Debates of 14 Feb 2013

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 11:15 a.m.
ANNOUNCEMENTS 11:15 a.m.
Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Members, it may be recalled that a committee was set up by the House to advise me on constituting the Parliamentary Service Board. The committee has submitted its advice to me and I have accepted the advice on the composition of the Parliamentary Service Board.
The following are the members that I have been advised by the committee to constitute the Parliamentary Service Board:
1. Hon (Dr) Benjamin Bewa-Nyog Kunbuor -- (Majority Leader)
2. Hon Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu -- (Minority Leader)
3. Hon Hajia Mary Salifu Boforo -- (Member of Parliament)
4. Nii Okaija Adamafio -- (former Member of Parliament and former Minister for the Interior)
Hon Members, they are additional to the Speaker and the Clerk to Parliament.
Hon Members, thank you very much.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 11:15 a.m.
Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Members, Correction of the Votes and Proceedings of Wednesday, 13th February, 2013.
Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh 11:15 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to clarify -- are you on Corrections or your announcement?
Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
I have now moved to Correction of the Votes and Proceedings.
Alhaji Ibrahim Dey Abubakari 11:15 a.m.
Mr Speaker, page 1, my name has been put as absent, when I was here full, in all my colours.
Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Page 2…6 --
Mr James K. Avedzi 11:15 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I have been marked absent but I was present yesterday. So the correction should be done.
Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Page 7 --
Mr David Oppon-Kusi 11:15 a.m.
Mr Speaker, similarly, I have been marked absent even though I was visibly present yesterday.
Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
I saw you yesterday.
Mr Edward Kaale-Ewola Dery 11:15 a.m.
Mr Speaker, Mr Samson Abu -- Lawra -- was present yesterday, but I saw his name as absent.
Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Page 8 …12 --[Pause.]
Hon Members, the Votes and Proceedings of Wednesday, 13th February, 2013 as corrected are hereby adopted as the true record of proceedings.
Hon Members, Statements.
Mr Oppon-Kusi 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, before you take the Statements, I wish to make a brief comment on what most of us observed and complained about around Parliament yesterday --
Mr Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon Member, under what Order are you coming? If it is a matter of privilege, you are entitled to do so. But if it is a statement you want to make, you have to clear it with me.
Mr Oppon-Kusi 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, yesterday -- if you allowed me --
Mr Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon Member, you know the rules of this House -- if it is a matter of privilege, the rules allow you to raise it. But if it is a Statement you want to make, then since I do not know what --
Mr Oppon-Kusi 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, it is a matter of privilege.
Mr Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon Member, can you see me later on, so that tomorrow, I would allow you to say whatever you want to say? I am sorry.
Mr Oppon-Kusi 11:25 a.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I just thought that this --
Mr Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon Member, I would give you the chance once you see me.
Dr Prempeh 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, as a matter of privilege, I wanted us as a House to consider -- maybe, I would have to come and see you -- the democratic control over the Military in sending Ghanaian troops to Mali not on peacekeeping but enforcement --
Mr Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon Member, your point may be very important but you are out of order.
Hon Members, Statements.
Hon Second Deputy Speaker to take the Chair.
Is the Hon Member for Kpando here?
Yes, your Statement?
STATEMENTS 11:25 a.m.
Mrs Della Sowah (NDC -- Kpando) 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, today is Valentine's Day and I thank you for the opportunity to make a Statement on redirecting the focus on Valentine's Day Celebration in Ghana to be led by the media.
First, I would like to wish the good people of Kpando a happy Valentine's Day. I would also like to wish all Hon Members the same. I would like to remind our male Colleagues to remember to give a treat to their partners today. The females, I am sure, need no reminder that Valentine's Day in Ghana is celebrated focusing on love relationships. By hyping up the Day, the media, the entertainment and allied industries, indeed, create a boost in economic activities in the nation.
People are reminded to spend time with loved ones, buy them gifts, eat out, make more calls, go out to various entertainment centres, et cetera and this is all well and good. There are, however, some down sides to it.
Mr Speaker, I chanced on what I am studying in detail, talking to some teenage mothers in my constituency. A cursory look at the results so far, reveals an interesting correlation between teenage births which often occur nine months or so, after Valentine's Day. Even in deprived communities where they are yet to be connected to the national electricity grid, teenage mothers knew about Valentine's Day and related it to expression of love between the opposite sexes. This demonstrates the power of the media.
MR SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Thank you, very much.
Let us take a similar Statement from the Hon Member for Ablekuma North (Mr Justice Joe Appiah), who is dressed resplendently in red.

Valentine/Chocolate Day
Mr Justice J. Appiah (NPP -- Ablekuma North) 11:35 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I feel greatly honoured to be given this opportunity to make this Statement on the floor of the House on this auspicious occasion.
Mr Justice J. Appiah (NPP -- Ablekuma North) 11:35 a.m.


It is February 14, the day set aside for the celebration of Valentine's Day in Ghana, in firm recognition of the bold defiance of Emperor Claudius of Rome by the priest, Valentine.

Mr Speaker, the audacity of the priest in signing his letter, “From your Valentine”, gladdened the hearts of many who made sure they expressed sincere affection in diverse ways to all those near their hearts.

Nonetheless, Mr Speaker, Valentine's Day has had its attraction in the previous celebration when wanton promiscuity characterized its celebrations.

Mr Speaker, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Administration was very successful in instituting National Chocolate Day to synchronize the celebration of St Valentine's Day, and since we are reviewing a lot of activities, this Parliament could consider the possibility of enacting laws that could prohibit the sale of tobacco products and alcoholic beverages to people under the age 18. This way, the easy access to alcohol and tobacco could be minimized, if not eradicated completely, on such occasions.

Mr Speaker, Valentine's Day has caught the attention of many worldwide, as it has almost eclipsed the popularity of other festivities such as the Christmas and Eid ul-Fitr.

Mr Speaker, during the celebration of Valentine, hotels and guest houses are always fully booked and all alleys as well as dark corners are crowded with love birds.

Mr Speaker, presenters of private radio and television stations have not helped matters either. They are partly responsible for the rapid acceleration of the popularity

of Valentine by whipping up enthusiasm in the youth. But whether we like it or not, Valentine has come to stay; it has become a permanent feature in our society.

Mr Speaker, when concentration is centred more on the consumption of chocolate on Valentine's Day and beyond, promiscuity would abate considerably, and the whole nation would be amply relieved in its fight against the deadly incurable diseases.

Mr Speaker, I recall pleading for the lowering of prices of chocolates and allied cocoa products last year to enhance patronage. Mr Speaker, permit me to ask, what has developed so far?

Mr Speaker, cocoa without doubt, is an energy-giving product, and it is a leading agricultural product which boosts our economy; and if prices are within the ordinary Ghanaian pocket, production would accentuate for the economy to be given a big encouragement.

Mr Speaker, in the light of the foregoing effects, I would humbly stress that if the due consideration has not yet been given my request, it should be considered now.

However, Mr Speaker, I would want, before I resume my seat, to wish all a Happy Valentine's and Chocolate Day.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hepatitis B -- The Silent Killer
Dr Hanna L. Bisiw (NDC -- Tano South) 11:35 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I make this Statement on a silent killer called hepatitis B.
Today, 14th February, 2013 is observed worldwide as Saint Valentine's Day, a day associated with romance. Here in Ghana, some call it “Chocolate Day”, some also call it “Lovers' Day.” Anyway, we choose to call the day, it leads us to one thing -- a day where we show love to our loved ones.
Mr Speaker, it is based on this that I wish to draw attention to the need to ensure a conscious combat against one of the most dangerous and silent killer diseases in our society, known as hepatitis
B.
Hepatitis B basically, is an irritation and swelling or an inflammation on the liver due to infection with the hepatitis B virus known as HBV. It is said to be fast spreading among Ghanaians, with about four million people currently affected by the disease. This disease has two possible phases --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Hon Member, I was a little misled by your opening paragraph but on reading it, I see that you quickly moved on to hepatitis B and other medically-related ailments. That is a major focus of your Statement. So if you would not mind, I think we would take the messages on love and after that we would come and take --
Dr Bisiw 11:35 a.m.
Mr Speaker, it has to do with the Day.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
I have ruled. With respect, if you could resume your seat. Let us take the contributions from Hon Members and then we come to yours.

Today, those who --
rose
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Yes.
Alhaji Muntaka 11:35 a.m.
Mr Speaker, without trying in any attempt to call for justification for your guidance, it was thoroughly discussed with Mr Speaker, and you will see that at the tail end of that Statement, it has a detailed relation with Valentine. That was why it was agreed that it should be taken together, because at the end of the day, when there are sexual things, exchange of kisses, the risk of hepatitis B is high.
So that was why it was agreed that the three should be taken together, so that the contributions could run through all. So, Mr Speaker, if you could take a cue, and maybe, further direct, we would be most grateful.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
My very Hon Friend, Hon Muntaka is asking me to review my ruling -- inviting me, which he calls for further direction. I am not changing it; I would not review it, with respect.
Let us take the love ones -- We would take it, so that we can focus when we come to this one on hepatitis B. There are very important and weighty issues in it. You are the outgone Chairman of the Health Committee and I thought you would want us to dedicate some special time to health issues. We would come there; no problem.
Let us deal with the love first -- love, simpliciter -- before we deal with love pleasures. And I would be biased towards Hon Members wearing red. So I will call Hon Ursula Owusu to contribute.
Ms Ursula G. Owusu (NPP -- Ablekuma West) 11:35 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I wish to congratulate Hon Members who spoke earlier on the Statements on Valentine's
and Chocolate Day and add my voice to the Statement made earlier in pleading for a redirection of the focus of the media publicity on Valentine's Day.
Mr Speaker, we all know that rights go with responsibilities and by focusing on the aspect of love, which unfortunately, in the media, translates into sexual relationships, our young people are encouraged to indulge in sex on Valentine's Day. So there have been consistent reports of the beaches and dark corners littered with condoms the morning after Valentine's Day.
Mr Speaker, we need to educate our young people on adolescence sexual reproductive health and rights. While encouraging them to express love on Valentine's Day, we also need to teach them that they need to love responsibly and that starting to have sexual relationships too early, can lead to unwanted complications like teenage pregnancies which can affect the lives of the people.
Mr Speaker, we also need to teach them the flip side of the coin, in that, they need to love and respect themselves in relationships, reduce the abuse in relationships. We also, as parents, need to model healthy relationships for our children to emulate. By respecting ourselves in our relationship, we demonstrate practically that it is not just a sexual relationship but mutual love and respect which form the basis and foundation for a healthy relationship.
Mr Speaker, young people will be young people, so despite the admonition from parents and teachers, some of them will indulge in unhealthy sexual relationships and we need to support them
and encourage them to move away from those practices.
Mr Speaker, we need to re-emphasise sex education in our schools. Many of us shy away from discussing this issue with our children and it leads them to learn from their peers who may be teaching them the wrong practices. Love is good but sex should be reserved for marriage and we need to teach our children that.
Mr Speaker, I wish to also send happy Valentine's Day wishes to all constituents in Ablekuma, particularly to my constituents in Ablekuma West, to Hon Members of the House and urge them all well.
I also wish to commend the Hon Member for Adenta for distributing chocolate to all the ladies in the House this morning -- [Interruption] -- and to urge all the other gentlemen to emulate -- [Interruption.]
rose
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Hon Asiamah, do you have a point of order?
Mr I. K. Asiamah 11:45 a.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker.
I do not know what kind of discri- mination is going on in this House, for an Hon Colleague of this House to have distributed chocolate to only ladies in this House. It is unheard of in this House. What was the motivation for selecting only women to be given chocolate? After attending gender classes at GIMPA and being schooled on gender, I think that gender should be more concerned about both sexes.
What is the motivation for selecting only one sex? That is my concern.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Indeed, Hon Asiamah, as you were speaking, some Hon Members were murmuring under what Order you were coming. What you
Mrs Gifty E. Kusi 11:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am a lady but I have not got any chocolate.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Hon Member for Adenta should take note and act accordingly.
Ms Owusu 11:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I believe in the spirit of Affirmative Action, he decided to motivate the ladies in the House to encourage them to work harder and make our voices equivalent to that of five men in the House.
rose
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Hon Sorogho, I have seen your red newspaper, so I will call you.
I think that what Hon Muntaka said was right because when Hon Ursula Owusu was speaking, she started talking
Dr Hanna L. Bisiw (NDC -- Tano South) 11:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to make a Statement on a silent killer, hepatitis B.
Today, 14th February, 2013 is observed worldwide as St. Valentine's Day, associated with romance. Mr Speaker, here in Ghana, some call it “Chocolate Day”, some call it “Lovers Day”. Anyway we choose to call the Day, it leads us to one thing -- a day where we show love to our loved ones.
Mr Speaker, it is based on this that, I wish to draw our attention to the need to ensure a conscious combat against one of the most dangerous and silent killer diseases in our society known as Hepatitis B. Hepatitis B basically, is an irritation and swelling (inflammation ) of the liver due to infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). It is said to be fast-spreading among Ghanaians, with about four million people currently affected by the disease. This infection has two possible phrases: (1) acute and (2) chronic.
Mr Speaker, acute hepatitis B refers to newly acquired infections. Affected individuals notice symptoms approximately 1 to 4 months after exposure to the virus. In most people with acute hepatitis B, symptoms resolve over weeks to months and they are cured of the infection. However, a small number of people develop a very severe, life-threatening form of acute hepatitis B called fulminant hepatitis.
Mr Speaker, chronic hepatitis B is an infection with HBV that lasts longer than 6 months. Once the infection becomes chronic, it may never go away completely.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) affects many people and ranks behind HIV/AIDS as the tenth leading cause of death in the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about two billion people are infected with hepatitis B&C, of which nearly one million deaths occur annually. Information available reveals that the situation is no different in Ghana. According to the Ghana demographic health survey, HBV is very endemic in Ghana.
Mr Speaker, one out of five Ghanaians is infected by hepatitis B. According to the Health Service report in 2009, there is a rate of infection recorded in 2005, which stood at a ratio of 8:1as against 6:1 now. Again, in Ghana, HBV is largely a disease of children and young adults aged 10-50 years, about 0.7 to 1.6 million Ghanaians are chronic hepatitis B carriers.
Indeed, WHO has indicated that, hepatitis B virus is (50 -100 per cent) more infectious than the HIV virus. This implies that the organism which causes hepatitis B can be isolated in all body fluids, and other body fluids like saliva, sweat, blood, semen, vaginal fluids and other body fluids, mother- child transmission, et cetera.
This makes it possible for the organism to spread through the mere sharing of spoons, tooth brush, barbering machines, pedicure and manicure procedures, sharing of syringes and needles (especially drug addicts), kissing and unprotected sex, just to mention a few.
Mr Speaker, the danger of hepatitis B is that it is asymptomatic This means that those living with the condition do not show any symptom. This, notwithstanding, causes
the disease to spread freely since those affected are not aware of their condition. The disease, just like HIV/AIDS can only be managed. It has no cure due to its complex nature. Persons who are diagnosed with the disease will have to spend GH¢400 to undergo an investigation to determine their level of infection.
The cost of the oral treatment spans between GH¢300 and GH¢400 a month and costs between GH¢300 and GH¢400 a week to take an injection for 48 weeks as a way of managing the condition. The good news however, is that hepatitis B unlike HIV/ AIDS has a vaccine that protects people against it.
Due to the complexities and the challenges posed by hepatitis B to the youth in particular and the nation at large, I suggest that we put in place strategic policies that target those who are chronic to manage, especially to make sure that the investigations they do which are very expensive are taken care of by either health insurances or an insurance company and also to make sure that those who are supposed to be prevented from the disease are given the necessary interventions.
Mr Speaker, in conclusion, the hard work and dedication of doctors and other health- care professionals, researchers, and advocates will help in censuring a healthy citizenry for economic development and growth. We must make sure that this “silent epidemic” does not go unnoticed by health- care professionals, the Government, and communities across the country.
Mr Speaker, I also strongly propose that we task the appropriate agencies to deepen the awareness or education on hepatitis B in an effort to help change unsafe or unhealthy human behaviour that elicits this situation.
Today, 14th February, 2013 marks the celebration of the popular Valentine's Day. Since this Day is set aside for us to show
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Hon Members, may I add that a Speaker is not allowed to contribute to the debate. Somebody wished Ablekuma North, South, East, West, Central and somebody wished Tano South. So, I am waiting for the person who will wish Esikadu/Ketan happy Valentine's Day. If you do that, I will take note and I will reciprocate at the appropriate time. [Laughter.]
Alhaji Amadu B. Sorogho (NDC -- Madina) 11:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, ordinarily, as a Moslem, having been to Hajj several times, I normally would not want to comment on Valentines' Day. But --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Hon Member, how many times?
Alhaji Sorogho 11:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, a minimum of nine times. The maximum, I cannot tell. But a minimum of nine times.
Mr Speaker, listening to the Statements made by the three Hon Members, there are two basic questions that I would want to ask.
Mr Speaker, Valentine's Day was originated by somebody so many years ago, and the first question is, Mr Speaker, if that man were to be alive today, do you

think he would be happy about the way we are celebrating Valentine today?

Mr Speaker, the second question is, from all the Statements and listening very attentively, at the end of them, we are being cautioned that while we want to celebrate, we should show love; we must be careful. This is because at the end of it, it can bring us problems. Mr Speaker, if we know all these, why are we propagating and then making room for Statements promoting this kind of behaviour?
Mr Isaac K. Asiamah 11:55 a.m.
On a point of order.
Mr Speaker, is the Hon Colleague challenging the judgement of the Speaker in admitting these Statements? I think it is most unfortunate. I think in the wisdom of Mr Speaker, these Statements are sound, correct and should be admitted. That is why we are debating them. So please, the Hon Member should not doubt the judgement of Mr Speaker. I think that is most unfortunate.
Alhaji Sorogho 11:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker from Esikadu/Ketan Constituency is wishing all his constituents happy Valentine's Day -- [Laughter] -- and I know they are listening. But Mr Speaker, let me continue.
Mr Speaker, we all know that when we talk about love, we think about something white, the dove -- peace, and so we all know that in Ghana, traditionally, red means danger. Mr Speaker, if for nothing at all, when I attend funerals, it is either black or red people wear. And today, people are in red. Whether they are mourning those who are going to be casualties as a result of what is going to happen today, Mr Speaker, I do not know.
[Laughter.] But Mr Speaker, I am a little worried and I think that on this 14th February day, we in Ghana can decide to say that today, which is Valentine's Day, let us get our own Valentine. And I can assure you that I do not think the man who brought Valentine would be happy -- [Interruption.]
Mr James K. Avedzi 11:55 a.m.
On a point of order.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
I also nearly said Hear! Hear! myself -- [Laughter.] I forgot that by courtesy of the Hon Majority Leader and Hon Minority Leader, I have been elevated to lonely eminence. But thank you very much.
The Hon Member asked two questions and I think that he was seeking information, so I was waiting quietly to see who would supply him with that answer. So thank you for giving him that.
But he asked two questions-- there is another question that he has asked that is still outstanding -- he asked why we are in red and black and you answered him back. There is another question he asked but I cannot contribute.
Alhaji Sorogho 11:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you.
But you are indirectly leading the contribution and urging Hon Members to tow a certain line.
Thank you very much anyway.
Mr Speaker, I am very serious with what I am saying.
An Hon Member 11:55 a.m.
What is the source?
Alhaji Sorogho 11:55 a.m.
Please, when the Hon Member was reading the Statement, we did not ask for the source. She said she had made that research -- We all know that there are problems, so why do we have to promote at this level, parliamentary level -- and to tell people that they should go out there -- and Mr Speaker saying that if you are in red -- I had to raise this red before Mr Speaker saw me.
Mr Kofi Osei-Ameyaw 11:55 a.m.
On a point of order.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for Madina indicated that he is a Moslem to start with, and that black and red are associated with funerals. I would want to know from the Hon Member whether in the Moslem religion, black and white are not used for funerals but white. If so, how does he reconcile black for funerals and in his case, white for funerals? How does he reconcile that with love?
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
I believe he said black and red, not black and white. So, the question is black and red.
Mr Osei-Ameyaw 11:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, in Islam, it is white that they use in their burials. So please, can the Hon Member clarify what they use in Islam?
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
And also in Mfantsipim School, I am told by the Hon Member for Odododiodioo --
Alhaji Sorogho 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
Nana Amaniampong Marfo 12:05 p.m.
On a point of order.
Mr Speaker, in fact, this morning, I think a lot of people would be taken aback hearing from Hon Sorogho. That is because, Metro Television, he was there with Hon O. B. Amoah and his first comment as far as Valentine is concerned was that, he is a Moslem, so he does not know much and he does not engage himself with Valentine issues. So, in less than three hours after that, and he making this elaborate statement in this august House, I think a lot of people, if not confused, would actually have a different opinion of him.
Back to the issue, Valentine --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon Member, even though you are not wearing a red dress, I will give you an opportunity to contribute. I have taken your first statement in good faith. I think Hon Sorogho may want to proceed or he may want to make a brief comment.
Alhaji Sorogho 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to let Hon Marfo know that, when I want to do something, I do it very fast. From that time to today, I was told that there would be a Statement on Valentine's Day, so I decided to do a research on it, and that is what he must also start to learn from today. He should not wait because it can catch him anywhere. So, I am ready for it -- [Interruption.]
Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh 12:05 p.m.
On a point of order.
Mr Speaker, there is no doubt that the Hon Member for Madina is a true and devout Moslem. But it cannot be, Mr Speaker, that he says as a Moslem, everything that happens to one, one accepts it. No! Islam proscribed certain acts like lesbianism and gaysm. Is he saying that if his son comes home and says that he is a gay, he would just accept it because he is a Moslem?

Thank you.
Alhaji Sorogho 12:05 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
I said it in context. We were discussing something here about wearing black and white and I made reference to that -- I know he wants to find a way of bringing a foreign topic into this and he has succeeded in mentioning it.
Thank you very much. That is not what I meant. I said it in context.
Mr Speaker, to conclude, all what I would want to say is that, Valentine's Day has come to stay. But please, I think we must have a way out and it should start from Parliament here. The way we go out, talk about it, when we know very well that after the celebration, which is just one day, what would happen next, would take us year -- Some may even lose their lives and others may be ruined for ever. So I am cautioning that, that kind of Valentine's Day, the Westerners type, we must stop it and be thinking about “Chocolate Day” where we can eat more chocolate and then grow more cocoa.
On this note, I thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker. Thank you very much, Hon Member for Madina and Chairman of the Committee on Trade and Industry -- and erstwhile Chairman of the Board of Ghana National Fire Service.
Some Hon Members 12:05 p.m.
He is still the Chairman.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Thank you. I was minded to focus on “red” but may be biased towards pink. After that I will call some Hon Members from this side of the House as well.
Hon Member for Dome-Kwabenya in “pink”, not in “red”.
Ms Sarah Adwoa Safo ( NPP -- Dome/ Kwabenya) 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for the opportunity and to also wish all Hon Members of my constituency a happy Valentine's Day.
Mr Speaker, today, I am very honoured to have seated in the Gallery, among beautiful angels and future leaders of this nation from the Kwabenya Atomic Junior Secondary School (JSS) and I am very much happy that this topic was admitted by the Hon Speaker for discussion.
Moving on, I would want to assist my Hon Colleague from Madina, being neighbours on the question that he asked, whether the one who brought about Valentine's Day would be happy today the way we are practising or celebrating that day. In his conclusion, he ended up contradicting himself with his earlier argument, whether it is really necessary for us to be debating this very important occasion and day in this House.
Mr Speaker, I believe that this is the House of Representatives and we all here represent the majority of our constituents out there. And if indeed, there ought to be a redirection of our celebration, this is the proper place for us to discuss it and for that matter, I congratulate the Speaker and the Leaders for admitting such a Statement and it is worth discussing. I would want to congratulate my Colleagues who made the various Statements on Valentine's Day.
Mr Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi 12:05 p.m.
On a point of order.
Mr Speaker, we were recently taken through some ethics of this House and we were asked not to acknowledge people in the Gallery. I am surprised that my Colleague -- and she also said that she is representing majority of her constituents but it should be all. She is representing all of them.
Ms Safo 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, that is not what I said.
Mr Terlabi 12:05 p.m.
Please, that is what she said.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon Member, continue.
Mr Terlabi 12:05 p.m.
What she said was that she was representing majority of her constituents and that is not correct. She is representing her constituents.
Ms Safo 12:05 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to continue. I take that a bit on the light side.
I would want to say that on this very important day, as we celebrate love, love is about unity, love is peace, love is sweet and love is kindness. Inasmuch as we would want to celebrate love with our lovers, there are a thousand and one people out there who need our love.
We have our aged out there, we have the sick and the vulnerable in society who would expect on this day, just a bar of chocolate from one of us. And to the youth, I would want to tell them that they should be guided by John 3: 16:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son what whosoever believed in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life”.
rose
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon Member, out of respect for the Bible, I did not call you earlier because the Hon Member was quoting John 3:16. I wanted her to finish with the quotation before I call you. Now, she has finished.
Mr Akandoh 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think the Hon Member was seeking your guidance whether an Hon Member on the floor of the House can introduce somebody in the public Gallery. I thought the Hon Member was going to be humble enough; but she said she was going to take that on a lighter note.
So, Mr Speaker, your guidance.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon Member, continue.
Ms Safo 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in ending my contribution, I once again would want to congratulate my Hon Colleagues for these well-thought-provoking Statements. Mr Speaker, I would also want to wish all my Hon Colleagues here a happy Valentine's Day and to show more love, especially, from the male Colleagues of ours.
I think what the Hon Member for Adentan did must be emulated by most of us. Indeed, there are very little of us here and we would not misconstrue that as sexual harassment; we would happily and gratefully take the bars of chocolate given to us.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I am very much grateful.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Members.
I must confess that I did not respond to the invitation not because I did not hear what the Hon Member said, but I also seek guidance from the Speaker. I have a personal view, which is a little different from perhaps, what you were told at
GIMPA.
In several Parliaments in the world -- and I would ask the Hon Minority Leader of his views, first -- they acknowledge people outside the Chamber. I mean these are the members of the public who vote for us and if these young people have come from schools from our constituency, I think the least we can do, is to acknowledge them. That is my personal view. That is not the view of what is prevalent in the House. That was why I did not respond to it, not because I did not respect your views.
Hon Minority Leader, with respect, this issue of acknowledging people from schools in your area and so on -- and if
you look at it vis-à-vis the fact that other Members of Parliament coming and so on -- if they sit down and we acknowledge them, people are saying that the views that were espoused at GIMPA were that, for example, we should not acknowledge people in the Chamber. Is that the correct view, Minority Leader? I was indisposed, so I was not at GIMPA.
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, strangers who come into the House, all of them enter the House by your kind permission. So it is for you to acknowledge them, not individual Members of Parliament to acknowledge them. Equally so, when you get to the level of the committees, admissibility of strangers is at the instance of the Chairman of the Committee.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Minority Leader, what could we do without you? We thank you for your kind advice.
Ms Safo 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is Kwabenya Atomic Junior High School (JHS) pupils in this Honourable House.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
I take the opportunity to welcome the pupils of Dome- Kwabenya Atomic JHS. I wish you well; listen to all they are saying on Valentine; be good and in future become leaders of Ghana.
Thank you very much for coming here today.
There is another school, and if they are in your constituency, I acknowledge them as well.
Hon Okyere Darko-Mensah is hitting his chest. I think they are from his place.
Mr Kwabena O. Darko-Mensah 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, they are from Agyriba International School, Takoradi.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Thank you.
As you have been told by the Speaker, your voice goes as far as mine and I become your advocate for this purpose.
The students from Agyriba International School, Takoradi, the Members of Parliament from Esikadu/ Ketan, from Efffia, Kwesimintsim and Sekondi -- I may even add Shama -- for what it is worth -- Somebody is saying Juaboso, but I do not know whether Juaboso goes that far. However, we all welcome you from Takoradi Oil City to Accra.
We wish you well and hope that this would be a life changing moment for you and that you would aspire in the near future to attain higher heights than your Member of Parliament has.
rose
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Thank you very much for attending onto us.
Hon Atta Akyea, is it a contribution or you also want an acknowledgement?
Mr Samuel Atta Akyea 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I wanted to say a few words about Valentine's Day and --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
I think that if I am correct, the last Hon Member who contributed was from the left side of the House, so let it go to the other side. The pendulum will swing back and then it will find you.
Hon Member from Hohoe.
Dr (Mrs) Bernice A. Heloo (NDC -- Hohoe) 12:05 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity at long last. I rise to support the Statements --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon Member, what do you mean by “at long last”?
Dr (Mrs) Heloo 12:05 p.m.
Sorry, I have been up for a long time.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Oh!
Dr (Mrs) Heloo 12:05 p.m.
I struggled to catch your eye. Thank you for the opportunity.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Yes! There are many Members. But of about 40 Members, I chose you and -- [Laughter.]
Dr (Mrs) Heloo 12:05 p.m.
Thank you very much, I withdraw the “at long last”.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member.
Dr (Mrs) Heloo 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to support the Statements made by Hon Members on Valentine's Day.
Mr Speaker, as has been well noted, the day which was meant to express agape love and pro-poor activities, has lost its meaning and we have all heard about the negative impact that this has had on our society.
Mr Speaker, day in and day out, this august House has made many Statements in support of what can be done rightly on this important day. I would want to propose that this House takes the leadership in changing the attitudes that are negative and which we have all noted.
rose
Dr (Mrs) Heloo 12:05 p.m.
May I also suggest, Mr Speaker, that we set up a special Fund, into which contributions could be made, to enable us make donations to the deprived and the poor in our society --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon Member, do you have a point of order? The Hon Member has finished though.
Mr Akando 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I just wanted to seek some information whether the Hon Member accepted the chocolate from the Hon Member for Adentan or not?
Dr (Mrs) Heloo 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I did not accept the chocolate because I felt it was not meant for me but for other people who do not have the opportunity to have access to it.
I would like to use this opportunity to wish each and every one of us here a happy Valentine's Day and also extend the same feeling and expression to my constituents and the nation as a whole.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Like a bad boxer, I will telegraph my punch, indicate the next three Members I will be calling. I would call the Hon Member in the red shirt, then I will move from there to the Hon Member in wine suit, standing straight ahead of me and I move to Hon Emmanuel Agyarko. After him, then Hon Atta Akyea and finally, I move to the Hon Member wearing white at the back.
Ms Rosemund Comfort Abrah (NPP -- Weija/Gbawe) 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you for catching your eye.
Before I proceed, may I make it clear that the distribution of the chocolate to the ladies was somehow selective. I am a lady, I never had one.
Thank you.
Mr Speaker, I rise to support the Statement —
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
I do not know whether we should refer the Hon Member for Adentan to one of the committees. I do not know whether it is the Privileges Committee or what. This is because in the distribution of chocolates to about twenty Hon Members, he got it wrong. However, we commend him; he did a good job. We commend him.
Ms Abrah 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I wish to send my warmest felicitations to my consti- tuents in Weija/Gbawe and also to support the Statement on Valentine's Day — [Interruption]
Dr A. A. Osei 12:25 p.m.
On a point of order.
Mr Speaker, I would want to advise my Colleague that there is something called Standing Order 89. If she is not aware, she may want to make reference to it. This is because I saw that she was holding something up — and Standing Order 89 is very specific how you give information. So, if the Hon Member sitting next to her would advise her properly, so that she would not appear to be reading copiously from her statement.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
She was refreshing her memory. Standing Order 89 allows her to refresh her memory.
Ms Abrah 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, much as I identify myself with the Valentine's Day as my appearance shows, I however support the call that there is the need to refocus on the significance of the day. Much as I also commend the media, both the print and electronic, for making Valentine's Day popular, much of their focus was however, concentrated on conjugal love, that is, sexual love.
I would now entreat the media and indeed, all of us here celebrating the day, to rather focus on the type of love to be shown on Valentine's Day, to be that of agape love. In agape love, love is not based on sex but rather on love for humanity, where each respect the other and shows care and understanding.
I thank you all and wish everybody here and outside sweet Valentine's Day, especially the youth who have misconstrued the meaning of the day.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Benjamin Komla Kpodo (NDC -- Ho Central) 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I appear to be the only male Member who has openly identified with the Valentine's Day because I am wearing a wine suit. [Laughter.]
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon Member, Hon Justice Joe Appiah is in bright red dress, not wine. Hon Joe Baidoe-Ansah is also in a red tie. We appreciate your wine.
Mr Kpodo 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I also wish to identify myself with the Hon Member who first made the Statement and wish everybody a happy Valentine's Day.
The Bible tells us in John 15 that we should love every time, not only on Valentine's Day. So, though we can mark a specific day, I think we should carry the message beyond that February 14 and ensure that we show love to one another, to our spouses, to those who are in need and to the community in general.
In that way, we can do many things to help humanity. Let us empathise with other people to be ours, so that we can demonstrate that love. This morning, I told my wife that she is my bread when I am hungry and that she is my anchor in troubled oceans. I think that is what we should be doing to our spouses.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon Member, before you resume your seat, I think what you have done is very remarkable. Your wife is now going into the records. The bread of your —
Mr Kpodo 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, she is my bread when I am hungry. [Laughter.]
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon Member, your bread and your anchor. Can you mention her full name, so that her name goes into the Hansard? I do not want just your wife; mention her name.
Mr Kpodo 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, her name is Mrs Happy Amadzah-Kpodo.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Thank you, Hon Member. That has been captured by the Hansard Department. Your wife's name is in the official proceedings of Parliament.
Hon Atta Akyea, I would come to you. You are last but one. The Hon Member for Adentan, whose name has been mentioned so many times, people have said so many things, mostly good; you will bring the curtain down. You will have a say.
rose
Mr Emmanuel K. Agyarko (NPP -- Ayawaso West Wuogon) 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to speak in support of the Statement made by the Hon Member for Tano South on the most topical medical condition, hepatitis B.
As stated, this disease condition is several times more infectious; it is the most contagious disease and it is several times more infectious than the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
The irony, however, is that unlike HIV, there are potent medical interventions for this disease condition. Therefore, it is possible that we do things that would prevent all of us from contracting this disease. Because this condition is preventable, I believe there must be a directed educational activity, just as it has been done for HIV/AIDS and it may be necessary that the public health awareness creation be raised.
My understanding is that, currently, as part of the immunisation scheme for children, the vaccine for hepatitis is offered. My view is that, we must find a way to add on both the testing and probably the immunisation of all people that are found not to be negative. The thing is that if a cost-benefit analysis of this is done, we would find out as a nation that, the benefit of doing this far

outweighs the cost to us. It is a dreadful disease and if we can find a way to protect the public, I think that is good no matter how much it would cost. Indeed, I must place on record that it does not cost too much to test and the vaccine does not cost too much.
rose
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon Matthew Prempeh.
Dr Prempeh 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I wanted the Hon Member for Ayawaso West Wuogon to educate us, that in his attempt to say we should do it for the whole country, which country in the world does that?
Mr Agyarko 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am aware that in Cuba, it is freely available. If it is available in some countries, I am posturing that what might be necessary is for all of us to do a cost-benefit analysis. Probably, what we need to do, like in children, there may be people that are probably more vulnerable -- [Interruption.]
An Hon Member -- rose --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
Hon
Member, do you have a point of order?
Continue.
Mr Agyarko 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in all of this, I think the important thing is that, we must look at the risk benefit ratios. I would want to believe that, if we can establish very clearly, that the risk far outweighs the benefit cost-wise, then it might be helpful in ensuring the public health and safety.
I would want to thank you, Mr Speaker, for your indulgence.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
Hon Muntaka, if you can assist me. I know that as Speaker, I am not supposed to engage in the debate. Two things have been said here, unless I did not hear correctly. I would want guidance on what I should do.
I heard the maker of the Statement say that hepatitis B is not curable. I stand corrected. But I thought I also understood from the Hon Emmanuel Agyarko that there are powerful medical interventions.
I was wondering, for the sake of our youth who we have acknowledged, and even for our own sake, what is the case in medical examination? Does it mean it can be cured or it is not curable? I am not of the scientific persuasion; I am purely a man of the arts.
So I thought that the Hon Minority Leader and the acting Majority Leader, if the Speaker asks a question, is he contributing to the debate? The Speaker is confused on two harmless statements on science that we all need to know. Is he contributing to the debate? And if there are experts here including the last contributor and the lady who spoke, we would want to know the position.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the first statement came from a veterinary surgeon, the second statement came from a pharmacist. Can we listen to a medical officer?
rose
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
You want to add to that -- I am interested in -- I am just a simple person who wants to know whether it is curable or not, for the record and the newspapers.
Alhaji Muntaka 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am neither a pharmacist, a veterinary officer nor a medical officer but I have a living example of hepatitis B situation.
Mr Speaker, in 2001, I went to donate blood --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
Hon Member, is it curable or not?
Alhaji Muntaka 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am coming up to your question. I am just building up.
In 2001, my wife and I went to donate blood and we were told that we had hepatitis B. We were alarmed, so we went through the testing. But they said that the level was very low and because it was very low, there was virtually nothing that we needed to do rather than to be checking; they then guided us on the kind of food to eat and other activities that we have to be carrying on to be able to keep it low.
They said, the level that we had, naturally, it could cure itself, but it is not something that we could take drugs to cure. Then periodically, we go to check.
I think about four years or five years ago, there were some other persons who came and said that when it is at the very beginning -- that is where my Sister in her Statement referred to, as the acute stage, that if you are lucky, when going through the procedure, you could get some remedy.
But when it gets to the chronic stage, it is not something that can be treated, it can only be managed.
So Mr Speaker, with this information from someone like me who has gone through the experience of it, and other
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
Hon Muntaka, you are the acting Majority Leader now, so if you could resume your seat, you would get the last chance. Once you speak, you have more or less eliminated all those behind you. You will get the chance.
But I think that since the medical doctors have not stood on their feet to respond to that, my understanding is that hepatitis B, when it is at a certain stage, can be cured and when it becomes acute, it cannot be cured. That is my understan- ding.
Hon Dr Anane, this is also a House of record and people are listening to us and that is why we must have it clear.
Dr Richard W. Anane 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, Hon Muntaka just said what they went through. I think what he may not have also told Members was that, one, he was advised on status. So, when we are here, one could advise the entire membership to ensure that they go in to check on their status. When you do know that you do not have it, one of the best ways to do, is to prevent it and that is why we have the
vaccine, so that when you get vaccinated, then you do not get it. But once you get it, it becomes difficult to maybe, go out of you.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
Hon Member, is it curable or not?
Dr Anane 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is not curable. That is the most important thing. The other part of it too is that it is one of the most worrisome conditions. This is because one of the ways surgeons die is because they get infected. In fact, doctors see hepatitis B as even more dangerous than the HIV virus because just a drop can cause you to be infected, whereas in the case of HIV, it takes many encounters before you get infected. So it is something that one must be very careful about --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
Hon Dr Anane, the statement you made about HIV, can I take it out?
Dr Anane 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, you may want to. I was just making a comparison from the medical standpoint. I am not making a general statement for anybody to just want to swallow. But I am saying that in comparison, the hepatitis B can be more dangerous than the other virus and it is also contracted through sex. I think that is what the Hon Member should have drawn attention to.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
The last medical intervention for two seconds, then we go back to non-medical.
Dr Prempeh 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I wanted to take this opportunity to inform Members of what we mean by hepatitis B.
Mr Speaker, when we say curable or non-curable, what are we talking about? When one is infected with hepatitis B virus, such that the effect on the liver -- one of the end organs that it damages is the liver -- then we cannot cure
somebody with that liver that has been destroyed by hepatitis B virus. Mr Speaker, there are lots of people who would contract hepatitis B and never develop any disease out of that hepatitis
B.
So we have to be careful when we are talking about hepatitis B and we are talking about curability and non-curability. The advice is that, for people who are in certain conditions, and for certain people who engage in certain activities, like medical personnel by virtue of the fact that one can easily get pricked or pick it from the hospital because of the work you do, they advise you to get vaccinated.
So for people who are adults who might engage in sex -- because one of the ways one can contact it is through sexual activity. You are advised that you either protect yourself or you go and get a vaccination, or abstain, which is even better. That is why I am careful when somebody is saying “curability” and “non-curability.”
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
Unless the Hon Member has a different view, I was just going to --
Mr Agyarko 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, since this is a House of records, it is important that I say this.
I do not believe that in my submission, I talked to the issue about curability or anything else. I think that the point I am making or the point I sort to make, is that, it costs very little to vaccinate. In a mass vaccination, it would cost very little. Since it has been clearly stated that once you get vaccinated, the possibility of you contracting this dreadful disease does not exist, can we as a nation begin to look at that possibility?
In any case, we are doing it in the child immunisation schemes; can we extend it to adults? We would start with various identifiable groups. Can we begin to do it with the services, can we begin to do it with teachers? When we do this, before long, it would be possible that virtually, everybody -- It is not easy but it is possible. The point I am making is that, if we did a cost-benefit analysis, we would find out that in the long-term, the benefits would far outweigh the cost.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Hon Members, I apologise for allowing this scientific debate to go on. But for persons such as me without a medical background, it is important to get it clear. It was the statement that there are powerful medical interventions that perhaps, misled me. I think that what we have learned from this little discourse, we non-doctors know that there is a dangerous disease and we must all be checked.
We continue with the contributions, the Hon Member.
Mr Kwame G. Agbodza (NDC -- Adaklu) 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I wish to associate myself with the Statement made by the Hon Member for Tano South (Dr Hanna Bisiw).
I believe a significant part of her Statement seems to advise all of us, that our lifestyle should be such that when we think we are having fun or in a mood to jubilate, we do not overdo it. I think her advice is about what to do to prevent catching hepatitis B.
In my view, Valentine's Day means a lot. People say it means love; in my view, every Ghanaian should have a first love, which is this country. I believe if we love this country, we would do whatever it takes to make it peaceful. I do not see how many people can show love when there is war. So we must do whatever it takes to
Mr Kennedy Nyarko Osei (Akim Swedru) 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to add my voice to the Statement made by the Hon Member for Kpando. I think she has done well by bringing this Statement to the floor for deliberations. I would want to add my voice, based on the contributions that other Hon Members have made.
I believe Valentine's Day is a special day but I also see it as a normal day. The purpose for such an occasion, in my perspective, has been misplaced by most people.
If you read the history behind Valentine's Day -- I am suspecting that, maybe, as a people or as a country, we are just moving away from the main significance of such a celebration. I think if we want to move forward as a country, then we should hype up more education on the significance of such an occasion. You read that Valentine's Day is about love but people have misinterpreted it and have added sex to it. So, it is now seen as sex and love. But the main significance, the focus was love and the love means
the agape one, not the amorous type of love.
I would want to suggest or add my voice and advise, especially the youth, that such an occasion should rather be used to assist the needy in the society. This is because love is kindness, love is peace. The Good Book says that if you love someone, if you love your neighbour, you would not do any evil to such a person. I am of the view that we should rather use this occasion to do good to people, especially those in the society who are in dire need.
We should not avail ourselves to be a target of any prey on such an occasion, so that the effect, which would come at the end of the day, maybe, the whole nation would not be at wreck.
In ending my submission, I believe the House would consider my suggestion and together with other agencies and the media, our focus would be on educating the public in this area than to see the occasion as one for amorous activities.
Dr Kwabena Donkor (NDC -- Pru East) 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to associate with this occasion, especially the Statement made by Hon Hanna Bisiw. But I would want to add another dimension.
If the origin of Valentine is the showing of love, especially to the poor, Mr Speaker, with your permission, I would want to suggest that Valentine's Day be renamed or be associated with voluntary work.
Mr Speaker, when we were young and in secondary schools, volunteerism was such a major character-building activity, that a number of us joined voluntary work camps association of Ghana, built schools, built clinics, et cetera. So, there is no better way of showing love than engaging in voluntary activity that would bring relief to the poor and vulnerable in our society.
Mr Speaker, I would want to suggest that Parliament, for example, could move to Parambo Sawaba in Pru East Constituency and help the town in putting up a school block. It would send a better message of love, a better message of empathy, a better message of solidarity with the people of the area and with the poor in Ghana as a whole. So while associating with Valentine, I would want us to re-focus on volunteerism in Ghana.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity.
Mr William Agyapong Quaittoo (NPP -- Akim Oda) 12:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to associate myself with the Statement and contributions that have been made by Hon Colleagues on Valentine's Day.
Several issues have been raised on this day, both positive and negative. And it is because of the negativity attached to Valentine's Day that the then able Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), who is currently in this House, Hon Isaac Osei, made COCOBOD to attach the Chocolate Day to the Valentine's Day on 14th February.
On such days, at Ghana Cocoa Board, we go out to promote the health benefits of cocoa. And ever since we did that, many people have seen the need to at least, add cocoa to their daily diets.
Mr Speaker, I would want to add here that COCOBOD is mandated to oversee the production and promotion of three important crops but it seems that they have more or less concentrated all their efforts only on cocoa. Coffee is now not known in Ghana as one of the crops that
we grow. Another crop is the sheanut, which we all know, is the cocoa of the Northern Region.
My name is Quaittoo. I am not from the North, though I lived there for 26 years. So, I know how important the shea tree or sheabutter is to the people of the Northern Region. I would wish that on the 14th of February, when COCOBOD is doing these serious commercials on cocoa, we add coffee and sheabutter. This is because they are equally very important when it comes to health. So, Mr Speaker, I wish that COCOBOD would be told to more or less beef up their effort in promoting coffee and sheabutter.
Thank you very much.
Mr Ebenezer O. Terlabi (NDC -- Lower Manya Krobo) 12:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to support the Statement made by the Hon Member for Tano South.
Mr Speaker, I believe that the hepatitis B virus, as has been alluded to, is very violent and infectious and therefore, there is the need for us to really do something about it.
I believe, Mr Speaker, that we must promote the testing, like we do for HIV and make sure that one knows his or her status and go for the vaccine.
Mr Speaker, on the back of this, is the unbridled advertisement of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. Why am I saying this? We are talking about effects of our social activities insofar as this hepatitis B virus is concerned. I believe that we all know the influence of alcohol when it comes to judgement, especially in times like this, we have all sorts of alcoholic beverages being advertised -- sometimes under very fictitious medicinal claims and the young and old go for them.
When one takes them, they influence one's judgement and sometimes this leads both the young and old into activities that hitherto they would not have engaged in. So, I believe that we must look seriously
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
Hon Member, I have been saying, when you wish Lower Manya, then you add Essikadu/Ketan.
Mr Quiattoo 12:55 p.m.
And Essikadu/Ketan.
Mr Solomon N. Boar (NPP -- Bunkpurugu) 12:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, before I contribute to the Statement made by Hon Dr Bissiw, I would like to thank the Hon Member for Adentan for sharing his chocolate with me. He did well by sharing the chocolate to both males and females and I am very glad that I have enjoyed it.
Having listened to the various submissions by my Hon Colleagues, especially Hon Dr Bissiw, I have been really well educated about hepatitis B. In fact, if one goes to the villages and the hinterlands now, when youth between 18 and 40 years pass on, mostly the allegation is that the person has been bewitched by somebody in the community.
Mostly, fingers normally point to our mothers. I think that it is high-time that we tried our best to encourage the Ministry of Health to move to the
hinterlands to educate the people to understand that some of the hepatitis related diseases are not being caused by witches. If one goes to some of the witch camps now, most of our mothers and sisters aged between 45 and 50 can be found there. Mostly, they are there because they have been accused of having bewitched somebody somewhere.
I would really want us to send a very strong signal, so that the Ministry of Health or the Ghana Health Service can embark on a very intensive education to educate people in the hinterlands, so that they will know that there is the need to always reflect when such a thing happens, instead of just moving to accuse our mothers and wives of witchcraft.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for this opportunity to add my voice to this very important Statement made by my Hon Colleague.
Nii Lantey E. Vanderpuye (NDC -- Odododiodioo): Mr Speaker, thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to also add my voice to this all-important issue.
Mr Speaker, I would want to say that all this talk -- all these concerns that Hon Members of this House are sharing, lead to one thing -- breakdown of our moral, traditional and cultural values. We have said that there are dangers inherent in the overzealous observance of this on Valentine's Day, its consequences and ramifications.
We have heard its dangerous impact on the health of our youth. But these things do not happen all of a sudden; media proliferation and overdose of advertising that correlates to sex and sexual idols.
I wonder, on a day like this, if we would take our time to be looking at, instead of promoting such obnoxious foreign culture, we would look at how we would be promoting our succinct cultural and traditional values. How many of us today spend time in trying to observe how the kpanlogo, the kete and the adowa dances are done?
rose
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Hon Member, point of order?
Ms Safo 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, point of order.

Nii Lantey Vanderpuye -- rose --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Hon Member, I have not asked you, so continue.
Ms Safo 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the point of order is that he is mentioning kpanlogo and other traditional dances. I think it is a bit too far away from the topic that we are discussing and if he can speak to the issues of the Statement on the floor.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
So you are talking about relevance? I thought that -- If I was not sitting in the Chair, my point of order would be why he did not add azonto. But he restricted himself to kpanlogo and so on.
But Hon Member, you continue.
We have been told that some Hon Members are doubting the relevance of
what you are saying, so if you could take that on board and indicate to us with all force.
Nii Lantey Vanderpuye: Mr Speaker, yes, I agree and I am very happy you have added the issue of azonto. Azonto and all its sexual moves, today, will be celebrated a lot in various corners and alleys as was analysed by our Hon Colleagues.
Mr Speaker, if you go to Accra Central and various parts of our city tonight, you will be appalled by the sight you see and the general dressing of our youth. You will see our youth virtually naked on our streets. These are the dressings you will see at the various entertainment points which are being organised today to celebrate Valentine's Day.
rose
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Hon Asiamah, do you have a point of order?
Mr I. K. Asiamah 1:05 p.m.
Rightly so, Mr Speaker.
Why is it that when it comes to moral decadence, the youth are attacked? I just cannot believe it. Everything negative is attached to the youth. But we also have adults who are also irresponsible. [An Hon Member: Very much.] Very much so. I think the emphasis on the youth-- youth indiscipline, youth this, youth that, is so much unbecoming.
We have many, many grown-ups who are very indisciplined and they are transmitting that canker, that is, to the younger ones. So let us address our minds to all those issues. But every
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
I am glad you ended that it was your contribution, because it was not a point of order; it is a contribution.
Nii Lantey Vanderpuye: Mr Speaker, I am very happy you have corrected my very good Hon Colleague. We just left the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) and we were told by a former Clerk to Parliament that Opanin na obi nyee bi da na abofra de obiaa aye bi da and I thought that would be a guiding principle to my Hon younger Colleague. I am --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
What does that mean, Hon Member? You have to interpret it. I thought that you represented the good people of Odododiodioo, Ga Mashie, the centre of Accra. Ga maa shikpon Ga maa nor ni. Ga people's land is for Gas and you were speaking -- I did not know you were an Akan.
Nii Lantey Vanderpuye: Mr Speaker, I decided to go Akan because I believe that that will sink well with my Hon Colleague.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Hon Asiamah is a man of many languages but if you could just, for the record -- When we speak vernacular in the House, we interpret it, just for the record.
Mr Vanderpuye 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, what our elders mean by that is, as for being young, everyone has been young before but to be old, you will have to graduate to that level. So the old ones, we would need to teach the young ones the path we have to tread, so that they will learn from it. And Mr Speaker -- [Interruption.]
Mr I. K. Asiamah 1:05 p.m.
On a point of order.
Mr Speaker, I think that he did not understand me well. And for his information, I had all my education in the Greater- Accra Region, so I can speak Ga like him.
Mr Speaker, the import of what I am saying is that if a responsible adult organises young people to go and molest others, harass people, to go and break people, that is where the moral decadence is --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
No, Hon Asiamah --
Mr I. K. Asiamah 1:05 p.m.
If candidates have young people to cause confusion, to cause mayhem --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Hon Asiamah --
Mr I. K. Asiamah 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, that is where the issue of irresponsibility is. Moral decadence starts from there. If you go and hire young people to go and cause mayhem, to cause confusion all over, that is the issue you must address. That is my concern.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Hon Asiamah, I think that if Mr Speaker is asking you to stop and you are continuing to speak, that also is not good. [An Hon Member: Moral decadence.] No! That is not moral decadence but that is too strong. That is also not good.
So Hon Member, will you just proceed and conclude.
Nii Lantey Vanderpuye: Mr Speaker, I will disregard the comment made by the Hon Member because I would not want to prolong this issue.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Hon Member, continue.
Nii Lantey Vanderpuye: Mr Speaker, I am on a very serious issue, because whether we like it or not, the prevalence of HIV, hepatitis B and the rest is so high among our youth. These are the people we need to protect. These are the people we need to set examples for and the fact that we adults have made mistakes in the past, does not mean that we must not tutor the youth the way they should go.
Our principle and what the Bible admonishes us to do is, to “Teach the youth the way they should go and when they grow up they will not depart from it.” And as such, I will stand again to say that let us refocus our energies, especially our advertising, our promotion of such obnoxious foreign cultures to advancing the moral of our youth.
I have lived in a society where dipo is practised, where young girls, if they have not gone through the initiation of dipo, they will find it difficult to even get a husband to marry. I have lived in a zongo community where it was vir tually impossible for young girls today, to see them wearing dresses with their bodies exposed. On Valentine's Day today, if you go to the spots, you will see all these happening and we cannot check them.
I thank you very much for the opportunity to add my voice to this and I think that as a country we must look at these cultures again.
Several Hon Members -- rose --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
I am sorry, Hon Members. I have taken a cue from your Leadership and I will take Hon Atta Akyea and after that Hon Ashie- Moore, Member of Parliament for Adentan, whose name has been mentioned several times. The other Hon Members who have not caught my eye this time, I assure you that next time when I sit in the Chair, my eyes will be firmly fixed on you. Even if you refuse to rise, you will catch my eye.
I am talking about the Hon Freda Prempeh, my Hon Colleague over there and my Hon Colleague here. Next time, even if you refuse to rise you will catch my eye. I am sorry about it today.
Mr Samuel A. Akyea (NPP -- Abuakwa South) 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for this indulgence. I was almost afraid that I would be left out in this interesting debate which is going on.
This is a very interesting day for all of us and I would want to --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
Hon Atta Akyea, with respect, I think you said “debate”. I think that Statements are not debated. Hon Member, use another word. I know you are a man of words.
Mr Akyea 1:15 p.m.
I am grateful to Mr Speaker for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the Statement on the floor. It came to that, with respect.
I was a bit scared about the Statement from Hon Dr Hanna Bisiw, that when you kiss somebody, you stand the risk of contracting hepatitis B --
Mr Akyea 1:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am not making a personal contribution in terms of trying to make the issues mine.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
Hon Atta Akyea, I agree with you. You are scared for other people and not for yourself.
Mr Akyea 1:15 p.m.
I am scared for other people and not for myself unless I am led into temptation but so far so good.
Mr Speaker, if we are talking about Valentine's Day and an illicit kiss from somebody can let you contract hepatitis B then we should be very careful because what is intended to be love could give you an ailment, the consequences of which you cannot control.
I am told that this hepatitis B may not leave your system and if you are not careful and it attacks your kidney, you will be dispatched to the other world early.
So I thank Hon Dr Hanna Bisiw for bringing this to the attention of the whole country, especially the Members of Parliament. I do not know who you will be kissing this evening but be careful who you kiss because it has implications.
Another issue that I would want to talk about briefly and take my seat because time is far spent, is the abuse of the Valentine's Day and it stems from the fact that people confuse sex with love. They are not the same. Some people believe that if you love somebody, the greatest
express of it is to have sex with the person and it is this confusion which is making most people think that love is equal to sex. Love is not equal to sex. As a matter of fact, what people say is, love which finds expression in sex, is abuse. This is because there are several people who might not love you but want to have sex with you for the pleasure of it. My chief concern is most of our womenfolk and I will address that and take my seat.
It seems to me that this whole Valentine's Day has been reduced to finding somebody to sleep with and there is this prey and predator arrangement which has defined this whole ceremony. People are trying to find people to sleep with in the name of love. What is sad is that the elderly too are involved because they might have the money to prey on the young ladies for material reasons; when people believe there is a little girl who is impoverished and in the name of trying to sponsor her or trying to seduce her, all manner of material bribes are given to her in exchange for romance.
It is very sad indeed. The sadder aspect is that the women also make themselves available because they believe that they could use their bodies for some material acquisitions. They will gain from that. And insofar as we come to that scenario in our country, I am afraid a lot of people will be abused.
A lot of ladies will be abused too, and this is where I would want to sound a word of caution that our ladies should take themselves seriously because all that a man can do for you, especially those who want to prey on you, is to have the fun and in the fun, there could be hepatitis B, there could be HIV/AIDS and they might also raise your appetite so high that any man who cannot meet that commercial arrangement, you do not want to look at him. The effect is that most ladies have
not got people to marry because their appetites were destroyed by bigger men who had all the money and they would not wait for their turn.
My little contribution to the Statement on the floor is that we should not confuse the two. Love is not the same as sex and it is a very, very serious undertaken and one should be careful who one sleeps with and who one kisses in the name of love. The consequences might be very grave.
This is my simple contribution to the Statement. I am very grateful that the issues have been raised by the makers of the Statement and the contributions have been good.
Mr Speaker, I cannot sit down without commenting on your elasticity of intellectual temperament, that you have been very elastic enough to accommodate all the Hon Members who spoke in various ways, some of them who were actually debating rather than contributing and people raising points of order when it is a window to contribute and all that. It has been good this afternoon and your starting point is good.
I am grateful to you.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
Thank you, Hon Atta Akyea.
You know, the good Book, I am talking about Ecclesiastes, I think, Chapter 8. It talks about the fact that the end is more important than the beginning. So I thank you for saying that my starting is good. I pray that my end will also be good. That at my end, you will be there and join with me to say that the end also has been well. That is also even more important.
Hon Member for Adentan who shared chocolate -- some people say it was only to women. Others say it was to women
and men. I know that you did not give me chocolate. But you can now bring the curtain down on this Valentine's Day issue.
Mr Emmanuel N. Ashie-Moore (NDC -- Adentan) 1:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you very much.
I rise to associate myself with the Statement made by Hon Hanna Bisiw and also use the same opportunity to explain the latter, the reason I gave the chocolate to the women.
There was a condition attached to the distribution of the chocolate and I made it clear that men in red and men in the traditional wear today, will be getting the chocolate and I think some of my Hon Colleagues in the traditional wear can attest to the fact that I gave them some of the chocolate. I was doing that to promote our locally made products.
Mr Speaker, before I continue, let me use this opportunity to wish His Excellency the President John Dramani Mahama and the family happy Valentine's Day and to your goodself, Mr Speaker and to the people of your constituency and the people in the House -- I do not want to mention names -- not forgetting the good people of Adentan, the constituency which I represent.
Mr Speaker, let me also wish the Clerks and the assistants in this august House the same, happy Valentine's Day, the entire staff of this Parliament and even our drivers a happy Valentine's Day.
Mr Speaker, we have had a lot of explanation and meaning of the Valentine's Day. But the reason we all wear red during this day is that red is the colour of the blood in our heart. That is why we wear red during this Day.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:25 p.m.
Hon Deputy Minority Leader, do you want to contribute before I call the Hon Majority Chief Whip?
Mr Dominic B. A. Nitiwul 1:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity, but I am all right.
Thank you.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:25 p.m.
And in that event, I will eat my words and allow Hon Prempeh to contribute and after his contribution, then the Hon Majority Chief Whip will bring the curtain down. But Hon Member, please, be brief.
Ms Freda A. O. Prempeh (NPP -- Tano North) 1:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, let me say a very big thank you to the Deputy Minority Leader.
I would like to also add my voice to the Valentine's Day celebration and I thank you for this opportunity to also express my love to all, especially the good people of Tano North Constituency.
Mr Speaker, we cannot dispute the fact that Valentine's Day is a day of love and it is celebrated with love. Love is caring, love is sharing, love is divine and Valentine's Day is all about love. But we should also understand that there is a difference between love and sex. You can express your love without necessarily having sex, and sex is not all about love. Somebody can have sex with you without loving you, but for the mere fact that he or she wants to take you to bed -- So we should make the distinction between the two. Love and sex are not the same.
Mr Speaker, I would also want to say that apart from the fact that Valentine's Day is a day of expressing and sharing love, it is also a time to mend broken hearts, it is also a time to mend broken homes, it is also a time to mend broken communities and it is also a time to mend broken relationships.
Mr Speaker, the role of the media is to educate, inform and entertain and I would take this opportunity to urge the media to educate the youth, especially on the story behind the Valentine's Day.
Just before Valentine's Day, what do we hear on our airwaves? It is all about entertainment. The real story behind Valentine's Day is hardly discussed. So, I urge the media to take this opportunity, go back to the drawing board and next year, prepare themselves well and discuss further what it means to have the Valentine's Day.
Mr Speaker, I would also like to commend the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government for instituting the National Chocolate Day to synchronize the celebration of Valentine's Day. And I would also like to propose that as we celebrate the day with chocolate, at least, on Valentine's Day, the price of chocolate could be reduced, so that any ordinary citizen out there can purchase one for his or her loved one. Mr Speaker, as we celebrate the day with chocolate and as I have just said, let me propose once again that the price of chocolate must be reduced.
Everybody wants to buy chocolate but how many people can afford it? My good Friend from the other side, the Hon Member for Adentan (Mr Ashie-Moore), he is a Member of Parliament and he has been able to buy chocolate at least, for all the women in the House today. There are some people out there who would have wished to buy some for their loved ones but they could not afford it.
Mr Speaker, I would also like to say that as much we celebrate Valentine's Day with love --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:25 p.m.
Hon Member, I believe this is your last --
Ms Prempeh 1:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, this is the last one.
This is especially to the youth -- This one, Hon I. K. Asiamah should not take me on.
The youth tend to express their love their own way. They think that sharing and caring on Valentine's Day is all about sex. Let me take this opportunity to educate them from my point of view that love is not all about sex. Love is caring, love is sharing and love is divine.
I would end by wishing all of us a happy Valentine's Day and especially the good people of Tano North Constituency.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:25 p.m.
Hon Members, we take the last but not least, by any means-- Hon Muntaka.
Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka (NDC -- Asawase) 1:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to also associate myself with the Statements ably made by our Colleagues, Hon Justice Joe Appiah, Hon Dr Hanna Bissiw and Hon Dela Sowah from Kpando Constituency.
Mr Speaker, the Statements are very important for such a day. I am happy about the lots of cautions that are in there. But Mr Speaker, the most interesting one for me is the one made by Dr Hanna Bissiw for very obvious reasons, that has to do with the hepatitis B and its danger. Mr Speaker, if you look at page 2 of the Statement where the Hon Member cited rightly that indeed, the World Health Organization (WHO) has indicated that hepatitis B virus is 50 per cent to 100 per cent more infectious than the HIV virus.
Mr Speaker, if you move further and look at how the virus easily gets transmitted, you will know that is more deadly than even the HIV virus. And on such day, where people go out on love activities, whether it is at the swimming pool, whether it is at a party, whether it is at a dancing club, we need to remind ourselves that one can get infected through sweat.
Mr Speaker, I cannot imagine what can be more dangerous than this, that heavy sweating, exchange of sweat could transmit this.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
Thank you also very much, Hon Majority Chief Whip. Indeed, I thank all Hon Members for their contributions.
Seemingly, in the beginning, the Statement did not seem to be able to draw such huge contributions from all sides of the House. I believe that what we say here should not end here and I thank all the makers of the Statements and the contributors for their exciting contributions.
Before I invite Leaders to have an indication from them, may I just say that a number of Members in their contributions talked about the definition of love in the good Book and I believe they were talking about the Bible and the quotation is from 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 and I read from verse 4.
It says:
“Love is patience and kind, love does not envy or boast, it is not arrogant or rude, it does not insist on its own way, it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice at wrong- doing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things, love never ends.”
On that note, may I also wish the good people of Ghana, happy Valentine's Day.
May I have an indication from the Majority side?
Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Mun- taka 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, there are committee meetings that have been advertised and in view of that, I beg to move, that this House adjourns until tomorrow at 10.00 a.m.
Mr Dominic B. A. Nitiwul 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
ADJOURNMENT 1:35 p.m.
  • The House was accordingly adjourned at 1.40 p.m. till Friday, 15th February, 2013 at 10.00 a.m.