Debates of 12 Nov 2010

MADAM SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:35 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Hon Members, Correction of Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, 11th November, 2010.

In the absence of any correction,the Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, 11th November, 2010 is adopted as the true record of proceedings.
Prof. (Emeritus) Samuel K. Amoako 10:35 a.m.
Sorry, Madam Speaker, I did not catch your eye.
On Page 21, the meeting of the Committee on Education “In attendance”, the Clerk to the Committee was at the meeting but his name is conspicuously missing -- Mr Kofi Menkah.
Madam Speaker 10:35 a.m.
So, you put him on number 3?
Prof. (Emeritus) Amoako 10:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, (vi) --
Madam Speaker 10:35 a.m.
What is his name?
Prof. (Emeritus) Amoako 10:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, Mr Kofi Menkah of the Parliamentary Service.
Madam Speaker 10:35 a.m.
So, in which case, I have to change it to read as follows:
“the Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, 11th November, 2010 as corrected is adopted.”
That is because this correction came in.
Mr Simon Edem Asimah 10:35 a.m.
Thank you, Madam Speaker, I am sorry I could not

catch your eye.

On page 15, item 2 (ii), the name is “Hajia Mary Salifu, not” “Salfu”.
Madam Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Is that all the corrections? Any other?
So, we move on to the Official Report of Tuesday, 9th November, 2010. I have the 9th November one.

In the absence of any corrections, the Official Report of Tuesday, 9th November, 2010 is hereby adopted as the true record of proceedings.

Hon Leader of the House, Business Statement for the week.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 10:45 a.m.
PUBLIC HOLIDAY 10:45 a.m.
Mr Simon Osei-Mensah 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I thank the Hon Majority Leader for presenting this work for next week.
However, Madam Speaker, I am aware that the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning wrote to the Controller and Accountant-General to release the third quarter of the District Assemblies Common Fund. That letter was dated 30th September, 2010. The Controller and Accountant-General also wrote to the Director, Banking Department of the Bank of Ghana on 6th October, 2010 to release the funds.

As we speak, the money has not gone and it is affecting the work of the District Assemblies. I would wish if we could invite the Governor to appear before the Committee of the Whole so that he responds to this particular issue. I want this to be included in the programme for next week.
rose
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Is it on the same
issue before we go to the Hon Leader?
Leader, he has thrown a challenge -
Mr Avoka 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, first, I take note of the issue he has raised. We would rather want to investigate; we would find out from the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning and Governor of Bank of Ghana why this anomaly before - [Interruptions] -- We will want to find reasons; they would have to tell us why it is so. [Interruptions.] I do not work there, so I would not know. When we do that, Madam Speaker, if it is possible -[Interruptions.]
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Order! Order! Let us listen to the Leader, please.
Mr Avoka 10:55 a.m.
If the answer we get is not plausible enough, against the tight programme that we have, if we think that there is a day, during the course of next week - this Business Statement is for next week Wednesday up to Friday; three days. Let us limit ourselves to the three days so that if it is possible and we think that having regard to the Business Statement that I have read, we can invite the Governor or the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning to come and answer or explain to us why it has
been so.
If there is time left within the three days for us to do so, we will do so. If there is no time within the next three days that we have programmed ourselves, then the other week, if there is time for us to squeeze and then get an explanation from the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, we shall do so. So, we will take note of that.
Mr Frederick Opare-Ansah 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I believe the Hon Member who made the application cited communications that had gone among the offices of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, the Controller and Accountant-General and the Governor of Bank of Ghana. We agree with the Leader's position that we should conduct some investigations into what is happening. But let us all join hands in that investigation at the Committee of the Whole, which I think will be very apt.
Madam Speaker, we are just about to hear the Budget Statement for 2011 financial year. Now, we heard the Budget Statement for 2010 last year and from the application of the Hon Member, it looks like the Governor is not able to release funds, so what purpose does it serve us to hurriedly go and do another budget when we were unable to actually make releases from the previous Budget?
Maybe, the Governor has a problem; let him come and tell this House that he has some problems and he is unable to make the releases, so that we can factor that into the debate on the Budget, to make sure that the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning takes care of his concerns.
So, please, I think we should indulge the Hon Member and find space in next
Dr Anthony A. Osei 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, since the Hon Majority Leader used the word “investigations”, there is a matter that is of grave concern to some of us, and we brought it to your attention. I think two weeks in a row.
This august Parliament approved of a Bill and we have been told that what we approved of has been changed, and we have been informed that investigations are going on.
Madam Speake r, I t h ink t he investigation should have a time limit. As it is, we do not legally know what foot we are on. What we approved has been changed; is that the current Bill, and who did it, is more important so that appropriate sanctions can be brought against people who want to subvert the work of Parliament. This is why the Ministry of Energy also abrogated the contract that we have approved.
Madam Speaker, somebody is subverting the work of this House and Leadership ought to move quickly to stop that.
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Hon Member, do you know the “somebody”?
Dr A. A. Osei 10:55 a.m.
It appears so. [Laughter.]
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Then say so that it appears --
Dr A. A. Osei 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, because we have approved of a Bill and then the Bill became an Act and there are changes in it and we do not know how it changed.
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Yes. I take it that it is taking too long. That is the complaint really.
Dr A. A. Osei 10:55 a.m.
It is taking too long, because that is the heart of our work. If you are going to work and somebody else is going to change it, then why are we here? Madam Speaker, I think this is a very serious matter and I am suggesting that this matter be brought to the House next week, so that we bring it to a closure.
Mr Avoka 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, as much as I share his concern, I think that we should not overstretch it unnecessarily and unduly indict people who -[Interruptions] -- where we are going to investigate and we have not come out with a report. Why do we say that somebody is subverting this House when there is no evidence to support that? - [Interruptions.]
rose
Mr Avoka 10:55 a.m.
Sit down; I am talking. When you were talking, I sat down. Why? What point of order? [Interruptions.]
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Leader is on his feet, so can you just sit down for him to finish, unless you are raising a point of order.
Mr Avoka 10:55 a.m.
I share his concern but to make a categorical statement that somebody is subverting the House, I think it is unfortunate; we should not go that far. In any case, Madam Speaker has - [Interruption.]
Dr A. A. Osei 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, on a point of order. Madam Speaker, with respect to my Hon Majority Leader, he is a Member of this House, we passed an Act and then somebody has changed it, is that not subversion?
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
It depends on the intention.
Dr A. A. Osei 10:55 a.m.
I have not imputed intent.
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
That is why I said “let us investigate.”
Dr A. A. Osei 10:55 a.m.
Yes. All that I am saying is that somebody has changed it and it is not good for us. That is all that I am saying. He should be agreeing with me -
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
He agrees with you but you said -
Dr A. A. Osei 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, as the Leader of Government Business, I do not think that it is fair for him to go through all these hard work and somebody sits somewhere and tries to undo the hard work he is doing. I am doing this in his favour because he is the Leader of the House. He should be agreeing with me.
Mr Avoka 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, he is not making a point: he is re-litigating the point that he raised earlier. I share his concern but I am saying that, to say that somebody is subverting the House, is too strong. It has not reached that stage; he cannot conclude that it is subversion -- [Interruptions] -- What is subversion? Please, I disagree and that is what I am talking about.
rose
Madam Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Let me hear you before I judge -
Mr Dery 10:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I am suffering from a hangover of missing you in the Chair for a number of days. Madam Speaker, when you were Acting President, I wish it were for a longer period of time, so I thought you would still be acting today. [Interruptions.]
Madam Speaker, I think that we should
put the issues in context. It is a very serious matter. If this House passes a Bill, it is assented and we found out that what has been passed and assented to differs from what we have passed here--
It is a very serious matter and the point cannot be overemphasised. So, I do not agree with the Leader of the House when he uses words like “unnecessary” and the rest of them. At the same time, although the effect is, in a sense, as a matter of speech, it can be considered as subversive but before we impute that to an individual, we should have evidence to say so.
So, I would say that imputing it on individual, is premature now, but still, we need to investigate to put to rest the issues involved.
We have to take very seriously this matter because we do not know how many of this might have taken place and we have missed them. It is very, very important, and we should not do anything that will undermine the authority and integrity of the House.
Having said so, I think we need to act together and dispose of this matter expeditiously, otherwise, I think that it is undermining the integrity of the House.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 11:05 a.m.
Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, for this opportunity.
Madam Speaker, I raised this matter two weeks ago and it was prompted by the observation made by some of the people who took part in the process enactment of this Bill from the University of Ghana. And just yesterday, a reminder was given to a very prominent Member of this House asking what the situation was. This is because the University of Ghana has to operate with this Act.
Mr P. C. Appiah-Ofori 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, this question is directed at the--
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Is it to do with the issue we are talking about or another issue?
Mr Appiah-Ofori 11:05 a.m.
No, it is connected with the programme for next week.
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
All right. Let us finish this issue; I will come to you - the issue about the report. The Hon Leader raised -- I have seen that Hon Isaac Osei is not in the House.
Mr Frederick Opare-Ansah 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Finance Committee needs to look at some urgent matters on the Oil and Gas Revenue Management Bill so they have gone into committee, together with the Energy Committee.
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Because I was going to come to the objection raised by the Hon Leader but I thought I had already told him that we should be careful when we use words like “subversion”.
Mr Opare-Ansah 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I believe for the record, you can still go ahead.
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
I was going to ask him to use another word instead of “subversion” but he is not here. I think the Hon Deputy Leader did also harp on it that it was too strong a word. He is not here and let us leave it at that. It would be on record that we do not use words like “somebody is subverting our work” because we would stop him immediately if that is so. First of all, who is that somebody? We do not know. Why? We do not know. But let us be careful the words we use.
As to the lateness of the report, I think, Hon Majority Leader, you will agree with
me that I really indicated -- I thought it was a day or two, but when the same Hon Member also added another section, then I said yes, let us do the two together. Please, let us have it next week and both the matter about the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning failing to pay moneys into accounts - because it is important -
Mr Dery 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the second aspect is in respect of the Governor of the Bank of Ghana.
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Oh, yes, the Governor, not the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning.
Please, early next week, let us listen to -- He did indicate that he wanted it discussed in the House Committee so I leave that to you. That is not for this House then. But the other matter which I referred to you about the Bill, let us have your Report next week. We will come to decide what to do.
Mr Appiah-Ofori 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, Ghana cannot sell petroleum unless it produces petroleum products.
Next week, the Committee on Finance is supposed to lay the Report on the Petroleum Revenue Management Bill but we already have a Bill called Petroleum Exploration and Production Bill. Where is it? Unless we finish with that one, we cannot go and sell. We cannot sell what we have not got, so where is that Bill? It should come first before the Petroleum Revenue Management Bill comes in.
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon Leader, he says you are putting the cart before the horse.
Mr Avoka 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Petroleum Exploration and Production Bill has suffered some reverses of late
at the Committee stage, or committee meeting. Indeed, I have been briefed by the Hon Committee Chairman that he was in the process of withdrawing that Bill to repackage it.
Our attention was also drawn to article 269 of the 1992 Constitution that requires that there must be a Commission that should be put in place to regulate natural resources, like we have Forestry Commission, Minerals Commission, Fisheries Commission, et cetera.
Against the backdrop of the legal position and other developments, I have been informed by the Hon Chairman of the Committee and the Hon Deputy Minister for Energy that they were in the process of withdrawing the Petroleum Exploration and Production Bill, and that subsequently, in the not-too-distant future, they will be laying before this august House, the Petroleom Exploration and Production Bill with regard to petroleum.
So that is why the Report is not ready, for that matter. That is why it has not been programmed. As soon as the Ministry sorts out itself with the Committee, we would let this august House know the details of it.
Mr Appiah-Ofori 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, tell them to stay action on the revenue aspect of it because unless we have the Bill for exploration, production, we have so many amendments to put in so that it becomes rich. We have to protect this product. And we are going to pass a Bill for revenue without knowing even the quantity we are going to produce. What are we doing as a country? We should stop it. [Hear! Hear!]
Madam Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon Member, if you have not passed the exploration Bill and you are passing a selling Bill, he says, should you not drop this and deal with the earlier one? That is his suggestion.
Mr Avoka 11:05 a.m.
Madam Speaker, we should not jump the gun. We should
Mr Dery 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I want to say that there is a lot to say in support of what Hon P. C. Appiah-Offori has said, that we should deal with the production and exploration aspect before the revenue. There is a lot to say for that.
The statement that the Hon Leader of the House has made, about obvious constitutional provisions, requiring Commissions to be established as far as minerals and natural resources are concerned, is new to the Hon Ministers. It should be new to them -- if they have not done their homework well, and that is why we are going to turn the matter upside down, we should say so.
But we should not do things that would seem to suggest that we are in a hurry to spend revenue that we have not taken our time to ensure that the legal framework protects the national interest and that short-term interest are put above national interest, we must be careful of that.
So if what the Hon Leader of the House has said is to go by, then it means that there are serious issues and for those reasons, we should make sure the exploration is taken care off. Because he has now told us that there are serious setbacks and there are

serious problems and if we do not resolve them to ensure that we protect national interest, then where are we going ? That is my position on it.
Mr Avoka 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, let me
correct an impression. Nobody is rushing any Bill in this House.
Madam Speaker, the Petroleum
Revenue Management Bill and the Petroleum Exploration and Production Bill were laid on or about 2nd 3rdof August, 2010, before we rose. So the Bill has been with the Committee or with this House for the past four months. Or at least, three months plus. So you cannot have a Bill within this Parliament for three months or more and then you talk about somebody is being in a hurry to pass a Bill or to pass a Bill into Law. It is not fair to say that?
Unfortunately, we have permitted the two Committees, Committee on Energy and Mines and Finance to leave the Chamber and work on the Bills. If they were here, they would explain to you that it is possible to take the Petroleum Management Bill even though the Production and Exploration Bill is not yet ready, they would say so.
So as I am saying, they have not yet laid the Papers, the Report has not yet been laid, let the Committee come and lay the report and he can raise this objection, then we are properly seized with the matter and then we can debate.
But when the Report has not yet come, then we are splitting hairs over nothing. With the greatest respect, let us be patient, they will lay the Report next week Wednesday, and then the Committee Report will indicate whether we need the two Bills to be passed simultaneously or not or we can take one and pass it and the other one can be taken subsequently. The Committee Report will indicate that one so we should not belabour the point.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Member, all
he is saying is that, you should consider that this is done, whether the same day in A, B or subsequently; it is just a suggestion that you should look at. So the Hon
Member wants you to note it, that we cannot pass this without the other. [Hear! Hear!] So I think it is noted, if you note it, then we will deal with it accordingly.
Mr Avoka 11:15 a.m.
Thank you, Madam
Speaker.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Thank you, Hon
Member.
Yes, any other?
Mr David Oppon-Kusi 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, on the Business of this House, on the 16th of July, I tabled an Urgent Question to the Hon Minister for the Interior. After he came here, it appeared that he did not get my Question right. After a lot of exchanges here, he promised to come back to this House to give us the correct Answer.
Madam Speaker, just to refresh our memories, with your indulgence, the closing remarks of the Hansard of 16th July, and let me quote what happened. On that day the First Deputy Speaker was in the Chair:
“Mr Speaker, now that he has been made aware, is the Hon Minister prepared to come back and answer the Question specific to the incident?”
The Hon Minister replied and I quote:
“Mr Speaker, it is my responsibility to answer Questions asked by Hon Members of this House. So, now that he has clarified it, it is my responsibility to come back and answer it.”
Mr Speaker gave his ruling and I quote again 11:15 a.m.
“Hon Member, you have exhausted your supplementary questions. The Hon Minister's answer is that given the particulars you have provided,
he will do the necessary checks and come back.”
Madam Speaker, it has been a while since-- I want your direction as to when the Hon Minister will come back to answer the Question properly.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
This is a matter you should have taken up with the Clerk's Office to re-issue your Question as you wanted it and invite the Hon Minister back. But if he is not invited, I do not see the practicality of him choosing a day to come back. So I think, let us refer it to the Clerk's Office. Go there and insist on a new Question, let them serve him and tell him when it is coming back.
Mr Oppon-Kusi 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, that is why I wanted your direction, because I have been in contact with the Clerk's Office. The issue was that the Question was still pending and that it will require a direction from Parliament back to the Minister instead of me filing a new Question, that is why I asked for your direction on this matter.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Well, if the
Question that was dealt with on that day was different from what you said you put --
Mr Oppon-Kusi 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Question was not different.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Your Question was
not different? No, it is the practicality of getting him to come back and how to initiate it. Is it is the same Question but you want him to come back because he promised that he will find you details, is that it?
Mr Oppon-Kusi 11:15 a.m.
Yes, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Then go to the Clerk's Office and let them remind him
and invite him.
Mr Oppon-Kusi 11:15 a.m.
Than you, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Thank you.

The Business Statement for next week is adopted.

The next item is Questions.
Mr Avoka 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the

Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang

- rose -
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
You let him finish and we will come to you.
Mr Avoka 11:15 a.m.
To answer the Questions
on the Hon Minister's behalf.
Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, it has been taken for granted, the Hon Deputy Minister has already come to sit in the chair and then the Hon Majority Leader is asking that - you should grant permission before he comes. He must go back to sit where he has to sit. [Laughter.] When the permission is granted, he comes.
Madam Speaker, the practice of this House is that, the Hon Minister who sits on this chair has been given permission by your good self.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Minister, I
have to give you the permission.
Mr Owusu-Agyemang 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, he cannot do that.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
I think you are usurping my powers now. Are you not? It is not for you to tell him to go back to the chair, but you could make your submission all right.
Mr Owusu-Agyemang 11:15 a.m.
I withdraw asking him to go back. But he is already sitting there, so I do not know what the Speaker --
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Yes, you tell me; we will see what we will do.
Mr Owusu-Agyemang 11:15 a.m.
Madam Speaker, he is already sitting there so I do not know what the Leader is trying to achieve. It is a fait accompli. That is all that there is to it. It is not proper. Some of these little things must be taken care of. Otherwise, we will take things for granted. It is wrong and the Leader must know it.
Madam Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Member, I think you have made the point. But I did not like the fact that he should go back to his chair when I am really the Speaker today. Because by so doing, you were ruling this House.
Hon Leader, he is insisting that you should have got the permission, then you invite him. So let us follow the procedure, but as of today, since he is already in the chair, let us carry on, but note the procedure.
Mr Avoka 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, we agree with you.
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Shall we move on to the Questions?
Mr Dery 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I think that in the circumstances, especially, after the intervention of Madam Speaker,

we would consent to he answering the Question. But just to remind the Leader of the House that next time he should be methodical about approaching it.

Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Thank you.
The first Question was brought in the name of Hon Kwabena Amankwa Asiamah (Fanteakwa). He asked for a Written Answer and the Hon Member has already been served with the copy -- he has received communication in writing for the Answer.
I hereby direct that the Answer to the Question be printed in the Official Report of today's proceedings.
WRITTEN ANSWERS TO 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Shall we move to the next Questions then?
Hon Ben Abdallah Banda?
Mr K. A. Asiamah 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, please, I am on the floor.
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
You should catch my eye; you should not stand up and speak, you should catch my eye. But to call me Madam Speaker, you are not catching my eye, you are really calling me, is it not it?
What is it about?
Mr K. A. Asiamah 11:25 a.m.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker, I opted for my Question to be answered on the floor of the House; it was an Oral Answer that I demanded; I did not demand the answer as a written Answer.
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Let us stand your case down then; let us call for the actual Question. We will find it and then we will see, if you are right, then you will -- Clerk.
Yes, that is your Question. I have the original and you had ticked Written Answer. Do you want to look at it?
Mr Amankwa Asiamah 11:25 a.m.
Yes, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Yes, all right.
Clerk can you show it to him? Because if you are right, of course, we would - we try to bring the Questions to the House so we would be sure that everybody -- all right show it to the Leaders.
Mr Sampson Ahi 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I have made some observations and I want to ask the Leadership to take note: if it could be possible for them to arrange orientation on
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
But do you need an orientation? [Laughter.]
Mr Ahi 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I said that orientation for all Members, all of us.[Laughter]
Mr Dery 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I think that the Hon Member, Hon Ahi , has again said my Colleagues on the other side. So I think that, again, he appears to be - it is insulting --
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
He corrected himself when he said all of you, including him. I made sure that we checked on that. When he said the other side, then I asked him whether he would need an orientation, he said yes, he means the whole House.
Mr Dery 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I am guided by your ruling.
Mr Owusu-Agyemang 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I do not know whether Hon Ahi wants to be the consultant for Questions so that, as he says, the “Cedi would appreciate the dollar.” I do not know whether, maybe, he wants to become the consultant for Questions in this place, we will let him have it.
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Anyway, I think all the Hon Member wanted to do was tha --, there are marks, small boxes and you should make sure before he ticks the
box which -- sometimes you may mean the other box but wrongly ticks the other, and the Clerks really work on the ticking of the box. Have you noticed that you ticked the box which said “written”? If it is a mistake, well --
Mr K. A. Asiamah 11:25 a.m.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I would like to tell Hon Ahi that if there is anything to doubt about people on this side of the House, as far as Questions are concerned --
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
We have finished it; we have finished that matter.
Mr K. A. Asiamah 11:25 a.m.
Then Hon Ahi rather would like to be trained well as to how to present himself as far as English Language is concerned in this House than any other person. I take a strong reservation of what Hon Ahi has just said and it is very, very bad.
Madam Speaker 11:25 a.m.
I do not think Hon Ahi attacked you; let us see the end of this matter. You wrote for a Written Answers and you got a Written Answer.
Please, Hon Members, be very careful when you tick those boxes; it may confuse and that is not English or anything and the Clerks should make sure when an Hon Member ticks, he means what he ticked. Anyway, let us close this issue and let us move to the next Question.
The next Question stands in the name of the Hon Ben Abdallah Banda.
ORAL ANSWERS TO 11:25 a.m.
QUESTIONS 11:25 a.m.
MINISTRY OF ROADS AND 11:25 a.m.
HIGHWAYS 11:25 a.m.
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 11:25 a.m.
Madam Speaker, The Abofour-Kwapanin (10.0 kilometres); Kwapanin-Agogo (7.4 kilometres) and Kwapanin-Asuboi (10.0 kilometres) feeder roads are located in the Offinso South Municipality in the Ashanti Region. These roads are engineered and are in fair condition.
The Ministry of Roads and Highways has no current programme for the roads.
However, engineering studies would be done again on these roads next year. Based on the outcome of the studies and the availability of funds, the necessary interventions would be undertaken.
Mr Banda 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the roads
I have mentioned in the Question are roads that I use very frequently when I am in the constituency. As I speak right now, the roads are in a very deplorable condition. Madam Speaker, during rainy seasons, the roads are almost invariably unmotorable. How does the Hon Deputy Minister reconcile this with his Answer that the roads are engineered and are in fair condition?
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 11:35 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, the information given to me by my technical men is what I have just given to you. They tell me the roads are in fair condition. So, that is the information that I have. However, we will look at them and see what we would be able to do.
Mr Banda 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the
Hon Deputy Minister in his Answer, has indicated that his Ministry has no current programme for these roads and the roads are untarred. As I have already indicated, during rainy seasons they are almost invariably unmotorable. Does his Ministry have a yearly intervention for the roads in order that the people in those areas can access the roads, especially during the rainy season?
Dr Nii Quaye-Kumah 11:35 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, we do maintain these roads on yearly basis oftentimes, before the rains and after the rains. So, now that the rains have subsided, we are likely to bring some graders to reshape those roads.
Mr Banda 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, contrary
to what the Hon Deputy Minister is saying, for the past two years, these roads have not seen any reshaping. The Hon Deputy Minister said in his Answer that, when engineering studies are completed and when funds become available, the necessary interventions would be undertaken. Can the Hon Deputy Minister be specific as to what kind of necessary interventions would be undertaken? Is it going to be spot-improvement, as we have been witnessing, or bitumen surfacing or reshaping? Which of these interventions will his Ministry undertake if funds become available?
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 11:35 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, just like I indicated, when funds are available we will see what intervention we would have to bring onto that road. It is our wish that we have all roads in this country tarred. So, the likelihood is that, if there are funds and we reshape these roads, we will probably put bitumen surfacing on them. It is likely -- when funds are available.
Madam Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Yes, we move to
Dr (Ni i ) Quaye-Kumah 11:35 a.m.
The 24.7kilometre Offinso Kokote - Wawase feeder road is located in the Offinso South Municipality of the Ashanti Region. The road is engineered and is in fair condition.
A contract was awarded in July, 2008 for spot improvement on the feeder road. The contractor has completed 69 per cent of works. All the concrete works have been completed and gravel works are yet to commence.
However, works are behind schedule and the contractor has been warned to remobilize to site and ensure early completion of the project.
After the completion of the current contract, the roads will be considered for surfacing when funds are available.
The Apotosu-Nyankomase (4.0 kilometres) and Amanin-Nkasaasu (7.5 kilometres) (as in (DFR) inventory), roads are located in the Offinso South Municipality of the Ashanti Region. They are engineered and are in fair conditions.
The Ministry of Roads and Highways
has no current programme for tarring these roads.
Engineering studies will be reconducted on the roads next year. Based on the outcome of the studies and the availability of funds, the necessary interventions would be undertaken.
Mr Banda 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Deputy Minister has indicated that from Offinso Kokote to Wawase, there is only 24.7 km and this contract was awarded in 2008 for spot improvement but up till now, the contractor has not been able to complete the work.
Madam Speaker, the contract was
given to the contractor in 2008, when was he scheduled to complete the work and whether the contractor has been paid for the 69 per cent works so far completed.
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 11:35 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, the Offinso Kokote to Wawase road, is 24kilometres. It was awarded on 24th July, 2008. The commencement date was 14th October, 2008 and was expected to be completed June, 2009. The name of the contractor is Messr Botway Company Limited. The contract sum is GH¢573,041.33. The amount certified to date is GH¢292,607.43. The financial progress is 51 per cent and the physical progress is 69 per cent.
Mr Banda 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon
Deputy Minister in his Answer, did indicate that works are behind schedule and the contractor has been warned to remobilise to site and ensure early completion of the project. What occasioned the delay in the completion of the work?
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 11:35 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, because the work was behind schedule, we called the contractor to find out why it was so. He told us it was
because of the rains that occurred recently, that was why he had to suspend the work. So we have asked him to re-mobilise since the rains have subsided.
Mr Banda 11:35 a.m.
Madam Speaker, in
the two Answers given by the Hon Deputy Minister, with respect to my two Questions, the Hon Deputy Minister indicated that the necessary interventions will be undertaken, when funds become available. What practical effort is the Ministry doing in order to ensure that funds become available?
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 11:45 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, we are combing everywhere to make sure that we can get some money for the Ministry so that we could have all our roads in very good shape. So, we are actually combing everywhere to get money.
Mr Augustin C. Ntim 11:45 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, I am pretty sure that that road project in question comes under the cocoa roads; I am really convinced, and most of the cocoa roads projects, they have not suffered these delays. So the issue of when funds are available, I am finding it very difficult to reconcile because all the cocoa roads, funds are always available. So if the Minister can tell whether he is looking elsewhere for funds to do the surfacing.
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I want to assure the Hon Member that if this road is indeed a cocoa road, he does not have a problem, because we are tackling all the cocoa roads. That is why the Hon Minister is not here today. So if it is a cocoa road, then I can assure him that it would be tackled.
Mr Richard A. Adiyia 11:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker,

in the Hon Minister's answer, with the exception of 423, all the answers have the funds availability. So, I am wondering what targeted measures is the Ministry putting in place or undertaking to secure funding for these roads, because in all his Answers, with the exception of 423, everything depends on when funds are available. So what is the Ministry really doing to make funds available to undertake the necessary interventions to Put these roads in very good condition?
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, for time frame, I cannot give him any time frame. But like I said, we are doing everything possible to get some more money for our Ministry so that we would be able to take up some of these projects. So, I would not be able to give him any time frame.
Madam Speaker 11:45 a.m.
The next Question stands in the name of the Hon Member for Nkwanta North (Mr Joseph K Nayan).
Kadjebi-Damanko Road (Contruction)
Q. 423. Mr Joseph Kwaku Nayan asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when the Kadjebi-Damanko Road would be constructed.
Dr (Nii) Oakley Quaye-Kumah 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Kadjebi-Damanko road is a 150kilometre stretch lying in the Volta Region and forms part of Highway route N2, which starts from Tema to Kulungugu.
The Kadjebi-Damanko road has been broken into the following convenient sections for construction purposes:
Kadjebi-Dzindzinso -- 7kilometres
Dzindzinso-Dodo Pepesu -- 33kilometres
Mr Nayan 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I want to find out from the Minister whether his Ministry has any routine maintenance programme for the Dodo-Pepesu Nkwanta section. As I talk now, that portion is very bad and vehicles cannot use that portion of the road.
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I thought I just said that we were going to maintain that road until it was constructed into bituminous surfacing.
Mr Nayan 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I want to find out from the Minister, why they have not been able to conclude the bidding process on that section - Dodo-Pepesu- -Nkwanta section, because he said they have invited bids and they have not been able to conclude the bidding and they want to invite new bids. So I do not understand why they have not been able to conclude and they now want new bids. Why not just continue with those that they have invited?
(Nii) Quaye-Kumah: Madam Speaker, there were problems with the procurement process and the valuation, that is why we were not able to -- We threw it back to the consultants and they advised that it should be re-advertised for new bids to be taken in.
Mr Nayan 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, how soon would the Ministry do the invitation because those that were invited, it has taken over two years now. I am aware funds were actually secured during the previous administration from the European Union (EU) and up till now, since the last administration, up, to-date, they have not been able to conclude on that bidding. I have a problems. So how soon?
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the bidding is a process and we are in the process. So as soon as we finish all the things that we are supposed to be doing, we would bring it out for bidding.
Mr Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi 11:45 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister seemingly gave an Answer that addressed the Question that the Hon Member for Nkwanta had asked. In his answer, he said that a part of the road would be constructed and that there had been a bidding process, et cetera. In my view, I would be grateful if the Minister would consider answering the Question as to when Kadjebi to
Damanko road would be constructed.
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, like I said, the Kadjebi - Damanko road has been broken into the following convenient sections for reconstruction purposes: Kadjebi- Dzindzinso; Dzindzinso-Dodo-Pepesu; Dodo Pepesu-Nkwanta; Nkwanta-Oti Damanko. The Kadjebi-Dzindzinso section has been awarded for upgrading into bituminous surface. Currently, 5.0 kilometres of the road has been primer sealed and work is still in progress. The overall progress is 60 per cent.
T h e D z i n d z i n s o D o d o P e p e s u section was awarded for upgrading into bituminous surface. Work is completed and the condition of that road is said to be good.

Like I said, Government has secured €20 million from the European Union for the upgrading of the Dodo Pepesu-Nkwanta section into bituminous surface and bids were invited and evaluated but were suspended because there were problems with procurement and evaluation. We threw this back to the consultants and they advised that we would have to re-bid. So we are in the process; we would soon advertise for rebidding.

Thank you very much.
Mr Emmanuel K. Bedzrah 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Dodo Pepesu-Nkwanta road is terribly bad. If you are not careful and you are on that road and it rains, it is likely you would sleep on that road. While we are waiting for the procurement process to go through, can the Ministry or Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), for that matter, organize some routine maintenance work on that road to make

sure that motorists can, at least access the southern part of Ghana?
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 11:55 a.m.
Thank you very much for the information. I have taken notice and will work on it.
Mr Kwabena Owusu-Aduomi 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Deputy Minister has indicated that there were problems with the bidding and evaluation processes of this Dodo Pepesu-Nkwanta section. Is he saying that the whole Ghana Highway Authority faulted in the bidding process? I would be glad if the Hon Deputy Minister would explain in detail what actually went wrong with that bidding that now they are calling for a new set of bidding.
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, we are doing this together with the European Union and if they should raise any objections on any part of the bidding and they suggest something to us, we would have to listen to them. So the bidding is not only evaluation but it includes other things. I would not be able to tell you exactly what the problem is here. I would find out and let you know later.
Thank you.
Mr Gershon K. B. Gbediame 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Kadjebi -Damanko road is part of the eastern corridor road which carries a lot of foodstuffs to Accra and other places. During this rainy season, it has been so difficult for these vehicles to bring these foodstuffs to Accra. All I want to ask the Hon Deputy Minister is to do all he can to expedite this process of bidding so that the tarring that they are talking about can be carried out. [Interruption.]
Therefore I want to say - [Interruption] - I want to ask the Hon Deputy Minister how they are going to make the road motorable pending the tarring of that road.
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 11:55 a.m.
Madam
Mr Sammy B. Wusah 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I want to make a correction for the records. The Hon Deputy Minister in his Answers has mentioned “Kadjebi- Damango”, “Nkwanta-Damango”; there is no road like “Kadjebi-Damango” and “Nkwanta-Damango”, it is “Damanko”. not “Damango”. [Interruption.] And I thought the Hon Member who asked the Question would correct it. It is “Damanko”; not “Damango”.
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Yes, Hon Minister -
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 11:55 a.m.
Thank you very much for your correction.
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Yes, last question.
Mr Simon E. Asimah 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, in an answer to the question, the Hon Deputy Minister mentioned that the Government of Ghana is sourcing funds for the development of the Eastern corridor of which Nkwanta- Oti Damanko is an integral part. My question to the Hon Deputy Minister is, what stage has the Government reached in sourcing funds for the eastern corridor road?
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, we have gone very far, we are almost at the concluding stage.
Noyem-Amuana Praso and Afosu -Bogu Roads Birim North District
(Completion)
Q. 424. Ms Esther Obeng Dappah asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when works on the Noyem- Amuana Praso and Afosu-Bogu roads, all in the Birim North District would be completed.
Dr (Nii) Oakley Quaye-Kumah 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Noyem -Amuana Praso feeder road is located in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region. It is engineered and is in fair condition. The road is 4.6 kilometres long. (NB: not 6.4.)
A contract was awarded in April, 2007 for the rehabilitation of Noyem-Kwahu Daa-Fodowa feeder road but has been terminated due to non-performance of the contractor. The physical progress stands at 35 per cent.
The project has been redesigned and repackaged for re award in 2011.
The Afosu-Bogu feeder road is located in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region. It is engineered and is in fair condition. It is 5.0 kilometres long.
A contract was awarded in February, 2006 for the surfacing of Afosu-Bogu feeder road but has been terminated due to non-performance of the contractor. The physical progress stands at 31 per cent.
The project will be redesigned and repackaged for reaward as and when funds are available.
Ms Dappah 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, can the Hon Deputy Minister be specific as to when in 2011 the contract for Noyem to Amuana Praso road would be given on contract?
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I did not get the question.
Madam Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Hon Member, can
you repeat the question for him?
Ms Dappah 11:55 a.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Deputy Minister said in his Answer that the project has been redesigned and re- packaged for reaward in 2011 and I want to know what date in 2011 the contract would be given out.
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, as to the exact date, I would not be able to tell her. But it would be part of the roads that would be constructed in 2011. But as to the exact date, I am not in the position tell.
Birim North Town Road Projects (Completion)
Q. 425. Ms Esther Obeng Dappah asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when the Birim North town road projects in Pankese, Akuasi and Maamaso would be completed.
Dr (Nii) Oakley Quaye-Kumah 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the Birim North town road projects in Pankese, Akuasi and Maamaso are located in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region. They are engineered and are in fair condition.
A contract was awarded in September, 2007 for the surfacing of Pankese, Akuasi and Maamaso town roads but had to be terminated due to non-performance of the contractor. Ten per cent of physical progress has been done at the time of termination.
The Pankese, Akuasi and Maamasu town roads will be repackaged and considered for re-award as and when funds are available.
Ms Dappah 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, with regard to the town roads some works have been done by the contractors. My information is that, the contractor has not been paid. Can the Hon Minister confirm?
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 12:05 p.m.
Let me find out if the contractor has been paid or not been paid. [Interruption.] There is an answer. I will get you the answer in a minute.
Madam Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Let us give him a little more time.
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the date of the award was February 3, 2006. Is that right? The award date was 2007. The commencement date was December, 2007, expected completion date was 13th June, 2009; the name of the contractor, Messrs Gutters; the contract sum, GH¢88,686.72. Amount certified to date, GH¢83,287.66. Financial progress is GH¢10.3.
Road construction is such that, you do not pay all. We measure the work done and we would pay the contractor. That is why when contracts are given, the person given mobilization. The mobilization will take the person to a certain portion, he or she raises a certificate, then he or she would be paid.
So if he has not covered to where he is supposed to go, I doubt how he could be paid. So we would give him moneys as to where he has worked to.
Ms Dappah 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the Hon Minister keeps saying that when money is available. When is money going to be available?
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, on this, I would plead with all Hon Members that when the Budget comes out, they need to support it so that we could get more money so that we can put it in the sector.
Ms Dappah 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, we will certainly support the Budget. But in the meantime, in Akuasi there is a dangerous bridge in the middle of the town and the river is steaming with snakes and school children keep crossing the bridge day-in and day out. So while we are waiting for the Budget, could the Hon Minister take urgent measures to at least, repair this bridge to avoid calamity?
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, well taken. We would work on it.
Mr Isaac Osei 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I
would like the Hon Minister to tell us the implications of contract termination on the Budget or on the work of the Ministry because it appears the three here have all been terminated. Could he tell us the implications?
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, just like I indicated, anytime roads are awarded on contract, the contractors are given some money to start. They would have to move their equipment to site and we would measure that by the money given to them. They should be able to work to cover some meters or kilometers of that road. After doing that we assess it and then we raise a certificate and pay them.
So anytime a contractor does not meet the measures that he is supposed to get to before he raises a certificate, it becomes very difficult for payment to be done, because the money given to him, we expect him to cover a certain length of road but he is not able. So that is the basis we use in payment.
Mr Isaac Osei 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, the question was on the implications of contract termination. That is all.
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 12:05 p.m.
Madam
Speaker, if we prove beyond reasonable doubt that the contractor is not able to do
the works we would terminate the contract because there are certain contracts that one cannot use only wheelbarrows and shovels to do. One needs to get some equipment on it and we look at the progress of work. If the progress of work is also not going as we expect and we are able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that one cannot do this job we would terminate the contract.
Mr Isaac Osei 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I asked the question, the Hon Minister did not answer it. I will not belabuor the point. It is obvious that he cannot answer my question and therefore, I will spare him.
Mr Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi 12:05 p.m.
Madam Speaker, I am getting a wrong impression that when people are awarded contracts and they fail to deliver, they are just left to go unchecked. To the best of my knowledge, if somebody is performing a contract and he does not perform as the Hon Minister would want us to believe, one would expect that a calculation would be made, what lawyers call, quantum meriat and then if the government needs to be compensated, thegovernment would be compensated.
But the Hon Minister is giving us an impression that all these roads, because of non-performance, they have taken the contract, they are repackaging and giving them out again. What are the consequences of this termination? Would the Hon Minister tell us? What is the effect of the termination of these contracts?
One would expect that the money had already been allocated for these roads and therefore, if a person breaches - they would calculate whatever and balance each other and then we could go ahead with the construction of the particular road.
Dr Nii Quaye-Kumah 12:15 p.m.
Madam Speaker, if we are awarding contracts -- if one is a contractor and is coming to get
- The person will bring a Bid Security. He will need a guarantee from a bank that tells us that if he defaults, the bank will pay. So, we actually have it in place. Anytime a contractor defaults and it so happened that we have paid him more than he has done, we call for his Bid Security.
Thank you.
Dr Francis Dakura 12:15 p.m.
Madam Speaker,
I want to ask my Hon Colleague whether some of these contracts which have been executed were part of those contracts that were hurriedly awarded prior to the previous Government handing over.
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 12:15 p.m.
Madam Speaker, like you have heard, these roads in question dates as far back as 2006 and 2007 so obviously they would be part of projects that were in the past.
Mr Ambrose P Dery - rose—
Madam Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Yes, were you
going to ask a question? Ask a question.
Mr Dery 12:15 p.m.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 12:15 p.m.
Madam
Speaker, I do not know of any contracts that are hurriedly awarded.
Prof. Emeritus Samuel K. Amoako 12:15 p.m.
Madam Speaker, in the Hon Deputy Minister's Answers, he always mentioned “the roads have been engineered and are in fair condition or in good condition”. May I know from the Hon Deputy Minister what he means by “the roads have been engineered”? Would he explain it to the general public?
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 12:15 p.m.
Madam
Speaker, when we say roads are engineered, we mean to say the drains, the concrete
Madam Speaker 12:15 p.m.
The Hon Deputy
Minister has defined what he means by “the roads have been engineered”.
Mr Opare-Ansah 12:15 p.m.
Madam Speaker, from the Hon Deputy Minister's definition of engineered roads, am I to take it from him that a lot of the roads in Accra, especially which have no drains and concrete works around them are not engineered? The Ring Road, the High Street, are they not engineered roads?
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 12:15 p.m.
Madam
Speaker, no, that is not what it means. Once we do the quantities on the roads and we know that construction of these roads will cost us so much, it is an engineered road.
Madam Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Yes, last question.
Prof. Dominic K. Fobih 12:15 p.m.
Madam
Speaker, in the Hon Deputy Minister's Answer, he said that if they are satisfied that the contractor is unable to perform-- and he made reference to the use of wheel barrows and so on. I want to find out from the Minister whether he is aware that in the evaluation criteria for the award of the contract, the financial capacity of the contractor and the equipment capacity of the contractor are taken into account before they award and therefore the use of wheel barrows does not arise.
Dr (Nii) Quaye-Kumah 12:15 p.m.
Madam Speaker, it is very true that before one is even given the certification, we look at one's equipment holdings. So, the contractor happened to have gotten this job based on the certificate he gave out. Sometimes because of the old nature of some of the equipment they go onto the road with the attempt of working and the equipment break down so he will be left with no graders or no equipment.
So, sometimes they also feel reluctant of going to hire other equipment to come back onto the road, and that is what has been causing most of the delays.
Madam Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Yes, that is the end
of the Questions. Hon Minister, thank you for coming to answer our questions. You are discharged.
The next item is -- I have not admitted any Statement so we will go on to Public Business. Laying of Papers -- Item 6.
Mr Gbediame 12:15 p.m.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have just spoken with the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning and have been told that consultations are still ongoing before this Paper can be laid so, on that note, I want to request that it be stood down.
Thank you.
Madam Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Yes, item 6 is
therefore deferred.
Mr Gershon k. B. Gbediame 12:15 p.m.
Thank
you, Madam Speaker.
A number of committees have been advertised to take place just after adjournment and having finished the business for today, I beg to move, that the House do now adjourn and reconvene on Wednesday, 17th November, 2010 at ten o'clock in the forenoon.
Madam Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Yes, the Motion has
been moved, any secondment?
Mr Frederick Opare-Ansah 12:15 p.m.
Madam
Speaker, I rise to second the Motion moved by the Hon Majority Chief Whip and in doing so, I want to remind him that it is not committees that have been advertised but it is meetings of committees that have been advertised to take place after adjournment. So, the Hon Majority
Chief Whip should advert his mind to committee meetings that may take place after adjournment.
I so second this Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
ADJOURNMENT 12:15 p.m.