and 10

Statements

Laying of Papers --
Madam Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 10:55 a.m.
(b) Report of the Committee on Poverty Reduction Strategy on the Annual Progress Report on the Implementation of the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy 2006 2009 for the year 2007.
(c) Report of the Committee on Roads and Transport on the Annual Report and Accounts of the Ghana Road Fund for the year 2006.
(d) Report of the Committee on Mines and Energy on the Annual Report of the Minerals Commission for the year 2006.
(e) Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the following:
(i) Report of the Auditor-General on the Public Accounts of Ghana (Ministries, Depart- ments and Other Agencies of the Central Government) for the year ended 31st Decem- ber 2006.
(ii) Report of the Auditor- General on the Public Accounts of Ghana (Minis- tries, Departments and Other Agencies of the Central Government) for the year ended 31st December 2007.
(iii) Performance Audit Report of the Auditor-General on the Implementation of In-frastructural Projects
in Publ ic Educat ional Insti-tutions Financed by GETFund.
Motions --
(a) Adoption of the Report of the Joint Committee on Finance and Mines and Energy on the Credit Agreement between the Republic of Ghana and Societe Generale (Canada) (with Insurance Guarantee from Export Development Canada [EDC]) for an amount of one hundred and ninety- six million, four hundred and eighty thousand, one hundred and seventy United States dollars (US$196,480,170.00) to finance the construction of a 132-megawatt combined-cycle thermal power plant at Aboadze.

(b) Adoption of the Public Accounts Committee on the following:

(i) Report of the Auditor- General on the National and Regional Houses of Chiefs and Traditional Councils for the period 2001 2004.

(ii) Report of the Auditor- General on the Public Accounts of Ghana (Con- solidated Fund) for the year ended 31st December 2006.

(iii) Report of the Auditor- General on the Statements of Foreign Exchange Receipts and Payments of the Bank of Ghana for the two half years ended 31st December 2006.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:05 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, we have listened to the presentation of the Business Statement for the ensuing week. I thought it was a rather unorthodox way of presenting the Business Statement. But if the Hon Member had gone through item by item, maybe, he would have corrected some mistakes.
On Tuesday -- Laying of Papers, iii.
(d) and (e) --
“Annual Report of the Office of the Administration of Stool Lands”.
I was saying that if my Hon Colleague had gone through, he would have realized that, there is no office called the Office of the Administration of Stool Lands. It is the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands. So it should be so corrected.

Equally so for “(e) Annual Report of the Office of the Administration of Stool Lands” should read “Annual Report of the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands” and not “. . . Administration of Stool Lands”.
Mr. Akologu 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I take objection to the Hon Minority Leader's use of the word that I presented the Statement in an “unorthodox” manner. The thing that should have been done here, is what he himself had just said, that we should have read this thing in detail but by convention and to save time in this House, we adopted the summary system and that is what I tried to do. But in letting the public know the type of Question a Member is going to ask, is the detail manner in which to present the issues in this House that would be discussed for the public to know. And it had been done. It was only by convention
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon Deputy Majority Leader, are you saying we should correct it? Are you agreeable to the correction of “Administration” to the “Administrator”?
Mr. Akologu 11:05 a.m.
Yes, my information from the Table Office is that, that is the right thing to be done.
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Thank you, I think this solves the matter. We have corrected it.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:05 a.m.
We have corrected it but Madam Speaker, if I say that unorthodox means was applied, it does not necessarily mean that it is wrong. Madam Speaker, I believe you appealled to my Colleague to restrain himself. If he understands the word “unorthodox”, it does not mean that it is wrong. I will not go beyond that.
Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I have two issues to raise with regard to the Business Statement.
Madam Speaker, an Urgent Question is
an Urgent Question. Today is Friday and I wonder why the Business Committee, when there is an Urgent Question and today is Friday, they wait till Thursday of next week before the Urgent Question is asked. It loses its urgency if it has to wait for a week. I think the tradition is that, if Madam Speaker accepts an Urgent Question then it is the first to be treated.
So I would like to understand from the Ag. Chairman of the Business Committee why an Urgent Question, having been admitted by your Hon Self is being delayed for a whole week. I would like to know that. That is my first question, Madam Speaker.
Mr. Akologu 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I thank the Hon Member for his views but the practice is that whether it is an ordinary Question or an Urgent Question, there is a period of time that is allowed the Minister to study the Question and come and respond. So we took into consideration that period and in fact, it is ten days to an Urgent Question and then two weeks for other Questions.
So Madam Speaker, we took into consideration that the Minister will have to be notified and then he will come and this was done at the Committee level and in the wisdom of the Committee, we think that it would be most appropriately dealt with on Thursday.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I do not think my dear Friend can show us anywhere in the Standing Orders where an Urgent Question takes ten days.
Indeed, there are sections of our own “Bible” which says that even on the spare of the moment, an Urgent Question can be asked, the oral Question can be made. So I do not know where he found the ten days for the Urgent Question.
An Urgent Question -- today is Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. I think the Minister should be able to come
to us on an Urgent Question on Tuesday. Five days is more than adequate for the administration to do that. That is why I think that it should not be -- I do not know where he picked up the ten days from.
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon Member, have you looked at article 64 (2) of the Standing Orders? Hon Hackman, I thought 64 (2) says not later than ten days.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 11:05 a.m.
Not later than ten days but if it is Urgent --
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Urgent is ten days.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 11:05 a.m.
It is not an Urgent Question. Madam Speaker, 64 (2) says that:
“Notice to ask a Question shall be given . . . ”
It does not say Urgent Question, it says of a Question. I am referring to Urgent Questions. They are two completely different issues.
In fact, Madam Speaker, if you go to, I think Order 32, if my memory serves me right, it does talk about Urgent Questions and so they are two completely different issues. 64 (1), by prior arrangement of Madam Speaker and I do not think that an Urgent Question should take ten days.
The other one for ten days is an ordinary Question and they are two different things. Indeed, you can even on the spare of the moment, without notice, ask a Question on the floor by the order of the Speaker. So I do not know where my dear Friend is taking the time- frame from. But I am not referring to a Question; I am referring to an Urgent Question, Madam Speaker.
Mr. I. K. Asiamah 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I asked an Urgent Question of the Minister for Youth and Sports and it is in connection with the Black Stars
preparatory programme for the matches ahead of the World Cup Qualifying Series.
Madam Speaker, this Sunday, they are playing Mali and during the next two weeks they are playing Sudan. So we have these crucial matches ahead of us for the World Cup next year.
That is why I asked the Urgent Question. And this Sunday, they are playing against Sudan. So an Urgent Question put last week -- This Sunday, there is a crucial World Cup Qualifier against Mali. So we do not know the preparations so far.
Madam Speaker, you know what is going on in the Ministry of Youth and Sports. So at least our doubts and -
An Hon Member 11:05 a.m.
Your question is irrelevant. [Interruption.]
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon Akologu, any -
Mr . Akologu 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Member knows that the power to admit a Question whether urgent or normal rests on you and the Business Committee will only schedule it. But at least, I also know that Madam Speaker could not have known their intentions about the Black Stars playing matches and so on and that is why they asked this Question; they will be looking at the -- So it rests within the power of the Speaker to do so. So if it comes to the Business Committee, we will schedule it.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
If it is an Urgent Question, it will be settled as the Hon Deputy Majority has said.
Mr. I. K. Asiamah 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
how useful will that be? Three days away they are playing a crucial match against Mali. It has been advertised here and it is about the preparations for the pending
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Well, the Minister
is not here to answer your Question even if you should ask it now. Who is here to answer your Question? Notice must be given.
Mr. I. K. Asiamah 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
where is he? Where is the Minister? Madam Speaker, where is the Minister? Maybe, he is going through series of questions.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Do you need to know where the Minister is at this time? Shall we carry on? Any other comment on the Business Statement for the week?
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:15 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, I think last week when we met after the presentation of the Business Statement, issues arose regarding the Agenda. Today, we have the Agenda before us and our attention has been drawn by the Hon Member that he filed an Urgent Question which has not been programmed. Indeed, on the Agenda itself, the Urgent Question that he is referring to does not appear and so, we would entreat Hon Members to look at the Agenda to see whether Questions that they have filed have been appropriately captured in it to help the Business Committee and your goodself programme the business for the ensuing weeks.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Thank you, Hon
Member. The Business Statement as presented is hereby adopted.
We will now move on to Question time. Hon Members would no doubt have received a Supplement to the Order Paper for the day and I think I may draw your
ORAL ANSWSERS TO 11:15 a.m.
QUESTIONS 11:15 a.m.
MINISTRY OF ROADS AND 11:15 a.m.
HIGHWAYS 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Johnfiah 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I wish
to thank the Minister for the Answer he has provided but I know for a fact that this road was earmarked for surface dressing and that is why it was ceded to the Ghana Highways Authority from the Department of Feeder Roads. Now the Minister is telling us that he is going to discuss the issue with the Minister for Energy. May I know whether he wants to cede some of the functions of the Ministry to that of the Energy Ministry?
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
it will be clear that it is not only Ghana Highway Authority roads that are tarred. Some feeder roads are equally tarred. For example, the cocoa roads are under the Department of Feeder Roads and they are being tarred. But the point I am making is that, to make it more practicable just as we have the cocoa roads, now that we have oil going to be mined in that area, it would be prudent for the Ministry of Roads and Highways to co-ordinate activities with the Ministry of Energy, to fast track the construction of those roads in that corridor and that will be in the better interest of the people in that region.
Mr. Johnfiah 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I still
do not understand what the Minister is saying. I am saying that it was because of the tarring issue that was why the road was given to Ghana Highways Authority because before this time, it was the Department of Feeder Roads which was maintaining it. It has now been given to Ghana Highways Authority and you are saying that now we have the oil and

because of that you want to go and discuss the issue with the Minister for Energy. Are you implying then that you are going to do this road together with the Minister for Energy?
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the point I am making and which I want to emphasise is that the ceding of the road to Ghana Highways Authority does not necessarily derive from the fact that it ought to be tarred. The function of that road has changed and that is why Ghana Highways Authority is taking over.
But with reference to the Ministry of Energy, we want to co-ordinate activities and the fact that there will be an Authority for the supervision of the exploration of that oil, it will take a shorter time for resources to be mobilized under the Authority to construct those roads in that corridor. This is the rationale behind it.
Mr. Johnfiah 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, can the Minister be kind enough to give us the time line for the surfacing of the road?
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Minister, can you answer the question?
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:15 a.m.
The time line depends on how effectively we co-ordinate activities with the Ministry of Energy towards that process.
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I want to know from the Hon Minister what role the Ministry of Energy is going to play in this whole programme.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Ministry of Roads and Highways has the primary responsibility for the construction and maintenance of roads in the country. But at times it becomes very prudent to co-ordinate activities in
some sector Ministries to propel faster, the construction of some roads in certain areas.
The cocoa roads for example, are a typical example which is a co-ordination between the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Ministry of Roads and Highways. It is in anticipation of this that we are hoping, through the creation of an Authority, which will have greater power for resources within the catchment area of the oil industry in that sector, to move the construction of not only that road, but roads in the corridor under the process. So we are not shifting responsibility to the Ministry of Energy for this particular road. That should be clear.
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I am not convinced by his answer. I need a clarification. Is the Hon Minister then implying that the Ministry of Energy is going to provide resources, that is money, for the construction of this road?
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the point I am making is that we have a primary responsibility and as I said earlier, even currently, our presence is visible on that road. But we are looking at how to fast track the construction of roads in the country.
We capture roads under various sectors which will enable them move faster than normal. I am anticipating that, now that there is going to be an Authority to supervise the oil exploration in that corridor, other sectors which will improve the activities of the Authority, one of most important sectors is the road sector and we want to co-ordinate activities with the Ministry of Energy towards this important activity. Not that we are shifting responsibility. We have the primary responsibility for the road sector and that
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:25 a.m.


is only a secondary intervention that we are talking about.
Mr. Isaac Osei 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I just want to inform the Hon Minister that the cocoa roads have nothing to do with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. It is actually a collaboration between Ghana Cocoa Board and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning -- and his Ministry.
Having said that, my question on this is that, we are all aware that we have been given a time line of 2010 for the oil to come out at Cape Three Points. Does the Hon Minister not think that having scheduled 2009 for only regravelling, it might have been better that the tarring would be done prior to our getting the oil out, since the change in functions that he is talking about would definitely have increased in 2010? It appears to be that 2010 would have been too late to do the tarring and perhaps, 2009 might be the proper time.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I want to emphasise that the Ghana Cocoa Board operates under the sectoral responsibility of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. As at now, the -- [Inte- rruption.] It is under the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning. So the point I want to make is that, we will go to that road under the Ministry's own arrangements when funds are available and we are projecting that by 2010, we would be able to look at that road more seriously than it is now. We wish we had the resources to take on board earlier than what we have planned.
Mr. A. E. Amoah 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister has mentioned that the Ministry has no immediate plans to tar the road but indeed, they are going to do sectional regravelling and reshaping. The Minister knows that the road is so
bad that late last year, it was very difficult for people to even ply the road. Why is it that instead of using money to do the regravelling, he cannot tar the road in phases?
This is because there are a lot of roads in the Western Region which are tarred in phases and I think I want to know what the economic value is in waiting until the road deteriorates beyond repairs, looking at the rainfall terrain in the Western Region.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Colleague was only six months ago the Regional Minister for that region and for him to be lamenting over the poor nature of the road, I do not think that it deteriorated only within the last six months. However, I can assure him that we are mobilizing resources within the constraints of the times to effectively address the point that we are making.
Mr. Kwabena Owusu-Aduomi 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I do not want to answer the question for the Hon Minister but I want to indicate that the Ministry of Energy -- [Interruption.]
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
It is a question; you have to ask it.
Mr. Owusu-Aduomi 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I think it will help the whole House, that is why. [Interruption.]
Madam Speaker, is the Hon Minister aware that during the National Democratic Congress (NDC) era, Awaso-Sefwi Bekwai road project was funded by the Ministry of Energy?
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I am not aware.
Mr. Owusu-Aduomi 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, it is possible that the Ministry of Energy can give funds to the Ministry of Roads and Highways to construct a road,
Mr. Owusu-Aduomi 11:25 a.m.


especially if that road is going to help that particular Ministry.

My question is that, when we were discussing the Financial Statement for 2009, because of the limited funds, we suggested on the floor of this House that we should pay more attention to routine maintenance. It has been indicated that this particular road in question will have a routine maintenance work. To date, those contracts have not been awarded. I want to ask the Hon Minister why is it that to date, routine maintenance works have not been awarded.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I do not know whether the Hon Colleague is referring to this particular road in general or the general routine maintenance works in the country.
Mr. Owusu-Aduomi 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the whole country, especially Ghana Highways Authority and especially this road that he has indicated that routine maintenance work will be done. Projects were advertised last year, reports have been completed since January but to date no project has been awarded and we are losing the roads that we have tarred because we are not doing pothole patching, we are not doing grading works but still it has not been awarded.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
though I need notice to refer to that, I want to assure him that there is a programme towards those projects that he has referred to -- throughout the country.
rose
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
You have asked your question already.
Mr. A. E. Amoah 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, to give information to the Hon Minister. This
is a point of information. Before 2008 ended, we had actually ceded that road to the Ghana Highways Authority because they were going to tar it and estimates were made and the estimates that were made were meant for tarring. So if the Hon Minister does not know, I want to inform him that he should go into his files.
The road was under the Department of Feeder Roads and it was ceded to GHA and that was meant for tarring. So if he tells us that they have no immediate plans to tar it, then it means he has not gone through those files; and I want to tell him to go through them.
Mr. Kwaku Agyeman-Manu 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I want to find out from the Hon Minister if the tarring aspect of this particular road is not one of the projects he may have taken away from his programme because of budgetary allocation.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
the Regional Minister said they had gone with proposals, not budgetary approvals. We did not come to meet any budgetary approval for that road and for that matter, we will take it on board at the appropriate time that funds are available for its tarring

Nii Tackie-Kome: Madam Speaker,

with your permission, the Hon Member is not yet in the House and has requested that I ask the Question in his name.
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.
All right.
Odiko Kofi and Rev. Sowah Streets (Tarring)
Q.15 Jonathan Nii Tackie-Kome (on behalf of Nii Amasah Namoale) asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when Odido Kofi Street and Rev. Sowah Street
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.


would be tarred.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
Background
The Odiko Kofi Street and Rev.
Sowah Street are in the Dadekotopon Constituency of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly of the Greater Accra Region.
Roads such as Adam Asorse Street,
Lomo Adawu Street, Odiko Kofi Street, Rev. Sowah Street and Ashong Lomotey Street, among others in this constituency, were part of the roads designed in 1995. These roads are being reviewed by the Department of Urban Roads for packaging into projects for implementation in 2010 and 2011 fiscal years.
The Odiko Kofi Street is 450m long. It links the Giffard road to Sowah Gbobilo Street but it is encroached upon at the Sowah Gbobilo Street end. It is therefore being used as a cul de sac; a 900mm concrete U-drain was constructed from one side and gravelled over 300m of the road that is available. The surfacing, that is the tarring of the road, shall be procured for implementation in the 2010 and 2011 fiscal years alongside Rev. Sowah Street which is 650m long on which an inventory has already been carried out.
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Thank you. The
next Question is in the name of Hon T. T. Chaie.
Road Network in Ablekuma Central (Rehabilitation)
Q. 16. Mr. Theophilus Tetteh Chaie asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when the road network in the Ablekuma Central Constituency, namely, Mataheko, Abossey Okai and Gbortsui would be rehabilitated.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
Background
The Mataheko, Abossey Okai and Gbortsui are suburbs of the Ablekuma Central Constituency in the Accra Metropolitan Assembly in the Greater- Accra Region.
The road network in these areas was designed in 1995. These designs need to be reviewed on account of the develop-ments that had occurred since its initial design. Meanwhile, the Accra Metro Roads Department has carried out an inventory of the road network in the Mataheko, Abossey Okai and Gbortsui areas. The Perigrino Aryee Street, Lartebiokorshie Road, Mataheko Avenue and Dansoman Link have been identified for rehabilitation among others.
The rehabilitation of these roads shall be selected based on the Accra Metropolitan Assembly's priority of roads to be rehabilitated and packaged for procurement in 2010.
Rehabilitation of Selected roads in Lartebiokorshie
In February 2007, this project was awarded to Messrs Alkaboat Limited at a total cost of GH¢299,540.98 for completion in eight (8) months. The contractor had failed to deliver. Subsequently, a recommendation was made to the Regional Tender Review Board for its termination. The Board was yet to decide on the matter.
Mr. Fritz Frederic Baffour 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the Hon Minister, how soon -- he is talking about 2010 but all those roads are very, very important. They are strategic to business
in Accra and they affect my constituency too. I am asking whether there is some urgency about delivering on this project.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
we make regular interventions on some of those sections at regular times and I want to assure the Hon Colleague that the Accra Metro Engineer will be directed to revisit the area and see how best we can take on board some of the interventions we can make in the interim.
Dr. Francis B. Dakura 11:35 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, I want to ask the Hon Minister what plans he has in place between his Ministry and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly in dealing with the very, very poor road networks in some of the areas in our capital. This is because I believe one of the biggest problems we have is transportation in Accra and it is because of the very bad road networks and very unplanned usage of our roads which are very limited.
Are there any long-term realistic achievable goals to achieve some better planned roads for our city, at least, our national capital?
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Hon Minister, can you answer the question?
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
the Hon Colleague will realize that we are developing some arterial roads in the city and we may not be able to cover all at a time; but I can assure him that comprehensive attempts are being made to address those inner city roads which have led to the congestion we currently have on hand and in the long-term, we would be able to address that. But there are some intermediary measures being adopted as at now.
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.
The next Question
stands in the name of Hon Nana Yaw
Mr. Joseph Osei-Owusu 11:35 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, the Hon Member is busy in the constituency and has asked me to ask the Question in his name.
Bomfa-Asiwa-Bekwai Road (Completion)
Q. 17. Mr. J. Osei-Owusu (on behalf of Nana Yaw Ofori-Kuragu) asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when the road from Bomfa-Asiwa-Bekwai would be completed.
Mr. Joseph K. Gidisu 11:35 a.m.
Madam
Speaker,
Background
The Bomfa Junction-Asiwa-Bekwai road is part of the (R87) which traverses the Ejisu Juaben Municipality, Bosome- Freho and Amansie East Districts all in the Ashanti Region.
The project is in two phases. The phase 1 is the main contract for the partial reconstruction of Bomfa Junction to Asiwa which is 26.2 kilometres long and the rehabilitation of 10 kilometres of the Bekwai (Amoaful)-Ampaha-Asiwa road. The phase 2 is an addendum contract for the rehabilitation of the remaining 20 kilometres of the Bekwai (Amoaful)- Ampaha-Asiwa to a standard surfaced dressed road as in phase 1.
The entire stretch which is 56 kilometres forms an important link between the Accra-Kumasi and the Kumasi-Yamoransa road.
Current Situation
The main contract for the Bomfa Junction-Asiwa road and part of the Bekwai-Asiwa was signed on 3rd June,

The phase 2 contract was signed on 17th November, 2008. The works under this phase had just commenced with earthworks up to formation level including the construction of culverts.

Madam Speaker, this is the state of that road.
Mr. Osei-Owusu 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, just a correction for the record. The Amansie East District has ceased to exist and officially there is Bekwai Municipality, so the record should reflect that change.
Ankyernyin-Egyam Road (Tarring)
Q. 18. Mr. Samuel Johnfiah asked the Minister for Roads and Highways if the Ministry would, as a matter of urgency, consider tarring the Ankyernyin-Egyam road in the Ahanta West District in view of the fact that the second oil refinery in the country was being sited at the terminal of this road.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Ankyernyin-Egyam section forms part of the 6.40 kilometres Ankyernyin-Egyam- Kanfakrom feeder road link. The road is engineered and located in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region.
The current situation is that this road together with three other roads namely, Pumpuni Junction-Pumpuni (4.20 kilometres), Beahu-Yabin (1.8 kilometres), Sese-Asemasa-Asemkor
(6.2 kilometres) were graded between February and April 2009 by Messrs Wellim and Company Limited at the cost of GH¢31,013.02.
Future Plans
Engineering studies for the surfacing of the road will be undertaken in 2010 and thereafter be programmed for execution in 2011.
Mr. Johnfiah 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, let me once again thank the Hon Minister for the Answer he has provided. But by siting the oil refinery at the end of the road, it means that heavy duty machinery as well as oil tankers would be using the road. Would the Minister therefore reconsider the time slated for the resurfacing? He said it is for 2010, if he can reconsider the ten (10).
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, in an earlier Answer, we thought about collaborating with the Ministry of Energy in view of the nature of work that they will be undertaking to influence the design of roads that we will be constructing in that corridor. I just want to assure my Hon Colleague that just as it has been reiterated in an earlier Answer to his Question, everything would be done to take on board the challenges of the roads in that corridor.
Mr. Joseph Boahen Aidoo 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister knows that this part of the country is the wettest - it is the wettest part of the country, it rains a lot. And if you look at his Answer, he has indicated that earlier part of this year, the road was graded, meaning that by now, I believe given the rainfall pattern in the area, the road has already deteriorated.
Is there any urgency attached to the reconstruction of this road? Does he have any urgency attached to the reconstruc- tion of this road?
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, my Hon Colleague should be relieved that for the fact that we have just completed re- grading of that road, everything would be done to make the road motorable until we get back to fully tarring it. We would make it an all-weather road in the nearest future.
Mr. Moses Asaga 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, this is a supplementary question. I want to find out from the Hon Minister whether he has any notice from the Minister for Energy whether there is gong to be a second oil refinery in that particular location since I am the Chairman of the Committee on Energy, I am unaware of this. [Interruptions.]
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Hon Minister, can you answer the question? Do you know it?
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, there is not any immediate notice but I know developments could unfold with regard to those projects. So we should anticipate them and take them on board alongside current problems we have on hand in that area.
Mr. Johnfiah 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I want to take exception to what my Hon Colleague has said. He is imputing that the statement that I made is not true, but it is a fact that an oil refinery is being sited -- In fact, the investors are in, they are relocating the people around that area for work to begin. So I want to assure him that oil refinery is being sited, so he should go and learn his facts.
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Thank you, Hon Minister, for coming to answer our Questions.
We now move to item 6 - Laying of Papers; Chairman of the Committee?
PAPERS 11:45 a.m.
Mr. John Tia Akologu 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, we have come to the end of the business for the day, but committees started sitting on some issues since yesterday and we will continue on them today too.
I, therefore, move, that this House do now adjourn until Tuesday, 9th June, 2009 at 10.00 in the forenoon.
I beg to move.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I rise to second the motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
ADJOURNMENT 11:45 a.m.