Debates of 25 Nov 2009

MR. FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:15 a.m.
ANNOUNCEMENTS 10:15 a.m.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Hon Members, before we proceed to the correction of Votes and Proceedings, there is one Communication from H.E. the President of the Republic and I proceed to read:
“24th November, 2009
Right Honourable,
NOMINATION FOR DEPUTY 10:15 a.m.
MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENT 10:15 a.m.
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC 10:15 a.m.
OF GHANA 10:15 a.m.
OFFICE OF PARLIAMENT 10:15 a.m.
PARLIAMENT HOUSE 10:15 a.m.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Hon Members, Order! Correction of Votes and Proceedings of Tuesday, 24th November,
2009.
Pages 1 - 5 --
Mr. John Agyabeng 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I
was here yesterday but unfortunately my name is in the list of Members who were supposed to be absent.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Which
page are you talking about?
Mr. Agyabeng 10:15 a.m.
Page 5.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Which
item?
Mr. Agyabeng 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, item 6
-- my name is on the list of Members who were supposed to be absent yesterday but I was here yesterday.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Very well,
Table Office to take note.
Page 6 --
Mrs. Gifty E. Kusi 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, page 6, item 33, I was here yesterday. I had a meeting to attend but I made sure I came to the House to sit down for some time before the meeting at 11.00 a.m. But then I have been marked absent.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Very well.

Hon Members , the Votes and Proceedings of Tuesday, 24th November, 2009 as corrected is hereby adopted as the true record of proceedings.

Hon Members, item 6 (b) -- Chairman

of the Committee, is the Report ready? Finance Committee, is that Report ready?
Mr. J. T. Akologu 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
the Report is ready but the Chairman -- [Pause] -- he just stepped out.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Very

Very well, I have been advised that we should take the liberty to lay all the Papers which ought to be laid.
Mr. Akologu 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Hon
Minister for Finance and Economic Planning and his Deputies are not here. They are engaged in post-Budget discussions and I want to crave your indulgence and that of the House to allow the Minister for Energy to lay the Papers on his behalf.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Hon
Minority Chief Whip?
Mr. Frederick Opare-Ansah 10:15 a.m.
Mr.
Speaker, we have no objection to that.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Very
well, 5 (a) --
BILLS -- FIRST READING 10:15 a.m.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Item 5
(b)?
Mr. Akologu 10:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Hon
Minister for Communications is on his way but he has not been able to arrive yet and since we have varied the Order Paper to take this first, I will make the same application for the Minister for Energy to lay the Paper on his behalf.
Mr. Opare-Ansah 10:15 a.m.
We are in agreement, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:15 a.m.
Very
well, 5 (b)?
Electronic Communications (Amendment) Bill, 2009
An Act to amend the Electronic
Communications Act 2008, Act 775 to provide a minimum rate for international incoming electronic communication traffic and for related matters.
Presented by the Minister for
Energy (on behalf of the Minister for Communications). Read the First time; referred to the Committee on Communications.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.
Item 6 -- Laying of Papers -- Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning?
Mr. Akologu 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is --
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.
It is
consequential?
Mr. Akologu 10:25 a.m.
Yes, it is a consequential
application.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.
Very well.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.
Paper duly laid for --
Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang
-- rose --
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.
Yes, Hon
Member for New Juaben North?
Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, my usual plea, that although these documents are basically loans, I think that the essence of our examining them is to make sure that indeed, they meet the needs of the particular sector or sub- sector concerned and that also, the input of, say, the Health Committee is important. Because technically -- Otherwise, almost everything, just like you yourself said, will
go to the Finance Committee. I believe that whether we have value for money and the rest and even how it is situated within the configuration of the administration, should be taken into consideration.
So, I believe that in most instance, just like you said yesterday, Rt. Hon Speaker, I want to side with you and I think that at least, it does nobody no harm if the committee on Health sits together with them to make sure that the money they are taking, not only the financial aspect of it, is indeed, pertinent to the needs of the country. Otherwise, the Finance Committee will do everything for us -- budgeting and everything. I do not think it is the right way to go, Mr. Speaker.
So I want to plead that the Health
Committee be added to form a joint Committee for such things which are also technical. They must advise us as to whether it is right or not. And that is my point.
rose
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.
Yes, Hon
Member for Sekondi?
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker,
well, I may agree with the Hon Member for New Juaben North but I wish to refer, Mr. Speaker, with your leave to Order 171 and this is what it states:
“When a Loan Agreement or an international business or economic transaction that requires the authorisation of Parliament through a resolution is laid before Parliament it shall be the duty of the Committee on Finance to examine the Agree- ment or transaction and make recommendations to the House.”
So, the question that, Mr. Speaker, you should be asking yourself in directing the House on this matter is, one, is it a loan agreement or an international business or economic transaction? And what is Parliament being requested to do? Authorise. Authorise that the Government enters into such a transaction.
If that is the case, it will be the duty of the Committee on Finance to examine the agreement or transaction and make recommendations to the House. So depending on the nature of the agreement, since the interpretation and implementation of the Orders is in your bosom, if in the wisdom of Mr. Speaker, you think that another Committee ought to support the Finance Committee in examining the agreement, it is purely up to you.
But in the absence of any indication as to the nature of the agreement, really, I believe that Mr. Speaker may then advise himself as to what we ought to do.
Thank you very much.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.
Thank you very much. I will only take the Hon Deputy Majority Leader and I will direct.
Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, please --
Mr. Speaker, I did not say that I have the authority --
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.
Hon Member for New Juaben North, I have given the floor to the Hon Deputy Majority Leader.
Hon Deputy Majority Leader, you have the floor.
Mr. J. T. Akologu 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I could not agree more with the Hon Member for Sekondi (Papa Owusu-Ankomah). But I believe that the Hon Member for New
Juaben North is coming from the premise of the conventions of this House. But in this particular case, as has been explained by the Hon Member for Sekondi, the circumstances do not, at this point in time, indicate that any other committee should join in the discussion.
So, please, I think that this is not the type or the case that the convention should be applied to join committees and you should rule in favour of the Hon Member for Sekondi (Papa Owusu-Ankomah).
Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.
Yes?
Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that we have been here long enough. The convention of this House - many a time these loans have been referred to joint committees. It does nobody any harm. We are improving. We do not have to cocoon ourselves into this kind of situation. What do we lose by asking the Health Committee to join? I do not think we want to interpret the letter of this -- [Shows a copy of the Standing Orders] -- The spirit is what I am referring to.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.
Hon Members, I think that we should not belabour this issue. [Interruptions.]
Hon Member for New Juaben North, I think that on this occasion, I would refer this to the Finance Committee for consideration and report. The reason is that, you know very well that at this particular time, we are considering the Budget and I have been informed by the Clerk's Office that quorum becomes a problem because other committees will be working on their sectoral budgets and all
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.


those things. And if you add more people, then it means that the figure for quorum will get higher and it creates a problem for the committees' work.

So Hon Member for New Juaben North, I accordingly refer this matter to the Finance Committee for consideration and report.

Referred to the Finance Committee.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.
Number
6 (a) (iii)?
By the Minister for Energy (on behalf of the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning) --
Financing Agreement between the Republic of Ghana and KBC Bank of Belgium for an amount of two million, eight hundred and sixty-seven thousand, two hundred and thirty-three euros (€2,867,233) -- for the supply and installation of heavy duty washing machines for 13 hospitals in the country.
Referred to the Finance Committee.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.
Item
6 (b) -- Hon Chairman of the Finance Committee?
By the Chairman of the Committee --
Report of the Finance Committee on the Request for waiver of stamp duty on a receivables-backed Offshore Syndicated Trade finance facility amounting to US$1,200,- 000,000.00 for the 2009/2010 year cocoa purchases by Ghana Cocoa Board.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.
Thank you
very much, Hon Members.
We are going back to Questions. It
is Question time and we have the Hon Minister for Energy -- [Power outage] -- [Uproar.]
Hon Minister, based on what has

Hon Members, Quest ion t ime. Question Number 155 standing in the name of the Hon Member for Bosomtwe?
Dr. Matthew O. Prempeh 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Hon Member for Bosomtwe is on an official parliamentary business and he has asked me to ask the Question on his behalf. [Interruptions.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:25 a.m.
Hon Members, order! Very well.
Dr. Prempeh 10:25 a.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS 10:35 a.m.
MINISTRY OF ENERGY 10:35 a.m.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Hon Members, order! Hon Member for Atwima-Mponua, Mr. I. K. Asiamah, do you want me to name you?
Yes, Hon Minister, go ahead.
Minister for Energy (Dr. Oteng
Adjei): Mr. Speaker, as part of the Electricity Company of Ghana's (ECG's) Masterplan for its network, a total of twelve (12) 33 kV Switching Stations are being constructed in various parts of the ECG network. One of these is the Kuntanase 33 kV switching station which is expected to shorten the circuits and thereby reduce the number of outages.
The contractor has begun work on the construction of the Switching Station and it is expected to be commissioned by March 2010. The Kuntanase and Bekwai townships are served by a 33 kV distribution line from the ECG substation D at Kaase. The length of the line from Kaase to Kuntanase is 18 kilometres and from Kuntanase to Bekwai is 15 kilometres. The construction of the switching station will, therefore, help to drastically reduce outages since each of the circuits will now be independent of the other.
In addition to the 33 kV Station, works on a 15-kilometre express line from ECG's main Station D at Kaase are being constructed to help provide a very reliable supply circuit to the Kuntanase station. Three additional circuits with a total circuit length of about 21 kilometres are being proposed but are yet to receive funding for implementation. These circuits are to separate the existing lines to Abonu, Piase and Bekwai. The total cost of these circuits is estimated at about US$1.9 million and GH¢210,000.00.
Dr. Prempeh 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, does the
Hon Minister for Energy have any idea of how long the people in his constituency and in my constituency should wait for these measures that would minimize the power fluctuations? Does he have any time-line?
Dr. Adjei 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in terms of time-lines, we have just stated that the sub-station work at Kuntanase is supposed to be completed in March, 2010; the other three sub-stations would end up re-inforcing the system in that part of the country. We said that we are working on the financing side. But at least, the initial work to begin the process of reducing outages within that area, we say that by March 2010, it should be done.
Dr. Prempeh 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I do not think the Hon Minister understood my question. If we do not complete these sub- stations along this circuit or the switching station --
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Hon Member, ask your question.
Dr. Prempeh 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, my question is, in his own Answer, the Hon Minister stated the fact that if they do not complete these switching gears and sub-stations, Kuntanase District is never going to have stable power supply. Is that his opinion?
Dr. Adjei 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that the question says “to reduce outages”. It did not say that they are not having access to any form of supply. So what we are doing in the process of re-inforcing the electrical network is to ensure that we reduce it. Definitely, as power systems, there are elements of forced outages within the equipment which none of us can control. What we are trying to do is where possible, parallel the lines, make available alternative way of doing things.
In this particular case, the relay is in
Dr. Prempeh 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Hon Minister --
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Your last supplementary question?
Dr. Prempeh 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, power outages -- and I mean power outages in this country are not only limited to Bosomtwe. In Accra -- [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Hon Member --
Dr. Prempeh 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I am coming to my question because of his Answer --
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Hon Member, your supplementary question?
Dr. Prempeh 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, Yes, I am not introducing any other subject; I am basing it on his own Answer. Power outages are now so rampant in this country that by his statement, this whole country's electricity is antiquated, because I do not see which part of the country is not experiencing currently these power
outages. What is happening in ECG?
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
That is not a supplementary question.
Question number 156 standing in the
name of the Hon Member for Binduri?
rose
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Hon Members, today we are starting the debate on the Budget and these are constituency- specific Questions and to that extent, I would not take supplementary questions from any other Hon Member except those in whose names the Questions are; they would exhaust all the three supplementary questions so that we can quickly go to Public Business and start the debate on the Budget.
So Question 156 standing in the name of the Hon Member for Binduri?
Dr. Prempeh 10:35 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Hon
Member for Binduri, who is a member of our Health Committee, is on an official parliamentary business in Uganda and he has asked me through the Hon Chief Whip of my side to continue asking these Questions on his behalf. [Laughter.] I am seeking your permission to let me continue from where I just ended.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Well, if
Dr. Prempeh 10:45 a.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Electricity for Atoba, Boko, Nayoko 1 and 2, et cetera

(Connection)

Q. 156. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh (on behalf of Mr. Stephen Yakubu) asked the Minister for Energy when the following towns would be connected to the National Electricity Grid:

(i) Atoba

(ii) Boko

(iii) Nayoko 1 and 2

(iv) Manga

(v) Zuasi

(vi) Kpalugu.
Mr. Oteng Adjei 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the
Atoba and Boko communities form part of the Ministry's ongoing electrification project under SHEP. Construction of High Voltage (HV) and Low Voltage (LV) networks are ongoing in these commu- nities. The LV works at Atoba are 80 per cent complete, while those of Boko are 30 per cent complete.
The Ministry of Energy has made an arrangement for the supply of the HV poles for the communities. The projects in the communities have been scheduled for completion by March 2010.
The remaining communities, namely: Nayoko 1and 2, Manga, Zuasi and Kpalugu do not form part of any of the on-going electrification projects being undertaken by the Ministry.
Dr. Prempeh 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the remaining communities, Nayoko 1 and 2, Manga, Zuasi, Kpalugu do not form part of any of the ongoing electrification projects that are being undertaken by the Ministry. That is the reason why I am asking the
Question. When? When are they going to be considered by the Ministry?
Dr. Adjei 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, projects
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Hon
Members, let us listen to the Minister.
Mr. Adjei 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, as part of the
scheme, it comes to their turn and that is the function of the availability of funds and we believe that it will be in the near future but we cannot put a time frame on it.
Dr. Prempeh 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Hon Minister for Energy's Answer is “we do not know when”. From his exalted position, then he is by definition telling the people in these communities that -- [Interruptions] -- Yes, I am asking the question -- [Interruptions.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Order! Order! Address the Chair.
Dr. Prempeh 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the noise
does not make it easier for me. I know that the Ministry of Energy has a policy about electrification for the whole country. Is the Hon Minister telling us in this House that these communities are not in Ghana and for that matter they are not part of the Ministry's policy for the electrification?
Dr. Adjei 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, yes, the
policy is that every community that has a population of more than five hundred will have to be connected to the national grid by the year 2020. So coming back, maybe, to ask when -- let me put it this way that these communities will have access to the national grid before or within the year 2020.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Your last
supplementary.
Dr. Prempeh 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, consi-
dering the communities (Atoba and Boko) which the Hon Minister has said are 80 per cent and 30 per cent complete, which phase of the rural electrification pro- gramme or self help programme are they?
Mr. Adjei 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, currently, we
are running Phase 4, SHEP 1.
Electricity for Suponso, Betiako, Mfanibu and Abonsuaso
(Connection)
Q. 157. Mr. Richard Akuoko Adiyia asked the Minister Energy when the following towns in the Tepa District in the Ahafo Ano North Constituency would be connected to the National Electricity Grid:
(i) Suponso
(ii) Betiako (iii) Mfanibu; and
(iv) Abonsuaso.
Dr. Adjei 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Suponso,
Betiako, Mfanibu and Abonsuaso communities form part of the Ministry's ongoing SHEP programme.
High Voltage and Low Voltage network construction is 40 per cent and 80 per
cent complete respectively at Betiako. Abonsuaso has provided only 20 out of the 120 LV poles required for the project. The Ministry has arranged to supply the remaining HV poles for the communities.
The Suponso and Mfanibu com- munities have been earmarked to benefit under the subsequent phases of SHEP-4 but do not form part of the ongoing SHEP- 4, Phase-1 Project.
Mr. Adiyia 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, can the Hon Minister be specific when these poles will be supplied to the said communities?
Mr. Adjei 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I know that the
contract for hauling these poles has been given out and it is a very comprehensive work that the contractor is doing. I may not be able to tell you exactly but I know that there is a programme that is due and we are working with the consultants and the contractor in place.
I believe that immediately the Low Voltage poles are available for the contractor, by the time it gets to that point, definitely, the high tension poles will be there. I assure the Hon Member that we are doing everything possible to make sure that we do not delay in these projects since we know it is very important to Hon Members.
Mr. Adiyia 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, can the Hon Minister confirm that Suponso and Kpalugu communities will benefit from the subsequent SHEP Phase 4?
Dr. Adjei 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, yes, we have stated clearly here that they will benefit from subsequent phases. What I am pleading with the Hon Member is that, under SHEP programmes, the communities are also expected to procure the poles. Can he also work with them to ensure that at the time that they come on board, the poles will be available so that
we can together team up to complete the project as quickly as possible?
Mr. Adiyia 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I do not have
any further questions.

Electrification Project for Offinso South Constituency

(Completion)

Q. 158. Mr. Ben Abdallah Banda asked the Minister for Energy what measures were being put in place to ensure that the electrification project in the Ofinso South Constituency was completed.
Dr. Adjei 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Energy is currently working at Achina, Buasi, Abofour Camp, Dome, Ampabame, Namong and Dumasua in the Offinso South Constituency. Installation works are at various stages of completion in these communities. The Namong and Dome communities have, however, provided none of the LV poles required for the project, and this may affect the completion times for the project in these two communities.
The electrification project in the Offinso South Constituency has been scheduled for completion by March 2010.
Mr. Banda 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, for the information of the Hon Minister, there is no community or village or town called Achina. And I am also reliably informed that there is no work currently going on in the towns or communities mentioned in the Hon Minister's Answer. And there are no installation works going on in those communities -- [Interruption.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Hon
Member, ask your question.
Mr. Banda 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, my question
then is, in his Answer, he mentioned certain communities or villages and there are a lot of villages or communities that have not been connected to the national electricity grid in my constituency. What plans does he have for those communities to get connected to the national electricity grid?
Dr. Adjei 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the question
says that “what measure were being put in place to ensure that the electrification project in the Offinso…”, so we interpret that to mean a specific project that is ongoing.
Mr. Speaker, that is why we tried to identify those that we know we have given the assignment to a contractor and we know the contractor and the consultants are working on them. If for any reason, the Hon Member is telling me that he has not been seeing the contractor, I guess, I would want to assure him that from here, I will call them and look at it. Mr. Speaker, in addition, we do have a real problem, and I want to make this as an appeal; we do have a real problem.
We have been talking to some of the Hon Members to help us. Where we have two constituencies in one district, it has been very difficult for us to break down the towns as to whether they are under the North or under the South. We will maybe, come back to the House and people who have such things to work with us to clean our database, so that we should be able to give you information that is valid. This is because he is on the ground and he may know better than us. So, definitely, we know there is a project going on, if it is encountering any challenges, I have heard I will follow it up with him.
Mr. Banda 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Hon
Minister has said in his Answer that installation works are at various stages of completion; can he respectfully tell us
Dr. Adjei 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, in doing the
electrification work, there are about three phases. Even the procurement of the materials constitutes one phase; and when we get to the actual implementation, we do have the high voltage aspect of the work, that is the lines taken, the major source from where there is power and moving with a three-phase line into the communities that are requesting for power.
Then the third phase is where we do have the LV work, the actual construction of the lines within the towns and the mounting of the transformers. When we say that we are in various phases, we are saying that for some of them, the contractors are moving materials to the site.
When we say that we are in moving phases, some of them, they are planting the poles for the LV work. Some of them, they are also doing the LV works. So if for whatever reason the contractor is -- [Power outage] -- If for any reason, I can send some men to the Hon Member and work with him to see how we can improve the pace of work there to ensure that the Hon Member is satisfied in his quest to look for a product, electricity, which is important for the development of his people -- [Pause.]
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Question
Number 265, standing in the name of Hon Christopher Addae.
Single-Phase Electrification System in Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai
(Upgrading)
Q. 265. Mr. Christopher Addae asked the Minister for Energy what steps the Ministry was taking to upgrade the
Single-Phase Electrification System in most of our rural communities.
Dr. Adjei 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, generally, the design for all High Tension (HT) networks of electrification projects being undertaken by the Ministry of Energy, the ECG and the VRA-NED is based on a three-phase network. However, for Low Voltage (LV) networks, it is possible to have single-phase design if the load for the town is very low. Should the load become very big, such that the capacity of the transformer and the single-phase LV network is inadequate to carry the load, then the affected community must contact the relevant distribution utility for an upgrade.
Mr. Addae 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to find out from the Hon Minister if he is aware that the single-phase electrification system cannot accommodate small scale rural enterprises like corn mill, saw mill and the rest?
Dr. Adjei 10:55 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, yes, I reckon
that if the corn mill is using three phase design or network, then if we do provide single phases, it is going to be difficult. But let me explain. The lines that are coming, the 33 kV lines, the 11 KV lines, all these lines are three phases. When we get into the community, then we drop it either by a three-phase transformer or a single-phase transformer depending on the load of the community.
If we drop it by a three-phase transformer, then every house, every residential house -- most of us are supposed to use single-phase equipment in the house, so it is possible. On the other hand, if we come with a three-phase design and you are locating your enterprise, then we are saying that the three-phase is available to the town except that you will have to position it in such a way that you can make use of our three- phase.
If it becomes necessary that you are allocating it far off our three-phase, then you are saying that if truly you are coming to do a business, work with the relevant agencies and where you do have extreme problems, contact us at the Ministry but for initial designs when the loads are usually very, very small in our rural communities, we will also need to look at the possibility of saving little money so that we can hasten the pace at which we are doing the National Electrification Programme.
Mr. Addae 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like the Minister to tell us which is more cost- effective, starting the project with a three-phase transformer so that when there is need to upgrade or when the load drops, you will not need to go back and incur extra cost or going with a single-phase and later go to an extra cost to upgrade the system.
Dr. Adjei 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that
if we were to go to every village in this country and that is what I am saying, the backbone network is three-phase. But if the community is very small, then what I am hearing is that approving the three- phase by locking in money in there and it will take ten years, twenty years, I have locked that resource.
What we are saying is that, it may be better to initially give them -- if the community is actually small, single-phase transformer whereby we can do more other things. After the ten years, fifteen years, if the need be then we will define the three- phase transformer.
Again, even for people who are using three-phase equipment, there is a phase to phase converter just like people who have lived in North America, when they come with their 110 voltage phase, they have a step-up transformer in order to be
able to use this in our situation. If there is a particular person in his constituency with this problem, I am ready to work with him and to support him so that he can make use of whatever equipment that he is using and also make use of our network to facilitate the business that he is doing. I am ready, Sir.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon
Member for Amenfi East and then the Hon Minority Chief Whip.
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I wish
to ask the Minister for Energy, since most of the communities in the Western Region now have single-phase transformers, which cannot cope with the load, will he assure this House of a programme to phase out this single-phase transformers and replace them with a two-phase or three- phase transformers?
Dr. Adjei 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, conceptually,
everybody can use single-phase and almost every house in our regional capitals is taking single-phase. If the transformer is over -loaded ,then it is not a function of the phase of network that we have given them. In that case, we only have to upgrade the transformer so that it can take more load. If that is the issue, we are ready to look at it. Other than that, every House uses a single-phase.
Even if I put a three-phase transformer there -- that is why you have four wires, the three are live and then there is a neutral. In every house, I come in with one live and one neutral and that is adequate for the load in the house. But if that specific transformer, irrespective of the phase is overloaded, then it cannot take the load of all the people who are sitting on.
If that is the issue, we will work with the appropriate and relevant agency to make sure that we upgrade the transformer. On the other, if somebody is locating a business and he has a three-phase
Mr. Frederick Opare-Ansah 11:05 a.m.
Mr.
Speaker, in the Minister's Answer the last paragraph reads and I quote:
“Should the load become very big, such that the capacity of the transformer and the single-phase LV network is inadequate to carry the load, then the affected community must contact the relevant distri- bution utility for an upgrade.”
Mr. Speaker, my question is, the
poor end-user of electricity facilities in my village of Kukua, what technical knowledge would he have to determine that his transformer is unable to carry the load or the LV network is unable to carry the load for him to go and contact the relevant distribution utility for an upgrade?
Would it not be better for the Ministry if the company itself had its own programme of determining when these systems which have been installed were going beyond the capacities for which they were designed instead of relying on the communities which have totally no technical capacity to make this determi-nation?
Dr. Adjei 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, yes, the
relevant utilities do have customer service units at various points. So what we are expecting is that the customer can just walk there and explain his problem and we expect that the customer service people will interpret it into the technical side and address it
If it is very difficult and it is possible to contact us at the Ministry, we will offer such a service. Other than that, in terms
of the overload, it will be clear from the way the attributes are coming. But if somebody is going to site a small-scale industry anywhere, if he or she took the opportunity to talk to the utilities then they will work with him and position it in such a way that they will have access to their network with minimum problems.
So I believe that what we are saying is that, as we make use of the customer service of all these utilities, we will minimize the stress on our people when they want to have access to the national grid.
M r. F i r s t D e p u t y S p e a k e r :
Question No. 267, the Hon Member for Atiwa.
Prof. (Emeritus) Samuel K. Amoako 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Hon Member for Atiwa is absent today and I seek your permission to ask this Question on his behalf.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Has he
authorized you to do so?
Prof. (Emeritus) Amoako 11:05 a.m.
Yes, he
has.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Very well.
Intermittent Electricity Black-outs in Atiwa District
(Prevention)
Q. 267. Prof. (Emeritus) Samuel K. Amoako (on behalf of Mr. Kwasi Annoh Ankamah) asked the Minister for Energy what steps and actions were being taken to stop the intermittent electricity black-outs which had become a daily occurrence in Atiwa District.
Dr. Adjei 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Energy acknowledges the intermittent black-outs which affected Kwabeng, Begoro, Tafo and the environs in recent times.
Some of the interruptions were due to timber felling activities by chain-saw operators in the forest areas where the lines pass. The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has also identified bamboo trees which were touching the lines and has engaged the services of a contractor to prune the bamboo trees.
An 18-month contract was awarded in September 8, 2009 to establish a switching station at Bunso to facilitate power supply to customers in the Atiwa District. The switching station at Bunso is to be linked to the Nkawkaw Bulk Supply Station to enable operation flexibility and reliable supply to customers in the Atiwa District. The existing 11 kV network in the Atiwa District is also to be upgraded to 33 kV to achieve enhanced quality of supply.
Prof. (Emeritus) Amoko 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister has answered that the intermittent black-outs which affected Kwabeng, Begoro, Tafo and the other environs in recent times -- Kwabeng, Begoro, Tafo are in three separate districts. Is that a tacit admission that the black- outs or the intermittent black- outs are all over the country including the Parliament House?
Dr. Adjei 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that
the Hon Member is aware that this is not the first time we have been having power fluctuations and outages but normally, as long as the utilities do have a programme to be able to address these things, it gives us the assurances that together we are all working to ensure that we have a reliable and available supply to be able to drive the development agenda that we have all accepted for this country.
So Mr. Speaker, I am saying that yes, occasionally, they are going to have power outages. Yes, occasionally, because for a long time most of these systems have been in without proper reinforcement systems
and reinforcement is also money.
So I believe that as they draw our attention and as we give them programmes like we are giving to the people of that side, we are gradually reinforcing the system so that with time, hopefully, the whole country can count on a reliability of supply of 90 per cent and above. Until that period, we are all conceding that there is a challenge and I believe that he will work with us to address the challenges that we are facing.
Prof. (Emeritus) Amoako 11:15 a.m.
Mr.
Speaker, I want to know from the Hon Minister what provisions he has made in the 2010 Budget to address this intermittent black- outs in the whole country.
Mr. First Deputy speaker 11:15 a.m.
Your question is about a particular area. So you should limit that question to the particular area and you can include the areas that the Minister has mentioned in his Answer but definitely, not the whole country.
Prof. (Emeritus) Amoako 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, will the Minister tell this House what arrangements have been made in the 2010 Budget to address the problems of black-outs in Kwabeng, Begoro and Tafo districts.
Dr. Adjei 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I tried to identify some of the causes of the power outages in the Hon Member's area and I said that one of them is bamboos. The problem is that any time it rains and you have bamboos and because of the way the wind blows them, if the bamboos should touch our line then it creates a single-line- to-earth fault and the relay will open up in order to ensure that it protects all the equipment up front.
When it moves away from the line, then the line will automatically close. This may not necessarily need a lot of money and that is why we said that they have hired a contractor to make sure that he can clean

those bamboos to ensure that we do not get these frequent outages.

Again, we said there is a switching station of which the contract has been awarded. So it means that as far as his area is concerned, all the things that we have to do -- the budget is already there. And therefore, it is a function of time as together, he works with us and we work with him to ensure that the contractor is on schedule so that we can eliminate this problem, that is a problem for all of us.

Thank you.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Last supplementary question.
Prof. (Emeritus) Amoako 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, the Hon Minister said that, an 18-month contract has been awarded back in September 8, 2009 to establish a switching station at Bunso. May I know from the him, the rationale or reason for siting this switching station at Bunso and not Tafo which already has a substation?
Dr. Adjei 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is amazing that he is inducing all my skills as an Electrical Engineer. Normally, we take such decisions by performing a load flow analysis, and technically, we do not look at the names of the towns. We look at where there is coming together, an aggregate of the load and then we make that decision. So I believe that the engineers made that decision devoid of big names.
But we also said something here that is important. We said that they will link that station to Nkawkaw. What we are trying to do is to create two sources of supply for that community. Either it comes from Tafo or it can also come from Nkawkaw.
If we can do that, then hopefully, these intermittent outages should be addressed.
Thank you.
rose
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Member, you have exhausted your supplementary Questions.
Hon Minister, we thank you very much for attending upon the House to respond to Questions.
Hon Members, Question number 266, in line with our Standing Order 64 (4), the Answer should be printed in the Official Report.
WRITTEN ANSWERS TO 11:15 a.m.
QUESTIONS 11:15 a.m.
Dr. Oteng Adjei 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, although Kpano, Guno (Gumo), Sandu, Jegbung (Jegbo) and Zokuga do not form part of any of the Ministry's ongoing electrification programmes, our information is that construction works are currently taking place in these communities. The electrification project in the communities may have been
initiated by the District Assembly or through the communities' own initiative.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Members, we have one urgent Statement and I will take very brief comments from a limited number of you.
STATEMENTS 11:15 a.m.
  • [MAJ. (DR.) (ALH. ) AHMED
  • [MAJ. (DR.) (ALH. ) AHMED problem in Greater Accra -- the Ridge Hospital, Tema and for that matter, I am very, very happy. No specific intervention has been made for the Brong Ahafo Region or the Ashanti Region contributing the largest. That is why I am particularly worried that if a promise is given to complete the maternal or maternity block and child health block in Komfo Anokye, which would go a long way to reduce maternal mortality, we should find such expressions in the Budget. Mr. Speaker, I would leave this specific issue and contribute during the Budget debate because as parliamentarians, we should ask our Executive, what are you doing to bring the statistics down? The people in the Brong Ahafo Region, the people in the Greater Accra Region, the people in Ashanti Region for that matter, Eastern Region and Western Region deserve more from our Government to bring this statistics down so that we would meet our MDG 5. [Interruptions.]
    • Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
    Hon Members, Order.
    Deputy Minister for Education (Mrs.
    Elizabeth Amoah-Tetteh) : Mr. Speaker, I have heard the Hon Member who made the Statement and the contribution made by Hon Dr. M. O. Prempeh and it is really appalling. We have to come to the root cause of maternal mortality.
    Mr. Speaker, if you look at a young
    man meeting a young woman and in their course of playing it happens that the woman becomes pregnant. When she becomes pregnant, there are other things that she should get as a pregnant woman to be able to stand the stress, and this is where the men move away from the women.
    If a woman is not working, then it
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.


    means she has to find ways of maintaining herself and the baby. We are saying, we have to do this, we have to do that but the root cause to me, for this canker, is the men who impregnate the women are not responsible.

    Mr. Speaker, yesterday, we said a lot
    rose
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
    Hon
    Member for Ashaiman, are you standing on a point of order?
    Mr. Agbesi 11:35 a.m.
    Yes, Mr. Speaker.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
    What
    Order?
    Mr. Agbesi 11:35 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, the Hon
    Deputy Minister had made a statement that the men who impregnate the women are irresponsible.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
    Hon
    Deputy Minister, kindly continue.
    (DR. PREMPEH] Mrs. Amoah-Tetteh: Mr. Speaker, I said some, I cannot be sure, I do not have the figures so -- [Interruption.]
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
    Address
    the Chair?
    Mrs. Amoah-Tetteh 11:35 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker,
    so I am thinking that the root cause of the maternal mortality lies with the man and the woman coming together at the time the woman needs the support of the man and not after impregnating the woman then you decide to move away to look for a job. When it happens like that, the woman may deliver in the absence of the man -- I would not say husband but the man.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
    We want
    very brief comments, so kindly wind up.
    Mrs. Amoah-Tetteh 11:35 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker,
    the man will go round looking for food or something -- the needs of the pregnant woman. I am sure a number of things happening will not happen, the woman will deliver safely and there will be peace in the home.
    Dr. Kofi Asare (NPP -- Akwatia) 11:35 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I want to associate myself with the Statement made by the Hon Member for Ayawaso East, Maj. (Dr.) (Alhaji) Mustapha Ahmed (retd).
    Mr. Speaker, for the time, I would have
    given you the graphic details of how many women in our country are dying from doing their natural God given duty of replenishing the earth. On the last count, we had an average of 457 deaths per 1,000 live births. But since it is the proxy we normally use in this country because determining maternal mortality is difficult, it is infant mortality. If the national average is 30 and it gives a maternal mortality of around 457, then the worse scenario where we have in the Upper West Region with neonatal mortality of 45, you are running about 700 deaths per 1,000 live births and that is unacceptable in this country.
    Mr. Speaker, the problem we have
    with maternal mortality can be taken on three levels; the delay at home as the Hon Member who made the Statement has said, when the decision to seek medical attention is delayed in the home mostly because the man may not be present, then the delay on the roads where our drivers, when they see that you are pregnant and you are in need, that is where they charge you most.
    That is something that as a nation we need to be talking about and that also calls for ambulance service to be most available in all places so that they can be called at such times; then of course, the delay in our hospitals due to equipment and others.
    Mr. Speaker, because of the brevity, I would want to say that the Hon Member who made the Statement alluded to family planning being of help, but in this country, family planning is not on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), people have to pay for it and that puts off the young ones. So if the Ministry of Health can make family planning free at the point of service by putting it on the NHIS, I believe it would go a long way to make
    family planning accessible to our young ones.
    The other aspect is that the way we
    vend family planning items, you need to walk to the stores -- I mean, can we come out with innovative ways of placing them at vantage points that you can slot to buy them? At times it is very difficult to walk to a store and say I want a condom or I want this and many men -- I have had the opportunity of servicing some Members of this House as a doctor by going to buy condoms for them because they are scared as it were. So that is one aspect -- [Interruption.] They are shy.
    But coming to a brief, the sub-theme for Ghana Mr. Speaker, is “Ghana cares, No Woman should Die from Bleeding during Pregnancy and Child birth”. That calls for blood donation services and that is a difficulty in our hospitals.
    Most of our hospitals do not have enough equipment, fridges and others and we will call on the Ministry of Health to make them available because at the time of need, when the woman is bleeding, there is no time to go looking for the blood; you will need to get the blood there and then, and we need to provide the equipment in our hospitals and we need also to educate our people to be able to donate.
    On this wise, I would urge Hon Members of this august House to put it on their agenda that any time they mount the platform to say a bit about donating blood to our hospitals so that in times of need -- [Interruption] -- The Hon Member can donate every month, I can assure him and nothing would happen to him.
    Mr. Speaker, the Hon Member can donate every month and nothing would happen to him. So we need to do that so that there would be availability of blood in times of need.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
    Thank
    you very much. We will take the last comment.
    Mr. F. F. Baffour (NDC -- Ablekuma South) 11:45 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the Statement made so ably by Maj. (Dr.) (Alhaji) Mustapha Ahmed (retd). The root cause of this phenomenon is poverty and I am encapsulating what has been said previously and before. But there is another aspect that we have not looked at in our outreach and awareness programmes.
    To reduce the occurrence of this tragic aspect of our society, we have always had a gender specific approach where in our seminars and awareness have directed most of the initiatives at women. I believe that we should direct this at the whole society. Most men are woefully illiterate when it comes down to sexual education and the knowledge of the sexual health of women. So when there is a situation, they can sometimes turn their backs not knowing the seriousness of the issue.
    But if men are also made aware of the need for the proper study of the reproductive health of women instead of just looking at them as sexual objects, I think we would go a long way to resolve this problem. It should be a holistic approach and not a specific approach. That is what I have to say.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Thank you very much. That brings us to the end of Statements.
    Hon Members, I would move on to item 8.
    Mr. J. K. Avedzi 11:45 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I
    beg to move, that notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 80 (1) which require that no motion shall be debated until at least forty-eight hours have elapsed between the date on which notice of the motion is given and the date on which the motion is moved, the motion for the adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee on the Request for waiver of Stamp Duty on a receivables-backed Offshore Syndicated Trade finance facility amounting to US$1,200,000,000.00 for the 2009/2010 year cocoa purchases by Ghana Cocoa Board may be moved today.
    Dr. A. A. Osei 11:45 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I beg to second the motion.
    Question put and motion agreed to.
    Resolved accordingly.
    MOTIONS 11:45 a.m.
    COCOBOD 11:45 a.m.
    Chairman of the Committee (Mr. J. K. Avedzi) 11:45 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee on the Request for waiver of Stamp Duty on a receivables-backed Offshore Syndicated Trade finance facility amounting to US$1,200,000,000.00 for the 2009/2010 year cocoa purchases by Ghana Cocoa Board.
    1.0 Introduction
    The request for waiver of stamp duty on Offshore Syndicated Trade Finance Facility amounting to one billion, two hundred million United States dollars for cocoa purchases by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) for the 2009/2010 crop year was laid in the House on Tuesday, 17th November, 2009 and
    referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and report in accordance with article 174 (2) of the Constitution and Standing Orders of the House.
    In its deliberations on the request, the Committee met with the Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Hon Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, officials from the Ghana Cocoa Board and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and submits this Report.
    2.0 Background
    The Ghana Cocoa Board contracts receivables-backed Offshore Syndicated Trade Finance Facility annually to finance cocoa purchases and other payments to stakeholders, which normally commence in October each year. This arrangement has been in place since 1994.
    This year, the facility amount of US$1,200,000,000.00 for cocoa purchases was signed on 25th September, 2009 in Paris.
    3.0 Stamp Duty
    Section 32 (6) of the Stamp Duty Act, 2005 (Act 689), mandates that for documents to be executable, valid and enforceable in Ghana, such documents would have to be stamped.
    However, the Commissioner of Internal Revenue is empowered under sections 158 (2) and 113 (4) of the Internal Revenue Act, 2000 (Act 591) to waive Stamp Duty subject to approval by Parliament.
    4.0 Total Waiver
    The t o t a l S t amp Du ty t o be waived on all the documents covering the facility is twelve million dollars (US$12,000,000.00), thus one per cent of one billion, two hundred million dollars (1 per cent of US$1,200,000,000.00).
    Attachment: Please, find attached a letter from the Commissioner of Internal Revenue Service providing the assessment of the Stamp Duty payable on the facility.
    5.0 Observations
    The Committee observed that the Facility Agreement requires Ghana Cocoa Board to take steps to obtain a waiver of stamp duty for the facility.
    The Committee took note of the fact that over the years, the cocoa industry has played a major role in the economic development of Ghana. It has continued to play this role in terms of its contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employment generation, and as a major source of foreign exchange earnings. The sector has also made substantial contribution to revenue generation through the payment of export duty, inter alia.
    The technical team from the Ghana Cocoa Board informed the Committee that the country has a target of producing one million tonnes of cocoa per year and that the Ghana Cocoa Board is working hard to make this a reality.
    Actual production for the 2008/2009 crop year was 710,638 metric tonnes. It is estimated that production would reach 700,000 tonnes for the 2009/2010 season for which this loan facility has been contracted.
    Officials from the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) informed the Committee that 394,000 metric tonnes of cocoa beans have been collateralized for the service of the US$1.2 billion facility contracted for the 2009/2010 cocoa year. Based on current international prices of the commodity, this quantity of cocoa was said to be enough to settle the entire loan
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Member for Old Tafo and Ranking Member of the Committee.
    Dr. A. A. Osei (NPP -- Old Tafo) 11:45 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I beg to contribute to the motion on the floor and Mr. Speaker, I have just a small observation and this is on page 4 of the Committee's Report. Mr. Speaker, as we looked at the issue, it was observed that the practice has been that most Parliaments had approved -- [Inter-ruption.]
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Which
    page?
    Dr. Osei 11:45 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, page 4. In particular, the reference is being made to, and here I beg to quote:
    “The Committee observed that section 24 (4) of PNDCL 81 of 1994 is inconsistent with article 181 (1) and 181 (5) of the 1992 Constitution, which requires loans and inter- national financial transactions to be approved by Parliament.”
    Mr. Speaker, the Committee was caught
    in a very serious quandary because all previous Parliaments since 1994, I believe had out of practice approved of this. But clearly, there is a constitutional problem and the observation was that we would
    follow practice but then the matter be referred to the Attorney-General or the Supreme Court for some interpretation of this matter so that it can be regularized.
    But I do not see that being noted here and I thought that it is important that,
    SPACE FOR ATTACHMENT 11:45 a.m.
    Papa Owusu-Ankomah (NPP -- Sekondi) 11:55 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I beg to support the motion.
    Of course, the Cocoa Board has more than enough resources to repay this facility. But I just want to emphasize the observation made by the Hon Member for Tafo (Dr. A. A. Osei).
    Mr. Speaker, the Committee did not say categorically that section 24 of PNDCL is inconsistent with article 181. The matter was raised and the Committee recommen-ded that the Hon Minister should seek the opinion of the Attorney- General in respect of this matter so that subsequently Parliament itself will be in a position to approve some of these facilities. Parliament or the Committee has not said that something is inconsistent with the Constitution out of term.
    We felt that the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, being a member of Government, once this issue has been raised, should seek the opinion -- And Mr. Speaker, I would want to emphasise that thing, it is very, very important. Probably, because I have also had the benefit of being in Government and served as an Attorney-General --
    In a lot of matters, one may describe such areas as grey but they may be of grave constitutional import and it is important that Government itself be certain as to what it is doing; whether it is constitutional or not. I recall and I even
    made that statement on the floor of the meeting that as Attorney-General, there was a case in which an issue like this was raised. It was determined in one way but when the matter went before International Arbitration, the panel decided in another way. So, I believe in some of these matters, particularly relating to loans and agreements being approved by Parliament, we are certain of what we are doing.
    Having made this observation, Mr. Speaker, I believe that as a House, we also ought to consider seriously article 181(5) of the Constitution which relates to Parliament's role in approving loans. And with your permission, I would read the article in full. It says:
    “This article shall, with the necessary modifications by Parliament, apply to an international business or economic transaction to which the Government is a party as it applies to a loan.”
    What this means is that if the Government enters into an international business or economic transaction or a public institution or authority enters into such a transaction without the authority of an Act of Parliament, it means that it is unconstitutional.
    I am raising this because it is of grave import and as a House, we ought to put in place processes that will enable us approve international or economic transactions which are akin to loans.
    Mr. Speaker, originally, there was
    a Loans Approval Board or something during the days when we did not have Parliament. What this clause seeks to do is to transfer this function to Parliament. Unfortunately, Parliament has not put in place the necessary procedures for this. And now that I am out of Government, I can say that when you are in Government
    and you raise some of these matters, you are considered to be obstructionist to the Executive functioning effectively, and then raising unnecessarily problems that are not problems at all for Parliament to consider. I believe that now we need to have a look at this as a House.
    Mr. Speaker, now that you are in the Chair, I know that in our efforts to strengthen Parliament's oversight responsibility, at the appropriate time, you will take the necessary initiative so that Parliament conforms to this particular clause of the Constitution, without necessarily impeding government business.
    I thank you, Mr. Speaker.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Hon Minister for Communications, brief intervention, I intend putting the Question.
    Minister for Communications (Mr. Haruna Iddrisu) 11:55 a.m.
    Thank you, very much, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to associate myself for the adoption of the Committee's Report in respect of the request for waiver of Stamp Duty on Offshore Syndicated Trade Finance Facility amounting to $1.2 billion for 2009/2010 cocoa purchases by Ghana Cocoa Board.
    Mr. Speaker, I believe that even as we peruse the Budget document, Government has given indication of its strong desire to increase the output in cocoa, and this initiative will certainly facilitate the work of the Cocoa Board in increasing productivity.
    On the specific issue of the legal issue that has been raised, Mr. Speaker, the heading is very clear, we are specifically dealing with the waiver of Stamp Duty on Offshore Syndicated Trade Finance Facility. And Mr. Speaker, the Committee
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Hon
    Chairman, in view of the comments made by the Hon Member for Old Tafo and the Hon Member for Sekondi, will you consider amending that part of the Report because it is very categorical and it has its own implications for the Question I am about to put.
    I have to be very sure in my mind that we are adopting a Report which is constitutional. So, would you amend that portion of the Committee's Report which says that they should refer the matter to the Attorney-General for an opinion since that is the decision of the Committee? Otherwise, when you make a specific comment that it is inconsistent with the Constitution, then why do we sit here and approve something which is unconsti- tutional? There is a problem.
    Mr. J. K. Avedzi 11:55 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, the concern of the Committee at the Committee meeting was that the provisions of section
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Hon Chairman, you should get the point being made by the Hon Member for Old Tafo and of course, re-emphasised by the Hon Member for Sekondi and amend that portion of the Report so that I will be free to put the Question.
    Mr. Avedzi 11:55 a.m.
    So, Mr. Speaker, we have to amend that portion of the Report to capture the concern of the -- [Inter- ruption.]
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Minister for Local Government and Rural Development?
    Minister for Local Government and Rural Development (Mr. J. Y. Chireh) 11:55 a.m.
    Mr. Speaker, the matter we want him to observe is that he should not be putting things like “unconstitutional” “inconsis- tency” in this matter. The principle is very simple. We want to approve a waiver which this Parliament has the power to do, whether it belongs to a private company or not, if it is looking for a waiver, they will come here. The COCOBOD just wants a waiver so let us talk about that instead of talking about the waiving being inconsistent with anything.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Hon Minister, how do you separate the Stamp Duty from the loan itself? You cannot separate the two.
    Mr. Chireh 12:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I am saying that if Ghana Government goes to do these transactions and brings them to us, fine. How is COCOBOD now? Is it incorporated as a limited liability company, in which case, if it is contracting a loan, it does not have to come here? But if it is Ghana Government, the sole owner and it becomes so, it means that indirectly, Ghana Government will under-write or guarantee a loan - [Interruption.]
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
    Hon Minister, is it your submission that the Government of Ghana has no role to play or it is not a party to the whole transaction from the beginning to the end?
    Mr. Chireh 12:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, my
    argument is this: I am saying that what this Parliament is asked to do today is a simple matter of waiving the Stamp Duty of the amount stated. But the issue that is being introduced and which you yourself as Chair, you are directing is that, do not talk about these things; if it is recommended that the Attorney-General should give an opinion, that is different.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
    Hon Minister for Local Government, if that is the position you are talking, all that you have to suggest is that we should delete the whole paragraph from the Committee's Report, then we can do the background consultations with the Attorney-General's Department. But so long as that clause is in the Committee's Report, it poses a problem because we are adopting the
    Committee's Report.
    Mr. Chireh 12:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I therefore
    suggest that the Chairman should let us delete that portion and then go ahead and do the waiver. I am saying that in the case of all the arrangements we have made with other companies, when it comes to the waiver, if they are to pay duty, they come here and say, no, they should not pay duty, that is still -- it applies, it does not matter whether it is Ghana Government sole company or a private company.
    We are doing so because that is what we should do. So I would urge him to let us expunge that portion and go ahead and do the waiver.
    Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
    The Hon Member for Sekondi, then the Hon Minister for Communications and I would make my ruling on this.
    Papa Owusu-Ankomah 12:05 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for giving me this opportunity despite the fact that I have contributed. But Mr. Speaker, this is a Committee's Report and certain obser- vations were made at the Committee level. It is important that the observations made are captured irrespective of whether that is the issue before us or not.
    They are asking for a waiver of the Stamp Duty in respect of a loan agreement. That loan agreement was not before the Committee; we did not have copies and the observation of the Committee was that in the light of article 181, the Government or the Minister should solicit the legal opinion of the Attorney-General in respect of the power of COCOBOD to grant loans or to take loans without reference to Parliament, and that is what the Chairman of the Committee ought to capture.
    That is all. It does not make the approval of the waiver before Parliament
    not something that has to be done; no. But this observation has to be made, and I am saying this in the light of the proposal made by the Hon Minister for Local Government and Rural Development: That is all.
    Dr. Prempeh 12:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, on a point of order.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
    Against who?
    Yes, Hon Member for New Juaben North.
    Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 12:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I do not see the need to amend what is said in the Report of the Committee for the simple reason that, as the Hon Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr. Chireh says, even if a private enterprise is doing what is considered to be in the supreme interest of this nation, then Parliament in its wisdom can grant the exemptions requested, upon application by the relevant Minister.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
    Hon Member, the motion is to adopt the Committee's Report -- [Interruption.]
    Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 12:05 p.m.
    So let us adopt it.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
    And
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.


    this Report is saying that some acts have been done which the Committee says is unconstitutional. Do you see? Now, the position has been clarified by the Ranking Member of the Committee that they made an observation that there is an issue which ought to be referred to the Hon Attorney- General for an advice on the matter, and that is what ought to be captured here.

    But there is categorical statement in the Report that something is unconsti-tutional. Why should we adopt a Report when it clearly states that a certain conduct is unconstitutional? That puts me in a very difficult situation.

    For now, the motion is for the adoption of the Committee's Report.

    I have no problem at all when it comes to item (10), which is the adoption of the Resolution, but we are now adopting the Committee's Report, which is alleging that there is something unconstitutional. But should we disregard the Constitution and go by convention? Yesterday on the floor of this House, we all acknowledged that the Constitution is the fundamental law of the land, the supreme law of the land.

    Convention or not convention, the Constitution is supreme. So if we are now saying that the thing is unconstitutional, it is unconstitutional, irrespective of conventions; that is the point.

    Hon Member for Old Tafo?
    Dr. Anthony A. Osei 12:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is important the Committee's observations be captured correctly. We did not say that it was inconsistent; we do not have locus to declare the unconstitutionality or otherwise of something. We made an observation for referral -- So this is not the accurate recording of the Committee's obser- vations. So that one, we should amend. The Hon Member for New Juaben North was not there; we did not say this; he
    cannot say we should go ahead and adopt it. This was not what we said. Since we are discussing a motion to adopt the Committee's Report, it is proper that the Committee's observations be captured accurately.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
    The last comment; the Hon Minister for Com- munications.
    Mr. H. Iddrisu 12:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, indeed, it is important to acknowledge that your directive is very, very appropriate. Mr. Speaker, article 1 (2) of the 1992 Constitution stipulates, and with your indulgence, I read;
    “This Constitution shall be the supreme law of Ghana and any other law found to be inconsistent with any provision of this Constitution shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void.”
    And I am sure you are avoiding this House directly infringing the provisions of this Constitution, particularly with reference to the article 1 (2). But Mr. Speaker, with reference to the Committee's Report, in particular, paragraphs (3) and (4), my aim would be to persuade the Chairman and the members of the Committee to delete just the second paragraph.
    Your observations are important, they should be captured, that consistently Mr. Speaker, from 1994 till date, this House has condoned what in the view of the Committee may be unconstitutional. We need to right that wrong; that can be made as an observation and the observation is properly captured under paragraph (3) and with your indulgence, I quote:
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
    Which page?
    Mr. H. Iddrisu 12:05 p.m.
    Page (4), paragraph
    (3):
    “Members however agreed that by convention, this facility has been contracted without parliamentary approval since 1994.”
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Hon Members, I am going to rule on the matter. I order that the whole paragraph should be deleted from the Committee's Report. I also order that the issue should be referred to the Attorney-General for advice, so we are -- [Interruption.] No! No! -- It is deleted, so I will now put the Question.
    Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 12:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, my name was mentioned by the Ranking Member that I was not there and I think that is most outrageous. This Report is supposed to be the Report of the Committee; did he not see it before it came here? How was the Committee working then? He sat there and gets this, brings it to this House and tells me I was not there, so I cannot comment?
    This is completely out of order. He cannot do that because the rules of this House demand that when a committee's report is raised, it is a draft, it is submited it back to the Committee and the committee approves it. Is he telling me that he never saw it and that the Committee Chairman, of his own volition sent this? This is illegal, if he did it by himself without the Committee, then they cannot lay it.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Hon Minority.
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I think it is unfortunate that we should be led on this path of one-on-one altercation it is not necessary. I think the point was made by the Ranking Member that the observation of the Committee itself is inappropriately captured. If, indeed, it is properly situated, we will then avoid all this confusion. However, because you have ruled, I believe we can now move on, even though I would have thought that the Speaker will not have been seen or deemed to have descended into the arena of debate. However, once you have ruled, I think we must respect it and go by it.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Hon Member, I have ruled but not descended into the arena of debate. I only make a ruling because I have to be very clear in my mind that in putting the Question, nothing unconstitutional is involved. I have to be very, very clear in my mind. Because the motion is to adopt the Committee's Report. I agree with you, however, if the earlier clue that I had given, that they should try and amend it had taken place, all these problems would have been solved. So I will not put the Question.
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, with respect, if we delay that entire construction, what then will be the reason for the referral to the Attorney- General. Are you saying to the extent that the Committee itself could not pronounce anything unconstitutional, maybe, they
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:15 p.m.


    could have done better if they had in their observation indicated to us that the Committee observed that section 24.(4) of PNDC Law 81 of 1994 appeared in their view to be inconsistent that would have occasioned the referral?
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, I agree with you but you also see that in that paragraph, Attorney- General has not been mentioned at all. So going by your line, including the Attorney- General in the Report, then there would not be any problem.
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, with respect, I think that is what the Chairman -- if he is listening -- ought to have done, that it appears in the view of the Committee to be inconsistent, for which reason, we recommend to the House that we refer this to the Attorney-General for her advice. So I think that once we agree with it, they could appropriately capture it. Once we have the sense of the House, they could properly capture it and with that we can move on.
    Mr. Avedzi 12:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, my position is that we amend the Report by deleting paragraphs 3 and 4 from page 4 of the Report.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, I think that we have made some progress. You could just say that there appears to be a problem with section 24 (4) and article 181 of the Constitution and therefore, we want this matter be referred
    to the Attorney-General for advice. That is all, that is what you have to do and then I put the Question.
    Mr. Avedzi 12:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I agree to that position.
    Dr. Osei 12:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, if the Chairman will just also amend the year, it is PNDC Law -- not 1994 - 1984, I think.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Yes, PNDC Law, it cannot be dated 1994. The PNDC Law 81 cannot be 1994. 1984, very well.
    Subject to those amendments, I will now put the Question.
    Question put and motion agreed.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Item 10.
    Mr. Bagbin 12:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, once again, I just want to seek your permission and the indulgence of my Colleagues to allow the Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning to move item 10 for and on behalf of the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning. The Minister himself is not present because he is caught by other equally important State function and he has mandated his Deputy to come and perform this function on his behalf.
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, we have no problem; I guess the gentleman just has to hold the fort.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Very well, Hon Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning?
    RESOLUTION 12:15 p.m.
    Mr. Avedzi 12:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I beg to second the motion.
    Question put and motion agreed to.
    Resolved accordingly.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Hon Members, we now go back to item 7. If there is nobody, I will put the Question -- [Pause]-- Yes, Hon Ranking Member for the Finance Committee, are you ready? I thought the traditional practice is that after the -- [Interruption] --
    MOTIONS 12:25 p.m.
    Dr. A. A. Osei (NPP -- Old Tafo) 12:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, yes, sure, no problem.
    Mr. Speaker, I want to thank you for giving me an opportunity to contribute to the motion on the floor of the House relating to the Financial Policy of the Government of Ghana for the fiscal year 2010, which was presented to this House on the 18th of November, 2009.
    Mr. Speaker, you recall that in March of this year, the Hon Minister came to this House to present similar statements. At that time, some of us, in responding to his appeal to contribute positively to the Budget -- [Interruption] --
    Mr. Speaker, I yield to my Minority Leader.
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, upon the information that I received, because I was not at your morning briefing, I have been told that you were talking about the number -- the speaking turns to be granted, and that you said you would accord space to three Hon Members from either side of the House. Mr. Speaker, as we do know, we have just about four days to debate the principles of this very important document -- the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government.
    Mr. Speaker, you recall that at certain periods, we even had two weeks to debate this. Given the exigencies of our time, it is not possible to do that. But we have only four days, today, tomorrow, Monday, and as per the discussion that I had with the Hon Majority Leader, to end on Tuesday, so we have just four days. And if you are saying that we have to admit three, then it would mean that by the time we end on Tuesday, we would have 12 Hon Members from either side.
    Mr. Speaker, that cannot be the best. We proposed to have five from either side because this is a very important document. Mr. Speaker, that would work to about 20, and let us not forget that we have more
    than 20 committees in this House. And the various Chairmen and Ranking Members would have to make serious inputs. The Chairmen and Ranking Members or their representatives would have to make serious inputs.
    So, Mr. Speaker, I believe we have to clear this before we set the stage for the debate. Certainly, three from our side cannot be adequate. If the Majority agrees to three, it would be their own cake, but we certainly cannot live with three.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, you were not at this morning's briefing, but your represen- tative was there. In agreeing to three, from both sides, we took account of the fact that we have not made any arrangements for an extended Sitting for Hon Members for today.

    Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang

    -- rose --
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Once we go and do the briefing -- Hon Ranking Member, kindly continue. If after we have taken the three and it is not two o'clock and we have to take more, I will not hesitate to do that, but for now, let us work with that figure.
    Hon Ranking Member, let us see what
    happens at two o'clock. But Leadership should take the necessary steps to ensure that we have an extended Sitting tomorrow. Leadership should take steps to ensure that tomorrow we have an extended Sitting. Hon Ranking Member -- [Interruption] -- Hon Member for New Juaben North, you are a very senior Member of this House, and I always recognize you; you know that? So what is your problem? [Laughter.]
    Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 12:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker,
    you always recognize me but I have a problem.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    What is your problem?
    Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 12:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, my problem is that we have a House Committee, we have the Leadership, and are you telling me -- Sometimes, we must face facts. Are you telling me that they could not foresee these things? My Hon Leader is making a point -- the point that is to be made is that, the House Committee and the Leadership have failed and it must be said on the floor of this House
    They did not make arrangements for an extended Sitting, and so should we be couched from making our points? That is the point I want to make. I think it is not acceptable.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Hon Member, I totally disagree with you. The Business Statement was brought to the floor of the House last Friday and there was no provision for an extended Sitting for last Friday. Now, we have seen a problem, and we are saying that there should be extended Sitting tomorrow -- [Inter-ruption]-- very well. I agree entirely with you. I totally agree with you.
    Why should we even be having Questions? That was the question I asked
    the Leadership this morning. That was the question I asked them. In view of this important motion, why should we have Questions? But again, when the Business Statement was announced, you never objected to the Questions. The House never objected to the Questions for today.
    Yes, Hon Minority Leader.
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I believe that with this understanding, we can make progress. But indeed, yesterday, a Statement was due today, and then we agreed that given the fact that we had limited space, we should take that Statement yesterday, which we did. So what happened between yesterday and today which called for another Statement to be ready today?
    Mr. Speaker, we should conform to agreed tracks. However, I did not know the consideration that went into it, you have allowed it, and we can now make progress. Since you have indicated that you will allow for the three, three and let us see once we approach two o'clock, if you can still expand the territory and the horizon, Mr. Speaker, let us live with it. But certainly, we could have done better than we have done today.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, I urge you strongly to attend morning briefings so that we all agree -- [Interruption] -- So that we all come to the Chamber and speak the same language when we come . Hon Member for Old Tafo and Ranking Member for Finance Committee?
    Dr. A. A. Osei 12:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, thank you once again for allowing me to contribute to the debate. I am sorry we are getting into debates between Leadership and the Speaker, but I think that -- [Interruption] -- I said I wanted to thank the Speaker for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the floor. We have been a
    rose
    Dr. Osei 12:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, we thought that the Hon Minister had taken, lesson from our advice and that consequently we were expecting that when he came back here, there will be less of the Sakawa mentality in his subsequent submission to this House -- [Laughter] -- Mr. Speaker, this was not to be -- [Interruption.]
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Hon
    Minister for Communications, do you have a point of order?
    Mr. Iddrisu 12:35 p.m.
    Rightly so, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our rules provide that when you make reference to a foreign language, you should offer an explanation. I want to know whether the Hon Member wants to explain Sakawa for the understanding
    of this House.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    That is correct.
    Dr. Osei 12:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, if my good Friend were listening, I used the word “contradictory”. I do not want to use the word “lie” because that is not charitable. But my understanding of Sakawa is that “it is not very true”. I am not saying he is lying but it is not very true. That is what I have been told that Sakawa means. [Laughter.]

    Maj. (Dr.) (Alhaji) Mustapha Ahmed

    (retd) -- rose --
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Hon Member for Ayawaso East, any point of order?
    Maj. (Dr.) (Alhaji) Ahmed (retd): Mr. Speaker, the Hon Member --
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Hon Member, tell Hon Asiamah to be careful.
    Maj. (Dr.) Alhaji Ahmed (retd): The Hon Member offered the meaning of Sakawa which is a Hausa word. Sakawa does not mean “untrue”. Sakawa means “to put it in”; as simple as that. That is the meaning of Sakawa.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Hon Members, the Hon Member on the floor, that is his understanding, so let us give it to him.
    Dr. Osei 12:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, the average Ghanaian understands Sakawa to mean “wagadrill” -- So if he says it means “to put it in”, I will let him keep his
    understanding, but I know that Ghanaians understand what it means by Sakawa.
    Mr. Speaker, the point is that we thought that he had taken lessons, and that he will not come back again and provide more of the same. Mr. Speaker, but unfortunately, in August and again, in November, the Hon Minister has done what we thought he would not do. Mr. Speaker, maybe, Hon Members have forgotten, but with your permission, I want to remind us of examples of what we interpret to be Sakawa.
    Mr. Speaker, I want to quote from paragraph 7 of the Supplementary Budget. Mr. Speaker, in paragraph 7, the Hon
    Minister said 12:35 p.m.
    “Madam Speaker, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Government inherited a run- down economy, characterized by severe imbalances that resulted in a huge public debt and ballooned overall budget deficit of 14.5 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The huge deficit did not include expenditure arrears and commitments, which are currently estimated at 1.7 million equivalent to 9.7 per cent of GDP for 2008.”
    Mr. Speaker, again, in August, he
    almost repeated this verbatim and with your permission, I would want to quote the November Budget. I would like to quote from paragraph 6 of the Budget Statement that was read to us last week.
    Paragraph 6:
    “By way of a quick summary, the truth that must be told is that. . . . ”
    Mr. Speaker, Hon Members have a copy --
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Kindly
    address the Chair. Continue.
    Dr. A. Osei 12:35 p.m.
    “ . . . the truth must be told that the Government inherited a distressed economy characterized by huge twin deficits. The fiscal deficit alone stood at GH¢2.6 billion at the end of 2008 when NPP left office compared with GH¢260 million registered at the end of 2000 when the NDC left office.”
    Mr. Speaker, in fact, a Deputy Minister even went on a radio station to say the 2008 Budget was a cocaine-driven Budget -- a Deputy Minister in this Government. Mr. Speaker, this is what the Hon Minister has been telling Ghanaians, but let us hear what he told the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in June of this year. Mr. Speaker, with your permission, I want to quote. When he comes to the Ghana Parliament he tells us something. Mr. Speaker, he said:
    “Real GDP growth increased steadily from 3.7 per cent in 2000 to 7.3 per cent in 2008. This growth fostered by significant debt relief which provided the country with a fiscal space to embark on critical infrastructural investments particularly in the energy and road sectors as well as targeted social spending all under the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS).”
    Mr. Speaker, he goes on --
    “The combination of -- higher output, declining inflation and improved social spending under the GPRS framework, contributed significantly to lower poverty levels.”
    He goes on --
    Dr. A. Osei 12:35 p.m.
    “The national incidence of poverty declined from 39.5 in 1998-99 to 28.5 in 2005-2006.”
    He concludes by saying:
    “At this rate Ghana is poised to achieve the MDG goal of halving poverty.”
    Mr. Speaker, is this Sakawa or what? Mr. Speaker, in paragraph 8 of the Budget Statement, we find another instance of this pattern of double tongue and with your kind permission, I want to quote:
    “Madam Speaker, of particular concern is a huge portion of arrears which arose from contracts that were in clear breach of the procurement law.”
    Mr. Speaker, the emphasis is on “clear breach of the procurement law”. Mr. Speaker, let me read for you what he said in his letter that he sent to the World Bank in June of this year. “The public procurement” -- Yes, the whole story repeated tells you that it is Sakawa. Mr. Speaker, I quote:
    “The public procurement authority has just completed an audit of 762 high spent entities.
    The updated interim survey report covers twenty-four identified high- speed entities constituting more than 70 per cent of the total procurement transactions in 2008”.

    Maj. (Dr.) (Alhaji) Ahmed Mustapha (retd): Mr. Speaker, in spite of my attempt to explain the meaning of Sakawa to the Hon Colleague, he still continues to use it. Mr. Speaker, we are discussing the 2010 Budget, which is a very important document and I believe that if he desists from using terms that attempt to disparage the document, it would be better for this country. So he should be so guided.

    Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Hon Member, can you continue?
    Dr. Osei 12:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, my good Friend obviously is not reading the Budget. I have been reading from the Budget Statement that he is holding. Mr. Speaker, let me go on.
    Mr. Speaker, article 179 (1) of the Constitution requires the President to cause to be prepared and laid before this Parliament, at least, one month before the end of the financial year, financial estimates of the revenues and expenditures for the Government of Ghana for the following financial year.
    Mr. H. Iddrisu 12:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order in respect of a comment coming from the Hon Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei. Where he makes reference to paragraph 8 of the Budget Statement for the 2010 financial year and makes reference to preliminary report, the emphasis on that report is “preliminary report”. And if you read further, paragraph 8, Mr. Speaker, he had conveniently associated himself with the first portion of the Statement without reading the second part of it.
    It reads:
    “There is an ongoing audit ,
    to determine the extent of the malfeasance . . .”
    in respect of the procurement.
    He cannot be suggesting to this House that 5 per cent disobedience to procure- ment is tolerable. It is certainly not the case. Procurement is procurement; and procurement, by his words, was in respect of twenty-four entities. He cannot therefore be making that generalized statement on the entire Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Hon Member, kindly continue.
    Dr. Osei 12:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, I do not see any point of order. Mr. Speaker, the quotation is very clear. Mr. Speaker, anyway, let me go on.
    Mr. Speaker, as I said, all Presidents including Professor John Atta Mills have been guided and rightly so by history and precedence in this House.
    Consequently, in the laying of this estimate, you will find, perhaps, if I am not mistaken, going back as far as independence -- that all Budget Statements, at least, provide information for the previous year, the current year and the following year. Mr. Speaker what surprised me most is that for the first time in the history of this nation, this Budget Statement has completely refused to provide information on the previous year 2008. This is the first time this happened in the history of Ghana.
    Mr. J. K. Avedzi 12:45 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I think my Hon Friend is misleading the House. If we are preparing a Budget for 2010, definitely, we will refer to 2009. We cannot be referring to 2008.
    Dr. Osei 12:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, my good Friend, the Hon Chairman -- [Interruptions] -- Mr. Speaker, under normal circumstances, I will not argue with my Chairman. We will argue outside the Chamber. If he does not know, I want him to take page 348 as an example -- all Hon Members can turn to that page.
    Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 12:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. I think that the Ranking Member on the Finance Committee is over- generalizing, because on the Budget Statement for 2010, we definitely have data and figures on years even as far back as 2002, 2003, they are there. But you go through the appendixes and the rest -- I am saying he is over generalizing. He should be specific about the areas that he is talking about. If he is talking about information on data, if he looks at the appendices, they are there.
    Dr. Osei 12:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I referred this House to one page, page 348 -- he was not listening to me. The fiscal data -- That is why I specifically quoted the page. So I am not generalizing. Mr. Speaker, if he will read it, check page 348 -- I will give him $1, 000.00 on the floor of this House -- [Interruptions] -- From where?] Mr. Speaker, the point is that at the heart -- [Interruption]
    Mr. Bagbin 12:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I am trying
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
    Hon Member, which page are you referring to?
    Dr. Osei 12:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, before he goes on let me clarify -- [Interruptions] -- so that he listens.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
    Which page are you referring to?
    Dr. Osei 12:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, the same page he is reading. Mr. Speaker, I said - repeat - one will not find information that reflects on the end of the period for 2008. He was not listening. Mr. Speaker, there was information on three quarters for 2008. Mr. Speaker, the point is that it is an annual Budget.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, the point being made is that what we have at page 348 is a provisional outturn. It is not for the actual of 2008. Now, I have got the point he is trying to make. So what do you say to that?
    Mr. Bagbin 12:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, if he had made that statement, I will not be using
    the word “generalization”. He said that we will not get data on 2008; he did not talk - [Interruptions.] Please, the Hansard will bear me out. No, if he had said “actuals” then definitely, I will not use the word “generalization.”
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
    Hon Member, please, proceed. But for his intervention, some of us would not appreciate the point that you are making. Now your point is very clear. So kindly proceed now.
    Dr. Osei 12:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, this is why I plead that Hon Members listen well so that we can move forward.
    Mr. Speaker, if you look at the same table, you will find that surprisingly, even though the Hon Minister had not or refused to provide data for the end of year 2008, we are given information for the end of period 2009.
    Mr. Speaker, how does he give me monthly information for 12 months 2009 and conspicuously tell me that he does not have the information? Mr. Speaker, there is a reason for that. Mr. Speaker, as I said, this has never happened in this House. Mr. Speaker, why should this House sit down and allow ourselves to be treated with contempt? We are expected to contribute meaningfully to the Budget debate, then we come and get what I call “not full disclosure”, and we are expected to contribute to the debate meaningfully.
    Mr. C. K. Humado 12:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, the assertion of the Hon Member for Old Tafo is misleading the House. If
    you look at page 27 of the Budget, you will find that reference is made to corresponding periods in 2008 and copiously in subsequent sections. At the same time, the Budget Statement makes reference to a projection for December, 2009. So to have said that no reference is made for corresponding periods in 2008, I do not think that is correct and the Hon Member had to reflect on that.
    Dr. Osei 12:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that my Hon senior Colleague is also missing the point like the Hon Majority Leader. Making reference to 2008 is not the issue. The issue is that, the Budget has conspicuously not provided fiscal data for end of 2008. They have been talking about alleged arrears of 1.7 billion that does not exist. So if they put the data, they would be exposed. That is precisely the point; they are missing it.
    Mr. Speaker, let me go on.
    Let me give another example of these contradictions that continue to appear in the Budget. In paragraph 14 on page 7, we are told that the theme for the 2010 Budget is “Growth and Stability”. The Hon Majority Leader would recall that when we went to Sogakope, the Hon Minister repeated this statement. But let us go to page 42, paragraph 132. Mr. Speaker, I want the Hon Majority Leader to go to that page. Page 42, paragraph 132, Mr. Speaker, with your permission, I beg to quote. The Hon Minister says,
    “Madam Speaker, for the medium- term (2010-2012), government's objective of ensuring macro- economic stability with sustained growth. . . .”
    Mr. Speaker, the Hon Minister came to Sogakope and said the objective is “growth and stability” and then in paragraph 132, he said it is “macro-economic stability with sustained growth” . How could the theme be “growth and stability” and then
    become “stability with sustained growth?” I know the Hon Majority Leader studied English. He knows that “growth and stability” is different from “stability with growth”. Mr. Speaker, is it “growth and stability” or is it “stability with growth”?
    Mr. Bagbin 12:55 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I will want to draw the attention of the Hon Ranking Member to the difference. The “growth and stability” is the objective of the 2010 Budget. The “growth with stability” is the focus of the medium-term --2010 to 2012. It is there, paragraph 132. It says, and with your permission, I beg to quote:
    “Madam Speaker, for the medium- term (2010-2012) government's objective of ensuring macro- economic stability with sustained growth, will continue to be pursued.”
    But for 2010, this Budget, the objective is “growth and stability.” There is a difference.
    Dr. Osei 12:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that the Hon Leader of this House who is very good at the law may not catch the nuances of these economic terms. In Sogakope, he was there. The Hon Minister continued to tell us in 2009, we wanted “stability with growth” but from henceforth, it is “growth and stability,” “Stability”, “ sustained growth” cannot be compared with “growth and stability;” it does not happen. But I can explain to you why there is confusion. [Inter-ruption.]
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
    Hon Member, you have been on your feet for over 20 minutes but because of the points of order and the fact that you are the Ranking Member for your side on this matter, I will give you additional time to make your point.
    Dr. Osei 12:55 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For those 20 minutes, I have actually spoken for five minutes. More Hon Members have spoken on that side. Mr. Speaker -- [Interruption.]
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I think we should, for consistency and clarity, be on the same wavelength. What is the definition of “medium-term” for the NDC Government? This is because in one breadth, their medium-term is 2010- 2011; in another breadth, it is 2010-2012. What is their definition of medium term? This is because whereas the Hon Majority Leader just alluded to 2010-2012 as their medium- term and he was talking about the medium- term -- Just turn to page 72, bullet point 239. They define medium term there as 2010/2011. Is that the characteristics of confused people?
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
    Hon Member, they said that as part of a medium- term policy -- It is clear, so -- No. That is the paragraph, “as part of a medium-term policy”. That is what is here.
    Mr. Bagbin 12:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, this is twisting English language. The sentence that the Hon Minority Leader is referring to, I will read it for all of us to listen. It was talking about a particular year. It says that,
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I thought the Hon Majority Leader would take us through a tunnel of light. Let him read the 2009 document; let him go through and their understanding of “medium-term” is clear there. But consistent with what they gave us in March, they defined their medium-term as “2010/2011”. It is here.
    Mr. Speaker, he cannot be engaging in this exercise of futility; it does not serve him any good.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    Hon
    Minority Leader, you referred us to paragraph 239 at page 72 and that is his response to the paragraph that you have quoted so 2009 is another matter.
    So Hon Ranking Member, continue.
    Dr. Osei 1:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, let me try if the Hon Majority Leader would listen. Mr. Speaker, the confusion is very under- standable and let me explain why.
    Mr. Speaker, the current Government has not yet given us a medium-term economic framework which would guide its economic policies. We understand there is a draft. But at the same time, we have entered into an arrangement with IMF, which emphasises stability, so the Hon Minister does not have any choice but to go against himself and think about “stability with growth” This is because that is what is done under the PRGS programme that they have ended up entering into doing with the IMF. So I am not surprised.
    Mr. Speaker, be that as it may, in order for us to really do an assessment of what the Budget tells us, the first order of business is to ask, how has the economy performed in 2009?
    Mr. Speaker, if we can do that proper assessment, even though we have not been given the necessary information from 2008, we are still going to debate them with that caveat.
    Mr. Speaker, the simplest way to look at this Budget from 2009 is to ask, how did revenues do? And the answer is simple. Mr. Speaker, if there is no revenue, there is no expenditure, there cannot be any growth.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    Which page?
    Dr. Osei 1:05 p.m.
    Page 26, Table 6.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    I have Table 4 there?
    Dr. Osei 1:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I am sorry, it is Table 4. [Interruptions.] Mr. Speaker, the evidence is frightening, and I hope the Hon Majority Leader is looking at the evidence so that -- The evidence one can deduce from there, if one understands the Table, is the following: that from January 2009 to September 2009 except for direct taxes, which exceeded the target above by 2.8 per cent, all other sources of revenue experienced a shortfall. If he is looking at the same Table and he does not get that conclusion then he needs some eye glasses.
    Mr. Speaker, total tax revenues fell short by an average of 11 per cent; international taxes fell short by 16 per cent. Mr. Speaker, petroleum revenues in particular fell short by 32 per cent. Mr. Speaker, when the Hon Minister came to this House in August and we pointed out to him, that in 2008 and even with higher taxes the NPP Government was only able to bring in 300 plus million, and with the NDC Government having removed taxes and the way demand is going now, there is no way the target of over 400 million would be reached, and we advised him to change that; he did not listen.
    Now, does he see the trouble Ghana has? [Uproar.] Mr. Speaker, looking at this revenue shortfall, can we say we are in a better Ghana? [Interruption.]
    Mr. Bagbin 1:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. Mr. Speaker, my good Friend knows very well that the Government could have decided to slap more taxes on
    Dr. Osei 1:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, with respect, expected grant and loan received fell short by about 15 per cent and 23 per cent respectively.
    Mr. Haruna Iddrisu 1:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Mr. Speaker, it is important that as we debate the Budget, I have seen the Hon Former Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning make reference to shortfalls in Government revenue. I am holding in my hand here the 2007 Budget Statement and I can refer him to report - [Interruptions.]
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    Hon Members, we have referred to supple- mentary Budgets on the floor when this debate started. People have referred to 2009; he is referring to the 2007 Budget Statement and it is within the Order to refer to it to make an argument in the House. [Interruptions.] Let us listen to him then I can rule.
    Mr. H. Iddrisu 1:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, this is just to -- and in his submission -- [Interruption.]
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    Hon Member, what is your point? What point do you want to make? What Order?
    Mr. H. Iddrisu 1:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, my point is that, yes, there has been a shortfall in Government revenue and I have referenced the 2007 Budget where there was a shortfall in Government revenue. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, in this particular case, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning -- and you can refer to paragraphs 59 and 60 -- is candid to offer an explanation as to what accounts for the shortfall in Government revenue -- because of world economic recession, because of reduction in import cover and also on taxes related to foreign remittances. [Interruptions.]
    Mr. Bagbin 1:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I want people to see why the objection. The objection is not on the shortfall, but the statement he made that “look at the problem you brought on the people of Ghana” just because of the shortfall. [Interruptions.] Mr. Speaker, the body gyration in front of me would not prevent me from putting across my views; the important thing is that if he had restricted himself to talk about only the shortfalls, nobody would raise a point of order because we have all been experiencing shortfalls.
    But to add that “look at the problem you brought on the people of Ghana”, that is a point of order because shortfalls - The fact that you just have revenue shortfalls, does not mean you have brought problems on the people of Ghana.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    Hon Member, I think that the point being made is that the Hon Member is misleading the House to the extent that shortfalls are not
    new, that is the point being made that shortfalls are not new.
    Hon Ranking Member, you may continue.
    rose
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, on a point of clarification. Mr. Speaker, with respect to you, I believe the point of entry of my Hon Colleague, the Hon Minister for Communications was very unmeritorious. Mr. Speaker, it has no relevance or place in our Standing Order. And Mr. Speaker, when he finished, you were about going to make your ruling, you stopped short and then the Hon Majority Leader came in and then you made this ruling which is very, very uncomfortable.
    Mr. Speaker, with respect, we are uncomfortable with that and we have every liberty to voice that we are uncomfortable with that ruling. Mr. Speaker, the Hon Minister is a lawyer -- [Interruptions] -- Mr. Speaker, he is a lawyer. If somebody makes -- If a person is accused of murder and then he gets up, and his defence is that “Oh, somebody has also committed murder somewhere”, does it make it less an offence? Mr. Speaker, if he is wrong, he is wrong. If his entry is wrong, he is wrong and you should rule accordingly. He himself understood when I signalled to him that he was wrong.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, you know that if somebody makes a point of order, and another person rises so that I can make my ruling, especially if the person is a Leader in the House, I will always listen to that Leader before making my ruling. Indeed, you did the same thing when you referred to the 2009 Budget in order to aid the Hon Ranking Member, I allowed you to make your point.
    I also allowed you to make your point to aid the Hon Ranking Member who was on the floor and you referred to the 2009 Budget Statement with regard to Medium Term Framework (MTEF). So when the Leader also gets up, in order to aid another Member, what prevents me from calling him to aid another Member so that I can be in a position to make my order? [Interruptions.] [Some Hon Members -- Shouting: “We want Madam Speaker”] -- Hon Minority Leader! Hon Minority Leader! Hon Minority Leader, you better call Hon Asiamah to order otherwise, I will name him -- [Prolonged Interruptions.]
    rose
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
    Hon Dr. Akoto Osei, kindly continue your submission.
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, with respect, we have all lived long in this House. We know that if a person is on the floor and making a substantive contribution, anybody can get up and supply information. That is acceptable. What is not acceptable in this House is somebody interjecting on a point of order and he requiring aid and being granted space. Mr. Speaker, that is unknown to our Standing Orders. That is the point that I wanted to make.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, who is that person who made the order? Who made that intervention that you are complaining about?
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker --
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
    No, no,
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, the intervention was made by - the point of order was made by the Hon Minister for Communications. You allowed him space, and you said you wanted to hear him through before making the ruling. And now you are telling us that you afforded the Hon Majority Leader space because you wanted him to aid him in your ruling. That is what I am saying that, that one has no space in our Standing Orders. It has no space, and I repeat it.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
    Hon Ranking Member, continue -- [Some Hon Members: “We want Madam Speaker! We want Madam Speaker!”] - Hon Ranking Member, continue and wind up.
    Mr. Bagbin 1:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, my Hon Colleague just raised this issue of somebody raising a point of order, and another being called in to aid the person raising the point of order and he says it has no basis in our Standing Orders. I just want us to refer to our Standing Order 91 which deals with interruptions of debate, and it is there clearly as to how one can interrupt debate. And when you go to Order 92 (1), it says:
    “No Member shall interrupt any other Member except . . .”
    And when you go to subclause (b), it says:-

    Please! Please!

    “. . . and that the Member wishing to
    rose
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
    Hon Members, I have called the Ranking Member to continue and wind up and I am not going to take any further comments on the Standing Orders on this matter [Hear! Hear!]
    rose
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
    Hon Ranking Member -
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, with respect to you -
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
    Hon Ranking Member, I have called you -- [Interruptions.] You see.
    Dr. Osei 1:15 p.m.
    Please, my Leader wants to elucidate on the matter.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
    Please, continue. If I want to call the Hon Minority Leader, I will call him [Uproar.]
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:15 p.m.
    Oh! I see. I see the biases that you are introducing in
    the Chair; I see you. What kind of attitude are you bringing to bear on the Chair? What kind of attitude is that? [Uproar.] Overly biased and it is not good. What is that?
    rose
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
    Hon Ranking Member, I have called you and the reason why I called you is that, the Leadership is supposed to assist me to keep order in this House. And if the Leadership is challenging the ruling of the Chair through the back door, this Chair will not tolerate that. [Uproar.] If the ruling -- if my ruling -- I am not perfect.
    Anybody who sits in this Chair since I entered this House has made one mistake one time or the other, I do not make a ruling to please either the Majority or the Minority. I make rulings to the best of my ability and to my conscience -- [Interruptions.] If my ruling does not satisfy any side of the House, once I am at peace with my conscience and my God, I am all right. That is my ruling and I am at peace with my conscience and my God and I am saying that you should continue. If you are not ready to continue, I will call somebody.
    Dr. Osei 1:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I need some advice on this. Our Standing Order 92 (1) (b), I quote:
    “to elucidate some matter raised by the Member speaking in the course of his speech, provided that the Member speaking . . . ”
    Which in this case is me --
    “. . . is willing to give way and resume his seat.”
    Mr. Speaker, it is on this basis that I want to resume my seat and yield to my
    Leader.
    Mr.First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, that is precisely why I want you to start then I will recognize him, because at a point, I listened to the Majority Leader, you were never on your feet to yield to him at all. You just got up, so please, continue and I will know when to recognize him.
    Dr. Osei 1:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, with such abysmal performance on revenue, it should not be surprising that in the assessment of expenditures for the corresponding period, Government will not be able to live up to its promises.
    Mr. Speaker, I want us to refer to Table 5 on page 31 for me to give a few examples why I am saying that Government cannot live up to its expenditure promises. Mr. Speaker, if you look at that Table and I want to note that transfers to statutory funds, DACF, GETFund, NHIS and Road Fund have received 19 per cent less than was due them. Mr. Speaker, at this rate, how do we expect development to continue in Ghana? And some people want to call this a “Better Ghana”.
    Mr. Speaker, on the matter of transfers to pensioners, that is gratuity, social security, et cetera, payment has fallen short by much as 17 per cent. Mr. Speaker, how do we explain to all these pensioners who worked expecting their little money to come that Government is not able to pay at least, on this date, on time? Mr. Speaker, and this is what people want to call a “Better Ghana”?
    Mr. Speaker, on the issue of public sector wages, the story is even worse. Mr. Speaker, why do I say that? We are told that this year, public sector workers have received an average increase of 17 per cent. Average. But we know that the
    average is less than 17 per cent. But for purposes of argument, let me say 17 per cent.
    Mr. Speaker, if the average rate of inflation is 19.7 per cent, what that means in simple language is that all public sector workers have seen an erosion in their income by over two per cent. Mr. Speaker, how come, for the last six years, the evidence is that public sector workers received above the rate of inflation and received real increases? In fact, from 2006 to 2008, the cumulative real increase that is over and above inflation was 40 per cent.

    Mr. Speaker, if that was the only problem --
    rose
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:25 p.m.
    Hon Chairman of the Finance Committee, I want him to conclude and wind up. What is the point of order?
    Mr. J. K. Avedzi 1:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, the point of order is that the Hon Ranking Member is misleading the House. The page that he referred to -- [Uproar.]
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:25 p.m.
    Hon Members, order! Let us listen to him.
    Mr. Avedzi 1:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, the page that he referred to, that public sector wages are short by 5.9 per cent is misleading.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:25 p.m.
    What is your point of order?
    Mr. Avedzi 1:25 p.m.
    My point of order -- [Uproar.]
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:25 p.m.
    Order,
    please. What is your point of order?
    Mr. Avedzi 1:25 p.m.
    My point of order is that Government budgeted for a figure to pay salaries and wages and then at the end, the outturn is less than what has been budgeted for, it does not mean that the workers have received less than what they have budgeted for. There are those workers whose names have been removed from the payroll. So, definitely, the outturn will be less than what has been budgeted for. It does not mean that the workers are not paid their salaries.
    Dr. Osei 1:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I told you earlier, under normal circumstances, I would not want to put my Hon Chairman -- but in this case, I must.
    Mr. Speaker, if you would just listen. My statement was the following 1:25 p.m.
    We are told that public sector workers have received on the average a 17 per cent increase. Mr. Speaker, if it is all paid, notice I said if it is all paid and they average rate of inflation is 19 per cent, they will still suffer an erosion of 2 per cent.
    Mr. Speaker, he should wait and listen to my next point. I said the situation is even worst and that is where the point comes in. It is even worst, because even the 17 per cent, not all of it has been paid. As at end of September, it had fallen short by 6 per cent. And that was the point he was raising, just to confirm what I was saying. Next time, he should listen to me well.
    So two things have happened, their income has gone down. And the little that you are supposed to receive has not all been paid to you. Is this a “Better Ghana”?

    Mr. Speaker, if you take the case of

    the health sector workers, we know they only got a 10 per cent increase. That will translate to a diminishing of 7 per cent in the real income.

    Mr. Speaker, if these developments in revenue expenditure were going to be corrected, I would not have any problem. Mr. Speaker, if you look ahead in terms of what is happening, there is a big problem. And this is something that I thought the Hon Minister would report to this House about.

    Mr. Speaker, this House -
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:25 p.m.
    Hon Member, kindly wind up.
    Dr. Osei 1:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, this august House, in our wisdom approved for this Government $300 million of money for the Budget, $150 million was disbursed earlier. And in approving it, there were some conditions for the second disbursement to be made. We sat here and approved it and we have not even asked the Hon Minister what is the status of that.
    Mr. Speaker, if the Hon Minister will not tell us, I want to tell this House the status. As at the end of September, the Government was supposed to do a lot of things including, one, bringing the Freedom of Information Bill by end of September. This is November, it has not come. And this House has not even taken the opportunity to ask the Hon Minister.
    Number two, there was another conditionality -- the Government was supposed to bring the Ghana Regulatory Petroleum Bill and the Oil and Gas Fiscal Regimes to this House as at end of September. This is November 25th and they are not here. Furthermore, the Government was supposed to provide a financial sector recovery plan, also at
    end of September. It has not come here. We have not even bothered to ask. Mr. Speaker, do we know the implications of that?
    rose
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:25 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader?
    Mr. Bagbin 1:25 p.m.
    on a point of order.
    My very good Friend, the Hon Ranking Member is aware that the issues that he is raising now were discussed with the World Bank and that the World Bank is demanding that these things be placed before Parliament at the last quarter of the year. It is not before the end of September. I personally have met the Country Director of the World Bank. -- [Interruptions.] Please, listen. [Dr. A. A. Osei: I am not yielding.] You have yielded already. You cannot get up again and say you are not yielding. [Dr. A. A. Osei: I am not yielding.] You sat down. You sat down; you cannot get up again and say you are not yielding. You are misleading the House. You yielded by sitting down.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:25 p.m.
    Hon Ranking Member, you sat down first.
    Dr. Osei 1:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I was picking this -- [Shows a document] -- I am not willing to yield.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:25 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, he says he is not yielding, that he only picked a document. He sat down to pick a document.
    So, Hon Ranking Member, continue.
    Dr. Osei 1:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, let me advise the Hon Majority Leader, that even though we respect him, any discussions he has on his own with the World Bank is not binding
    on Government. This is the document. [Shows a document.] [Interruption.] You did not say World Bank, so what are you referring to?
    Mr. Speaker, we approved in this House this document and it was specific. It says at end of September. Mr. Speaker, but he should be careful. What I am saying is in our interest. All what I am saying is that as of now, because we have not fulfilled those conditions, Government stands to lose as much as $150 million from that.
    Mr. Speaker, if domestic revenue is falling, donor disbursements are falling, what is going to happen? Mr. Speaker, I am a Ghanaian. I am worried that as in November, if we are not careful, this money will not come.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
    Hon Member, kindly conclude. Kindly conclude; I have been saying this -- Kindly conclude; I think that you have been on the floor for a very long time. Please, conclude now.
    Dr. Osei 1:35 p.m.
    My Speaker, with respect -- All right, on growth; let me say a little about growth. We are informed that growth was only 4.7 per cent. Mr. Speaker, last year, per capita growth rose as much as 3.5 per cent. This year, it is 2.2 per cent. Mr. Speaker, what that means is that as Ghanaians, our incomes are going backward, not forward, and some people want to call this a “Better Ghana”.
    Mr. Speaker, the truth is the truth. If our incomes are eroding, we cannot hide it. The question is, what should we do to make sure that growth goes up? Mr. Speaker, what is worse is that in the construction sector, growth fell by one per cent. The World Bank estimates that if we
    Dr. Osei 1:35 p.m.


    go at this rate, in two years, we would add 500,000 more people to the poverty level. Mr. Speaker, is this what we want to do? Put 500,000 people more in poverty? No, I do not believe so. Mr. Speaker, therefore, it is important that the Government pays attention to this.

    Mr. Speaker, since you want me to wind up, I want to quickly summarise. In short, if you look at what happened in fiscal year 2009, we have one, very severe shortfall in revenue; two, shortfalls in donor disbursements; it means that there is only one thing left for the Government to go and borrow. We all know the con-sequences of higher domestic borrowing. But in the programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), it is not possible to exceed a certain level of borrowing. So even that option is not available to Government; so what is the Government going to do?

    Mr. Speaker, the year, I am afraid, is likely to end up worse than we are being told. If this is true, Ghanaians, we should be prepared for 2010.

    Mr. Speaker, I would let my Hon Colleagues talk about 2010, but if you see what happened in 2009 and you are a Ghanaian, you should be worried. The year 2010 Budget, my Hon Colleague, would talk about it, is going to be worse than 2009.
    Mr. Clement K. Humado (NDC -- Anlo) 1:35 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the motion on the floor, that this Honourable House approves the financial policy of the Government of Ghana for the year 2010.
    Mr. Speaker, what I would like to do is first of all to comment on the economic situation inherited from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Administration -- [Hear! Hear!] -- and also to comment on the 2009 Budget performance under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and also to comment on the projections and policy initiatives. In so doing, I would also want to debunk some of the assertions made by the Hon Member who spoke earlier and to throw more light on the truth.
    Mr. Speaker, the economy that was inherited by the NDC Administration from the NPP Administration could as best be described as a tale of two cities or what the ordinary person would call, two troubles one god. The first trouble is due to the impact of the global economic recession on the economy of Ghana. But the second trouble, which is the most important, is the huge debts that have been left by the previous Administration for the new Administration. [Hear! Hear!] We are told that currently the deficits amount to 2.6 billion -- [Interruption.]
    Dr. Appiah-Kubi 1:35 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the Hon Member speaking said that the previous Administration left this current regime a huge debt. This is an issue that is being bandied around as if the debt of Ghana is not sustainable. This current year, Government has been talking about debt, debt, debt. Let us ask ourselves how much of this debt was paid this year relative to total expenditure? It was just 17 per cent of total expenditure for this year and if 17 per cent is such a huge debt which -- [Interruption.]
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
    Hon Member, what is your point of order?
    Dr. Appiah-Kubi 1:35 p.m.
    My point of order is about the so-called huge -- [Inter- ruptions.] This is misinformation, the falsehood that is being spread round that the previous Administration has left this country a huge debt. That is total
    misinformation that is being spread round and we want the House and Ghanaians to know that it is never true, that the previous Administration left this country a huge debt; it is never true.
    Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
    The Hon Member for Anlo.
    Mr. Humado 1:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, a debt of 26 trillion -- [Uproar.] -- was left behind and if one wishes to explain the size of - [Interruption.]
    Dr. Osei 1:35 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, with respect to my senior Brother, at least, if we are debating, let us debate facts. Mr. Speaker, he is trying to quote that the debt is 2.6 billion. Mr. Speaker, he is grossly misleading this House -- [Interruptions.] Listen.
    The Hon Minister's statement in paragraph (6) referred to a deficit, not a debt. Deficit is not the same as debt. [Uproar!] Mr. Speaker, the 2.6 billion is a deficit. How can he refer to it as debt? Mr. Speaker, he should withdraw that statement and correct himself.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
    Hon Member for Anlo.
    Mr. Humado 1:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, as I said, I would just continue. A statement was made earlier that -- [Interruptions.] A statement was made earlier that the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning made an earlier -- [Interruptions.]
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
    Hon Member, if you do not allow him to talk, how would you know what he is saying if you keep on making noise? Let us hear what he is going to say in response to what you said.
    Dr. Osei 1:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, he says he is
    going on. I have just indicated to you that he has grossly misled this House. The proper thing for him to do is to say that he had made a mistake --
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
    Hon Member, did you say debt or deficit?
    Mr. Humado 1:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I was referring to deficit.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
    And the deficit is 2.6 billion; that is what your attention is being drawn to, that it is 2.6 billion -- [Interruptions.]
    Mr. Humado 1:35 p.m.
    Yes, that is correct. Let me explain, the size of this deficit to the young ones up there, one could have said that it is as huge as an elephant. [Uproar!] The size of the debt is as huge as an elephant.
    Mr. Speaker, an earlier statement was made that the current Minister for Finance and Economic Planning made some claims before the IMF and the World Bank. I want to say that this was on the belief that there was a full disclosure. This was on the belief that there was a full disclosure and as it has turned out to be, there was no full disclosure and this is why we find ourselves in the situation that we find ourselves right now.
    Mr. Kofi Frimpong 1:35 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the Hon Member there is misleading the House, the country, the IMF, the World Bank and the whole world. Mr. Speaker, is he telling us that the Hon Minister did not know all these facts and he lied to the IMF for the second time? Has he gone to withdraw those documents --
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
    Hon Member, it is unparliamentary to use that word.
    Mr. Kofi Frimpong 1:35 p.m.
    No, it is a question.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
    Please, please.
    Mr. Kofi Frimpong 1:35 p.m.
    I am saying that --
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
    Hon Member, it is unparliamentary to use the word -- [Interruptions.] Please, order. It is unparliamentary to use the words “the Minister lied”, it is unparliamentary.
    Mr. Kofi Frimpong 1:45 p.m.
    No, Mr. Speaker, all I am saying is that he is implying, he is implying by so saying --
    M r. F i r s t D e p u t y S p e a k e r :
    Hon Member, I am saying that it is unparliamentary to use the word “lying”.
    Mr. Kofi Frimpong 1:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker,
    does it mean that --
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:45 p.m.
    You
    need to use another word to convey the message.
    Mr. Kofi Frimpong 1:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, the
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:45 p.m.
    Hon Member?
    Mr. Kofi Humado 1:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I
    have heard of arguments that, that is not necessarily a burden on the economy that it would be investment for the future.
    We need to look at our particular case and the category of debts that we are talking about, most of them cannot be put in this category in the sense that procurement of works which did not receive approval and has now gone through to the due process cannot be said to be investments in the future. Neither can non-payment of judgement debts with interest accruals be said to be an investment in the future.
    Mr. Joe Ghartey 1:45 p.m.
    On a point of
    order. Mr. Speaker, I would like to tell -- [Interruption.] My Friend opposite says that he talks about judgement debts, et cetera. Majority of that money, majority, 90 per cent of that money falls in the category of Alhaji Issifu's Hotel which was demolished legally during the NDC period. [Uproar!] I have the list, I have the list there.
    They talk about KAS International. KAS International is a cocoa processing plant and it is in the budget which is owned by the wife of the former President of Ghana, known as Jerry Rawlings and that money she took, the Government guaranteed for her to take a loan from China -- [Interruption] -- that is an abuse of office. [Interruption] -- and this is investment you call “judgement debts” that arise out of bad contracts that you entered into investments in the future. Two days before they left office, Dr. Ato Quarshie signed a contract - is that what you call “dubious contract”? Do not say
    what you do not know.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:45 p.m.
    Hon Member for Anlo, continue.
    Mr. Humado 1:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, the point I was trying to make is that non- payment of judgement debts with the huge interest accruals, that is the issue I was trying to point out. I think he has agreed with me largely on the subject. Now to continue, I would like to quickly look at the performance of the economy in 2009.
    All the figures provided us have shown that the economy held its own very largely despite the very great odds and difficulties that surrounded the economy. Mr. Speaker, if you look at the figures, you will realize that in 2009, the agricultural sector for example, performed very marvellously [Hear! Hear] at 6.2 per cent as against the target of 5.7 per cent. The industrial sector overall declined a bit but if you look at the details, you will realize that most of the sub-sectors performed creditably.
    Mr. Baidoe-Ansah 1:45 p.m.
    On a point of
    order. Mr. Speaker, the Hon Member seems to be reading a speech to this House which is contrary to our Standing Orders. I thought we were supposed to debate instead of reading.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:45 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, are you reading your speech?
    Mr. Humado 1:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I am not

    Mr. Speaker, I think what is important
    Dr. Osei 1:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, with respect, it
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:45 p.m.
    So what
    is your point of order?
    Dr. Osei 1:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, he is misleading
    this House by saying that if you compare those targets against 2008, they are incomparable. To begin with, they have not given us information for 2008, how are we going to compare? They have just given us Sakawa and how are we going to compare?
    Mr. Humado 1:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I would like to go on.
    I would like to quickly say that what is important is that the Government has identified the reasons for some of these shortfalls and has taken adequate measures to improve the situation in the 2010 period.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:45 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, let us stay away from the Sakawa word.
    Mr. Humado 1:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, similarly, a statement was made by my Colleague from the other side that a Deputy Minister in the present Government made a statement to the effect that the 2008 Budget was cocaine-driven. I wish to clarify that statement. That is not true. What was said and I listened to it on Citi FM - [Interruption.]
    Dr. Osei 1:55 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr.
    Speaker, at least, if my Hon Colleague is going to quote me, he should quote me correctly. I did not say “a cocaine-driven budget”, I did not say that. [Interruption] - I said cocaine driven growth. So, at least, if you are going to quote me, quote me properly, and this was said on radio. [Interruption.] -- I did not mention the name, but it was said on radio.
    rose
    Some Hon Members 1:55 p.m.
    Sit down! Sit down!
    Mr. Kwetey 1:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, it is important for the sake of the public that distortions are corrected -- [Interruptions.]
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:55 p.m.
    Hon
    Members -- [Interruption] - the Hon Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning is on the floor, let us listen to him.
    Mr. Kwetey 1:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity on the very day that this years' Budget was presented to have spoken on City FM. Now, what I said on City FM was very clear, very un-ambiguous. I said that the 7.3 per cent growth which was registered in 2008 was unsustainable and therefore, could not be used as a normal situation.

    So when you have the Hon Ranking

    Member on the other side wanting to let the world believe that that was literal -- [Uproar] -- he is simply showing, again, the level of unpreparedness and his inability to understand exactly what I said.

    Several Hon Members -- rose --
    Mr. Kwetey 1:55 p.m.
    What I said was figurative, what I said was metaphorical -- [Inter-ruption]-- and it simply meant that the growth rate in 2008 was simply not sustainable - [Uproar.]
    Mr. Humado 1:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, having
    Dr. Osei 1:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I vehemently
    object to the Hon Deputy Minister's use of the language that; “my inability to understand”. Mr. Speaker, this is the floor of the House. A Deputy Minister cannot -- [Interruption] -- he should withdraw that statement. He should completely withdraw.
    Mr. Speaker, this is a Deputy Minister who said that NPP Government had stolen all the gold reserves, and he comes here to tell me that I do not understand -- [Uproar] -- he should withdraw that statement. It is unacceptable. Mr. Speaker, he should withdraw it -- [Interruption.]
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:55 p.m.
    Hon
    Members, order! Hon Members, order! [Interruption] -- Hon Members, everybody should sit down, everybody should take his seat. Hon Members, everybody should take his seat -- [Interruption] -- Hon Members, take your seats; Hon Members, take your seats.
    Hon Majority Leader, I did indicate that I do not intend -- [Interruption] -- we do not have double Sitting today, that is why I called -- [Interruption.]
    rose
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:55 p.m.
    That is why I called on him to conclude so that we can adjourn exactly at two o'clock -- [Uproar] --
    Wait. Hon Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, the Ranking Member for the Finance Committee said you made a statement that he had taken objection to -- [Uproar] -- [Pause] -- The Hon Member said you used a word that he is taking an objection to.
    Indeed, the reason why I gave you the intervention was when you said that you were the one who used the word “cocaine”. And I think that you have a right to respond to what you said, some of us did not hear what you said on air. So when he said a Deputy Minister made reference to cocaine and you thought that you had to explain what you said on air, you have the right to be given the floor to say so.
    In so doing, the Ranking Member says he is taking objection to some words that
    you used -- [Interruption] -- that he has not got the capacity to understand -- [Interruption] -- I do not know whether you used that word because of the noise -- [Interruption] -- Order! Order! Hon Members, because of the noise, I did not hear him. Because of the noise, I did not hear him use those words, so I would find out from him exactly what he said. Let us find out from him what he said; what did you say? I did not hear you because of the noise at the background.
    Mr. Kwetey 1:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, what I said was this, that the words I used were figurative and metaphorical -- [Interruption] -- that when the economy of Ghana in the year 2008 grew by 7.3 per cent, I said that was not real growth, that was not growth that could be sustainable because that was growth that is likened to an athlete that had taken steroids or cocaine and made a performance.
    That is different from saying that the economy was “cocaine growth”. It is an allegory, it is figurative language. And what I said was that it is obvious that the Hon Ranking Member is showing the same predisposition that he showed when he failed to understand the word Sakawa, showing that his lack of research -- [Interruption] -- So, what I am saying is that clearly, the lack of research and lack of preparation is making it difficult for him to understand what I said. [Uproar.]
    Several Hon Members -- rose--
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 1:55 p.m.
    Hon Deputy Minister for Finance of Economic Planning -- [Uproar] -- Hon Members, [Pause] -- Hon Minority Leader.
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker. -- [Pause] -- [Interruptions.]
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
    Hon
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.


    Minority Leader, you have the floor.
    Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:05 p.m.
    Mr.
    Speaker, the Hon Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning is not an Hon Member of this House and so perhaps he may not know the rules of procedure in this House. Clearly, the language he used in this House is unacceptable and should not have any place in this House.
    We are prepared to excuse him because he is a young man - [Interruptions.] -- and we believe that he will not allow the office that he is occupying now to enter his head. I believe that it should be pointed out to him in blank language that this conduct in this House is unacceptable and he must withdraw and apologize to our Colleague for us to go on.
    Mr. Speaker, I believe you will let my Colleague who is standing at the back know that when a Leader is on the floor and making a submission on a point of order, he has no business standing up there.
    Mr. Speaker, the appeal to you is to direct the Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning that that language that he ultered in this House has no place here, it is unacceptable, it is an affront to the dignity of this House and particularly to the Hon Member.
    We are prepared to forgive him if he makes amends and I believe he can do that so that this House moves on.
    Mr. Bagbin 2:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, let me start
    by appealing to Hon Members to have calm nerves because the process was already set in motion by the Speaker for us to do the right thing.
    Once an Hon Member objects to the
    use of language, the Member who is alleged to have used that language is given the opportunity to say what he might have said and I think that was what the Speaker was doing, to then give a ruling whether the language was parliamentary or un- parliamentary and whether to withdraw and apologise or whatever. That was what happened but because we lost our nerves, we increased the volume of the noise and that seems to have used a lot of our time.

    I might be urging the Speaker to call on Hon Members who interject to withdraw and apologise to me if they do not allow me to land. So if that was what the Hon Ranking Member requested, for him to withdraw and apologize, definitely, I will urge Mr. Speaker to go that way and give the opportunity to the Deputy Minister to do so.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
    Hon Minister, the latter part of your phrase when you talk about the same predisposition in terms of understanding, I would want you to withdraw that part of your contribution and apologize.
    Mr. Kwetey 2:05 p.m.
    Thank you very much,
    Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that my attempt to clarify did not go as well as it should. My emphasis was that the distortion was totally wrong. But if it is that in explaining the fact that there was a misunderstanding between what you call “metaphorical language” and “literal language” that did not come out well, I do apologize. But I still insist that there was a clear lack of understanding of what I said, and what I said was that it was metaphorical, it was not a literal translation.
    Thank you very much.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
    Hon
    Deputy Minister, have you withdrawn? I want to hear it clear.
    Mr. Kwetey 2:05 p.m.
    Yes, Mr. Speaker, I have withdrawn it.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
    Have you withdrawn? The Hon Member involved is an Hon Member, so as long as you hold that portfolio, you have to be working with him on this floor of the House and the way we work here at times - We have seen a lot in this House, so at times when it happens, we just laugh. So you just apologize to him for that aspect. You have withdrawn, apologize.
    Mr. Kwetey 2:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I think I
    have already done that.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
    You have
    apologized?
    Mr. Kwetey 2:05 p.m.
    I just pleaded that --
    [Interruptions] -- should make more effort not to yield to distortion. That was what I said -- [Interruptions.]
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, please -- [Interruptions.] Hon Deputy Minister, have you withdrawn those offensive words; have you withdrawn them?
    Mr. Kwetey 2:05 p.m.
    Yes, Mr. Speaker, I said I have withdrawn them.
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
    Have
    you apologized to the Hon Member for Old Tafo?
    Mr. Kwetey 2:05 p.m.
    Yes, clearly I said --
    Mr. First Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, he has withdrawn and apologized
    ADJOURNMENT 2:05 p.m.
  • The House was adjourned at 2.15 p.m. till 26th November, 2009 at 10.00 a.m.
    • Madam Speaker 2:15 p.m.
    Thank you, Hon Member.
    Can we start? Hon Members, we would start from this side of the House (Minority) today. You have 30 minutes to make comments on this Statement.