Debates of 21 Jul 2010

MR FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:50 a.m.
ANNOUNCEMENTS 10:50 a.m.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon Members, Communication from the President.
“20th July, 2010
THE RT HON SPEAKER 10:50 a.m.
OFFICE OF PARLIAMENT 10:50 a.m.
PARLIAMENT HOUSE 10:50 a.m.
ACCRA 10:50 a.m.
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC 10:50 a.m.
OF GHANA 10:50 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:50 a.m.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon Members, item 2 on the Order Paper, Correction of Votes and Proceedings and the Official Report.
Page 1. . . 9 --
Nana Abu-Bonsra 10:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I will like to draw your attention to page 8 rather -- I was on my feet but I think I could not catch your eye.
Mr Speaker, on page 8, item 8, the Minister for Education, on behalf of the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning laid the Petroleum Revenue Management Bill, 2010.
Mr Speaker, I will like to draw your attention to the fact that last Friday the Bill was laid here for distribution and it has taken more than a week for Members to be provided with copies for our scrutiny, I think that that is not in conformity with the conventions that we have.
Some Hon Members 10:50 a.m.
We have copies.
Nana Abu-Bonsra 10:50 a.m.
Copies, when?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon Member, this issue came up yesterday on the floor and I directed that they should make the copies available to all Hon Members of the House. So, it came up. Were you here yesterday? It came up on the floor of the House; the sentiments you expressed came up and I directed that they should make the copies available.
Indeed, they gave me the assurance that the other one was ready for distribution before I agreed that that one should be laid yesterday. I agree that once the Paper is laid, it should get to Hon Members as early as possible. I agree to that principle.
Hon Members, page l0 . . . 13 --
Dr Anthony A. Osei 10:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker,
yesterday, I pointed out to the House
that on Monday, July 19, the Finance Committee met and it is still not being reported. I was told that maybe, they did not bring the information yesterday. We met on Tuesday but we also met on Monday and it is still not recorded and I am wondering why it has still been forgotten. On Monday, we met and rescheduled the meeting but the report for the Monday has not come here yet.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Table Office, get in touch with the Clerk to the Finance Committee because these are matters of record and they have to be properly captured in our Votes and Proceedings.
Page 14 . . . 17 --
Mr Justice J. Appiah 11 a.m.
Mr Speaker, yesterday, the Committee on Environment, Science and Technology met but it has not been recorded here.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
Very well.

Hon Members , the Votes and Proceedings of Tuesday 20th July, 2010 be adopted as the true record of proceedings.

Hon Member for Old Tafo, I learnt that when the Finance Committee met on Monday, there was no quorum, so they could not transact business properly. They called off the meeting and that was why it was not brought to the attention of the Table Office.
Dr A. A. Osei 11 a.m.
I am surprised; I thought there was a quorum. But because the papers had just been given to us, we decided to collect all of them, take them home, read them and come back. But then there was a quorum.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
Very well, that is the information that was brought but -
Mr James K. Avedzi 11 a.m.
Mr Speaker, actually, there was a quorum and because the document was given to us at the meeting, we decided to call off the meeting and go and study it and come back the following day.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
That was a meeting then -- there was a meeting?
Mr Avedzi 11 a.m.
Yes.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
Table Office, cross-check and do the proper thing.
Dr A. A. Osei 11 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I need your guidance. Even if there was no quorum, at least, it should be on record that we met and there was no quorum, so the meeting was postponed.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
If there was no quorum, there was no meeting. If there is no quorum, there cannot be a meeting and therefore, no business can be transacted.
Anyway, we are on the Official Report of Tuesday, 13th July, 2010 -
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
Official Report, Hon Member for Amenfi East -
Mr J. B. Aidoo 11 a.m.
Mr Speaker, column 2183, under my contribution, last but four lines, the sentence should read. “It has never happened on the floor of this House” instead of “It Mas”. The word there should be “has” -
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
Very well. Any other correction?
Yes, Hon Member for Bekwai -
Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu 11 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I do not know whether everybody has the same challenge but my copy has no columns 2171 and 2172.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
I have columns 2171 and 2172.
Mr Osei-Owusu 11 a.m.
Mr Speaker, mine is blank.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11 a.m.
Very well. Hon Members, the Official Report of Tuesday, 13th July, 2010, as corrected be adopted as the true record of proceedings.
Question time - Hon Members, we have in our midst the Hon Minister for Environment, Science and Technology to answer Questions.
The first Question, number 453 stands in the name of the Hon Member for Sunyani East.
ORAL ANSWERS TO 11 a.m.
QUESTIONS 11 a.m.
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, 11 a.m.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 11 a.m.
-- 11:10 a.m.
Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh 11:10 a.m.
Mr Speaker, one of the directives on page 24 in the Hon
Minister's Answer was for Newmont Gold Ghana Limited to pay an amount of GH¢7 million towards mitigation and ecological enhancement. Further down, the Hon Minister has told this House that all the directives have been complied with, with the exception of soil analysis which should be done by the end of this month.
F r o m p a g e 2 5 - S t a t u s o f implementation of all the directives has been given by the Hon Minister and yet, the Hon Minister failed to report on the payment of the GH¢7 million -- whether it has been paid by Newmont Gold Ghana Limited and Government has received it. [Interruption.] It has not. She has failed to report on that. So, my question is, has Newmont Gold Ghana Limited paid that amount and has Government received it?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Hon Minister, whether Newmont Gold Ghana Limited has paid the GH¢7 million that you indicated in your Answer.
Ms Ayittey 11:20 a.m.
Mr Speaker, Newmont Gold Ghana Limited has paid -- I said Newmont Gold Ghana Limited completed all the directives.
Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh 11:20 a.m.
Mr Speaker,
Ghana has signed on to the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, which requires that in the extracting industry, we need to be open, transparent and accountable. I want to find out from the Hon Minister why disclosure has not been made in respect of the payment of GH¢7,000,000, not even to the communities that were directly affected by the spillage.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Hon
Minister, even though I know that the
Ms Ayittey 11:20 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for Sunyani East is well informed that Newmont Gold Ghana Limited has paid. It was even published in the newspapers -- it was published in the Daily Graphic and the Ghanaian Times. Mr Speaker, under the Transparency Law, if the Hon Member will allow the Ministry, we will come back and respond appropriately. We only dealt with the Question that was asked the Ministry.
Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh 11:20 a.m.
Mr Speaker,
on page 25, second paragraph, the Hon Minister says that currently --
“a consultant is currently in the affected communities to carry out Community Needs Assessment to enable necessary action to be taken by the Ministry.”
I want to know from her when was this
consultant engaged and what are the terms of that engagement.
Ms Ayittey 11:20 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the consultant
was appointed sometime last week and he is to do needs assessment -- vulnerability assessment of the community, so that the Ministry will be able to advise accordingly what actions that need to be put in place within the hamlets.
Mr J. B. Aidoo 11:20 a.m.
Mr Speaker, in the
Hon Minister's Answer, page 24, it has
been established that the cyanide spillage was caused by negligence. Mr Speaker, almost all the cyanide spillage that had occurred in this country had occurred because of negligence.
My question is, what punitive measures by way of legislation or administrative directive, has the Ministry put in place to serve as a deterrent against the recurrence of cyanide spillage in Ghana?
Ms Ayittey 11:20 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I think sometime last year, the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology received Cabinet's approval for the review of certain aspects of the Mining Act and I think that we are taking due consideration on certain punitive actions that will be taken against the mining companies when it comes to cyanide spillage. The committee is still working but then currently, what we have done is, we issued a very strong warning to Newmont Gold Ghana Limited that this is the first occurrence and the next occurrence, we can withdraw their environmental permit for operation.
Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi 11:20 a.m.
Mr Speaker, this is a very comprehensive Answer to the Question, providing details on what the Ministry has been doing. But a question related to the one asked by my Hon Friend from Amenfi East -- Mr Speaker, yes, punitive actions are going to be taken in future. I think what he was trying to get at is whether -- if you look at -
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Hon Member, ask your question, he has asked his question, it is supplementary, so ask your question.
Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi 11:20 a.m.
Page 24, all the things she asked Newmont Gold Ghana Limited to do, of course, excluding payments of the money and so on, there are some which should be routine. Has she sent such routine measures to the other mining companies?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Hon Member, that is not supplementary. Ask the question again. You know, basically, we are talking about spillage. Newmont Gold Ghana Limited and the spillage -- there is specific, so all the supplementary questions should relate to that.
Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi 11:20 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Member who asked the Question earlier did ask of -
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Hon Member --
Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi 11:20 a.m.
Mr Speaker, you are aware that we have been working with the Hon Minister on environmental issues and I am asking this so that in future -- tomorrow we do not come up with Ashgold, the next day, others and so on and so forth. Mr Speaker, the question is simple, today it is Newmont Gold Ghana Limited tomorrow it may be Ashgold, so all that I am asking is. whether -- [Interruptions]
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Hon Members, order! The Member for Techiman North has the floor.
Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi 11:20 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I hope you would advise my Hon Friend from Asawase to listen to this interaction between the Minister and a member of her Committee. That is what I am advising you to do.
Mr Speaker, it is a serious matter, we do not want to wake up tomorrow to come and ask Questions about how Ashgold became negligent. This is why I am asking whether these measures which were listed by her initial committee, have been found necessary to be communicated to the other mining companies.
Ms Ayittey 11:30 a.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you
very much and I am very happy about the Hon Professor's concern about cyanide spillage.
Mr Speaker, it brings us back to the question whether it is really permissible to allow surface mining in forest reserves.
Mr Speaker, this is one of the issues that I think that we need to look at, because if you allow surface mining in a forest reserve and within the forest reserve, you have the source of drinking water, most of the rivers take their source from forest reserves. So it means that even though we are putting in measures, then as a nation, we need to go back and look at the practicality, whether it is really appropriate that we should allow mining in forest reserves.
Mr Speaker, this is what I would like
to ask my Chairman of the Committee on Environment, Science and Technology to assist me as I am reviewing the Mining Act, so that we will go by the constitutional regulations that we need to minimise surface mining in forest reserves. That is the only way we can control issues like cyanide spillage within the forest reserves.
Mrs Catherine A. Afeku 11:30 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would like to ask the Hon Minister a question that she referred on page 27. She said:
“A poly tank was provided to communities immediately following the event thus ensuring potable water for inhabitants of the affected hamlets. This tank is filled regularly from a potable water source.”
I would like to find out from her if she is satisfied with a mere poly tank from a reputable company like Newmont Gold Ghana Limited. The source of the question was how are they going to make sure that the cyanide- spilled water would not affect the drinking source of the communities affected, and a simple poly tank is all that
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Hon
Member, ask the question again. You are asking for her opinion and it is against the rules of the House.
Mrs Afeku 11:30 a.m.
I would rephrase it, and
thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker, what is Newmont Gold Ghana Limited doing for ensure that these communities get potable water enough? A simple poly tank and a borehole.
Ms Ayittey 11:30 a.m.
Mr Speaker, yes. Mr
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Hon
Members, Order!
Ms Ayittey 11:30 a.m.
I was there on the 28th
and 29th of June, 2010. Mr Speaker, I was satisfied with the capacity of the 1,000 gallons poly tanks, situated within the hamlets.
Mr Speaker, to drill a borehole, you need to do soil test. This is what we have asked Newmont Gold Ghana Limited to do because when you go down -- when you have a spillage, you also have it filtrating right into the bedrocks.
Mr Speaker, we must satisfy ourselves that when you drill a borehole, the water that is going to gush out is not contaminated with heavy metals. That is why we have asked Newmont Gold Ghana Limited to provide as an interim measure, a poly tank and then by the end of July, they should have finished with the test and then install a borehole for the communities.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Hon
Members, I will take one more question on this matter so that we move to the next Question.
Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 11:30 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I
would like to know from the Hon Minister, looking at page 24, which states that:
“The panel found Newmont Gold Ghana Limited negligent and submitted its report to the Hon Minister…”
Whereupon the following directives were given. I would like to ask the Hon Minister, before Newmont Gold Ghana Limited started operation, I know feasibility studies -- environment impact assessment management was done. Were these directives part of environment impact assessment management that was given to Newmont Gold Ghana Limited before they started operation or it was after they started and the incidence happened that the directives were given?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Hon Minister, did you understand the question?
Ms Ayittey 11:30 a.m.
Mr Speaker, before a
company is licensed to mine, you submit an environment impact assessment for approval and that really details your environmental plans. And I believe that when Newmont Gold Ghana Limited was established in 2006, they did submit it. Definitely, this is an accident, they were negligent and we have taken measures to ensure that such a thing will not occur again.
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Hon A.
A. Osei, Member for Old Tafo, what do you want to say?
Dr A. A. Osei 11:30 a.m.
Mr Speaker, this is just
a matter for clarification. When the Hon Minister was answering a question from my good Friend from Techiman North, she said she wanted the Chairman of the Committee -- So, I just wanted to know if
she has appointed him the Chairman now.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:30 a.m.
No. She wants the Chairman of the Committee of the House. The Hon Member has told the House that he is a member of the Committee, so he could not have been the Chairman of the Committee.
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Hon Member for Sekondi, I have ruled that that is the last question. But as the former Leader of this House, I have to give you that special opportunity.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 11:30 a.m.
Thank you
very much, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker, having regard to the interest generated by her answer to Hon Members, would she consider at a later stage coming to brief the Committee on Environment, Science and Technology as to further steps that are being taken in this matter and particularly, bringing Newmont Gold Ghana Limited to come to the Committee so that the Committee members may also, on behalf of the House, acquaint themselves better with actions that it is taking to mitigate the cyanide spill?
Ms Ayittey 11:40 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I think I do accept the Hon Member's suggestion and I would carry it out.
Recent Earth Tremor in Nyanyano (Measures to Alleviate Fear)
Q. 537. Mr Ekow Payin Okyere Eduamoah asked the Minister for Environment, Science and Technology what measures the Ministry had put in place to alleviate the fear and panic of the people of Nyanyano as a result of the recent earth tremor.

M s H a n n y - S h e r r y Ay i t t e y : Mr Speaker, the Ministry, in 2009,

facilitated the bilateral relation with the Comprehensive Nuclear TestBan Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) in Vienna and requested for the supply of various equipment which can be used to monitor seismic activity in the country.

In response to this request, the Ghana- Comprehensive Nuclear Test - Ban Treaty Organisation National Data Centre (Gh— CTBTONDC) was commissioned on the 3rd of February, 2010 at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission by the Minister for Environment, Science and Technology.
Mr Speaker, the goals of the Centre include 11:40 a.m.
monitoring, managing and co- ordinating both natural and man- made seismic activities within the country and around the globe;
m a k e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s t o Government on earthquake safety measures;
report on all aspects of disasters related to seismic to relevant Government agencies that deal with disasters;
make data available to stakeholders for earthquake disaster mitigation;
upload se i smic da ta to the International Data Centre (IDC) as well as receive seismic data from the International Data Centre in Vienna; and
to provide information to assist appropriate government agencies to develop land and building policies for the nation.
Mr Speaker, the Centre, in collaboration with the Geological Survey Department, the universities and other stakeholder agencies has been educating the citizenry including the people of Nyanyano on what they should know about earthquakes and earth tremors. An example of such a public lecture was organised in collaboration with the National Forum for Harnessing Research, Science and Technology at the Teachers Hall in Accra on the 3rd March, 2010 (Daily Graphic, Thursday, March 11, 2010, page 32). It attracted the general public, including teachers, students from the Presbyterian Boys Secondary School
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Yes, Hon Member, supplementary?
Mr Eduamoah 11:40 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I
appreciate the effort so made by the Ministry but I think that the intervention that was made is of national status. Would the Hon Minister consider more local interventions like having a programme at Gomoa Nyanyano, which would have more interaction with the local citizenry?
Ms Ayittey 11:40 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Ministry
would consider a forum at Nyanyano with the citizenry.
Mr Alfred K Agbesi 11:40 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I want to know from the Hon Minister whether the Ministry can provide Ghanaians with the list of areas and zones which are earthquake prone so that we are guided in putting up our structures and buildings.
Ms Ayit tey 11:40 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the information is available, so we would provide it to the majority of Ghanaians through the newsprint and also using the television stations. We would do that.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Hon Minister, thank you very much for coming to Answer the Questions.
Hon Members, we would move to the
An Hon Member 11:40 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Hon Member, if I call the Question - Hon Majority Leader, you are in charge of Government Business. So when I was calling the Question, I was expecting to hear something from you.
Mr Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo 11:40 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister duly asked permission and was granted permission to travel out of this country and we are aware he is not back. So Mr Speaker, if we can reschedule this Question until he is present.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Hon Deputy Majority Leader, on what basis was the Question programmed on the Order Paper? Since you were aware that he would not be in the country, what arrangements did you make to that effect?
Mr Pelpuo 11:40 a.m.
Mr Speaker, when the Question was sent to his notice, we all knew that by this time he would have been in. But I am sure he was held up by circumstances beyond his control and I will pray that we give him the benefit of the doubt until he arrives and then we will - [Interruption.]
Several Hon Members - rose -
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Hon Members -- the Minister is not here, he has given an excuse. I will just find out from the Hon Minority Leader if he has something to say, then I will give the necessary directive. This cannot turn into a debate, Hon Members.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:40 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I really find myself in a very uncomfortable situation to respond to this matter. But Mr Speaker, clearly, I think what is happening is not the best and we should communicate in a very precise, concise and strong language to the Hon Minister.
I do recollect, Mr Speaker, that a few years ago, he, as one of the people in leadership for the then Minority, was always anxious to have Ministers come to respond to Questions. And if it has got to his turn and on a couple of occasions, he is not showing up, Mr Speaker, that cannot be a good testimony about the conduct of our Colleague, which is why I am thinking that we should communicate to him that the House is not pleased at all by the way he has been treating Parliament in respect of coming to answer Questions.
The Deputy Majority Leader has
alluded to the fact that they were expecting him and now, he is saying that he is sure that perhaps, he has been held up by circumstances beyond his control. It is a matter of conjecture. Clearly, he does not know for sure why the Hon Minister is not in the Chamber.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:50 a.m.
Hon Minority Leader, the Table Office has just drawn my attention to a communication from the Ministry to the Clerk about the Minister's inability to be in the House today. And my information is that, they got this letter this morning. They just

brought the letter to me. And it may be of interest for Hon Members to know. It was received at 11.30 a.m. and the letter itself was dated 20th July, 2010, from the Acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare --

“Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare P. O. Box MB. 84 Accra - Ghana

Our Ref. No: SCR 238/336/01 Your Ref. No: . . . . .

Parliamentary Questions

With reference to our letter SCR 238/336/01 dated 8th July 2010 with the above heading.

I wish to inform you that the Hon Minister has not returned from his trip and therefore cannot attend upon the House to answer the said Questions.

Any inconvenience caused is much regretted.

Thank you.

(Sgd.) NANCY L. DZAH (MS)

AG. CHIEF DIRECTOR
THE CLERK TO PARLIAMENT 11:50 a.m.
PARLIAMENTARY SERVICE 11:50 a.m.
PARLIAMENT HOUSE 11:50 a.m.
ACCRA 11:50 a.m.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker,
I think the letter offers some relief. But clearly, it is not for nothing that in this House we have a Leader of Government Business. And in the absence of the Leader of Government Business, we have the Hon Deputy Majority Leader, who in this regard, is the Deputy Leader of Government Business in the House, and if he is not aware of the circumstances surrounding the unavailability of a Minister, then the least one could say is that it is strange.
It does then mean that there is some deficiency in co-ordination. And I believe that that ought to be taken care of so that such embarrassment is not inflicted on the House and on the Hon Minister.
So, let there be better co-ordination of Government Business to avoid such future embarrassment. It does not do the House any good.
If perhaps, we had allowed for Hon Members to comment, maybe, rather unjustly, we would have condemned the Hon Minister. But if the Hon Deputy Majority Leader who doubles up as the Deputy Leader for Government Business is also unaware, who can you blame in such circumstances?
So, Mr Speaker, we may rest it for a while except to also tell him that this not being the first case, this not being the second or even third, we may next time take notice of the concerns of the House and respond appropriately.
Mr Pelpuo 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I do appreciate the Hon Minority Leader's concerns and exaltation about networking in this direction. I know it is a harmless statement, but just to assure him, when the Hon Minister was about to do his
journey out of this country, he requested permission and we duly granted him the permission. It is out of our anticipation that within the space of time, this Question would be filed and he would be here to answer the Question. We cannot fault people when they travel -
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:50 a.m.
Hon
Deputy Majority Leader, you are an Hon Member of the Business Committee, and when you read the Business Statement last Friday, this was one of the Questions that you programmed. And it is the Leadership that recommends to Speaker as to who should be granted leave of absence or not. So, within the leave that you have granted him, you were expecting him to be here and that is why you programmed him?
Mr Pelpuo 11:50 a.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker, that is
exactly -
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:50 a.m.
So, I think
that you should just take the concerns of the Hon Minority Leader and leave it at that.
Mr Pelpuo 11:50 a.m.
Yes, we have taken it into consideration and we do appreciate it. I am just saying that the anticipation is what could not meet our expectation. I am hoping that indeed, what recommendation he has made to make sure there is co- ordination, we would take it to ensure that the co-ordination does happen.
Thank you very much.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:50 a.m.
Thank
you too.
Hon Members, I would not take any
further comments on this matter. The Leaders have spoken and we will make sure that the proper thing is done the next time so that we will get the Hon Minister come to answer the Questions.
Hon Members, that brings us to the end
of Question time today.
STATEMENTS 11:50 a.m.
Mr Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo (NDC -- Wa Central) 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, it is Statement time. We have not sent any notice for Statements, but our attention has just been drawn to the fact that the President of Ghana (Prof. J.E.A. Mills) is 66 years today.
I just want to take this opportunity to wish him well. He is 66 years today, 21st July, 2010. And I would call on other Hon Members to wish him same so that we can have the House hoping and wishing that our President stays healthy, strong and with the blessings of God, lead us to the destination of a better Ghana, which we are all seeking. Either in moving forward or moving forward in the right direction, it is about Ghana and it is about the Presidency leading a vision, which is the vision for the rest of us --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:50 a.m.
Hon Deputy Majority Leader, you know that you have just breached the rules. But I do not know - Yes, Hon Member for Ashaiman?
Mr Alfred K. Agbesi (NDC -
Ashaiman): Mr Speaker, I rise also to add my voice to my Leader's invitation or request.
Mr Speaker, our President is 66 years
today. And I want to wish him well. I want to wish that God gives him wisdom and knowledge to be able to lead the nation.
Mr Speaker, we cannot say more than to say Allah should continue to bless him, should lead him and give him more years. He should direct him in ruling this nation.
Mr Speaker, I thank you very much.
Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker,
you just gave a ruling, kind of, that the Hon Majority Leader had breached the rules. Before you could recognise anybody, somebody else rises and he is contributing to the Statement which breached the rules.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:50 a.m.
Hon
Member for Bekwai, yes, but I also got a signal from the Hon Minority Leader that we should relax the rules. You know, as I sit down here, I see things that not everybody sees. I did not want this to be a precedent, so I wanted to be very careful. But when I got the signal from the Hon Minority Leader, I thought that Hon Members were not going to insist on the strict interpretation of the rules. And at times, the rules are in my bosom. You agree to that? So, ignore my earlier comment.
Mr Osei-Owusu noon
Very well.

Mr Samuel Atta Akyea (NPP - Akim

Abuakwa South): Mr Speaker, I have just heard a very strange prayer coming from my learned Hon Senior and also a Colleague on the other side. I have never known him as a Muslim. If he wants to pray for the President, why is he now saying that, Allah should bless him when he has never read the Qur'an? [Laughter.] So Mr Speaker, I am very much surprised at this kind of weird prayer coming from somebody who is not a Muslim but then calling on Allah; I do not think even God will honour this. But I would say a prayer for the President and it is a Christian prayer.

I pray that Almighty God should sustain the energies of the President. I can see the challenging task ahead of him. For some serious reason or the other, the President -
Mr First Deputy Speaker noon
Hon Member, you have to conform to the rules
Mr First Deputy Speaker noon


of a Statement, not to provoke debate.
Mr Akyea noon
Oh, I am not provoking a debate.
Mr First Deputy Speaker noon
Very well.
Mr Akyea noon
I am just giving a background to the prayer --
Mr First Deputy Speaker noon
Because, “strange prayer” can be a ground for provoking debate.
Mr. Akyea noon
Mr Speaker, given the kind of task, the daunting task ahead of our President, we are praying that he should have the energies and the mental health to deliver. And when it comes to the energies of the President, I think everybody in Ghana should be interested and nobody should play with the health of our President, because at the end of the day, it is his energy, his thinking and his vision which are going to advance the movement and the prosperity of this country.
Alhaji Sulemana I. B. Alhaji Iddrisu noon
Mr Speaker, thank you for this opportunity.
Mr. Speaker, I am shocked at my learned lawyer's contribution. How can the mere mention of God's name be referred to as ‘weird'? He has touched on the sensibilities of a particular religious group in this country and he must withdraw -
Mr First Deputy Speaker noon
Hon Member, you are out of order. [Laughter.] The Hon Member only said that he knows him not to be a Muslim and that he was surprised that he pre-phrased his prayers with Allah, and he did not know how many chapters of the Qur'an that he had read.
That is all. I think that it was on the lighter side and it should be taken as such.
I would take the Hon Member for Wa West, no East - Sissala East.
Mr Haruna H. Bayirga (PNC - Sissala West) noon
Mr Speaker, it is rather Sissala West.
Mr Speaker, in the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful, we are most grateful to God that He has blessed our President and that today he is 66 years old. We know that His Excellency President Atta Mills is a hardworking President. When you look down back in history, President Atta Mills' reputation, his experience, his colleagues and thinking of Ghana as a whole, for any action that His Excellency the President would take, he makes sure it is Ghana first. He took all actions, thinking of the problems that Ghanaians have and how he can solve them.
We, as a nation and as Members of Parliament, should pray for him. We as Ghanaians, should allow President Atta Mills the four-year term that we have given him; we should support him and give him peace of mind. I also call on the spirits, our ancestors, the past Presidents and all Ghanaians to bless His Excellency President Atta Mills and give him the wisdom to rule this country and also to fulfil the promises that he has made to Ghanaians.
Mr First Deputy Speaker noon
Thank you Hon Member.
Yes, the Hon Minister for Local Government and Rural Development.
Minister for Local Government and Rural Development (Mr Joseph Y. Chireh)(MP) noon
Mr Speaker, I just want to wish the President well and ask God's blessings upon him to be able to lead this country successfully.
I know he is a very private person, a humble President who may not even like a public event like what we are doing. But in many other countries, these days are celebrated to show unity and support for who God has chosen to lead at a particular time.
I wish the President all the best and for all of us to pray for him so that he would be able to lead this country successfully.
Mr Simon Osei-Mensah (NPP - Bosomtwe) noon
Mr Speaker, I wish to join my Hon Colleagues in wishing the President a happy birthday, long life and good health.
However, I wish to state that on his 68th birthday, two years from today - [Interruption] -- Please, listen to what I am saying. On his 68th birthday, two years from today, he should be writing his handing-over notes, to hand over to the New Patriotic Party so that we come to power and manage the economy for the betterment of this country.
Mr First Deputy Speaker noon
Hon Members, on this note, on behalf of the House, I wish His Excellency the President a happy birthday. [Hear! Hear!] And we wish him God's blessings and guidance as he steers the affairs of this great nation of ours.
Hon Deputy Majority Leader?
Mr Pelpuo noon
Mr Speaker, at this time I believe we are all ready for the next item; the Economic and Organised Crime Bill. We did some winnowing yesterday. I was not part of it, but I am aware some winnowing was done up to an extent. So I believe we can take that.
Mr First Deputy Speaker noon
Hon Deputy Majority Leader, this is a specialised Bill and I would try as much as possible that we do this in the presence of the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice or her Deputy. This is a special legislation. I do not know what the Hon Minority Leader thinks, but I think that we should have them, because this type of legislation, we need them to assist this Honourable House. So if they are not here, we have to adjourn the House till tomorrow.
Mr Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo noon
Mr Speaker, I just conferred with the Chairman. It does look like he is not sure whether the Hon Minister for Justice or her Deputy would be here. I therefore beg to move, that in the absence of the Consideration Stage of the Bill at this time,
we may adjourn.
Mr First Deputy Speaker noon
You have not yet moved the Motion; it is only suggestion. So Hon Deputy Majority Leader, if that is your view, then do the proper thing.
Mr Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo noon
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that in the absence of the process of Consideration, we adjourn till forenoon tomorrow.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu noon
Mr Speaker, as you rightly observed, since the Bill before us is of extreme importance to this country, I would pray the Deputy Leader consult the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and her Deputy to be present tomorrow. I am aware that she is insistent that some of us are present in the consideration of the Bill. Unfortunately, when some of us are present and she is not present, it presents a problem to us. So let the appeal go to her that tomorrow she puts in appearance and then we can continue with it.
In the meantime, Mr Speaker, I think it offers some relief to some of us on the Appointments Committee to also have more time to consider the President's nominee for appointment as Regional Minister for the Upper West. So Mr Speaker, I would beg to second the Motion moved by the Deputy Majority Leader.
Question put and motion agreed to.
ADJOURNMENT noon
  • The House was accordingly adjourned at 12.12 p.m. till Thursday, 22nd July, 2010 at 10.00 a.m.