Debates of 18 Jun 2010

MADAM SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:50 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Correction of Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, l7th June,
2010.
Page 1 . . . 17 -
Alhaj i Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka: Madam Speaker, page l7, under “Committee on Health”, “Attendance”, item 3, my name, the “Mohammed” is spelt with three ‘m's. There are two ‘m's.
Madam Speaker 10:50 a.m.
One ‘m' must go, right?
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 10:50 a.m.
Majority Leader/Chairman of the Business Committee (Mr Cletus A. Avoka) 10:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Committee met yesterday, Thursday, 17th June, 2010 and arranged Business of the House for the Fourth Week ending Friday, 25th June, 2010.
Madam Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its Report as follows 10:50 a.m.
Arrangement of Business
Questions to Ministers
Madam Speaker, the Committee has programmed the following Ministers to answer Questions asked of them during the week:
No. of
draw your attention to the fact that during the course of next week and until we break, there will be extended Sittings.
Additionally too, Madam Speaker, we may have to Sit on Mondays to be able to complete our work. Even though there will be normal business on Mondays, the emphasis will be dealing with Bills that are outstanding. They will be normal Sittings but the emphasis will be on Bills that are pending so that we can complete them before we go on break.
Madam Speaker, these are the highlights of the Business Statement for next week. So, I will invite the Hansard Department to capture the details as indicated in the Business Statement from Tuesday, 22nd of June, 2010 to Friday, 25th June, 2010 --

Urgent Question -
Mr David Oppon-Kusi (Ofoase/ Ayirebi) 10:50 a.m.
To ask the Attorney- General and Minister for Justice the current status of the case involving the diversion of 600 bags of sealed cocoa beans meant for export from the Western Region to a village called Asabidie in the Ofoase/ Ayirebi Constituency, which was reported to the police by the youth of the village.
Questions --
*484. Mr Leo Kabah Alowe (Chiana/Paga): To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry what steps the Ministry has taken to salvage tomatoes and vegetable cultivation in the Upper East Region and to address the perennial glut of tomatoes especially in the Kassena- Nankana District.
*485. Mr Anthony Evans Amoah (Mpohor Wassa East): To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry what plans the Ministry has
Question(s)
i. Minister for Local Government and Rural Development -- 6
ii. Attorney-General and Minister for Justice -- 1
iii. Minister for Trade and Industry -- 4
iv. Minister for Employment and Social Welfare -- 2
v. Minister for Food and Agriculture -- 5
vi. Minister for the Brong Ahafo Region -- 2
vii. Minister for Roads and Highways -- 10
Total Number of Questions -- 30
Madam Speaker, in all, seven Ministers are expected to attend upon the House to respond
to thirty (30) Questions during the week. The Questions are of the following types:
i. Urgent - 1,
ii. Oral - 29,
Madam Speaker, at the close of the Business Committee meeting, we had representation from the Hon Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration that he will be available to answer one Question on Wednesday. So that makes it eight Ministers now.
Statements
Madam Speaker may allow Statements duly admitted by your goodself 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.
Sittings on Mondays/Extended Sittings
Madam Speaker, paragraph 3 of the Business Statement and this is very important for all Hon Members, that during the course of next week, we may be compelled to have extended Sittings, and that means Sitting beyond 2.00 p.m. In view of the fact that we will be rising sometime in July, it is important for us to accommodate as much material as we can do. So, the Business Committee wants to
towards the resuscitation of Subin Industrial Plantation Limited (SIPL) at Daboase in the Mpohor Wassa East District having been placed under divestiture for more than five years but has not attracted credible investors.
*486. Mr Francis Adu-Blay Koffie (Prestea/Huni Valley): To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry what plans the Ministry has for the re-opening of Aboso Glass Factory.
*487. Mr Anthony Evans Amoah (Mpohor Wassa East): To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry whether Government has any plans to resuscitate Bonsa Tyre Factory at Bonsa in the Western Region.
*475. Mr George Boakye (Asunafo South): To ask the Minister for Employment and Social Welfare what plans the Ministry has put in place to improve conditions in ICESS schools to make them more responsive to the needs and aspirations of the unemployed youth.
*591. Mr Justice Joe Appiah (Ablekuma North): To ask the Minister for Employment and Social Welfare about the labour strength of this country as at January, 2009.
Consideration Stage of Bills--
Mutual Legal Assistance Bill, 2009.

Committee Sittings. Wednesday, 23rd June, 2010

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) Dokrokyiwa (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.

Laying of Papers --

(a) Report of the Committee on Roads and Transport on the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, 1979, as amended by resolution MSC. 70(69) and MSC. 155(78),

2006.

(b) Report of the Committee on Local Government and Rural Development on the District Assembly Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2010.

(c) Report of the Committee on Education on the Education (Amendment) Bill, 2010.

(d) Report of the Finance Committee on the Credit Agreement between the Government of Ghana and BNP Paribas, United Kingdom Branch, for an amount of €17,687,058.51 for the supply, installation and operation of Vessel Traffic Management Information System (VTMIS) for coastal surveillance in Ghana.

(e) Report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the African C h a r t e r o n D e m o c r a c y, Elections and Governance.

Motions --

Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.

Committee Sittings.

Questions --

*499. Mr Joseph Akati Saaka (Bole/Bamboi): To ask the Minister for Food and Agriculture what steps the Ministry is taking to clear the glut of sheanuts in the three northern regions since 2008 for purchasing.

*500. Mr Ekow Panyin Okyere Eduamoah (Gomoa East): To ask the Minister for Food and Agriculture what plans are in place to expand the Okyereko Irrigation facility.

*501. Mr John Agyabeng (Agona East): To ask the Minister for Food and Agriculture when Agricultural Deve lopment Fund wi l l be established to provide financial support to rural farmers.

*502. Mr John Agyabeng (Agona East): To ask the Minister for Food and Agriculture what the Buffer Stock Management Agency has done so far to ensure food security.

*503. Ms Shir ley Ayorkor Botchway (Weija): To ask the Minister for Food and Agriculture what plans the Ministry has to stop the sale of government acquired agricultural lands that fall within the Weija Irrigation Scheme Project area.

*454 . Mr Kwas i Ameyaw- Cheremeh (Sunyani East): To ask the Minister for the Brong Ahafo Region what was the total revenue/income received from both
Mr David Oppon-Kusi (Ofoase/ Ayirebi) 10:50 a.m.
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 the 19th December, 2009, the cause of the damage and how much it has or will cost to fix it.
Motions --
Second Reading of Bills --
District Assembly Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2010.
Third Reading of Bills --
Mutual Legal Assistance Bill,
2009.
Consideration Stage of Bills --
Economic and Organised Crime Bill, 2009
Committee Sittings.

Questions --

*322. Mr Kwasi Anno Ankamah (Atiwa): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways what measures are being taken to ensure the completion of work on the Sekyere- Abekuase road in the Atiwa District.

*323. Mr Stephen Kwaku Balado Manu (Ahafo Ano South): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways what the Ministry is doing to fill the pot-holes that have

developed on the Kumasi-Sunyani and the Mankranso-Tepa roads in the Ashanti Region.

*324.Mr Stephen Kwaku Balado Manu (Ahafo Ano South): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways what the Ministry is doing to ensure that the pot-holes that have developed on the Tabre- Adugyama section of the Kumasi- Sunyani Highway and the Mankranso-Tepa Road are filled to curtail the road accidents.

*325. Mr Stephen Kwaku Balado Manu (Ahafo Ano South): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways how many road accidents have been recorded at the Kunsu section of the Mankranso-Tepa road in the Ashanti Region and how many lives have so far been lost through those motor accidents.

*326. Mr Stephen Kwaku Balado Manu (Ahafo Ano South): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways why work on the tarring of the Fawoma-Sabronum road has stalled.

*333. Nana Amoako (Upper Denkyira East): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways when the Dunkwa-Twifo Praso road in the Upper Denkyira East Constituency, which is the main road network linking these two major towns in the Upper Denkyira East District but currently in a deplorable state will be tarred.

*334. Nana Amoako (Upper Denkyira East): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways when the Assikuma-Aboabo road in the Upper Denkyira East Constituency,

which is the main road network linking these major towns in the Upper Denkyira East District will be tarred.

*335. Nana Amoako (Upper Denkyira East): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways when the Dunkwa-Kondokrom road in the Upper Denkyira East Constituency, which is the main road network linking these two major towns in the Upper Denkyira East District will be tarred.

*336. Mr Benito Owusu-Bio ( A t w i m a - N w a b i a g y a ) : To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways when Atwima Abuakwa and Asenemaso town roads will be constructed in the Atwima Nwabiagya Constituency.

*337 Mr Isaac Kwame Asiamah (Atwima-Mponua): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways when the paving and tarring of Mpasatia town roads will commence.

Motions --

(a) Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Roads and Transport on the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, 1979, as amended by Resolution MSC. 70(69) and MSC. 155(78), 2006.

(b) Adoption of the Report of the Finance Commit tee on the Credit Agreement between the Government of Ghana and BNP Paribas, United Kingdom Branch, for an amount of €17,687,058.51 for the supply, installation and
Mr David Oppon-Kusi (Ofoase/ Ayirebi) 10:50 a.m.


Second Reading of Bills --

Education (Amendment) Bill, 2010.

Committee Sittings.

But Mr Speaker, the Monday Sitting does not begin next week; it does not begin on 21st of June. It is the other Monday that we are contemplating, not next Monday.
Madam Speaker 11 a.m.
Do we adopt the Business Statement as presented?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11 a.m.
Madam Speaker, as read by the Hon Majority Leader, it is important for us to attend to the Business listed. It is a tall order between now and when the House adjourns. It appears we are going to have just about five more Mondays, and if I heard the Hon Majority Leader well, he spoke about the need for us in the ensuing weeks to have Sittings on Mondays.
That may be quite appropriate. But looking at the schedule before us, I just realised that there, indeed, are some Questions, and in fact, yesterday, I raised the matter at the Business Committee. Clearly, some Questions have been filed for a very long time. I look in particular at Question Nos. 523, 524 and 455 slated for Thursday; Question No. 322 slated for Friday. You realise that there have been a lot of developments since these Questions were filed. So, may I plead with the Hon Majority Leader to link up with the relevant Ministers to act timeously when Questions are filed with them. Otherwise, the relevance of these Questions ceases.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11 a.m.


May I remind that as per Order 60(3) of our Standing Orders, and with the indulgence of the House, I may read:

“A Minister shall not take more than three weeks to respond to a question from the House.”

The operative word is “shall”; they are obliged to attend to this House and answer Questions whenever Madam Speaker assents to those Questions. As soon as you agree and the Questions are transmitted to the Hon Ministers, they should not take more than three weeks to respond to these Questions. But clearly, there are many Questions that stay with the Ministries and in particular the Hon Ministers for more than three weeks, and that is not helping the Business of this House at all. So, the Hon Majority Leader would take this on board and from hence remind them of this Order.

Madam Speaker, the third thing that I want to indicate and maybe, it was lost on me yesterday when we met because I did not look at it, relates to the Business Schedule for Friday, 26th June, 2010. I see that Questions numbered 323, 324, 325, 326 stand in the name of the Member for Ahafo Ano South, Hon Stephen Kwaku Balado Manu, four of them. The Standing Orders, if with your permission, I may quote, Order 65(2) provides:

“Not more than three Questions for oral answers shall be asked by a Member at any one Sitting.”

Madam Speaker, yet we have four Questions in the name of one person, slated for one Sitting. Maybe, as a House, we may agree to give a special dispensation. Otherwise, clearly, it offends our Standing Orders and that may not be permitted, unless we grant a special dispensation to the person as a House to ask -
Madam Speaker 11 a.m.
But the word is
‘shall,' is it not?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11 a.m.
Yes, Madam Speaker. The word is “shall”. “Not more than three Questions for oral answers shall be asked by a Member…”
Madam Speaker 11 a.m.
That is why I am thinking we cannot grant any special dispensation.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11 a.m.
Madam Speaker, with respect, we are masters of our own rules.
Madam Speaker 11 a.m.
We are.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11 a.m.
Yes, Madam Speaker. So we may, if we find it convenient.
Madam Speaker 11 a.m.
Like you said before with the answering of the Questions, it is a “shall”?
Madam Speaker 11 a.m.
So we should obey it.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11 a.m.
Absolutely, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker 11 a.m.
Our rule says, “shall”.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11 a.m.
Yes, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker 11 a.m.
Anyway, it has not come up.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11 a.m.
Madam Speaker, it will be coming on Friday.
Madam Speaker 11 a.m.
But if it comes, I may not grant it. Three Questions is the norm.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11 a.m.
Madam
businesses that we have so decided to do.
But most importantly, I think we shall frown and will continue to frown all the time on the last two days for being bombarded and inundated with approvals for which we have, even sometimes, not had the opportunity to study or sighted. I believe that, it is a timely intervention by the Leader of the House and Chairman of the Business Committee, and we have to hold him to it, that he will so programme it, we can do justice to all businesses that are given to us.
Mr Charles S. Hodogbey 11:10 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I do really find it very difficult when Hon Members of a particular committee come here to challenge their own report. The Minority Leader is a member of the Business Committee and he comes here to challenge the report of his own committee. I find it a bit difficult; if you can give me guidance on that.
Madam Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Yes, I will hear from the Minority Leader.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:10 a.m.
Madam Speaker, if the Hon Colleague had listened to me well, he would have heard that I prefaced my intervention by saying that this observation escaped me, and said that I did not observe it yesterday when we met. That was what I said, notwith- standing, a Member in the face of fresh evidence and fresh discoveries could change his mind on a committee report; that is for his elucidation.
Madam Speaker, as I said, this really is not to challenge the Report. I said this was the reality, what could we do about it? Could we address our minds to it? And in preparation to that, if it had to start then we had to grant a special dispensation.
Speaker, it may be coming on Friday. That is why I am reminding us that this is what we have done. Clearly, we need to address our mind to it. If we do not grant special dispensation, then of course, it cannot be done.
Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang 11:10 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the distinguished Minority Leader has pointed to it. The issue now before us is whether Hon Balado Manu submitted all these Questions at the same time. It could be that they were submitted at different Sittings and then they have been aggregated and have come to this. So, I think we have to find that out before that particular provision of the Standing Orders is applied.
Having said that Madam Speaker, I see that it is in order that the distinguished Majority Leader has recognised the fact that there is a lot of work to be done and that we may be obliged to Sit both on Mondays and also twice a day. I hope that he and his Committee would be minded to programme in such a way that the last three days we are not inundated as usual and bombarded with Agreements and what have you, which require detailed and sober reflection before they are passed.
I do not think we should encourage the Committee to bring us, if you like, Agreements, especially, Credit Agreements and what have you, which we cannot study and then we are obliged to pass because of time constraints. So the programming must be properly done.
Lastly, on a lighter note, I hope that they would make some adequate arrangements for Hon Members to stay till the end. What I see is that normally at about 12 o'clock, 1 o'clock, Hon Members disappear, they do not come back because the logistic arrangements, to put it that way, have not been adequately taken care of by the Leadership of Parliament. I hope they would be taken care of so that Hon Members can stay and do justice to the
Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang 11:10 a.m.


Madam Speaker, I thank you.
Dr Matthew O. Prempeh 11:10 a.m.
Madam Speaker, on 23rd February, 2010, the Hansard reported that the Ghana AIDS Commission (Amendment) Bill was referred to the Committee of Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, and I subsequently tendered an amendment at the Table Office. The Committee has nearly taken six months and we have not heard it them and it is a bit worrying, considering that the Ghana AIDS Commission is doing a very, very important job as far as AIDS is concerned in this country. [Interruption.]
Madam Speaker, I would like to find out from the Leader of the House what we are doing about such an omission.
Secondly, I think Madam Speaker, we should congratulate the Black Stars and hope and pray that as the touch-bearers of Africa now, tomorrow, they win -- [Interruption] -- Madam Speaker, if it was an oversight, it should be here because Black Stars are Ghana's tranquilizers.
Thank you.
Madam Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Hon Prempeh, it is not the Business Committee which would congratulate the Black Stars. If you had been so minded, you could have made a Statement. Anyway, well, I think those who have ears have heard.
Hon Leader, he is saying that some committee report has taken too long, even though it is not under this, it is a point that is noted.
Mr Avoka 11:10 a.m.
Madam Speaker, my attention had not been drawn to that until this morning, so I will link up with the Table Office to find out why the report has
been there for such a long period.
But I just wanted to respond briefly to the issues raised on the floor with regard to the Business Statement and to thank Hon Members, particularly the Minority Leader, who has drawn our attention to some of the provisions in the Standing Orders.
Yes, Madam Speaker, admittedly, Ministers have three weeks to respond to Questions that have been put before them in the Ministries, but we know how the country is. Sometimes you are in Accra and you have to get information from a region that is very far away and where the telecommunication system is very poor. So it may sometimes go beyond the normal three weeks to be able to get a very good Answer to respond to the Question.
But I have appealed to Ministers of State - [Interruption] -- at various fora that they should try to expedite action with regard to sending feedbacks to this House with respect to Questions. We will continue to prevail upon them to do so, and particularly, we will continue to prevail upon them to attend to the House personally to answer Questions.
In the same vein, Madam Speaker, what is good for the gander is equally good for the goose. There are some of our Hon Colleagues who ask Questions and on the day of the Questions being answered by the Hon Ministers, they are absent.
I think, i f we insis t that Hon Ministers must come themselves to Answer Questions, then those of us Hon Members who ask Questions, particularly, constituency -- specific Questions, we must make ourselves available to ask those Questions and follow up with supplementary questions. This is because an Hon Member asking the Question on your behalf may not have the ideas or the knowledge of the area to be able to ask appropriate supplementary questions.
Speaker, apparently, there is nothing admitted on Statement this morning but it appears a number of Hon Members of this Honourable House were looking forward to something in terms of the current football ongoing.
Madam Speaker, it would appear that we could make some short Statement at a time like this, because it is an event that can hardly be ignored, looking at the gallant young men who are in a foreign land, seriously uplifting our flag as true ambassadors of this country, showing exceptional courage.
Madam Speaker, we can see in them the courage of Joshua and by their tactical moves, the wisdom of Solomon -
Madam Speaker 11:20 a.m.
I hope Hon
Prempeh is listening so that if he wants to come in after you -
Prof. Oquaye 11:20 a.m.
And Madam Speaker, if you see how impatience is robbing other nations, it was a beauty to uphold the patience of Job in these young men as they faced some provocations.
Madam Speaker, this Honourable House will want to associate itself with what is happening there and encourage them to continue to exercise such patience even in the face of provocation because we do not want any of them to be sent off so that we will fight a ten-against-eleven battle. Madam Speaker -
Madam Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Hon Member, are you applying to make a Statement? Hon Member, I want to get you properly. If you apply, I may give you the floor and then you can make a Statement. Are you applying or are you making the Statement? Somebody had tried and I said without -
Prof Oquaye 11:20 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I want to refer to Order 71 and apply for your indulgence.
Madam Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Yes, but you had not before you were making the Statement.
So, I would want to appeal to Hon Colleagues that those who the Business Committee programmed to ask Questions of Ministers should be available themselves to ask those Questions.
I think that Order 65, subclause (3) has been more often in breach than in practice. It talks about not more than three Questions in a Sitting and that is a period of time, not in a day, like we are going to have. Sitting is just not one day, it continues. I am saying that we have sinned against this provision some of the time, but it is important that we know about it and every Hon Member consults the Standing Orders so that we live by the provisions of them.
Having said that, I thank Hon Colleagues for the issues that they have raised.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Hon Member, “at a Sitting” refers to a day's Sitting, not the whole period of yesterday, in which case, the Order has been breached and therefore, one Question should be taken out on that day.

Hon Members, the Business Statement as presented and as amended is adopted.

We move on to Questions.

Hon Minister for Lands and Natural Resources?
rose
Madam Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Yes, Hon Deputy Speaker?
Prof. M. A. Oquaye 11:20 a.m.
Madam
Is that not it?
Prof Oquaye 11:20 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I want to make such a speech with regard to a special event, special occasion - [Interruption.]
Madam Speaker 11:20 a.m.
I am not saying that you cannot do it nor that I will refuse it, but I am saying that apply and then if it is granted then you can make your Statement. But it appears that you were making a Statement before applying.
Prof. Oquaye 11:20 a.m.
Madam Speaker, respectfully, I so apply.
Madam Speaker 11:20 a.m.
And in which case, after you make your Statement, then I have to open the door for other people to also comment. So you are permitted to make the Statement.
STATEMENTS 11:20 a.m.
Prof. Mike A. Oquaye (NPP -- Dome/Kwabenya) 11:20 a.m.
Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, for your gracious permission. [Laughter.]
Mr Cletus A. Avoka 11:20 a.m.
Madam Speaker, on a point of order. Madam Speaker, we were on item 4 and you called the Hon Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to come and answer Questions. There is a provision under item 5 which is Statements. At that stage, my Hon Colleague can apply to you and on your
indulgence, he can make his Statement --
Madam Speaker 11:20 a.m.
He does not have to wait, so -
Mr Avoka 11:20 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I am saying there is time allotted for the purpose for which he is performing now. When we come to the provision for Statements, he can apply to you and if you indulge him, then he can make the Statement. Otherwise, we are not following the Standing Orders. There is a programme for the day.
Madam Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Thank you, Hon Leader but you know I can vary the order any time, and that is what I am seeking to do? I am varying the order you presented on the Order Paper today.
Prof. Oquaye 11:20 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I believe when we capture the mood of our nation, we will even be able to do more of our questions and so on and so forth.
Madam Speaker, speaking on the
coming beauty of Ghana and Africa, for which we pray every morning in this Honourable House, it is unfortunate that many of our teams in Africa are not doing as well as we would have wished, and that brings even more of a duty on the Black Stars to show tomorrow, the coming beauty of Ghana and Africa. And it will be great for them to know that this Honourable House is very much with them and we pray for their success. They should be patient and work hard, play one game at a time because Madam Speaker, that is the way to go -- step by step and move day by day to the ultimate goal.
I thank you Madam Speaker, for the opportunity.
Madam Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Well, now that the door has been opened on Statements --
Hon Prempeh was applying at the time we were looking at a certain topic. But you can notice that the Hon Second Deputy came in afterwards to make this Statement. So you are now permitted, with your little prayers you were going to contribute.
Dr Mathew O. Prempeh (NPP - Manhyia) 11:20 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I would have wished to indulge the House, if we could rise, to observe a one minute prayer on behalf of Black Stars - [Laughter.]
Madam Speaker 11:20 a.m.
That one, you do not stand, do you? You sit down. [Laughter.]
Dr Prempeh 11:20 a.m.
Madam Speaker, we are thankful to God for the little mercies He showers on us. This is because if we are not thankful, that bigger mercies shall never arise.
Madam Speaker, after coming back from Israel and being conferred with the title of a Jerusalem pilgrim and the blessing that come therewith, I want to share this blessings with our team Black Stars, that they are the only team that is keeping afloat Africa's flag at this nations' fiesta. So the good Lord should grant them extra energies, sharper eyes so that they see goal posts well and shoot into them, so that Africa will not be said to have hosted the football tournament and were eliminated in the first round.
So, I would wish that this House said this prayer and that they beat Australia by God's grace, and that the whole Ghana gets its tranquilizer and becomes happy, and for once, we unite as a country and as a Continent.
Thank you Madam Speaker. [Hear!
Madam Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Well, I take objection to the words “for once”. I think we are all united. Are we not a united country?
Dr Prempeh 11:20 a.m.
Mr Speaker, when you listen to what is pertaining lately on our airwaves, you will think that we are stabbing each other with daggers. But at least, when the Black Stars win, we will all run the streets of Accra.
Thank you Madam Speaker.
rose rose
Madam Speaker 11:20 a.m.
If you people are going to contribute, I will give you two minutes each. I will allow just the two Hon Members and we will finish. We have to move on. The Hon Minister has left his desk to be here.
Mr Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo (NDC - Wa Central) 11:20 a.m.
Mr Speaker, even though it had not been planned today to make a Statement in support of the Black Stars, it is important that we have this opportunity. And let me just start by thanking you for that and thanking the originator of the Statement because the Black Stars, as it stands now, do not represent only Ghana but represent the totality of the African Continent and the black race as well.
The performance of the Black Stars in this tournament is testifying to the resilience of our boys, the commitment of Ghanaians when it comes to an international tournament like this, and it is important that this Parliament recognises that and takes it beyond the fact that we are playing football.
Mr Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo (NDC - Wa Central) 11:20 a.m.


Madam Speaker, what the Black Stars are doing tells us that at all times, when the people of Ghana cross the borders of this country, we can still do as much as any other person can do in the world of commerce, sports and in everything that we do.

So, Madam Speaker, let me, on this occasion, congratulate the Black Stars for what they have done so far and urge them on to even do more. We have the opportunity to impress the world and to impress everybody and to tell people that there is something in Ghana that is not in any other country in Africa and in the world.
Madam Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Thank you for keeping time. Hon Member, two minutes.
Mr Isaac K. Asiamah (NPP - Atwima-Mponua) 11:20 a.m.
Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I thank the Hon Member who made the Statement for this unique opportunity.
Madam Speaker, first of all, I want to congratulate the Stars for being the first team on the Continent to win in this ongoing World Cup tournament, and I also want to wish the Stars well in their match against Australia tomorrow.
Madam Speaker, I believe that there are very important issues that as a nation we must address. All of us are happy when we organise supporters to go and cheer our Stars up - [Interruption] -- but Madam Speaker, the way and manner this one has been organised leaves much to be desired.
Madam Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Hon Member, the Statement you were supposed to comment on was to congratulate and wish them well, and these are the parameters within which you must go. If you are prepared to do that, fine, otherwise, we cut you off. The Statement was to congratulate them and wish them on. Is that what you were going to say to support them? Then support that one.
Mr I. K. Asiamah 11:30 a.m.
Madam Speaker, support is crucial in such tournaments. Their morale will be lifted when they are at the right spot. What I am saying is that, at every tournament, football especially, we organize supporters. What I am saying is that football is there to unify all of us, to bring us together. But this time round, it is rather dividing us - [Interruption] -- because you go to the constituencies -- [Interruption] -- and they are organizing their foot soldiers to go and watch football, leaving other party people behind, and that is the issue I am raising - [Interruption.]
Mr I. K. Asiamah 11:30 a.m.
-- to the extent that for the first time, they have sent letters to the constituencies asking NDC to send three people to go -- [Interruption.]
Madam Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Order! Honourable, Order!
Mr I. K. Asiamah 11:30 a.m.
. . . and watch the World Cup - [Interruption.]
Madam Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Order, please! Honourable, you have to stop. Stop now!
You see, you make it difficult for me to call upon you when always you deviate from the topic. [Laughter.] And yet, I will not give up, I will try. Anytime you get up, I will call you but you are deviating, so we stop now. We have finished, we move on.
Madam Speaker 11:30 a.m.


Thank you for the support, thank you Hon Member for listening to me.

Yes, Hon Members, let us now move on to Questions.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:30 a.m.
Madam Speaker, with respect to the Chair -
Madam Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Yes.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:30 a.m.
With great respect to the Chair, if an Hon Member goes off tangent, there are provisions in our rules of procedure to bring the person back on track. [Laughter.]
Madam Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Did I not just try? Have I not tried?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:30 a.m.
So Madam Speaker, I was thinking that the appropriate Order would be applied to bring the perceived errant Member back on track. If an Hon Member is deviating, he must be corrected and then after the correction, he is allowed to proceed.
Madam Speaker 11:30 a.m.
But he carried on. After the correction, I said he should carry on and he went back to the same topic.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:30 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I bow to the Chair.
Madam Speaker 11:30 a.m.
I was only applying the rules that he had to stick within the Statement we were discussing.

Shall we go on?

Yes, Hon Minister - We have the first Question from Hon Charles S. Hodogbey.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS 11:30 a.m.
MINISTRY OF LANDS AND 11:30 a.m.
NATURAL RESOURCES 11:30 a.m.
Minister for Lands and Natural Resources (Alhaji Collins Dauda) 11:30 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources does not have any protocol allocations of government lands. However, the Ministry, through the Lands Commission allocates land through laid down procedures as prescribed by State Lands Regulations 1962 (L.I. 230). The allocations may be plots in newly-planned government areas or in-filling.
Under L.I. 230, an applicant submits an application and completes Form 5. After appraisal of the applications by the Commission, allocations are made.
Madam Speaker, in-filling is aimed at maximizing the use of available space within government residential estates. This is done by carving out undeveloped portions of the lands for development. The allocation follows the same process as for new areas as indicated above.
Madam Speaker, a third method of allocating government lands is through the re-development of old government residential areas using private capital. This is done through a competitive bidding process managed by a committee chaired by the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing.
The objectives of the re-development scheme are to increase the density of

development in government residential areas, improve the urban design and landscape and realize the latent values in the lands which have accrued as a result of government investment in infrastructure in the area.
Mr Hodogbey 11:30 a.m.
Madam Speaker, in the Answer of the Hon Minister, he said that there was nothing like protocol allocation. I have a copy of the L.I. 230 here and it comes out of the State Lands Act, 1962, Act 125. Section 9 of that Regulation specifies the classification, the categories of people supposed to have the allocation, and among them are governmental agencies.
When we use the word “protocol”, it relates most of the time to government. Therefore, my question has not deviated from what I have asked, “the beneficiaries under the protocol al locat ion of government prime lands in Accra”.
Having said that, anyway, I would like to know, within this classification, people who have been allocated lands based on protocol. Who are those people? Even though that might be very large, if I want to narrow the question to say 2000 to the present, I will need that list. How many people? [Interruption] - 2001 to the present.
Alhaji Dauda 11:30 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I have indicated the methods by which lands are allocated by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and I made reference to the State Lands Regulation, Regulations 1962, L.I. 230 and that is what is always applied in the allocation of plots of land in Ghana and under the Ministry. I do not want to accept his definition of protocol allocation to mean section 9 of L.I. 230.
Madam Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Yes, your next question.
Mr Hodogbey 11:30 a.m.
Madam Speaker, we have three separate methods of allocating State lands. We have the one laid down by the L.I. 230, the in-filling and the competitive method. I would like to know how the competitive method of allocating the State-owned lands came into being which was not included in this L.I. 230. I know this is not the Minister's making but I would like to know.
Madam Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Did you get the question? Yes, if you got the question --
Alhaji Dauda 11:30 a.m.
Madam Speaker, as I indicated in my Answer, the re- development allocations were made by a committee chaired by the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing and therefore, if my Hon Colleague wants some details about that allocation, it may be appropriate to put in a Question for the House to bring in the Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing to give these details.
Madam Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Hon Member, your third question now.
Mr Hodogbey 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the
document listing government organi- sations and government officials who were allocated these lands is not a classified document. Therefore, I would like to know how much of the existing government lands are available now. This is because looking at the situation of government lands all round us -- I would like to know how much of that land is available.
Alhaji Dauda 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I certainly would require notice of this question to be able to go round the length and breadth of this country to provide this information.
Madam Speaker 11:40 a.m.
He needs time to
find out.
Mr Hodogbey 11:40 a.m.
I yield the rest of my questions to the House.
Mr Jonathan Nii Tackie-Kome 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, in the Hon Minister's Answer, he did indicate that the Act he quoted in prescribed areas under L.I. 118 of 1961 and this applies to parts of Accra. May I know from him whether this law is not discriminatory since it is only restricted to Accra and for that matter, is repealed immediately?
Alhaji Dauda 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, in this particular Question, I have not raised the issue of L.I. 118. It may relate to the second Question and not this particular one. We are talking about L.I. 230.
Several Hon Members - rose -
Madam Speaker 11:40 a.m.
I will go over here first. Yes, Hon Member.
Mr Justice Joe Appiah 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, in 1992 the Star Hotel was sold and the hotel was demolished and new estates built. Can the Hon Minister tell us who were the beneficiaries under the protocol allocation. In 1992, the Star Hotel was divested; so I want to know -
Madam Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Hon Member, I did not hear you well. [Interruption.] I did not get the nature of the question; what is the question?
Mr J. J. Appiah 11:40 a.m.
Diverstiture - [Inter-ruptions.] Madam Speaker, in 1992, the Star Hotel was sold and it was demolished. Madam Speaker, can the Hon Minister tell us who were the beneficiaries of the protocol allocation?
Madam Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Yes, Hon Minister, do you have the answer?
Alhaji Dauda 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, in the first place, the question was not very clear to me; so if he can come up again with the question, I would be happy.
Mr J. J. Appiah 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, in 1992, the Star Hotel was sold, it was divested and the hotel was demolished - [Interruption.] Madam Speaker, can the Hon Minister tell us who were the beneficiaries of the protocol allocation of that hotel.
Madam Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Hon Member, your supplementary question should relate to the main Question. Is there a connection at all? I do not think so; I do not think it has any relevance and so, I would not bother the Hon Minister; I cannot allow it. I will take one - Yes, Hon Member, did you want to ask a question?
Mr David T. Assumeng Madam Speaker, I believe when we are talking of prime lands in Accra, the Hon Minister knows the areas that we are talking about. Areas like Roman Ridge, Ridge and just behind the tower block; these are some of the areas that we are talking of and these are lands which are being developed. Would he be kind enough to provide the list of beneficiaries of these prime lands that I have just referred to?
Alhaji Dauda 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, my Hon Colleague may be aware that the L.I. 230 I referred to was promulgated as far back as 1962 and therefore, lands have been allocated ever since. Therefore, it certainly would not be very easy for me to provide a list of beneficiaries of these areas he referred to here and now. Madam Speaker, I will not be able to provide an answer for beneficiaries of these areas now.
Madam Speaker 11:40 a.m.
The answer is,

now, he has not got it. You did not give him notice.
Mr Benito Owusu-Bio 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I want to ask the Hon Minister, whether it is true that between 1992 and 2000, 258 acres of these government lands for re-development were sold as against 2000 to 2008, 135 acres by Government.
Alhaji Dauda 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I am not aware of this information.
Mr Emmanuel K. Bedzrah 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I did not see the Answer to the Question. The questioner asked the Hon Minister to tell this House who were the beneficiaries under protocol allocation; I did not see any beneficiary in this Answer. He only gave us steps to acquire the land.
Madam Speaker 11:40 a.m.
You did not see it but did he - [Interruptions] -- Did the Hon Member give him a time limit? He told you that the law was passed in 1962 and the latest answer is, since 1962 you did not limit anything. He has already answered it. The question itself did not specify the time you were referring to. Let us be fair with the Hon Minister. You are asking for a certain period, he would bring it.
Yes, we must move on. Shall we go to the next Question?
The Land Development (Protection of Purchasers) Act, 1960 (Act 2)
(Repeal)
Q. 457 . Mr Kwasi Ameyaw- Cheremeh asked the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, how soon the Ministry would sponsor a legislation to repeal the Land Development (Protection of Purchasers) Act, 1960 (Act 2).
Alhaji Collins Dauda 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Land Development (Protection of Purchasers) Act, 1960 (Act 2) was enacted to protect purchasers of land whose titles were found to be defective after a building had been erected on the land.
Madam Speaker, the rationale for this Act was to give protection to people who might have acquired land out of good faith but might not have acquired it from the rightful owner.
Three conditions which had to be present before a person could seek protection under the Act are:
the person might have taken a conveyance in a prescribed area after 31st December, 1944;
the purchaser or a person claiming through the purchaser has in good faith erected a building on the land; and
proceedings are brought to obtain possession order in relation to the land on ground that a person other than the purchaser or a person claiming through the purchaser is entitled to the land.
Madam Speaker, for the purpose of the Act, a person is considered to have erected a building if that person has carried out the greater part of the work required for the erection of the building. The interpretation of this provision has given cause to the misconception that when a property has been developed up to lintel level, it cannot be demolished.
The Act operated or operates only in prescribed areas. By L. I. 118 of 1961, parts of Accra were declared to be a prescribed area. This included areas from the coast to Asylum Down, Kokomlemle and Adabraka.
Madam Speaker, under the Land
Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister says that a new Land Bill would soon be brought before Parliament for its consideration, but he has not told us how soon that soon is.
Madam Speaker, I want to find out from him, that people who buy land and for a value and in good faith, do they not need any protection whatsoever if this law, that is the Act, is completely repealed. Are we suggesting to the people of Ghana that if you buy land in good faith but there is some little defect in your title, you do not require any protection under the laws of Ghana?
Alhaji Dauda 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, everybody is being protected under the laws of this country. Therefore, this is not to suggest that if you acquire land for development purposes and there is defect in the process, you will not be protected by the laws of the land. Certainly, there are other laws under which you can seek protection.
I thank you.
Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, not too long ago, the Hon Minister was in this House and he indicated to us that the Land Administration Project (LAP) would be phased out in June/July this year. Here he comes and informs us that a Bill is being sponsored under the Land Administration Project, which
is being phased out, and I know for a fact that it has not been renewed by the development partners.
So, how certain are we that the Land Administration Project is supporting a new land Bill? I need an assurance on that.
Alhaji Dauda 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, in the first place, it is not true that the Land Administration Project is coming to an end at the end of June or July. It is rather going to end at the end of the year and therefore, we are on track when I tell the House that we are bringing a new law that would update all the land laws and consolidate them.
Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, would the Hon Minister consider the repeal of L.I. 118 of 1961 and not the parent Act so that the whole of Ghana becomes a prescribed area so that purchasers can be protected, instead of restricting it to the Greater Accra Region or some areas in the Greater Accra Region?
Alhaji Dauda 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, as I indicated, we would certainly end up the process in this House. We would come up with a Bill for consideration by the House and if my Hon Colleague finds that that is not repealed under the Bill to be submitted and he feels strongly about it, he knows what to do to get the law repealed.
Madam Speaker 11:50 a.m.
The next Question stands in the name of the Hon Andrews Adjei-Yeboah, Tano South.
Raw Materials for the Timber Industry
(Assistance)
Q. 504. Mr Andrews Adjei-Yeboah asked the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources what plans the Ministry was putting in place to assist the timber industry in getting raw material in the light of the alarming disappearance of the natural forest cover.
Alhaji Collins Dauda 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the strategies to assist the industry can be discussed under three broad areas as follows:
short-term;
medium-term; and
long-term strategies.
Short-term - There is a waiver of import levy on imported logs to enable competitive companies import logs from outside Ghana into the country. Secondly, the Annual Allowable Cut (AAC) has been raised from 1 million cubic meters to two million cubic meters to make more wood available to the timber firms and also salvage the trees from destruction by farmers and illegal harvesting operations.
There is also the preparation of a Legislative Instrument (LI) that would be for the purpose of issuing permits in off-reserve areas and plantation areas without necessarily having to go through competitive bidding process under the TUC arrangement.
In t he med ium- te rm, Madam Speaker, under the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA), re-tooling inefficient processing mills is provided to ensure optimum utilization of the wood resource and waste reduction.
In the long-term, Madam Speaker, a rigorous implementation of the National Forestry is underway to make wood available to the industry. Under the programme, an annual target of 30,000 hectres has been set.
Promotion of lesser used timber species (LUS) is also one of the strategies in the long-term. Out of over 250 timber species found in our forests, currently,
only about 60 species are being utilized commercially. Consequently, research is underway to promote and commercialize the Lesser Used Species.
Mr Adjei-Yeboah 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, in the Minister's Answer, he made mention of the repeal of a law which was done by this House to enable companies to import timber from outside the country. Can he tell us, after the repeal, how successful has that been and how many companies have imported timber and what is the volume so far imported to give us the assurance that the companies might not collapse?
Alhaji Dauda 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, these specific details would be too difficult for me to provide here this morning. I require notice of this.
Thank you.
Madam Speaker 11:50 a.m.
The next question.
Mr Adjei-Yeboah 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, in the short-term also, he provides another strategy about the fact that the sector is relaxing the Annual Allowable Cut. My worry for asking the Question is the fact that, the forest is disappearing. So if you relax the allowable cut and the trees are not there for them to access the two million, then what benefit is it if they allow the Annual Allowable Cut?
Alhaji Dauda noon
Madam Speaker, managing a forest resource would require a sustainable strategy, and he knows, having been a Minister in the sector before that under sustainable management practices, you have a life cycle of the trees that are harvested in the forest reserve.
He also knows that the size of the trees that we have today are not the same as contained in the legislation that is available now. Meaning therefore that
you would have to come down on the allowable cut based on the size of the trees available in the forest today. He knows very well.
Mr Adjei-Yeboah noon
Madam Speaker, my last supplementary question. The Hon Minister informs us that under the long- term, Government is going to raise 30,000 hectares of plantation timber annually as a way of supplementing what needs to be done.
Can he tell this House, what informed this target and whether the old plantation programme that was launched by the previous Government, the targets were achieved and whether the Government is maintaining what has been achieved so far? This is because we know for a fact that as many as about 120,000 or so hectares or acres were done under the previous Government.
Alhaji Dauda noon
Madam Speaker, under the Plantation Development Project, we have indicated that we would do 300 hectares and we are covering 100 Districot Assemblies and therefore, that gives us the 30.000 hectares of land we propose to do.
Madam Speaker noon
You have had your three questions.
Mr Adjei-Yeboah noon
Madam Speaker, yes, but it appears he never addressed the Question and the issues that I raised in my Question. What was achieved and what he is doing -
Madam Speaker noon
And whether they are following the old -
Mr Adjei-Yeboah noon
Yes, to give assurance to the industry.
Madam Speaker noon
Can you fill us in?
Alhaji Dauda noon
Madam Speaker,
Mr Simon E. Asimah noon
Madam Speaker, in the Answer to the Question, the Hon Minister mentioned that they had short-term, medium-term and long-term strategies. My question to him is, what measures are being put in place to re-tool inefficient processing mills to ensure optimum utilization of the wood resource and waste reduction?
Alhaji Dauda noon
Madam Speaker, under a project called Natural Resources Environmental Governance Programme (NREG) in the Ministry, it is proposed that some industries or factories dealing with timber would be supported to be re-tooled to improve upon efficiency and therefore maximize yield in the processing of timber.
Prof. Dominic K. Fobih noon
Madam Speaker, in the Hon Minister's Answer, he suggested that in the long-term, his Ministry was researching into non- traditional species to augment the shortage in the supply of traditional species, and I would like to find out from him, in the short-term, what he is doing to readily address the emergency situation that the timber industry faces as far as the species are concerned.
That in the long-term, he is researching into non-traditional species to augment the supply of traditional species. And I am saying that in the short-term, what plan is he making to address the shortage that is there?
Alhaji Dauda noon
Madam Speaker, I have indicated that in the short-term we have waived the import levy on wood
into the country and we have also reduced or brought down the annual allowable cuts. Madam Speaker, I have raised it to increase the volume of wood that is required for the industry. These are the short-term measures that we have put in place and in addition to that we are saying we are researching into other species to bring on board for use by the timber industry.
Mr Hodogbey noon
Madam Speaker, I would like to know from the Hon Minister, with all the plans for reafforestation - recently, some news media carried information that even government forest reserve, they allow people to cut timber from those forest preserves. Can he ascertain this fact?
Alhaji Dauda noon
Madam Speaker, timber cutting is always done in the forests -- [Laughter] -- and therefore this practice will continue. There are forest reserves that are designated protected areas where logging is not allowed but in the areas designated as production forest reserves, cutting of timber is allowed based on permits.
Mr Benito Owusu-Bio noon
Madam Speaker, in the Hon Minister's Answer, under the headline “Short-term”, paragraph 3, he said “Development of an L.I. for the issuance of permits in off- reserve and plantation areas which do not qualify as TUCs”.
Madam Speaker, if I heard the Hon
Minister right, he never read this to us. He read something else to us. Why I am making reference to this is because I heard him saying he was going to repeal the L.I. which brought into place the TUCs.
Madam Speaker, we all know that the Hon Minister used to be somebody who really propagated the issue of TUCs and in admiration, some of us even gave him the name “Alhaji TUC”. So is he now
going back on something that he really believed in?
Alhaji Dauda noon
Madam Speaker, I have no intention whatsoever to remove the law that provides for timber utilization contracts. I still believe in it and I will practise it.
What is being proposed here is to deal with grant of timber rights in off- reserved areas where you do know that the areas belong to farmers and that if you really apply the principles of competitive bidding, you may not win in these areas. We are developing a new law that will address grants of timber rights in the off-reserved areas without necessarily going through the rigorous process of competitive bidding.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:10 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister was in an earlier life the Chairman of the Lands and Forestry Committee of this House, which enacted a piece of legislation to decrease volume of harvested timber. In his Answer, the long-term proposals, unfortunately, for whatever reason, did not read that portion of the Answer. He provides:
“Promot ion o f downs t ream processing to move towards the policy of Less Volume, High-Value regime.”
It is part of the Answer but he did not read it. I do not know the intention behind that. But if he intends that to be part of the Answer, how does he reconcile that portion of the Answer with the Answer provided as part of the short-term solution when he says that he has raised from one million cubic metres to two million cubic metres, the annual allowable cut to make more wood available to timber firms and

also salvage trees from destruc-tion by farmers and illegal harvesting operations?

How does he reconcile this? Because the purpose of setting the limit at one million cubic metres as he does know, was really to promote downstream processing towards the policy of less volume. How does he reconcile the two because he was part of the regime that established the limit at one million cubic metres and now, he comes back the second time, in a second life and he has raised the volume to two million?
Alhaji Dauda 12:10 p.m.
Madam Speaker, first of all, I am sorry I did not read up to that last paragraph referred to by the Hon Colleague, that is:
“Promot ion o f downs t ream processing to move towards the policy of Less Volume, High-Value regime.”
Madam Speaker, yes, it is part of the Answer and we keep to it. The issue of raising the annual allowable cut, indeed, is not strictly related to the paragraph read by my Colleague. Indeed, it is based on management prescriptions of the forest. However, Madam Speaker, the point made for raising the annual allowable cut to provide wood has become necessary because of the imbalance between installed capacity of the industry and what is being produced.
As we speak today, the installed capacity of the industry stands at about five million cubic metres. What it means is that, what the timber industries installed in the country required for the operations is about five million cubic metres and the forest can only - we can only harvest one million cubic metres as it used to be to support the industry, leaving a difference of four million cubic metres.
He knows that as a result of that because people have put in their money and invested in the industry and have their equipment there, they would find all means of getting the wood to their sawmills. That leads to illegal operations in the forest resource of the country.
We are introducing this because of the issue of the off-reserve as a big area where we can bring in more wood to serve the industry. The Question that he asked was “what the Ministry was doing to save the timber industry”, and indeed, that was why we have done that. Even with the two million cubic metres we are proposing, it is still insufficient and therefore, the industry will require to improve upon downstream processing to achieve higher values for what we produce.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:10 p.m.
Madam
Speaker, I really sympathize with the Hon Minister about this question of installed capacity. He knows that as we speak today, because of the application of the TUCs, the capacity has even come down a bit. It used to be slightly higher because many of them, with the application of the TUCs, were not even having the logs to feed their mills. Some of them have more or less collapsed, so, it has brought it down a bit.
Maybe, the Ministry would have to be involved in the establishment of mills in the country. But the Hon Minister, in an earlier life in this very House, when the limits of allowable cut was a million cubic metres, that plus of course, the illegal harvesting, wild bushfires, archaic farming practices, chainsaw operations and so on. He made a Statement in this House that even at the limit of one million cubic metres, the forest cover of this country was likely to disappear, given a maximum of thirty years.
Alhaji Dauda 12:10 p.m.
Madam Speaker, as I indicated in my earlier response to his question, I said that the area of reserve was the target where we were going to raise more wood for the timber industry. And he knows that in that area, farming activities take place and indeed, you cannot stop the farmer from carrying out the farming activity. What is being proposed in the Answer is that, in the process where a farmer wants to cultivate, we would go ahead, grant permits for timber contracts to salvage the wood in the farm areas.
That eventually will raise the annual allowable cut. In any case, if you do not even grant it, the farmers will cut the trees down and therefore, we would require some kind of smart thinking to be able to salvage those trees to add up to the annual allowable cut. It is in this area that we proposed to raise more wood for the timber industry.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:10 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister is a good Friend.
Madam Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Last question. That
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:10 p.m.
Madam Speaker, he is a good Friend of long standing. He talks about the installed capacity. He knows that the percentage of efficiency of the typical mill in the country is not more that 40 per cent, my Colleague knows that.
The proposal to promote downstream processing to move towards the policy of less volume, high value regime, means creating efficiency and reducing waste in the industry. My Colleague knows this.
Now, does he not consider that inconsistent with merely increasing the allowable cut, which tends still to retain waste and inefficiency in the system? Because he knows already the installed capacity that he is basing his argument on -
Madam Speaker 12:10 p.m.
I like your question. [Laughter.] That is the last question.
Alhaji Dauda 12:10 p.m.
Madam Speaker, there is no inconsistency whatsoever in the Answers I have provided. I have given the installed capacity of the industry and I am saying that we are raising it to two million cubic metres of wood. And in addition to that, we would re-tool the industry and the purpose of re-tooling is to ensure efficiency and therefore downstream processing and more value for the timber.
I think there is no inconsistency whatsoever in the Answer I have provided. I keep to it.
Madam Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Hon Members, we have only done three Questions, we have finished with our one hour. So what do we do? If you want to go on, then we have to be fast, so we get answers quickly. So, let us move on rather than ask that it should be printed, then we can all hear the Answers. Let us then move to the next Question.
Hon Simon Osei-Mensah -- Bosomtwe.

Procurement of Seismograph Equipment for Geological

Survey Department (Procedure)

Q. 505. Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah (on behalf of Mr Simon Osei-Mensah) asked the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources the procedure under the Procurement Act that was being used in the acquisition of the seismograph equipment for the Geological Survey Department.
Alhaji Collins Dauda 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, on the 11th of September, 2009, the Geological Survey Department applied through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to the Public Procurement Authority for single source procurement under (Specialized Equipment) in pursuant of section 40, subsection (1) of the Public Procurement Act (Act 663).
An approval was given by the Public Procurement Authority on the 9th of December, 2009 (Reference No. PPA/
CEO/1825/09).
The reasons for the single source procedures are as follows:
There was the urgent need to purchase the Digital Seismic (Earthquake) Equipment to replace the old one purchased in 1973 in view of the recent earthquake occurrences globally.
Modern Digital Seismic (Earthquake) Equipment are not readily made for sale on the international market, it is manufactured based on demand.
The chosen company, Nanometrics Incorporated of Canada is a first

class world-known customized- manufacturing company with seismic installation equipment in over 60 countries including USA, France, Spain, Greece, Italy, Canada, Japan, Philippines, Angola, Libya, Egypt and Albania.

In conclusion, a single source procurement (Specialized Equipment) procedure was used.

An amount of three million, three hundred and forty-eight thousand, eight hundred Ghana cedis, ninety-three Ghana pesewas (GH¢3,348,800.93) representing 70 per cent of the total amount has been released by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning for the purchase of the equipment.

The first consignment of the equipment has arrived at the Kotoka International Airport and awaiting delivery and installation.
Mr O. B. Amoah 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister has stated that there was an urgent need to purchase the earthquake equipment. Can he tell us when the first consignment of the equipment arrived?
Alhaji Dauda 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the specific date when the equipment arrived, I am unable to say but it has arrived.
Madam Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Any other question?
Mr O. B. Amoah 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, indeed, the Hon Minister's answer does not really provide us with any clue when the equipment arrived. He just said “it has arrived”. But will he agree that the main reason for resorting to sole-sourcing as stated here, that is, in view of the recent earthquake occurrences globally, that is since September 2009, is not tenable?
Alhaji Dauda 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker,
indeed, it is highly tenable. In addition, that is not the only reason we went in for the single sourcing. There are two other reasons, if my Hon Colleague will take a look at the other reasons.
Mr O. B. Amoah 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I said “the main reason”, because it was based on that reason that they went for the Nanometrics Incorporated of Canada. So that is the main reason.
Secondly, would the Hon Minister agree that if the Survey Department had resorted to selective tendering instead of sole sourcing, the nation will not have paid the GH¢4.4 million for the equipment and would have had better value-for-money?
Alhaji Dauda 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, as I indicated in my Answer, I do not have the capacity to determine the kind of procurement system that must be used. I only applied to the Procurement Authority and that is the Authority that deals with these matters. I applied to them for single sourcing and it was granted.
Mr O. B. Amoah 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker -
Madam Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Have you not finished?
Mr O. B. Amoah 12:20 p.m.
No, Madam Speaker, this is my third supplementary question.
Madam Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Hon Member, do you know something? We are running out of time. Ask it and let us move on. We have three more Questions and it is well past the one hour and today is Friday; you want to - [Pause.] Oh, ask your question.
Mr O. B. Amoah 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I asked the question about value-for-money for that particular equipment. The Hon Minister did not answer that question.
Has the Department made him aware of any value-for-money that has been
carried out? It is part of the procurement process.
Alhaji Dauda 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I believe, in the approval for such applications, the Public Procurement Authority would certainly look for value- for-money before the approval is made. We apply to Public Procurement Authority for the approval and in the process, certainly, they will request for value-for- money or they will themselves do that to be able to take a decision.
Dr Prempeh 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, for the information of the House, I want to ask the Hon Minister, how many earthquakes occurred around the world in 2009.
Madam Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Around the world? You have to give him notice for this.
Dr Prempeh 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, in the Hon Minister's Answer, and with your permission, I quote:
“. . . there was the urgent need to purchase the digital seismic equipment to replace the old ones purchased in 1973 in view of the recent earthquake occurrences globally”.
How many earthquakes occurred in 2009?
Alhaji Dauda 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker., I know for a fact that there were occurrences of earthquakes globally but with the specific question of how many, I am unable to answer that.
Madam Speaker, I will require notice.
Madam Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Thank you very much.
The next Question stands in the name of Benito Owusu-Bio, Member for Atwima- Nwabiagya. Question Number 506.

Timber Utilisation Contracts (Award)

Q. 506. Mr Benito Owusu-Bio asked the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources how many Timber Utilisation Contracts (TUCs) had been awarded since January, 2009 to date and who the beneficiary companies were.
Alhaji Collins Dauda 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, no TUCs have been awarded so far. TUCs are normally awarded when the areas are available.
Mr Owusu-Bio 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, in one of the Minister's Answers to a previous Questions, he made mention of the fact that he was trying to review the TUCs regime. Is that why he is not allotting any more TUCs?
Alhaji Dauda 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, in the first place, I have not said I am reviewing the TUCs law. What I said was that we were preparing a Legislative Instrument to rather improve upon the law.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister has been categorical. He said in the printed Answer that no TUCs were awarded in 2009. Unfortunately or fortunately, he did not read that which has been printed on the Order Paper. But he said “no TUCs have been granted thus far”, that is what he said. So, after 2008, we are to take it that no TUCs have been granted, is that the position, Madam Speaker? [Inter- ruption.]
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister has indicated in on earlier Answer to us that the annual allowable cut has been raised from one million cubic metres to two million cubic metres to make more wood available to timber firms.
The Hon Minister knows that in granting TUCs, companies that qualify have to submit a harvesting plan and the harvesting plan altogether, that is consolidated, does not allow us to go beyond one million cubic metres. Now, he says that it has been raised to two
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:30 p.m.


million cubic metres. So, how has he done that? No contracts, no TUCs have been granted. The TUCs that were granted were premised on harvesting plans submitted by companies that won and that placed the limit at one million. So, how has he managed to increase it to two million?
Alhaji Dauda 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I would kindly ask my Hon Friend to probably go back to his notes because timber harvesting is not only done under TUCs. We have permits granted to communities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and District Assemblies. And we also have permits granted for survey purposes. In addition, we have the Timber Utilisation Contracts. Altogether would give one the amount of wood harvested from the forest.
Madam Speaker, first of all, before we proceed to allocate, we must determine what we have; that is the determination of the annual allowable cut. When we determine the annual allowable cut, then we proceed to make grants and make sure we do not exceed the target we have set for ourselves.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, can the Hon Minister tell us what grants have been made to whom outside the TUCs such that now they are able to satisfy the two million cubic metres limit?
Madam Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon Member, did the Question not relate to 2009? Is your Question within 2009?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, my Hon Colleague understands the question that I am asking him very well. He understands the question very, very well. It falls within his ambit.
Madam Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Anyway, thank you. I think we should move on.
Game and Wildlife Reserves (Development)
Q. 507. Mr Francis Y. Osei-Sarfo asked the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources what plans the Ministry had to develop the game and wildlife reserves to attract tourists as a means of generating funds for the country.
Alhaji Collins Dauda 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, under the Protected Area Development Programme, which started in 2005 with funding by the European Union, infrastructural development and general capacity building of the Ankasa and the Bia conservation areas are ongoing. Visitors' reception facilities and lodges for the staff are being provided.
Advertisement has been made for the private sector to tender for the building and operation of lodges and other tourism facilities in Mole and Kakum National Park and Ankasa conservation area.
Madam Speaker, in addition to the above, the Achimota Forest Reserve is currently being developed to match international standard parks such as the Nairobi National Park, which generates about US$8 million annually.
It is the vision of the Government to raise the annual average visitation to the Achimota Park from about 20,000 to about 100,000 within the next five years and also increase its current revenue of about $60,000 to about US$1 million after the five- year infrastructural and facilities development period.
Similarly, plans to execute phase 1 of the construction of a new zoo for Accra for educational purposes has started in Achimota.
Mr David T. Assumeng 12:30 p.m.
Madam
Speaker, I want to find out from the Hon Minister why mention has not been made of the Shai Hills Game Reserve since it also forms part of the Question that has been asked.
Alhaji Dauda 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I recognise the potential of the Shai Hills; it is a tourist area. Unfortunately, there is a matter relating to this one that is pending before a court and, therefore, we are unable to proceed until the court makes a pronouncement on that.
12. 40 p.m.
Mr Andrews Adjei-Yeboah 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, like my Hon Friend who asked about Shai, I also want to ask about another national park that he also neglected to talk about, that is the Chabobo National Park, which a lot of effort has gone into. The Chabobo National Park in the Nkwanta South District of the Volta Region, what is going on there? And is it part of their programme to make sure that it attracts tourists?
Alhaji Dauda 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the Chabobo National Park is one of the potential areas for this purpose and we have not turned a blind eye at that except that we are going through the process of getting a Legislative Instrument (L.I.) to cover it after which compensation will be paid and Government would be free to work on that area.
Alhaji Seidu Amadu 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, in reference to paragraph two of the Answer, I want to find out from the Hon Minister whether the facilities that he is thinking of putting up or developing in the Mole National Park include access roads -- because that is the biggest problem in the game reserve -- to facilitate game viewing. If they put the facilities there and they do not develop the access roads for tourists to be able to
Alhaji Seidu Amadu 12:30 p.m.


walk round or move round the reserve to see animals, we would not have helped with the development of the reserve much.

So I want to find out what plans the Hon Minister has to develop the access roads.
Alhaji Dauda 12:30 p.m.
I thank my Hon Colleague for this question but to say that the roads in the Mole National Park itself have been improved to some extent. I believe the major or the basic problem is the main road from the Damango Junction to the Park and I am talking to the Hon Minister for Roads and Highways to improve upon that road to make accessibility to the area very convenient for tourists.
Mr Gershon K. B. Gbediame 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, as the Hon Minister said, the Chabobo National Park has a lot of potentials that can bring in a lot of revenue to this country. However, the L.I. is yet to be brought to this House for approval. I want to know from him how soon his Ministry will bring this L.I. to this House so that the programme can take off.
Alhaji Dauda 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, very soon. [Interruptions.] Madam Speaker, it is very difficult to say that it will be today or tomorrow.
Madam Speaker 12:30 p.m.
But at least, you can tell us the stage you have reached.
Alhaji Dauda 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, before the end of the year, this L.I. would have been brought here.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister is aware that the trend these days is to move from caging animals, that is constructing zoos and rather moving towards free range or what has become known as “Safari Parks”. Madam Speaker, so I am worried when the Hon Minister says that they are going
to develop the Achimota Forest to match international standard parks, such as the Nairobi National Park.
What is the land area of the Achimota Forest? Because the Nairobi National Park that he is talking about has an expanse of more than 300 square kilometres? What is the expanse of the Achimota Forest?
Alhaji Dauda 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the Achimota Forest Reserve used to be about 500 hectars and it has come down to about 350 as a result of encroachments; that is what we have, so we develop what is available. We may not get an area as large as the Nairobi Safari, but what is available, we can develop it.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, that being the case, is the Hon Minister telling us that we are going to develop that into a “Safari Park” and at the same time, have a zoo constructed within that “Safari Park”? Because as per the last paragraph, he says they are constructing a new zoo for educational purposes within the same Achimota Forest. Given the smallness of the land area, can it allow for free range and also have a zoo?
Alhaji Dauda 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, we
will be able to do that. To accommodate the zoo, we will just maximize the use of the forest available, we will do it.
Madam Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Thank you. We have the last Question -- Hon Francis Adu-Blay Koffie?
Mr Francis Adu-Blay Koffie 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, my Question was slated before we went on recess but fortunately, the company has put programmes in place towards the re-opening of the under- ground mines. So I think we can stand the Question down.
Madam Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Thank you for being “very Honourable” - [Hear! Hear!]
Madam Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon Minister, in that case ,we have come to the end of Question time for you and we thank you most sincerely for coming to attend to this House.
Thank you.
Yes, Leader, now, we come to item 6, Laying of Papers?
Mr Avoka 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration is supposed to lay this Paper but unfortunately, he is not available. With your kind permission, I want the Hon Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to lay it on his behalf.
Madam Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon Members, any objection?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, no objection. But as I said yesterday, can the Hon Majority Leader, the Leader of Government Business not lay a single Paper on behalf of Government? It is something that must be looked at. [Interruptions.] Madam Speaker, I am lamenting the travails of the Hon Majority Leader. The Hon Minister responsible for Lands and Natural Resources may have no objection.
PAPERS 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker 12:30 p.m.
The Paper has been duly laid and it is referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Any matter before adjournment?
Mr Cletus A. Avoka 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the matters on the Order Paper have been exhausted and today being Friday, we have enlisted other committees to meet this afternoon. So I beg to move, that having exhausted the Business for the day, we now adjourn until Tuesday morning at 10.00 in the forenoon.
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I beg to second the Motion for adjournment but to remind us that we have programmes to continue the winnowing on the Mutual Legal Assistance Bill, 2009 for Monday at the office of the Hon Majority Leader. It is slated for 10 o'clock. So concerned Members who have filed amendments, in particular the Chairman of the Committee and Hon W. O. Boafo and those others who are concerned should assemble at the office of the Hon Majority Leader at 10 o'clock on Monday morning in order for us to work on the winnowing.
Madam Speaker, as I said, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
ADJOURNMENT 12:30 p.m.