Debates of 19 Nov 2009

MR. FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:30 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:30 a.m.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Hon Members, item 2, Correction of Votes and Proceedings and the Official Report.
Correction of Votes and Proceedings of Tuesday, 18th November, 2009. Pages
1 7 -
Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:30 a.m.
Mr.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Hon
Member, can you speak louder?
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:30 a.m.
Hon
Ofori-Kuragu has been marked absent, on page 7, the list of Hon Members absent; number 12. But I do know that he is on an official trip and he has submitted a leave of absence which has been transmitted to your office. So if you could double- check and mark him absent, perhaps, with permission.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Table Office should take note. Page 8 -
Prof. [Emeritus] S. K. Amoako: Mr.
Speaker, on page 8, under number 7, the second paragraph, it states:
“. . . Appointments Committee, Hon E. K. D. Adjaho and seconded by the Deputy Majority Leader . . .”
I believe it should be “Deputy Minority Leader”.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Very well. You are absolutely right.
Pages 9 - 12 -
Mr. Fritz Frederic Baffour 10:30 a.m.
Mr.
Speaker, on page 12 (xix), we have here “Mr. F. E. Naana Ampsratwum”. I know her as “Mrs.”
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Hon
Member, roman number what?
Mr. Baffour 10:30 a.m.
(xix). It is “Mrs.
Ampratwum”, not “Mr.”
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Very
well.
Page 12 -
David Nana Larbie: Mr. Speaker, on
page 12, Hon Dr. Kwasi Apeah-Kubi, the spelling of Apea is A-p-e-a, there is no “h”.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Which
roman number?
Mr. Larbi 10:30 a.m.
(ii). The name is “Dr.
Kwasi Apea-Kubi”, there is no “h” at the end of Apea.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Very well.
Page 13 -
Mr. Isaac Osei 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it would
appear that (xxxvii) and (xxxix) referred to the same person. The name is written there twice.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
(xxxvii)?
Mr. Isaac Osei 10:30 a.m.
And (xxxix), I think.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Very well.
You are right.
Pages 14, 15 -
Nii Tackie-Kome: Mr. Speaker, on
page 15, paragraph 3 (i), the second name
is “Tackie” and not “Tachie”. The name is T-a-c-k-i-e and not “h” as written here.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Very
well.
Any other corrections?
The Votes and Proceedings of Wednesday, 18th November, 2009 as corrected be adopted as the true record of proceedings.
Hon Members, I have the Official
Report of Tuesday, 17th November, 2009.
Mr. Joseph B. Aidoo 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I
have a correction to make on column 808, the first line between “alone” and “they”. The sentence starts from column 807 - it should read:
“In my constituency alone, there are over five thousand people directly involved. In Prestea, not long ago
. . .”
Then the sentence will continue. That is:
“. . . they were estimated to be twenty thousand.”
So the omission there is --
“. . . there are over five thousand people directly involved. In Prestea, not long ago”
Then in the second paragraph of that same column, that is column 808, line 2, it should read:
“Its bother” and not “it borders”.
This is because there is a verb clause at the end of that sentence. So it should read:
“Its bother on the law, its effect on the environment, the prodigies that are entailed, the category of our people involved and the fact that most of them are migrants from the north make it a national issue.”
So it should read “Its bother” and not “it borders”.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Do you
have your Statement available to be made to the Table Office? So at the appropriate time you furnish them so that it can be appropriately captured?
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 10:30 a.m.
Thank you.
Mr. Samuel Johnfiah 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, may I refer you to column 802, the last but one paragraph, and the last word on the third line should read “farms”, not “funds”. So the sentence should read:
“If they have not been divested then the next question is, what effort is the Ministry making to reappraise these farms so that they can bring them to life?”
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:40 a.m.
Very
well.
Mr. O. B. Amoah 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
column 820, third paragraph, line 4, the sentence - Mr. Speaker, let me read the sentence:
“On a point of order. Madam Speaker, my Hon Colleague is using some terms which are a bit strange to me …”

The next words are - “do not fit in”. It should rather be, “which is quite a feat in medical terms”, “f-e-a-t” - “which is quite a feat in medical terms”. What is put there does not convey the message that I wanted to put across.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:40 a.m.
Any other correction? [Pause.]
Hon Members, the Official Report
of Tuesday, 17th November, 2009 as corrected be adopted as the true record of proceedings.
We now move to item 3 - Question
time, and we would start with an Urgent Question standing in the name of the Hon Member for Asunafo North --
Hon Minister for the Interior?
URGENT QUESTIONS 10:40 a.m.
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Sarfo-Mensah 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
Mr. Portuphy, the National Co-ordinator of NADMO is reported to have said in the Public Agenda of 26th June, 2009 that the NADMO law should be amended so that NADMO would be empowered to be able to carry out most of its duties. I would like to find out from the Minister, apart from the measures he enumerated, is he also considering the amendment of the NADMO law so that the disaster fund that the NADMO is asking for can be set up so that when disasters do occur, we can rapidly respond to the needs of the victims.
Mr. Avoka 10:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, yes, indeed,
the NADMO Co-ordinator was right in saying that the NADMO law is passing through a process of amendment. Indeed, we are not going just to amend the law, we are going to repeal the law and put in place a new law -- [Interruption] -- Parliament, at the appropriate time. Mr. Speaker, I have already attended two major workshops in connection with the new law that we want to put in place.
We discovered that the NADMO law as it is now is very deficient in many material particulars. It is deficient in the sense that, as I indicated earlier, it is concerned or limited to taking care of floods when they occur. But we now want to be more proactive in terms of prevention rather than managing the event when it occurs. So the new law would address the issue of prevention, the new law would address the issue of community participation in this matter, it would also address the issue of climate change, risk reduction, et cetera and then it would address the issue of funding.
This is because you would realize that as at now, we wait and then when
Mr. Sarfo-Mensah 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, last year, a disaster occurred and many people suffered various degrees of hardships. I would like to find out from the Hon Minister, what has been done so far to alleviate the sufferings of the victims of last year's disaster.
Mr. Avoka 10:50 a.m.
Indeed, as a result of the floods last year, NADMO, through the support of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and other supporters, have been able to address some of these concerns. They have been very proactive
Mrs. Akosua Frema Osei-Opare 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in the Answer of the Hon Minister, he indicated that some steps had been taken, some big rivers and streams in Accra which he mentioned -- Onyasia stream which runs through East Legon, Airport and West Dzorwulu, he did indicate that there had been some demolishing.
I want to know from the Hon Minister whether apart from demolishing, some work had been undertaken to desilt and clear the weeds that have built up, that is really allowing water to overflow. And also whether some work has been done or plans are in place to actually protect the size of those streams so that we do not have a reoccurrence of that in these areas that are specifically mentioned.
Mr. Avoka 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, as I indicated earlier, NADMO and therefore, the Ministry of the Interior have limited facilities and logistics to undertake the assignment that my Hon Colleague is
referring to. If you talk about taking care of desilting the drains and the rest of them, this is primarily the work of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing. NADMO is only a limited intervention to take care of relief victims. We do not have the engineering capacity because the engineers are in the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing.
The budget allocation for taking care of these including desilting, et cetera is within the ambit of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing. But because we co-ordinate when the disaster takes place, we try to link up and co- ordinate with these agencies or Ministries so that we reduce the effect of the disaster in respect of the victims.
So yes, short of having the demo- lishing per se, we also go ahead to advise on how these streams can be redesigned, desilted, et cetera.
But as I said, until we change the
law and empower NADMO in terms of enforcement, in terms of capacity building, in terms of logistics availability, it will be difficult for it to undertake the assignment that you are talking about.
Mr. Asamoah Ofosu 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, according to the Hon Minister's Answer, he has lent support to the importance of bringing up a new law to make NADMO more effective. But in the face of recent developments in Weija where political activities have come up, that his office and that of the National Co-ordinator had 48 hours, ending today, to remove the District Co-ordinator and replace him with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Constituency Organiser, is his Ministry trying to factor this into the law? Because I see NADMO not just for the provision
of logistics and other things for relief but rather, management is also important. So, whether he is considering the mode of appointment to ensure less political intervention.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon Member, that is not a supplementary question.
Mr. Ofosu 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, can I have the chance to reframe it?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon Member for New Juaben North?
Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, we appreciate the constraints faced by our dear Friend and Hon Minister but understand the fact that the Executive works as a whole and that at the end of the day when difficulties arrive, they fall onto his lap by NADMO. And breaking houses on alleyways and waterways is a very difficult thing to do.
Under the circumstances, will the Hon Minister, inasmuch as he is the final recipient of whatever tragedy that comes to this country, consider seriously having an inter-Ministerial Committee charged with that responsibility under his leadership? And I mean under his leadership because he is the final recipient of all the disasters. Will he consider that and give an assurance to this House that there is an effective co-ordinating mechanism in place to handle these issues?
Mr. Avoka 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think that the suggestion or the recommendation from the Hon Member is well in place.
From my Answer this morning, I indicated that various institutions or Ministries are responsible for this exercise. I mentioned the Ministry of
Mr. E. A. Armah 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in the Answer of the Hon Minister, he said destilting of certain drains are almost completed. What efforts is his Ministry doing to build permanent embankments to prevent constant desilting which becomes expensive to the nation?
Mr. Avoka 10:50 a.m.
Ordinarily, it is not the responsibility of the Ministry of the Interior to do that.
Mr. John Agyabeng 10:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I
want to find out from the Hon Minister whether payment of compensation was considered before the demolishing exercise.
Mr. Avoka 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, invariably, in many of these cases, those developments are illegal developments; they were done without permits from the respective District or Municipal or Metropolitan Assemblies or the authorising agency for that matter. So it is an illegal structure, it does not deserve compensation.
But I indicated earlier that some of them had even gone to court and had
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Hon Minister has indicated to us that upon a survey, they have now identified the structures to be demolished, structures earmarked for demolition. Mr. Speaker, may I know from the Hon Minister how many structures have been earmarked for demolition?
Mr. Avoka 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, as at now between 80 and 300 structures at Weija area have been earmarked for demolition, Sakaman and Mallam areas have 45 houses earmarked for demolition, 22 have already been demolished. Krowor has 13 houses earmarked; there is a court injunction there; indeed, the Weija area also has a court injunction. Tema, we have earmarked 20 structures for demolition because of the Chemu Lagoon, in fact, we have not started there yet, but 20 properties are earmarked for demolition.
West Legon; two uncompleted structures have been earmarked for demolition; Nii Boye Town, where we were to have the sports stadium, over 200 houses without permits have been earmarked for demolition. Airport West, two structures have been earmarked for demolition and then East Legon, several kiosks and containers on waterways have been earmarked for demolition.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I asked the Hon Minister, the total number of structures earmarked for demolition and he is giving me a breakdown which does not help us at all. Because when he tells us that for Weija, they have earmarked between 80 and 300, what explains this wide range of houses or structures earmarked? If he says, 80, 90, that would be acceptable, but between 80 and 300 -- Mr. Speaker, it does not
provide any information at all. What is the number earmarked for demolition at Weija?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
Yes, Hon Minister?
Mr. Avoka 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is possible that with some of them, if there is further re-engineering, they can be saved. Some, no matter what you do, they will have to go. That is why we are making the number huge so that if the re-engineering exercise is successful, it would reduce the number of houses which would be demolished.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
Yes, last question on the Urgent Question -- Hon Member for Kwabre.
Mr. E. A. Owusu-Ansah 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am still not very clear with the answer that the Hon Minister has given to the question that was posed by the Minority Leader. We want an exact number of structures that are to be demolished. The answer he has given does not help anybody. So if he has not got the answer readily - [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
Hon Owusu-Ansah, “earmarked” was used and that - [Interruptions] -- Hon Member, his explanation, when the Hon Minority Leader followed up was that there could be re-engineering that would allow some of the houses to be saved; some would have to go, which shows that there is no exact number now.
Mr. Owusu-Ansah 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am still not clear. If he has not got the figures, he should be bold enough to tell us that he would come another time and give us the figures.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
I do not know, but Hon Minister, do you have the exact figures? [Laughter.]
Mr. Avoka 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am surprised that my Hon Colleague is confused. There is no justification for him to be confused. I have indicated that there is a range between 80 and 300; elsewhere there are certain numbers and I said if we are able to re-engineer, desilt and then build other structures on the rest of them, that would make the water courses flow, some of these houses would be saved. So as at now, there is no permanent or there is no fixed figure. This is simple enough. [Laughter.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
Order!
Order! Let us listen to the Hon Member on the floor.
Dr. Francis B. Dakura 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am actually surprised that the Hon Minority Leader is saying that - [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
Hon Member, no argument, ask your question.
Dr. Dakura 11 a.m.
All right, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to indicate that the difficulties with the provision of information as stated by the Hon Minority Leader is as a result of the fact that my Hon Colleagues opposite, when they were in power, they had actually interdicted the National Democratic Congress (NDC) appointed co-ordinator for NADMO - [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
Hon Member, you are out of order. [Hear! Hear!]
Hon Members, Question No. 134 standing in the name -
rose
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
Yes?
Dr. Prempeh 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to ask the Question on behalf of my Hon Colleague who is indisposed.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
Hon Member --
Dr. Prempeh 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am seeking your permission.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
So I have to give you authorisation first? I have to grant that leave.
Dr. Prempeh 11 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, I am seeking your permission.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
Where is the Hon Member?
Dr. Prempeh 11 a.m.
He is indisposed. [Interruptions.] Yes, I have his authority, confirmed by my Leader.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
Hon Member, do you have his authority?
Dr. Prempeh 11 a.m.
He is indisposed.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
Are you sure? [Laughter] Go ahead, leave is granted.
Dr. Prempeh 11 a.m.
Thank you Mr. Speaker.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS 11 a.m.
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR 11 a.m.
Mr. Avoka 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, victims of the flood that affected the Amadaa,
Abensua No. 1 and Abensua No. 2 Communities along the banks of river Offin in the Atwima Mponua Constituency have already been taken care of by the District Assembly and the National Disaster Management Organisation
(NADMO).
Relief items worth sixteen thousand, three hundred and sixty four Ghana cedis (GH¢16,364.00) have so far been presented to the affected people who were temporarily sheltered in the local primary school and nearby towns and villages.
Mr. Speaker, the District Assembly, with the support of the local chiefs is also making efforts to release some parcels of land for relocation to the communities from the banks of the river to avoid further incidence of flooding including death since there is the likelihood of re- occurrence of the river flooding beyond its banks.
Dr. Prempeh 11 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, were the
relief items worth GH¢16,364 from the central NADMO or the District Assembly was asked to provide this money?
Mr. Avoka 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the District Assembly per se did not have these facilities. They came from Central NADMO to the District Assembly for distribution or for support to victims.
Dr. Prempeh 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, may I ask whether the land the chiefs are offering for the temporary resettlement, compen- sation is being considered for the chiefs for the land?
Mr. Avoka 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, NADMO does not have a budget for such compen- sations. I think that the chiefs are the custodians of the land, the chiefs are developers, the chiefs are supposed to support and take care of the welfare of

their people. So if a chief realizes that in his area, some part of the area is flood- prone and therefore, he can reallocate some of the people to some other areas, I do not think it is the responsibility of NADMO to come and compensate them. Besides, we do not have a budget line for that.

We think that we will depend on the goodwill and magnanimity of the chiefs of the area and the people to be able to address this issue.
Dr. Prempeh 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, would he enlighten this House as to how NADMO becomes involved in flood or emergency activities? Principally because just early part of this year, floods affected four different parts of the country and NADMO paid no attention to these parts -- floods and fire. I just want to know, does NADMO do selective interventions or the policy is to go everywhere there is an emergency.
Mr. Avoka 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, NADMO is a national institution committed to ensuring that if there is any hazard anywhere, they go to intervene. There is no discri- mination as far as NADMO is concerned.
Ms. Cecilia A. Dapaah 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want to find out from the Hon Minister whether the efforts being made to acquire the land have moved forward to make sure that the people are not faced with this problem of flooding again. Because in his Answer, he said:
“that the District Assembly, with the support of the local chiefs is also making efforts to release some parcels of land . . .”
I want to find out how far the status of the efforts -- because in his Answer he has said again and I quote: “. . . since there is the likelihood of re-occurrence of the river flooding beyond its banks . . .” and I know, we all know from our geography
and our environmental studies that these floods are cyclical, so we must always be proactive. I do not think we should wait for the floods to come again before we come and say that the chiefs did not release the land in time, et cetera.
Thank you.
Mr. Avoka 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I do not have the current update as to how far negotiations have gone. At the appropriate time, I can brief the House on how far they have gone.
Mr. Asamoah Ofosu 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Hon Minister has said that GH¢16,364 was the worth of relief items that were sent to the two communities. May I know from him the nature of the relief items that were sent, the quantity and the number of people who were the beneficiaries in the two communities?
Mr. Avoka 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I presume my Colleague, when he talked about the nature of relief items, meant the type of items that were made available to the victims. We supplied them mattresses, wellington boots, rice, second-hand clothing, blankets, cups, plates, maize, cooking oil, et cetera.
Now this is the breakdown:
Mattresses -- 120 pieces
Wellington boots -- 60 pairs
Rice -- 135 bags
Second-hand clothing -- 24 bales Blanket -- 108 pieces
Cups -- 300 pieces
Plates -- 300 pieces
Maize -- 8 bags
Mr. Ben Abdallah Banda 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Hon Minister just said in his Answer that his Ministry is relying on the goodwill of the chiefs within the affected communities to get them release some parcels of land for the affected communities. Now, my question is, in the event where the chiefs fail or refuse to release the said parcels of lands for the affected communities, what measures will his Ministry take to resolve these problems?
Thank you very much.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Hon Member, it is hypothetical; if they fail is hypothetical. The rules of the House will not allow hypothetical questions to be asked.
Mr. Kofi Frimpong 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in the Minister's Answer, he said he asked the chiefs to release parcels of land to be developed into residential areas for affected communities. May I know from him whether NADMO will go to the aid of the victims in the construction of the houses?
Mr. Avoka 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, yes, NADMO, in conjunction with other agencies can support them with technical advice in the construction of these houses but we do not have the material capacity to do that.
Dr. Francis Bawaana Dakura 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it seems the problems at Amadaa, Abensua No. 1 and 2 Communities will continue anytime there are heavy rains. I want to find out from the Hon Minister whether there are any plans to keep any
warning signals in place in order to prevent such disasters re-occurring from time to time. Any early warning signs in the form of engaging the local communities to prevent such re-occurrences of floods?
Mr. Avoka 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I had indicated earlier that we are committed to providing early warning signals and signs so that when disaster is imminent we will get to know. I have said so to the House.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Question number, 173 - yes, Hon Member, last one on Q. 134.
Mrs. Gifty Ohene-Konadu 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in the Hon Minister's Answer to the Question posed by the Member for Kwabre East, he said that they only provide technical advice. I want to find out what happens to those who do not have the necessary funds to provide for the materials to build houses. What happens to them?
Mr. Avoka 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, ordinarily, every Ghanaian in every village has the capacity to put up a structure of some sort. So if your house is in the valley and it is destroyed by rainstorm or by floods, it is only magnanimous that NADMO or other agencies come to help you or support you. But you have your own duty or responsibility to be able to relocate. That is simple.
We are behaving as if it is the duty of Government to build houses for some people who find their houses in valleys or unapproved areas, et cetera.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Hon Minister, they are talking about assistance.
Mr. Avoka 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is not the responsibility of Government to do that.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Assistance
- 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Avoka 11:10 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, anything
regarding assistance, it is not a responsi- bility, it is assistance.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Hon
Minister, they are talking about assistance.
Mr. Avoka 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, we only
provide assistance, it is not a responsibility, it is assistance.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Hon
Members, the next Question, Question number 173, Hon Member for Kintampo North --
Mr. Simons Addai 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:20 a.m.
The Hon
Member is where?
Mr. Addai 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, he is outside
the country on an official assignment, so he has asked me to seek your kind permission and ask the Question on his behalf.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:20 a.m.
What is
the nature of the official assignment?
Mr. Addai 11:20 a.m.
He is a member of the
Local Government Committee, and they are outside.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:20 a.m.
I am
aware. They are in China. [Laughter.] We have to be very sure. [Laughter.]
Utility Vehicle and New Fire Appliance
for Kintampo Ghana National Fire Service Station
(Provision)
Q. 173 Mr. Simons Addai (on behalf of
Mr. Avoka 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Kintampo Ghana National Fire Service Station in the Brong Ahafo Region was allocated a Nissan Rosenbauer Dual Purpose Tender (DPT) No. FS300 in May 2002. The fire appliance later developed a defective injection pump and a weak engine. Therefore, it is currently unserviceable. The cost of repairing this defective tender is GH¢20,000.00.
Mr. Speaker, there are over forty (40) of such defective fire tenders nationwide. Three (3) of them have just been repaired and are now operational. The cost of repairing the fire tenders is high and hence the repairs are done in bits.
Let me add here that indeed, these three (3) that were repaired earlier were done by their respective District Assemblies to support fire fighting in the areas.
Mr. Speaker, efforts are being made to rehabilitate the defective fire tenders to put them back on the road while awaiting new fire tenders expected to arrive by March 2010. The Kintampo Ghana National Fire Service Station will be catered for when the new fire tenders arrive in the country.
Mr. S. Addai 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the first part of the Question seeks to ask what steps the Ministry is taking to equip the Kintampo Ghana National Fire Service Station with a utility vehicle. I want to find out what the Hon Minister's answer is on the vehicle. He has just spoken about the fire tender and I did not hear much about the vehicle the Question talked about.
Mr. Avoka 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, well, I do not
know what he means by “utility vehicle”. But I believe that the most important vehicle they need in the district is a fire

tender. But we are also trying to bring up pick-ups and other related facilities for their movement.
Mr. S. Addai 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Hon
Minister has indicated that the Kintampo Ghana National Fire Service Station will be catered for; is it an assurance?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Hon
Minister, is it an assurance?
Mr. Avoka 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is a

Mr. Speaker, gone were the days where we just sent a facility to an area which may not be very useful or productive. I indicated earlier in this House, sometime this year that there were high-risk regions, districts, et cetera. So when we get the equipment -- [Interruption.] When I say high-risk areas, I mean areas which are very prone to disasters and fire outbreaks, et cetera.

When we have this facility as a country, we should be able to map the country and find out -- if we think that at the end of the day, having regard to the statistics and the reports that we have, Kintampo District is one of the high-risk areas as far as fire is concerned, certainly, they will be considered. But it will be graduated in such a way that, places like Kumasi, Tema, Accra, those urban areas and other areas where we have common fire outbreaks, sometimes, 10, 20, 50 in a year, they will take precedent over other areas where they may have one or two in a year.

So, yes, we will do that assessment, and Kintampo would benefit if they fall within. But at the end of the day, it is the commitment of government that every district, the 170 districts that we have in the country should have a fire tender.
Mr. Asamoah Ofosu 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
the Hon Minister has stated in his Answer that the fire tender developed a defect in the injection pump and has a weak engine, which, when repaired would cost 20,000 Ghana cedis, and for that matter 200 million in the old cedis.
Therefore, this vehicle has been declared unserviceable. In the face of what happened recently where we had the 10- storeyed Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration building burning, would he still consider that looking at the cost of what we have lost, he would declare this vehicle unserviceable and allow 40 cars to be waiting in garages only to repair them in bits?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Hon
Mr. Asamoah Ofosu 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I
did not only listen but I read it as well.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Yes, but he
provided further information on that area with regard to the District Assemblies, but I will allow him to attempt an answer.
Mr. Ofosu 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, to attempt an
answer; very well.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:20 a.m.
He
provided further information.
Mr. Ofosu 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, yes,
Mr. Avoka 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate his concern that even if a kiosk or a single house is burnt and we cannot take care of it, it is a source of concern to all of us. But if my Hon Colleague would remember, it is not the type of fire tender we had
that was why we were watching the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration block burnt to ashes. You will need turn-table ladders, you will need high rise ladders to be able to go to the fifth floor, sixth floor and the rest of them.
Fortunately, there is a loan facility and we are expecting these types of fire tenders from the USA, sometime next year, and I hope that when they come they will take care of the high-rise buildings.
But, as I indicated earlier, Mr. Speaker, let me use this forum to appeal to my Hon Colleagues to be able to influence their respective District Assemblies. If the Assemblies can commit 20,000 Ghana cedis, we will repair a tender and send it to them. But if you give it to the Ghana National Fire Service or the Ministry of the Interior, our budget line is such that, if we have to repair the tenders, then that will be the work we will do for the whole year and nothing else. And that is the danger that we are facing.
I have very good Hon Colleagues who have been in that Ministry and they appreciate what I am saying. Their challenges are real, their constraints are real, so let us use our respective District Assemblies to support this area.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
in the light of the answer that the Hon Minister has given to the supplementary question, will Government consider making decentralization of some of these agencies a priority, so that, at the level of the Assemblies, they can set their priorities and then support such emergencies, instead of relying on the scanty resources at the centre to fight some of these emergencies?
Mr. Avoka 11:20 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, well, I
appreciate the intervention, but I believe
that the law on decentralization or the Local Government Act of 1993, Act 462 does not prevent a District Assembly from committing resources to be able to do the priority that we are talking about. I, as an Hon Member of Parliament from a district, we have used District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) to build a police station. We have used DACF to build police barracks; we have used DACF to build a court house so that people do not travel 20, 30 miles, et cetera.
That is why I am appealing to this august House, my Hon Colleagues, that the law does not prevent a District Assembly from taking its destiny into its own hands. If it decides that this year it needs a fire tender, it is its priority, it can, from the DACF support on a hire purchase -- It cannot do that, maybe, it is too high but at least, the repair of the tender.
Indeed, if any District Assembly writes to the Chief Fire Officer and says that it has money, 200 million old cedis to be able to repair a tender, the following day, we will take the money and repair the tender and send it to it. So the law does not proscribe them from doing that. But they think they have other priorities, and I think that they should determine their priorities on the ground. You can decentralize everything, but if they still consider that the environment, NADMO and the rest of them are not a priority area, we do not take disaster seriously et cetera, the law will mean nothing. There are so many good laws in the country that are gathering dust and not being implemented.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:30 a.m.
I will take the last question on this matter then we move on. “Gender”. She understands why - [Laughter.] Hon Member, you
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:30 a.m.


have the floor.
Ms. Cecilia Abena Dapaah 11:30 a.m.
Yes, I am called “Gender”. Mr. Speaker, from you, I will accept it.
Mr. Speaker, the Hon Minister said that we should appeal to our District Assemblies to release GH¢20,000 for the repair of the - [Interruptions.] That is why I am asking the question that do they all have the same problems and do they all cost the same? That is why the statement he made on the floor of the House is a bit -
Mr. Avoka 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I understand her very well. I cannot stand here and say that it is the same cost of repairs; it will depend on the fault and when they do the assessment, we will get to know. So if she is interested, she can indicate that one. Some could be less than that.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I have a question. The Hon Minister has said that the cost of repairing this defective tender is GH¢20,000 and says --
“The cost of repairing the fire tenders is high and hence the repairs are done in bits”.
Mr. Speaker, what does the Minister exactly mean by that, “. . . the repairs are done in bits”?
Mr. Avoka 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, what I meant was that they are done in turns, we cannot do many at a time. We take one when we have money and repair it, and another time, if there is funding, we take one or two and repair them. That was what I meant. [Interruption.] For this purpose, yes.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Hon Members, let us make progress.
Question No. 174 standing in the name
Mr. Avoka 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker the Police Administration is facing financial difficulties in relation to building barracks to accommodate the personnel. A lot of uncompleted projects have been suspended since the year 2000.
Mr. Speaker, the Ghana Police Service has estimated the housing needs for the attention of the Ministry. Strategic prospective investors have been contacted for possible construction of mass houses nationwide for the staff of the Ghana Police Service.
Mr. Speaker as a short term measure, the Police Administration is relying on rented premises with its meagre budgetary allocation to solve the accommodation problem as at now.
Mr. Banda 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in the Hon Minister's Answer, he did say that a lot of uncompleted projects were suspended. I would like to find out from him, how many projects and what steps his Ministry is taking to get those projects completed.
Mr. Avoka 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I do not have the exact figure of projects that are uncompleted but they are numerous, ranging from one district to the other and one region to the other; ranging from official accommodation or residential accommodation to office accommodation, et cetera.
So I do not have the figure as at now but they are numerous.
Mr. Banda 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Hon Minister did not answer the second leg of my question which I sought to find out from him what steps he would take to get those uncompleted projects completed.
Now, my second question is, the Hon Minister is again saying that strategic prospective investors have been contacted. I would like to find out from him how many are they and if he can give us the names of those prospective investors.
Mr. Avoka 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, many investors invade the Ministry every other day but we have to identify them. That is why we have put in strategic investors. We have been linking up with the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing which is responsible for providing accommodation in this country and there are many of such strategic investors. I cannot tell him that they are two or three; they are quite many.
Mr. Banda 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in all how many houses will the Ghana Police Service need to alleviate their critical accommo-dation problem?
Mr. Avoka 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, we will need the following type of houses and then the following numbers. One single bedroom - 9,000; 4-storey 4-bedroom bed sitter per block - 225 units and then the total cost is GH¢90 million per this one.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Hon Member for Akropong. Is it Akropong?
Mr. William Ofori Boafo 11:30 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to find out from the Hon Minister an answer to a second leg of an earlier question, as to what steps his Ministry is taking to ensure that the uncompleted structures in the various districts are completed within the shortest possible time to enable the Ghana Police Service embark upon the recruitment exercise.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Hon Minister, did you get the question?
Mr. Boafo 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, my question is, what step is his Ministry taking to ensure that the uncompleted structures in the various districts are completed within time.
Mr. Avoka 11:30 a.m.
Indeed, Mr. Speaker, at the last Police Council meeting held about two weeks ago, where His Excellency the Vice President is the Chairman of the Police Council and I am a Hon Member, we have agreed with the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning that we should tabulate all the uncompleted projects, whether residential or offices in the country and submit that separately to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to be able to provide funding for us to complete them while we look for strategic investors to start the new blocks.
So I am confident that in this year's Budget, there will be a budget line for us to complete the uncompleted structures, or the structures that have already been completed in the various parts of the country.
Mr. Joseph K. Adda 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is indeed real that there are many uncompleted projects and serious accommodation problems for the police as well as other members of the Interior Ministry agencies and the districts. As part of a programme to speed up the rehabilitation of some of the dilapidated
Mr. Avoka 11:40 a.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, since we have limited resources -- If there is green light and there is an effort on the part of an Hon Member of Parliament or a District Assembly that they can contribute to either official residence housing in the area or office accommodation, it is an incentive and the Ministry will grab that very fast.
Mr. Kwame Osei-Prempeh 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, may I know from the Hon Minister whether there is any budget line in this year's Budget for the renovation and maintenance of police quarters, both rented and those belonging to the Service itself, and if so, how much?
Mr. Avoka 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, admittedly, we have challenges in the Budget and yesterday it was presented and in the next few days the details will be known by Hon Members. But there is a provision for investment and we appreciate that many of the facilities that they have are dilapidated and some are in a very serious state of disrepair. It is a priority that we will have to address. In addition to the uncompleted
Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want to sympathise with the Hon Minister for the Interior in terms of the accommodation problems for the police. I notice that in the Budget Statement that was read yesterday, on page 261, they intend to complete 38 units of the uncompleted housing units across the country and in that, they said that it represents 46 per cent to house 570 police officers, that is what is in the Budget Statement. So I am presuming that for 2010, that is all they can do. But apart from these uncompleted - [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Hon Member, your question.
Dr. Osei 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, my question is coming, I am laying the foundation - there are other projects that were started even after the uncompleted ones were stopped; that are almost near completion? Are there any attempts to finish those so that they can house people who are ready to move in. Here, I am referring to a project in my constituency which is almost complete and when I visited them this weekend, they were just pleading that if small money could be allocated, it could be done.
Mr. Avoka 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, if I will take my Hon Colleague on his word that we just need small money to complete the project in his constituency, then I pray and plead with him, that having regard to what I have been saying the whole morning, he should take advantage and use the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly or the Sub-Metro to complete it for us - [Laughter.] Once it is small.
Mr. J. K. Avedzi 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in answer to the Question, the Hon Minister said a lot of uncompleted projects had been suspended since the year 2000. I want to
find out from him what accounted for the suspension of those projects - since 2000 and those projects are still uncompleted.
Mr. Avoka 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I presume it is lack of funding. As I said, the Ministry's budget has hardly been appreciated, with due respect, by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, it has suffered all these years and indeed, the budget that the Ministry gets, even one agency alone, if they gave the whole of the Ministry's budget to the Ghana Police Service alone, it will not even suffice, not to talk of ten agencies under the Ministry. So I presume that the budget allocation has been very scanty. But in view of the mounting security challenge that we have now, attention is being given to the sector.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Question number 175, standing in the name of the Hon Member for Kwabre East.
Plight of Rainstorm Victims (Alleviation)
Q. 175. Mr. Kofi Frimpong asked the Minister for the Interior the intervention NADMO was putting in place to alleviate the plight of the victims of recent rainstorms that hit Asonomaso, Kasaam and Aboaso in the Kwabre East Constituency.
Mr. Avoka 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the rainstorm that hit Asonomaso, Kasaam and Aboaso, all in the Kwabre East Constituency, mainly destroyed and ripped off roofing sheets of school buildings as well as private ones. About one thousand eight hundred and nine (1,809) persons were internally displaced. The breakdown is as follows:
Adults: Male, 167, Female, 194; Children: Male, 710, Female, 738.
NADMO, in collaboration with the
District Assembly, assessed the extent of damage after which the victims were assisted with the following items:
Roofing sheets -- thirty (30) packets
Roofing nails -- ten (10) packets
Mattresses -- two hundred (200)
Blankets -- two hundred (200)
Used clothing -- ten (10) bales
Cooking oil -- ten (10) cartons
Rice -- thirty (30) bags
The provision of these roofing sheets was mainly to the affected schools. Efforts are however, being made by NADMO to send more relief items to the affected people in the communities mentioned.
Mr. Frimpong 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to know from the Hon Minister what form of relief he is going to give to the citizens who have already re-roofed their houses - [Interruptions] - they took loans from banks and they borrowed moneys from elsewhere. How does he help them?
Mr. Avoka 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, if fortunately they have been able to re-roof their houses, they are no more in distress - the purpose of the intervention is to take care of distress victims. If they have been rehabilitated by themselves or by some other means then we will take care of other people who cannot do so.
Mr. Frimpong 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in reaction to the Hon Minister's Answer, I wish to inform him that, this thing took place about 8 months ago and no effort was made on the part of NADMO to go to their aid. So these people who wanted to have a place to stay - they did not even have any shelter and they had to borrow and they are in debt and they are chasing

me here and there. What is he doing to help those people to alleviate their plight and their poverty?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Hon Member, the question you are asking is not different from the one you asked earlier on. If you have another question -- you have asked the principal Question - so you can go ahead and ask another supplementary question.
Mr. Frimpong 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I just spoke to the District Chief Executive (DCE) and he told me that these items have just arrived at the District Assembly, good. But looking at the number of people affected, especially the children that number over 1,400, how do you distribute 200 mat-tresses, 200 blankets to even the children alone? And why did it take so long a time before these items were sent to the District Assembly or was it because he was coming to Parliament to answer this Question?
Mr. Avoka 11:40 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I object to the insinuation raised by my Colleague on the other side - that because I was coming here to answer a Question, that is why we sent the relief items there. I object to that one. I object seriously because it is imputing negative intentions on my part or on the part of the Ministry, which is not correct and I will apply to have him withdraw that aspect - [Interruptions] -- Yes, he does not have to say because I am coming to answer Questions, that is why we have sent relief items. It is unfair - [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Hon Minister, you have made your point. Continue and answer the question.
Mr. Avoka 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I sympathise
with him but I made a point earlier that NADMO does not have a budget to be able to immediately address emergencies; NADMO does not have funding to that effect. So when they take place - when emergencies such as floods, et cetera, take place, NADMO would have to apply through my Ministry to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning. It would be the time that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning is able to raise funds and then send to the Ministry that NADMO can now go to the aid of the victims.
I said this earlier and I think that that is the fate that befell my Hon Colleague's district. They are not alone; there are many others. So it is in good faith that even though eight months have passed and they have rehabilitated their houses, we have still sent relief items to that area; it is in good faith and that debunks his earlier contention and assertion.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:50 a.m.
Hon
Member, the Hon Minister is saying that all steps taken are in good faith and that no improper motive should be attributed to the Ministry or to him the Minister.
Mr. Frimpong 11:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, my question as to the inadequacy of the materials has not been answered. I am saying that, looking at only the children, there are about 1,400 who are affected and if we send 200 pieces of mattress and 200 pieces of blankets, how are they going to be distributed? That is my question that I put to the Hon Minister.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:50 a.m.
Hon
Minister, the Hon Member is saying that the items are not sufficient. That is the complaint.
Mr. Avoka 11:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, nowhere have
they ever been adequate or sufficient. We are also here representing the various parts of the country by way of constituencies and districts. We all know that, when

disaster strikes, it is not everybody who can adequately be compensated; indeed, it is difficult to even compensate people or even take care of relief items adequately. You cannot do so; so this is a token. The concept is that, it is a token and it covers the institutions, like we want to rehabilitate schools by providing roofing sheets and building materials and also to take care of the children by providing cooking oil, blankets, et cetera.

So he should just take it as a token

My Hon Friend says it is more than the Budget of New York State. It is just like, if you take the Police Service in Ghana, we have 23,000 police force or police personnel in Ghana, Lagos State alone has 37,000.
Dr. A. A. Osei 11:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Hon
Minister in his answer, the one he just finished answering alludes to the fact that, the problem at NADMO is inadequacy of funds. In that light, would he consider requesting his President to institute a Contingency Fund which is in article 117, because NADMO activities are unforeseen and this fund has not been set up yet.
My question is, would he be willing to request his President to institute a Contingency Fund - the President of the country for this purpose?
Mr. Avoka 11:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, first and
foremost, let me thank the Hon Minority Leader for his sad intervention. My
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:50 a.m.
Hon
Minister, we do not take note of silent interventions in this House.
Mr. Avoka 11:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, very well,
rose
Mr. Avoka 11:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, he has not
been called, he has not been recognized by the Speaker. Sit down.
Mr. Speaker, I would prevail on His Excellency the President to copiously assist NADMO with the Contingency Fund.
Dr. Osei 11:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. I think the Hansard will testify that I corrected myself, so to repeat the old statement -- he should not say that.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:50 a.m.
You have
corrected yourself and it is true. He has corrected himself.
Ms. Esther Obeng Dappah 11:50 a.m.
Mr.
Speaker, in the Hon Minister's Answer he stated that the relief items were never adequate but he also stated that:
“Efforts are, however, being made by NADMO to send more relief items to the affected people in the communities mentioned.”
Mr. Speaker, may I know from the Hon Minister what efforts are being made and when would these further items be

delivered?
Mr. Avoka 11:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the effort
being made is that, I am vigorously pursuing the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning as a matter of urgency to allocate more funds to NADMO to address these concerns. As soon as we are able to get the funding from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, the communities referred here will benefit again.
Staff Strength of Police Personnel (Increase)
Q. 176. Mr. Herod Cobbina asked the
Minister for the Interior what immediate plans the Ministry had to increase the staff strength of police personnel in the Sefwi Akontombra District to adequately take care of the citizens there.
Mr. Avoka 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, it is the intention of the Government to strengthen the human capacity of the Ghana Police Service. However, the ability of the Government to achieve this aim is limited by the inadequate accommodation for the Ghana Police Service personnel.
Mr. Speaker, I have been indicating since this morning that we have a problem of accommodation for police personnel. Indeed, my Hon Colleagues here would bear testimony to this fact that many of the police personnel are sleeping in Charge Offices -- [Interruptions] -- many of them are sleeping there. Some police stations are keeping about 10, 15 or 20 police personnel in the offices and that does not augur well for them to deliver. Besides that, the Government is committed to solving the accommodation problems, especially in the rural areas.
So our attention is to take care of the rural areas in terms of providing accommodation there because we do
not have private accommodation there for them to rent or for them to stay. And Akontombra District in the Western Region would be considered when funds are made available to this effect.
We take note of where his district is and as soon as funds are available, it would be given a priority.
Mr. Cobbina 11:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I
requested for the increase in the staff strength of the police personnel over there, but he is talking about accommodation. In his Budget programme yesterday, it was indicated that there is going to be a programme whereby rented premises would be searched for police personnel. Would the Hon Minister consider Akontombra as a district with only four men at post, as a very serious issue and then post officials there while we have many of them staying in hotels here in Accra.
Mr. Avoka 11:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, we would
answer his prayer. We would increase the number from four to a reasonable number that can take care of the people, because even the four cannot defend themselves, not to talk about the citizenry in that area.
But I would also want to appeal to him to use his good offices to assist in getting accommodation. Even if it is rented premises, the Police Administration would pay the rent. If he can assist in getting accommodation, we can send more policemen there. So he should link up with me when we leave Parliament and we can address that issue.
Mr. Cobbina noon
Mr. Speaker, I rise to ask the Hon Minister whether in considering increasing the staff strength, he would consider giving the police station a vehicle in addition to the four men over there because it is a new district and it is in distress.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker noon
Your Question was not about a vehicle, so you are using the backdoor. But if the Hon Minister has any information, he must provide it.
Mr. Avoka noon
Mr. Speaker, well, yes, we have a commitment to provide vehicles to particularly the rural districts. So if and when vehicles are available, we will consider Akontombra as well.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah noon
Mr. Speaker, I sympathize with the Hon Minister a lot because I have ever been in the seat. But I just want him to consider whether it is not time for us, as a country, to reconsider our whole concept of policing since even in the longest future, we can never provide adequate accommodation having regard to our limited resources as a country.
Mr.Avoka noon
Mr. Speaker, well, I agree with him. He is talking from experience and I have been subjected to a similar experience, so we are exploring other avenues.
The concept of community policing is an area that we want to explore, et cetera. So I would depend on the ideas of some of my Hon Colleagues in this House and outside to be able to fashion out a new policy for the way forward in the right direction of the police.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker noon
Hon Minister, we thank you very much for attending upon the House to respond to Questions from Hon Members.
rose
Mr. First Deputy Speaker noon
Where are your Leaders?
Mr. Avedzi noon
Mr. Speaker, I am the acting Leader. [Laughter.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker noon
The House has not been informed that you are the acting Leader.
Mr. Avedzi noon
Mr. Speaker, the available Leader now - the available Leader, not the acting. Mr. Speaker, the Leader has stepped out.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker noon
I think
that your side should take business on the floor seriously. I am saying it without any sense of reservation. At least, I have been there before and we compare notes so that one person is there at any particular time. I have sat at the front bench for your side for 12 years.
rose
Mr. First Deputy Speaker noon
Let us listen to him first, then I will call you.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu noon
Thank you very much -- [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker noon
Let us listen to the - [An Hon Member: Acting Leader] - yes.
Mr. Avedzi noon
Mr. Speaker, I rise to ask your permission to allow the Deputy Minister, Hon James Agyenim-Boateng to answer the Question because of the unavailability of the Hon Minister who has been called to the Castle to talk on some issues.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker noon
Hon Minority Leader?
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu noon
Mr. Speaker, this, indeed, is Government Business and I thought that we would have somebody representing Government in this House to make such a request in the absence of the Majority Leader. The entire
leadership of the Majority is unavailable, and Mr. Speaker, this application cannot be entertained. He himself would request, or would need the authority of the Majority Leader or the leadership of the Majority to supplant himself in this exercise. He does not have the locus in the first place.
Prof. A. M. Ocquaye noon
Mr. Speaker, respectfully, some of these things are rather heart-breaking. Mr. Speaker, no one ever introduces his own or her own, self in any capacity whatsoever. One is always introduced by someone else.

Mr. Speaker, I am glad the Hon

Majority Leader is here, and for that matter, I would be very glad if in future, even if the Hon Majority Leader or any of the real leadership is not here, permission would be sought from your position first and then the Hon Majority Leader can depart. Because Mr. Speaker, if it happens otherwise, whether on this side or on that side, it might not look too good.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker noon
I entirely agree with the sentiments that you have expressed. That is why Leadership - They inform the House who are the Leaders of both sides. So I entirely agree with the sentiments that you have expressed.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker noon
Hon Majority Leader?
Mr. Bagbin noon
Well, Mr. Speaker, it is difficult for me to respond to what has happened but I rushed out to take an urgent call. In fact, I was taking it when I was bowing down to you on my way out. So I do not know what happened in my absence.
But he just reported to me that he stated that he was the available Leader -- [Laughter] - [Some Hon Members:
-- He said, “Acting”] -- Acting? Oh! Well, I think that what I heard was made in good faith and that definitely should be expunged from the records. That title has not been conferred on him yet and I think that he said it in jest; he was just joking and I believe that it should be expunged from the records.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker noon
Will you now formally take permission for the Hon Deputy Minister to come and Answer the Question for the substantive Minister?
Mr. Bagbin noon
Mr. Speaker, I am told the substantive Minister is committed to another official assignment and has mandated the Hon Deputy Minister to come and respond to the Questions which are printed on the Order Paper together with the Answers. I am told the Hon Deputy Minister has further information to be able to answer supplementary questions, so I would want to seek your permission and the indulgence of my Hon Colleagues to permit him to do so.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker noon
Very well. Hon Deputy Minister, Question No. 152 -- Hon Member for Techiman South?
rose
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Yes?

Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu: Mr. Speaker, an application has been made by the Hon Majority Leader; of course, I thought it depended on the indulgence of this House. And when he applies and then you, with respect, just afford the Hon Deputy Minister the opportunity, I believe that you will not be seeking the indulgence of the House. That is not to question your ruling in this matter. But I thought that you should, as a matter of principle, subject it to the indulgence of the House.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Hon
Minority Leader, I always do that. But in this instance, you know you raised an earlier observation and we do not want the impression to be created as if we are trying to prevent Government Business from moving smoothly in the House. I entirely agree with you and you know that I will always ask for your comments. Even if you do not make the slightest inclination that you want to speak, I always call you for your comments.
I know that earlier comments have been made in very good faith. And while the Hon Majority Leader has come and asked permission, I thought that - and on all occasions, you have always agreed to it. You have never objected to it. But if you want to make a comment, I will allow you to make the comment.
Hon Minority Leader?
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu: Mr. Speaker, I have no objection but I thought that the matters being raised were very substantial and I thought that the substantive Minister would have availed herself. But failing that, if the Hon Deputy Minister is here, we could accommodate him.
Except Mr. Speaker, as per what the Hon Majority Leader has just informed this House about, that the Hon Chairman of the Finance Committee does not have such mandate for him and that what he said was said in jest and that he has no authority, may we be assured that this House may never again be subjected to such - I do not know whether to qualify it as “good jest” or “bad jest”. Mr. Speaker, I think it is most untoward and it should not find space in this House again.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:10 p.m.
I thought the Hon Majority Leader did indicate that even though it was made in good faith, it was uncalled for and therefore, it should be expunged from the records. So what is
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:10 p.m.


not in the record is not in the record and you cannot open it up. But I think that we have accepted that it will not happen again.

Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu: Mr. Speaker, you can never predict people who are prone to coups. And this, indeed, is a coup attempt in this House.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Yes, Hon Member - Question number 152.
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION 12:10 p.m.
Mr. S. Addai 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am aware of the installation and the signals are very clear now. But my only worry now is the constant still pictures. And I think it is all over the country. How soon will the Ministry remedy the situation?
Mr. Agyenim-Boateng 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, as I did indicate, technicians from Ghana Television are conducting field strength test, particularly because previously they were sending their signals through DSTV decoders. That explains the difficulty and the still pictures and also the poor quality of sound. But now, Ghana Television (GTV) is sending the signals through transmitters and it is expected that within the shortest possible time they will be on top of the situation and then this problem about still pictures and poor quality sound will be done away with.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Next Question? Question number 235 in the name of the Hon Member for Asunafo North.
Television Booster Station in Asunafo North Constituency
(Provision)
Q. 235. Mr. Robert Sarfo-Mensah asked the Deputy Minister for Informa-tion if the Ministry would consider the need to provide a television booster station for the people of Asunafo North Constituency to enhance television viewing in the area and the adjoining districts.
Mr. Agyenim-Boateng 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation is aware of certain districts in Brong Ahafo
Region that were not receiving clear TV signals from the old TV transmitter, which became very weak. To solve this weak signal problem in those areas, a new 10 kV TV transmitter was installed in Sunyani in June 2009.
The 10 kV TV transmitter, by its signal profile, is expected to cover 60 km radius. The Asunafo North District, whose capital is Goaso and is about 60 km by line-of sight from Sunyani, happens to be on the fringes of the TV signal. Being on the fringes of a 60-km radius, the district could receive the signal or not, depending on the terrain.
Since the installation of the 10 kW TV transmitter, GTV technicians have been conducting field strength measurement to check the signal levels of the TV reception in the expected coverage areas of the transmitter, of which Asunafo North is part.
When the results of this study are obtained, hopefully, within two weeks' time and it is found out that the signal level at Asunafo North District is not up to the acceptable standard (55db/ uV), there will be the need to install a TV booster to improve TV reception in the area. If the results show otherwise, appropriate solutions (for example, antenna orientation) would be provided to the citizens to improve the TV reception.
Mr. Sarfo-Mensah 12:10 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, in the Hon Deputy Minister's Answer, he said that engineers were in the district assessing the impact of the new installation. I would like to find out from him, when they would finish their work.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Yes, when they would finish the work, the assessment by the engineers?
Mr. Agyenim-Boateng 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker,
I did indicate from my last submission that the test results are expected to be completed within two weeks from now.
Mr. Sarfo-Mensah 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I returned from my constituency about three days ago and Goaso, which he agrees is on the fringes of the 60-kilometre radius, is not the only part of Asunafo North. There are areas which go far beyond Goaso; areas like Kasapen, Asumura and so on. So if Goaso which is at the fringes is not getting a very good viewing, then you can imagine what is happening in areas like Asumura and so on.
So I just want to inform the Hon Deputy Minister that in spite of the recent installation in Sunyani, the signals at Goaso and the adjoining towns and constituency of the district are not the best and sometimes we even get signals from la Cote d'Ivoire television. So I just want to find out -
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Ask your question. [Laughter.]
Mr. Sarfo-Mensah 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to find out from the Hon Deputy Minister -- and I am giving information that the signals are not good. So what is he going to do soon to ensure that we get better television viewing?
Mr. Agyenim-Boateng 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think, first of all, it is important to understand how signals are transmitted, particularly for radio and television. If you are on, say, an upper part, if you are on a pedestal, you are likely not to receive because signals are transmitted by line of site. If you are up above the line of site, your reception is likely to be poor for both radio and television.
So for, say, mountainous areas and also for those in the valleys, reception
Mr. Agyenim-Boateng 12:20 p.m.


from radio and television is likely to be difficult. But quite apart from how transmission is done, it is also the issue about whether it has to do with antenna orientation or it has to do with booster. I am sure that eventually when the studies are completed, if it is below the 55db/uV, obviously, what it means is that the signal strength is poor and something else would have to be found out.

The solution would lie either with providing a TV booster or antenna orientation. Antenna orientation would mean that the signal strength is strong except that the direction of the antennas in those areas are misplaced. What it would take is for technicians to educate the people in those areas to re-direct their antennas and the problem would be solved.

Nii Oakley Quaye-Kumah Mr.

Speaker, in the Answer of the Hon Deputy Minister, he made mention of “line of site”. What determines the “line of site”?
Mr. Agyenim-Boateng 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think that this is a more technical area that I do not have the competence to speak to. But what I can say is that, from my little knowledge of the industry, I do know that the signals would have to travel at a certain level and all towns or villages or reception areas within the line of site -- What it means is that all those areas that are in direct contact with the signal as it is sent --
For example, if it is not passing over the town or if the town is not below the signal strength, that would mean that the reception is likely to be fantastic. But below the line of site or above the line of site, would mean that the signal reception is likely to be poor. But issues about the technicalities, I am unable to explain.
Mrs. Osei-Opare 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Hon Deputy Minister has given lots of descriptions of where the town is, whether it is down or up. The question has been asked, when is he going to have a television booster for a specific place? He has the pre-knowledge; so I am expecting that he would explain that given the terrain, the survey, the knowledge of that place, this is the kind of technology that is required, because he has given the general view -
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Hon. Member, your question, please?
Mrs. Osei-Opare 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, will the Hon Deputy Minister explain to us, the appropriate type of booster or whatever that is required for the people in the specific areas outlined in the Question to be able to receive reception? That is the question.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:20 p.m.
I am not getting the question. To be very honest, from what has transpired so far in relation to the Questions and answers provided, people are doing the assessment and that in two weeks' time, they hope from today, they would know the kind of solution that they would advise -- I do not know, but I am not getting your question. I think what you have asked has been answered. So ask another question. [Laughter.]
Mrs. Osei-Opare 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think, he talked of an assessment, but really when one is given a Question like this -- I am more or less saying I am not satisfied with the Answer because -
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Hon Member, ask a supplementary question.
Mrs. Osei-Opare 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, the question is that the Hon Deputy Minister should tell us, given the Asunafo North Constituency terrain, this description of whether an area is below or up or down --
he should be specific. What is the Asunafo terrain so that we begin to understand the relevance of those statements? I find the whole lot of talk about whether it is down, up and so on -- I am not getting the relationship between the specific constituency being mentioned. Is it up? Is it down? Does it have 10 per cent up or 10 per cent down, below, whatever line? He is not clear, please. The Hon Deputy Minister should come again.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:20 p.m.
You did not ask any question. Anyway, Hon Members, then let us move to the next Question.
Mrs. Osei-Opare 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Hon Deputy Minister got my question; I have been looking at him. So I think he can respond to my question as I have put it, that he should tell us the landscaping situation in the Asunafo North Constituency so that we can understand the “down” and “up” and whether they can therefore get -- He should know because it was not a general Question; the Question was specifically to Asunafo North Constituency and therefore, he should answer, relevant to the Asunafo North Constituency.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Hon Member, you are introducing a new matter, that is landscaping. So you know the rules are clear; Standing Order 69. Yes, Hon Member?
Mr. David Hennric Yeboah 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to ask the Hon Deputy Minister, since the viewing is not good for a period of one year, are they going to ask them to pay TV licence for that period?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Well, Hon Deputy Minister, those who do not get good reception, should they pay TV licence? That is the question. Go on and
answer it.
Mr. Agyenim-Boateng 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, my understanding of the payment of the TV licence fee is that it is a statutory requirement; it is not preconditioned upon clear or poor sound quality. My understanding is that it is a statutory requirement, so for now, that remains. It is not preconditioned upon the person receiving clear signals or problem-free signals.
rose
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Oh,
I thought we were moving to the next Question, but I would take your last question.
Dr. Osei 12:20 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, on the basis of this last answer, is the Hon Deputy Minister saying that if GTV is providing bad quality service, people should still pay for those services?
Mr. Agyenim-Boateng 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I have neither said nor suggested that GTV ought to send out poor signals or that people should pay for bad signals. The question has been asked, if quality of reception is poor, do they pay or do they not pay? I can only limit myself to the statutory provision which is that, it is a statutory requirement that if you own a television set, you have to pay.
Number of Recovered Vehicles (Status)
Q. 274. Mr. Frank Boakye Agyen asked the Hon Deputy Minister for Information, how many vehicles were recovered from NPP activists, and what was the status of the vehicles.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon Member, kindly read the Question that is printed in the Order Paper.
Mr. Agyen 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, let me read it.
Q. 274. Mr. Frank Boakye Agyen
Mr. Agyen 12:30 p.m.


asked the Deputy Minister for Information the number of vehicles recovered from former Ministers and other officials of the immediate past NPP Administration and the status of the vehicles.
Mr. Agyenim-Boateng 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, the number of vehicles recovered from the former Ministers and other officials of the last Administration is 99.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon Deputy Minister, you have not finished reading what is printed on the Order Paper.
Mr. Agyenim-Boateng 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take that again with your permission.
The number of vehicles recovered from the former Ministers and other officials of the immediate past NPP Administration is ninety-nine (99).
They are in a pool being used by government officials.
Mr. Agyen 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, may I know from the Hon Deputy Minister which specific persons the vehicles were recovered from?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon Member, that is not supplementary. I would rather wish you asked that in your main Question for him to give you the details of the people from whom the vehicles have been recovered.
Mr. Agyen 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think by asking about the status, it is so encompassing, so general that other factors related to the recovery of the vehicles could have been considered in the Answer. Notwithstanding that, I will ask another question.
Which types of vehicles are being used or were recovered from the Ministers and other NPP officials?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon Member, as much as possible, we can use “the former Administration” or - I think that is better so that we do not descend into partisan politics on the floor of the House. I know why I am making that

point.
Mr. Agyenim-Boateng 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, the breakdown of the 99 vehicles is as follows:
Saloon vehicles -- 64
Pick-ups -- 6
4-Wheel drives -- 26
Wagon -- 1
Bus -- 2
Mr. Agyen 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, may I know which persons are using these vehicles. [Laughter.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon Member, they said government officials, it is in the Answer. Under the rule, if the answer is there, you do not ask questions, look at your rules.
Mr. Agyen 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, he said they are in the pool and being used by government officials. Government officials are clear personalities, they exist so the House must be interested in knowing which types of government officials, which are their designations; it is simple.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon Deputy Minister, if you have the answer, answer.
Mr. Agyenim-Boateng 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, readily I cannot give the line-up of 99 officials of the Administration who have these vehicles in their possession for their official use. But what I can say is that these are vehicles being put to use by Ministers of State, their Deputies as well as others who serve in the entire government machinery.
Mr. O. B. Amoah 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, given the Answer provided by the Hon Deputy Minister, can he provide information on
how many vehicles are being used by government officials as at now? These 99 vehicles were taken from NPP, beyond the 99, how many extra vehicles are being used by government officials?
Mr. Bagbin 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Hon Member did not read the Question, he did not listen to the Answer and he is talking about the vehicles being taken from NPP. The vehicles were not taken from NPP; they were taken from officials of Government who served in the NPP Administration. So if he says the vehicles were taken from NPP, no vehicles were taken by Government from NPP. Again, the Answer talks about “government officials” so that has been answered.
When he asked the supplementary, the Speaker ruled that if he wanted the details, he should have indicated that in the Question so that he would have come with the details, the names and all those things and also add the names of those they retrieved the vehicles from, that he is not talking about; who were those using the vehicles they retrieved and then who are now having possession of the vehicles? That can be made available later if he requests.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, the rules governing Questions that are asked in this House are clear. The Question that was asked refers to the same subject matter and Order 67(1) (g) absorbs the questioner. Why the Hon Majority Leader these days assumes this role and he is given space, I simply cannot understand. Order 67 (1) (g) is clear:
“a Question shall not refer to more than one subject and shall not be of excessive length;”
The Question that is asked by the Hon Member is to ask the Minister for Information the number of vehicles recovered from the former Ministers
and other officials of the immediate past NPP Administration and the status of the vehicles. The supplementary questions really relate to same subject matter. I believe that it is for you to make a firm ruling on this. I do not think that these interventions by the Hon Majority Leader should be entertained.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon Minority Leader, you know that under the rules of the House, any Member can rise, drawing attention to the rules of the House. And I may take comments from the floor to guide me in making my ruling and it is on that basis that after he spoke, I wanted to hear from you and if there is need to make a ruling, I will make it. But let me hear your question again and then I will rule on the matter.
Mr. O. B. Amoah 12:40 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I said
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:40 p.m.
Hon
Member, under Standing Order 69, you are not supposed to introduce a new matter. You are now talking outside the 99, so you are introducing a new matter and your question is out of order.
Mr. David Hennric Yeboah 12:40 p.m.
Mr.
Speaker, the Hon Deputy Minister said some of the cars are in the pool being used

by government officials, do they include those paid for by the former Ministers? [Interruption.] Yes, paid for by the former Ministers. Some of them were paid for -- [Pause.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:40 p.m.
Order!
Mr. Yeboah 12:40 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, some of them were sold to the former Ministers and they were picked from them while they were driving them. So I just want to know if those are also being used by the Government.
rose
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:40 p.m.
Well, I
do not know, but yes -- [Interruption] -- Hon Majority Leader?
Mr. Bagbin 12:40 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, he is telling
us that some of the vehicles were sold to the NPP Administration. By whom? [Interruption.] No, we want the question to be clear. I cannot understand him saying that -- [Uproar.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:40 p.m.
Hon
Deputy Minister, did you understand the question? Hon Deputy Minister, come and answer the question -- [Laughter] -- No, I did not understand, to be very honest.
Mr. Agyenim-Boateng 12:40 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I
Mr. Agyenim-Boateng 12:40 p.m.


would like to first of all inform the House on the decision about who retains -- or which vehicles go back to the government pool. And I would like to respectfully crave your indulgence to read from a communication dated 23rd February, 2005, which is signed by the then Chief of Staff, Mr. Kwadwo O. Mpiani, in which he wrote that:

I think that this is the guiding principle which informed who kept his vehicle and which vehicle came back into the government pool. Mr. Speaker, I would like to respectfully submit that some vehicles have been returned, and the appointees are entitled to a refund of money. I think that with your permission, I would like to go through this list of those who have returned their vehicles and their moneys handed over to them; those who still continue to keep their vehicles.

Mr. Speaker, with your permission, if you would like me to -- [Interruption] -- [Some Hon Members: Go on! Go on! Say it. ]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:40 p.m.
Hon
Members, order! I think the import of the question -- [Interruption] -- Hon Members, order! I think the import of the Question is whether the 99 include vehicles that were retrieved from public officials who paid for their vehicles. And my understanding of you reading that communication from the Office of the Chief of Staff is whether the age of the vehicles determine whether they should be picked, retrieved from the user or not to be retrieved from the user. And I think that information is enough.
We do not want to go into names and who kept what and all those things. [Uproar.] Hon Deputy Minister -- Order! Hon Deputy Minister, in order for the Hansard Department to capture it effectively, you should make that
LETTER HERE 12:40 p.m.
rose
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:40 p.m.
Yes, Hon
Member for Ho West?
Mr. E. K. Bedzra 12:40 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I

Several Hon Members -- rose --
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:40 p.m.
I rule that
question out. [Laughter.] Hon Members, I do not want this question to develop into a partisan type of lining. Information has to be provided to the House, and if you want to push this matter, there are lots of tools at the disposal of Hon Members to take this matter further. We will not allow this matter to degenerate. I will take only two questions on this matter, and I will close the chapter on it; one from both sides. Hon Cecilia Dapaah?
Ms. Cecilia Dapaah 12:40 p.m.
Mr. Speaker,
why is it that some former Ministers, Deputy Ministers and other government functionaries who paid legally for their vehicles but later returned them after they were criminalized, vilified and embarrassed have not had their moneys refunded to them?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:40 p.m.
Hon
Member, in order to make it easy for me, I would want you to give an example of a person, one official. It would be better -- As much as possible, we do not think the questions are supposed to deal with personality, but for the nature of your question, which I think is a very
Ms. Dapaah 12:40 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, thank you
for your fair judgement. Mr. Speaker, Hon Boniface Saddique has returned his vehicle long ago, but he has not received his refund. I gave an ultimatum of 24 hours and I had my refund. If you want to know, the Hon Majority Leader --
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:40 p.m.
You have answered part of the question -- [Laughter] -- Anyway, Hon Deputy Minister, they have mentioned a particular former Minister who -- [Inter-ruption.]
Mr. Agyenim-Boateng 12:40 p.m.
Mr. Speaker,
thank you very much for the question. Mr. Speaker, on the list that I have, I do not know that some of the former Ministers and appointees who returned their vehicles have collected refunds for their vehicles and I am sure that the questioner is captured in that category. For the issue about Hon Abu-Bakr Saddique Boniface, my understanding is that his cheque is ready -- [Uproar] -- His cheque is ready, he has yet to collect the cheque for his vehicle.
Mr. Speaker, thank you very much.
Mr. E. A. Armah 12:50 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, may I ask the Hon Deputy Minister how long it took to retrieve these vehicles and if it was even right to retrieve them?
Mr. Agyenim-Boateng 12:50 p.m.
Mr. Speaker,
it will interest you to note that even as I speak to issues that border on official vehicles of some members of the last Administration, some of them continue to retain their vehicles. Indeed, some continue to retain their vehicles.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:50 p.m.
Hon
Minister, I will not allow you to mention any name here, especially when the people are not here to defend themselves. So I am not going to -- That brings us to the end of Question time.
Hon Minority Leader, I will allow you
to ask your question.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:50 p.m.
Hon
Members, order! Let us listen to the Minority Leader. Hon Members, order!
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:50 p.m.
Mr.
Speaker, is he aware that former Ministers, Deputy Ministers and other functionaries of the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) Administration also retained vehicles that were less than two years, in some instances, even less than one year old? [Interruptions.] Mr. Speaker, we have the list and if he dares me, I will read it.
Mr. Agyenim-Boateng 12:50 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, with the greatest of respect, I did not serve in that Administration, I am not aware.
Thank you.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:50 p.m.
Mr.
Speaker, this is most surprising because governance is continuing and whether a person served there or not, it is immaterial in this regard. In his capacity as a Minister or Deputy Minister, he is required to know. Mr. Speaker --
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:50 p.m.
Hon Minority Leader, his answer is that he is not aware.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:50 p.m.
Mr.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:50 p.m.
Hon
Members, order! At least, if you are not ready to listen to yourselves, let us listen to our Leaders when they are on their feet. If we do not want to listen to ourselves, let us listen to our Leaders when they are on their feet.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:50 p.m.
Thank you
very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I accept the answer --- he is saying that he is not aware; that is credible. What is not credible is what he added that because “I did not serve . . .”
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:50 p.m.
Hon
Minority Leader, I agree with you on that one because he has also referred to a letter by the former Chief of Staff which shows that governance is a continuous process.
Hon Members, that brings us to the end of Question time. Hon Deputy Minister, you are discharged, and we thank you very much for attending upon the House.
rose
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:50 p.m.
Hon
Majority Leader, we have finished with Question time.
Mr. Bagbin 12:50 p.m.
No, Mr. Speaker, we have not finished. I am just acknowledging your generosity for even allowing the Minister to answer the last supplementary question because it was completely a different Question from the original Question. The Question that is on the Order Paper was talking about the recent

- not 2001, that is complete. But again, you were so generous in not allowing the whole list to be read.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:50 p.m.
Hon

Hon Members, that brings us to the end of Question time.

Madam Speaker has not admitted any Statement for today. That brings us to the Commencement of Public Business, item 6, Presentation and First Reading of Bills by the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning.
Mr. Bagbin 12:50 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I humbly
request your permission and the indulgence of my Colleagues to allow the Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning to do the First Reading of this Bill for and on behalf of the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning because the Minister is at present committed to some official duty we have asked him to do and he is not present himself.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:50 p.m.
Mr.
Speaker, I should not have any difficulty at all and I speak on behalf of my Colleagues but it is subject to one condition which the Deputy Minister knows, it must be fulfilled before he is allowed the platform.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:50 p.m.
I am
happy to announce that it has been fulfilled. I understand the language. Yes, the most important thing is that your Leader understands the language.
BILLS - FIRST READING 12:50 p.m.
Mr. Bagbin 12:50 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I sympathize with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and so when he told me about his difficulty, I agreed with him that I could get any of the available Ministers to lay the Papers on his behalf. I just want to respectfully request your permission and the indulgence of my Colleagues -- [Interruptions] -- He has no abode -- to permit the Minister for Chieftaincy Affairs to lay that Instrument for and on behalf of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:50 p.m.
Mr.
Speaker, the Hon Majority Leader is expressing his sympathy for the Hon Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration. Mr. Speaker, I rather sympathize with the Majority Leader for his disability in these matters. We will indulge the Minister for Chieftaincy Affairs.
PAPERS 12:50 p.m.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1 p.m.
Item 8
- Hon Majority Leader.
Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 1 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want to repeat my application which I made a few days ago for the House to let us allow the Interpretation Bill to go through a winnowing stage. We have programmed to do that today and I want to plead that we will be allowed to go through the winnowing stage and maybe tomorrow, we then take what has been agreed upon to go through the Consideration Stage.
Mr. Speaker, I did make the application in view of some of the amendments that have been proposed that could be dealt with when we are together at the committee level. So I will repeat that application and I ask that the item numbered 8 - consideration of the Interpretation Bill be deferred.
Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I think that it is a reasonable proposition but I think further to this application -- what I may want to add is that we find a way to institutionalize the winnowing process because Mr. Speaker, from hence, we may need whatever is captured there in substance. This is because it may be necessary that we add it or we capture it as part of the report so as to inform those who will be charged to
interpret the Act that may ensue.
So perhaps, maybe, we will take it up during the review of our Standing Orders. But I think it is important, if we want to reconcile and harmonise amendments, then we find a way to properly capture it so that it becomes part of the report of the relevant committee.
Mr. William O. Boafo 1 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I had sent some proposed amendments but when they came out, I realized that one of them has not been included. I will like to draw the Leader's attention to that particular clause - that is clause 1, so that at the winnowing session, they take that into account. It is strictly not an amendment but it is a question of drafting approach.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1 p.m.
Very well, Hon Majority Leader.
Mr. Bagbin 1 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, all those who have proposed amendments to the Bill are requested to be at the winnowing meeting and I humbly request my Colleague, my senior at the Bar to be present because there are a lot of legal issues raised by Members and also from the Chair. Other Members are saying that they still need to file some amendments and there are some serious constitutional matters that we have to debate at that level and then come to some understanding and let the debate flow on the floor and that is why we are asking for the winnowing.
I plead with you to be there yourself to present this amendment which has not been captured by the Order Paper.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1 p.m.
Very well - so Hon Majority Leader?
Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 1 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, in the circumstances, I will urge that we move to item 9 which deals with committee sittings but before we do that, the winnowing will
Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 1 p.m.


take place immediately after adjournment, in the office of the Majority Leader and I want to proceed to move, that we take the adjournment until tomorrow morning when we will re-convene to continue with the proceedings of the House.

I beg to move.
Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to second the motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
ADJOURNMENT 1 p.m.