Debates of 10 Jun 2009

MADAM SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:35 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Hon Members, Correction of Votes and Proceedings for Tuesday, 9th June, 2009. Pages 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6 -
Mr. J. K. Ofori 10:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I
was in the House yesterday but my name has been captured under the absentees' list. Hon Joseph K. Ofori, Member of Parliament for Akan -- [Pause.] Page 6, under the absentees' list, that is number 14. I was in the House yesterday.
Madam Speaker 10:35 a.m.
All right, thank
you. Pages 7-11 -
Prof. S. K. Amoako 10:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
on page 10, item number 4, the second paragraph, that is the substantive motion, the second line. If I may have your permission to read:
“ N O W T H E R E F O R E , t h i s Honourable House hereby approves the exercise by the Minister responsible for Finance . . .”
I believe it should be “Finance and Economic Planning,” as captured at the top of page 11. The motion was moved by the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning. And then it goes on, line 7 “after
Madam Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Thank you very
much.
Dr. A. A. Osei 10:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I thank my Hon Colleague for bringing this up; I was going to raise it. But the biggest problem is with the number. What we are waiving is not €120 million. It is 12 million and something euros; it is not €120 million. That is very crucial.
If the Hon Chairman of the Committee
will pay attention and get the right figure-- The amount we are waiving is not €120 million. So that is very crucial. I hope the Clerks will capture the right figure otherwise, we will all be causing financial loss to the State. So, on the Votes and Proceedings, the right amount should be stated. We should start from page 9. Madam Speaker, I am sorry I am taking you back but that is the biggest problem I have.
Madam Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Thank you, Hon Member.
Yes, any other correction on page 10? Pages 11 - 15.
Dr. F. B. Dakura 10:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, item 15 on page 13, on “Adjournment”; the word “afternoon” is spelt “forenoon”. I am sorry - the item on adjournment which is on page 13 -- [Interruption.] It says
“And at a quarter before two o'clock the House was adjourned till Wednesday next at ten o'clock in the forenoon.” I think it should be “afternoon”, am I right?
Some Hon Members 10:45 a.m.
It is “forenoon”.
Dr. Dakura 10:45 a.m.
Is it right? All right. Sorry about that. Sorry. Sorry -- [Laughter.]
Madam Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Yes, any other corrections?
The Votes and Proceedings of Tuesday, 9th June, 2009 as corrected be adopted as the true record of proceedings.
rose
Madam Speaker 10:45 a.m.
I am sorry. Hon Chairman of the Finance Committee -
Mr. Avedzi 10:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I rose but I could not catch your eyes early.
Madam Speaker, if I take you back to page 11 where the motion on the Tax Waiver was put and agreed upon.
Yesterday, on Metro TV news, it was reported that the motion was rejected. When you stood it down for more consultation to be done, it was reported as being rejected. But I want to correct that impression that it was not rejected - [Uproar] - I am calling on them to correct it. That the Question was put and the motion agreed to but not negatived.
Madam Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Thank you, Hon

Hon Members, now we move on to item 3 - Question time. There is a Question standing in the name of Maj. Derek Yaw Oduro (retd), Member of

Parliament for Nkoranza North. Hon Member, ask your Question?
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS 10:45 a.m.
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE 10:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Hon Minister for Defence, can you answer the Question for us?
Minister for Defence (Lt. Gen. J. H. Smith (retd) 10:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Ghana Armed Forces commenced the 2008 general recruitment exercise on the 10th March, 2008 with a regional screening exercise. At the end of the initial screening, seven hundred and ninety-eight (798) applicants were shortlisted for a further screening exercise in Accra. The subsequent screening exercises resulted in the selection of four hundred and twenty (420) applicants to undergo a six-month training at the Army Recruit Training School (ARTS) at Shai Hills from 31st January, 2009.
Madam Speaker, the Military High Command had to suspend this training programme fo l lowing pers i s ten t complaints by the general public of anomalies in the recruitment exercise. A board of inquiry was set up to investigate the various complaints lodged.
Madam Speaker, the investigation confirmed serious anomalies that flawed the well-laid-down recruitment procedures in the Ghana Armed Forces. For instance, from the 420 applicants selected, only 228
applicants passed through all stages of the recruitment exercise, the remaining 192 were illegally inserted. [Interruption.] The Military High Command accordingly accepted the recommendation to suspend the recruitment of the 420 applicants selected for training.
A second reason for the suspension of recruitment was that on a routine visit to garrisons, I further observed that the infrastructure at ARTS was so inadequate that it would end up corrupting our final product. Recruitment funding would therefore be used to improve physical conditions in the training school.
Madam Speaker, in conclusion, I would like to say that the training of the 420 selected applicants had to be suspended in good faith in order to preserve the security and safety of the citizens of the State. The enlistment processes are being reviewed to ensure that this situation is never repeated. As soon as the anomalies observed are rectified, a fresh recruitment exercise will be launched. Those affected applicants may reapply when the recruitment exercise resumes.
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Who asked the
Question? Yes, he has the first bite. Three bites.
Maj. Oduro (retd): Madam Speaker,
the Hon Minister mentioned that 798 potential recruits were shortlisted from the various regions and when they came, 420 were selected. Now, it means that 378 were not taken. Now, those illegal recruitments accounted for 228, more than half of the 420. Could it not have been better if the Hon Minister had considered recalling part of those who were not taken, the 378 [Interruptions]-- by his own assessment?
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Hon Minister, can

[LT. GEN. SMITH (RETD)] you answer the question? That is the last thing he said, that was the question.

Lt.Gen. Smith (retd): Madam Speaker,

as I said, the board of inquiry that was put in place to investigate the anomalies did recommend that there were a lot of flaws in the entire process. So the Military High Command has decided that they are going to review all the processes involved in the recruitment, look at the regulations. There are a whole lot of things that have to be done. So the question of bringing half of them in and so on does not come in.

The whole issue is that the process is going to be reviewed and when that is done and a new set of rules and regulations have been put in place, we will start the process again and those who could not come in this time can reapply and would be considered accordingly.

Maj. Oduro (retd): Madam Speaker,

the Hon Minister mentioned serious allegations, serious complaints were made from the general public. We also heard as part of the complaints, lack of regional balance. The recruitment exercise was lack of regional balance. I want to find out from the Hon Minister whether that was part of the report that came out from the board of inquiry.

Lt. Gen. Smith (retd): Madam

Speaker, as I said, the whole process is going to be reviewed. If the issue of tribal balance is part of it, it will be looked at.

Maj. Oduro (retd): Madam Speaker,

I said “regional balance”, because we have allocations of percentage to every region. If I may mention, the Ashanti Region is supposed to have 19, Greater Accra Region - 19, Eastern Region - 10, Brong Ahafo Region - 10, Western Region - 10, Northern Region - 9, Volta Region - 8, Central Region - 8, Upper East - 4, Upper
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Hon Member,
where are you reading these figures from? Is it in the Answer? Hon Member, are the figures in the Answer?
Maj. Oduro (retd): Madam Speaker,
they are not in the Answer, but I am asking the Hon Minister to confirm they went against this percentage, this regional balance because that is the procedure and it is part of the procedure he mentioned.
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
All right. He has
asked the question, can you -
Lt.-Gen. Smith (retd): Madam
Speaker, regional balance forms part of the whole process and as I said, we are going to review the entire package including regional balance, everything.
Mr. George Boakye 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
I can infer from the Answer given by the Hon Minister that 228 of the applicants went through all the stages of recruitment required by the Military. I want to know from the Hon Minister if they were qualified. If they were qualified then why was their recruitment suspended in addition to the 192 applicants?
Lt. Gen. Smith (retd.): Madam
Speaker, as I said, through investigations, it was detected that those 228 applicants did not go through the entire process - [Interruptions] -- I am coming. The 228 were inserted - [Interruption.]
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Order! Order! Let
us hear the answer of the Hon Minister. Lt. Gen. Smith (retd): That is what
we came out with. The 228 were inserted. [Interruptions]. Sorry, Madam Speaker, 198 applicants were inserted. The 228
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Order! Order! Let
him correct -- No, you have had your question, have you not? One question at a time.
Mr. Boakye 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, my
concern is with the 228. One, I want to know whether they were qualified and if, indeed, they were qualified, why was their recruitment suspended in addition to the 192? That is the question.
Lt. Gen. Smith (retd): Madam
Mr. Sampson Ahi 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
according to the Hon Minister, 192 people were smuggled or inserted - [Interruptions] - smuggled or inserted to make up the illegally - [Interruptions.]
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Order! Order!
Mr. Ayi 10:55 a.m.
192 people were illegally
smuggled or inserted to make up the 420; I want to find out from the Hon Minister the source and who and who were doing these insertions and the smuggling -- [Interruptions].
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Order! Order!
Lt. Gen. Smith (retd): Madam
Speaker, the investigations revealed what I have just told you, that some people did not go through the entire - the 192, that is what it revealed and in view of that the Military High Command decided that the whole process should be suspended and the whole process reviewed so that next year we start again.
Mr. E. K. D. Adjaho 10:55 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, while we wait for the review

Lt. Gen. Smith (retd): Madam

Speaker, the investigations are ongoing and - [Interruptions] -- and as soon as it is completed, the Military High Command will take the necessary steps to deal with those who would be found culpable.
Mr. Samuel Ayeh-Paye 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister keeps talking about the recruits going through part of the process and not the entire process. Would he be kind enough to tell us which of the processes they went through and which they did not go through?
Mr. I. A. B. Fuseini 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister has said that another reason for the suspension of the recruitment was the state of the infrastructure at the Army Recruitment Training School. Can he tell us the state of the infrastructure that compelled him and the Military High Command to suspend the recruitment?
Lt. Gen. Smith (retd): Madam Speaker, in fact, I have a catalogue showing pictures of the state of accommodation and other facilities at the training school and I will be glad to leave it for Hon Members to have a look and decide for themselves whether it would have been fit for the recruits to go there for training.
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon Minister, I

[LT. GEN. SMITH (RETD)] think you tell us, tell us what is there.

Lt. Gen. Smith (retd): Madam Speaker, for instance, the accommodation that the recruits were going to live in were in a poor state, there were big cracks in the buildings. The bedding facilities were in very, very poor state. The toilet facilities in the school were not the best that recruits could use. The catering facilities were in a very poor state. Accommodation for instructors and officers was also equally in a very poor state and I personally saw this and felt that I will not in any way allow soldiers to live in such conditions if they are going to go through training.
Mr. E. Armah-Kofi Buah 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I want to commend the Hon Minister for taking the trouble to go through this review. But my issue is that it is very, very important that the Ghana Armed Forces has a disciplined army devoid of regional divisions. Madam Speaker, as the Hon Minister has pointed out, with this problem, is he going to undertake a bigger review to address some of the regional imbalances in the Ghana Armed Forces that has gone on for years? [Interruptions.]
Lt. Gen. Smith (retd) Madam Speaker, as I said earlier on, the whole process is being reviewed and what the Hon Member's concerns are would be addressed during that review.
Mr. Francis Addai-Nimoh 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, from the Answer offered by the Hon Minister, there appears to be an administrative injustice that has been meted out to the 228 applicants. The question is, what remedy or relief does the Military High Command have for these 228 applicants who successfully went through the exercise?
Lt. Gen. Smith (retd): Madam Speaker, when we invite people for
recruitment, we do not have any obligation or give them any guarantee that when they come they would be taken. So the question of their being recruited and sent for training is only a probability. We do not owe them anything by way of the fact that they - Let me say that this whole exercise - you are recruiting people to train to defend this country and we are talking about 21st Century and technology -- Most of these guys cannot even write or read -- [Uproar] - Just one minute.
Now, the basic tool that every soldier needs to work with is his rifle. Today, the rifle is computerized. So if we are recruiting a soldier and he cannot read and write, it is a problem for the entire country.
Mr. Simon Edem Asimah 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I think I want to commend the Military High Command for suspending the recruitment process - [Hear! Hear!] This is a listening Military High Command because it has listened to the public's cry.
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Your question.
Mr. Asimah 11:05 a.m.
The Hon Minister said that the recruitment funding would be used to improve the physical conditions in the training school. How much is the recruitment funding and will that amount be enough to improve the physical condition of the training school?
Lt. Gen. Smith (retd): Madam Speaker, I cannot give the Hon Member the exact figures now but I have directed that the amount earmarked for training of recruits this year should be put into rehabilitation of the school. If in the course of that they realize they need more funds, we will find a way of taking care of it.
Dr. Osei 11:05 a.m.
On a point of order.
Dr. Osei 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, in his Answer and with your permission, I quote:
“Recruitment funding would therefore be used to improve physical conditions in the training school”.
What I want to know is that, has the Hon Minister sought approval for moving from item 3 to item 4 for this purpose? The requirement is that he must seek approval from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning. If such approval was sought and it was given, would the Hon Minister be prepared to provide the evidence that he got the approval?

Lt. Gen. Smith (retd): Madam Speaker, we received the reports just some few days back and if I say I directed, the process will take its course and the necessary approvals will be sought and we will do the right thing.

Thank you.
Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity. Madam Speaker, a question to the Hon Minister. Having been myself a member of the Armed Forces Council for four years, I know that the recruitment processes are well structured. Your Answer seems to cast a major slur on the high command of the army and the Ghana Armed Forces generally because you are saying that they did not follow the laid down regulations.
From time immemorial, they have been recruiting on a yearly basis -- annual basis. Are you saying that all that have been done before by the Ghana Armed Forces, the Military Command was not there? Or are you saying Hon Minister and as a General, an ex-General and maybe, a General now, that your Colleagues were so incompetent that that is the way they decided to handle it?
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Hackman, we
will not have a question -- we are dealing with the employment of a certain number of people. [Interruptions.] We cannot go back. [Interruptions.] No, no! [Inter- ruptions.] Alter your question and put it within the context.
Thank you.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, all right everything there is from the Order Paper and the Answers he has given but let me rephrase it now.

Since the Hon Minister is saying that the process was not sanitized and that there were illegal insertions and what have you and the rest, and knowing that the Military High Command is always in charge of these processes, through his agents, is he saying by implication that the Military High Command, the whole totality of it was so corrupt that they allowed themselves to illegally put in these figures, the so-called 192 - because he has used the word “illegally” and also said in his Answer that he had suspended it because the process was flawed?

How come that with the structures in place which have served us all the time -- it was there. I want him to explain because the Military High Command is being castigated here; you are casting a slur on their integrity and in casting a slur on their integrity in this august House, you need to substantiate that.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Hackman, I still have not got the question. What question are you asking in relation to this Question that we are discussing? That is your third chance.
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, all right. Is the Hon Minister implying and calling into question the integrity of the Military High Command that carried out the exercise inasmuch as he is saying that the exercise was illegal and was flawed?
Lt. Gen. Smith (retd): Madam Speaker, the answer is no.
Dr. Francis B. Dakura 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, thank you very much for giving me the opportunity. I know that recruitment into the Ghana Armed Forces has always been based on ability and competence. Could the Hon Minister tell us if through their investigation
they found out that there was perhaps some kind of political tampering in the recruitment process? And if that was the reason why the recruitment was actually suspended? Was there political tampering in the recruitment process as per your investigations?
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Member, there was nothing about political --
Dr. Dakura 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I am asking the Hon Minister -
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Let me have the question before I invite the Minister. The Hon Minister did not say anything about political -
Dr. Dakura 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I am actually asking -
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Can you reframe your question?
Dr. Dakura 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I just want to find out from the Hon Minister if in the course of the investigation which caused the suspension of the recruitment process, whether the Military High Command found anything other than the professional processes being tampered with.
Lt. Gen. Smith (retd): Madam Speaker, as I said, it is ongoing and if anything like that comes up we will get to know later.
Mr. Maama Y. Afful 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, would the Hon Minister tell us what is the full cycle of the recruitment process; secondly, as an Hon Minister, does he believe in the regional balance used in the recruitment process?
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
He actually asked two questions. Ask one question. [Laughter.]
Mr. Afful 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, does he believe in the regional balance that was used during the recruitment process and if so, what is the full cycle of the recruitment process? That is, what stages does someone have to go through to be enlisted into the Ghana Armed Forces?
Lt. Gen. Smith (retd): Madam Speaker, it is a long process and I would wish that the Hon Member will give me enough time to prepare and come and answer.
Thank you.
Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, may I ask the Minister what he means by “illegally inserted 192?” Could he explain exactly what that means?
Lt. Gen. Smith (retd): Madam Speaker, those 192 applicants, some of them did not go through the entire process and that is why the issue of - [Interruptions] the process is long, you go through medical examination, body selection; you have to write a small paper; there are many things you have to go through and if you did not go through the entire process and your name happens to be on the list, this will be detected at one point or the other and your name will have to be taken off the list. That is what formed part of the 192 applicants being rejected.
Mr. Kwaku Agyeman-Manu 11:15 a.m.
On a
point of order. Madam Speaker, in one breadth, the Minister is saying that 420 -- with your permission I read:
“The subsequent screening exercises resulted in the selection of 420 applicants to undergo a six- month training at the Army Recruit Training School”.
In another breadth, the Minister is just telling us that 198 did not go through the processes. Which is correct? He is telling

us that 420 went through. Madam Speaker, with your indulgence, I will read the whole paragraph:
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon Member, are
you asking a question or you are making a point of order? So you are asking a question? Is not it? [Interruption.] You are seeking a clarification?
Mr. Agyeman-Manu 11:25 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, yes. Madam Speaker, with your indulgence, I will read from the Minister's own Answer. Paragraph 1, line 3:
“At the end of the initial screening, seven hundred and ninety-eight (798) applicants were shortlisted for further screening exercise in Accra. The subsequent screening exercise resulted in the selection of 420 applicants to undergo a six- month training at the Army Recruit Training School (ARTS) …”
Madam Speaker, in another breadth, after 420 had gone through the processes, by his own statement, he comes out to tell us that 192 were illegally inserted among these 420. Madam Speaker, what does the Hon Minister want to tell us? I want a clarification on this matter.
Lt. Gen. Smith (retd): Madam
Speaker, thank you very much. It is a long process as I said. In each process, there are series of things that take place. So if one process took place in the regions, you come to Accra, there is another process. Part of the Accra process involves so many things. And so that is how come those figures came by.
Mr. David Tetteh Assumeng 11:25 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, I want to know from the Hon Minister whether he will find time to come and brief the House as to the processes
Mr. David Tetteh Assumeng 11:25 a.m.


that one has to go through to be recruited.
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon Member, that
is not a question. It is not for him to tell us what he wants to do with us. So thank you. I will not allow the question. [Pause] I want everybody to make a contribution.
Mr. Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister in paragraph 3, says that the funds for the recruitment exercise for this year will be applied to rehabilitate the military school. I want to find out from the Hon Minister, if within the next two years the rehabilitation exercise has not been completed, will there be no recruitment into the Ghana Armed Forces?
Lt. Gen. Smith (retd): Madam Speaker, I believe the amount involved will bring the school to an appreciable level to allow recruitment to start in 2010.
Thank you Madam Speaker -- [Interruptions].
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon Member,
who decides when we have finished with Question time or Statements? Can I not decide that we have had enough?
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:25 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, if you want my opinion on who decides when Question time should end, then with respect, I may refer you to Standing Order 60 (2). Madam Speaker, with respect, Standing Order 60 (2) reads:
“Question time to Ministers shall ordinarily not exceed one hour except that the Speaker may in exceptional cases exercise his discretion …”
In this case, her discretion
“… and permit questions after the expiration of the time stated…”
Madam Speaker, so, we are talking
about operating within one hour, except that in exceptional cases, given the interest generated in the question, you may permit the Question time to go beyond one hour.
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
So Hon Member, did you take note of the time when we started the Questions? Question time starts from when we get to that and Questions are asked and Answers are read, and then the whole process takes one hour. If in this particular case, you do not tell me the time, then I will tell you that we have exhausted one hour, I think. Even though, I agree that Question time should not exceed one hour, meaning within one hour. But if you have an urgent question to ask now, you may please ask it before we move on.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:25 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, with respect, I looked at my time when we started -- [Interruptions] -- and I believe my eyes did not deceive me. And I thought that when we began, it was around 10.46 a.m. [Interruptions] -- But that is left to you.
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon Member, yes.
I will take note of the one hour, but go on. I have given you the floor.
rose
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
That is for the
Leaders.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:25 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, the Hon Minister has told us that the process of recruitment started on 10th March, 2008, that is as per the first paragraph of his Answer. Madam Speaker, when the exercise started from Greater Accra, which was the first region, the letter from the General Headquarters, PA/GAF/ Burma Camp, dated 15th February, 2008 commenced the process on 4th March 2008. Is he aware?
Is he aware of it that this letter from the Ghana Armed Forces indicated that the
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:25 a.m.


process was starting on 4th March 2008? And if he is aware, would he admit that the Answer he has provided here to the people of Ghana is wrong, would he agree?
rose
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon Majority
Leader, is it a point of order?
Mr. Bagbin 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, we are
guided by our rules. And Standing Order 67 is very clear as to what this question should comply with. And clearly, my Hon Colleague is using a document and trying to say that once the document has stated 4th March, the exercise necessarily started on the 4th March and that the Hon Minister stating 10th March, he has deceived the good people of Ghana. [Interruption.] Madam Speaker, this, definitely is caught by 67 (1) (b):
“… a Question shall not contain any arguments, …”
He is already arguing with the Hon
Minister as to the date -- [Uproar] -- “…any arguments”. That is one - arguing. Two:
“ … e x p r e s s i o n o f o p i n i o n , inferences, imputations, epithets or controversial, ironical or offensive expressions or hypothetical cases;”
Madam Speaker, his question is caught by this. One, he is arguing the fact that the letter stating 4th March does not necessarily mean that the exercise commenced on the 4th March. So for him to go ahead to say that in the Hon Minister's Answer, it commenced on the 10th March is deceiving the good people of Ghana, is arguing. That is arguing.
The second thing is that he is reading some imputations into the Answer. So if he has to rephrase his question, I think he should better do that, if not, Madam Speaker, you should not allow this
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon Member,
rephrase your question?
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, with respect to the Chair, I thought in this matter the Minister is capable of handling himself. And Madam Speaker, I disagree totally with the interpretation given by the Majority Leader. Madam Speaker, it is his opinion and I suggest to him that his opinion does not matter because he is wrong. Madam Speaker, this is a statement of fact, emanating from the Ghana Armed Forces. It is not my opinion, and what is he saying?
Mr. Bagbin 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, my Colleague has been given the opportunity to rectify the error he has committed. If the Hon Colleague had ended at the statement of facts, I would not have raised the issue, but for him to proceed to say that for the Minister stating 10th March, he had deceived the good people of Ghana. You said that, that he had deceived the good people of Ghana. He is going into arguments already. If he had ended at: “this letter stated 4th March but your Answer stated 10th March, which one is correct?” That is a statement of fact, but for you to go ahead to say that by stating that, he had misled the good people of Ghana, he is arguing and imputing other motives into it. That is why I am correcting him.
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Shall I rule on this
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:35 a.m.
I believe you will give a very good ruling.
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Do not I always? [Interruptions.] Do not I always try? Anyway. Yes, I have looked at Order 67 and there are questions which should not be asked. The Majority Leader referred to 67 (1) (b) and I have also looked at 67 (1) (f) --
“a Question shall not be asked which makes or implies a charge of a personal character or which reflects upon character or conduct except of persons in their official or public capacity.”
Then (b) says:
“a Question shall not contain any arguments, expression of opinion, inferences, imputations, epithets or controversial, ironical or offensive expressions or hypothetical cases.”
So the question was all right until we got to deceiving the good people of Ghana. That, I find is an imputation. So if you would rephrase your question and leave that out.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:35 a.m.
Very well Madam Speaker, in deference to the Chair.
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Ask your question, Hon Member?
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Answer provided by the Hon Minister, paragraph 1 states, that the recruitment commenced -- the exercise commenced on 10th March, 2008 and yet a letter from the General Headquarters of
the Ghana Armed Forces indicates that it was to commence on the 4th of March. How does he reconcile the two dates?
Lt.-Gen. Smith (retd): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I did not really know where that letter the Hon Member is holding is coming from. But let me say that for an exercise, a letter could be issued announcing that it is to take place. After that instructions will also be written. The dates do not necessarily have to be the same date. So I have to know where this letter came from and then the instructions that came out of this letter. That is where the dates could conflict.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Have you not asked your question? One question.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I have asked one question and as you do know as per our rules unless you decide to truncate me, I - [Interruption.]
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.
You mean you are standing up again for a different question?
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:35 a.m.
Very well, for another question.
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.
If I want more
questions, I will look at those who want them and, since you had your bite, maybe, I will move on.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker -
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.
A Leader has been treated like a Leader and we all saw it. Minority Leader, last time, ask your question.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the second paragraph of the
Minister's Answer and it says 11:35 a.m.
Minister's Answer and it says 11:35 a.m.


“… the Military High Command had to suspend this training programme following persistent complaints by the general public of anomalies in the recruitment exercise.”

Further down, the fourth paragraph,

he alludes to suspension of the process. Madam Speaker, but per a letter written by Maj. Gen. P. A. Blay, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), bullet point 36, referring to the recruitment exercise (a) and I believe the Hon Minister has it, and with your kind indulgence, I want to read:

“In view of the gross anomalies and flawed procedures, the 2008 recruitment is declared null and void. There would be no recruitment in 2009.”

Madam Speaker, how does he reconcile the declaration of nullity and void with suspension in his Answer?
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I asked a simple question and he says it has been suspended. The suspension was earlier. What is the situation now? Because it is today that he is providing the Answer. What is the situation now?
Mr. Bagbin 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I think my Colleague has now gone further and is debating the Minister. The question he asked was, how do you reconcile the statement of the current CDS, that the exercise has been declared a nullity with the statement that is being suspended.
Now, your second thing is saying that, what is the current situation, because of his Answer? You should have waited for Madam Speaker to give you another opportunity to ask another question which you have not got. So you cannot now start arguing.
Madam Speaker, once my Colleague has not caught your eye - [Interruptions] - I am sure that question does not arise but we would want to know the security classification of the letters that he is reading. This is because my Colleague knows very well that there is a security classification of these letters and he is reading the letters now on the floor of the House. It is not coming from proper source, but he should tell us the security classification of the letters he is reading.
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
I think the question

Hon Minister, thank you very much for appearing to answer our Questions.

Hon Members, now, we move to the

Commencement of Public Business -- the Laying of Papers. Chairman of the Committee, item 5 (a) (i) Public Accounts Committee Report.

Hon Leader of the House, item (5) (a) (i) - Public Accounts Committee Report on the Report of the Auditor-General.
Mr. Bagbin 11:45 a.m.
Thank you Madam
Speaker. Madam Speaker, I have just been informed by the Chairman of the Committee that, that Report is not ready. The reports on items 5 (a) (i), 5 (a) (ii)and 5 (a) (iii) are not ready. So we will have to suspend the Laying of those Papers.
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
So we move on to
item 5 (b) - Chairman of the Committee.
Mr. Avedzi 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the
figure quoted is not correct. So I want to amend it and give the correct figure. The correct figure is US$194,300,000.00.
Thank you.
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Item 5 (b) - has it
been laid, Chairman of the Committee?
Mr. Bagbin 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I think
on item 5 (b), our attention is being drawn to some errors and I think the proper thing is for us to reschedule it. We should reschedule it for the correction to be done and then later on it will be laid.
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
We will reschedule items 5 (a) and 5(b).
We move on to item 6 - Motion.
Mr Bagbin 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, on
motion 6 and its consequent Resolution, item 7, I crave your indulgence for us to reschedule it for Friday. Some consultations are still ongoing. It is not yet completed and Motions and Resolutions cannot be taken today.
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
That affects item 7.
So now we move on -- any indication as to adjournment?
Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
in the circumstances, we want to give more room for the committees listed here to commence their meetings, to look at the matters that have been referred them.
Madam Speaker, I beg to move, that this House do adjourn till tomorrow at
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, I think the proposition from the Majority Leader is in the right direction and in the circumstance, I beg to second the motion so moved.
Question put and motion agreed to.
ADJOURNMENT 10 a.m.