Debates of 5 Jun 2013

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 11:45 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 11:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Hon Members, Correc- tion of the Votes and Proceedings of Tuesday, 4th June, 2013.
Page 1 … 3 --
Ms Shirley A. Botchwey 11:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, page 3, my name is absent. I was here yesterday.
Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Very well.
Page 4 … 7 --
Mr Frederick Opare-Ansah 11:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I was present yesterday. I have been captured as absent.
Let me use the opportunity to welcome Mr Speaker from wherever he went to.
Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Hon Member for Suhum, you are completely out of order.
Mr Opare-Ansah 11:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, we were not told where you were yesterday.
Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Page 8 --
Mr Mathias K. Ntow 11:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I was here yesterday but my name did not appear.
Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Very well.
Mr George K. Arthur 11:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, item number 5 (viii), the last word, “Committees” must be “Committee”. It was one committee that visited Parliament yesterday.
Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Which page?
Mr G. K. Arthur 11:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, page 7, 5 (viii), “Mr Stephen Kawimbe, Deputy Principal Clerk of Committees”.
Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
What are you correcting?
Dr Anthony A. Osei 11:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, he thinks that because only one committee came here, it should be committee. The man's job could be “Deputy Principal Clerk of Committees”.
Mr G. K. Arthur 11:45 a.m.
It is all right. There is no correction.
Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Page 8 … 12 --
Mr Joseph Y. Chireh 11:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, on page 12, the item 3 (iii), you have “Mr Moono Lubezhi”. That is a woman, so, it cannot be Mr Lubezhi”.
The second issue is that, in the same Votes and Proceedings, we referred to those people as “Hon Members” and I thought that the same consistency should have continued, so that they say “Hon Members of those of them who are Members of Parliament in the National Assembly of Zambia”. Those of you who are asking how I know, “Hon Ursula” can attest to what I am saying because she exchanged greeting cards with the lady.
Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Hon Member, we will find out whether it is a man or a woman. But I agree with you with regard to the consistency that you raised.
Dr A. A. Osei 11:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I need your direction here. Is there an Hon “Ursula” in this House? Who is Hon Ursula? There is no “Hon Ursula” in this House. My Hon Good Friend gets up and points somewhere there. There is no “Ursula” in this House. She is not “Hon Ursula”. In this House, we have a way of referring to Hon Members. As a senior Hon Member, he should know better. She is not “Ursula”.
Mr Chireh 11:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I was not addressing Hon Akoto Osei. The person is here. She did not complain. Why does he like complaining about things that do not concern him? [Laughter.]
Dr Matthew O. Prempeh 11:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, but I thought we would take this opportunity to address ourselves. Actually, mentioning an Hon Member's name on the floor of the Chamber is a serious offence. That is why Hon Members are addressed by the constituency name. That is the etiquette of parliamentary business and dealings.
Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Hon Members, let us have order in the House.

Hon Members, the Votes and Proceedings of Tuesday, 4th June, 2013 as corrected, are hereby adopted as the true record of proceedings.
  • [No correction was made to the Official Report of Friday, 31st May, 2013.]
    • Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Hon Members, I have admitted two Statements for today. The first one stands in the name of the Hon Deputy Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation and Member of Parliament for Hohoe.
    STATEMENTS 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Daniel K. Atta-Boafo (NPP -- Adansi Fomena) 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to associate myself with the Statement made by the Hon Deputy Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation.
    Mr Speaker, the environment is known to be the surroundings and conditions in which a person, animal or a plant lives and operates. The environment therefore, needs protection, and its degradation constitutes deterioration through the depletion of resources such as air, water and land.
    An environmental protection policy seeks to ensure adequate protection of humans, plants, animals, their biological communities and habitats against harmful impact and destructive practices and preserve biological diversity. It is therefore, important for us to look at the factors promoting degradation of the environment and address them appro- priately.
    Mr John Gyetuah 11:45 a.m.
    On a point of order.
    Mr Speaker, my point of order is that my Colleague is copiously reading another statement. He is contributing to a Statement but he is copiously reading. So, I would want to draw his attention to it.
    Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Hon Member, were you reading?
    Mr Atta-Boafo 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, no please. [Laughter.] Mr Speaker, I was referring to my notes.
    Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Hon Member, continue.
    Mr Atta-Boafo 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, land, which is known to be the main habitat for most plants and animals, is under serious threat. And in view of that, we have to
    Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Order! Order!
    Mr Atta-Boafo 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, degra- dation is a major problem and it is also affecting our people in this country. Mr Speaker, from what was said by the Hon Deputy Minister, I think we have every right to ensure that the environment is well protected.
    In view of this, I associate myself with the Statement made by the Hon Member.
    Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Hon Members, I will let the second Statement be made because it also deals more or less with the environ- ment, so that we can take the Statements together. So, I will call on the Hon Abena Osei-Asare, Member for Atiwa East to -- [Pause]
    Hon Members, let us continue.
    Mr Simon Edem Asimah ( NDC -- South Dayi) 12:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I rise to associate myself with the Statement ably made by the Deputy Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation and also to say that this year's World Environment Day, the theme, “Think, Eat, Save” is about preventing food waste and loss.
    Mr Speaker 12:05 p.m.
    Hon Members, you must catch the Speaker's eye before you speak. You do not just get up, open the microphone and speak into it.
    Mr Asimah 12:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, this means that most of the food produced by our small-scale farmers never make it to the hungry people in the urban areas. Mr Speaker, over one billion tonnes of food are lost or wasted each year. In a world of a population of over 7 billion, who need food and do not get-- and Mr Speaker, this population is said to be growing and will be hitting by 2050, 9 billion people. Mr Speaker -- [Interruptions.]
    rose
    Mr Speaker 12:05 p.m.
    Hon Member for Manhyia South.
    Dr Prempeh 12:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I think that you have to direct Members here -- Statements as far as possible can be read. There is nothing wrong -- [Interrup- tions.]
    Mr Speaker 12:05 p.m.
    Hon Member, Statements can be read and comments are made --
    Dr Prempeh 12:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have not finished with my statement. Mr Speaker, you are cutting me -- let me finish.
    I heard very well my Hon Friend from Fomena. When he rose, he associated himself with the Statement made by the Deputy Minister; he never said he was making a commentary --
    Mr Speaker 12:05 p.m.
    Hon Member, I am not going to take -- you are completely out of order. You can only make a comment on the Statement that was made on the
    floor of the House. That is what our rules say. Please, you can only make a comment on a Statement made by a Member on the floor of the House.
    Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I know that as a practice, when statements are made, contributors who follow thereafter speak off the cuff. But I gather that the Statement that was made is a bit technical. So, if you can allow our Hon Colleagues to refer copiously to their notes -- [Interruptions]
    Mr Speaker 12:05 p.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, the rules of the House allow you to refer copiously to your notes.
    Mr Asimah 12:05 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    I think I will continue to refer to my notes copiously -- [Laughter].
    Mr Speaker, because of the technicalities involved in this particular statement, I would -- because there are a lot of people in the gallery listening to us, so, I will continue to refer to my notes.
    Mr A. S. K. Bagbin 12:05 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker, I rise to clarify the practice by quoting the Standing Order for us to get the full import of it because Mr Speaker, the Hon Colleague made a Statement. That Statement, even though she is a Deputy Minister, is not a Statement of Government policy. She made it as a Member of Parliament and so, it is a Statement of a Member of Parliament. And Mr Speaker, our Order 89 has given us the full ambit of how one can make, read or refer to notes and I beg to quote it:
    “A Member shall not read his speech, but may read extracts from written or printed documents in support of his argument and may refresh his memory by reference to notes.”
    So, when the Member is bending down and referring to his notes, that cannot be said to be reading his speech. I was observing my very good Friend there and he was referring to his notes -- [Uproar] -- We are not told how many times you can refer to your notes. So, the use of the word “copious” is neither here nor there. So, Mr Speaker --
    Mr Speaker 12:05 p.m.
    You are absolutely right, except that a former Speaker ruled that when you are referring to your notes, you should be seeing the Speaker's face more often than the notes that you are referring to -- you should be looking at the Speaker more than the notes that you are referring to -- [Laughter].
    Hon Asimah, continue.
    Mr Asimah 12:15 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Like I was saying, over one billion tonnes of food are lost or are wasted each year in a world of a population of over 7 billion. The population of this world is said to be increasing and by 2050, we will hit 9 billion people -- [Some Hon Members: Source?] Mr Speaker, with this in mind, it is very essential to ensure that food that is produced is not wasted. But in Ghana, there are stages where food produced after huge investments are made, are lost during harvesting, transportation, marketing and at the storage levels.
    Mr Speaker, it would be very important for us as a country to ensure that the food that is produced is preserved. And at this juncture, I would want to say that the Ministries that are responsible for food production, marketing, storage and also preservation redouble their efforts to ensure that the waste is eliminated because it is a huge amount when this food is lost. The road network that we

    use to transport the food to the urban centres would need to be improved.

    Similarly, it is very important to call on the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation to also put in measures to ensure that there are defined -- new methods and initiatives of actually preserving the food that is produced by the small-scale farmers.

    Mr Speaker, at this point, I would also want to draw attention of Government that the current energy crisis that is taking place in this country needs to be resolved because food that is stored would go waste if the storage facilities are not working properly. It is, therefore, very crucial for us as a country to address the energy crisis, so that we would be able to store the food that would be used by the people.

    Mr Speaker, I would want to call on the State that at the various levels of production, distribution, marketing and consumption, measures should be put in place, so that food is not lost at these stages at the domestic level, at the commercial level and also at the levels where restaurants and hotels waste food.

    With these few words, Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for the opportunity to contribute to the Statement.

    Thank you.
    Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu (NPP -- Bekwai) 12:15 p.m.
    Thank you very much Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to this Statement.
    First, I wish to congratulate the Deputy Minister for announcing to the House, for the benefit of all Hon Members, the theme for this year's celebration. Mr Speaker, for those of us living in the areas where galamsey is rife, this Statement, probably, falls short of what will address our challenges.
    Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu (NPP -- Bekwai) 12:15 p.m.


    Mr Speaker, in my constituency and my neighbouring constituency-- Adotobiri, Amansie West, Fomena and those areas, all water bodies are now endangered species. If you travel round, you cannot see one stream of water where, in your worst thirst, you can pick and drink. Every water running around, whether it is a stream or a big river, is muddy and it is because on both sides of the river bodies, are huge excavators, excavating the earth and prospecting for gold.
    rose
    Mr Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Hon Minister for Information and Media Relations, do you have a point of order?
    Mr Ayariga 12:15 p.m.
    Very much so Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker, he also made reference to allegations that Members of Parliament are involved, Ministers are involved --
    Mr Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Hon Member, the point that the Member is making is that he tried to contact the EPA and he was told that everybody-- So, he is quoting from the EPA official who spoke to him; it might be true or not.
    Mr Ayariga 12:15 p.m.
    Yes, but Mr Speaker, this statement that he made, unless he is able to substantiate it-- [Interruptions.]
    Mr Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Hon Member, I know where you are coming from. He is saying that, that was what he was told by the EPA and that is what he is saying. He also mentioned the chiefs. So, why are you not talking for the chiefs? The chiefs do not have audience here.
    Hon Members, this issue about the pollution of our water bodies, this House must rise to the occasion. I do not intend to take part in the comments that are being made.
    My intention is that -- that was why I was going to take the Statement from the Member for Atiwa East, so that at the end of it, we will see whether with consultation with Leadership, we can make some consequential orders from the Chair. Unfortunately, I did not inform the Member for Atiwa East that she would be making the statement today, to be very fair to her. Again, unfortunately, she is also not in the House. But I think that we should all be concerned about it and find a way of addressing the matter.
    But I agree because as a Member of Parliament, you are worried. So, you can say that you are not involved.
    Mr Ayariga 12:15 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, inasmuch as your statement -- about the seriousness of the matter is taken on board and the fact that even the President has set up a special task force and --
    Mr Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Hon Minister, please, the Member for Bekwai is not accusing any Member of Parliament of being involved. He started by saying that the failure of our institutions which are supposed to do their work-- and that he went to consult the EPA and that was what he was told.
    Hon Members, these are Statements. After Statements are made, we can take
    them at another level but as at this stage, they are Statements. The Hon Member is not accusing anybod; he is not accusing any Member of Parliament; he is not accusing any chief but what he was told is what he is reporting.
    Hon Member, continue.
    Mr Osei-Owusu 12:15 p.m.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
    rose
    Mr Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Hon Murtala, do you have a point of order?
    Mr M. M. Ibrahim 12:15 p.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker.
    Just when my Colleague was indeed -- raised the point of order against our Colleague who was making the contribution, you said that it ought to be expunged from the Hansard-- that your name was mentioned. Indeed, he made another statement and I guess it was a slip.
    Mr Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Hon Member, the reason I said it should be expunged was because Hon Asiamah was not speaking on the floor of the House. So, you must clearly draw the distinction between the two.
    Mr M. M. Ibrahim 12:15 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am just making a point. He made a statement and I think it ought to be expunged. I
    believe it was a slip. He said that the water bodies had become endangered species and the last time I checked, water bodies cannot be species and I think it is in- appropriate. I believe it was a slip and I can see students sitting in the gallery and that impression must not be taken out of this House. I would want to believe it was a slip, it is appropriate if it is expun- ged that water bodies cannot be endangered species.
    Mr Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Hon Member for Bekwai, what did you say?
    Mr Osei-Owusu 12:15 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I used endangered species as a figure of speech to refer to -- [Laughter.]
    Mr Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Hon Member, continue.
    Mr Osei-Owusu 12:15 p.m.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker, all I am trying to say is that it is in our hands as a country to protect our environment. We are capable, we have made the rules; the rules should be enforced to ensure that the environment is protected, particularly our water bodies.
    For those of us who are in areas where water flows through the pipe, we probably would not appreciate the enormity of the challenges. We have a responsibility towards those whose only source of drinking water is the streams that are being polluted left and right. Mr Speaker, I wish that this House would take this matter up beyond the speech and probably, as you suggested, take steps that will protect our environment.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity.
    Mr Magnus K. Amoatey (NDC -- Yilo Krobo) 12:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to associate with the Statement ably made by the Deputy Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation.
    Mr Magnus K. Amoatey (NDC -- Yilo Krobo) 12:25 p.m.


    To say that Ghana has environmental problems, is an understatement. I think environmental degradation in Ghana is man-made more than natural. If we compare what happens to our environment, we will see that we are faced with a lot of reckless disposal of waste, reckless use of land and this is leading to the “death” of a lot of water bodies.

    A lot of our Metropolitan Municipal, and District Assemblies face sanitation challenges. I believe there is none of our District Assemblies which will say that they do not have sanitation problems due to the disposal of both liquid and solid waste.

    One pollution of the environment that we also face in this country is that of noise- making. There is so much noise-making around and the Environmental Protection Agency is helpless in this area because they claim they do not have the instruments to check the level of noise in our society.

    I believe it is time that we made the laws of this nation work and we must take it from the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assembly levels; they have the capacity to make by-laws to check environmental pollution and degradation. But a lot of these by-laws are just on paper. I believe it is time that the Metropolitan Municipal, and District Assemblies began seriously to educate their citizens about keeping the environment clean and safe.

    When the education is done, then there should be the next stage of enforcing these by-laws and this is where I believe every member of the society must be of assistance. The chiefs, politicians, teachers, priests and the Judiciary must be in a position to see to the speedy prosecution of these environmental cases that may be brought before it.

    I believe also that all of us as Ghanaians must change our attitude towards the environment. We have only the environment in which we live and if we do not obey the laws of nature by keeping our environment clean, we have nowhere else to go. We must all get involved and keep our environment clean and safe.

    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity.
    Mr Francis Addai-Nimoh (NPP -- Mampong) 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, first of all, let me commend the Hon Member who made the Statement, the Member of Parliament for Hohoe for reminding us that indeed, today, 5th June is the World's Environment Day.
    Since 1972, this day has been celebrated or observed throughout the world and today, as we talk about it, globally, it is being celebrated in Mongolia. During my research, gold miners in Mongolia had said to themselves that they were putting health first before wealth. That means that they think so much about the environment.
    The theme for this year's celebration is “Think, eat and save, so that we can reduce our footprints.” The focus should be, how can we reduce food waste and food loss? That is the campaign, that for this year, the celebration is championing to ensure that we do eliminate or reduce food waste and food loss. Indeed, the object of the celebration is that awareness should be stimulated on environmental issues for political attention and for public action.
    Today, we are all concerned about what is happening regarding our water bodies, forests and soil fertility. We are all concerned, and that is why all of us, Members of Parliament, the Executive, the Ghanaian public, should all be concerned
    that without the environment, human life cannot be sustained on this planet called earth. So, together, we have a responsi- bility to ensure that we keep the environ- ment safe and we ensure sustainable development regarding environmental issues.
    Mr Speaker, currently, we are all looking at how many of the challenges that we can address. Climate change, global warming, land degradation, destruction and pollution of our water bodies, deforestation -- these are some of the environmental challenges we are facing.
    But this year, the focus is that we should reduce the amount of food that goes waste or the amount of food that is lost. While some are able to feed themselves, others are unable to do so. The Hon Chairman for the Select Committee, the Member of Parliament for South Dayi, gave us some figures to indicate that throughout the whole world, about 1.3 billion tonnes of food is lost or goes waste annually.
    For us in Africa, this quantity that is lost or goes waste, can also feed us. So, the question is, how can we reduce that? Yes, the Hon Member articulated some of the issues -- post-harvest losses; how we can address them? But in my view, let us look at the consumption point where we all lose or we all allow food to go waste. In our homes, we all eat. When we eat, are we able to dish out the quantity that we can eat and then allow some to stay or we allow it to go waste?
    Sometimes, when you go to public functions, it is as if it is a fashion. While we are going to dish our food, maybe, if it
    is a buffet, some do so and then when they eat, they leave some on their plate and, that is food wasted. While you leave it on your plate, and you think that it can be biodegradable and it is so, it will also produce some of the emissions that contribute to climate change.
    That is why I will urge all of us that, at the consumption point of food, we need to ensure that we do not waste or allow food to be lost. If we do so, we all can preserve and ensure that those who go to bed hungry, those who cannot find three square meals a day to eat -- we should be able to help all those people. The statistics is that, one in every seven people goes to bed hungry and 20,000 children under five years also die every year out of malnutrition.
    So, as a country, what are we doing? I hope that this day which is 5th June and which comes immediately after June 4th -- [Hear! Hear!] -- all of us should ensure that we do not lose or waste the food that we eat. In our homes, in the restaurants that we go to, let us ensure that we preserve the food.
    Two things happen if we allow food to be wasted or lost -- One, the natural resources that are used as inputs in the production of food are lost, and two, the emissions that we get out of the biodegradation of food affect the climate that we all have. That is why we need to ensure that we do not lose or waste the food that we eat.
    Let me use this occasion, Mr Speaker, to urge the media in particular, that today is a solemn day and, as they write on the World Environment Day, they should communicate to the Ghanaian public that we have to ensure that we do not waste or lose the food that is produced, that is consumed.
    Mr Francis Addai-Nimoh (NPP -- Mampong) 12:35 p.m.


    I hope that as Hon Members, when we get back and take our lunch and our dinner, we shall be mindful that we shall not dish in excess of what our bellies can accommodate.

    I hope that this message would go down well today to ensure that the World Environment Day is well celebrated in Ghana.
    Mr Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Hon Members, I have got the sense from both sides of the House-- I intend to direct that the Committee responsible for Environment, Science and Technology should engage the various stakeholders regarding the issues raised on the floor of the House, and report to the House, so that we take it from there. I so direct. At that stage, when the report comes, we would allow for a full-blown debate on this issue. It is so important, it is so critical to our survival as a nation and as a people.
    How long should we give them, Hon Minority Leader?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I guess, certainly, it must be before the House adjourns sine die.So, a maximum of four weeks.
    Mr Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Within a month?
    rose
    Mr Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Are you now representing the Majority Leadership?
    Mr Ayariga 12:35 p.m.
    For the time being, Mr Speaker.
    I would want to agree with him that four weeks is a reasonable time.
    Mr Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Very well. The Select Committee on Environment, Science and Technology should report to the House within a month and, at that stage, we will explore the matter further. I so direct.
    Hon Members, we have a second Statement standing in the name of the Hon Member for Amenfi Central.
    Hon First Deputy Speaker to take the Chair.
    MR FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER
    Mr George K Arthur (NDC -- Amenfi Central) 12:50 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to make this Statement in the wake of the unacceptable and growing trend of fire outbreaks which are rearing their ugly heads in our dear nation.
    Mr Speaker, the fire outbreaks are very sad events in the history of Ghana.
    Mr Speaker, I cannot make this Statement in this traumatic time without consoling the victims of the fire disaster on the loss of their property which runs into millions of cedis.
    Mr Speaker, available statistics revealed that the country has re- corded about 1,500 fire outbreaks between January and May 2013, most of which occurred in the major markets of the country, with Accra recording the highest.
    The major markets in Accra include, the Kantamanto, Makola, Kaneshie, Agbogbloshie, Kokomba, Madina, Dome markets and the Makola number 2 market, which fire occurred last night.
    The incidence of the fire outbreaks has rendered most traders unemployed because most of them have lost their savings and properties worth thousands of Ghana cedis.
    Available statistics show that Ghana lost 1.74 million Ghana cedis to fire in the first quarter of 2013 as against 1.62 million Ghana cedis in 2012.
    Mr Speaker, it is, therefore, important that the relevant authorities put in place quickly, the necessary measures, to forestall the occurrence of such disasters.
    All the wonderful infrastructure in the country in respective of developments in education, health, industry, hospitality business, technology and agriculture et cetera will come to naught if they are razed down by fire.
    Investors in the industrial, hospitality and agricultural sectors will only be attracted to Ghana if they can be assured that their factories, hotels, restaurants and farms can be protected from the ravages of fire.
    This, therefore, calls for a collaborative effort of all stakeholders in the country to pragmatically resolve the issue, devoid of any blame game. It is important that an effective and efficient Ghana National Fire Service is a good insurance for the country's valuable investments.
    Mr Speaker, it is equally imperative that the law enforcement agencies enforce the existing laws on fire safety by ensuring that a task force is put in place to inspect markets to ensure that electrical gadgets are switched off before traders leave their markets.
    Mr Speaker, while we try as a nation to find a solution to this menace, it is equally important to find out the role insurance could play in ensuring that people who lose their goods and monies to fire are assisted when their goods are insured. This, indeed, could play a role to calm nerves of traders who are hit by such tragedies.
    It is also important to state that the need for insuring traders and their wares had not gained priority on the part of regulators and insurance companies as most of their policies are tailored towards corporate institutions and persons.
    Mr Speaker, I wish to make a passionate appeal to the relevant authorities to come up with innovative plans for the construction of modern markets that will make it easily accessible to the fire officers in times of fire.
    The Ghana Institution of Engineers, the Ghana Institute of Architects, the Architectural Engineering Services Limited (AESL) and the Ghana National Fire Service ought to come together in designing the markets in order to prevent such outbreaks which have caused damage to property and life and led to loss of livelihoods of many entrepreneurs in these markets over the years.
    Mr Speaker, I call for immediate steps to arrest the problem. This calls for a standardised strategic plan in designing all buildings including markets in the country to prevent the incessant fire outbreaks.
    Mr Speaker, as a nation, we need to address this unfortunate event with a passion of national character, as one people, one nation with a common destiny.
    I thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:50 p.m.
    Thank you very much. We would invite contributions from both sides of the House.
    Mr Frank Annor-Dompreh (NPP -- Nsawam-Adoagyiri) 12:45 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, to start with, I fully associate myself with many of the things that the Hon Member had touched on but just to differ a bit on the formation of a task force.
    I think that there are institutions of State in this country that are mandated to deliver on certain key deliverables and, it is important that we make conscious efforts to ensure that these institutions get to the bottom of the job at hand and do them.
    I would want to make a terse reference, for instance, to the formation of a task force by His Excellency the President.
    As much as it is a good idea, it is important we recognise that these task force formations do not become a certain feature in our country where at the snap of the finger, we form a task force, going round institutions which are mandated to deliver on these jobs. To that end, I would want to differ a bit from the Statement made by the Hon Member, that we should form a tax force.
    I would rather say that we should make sure that the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) is strengthened and given the needed facilities, so that they would be able to deliver on their mandate.
    Going further, I also think that not to belabour the point, our Districts and Municipal, Metropolitan Assemblies have by-laws. Most of these by-laws are

    captured in such a manner that they can deal with these fire problems. What both the Metropolitan Chief Executives (MCEs) and the District Assembly heads should do is that they should implement these by-laws to the letter -- they should implement these by-laws. I believe that if they are able to implement these by-laws, Mr Speaker, we would not be caught up in this web of always forming task forces which normally cannot help in resolving the problem at hand.

    In bringing my submission to a close, Mr Speaker, it is sad that in Ghana today, public places do not have fire extinguishers. Most of our public places like markets and schools do not have fire extinguishers. I think this takes a lot of credit away from the GNFS as a body and it also takes some good credit from us as a country. So, a conscious effort should be made as a country --
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
    Hon Member, are you on a point of order?
    Mr M. M. Ibrahim 12:45 p.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
    What is it?
    Mr M. M. Ibrahim 12:45 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, to create the impression that the task force that was constituted by His Excellency the President was going behind the agencies that had the responsibility of ensuring that these things do not happen -- I think that is a complete misleading of the House.
    The reason being that if you look at the members of the task force -- The Task Force is made up of five Hon Ministers, and all the agencies that have the responsibility of ensuring that these things do not occur, fall under the jurisdiction of these Hon Ministers. So, it is not accurate to say that the task force is doing something outside what the agencies have been mandated to do. I think that he should --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
    Well, I take it that you are raising a point of correction, right? All right, shall we move on?
    Thank you.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 12:45 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, wonderful; I thank you for the opportunity once more.
    In rounding up, I think what is critical is that the by-laws that we have enacted as a country, particularly in the municipalities and the districts, let us make good use of them to ensure that we are not caught up in this web of inferno that is destroying this country.
    Mr Speaker, with these few words, I want to thank you for the opportunity.
    Ms Laadi A. Ayamba (NDC -- Pusiga) 12:45 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I rise to associate myself with the Statement made by my Hon Colleague on the issue of our recent and past fire outbreaks.
    It is actually very disheartening to note that many a time, when these fires come up, we women are mostly affected. This is because most of the women do their businesses and are compelled, sometimes, to leave their goods and even money -- I remember somewhere along the line, in a report that was given, a woman had left money, hard cash, in her shop and it was engulfed in this fire. So, it means that while she was losing the things she was selling, she also lost the money that she had already got, which is very bad.
    I would want to suggest that our civic education personnel should continue giving that education to our colleagues or our people in the market. This is because most of them use electrical gadgets, which I believe, they sometimes, do not switch off. Sometimes they use rusty gas cylinders to do cooking. If you go into the market, you would realise that some people do cooking directly within where they are selling and fire could easily spark off.
    The other issue is that of maintenance culture where cables that are used for electricity are not checked regularly and when mice of whatever eat into them, they break up. And even when the lines come into contact with each other, they could easily spark off fire, which is very, very bad for us.
    The next issue is that we need to make sure that our shops are properly put in place. They should be structured in such a way that access could be gained by the GNFS when there are such problems of fire “outbreakages”.
    Our people should also be educated on the use of fire extinguishers, so that those who can could put out fires at the least spark. Also, reporting any fire outbreak immediately when it is realised, would help.
    Ms Laadi A. Ayamba (NDC -- Pusiga) 12:45 p.m.


    Mr Speaker, it is very sad to note that more than a thousand fire outbreaks have occurred in this country in less than a year. It is not the best and I hope that if these things are done, they would go a long way to support and stop some of these fire “outbreakages”.
    Ms Ayamba 12:45 p.m.
    Thank you very much. [Interruption.]
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
    Thank you very much. Can we have some order?
    Yes, Hon Member --
    Mr Boamah 12:45 p.m.
    On a point of order.
    Mr Speaker, I thought I heard the Hon Member saying “outbreakages” and I believe that since we have --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
    Hon Member, you either make your contribution or you would be ruled out of order.
    Mr Boamah 12:45 p.m.
    Very well, Mr Speaker.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
    Make your contribution and let us move on. [Pause.]
    Mr Sanda N. Azumah 12:45 p.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
    Yes, all right --
    Mr Sanda N. Azumah (NPP -- Chereponi) 12:55 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, fire is said to be a good and a bad master. A good master
    because, we use fire to cook; we use fire to boil water and we use fire for everything. When the weather is cold people use fire in their rooms to give them warmth, and that makes fire a good master. But fire as a bad master is what is happening today.
    The whole country is engulfed in a situation that we find difficult to understand. This is because if you look at the number of fire outbreaks that have occurred in this country, it is very sad and therefore, it is up to all of us to rise up to the situation.
    Mr Speaker, fire destroys forests. As we are talking about fire destroying our markets --
    Today, we spoke about the World Environment Day. We can also say that fire is another cause of environmental degradation. When you move up North during the hamarttan season, fire destroys the forest, farmlands, people's crops especially rice, maize and what have you. If fire continues to destroy food crops, and today fire is destroying our markets -- When we get our food, it is sent to the market for people to buy.

    It therefore behoves all of us to sit down and reflect. Let us reflect. Let us think deeply on what to do. It is not a matter of talking about fire extinguishers in our markets -- If you put a fire extinguisher there and those who are there do not know how to use it, it becomes useless.

    Let us educate the general public because we know that even though it also destroys the market, it destroys our

    livelihood, fire destroys us because when the market is engulfed in fire outbreak, if you dare, you will lose your life. If fire is destroying the forest and you dare, you will lose your life. So, it is a national issue. Let us look at these issues critically and we would see the way forward as a nation.

    On this note, Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity.
    Alhaji Amadu B. Sorogho (NDC -- Madina) 12:55 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, let me start by congratulating the Hon Member who made the Statement and to associate myself with the Statement.
    Mr Speaker, this is not the first time that Statements on fire disasters have been made on the floor. The question is, what purpose are those Statements serving? For some time now, fire has been engulfing our markets, homes, factories - - Are we learning lessons from that?
    Mr Speaker, it is even sad to note that the statistics given by my Hon Brother, if I am to tell you that the amount involved is about GH¢7,595 million -- He gave us a figure around GH¢1.7 million, but I would want to say on authority that the amount is about five times that figure and the loss of lives of 173 Ghanaians through these fire outbreaks.
    The number of outbreaks as at May, as he rightly pointed out, is 1,336, which equals the number that occurred last year
    -- 12:55 p.m.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
    Hon Member, some of us do know where you are coming from. If you could just enlighten the rest of us on what special position you hold that enables you to have this kind of information, we would be grateful.
    Alhaji Sorogho 12:55 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am the Chairman of the Ghana National Fire Service Council, and every month the Council meets to deliberate, and so, I am talking on authority.
    As my Hon Brother was reading his Statement, the Deputy Director in charge of Operations briefed me on what is happening right now, and so, I have more knowledge in that --
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
    Hon Asiamah, is it on a point of order?
    Mr I. K. Asiamah 12:55 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, exactly so. He is saying that he is speaking on authority, and I am asking whether he is an Executive Chairman of the Ghana National Fire Service Council. This is because, he cannot be so authoritative when he is not involved in the daily management of the Service. So, that is my concern.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
    But as a member of the Board and in fact, as Chairman, they receive briefings from the management --
    Mr I. K. Asiamah 12:55 p.m.
    Authoritatively?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
    Yes authoritatively.
    Alhaji Sorogho 12:55 p.m.
    Mr Chairman -- Mr Speaker, it is only a lazy Chairman who does not care about the institution to which he has been put as the Chair, who will just go round and not know more things about his institution.
    Mr Speaker, as a responsible Member of Parliament --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
    Hon Member, go ahead with your contribution and avoid the castigation.
    Alhaji Sorogho 12:55 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
    Can the Hon Akoto Osei, please sit down? Mr Speaker has already made a ruling.
    Dr A. A. Osei 12:55 p.m.
    On a point of order.
    Mr Speaker, I would just want him to calm down, so that he does not refer to you as Mr Chairman. You are Mr Speaker but he keeps saying ‘Mr Chairman.” Because he is a Chairman, he thinks everybody is a Chairman. He should calm down.
    Alhaji Sorogho 12:55 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am speaking with passion because Mr Chairman --[Laughter.] Mr Speaker, I am speaking with passion because it is very painful that after governments upon governments have made all efforts to build the capacities of the GNFS by using the taxpayers' money to import very expensive equipment, still, fires are raging everywhere round the country destroying property left and right.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:55 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am aware that my Hon Colleague who is on the floor, occupied this position in the previous dispensation. Now, he is indicating to us that he is continuing in that office.
    I know that office to be remunerated. I am not aware that he has submitted himself to the appropriate committee in Parliament, and that is for the information of the House.
    Mr Speaker, I guess we can take it from there.
    Alhaji Sorogho 12:55 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am surprised and shocked that the Hon Minority Leader, who, when he speaks, speaks with authority and today, he is alluding to certain things which are completely below the belt.
    Mr Speaker, it is not the previous Government. I had a four-year mandate and I was sworn in by the President. The four-year mandate will end this year -- towards the end of August -- and it is also not a position that has a salary attached to it.
    I am saying that many of us here are serving on Boards. Even here, as the Hon Chairman of a Committee and as Minority Leader, apart from the salary that he takes --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    Hon Member, we are all right with your explanation. Can you move on to the Statement?
    Alhaji Sorogho 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is not true that I am enjoined by any law to appear before the Committee on Members Holding Office of Profit to seek authorisation to serve as a Board Chairman. I have not been told of that and I do not know of that, and I am also not on any salary for him to say that I need an authority before I can be the Chairman of the Council. [Interruption.]
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in the first place, I did not say that it was the previous Government. Maybe, in his mind, he thought I was referring to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) era.
    I mentioned “previous dispensation”; that means, the former administration, the tenure of which ended on 6th January, 2013. That is why I said he is continuing.
    This is a new dispensation and he is enjoined by our Committee to appear before that Committee and justify whether or not he may be permitted by Parliament to continue in that office. He is enjoined by our Rules, and he says to us that he is not aware of them. I gnorance of it would

    not excuse him. Ignorance of that law would not excuse him. For his information, I did talk about -- He was talking about salary. If he heard me well, I did not talk about salary. I spoke about remuneration. I said he was remunerated, and I guess he would draw the distinction.

    Mr Speaker, this is a very serious matter, and whereas you may counsel that, perhaps, we take it up at another time, for him to say that he is not enjoined by any statute, he is totally wrong. May I draw his attention to the work of the relevant committee, the Committee on Members Holding Office of Profit. It enjoins even Hon Ministers to appear before us.
    Alhaji Sorogho 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in the first place, I think my Hon Brother is completely misplacing -- We are speaking to a Statement made by an Hon Member, and I am contributing to that Statement. If he wants to contribute to that Statement -- I think whatever he says, should be of relevance to the Statement which is on the floor. I would want to find out what the relevance of the contribution that he is making is.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    Hon Member, please, proceed with your contribution, so that we can make progress.
    Alhaji Sorogho 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, let me continue before my Hon Brother tries to veer me off. This is because he realised I was making very important points here. [Laughter.]
    Mr Speaker, fighting fires is a shared responsibility. Government can do its part, the GNFS can do their part, but the individual citizen has the biggest responsibility.
    What are the causes of these fires? A lot of them have been traced to either faulty electrical gadgets, importation of inferior cables, some of them are pure arson -- people just setting fires, going round tapping palm wine, chasing rabbits, smoking cigarettes -- and just throwing the burnt cigarettes and then the next time, Mr Speaker, they catch fire.
    So, Mr Speaker, as we speak now, most of us, even as Hon Members of Parliament, if you go out now and you go into our individual vehicles to check and see how many of us have fire extinguishers, you would be shocked to learn that majority of the cars that are roaming about may not have fire extinguisher. You can just go out now and check. I am not saying that some Hon Members of Parliament do not -- I am saying that majority.
    Dr A. A. Osei 1:05 p.m.
    On a point of order.
    Mr Speaker, I like his contribution but he should not go into areas where he does not have the facts. To say that majority do not have, when he has no evidence, is incorrect. He is speaking to the public and making this incorrect submission about his Colleague Hon Members of Parliament.
    I think he should be asked to withdraw it otherwise, he should tender the evidence --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    Hon Member, have you conducted a survey?
    Dr A. A. Osei 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, he has not, so, how can he make a categorical statement?
    Alhaji Sorogho 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would not want my Hon Brother to force those of us who are here -- [Interruption.]
    Alhaji Sorogho 1:05 p.m.
    No, please. Why? He cannot get up; I have the floor. [Inter- ruption.]
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    Hon Member, has a survey been conducted of Members of Parliament as far as fire extinguishers are concerned?
    Alhaji Sorogho 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have asked a lot of my Colleague Members of Parliament, that is number one -- [Interruption.] Number two, those cars that are sold to us, we have urged the car companies to make sure that they put in fire extinguishers and they made it clear to us that that was not their responsibility.
    I am only calling the attention of Hon Members of Parliament, that it is very important that we do this. If you say I should withdraw --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    All right. That point is well made. But to say that majority of Hon Members of Parliament do not have fire extinguishers, calls for the issue whether a survey has been conducted. This is because such a statement of fact must be backed by empirical evidence.
    Alhaji Sorogho 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to withdraw that and to say that many Hon Members of Parliament-- [Some Hon Members: No!] -- I am saying it because -- [Uproar] Why do you want us to run away from facts? Why? [Interruption.] No, no.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    Hon Member, please, address the Chair. Please, address the Chair, Hon Sorogho.
    Alhaji Sorogho 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, for the sake of Hon A. A. Osei (Member for Old Tafo), I would want to withdraw it.
    But Mr Speaker, I would want to ask that you order that we conduct an immediate investigation into the cars and see how many of us have it --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    Hon Sorogho, having withdrawn it, I would like you to add an apology to Hon Members.
    Alhaji Sorogho 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I apologise if I said that the majority -- But I would still stand and say that a lot of us do not have it. [Interruption.] Why are they running away? Why do they want to run away? [Interruption.]
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    All right. Having apologised, can you proceed with your contribution?
    Hon Members, let us make some progress.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if I heard my Colleague rightly, he sounded that “Mr Speaker, I would want to withdraw it.” That is only a declaration of intent. Is he withdrawing it?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    He early on said he had withdrawn it.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, he did not say so.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    He early on said it. He early on stated categorically that he had withdrawn it.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:05 p.m.
    All right. That being the case and coming from the Chair, I would not further litigate it. But I heard him say that “I would want to withdraw it”.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    That was the second time, but the earlier one, he said he had withdrawn it.
    Alhaji Sorogho 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, let me emphasise. I am saying that I am withdrawing what I said, that majority of Members of Parliament do not have fire extinguishers in their cars. But I am saying that a lot of Members of Parliament still do not have -- [Interruption.]
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    Hon Sorogho, having just said that you had withdrawn it, I pray that you leave out that other bit of it, so that we can make some progress.
    Alhaji Sorogho 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I think I am entitled to my opinion and I am saying -- [Interruption.]
    rose
    Alhaji Sorogho 1:05 p.m.
    If I say “some”, why? And he is not the “some”. What is his problem? Is he the only one here?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    “Some” is different from “a lot.” So, just say “some” and I think it would be all right.
    Alhaji Sorogho 1:05 p.m.
    Yes, I said “some”, and even the “some”, he says, I should withdraw it. Why? Why should I withdraw the “some”?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    Please, proceed.
    Alhaji Sorogho 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, when you go to our financial institutions, it is the same thing. When you enter there, simple fire extinguishers, they do not have. So, Mr Speaker, when there is any fire, instead of them tackling it from the beginning, they wait and blame it on the
    GNFS.

    Mr Speaker, what do we have to do? There are certain small, small preventive measures that when we put in place, we can curtail these fire outbreaks, but we are not doing them and we are always blaming the GNFS -- Mr Speaker, simply getting access to go and put out a fire is a problem. Mr Speaker, just about six months ago, two of my firemen were put before court, simply because in trying to go and save lives, they were involved in an accident and somebody died in it, and they were charged.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
    Hon Member, the firemen are not yours -- please, just say “some firemen” -- [Laughter.]
    Alhaji Sorogho 1:15 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, two fire personnel were involved in that. So, Mr Speaker --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
    Hon Member, begin to wind up.
    Alhaji Sorogho 1:15 p.m.
    Yes, I am winding up.
    Mr Speaker, all that I would want to say is that, it is the responsibility of all of us to play our individual roles. It is always better to prevent than to try and put the fire off. Mr Speaker, all of us, starting from Parliament here to our individual schools, the enforcement of our laws and by-laws are there.
    The District Assemblies are supposed to play their roles; they are not supposed to issue permits if they do not have a fire permit, yet Mr Speaker, they go ahead and do so. Yet when there is fire, they want to blame it on the Service, on the Government and on the personnel. I think we should all come together and resolve that, yes, we can no longer allow this to happen, so that once and for all, we can fight the menace of fire.
    I thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Alban S. K. Bagbin (NDC -- Nadowli/Kaleo) 1:15 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the occurrence of fires at various places including markets is very unusual, it is something that has confronted this country for quite a long time and we have still not found any solution to the problem.
    The information available, in my view, shows that we are focusing more on curative rather than on prevention measures, and so, the GNFS have been more equipped on how to put off fires. But as to how to prevent the fires from occurring, we have still not been able to put any infrastructural or systemic structure in place and that is why almost every year, these wild fires.
    We have still not been able to detect the causes of the fires, we are only speculating and we present the situation as if the people who operate in those areas, including the markets, do not have the commonsense, that if it is a matter of cooking after one place, is burnt as a result of leaving your fires not properly quenched or the coal pot or whatever, the others will not learn from that experience and stop doing that. So, this is why we keep on hearing, but it is important that we start looking at the preventive aspect.
    I totally agree with us spending some money to construct proper markets, to put in place the necessary fire hydrants that could assist, and in fact, train our intelligence -- It looks like we do not have an intelligence agency capable of unravelling these problems, and in Ghana, people interpret democracy to mean irresponsibility, you can just do
    anything and go away with it when no law is applied.
    So, people believe too much in rumours and that is the game. We have fuelled it more with party partisanship. As for politics, that is what we opted for as a country, then we also opted for multi- party constitutional democracy. So, people can only make noise about it; we can all decide to refine it but that is the game and so, we should spend more time in looking for the solutions than talking. This is not the first time a Statement has been made on fire outbreaks.
    This Parliament has made so many Statements since 1993, yet, where are we? The problem seems to be exacerbating. It is getting worse, and worse and worse. But you know, we all learnt from the early days a very beautiful song, that we should not play with fire. If you play with fire, what will it do to you? It will burn you. But Ghanaians play with everything including fire and the fire is burning us.
    So, I would want to call on the authorities to take a little of time and focus on how we can prevent the fires and particularly equip our intelligence agencies to be able to assist the Ghana National Fire Service to unravel them when they occur.
    But just to react a bit to my Colleague Hon Member who was worried about the establishment of task forces, the world is on the move and the practice these days all over the world is the establishment of what they refer to generally as delivery lapse, putting a structure in place with the mandate from the Executive that can bring all the relevant important personnel together, so that you can deliberate, take decisions and immediately proceed to implement.
    So, anytime you have projects that need some urgent attention, that is what is put in place these days in the world. That is what His Excellency the President
    is doing by establishing the task forces and we have seen the record of task forces. So, we should not be worried and disturbed that the established structures of the Ministries or agencies are being sidelined or side-stepped in the implementation of projects. In fact, the delivery lapses work with them. They act as the technical unit but they are called on at a very short notice to provide information for action to be taken.
    So, Mr Speaker, while congratulating the maker of the Statement, I would want to say that Ghana seems to have an attitude problem, and in fact, our attention was drawn to this attitude problem straight from the time we gained independence by our first President, and until we change our attitude, we would continue to be going in circles.
    We would be stuck in the mud and almost every year, we would continue to have these figures, we would continue to have these problems -- we have just talked about environmental pollution which is all recklessness, “I don't careism”, irresponsibility and it is rather somebody who is wrong, never ourselves. These are attitude problems and so, we need to work hard on our attitudes and God himself will bless us more.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:25 p.m.
    Thank you very much.
    Hon Members, if I have got the feel of the House, it appears as if this is an issue which has gone through a number of Statements over the years and yet we do not seem to be making any progress. May, I therefore, direct that the Statement together with the contributions of Hon Members on the floor be forwarded to the Ministry of the Interior, to the Ghana National Fire Service and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development for their attention and necessary action.

    Majority Bench, we are entirely in your hands. What do you say?
    Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 1:25 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker, it is almost half past one and looking at the Order Paper, we have various committee meetings. So, I beg to move, that we adjourn proceedings till 10 o'clock in the forenoon to enable those committees to have their meetings.
    Dr A. A. Osei 1:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to second the Motion but in so doing, I do not know if the acting Majority Leader can say that we adjourn till 10 o'clock. That is at the bosom of the Speaker. He can make a Motion for us to adjourn but to cite the time that we should come back, I think he is assuming the powers of the Speaker. So, if he can amend the Motion, then I am able to second it. I do not want to usurp the powers of the Speaker; so, if he can just amend the Motion --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:25 p.m.
    Sincerely speaking, I do not see anything wrong with a Motion taking account of the date and time. I do not think there is anything wrong with that.
    Dr A. A. Osei 1:25 p.m.
    The Motion is to adjourn till 10 o'clock. My difficulty is that, assuming that you do not want us to meet at 10, I cannot anticipate what the Speaker would want to do at 10 o'clock tomorrow. It is simpler to say, let us adjourn, then I am more comfortable. It is simpler.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:25 p.m.
    If there is the need for the Speaker to correct him, the Speaker will do so.
    Dr A. A. Osei 1:25 p.m.
    I thank you, Mr Speaker.

    Question put and Motion agreed to.
    ADJOURNMENT 1:25 p.m.
  • The House was accordingly adjourned at 1.27 p.m. till Thursday, 6th June, 2013 at 10.00 a.m.