Debates of 11 Nov 2009

MR. FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:15 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:15 a.m.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Hon. Members, item 2 - Correction of Votes and Proceedings. Pages 1-5 --
Nana Abu-Bonsra 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, on
page 5, yes, I was absent from Parliament yesterday as recorded here but equally so, my attention has been drawn to the fact that while we were on official duty touring Northern and Upper East Regions last week, my name kept appearing as being absent without permission and it is today that I find myself on the floor. So with due respect, I will wish that notice would be taken of that. We went on official delegation, Committee on Government Assurances.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
When did
the official delegation return?
Nana Abu-Bonsra 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, we
returned on Friday.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
So, you
were supposed to be in the House?
Nana Abu-Bonsra 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
Friday I was in the House and I attended a meeting on the Tower Block so I signed in but the previous days, we were recorded
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Yes, what
I want to hear is, are you talking about the previous days when you were on official duty with the Committee?
Nana Abu-Bonsra 10:15 a.m.
Very well so, Mr.
Speaker.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Or you
are talking about what is recorded here as being absent?
Nana Abu-Bonsra 10:15 a.m.
No, I am talking
about what happened last week.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
So you

Anyway, I will let the Clerk's Office take note of the fact that you were on official duty.
Nana Abu-Bonsra 10:15 a.m.
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Your
name is absent for yesterday, what about that one?
Nana Abu-Bonsra 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
I could not return on time from my constituency.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Very well.
Pages 6-15 --
Mr. George K. Arthur 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
yesterday, the Public Accounts Committee met but it is not captured in the Votes and Proceedings.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
They
closed very late so the record did not reach the Table Office in time for it to appear. I have been assured that it will appear tomorrow in the Votes and Proceedings.
Page 16 --
Hon Members , the Votes and
Proceedings of Tuesday, 10th November, 2009 be adopted as the true record of proceedings but the Table Office should take note of the comments made by Hon Abu-Bonsra.
I am told the Official Report is not ready so we move to Question time.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS 10:25 a.m.
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS 10:25 a.m.
rose
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.
Hon Minority Leader, I thought he would finish answering then you would come in?
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, we intend to indulge the Hon Minister for Communications but the request for this Question is for both oral and written answers. He has done well to respond to it and provided the written response on the Order Paper. He seems to be speaking extempore and indeed he is not going according to the Answer provided. As per the first paragraph, I noticed that he is skipping and inserting certain words and so on.
Mr. Speaker, I want him to be consistent so that we can hold him to whatever he is saying.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.
Hon Minister, if that is the case then the Hon Minority Leader is right. Hon Minister, if you want to amend the Answer, you are at liberty to do so but you have to inform the House, then you amend your Answer before you go ahead to present it. But if you have not amended it, then you have to read what is printed.
Mr. H. Iddrisu 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, thank you very much. I was, in fact, reading and not speaking extempore. I have placed my file rightly before his face and for Hon Members. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that. I will now respond.
Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Communi- cations as part of its objective to promote an all-inclusive information society is pursuing a programme to provide one model community information centre (CIC) in each of the 230 constituencies of Ghana to benefit the peri-urban and rural communities to help bridge the digital gap.
In pursuit of this programme, to date, the Ministry has facilitated the construction of 120 CICs. This year, in consultation with the Regional Co-ordinating Councils (RCCs), arrangements are far advanced to
facilitate the construction of 10 additional CICs.
Mr. Speaker, in l ine with the decentralized administrative policy, the selection of sites for the construction of CIC is facilitated through the ten Regional Co-ordinating Councils in consultation with their respective District Assemblies.
Accordingly, Mr. Speaker, upon the receipt of the notice of the Question, the Ministry of Communications has since forwarded the request of the construction of a CIC in the Evalue Gwira Constituency to the Western Regional Co-ordinating Council to enable it liaise with the Nzema East Municipal Assembly to give the application due consideration after we have secured budgetary approval.
Mrs. Afeku 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Hon Minister if this budgetary approval will be considered in the incoming Budget which is probably next week?
Mr. H. Iddrisu 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, rightly so. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) supports us with some counterpart funding and the Government of Ghana itself has to make some commitment. It had been funded largely from Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) allocations and we have accordingly made submissions to the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning to consider that in this year's Budget Statement.
Mrs. Afeku 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Hon Minister, in terms of the construction, is it solely the prerogative of the RCC and their administration in terms of the Municipal Assembly or the Ministry to have some kind of role to play?
Mr. H. Iddrisu 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the role of the Ministry is to give policy direction. The Ministry is encouraging as much as possible the siting of these community information centres across the country. As I indicated earlier, we respect the decentralised system and we normally request the RCC to liaise with the affected District Assembly to determine the site. Once that is done, what the Ministry will do will be to support with funding depending upon the stage of work and completion of work.
Mr. P. W. Pepera 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in the Answer, it is stated that 10 additional CICs would be constructed. Is that to mean that every year we are going to get 10, which means that it is going to be a 10-year programme from the 130 which would have been completed? I would like to ask the Hon Minister that question.
Mr. H. Iddrisu 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, for the year 2009, we have requested the RCCs across the country to determine at least one site for the construction of a community information centre. That is what our purse could bear for this fiscal year. Subsequent years, we intend to increase the number from two to five and that will depend on how much budgetary allocation is made available to the Ministry of Communi- cations to support that initiative.
Mr. Pepera 10:25 a.m.
In that case, Mr. Speaker, I would like the Hon Minister, if he could let us have a list of, maybe, the roll-out programme as funds arise since I fear that Abetifi may be the last.
Mr. H. Iddrisu 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would oblige him with details of that later on. What we do is that we do an analysis of the 120, which have been constructed. For instance, if we got a request from the Brong Ahafo Regional Co-ordinating Council and they sited Sunyani -- I am aware, for instance, the GETFund has just supported the construction of a
similar facility in Sunyani -- We would request that they should look into a more deprived area or an area where they are in need of that facility and we would advise accordingly.
Mr. Yaw Baah 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want to find out from the Hon Minister whether there is a laid-down procedure in terms of criteria for the selection of the centres for these particular projects.
Mr. H. Iddrisu 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, ideally, we should have a community information centre in each district and in each constituency of the country as part of opening up the governance process, but the difficulty has to do with budgetary allocation and funding for it.
We have also noticed in our tour that, it is not just the question of putting the physical infrastructure in place but getting the centres functional and effective. I note that many of the centres have been closed down, the computers are not being utilised and the extension of wide area network to those facilities have been hampered and that is affecting the core objective of the programme so that people would be able to access and share information. We are examining the report and will be guided with our future initiative with that.
Mr. Federick Opare-Ansah 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, last year, the Ministry of Communications started the construction of 32 of such centres. We are in November 2009 and the Hon Minister is telling us that upon the receipt of this Question, they had been speaking to the Regional Co-ordinating Councils (RCCs) to -- I am quoting from his Answer:
“. . . arrangements are far advanced to facilitatte construction of 10 additional CICs.”
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Hon
Minority Chief Whip, kindly ask your question.
Mr. Opare-Ansah 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
that is precisely what I am doing. Mr. Speaker, is the Hon Minister assuring this House that indeed, the construction of these 10 centres will commence this year, considering that we are in November, and also at this rate, how many years is it going to take us to bridge the digital divide by completing all the CICs in all the 230 constituencies?
Mr. H. Iddrisu 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is true
that the 32 were initiated last year and it would interest him to know that one or two of them actually never even took off. I can give a specific example of a community in the Eastern Region and as a result of that Government's own position is to encourage the completion of all ongoing projects before new ones are executed and accordingly, we are guided by that.
What we did this year is for the Regional Co-ordinating Councils to nominate particular areas or communities to benefit from the facilities, but as and when particular work is completed, we pay per the contract which is reached with the person who wins the contract in accordance with our procurement rules.
On the digital divide, Mr. Speaker,
he knows that it is a very challenging thing, even at the global level, we need to connect the world between the developed and the underdeveloped. Within Ghana, Mr. Speaker, the digital divide is obvious and very worrying. Even if you look at internet penetration in Ghana, it is abysmally very low and very worrying and largely concentrated in urban and commercial centres. So the focus of
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
This is the
last question. Hon Member, for Old Tafo.
Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei 10:35 a.m.
Mr.
Speaker, I want to commend the Hon Minister for continuing this all-important programme. As he is aware, I am aware the CIC at Old Tafo was started sometime ago, but so far, this year, nothing has been done on it. So in the light of the statement, he talked about the policy of completing the ones that were started. What is his Ministry doing about the CIC that has been started in the Old Tafo Constituency?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
The
Question is about Evalue Gwira CIC but I will allow the Hon Minister to answer.
Mr. H. Iddrisu 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, we
will take particular interest in monitoring the stage of completion of the initiative in the area as he has mentioned. But we will only release funds to the contractor, depending upon where he has reached in the execution of the contract. The difficulty may be that he is at a particular stage for which payments have been made; we would need to engage with him in order to support that further.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Hon
Minister, thank you very much for attending upon the House to respond to the Questions posed to you.
With regard to the remaining Questions numbered 248, 249, 273, in line with Standing Order 64(4) they should ensure that the Answers from the Hon Minister are printed in the Official Report.
Post Office (Provision)
Q. 248. Mr. John Duoghr Baloroo asked the Minister for Communications when the Lambussie-Karni District would be provided with a post office.
Mr. H. Iddrisu 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is the policy of the Ministry of Communications (MOC), under the universal access obligation to support the Ghana Post Company Limited to provide post offices for all newly created districts. The programme also covers rehabilitation and equipping of existing post offices with ICT facilities to enable Ghana Post improve upon its postal service delivery.
In this regard, Ghana Post has programmed to build post offices at Wichiau and Lambussie as part of its programme to provide newly created districts with post offices after we have secured budgetary approval.
Landline Telephone System (Provision)
Q. 249. Mr. John Duoghr Baloroo asked the Minister for Communications when the following towns in the Lambussie-Karni District would be provided with landline telephone system:
(i) Lambussie
(ii) Pina
(iii) Koro
(iv) Karni
(v) Bellow
(vi) Samoa
(vii) Suke.
Mr. H. Iddrisu 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is the
policy of Government to endeavour to provide telephone services to all towns in the country. With the convergence of technologies, where it is no longer feasible to provide the conventional fixed telephone lines to the communities, opportunity exists for the deployment
of fixed wireless technologies as an alternative to fixed line technology to deliver services.
Mr. Speaker, in this context, the residents of Pina now have access to fixed voice services via Vodafone mobile deskphones. The mobile deskphones use the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) technology. The GSM facility is used to provide fixed cellular terminals to prospective customers. In addition, Pina also has access to Vodafone mobile broadband connectivity and the people in Pina now enjoy this facility.
Vodafone currently does not cover Karni, Samoa, Suke and Lambussie. Mr. Speaker, however, Vodafone intends to extend coverage to Karni, Samoa, Suke and Lambussie in its planned ongoing rollout of GSM network infrastructure as this will enable many more customers within these environs who will require fixed cellular phone facility to be served.
Mr. Speaker, the other telecom operators have also been requested to provide their programmed activities for these areas.
Mr. Speaker, meanwhile, where there are no immediate plans by the Telcos to provide coverage, the Ministry, through the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) will facilitate the establishment of common telecom facilities to enable telecom operators co- locate and extend their services to these areas.
ICT Centres (Completion)
Q. 273. Mr. John Duoghr Baloroo asked the Minister for Communications when the ICT centres built at Lambussie and Pina would be completed and commissioned.
Mr. H. Iddrisu 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the first phase of the Community Information Centres (CICs) entails the construction of the physical infrastructure, the Local Area Network (LAN) and the Wide Area Network (WAN). Currently, the physical infrastructure for both Lambussie and Pina has been completed and preparations are far advanced to provide network connectivity to complete the initial phase by the end of December 2009.
Mr. Speaker, the second phase consists of the provision of equipment such as fax machine, television set, printers and computers. These equipment are expected to be supplied under the supervision of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) by the first quarter of 2010. The Ministry will make arrangements with the District Assembly to formally commission the Lambussie and Pina ICT centres by the end of the first quarter of 2010.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, you indicated to us what should happen to the following Questions -- 248, 249, 273. Mr. Speaker, as you do know, the Hon Member who has asked the Questions must by now be served with Answers to those Questions. We want to know whether with those Questions the Answers have been filed with the Table Office.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
You are entirely correct, Hon Minority Leader. I verified from the Table Office this morning and I have been informed that they have the Answers from the Hon Minister and this morning they were looking for him to serve him accordingly. But it had been communicated to the Hon Member through the Table Office, that was the advice that I have been given.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.


But you are right that they have to communicate the Answer to the Hon Member who asked the Questions and by the rules, they have to be printed in the Official Report, that is why I made sure that I made that order. Even though I do not need to make that order, the rules are clear but I am just reminding them by way of emphasis that it must be published in the Official Report in terms of Standing Order 64(4).
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:35 a.m.
Mr.
Speaker, you have just quoted to us Standing Order 64(4), but Mr. Speaker, I do know for a fact that the (4) on which Questions are filed, we have provisions for Oral and Written Answers.
Mr. Speaker, Questions that are marked Oral, have responses in this House, so the issue about asterisks, I am not too sure should be the singular factor in determining whether Questions ought to be answered in this House. So, perhaps, we may have to go beyond that screen to inform ourselves whether or not he did not mark the Question with oral delivery. If we are so satisfied, then perhaps, we may move on, but with respect, I do know that the form has provision for “oral” and “written” and one would have to underline “oral” or “written” or both. So may we know what the situation really is?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Hon
Minority Leader, I am surprised you are raising this matter because at least, you have seen one of the Questions which was marked “written”. Well, I thought I showed it to you in the Lobby but in fact, I have looked at all of them and they have been marked, “written” and I have it here and after adjournment, I will make it available to you.
But this also shows that not even oral, that is the most reason why at times Hon Members who are a bit new should try
and consult Leadership or the more senior ones or the Table Office when they are posing their Questions. Because if you desire the thing should be written, who is the Speaker to say that it should not be written to you?
So that is the difficulty but the rules are quite clear, “written” and I have it here, the Table Office made it available to me here, he has marked all of them “written”.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 10:45 a.m.
Mr.
Speaker, this House is definitely making progress, we are used to certain procedures which may not be in strict conformity with the Standing Orders of this House. My appeal to the Chair and Leadership is that where we would want to go strictly according to the rules which may not be in conformity with the practices, it may assist the House if the House is so advised. This is because I was a bit taken aback when Mr. Speaker pre-emptily exercised his power under the Standing Orders and directed that the Answers be published in the Official Report.

I know that normally when we go beyond one hour, the Speaker may exercise that discretion. I am not challenging the exercise of your power, it is truly in accordance with the Standing Orders. My appeal is that to assist all of us in our business in this House, we are advised in advance so that we take note of the strict provisions of the Standing Orders, particularly matters such as Questions when Members desire their constituents to know that they are championing their cause in the House, they are bringing their concerns to the attention of Government.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:45 a.m.
Mr.
Speaker, further to what you said, the elucidation and what the Hon Member for Sekondi has also stated, we all do know that when it comes to Question time, we have most times relaxed the rules. In
particular, Mr. Speaker, if we want to go strictly by the Standing Orders, you would realize the Order 64 that your goodself with respect quoted, 64(1) which is on Urgent Questions stipulates that:
“A Question shall not be asked without notice unless it is of an urgent character . . .”
Mr. Speaker, the obvious meaning of this is that an Urgent Question should be asked without notice. It would mean then that, it should not even appear on the Order Paper, yet we do allow that. Which suggest, to me that, if we have to go strictly by that, then maybe, we have to look at it that way.
But as I said, we have been relaxing the rules when it comes to Question time, which brings me to the kernel of the matter that even if the Member inadvertently made that mistake his own attention ought to have been drawn to it and the Minister for Communications who has the competence, and I believe is very able, would not have deviated and shirked his responsibility to come to Answer the Question before us.
But I take a cue from what you have said, Mr. Speaker, and we abide by that for the time being except -- of course, we are all minded to review our Standing Orders and perhaps, maybe, we have to put it beyond reasonable doubt.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Yes, the
last comment on this matter from the Hon. Majority Chief Whip.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the
issue that we are discussing was discussed and all the comments that have been made here were made, that these days people want to be making references to the Standing Orders, and in order that the Speaker or others would not be found with their pants down, we thought that we should strictly go by the tenets of the Standing Orders - because the form is quite clear - “written” and “oral”. So when you understand “written” you would
know that you want written responses to whatever Question that you are putting out there.
So I believe that laws are not cast in steel or iron and that as we move along, we would be responding to the concerns and that is why we have to hurry up with our work on the review of the Standing Orders, and then we have also sent clear notice to Members. We have said again and again that when you are going to file your Questions, pass them through the Leadership and then you would be so guided.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:45 a.m.
So all
the comments have been made in good faith and it has been taken as such. I think that this is not a provision which the Constitution has provided; so as far as these provisions are concerned, we are masters of our own procedure and we can change them but it is subject to the House to change them. If the House decides to change them tomorrow, I have no choice but to apply what this House has changed. So I think that the best thing for us to do is when the review comes, we look at these things again.
I agree entirely with the Hon Member for Sekondi that all of us want our constituents to know the kind of Questions that we are asking on the floor of the House so that we can also push the pressure from us to the relevant Hon Ministers. But again, the record would be there and I think that this is a matter the House, in its own wisdom, at the appropriate time, might take a second look at and amend the rules accordingly.
Hon Members, thank you very much for your contributions on this. That brings us to the end of Question time.
Hon Members, as I indicated earlier,
Madam Speaker has admitted one
STATEMENTS 10:45 a.m.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Yes, Hon Member for Akropong. I will take not more than two, from each side of the House.
Mr. William Ofori Boafo (NPP - Akropong) 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Statement ably made by the Hon Member for Ho Central (Capt. Nfojoh (retd)).
Mr. Speaker, the day being commemo-
rated is the Remembrance Day and it is always in connection with the First and Second World War victims, especially the soldiers who laid down their lives to ensure that these wars came to an end for restoration of peace within the inter- national community.
Mr. Speaker, we would also like to take this opportunity of the Remembrance Day to remember the gallant men and women who have been participating in peace- keeping operations or peace- building operations throughout the world especially those from our country, Ghana in the various places mentioned by the originator of the Statement. We would also like to remember our gallant men and women who also had been involved in internal peacekeeping operations in the various conflict areas, who have lost their lives and salute them for their contribution towards the peace-building in our country.
Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate this Remembrance Day, we are not only concerned with remembering the personalities involved but equally, the events of those days. And it is for us to resolve that having regard to the effects that these wars have on the international community, we will never visit it again and that we will always ensure that peace is pursued throughout the world to ensure that developments continue to take place and that people will live in peace and

development.

Mr. Speaker, we would like to remind ourselves that it is not only the global peace that should be our concern but equally peace within our own country, having regard to the various communal conflicts which are taking place in the country. We would also like to remind ourselves that while we remember those people who contributed effectively towards the restoration of peace in the world and also internally, we should also take into account their welfare.

Mr. Speaker, the welfare of these veterans should not only be the concern of the Government but it should also be the concern of civil society.

Mr. Speaker, I think we have to take this opportunity to invite the civil society, those non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to consider adopting some of these veteran villages like the one in Accra, Kumasi and other places so that the facilities which are virtually non-existent in these villages will receive due attention and improvement. Mr. Speaker, if we improve their welfare, it will encourage our soldiers to continue to sacrifice for the country.

Mr. Speaker, we have the Veterans Association of Ghana and we would like to urge the Government to also pay attention to their demands and whatever they require to make the association very effective and cater for the retired soldiers.

Mr. Speaker, to conclude, I would also like us to take the Day to tell the new generation the story of the past. We have to enable them to know what our soldiers have done in the past to encourage them to be more interested in serving their country. That it is worth serving the country when they have the chance to do so. With those who are alive, we do not have to neglect them at all. We need their experience, so we have to tap the experiences of these
Mr. William Ofori Boafo (NPP - Akropong) 10:55 a.m.


veterans so as to help us enrich the history of the Remembrance Day.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I thank you very much for the opportunity.
Mr. Fritz Frederic Baffour (NDC - Ablekuma South) 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the Statement made by Hon Capt. Nfojoh (retd).
I would like us to recognise the fact that if the veterans who came back from the world wars had not come back, we would not have had independence at the time when we had independence. It was through the knowledge they acquired, the confidence they acquired in the battle fields of Burma, East Africa and Cameroun that they were able to come back to Ghana or the Gold Coast at the time with confidence. They had seen the whiteman not as a superior but a co-equal. And they came back and demanded certain rights. Those rights are what led to the acceleration of the day that we had our independence.
So, I think it was very much in order that when we are giving recognition to the bravery of those who died and those who came back, that Parliament should institute, at least, a one-minute silence for them.
With that, I would like to support the Statement and say that, let us recognise the importance of those who died and those who came back alive.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Thank you, Hon Member.
Yes, Hon Member for Nkoranza North?
Maj. Derek Yaw Oduro (retd) (NPP
- Nkoranza North): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the Statement made by the Hon Member for Ho Central.
Mr. Speaker, it has been said that a
country that does not honour its heroes is not worth dying for. This statement is very, very deep and each time I put this statement in my mind, my goose pimple begins to rise.

Mr. Speaker, as said by the maker of the Statement, November 11 every year is a day put aside to celebrate this occasion. It was originally meant for those who lost their lives in the first two world wars, First and Second World Wars. But this time, it has been extended to cover all the operation areas; those who have lost their lives in all the operational areas in our country. I am talking about the peacekeeping operation areas; that is in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Congo, Sudan, and Western Sahara, Lebanon and so on.

A whole lot of people have lost their lives; some came back with amputated legs and limbs, some lost in action, some were lost and they never came back to Ghana. We celebrate this occasion to remember all those people.

Now, my concern is that as we raise funds for the veterans, those who are still alive, either wounded or some have even lost their eyesight, raising funds to provide some livelihood for those who are alive, the veterans, do we remember those who have lost their lives? Their families, do we care for them?

This is a matter of concern and I would make a humble appeal that this should be extended to the families or the loved ones who have been left behind. As we celebrate these days, they also keep indoors weeping. So my humble appeal is that we should look into those areas and find out if we could extend this fund to cater for those who have been left behind.

Mr. Speaker, this is my humble appeal

and as you say, we should make it short, I thank you for giving me this opportunity.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon Members, I have reviewed my earlier decision that I would take only two -- two. I have to recognize the former Minister for Defence who wanted to make contribution. But before he comes in, the Hon Member for Mion.
Dr. Ahmed Y. Alhassan (NDC - Mion) 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is a personal belief that wars are very bad. Even though they may be just, they are bad because human lives are lost. And I think that after every war, there is always a negotiation to find peace between the belligerents. So I think that the world must move towards achieving peace through negotiation rather than going into wars at all times so that some of us would be lost and we have to remember them.
Wars, I do believe also, drive compromise into the far distance and if we have to look for compromise, then let us do so in peace time rather than fight the wars before we go into discussions.
I think that wars also come about because some nations choose to bully other nations because they are small in their view. These days, bigger nations, including scientifically advanced ones need to slow down on money that they spend oiling their war machines and spend such funds oiling the peace machine so that people do not have to fight wars and then we come to remember them. I believe that compromise, through negotiation, will always cost less than wars and if the world went this way, there would be no wars, let alone people dying for us to remember them some day.
If there is peace in the world, our brave and gallant soldiers would be alive to share in the peace that would exist globally. I remember the dead, but I believe that negotiating peace for us to stay alive is the best option.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Thank you, Hon Member for Mion.
Mr. Albert Kan-Dapaah NPP - Afigya-Sekyere West) 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is almost just gone past 11 o'clock and it is not without significance that we are paying this tribute around this time.
Mr. Speaker, at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, the hostilities of the First World War ended and the Remembrance Day, which falls on 11th November each year, was chosen because of that.
Mr. Speaker, Remembrance Day, Poppy Day, Veterans Day, whatever you call it, is a day that we set aside so that we can commemorate the sacrifices of members of the armed forces all over and, especially, in our country for their contributions in times of various wars.
Mr. Speaker, as they say, for the love of their country, they accepted death and that was exactly what these gallant men and women did for us. Mr. Speaker, our soldiers have served us and they have served us very, very well and indeed, they continue to serve us.
At various peacekeeping engage- ments, they have made our country very, very proud and indeed, it is simply not possible to talk about United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping anywhere in the world without remembering the contributions of members of the Ghana Armed Forces. I believe we all must be very, very proud of the contributions that these gallant men and women have made to make our country that much respected all over the world.
Mr. Speaker, it is not only in terms of

peacekeeping abroad where our soldiers have done well. They have contributed a lot to whatever peace that we have in this country. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, it was a deliberate policy of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government to make sure that all that was necessary to make our soldiers sufficiently equipped and sufficiently motivated was done.

I believe the present Government will continue with that approach and provide the necessary equipment and the necessary tools to motivate the Armed Forces of Ghana because they still deserve that special attention.

Mr. Speaker, we now have a major oil discovery. The contribution of members of the Ghana Armed Forces will be very, very significant and we all should unite in doing everything possible to provide for the needs of our soldiers.

Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I think I can pay no better tribute than to quote the words of Minot J. Savage who said and, with your permission I quote:

“The brave die never, though they sleep in dust: Their courage nerves a thousand living men.”

This is the tribute that I pay to those men and women who gave up their lives so that we can have peace in the world and by extension peace in our country.

May those who died during these wars rest in perfect peace.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member.
Hon Minority Leader and Hon Majority Leader, no comments. So we rise in one- minute's silence in memory of the fallen heroes.

“They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old.

Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn,

At the going down of the sun and in the morning.

We will remember them.”

May the souls of the fallen heroes rest in perfect peace, Amen.

Hon Members: Amen.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon Members, at the Commencement of Public Business -- Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee?
MOTIONS 11:15 a.m.
HFC 11:15 a.m.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to second the motion.
Question proposed.
Dr. A. A. Osei (NPP -- Old Tafo) 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to make a contribution to the motion on the floor calling this House to adopt the Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Report of the Auditor- General. Mr. Speaker, my comments are not meant to criticize the accounts of the Public Accounts Committee, but only to emphasize some of the arguments that were brought about yesterday on the need for the Finance Committee to begin to look at these reports.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon
Member, which page?
Dr. Osei 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, page 8. Mr. Speaker, IDA is the same as World Bank; now, we were made to go to Appendix B to differentiate between grants and loans. Clearly, when you see such a variation, it must bring attention to something. So I am not sure if this is being copied from the Auditor-General's Report; but if it is so then I think that the Auditor-General is not doing a good job. IDA loans come every year and it is tagged. So in my view,
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Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Chairman,
I think the Hon Member for Old Tafo has raised a very important point because we must know exactly what we are approving. Knowing where he is coming from, I think that his comments on this matter must be taken seriously before I invite other Members. Can you clarify that position so that we are sure as to what we are approving is correct or incorrect?
Mr. Kan-Dapaah 11:25 a.m.
Well, thank you
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon
Chairman, examination involves some level of investigation so that you can confirm what is being said there. And it is in that process that you reported some errors and omissions and all those things. So that he is asking whether you copied -- because he said there is something that should not be and so it is one of whether you copied -- from those figures or whether you got them from the Auditor- General's Report and produced them verbatim or it is your own short schedule,
the appendix are yours. I think that is the point you have to clarify, then we continue.
Mr. Kan-Dapaah 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I
think it is important, the argument that I was supposed to make, that the Public Accounts Committee cannot be expected to go and undertake another audit. The Appendix is in the Statement as presented by the Bank of Ghana. But Mr. Speaker, you must have heard me say that the Auditor-General did report that there were a lot of errors and omissions and they even did say that it was important for a document that as important as this, we cannot allow for errors and omissions and therefore, we should avoid that.
So these inconsistencies have already been noted and corrected by the Auditor- General and what we are presenting here is after the Auditor-General had done the corrections. The Appendix, the original presentation by the Bank of Ghana, yes, as has been mentioned in the Report, accepts the fact that there are errors and omissions. But again, Mr. Speaker, it goes to reinforce that constitutional provision which demands that this statement should be monitored by the Committee of my Hon Friend.
It is their duty to be doing the accounting work of monitoring so that by the time it gets to us at the Public Accounts Committee, the thing is good. We are unable to accept, if you like, the lack of efficiency of the Finance Committee in not doing their work well and presenting it to the Auditor.
But Mr. Speaker, on a very serious note, yes, some errors and omissions were noted, the Auditor-General did concede to that, and I think these things have been taken into account. As you said, having accepted this, we will sit down with him and go through to see if indeed there were
Mr. Kan-Dapaah 11:25 a.m.


some errors which had not been picked up by the Auditor-General. Of course, I would be surprised if that is the case. But having mentioned it, I think it would be worth the while if we sit down to see how we can reconcile it.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Very well,
let us make progress. I think that with his clarification -
Dr. Osei 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I do not
disagree with my senior Member's insistence on the Committee on Finance doing their job. But it goes beyond that, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a good example is this: This Report came from them and in the Appendix that they referred us to, they make a reference to either grant only and if that is coming from the Bank of Ghana, I do not have a problem. But in the text that was reported by the Committee, they put “either loan” and that cannot be the error of the Bank of Ghana.
They are translating an Appendix to the text, so if it is a grant, they should put a grant but they should not put “either loan”; that is why the error becomes obvious. So I am not sure which table we are looking at, whether it is a table coming from the Auditor-General or it is the Committee's table. That is where I try to make a difference.
Maybe, the Committee's Clerk in translating the “either grant”, the word loan and grant got confused. But that is why I was able to see that there was an error. And Mr. Speaker was talking about where I come from. Mr. Speaker, I come from Old Tafo so, I am not sure a Member from Old Tafo will necessarily know this type of error.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
You are a former Minister of State - [Laughter] --Former Minister of State's Office; I am talking about the office, not the
constituency.
Dr. Osei 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, this variance
of 143, my point is that, I am not an accountant but when I see such a huge variance zero loan in 2006 and then one term in 2007, whether it is the fault of the Auditor-General or the Finance Committee not being diligent, somebody of the Public Accounts Committee should draw our attention to it. It cannot be zero and suddenly go to 143.
What is the reason? I did not see a reflection of that in the Report, that is why I say that such things must be brought to our attention rather than saying that errors and omissions have been noted because it is a huge error but I know for a fact that a loan is different from a grant and know for a fact that the 143 is not a grant.
The World Bank could not have given Ghana that much of a free money, it was a loan PRC 6 -- That is why I say that that kind of mistake, we should take note so that make sure -- Otherwise, the World Bank would think that they have given us free money when actually it is a loan. But I take note that all of us must do due diligence so that we can take it on.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon
Member for Old Tafo, I think the point you are raising is very important and yesterday we agreed that consequential orders should be made that this Report should be sent to the Governor of Bank of Ghana, the Bank. And, therefore, we must be sure as to what report we are sending to the Bank. If we ourselves who are sending the thing ended in error, then it is going to be comedy of errors.
So it is very, very important because that one is a grant, the other one is a loan because we have to match the Appendix B in the Committee's Report at page 8, as you rightly pointed out, and then look at the Appendix B. They do not tally;
and that is a fundamental point you are raising. I would suggest that maybe, if the Chairman of the Committee or the members of the Committee would agree, we defer this matter; go back and look at it and reconcile the figures.
Maybe, it could be a typographical error because I know the Chairman is a very efficient person; that one, I can give it to him. He is a very efficient person and so let us be sure as to what we are approving as a House.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I
agree with you, it should be stood down for us to clear the mess, if you like. We cannot just approve of this and take it out.
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon
Minister for Communications, if the sense of the House is that we step it down then I will invite you, you are a very active Member of this House even though you are still with the Executive. I will suggest that let us get the sense of the House on the matter, whether we are stepping it down. If we are stepping it down, then you come back and make your contribution.
Mr. H. Iddrisu 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, we are
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Very well.
Mr. H. Iddrisu 11:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, but mine is on a substantive issue on the Committee's Report. But I believe that guided by the events of yesterday, we will still need your guidance that this House strongly registers its concern about the attitude of some of the defaulting banks in not making us have a better appreciation of the values of our non-traditional exports.
Mr. H. Iddrisu 11:25 a.m.


And Mr. Speaker, with your permission --

Mr. Speaker, we are stepping it down with your indulgence, on a specific issue of -- [Interruption] - but mine is on a substantive issue on the Committee's Report. I believe that guided by events of yesterday, we will still need your guidance. This House strongly register's its concern about the attitude of some of the defaulting banks in not making us have a better appreciation of the values of our non-traditional exports and Mr. Speaker, with your permission - [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
That
is a substantive contribution. Hon Minister, with the greatest respect, that is a substantive contribution that you are making on the Report, but we have to decide as a House whether we are continuing or we are deferring this matter so that we can go and reconcile the figures. Hon Minister, it is not only the defaulting banks; what about the Bank of Ghana which is supposed to apply sanctions which it is not applying?
In 2005, 2006 and 2007, the Bank of Ghana did not apply sanctions. What about the Bank of Ghana itself which is enjoined to apply sanctions? So Hon Minority Leader, I think we may have to defer this Report and then let us reconcile the figures and come back.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:35 a.m.
Mr.
Speaker, I notice that if we went back to the Report, which we duly approved yesterday, what is captured there for the IDA loan repeats itself in what we are considering today. I think the point being made by the Hon Member for Tafo is that it ought to have been captured as a World Bank grant, there is no column for that in the Report we are considering today. I
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:35 a.m.


think that is where the difficulty is and I thought that with that observation, it could also come as part of the recommendations that we are making to the World Bank that we should exercise greater diligence in the Report we are to consider.

I thought that could come as an addendum but if it is the sense of the House that we stand it down, I do not want to be an impediment. I thought that given the distance that we have travelled, we could as well capture it in the recommendations, particularly, given the guidance that you yourself gave in respect of the two Reports yesterday. But as I said, I do not want to be an obstruction and if the sense of the House is that we stand it down, so be it.
Mr. E.T. Mensah 11:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I
think that that is the sense of the House. It will be better for us to stand it down and go and clean it up and bring it back. So I still stand by the fact that we should stand it down.
Dr. Osei 11:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I do not know
if my submission is well understood. The issue that the Hon Minority Leader has brought in, if it is captured well in the recommendations, they can be reflective of our letter to the BOG or the Auditor- General to be consistent in the presentation in the tables. If that were done, then what would have happened was, in the 2007 Report under either grant, we may have had a zero under 2006. But if these recommendations can be captured, they will solve that problem that has arisen.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Hon Member, it is the Report that we are adopting; it is not what the Auditor- General sent to us that we are adopting. This is coming from the work that the Committee has done based on the Auditor- General's Report. It is this Report that we are adopting and therefore, if there is a seeming problem, it is important that we go and reconcile them because a grant is
a grant and a loan is a loan.
Dr. Osei 11:35 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, that is the
point he captured. If you follow what we did yesterday -
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Yes, I
agree -
Dr. Osei 11:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, there was no
column for either grant --
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Yes, and
I am saying, fortunately, the letter has not yet gone. So if we can take liberty with this one to correct it well so that when we are making the orders, we make proper orders. I think that is where I am coming from. Do you see where I am coming from?
Dr. Osei 11:35 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Let us do
that so that when we are making the orders then we know the exact orders that we are making to the Central Bank. Very well. Thank you very much. This is a small matter that can be taken tomorrow. It will not take more than a day to handle it.
Hon Majority Chief Whip, item 6, are we taking it?
Mr. E. T. Mensah 11:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want
to stand that one down as well. Item 6.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:35 a.m.
Mr.
Speaker, given the fact that the Presiding Officer today will have to preside over the Appointments Committee, I believe we may have to stand it down as suggested by the Chief Whip for the Majority. Except to add, Mr. Speaker, that perusing the Bill myself, I realized there are a few areas that the Committee could help us clean before we come to the Consideration Stage. So they may take liberties to have another look at it and do the cleansing before we
start the consideration, possibly tomorrow.
Mr. Speaker, I, in the circumstance, beg to second the motion to adjourn till tomorrow -
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
He has
not moved.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:35 a.m.
Mr.
Speaker, he has not moved? I would suggest to him -
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
You can move it and he would second. On this occasion you can move for him to second because he is not adverse to your moving the motion - [Laughter.]
Mr. E.T. Mensah 11:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, item
7 is committee sittings. There are a number of committees which will have to sit. For the committees to be able to sit, I, therefore, move, that we adjourn till tomorrow at 10.00 o'clock in the forenoon.
Mr. Frederick Opare-Ansah 11:35 a.m.
Mr.
Speaker, I rise to second the motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
ADJOURNMENT 11:35 a.m.