Debates of 11 Jun 2010

MADAM SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:45 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Hon Members, Correction of Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, the 10th of June, 2010.
Page 1 …. 6 --
Mr John Gyetuah 10:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, may I take you back to page 5; that “The following Hon Members were absent:” No. 2, “Ackah, Stephen M. E. K.” Madam Speaker, Hon Ackah is the Chairman of the Select Committee on Youth and Sports. A letter has been sent to Parliament asking permission for him to travel to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup Tournament. So I pray that the rectification be done to that effect.
Thank you very much.
Prof. (Emeritus) Samuel K. Amoako 10:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, at page 6, under number
5,
“The Rt. Hon Speaker read a communication from H.E. the President informing the Speaker and the House of his absence from the country to attend the official opening of the 19th Edition of the FIFA World Cup from Wednesday 9th June 2010 to Wednesday, 16th June, 2010 …”
I need guidance on whether the opening ceremony is from Wednesday, 9th June, 2010 to Wednesday, 16th June, 2010.
That is the first. Then it goes on to say that
“… also watch the first match

between the Senior National Team, the Black Stars and the Republic of Serbia.”

When you come to paragraph 2, it goes on to say:

“The Communication indicated further . . .”

A word is missing there; “. . . that while in South Africa H. E. will seize the opportunity to watch the first match of the Black Stars”.

It seems to me to be a repetition. The end of the first paragraph is repeated in the second paragraph. It is talking about the same thing. I believe the first match of the Black Stars is with Serbia, so two first matches.
Madam Speaker 10:45 a.m.
So you suggest we take out the second paragraph? What is the correction?
Prof. (Emeritus) Amoako 10:45 a.m.
I think the second paragraph should be taken out. And then the first part, I am not sure whether the official opening ceremony lasts from Wednesday, 9th June to Wednesday, 16th June. Normally, official openings are for only one day. So that place, I need guidance on that.
Madam Speaker 10:45 a.m.
But I read the
letter which indicated when the opening ceremony is to take place and that he will take advantage to watch the match. So the crux of the matter is up to that time he will be absent.
Prof. (Emeritus) Amoako 10:45 a.m.
Very well.
Madam Speaker 10:45 a.m.
The letter is there.
Prof. (Emeritus) Amoako 10:45 a.m.
Then I think the mistake comes from the Office of the President.
Madam Speaker 10:45 a.m.
I do agree that the second paragraph is the same. But the crux is that he will be away till the 16th; is it not it, from 9th to 16th?
Prof. (Emeritus) Amoako 10:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, with all respect, the letter does
not reflect that. He is going to watch the opening ceremony and stay on to watch the first match. That is not what the letter is saying.
Madam Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Yes, that is what the letter said.
Prof. (Emeritus) Amoako 10:45 a.m.
He said he is watching the official opening from Wednesday, 9th to Wednesday, 16th; that means the whole week is for the official opening.
Madam Speaker 10:45 a.m.
So what would you
say should come in paragraph 5? Because he did indicate that from 13th June, he will watch the first match. I do not have the copy here but that was what was said. I think we will look at it and put down what will happen after the opening because I do not have the copy here. However, I will tell the Clerk to amend that. I think all you are interested in is that after the opening ceremony, he will stay on and watch the first match until the 16th when he comes back home? --
Prof. (Emeritus) Amoako 10:45 a.m.
Precisely.
Madam Speaker 10:45 a.m.
All right, the Clerk
will look at it. That is the correct thing.
Any other correction on page 6?
Mr Joseph Y. Chireh 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, yes. The same page, second paragraph, item 5, “to cease”. The “cease” is in this case, “seize”, not to stop.
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
I thought he said we
should take out paragraph 2 and combine the -- which we have agreed?
Page 7 --
Prof. (Emeritus) Amoako 10:55 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, page 7, the last paragraph, number 9. The highlighted portion of it, “wished the Senior Soccer National Team” I think that is not properly crafted. It looks like “Senior” is qualifying “Soccer.” It should be, “the Senior National Soccer Team”. It is not “Soccer” which is senior. It looks like “Soccer” is being qualified
by “Senior.” It should be the “Senior National Soccer Team”.
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Thank you for the
correction.
Page 8 … 11 -
Prof. (Emeritus) Amoako 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, page 11, under “Adjournment”. “And at it being …”. I think that is wrong. “And it being ten minutes after two …” The “at” is redundant.
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
What shall we
take out?
Prof. (Emeritus) Amoako 10:55 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, the word “at” should be taken out.
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
So we say “And it
being ten minutes after two …”.

Hon Members , the Votes and

Proceedings of Thursday,10th of June, 2010 as corrected is adopted as the true record of proceedings.

We have the Official Report of Tuesday,

8th June, 2010.

In the absence of any corrections, the

Official Report of Tuesday, 8th June, 2010 is hereby adopted as the true record of proceedings.

We move on to item 3 -- Business Statement for the week.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its Report as follows 10:55 a.m.
Arrangements of Business
Question(s) to Ministers
Madam Speaker, the Committee has programmed the following Hon Ministers to answer Questions asked of them during the week:
Madam Speaker, in accordance with Standing Order 160(2), the Committee submits to this Honourable House, the business of each Sitting of the week and the order in which it shall be taken during the week.

Questions --

*312. Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah (Ho West): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways when the following roads in the Ho West Constituency will be resurfaced:

(i) Kpedze-Holuta Border

(ii) Kpedze-Anoe-Kpoeta

(iii) Dzolokpuita-Bame

(iv) Abutia Kloe-Juapong.

313. Alhaji Iddrisu Abudul-Karim (Nanton): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways when the Nanton-Kurugu dam site storm bridge on the way to Nanton, which was washed away during the first rains in January, 2009 will be re- constructed.

*314. Mr Kwabena Owusu- Aduomi (Ejisu-Juaben): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways what policy the Department of Feeder Roads has for routinely clearing overgrown bushes on road sides to improve safety of the motoring public, especially on paved feeder roads.

315. Alhaji Iddrisu Abudul-Karim (Nanton): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways when the road from Zoggu to Dawelugu which is in a very bad state will be rehabilitated.

316. Alhaji Iddrisu Abudul- Karim (Nanton): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways when the road from Nanton to Savelugu which is in a very bad state will be put in good shape.

*317. Maj. Derek Oduro (retd) (Nkoranza North): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways what plans the Ministry has to tar Nkoranza-Busunya and Busunya- Atebubu roads.

*318. Mr John Duoghr Baloroo (Lambussie): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways when the Ministry will work on the following roads in the Lambussie Consti- tuency:

(i) Lambussie Mapaala Hamile

(ii) Sina Dendee

(iii) Zinmuopave Busiayaa

(iv) Gberkuo-Konsi

(v) Completion of Kanguol-Buli road.

*319. Mr Christopher Addae (Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways why the Aboabo bridge project on the Subri-Nkwanta- Aboabo road has been abandoned.

*320. Mr Kwabena Owusu- Aduomi (Ejisu-Juaben): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways why the on-going rehabilitation works on Obogu-Ofoase-Gyadem- Bodwesango-Adansi Asokwa road that runs through Asante Akim South, Bosome Freho and Adansi Asokwa Constituencies have been suspended.

*321. Mr Kwasi Anno Ankamah (Atiwa): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways when the

No. of Queestion(s)

i. Minister for Roads and Highways -- 10

ii. Minister for Communications --

3

iii. Minister for Transport -- 2

iv. Minister for Health -- 6

v. Minister for Local Government and Rural Development -- 6

vi. Minister for Lands and Natural Resources -- 7

vii. Minister for the Brong Ahafo Region -- 2

Total Number of Questions 36

Madam Speaker, in all, seven Ministers are expected to attend upon the House to respond to thirty-six (36) Questions during the week. The Questions are of the following type:

i. Oral -- 32,

ii. Written -- 4.

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, while noting that some Hon Members may have official engagements outside the country, particularly the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the Business Committee urges Hon Members to endeavour to attend Sittings of the House to enable Parliament complete all scheduled business before it goes on recess.

The Business Committee also urges committees with referrals to expedite work on them in order to present their reports for consideration by the House. Conclusion

Ministry would carry out routine road maintenance on the Anyinam- Kwabeng-Abomosu road.

*480. Mr Leo Kabah Alowe (Chiana/Paga): To ask the Minister for Communications when the Paga postal agency will be upgraded to a district post office to serve the newly-created Kassena-Nankana West District with Paga as the capital.

*481. Mr Simon Osei-Mensah (Bosomtwe): To ask the Minister for Communications under which legal framework is the on-going registration of SIM cards being carried out.

*482. Mr George Boakye (Asunafo South): To ask the Minister for Communications when the Community Information Centre in Kukuom in the Asunafo South District will be made operational.

Laying of Papers --

Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Report of the Auditor-General on the Statement of Foreign Exchange Receipts and Payments of the Bank of Ghana for the first half year ended 30th June,

2008.

Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Report of the Auditor-General on the Statements of Foreign Exchange Receipts and Payments of the Bank of Ghana for the second half year ended 31st December 2008.

Consideration Stage of Bills--

Mutual Legal Assistance Bill, 2009.

Committee Sittings.

Questions --

*473. Mr Francis Yaw Osei- Sarfo (Krachi West): To ask the Minister for Transport what plans the Ministry has to provide reliable pontoon crossing services at Kete- Krachi-Kojokrom on the Volta Lake and the Grubi-Gulubi crossing on the River Dakar.

*536. Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu (Bekwai): To ask the Minister for Transport the legal basis upon which the Driver Vehicle Licence Authority (DVLA) intends to engage private entities to undertake “headlamp testing” as advertised in the Daily Graphic of Monday, 1st March, 2010.

*540. Mr Leo Kabah Alowe (Chiana/Paga): To ask the Minister for Health when the health centres in Chiana, Paga, Mirigu-Kandiga, which are in serious state of disrepair will be rehabilitated and adequately equipped.

*541. Mr Joseph Nikpe Bukari (Saboba): To ask the Minister for Health what plans the Ministry has towards the upgrading of the Assemblies of God Medical Centre in Saboba to a district hospital.

*542. Ms Gifty Klenam (Lower West Akim): To ask the Minister for Health when the Government will authorise payment of retirement packages for retired Directors of Mutual Health Insurance Schemes.

*543. Mr George Boakye (Asunafo South): To ask the Minister for Health when the Ministry will begin the supply of free treated mosquito nets to all children in Ghana who are under five (5) years of age.

544. Mr.Andrews Adjei-Yeboah (Tano South): To ask the Minister

for Health when the Bechem District Hospital will be provided with an ambulance.

*545. Mr Benito Owusu-Bio (Atwima Nwabiagya): To ask the Minister for Health when Nwabiagya District will be provided with a befitting district hospital.

Motions --

Second Reading of Bills --

Economic and Organised Crime Bill, 2009.

Third Reading of Bills --

Mutual Legal Assistance Bill,

2009.

Committee Sittings.

Questions --

*522. Mr Ben Abdallah Banda (Offinso South): To ask the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development how many caterers of the School Feeding Programme were dismissed or their appointments terminated in the Ashanti Region from January to December, 2009.

*523. Mr John Agyabeng (Agona East): To ask the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development why only two quarters of the 2009 District Assemblies' Common Fund have been released.

*524. Mr Kwaku Agyenim- Boateng (Berekum): To ask the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development when the numerous refuse dumps which pose serious health hazards in the Berekum Municipality will be cleared.

*525. Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye (Ayensuano): To ask the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development when the following markets in the Suhum-Kraboa- Coaltar District in the Eastern Region will be rehabilitated:

(i) Dorkrokyiwa

(ii) Teacher Mante

(iii) Amanase

(iv) Ayekokoaso

(v) Anum Apapam

(vi) Acheansa.

*526. Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye (Ayensuano): To ask the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development when the Kraboa- Coaltar section of the Suhum- Kraboa-Coaltar District will be elevated to a full district status.

*527. Mr Ben Abdallah Banda (Offinso South): To ask the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development what steps the Ministry is taking to deal with the perennial destruction of the Kumasi Central Market by fire.

Statements

Motions --

(a) Adoption of the Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Report of the Auditor- General on the Statement of Foreign Exchange Receipts and Payments of the Bank of Ghana for the first half year ended 30th June, 2008.

(b) Adoption of the Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Report of the Auditor- General on the Statements of Foreign Exchange Receipts and Payments of the Bank of Ghana for the second half year ended 31st December, 2008.
Madam Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its Report as follows 10:55 a.m.
Consideration Stage of Bills --
Economic and Organised Crime Bill, 2009.
Committee Sittings.

Questions --

*378. Mr Charles S. Hodogbey (North Tongu): To ask the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources who were the beneficiaries under the protocol allocations of government prime lands in Accra.

*457. Mr Kwasi Ameyaw- Cheremeh (Sunyani East): To ask the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources how soon the Ministry will sponsor a legislation to repeal the Land Development (Protection of Purchasers) Act, 1960 (Act 2).

*504. Mr Andrews Adjei-Yeboah (Tano South): To ask the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources what plans the Ministry is putting in place to assist the timber industry in getting raw material in the light of the alarming disappearance of the natural forest cover.

*505. Mr Simon Osei-Mensah (Bosomtwe): To ask the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources the procedure under the Procurement Act that is being used in the acquisition of the seismograph equipment for the Geological Survey Department.

*506. Mr Benito Owusu-Bio (Atwima Nwabiagya): To ask the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources how many Timber Utilisation Contracts (TUC's) have been awarded since January, 2009 to date and who the beneficiary companies are. *507. Mr Francis Yaw Osei-

Sarfo (Krachi West): To ask the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources what plans the Ministry has to develop the game and wildlife reserves to attract tourists as a means of generating funds for the country.

*508. Mr Francis Adu-Blay Koffie (Prestea/Huni Valley): To ask the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources what plans the Ministry has towards the re-opening of the Prestea Underground Mines.

*454. Mr Kwasi Ameyaw- Cheremeh (Sunyani East): To ask the Minister for the Brong Ahafo Region what was the total revenue/income received from both public and private sources during the BA@50 celebrations and a breakdown of expenditures incurred out of same.

*455. Mr Kwasi Ameyaw- Cheremeh (Sunyani East): To ask the Minister for the Brong Ahafo Region what was the extent of damage caused to property at the residency of the Regional Minister on 19th December, 2009 and how much it will cost to fix it.

Committee Sittings.

Thank you Madam Speaker.
Mr David Oppon-Kusi 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, about three weeks ago, I had the occasion to ask why an Urgent Question I asked and which was listed was dropped from the Business Statement. I was assured that it would come back. Three weeks down the line, I see no sign of that Urgent Question being answered.
Madam Speaker, my own investi- gations indicate that the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice declined to answer that Question because according to her,
the matter was before court. Madam Speaker, I find that a bit strange because my Question did not ask for the merits of the case. Something had happened. A whole cocoa load sealed for export had found its way into a remote village, without electricity, in my constituency.
A citizen there, being patriotic, reported the matter to the District Chief Executive, to the Regional Minister and to the Police. There were people who were alleged to have been aiding in the process and these are people known by the community members. They would want to know what has happened.
Now, if the case is before court, what we want to know is that, what investi- gations were conducted? Who were the alleged suspects? What are the charges that have been preferred against them and what is the status of the case? We are not asking for the merits of the case. I think the people deserve to know because calls I am getting from that place begin to indicate that there is a cover-up. I do not believe there is a cover-up. But they would want to know.
So Madam Speaker, I would want to insist that Leadership brings this Question back for the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice to answer that Question. We are not going into the merits of the case. What has happened so far, we want to know so that that idea of a cover- up would be exorcised once and for all.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mr Avoka 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, my information is that this same matter is before the law courts, that is the information from the Attorney-General's Department. That the matter is sub judice. Unfortunately, I do not have the Question before me today to know the relation between the Question, what he is seeking

for and the matter before the court. But be that as it may, we will look at it today and Tuesday and if there is the need for the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice to be here herself or represented by the Hon Deputy Minister, then they will be able to apprise the House of the true state of affairs.
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Yes, I think as the
Leader has said, if the matter is sub judice, let us investigate it.
Mr Oppon-Kusi 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
if it is before court, it is filed by me but as I speak now, we do not know whether it is before court. The people there do not know. All we want is the state of the case and who are the alleged suspects, what are the charges that have been preferred against them. I think these are not sub judice.
Mr Avoka 11:05 a.m.
I think he is right. The Attorney-General amd Minister for Justice will come and let the House know what type of case is before the court and the relation it has with the Question. We have to know.
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon Leader,
these are matters which can be found out without bringing the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice here. If the matter is sub judice and it is before court and certain people have been charged, it is a matter of fact. Why would you want to bring the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice here to say these facts? They are open, find out and let him know. If you bring the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice here, any question could be put to her. If I have admitted that Question before it became sub judice, then let me know. It is another matter.
Mr Ambrose P. Dery 11:05 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, I think if the Hon Majority Leader knows as a fact that the matter is before the court, the facts can be transmitted to us the Leaders and once we see that as established, then we can deal with it. But as we stand now, I cannot vouch for that
Mr Ambrose P. Dery 11:05 a.m.


position. So the important thing is for him to get the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice to state it before Leadership that this is the matter and I am sure the Hon Member will be satisfied. In the absence of that, then the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice will be called to come and explain.
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Yes, he has undertaken to do that.
Mr William O. Boafo 11:05 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, the Hon Member of Parliament for Obuasi, who is a Deputy Ranking Member of Committee on Mines and Energy, filed a Motion for us to debate the issue on the recent increases in the prices of water and electricity. Madam Speaker, this particular issue is time bound and we would like to know what the Leadership has done about it.
Mr Avoka 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, my attention has been drawn to the Question that was addressed to your goodself and you minuted down that the Leadership should look at it and discuss and programme it if need be. Because of the busy nature of the work we had this week and the interventions, Leadership on both sides have not been able to meet to look at the Question.
The Business Committee in particular has not been able to look at the Question and then to bring it up. So during the course of next week, I will engage the attention of my Hon Colleague the Minority Leader and the Business Committee and then we will programme the Question if need be. But I know it has come down from you asking Leadership to discuss and then get back to you.
Mr Dery 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, it is all right as long as the Majority Leader is going to deal with the Leadership on the Minority side, except to say that it is a
Motion, it is not a Question, and we need to deal with it timeously, otherwise, it will become stale. It is a matter that it is topical now.
Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah 11:05 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, I just wanted to know from the Hon Majority Leader whether the assurance is that the Motion will be taken up next week or will be considered next week. I think, as the Hon Member said, time is of essence with this particular Motion. If he is going to think about it next week and have it debated in future, I do not think it will do much justice to the Hon Member who tabled the Motion. Is he going to try to find a way for us to take up this Motion definitely next week? After next week, it will not be of much relevance to many people in this country.
Mr Avoka 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I do not want to pre-empt the position or decision of Leadership on this matter. You gratefully referred it to Leadership to look at it and then programme it and I do not want to stand on behalf of Leadership and say that, yes, it will come this week or it will not come.
I appreciate the fact that time is of essence in this type of matter but the fact still remains that it is about the recent increase in the utility and other facilities and it is not time bound as such. But it is important to bring it early enough for consideration but it is not an injunction that can arrest. It is to urge some other body to re-consider the present increases in these services. So we take note of that and as soon as the opportunity avails us, the Leadership will look at it and then apprise the House.
Mr Boafo 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, recently,
we read in some of the media and we heard also from the radio stations that there was going to be a draw-down or withdrawal of our troops on peacekeeping operations in Chad and DR Congo. Madam Speaker, the excellent performance of our troops in the peacekeeping operations is a source of
pride for all of us Ghanaians. This news item is causing some worry among some quarters about the fate of our involve- ment in the peacekeeping operations.
Madam Speaker, I will like to invite the House to join me in requesting for the Minister for Defence to come to this House and offer a Statement to explain whether or not it is true, that there is going to be this draw-down or withdrawal and to what extent is it going to impact on our involvement in the UN Peacekeeping Operations in Chad, DR Congo and other places like Liberia.
Madam Speaker, I am making this request to find out whether it is possible for the Leadership to include it in the Business for next week.
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Include what --
invitation for the Minister to come?
Mr Boafo 11:05 a.m.
Yes, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Would this not be
a Question, properly be a Question for the Minister to come? I will leave it to the Leadership.
Mr Avoka 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, it is too
late in the day for us to incorporate it into the Business Statement that I have presented before the House this morning for consideration next week. It is not possible. Besides, what he is saying is according to newspaper publications and the rest of them, to which my attention has not been drawn to constitute a matter properly in the public domain. There is no official source of the information that he is giving us now to warrant us arresting the Business Statement and adding that one there. It is not the right time.
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Well, I think his
interest is that he wants an official answer, is it not it?
Mr Boafo 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, we need an explanation about what is happening to the peacekeeping operations as far as our troops are concerned.
Mr Avoka 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I have indicated that we are not aware about the information that the Hon Member is indicating. If he has sufficient evidence to show that, this is a matter of national interest, like the issue of the Ghanaian refugees fleeing to Togo, that the Hon Deputy Minority Leader raised when they said they were from Nandom and what not, we had read that one and we are all satisfied that it was a matter of national concern.
So we took up the matter but the information he is telling the House now, we are not privy to and therefore, it cannot form part of the Business Statement for next week, unless he produces some further and better particulars to let us ascertain that this is actually a matter in the public domain that warrants the attention of this House, which is not the case as of now.
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon Majority Leader, that is why I was wondering because I have not seen it. The other one, I had seen the newspaper, it was all over the newspapers. This one he is talking about, I have not seen it and I do not know whether it is a proper thing for questioning or bringing the Minister. But let us hear what the Hon Minority Leader will say. It is a matter for the Business Committee and I do not want to wade in though but we can all learn from it.
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, my attention has just been drawn to it, to be very honest. I do not have any information apart from what the Hon Member is giving out here. But if indeed, it has been published in some newspaper, it is worrying enough
Mr Haruna Iddrisu 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon William Boafo is a senior Member of this House and he knows that when there is an issue of public interest, there are options available to him to warn this House to be associated with it. He may choose to come by a substantive Motion or by a Question. But Madam Speaker, I do not think that while we are considering this, it lies within him to just make an open statement requesting that the Hon Minister for Defence should respond to the issues that he is raising.
Madam Speaker, he would need your leave even to proceed and with your indulgence, if you look at Orders 62, 63 and 64 -- particularly let me start with Order 62 and with your permission, I quote:
“Questions may be asked of
Ministers relating to public affairs with which they are officially connected, proceedings pending in Parliament or any matter of administration for which such Ministers are responsible.”
And Madam Speaker, with your indulgence, Order 64 (1):
“A Question shall not be asked without notice unless it is of an urgent character relating either to a matter of public importance or the arrangement of business, and by prior leave of Mr. Speaker.”
I think as much as we appreciate that the Minister for Defence should respond to the query and issue raised by him, it is only appropriate that he comes properly.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mr Dery 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I think that the problem now is that we do not have the information -- it is not known. But if it were known, it is permitted as we did the last time with the refugee matter, for him to make this sort of statement in here and under Order 70 (2), we could ask the Hon Minister to come and make a Statement stating facts only without provoking a debate. Be that as it may, I think the situation we have now is that an individual Member of Parliament has made a statement and I believe him, that there is this publication but we do not have access to that.
So what we would say is that he should provide such evidence and then from there, Leadership will take the appropriate measures. So I would crave the indulgence that we leave it for him to provide further information to Leadership and then Leadership will determine the way forward.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, as means of facilitating Business of the House, some of these matters could be dealt with without necessarily
Statements being made on the floor of Parliament.
In some of these matters, we have prior discussion with Leadership even before we deal with the Business Statement, so that we could have solutions to some of these concerns before we come unto the floor of the House.
While I agree with the Hon Minister for Communications, that his reference to the rules is in order, in some of these matters, if we resort to some of these methods, it becomes unnecessarily adversarial and most unhelpful to the House.
Well, under certain circumstances, we could get the Hon Minister to come and make a Statement. That one does not generate debate and of course, it does not have that adversarial nature where you have coaches saying that do not answer, answer it in this way and so on and so forth. So I will urge Hon Members to avail themselves of this vacuum discussion so that Business of the House can be facilitated.
Thank you.
Mr Boafo 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, this issue, I mentioned it to my Leader and yesterday, I sat beside the Majority Leader and mentioned it to him that this is my intention - I do not know whether he would recall it. And even I had wanted to discuss it further with him by collecting his phone number - [Interruption] - yesterday; in the House.
Mr Avoka 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, this is what I was just going to indicate that the Hon Member, even though he is not a member of the Business Committee, was in attendance at the Business Committee meeting yesterday and this matter was not raised for discussion, otherwise, I would have sensitized my Hon Colleague and call the Hon Minister for Defence to find out the truth of the matter and the
possibility of coming to clear the air.
So now that he is raising the matter, we would take note of it and when we get out of this place, we will advise ourselves on what to do next. If there is a matter that is of public interest and concern, it is not out of place for the Hon Minister to come and explain the issues to us. So nobody is against the idea; we are talking about the impromptu nature of the request.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Well, now that you know, can you find out the fact whether it is true? And if so -
Mr Avoka 11:15 a.m.
I will do so, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
And if so, bring the Hon Minister to satisfy us. Except that Hon Boafo, you read it. Are you against it or what is wrong with the thing you read? You read that they would be recalling them, so he should come to the House and say what? I did not get the whole gist of your request. The fact that you read that they would be brought home, are you saying that you are against it, so he should come and say why they are returning or what? I do not get it.
Mr Boafo 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I am not against the draw-down or the withdrawal, but it is necessary for us to know what is happening with regard to our participation in the UN peacekeeping operations. And the impact that it will have on the troops because there are some welfare issues involved so far as the soldiers are concerned, when they go on these operations.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Well, all right. Let us quickly find out whether what you read is true. The Minority Leader has said that he will investigate and then if we need to bring the Minister, we will bring him.
Thank you.
Any other matter before we adopt
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.


Hon Members; the Business Statement for the week as presented is adopted.

Now, we move on to item 4 -- which is Questions, Hon Minister for Roads and Highways.

Hon Majority Leader, the Hon Minister is here to answer Questions.
Mr Avoka 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, as we all know, today is Friday and we also understand the exigencies of the circumstances that we find before us today and thereafter. So the Hon Minister is to answer Questions, some of them are constituency-specific.
So I want to appeal to Madam Speaker and the august House that as they are constituency-specific, we will limit ourselves to those. This is because they are not on policy, so that we can expedite action and hopefully, by 12 o'clock or thereabout, we will be able to close so that Members can go to their constituencies and commit themselves to other activities that they have already outlined for themselves.
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Those who will
not go to their constituencies for lack of money can watch their TVs. [Laughter.] Well, if you have no money, you are very safe before your TV.
Mr I. K. Asiamah 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, we
simply cannot travel to our constituencies; there is nothing with us. We do not have money to travel to our constituency to go and monitor what is happening there. So it is a matter Leadership must take up. We have been complaining all the time that Members of Parliament (MPs) are indeed, suffering; they should take it up and fast-track our conditions of service.
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
I think those who
have ears have heard you.
Shall we quickly then go through the Questions. The first Question stands in the name of Hon Kwabena Darko-Mensah.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS 11:25 a.m.
MINISTRY OF ROADS AND 11:25 a.m.
HIGHWAYS 11:25 a.m.
Minister for Roads and Highways ( Mr Joe Kwashie Gidisu) 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the sawmill road in Takoradi is 1 kilometre long and located in the Kwesimintsim sub-metropolitan area of the Ahanta-East Metropolitan Assembly. It serves as an important ridge alternative link to the Airport residential area and thus reduces traffic queue length at the Airport Ridge junction traffic signals.
Between 2007 and 2008, drains were constructed along the entire length of the road. The road pavement was also constructed up to base level.
Current Programme
The Ministry has no immediate programme to surface, dress the road. However, routine maintenance works would be carried out on the road this year.
Future Programme
The road will be considered for surface dressing alongside other roads in 2011.
Mr Darko-Mensah 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, before I ask my next question, I have two corrections. The sawmill is not located in Kwesiminitsim sub-metropolitan area, it is in Takoaradi sub-metropolitan area and then there is no metropolis called Ahanta East; it is Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly. So these are the two quick corrections.
Madam Speaker, from the Hon Minister's Answer, they are making arrangements to consider them in 2011. But I know that for the whole of Sekond- Takoradi Sub-metropolitan Assembly, we were not given any budget for periodic maintenance. Meanwhile, in Accra, we have certain areas that have such projects being undertaken. If you take Tema for instance, its present roads are being tarred under periodic maintenance. Why is it that Sekondi-Takoradi Sub-metropolitan Assembly does not have even a budget to even undertake such maintenance on the sawmill road?
Mr Joe K. Gidisu 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
I wish the Ministry had sufficient funds to take on board almost every road in the urban centre of the country. We at one time or the other, promised that as funds allow, we would reach out to other areas as we are doing in those areas that he has mentioned. Meanwhile, I have assured him that we would make the road motorable. It is not only the surface dressing of the roads that will make them motorable. So for the Sawmill road, we are committed to making it motorable till next year when we will surface dress it.
Mr Darko-Mensah 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
we all know that even in Accra where the big men are staying, they are tarring the roads. Like where the Vice President's house is, they are tarring the road; and even where the President's house is, they are tarring the road; Spintex road is being tarred. If you take the Sawmill road, it is very busy, it is generating a lot of dust and I believe that the Hon Minister should be able to do something about it this year. At least, he has to be good to the mmobrowas too.
Mr Joe K. Gidisu 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
it is most unfortunate for the Colleague Member to be mentioning specific roads referring to the President and his Vice
President. I want to put on record that those areas in Accra which have no relevance to any sector Minister, Dansoman west, the Tema roads and other areas where some of our Ministers are staying in the Lashibi areas have seen very considerable improvements. So it is a misnomer for him to be making reference to the areas around those specific State officials.
I can assure him that with funds available, we would reach out to those roads -- not only the Sawmill road in Takoradi but other important road networks in Takoradi and allied cities in the country.
Mr Darko-Mensah 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
the last question. Madam Speaker, we were here the last time before the Budget when the Hon Minister for Roads and Highways made mention that immediately the Budget was passed, specific roads in Takoradi would be done, especially the Kokompe road and New Takoradi road. As we speak right now, the Kokompe road is just un-motorable and now that he is comparing Dansoman and other places with what I said earlier --
Madam Speaker, is he saying that the roads in the Western Region are not necessary or they are less important than the other parts of the country? More so when Tarkoradi is becoming the host of the oil city of this country. So I believe that the Hon Minister should do something about it this year for us because it is becoming a big difficulty for us.
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
What is the question? He has not said that some roads are more important.
Mr Darko-Mensah 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I would like to know, which road in Takoradi in particular they are working on this year as part of their periodic maintenance.
Mr Joe K. Gidisu 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker,

road network does not only constitute -- for example, the urban roads in the area. There are other traffic situations which we are catering for. For example, we have just started working on the traffic lights in Takoradi, which are also part of traffic management in Takoradi.

I want to assure him that it is not the tarring of roads that make them motorable. I have assured him that we have programmed this road for surface dressing the next fiscal year and that should be re-assuring to him.

Of course, we have been around for only 15 months or one and a half years now and those roads he is talking about outdate the period that he is referring to.
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
You have finished your three questions? Have you not?
Mr Darko-Mensah 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, they were scheduled to have been done in 2009, that is why I am trying to get him to do something about them this year.
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.
I did not hear
that. You have three supplementary questions and we have agreed, when it is constituency-specific, to move on. Since we have all agreed, let us move on to the next Question.
Hon Stephen M. E. K. Ackah, Member
of Parliament for Suaman?
Mr John Gyetuah 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
Hon Stephen Ackah, as the Chairman of the Committee on Youth and Sports, has travelled to South Africa. He has therefore, asked me to seek permission from you to ask the Question on his behalf.
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Put your Question.
Enchi to Dadieso Road (Tarring)
Q. 306 Mr John Gyetuah (on behalf of Mr Stephen M. E. K. Ackah) asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when the road from Enchi to Dadieso would be tarred.
Mr Joe K. Gidisu 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Enchi-Dadieso road is located in the Aowin Suaman District of the Western Region. The road forms part of the regional road, which we call R 129. The section kilometre 0-10 was re-gravelled in 2008. The entire stretch of the road was recently re-shaped under the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) 2009/2010 routine maintenance programme.
Current Programme
The road has been programmed for upgrading to a bituminous surface under Government of Ghana (GoG) funding this year. As a result, 30 kilometres of the road were awarded on 21st May, 2010; the contract was signed on 1st June, 2010. That are just a few days ago. The upgrading works are scheduled for completion in twenty-four (24) months.
Mr Gyetuah 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister has stated that 30 kilometres of the road had been awarded for bituminous surfacing under the GoG concept. May I find out from him the length of the road from Enchi to Dadieso?
Mr J. K. Gidisu 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I may not be very specific with the length, but what I am aware of is that, we are taking the road in phases, and for that matter, the first 30 kilometres are what we are catering for under this year's budget. Subsequently, what is more important is not the number of kilometres but rather making sure that the road is completed. I think that is of more relevance to the Hon Colleague who has asked the Question.
Mr Gyetuah 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, may I find out from the Hon Minister if he would be kind enough to tell us the total sum of this contract that has been awarded?
Mr J. K. Gidisu 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
I may not be able to provide the Hon Colleague with those details. But if he cares and comes to the Ministry, we will update him of those details.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Question to the Minister reads:
“To ask the Ministeer for Roads and Highways when the road from Enchi to Dadieso would be tarred.”
The Hon Minister says they are first tackling a 30-kilometre stretch. He should be able to tell us the schedule for the tarring of the road. He is saying that 30 kilometres are going to be handled first. The Hon Minister who said this should be able to tell us the stretch of the road. He cannot say that he cannot provide that.
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Hon Member, the
Question was not asked about the stretch of the road, and if he has not got it, he can find it for us. Would he not? If we should force him to tell us the stretch of the road and he has not got those particulars, what good is it to us?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the question on the stretch of the road is implied in this Question. He asked when the road from Enchi to Dadieso would be done, and the Hon Minister should know whether it is a 100-kilometre stretch. He said they were tackling 30 kilometres first. So he should know the length of the road.
Madam Speaker, so in particular when he said that the entire stretch had been re-shaped, he should be able to tell us the
length of the road.
Some Hon Members 11:35 a.m.
Hear! Hear!
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Mr Second Deputy
Speaker, I did not see you I thought you were far away somewhere. I am glad you are here.
Mr J. K. Gidisu 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the

The point is that what is important is the first 30 kilometres, which is more than half the distance. And I want to assure him that we will definitely reach the end of the road within the specifics of our financial resources.
Some Hon Members -- rose - M a d a m S p e a k e r 11:35 a.m.
T h i s i s a
constituency-specific Question, so we are moving on to the next Question, which stands in the name of Hon Stephen Ackah.
Okyerekrom-Junction, Akwaben Tando, et cetera Feeder Roads
(Construction)
Q. 307. Mr John Gyetuah (on behalf of Mr Stephen M. E. K. Ackah) asked the Minister for Roads and Highways
Mr Joe K. Gidisu 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Okyerekrom Junction Akwaben Tando feeder road is 7.2 kilometres long and as noted in the earlier Question, is in the Aowin Suaman District in the Western Region. It is unengineered and in a poor condition.
Future Programme
The construction of this road will be considered alongside other road programmes which we are planning for future spot improvement activities in the region and for that matter in the district.
Dadieso-Osofo Tando-Yaw Oparekrom
Background
The Dadieso-Osofo-Tando-Yaw Oparekrom feeder road is 5.2 kilometres long. It is located in the Aowin Suaman District of the Western Region. It is partially engineered and in a fair condition.
Future Programme
This road will be considered alongside other roads when planning for future spot improvement activities in the district.
Meanwhile, routine maintenance activities would be carried out on the road during the year to provide thorough
access.
Dadieso-Aboa Tandokrom
Background
The Dadieso-Akwaben Tandokrom feeder road is 7.0 kilometres long. It is located in the Aowin Suaman District of the Western Region. The road is un- engineered and in a poor condition.
Future Programme
The road would be considered alongside other roads which we are planning for future spot improvement activities in the very near future.
Mr Gyetuah 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, according to the Hon Minister, the Dadieso-OsofoTando-Yaw Oparekrom feeder road is 5.2 kilometres. The last paragraph says:
“Meanwhile, routine maintenance activities would be carried out on the road during the year to provide thorough access.”
May I find out from him, when exactly the routine maintenance will take place. This is because that is a cocoa growing area and it is just a walking distance to la Cote d'Ivoire, as in no time, the cocoa production would start? May I find from him exactly when the routine maintenance will start this year?
Mr J. K. Gidisu 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, for
routine maintenance, it is a situation that we carry on regularly by the definition of it being routine. And Madam Speaker, I just want to intimate that we have reached very far discussions with the COCOBOD to assist us with a loan and this loan will be targeted at cocoa producing area roads.
Those are some of the roads that we would be focusing on and we are hoping

that when the facility comes before the House, they will be working on it with dispatch to meet the demands of the cocoa growing areas, including the area that the Hon Colleague has talked about.

Zabzugu-Nakpali-Woribugu Road (Reshaping and Gravelling)

Q. 308. Mr John Bennam Jabaah asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when re-shaping and gravelling would be done on the Zabzugu Nakpali- Woribugu road.
Mr Joe K. Gidisu 11:45 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, the Zabzugu-Nakpali road is a 40-kilometre gravel road, which forms part of the regional route R29 in the Northern Region of Ghana. The road was re-shaped in the second quarter of this year's annual routine maintenance programme of the Ministry.
Current Programme
To ensure that the road remains motorable, routine maintenance activities are undertaken annually.
The re-shaping of the road was advertised under our 2010/2011 routine maintenance programme on 1st June, 2010 and we are hoping that sectional gravelling would be undertaken during the re-shaping period as advertised.
Mr Jabaah 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, my Question is about the Zabzugu-Nakpali- Woribugu road and not Zabzugu-Nakpali. The Hon Minister has left out the Nakpali- Woribugu road and it is in the same district.
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Hon Minister, did
you get the Question?
Mr Jabaah 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I am
saying that the Question is on the Zabzugu- Nakpali-Woribugu road and the Answer to the Question is on Zabzugu-Nakpali. He has left out Nakpali-Woribugu and I want to know what he is doing about the Nakpali -Woribugu road.
Mr J. K. Gidisu 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
the reaction to that is, we have to do this in phases and luckily, as we are taking the longer stretch of the road between Zabzugu and Nakpali, the terminal point which is the Woribugu would definitely be taken on board with the availability and completion of the first phase.
Mr Jabaah 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, may
I know from the Hon Minister if he would consider adding Woribugu to the annual re-shaping and re-gravelling for the 2010/2011 exercise that he stated in his Answer?
Mr J. K. Gidisu 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, we are guided in the Ministry by the budget resources or constraints that we have and for that matter, we will look at the extension of the route that he is talking about seriously in terms of making it also accessible as part of that distance or the corridor.
Mr Jabaah 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, may I
also know from the Hon Minister, after the first exercise on the Zabzugu-Nakpali road, whether he sent out engineers to inspect the work done?
Mr J. K. Gidisu 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I noted sometime ago that apart from our own mainstream supervisors, we expect our Hon Colleague Ministers and Hon Members of Parliament to give us feedback on the situation.
Yes, I have had the mainstream report on the road that it has been done and that is why we are carrying on with this year's physical development activities. If he has any reservations as a Member of Parliament for that area, it is incumbent on him to draw our attention because at the
end of the day, we want value-for- money for which he should also be associated in monitoring the value of work being done there for the money we are paying.
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Have you not
finished your three supplemenatary questions?
Mr Jabaah 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I think
it is a golden opportunity for me to tell my Hon Colleague the Minister, that the Zabzugu-Nakpali road, if he could do me a favour by sending out supervisors to look at the work done there. I just returned from the constituency four days ago. I got back to Accra on Monday and I was on that road. So I was very happy when I came and then this Question appeared for today. So he could check out from the Regional Engineer or the Area District Engineer so that they can give him the details. The contractor did not do good work.
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
He is giving you
information, Hon Minister.
Mr J. K. Gidisu 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, it
is very important for my Hon Colleague to observe that we noted that we have just advertised that same road for routine maintenance and the advertisement was on the 1st of June this year, which means that we are going back to the road to work on it. So I do not expect that type of reaction because we have just come up with another advertisement on that road on 1st June, 2010, which is going to improve the road on the status that he is reporting on.
rose
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Yes, shall we move
on to the next Question? Hon Member, you have had three supplementary questions, you have also put to him that he should go and see.
Hon Minister, apart from the Answer,
he said go and see what is happening there. I think he is entitled to ask you to go and see?
Mr J. K. Gidisu 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, we
have noted that that road needs additional work and that is why we advertised it on the 1st of this month, which means that, yes, as he is saying, the road is bad, had been identified by the department that supervises it and that is why it is captured under the routine maintenance which had been advertised on 1st June. If he had waited until the work was completed and it had not changed the status of the road, then he would be calling me to go and inspect it.
For now, we have equally recognized that the road is in a bad state, that is why it was advertised on the 1st of this month for work to be done on it. So going back to inspect the road does not make any difference because that is why the advertisement has come about and it is going to be worked on.
Mr Dery 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, my
Friend, the Hon Minister for Roads and Highways, I would just plead with him to choose his words carefully. Because after saying that we Members of Parliament have to help give feedback, and then he gets the feedback, which has stated the true situation, and he knows that as a result of that they are going to do some work on it, he should not in his answer say “I do not expect that sort of reaction from you”. I think that was a little harsh. So I would want to plead with him to watch it because if it continues, I might be forced to ask questions and we will delay. He should not get taken up by his antics.
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Hon Minister, I think they have taken it in but they say the way you said it -- Is that not it? You are an Hon Member of this House, are you
not? And they say next time, say it very gently, not brutally like you did.
Shall we now move to the next
Question?
Hon Simons Addai, Techiman South - Question 309?
Roads in Techiman South District (Re-shaping)
Q. 309. Mr Simons Addai asked the Minister for Roads and Highways what plans the Ministry had to re-shape the following feeder roads:
(i) Bienhyenso-Abirika
(ii) Srapukurom-Atea
(iii) Maampehia-Dentekrom
(iv) Agosa-Krobo
(v) Twima-Nsonkonee-Nsunya.
Mr Joe K. Gidisu 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Bienhyenso-Abirika feeder road is 6.0 kilometres long. It is located in the Techiman South District of the Brong Ahafo Region. It is an engineered feeder road and in a fair condition.
Future Programme
The road has been programmed for re- shaping before the end of this year.
Srapukurom-Atea
Background
The 3.1 kilometres Scrapukrom-Atea feeder road is located in the Techiman
Mr Joe K. Gidisu 11:55 a.m.
The second section from Metenasua to Atea is 1.3 kilometres long. This section is however un-engineered and in a poor condition.
Future Programme
The re-shaping of the Sapukrom to Metenasua road would be carried out before the end of this year.
The section from Metenasua to Atea, which is un-engineered would be considered alongside other roads when planning for future spot improvement activities in the Ministry for the ensuing year.
Maampehia-Dentekrom
Background
The Maampehia-Dentekrom feeder road is 3.5 kilometres long. It is located in the Techiman South District of the Brong Ahafo Region. It is an engineered road but in a very poor condition. Future Programme
The road would be re-shaped and other routine maintenance activities carried out before the end of this year to ensure its motorability.
Agosa-Krobo
Background
The Agosa-Krobo feeder road is 5.3 kilometres long. It is located in the Techiman South District of the Brong Ahafo Region. The road is engineered and in a fair condition.

Future Programme

The road has been programmed for re- shaping. And it is part of our activities under that programme before the end of this year.

Twima-Nsokonee-Nsunya

Background

The Twima-Nsokonee-Nsunya feeder road is 13.0 kilometres long. It is located in the Techiman South District of the Brong Ahafo Region. It is an engineered feeder road and in a fair condition.

Future Programme

The re-shaping of this road will be undertaken before the end of this year. And we hope the programmes as outlined under our routine and periodic maintenance of these roads, would be on course.
Mr Addai 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I would like to know from the Hon Minister when was the last time work was done on these roads.
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Hon Minister, did you get the question?
Mr Addai 11:55 a.m.
The last time work on these
road was done.
Mr J. K. Gidisu 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I
noted various sections of the road, some engineered and some unengineered. For the engineered sections, they have been part of our regular maintenance works, and as I noted, even this year, they have been programmed for that type of routine maintenance before the fiscal year ends.
The other ones in terms of the
unengineered sections, as I noted in my Answer, would be programmed for development as the year unfolds in conformity with our budgetary provisions.
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
The next Question
stands in the name of Hon John Gyetuah, Amenfi West.
Tarkwa-Ayanfuri Trunk Road (Re-shaping)
Q. 310. Mr John Gyetuah asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when the trunk road from Tarkwa to Ayanfuri would be re-sealed.
Mr Joe K. Gidisu 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Tarkwa-Ayanfuri road is about 95 kilometres in length and forms part of the inter-regional route IR6 in the Western Region. The road is in a fair condition.
The Government has obtained funds from the European Union (EU) for the rehabilitation of the Tarkwa-Bogoso- Ayanfuri road. The procurement process is in progress. Tenders were received on 3rd June, 2010.
The road would be rehabilitated to an asphaltic concrete surface. God willing, the work will start before the end of this fiscal year.
Mr Gyetuah 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister has stated in his Answer that the Government had secured funds from the European Union (EU) for the rehabilitation of that road. May he be kind enough to tell us the total sum involved?
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Hon Minister, what
funds have you got?
Mr J. K. Gidisu 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I
think the credit facility was approved in the House here. For that matter, I would
have to replenish my memory. But what I am very much aware of, is that, to help us speed-up the process, we have broken the whole stretch into two lots. And for that matter, we are going to use two contractors.
To be more specific with the question
he asked, it is €83 million, which will help us asphalt the whole stretch of the road within a very reasonable period of time.
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Yes, any more
questions?
Mr Gyetuah 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the
Hon Minister has stated in his Answer that procurement process is in progress. May I find out from him, when will the process end? Because as I speak now, from few kilometres from Tarkwa, various sections of the road are terribly bad -- Terribly!
Mr J. K. Gidisu 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
what is re-assuring is that the bids are already being opened and the process of procurement will be in progress. And within the next two months, this being an international contract, we hope to wind up with the procurement process.
But I just want to assure him, as I noted
early on, that instead of making it one lot, we are putting two contractors on the road, taking into consideration the sentiments that he had expressed that that road is not in the best of conditions.
So, we are really committed to
improving that corridor to the best standard.
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Yes, your third
question?
Mr Gyetuah 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I just want to thank the Hon Minister for the assiduous work that he is doing. But in
the interim, about two kilometres from Tarkwa, there is a section which is about 400 metres or 600 metres, which is terribly bad. If in the interim, he can do something just to make it motorable. It is terribly bad.
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Hon Minister, the question is, there is some part which is just terribly bad. What can you do about it?
Mr J. K. Gidisu 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
we would take note of that. But we hope, with the coming to site of the contractors, they will have the responsibility of making the roads motorable even before they eventually asphalt the surface.
But for now, we would make attempts to make those sections better than he is describing now.
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
We are moving on to the next Question -- [Interruptions] -- Because it is already twelve o'clock -- one hour has passed and we all agreed to stick to constituency-specific - Yes, last question?
rose
Madam Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon Members, I know you want me to stick to the rules and that is what I want to do -- to stick to the rules. So let us move on to the next Question and finish our work by twelve o'clock.
It stands in the name of Hon Prof. (Emeritus) Samuel K. Amoako, Akim Abuakwa North.

Oyoko (Koforidua)-Bunso Road (Rehabilitation)

*311. Prof. (Emeritus) Samuel K. Amoako asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when the rehabilitation of the Oyoko (Koforidua)-Bunso road, in the Eastern Region would be completed since the project appeared to have been
Mr Joe K. Gidisu 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the road has not been abandoned as intimated by the Hon Member. But Madam Speaker, the Oyoko (Koforidua)- Bunsu road is a 24-kilometre surface dressed road, and to some extent, in a very fair condition. The road was awarded for rehabilitation in May, 2008 to Messrs Aya Construction Limited at a contract sum of
GH¢2,229,512.42.
Madam Speaker, the work commenced in June, 2008. The expected completion date for the project was 31st May, 2010. The current progress of work, however, is about 44.3 per cent. The contractor is currently not on site, but attempts have been made -- It is basically due to the non-payment of his certificates and we are seriously working out to pay him.
Madam Speaker, in terms of that, his interim payment certificates (IPCs) have been honoured and the amount certified to date out of the contract sum is GH¢1,067,453.47 and we are doing everything possible, knowing very well that, that is a major route, to get the contractor to seriously work and complete the road on schedule.
Prof. (Emeritus) Amoako 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I am a little confused. The Hon Minister started by saying that the work has not been abandoned. Then again, in his Answer, he is saying that the contractor is not on site. Would he explain further the difference between “being abandoned” and the “contractor not being on site”?
Mr J. K. Gidisu 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the situation of a project being abandoned could mean that for over months, the contractor would not be on site. But he not being on site may mean that for the past two, three weeks, he had been off site by way of the fact that there might have been a hitch. And the hitch as I noted, though we have paid all those IPCs to him -- I invited him to my office and we are doing

everything possible to let him go back by honouring the last certificate which would let him get to serious work. So “abandoning a project” and “not being on site” is a matter of semantics in terms of the specifics.
Prof. (Emeritus) Amoako 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the other thing I would like to know is how much the contractor has been paid to date, if he matches it with the percentage of work done so far. Because he stated in his Answer that 44.3 per cent of work had been completed and how much has been paid out of the total contract sum.
Mr J. K. Gidisu 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, that is the problem we have in the Ministry. A lot of work that was awarded around that time had not been subjected to any serious bills of quantities. As the contractors work along, they continue to review the work according to the emerging situation, and that has been the situation that we have inherited. [Interruption.] I am in the Ministry, it is not that it is not true. There had not been defined work schedules, but as the work unfolds or unfolded, they have to review this.
So far, one would look at the fact that the contract sum initially was GH¢2,229,512.00 and so far, we have paid GH¢1,067,000.00. I know his follow-up question was, looking at the fact that he had done only 44.3 per cent, why would we have paid that amount?
This is the point that I am making that initially, there were not that serious bill of quantities on the project, and they had been reviewed and that is not the only project. For example, look at the Achimota-Ofankor project; initially, it was to cost about GH¢44 million. But because of the fact that the bill of quantities were inadequate and not comprehensive, we have now ended up with more than GH¢120 million on that project. So this is the situation we have inherited.
Madam Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Yes, your third question?
Prof. (Emeritus) Amoako 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I think this Question is constituency-specific; I do not want to bring in the Ofankor case. Has there been any variation to the contract sum and if so, what caused the variation?
Mr J. K. Gidisu 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I noted that the variations come about as a result of the situation that there have not been well quantified bills before the start of the project -- and that project is not an exception. I am citing some other projects which were equally started, most often in those areas with inadequate situation which are subsequently reviewed. And I am citing as an example of a major project like the Achimota-Ofankor project. Initially, it was GH¢40 million but as a result of the inadequate bills of quantities which along the line had to be reviewed in terms of modifications of the drawings, it came up to that. So we would want to say that there is yet the situation of -- Also, the rise comes about as a result of price fluctuations alongside the other things --
Madam Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon Minister, I do not think you have answered the question. The question was, “has there been a variation, and if so, how much?” [Pause.] Do you have the particulars?
Mr Dery 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I do know that we agreed that as much as possible, we should not get involved. But I think that as Leaders when we see a situation that requires intervention -- You have gracefully given me an opportunity to -- Is it not a fact of contracts that as one goes along, in normal practice, there are variations in design, changes in prices that result in changing quantum or is he saying that his engineers are so incompetent that the only reason there are variations is that they did not get their quantities right? I
want the Hon Minister to clarify it.
Mr J. K. Gidisu 12:15 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the Ministry has some of the finest engineers but the point I am making is that, most often, these are political pressures which are brought to bear on them. [Uproar.] Yes, and a lot of these situations come about as a result of the rush we put on them. And they start, for example, with inadequate drawings. I am citing those examples of the price changes but fundamentally, we have the situation of inadequate drawings, coupled with the fluctuation in prices at times to cater for that. But the fluctuation is not the major situation, for example, to throw the Achimota-Ofankor project from GH¢40 million to about GH¢120 million now.
Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang 12:15 p.m.
Madam Speaker, it is my constituency --
Madam Speaker 12:15 p.m.
I will come to you.
Mr Owusu-Agyemang 12:15 p.m.
Because Oyoko is in my constituency --
Madam Speaker 12:15 p.m.
I will come to you
even though that is the last question.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:15 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister dwells extensively on inadequate bills of quantities. Initially, he said that was the sole reason. When he dwelled only on that, what does he mean? He said that was the reason. It is true that subsequently--
Madam Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Then put the
question to him. And then we can be assured that that is the sole reason.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:15 p.m.
Madam
Speaker, would the Hon Minister agree that given the length of time for the construction of road projects, principal reasons for variations include, one, fluctuations in interest rates; two, fluctuations in inflationary trends; three,

variations in designs; four, currency fluctuations; and five, delays in payments? Does he agree to this?
Madam Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Yes, do you agree?
Mr J. K. Gidisu 12:15 p.m.
Madam Speaker, he
fell short of mentioning the major thrust of the issues I raised as contributing to this. Those are on the subsidiary side. The major ones in terms of what are the major thrust -- Those issues would not have thrown our budget out of gear because there are projections the engineers and the quantity surveyors know; they make projections to cater for those things. But the type of situation we are talking about is unparalleled in terms of those factors that he mentioned to have thrown a whole project's budget out of gear of the type and magnitude that we are talking about.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:15 p.m.
Madam
Speaker, the Hon Minister is from the Volta Region. He knows that when we started with the Keta Sea Defence wall, the original cost was US$33 million. When it was completed, it was in the region of US$120 million. Is he saying that it is attributable principally to variations in bills of quantities and political pressures? Is he saying that?
Mr J. K. Gidisu 12:15 p.m.
Madam Speaker,
unfortunately, I am not in the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing to effectively comment on the situation he is mentioning. If it is about the road sector, I would be more comprehensive and specific.
Madam Speaker 12:15 p.m.
I think it is time
to put a stop to it; we have finished with the Question.
Mr Owusu-Agyemang 12:15 p.m.
Madam
Speaker, it is my constituency --
Madam Speaker 12:15 p.m.
We are now
debating the Hon Minister, let us put a
stop --
Mr Owusu-Agyemang 12:15 p.m.
Not on that. Madam Speaker, it is my constituency that is why -- Oyoko is part of my constituency. Oyoko is in my constituency and I want to ask a little question.
Madam Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Hon Hackman, I
think you were here when we agreed to --
Mr Owusu-Agyemang 12:15 p.m.
Yes, it is my constituency; that is what I am saying.
Madam Speaker 12:15 p.m.
But you did not ask
the Question.
Mr Owusu-Agyemang 12:15 p.m.
He asked the Question; it is part of --
Madam Speaker 12:15 p.m.
The decision is that the person who asks the Question, if it is constituency-specific, will ask three more questions and we move on. So that is not a reason for asking -- If you want an indulgence from me, say so; but do not say that it is constituency-specific, that is why you are entitled to.
Mr Owusu-Agyemang 12:15 p.m.
Yes, Madam
Speaker, I asked for your indulgence --
Madam Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Yes, if you ask for
indulgence, I would grant it. Ask your question, if it is an indulgent question but not because it is constituency-specific. That is not the meaning we attributed to it. As for the Leaders, they ask questions; so put your question. [Pause.] The question does not want to be asked. Hon Hackman, ask the question.
Mr Owusu-Agyemang 12:15 p.m.
Madam
Speaker, thank you. I was just saying that Oyoko is part of my constituency but thanks for your indulgence. I just wanted to understand. Because what the Hon Minister read from his script is completely different from what is on the Order Paper.
The Order Paper reads as follows:
“The contractor has been advised to resume work. The contract will be terminated if progress is still low.”
All I wanted to find out is that, with the new rendition of the Answer, when shall we expect this work to start? Because the Hon Minister's rendition is completely different from what is contained in the Order Paper. So when can we expect the contractor to start work if he is ever going to continue the work at all?
Madam Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Yes, Hon Minister,
that is a legitimate question. Can you answer it?
Mr J. K. Gidisu 12:15 p.m.
Madam Speaker, there is no new rendition of the Answer. I knew the Hon Member will follow up with the project cost and the contractor -- Those are the new areas that I touched on.
But to come to the Hon Member's question of when the project will be completed, we have taken up with the contractor and as I noted, if he has the contractor's telephone number, he should call him.
I invited him to my office about a week ago and he is going back to site, taking note of the fact that it is a major road which needs immediate completion and I can assure the Hon Member that he will work to schedule, now that we are better committed to paying the certificates regularly.
Madam Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Thank you Hon
Minister, for coming to answer our Questions.
Hon Members, we have finished with
Question time. There is no Statement and I will go to Majority Leader. Any plans as to adjournment?
Mr Cletus A. Avoka 12:15 p.m.
Madam Speaker,
we have exhausted the business scheduled for today and as I indicated earlier, there are other commitments on the part of
Members of this august House. So with your indulgence, I beg to move, that this House now stands adjourned till Tuesday, next week.
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:15 p.m.
Thank
you very much, Madam Speaker, for the opportunity to second the motion. Madam Speaker, I want to make an observation before I second the motion.
It is rather unfortunate that the Hon Minister responsible for Roads and Highways is not in the Chamber. We agreed that we should have a very short time because Questions that are normally filed for him to answer are constituency- specific.
He has a penchant for politicizing any Question every time, Madam Speaker, that is untenable. Unfortunately, when follow- ups are being fired, then questions are guillotined. Let me sound it here -- he is a friend of mine -- if he continues on that track, we will play hard ball with him -- if he plays on that path. If he continues on that path, we will play hard ball with him. He should better advise himself. I think we have had enough of that. It is not good. It is not good and he is a good Friend, it is not good. But if he wants to travel that course, we will play hard ball with him.
Madam Speaker, on that note, I beg to second the motion.
Madam Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Today is a ball day -- [Laughter] -- but we do not
want you to play hard ball. Well, I think everything you have said has been taken into consideration but do not let us play hard ball here. That is for South Africa, is it not?
Any way, thank you. Have you seconded the motion?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:15 p.m.
Yes, Madam Speaker, I seconded the motion and I said before doing that that I wanted this on record. I have seconded it.
Question put and motion agreed to.
ADJOURNMENT 12:15 p.m.