Debates of 25 Jun 2010

MADAM SPEAKER
PRAYERS 11 a.m.
ANNOUNCEMENTS 11 a.m.
COMMUNICATION FROM THE 11 a.m.
PRESIDENT 11 a.m.
Madam Speaker 11 a.m.
Hon Members, I have received communication from the President about his absence from Ghana.
“24th June, 2010
THE RT HON SPEAKER 11 a.m.
OFFICE OF PARLIAMENT 11 a.m.
PARLIAMENT HOUSE 11 a.m.
ACCRA 11 a.m.
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC 11 a.m.
OF GHANA 11 a.m.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11 a.m.
Thank
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11 a.m.


you very much, Madam Speaker, for the notification and information which you have read from the Office of the President to us.

Madam Speaker, I believe by now we are all clear in our minds, that communications from the President to your office are indeed, destined to this House and not to the Office of the Speaker.

A time came when this became a tussle. Today, we are clear in our minds that when the President gives notification in writing to the Speaker, it should be delivered to this House and by extension to the good people of this country. Madam Speaker, we are happy with this understanding.

Second, the constitutional provision is very clear and explicit on this matter. Madam Speaker, with your indulgence, I will read article 59.

“The President shall not leave Ghana without prior notification in writing, signed by him and addressed to the Speaker of Parliament.”
Madam Speaker 11 a.m.
Let us listen to the submission.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11 a.m.
Madam Speaker, that, indeed, is the first point.
The second point relates to the substance of the communication. The President has told us that he is going to consult and discuss consult and discuss some matters of importance with the President of the Republic of South Africa.
Mr Pelpuo 11 a.m.
Can you listen to what Madam Speaker is saying? She said that it got to her office yesterday, but she got it this morning. Yes. Madam Speaker --
Madam Speaker 11 a.m.
Let us listen to the Deputy Majority Leader.
Mr Pelpuo 11 a.m.
Madam Speaker, can you repeat what you said before I continue?
Madam Speaker 11 a.m.
No, no, you finish with it. I think I have to ask you to finish, you do not have to ask me.
Mr Pelpuo 11:10 a.m.
The message got to the office yesterday but she saw it this morning.
Let me just say something. When the President leaves the shores of this country and goes to another country --intending to meet the President of that country -- just take note that the President of that country is more than a personality. He could go to do some -- [Interruptions.] Yes. The Presidency of a country is more than a personality and consultations, as he said, he is going to do, does not necessarily mean that he is going to sit down and -- [Interruptions.] It does not necessarily mean so.
So it depends on the extent of consultation he is going to do and we are not privy to those details. Since we are not privy to those details, I would crave your indulgence to allow him, if we want, an explanatory note to that effect and I believe very strongly that it would be given. But let us give him the benefit of the doubt that he is going to do the consultation and he is going to do it with the presidency of the Republic of South Africa.
Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang 11:10 a.m.
Madam Speaker, if the Hon Deputy
Madam Speaker, the President of the Republic of South Africa is not in South Africa now; he is in Canada and our President knows that. Our President knows that. By the time the President of the Republic of South Africa returns, our President would be coming back to Ghana.
Madam Speaker, so, is the President being candid with the good people of this country by the substance of this communication? Madam Speaker, we will await answers from the person -- His Excellency who communicated this information to you when he returns; we would demand answers to the questions that we are proposing. I believe you yourself will find yourself in a very uncomfortable zone having to reply to this question.
But Madam Speaker, at the appropriate time, we will demand responses to this very important question that we are asking. The first strand still holds though. Maybe, you may help this House. How come that he left without prior notification to this House and by extension, the good people of this country? --
Madam Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Maybe, that one,
I can answer
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:10 a.m.
If you think so, Madam Speaker, with respect --
Madam Speaker 11:10 a.m.
I am not very sure about the second one.
Mr. Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo 11:10 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I know that this notification did not get to you this morning. --
Madam Speaker 11:10 a.m.
In fact, it got to me this morning. It got to the office yesterday but I saw it this morning; that is why I brought it.
Madam Speaker 11:10 a.m.


Majority Leader, Mr Pelpuo is listening, when you are a leader, you do not have to answer every situation; it is rather you have to manage the situation.

As far as we are concerned, I can tell you one instance when President Kufuor was leaving and the Speaker was supposed to be acting because the Vice President was away; the Speaker was supposed to be acting as President. I took the letter to the Speaker on an examination bed in Nyaho Clinic so that he could have it.

The Constitution should not be played with. So if the communication arrived, wherever the Speaker was, it ought to have been given to him. So if the Minority Leader has pointed out this one, let that -- [Interruptions.] You would have your turn to talk; let me talk.

The second thing is that, again, the Minority Leader is saying that we would await the return of His Excellency the President to tell us who exactly he spoke to. This is because he has information to the effect that President Zuma is not in South Africa and that he has gone to the G-20 or wherever he went to; he is not there and it cannot be said that he spoke to the Vice President. Our Vice President was also there, the Ministers are there, so you cannot define the situation by saying that the Presidency is not that individual.

In diplomacy, Presidents talk to Presidents and the President does not talk to aides or Vice Presidents and what have you and the rest. So I think the Minority Leader provided a very simple solution. He said, let us wait, let us not try to concoct stories and speculate and wait until His Excellency comes.

After all, if His Excellency has told us that he is going to give support to the

Black Stars so that they can go through the quarter finals, that is in order. He makes the decision. Nobody has any problem with it. But when the situation which has been given to us turns out to be not precisely the case, then let us have patience and as a leader, you must manage the situation, let us wait that. Nobody is calling the President to order or anything. When he comes, he can answer to this House.

So I do not see the intervention of Hon Pelpuo as helping the situation at all. So I think what has been proposed is in order. Let us stop the discussion before it degenerates and let us go on and when he comes, he would give us the answer. Let us not go any further with this discussion because the President is the embodiment of the State; he is our leader and let us see what happens.

Madam Speaker, I want to suggest that we take the advice of the Minority Leader and await His Excellency the President, then he can answer. But we should not try and make a big answer for him. It would even make the situation worse because when he comes and contradicts it, just as Madam Speaker contradicted -- he said he was sure Madam Speaker got the letter yesterday and she said she got it today. He could not even answer that. So please, let us stop that thing, let us stop it from there and sit down, manage it well as a leader and let us go ahead.
Madam Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Hon Members, we were on item (2), that is the President's letter and we stick to that -- Objections were raised and I said that I could answer the first one because the letter is stamped in my office, 25th, I think in the evening and today it was put on my table and so, I read it as quickly as possible.
But whatever suggestion about when to present it, is another matter, which
could be looked at; even if the Speaker is on the sick bed, it could be brought, if it is necessary. I do not think anybody would quarrel with that because for Hon Members to want to know where the President is, is a constitutional provision.
So if we are saying that we should not leave it in the offices, just take it to the Speaker's house, I do not think anybody would quarrel with it. And even if it had been brought to me yesterday night, I could only have read it today. But we would have discharged our constitutional duty.
As for the second part, the President gave a reason; I am not privy to it but the only thing I can say is that that section did not require reason; that section did not say the President should give you a reason. I think this one, he wanted to please you more than to annoy you; so he gave you this.
But I do not know what will happen when he comes and we need clarification, I am sure he can supply it. This is all meant to improve our work here, not really to find fault or to quarrel over. If decisions are made, they would extend to other governments and the work would inure to the benefit of all of us. So I do not see anything wrong with bringing it as quickly as possible, when we can.
The second one too, the Hon Deputy Majority Leader, maybe, when he comes and they still insist that even though the Constitution does not require reasons, they want reasons, that would be left to the good judgement of the Head of State.
Dr Anthony A. Osei 11:10 a.m.
Madam Speaker, thank you very much for the explanation. In my opinion, the worrying part is my Hon Good Friend saying he knows when the letter came to your office. I am beginning to wonder how come he can say he knows. Madam Speaker, the
only person who should know is you. He does not work in your office; he is not in a position to know what comes to your office. How come he is saying he knows?
Madam Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Well, loosely; it was a loose term.
Dr A. A. Osei 11:10 a.m.
Loose term? All right, thank you. If you rule that it is a loose term, then I accept.
Madam Speaker 11:10 a.m.
The explanation will plug the hole.
Mr Isaac Osei 11:10 a.m.
Madam Speaker, just a clarification. We know that in Christianity, the concept of the Trinity says that there are three persons in one. However, the Deputy Majority Leader has now introduced a new political concept. He has been talking about multi-persons in one President. It is strange; perhaps, he can explain it to us --
Madam Speaker 11:20 a.m.
I think this issue falls within the second part of the matters raised, whether the consultation was with a man or he meant with a government. So I will not venture there. But let us await the future and see what happens.
Hon Pelpuo, I do not think we should
argue any further.
Mr Pelpuo 11:20 a.m.
Madam Speaker, for the
purpose of giving my good Brother an explanation, I just want him to know that what I said did not mean the Trinity he is talking about. I am talking about the Presidency. The Presidency means more than one person just like the Office of the Speaker. The Office of the Speaker does not necessarily mean the Speaker. So in the same vein, when we talk about the Presidency, it is the Presidency and not just the President. So I am explaining that
Mr Pelpuo 11:20 a.m.


just to help you understand that I was not talking about Trinity at all.
Madam Speaker 11:20 a.m.
I did not want you
to come in. You came in. But remember that a name was mentioned and that is why they are saying that the man you mentioned was not there. So matter closed.
We are moving on to the next stage, that
is Correction of Votes and Proceedings.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 11:20 a.m.
Madam Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Correction of Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, 24th June,
2010.
Any correction on page 1 -
rose
Madam Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Is it a correction on the Votes and Proceedings? No, I will not take any other intervention. Let us finish with the correction of the Votes and Proceedings. Let us finish with that one first. [Interruption.] Please, do not talk about respect. Then I will say you respect the Chair and sit down. Do not talk about respect. If you respect the Chair -- I have ruled that we are following the order. So if you talk about all respect, then you should be aware of that respect.
When we finish, you can bring your concerns but let us follow, otherwise, we would get nowhere. Everybody who gets up wants a point but it is not listed here. I do respect you, Sir, I respect you. I have always done so.
I thank you for your understanding. Let us finish with this and whatever you wish to raise, when we come to it, I will hear you.
Business Statement.
Mr Pelpuo 11:20 a.m.
Madam Speaker, before
I go on to the Business Statement, let me just try to support what you said by entreating all committee Chairmen to respond to the request that we do our budget as quickly as we can before we rise and present to the Office of the Clerk so that they can start working on it and by the time we return, it would have been done.
This is because in the previous times, as earlier observed by the Minority Leader, we often were late in presenting our budgets and that eventually went against us. So this time this call by the Speaker is so crucial and we would entreat all Chairmen to respond to it as quickly as they can.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:30 a.m.
Madam Speaker, if I may, I think it is a very timely call that you have made. As has been noticed, hitherto, we have waited until the nick of time to submit our proposals. Then it has become difficult to factor it into the Budget. Today, as you said, in view of the amendment that we ourselves have effected in the Parliamentary Service Act, it has now become possible for us to send our proposals for consideration by the President and then it is factored into the Budget.
Last year, we were late in submitting the proposals to the President but by the time we submitted our proposals, the Budget had already been fashioned out and it took a long while for us to succeed in making the necessary adjustments, which is why you are coming in with this plea that we start early to submit same to the President.
May I plead, Madam Speaker, in view of the fact that beginning next Monday we are going to Sit five days running, from Monday to Friday, and on all days, we would have extended Sittings, may I plead that the committees -- Madam Speaker, you mentioned the committee Chairs and Ranking Members, that is the leadership of the committees. May I plead that possibly, the entire committees do meet to fashion out their programmes and then submit same to Leadership for onward transmission to the Administration.
Madam Speaker, if we do that then we would be able to be on time with the incorporation of our budget into the national one. Madam Speaker, what we have also noticed is that sometimes the committees, when they meet, just bring what they expect to be given, that is the total of what they deem desirable for them to be able to operate with. We would then say that we need about a hundred thousand Ghana cedis without any explanation. We need the committees to be really detailed in their own work programmes.
If say, they want to embark on some duty tours in the country or outside the country, they will need to justify same in the request, so we know that the Business Committee will be doing this in the year, the Committee on Foreign Affairs will be doing this, the Finance Committee will be doing this; these are the engagements and then we will use same to justify their requests.
Otherwise, we are tempted to give them the same amount which may not do justice to the work schedules of the respective committees. So, Madam Speaker, just to add to what you said and what the Deputy Majority Leader has said, just so that they will be clear in their minds.
And finally, if I may plead with them, in view of the crowded nature of the
Any corrections? Page 1 … 9.
Hon Members, in the absence of any
corrections, the Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, 24th June, 2010 is adopted as the true record of proceedings.
Hon Members, we move to the correction of Official Report of 22nd June,
2010.

In the absence of any corrections, the

Official Report of Tuesday, 22nd June, 2010 is hereby adopted as the true record of proceedings.

Hon Members, I will come in here with

a short announcement from the Speaker before we move on to the Business Statement because it is very important. Probably, at that time, the Hon Deputy, Majority Leader would also want to comment on it. It is this:

Hon Members, in compliance with the relevant provisions of the Constitution and the Parliamentary Service Act as amended, I have directed that the Office puts together our budget for the 2011 Financial Year for timely presentation of same to His Excellency the President for incorporation in the national Budget.

I am, therefore, entreating all committee

Chairmen and Ranking Members, to ensure that they present the budget of their respective committees to the Clerk within two weeks from now. This is to enable the Office factor the budget of each committee before presentation to His Excellency the President. Mindful of the fact that we are closing at the end of this July, if we do not work on it till we come back in October, we would not have finished with our budget and we would have the problem we had last year. So this is just an announcement.

Hon Members, shall we move on to
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:30 a.m.


Sittings, if maybe, the committees could structure their meetings in such a way that their meetings could precede our Sittings. For instance, they could arrange to have committee sittings, maybe, around 9.00 a.m. or 9.30 a.m. and they will be able to go through with this and submit same to Leadership.
Madam Speaker 11:30 a.m.
I thank you.
Dr A. A. Osei 11:30 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
just a complement to what the Minority Leader has said. It will be in this regard, very useful, if Members were given even last year's copy of the entire budget of Parliament, so we have a basis for coming up with the estimates. I as a Ranking Member, have never seen the reasoning for the Finance Committee getting a certain budget, moreso, other committees. But with our experience, if we have prior knowledge of what was done last year, we may be able to help in the process.
I thank you.
Madam Speaker 11:30 a.m.
I think the Leaders will see to that. It is a very useful point that the Minority Leader raised that when you factor in some visits that you think you would take, whether inside or outside the country, it is provided for, it is easier to get the money. But when it is not budgeted for, we find it difficult.
Hon Deputy Majority leader, can you now present your Business Statement.
Mr Pelpuo 11:30 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the
Majority Leader is unavoidably absent and I will seek your permission to read out the Business Statement for the week.
Madam Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Yes, if there is no
objection, can it be read? No objection. Do you have any objection to his reading the Majority Leaders statement?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:30 a.m.
Madam Speaker, strictly speaking, the Standing Orders provide that if the Chairman of the Committee is unavailable, any member of the Committee could do the presentation. In which case, maybe, we would say that the Majority Chief Whip should be doing the presentation. However, I do know that the Deputy Majority Leader, even though is not a member of the Committee, has always been in attendance of our committee meetings, so, I will not have any objection against his doing the presentation.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 11:30 a.m.
MR PELPUO 11:30 a.m.
Madam Speaker 11:30 a.m.
The Business Statement has been read, any comments?
Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang 11:30 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I have been wondering whether the Deputy Majority Leader , really, is seized with the details of the arrangements that have been made for our Sittings on Mondays and double Sitting on the rest of the days. Last week, the Leader of this House mentioned that from last Monday, arrangement would be made for double Sitting and Monday Sittings.
He said it was not the previous Monday but this past Monday. Nothing, absolutely nothing was done and I believe the Leadership should be called to question. Why we have as a House, decided to have double Sitting beyond two o'clock and yesterday, for example, we were obliged to close at 2.30 p.m. because no arrangements have been made for double Sitting.
I believe that if they make statements to this august House and they cannot fulfil them, then they should not make them at all. I see that I do not know what the Hon Avoka's signature is, but if he signed this and you are presenting it on his behalf, then the message must be loud and clear to him that adequate arrangements should be made for us, to enable us to Sit twice a day and also Sit on Mondays.
I believe we cannot let the Leadership off lightly when they make promises to us, because the Committee on Assurances is on Government assurances. But this House is where he belongs and I believe it is not proper to make promises by way of Business Statement and not fulfil them. If it happens next week, he will find that people will leave and he will not be able to complete the business as scheduled.
So, I hope that he would this time round, make the necessary arrangements which will enable us Sit and finish with the Business for the nation and for the House. I really plead with him that he puts in place the necessary logistics and everything so that we can go ahead and do it. This is the point that I want to make.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, about two weeks ago, we expressed concern about the Private Member's Motion, which sought to express very serious concern with the recently announced increases in the electricity and water rates.
The assurance from the Leadership was that you, Madam Speaker, had just admitted it and they were working on it and would be presented last week. Last week, that was not done. The assurance that we got privately from the Leadership was that it had been agreed that it would feature in the Business Statement, which he has just read.
I have just noted that there is no mention of that particular Motion and as was mentioned two weeks ago, time is of the essence with regard to that particular Motion. I am wondering whether the Leadership can throw light on why they consistently refused to allow a debate on this topic which, I think, the whole nation is looking forward to.
Mr Pelpuo 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I have taken note of the expressed concern and I suppose that with the extended Sittings and with an added day, Monday, we just have to re-adjust and make sure that Hon Members are comfortable to Sit and be able to stay throughout the day to deliberate on weighty issues, as he talked
Mr Pelpuo 11:40 a.m.


about, about Mother Ghana.

On the second issue, the Business Committee is aware of the Private Member's Motion. We looked at it and we noticed that there were some things to be corrected on it, at least, to bring it up to the standard that we require for presentation here.

The other issue is about the fact that the people who did the Motion, the prime movers of the motion are not available. So we definitely will bring it on board as soon as is practicable. It would not delay beyond the time it is ready.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I think the Hon Deputy Majority Leader got the sense in what the Hon Member for New Juaben North made.
With respect to the second one raised by the Hon Member for Afigya-Sekyere West (Mr Kan-Dapaah), I am not too sure about the propriety of the answer given by the Hon Deputy Majority Leader.
As per our rules of procedure, you are solely responsible for admitting Questions and once you have admitted the Question, it stands as such and for him to be saying that some engineering is being done on the Question, I do not think, really, that -
Madam Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Was it a Question or a Motion?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:40 a.m.
On the Motion, Madam Speaker. Once you admit the Motion, it stands as such.
I think the critical consideration was that of the three Hon Members who jointly filed the Motion. At the time of consideration, none of them was around and we are told that they would not be available in the course of next week, which is why we agreed that given the urgency of the Motion, if they are not
present, the ensuing week, we would still go on and have the Motion debated in the House.
It is not about engineering the text
of the Motion at all, lest somebody may consider that after Madam Speaker had accepted, maybe, a group, a cabal, then would have to meet and do re-engineering of the Motion. Madam Speaker, it is not done.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, this is really not a new matter. It is a matter that I have raised and I know other Hon Members have raised ad nauseum.
We are going to have extended Sittings next week, so we are told by the Business Committee -- but we have a problem with Sitting at 10 o'clock and I am urging Leadership, and of course, Madam Speaker, so that, at least, we start at 10 o'clock so that if it becomes necessary for us to have an extended Sitting, we do so.
Madam Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Even if there is no quorum? Clearly, the place is empty.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I know we have problems with quorum and so forth, but if Madam Speaker mentions this, then of course, at any time we do not have a quorum, we may then raise the matter of quorum.
There have been occasions when we start, we do not have a quorum, but of course, if it is not raised, we continue and as we go on, Hon Members trickle in and even during debates -- sometimes we may not have the quorum because Hon Members may stream in and out, others may be at the committees.
So, I am urging the Leadership to try
as much as possible and let us start at 10 o'clock so that if there is an extended Sitting then, of course, it is meaningful.
Madam Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Leadership, the admonition is about time. The Speaker is always here at 9.00 a.m; what do you have to say?
Mr Pelpuo 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, it is a very genuine concern he has raised and given the reality of the times and the practicality of it, we definitely will endeavour to meet at 10 o'clock. We have been trying it but sometimes circumstances compel us not to meet the time but I believe that it is a very genuine concern and we can address it at a later time.
Madam Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Any input from the Minority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I think that it is a concern that our Hon Colleague keeps raising and I believe that it should concern all of us.
What I noticed was that, when we attempted and, indeed, Sat at 10 o'clock in the morning, by that conduct, we succeeded in dragging Hon Members to the Chamber. I believe that notwithstanding any other matters, if we purpose to Sit at 10 o'clock, Hon Members, definitely, would oblige and they would attend at 10 o'clock.
So, we have taken the concern into consideration and we will endeavour, in all seriousness, to comply.
Madam Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Thank you. Shall we take it then that the Business Statement is adopted?
So we move to Questions. Hon Minister for Roads and Highways, your first Question comes from Hon Kwasi Annoh Ankamah (Member for Atiwa). Is he here? [Pause.] Anybody has instructions from him? Otherwise, we move on. [Pause.] The next Question
stands in the name of Hon Stephen Kwaku Balado Manu, Member for Ahafo-Ano South.
Ms Beatrice B. Boateng 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, Hon Kwasi Anno Ankamah is unavailable and he has kindly requested that I plead with your esteemed office to allow me to ask the Question on his behalf.
Madam Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Well, if he has given instructions - But what is wrong with him? Is he sick or travelled or what?
Ms Boateng 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I know he is sick.
Madam Speaker 11:40 a.m.
All right. We cannot help it if we are sick, can we? Yes, can you put the Question? We go back.
ORAL ANSWERS TO 11:40 a.m.
QUESTIONS 11:40 a.m.
MINISTRY OF ROADS AND 11:40 a.m.
HIGHWAYS 11:40 a.m.
Minister for Roads and Highways (Mr Joe K. Gidisu) 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the 8.9 kilometres Sekyere-Abekuase road is located in the Atiwa District of the Eastern Region. It is an engineered road in a fair condition.
The Sekyere-Abekuase road was programmed for upgrading to bituminous surface in phases. The first phase of the contract which covered works up to sub- base level only was awarded in June, 2007. The contract commenced in August,
Minister for Roads and Highways (Mr Joe K. Gidisu) 11:50 a.m.


2008 and should have been completed in August, 2009.

The contract was however terminated in 2010 due to non-performance by the contractor. At the time of termination of the contract, the contractor had completed only 14 per cent of works. The works involved concrete drains and culverts.

Future programme

The outstanding works under Phase1 of the contract which include the laying of the sub-base material, has been re-packaged for re-award in the 2011 fiscal year.

The second phase which consists of works up to the application of bituminous surface layer, would be considered alongside others when planning for future programmes in the Ministry.
Ms Boateng 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, in the Answer given by the Hon Minister, he states and with your permission, I quote:
“The contract was however terminated in 2010 due to non- performance by the contractor.”.
Madam Speaker, I would want to know when in 2010 was the contract terminated and to find out why the work would have to wait until re-packaging and re-awarding in 2011.
Mr J.K. Gidisu 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, it is worthy to note that the contract sum was GH¢480,298.94 and the amount certified to date is GH¢71,328.52. Madam Speaker, by this, the financial progress of the work was 15 per cent and the physical progress of the work was 14 per cent and that was the situation which warranted the non-performance of the contractor for the contract to be terminated.
Ms Boateng 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I think the Hon Minister has not answered
the question. I asked, when in 2010 was it terminated and why should it wait until 2011 before it would be re-packaged and be re-awarded?
Mr J.k. Gidisu 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the project was terminated earlier this year and for that matter, we need to take it on board our fiscal budget for 2011, hence the re-packaging towards that period.
Madam Speaker 11:50 a.m.
Any other question?
Ms Boateng 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I know this Question might have been asked because of the deplorable state of the road and if the Hon Minister is saying it will be re-packaged in 2011, I would want to know when exactly the work will commence. This is because 2011 starts from January to December and we want to know when it is going to be re-packaged and work started to help alleviate the problems of the people of the area.
Mr J.K. Gidisu 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I think the worry of my Hon Colleague is the unmotorable nature of the road. I just want to say that we do not wait until the award of contracts on particular stretches of roads to make them motorable. There are other interventions which we make. I think we will take it up with the Regional Directorate of the Department to see what they could do in response to the bad nature of the road as the Hon Member has noted.
Ms Boateng 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I am grateful to the Hon Minister for talking about an intervention. I very much wish to know which intervention he is going to apply.
Madam Speaker 11:50 a.m.
I do not know whether he can answer your question without telling him what is wrong with the road. But put it - She asks, which intervention? If you put to him what is wrong, he can then tell you the interventions. But Hon Minister, this is the question, what intervention?
Mr J.K. Gidisu 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the intervention is to make it motorable. It could be re-shaping which is just the normal project we can immediately do and that, as I noted, we will take it up with the Regional Directorate of the department that is responsible.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister has told us that the financial commitments made to the contractor ought to have translated into 15 per cent of the works.
However, on review, they realized that 14 per cent of the works had been done and that necessitated the termination of the contract. Fifteen per cent of the work ought to have been done but upon valuation, they realized that 14 per cent had been done and that necessitated the termination of the contract.
Madam Speaker, are we to take it from him that from hence, if a financial commitment is made to any contractor and in due time it is realized that the contractor performs lower than what it ought to translate into works, that contract would be terminated?
Mr J.K. Gidisu 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the rationale behind the situation would have to be taken into consideration. The contract was awarded in 2007 and was supposed to be completed in 2009. So between the period, the work done as against the amount and in terms of the quality of works, if we are to sustain it in that way, would definitely not be the best for having value for money, hence the need to terminate it and re-package it for award.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, this clearly is a new addition, an addendum to the Answer provided by the
Mr J.K. Gidisu 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I posited the non-performance within the time frame. If, for example, one is to do the work within the specified period from 2007 to 2009, payments have been spread over, but in 2010 work has not progressed beyond that level and for that matter, the works that had been previously done had equally deteriorated beyond the quality that one would have expected.
That is the point I am making. And for that matter, it is not that the mere difference between the payment schedule and the work done contributed to cancellation of the contract, but rather the spread of time which affected the quality of work done earlier which definitely, has been the basis for the termination of the contract.
Dr Richard W. Anane noon
Madam Speaker, will the Hon Minister be able to inform the House the contractor's reason for his inability to complete the work as
Mr J.K. Gidisu noon
Madam Speaker, there had been correspondence at one time or the other between the contractor and the Ministry but there was virtually a black out as to his reasons for not effectively executing the contract.
Dr Anane noon
Madam Speaker, the Hon
Minister realises that there was a freeze on payment to contractors last year, that is 2009.
Madam Speaker, will the Hon Minister, telling this House that there was a black out on communication with the contractor, be able to tell the House his own intervention to ensure whether the contractor was facing any problems which needed his support in order for the works to be done?
Mr J.K. Gidisu noon
Madam Speaker, I will not say that I personally had contact with the contractor but it is an institutional process. It could be done through our District and Regional Directorates of the Department of Feeder Roads. And for that matter, if it is done and that is the black out between them, then virtually, I will, as the Minister, be concluding with my decentralised departments on the issue.
Madam Speaker noon
The next Question stands in the name of Hon Stephen Kwaku Balado Manu, Member of Parliament for Ahafo Ano South.
Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu noon
Madam Speaker, Hon Balado Manu is held up in the constituency and he has asked me to seek your permission to ask the Question on his behalf.
Madam Speaker noon
All right.
Kumasi-Sunyani and Mankranso- Tepa Roads
Mr Joe K. Gidisu noon
Madam Speaker, the Kumasi-Sunyani road is about 120 kilometres in length. The Tabre Adugyama section of the Kumasi- Sunyani road from kilometre 18 to 40 lies in the Ashanti Region.
The road is asphaltic concrete which is generally in a fair condition but with isolated pot-holes and a few deteriorated sections.
Current Programme
Madam Speaker, a contract was awarded as part of the Ghana Highways Authority's (GHA`s) routine maintenance programme, 2009/2010 for the pot- hole patching and crack sealing of the deteriorated section of the road that is from Tabre to Adugyama.
The contractor is currently working on the road and progress of work is above 40 per cent. On completion of the pot-hole patching contract, it is expected that the road accidents will be curtailed.
MANKRANSO - TEPA ROAD noon
Mr Osei-Owusu noon
Madam Speaker, I will proceed to Question 324 because the Answer apears to be the same before I do any follow up.
Madam Speaker noon
All right.
Tabre-Adugyama and Mankranso- Tepa Roads
(Patching of Pot-holes)
Q.324. Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu (on behalf of Mr Stephen Kwaku Balado Manu) asked the Minister for Roads and Highways what the Minisry was doing to ensure that the pot-holes that had developed on the Tabre-Adugyama section of the Kumasi-Sunyani Highway and the Mankranso-Tepa Road were filled to curtail the road accidents.
Mr Joe K. Gidisu noon
Madam Speaker, the Answer provided under Question 323, that is the earlier Answer given, is also applicable to this particular Question.
Mr Osei-Owusu noon
Madam Speaker, may I know from the Hon Minister which contracting firm is working on these two road corridors.
Mr J.K. Gidisu noon
Madam Speaker, I think I will have to check on this. But I am aware that the contractors, as I noted, the feedback we have from the region is that, they are on site and working. I can provide their details later.
Kunsu Section of the Mankranso- Tepa Road
(Number of Motor Accidents)
Q. 325. Mr Osei-Owusu (on behalf of Mr Stephen Kwaku Balado Manu) asked the Minister for Roads and Highways how many road accidents had been recorded at the Kunsu section of the Mankranso- Tempa road in the Ashanti Region and how many lives had so far been lost through those motor accidents.
Mr Joe K. Gidisu noon
Madam Speaker, the situation with this Question is that it should have been referred to the Ministry of Transport. This is because the agencies that provide this Answer, that is, the Ghana Road Safety Commission and perhaps, even the Driver, Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA), in terms of vehicles that have been damaged are now under the Ministry of Transport. Hence, the Question should be referred to the Hon Minister and he will appropriately respond.
Mr Osei-Owusu noon
Madam Speaker,
since the Hon Minister for Transport is in the House, he could probably take the stand and give us the Answers we require.
Madam Speaker noon
But could he refer it if it is not under his schedule? Is it for him to refer it or for us here to send it to the appropriate authority?
Mr Osei-Owusu noon
Very well. Madam Speaker, in this case, may I find out, is it you who will refer it or the Hon Minister for Roads and Highways who will transfer it?
Madam Speaker 12:10 p.m.
It is the Orders which say that a Minister who is charged with certain responsibilities will answer certain Questions. So if there is a mistake or if according to the Hon Minister, the schedule has now been moved to another section, we will re-schedule it so that the proper Minister seized with the authorities and facts come here.

Dunkwa-Twifo Praso Road (Tarring)
Mr Joe K. Gidisu 12:10 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the background to this road is that it is 79 kilometres and is gravel surfaced in a fair condition. However, kilometre 0 to 4 is bituminous surfaced, and in a good condition.
Current Programme
Currently, kilometres 49 are being upgraded to bituminous surfacing under the GHA's maintenance programme. Kilometres 9 34 (25 kilometres) have been advertised for upgrading about two weeks ago.
Future Programme
The upgrading of the section of the road from kilometres 33 70 will be undertaken after the on-going contracts have been completed. This will however be undertaken in phases.
M a d a m S p e a k e r : Ye s , a n y supplementary questions?
Nana Amoakoh 12:10 p.m.
Madam Speaker,
may I ask the Hon Minister when will work start on kilometre 4 to 9?
Mr J. K. Gidisu 12:10 p.m.
Madam Speaker, we
have just advertised and the procurement process is in motion. But the additional information I would want to give is that luckily, we have secured a facility which would soon come before the House before we rise, for the construction of a new
bridge on the River Pra, that is, the Twifo- Praso end of the road, which will equally be part of the rehabilitation of that road. So I am hoping that when it comes before the House, the Hon Colleague would rally round to give it that support.
Nana Amoakoh 12:10 p.m.
Madam Speaker,
may I also ask the Hon Minister when will the kilometres 9 to 34 be upgraded to bituminous surfacing? [Interruption.] When will the rest, which is - [Pause] - In case the Hon Minister was not listening, I would want to know when the kilometre 9 to 34 be up-graded to bituminous surfacing.
Mr J.K. Gidisu 12:10 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I noted that this will be taken alongside other programmes after we complete the current phases that they are working on. Madam Speaker, the situation is that we are working around some other facilities. For example, this is a very important corridor in the cocoa - growing area and we are in high discussions with the COCOBOD to assist us with part of their syndicated loans. If we are through with this, that road will be captured as one of those roads that will be brought up.
Nana Amoakoh 12:10 p.m.
Let me ask the last
Madam Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Oh, thank you.
Sorry - your third question?
Nana Amoakoh 12:10 p.m.
Madam Speaker,
may I ask the Hon Minister, can he assure this House that at least, we would have this road tarred this year?
Madam Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Did you hear the
question?
Mr J.K. Gidisu 12:10 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I cannot give that assurance. But those phases that have been awarded, I can assure him that adequate budgetary provisions have been made to take care
of them after which we will move to the other sections.
Mr George K. Arthur 12:10 p.m.
Madam
Speaker, I know before the contractor goes to site, he is given some amount, which is the mobilization. But the contractor was only able to finish 0.8 per cent of the contract. May I know whether the mobilization given to the contractor was not more than the work he did?
Madam Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Did you understand
the question? Hon Member, can we get the question again?
Mr G. K. Arthur 12:10 p.m.
Madam Speaker,
my question is, before the contractor goes to site, he is given some money, which is the mobilization, to start the work with. And this contractor was only able to finish 0.8 per cent of the contract and I wanted to know whether the money given to the contractor as mobilization was not more than the work he did.
Madam Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Hon Minister, I did not see the “0.8” part, but you answered it. Yes, what do you say to that question?
Mr J.K. Gidisu 12:10 p.m.
Madam Speaker, it is
not always that we give the mobilization to contractors before they move to site. But as I noted, that is the situation that we are handling. So the work is going to be - we will make sure that it is completed.
Mr John Gyetuah 12:10 p.m.
Madam Speaker,
as stated in the Answer to this Question, with regard to termination of contracts due to non-performance, may I find out from the Hon Minister whether there is a sanction for such contractors in the Ministry?
Madam Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Yes, Hon Minister, he asks, when they are terminated, is there a sanction for the contractor?
Mr J.K. Gidisu 12:10 p.m.
Madam Speaker,
invariably there are sanctions. The first sanction is to terminate the contract and thereafter, if he would get any other contract with the Ministry, he should demonstrate beyond all reasonable doubts that he would not go back to those things that might have necessitated against the previous contract.
Assikuma-Aboabo Road (Tarring)
Q. 334. Nana Amoakoh asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when the Assikuma - Aboabo road in the Upper Denkyira East Constituency, which was the main road network linking these two major towns in the Upper Denkyira East District, but currently in a deplorable state would be tarred.
Mr J.K. Gidisu 12:10 p.m.
Madam Speaker,
Asikuma Aboabo is a gravel surfaced road of 41kilometres in length. The road is in a fair condition.
Kilometre 0 10 was re-gravelled in 2009. Kilometre10 to 20 was awarded for re-gravelling but subsequently terminated due to non-performance of the contractor.
Current Programme
Kilometre 10 to 36 is currently being re-shaped under the GHA's 2009/2010 routine maintenance programme.
Kilometre 36 to 41 is being upgraded to bituminous surfacing. The progress of work is about 67 per cent completed.
Future Programme
Kilometre 10 to 36 will be re-gravelled under the GHA's 2011 maintenance programme. The entire stretch will thereafter be programmed for upgrading (tarring).
Nana Amoakoh 12:10 p.m.
Madam Speaker, may I ask of the Hon Minister, in his Answer, he said the road, kilometres 10 to 36 is currently being re-shaped. I would want to know when did the re-shaping start or take place.
Mr J.K. Gidisu 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, it is a process. After the procurement and the award of the contract, the contractor is supposed to move to site and for that matter, we would want our Colleague Hon Members of Parliament to help us monitor these situations. Unless he has a contrary view, our information is that the contractor is on site and re-shaping the road.
Nana Amoakoh 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker,
may I ask the Hon Minister when will kilometre10 to 36 be considered for bitumen surfacing?
Madam Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Hon Minister, did
you get the question?
Hon Member, the question again.
Nana Amoakoh 12:20 p.m.
I asked, when will kilometre 10 to 36 be considered for bitumen surfacing?
Mr J.K. Gidisu 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I
think we should not always think that the surfacing of a road to bitumen or asphalt level is the best for us in order to ensure an all - weather road. At the appropriate time, we may have the bitumen surfacing. But for now, that is part of our efforts to make that road motorable and when funds are available, we would get to that.
Madam Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Your third question?
Nana Amoakoh 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker,
may I ask the Hon Minister, if he is saying the tarring of bitumen is not the best, why is it that they keep on tarring half of the four kilometres and leave the rest? If it is not the best, then they should leave the whole thing.
Madam Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Is it a question? Put
it in a question form.
Nana Amoakoh 12:20 p.m.
The Hon Minister
said it is not the best when we always want the road to be trarred. And I asked him as an Hon Minister, why do they keep on tarring half of the road and leaving the rest?
Mr J.K. Gidisu 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I
noted that it is not always possible and for that matter, the best we can do to all roads -- What is very important is to make the road motorable. A well - gravelled road could equally be motorable all year round. And for that matter, I am not retreating from the fact that bitumen surfaced roads are better. But in terms of our economy and other constraints, we can only phase them out as we are doing.
Madam Speaker 12:20 p.m.
I think you would ask the next Question too.
Dunkwa Kondokrom Road (Tarring)
*334. Nana Amoakoh asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when the Dunkwa - Kondokrom road in the Upper Denkyira East Constituency, which was the main road network linking these two major towns in the Upper Denkyira East District would be tarred.
Mr Joe K. Gidisu 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the Dunkwa Kondokrom road is 17.4kilometres long. It is located in the Upper Denkyira East District in the Central Region. It is engineered and in a fair condition.
The road has been programmed for upgrading to bituminous surface in phases. The first phase of the project which covers the first 7.0 kilometres section of the road was awarded in 2005 for bitumen surface treatment under International Development Association's (IDA`s) funding support. However, the contract was terminated in 2007 due to non-
performance by the contractor. Prior to the termination of the contract, the contractor had only completed clearing works. This constituted about 0.8 per cent of physical works of the contract.
Future programme
The outstanding works of Phase1 of the contract has been re-packaged for re- award in 2011.
However, the upgrading of the remaining section of the road, which is about 10.4 kilometres would be considered alongside others when planning for future upgrading programmes.
Meanwhile, the entire road will continue to receive routine maintenance.
Nana Amoakoh 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, may I ask the Hon Minister for Roads and Highways, in a layman's view, what does he mean when he says the road is engineered and in a fair condition?
Mr J.K. Gidisu 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, an engineered road is a road which has its culverts and drainage system in place awaiting further development.
Nana Amoakoh 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker,
may I ask the Hon Minister if he is sure this road is engineered and in a fair condition?
Madam Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Yes, that is the question; are you sure?
Mr J.K. Gidisu 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, that is the basis upon which it has been awarded for bitumen surface dressing. Otherwise, we would not have raised it to that level and for that matter, it is engineered.
Madam Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Your third question?
Nana Amoakoh 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, in
the Hon Minister's Answer, he said the Phase 1 of the road had been re-packaged for re-award in 2011. Does it mean that in 2011, we will see the road being bituminous or what?
Madam Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Hon Minister, did you get the question?
Hon Member, can the Hon Minister have the question again?
Nana Amoakoh 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, in the Hon Minister's Answer, he said the Phase 1 of the road has been re-packaged for re-award in 2011. I want to know from him whether it will be bituminous or not.
Mr J.K. Gidisu 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, yes, that is the ultimate objective.
Madam Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Thank you.
The next Question stands in the name of Hon Benito Owusu-Bio, Hon Member for Atwima - Nwabiagya.
Hon Member, put your Question now.
Atwima Abuakwa and Asenemaso Town Roads
(Construction)
*336. Mr Benito Owusu-Bio asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when Atwima Abuakwa and Asenemaso town roads would be constructed in the Atwima - Nwabiagya Constituency.
Mr Joe K. Gidisu 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the Atwima Abuakwa town roads and Asenemaso town roads are located in the Atwima - Nwabiagya District in the Ashanti Region. The roads are un- engineered.
Future programme
Engineering studies would be carried
out on these town roads this year. After the studies, these town roads will be considered alongside others for bituminous surface treatment in future.
Mr Owusu-Bio 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, would the Hon Minister try prioritising Abuakwa and Asenemaso town roads? Because this is a very, very populated area in the Ashanti Region, comprising a population of almost over 60,000. And if the roads are not engineered, then it is a bad issue. So, if he can, at least, agree that he is going to prioritise the construction of those roads --
Mr J.K. Gidisu 12:20 p.m.
Madam Speaker, there are many towns in the Ashanti Region whose roads have not even been identified for re-engineering or for engineering. And I am assuring him that the roads have been captured for engineering works this year. So, it is a very humble beginning, giving it that priority that one would have expected.
Madam Speaker 12:20 p.m.
Hon Member, your second question.
Mr Owusu-Bio 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister is aware that Abuakwa and Asenemaso, which I mentioned, currently, there are some road works there, which is the dualisation of the Sofo Line to Abuakwa Interchange. Would he agree that it would be necessary that at least, Abuakwa and Asenemaso town roads should be looked at alongside these constructions, otherwise -
Madam Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Did you finish with
your question? Hon Minister, did you get the question?
Mr Owusu-Bio 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I did not finish. -- Otherwise, very soon it is going to be very, very difficult when the construction of the dualisation gets
Mr J.K. Gidisu 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, my Hon Colleague knows the input of resources that is going on with the Sofo Line constructions and we can only phase out these works. That is why I said for now, yes, the dualisation would be terminating there. But we can only start from engineering the town roads after which we would then be able to know the amount that would be involved so that we take it up in our subsequent budget.
So I can assure him that at the appropriate time, especially on the completion of the Sofo Line project, we would be getting closer to a more effective decision on how to ease the traffic that would be generated along the dual carriage.
Mr Owusu-Bio 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister said, on completion of the Sofo Line road -- But then, I wanted him to be aware that the town roads need to be looked at alongside the construction of the dualisation, otherwise, there is going to be a serious traffic jam over there, especially with the traffic from Sefwi all the way through Ashanti. Also that from Ahafo --[Interruptions] - the Hon Member for Juaboso, Mr Ahi's constituency, traffic from there -- That is their road. [Interruptions.]
Madam Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Order! Order! Hon Minister, he was bringing a matter to your attention.
Mr J. K. Gidisu 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I have taken note and will consider it alongside the other commitments.
Madam Speaker 12:30 p.m.
The next Question
is standing in the name of the Hon Member for Atwima - Mponua, Mr Isaac Kwame Asiamah.
Mr Owusu-Bio 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, my twin Brother, Mr Asiamah is absent with permission and as a result, he has asked me to ask the Question on his behalf - [Interruption.] He travelled with President Mills - [Laughter.]
Paving and Tarring of Mpasatia Town Roads
Q 337. Mr Benito Owusu-Bio (on behalf of Mr Isaac Kwame Asiamah) asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when the paving and tarring of Mpasatia town roads would commence.
Mr Joe K. Gidisu 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the Mpasatia town is one of the major towns in the Atwima-Mponua District of the Ashanti Region. The roads in the town are not engineered like the Abuakwa town roads. Engineering studies would be carried out on this town road for consideration under bituminous surface treatment in our future programmes.
Mr Owusu-Bio 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I want to ask the Hon Minister when the engineering studies would be done, because there is no time specific on that.
Mr J.K. Gidisu 12:30 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I had noted that it was part of our future programme. If we are doing the nearby towns in the Abuakwa area, definitely, we would have to phase it out so that we spread out in a way not to destabilise the development pattern.
But I can assure him that we will take that on board. But one would have to be circumspect when looking at these town roads against some of the major feeder roads in the same catchment area
Madam Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon Minister, we thank you very much for coming to answer our Questions.
We move on to Public Business.
12.37p.m. [MR FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER IN
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Hon Majority Chief Whip, I promised taking a Motion early today. Is that item (7)?
Mr Gershon K. B. Gbediame 12:30 p.m.
Mr Speaker, item (7).
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:30 p.m.
But let us lay those Papers first.
Mr Gbediame 12:30 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Paper is not yet ready. So I wish to crave your indulgence for it to be deferred.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:30 p.m.
Very well. Hon Members, item (7) on the Order Paper.
MOTIONS 12:40 p.m.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr James K. Avedzi) 12:40 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the 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
Chairman of the Committee (Mr James K. Avedzi) 12:40 p.m.
in Ghana.
Mr Speaker, in doing so, I submit your Committee's Report.
Introduction
The Credit Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and BNP Paribas, United Kingdom Branch, for an amount of seventeen million, six hundred and eighty-seven thousand, fifty eight euros and fifty-one cents (€17,687,058.51) for the supply, installation and operation of Vessel Traffic Management Information System (VTMIS) for Coastal Surveillance in Ghana was laid in the House on Wednesday, 16th June, 2010 in accordance with article 181 of the Constitution.
Pursuant to Order 171 (1) of the Standing Orders of the House, the Agreement was referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and report.
The Committee met and considered
the Agreement with the Minister for Transport, Hon Mike Hammah, Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Hon Seth Terkpeh and technical teams from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Ministry of Transport and the Ghana Maritime Authority and presents this Report.
2.0 Background
Ghana has a coastline of about 537 kilometres long. This coastline lies along the Gulf of Guinea, which has vast oil deposits. Exploitation of Ghana's oil deposits off Cape Three Points is scheduled to begin soon and it is imperative that measures are put in place to protect the oil platforms and other offshore installations. While oil exploration is currently underway within the 200 nautical miles Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the EEZ is currently not under any form of surveillance.
Ghana has vibrant fishing and tourism industries which need to be protected from unlawful maritime activities and

environmental degradation. The country also has navigational channels traversing our coastal waters, which form part of the Gulf of Guinea shipping corridor with vessels visiting our seaports and offshore terminals.

Against this backdrop, it has become necessary for the Ghana Maritime Authority through the Ministry of Transport to initiate a project to procure, install and operate a Vessel Traffic Management Information System (VTMIS) to ensure electronic and physical surveillance and monitoring of Ghanaian coastal waters.

Purpose of the Loan

The purpose of the Agreement is to obtain funds for the acquisition, installation and operation of a Vessel Traffic Management Information System (VTMIS) for both electronic and physical coastal surveillance and monitoring in Ghana.

Terms of the Credit

The terms of the Credit Agreement are as follows:

Total contract Amount -- €16.626 million
LOAN 12:40 p.m.
A M O U N T - - 12:40 p.m.
Dr Anthony A. Osei (NPP - Old Tafo) 12:40 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the motion. Mr Speaker, even though this is a financing agreement, the project is a very technical one, so I will not go into the technical area and allow those who are competent to interrogate that matter, talk about it. I want to speak strictly on the financing terms.
Mr Speaker, if we heard the Chairman correctly, the interest rate is zero and the obvious question is, how come that a commercial bank such as BNP Paribas can afford to give a loan at zero interest rate? And the answer is fairly simple. The Finland Government is bearing the cost of the interest and in that way, the lender, BNP Paribas can afford not to charge interest. You will notice that it is a sole source thing, so a Finnish company will also be doing it. And the Finnish State Insurance Company, Fin Vera is the one that is providing insurance. In essence, this is a drive to help the export orientation of Finnish companies.
So it is not surprising that it has this grant element of 36.29. I, however believe that in the light of the needs having discovered oil, such a system is needed and I urge all Hon Members to support the loan.
I thank you.
Question proposed.
Mr Alfred W. G. Abayateye (NDC
- Sege): Thank you Mr Speaker, for the opportunity. In our deliberations with the technical people, we were told and assured upon our request, the need for these surveillance machines.
The technical people made us to be aware that they would work hand-in
-hand with the Navy, the Air Force, more or less, our whole coastal thing is going to be under strict surveillance with these machines. So wherever someone is penetrating in, it will be noted. We realised also that this was long overdue. We need to have got these machines long ago to help to protect our areas.
Again, as the oil exploration is on, the things happening in other countries, pirates and those going to break pipes and all those things, to set fire to -- with these machines going to be installed, they will help us track and mark down infiltrators who will try to distroy our things. As my Colleague who spoke earlier said, the Finnish company will be assisting in all that, since the zero per cent interest rate --
So it is something which is really good for us and I will just have to say that we encourage all, to put our weight behind it and let it go through so that we can make use of it and then it will be in the best interest of the nation.
With these few words, I urge all Hon Members to let it go through.
Thank you very much.
Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah (NPP - Afigya-Sekyere West) 12:50 p.m.
Mr Speaker, there is certainly no doubt that there is a very urgent need for such an equipment. Mr Speaker, as rightly captured in the Report, Ghana has a coastline of well over 500 kilometres long. The policing of a coastline that long, offers tremendous challenges, and clearly, we need to apply modern technology such as this equipment to assist us to be able to do that.
Mr Speaker, the technology being proposed is, in fact, an advanced and a very sophisticated management information system. At the Ministry of Communications, I know we have
assembled a group of experts in computerized systems.
I think it must be considered totally unacceptable for any Ministry to try to purchase an equipment which relies so much on technology without involving the Ministry of Communications rather actively because that is where the experts really are.
And yet, my information is that, at least, as far as the Ministry of Communications is concerned, there has not been any such active collaboration. Indeed, Mr Speaker, in giving approval to this particular request, Cabinet did indicate, in fact, they directed, Cabinet directed that the Ministry should liaise with all collaborating institutions to clearly define areas of collaboration and partnership to avoid duplication of efforts.
Mr Speaker, there is no record either in the memorandum from the Ministry nor from the Committee's Report that this has been done. At least, at the time that the approval was given at the Cabinet level, these consultations had not been done and it was important that the memorandum from the Ministry or the Committee's Report should assure this House that these necessary consultations had been done.
Mr Speaker, this is an equipment, as captured in the Report, to serve the needs of say, the Fisheries Department of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. The national security needs of the Ministry of the Interior and even more significantly, the Ministry of Defence. Mr Speaker, again, there is no record what consultations they have had with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the Ministry of the Interior nor the Ministry of Defence.

Under these circumstances, one is unable to assure himself that the peculiar
Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah (NPP - Afigya-Sekyere West) 12:50 p.m.


specifications of these agencies have been correctly captured in the final specifications that have been given to the suppliers.

Mr Speaker, the purchase of this equipment is not entirely new. It was initiated, as the records will show, by Hon Mrs Gladys Asmah, when she was the Minister for Fisheries. I know about this project because when it did come to Cabinet, just as the present Cabinet has done, the President directed that it should go back for the various Ministries involved to Consult and collaborate.

I do not have any evidence that this has been done and indeed, if this has not been done and if there is no record of it, much as this equipment is necessary, can we, for the sake of the country, have the Ministry of Communications coming to confirm that “yes, we are going to buy an advanced sophisticated management information system and that the experts and we assure you, we do have experts at the Ministry of Communications.”? Can they come and give us a certificate of a sort to indicate that that has been done?

The equipment would be used; the Defence using it to monitor, to police and to defend the country will be the basic responsibility of the Navy. To what extent have their peculiar specification been captured in the final specification that is going into the acquisition of this?

So, much as I congratulate the Minister

for coming up with this, I think it is long overdue. I think we need it and all the good reasons have been given in the Committee's Report why we should rush to buy it.

But I think the need for the users to be sufficiently consulted so that they would be able to assure this House -- the amount is huge; it is important that they come to assure us that yes, their
Alhaji Seidu Amadu 1 a.m.
(NDC - Yapei/
Kusawgu): Mr Speaker, there is no doubt in the minds of everybody or for that matter, anybody that this is a very good loan facility that needs the support of Parliament.
Mr Speaker, if we look at the volume of traffic, in fact, sea traffic for that matter, between Ghana or the West African Coast and the Southern African Coast, is very, very heavy.
Again, Mr Speaker, if we also take
into consideration, the recent find of oil in several countries in West Africa, it is now going to increase the volume of sea traffic and for our coastal waters to be left without this type of equipment to police the maritime regime, is indeed, very bad. It is in the light of this that I support the entire Report of the Committee.
from supporting the local fishing industry, it is also going to help in the movement of international vessels.
Most often than not, when the weather is not properly read and one goes to sea and there is storm, then one is exposed to all the dangers and sometimes the accidents that lead to death, loss of life and property. So this equipment is going to help also in warning vessels and that would help to prevent unnecessary loss of life arising out of storms that people normally get caught in when they go out to sea.
So, it is good for us to have this facility in place and I believe that it is going to improve the situation in Ghana to put us on the international map, that yes, we have also matured and that we have the capacity and capability of protecting our coastal waters and above all, assisting the international community to maintain stability as far as sea voyage is concerned.
It is in this regard that Mr Speaker, I want to support this particular Report of the Committee of Finance.
Prof. George Y. Gyan-Baffour (NPP
- Wenchi): Mr Speaker, I also rise to support this Motion. Notwithstanding the urgency associated with this project and the cheapness of the loan, that is, zero per cent interest rate and of course, a grant element of 36.2 per cent, we have to be very careful with offers like this.

Mr Speaker, recently, Morocco has

given an indication to build a new harbour in Morocco, which means that interest is likely to be generated as a result of many ships that might be going there picking traffic between Europe, Morocco, West Africa and then South Africa. But what is of concern to me is the possibility of increased piracy activities. If we look at Somalia, it is because of the absence of these facilities that pirates in Somalia have taken undue advantage and are tormenting seafarers and I do not think that those of us in West Africa should sit down until piracy activities start before we take action.

Mr Speaker, the discovery of oil also

in the country, is another motivation that is likely to increase traffic and we need to protect our coastal waters as stated in this particular Report.

Mr Speaker, one other interesting thing

is that, recent reports about this country have not been very good in terms of smuggling of narcotic drugs from Latin America to Europe. West Africa has been identified as the new transit route for the transport of narcotic drugs to Europe and I think that if we are able to acquire these facilities and use that to monitor movement of vessels, it is going to help the international community to stem the tide of movement of narcotic drugs. That is why it is very, very important that as a country, we need these facilities to be able to carry that particular assignment to save the world from unnecessary destruction arising out of the usage of this type of narcotic drugs.

But Mr Speaker, one other interesting

thing has to do with weather warning. The equipment that is going to be installed also has the capability to give weather reports and I think this is really very good. Apart
Dr A.A. Osei 1 a.m.
Mr Speaker, information to my Hon Colleagues. Our laws, the procurement law automatically says that if it is sole source, there must be a value-- for- money audit.
Mr Gyan-Baffour 1 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I
agree with that but the point is that when even the law allows that and you are not very careful with it, you will end up not really doing a very good job in ensuring that you get the right prices for the products.
They are usually, in cases like this, where you have zero interest, where they want to make up for the cost of the loan, so, we have to be very careful when we are looking at the value - for - money audit to ensure that you do not really compensate the zero interest with a higher cost of the project.
In fact, in this particular case, I would wish that even if we are informing the agency that is responsible for the value-- for - money audit, it should not be limited to just Finland but across the entire globe to ensure that the prices that they are giving us are the prices that are actually competitive in the world market.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mrs Gifty E. Kusi (NPP-Tarkwa) 1 a.m.
Mr Speaker, on page 1 of the Committee's Report, paragraph 3 (3), they said that when they were the considering this Agreement, there were the Minister for Transport, then the Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning and Ghana Maritime Authority. But when you look at page 5 of the memorandum, institutions have been mentioned here and they are more than three. Ghana Navy, Narcotics Control Board, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, National Security Agency, Fisheries Commission, Customs, Excise and Preventive Services,
Mrs Gifty E. Kusi (NPP-Tarkwa) 1 a.m.


West African Gas Pipeline and so forth and so on.

I expected that the Committee would have invited representatives of these institutions that have been mentioned in the memorandum to ascertain from them their views on the installation of such an important equipment. So, I would urge that the Committee invites these people to bring memoranda so that they will enrich their Report.

It may mean that these consultations were not done and I do not think it will be prudent for the House to accept this. Parliament is an institution that is supposed to do thorough work and I think that we need the work to be done thoroughly. If these institutions have not been consulted, we need to do that.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1 a.m.
I was going to call the Hon Minister to respond to the issues raised by Hon Kan-Dapaah and Hon Gifty Kusi, then I would decide whether to put the Question or not. This is because if the Cabinet memorandum itself submitted to this House, certain things should be done to avoid duplication of efforts and you have not told the House whether that has been done before the loan was brought, I think it is a very legitimate point that we have to consider so that tomorrow another organisation does not go and say that they are also going to acquire the same facility at the expense of the taxpayer.
So, I want to hear from the Hon Minister whether he has complied with the Cabinet directive.
Mr Hammah 1 a.m.
Mr Speaker, first of
all, let me thank Hon Members for a very healthy and constructive debate. But as you said, I would want to address a few concerns that were raised by Hon Members, particularly, with regard to the consultation that has to be done at the
inter-Ministerial level.
Yes, it was done because this is an issue that is cross-cutting. There are other agencies involved; like the Navy, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Narcotics Drug Board. So, right from the beginning of the whole process, we had a committee that looked at it.
Eventua l ly, we submit ted the memorandum to Cabinet, which was approved and then it was brought to Parliament. So it is not true that there were not broad consultations. There were broad consultations. As a matter of fact, it got to a point where the Navy felt that -
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1 a.m.
Hon
Minister, did you read the letter? You have made this Cabinet memorandum available to this House. You have attached it to your memorandum to Cabinet. So once you have made it available to us, we want to find out from you, the point being made which is very legitimate --
In order to avoid duplication of efforts, you are supposed to liaise with certain institutions, to collaborate with them, so if you have done it before the approval is coming, why did they put it in the letter? So, tell us at what stage you did it, was it before or after the approval?
Mr Hammah 1 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I said
Mrs Kusi 1 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I never said that the Ministry did not do it. I am talking about the committee of Parliament. I am not saying that he did not do the consultation; I am talking about the committee of Parliament, when the Paper has been laid in Parliament, the Committee has to do its own research and find out. I am not saying that the Ministry did not do that. No!
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1 a.m.
Hon
Members, the essence of the consultation or the collaboration came from the Cabinet memorandum which the Hon Kan-Dapaah has rightly raised and referred to. Now, the question being posed, the point that he is raising is that, if that has been done before Cabinet approved it, then why did the Cabinet put it in its own memorandum dated 16th March, 2010, which you, as the Minister, made available to this House.
If you have done those collaborations, then what is the need for them to put it on the day that they gave the approval to you? They would have noticed, and they would have taken note that the collaboration had already been done and there would not have been the need for them to put this thing here. This is the point that they are raising and that is what I want you to explain.
Mr Hammah 1 a.m.
Mr Speaker, my explanation is that at the Cabinet level, we had a problem because the Navy felt that it was a system that will come under the Ministry of Defence but we agreed that the vulnerability and threat assessment at the Ghana Armed Forces level was quite different at the commercial level. We were concerned with the commercial operations.
So, the agreement was that, fine, this is a very important system and we cannot wait for the vulnerability and threat assessment to be done at the Ghana Armed
Mr Hammah 1 a.m.


Forces level, in which case, we think that the system that has to be considered is quite huge. So, Cabinet agreed that while we wait for the Navy to come out with the holistic one, which addresses issues that concern the territorial integrity of this nation, this system should be allowed to go on.

This system should be allowed because it is a purely commercial system and as it is said before, it tracks commercial vessels -- The movement of vessels on our coast, real time meteorological and navigational information that has to be given. So, I agree with them but then there are two systems that we are talking about.

This one is purely a commercial maritime system and then the Navy and the Ghana Armed Forces, they are also coming up with another system which can be fully integrated into this.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1 a.m.
I do not
want to join and I do not want to enter the fray. But you see, you have submitted this document to this House. And in taking the decision to approve or not to approve, Cabinet memorandum is very, very important in these matters.
The Cabinet memorandum, paragraph 4, which had been referred to but Hon Kan- Dapaah says Cabinet also directed you, your Ministry is to liaise with all collaborating institutions, to clearly define areas of collaboration and partnership to avoid duplication of efforts. That is what the Hon Kan-Dapaah referred to in his submission. It is now your duty to tell the House that I have done it and so these are the defined areas of collaboration and partnership. So, you should tell the House.
Mr Hammah 1 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I do not
Mr J.B. Aidoo 1:10 p.m.
Mr Speaker, your question to the Hon Minister is very legitimate. If Cabinet had been informed that the initial collaboration had been done, why did Cabinet request the Hon Minister to do some consultation with the other agencies and institutions? Why did Cabinet put that request in the letter to the Hon Minister? Clear that for us.
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:10 p.m.
Hon Kan-
Dapaah, you have spoken already.
Mr Hammah 1:10 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think that
I was explaining that, yes, Cabinet said we should consult other relevant agencies. As a matter of fact, I even had a consultation with the Navy because thereafter, we had a meeting at the Naval head office and it was at that meeting we all agreed that if we look at the threat and vulnerability assessment from the perspective of purely commercial activities and the perspective of aggression, that is, the attack on our territorial integrity, then this system must go because we do not have time on our
Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu 1:10 p.m.
Mr Speaker,
I think the issue you are trying to draw the Hon Minister's attention to is, Cabinet gave a direction, if the direction has been complied with, it should reflect in the Report we are being called upon to approve.
The explanation he is offering may
be, as indeed, it is but they do not appear in this Report. So we are being called upon --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:10 p.m.
Hon Osei-
Owusu, there is no need for it to appear in the Report because in actual fact, we are more interested in the term sheet. We are more interested in the terms and the conditions under the Loans Act and the various relevant provisions of the Constitution, that is the main mandate of the Finance Committee.
But normally, the practice of the House is that, they attach Cabinet approval to the memorandum from the Ministry. So, we want to be sure what Cabinet has directed -- what Cabinet has approved.
So, if it is not in the Committee's Report, at least, the Hon Minister should be able to tell the House that this is what he has done after the Cabinet approval. Then everybody, Hon Kan-Dapaah who raised the issue would be very clear in his mind; everybody will be clear that the Ministry has complied with the Cabinet directive as a basis for us to have our way to put the Question.
Mr Osei-Owusu 1:10 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thought that if it had been done, he would report to the Committee. If it has not been reported to the Committee, he would probably provide it to the House. But neither is present and that is the issue you are asking us to address now.
Mr Hammah 1:10 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it has been done. What I am saying is that, we met all the stakeholders and even during the consultations, some of them felt that we needed an active monitor but when we agreed, they realised that, no, they only needed a passive monitor. So the consultation has been done, Mr Speaker.
Cabinet directed that we should do this
further and we have done it.
Mr Avedzi 1:10 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we have
information in the Report that shows the collaboration between the Ministry and other stakeholders.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:10 p.m.
Which
page of the Committee's Report?
Mr Avedzi 1:10 p.m.
Mr Speaker, page 4 of 6,
paragraph 3, and with your permission, if I may quote:
“Under the project , display screens showing vessel traffic would be provided to all approved stakeholders including the National
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:10 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I do not think that what the Hon Chairman has read to us can in any way be construed to mean consultation at all.
The issue that was raised by the Hon Member for Afigya-Sekyere West is that, the discussion on this project was deferred for the very reason that we are raising the issue today, that there ought to have been greater collaboration between the various Ministries and agencies which required services from this unit and that is why in 2008, they stood it down.
But it is important that it is resurrected. Now, he was doing it, he wanted to do it and there was a Cabinet memorandum indicating that there ought to be collaboration. Then the Hon Minister gets up and says that right from the very outset, they have been doing that; that certainly, cannot be correct because if he were doing that, he would not be directed by the Cabinet memorandum to do that.
The information provided by the Hon Chairman of the Finance Committee really confuses the issue because it does not really answer anything at all, which is why
we need an emphatic pronouncement from the Hon Minister. If indeed, he has done the collaboration with them and if he has -- what he said earlier cannot stand any test of time because he said he started at the very outset.
If he had done so, the Cabinet memorandum would not be directing him to do that. And so, if he had done it thereafter, he should tell us he has done it, he did it on such a date at such an occasion and we would be satisfied. What he has said so far is really unsatisfactory, with respect to my Friend and Colleague, Hon Mike Hammah. He has not said anything, he has not provided any answer at all.
He should come better with further particulars and then we will be persuaded and convinced, if, indeed, we have to be.
Mr Speaker, it is one of the reasons that sometimes it becomes necessary to make referrals to joint committees. If we had, we would have realised that in this particular case, because the subject matter is very technical, we would not be dealing with only the Finance Committee, which would be talking about the terms and conditions of the Agreement. As for the terms and conditions, really, it cannot be faulted and I know in that way, nobody can fault the Finance Committee.
Beyond that curtain, is what we are concerned with and clearly, the Hon Minister responsible should come with further and better particulars to convince and persuade us. So far, so bad.
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:10 p.m.
Hon Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, I thought I saw you on your feet?
Mr Chireh 1:10 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Cabinet was advising that he should make sure
Dr A.A. Osei 1:10 p.m.
Mr Speaker, on a point of order.
Mr Chireh 1:10 p.m.
When I want to talk, this man does not want me to talk at all. What is the problem? What is it? Let me make my foolish contribution and then he brings in the correct one. Why does he want to do that, eh? [Interruption.] I have not said anything yet and he wants to raise a point of order. What is this?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:10 p.m.
Hon Dr
Akoto Osei, let us know - I will give you the chance because you are the Ranking Member.
Dr A. A. Osei 1:10 p.m.
Mr Speaker, on a point
of order. He is misleading this House. I know he is a Cabinet member.
Mr Speaker, you have the document in front of you, can you tell us if it is advisory? It is not advisory. It says “Cabinet has directed . ..” And he, a Cabinet member, is saying it is advisory; it is not advisory. Direction is not advisory, so he is misleading this House by saying that -- We should ignore the statement he made or assume that he was not in Cabinet that day. He should not say that it was advisory. [Interruption.] In Achimota. [Laughter.] In Achimota, the advisory --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:20 p.m.
Hon Members, the two of you cannot be on your feet at the same time.
Dr A. A. Osei 1:20 p.m.
I went to Achimota School, I do not know which school you went to. But in Achimota, “advisory”
does not mean direction. Direction is direct you do not have a choice in that matter.
Mr Chireh 1:20 p.m.
I am saying that Cabinet
can direct you to collaborate with other agencies so as not to bring about confusion in the implementation. “Direction” and “advisory”, if I direct you to do -- what is it supposed to be? It is supposed to implement this without any problem; other agencies also do similar things. So how can it be a difficult thing?
He has agreed and indicated what it is, so I do not know why he is saying the “direction” -- if the Cabinet directs you that in implementing this, ensure that you do this, is it not advice? A direction is in the way you implement it, so I really cannot see the point he is making. I am not misleading the House. I am just telling him that if Cabinet says do this, ensure this, ensure that, that is advisory.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:20 p.m.
Let me
hear from the Hon Johnfiah.
Mr Samuel Johnfiah 1:20 p.m.
Mr Speaker
I think this issue will be brought to rest when we look at the memorandum to Cabinet and the letter from Cabinet. The letter from Cabinet is dated 16th March, 2010. In that letter, it stated that there should be collaboration. It was asking the Hon Minister to do collaboration. But when you look at the memorandum that was presented by the Hon Minister to Parliament, that was on 24th May.
So I believe that the first memorandum to Cabinet did not indicate the consultation that has been done. It was thereafter that they were given the consultation and it was brought to Parliament.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:20 p.m.
Hon Member, I do not have the memorandum of the 24th May that you are referring to.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:20 p.m.


What did it say?
Mr Johnfiah 1:20 p.m.
I am talking about
the memorandum to Parliament dated 24th May, 2010. If you look at page 5 of the memorandum, paragraph 2, it is stating that all the relevant stakeholders, namely, the Ghana Maritime Authority, the Ghana Navy, Narcotics Control Board, et cetera were all consulted. This is what was indicated in the memorandum to Parliament.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:20 p.m.
Hon
Member, thank you for your intervention. Clearly, the 24th May memorandum, which the Hon Minister himself did not draw our attention to, seems to be quite revealing. Stakeholder consultation -- and it says that they met all the relevant stakeholders; they mentioned it there and that was all that we were asking the Hon Minister to tell the House. If he had drawn our attention to this memorandum after the Cabinet memorandum of March, it would have clarified the position.
Mr Kofi Frimpong 1:20 p.m.
Thank you, my good Friend Mr Speaker. [Interruption.]
Mr Speaker, hitherto, there was an argument between Hon Anthony Akoto Osei and the Hon Minister for Local Government and Rural Development on what a “directive” is and what “advice” is. Mr Speaker, with reference to my small dictionary here. -- [Interruptions] -- a “direction” is an official instruction; while, “advice” is a guidance or recommendation about future action.
One is a straightforward instruction and the other is a recommendation, which is optional. So “advice” is an optional instruction, while a “directive” is instructive. So Mr Speaker, there is difference between the two.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:20 p.m.
Hon Members, I was quiet when Hon Kan- Dapaah raised a very legitimate point -- Because if Cabinet approves something
to this House, subject to some conditions, those conditions have not been fulfilled; if in that process, we approve it and there is a problem, it is this House that has not done its work.
In view of this memorandum that our attention has been drawn to by the Hon Member, I think it has clarified the position.
Hon Kan-Dapaah, you raised the issue, let me hear from you.
Mr Kan-Dapaah 1:20 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I
think it will be in everybody's interest if we step this Motion down, and especially, in the interest of the Hon Minister.
As I said, there are two major issues. First of all, we are talking about a very sophisticated management information system. The consultations that they have had, I do know that there has been no such consultation with the experts at the Ministry of Communications. That is very serious; we should not go into the purchase of any management information system as sophisticated as this, without talking to the experts. That is my first point.
The second point is that, the Hon Minister says that following consultations with the Ministry of Defence, they have agreed that their specifications cannot be met in this particular one and that they are going ahead to purchase this, and the Ministry of Defence can purchase yet another one. That certainly was not the understanding of Cabinet when it was submitted. At that point, the belief was that you could get all the institutions to buy one equipment.
It now appears that they are going to have to buy theirs; the Ministry of Defence will buy another one. I do know that it is possible to get a system which will meet the specifications of all the institutions. So I think some further consultation will be necessary.

Mr Speaker, I speak with some passion, because as the former Minister for Defence, I presided over a meeting between the Navy and the Ministry of Fisheries at the time, about the acquisition of similar equipment. Nothing is going to be lost if we step this Motion down so that the Minister will have some further consultation.

First of all, consult the Ministry of Communications, it is absolutely important. He does not have those experts in management information systems at the Ministry of Transport. The management information system experts, for the Republic of Ghana, are at the Ministry of Communications. I do know that they have not been consulted.

Secondly, if you have now agreed after the Cabinet's directive --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:20 p.m.
Is it an
Mr Kan-Dapaah 1:20 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the
Hon Minister is a very close personal Friend and these days of accountability -- so many years after -- I am just giving him advice based on my own experience here. I know people have very, very strong views. It may be useful if we step it down even for one week for him to have those consultations, document them sufficiently, give them to the Committee and we can go ahead. One week only will not spoil anything. It may add a lot of good to the final document we would get and also to the image of the Hon Minister himself.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:20 p.m.
Hon
Minister, what do you say?
Mr Hammah 1:30 p.m.
Mr Speaker, an
impression that was made -- in the first case, there were broad consultations. As a matter of fact, we even had a technical committee after Cabinet sitting to look at all the cross-cutting issues, and we all agreed that this system was the best for us at a time.
I just want to assure you that it was the Navy, Narcotics Control Board, everybody was consulted when Cabinet directed that we had to do that consultation and it was made clear when the Hon Colleague from the other side did indicate to you the letter that we sent to Parliament.
I want to address that point that, when Cabinet directed, yes, we went ahead with the consultation, we formed the technical team, we brought all on board and we all agreed. All the stakeholders agreed that the system will serve their purpose, so I want to correct that.
Secondly, I think that the issues that
have been raised on the floor, I have taken concerns and notes of some of them. But I believe that time is not on our hands. The oil find that we have in the Western Region has very weighty implications on maritime safety, peace and security. So, given the fact that, as I speak to you now, the Floating, Processing, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) --
Mr Speaker, can you imagine that with all these maritime traffic, which is going to call at the FPSO and we do not have a system where we can have a real time, navigational and meteorological information. You can realise that we stand the danger of polluting our maritime environment and also compromising the safety and security of the platforms and then the ships that will call on us. So, I agree with him.
But Mr Speaker, I am saying that given
the exigency of the situation and the fact that these consultations have been done, I am sure and believe that this thing must go and the concerns that have been raised

will be taken on board and we will take them in the implementation of the project.
Mr Kan-Dapaah 1:30 p.m.
Mr Speaker, sorry if I am dragging this matter. The important point is that at the time Cabinet gave its directive, it was of the impression that we were going to buy one equipment which will serve the needs of all the stakeholders. We have since found out that that is not case, they are going to buy theirs, the Ministry of Defence is going to buy another one, this important information should be sent back to Cabinet. That is the first point.
Two, he is talking about the need for speed because we need to police the coastline because of the oil find and what not. The policing, the monitoring will be done by the Ministry of Defence, by the Navy. He himself has just told us that their needs cannot be captured here, so what is the rush for? Mr Speaker, it will be in everybody's interest - [Interruptions]-- Mr Speaker, I think I have made two points.
First of all, he needs to be able to
assure the House that he has consulted the Ministry of Communications; he keeps running away from that. And two, my understanding of the whole Report on the documentation is that, Parliament said yes, go and consult with these people so that the needs of the stakeholders can be taken on board.
Following their consultation, they have established that the needs of the Ministry of Defence and the Navy cannot be taken on board here. I think this is a significant development which ought to be reported back for them to know that no, it is not possible for us to collaborate and that we are going to buy €17 million equipment and they will come up with yet another €30 million equipment. But I am telling you, that from all that I learnt about this system when in office, I know that you can get a system which can incorporate all the

needs, all the specifications of the various stakeholders. He is not doing exactly what the Cabinet asked him to do.
Mr Alfred W. G. Abayateye 1:30 p.m.
Mr
Speaker, when we met, the technical people told us that what we are taking can cater for all and we have captured it in our Report. We have it on page 4 of 6, paragraph 4 which says:
“Under the project , display screens showing vessel traffic would be provided to all approved stakeholders including the National Security, the Ghana Navy, Narcotics Control Board and the Fisheries Commission to enable them monitor vessel traffic.”
Mr Speaker, under the project, all stakeholders are being catered for.
Mr Kan-Dapaah 1:30 p.m.
Mr Speaker, on a point of information. This was the Report or an assertion by the technical experts of the Ministry of Transport. Did he care to find out from the other Ministries whether in fact, their needs have been taken care of?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:30 p.m.
Hon Deputy Majority Leader, let me hear from you and then we get some direction as to the way forward.
Mr Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo 1:30 p.m.
Mr
Speaker, when Hon Kan-Dapaah raised his issues, I saw with him and I realised that he was making a point. But upon further revelations coming on about consultations being done, I suppose that we should give the Hon Minister the benefit of the doubt, that he has done enough consultations, so that he would also be urged to further take his concerns on board.
This is because, this is about Ghana and it is about security. So I think that
what he is saying is logical. But if we can give the Hon Minister the benefit of the doubt, so we can have this thing done, it will help us all.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:30 p.m.
Hon Minister, what assurance are you giving to this House? It is for you to give an assurance to the House because they are going to vote for you on the Motion. So that if they are convinced with your assurance or certain undertaking, then we can make progress.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:30 p.m.
Mr
Speaker, I think before the Hon Minister comes with his potful of assurance which he is standing by to give, the weight of the Hon Minister's answer is that because of the arrival of the vessel, the nation cannot wait. We need to do this business as early as possible to offer some security to the vessel itself, that is important.
But Mr Speaker, it is not only for this; he knows that the gas pipeline is one of the issues that are going to be considered and of course, the pipeline has been with us for a very long time, so it cannot be the prime consideration. We are waiting his assurance but please, he should be reminded that he will live with the assurance.
Mr Hammah 1:30 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I want to assure this Honourable House that everything that has to be done to ensure that this system we are going to install, serve the purpose for which it is intended. All the stakeholders, as I said before, were consulted. We actually had a technical team where they were all on board and the Navy even agreed that what we are going to install in the interim was all right because it is something that can be adapted in future.
Mr Hammah 1:30 p.m.


So, I want to assure this Honourable

House that all stakeholders actually agreed at the technical meeting that this system is all right, it will serve their purposes. Those who wanted an active monitor instead of a passive monitor, we all sorted them out. So, Mr Speaker, I want to assure this House that, this system will work and it will serve the purpose for which it is intended.

On this note, Mr Speaker, I would

want to call on this Honourable House to - I want to thank the House so much for a very, very constructive and healthy debate and I want to assure them that all the concerns that have been raised will be taken on board.

On this note, I want to thank Hon Members.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:30 p.m.
Hon
Members, that brings us to the end of the debate.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:30 p.m.
But I will suggest that the Finance Committee and the Committee on Roads and Transport try to liaise with the Hon Minister and report to this House at the appropriate time. There are some serious issues that have been raised and the assurances that have been given are actually being done in the interest of this country.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:30 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think that now that the vote has been taken, one cannot really raise any issues. Except that when the Hon Minister said, when an issue is raised about the capacity of the instrument -- and we are saying that the Ministry of Defence is saying that well, their interest cannot be catered for by this, the Hon Minister now said that “we have taken everything on board.” What is the import of it? But of course, the vote has been taken.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:40 p.m.
This shows that no Motion is cheap, no Motion is easy. You might think that the Committee has brought -- making recommendations but somebody will look at some clause somewhere and raise an issue. But this is a very interesting debate and I think we should all learn our lessons from this.
Hon Members, item 8 on the Order
Paper - Minister for Finance and Economic Planning?
Pelpuo: Mr Speaker, the Deputy
Minister for Finance and Economic Planning is here to stand in for the Minister because of the unavoidable absence of the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, and we are seeking permission for him to do so on his behalf.
Mrs Gifty E. Kusi 1:40 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I
do not think we have the numbers for the Resolution.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:40 p.m.
Hon
Member, you know the rule is that if you want to raise a question of quorum, you should raise it, then we have ten minutes within which to operate. After the ten minutes, then we take a final decision.
Hon Minority Leader, they are asking
for the Hon Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning to deputise for his boss. What do you say?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:40 p.m.
Mr
Speaker, the Deputy Minority Whip has raised a different issue entirely. As for the Deputy Minister standing in for the substantive Minister, Mr Speaker, we do not have any quarrel at all with that. But I would suggest that the distance that we
have travelled, we appeal to Colleagues to allow us to conclude just this one. Mr Speaker, because I know, if we want to be technical, then perhaps, we would even question the vote that we just cast.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:40 p.m.
Hon
Minority Leader, you know, do not go there - [Laughter.] You know when you do that - if you do that - if you are talking about going technical -
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:40 p.m.
Absolutely, Mr Speaker. I agree that if we want to, maybe, unravel whatever -- the consequences may not be good. So I will appeal to my Colleague to allow for the transaction and conclusion of business in respect of what is before us now. It is a genuine appeal.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:40 p.m.
Hon
Members, let me -- [Pause] -- Hon Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning?
RESOLUTIONS 1:40 p.m.
THIS HONOURABLE HOUSE 1:40 p.m.
H E R E B Y R E S O LV E S A S 1:40 p.m.
Mr James K. Avedzi 1:40 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I
beg to second the motion.
Dr A. A Osei 1:40 p.m.
Mr Speaker, on a
point of - I do not think we completed Motion No 7. We debated but we have not formally adopted the Report -- [Interruption] - Are you sure?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:40 p.m.
We
have -- yes. I put the Question and I pronounced on it, Ayes. You have been infected by Hon Kan-Dapaah today.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:40 p.m.
Hon
Members, at this stage, I want to be advised by the Leaders.
Mr Pelpuo 1:40 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think
within the space of the ten minutes if we could take Motion number 9 and then after the ten minutes, if we do not have the quorum -- [Interruptions] -- All right.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:40 p.m.
Who told
you that?
Mr Pelpuo 1:40 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think that within the space of time we have now, can we take Motion number 9?
Internatioanl Convention On Maritime
Search And Rescue, 1979
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Michael C. Boampong) 1:40 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts 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 and in so doing, present the Committee's Report.
Introduction
On Thursday, 17th June, 2010, the Hon Minister for Transport, Mr Mike Allen Hammah laid before the House, the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) 1979.
Madam Speaker, in accordance with the Standing Order 189, you referred

1385 Int'l Convention on Maritime 25June, 2010 Search and Rescue

the International Convention to the Committee for consideration and report.

2.0 Reference Document

In considering the International Convention, the Committee referred to the following documents:

i. The 1992 Constitution;

ii. Standing Order of the House

(2000);

iii. M e m o r a n d u m o n t h e International Convention

iv. The International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue,

SARI 1979.

Deliberations

The Committee is grateful to the Minister for Transport, Hon Mike Hammah, the Chief Director of Ministry of Transport and the Director-General of Ghana Maritime Authority.

Backgound

The 1979 Search and Rescue Conven t ion was adop ted by an International Conference in Hamburg in April, 1979 and is intended to provide a global framework for responding to emergencies at sea involving ships. The Convention, which is crucial to maritime safety, is basically designed to ensure that any emergency at sea will result in a distress call and the response to that call should be immediate and effective.

The Convention entered into force

in 1985. Although the obligation to go to the assistance of ships and persons in distress at sea was enshrined in the national law and international treaties such as International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) 1974
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Michael C. Boampong) 1:40 p.m.
T h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l M a r i t i m e
Organisation (IMO) in May, 1988 adopted a revised annexure to the SAR Convention. The amended Convention, which entered into force in January, 2000, clarified the responsibilities of contracting governments and put a greater emphasis on a regional approach and co-ordination between maritime and aeronautical search and rescue operations.
The amended Convention requires countries of a common region to establish a regional SAR Co-ordinating Centres to facilitate regional and national search and rescue operations. This arrangement reduces equipment of individual nations for search and rescue purposes
5.0 Observations and Recommendations
It was observed that under the Convention, Ghana will be required to provide equipment for the establishment of a National Search and Rescue Co- ordinating Centre.
The Commit tee would l ike to recommend that urgent steps must be taken by the Ministry to make a request to provide all the necessary equipment and training of personnel who will assist with search and rescue operations for the National Search and Rescue Co-ordinating Centre.
It is also the expectation of the Committee that the Ministry and the Ghana Maritime Authority would collaborate with the Ministry of Health, Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Ports

and Habours Authority, National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and other stakeholders to provide the needed support for the Centre.

The Committee also noted that the implementation of the Search and Rescue Convention by Ghana will enable her to put in place the requisite legal framework to provide the basis for the establishment of the National Search and Rescue Co- ordinating Centre. It further noted that the ratification of the Convention will also enable Ghana to become a beneficiary to the financial and technical assistance of the International Maritime Organization for such operations at the national and regional level.

The Commit tee would l ike to recommend that the Ministry should expedite action on all legislation relevant to the Convention to allow for its smooth implementation in the country.

6.0 Conclusion

Since there are immense benefits to be derived from the Search and Rescue Convention, especially the risk associated with offshore oil exploration and production, it is necessary for Ghana to ratify the Search and Rescue Convention to address emergency situation during search and rescue operation at sea.
Mr Samuel K Obodai (NPP - Agona West) 1:50 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion and in so doing, I wish to make this submission.
Mr Speaker, this International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue was actually adopted in 1979. It is a Convention that is intended to provide global framework for responding to
emergencies at sea involving ships. This Convention is actually crucial to maritime safety. It really ensures emergencies at sea resulting in distress call, would be responded to immediately and effectively.
It actually came into force in 1985, but before then, in some parts of the world, there were well-established and organized bodies that were mandated to provide assistance promptly and effectively while in other parts, these bodies were not there at all. So the International Maritime Organisation, in 1988, actually revised the Convention and enjoined governments to get equipment for this project.
The good side of this revision actually brings the various countries into groupings, that is, at the regional levels and this actually minimises the number of equipment that each country, if it were operating on its own, would have bought. So I believe it is very good for us to accept while we have this oil find and ships are going to run here and when they have problems at sea, they can easily fall on these regional groupings and they can easily be heard. So it is a good thing and I urge all Hon Members to support it for ratification.
Question proposed.
Minister for Local Government and Rural Development (Mr. Joseph Y. Chireh)(MP) 1:50 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I support fully the Report of the Committee and in doing so, I want to look at page 3, and the objectives of this whole Convention. If you look at page 3, you have the fifth paragraph and Mr Speaker, with your permission, I may need to read a bit of it:
“It is also the expectation of the Committee that the Ministry and the Ghana Maritime Authority would collaborate with the Ministry of Health, Ghana Armed Force, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, National
RESOLUTIONS 1:50 p.m.
Minister for Transport (Mr Mike Hammah) 1:50 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move,that
WHEREAS by the provisions of article 75 of the Constitution any treaty, agreement or convention executed by or under the authority of the President in the name of Ghana is made subject to ratification either by an Act of Parliament or by a Resolution of Parliament supported by the votes of more than one-half of all the Members of Parliament.
IN ACCORDANCE with the said article 75 of the Constitution, the President has caused to be laid before Parliament through the Minister responsible for Transport the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, 1979, as amended by Resolution MSC. 70 (69) and MSC. 155 (78), 2006 on 17th June, 2010.
1387 Int'l Convention on Maritime 25June, 2010 Search and Rescue
MrMichael Boampong 1:50 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo 1:50 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you and let me thank all of us also for the patience, but also to remind us about the earlier announcement we made about Chairmen of committees who we have requested to work as quickly as we can to get the budgets and the activities done and present them through the Leadership to the Clerk -- we do not do it late so that we can have our budget approved as quickly as we can. I suppose that it is the logical thing to do at the moment.
Mr Speaker, at the moment, it is true that the mood of the House is in favour of adjournment, so I beg to move, that we adjourn at this very moment till tomorrow at the forenoon.
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:50 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in seconding the Motion moved by the Deputy Majority Leader, I just want to also come with a second reminder; that Monday, next week, the House is meeting. So we are Sitting on Monday at 10.00 o'clock. The Hon Member for Sekondi (Papa Owusu-Ankomah) counselled that we endeavour to Sit at 10.00 o'clock. So we would be very early to attend to the Business of the House at 10.00 o'clock.
Mr Speaker, the day before yesterday, just before we adjourned, we entreated Hon Members to spare a prayer for the Black Stars. I believe that contributed in no small way to the victory that the Stars chalked for us as a nation.
1389 Int'l Convention on Maritime 25June, 2010 Search and Rescue
Today, after this adjournment, we will not Sit again until tomorrow when the Black Stars meet their counterparts from the United States of America and I want to entreat Hon Colleagues once again, in leaving the Chamber, to spare a silent prayer for the Black Stars and also the Coach, so that he also takes on board the numerous concerns expressed by football enthusiasts in the country in order that our hearts would not be broken by, perhaps, the misadventure of the Coach.
We pray that God guides him to do what is right so that it will find expression on the field of play in order that the Black Stars would emerge victorious.
Mr. Speaker, I beg to second the motion ably moved by the Deputy Majority Leader.
Question put and motion agreed to.
ADJOURNMENT 1:50 p.m.
  • The House was accordingly adjourned at 1.57 p.m. till Monday, 28th June, 2010 at 10.00 a.m.