Debates of 11 Dec 2009

MADAM SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:47 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:47 a.m.
Madam Speaker 10:47 a.m.
Hon Members, Correction of Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, 10th December1009.
Pages 1 - 13 --
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 10:47 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
page 13, paragraph 3, “In Attendance” -- Hon Joe Kwashie Gidisu, Minister for Roads and Highways was in attendance but his name is missing.
Madam Speaker 10:47 a.m.
All right.
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 10:47 a.m.
Then, number (ii),
that is “Mr. Henry Kamel Ford”. I think the title is wrong. It should be “Hon Henry Ford Kamel”, to distinguish him from participants or non-members who were also present.
Then Maj. (Dr.) (Alhaji) Mustapha Ahmed (retd), Member of Parliament, personally, I do not recollect seeing him at that meeting but his name has been recorded as being in attendance. That ought to be corrected.
Madam Speaker 10:47 a.m.
Is Hon Maj. (Dr.)
(Alhaji) Mustapha Ahmed (retd) here?
Mr. G. K. B. Gbediame 10:47 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, I am the Hon Chairman of the Committee.
Madam Speaker 10:47 a.m.
Yes, did he attend
the meeting?
Mr. Gbediame 10:47 a.m.
We met at the GNTC

Flats; I saw Hon Maj. (Dr.)(Alhaji) Mustapha Ahmed (retd) within the premises. I think it was his presence there that was registered in the attendance book, that he was present. I saw him physically there but I did not see him stay throughout the meeting because, maybe, he had another meeting.
Madam Speaker 10:47 a.m.
But did he attend?
Hon Chairman, did he attend the meeting at the beginning at all?
Mr. Gbediame 10:47 a.m.
Yes.
Madam Speaker 10:47 a.m.
All right.
Mr. Gbediame 10:47 a.m.
He is not a member of the Committee but he was in attendance.
Madam Speaker 10:47 a.m.
Yes, Hon Member for Amenfi East, the Hon Chairman said he did attend briefly.
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 10:47 a.m.
Madam Speaker, this is not intended to challenge my Hon Chairman, but the point is that if he passed by and the Hon Chairman saw him, it is different from the Hon Member attending the meeting. And I was at the meeting throughout and, I never saw the Maj. (Dr.) (Alhaji) Mustapha Ahmed (retd). I personally did not see him at the meeting. I am talking about the meeting, not within the premises where we had the meeting.
Madam Speaker 10:47 a.m.
Yes, Hon Chairman?
Mr. Gbediame 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, at every committee meeting, there is a paper passed round for people who are in attendance and the Clerks actually take those in attendance. He was there in attendance and that is why his name appeared in the register.
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Now, we are
talking about ‘in attendance', ‘signing the
register'. Did he come to the meeting?
Mr. Gbediame 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
that is so.
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Hon J. B. Aidoo,
now, he is not here. The Hon Member himself is not here but somebody said he saw him at the meeting.
Hon Leader, somebody did not see him,
the Chairman said he saw him.
Mr. Gbediame 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the
register has been produced. He has signed the Attendance Register, so it actually confirms that he was at the meeting.
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Unless Hon J. B.
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
yes, I have a problem. I have a problem in the sense that -- [Interruption] -- of course, I have given an indication that the Hon Minister for Roads and Highways was in attendance, he really sat in the meeting. I saw him throughout the entire meeting. But I never saw the Hon Member in question, that is Maj. (Dr.) (Alhaji) Mustapha Ahmed (retd) at the meeting, not even within the room where we had the meeting.
The Hon Chairman is saying that he saw him within the premises and that, if maybe, they had a different meeting outside the room or the chamber where we had the meeting, then it is a different story. That is why I am challenging why his name appears -- because if he was in attendance, then he should have been at the meeting.
Mr. Gbediame 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
Hon J. K. Gidisu is a member of the Committee on Lands and Forestry, so it would be indicated that he was present at the meeting but any other person who is
not a member of the Committee would be recorded as “in attendance”.
So I am saying that Hon J. K. Gidisu was there in his capacity as a member of the Committee, while Hon Maj. (Dr.) (Alhaji) Mustapha Ahmed (retd) was there only in attendance because he is not a member of the Committee. That is the difference.
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Hon Leader, how
do we solve this?
Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
this is a matter that we will refer to the Clerk's Office to rectify because clearly, Hon J. K. Gidisu being a member of the Committee is not recorded as being present, therefore there seems to be a loophole there. If it is true that he attended as a member, those present are listed and his name should have been there.
Hon Maj. (Dr.) (Alhaji) Mustapha Ahmed (retd) who is now the subject of controversy is not here himself but, maybe, just passing through, he might have signed the register. But the Hon J. B. Aidoo is really right to be say that he did not see him at the proceedings of the meeting. He might have passed by and signed but he did not see him sit in and participate in the deliberations of the Committee, but the Chairman is saying he passed by.
The records are saying that he has signed as being in attendance. So it is a matter that we need to draw the attention of the Clerk's Office to, to be more vigilant and not accept people who just pass through and pen down their names and move away, but that the person should actually be in attendance; in other words, participating in the proceedings of the Committee.
The Chairman initially said he saw him around. That definitely threw more doubt because it is not a matter of coming
Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 10:55 a.m.


around, but it is a matter of participating in the deliberations of the Committee.

So, as at now, we cannot resolve the issue until we take evidence and since we are not in a trial, we will simply refer the matter to the Clerk's Office so that they will be more vigilant next time. But it is a good issue that has been raised and we should not just ignore it.
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Thank you, Hon
Aidoo, and thank you Hon Leader. The Clerk should investigate and then come out with the necessary correction.
Any other correction?
Mr. Justice Joe Appiah 10:55 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, yesterday the Special Budget Committee met with the National Media Commission but it has not been recorded in the Votes and Proceedings.
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Yes, thank you.
Any other corrections? Hon Members , the Votes and
Proceedings of Thursday, 10th December 2009 as corrected is adopted as the true
record of proceedings.
Hon Leader, the Business Statement
of the week --
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 11:05 a.m.
Majority Leader (Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin) 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, for and on behalf of the Business Committee, I submit the Business Statement for the Eighth Week ending Friday, 18th December 2009.
Madam Speaker, we met yesterday, Thursday, 10th December, 2009 and in accordance with our Standing Orders, we have proposed the business for the Eighth Week as follows: We would as usual, start everyday with Oral Questions and we have programmed a number of Ministers to answer 14 Questions during the week.
Oral Question(s)
Madam Speaker, the Committee has programmed the following Ministers to answer 14 Questions during the week:
No. of Question(s)
i. Minister for Health -- 4
ii. Minister for the Interior -- 4
iii. Minister for Youth and Sports -- 2
iv. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration -- 2
v. Minister for Local Government and Rural Development -- 2
Total Number of Questions -- 14
Urgent Question(s)
Madam Speaker, five (5) Urgent Questions have also been programmed for the week. The details are as follows:
Name of Questioner Minister to Respond to Urgent Question
i. Mr. Kofi Frimpong Minister for Health (Kwabre East)
ii Ms. Esther Obeng Dappah Minister for the Interior (Abirem)
iii. Mr. John Bennam Jabaah Minister for Water Resources, (Zabzugu/Tatale) Works and Housing (Two

Questions)

iv. Mr. Andrews Adjei-Yeboah Minister for Transportation (Tano South)

Written Question(s)

Madam Speaker, two (2) Written Questions have also been programmed for the week. The first Question stands in the name of the Hon Member for Bimbilla, Mr. Dominic B. A. Nitiwul and it is to be answered by the Hon Minister for Local Government and Rural Development. The second Question stands in the name of the Hon Member for Bantama, Ms. Cecilia Abena Dapaah and is to be answered by the Minister for Environment, Science and Technology.

Madam Speaker, it is also expected that the desired Written Answers in respect of the two Questions filed by the Hon Members would be presented to the respective Members during the week.

Statements

Madam Speaker may allow Statements duly admitted to be made in the House.

Bills, Papers and Reports

Madam Speaker, Bills may be presented to the House for consideration and those already before the House may be taken through the various stages. Papers and Committee Reports may also be laid.

Motions and Resolutions

Madam Speaker, Motions may

be debated and their consequential Resolutions, if any, taken during the week.

Madam Speaker, the Business Committee once again urges Hon Members to avail themselves next week when the House is expected to conclude the debate on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies by Friday, 18th December 2009.

We have programmed that Sittings of the House will continue to start from Monday to Friday and that with work available, we will have extended Sittings
Majority Leader (Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin) 11:05 a.m.


everyday.

We are trying as much as possible to finish much of the work before the 18th so that we do not stay as is often the case till midnight on the day that we take the Adjournment. And that is why we are having the Monday Sittings and the extended Sittings.

Madam Speaker, we want to take this opportunity to remind Hon Members of the programme of the festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, which we have scheduled to take place at the Forecourt of Parliament on Wednesday, 16th December 2009, at exactly 6.00 p.m. And we want to entreat and urge all Hon Members to participate in this activity. We want to listen to the sweet voices of Hon Members, not only that of the Choir here, which is the “Voices of Democracy”.
THE HOUSE EXPECTED TO RISE 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Kofi Frimpong (Kwabre East) 11:05 a.m.
To ask the Minister for Health where the Mercedes Benz bus ambulance donated to the Kwabre District Hospital at Asonomaso by the citizens of Asonomaso resident in the USA is.
Questions --
247. Mr. Joseph Osei-Owusu (Bekwai): To ask the Minister for Health when construction of the Bekwai Hospital promised by H.E. the President in his State of the Nation Address to this House will begin.
258. Mr. Christopher Addae (Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai): To ask the Minister for Health when the Bibiani District Hospital will be expanded to meet the growing demand on the limited infrastructure available.
259 . Mr. Stephen Yakubu (Binduri): To ask the Minister for Health when the polyclinic project earmarked for Bawku Municipality and pro-grammed to be sited at Binduri will commence.
260. Mr. Kwasi Anno Ankamah (Atiwa): To ask the Minister for
Health about the status of the upgrading of Abomosu Health Centre to a district hospital.
261. Mr. Charles S. Hodogbey (North Tongu): To ask the Minister for Health when the health centre at Juapong, which started nearly eight years ago, will be completed and made operational.
Statements
Laying of Papers --
Report of the Committee on Defence and Interior on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Defence for the year
2010.
Report of the Committee on Defence and Interior on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of the Interior for the year 2010.
Report of the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture for the year 2010.
Report of the Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Tourism for the year 2010.
Report of the Finance Committee on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Revenue Agencies for the year 2010.
Report of the Special Budget Committee on the Annual Budget Estimates of Parliament for the year 2010.
Report of the Finance Committee on the Annual Budget Estimates of Other Government Obli- gations for the year 2010.
Motions --
That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢…… for the services of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice for the 2010 fiscal year.
(Attorney-General and Minister for Justice)
That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the Electoral Com- mission for the 2010 fiscal year.
(Minister for Finance and Economic Planning)
That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the National Com- mission for Civic Education for the 2010 fiscal year.
(Minister for Education)
That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the National Media Commission for the 2010 fiscal year.
(Minister for Information)
That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the National Labour Commission for the 2010 fiscal year.
(Minister for Employment and Social Welfare) That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the Ministry of Finance
Mr. Kofi Frimpong (Kwabre East) 11:05 a.m.


and Economic Planning for the 2010 fiscal year.

(Minister for Finance and Economic Planning)

That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the Ministry of Justice for the 2010 fiscal year.

(Attorney-General and Minister for Justice)

That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the Ministry of Energy for the 2010 fiscal year.

(Minister for Energy)

That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources for the 2010 fiscal year.

(Minister for Lands and Natural Resources)

Committee Sittings.

Urgent Question --
Ms. Esther Obeng Dappah (Abirem) 11:05 a.m.
To ask the Minister for the Interior the intervention NADMO is putting in place to alleviate the plight of the victims of recent rainstorms that hit New Abirem and Nkwateng in the Birim North area.
Questions --
254. Mr. Yaw Baah (Kumawu):
To ask the Minister for the Interior why the police recruitment exercise for the 2009 calendar year has been suspended.
2 5 5 . M r. S e t h K w a m e Akyeampong (Mpraeso): To ask the Minister for the Interior why the Ghana Police Administration embarked on mass transfer of the person-nel of the Criminal Investigation Department in the Greater Accra Region recently.
256. Mr. Robert Sarfo-Mensah (Asunafo North): To ask the Minister for the Interior what practical steps the Ministry has taken to provide decent accommodation for the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana National Fire Service and the Ghana Prisons Service.
257. Mr. John Bennam Jabaah (Zabzugu/Tatale): To ask the Minister for the Interior when the Ministry will provide befitting accommodation for the police personnel and their families in Zabzugu and Tatale.
Statements
Laying of Papers --
Report of the Finance Committee on the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill,
2009.
Report of the Finance Committee on the Ghana Revenue Authority Bill, 2009.
Motions --
That this Honourable House
approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the Ministry of Health for the 2010 fiscal year.
(Minister for Health)
That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the National Commission on Culture for the 2010 fiscal year.
(Minister for Chieftaincy and Culture)
That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the Ministry of Education for the 2010 fiscal year.
(Minister for Education)
That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the National Development Planning Com- mission for the 2010 fiscal year.
(Minister for Finance and Economic Planning)
That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the Ministry of Youth and Sports for the 2010 fiscal year.
(Minister for Youth and Sports)
That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the Ministry of Transportation for the 2010 fiscal year.
(Minister for Transportation)
That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture for the 2010 fiscal year. (Minister for Chieftaincy and Culture)
That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the Public Services Commission (PSC) for the 2010 fiscal year.
(Minister for Finance and Economic Planning)
That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the Audit Service for the 2010 fiscal year.
(Minister for Finance and Economic Planning)
That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the District Assemblies Common Fund Administrator for the 2010 fiscal year.
(Minister for Finance and Economic Planning)
That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the Judicial Service for the 2010 fiscal year.
(Attorney-General and Minister for Justice)
That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the Ministry of Information for the 2010 fiscal year.
(Minister for Information)
Committee Sittings.

Questions -- 154. Mr. Osei Bonsu Amoah (Aburi-Nsawam): To ask the Minister for Youth and Sports the
Ms. Esther Obeng Dappah (Abirem) 11:05 a.m.


current state of the National Youth Employment Programme.

236. Mr. Isaac Kwame Asiamah (Atwima Mponua): To ask the Minister for Youth and Sports the current status of the Ghana Olympic Committee.

275. Mr. Justice Joe Appiah (Ablekuma North): To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration when the Ministry will operationalise the decentralisation of the issuance of Ghanaian passports and ensure the elimination of the activities of “middle men”.

276. Mr. Christopher Addae (Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai): To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration why Members of Parliament are not issued diplomatic passports.

277. Ms. Cecilia Abena Dapaah (Bantama): To ask the Minister for Environment, Science and Tech-nology how the law on noise pollution is being enforced in the country.

Statements

Motions --

That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the Ministry of Defence for the 2010 fiscal year.

(Minister for Defence)

That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ …… for the services of the Ministry of

Food and Agriculture for the 2010 fiscal year.

(Minister for Food and Agriculture)

That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the Ministry of the Interior for the 2010 fiscal year.

(Minister for the Interior)

That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the Ministry of Tourism for the 2010 fiscal year.

(Minister for Tourism)

That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of the Revenue Agencies for the 2010 fiscal year.

(Minister for Finance and Economic Planning)

That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of Parliament for the 2010 fiscal year.

(Majority Leader/Leader of the House)

That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢ . . . for the services of Other Government Obligations for the 2010 fiscal year.

(Minister for Finance and Economic Planning)

Second Reading of Bills --

( a ) F e e s a n d C h a r g e s (Miscel- laneous Provisions)

Bill, 2009.

(b) Ghana Revenue Authority Bill,

2009.

Consideration Stage of Bills --

(a) Fees and Charges (Miscel- laneous Provisions) Bill, 2009.

(b) Ghana Revenue Authority Bill,

2009.

Third Reading of Bills --

( a ) F e e s a n d C h a r g e s (Miscel- laneous Provisions) Bill, 2009.

(b) Ghana Revenue Authority Bill,

2009.

Committee Sittings.

Urgent Questions --
Mr. John Bennam Jabaah (Zabzugu/Tatale) 11:05 a.m.
To ask the Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing when pipe- borne water will be restored in Zabzugu following the recent rains in the Northern Region which affected the pumping station at the water works.
Mr. John Bennam Jabaah (Zabzugu/Tatale) 11:05 a.m.
To ask the Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing when the people of Nakpale in the Kworli Area Council will be connected to pipe borne water. Mr. Andrews Adjei-Yeboah (Tano South): To ask the Minister for Transportation what plans the
Ministry is putting in place to check the importation of Toyota Camry cars from the United States of America since Toyota USA is recalling about four million of such cars because of operation problems.
Statements
Laying of Papers --
Report of the Finance Committee on the The Appropriation Bill (No. 2), 2009.
Motions --
Second Reading of Bills --
The Appropriation Bill (No. 2),
2009.
Consideration Stage of Bills --
The Appropriation Bill (No. 2),
2009.
Third Reading of Bills --
The Appropriation Bill (No. 2),
2009.
Committee Sittings.

Questions --

196. Dr. Kojo Appiah-Kubi (Atwima Kwanwoma): To ask the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development what the Ministry is doing to assist the people of Nwenso I in the Atwima Kwanwoma District in the Ashanti Region whose houses and house roofs have been destroyed as a result of severe rainstorm.

239. Mr. Raphael Kofi Ahaligah (Afram Plains South): To ask the Minister for Local Government
Mr. John Bennam Jabaah (Zabzugu/Tatale) 11:05 a.m.


and Rural Development how much was given by the European Union for construction of a clinic at Mami Krobo through the Kwahu North District Assembly, and when work on the clinic would be completed.

240. Mr. Dominic B. A. Nitiwul (Bimbilla): To ask the Minister fo r Loca l Government and Rural Development how many Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives have renovated their official bungalows, the total cost of all renovations and the cost of each unit or bungalow.

Statements.

This is the Business Statement for the Eighth Week and I accordingly present it for and on behalf of the Business Committee.

I thank Madam Speaker for the opportunity.
Mr. Justice Joe Appiah 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, my Question, No. 275 has been advertised three times but no response. I want to be assured this time by the Leadership if my Question which has been slated for the 16th December will be answered.
The Question is: To ask the Hon Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration when the Ministry will operationalise the decentralization of the issuance of Ghanaian passports and ensure the elimination of the activities of “middlemen”, Three times it has been advertised but no response, so I want to be assured if it is coming on the 16th as has
been advertised again.
Mr. Bagbin 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I have located the Question standing in the name of Hon Justice Joe Appiah. I think the Hon Minister himself is willing to answer the Question but the number of times that we programmed it, unfortunately, the Hon Minister was outside the country. I do not have any indication that on this particular day he will be outside the country which is on Wednesday, the 16th of December. So we will try and get the Minister himself to come and respond to his Question.
Mr. Appiah 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, if the Hon Minister does not come, what about the Hon Deputy Minister too?
Mr. Bagbin 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, well, my initial statement was that the Hon Minister insists that he himself should answer this Question. I do not know, if you prefer the Hon Deputy Minister, we will bring the Deputy Minister to answer the Question.
Mr. Appiah 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I will wait for the Hon Minister to answer my Question.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:15 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, to refresh the memory of the Hon Majority Leader, I think we had one Question that the Hon Minister was required to come and answer. We decided to apply ourselves to a different route in respect of that Question, and I guess it is the reason why, perhaps, we thought this one could have been taken on the wings of that Question. But if the Hon Colleague is insistent, then maybe, we have to find space for the Hon Minister to come and answer that particular Question.
But the other one, we have agreed that we should use a different route for the Hon
Minister to come and answer, and I hope that could be done possibly next week before we adjourn.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Thank you, Hon
Member.
Mr. Bagbin 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I am
aware of what the Hon Minority Leader has stated, and that is a different Question number 276. We are going to handle that and the House would definitely get to know the outcome.
Mr. J. A. Bosompem 11:15 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, I think last week I commented on this same issue for the Business Statement, ending 11th December, 2009. There were three Questions standing in my name that were supposed to be answered by the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning. They were advertised in the Business Statement ending 4th December, 2009. The Questions were not addressed and then they were omitted in the Business Statement for the week ending 11th December. So, I raised the issue, then Leadership said they would look at it.
Then, for this final week, as the Hon Leader said, we are going to rise, the Questions are nowhere to be found in this Business Statement too. I would like Leadership to brief me as to how those Questions -- [Interruption] -- sorry -- [Interruption] -- yes. The Questions keep on disappearing. I would be grateful if I could be briefed as to when those Questions would appear and then be addressed.
Madam Speaker, thank you.
Mr. Bagbin 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I
thought the Hon Member was going to refresh our memories because I cannot
recollect those particular Questions, and that is why Hon Members were adding “and then, and then”, because they wanted the Hon Member to bring the Questions out, and he did not. So the “and then and then” is still ongoing, so can we get the Questions.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Member, what
are the Questions?
Mr. Bosompem 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the
Questions were three: Question numbers 178, 179 and 180. Unfortunately, I do not have the detailed description of the Questions but they were advertised in the main document covering this particular Meeting. And the numbers were 178, 179 and 180, all standing in my name and meant for the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning.
Madam Speaker, thank you.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Yes, Hon Majority
Leader, you know the Questions now?
Mr. Bagbin 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, well, I
have now got the Question numbers, but I do not know the substance. But once the Hon Member is insisting, we will get them programmed for the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning to attend and answer them. So, I have noted them down and I will submit them to the Business Committee and we will try and programme them for the Hon Minister to come and respond.
Mr. Bosompem 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Yes, Hon Majority
Mr. Bagbin 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, that is not a decision to be made by the Hon
Mr. Bagbin 11:15 a.m.


others are admitted as written.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Yes, Hon Majority
Leader.
Mr. Bagbin 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the
Standing Orders are clear in this matter, and I would draw the attention of the Hon Member to Part 9 of the Standing Orders. But the salient points are that, Questions are admitted solely by the Hon Speaker of the House. But before they are admitted either as urgent or normal Questions, there is an indication from the Hon Member asking the Question as to whether he would prefer them orally delivered or in written form.
Then there is an indication as to how the Hon Member would let the Hon Speaker admitting the Questions know whether he wants those Answers orally or in written. They are stated in the Standing Orders. So, if the Hon Member indicates that he wants the Answer written, the Answer is usually written and submitted. If orally delivered, that is also done, and I think that is what the Standing Orders have stated.
In the presentation, there might be some omissions as to the asterisks, which I will check from the Table Office to see whether that was an indication of the Hon Members submitting the Questions. So, my attention is just drawn to it now, and I will check from the Table Office as to why some of them have not been marked with asterisks and yet there is no indication that they will be delivered in written.
So, we will cross-check on that, but the Hon Member's attention is drawn to the Standing Orders, and I am sure after detailed reading, our attention should be drawn if we have overlooked any of those Orders. But I think that what he has just mentioned is a matter of secretarial oversight and we will look at that after this meeting.

Majority Leader. It is a decision to be made by the Business Committee, and we do that in consultation, usually with the Hon Ministers, even though we do not allow the Hon Ministers to dictate as to when they will come here. But definitely, we are very sensitive to other national commitments, and we take all that into consideration.

So when we meet, and I believe that because of the programme, the Business Committee will meet earlier than usual and we can programme it if there is space for the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning to come around next week to answer the Questions. If not, definitely, we will take them immediately after we resume next year for the Hon Minister to come and answer them.
Mr. D. B. A. Nitiwul 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
I see that I have a Written Answer next week Friday. And I do appreciate the rules of the House, but I just wanted some guidance from the Business Committee. And I do also believe that Questions that are oral are marked with asterisk as well. So we have Question number 247 that is not marked asterisk and then 277, and of course, 240, my Question.
If you look at today's Business, we have Question number 268 that is not also marked with asterisk, but we do not have it as written. We do not also have Question 274 as written. So I do not know how the Business Committee -- I do not want to ask how the Questions are admitted, but I thought that the standards should be set for everybody, and just to say that I asked the Question, it generated a lot of interest of Ghanaians.
So I have actually written to you, Madam Speaker, to find a way of making by this time, but I wanted guidance from the Hon Majority Leader as to why some Questions are not also marked with asterisks but they are admitted as oral and
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Thank you, Honour- able.
Hon Members, the Business Statement as presented is adopted.
We now move on to Questions. The Hon Minister for Energy, is he here?
The first Question stands in the name of
Hon Alhaji Iddrisu Abdul-Karim.
Honourable, can you put your Question now?
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS 11:25 a.m.
MINISTRY OF ENERGY 11:25 a.m.
Minister for Energy (Dr. Oteng Adjei) 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Naprisi, Sahanaa-Yili, Kparigilan-Yili, Fazihini, Balshei, Jana, Jana Kpen, Manguli, Dingoni and Kpunduli communities do not form part of any of the ongoing electrification projects being undertaken by the Ministry. These communities will be considered under subsequent phases of the National Electrification Programme when funds become available.
Alhaji Abdul-Karim 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I want to know from the Minister what alternative arrangement he is making to update the plight of these communities which are in total darkness.
Dr. Adjei 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, at the
inception of the National Electrification Scheme, the whole programme was segmented into six phases and it was started with the district capitals elec- trification. That programme is going on according to the economic values that are added to the country at any point in time. Communities that have the ability to wait for their turn will definitely be supplied with electricity.
On the other hand, communities that want to hasten the pace at which we are doing the work can apply for electrification under the Self Help Electrification Programme. In such a situation, the community has to procure all the low tension poles required for their town and also do the wiring for at least, 30 per cent of the houses in the town. Thereafter, we put them on the programme that will be a little faster than the normal one.
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Honourable, any other question?
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:25 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, the Hon Minister is aware that
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:25 a.m.


various communities which have not been served yet in the enterprise of the Self Help Electrification programme are really very deprived communities. Just like in the enterprise of providing water to communities, we have said time and again that Government should intervene.

What is the programme or the policy of the Ministry in respect of the very deprived communities which require electricity but which do not have the wherewithal to provide the capital or the initial outlay for the programme?
Dr. Adjei 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, this
is why I said that the original National Electrification Scheme sets out to ensure that every community is given access to electrification. In situations under such programmes communities do not contribute at all. But you will reckon that at the beginning we had 4,221 com- munities. It was going to be difficult to do all of them at the same time. And I believe that that is why they were put together in phases.
So such communities, when it gets to their turn, will definitely be connected without recourse to any financial contribution and the programme is on course. It is normally the local content of the loans and facilities that we get that puts a limit on the number that we can do at every time.
I assure the Hon Member that I know it is important to Hon Members of this House and we are working to ensure that we do all that we can and I believe that at the right time, if I present any memo- randum asking for clearance to have access to credit facilities or loans, Hon Members will work with me to ensure that I satisfy their needs.
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
The next Question
stands in the name of the Hon John Doughr Baloroo, Lambussie.
Mr. Kwame Amporfo Twumasi 11:25 a.m.
Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I am not John but the Hon Member is unavoidably absent and has asked me to crave your indulgence to ask the Question on his behalf.
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Yes, all right.
Lambussie Constituency Electricity (Extension)
Q. 271. Mr. Kwame Amporfo Twumasi (on behalf of Mr. John Doughr Baloroo) asked the Minister for Energy when electricity would be extended to the following communities in the Lambussie Constituency:
(i) Piina
(ii) Samoa
(iii) Sule/Chung
(iv) Koro
(v) Bellow
(vi) Kpare
(vii) Dahilie
(viii) Napaala.
Dr. Adjei 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, with the exception of the Napaala community, which does not form part of any of the ongoing electrification projects being undertaken by the Ministry, the remaining communities, namely, Piina, Samoa, Sule/Chung, Koro, Bellow, Kpare and Dahile form part of the ongoing electrification projects being undertaken by the Ministry. Construction of the High Voltage (HV) and Low Voltage (LV) networks and substation works has been completed in the Piina, Samoa and Sule/
Chung communities. Customer service connections are scheduled to commence soon and expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2010.
Construction of High Voltage (HV) works is ongoing at Koro, Bellow and Kpare. The Koro and Bellow communities have, however, provided none of the LV poles required for the project, and this may affect the schedule of completion of works, for the project in these two communities.
For the Kpare community where 40 LV poles have been provided, the project will be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2010. Construction works are yet to commence at Dahile which has also provided none of the LV poles required for the project.
The Napaala community will be considered under the subsequent phases of the National Electrification Programme when funds become available.
Mr.Twumasi 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, con-
sidering the level of poverty in some of the rural communities as alluded to by the Hon Minister early on, will the Ministry consider providing the LV poles for Koro and Bellow to enable them benefit from this scheme?
Dr. Adjei 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, Yes, as I
said, the Ministry, in the programme as outlined -- at the right time, we will get to help these communities and provide all these poles and all the accessories that they need. But these communities actually applied to us to be connected under self- help programme which presupposes that they have these items here.
Now that we are beginning to see again, I am going to work and come back to the
House fast enough and hopefully, maybe, put them on some of the programmes that will enable them get the LV poles free. But for now, they are under the self -help programme and I will beg the Hon Member, if there is a way he can also use his Common Fund to support his people, I can work with him and let this thing be done.
Thank you.
Mr. Twumasi 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Member will seriously consider how to collaborate with the Minister to effect this.
But the other question is, cons-truction works are yet to commence at Dahile as stated in the Minister's Answer. May I know from the Minister when work will commence at Dahile?
Dr. Adjei 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, we just said that the community has not got any LV poles. So they will need to work with us to satisfy the conditions first and then we will quickly go to them. Other than that, what is happening is that we will do the lines but we will not be in a position to energise and then we will expose the wires to theft.
So we will be working with the leadership of the district and the Member of Parliament to support us. If they can at least, acquire some few poles that will enable us put the transformer and energise it and then later on we will work to see how, as they procure the remaining, we can go and complete the work.
Mr. Twumasi 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I wish to thank the Minister and assure him that the Hon Member will come to his office and discuss this issue with him.
Thank you.
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Yes, the next Ques- tion stands in the name of Hon John
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.


Bennam Jabaah (Zabzugu/Tatale).
Mr. Dominic B. A. Nitiwul 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I am sorry to announce that the Hon Member has gone home to bury the father and I have his permission to seek your indulgence to ask the Question on his behalf.
Zabzugu/Tatale Communities (Electrification)
Q. 272. Mr. Dominic A. B. Nitiwul (on behalf of Mr. John Bennam Jabaah) asked the Minister for Energy when the following communities in the Zabzugu/ Tatale Constituency would be provided with electricity:
(i) Nakpale
(ii) Woribugu
(iii) Kukpalgu
(iv) Kandin
(v) Kuntumbiyile
(vi) Nayile
(vii) Kpabutab
(viii) Tatindo
(ix) Sangule.
Dr. Adjei 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Nakpale, Woribugu, Kukpalgu, Kandin, Kuntumbiyile, Nayile, Kpabutab, Tatindo and Sangule communities have been earmarked to benefit under SHEP-4 but do not form part of the ongoing SHEP-4 Phase-1 Project. The communities will be considered under subsequent phases of SHEP-4.
Mr. Nitiwul 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I am
seeing that the Minister is finding it difficult to pronounce the names. All the
same, he says that those communities will be considered under subsequent phases of SHEP 4 -- to save him the ordeal of having to pronounce. But when will the subsequent phases of phase 4 begin? Does the Minister have an intention of trying to begin this year and will the Ministry consider them?
Dr. Adjei 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, we put
in a small amount to enable us start the phase 2 of SHEP 4 and I believe that if Hon Members give us the nod for our budget, we will be in a position to begin to put together the communities that should qualify under that phase.
Mr. Nitiwul 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I can assure him that the Hon Member and myself and all other Hon Members will hurriedly approve his budget for him so that these communities will be included in the SHEP 4 Phase 2. But will he assure the members of the community that they will surely be considered highly in the phase 2 of the SHEP 4?
Dr. Adjei 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the lesson
that we have learnt is that most of these communities do apply for electrification under self-help. Unfortunately, they do not have the poles. Because of the competition and the limited funds, my team will be visiting these communities to make sure that communities that are put on phase 2 do have the poles. That way, we will be able to complete them early enough and satisfy the needs and the requests and aspirations of our people who live in the various constituencies. It is dependent on them, and it is also dependent on the amount of money that we have now.
Mr. Nitiwul 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I can
assure him, I know these communities do have LV poles. I am thanking him for assuring the communities that once they have the LV poles, they will be considered under SHEP 4, Phase 2 of the project and the Hon Member will follow up to the
Ministry and to the privileged community to ensure that that happens.
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Hon Minister, thank
you very much for coming to answer our Questions.
Hon Members, we move to the Commencement of Public Business, the Laying of Papers.
Hon Leader, 6 (a). Is the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning here to lay the Paper -- 6 (a) (i)?
Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
may I plead with you to let us lay a Bill which was not included in the Order Paper? I just want to plead with my Colleagues. It is a Bill that was laid early on and referred to the Committee on Finance.
The Committee considered it and there were some considerations which the Ministry was asked to take a second look at. They did and brought it back and I thought the proper thing was for us to withdraw the first one and re-lay this one, that has been submitted, and that has to deal with the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill which was laid on the 19th of November.
It is something that I will want to plead with my Colleagues to permit the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning to lay before we do the other Papers that are under 6 (a) (i) and (ii). So if we could take that as 6 (a).
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Yes, 6 (a) (i), is that what you are referring to?
Mr. Bagbin 11:35 a.m.
That is so. That is Fees
and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill.
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Is it item 6 (a) (i)? I thought item 6 (a) (i) is “Request for
waiver of tax liability on equipment . . .”
Mr. Bagbin 11:45 a.m.
That is so, Madam
Speaker. I thought the order of laying Papers is to deal with the Bills first before we go to the other Papers. I am saying that we failed to include a Bill in the Order Paper and the title of that Bill is “Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill”. I was just pleading that Hon Colleagues should indulge us to lay that Bill first.
But before we do that, there was an earlier laying of the Bill on 19th of November, 2009. But because of the outcome of the considerations of that Bill, it was referred back to the Ministry and the Ministry is resubmitting.
I want us to withdraw the first one and then re-lay this new one so that if Hon Colleagues would indulge us, we would do so. If not, then we would have to programme it for another day. That was what I was requesting.
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Hon Member, to
withdraw and to re-lay?
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:45 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, I am a bit baffled by this development. I know that we are not in normal times and that situations may arise which may occasion the resort to fast-tracking processes in this House. But I have been with my Hon Colleague this morning and even me, as the Hon Minority Leader, am not aware of this. I think it does not augur well for the work, the conduct of business in this House; I do not think so because when he said so, I was struggling to look at where it is. Certainly, business cannot be transacted in this House in this way.
I am not purposed to stop this process
but I think if there should be trust and confidentiality in such matters, at least, I could turn and discuss it with my Hon Colleagues and then nobody would
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:45 a.m.


pose a hindrance. But this way of conducting business in this House is certainly unacceptable.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 11:45 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, I, indeed, agree with the sentiments expressed by the Hon Minority Leader. However, it seems the Hon Majority Leader, I am not trying to explain his conduct, has been overtaken by events.
Madam Speaker, we considered this
Bill at the Committee and it is a Bill which seeks to put together all fees, levies and charges under one Bill and assign responsibility therefore, to the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning.
When the Committee met, we must have had about over 20 agencies, being represented but because of the voluminous nature of the Bills and charges dealing with various Ministries, Departments and Agencies, some of the fees were inadvertently left out. In others too, shuffling between Cabinet and the various Ministries, there have been changes that have not been reflected in the Bill.
So it was agreed at the Committee that having regard to the voluminous nature of the changes, it will assist the House in terms of convenience if the fees and charges could be put together, the old Bill withdrawn and a new Bill replaced with it.
I believe it was the duty of those of
us belonging to the various caucuses to inform our Leadership. Apparently, we failed to do that. Probably, the Hon Majority Leader too felt that, oh, probably, there has been prior briefing. But that still does not absolve him from the responsibility of dealing with his Colleagues. So I believe that if he does it -- probably, during the course of the
day, we can take it on Monday. So I do not think that the Hon Majority Leader meant to use a slate of the hand tactics on the floor of the House.
Today, I happen to be defending the
Hon Majority Leader. On occasions previously, I did not have the benefit of such defence when they were on this side of the House.
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
In view of Hon
Papa's defence, it appears that we can withdraw and re-lay the Bill.
Mr. Bagbin 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, that is so. I sincerely apologise for, maybe, the surprise. I was just briefed while I was here. In fact, the brief was being given to me when we got to the item and I directed the Clerk to get in touch with the Hon Minority Leader to give him the same brief before I could present it. Unfortunately, he was caught on his way, so he had to sit and that is why he is not aware.
I also just got the information here. So it was not intentional. We will -- So Madam Speaker, I will request the Hon Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning who has come to represent the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning and to crave the indulgence of my Hon Colleagues to allow him to withdraw the first Bill titled “Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, 2009” before we lay the new one.
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Yes, leave is given.

Well, Hon Deputy Minister, I think I was doing your work for you. Can you go on to withdraw it?

Deputy Minister for Finance and

Economic Planning ( Mr. Fifi Kwetey) (on behalf of Minister for Finance and Economic Planning): Madam Speaker, may I crave the indulgence of the Honourable House to withdraw the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill and re-lay a fresh one.
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Yes, the Bill is
accordingly withdrawn and the referral to the Finance Committee is also withdrawn.
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Now, Hon Deputy Minister, can you present your revised Bill?
Mr. Kwetey 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, may I
crave the indulgence of the Honourable House to lay the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill.
Mr. Frederick Opare-Ansah 11:45 a.m.
On a point of order Madam Speaker, the Hon Deputy Minister forFinance and Economic Planning seems to be introducing a new procedure in this House. We have never known for Hon Ministers to get up and make a statement when Papers are being laid. He is only required to stand in his place and bow to the Chair.
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Well, I think I caused the trouble when I asked him. Instead of bowing, I said, ‘Can you lay your Paper?' I think that is where the -- You must know that he is not an Hon Member here and he is now learning.
Hon Deputy Minister, you had to bow. I think because I said -- yes. I do not know whether because they want you to get up and bow again or you would take it? [Hon Minority Leader nods.] All right.
BILLS -- FIRST READING 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Hon Majority
Mr. Bagbin 11:55 a.m.
That is so, Madam
Speaker, 6 (a) (i) and (i) will be laid by the same Deputy Minister.
PAPERS 11:55 a.m.
Mr. Bagbin 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, my information is that item 6 (b) (v, vi and
vii) are not yet ready and therefore we will not give them the opportunity for them to be laid when they are not ready so we go to 6 (c).
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
6 (c), Chairman of
the Committee.
By the Chairman of the Committee --
Report of the Committee on Environment, Science and Tech- nology on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Tech- nology for the year 2010.
Mr. Bagbin 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Papers under (c), that is (i) and (ii) are not ready, they are still with the Committee, the same for -- [Interruption.]
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
We were on (d)
Mr. Bagbin 11:55 a.m.
(d), (e) and (f) are all still before the committees -- Communi- cations, Foreign Affairs and Roads and Transport. [Pause.] We only have 6 (h) which I am told is ready. So we can go to 6 (h).
By the Chairman of the Committee --
Report of the Committee on Mines and Energy on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Energy for the year 2010.
By the Chairman of the Committee --
Report of the Special Budget Committee on the Annual Budget Estimates for the year 2010 of the following:
(i) Public Services Commission
(PSC)
(ii) Electoral Commission (EC).
( i i i ) D i s t r i c t A s s e m b l i e s Common Fund Administrator
Mr. Bagbin 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, for (ii),
the Reports are not yet ready, they are still at the committee level.
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
So do we move
to (j), Report of the Committee on Employment, Social Welfare and State Enterprises?
Mr. Bagbin 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, (j) I am told, is not also ready; the (k) is not ready either. The only Report I am told ready is from (n) - Youth, Sports and Culture; then Education, they are ready, so we have to lay that. That is (n) (i) and (n) (iii) are in one Report and then (n) (ii) stands alone.
Madam Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Can we then lay (n) (i) and (n) (iii)?
By the Chairman of the Committee --
Report of the Committee on Youth, Sports and Culture on the Annual Budget Estimates of the National Commission on Culture for the year 2010.
Report of the Committee on Youth, Sports and Culture on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Chieftaincy for the year 2010.
Madam Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon Member, is (n)
(ii) ready? [Pause.] The Report is laid and it is for distribution -- Oh! It is not ready?
By the Chairman of the Committee --
Report of the Committee on Education on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Education for the year 2010.
Madam Speaker 12:05 p.m.
(p)?
Mr. Bagbin 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, (p)
- the Judicial Committee is still sitting, they have not finished with that Report so we cannot lay it.
Madam Speaker 12:05 p.m.
All right, in which
case we move on to item 7 - Motion - Chairman of the Committee, you may move your procedural Motion No. 7.
MOTIONS 12:05 p.m.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I beg to second the motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Mr. J. K. Avedzi 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker,
I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee on the Concessionary Credit Line Agreement between the Republic of Ghana and Exim Bank of India for an amount of US$21.72 million to Finance Improved Fish Harvesting and Fish Processing Project and Waste Manage- ment Equipment and Management Support Project.
Madam Speaker, in doing so, I present your Committee's Report.
1.0 Introduction
The Concessionary Credit Line Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and Export- Import Bank of India for an amount of twenty-one million, seven hundred and twenty thousand United States dollars (US$21.72) to finance Improved Fish Harvesting and Fish Processing Project and Waste Management Equipment and Management Support Project was laid in the House on Thursday, November 19, 2009 in accordance with article 181 of the Constitution.
Pursuant to article 103 of the Cons- titution and Order 171(1) of the Standing Orders of the House, the Agreement was referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and report.
The Committee met and considered the Agreement with the Minister for Local
Government and Rural Development, Hon Joseph Yieleh Chireh, Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Hon Seth Terkpeh, officials from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and Ministry of Food and Agriculture and hereby, presents this Report.
2.0 Background
In March, 2004, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at the Techno-Economic Approach for Africa- India Movement (TEAM-9) Ministerial meeting in New Delhi, India. The Indian Government, under the terms of the MoU, made a sum of US$500 million credit financing available on concessional terms to eight West African countries including Ghana. This concessional financing is meant to finance projects which impacted on national development, poverty alleviation, food security, infrastructure and regional integration.
The Government of Ghana, in pursuit of this memorandum submitted a request for financial assistance totalling US$728 million from the Indian Government. Out of this request, the Indian Government has offered US$21.72 million to the Government of Ghana through the Exim Bank of India.
Out of the total of US$21.72 million, US$11 million is to used to finance improved fish harvesting and fish processing project while the remaining US$10.72 million would be used for waste management equipment and waste management support.
3.0 Purpose of the Loan
The purpose of the facility is to finance Improved Fish Harvesting and Fish Processing Project to be implemented by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and
to acquire Waste Management Equipment and provide Waste Management Support to Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies under the auspices of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
4.0 Terms and Conditions
The terms and conditions of the facility are as follows:
Credit Amount -- US$21.72 million
Interest Rate -- 1.75 per cent
Grace Period -- 5 years
Repayment Period -- 15 years
Maturity Period -- 20 years
Commitment Fee -- 0.50 per cent p . a . o n the unutilized amount
Grant Element -- 40.53 per cent
5.0 Observations
The Committee observed that currently, government policy requires District Assemblies to take care of at least, 20 per cent of waste collection and disposal while the private sector takes care of the remaining 80 per cent. District Assemblies are therefore required to have some minimum equipment to deal with the 20 per cent requirement and also to stand in a good stead to step in when the private sector is unable to perform its contract.
The Committee was informed that the last time waste management equipment were acquired for District Assemblies was in 1996. Most of these equipment were said to be in a very bad condition currently
due to the many years of wear and tear.
The Committee was further informed by the technical team from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development that there are currently 40 metropolises/ municipalities which are facing huge sanitation problems, many of whom do not have private sector involvement in waste management. These Assemblies need to be assisted to acquire capital intensive equipment to enable them deal effectively with sanitation.
Hon Members urged the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to provide incentives to encourage the private sector to go into waste manage- ment since it appears unsustainable for the Assemblies to single-handedly deal effectively with the collection, treatment and disposal of waste.
The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Hon Joseph Yieleh Chireh assured the Committee that Cabinet is currently considering a draft national policy on waste management to provide a holistic and comprehensive approach to sanitation and waste management in the country.
On the US$11 million allocated to fisheries, officials from the Fisheries Commission under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture informed the Committee that a fish processing plant would be established for the processing of tuna so as to ensure enhanced foreign exchange earnings from the export of processed tuna instead of the raw exports. This plant would be a privately owned facility supported by Government to provide jobs and obtain foreign exchange for the country.
The Committee was also informed that part of the facility would be applied to provide fibre lining for canoes of fishermen to make the canoes more durable. Members however suggested
that complete fibre glass canoes be built for fishermen so as to reduce the pressure on our forests for canoe-making lumber.
5.1 Taxes
The Committee observed that in accordance with clause D of the Schedule to the Agreement, no deduction shall be made from the credit facility for taxes, fees and levies, otherwise repayments to India EXIM Bank shall be increased to cater for these taxes, duties and levies.
The Committee recommends to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to endeavour to bring to the House, a formal request for the waiver of taxes and duties associated with the execution of the project.
6.0 Conclusion
The Committee respectfully recom- mends to the House to adopt this Report and approve by Resolution, the Con-cessionary Credit Line Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and Export-Import Bank of India for an amount of twenty-one million, seven hundred and twenty thousand United States dollars (US$21.72 million) to finance Improved Fish Harvesting and Fish Processing Project and Waste Management Equipment and Management Support Project in accordance with article 181 of the Constitution, sections 3 and 7 of the Loans Act, 1970 (Act 335) and the Standing Orders of the House.
Respectfully submitted.
Madam Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Yes, anyone to second the motion?
Mr. M. K. Jumah (NPP -- Asokwa) 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, in seconding the motion,
Mr. M. K. Jumah (NPP -- Asokwa) 12:05 p.m.


I beg to draw the attention to “Obser- vations”, the second paragraph, the first line and with your permission, I quote:

“The Committee was informed that the last time waste management equipment was acquired for District Assemblies was in 1996. . . .”

Madam Speaker, I think there is a factual error there because there have been acquisitions every year to my knowledge since 2001 under various programmes -- HIPC, Urban Environ-mental Sanitation Programme (i) and (ii) and Common Fund. I remember during my term as Mayor of Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), in 2004 four tractors were purchased for KMA and every year, to my knowledge, kits were purchased for the District Assemblies either through the Common Fund or HIPC, and I want to suggest that that error is corrected.
Madam Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Yes, so you have
seconded the motion?
Mr. Jumah 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, yes.
Question proposed.
Mr. D. A. Azumah (NDC -- Garu- Tempane) 12:15 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I rise to support the motion on the floor.
Madam Speaker, I support the motion, especially the provision of US$10.7 to the Waste Management Department of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development because there are a number of factors that are inhibiting the effective delivery of waste disposal in this country, and that is due largely to the inability of almost all the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies by themselves to be able to purchase waste management equipment for the provision of effective waste management service delivery.
Madam Speaker, most of the District
Assemblies, looking at their revenue base, makes it very difficult for them to be able to procure these equipment. And one can see from outside, the level of waste in the system. It has become a very common challenge to the country and I believe that the procurement of this facility is going to go a long way, very timely as it is; it is a major intervention to provide an effective and efficient waste management service in the country.
I am convinced that if we are able to procure this facility and purchase these equipment, it will assist all the MMDAs in reversing the worsening waste collection and disposal system in the country.
Madam Speaker, a number of
Assemblies are going to benefit from this facility, especially the Metropolitan Assemblies and the Municipal Assemblies. I hope that the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, in conjunction with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, will pursue further contacts with our donor partners to make it possible to be able to secure further loans, at least, to provide each District Assembly in this country a septic emptier and refuse truck so that they can readily intervene where the private sector fails in delivery of our waste.
Madam Speaker, this country must be
kept clean. For investors to come into our country, a major challenge is to look at sanitation in our country. I believe that if we can keep this country very clean, that alone in itself will entice a lot of investors into this country.
I believe that with the provision of
this loan, Madam Speaker, it will help the Metropolitan Assemblies. I believe -- [Interruptions] -- Madam Speaker, for now, for the attention of the Hon Moses Asaga, the facility is to provide equipment to the Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblie and we are appealing that the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development will make efforts in
procuring further equipment for the rest of the District Assemblies in the country.
The loan is in the right direction. I am urging all my Hon Colleagues here to support this motion and make it possible for us to acquire these equipment to empower the Assemblies to deliver in waste management delivery.
I thank you so much, Madam Speaker.
Papa Owusu 12:15 p.m.
None

Sekondi): Madam Speaker, I also beg to support this motion and urge this Honourable House to adopt the motion.

Madam Speaker, we have got a rather

tall list but I just want to make three short points.

Madam Speaker, first of all, I refer to page 4, paragraph 2 of the Report and with your permission, I beg to quote:

“The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Hon Joseph Yieleh Chireh assured the Committee that Cabinet is currently considering a draft national policy on waste management to provide a holistic and comprehensive approach to sanitation and waste management in the country.”

Madam Speaker, I am urging Govern- ment to come out with this policy very soon. What we have been doing in this country and really, what the equipment is supposed to do, is to dispose of waste and not to manage the waste, which is really what we need in this country in the medium-term and the long-term. So, I am urging the House to take note of this so that within, probably the first half of next year, Government comes out with this policy.

Madam Speaker, the second point,
Papa Owusu 12:15 p.m.
too, relates to the canoes of fishermen. I recall that in the previous Administration, because of the fact that the forest cover was being depleted at a very fast rate, the then Ministry of Fisheries decided to introduce fibre-glass canoes for use to the fisherfolk. It was very difficult for the fisherfolk to accept it and part of this loan was supposed to be used to provide fibre-glass lining for the canoes, and the Committee suggested that instead of the lining, we should be thinking of using fibre glass for the entire canoe.
This is because it has become very difficult for our fishermen to be able to get canoes using the ordinary logs. It has become a subject of harassment because one needs a permit to fell a log and it becomes very difficult for them to get the permit. So, I am urging the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to also pursue this policy of fibreglass canoes very aggressively.
Madam Speaker, there is an attachment which was originally part of the Report but which was prompted by the request that we made at the Committee and it is in the details of the application of the facility. Normally, one sees that with some of these facilities, one finds consultancy taking a substantial part. But I noted that with the details, we have about eight per cent being used as capacity building, five per cent for consultancy, that is, technical assistance to the Assemblies; and then two per cent for monitoring and evaluation.
I am also very happy to note that the equipment is being distributed evenly throughout the country.
Madam Speaker, if Hon Members would take note, every region has two Assemblies benefiting, with Greater Accra, of course, being a very big region when it comes to consumption of waste, having three Assemblies; Accra, Tema and Ga East. As I indicated, it was an

attachment to the Report but brought separately, so Hon Members may not have it in their hands.

And with this, I urge this House to support this concessionary agreement. It is in pursuance of South-South cooperation.

Madam Speaker, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed in March, 2004 and I am urging this Government too to aggressively pursue this line so that South-South, we may have better co-operation and better benefits.

I thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mr. E. K. D. Adjaho (NDC -- Avenor/ Ave) 12:15 p.m.
Madam Speaker, mine is based on the submission made by the Hon Member for Sekondi with regard to the attachment to the Report.
While we want to make progress, it is important that every Hon Member of the House is given a copy of the attachment that he has referred to because we do not add the attachment to some of our Committees' Reports. So, it will be very important that, at least, not necessarily now, but after the motion is carried, they should put it in our pigeon holes so that we know the attachment that he was referring to.
On that note, I support the motion.
rose
Madam Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Thank you.
Well, I think the last Hon Member to contribute comes from the Minority side. He (the Hon Minister for Communications) is sitting in front but the next to speak comes from the Minority side, so I will go there.
Mr. J. B. Aidoo (NPP -- Amenfi East) 12:25 p.m.
Madam Speaker. I also rise to support the motion on the floor. And in
doing so, I wish to draw the attention of the House to an observation made on page 4 of the Report, specifically, paragraph 3. Madam Speaker, with your indulgence, I would read:
“On the US$11 million allocated to fisheries, officials from the Fisheries Commission under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture informed the Committee that a fish processing plant would be established for the processing of tuna so as to ensure enhanced foreign exchange earnings from the export of processed tuna instead of the raw exports. This plant will be privately-owned facility supported by Government to provide jobs and obtain foreign exchange for the country.”

Madam Speaker, my concern is related to the last sentence, that, “this plant will be a privately-owned facility . . .” This is an on-lending facility to support the fishery sector and the Government is pursuing this facility to support a private enterprise. I only want to sound a note of caution, particularly, when it comes to the repayment of the facility.

Madam Speaker, there are instances

where private entities have benefited from similar facilities from Government, but have defaulted when it came to the repayment. Therefore, the Ministry should take note of this caution and then ensure that when it comes to the repayment, the burden will not fall on Government to repay such facilities, and the private entities that benefit will fulfil their part of the obligation.

With this, Madam Speaker, I support

the motion.

Mr. E.T. Mensah (NDC -- Ningo/

Prampram): Madam Speaker, I also rise

to support the motion but there are a few comments that I would want to make.

First of all, I support Hon Papa Owusu-

Ankomah's stand. Quite often, we confuse “waste collection” with “waste management” and then also we have placed too much premium on the private sector. The private sector alone as an engine of growth, we have said it again and again, do not have the capacity.

What they do, like several private companies, is waste collection. Waste management is quite expensive; all over the world governments anchor that. Because when you go to other juris- dictions, when their waste is collected, it is managed through incineration, landfill or composite, and these are functions which do not bring profit. If we want to do landfill, it cuts across even district borders and that is why the County Councils and the Governors' offices in other jurisdictions take it upon themselves that responsibility of management.

So if you do 20-80, it means that one does not understand what we are talking about. The collection is the “20” and the management is the “80”. So whatever policy that is coming must keep this in mind - I have got a copy of the distribution but I do not want to talk about it. But I think it is a bit lopsided because we have Assemblies which have resources that they can harness to deal with this issue of waste management, but since 2001 up till today, we have been baby-sitting them.

All the moneys that we were giving out from the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) as part of the Common Fund went to these Municipal and Metropolitan Assemblies as if the other districts do not have waste management difficulties. So one is of the opinion that when we sort out some of these things we should look in the direction of these cities and towns which are also growing and help
Mr. J. B. Aidoo (NPP -- Amenfi East) 12:25 p.m.
them to come up.
I am also happy about that aspect of
capacity building and it is something that we need to take seriously. When Accra Metropolitan Assembly launched the Waste Management Project in 1986, it was real Waste Management Project. We had the Waste Management Department which was in charge. Somehow, along the line, it got disintegrated in the name of the private sector.
Whatever moneys we are getting should go into strengthening the Waste Management Department. Because that place got disintegrated all the young men that were recruited from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology to be trained as waste management experts have left. These are hot cakes. They are all over the place. They have left. We were replicating it in Sekondi/Takoradi, Kumasi -- So I want to recommend strongly that we ensure that we focus on building the capacity with whatever we are getting and once that is done, we would be doing justice to waste management.
On fish harvesting, I agree fully with
the Hon Papa Owusu-Ankomah. Those of us who have the coastal line as our constituency -- the difficulty in getting canoe today -- they have to smuggle it and they have been running into trouble. Almost every week a group or the other would come to us to intervene for them because the wood that they are bringing to build the canoe have been impounded
So when we raise it with the technical people that the fibre glass should be used in ceiling the canoes, what are we talking about? Are we saying that the old canoes are the ones we are talking about? We

should rather focus on the fibre glass thing, press it on and ensure that we move away from this wood issue that we are talking about.

Madam Speaker, with these few comments, I support the motion.

Madam Speaker; This concludes the debate.

Question put and motion agreed to.
RESOLUTION 12:25 p.m.
Mr. Fifi Kwetey (on behalf of the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning) 12:25 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I beg to move, that
WHEREAS by the provisions of article 181 of the Constitution and section 7 of the Loans Act, 1970 (Act 335), the terms and conditions of any loan raised by the Government of Ghana on behalf of itself or any public institution or authority shall not come into operation unless the said terms and conditions have been laid before Parliament and approved by Parliament by a Resolution supported by the votes of a majority of all Members of Parliament;
PURSUANT to the provisions of the said article 181 of the Constitution and section 7 of the Loans Act, 1970 (Act 335), and at the request of the Government of Ghana acting through the Minister responsible for Finance and Economic Planning, there has been laid before Parliament the terms and conditions of the Concessionary
Credit Line Agreement between the Government of Ghana and Export-Import Bank of India for an amount of US$21.72 million to finance Improved Fish Harvesting and Fish Processing Project and Waste Management Equipment and Management Support Project.
THIS HONOURABLE HOUSE 12:25 p.m.
HEREBY RESOLVES AS 12:25 p.m.
Mr. Avedzi 12:25 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I beg to second the motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
MR. FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER
Mr. Avedzi 12:35 p.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
Mr. Avedzi 12:35 p.m.


the Financing Agreement between the Republic of Ghana and OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) and Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) for an amount of thirteen million, five hundred thousand United States dollars (US$13,500,000.00) for the upgrading and expansion of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Services in Korle- Bu and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospitals may be moved today.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 12:35 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I beg to second the motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
GOG/OPEC-OFID/BADEA
Agreement
Chairman of the Committee (Mr. James Klutse Avedzi) 12:35 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee on the Financing Agreement between the Republic of Ghana and OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) and Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) for an amount of thirteen million, five hundred thousand United States dollars (US$13,500,000.00) for the upgrading and expansion of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Services in Korle-Bu and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospitals.
In doing so, I present the Committee's
Report.
1.0 Introduction
The Financing Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) and Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) for an amount of thirteen million, five hundred thousand United States dollars (US$13,500,000.00) for the upgrading and expansion of Radiotherapy

and Nuclear Medicine Services in Korle- Bu and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospitals was laid in the House on Wednesday, 25th November, 2009 and referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and report in accordance with article 181 of the Constitution and Order 171 (1) of the Standing Orders of the House.

The Committee met and considered the Agreement with the Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Hon Seth Terkpeh and a technical team from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and the Ministry of Health and presents this Report.

2.0 Background

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in September, 2005 assisted Ghana to develop a project document to expand radiotherapy and nuclear medicine services in Ghana. The project was estimated to cost a total amount of US$22,500,000.00 and consisted of the following components:

Consolidation of radiotherapy and nuclear medicine services at Korle- Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in Accra;

Consolidation of radiotherapy and establishment of a nuclear medicine facility at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi; and

Consolidation of radiotherapy and establishment of a nuclear medicine facility at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH).

As a f i rs t phase, this loan of US$13,500,000.00 is being sourced from the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) and Arab Bank
Papa Owusu-Ankomah (NPP -- Sekondi) 12:35 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to second the motion and urge this House to adopt this Report.
I believe that this is a very important loan that is going to assist us in dealing with the cancer epidemic which we were informed developing countries will be facing within the next ten years. It seems as if over the years, cancer has been increasing in the country and treatment has been very difficult. This equipment, indeed, will be coming at an opportune time.
Minister for Communications (Mr. Haruna Iddrisu) 12:35 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to associate myself with the adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee on the Financing Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and OPEC Fund for an amount of US$13,500,000.00 for the upgrading and expansion of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Services in the Korle-Bu and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospitals.
In doing so, I would like to associate myself with the very comments made by the Hon Papa Owusu-Ankomah. One will
notice that the initial focus was for at least, the three major teaching hospitals: Korle- Bu, Komfo Anokye and Tamale were designated to benefit from this facility.
H o w e v e r , t h e a m o u n t o f US$13,500,000.00 is inadequate and does not satisfy the requirements. Even if we want to do for Tamale, Komfo Anokye and Korle-Bu you will require US$22,500,000.00. So in adopting this, we would encourage the Ministry of Health to consider extending these services, as has been intimated by the Hon Papa Owusu-Ankomah, to other regional hospitals. And I believe that Government will support that.
Indeed, if you read Page 2 -- and it is just to reiterate a point which has been made. A call has been made on the management of the two hospitals to take proper care of this facility, and to ensure that it is put to good use. Many at times, we are told that these equipment have broken down and patients suffer death as a result of the inability of the clinicians or the experts in that area to be able to examine the patients who are normally affected.
We are dealing with a very sensitive issue of cancer which is becoming a major health issue in our country. Early diagnosis can be helpful particularly for palliative care and it is important that these equipment are put to good use.
With these few comments, I associate myself with the adoption of this motion.
Mr. Joseph Boahen Aidoo (NPP -- Amenfi East) 12:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, just as have been alluded to by earlier Hon Members who have contributed to the motion, this is a very important facility, particularly coming at a time when cancer-related problems are on the ascendency. Even here in Ghana, as part of the implemen-
tation programme, the facility is intended to bring about cancer registration, prevention, early detection and palliative care.
I will urge that beyond these aspects, the facility should go to support intensive education on problems relating to cancer, particularly in our rural communities. I have had the experience of hearing certain cases of women who have gone beyond their menopause and 50-year olds, 60-year olds, 70-year - some of them even close to 80 years.
Mr. Speaker, at that age, they pass their -- what is called the menstrual period. Mr. Speaker, these women take the passage to be caused by piles; in the local parlance, we call it kooko. They think it is piles that is affecting them.
Mr. Speaker, a doctor told me that when one has gone beyond her menopause and then she starts seeing such blood then -- [Interruption] - Hon Akua Dansua, this is a very important matter -- [Laughter.] When one starts seeing blood after 50 years, 60 years, then she should know that it is a sign of getting cervical cancer.
However, in most of our rural com- munities, they have no idea whatsoever about getting this problem. That is why I am urging that as part of the programme, there should be intensive education, particularly in our rural communities, to raise the awareness of such problems among our rural folks, particularly our women who are dying slowing because they have no idea whatsoever.
Mr. Speaker, if a person does not know that he/she is having a problem relating to cancer, how will the person go and even register? We are saying that money is to facilitate the implementation of cancer registration, but if the person does not turn up, if he has no idea, how will that person go and then register? So education here is very, very important if this facilities should have complete success.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Hon
Members, that brings us to the end of the debate on the motion. I will now put the Question.
Question put and motion agreed to.
RESOLUTION 12:45 p.m.
THIS HONOURABLE HOUSE 12:45 p.m.
H E R E B Y R E S O LV E S A S 12:45 p.m.
Mr. Avedzi 12:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to second the motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
The
Resolution is duly carried. Item 13 -- [Interruptions] -- on the Order Paper -- [Laughter] -- Item 13 on the Order Paper.
Suspension of Standing Order 80 (1)
Mr. Avedzi 12:45 p.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 Financing Agreement between the Republic of Ghana and Fortis Bank N.V. of The Netherlands for an amount of twenty-eight million euros (€28.00 million) for the rehabilitation and upgrading of Tamale Teaching Hospital may be moved today.
Dr. A. A. Osei 12:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to second the motion.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Motion
moved and seconded, it is a procedural motion and I will put the Question.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Loan Agreement between Government of Ghana and Fortis
Bank N.V. of The Netherlands
Chairman of the Committee (Mr. J.
K. Avedzi): Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee on the Financing Agreement between the Republic of Ghana and Fortis Bank N.V. of The Netherlands for an amount of twenty- eight million euros (€28.00 million) for the rehabilitation and upgrading of Tamale Teaching Hospital.
Mr. Speaker, in doing so, I present your Committee's Report and request that the Hansard Department captures the entire Report.
1.0 Introduction
The Financing Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and Fortis Bank N.V. of The Netherlands for an amount of twenty-eight million euros (€28,000,000.00) for the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Tamale Teaching Hospital
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
The Committee met and considered the facility with the Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Hon Seth Terpkeh and a technical team from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and the Ministry of Health and presents this Report.
2.0 Background
Since 1974 when the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) was commissioned, it has never undergone any major rehabilitation. Initially, the hospital was well staffed and equipped and provided a wide range of services for the Tamale Municipality and nearby districts. It also provided referral services for the Northern and Upper Regions and even beyond to other neighbouring countries.
Over the years, the hospital has deteriorated in the specialist staffing levels, the physical structure, diagnostic and therapeutic equipment and other resources of the hospital. The hospital currently therefore provides limited range of services with a few specialist clinical staff.
The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Development Studies designated the hospital in 1993 as its principal teaching facility. With this designation and concomitant student intakes since then, the needs of students for training have been added to the demands on the hospital.
The hospital's infrastructure has currently deteriorated badly with serious structural faults and almost all major clinical equipment broken down or in short

supply. The water and sewerage systems of the hospital are also deficient while there is no stand-by generator to support the often unreliable power supply from the national grid.

Therefore, there is the need to undertake a major rehabilitation and re-equipping of the hospital to enable it provide the needed services to the rapidly expanding catchment areas.

3.0 Purpose of the Loan

The purpose of the loan is to finance major rehabilitation and upgrading of the Tamale Teaching Hospital as well as the provision of medical equipment (with two years' maintenance and spare parts) and the provision of staff accommodation.

Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions of the loan are as follows:

Total Financing Contract Amount -- €43,326,610.00

(A) Grant -- €15,326,610.00

(B) Loan Amount -- €28,000,000.00

Grace Period -- 2 years

Repayment Period -- 10 years

Maturity Period -- 12 years

Interest Rate --Euribor+0.95per cent (1.16+0.95=2.11

per cent)

Commitment Fee -- 0.50 per cent

Management Fee -- 0.75 per cen t flat

Grant Element (B only) -- 35.37 per ce

nt
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.


Wighted Grant Element (A & B) -- 45.68 per cent

4.0 Observations

The Committee was informed that the total estimated cost of the project, excluding taxes and duties, is forty-seven million, one hundred and twenty-six thousand, six hundred and ten euros (€47,126,610.00). This amount is to be provided through a Government of The Netherlands ORET Grant of €15,326,610.00 (constituting 32.52 per ce nt); a FORTIS Bank Loan of €28,000,000.00 (representing 59.42 per cent ); and a Government of Ghana contribution of €3,800,000.00 (representing 8.06 per cent).

The Committee noted that the 2003 Demographic Health Survey Report puts the Northern Region's fertility rate at 7.0 per cent. Infant mortality and under- five mortality rates for the same period were 64 and 111 per thousand live births respectively. The region's outpatient attendance for 2006 was 652,054 while inpatient admissions for the same period were 60,547. Also in 2006, the region recorded the highest guinea-worm cases in the country.

The Committee was informed that the Tamale Teaching Hospital is the only major referral hospital in the Northern Region which also serves medical students of the University for Development Studies (UDS) and the entire northern belt of the country but has experienced years of decline with loss of specialist medical staff and deterioration of its infrastructure and equipment stock.

The anticipated benefits of the project include increased capacity of healthcare services in the Northern Region, provision of modern facilities for the hospital to function as tertiary care level hospital with teaching facilities, provision of a permanent and sufficient capacity of water to the hospital, and attraction and retention

of requisite qualified staff.

On the duration of the project, the Committee was informed that the entire project, including technical assistance component, will be implemented over a period of fifty-six (56) months. However, the components of design, construction and installation of medical equipment required for the hospital to be inaugurated will be executed within the first thirty-two (32) months of the project period.

The technical team from the Ministry of Health explained to the Committee that the project would be implemented in two phases. Under the first phase, a new tower block would be constructed and linked with the old tower block which would undergo complete rehabilitation. This first phase would give the hospital a total bed capacity of three hundred and ninety (390).

Upon the completion of the first phase, all single storeyed-structures of the hospital with serious structural deterioration would be demolished to pave way for the second phase which is expected to bring the total bed capacity to one thousand (1,000).

The Committee noted that as part of measures to attract and retain qualified personnel to the facility, staff accommodation facilities would be constructed as part of the project.

4.1 Tax Exemption

The Agreement requires that the proceeds cannot be used to pay local taxes, VAT and customs duties on goods and services imported or procured locally for the implementation of the project and financed from the loan and the grant.

The Committee was informed that at the appropriate time, a formal request for
Dr. A. A. Osei (NPP -- Old Tafo) 12:55 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to second the motion and to make a contribution. In so doing, also to urge all my Hon Colleagues to support the motion.
Mr. Speaker, generally speaking, when a motion on health facility comes to the floor of the House, we do not debate it very much, and we should also not debate this one very much, particularly since this effort has been long coming.
We are told in the Committee's Report that Tamale Teaching Hospital is a major referral hospital and in talking to the technical people from the Ministry of Health, the fact that the initial phase would help increase the bed capacity to 390 makes it very important. Later on, they will expand it to 1,000.
This hospital, perhaps, is one of the most critical institutions that anybody can have in that part of the country and

all of us should be eager to ensure that implementation begins quickly.

The first phase, we are told, is expected to be completed in thirty-two months. If possible, we urge that it be expedited because it is a pressing need.

Mr. Speaker, the terms of the loan are quite obvious, 45 per cent is quite concessionary and so, I want to urge all Hon Members of this House to unanimously vote for this motion.

With those few remarks, I thank you.

Question proposed.
Mr. Dominic A. Azumah (NDC -- Garu/Tempane) 12:55 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I also rise to support the motion on the floor.
Mr. Speaker, this loan could not have come at a better time. Indeed, I believe that anybody from any of the three northern regions, after the passage of this loan today, will breathe a sigh of relief.
Those of us who are Members of Parliament from the three northern regions and who have had time to visit the Tamale Teaching Hospital in the last few years will attest to the level of deterioration on the tower block of the Tamale Teaching Hospital.
Mr. Speaker, it became so serious that patients normally from the Upper East and Upper West Regions who are supposed to seek medical treatment in Tamale as a referral hospital are either referred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital or to Accra. As I speak to you now, Mr. Speaker, I have two patients right now lying at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, all the way, 1,350 kilometres from Garu to Accra. I believe that if the Tamale Teaching Hospital was in the shape it should be, this case I am referring to would not have been in Accra, it should have been in Tamale.
Mr. Emmanuel Akwasi Gyamfi (NPP -- Odotobiri) 12:55 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise also to support the motion.
Mr. Speaker, we all agree that this facility will do Tamale Teaching Hospital good and give it a very good image. We were all waiting for this, and we thank the Government for going on with this facility and I believe Hon Members will support and approve this facility.
Mr. Speaker, there is something on page 4 of the Committee's Report which is the Demographic Health Survey Report of 2003 for the under-5 mortality rate which is quoted at 64. The infant mortality rate and the under-5 mortality rate at 64 and 111 per 1,000 live births respectively is what is worrying. Mr. Speaker, the 2003 Demographic Health Survey Report gives this figure, but after that Government put in a lot of interventions to curtail and address some of these issues.
I remember the introduction of the free
maternal policy to support our mothers to reduce this infant mortality and under-5 mortality rate, and I believe the Committee would have done us good by giving us a current figure which will give us some kind of relief, because these figures quoted in the Report are still quite high.
There is another issue about which I am very much concerned. The Northern Region fertility rate is at 7 per cent, and I think this facility being approved is not going to directly help to reduce the 7 per cent fertility rate. I think there are other interventions which the region can also undertake so that the fertility rate at this high level can also be reduced. And in all, I believe the facility is going to help the good people of the Northern Region.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, for giving me this opportunity.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
That brings us to the end of the debate.
I will put the Question.
Question put and motion agreed to.
RESOLUTION 12:55 p.m.
THIS HONOURABLE HOUSE 12:55 p.m.
H E R E B Y R E S O LV E S A S 12:55 p.m.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
It is a consequential Resolution, so I will put the Question.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 12:55 p.m.
Thank you, Madam
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
For purposes of the Chair, Mr. Speaker can be Madam Speaker -- [Laughter.] The Chair is for her.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 12:55 p.m.
The Chair is gender sensitive.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
What did you say?
Mr. E. T. Mensah 12:55 p.m.
Motion number 16, please.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
Very well, Chairman of the Committee?
Suspension of Standing Order 80 (1)
Mr. J. K. Avedzi 12:55 p.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 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 (€2,867,233.00) for the supply and installation of heavy duty washing machines for 13 hospitals in the country may be moved today.
Dr. A. A. Osei 12:55 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to second the motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr. First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
Item 17, Chairman of the Committee?
MR. SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER
MOTION 1:05 p.m.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr. J. K. Avedzi) 1:05 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee on the 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 (€2,867,233.00) for the supply and installation of heavy duty washing machines for 13 hospitals in the country.
Mr. Speaker, I present the Report of the Finance Committee.
1.0 Introduction
The 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 (€2,867,233.00) for the supply and installation of heavy duty washing machines for thirteen (13) hospitals in the country was laid in the House on Wednesday, 25th November, 2009 and referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and report in accordance with article 181 of the Constitution and Order 171 (1) of the Standing Orders of the House.
The Committee met and considered the Agreement with the Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Hon Seth Terpkeh and technical teams from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and the Ministry of Health and presents this Report.
2.0 Background
In a significant number of hospitals in the country, facilities for collection,
transportation and processing of soiled linens are highly limited.
Hospital laundry workers face increased risk of exposure to potentially infected linen, placing them at a risk of infections such as occupational hepatitis “A”. Besides, soiled linens constitute one of the largest concentrations of microbial contamination in the hospital environment that could lead to infection of inpatients and hospital staff.
The lack of automated laundry services in hospitals means that the unusually large labour force responsible for the manual processing of hundreds of thousands of pounds of contaminated reusable linens are exposed to risks of nosocomial infections. The current appalling situation of laundry facilities in our hospitals is frustrating healthcare professionals and negatively impacting on health care delivery.
Thirteen health institutions have therefore been selected under a first phase, to benefit from the supply and installation of modern laundry equipment backed by technical assistance.
3.0 Purpose of the Loan
The purpose of the Agreement is to provide funds for the acquisition and installation of heavy duty washing machines for thirteen hospitals in the country.
Terms and Conditions
The terms and conditions of the loan are as follows:
Total Contract Amount -- €2,867,233.00
A. State to State Loan
Loan Amount - -
€1,400,643.32
( 4 8 . 8 5 p e r cent of project cost)
Grace Period -- 10 years Repayment Period -- 20 years
Maturity Period -- 30 years
Interest Rate -- 0.00 per cent
Grant Element (A only) -- 68.99 per cent
B. KBC BANK LOAN
Loan Amount -- €1,466,589.68 ( 5 1 . 1 5 p e r cent of project cost)
Grace Period -- 0.75 years
Repayment Period -- 5 years
Maturity Period -- 5.75 years
Interest Rate -- CIRR rate (3.06 per cent)
Commitment Fee -- 0.25 per cent
Arrangement Fee -- 0.20 per cent
Facility Fee -- 0.30 per cent
Grant Element (B only) -- 7.84 per cent
Weighted Grant Element (A&B) -- 37.71 per cent
4.0 Observations
Chairman of the Committee (Mr. J. K. Avedzi) 1:05 p.m.
The Committee observed that each piece of equipment will be subjected to a technical evaluation by the Biomedical Engineering Unit of the Ministry of Health and would-be users. This is to facilitate the supply of devices with desirable features and according to the standard laundry procedures to be performed at the individual facilities.
It was noted that under the technical assistance component of the project, an elaborate and comprehensive training would be provided for technical staff and users of the machines.
The technical team from the Ministry of Health explained to the Committee that Adidome Hospital was added to the project because of the appalling conditions of the laundry equipment of that hospital that was witnessed by the Minister for Health and his team when they visited the facility earlier in the year.
The Committee was further informed that representatives of the Ministry of Health would pay pre-staging visits to the manufacturer's facilities to inspect the devices and packaging in order to ensure smooth shipment, clearing, transportation to installation sites and installation of devices.
The Committee encourages the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to collaborate to find the required funds to extend washing machines and laundry facilities to all hospitals across the country.
The thirteen hospitals to benefit from this loan are the Korle-Bu and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospitals, Sunyani Regional Hospital, Bolgatanga Regional Hospital, Koforidua Government Hospital, Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital, Tetteh Quashie Hospital, Mampong; Asante;

Mampong Hospital, Keta Government Hospital, Goaso District Hospital, Adidome District Hospital, Effiduase District Hospital and Worawora District Hospital.

4.1 Tax Exemption

The Agreement prohibits the proceeds from being used to pay local taxes, VAT and customs duties on importation, procurement/supply of goods, civil works and services financed by the loans.

The Committee was informed that at

the appropriate time, a formal request for the waiver of taxes and duties associated with the project would be laid before Parliament for consideration and approval.

5.0 Conclusion

The Committee respectfully recom- mends to the House, in view of the foregoing observations, to adopt this Report and approve by Resolution, the 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 (€2,867,233.00) for the supply and installation of heavy duty washing machines for thirteen (13) hospitals in the country in accordance with article 181 of the Constitution, sections 3 and 7 of the Loans Act, 1970 (Act 335) and the Standing Orders of the House.

Respectfully submitted.
Dr. A. A. Osei (NPP Old Tafo) 1:05 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to second the motion.
Mr. Speaker, when the Committee looked at the loan request, if we were to focus our attention on the quantum of the loan, most people would not have been in a position to recommend it but if you look at the request from the view- point of the risk that our health workers are being
exposed to, then you will begin to realize the importance of this loan.
So it is not the quantum that really matters. The money is being purchased to buy laundry equipment so that all the type of mess that goes on in the hospital can be properly cleaned. For our workers to be exposed to this is what made some of us look favourably at this loan.
Mr. Speaker, in these days and age, with all kinds of various diseases, it is not very good for a lot of our health workers to be exposed to this type of risk and so the worry here is that the sum is too small. We should be seeking to look for money to equip all hospitals properly so that all health workers in the country will not be exposed to such dangerous working conditions.
Mr. Speaker, the terms and conditions of the loan were such that the State part of it had to be interest free to assure the commercial loan to be purchased so that overall, the grant element would be within the guidelines set by the Government. So I want to encourage my Colleagues that they should not be focusing on the quantum of the loan but the purpose for which the loan was contracted.
I think if we do that, then we will be asking the Deputy Minister to take note to look for money for all the hospitals because the need for having proper equipment in the hospitals is very essential.
My disappointment was that, I did not see Old Tafo Hospital on this list. So I want to signal that next time, if Old Tafo Hospital is not on the list, you will have difficulty with the Committee.
Mr. Speaker, with those few words, I want to urge all Hon Members to support the motion on the floor.
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Hon Members, the motion has been moved and seconded and it is for the consideration of
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.


the House.

Question proposed.
Mr. E. T. Mensah (NDC -- Ningo/ Prampram) 1:05 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the motion that this House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee for the Financing Agreement between the Republic of Ghana and KBC Bank of Belgium.
I want to allay the fears of the Ranking Member that if you do not have one hundred cedis and someone gives you ten cedis, you will jump at it. So I do not think that we are worried about the quantum, it is so important. This is very necessary because when you talk about democracy, it is measured by the state of your hospitals -- the way you take care of the health of the people because it is said that the health of the people is the wealth of the people.
So I cannot agree with you more that the State sources such funds and ensures that we upgrade our hospitals. When you are sick and you go to a hospital in places like South Africa and other places, 50 per cent of your ailment vanishes. But here, you go to our hospitals and you would not want to be there for even two or three days; your situation aggravates because of the way we handle our hospitals. So it is important that we take these small monies -- but the important thing is that, it depends on how we use the money.
We are taking this loan to buy these equipment for these hospitals - our maintenance culture is a problem. We need to employ the appropriate technicians, pay them well to maintain these equipment; it will be cost-effective if that is done. So it is one area that we need to look at -- 30 years will come -- 30 years, it will come -- zero interest and within 3 years, if we do not do anything, these equipment will be out of use.
So I think that we need to take these
measures, pay our people well and maintain the equipment and raise moneys from elsewhere to purchase additional ones.
Mr. Speaker, the interest rate is quite interesting, that is when you look at the first leg of the loans that we have here. maturity period is 30 years, zero interest rate. Even though it is said that there is no free lunch anywhere, this looks like a free lunch but you do not take free lunch for granted because it will not come all the time. So once you have a free lunch, you save something somewhere to make sure that when you are hungry, you fill that in.
Mr. Speaker, with these few words, I support the motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
RESOLUTION 1:05 p.m.
THIS HONOURABLE HOSUE 1:05 p.m.
H E R E B Y R E S O LV E S A S 1:05 p.m.
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
Item
19.
Mr. Bagbin 1:15 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, sorry for
the delay. I was just pleading with my Hon Colleagues to let us consider the Hon Minister for Environment, Science and Technology to take her motion which is number 21, at page 12 of the Order
Paper. This is because she is due to leave today to lead our team at Copenhagen and therefore, I plead with Hon Members to allow her take her motion.
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
Motion No. 21.
CONSIDERATION OF ANNUAL 1:15 p.m.
ESTIMATES 1:15 p.m.
Minister for Environment, Science and Technology (Ms. Hanny-Sherry Ayittey) 1:15 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢131,529,124.00 for the services of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology for the 2010 fiscal year.
Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Environ- ment, Science and Technology (MEST) is mandated to support national socio- economic development goals to attain middle-income status by the year 2015 through the promotion of science, technology and innovation, human settlement planning and management as well as the preservation and sustainability of the environment at all levels of society and in all sectors of the economy.
The Ministry also has responsibility to support accelerated socio-economic development of the nation through the formulation of sound policies and the establishment of a regulatory framework to promote the use of appropriate and environmentally friendly scientific and technological practices and techniques.
Mr. Speaker, I, therefore, humbly, request the House to approve an amount of one hundred and thirty-one million, five hundred and twenty-nine thousand, one hundred and twenty-four Ghana cedis (GH¢131,529,124) which has been allocated to the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology
for its programmes and activities for the year 2010.
Mr. Speaker, this amount will be used for the number of programmes and activities some of which I would like to highlight.
A. Science and Technology
Under Science and Technology, the Ministry and its agencies will undertake among others, the following programmes and activities:
A Science and Technology Innova- tion policy has just been developed by the Ministry. In the year 2010, the Ministry will prepare a Management and Implementation Plan to guide the implementation of the policy which will then serve as a guide to stimulate and drive the national science, technology and innovation agenda and ensure that Ghana attains middle income status by the year 2020.
Mr. Speaker, the Ministry will revamp the Science and Technology Endowment Fund to support research activities in universities, research institutions, and graduate research projects and other innovations.
The Ministry will build appropriate linkages between research and production to ensure that research outputs are commercially utilized. These linkages will enhance ag r i cu l tu r a l and indus t r i a l development.
Other issues on Science and Technology will be undertaken by the Ministry in the year 2010 including the following:
Institution of an annual “Ghana Science Congress” to focus atten- tion on science and technology development, especially in the
Minister for Environment, Science and Technology (Ms. Hanny-Sherry Ayittey) 1:15 p.m.


Environmental Protection Agency includes:

monitoring of air quality and vehicular emission

Urban Transport Project;

Chemical Management;

Aquatic Weed Project;

Monitoring of Mining activities; and

Monitoring of the erection of telecommunication masts.

Mr. Speaker, the Town and Country Planning Department would also implement various programmes in 2010 including the following:

Prepare and guide implementation of planning schemes countrywide;

Establish and operationalize mobile planning teams;

Undertake legal and institutional reforms and commercialize town and country planning services

Build capacity for human settlements development; and

Conduct public education and create awareness in sound and effective town and country planning schemes and measures.

Mr. Speaker, permit me at this juncture to give you an insight into our budgetary allocation. The sector's budget allocation is one hundred and thirty-one million, five hundred and twenty-nine thousand, one hundred and twenty-four Ghana cedis (GH¢131,529,124.00) for the 2010 fiscal year. The breakdown of the allocation is as follows:

A. GOG ceililng is fifty million, four hundred and eighty-one thousand, four hundred and thirty-nine Ghana cedis (GH¢50,481,439) which is distributed under the four budget items as follows:

GH¢

i. Personal Emoluments : 42,714,861

ii. Administration : 5,182,578

iii. Service : 1,000,000

iv. Investment 1,584,000

Total Internally Generated Funds (IGF) projection is six million, three hundred and twenty thousand Ghana cedis, sixty-seven pesewas (GH¢6,320,000.67).

Total Sector Donor Support is also projected at seventy-four million, seven hundred and twenty-seven thousand, twenty-two Ghana cedis (GH¢74,727,022).

Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology is grateful for the Govern- ment's commitment to ensure that the Environment, Science and Technology programmes are supported. However, there is still the challenge of meeting the one per cent of GDP allocation for the development of Science and Technology as prescribed in the 1980 Lagos Plan of Action of which Ghana is a signatory to.

I wish to assure Hon Members that the Ministry will continue to implement its crucial programmes to ensure socio- economic growth nationwide by raising the necessary awareness on the sustainable management of the environ-ment and the acculturation of science and technology into the society, especially the youth.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr. Raymond A. Tawiah) 1:25 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to second the motion and in so doing, let me read the Report of the Committee.
1.0 Introduction
1.1 In fulfilment of article 179 (1) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2010 financial year was presented to the House on Wednesday, 18th November, 2009 by the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Hon Dr. Kwabena Duffuor.
Accordingly, the Committee on En- vironment, Science and Technology was charged to consider and report to the House, the budgetary allocation made to the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology for the 2010 financial year pursuant to Orders 140 (4) and 185 of the Standing Orders of Parliament.
1.2 To assist the Committee in its deliberations, the sector Minister, Ms. Sherry Ayittey and officials from the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST) and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP) attended the Committee's sitting. Officials from the underlisted departments and agencies under the purview of MEST were also in attendance to offer clarifications on their respective budgetary allocation:
a. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA);
b. Ghana Atomic Energy Commission
(GAEC);
c. Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR); and
d. Town and Country Planning Department (TCPD).
The Committee is grateful to the Hon Minister and all officials who were present at the Committee's sitting for their co- operation.
2.0 Reference Documents
The Committee made reference to the following documents during its deliberations:
i. The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana;
ii. The Standing Orders of Parliament;
iii. The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2010 financial year; and
iv. The Report of the Committee on Environment, Science and Technology on the 2009 Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology.
3.0 Mission Statement of the Ministry The Ministry of Environment, Science
and Technology exists to establish a strong and vibrant scientific and technological base for accelerated and sustainable development to enhance the quality of life for all through the development and promotion of appropriate technologies,
Chairman of the Committee (Mr. Raymond A. Tawiah) 1:25 p.m.


safe and sound environmental practices and regulated human settlements.

4.0 Review of the Performance of the Ministry in Year 2009

During the year under review, the Ministry and its departments and agencies undertook many activities of which a few are highlighted below:

Science and Technology

a. MEST (Headquarters) i. Mathematics, Science and

Te c h n o l o g y E d u c a t i o n S c h o l a r - s h i p S c h e m e

(MASTESS)

The Ministry instituted the annual Mathematics, Science and Technology Education Scholarship Scheme which seeks to provide scholarships to about 47,000 poor but needy students studying science and technical subjects in the secondary, technical and tertiary institutions across the country.

The Ministry is hopeful that th rough th i s p rogramme, “kayayei” who have completed junior high school (JHS) but could not proceed to the senior high school (SHS) level because of financial problems will also have the opportunity to enroll in schools with the aid of the MASTESS Scholarship Scheme.

i i . Payment of Arrears on Outstanding Subscription Fees

In view of the immense benefits that Ghana derives from some multilateral agreements and affiliated organisations, the Ministry settled some of its outstanding indebtedness to

some international organisations by honouring its financial obligations through the payment of subscriptions. Specifically, payments were made to the African Regional Centre for Technology (ARCT) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

b. GAEC

i. GAEC in collaboration with the University of Ghana trained 41 Master of Philosophy students to acquire skills in the various nuclear fields to expand nuclear knowledge in Ghana at the Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences (SNAS).

i i . Th rough the GETFund , rehabilitation of hostel facilities for graduate students of SNAS and lecture halls for the graduate school were completed while construction of a library and ICT block for SNAS and national accelerator building are ongoing. These facilities were used for training of human resource development in nuclear technology in Ghana.

iii. The Commission, through the support of the Export Development and Investment Fund (EDIF) is upgrading the Gamma Irradiation Facility (GIF) for both commercial quaran t ine and resea rch purposes.

iv. The use of nuclear technology for micro-propagation of economic plants such as pineapples, banana and plantain are ongoing.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr. Raymond A. Tawiah) 1:25 p.m.


c. CSIR

i. The CSIR (Food Research Institute) has transferred the technology f o r p r o c e s s i n g p l a n t a i n into several commercially convenient products first to the Programme Officers of the Women in Agriculture Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, under the GATSBY/CSIR/ MoFA Project. Subsequently, training workshops have been held at three zonal centres: (Konongo, Suhum and Kenyasi) for plantain farmers and local food entrepreneurs in food manufacturing.

ii. The setting up of a Biogas System for the New Ankaful Maximum Security Prison by CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) is 90 per cent complete. Human waste of the inmates would be used to generate biogas which is piped for use in cooking. A similar version of the biogas system is also being constructed for the cluster of schools under the Ghana School Feeding Programme.

iii. CSIR -- Animal Research Institute (ARI) has established a nucleus population of broilers in Ghana to reduce dependence on imports of grand parent and parent lines from abroad.

iv. Bird eye chillies lines have been developed for export and the local market.

v. CSIR -- Forestry Research Institute (FRI) has established an “Bambus-teum” to aim conserva t ion o f bamboo

germplasm in Ghana.

vi. CSIR in collaboration with German Technical Co-operation (GTZ) has developed prototypes of solar and gas-fired cabinet driers for drying fruits for export and local market.

Environment

a. MEST (Headquarters)

i. Collaboration with World Bank to conduct studies into the economics/cost of adaptation to climate change

T h e M i n i s t r y h a s b e e n collaborating with the World Bank, through its Accra office to agree on an outline and preparatory process of a Ghana- specific report on the economics of adaptation to climate change. The achievement has been in the area of data collection and the development of an economic model. All these are to assist the country take advantage of various opportunities that avail themselves in the run-off to the Conference of Parties in Copenhagen in December 2009.

ii. Response Measures to public concerns on environmental issues

Following petitions and per- sistent complaints from inter- national and national organiza- tions and the Media, the Minis- try has put in place response measures to address concerns raised by NGOs, general public, communities in the areas of:

Waste management;

Plastic waste disposal;

Effects of mining in the communities;

Land degradation issues;

Telecommunications masts.

b. EPA

i. Vehicular Exhaust Emission Monitoring

During the period under review, a mobile vehicular emission was undertaken by the Agency. In all, 12-petrol driven vehicles were tested and the data gathered will be used to develop vehicular emissions standards.

ii. Aquatic Weeds Project

The project continued to remove invasive water weeds from the Tano and Volta Rivers; about 130 hectares of weeds have been removed. Biological control activities are continuing in the Tano for water hyacinth and kariba weeds. Waders and other equipment have been supplied to Community Water Weeds Committee. The outset of rains has caused massive swathes of floating vegetation to drift into already cleared areas.

c. TCPD i . Da t a co l l ec t i on fo r t he

preparation of planning schemes covering State- acquired lands released by Government to their allodial owners in the Greater- Accra Region was undertaken.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr. Raymond A. Tawiah) 1:25 p.m.
ii. Studies by TCPD/LAP towards the legal and institutional reforms, and the commer- cialisation of town and country planning services have been completed.
5.0 Policy Objectives of MEST for Year 2010
For year 2010, MEST has set for itself, nine (9) policy objectives in order to deliver on its mandate. These are:
a. to promote the application of science, technology and innovation on all sectors of the economy and ensure best environmental practice;
b. to strengthen the appropriate institutional framework to promote the development of science and technology;
c. to promote science and technical education at all levels;
d. to ensure the restoration of degraded natural resources through the promotion of alternative livelihood programmes;
e. to promote sustainable natural resource management;
f . t o i m p r o v e G o v e r n m e n t 's commitment to international protocols and conventions and incorporate them into national laws;
g. to build the requisite institutions and strengthen the regulatory framework to ensure sustainable natural resource management and effective environmental gover- nance;
h. to promote a sustainable, spatially

integrated and orderly development of human settlements to support socio-economic development; and

i. to develop and retain human resource capacity at the national, regional and district levels.

6.0 Outlook for Year 2010

For the year 2010, MEST will undertake the following projects and activities among others:

Environment

i. Re-launching of the National Environmental Fund and a review of the fees and levies charged by EPA;

ii. Development of a National Sustainable Development Stra- tegy;

iii. Land and coastal wetland sites will be developed and degraded mangroves rehabilitated;

iv. Intensify the promotion of an efficient and accessible indus- trial and domestic waste mana- gement programme including the management of plastic waste and pursuit of human-centred biodiversity conservation initiatives; and

v. Institute a certification for the radiation levels in food items.
TCPD 1:25 p.m.
CSIR 1:25 p.m.
SPACE FOR TABLE 1:25 p.m.
Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi (NPP - Techiman North) 1:35 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the motion and in doing so Mr. Speaker, let us make reference to the Lagos Declaration of 1980 which suggested, in fact, directed countries to set aside only one per cent of how much

they make for only science. Here, as the Hon Minister indicated, we are hovering around 0.4, or something like that; far below the one per cent and annually we come to look at the budget for science which is nothing to talk about.

In fact, I pity the Hon Minister in trying to get some of these agencies to work and some of the agencies are doing very good work. Go to the various sub-agencies in the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), visit GHAIP and you will come to appreciate what Ghanaian scientists can do. And yet, again, as a ritual, science and technology often gets the lowest share of the national cake when you look at the Budget.

Mr. Speaker, how do we expect to move this country forward? We know for a fact that for any nation to develop, you have to get your science and technology right. We often talk about the Asian tigers, but very often, we ignore the history behind the development. When countries are now moving over to innovation, having gone beyond the basic training in sciences, we are still back there.

Mr. Speaker, I think, going through the figures, in my opinion, may not help the Hon Minister. I pity her. She will come, present these figures, appeal for supplementary budget, nothing goes to the Ministry, so these agencies are suffering, they are indeed, suffering.

However, there are some moves which ought to be applauded. For example, incentive packages for students in science at the second cycle and tertiary levels. I hope that this Fund will receive enough support for us to take a look at the students.

But Mr. Speaker, while looking at those in training, it is important that we look at the practitioners. If you go to the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), they are either not
Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi (NPP - Techiman North) 1:35 p.m.
attracting enough scientists or those there are leaving into the universities because of poor remuneration and this is very sad. Attempts have been made to try and get them to run the same kind of skills as our tertiary institutions. I will urge the Minister to continue with this, continue to dialogue with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to see whether we can achieve some equilibrium.
Mr. Speaker, when you look at the area of environment, the agency in the Ministry that takes care of our environ- mental problems is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Again, funding is very poor but EPA is simply telling us what not to do and the delink is between the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology and Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development because it is the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development which through the MMDAs, should ensure that waste, for example, is taken care of.
When we go there, we would see the same minimal funding, so waste has become a huge problem. Not that the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST) does not have a scientist who can work on details about what chemicals to take care of and what not to handle but having done that, getting rid of those materials which are not environmentally friendly, becomes a problem.
I think that in this country, some special assignments ought to be given to the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, not only in terms of regulating what is it that we put in the environment but also for them to ensure that these wastes are properly taken care of. I do not know whether that would mean taking the assignment from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural

Development. But something ought to be done about it.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the effort that the Ministry is making in the area of enlightening all of us on the issues of climate change and I believe that after Copenhagen, the Ministry would further enlighten Ghanaians on things that we are doing wrong which will hurt the environment and ultimately hurt us.
Mr. E. T. Mensah (NDC -- Ningo- Prampram) 1:35 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I also rise to support the motion that this Honourable House approves the sum required to run the Ministry in the ensuing year.
Mr. Speaker, as the Ranking Member said, we have been toying with science and technology. Quite often we go to places and come and talk about how the people have developed, without going to the basics to find out how they did it, to the extent that we do not even appreciate the role of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology. And over the years, the Ministry has been -- you know, one Government comes and then they close the Ministry down; another Government comes, revise it. So they have never been able to stand on their feet.
People do not even know their fate. So if you are a scientist and you find yourself there and it happens to you once, you will not even want to go and work in the place.
Mr. Speaker, I think that whenever the constitutional review takes place, we must advocate that we capture, like other jurisdictions in the world, the number of Ministries that any Government should
have and no Government should be allowed to come in and out and toy with the Ministries. I want to suggest that I think that science and technology is so important that even if we want to have five Ministries, it should be one of those. Otherwise, how are we going to develop? Our forefathers used mysticism and fetish to protect the environment.
In this day and age, when we claim to be civilized, where are the sacred grooves? When we started the previous century, about 8.2 million hectares of forest - the other day, the Okyehene said it -- When we migrated from the fire of the Arabs and then came down, we met greens, we have destroyed everything. But we are not taking science and technology seriously. The environment has just been relegated to the background.
The Hon Professor (Prof. Ameyaw- Akumfi) was talking about linkages and then I have seen some linkages in the Hon Minister's presentation between science, technology and I think that the important linkage that we need to have should be between the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology because they have a lot in common.
At the policy level at the headquarters of the Ministry, they will be felt and it will be only relevant if we have the correct linkages with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development;they will be making progress.
When you look at the Report, they are talking about inadequate staff. How do we even treat the few members of staff that we have there? What is the remuneration? Sometimes it is not even the remuneration, people need satisfaction in their professions by getting appropriate tools to work with. Do they have what it
Mr. E. T. Mensah (NDC -- Ningo- Prampram) 1:35 p.m.


takes -- all the great scientists that we have here, they go out and they perform wonders.

It is about time that we looked at these things seriously because if you pass out as a scientist and you do not know what your fate is going to be, all the things that we are talking about, the motivation, the scholarships and things that we are talking about, we will fly it out there and nobody will come for it because at the end of the day you have prepared yourself for a future as a man or woman when you leave the institution.

So I think that these are issues that we need to take seriously. We give out these paltry sums, we pay people meagre salaries for doing nothing. How do we address this thing? it is something that we need to take very seriously.

The Minister was talking about the scholarship scheme which is going to be introduced for brilliant and needy students studying science and technology. From which level are we going to start? Let us go to the basic level and then hunt for these boys and girls and then we develop them. We do not have to wait until we see the signs.

Today, even in the area of soccer, all the former clubs are now, instead of going to buy and poach, creating nursery teams. We tried it and the Adiyah's of today were all products of the nursery teams. Every poultry farmer has a nursery team so I want to encourage the Ministry to create the nurseries for science and technology. Something was started sometime ago -- the mobile science programme, I do not know what has become of it.

Again, there should be a collaboration between the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Education to deal with these things.
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 1:45 p.m.
Hon
Members should be very brief.
Mrs. Frema Akosua Osei-Opare (NPP -- Ayawaso West Wuogon) 1:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to support the motion on the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I notice that the Ministry is going to encourage linkages between research and production. I think this is a laudable one.
But I must say that we have heard this every time. For years, this approach has been proposed; however, there is still a gap between research and its utilisation to advance development in Ghana. And I believe that this time, it should not be just the rhetoric, if I may use the word, but rather a definite effort to make this happen. I must say that we are beginning to see some signs of translating of research into production.
Let us say, in the 70s and 80s, we were looking at instant fufu, for instance, which was like some dream. But today, at least, you can go and buy a packet of Neat Fufu and you know that it is something you can use. It took years for that to come on the market but it is not enough.
We are seeing pineapple juice coming
up; we have seen even some plantain chips, which I hope can be more scientifically handled than what we see. Because if one sees the way they are packaging them on the site, it is too elementary in terms of the knowledge that is available and the technology that is applied.
So, I do hope the Hon Minister will ensure that this time, we can identify specific research information that really has potential in Ghana and really support the industries to market them, turn them into products that can really help, particularly when it comes to raw materials such as our food crops that we produce in Ghana.
The next and last point I would like to make, is to deal with the issue of attracting students into the study of science. I think this country is too conservative. I have the University of Ghana under my constituency. It is amazing the number of students today in this 21st Century who have just taken arts subjects. I have noticed that even in the US and in Canada, arts students, arts graduates have been turned into scientists. They have been taken into medical schools. And I have a family member who has graduated as a doctor even though she did history in her first degree.
I think we must give opportunity to the graduates that are now on the street and not knowing what to do and actually support them with special programmes to turn them into scientists, particularly in the medical field where we are so short of the requisite numbers that we need.
Let me just say that there are biochemistry students, Mr. Speaker, who are not employed today. And I know you will have a special interest in that matter. Graduates from KNUST and University of Ghana in science, having done well - and you know that the students that go into science usually are the tops and yet they
have graduated and we have not created an environment for them to be absorbed. So, while we sing the chorus, that let us interest students in science, they must have a future in the system.
So, I am recommending that in spite of what seems to be a public sector reform programme not to engage, let us advocate an exception for science students so that it will really create the necessary push or pull factor to get more students taking science.
With these few words, I urge the House to support the motion on the floor.
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 1:45 p.m.
Hon Members, I refer to Standing Order 40 (3), in view of the time and having regard to the state of Business of the House, I direct that Sitting be held outside the prescribed period.
Mrs. Gifty Eugenia Kusi (NPP -- Tarkwa-Nsuaem) 1:45 p.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the motion on the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I am looking at pages 15 and 16 of the Committee's Report and it reads:
“The Committee was dismayed at the presentation made by MEST at its budget hearing. None of the Departments and Agencies did adequately account for the IGF for the year 2009.”
Mr. Speaker, and the Committee further said on page 16 that 1:45 p.m.
“This practice, the Committee noted, should cease if any appeals for additional funds will receive some hearing.”
I want to urge the Hon Minister to look
closely at the agencies under her Ministry which fail to account for the IGF that they generated.
Mr. Speaker, the Committee is saying that they should not even add any more money if they do not account for the moneys that they collected. And if they want to use the money, appropriate measures should be taken to ensure that funds generated by its departments and agencies are clearly indicated in future budget estimates and presentations.
Mr. Speaker, if we are saying that their budget is inadequate and we are asking that they increase their funds, but they are not able to account for what they generate, this should not go without comment. Something is really terribly wrong somewhere. We should ensure that - When the Hon Minister was presenting the introduction, she said that the IGF this year was expecting GH¢6,000. The total was GH¢5,000 and she was expecting GH¢6,000. I hope they are now going to account for it.
Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity.
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 1:45 p.m.
Hon Minister, you may want to make a couple of concluding remarks which you are entitled to.
Ms. Hanny-Shirley Ayittey 1:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Hon Members of this august House for their valuable contributions to this debate.
I would like to assure them that indeed, there will be appropriate linkages. Already the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, has been working very closely with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in trying to promote the development of a mechanism by which we can use scientific
Mr. Chireh 1:55 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is a very short thing. If I do not convince you that I have things to use the money for, you may not vote for it.
I want to say that the allocations indicated, we are getting the bulk of the money from donor funds. That is why we urge that next time we should balance the equation.
There are programmes of the Ministry, as you know, we have detailed out in the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and of course the Budget Statement.
Mr. Speaker, we will continue with the decentralisation agenda with key activities as follows: a national stake- holders' conference on decentralisation will be organised, following that we have done consultations in the regions and with identifiable groups and interest stakeholders to get the input from everybody.

Mr. Speaker, we have not left out anybody but we think that after the national conference of stakeholders, we will have a decentralized framework with measurable targets for how we achieve decentralization.

We have also been able to disburse the first tranche of the District Development Facility following the Functional Organizational Assessment Tool (FOAT) and they were published recently in the newspapers. For those of you who are interested, find out how your districts have performed in 2007 assessment. The assessment for 2008 is underway and it is on course.

requesting you to approve the amount I earlier mentioned, but for emphasis GH¢233,811,799.00 for the services of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development for the fiscal year 2010.

Mr. Speaker, I beg to move.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr. Dominic A. Azumah) 1:55 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I beg to second the motion and in doing so, I present the Committee's Report.
1.0 Introduction
In accordance with article 179 of the 1992 Constitution and Order 140 (1) and (2) of the Standing Orders of the House, the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor on Wednesday, 18th November, 2009 laid before Parliament the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure of the Government of Ghana for the 2010 fiscal year.
In accordance with Order 140 (4) of the Standing Orders, Madam Speaker referred the Draft Annual Estimates of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to the Committee on Local Government and Rural Development for consideration and report.
The Committee met on Monday, 7th December and Tuesday, 8th December, 2009 and considered the annual estimates of the sector Ministry and in accordance with article 179 of the Constitution and Orders 181of the Standing Orders.
2.0 Acknowledgements
During the deliberations on the Estimates, the Committee met with the sector Minister, Hon Joseph Yieleh Chireh, heads of the various depart-ments, agencies and projects of the Ministry and officials from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, who made valuable contributions on the estimates. The
and technological methods to deal with both our solid and liquid waste.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to say that we have also been working with the Ministry of Education, especially with the polytechnics and the universities, especially some of the departments that have sensibility towards our Ministry; we have been working together on issues concerning climate change and its adaptation and mitigation.
Mr. Speaker, in relation to the Internally Generated Fund (IGF), I would like to assure this august House that immediately I return to my office, I am going to ask the various sector agencies to account to the last decimal point for moneys generated and I would let the august House know of this.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved:
That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢131,529,124.00 for the services of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology for the 2010 Fiscal year.
ANNUAL ESTIMATES 1:55 p.m.
Minister for Local Government and Rural Development (Mr. Joseph Yieleh Chireh) 1:55 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢233,811,799 for the services of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development for the 2010 fiscal year -- [Interruption.]
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 1:55 p.m.
Hon Minister, you are an experienced Hon
Fortunately, this House also approved the loan agreements from the two development partners, so the second tranche of the assessment would be paid.
Mr. Speaker, one area that we have a
difficulty with is waste management, as you would notice. But we have decided to implement after the approval of the Environmental Sanitation Strategy and Plan. We believe that when we are able to adopt this and provide incentives for the private sector and also adopt the policy of polluted pay principle, we will get cleaner cities and better environment.
The Local Government Service Council is in place. We are trying to correct the Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 1931 which was passed by this House so that effectively, next year, we will have the decentralized departments established in all the Assemblies.
But Mr. Speaker, one of the major issues we have is urban development and if we know we have migration of people from the rural areas to the centre and instead of saying that we should only develop the rural areas to catch them there for them not to move into the urban areas, no, we are strengthening the unit that deals with urbanization and we are developing Urban Development Policy.
This policy would guide all the issue concerning urbanization and also make sure that the support we are getting from donor communities to strengthen the urban units in our MMDAs, we want to strengthen them. We want them to be able to enforce building regulations and ensure that all plans that we make, we follow them.
Mr. Speaker, it is on the note of all these that we are going to do, that I am urging this august House and humbly

two thousand, five hundred and fifty-two Ghana cedis (GH¢ 179,102,552.00) from a combination of GoG, Donor, HIPC and MDRI sources for the 2009 operations of the Ministry.

.

2009 Allocations as Reviewed

The breakdown of the reviewed budgetary allocation for the sector Ministry for the 2009 financial year is as indicated below in Table A:-

6.0 Actual Expenditure as at 30th September, 2009

During its deliberations, the Committee noted that as at 30th September, 2009 the sector Ministry had utilised a total amount of one hundred and eleven million, seven hundred and forty-one thousand, five hundred and fifty-two Ghana cedis, thirty-nine pesewas (GH¢111,741,552.39) for its operations. This amount represents approximately sixty-two percentage (62.39 per cent) utilization of the actual approved sum in the Budget of 2009.

The breakdown of the ac tua l expenditure for the sector Ministry for the 2009 financial year is as indicated in Table B below :

Table B
ITEM 1:55 p.m.
HIPC 1:55 p.m.
MDRI 1:55 p.m.
TOTAL 1:55 p.m.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 1:55 p.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, my very good Friend, the former Mayor of Kumasi made a statement
standardize and train caterers who cook for the beneficiary pupils.
It was also revealed that with the exception of two schools, the School Feeding Secretariat did not cater for children who take special diets.
In this direction, the programme should also ensure that caterers cater for children with special diets.
h. the Committee realized that the 25 educational institutions under the Department of Community Development were greatly under- resourced and this was adversely affecting the progress of these institutions.
To avoid a total collapse of these ins t i tu t ions , the Commit tee recommends that the Government should seriously consider approving some GETFund allocation to these institutions;
i. It is worthy to note that the retention of Internally Generated Funds (IGF) of the Department of Parks and Gardens had been stopped since 1999. This, the Committee noted, was negatively affecting the operations of the Department.
The Committee recommends that the Ministry should take steps to restore the retention of the IGF for the Department. The Committee also suggests that the Department should revive its growth and exportation of exotic flowers for revenue generation;
j. the Committee was concerned about the fact that several of the donor- funded projects were nearing completion and yet most of the
Mr. E. T. Mensah 1:55 p.m.


11.0 Conclusion

Mr. Speaker, the issue of an effective decen t ra l ized sys tem cannot be overemphasized in our country. Efforts should therefore be made to support and equip the main policy body for decentralization in the country.

It is in furtherance of an effective decentralized system of government that the Committee recommends to the House for approval the sum of two hundred and thirty-three million, eight hundred and eleven thousand, seven hundred and ninety-nine Ghana cedis (GH¢233,811,799.00) from a combination of GoG, Donor and HIPC sources for operations of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development for the financial year 2010.

Respectfully submitted.

Question proposed.
Mr. Maxwell Kofi Jumah (NPP -- Asokwa) 2:05 p.m.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for giving me the opportunity.
While I want to support the motion, I also want to bring to the attention of the House the effort by the Ministry in decentralizing departments at the national level. We must not lose focus in doing that because the intention, even though it is to bring government and services to the doorsteps of the ordinary people, we should be careful that in doing that, we do not create a situation where bureaucracy at the local level becomes a hindrance to the effort being put in.
There are instances where these bureaucracies create hurdles. You want to have services within a District Assembly and you lose your file, they find ways not to process whatever service that you want. So in decentralizing, I will urge the Ministry and the Hon Minister to also look
Mr. Maxwell Kofi Jumah (NPP -- Asokwa) 2:05 p.m.


which I do not think -- [Interruption.] -- I will not say is appropriate -- ‘hullabaloo' -- I want him to use the appropriate word.

Thank you.
Mr. Jumah 2:05 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I did ask for the permission of the Speaker to use the word. But it is an English word. Mr. Speaker -- [Interruptions.]
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
Hon Member, you may continue without drawing in the Chair. [Laughter.]
Mr. Jumah 2:05 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, for the School Feeding Programme to be successful, there is a need to find ways to finance it and I believe the effort that is being made must be commended but it must be enhanced so that we can expand school feeding to all school children in this country. But more important is the role that Hon Members of Parliament must play.
I suggested during one of our meetings that, just as an Hon Member of Parliament is part of the District Tender Committee, it should be possible for the composition of the District Implementing Committee to include a Member of Parliament for a particular district. I think that will help enhance the programme.
With these few words, I want to support the motion on the floor.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. E. T. Mensah (NDC -- Ningo/ Prampram) 2:15 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the motion ably moved by the Hon Minister for Local Government and Rural Development for the approval of the amount so stated.
The point that local government is the bastion of our democracy, the
bedrock of our democracy cannot be over- emphasized. If there is one institution that we will need to turn our attention to and support in earnest, it is the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Develop- ment, for them to be able to deliver. We have been beating our chest about good governance, about how far we have come, and about our democracy. Going to elections every four years to elect leaders, do not translate into good governance.
When President Obama was here, he made a statement that we have all been making in various ways by ourselves that what Africa needs is not strong men but strong institutions and it is something that we need to take very seriously. If we are able to put in place and support the Ministry in building the strong institutions, a lot of the problems that we are talking about will not happen.
If you have a strong waste management department, a strong planning unit in every District Assembly that they monitor development, people will not go and build in flood waterways only for us to be wasting money - At the end of the day, when they are paying for their indiscipline by bringing in National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) --waste money that could be used for some useful purpose.
If we develop the institutions, people would not encroach on school sites; people would not build without permit, they will not build churches without complying with the rules and regulations. We have all the beautiful laws that other people have all over the world.
Talking about Parks and Gardens, you are right by saying that it is a cash cow -- [Interruption] -- Hon Kofi Jumah -- [Interruption] -- it is a cash cow. I remember very well when -- [Laughter] -- during 1999 when we wanted to develop the playing fields throughout this
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:15 p.m.
Yes, Hon Aidoo.
Mr. J. B. Aidoo (NPP-- Amenfi East) 2:15 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to reiterate a call on the Hon Minister to find resources to support the newly created District Assemblies. Mr. Speaker, this is very, very important. For the new District Assemblies to take off, they have to put in place the necessary infrastructure, office accommodation for the Assembly, and then residential accommodation for the District Chief Executive and then the key staff of the Assembly.
Mr. Speaker, where there is no pro- vision or support from any special source, the newly created Assemblies are forced to fall on their Common Fund, and Mr. Speaker, in doing so, other areas suffer, that is, they commit such moneys into infrastructure at the expense of social development.
When you go to most of these newly created District Assemblies Mr. Speaker, the district capital, of course, will be having most of the infrastructural development; the moment you move out of the district capital into the rural communities, they hardly have any social development and progress. The people do not feel or see anything about the newly created Assembly.
So, I want the Hon Minister to take note of this observation; it is very, very important and to give it the necessary attention.
Mr. Speaker, with this, I support the motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved:
Mr. J. B. Aidoo (NPP-- Amenfi East) 2:15 p.m.


country, we called for quotations, huge quotations were brought from various companies. Then I called the Director of Parks and Gardens with the permission of the Hon Minister for Local Government and Rural Development to discuss the issue and challenge them.

When we were growing up they were on top; the late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah set up a whole Ministry of Parks and Gardens, and they were all over the place. In Tema, you dare not erect a wall instead of hedges, and these were in force. So I was challenging them to take over the playing fields. They did wonderful job; Kumasi Sports Stadium, Accra Sports Stadium, the third playing field.

We were really impressed and we paid just 10 per cent of what we would have paid to those contractors from outside, and then they charged us only ¢2.5 million then for maintenance. So, there is a lot that can be done, but without support to the Hon Minister and his able officers, I do not think we will be getting anywhere.

Mr. Speaker, the brouhaha which happened on the school feeding programme is something which was self- inflicted, not by the Ministry, but by the operators themselves. They entered into a contract and when you enter into a contract and the contract ends, the civilized thing to do is to reapply, and they have to reapply, and it does not mean that you will always win. As a sportsman, I know that you do not always win.

So, if you won the last time and then you lose this time, you do not place the blame at the doorstep of the Ministry. It is something that people should take note of.

Mr. Speaker, with these words, I wish to support the motion on the floor.
Mr. J. B. Aidoo (NPP-- Amenfi East) 2:15 p.m.


emphasize that, the NDC Manifesto as well as the Early Childhood Care and Development Policy, the MDGs and the Women's' Manifesto were all factored into it.

Mr. Speaker, our outlook for 2010 are all detailed in the Report, and for want of time, I would want the Hansard Department to capture it as the programme for MOWAC in 2010.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to note that this year, the Budget is very, very gender sensitive. And we can see this from provisions made under the various sectors. If you talk about health, there are provisions there to reduce neonatal and maternal mortality, there are measures there to promote the management of HIV/AIDS, and there are proposals to also build more clinics and CHPS zones in the districts where these facilities are better needed.

When we go to the educational sector, we are talking about free education for children with disability. We are abolishing schools under trees, we are abolishing the shift system; we are expanding school feeding and capitation grant, increasing it and all of that.

Mr. Speaker, all of the sectors made

provision for gender empowerment, and I wish to commend my Hon Colleagues for taking this bold step. But I believe it is in conformity with the directives given by Cabinet for each sector to do so.

Mr. Speaker, our challenges are also enumerated in the Committee's Report. And I only want to add that two very serious challenges that we have are how to grow the Human Trafficking Fund that was launched a few years ago and also get resources to implement the National Plan of Action for Domestic Violence.

The reason is that, we do not have the dedicated source for these funds, like the GETFund, the Road Fund and all of that; we are dependent more on
Chairman of the Committee (Mr. Sampson Ahi) 2:25 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, in seconding the motion I would like to present the Committee's Report.
1.0 Introduction
1.1 The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government for the 2010 financial year was presented to the House by the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Hon Dr. Kwabena Duffuor on Wednesday, 18th November, 2009 in fulfilment of article 179 (1) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.
Subsequently, the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs for the year 2010 were referred to the Committee on Gender and Children for consideration and report in accordance with Standing Orders 140 (4) and 175 of the House.
1.2 In considering the referral, the Committee benefited from further clarifica-tions from the sector Minister, Hon Akua Sena Dansua, officials of the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs (MOWAC) and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP).
The Committee is grateful to all officials who were present at the Committee's sitting for the assistance offered the Committee during its deliberations.
2.0 Reference Documents
The Committee made reference to the following documents during its deliberations:
That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢233,811,799.00 for the services of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development for the 2010 fiscal year.
ANNUAL ESTIMATES 2:25 p.m.
Minister for Local Government and Rural Development (Mr. J. Y. Chireh) 2:35 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I want to support this motion and also say that the Hon Minister has ably moved it and convinced us to support her. And I still think we need to do more for the Ministry.

Indeed, if this budget is to be gender sensitive, then all the provisions that we have made will benefit particularly, the gender issues; so many of the Ministries have provided for funds that will benefit children and women but at the same time, if we do not have people who are gender sensitive to carry out these functions, I am afraid, it will not yield the desired results.

Therefore, it is important to give more resources to the Ministry to raise the awareness. Some of the people have reduced this gender issues to women wanting equality with men, some have vandalized it and say “how come women are getting all the benefits”?

But I think we should go beyond tokenism when we say, at least, one
Minister for Local Government and Rural Development (Mr. J. Y. Chireh) 2:35 p.m.


woman and all that. We must focus on women because for a long time they have been discriminated against, whether it is in education, access to land, name it. We must go ahead and say affirmatively that these things should be corrected and not to say you can count so many women in key positions, that is not the issue. That in my opinion is tokenism. We must be more clear on what we want to get for the gender issue.

We have the debilitating pandemic that is HIV/AIDS and again if you look at the proportion of those who suffer from AIDS, it is women. Again, the unfairness of the sex relationship is one reason this is happening and I think that we must raise the red flag very high for the need for men in particular to negotiate for sexual relationship and not to compel or force helpless teenagers into relationships.

It is an important matter because if you do not raise this issue, people will continue to say “Ah, it is usual, it is for women not to argue”. I believe that this Ministry should be energized with more the resources.

We highly commend the development partners for the support but we ourselves as a nation, we need to do more so that with the women behind us we can move ahead with the women by our side, infront and behind -- [Laughter] -- we can move ahead forward and backwards.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. S. K. B. Manu (NPP -- Ahafo

Ano South): Mr. Speaker, I also rise to contribute to the motion on the floor moved by the Minister for Women and Children's Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, looking at the statistics and the very fact that women are in greater numbers than men, one would have

expected that by the doctrine of equity and fairness, if we were sharing anything, women would have been given the larger portion.

However, when we come to look at our budget as we have before us, less than one per cent has been allocated to women and children and the vulnerable. We always trumpet to the hearing of everybody that we are concerned about women; without women, we cannot move. Yet what will make women and children move ahead together with their male counterparts is not given.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 2:35 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, my Hon Friend and junior Brother has deviated from the subject matter and he is bringing in extraneous issues. I wish to appeal to him that he stays on course.
Mr. Manu 2:35 p.m.
I thank you, Mr. Speaker and I thank the Hon Member.
Ms. Akua Sena Dansua 2:35 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I was just going to provide
some information to the effect that the approval has been given for us to put up a new structure. We are just going through the process and hopefully next year, we will start it.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Manu 2:35 p.m.
Thank you for the information but I feel that given the importance that we need as a nation to accord our women and children, I think that even if we were going to build new premises as the Minister has said, in the interim they need to be properly housed and that is why I have my eye on that building.
Mr. Speaker, if we come to page 13 of the Report, we read in the second paragraph, the rampant cases of domestic violence, rape, child trafficking, et cetera. Mr. Speaker, in this country, women are subjected to all kinds of inhuman and inhumane treatment. When it comes to children, they are the worst off. Mr. Speaker, I want to believe that maybe, the penalties we give to people who perpetrate these acts of rape is so minimal that it is not deterring the culprits.
I want us to review our penal code and if that is not enough, we step it up. It is inhuman to find women being raped left and right even now and then. The psychological trauma carried by such women throughout their life is something one cannot evaluate in terms of monetary value.
I also want to say that the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs should take steps to educate the rural women. At least, in the cities, the women, kind of, know their rights because they listen to radio now and then. But in the rural areas, I would want to suggest that -- and it all boils down to the budgetary allocation
-- they go down to the rural areas and educate the women on their rights. A lot is done to these women in the rural areas and we do not even get to know.
I would say that we support the budget and we pray that next time, we would demonstrate by the chunk of the money that we shall allocate to the Ministry, the importance that we attach to that Ministry, so that the Minister herself would also be able to work to improve upon the lot of women that she is leading. Other than that, Ghanaian women will not appreciate the very existence of that Ministry.
In conclusion, the Minister should know that some of us are prepared to partner her in seeing to the forward march and positive development of this country's women, and we shall forever stand by her in her quest to get women to move forward.
Majority Leader (Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin) 2:35 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I will be very brief. I support the motion with severe difficulties, severe difficulties because, what is being allocated to the Ministry is woefully inadequate. But it is not just because of the paucity of the amount, but, because of the trend. My worry is because of the trend, the trend of continuous marginalization of the very important priority of women and children.
I have heard people argue that issues concerning women and children are multi- sectoral, and that part of the programme and agenda of the Ministry are handled and complemented by other sectors. Mr. Speaker, I want to make this clear, that we have gone beyond that argument to deciding that there should be a Ministry to take care of the issues of women and children.
We started as a global village with identifying gender desks. In fact, it was considered by the whole United Nations
Majority Leader (Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin) 2:35 p.m.


and that the creation of gender desks with a Minister situated at the Office of the President could be sufficient in handling the issues of women and children.

Some countries moved beyond creating the Ministry of Women and from experience, it has been seen to be the better option. That was why when the Ministry was created by the former regime, we saw that it was a good step and we all support the Ministry. We now should move away from that argument that other Ministries will complement the activities of the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs. We have moved beyond that argument.

We find it difficult for people to continue to belittle the importance of the role that the Ministry plays in the socio- economic development of the country. If we keep on marginalizing our women, if we keep on not empowering our women, we will continue to be moving in circles. We have a larger population there with a larger load behind us and preventing us from moving faster forward.

Mr. Speaker, I am sorry for the humour that I have created.

We would want to impress on Government to take a second look at the place of the Ministry in the affairs of the development of our country. We also want to urge that the Government should look deeper into the Contingency Fund to support the Ministry.

I have looked at the approved and actual expenditures covering January to November 2009 and what I see is one of the issues we have discussed here with regard to the Auditor-General's outfit, that even what we approve is usually not released. But at the end of the day, whenever we look at the budget, we find excess expenditure. Sometimes, we refer to it as deficit financing. Where does the money go, where? Even what we approve is not released, but at the end of the day, the expenditure goes beyond the Budget approved by Parliament.

So it means that the cry is not that there is no money. The problem is that governments disregard Parliament's approved Budget and focuses on something else. I have a problem with Government having to deal with contingencies or some calamities or emergencies and using money.

But it is important to come back to this House to explain to us why they could not abide by our decisions. That I will continue to stress. It is very very important. They should come and explain to us why they could not release the money we approved to the Ministry while at the end of the day other sectors have overspent.

That is the only way our work here will be meaningful. Otherwise, we are being used as conduit pipes through which things pass, and they pass through without much influence. I do not think we are here, mandated and prepared to allow that to happen.

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I want to insist that the Ministry goes ahead to draw a programme that is expected to attract more money than is allocated. I also insist that anytime the Ministry wants to come to this House for our support to get more money released from the Contingency to support the work of the women, it may do so.

We are, as Hon Members of Parliament, day in and day out, being questioned by our women folk as to what we have for them and we know the role that they play, not only in elections, but in our daily life. I said I support the motion with severe difficulty and I will continue to do so. I am left with no alternative than to support it but insist that during the course of the year, even if we have to put a supplementary vote for the Ministry, we are prepared to do so.

Mr. Speaker, I support the motion.

Thank you very much.
Ms. Akua S. Dansua 2:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my Hon senior Colleagues as well as Colleagues for the useful contributions they have made. We now realize that the women and children of Ghana have very useful allies in this House and we will continue to depend on you for support to our sector. We are very grateful.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved:
That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢8,518,670.00 for the services of the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs for the 2010 fiscal year.
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
Hon Members, we now move to
item 29 -- Interpretation Bill at the Consideration Stage.
Chairman of the Committee, have you arrived at some conclusions in the l igh t o f yes te rday's recommendations from the House?
Mr. I. A. B. Fuseini 2:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, we have not arrived at any conclusions. Indeed, we are just coming from a Committee meeting at the parliamentary committee offices in the building near the GNTC block and we have not had the opportunity to consider the amendment. No.
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
Are you in a position to present us with any compromised formula that would help us make progress like we said yesterday?
Mr. Fuseini 2:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, like I am saying, we have not had an opportunity to meet as a Committee to try to resolve and come up with a compromised position. Not yet.
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
Would you be in a position to suggest any way forward so that we can make progress in the light of development?
Mr. Fuseini 2:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, in the circumstances, I would crave your indulgence to defer it till Monday. The Committee would be meeting in Koforidua and we would have the opportunity to consider this matter.
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
When?
Mr. Fuseini 2:45 p.m.
Tomorrow -- [Inter- ruptions.] Yes, the Committee is meeting tomorrow.
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
Leader of the House, would you like to make any observations in this regard and also any other directives that you would be able to suggest?
Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 2:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I would take the direction that has been given by the Chairman of the Committee and give them the opportunity to go and put their heads together to resolve the differences amicably. I was not around yesterday, so even though I have been briefed of the issues, I will not be able to intervene now.
I think that the House has done comprehensive work. Almost all the items that are ready have been dealt with by the House and I would just want with your permission, to move, that we take an adjournment.
I can see the mood of the House, ready for the rest today and also for committees to continue with their deliberations.
Mr. J. B. Aidoo 2:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, our endurance streched, we should not deny ourselves a well deserved retirement for the day.
Mr. Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
Hon Members, the House stands adjourned till Monday, the 14th December, 2009.
Thank you very much for your indulgence.
ADJOURNMENT 2:45 p.m.