Odekro | What has your MP done for you?

Mr Speaker

Hon Members, I have admitted an urgent Statement for this morning. I therefore call on the Hon Majority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Asawase, to make the Statement.

Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka (NDC-- Asawase)

Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to make this urgent Statement on the missing baby at KATH in Kumasi.

Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka (NDC-- Asawase)

A few minutes later, one of the midwives came back to alert the happy mother that her son had passed on. The instantly traumatised mother had no choice, but to accept her fate. She then requested to be shown the body of her baby, so that she could mourn his death. She was assured by the midwives to relax and recover since the body was kept safely for her collection.
Mr Speaker, in pain and shock, Suwaiba, on her way from the delivery room to another ward collapsed but was quickly revived. Later, one of the midwives brought a document and asked her to thumbprint, with an explanation of the said document being part of the medical procedure that must be undertaken before the body of her alleged dead baby was made available to her, which she desperately obliged.
Mr Speaker, while patiently waiting for her baby's body to be delivered as promised, the troubled mother had a horrific shock of her life when the midwives told her they could not find the body. While in utter dismay with many questions than answers, the midwives further callously and trivially suggested that the baby which had been placed in a box might have been taken away by a labourer and burnt together with garbage.
Mr Speaker, a family delegation, upon hearing the horrendous story, visited the
hospital for clarification. Upon questioning the labourer, he admitted having seen a box but did not burn any garbage on the said night, let alone a baby. His version was also corroborated by KATH authorities as the said incinerator had not been used for five clear days prior to the delivery and was never used on the said Wednesday as well.
Mr Speaker, the questions left on one's mind would be, where is the baby and whether he was really dead?
Mr Speaker, the family explained to me that, they reported the case to the police, who arrested the labourer and placed him in custody. He was later granted bail. The police subsequently invited the midwives who were present when Suwaiba delivered to come to the police station to give their statements. Later, when they inquired progress from the police, they were told the midwives were unco-operative as they would not report to the police to have their statements taken.
Mr Speaker, in the face of the attitude of some KATH staff and the police, the enraged youth in the community who could not make any meaning of the deliberate tragic drama being pursued by two State institutions, decided to embark on a peaceful march to the KATH, which I must admit, was wrong. This is because the hospital should be the last place anyone would want to carry on a demonstration, whether peaceful or not.
However, the young men claimed they were met with insults and physical abuse from staff of KATH and this resulted in a violent clash leading to the arrest of some of the members of the group and the doctors and nurses at the KATH went on strike.
Mr Speaker, upon several efforts by the Regional Security Council, led by the
able Regional Minister, calm has since returned to both KATH and the community in my constituency. I am happy to note that, the effort of the Ministry of Health and the Attorney- General and Ministry for Justice has led to some arrests and charges preferred against seven persons connected with the missing baby. In the course of the investigation, it was realised that four (4) other babies could also not be accounted for at the same ward at KATH.
Mr Speaker, there is the need for much deeper investigation to be done by carrying out public fora in all the regions of Ghana for persons who might have suffered the same fate as Suwaiba, to come out, so that we would be better informed how to restructure our facilities to prevent this occurrence.
Mr Speaker, it is important to state that, all persons involved -- doctors, nurses, the family and the community must remain calm and support the State agencies that are investigating this matter to enable them expedite action on it without further delay. We should all remain interested in this matter to the end.
Mr Speaker, I would want to appeal to all persons resident in Ghana to be vigilant and observant and report any suspicious person who is found with a baby that might not be theirs to the nearest police station, to assist the security agencies to get to the bottom of this case faster.
Mr Speaker, I wish to take this opportunity to thank all persons and institutions that have supported this case and the family in one way or the other, especially, the Regional Minister and his team, the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and her team, the Minister for Health and her team, the security agencies and the National Chief Imam and his team.
Mr Speaker, I wish to state lastly that, time is of great essence in this case and I

wish those handling this case a great success to enable us continue to keep the calm atmosphere that has returned to my constituency.

I thank you, Mr Speaker, once again, for this opportunity.

Mr Speaker

Hon Members, I am taking only one comment from each side. So, the Hon Member for Manhyia South and the Hon Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture.

Mr Speaker

Do you have a point of order?

Mr Akyea

Mr Speaker, there is a piece of misinformation coming from the Hon Member, that the Good Book says that we should be our neighbour's keeper. There is nowhere in the Bible that says you should be your neighbour's keeper. It is Dr Busia who said that. [Laughter.]

Mr Speaker

We all want to know what the “Good Book” is.

Dr Ahmed Y. Alhassan (NDC-- Mion)

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to associate myself with the Statement ably made by the Hon Member for Asawase and the Majority Chief Whip.
Mr Speaker, this issue has been in the public domain for quite a while and a lot of emotions are being spewed out on our airwaves as a result of this particular event. I do believe that, in matters like these, emotions should take the backseat and commonsense as well as co-operation should be the guiding principles in getting to the bottom of such an issue.
It is important that, each person either as a stakeholder or a participant in this issue, must take note of this and try the best they can to co-operate with the investigating bodies, so that, we can get
there. The issue has brought to the fore many happenings within the facilities across the country and in particular, the
KATH.
Mr Speaker, we are told that, within that period, about 16 babies were delivered and five died. That is most unusual for a country that is struggling to reduce both child and maternal mortality. I also believe that, the issue of some of these mistakes are classless. We do know that a Deputy Minister lost his wife and child under similar circumstances in one of our health facilities a few years ago. The facility was, at least, able to apologise for the events that took place. I think a similar thing ought to be done. Our doctors are working extremely hard and there is a lot of pressure because the facilities are under- resourced and the equipment are also few and far between.
Nonetheless, it must be acknowledged that, the country is doing its best in the circumstances to ensure that our health facilities deliver minimum or at least, optimum services to our citizenry. So, this issue should not bring citizens versus doctors or citizens versus health facilities in our country. What is important is for all of us to co-operate and ensure that the truth comes out; not for somebody to be punished, but for future occurrences to be curtailed.
The passion with which we discuss certain issues seems to suggest that sometimes as a country, we choose our priorities rather in a different manner.
When some ladies went to a shop to steal underwear, there were all manner of human rights activists who came out strongly to condemn the way the ladies were treated. And the story, silenced from such human rights groups for this poor lady who lost her baby under very difficult circumstances is something that we all

Dr Ahmed Y. Alhassan (NDC-- Mion)

ought to look into and research in our minds to see to what extent what issues we consider to be priority in our discussions. Once again, I would like to say that, consultation, cooperation and the position to get to the truth should be what should guide us in the circum- stances.

I would like to sympathise also with Suwaiba who has lost her baby under very difficult circumstance.

Mr Speaker

Hon Members, this morning, I agreed with Leadership that we should take only one comment.
Hon Members, I would suggest that this is a very important Statement; it is a very important issue. Let us flag the matter and monitor developments with regard to the investigation that is going on. Then at the appropriate time, we would then bring the matter back to the House depending on the outcome of the investigation that has gone on.
Hon Members, that brings us to the end of Statements.
At the commencement of Public Business - Hon Deputy Majority Leader?

Mr Speaker

Hon Deputy Majority Leader, do we have the Paper for item 4 ready? If it is ready, why are we not laying it?

Mr Agbesi

Mr Speaker, sorry. Item 4 -- the Hon Deputy Minister for Finance is in the House to lay it on behalf of the Hon Minister.

Mr Speaker

Hon Minority Leader, he was making an application.

Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

Mr Speaker, save the fact that, the Ministry that the Hon Deputy Minister represents has not been forthcoming, but we would deal with that subsequently. Mr Speaker, save that for the time being, we would not have anything against his intervention.

Mr Speaker

Very well.
Item 4 - on behalf of the Hon Minister for Finance by the Hon Deputy Minister.

Mr Speaker

Hon Deputy Majority Leader, now that we have amended the Export Development Fund Levy, do we still use the old title? Is that the proper thing to do?
Hon Deputy Majority Leader, you are in charge of Government Business - you are acting.

Mr Agbesi

Mr Speaker, my attention has been drawn to the fact that, we need to amend it. So, we would take the necessary steps to get it amended accordingly.

Mr Speaker

When are you going to do that? I am going to make referral. Why do you not amend it?

Mr Agbesi

Mr Speaker, we want to do that. The Hon Deputy Minister for Finance will do the amendment.

Mr Speaker

Hon Deputy Minister for Finance, do you know the title of the new law? If you do not know the title, the Hon Minister for Trade and Industry is here, you can approach him. He will assist you.

Mr Cassiel A. B. Forson

Mr Speaker, I beg to amend the rendition here to read: “Export and Industrial Development Levy”.

Mr Speaker

Hon Members, I asked for to it to be amended because one cannot refer what does not exist. Once the law has changed - what has been there does not exist. So, we do not have to refer to what does not exist to a committee.

Mr Agbesi

Mr Speaker, item 5 (a).
Mr Speaker, we crave your indulgence to ask the Hon Minister for Trade -- [Interruption] -- Sorry, Hon Minister for Information and Media Relations to lay the Bill on behalf of the Hon Attorney- General and Minister for Justice.

Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

Mr Speaker, listening to the apparent confusion. - [Uproar] -- Mr Speaker, this is a Companies Bill and we have the Hon Minister for Trade and Industry here. I thought that the Hon Deputy Majority Leader was right in the first attempt in asking the Hon Minister for Trade and Industry to lay it on behalf of the Hon
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice\. But now that he has situated it in the realm of the Hon Minister for Information and Media Relations. I do not know whether he can resolve that apparent confusion first. If he can purge himself, then we can move on.
Which is which? I thought the remit should rather be with the Hon Minister responsible for Trade and Industry.

Mr Agbesi

Mr Speaker, there was consultation.

Mr Speaker

But the point is that why did you change from the Hon Minister for Trade and Industry to Information and Media Relations? That is the gravamen of his submission.
Why did you change it? They are both Hon Ministers of State. They are laying it on behalf of the Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice. Why did you change from Trade and Industry to Information and Media Relations?

Mr Agbesi

Mr Speaker, there is no confusion whatsoever. We discussed this matter and agreed.
In any case -

Mr Speaker

Did you mention Trade and Industry first?

Mr Agbesi

Mr Speaker, in any case, we would want to seek permission, so that the Hon Minister for Information and Media Relations would lay this Bill on behalf of the Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice.

Mr Speaker

What are we laying?

Mr Ayariga

Mr Speaker, it is the Companies Bill.

Mr Anyimadu-Antwi

Mr Speaker, I am curious to find out what exactly is being laid. This is because, there is already a Companies Act; and one would have thought that there was an amendment Bill to this Act. If I could be educated on that.

Mr Ayariga

Mr Speaker, the Bill consolidates the entire set of legislations and the various amendments to the Companies Act. It is a fresh Companies Bill that consolidates everything relating to the laws of companies.

Mr Speaker

So, it means that when this is passed, it is going to repeal the Companies Act?

Mr Ayariga

There would be a provision that repeals the current Companies Act.

Mr Speaker

Yes, we are in 2014 and the copy of the Bill before me is 2013.

Mr Ayariga

Mr Speaker, I believe it was brought here at that time -- [Interruption]. - I think the appropriate title should be 2014.

Mr Nitiwul

Mr Speaker, this is the first time it is being laid. Obviously, this is the first time that it is becoming the property of Parliament.
It may have been here, even ten years ago. Suppose it was here in 2008, are we going to title it “Companies Bill 2008?” So, once this is the first time he has laid it in this form, he has to withdraw the original title and change it and then lay it again.

Mr Speaker

Hon Members, I have been advised by the Clerks-at-the-Table that they are using the gazette notification date which was 8th November, 2013.
But Hon Member, this is the first time this Bill is being introduced in this House and we are in 2014 as a matter of fact. In any case, if it has been gazetted in 2013, we need 14 days for it to mature before laying it in the House. So from 8th November up till now, what has caused the delay? I do not know.

Mr Ayariga

Mr Speaker, I think the issue of the delays is a matter internal to this House. So, Mr Speaker, I think that is a matter that your directions would be welcome.

Mr Speaker

Hon Members, I will want the Committee to make the appropriate recommendation to the House when the Bill goes to them. This is because I have not come across this scenario.
But I would let the Committee make the proper recommendation to the House when the Bill goes to them, so that we would treat it as being duly laid and then at the Committee level, that would be handled by necessary amendments and all those things at the Consideration Stage. I think that is the proper thing to do.

Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

Mr Speaker, except that the Minister has made a categorical statement. He said to us that this Bill had been in the House over a long period -- [Interruption]

Mr Speaker

Hon Minister, withdraw that statement.

Mr Ayariga

Mr Speaker, indeed, I think -- [Some Hon Members: -- Withdraw] -- Withdrawn, Mr Speaker -- [Laughter.]

Mr Speaker

Hon Members, the Companies Bill, 2013 duly presented and read the First time.

Mr Agbesi

Mr Speaker, with your indulgence, if we can take Motion -- [Interruption]

Mr Speaker

Are you not taking the Customs Bill, 2014? I have a copy of the Customs Bill, 2014. Are you not laying it?

Mr Agbesi

Mr Speaker, I was under the impression that it had already been laid. Mr Speaker, if we can take item 5 (b).

Mr Speaker

You have fifteen minutes to do that.

Mr H. Iddrisu

Rightly so, Mr Speaker. I would narrow to areas on the economy, infrastructure, trade and investment, reduction in crime and other related issues.
Mr Speaker, as his Excellency the President called on Ghanaians to rise to the challenge for structural transformation and to support him with the modest gains that he has -- [Interruption]--
You have not caught the attention of the Speaker. Hon Minority Leader, why are you being obstructive? Sit down.

Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister responsible for Trade and Industry is the one who is moving this Motion and on two occasions, he has indicated to us that he is going to comment on the Message ‘on the State of the Nation Address'.
Mr Speaker, how can a message be given on the State of the Nation Address? Mr Speaker, what he is minded to do is to comment on the Message of the State of the Nation, not a Message on the State of the Nation Address.
Mr Speaker, can he address himself to article 67, so that we know what he is talking about? Mr Speaker, I know that the Minister is otherwise very capable, but we want to follow him, that is why I am bringing him on track.

Mr H. Iddrisu

Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House thanks His Excellency the President, for the

Mr Speaker, the President was also honest enough to state, and I beg to quote

“The net effect was an increase in our budget deficit to nearly 12 per cent; an increase in inflation above 13 per cent; an increase in interest rate, and also an increase in our domestic debt.”
What a sincere President! He did not seek to conceal that there are challenges in the management of the economy for which he is putting in mechanisms to address, including the introduction of the additional two and a half per cent VAT to improve revenues to government, to
prudently manage public resources and expenditure in order to allow for discipline.
Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President also premised his message on the state of the nation when he addressed what effort Government is making to improve access to quality healthcare and the delivery of healthcare.
Mr Speaker, there are lots of developments, in terms of infrastructure that have taken place in the last one year.
At least, significant but humble achievements have been made within the health sector of our country. I dare say that, tomorrow, when the history of interventions in the provision of medical facilities are done, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Government's name would be written in gold.
Talk about the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, it was the NDC predecessor Government which initiated it. The Volta Regional Hospital, it was the NDC Government. Work is ongoing on the Wa Regional Hospital. Tamale Regional Hospital has been completed with an additional expansion worth €38 million.
That means that, quality health infra- structure is being provided, including the ongoing work which is going on at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, with the re-equipping of the hospital. They are yet to commence work on an additional military hospital for that particular part of the country.
This means that Government is laying a solid foundation not just in building a strong and resilient economy, but it ties in with the pillar of the President when he said that he puts people first in his development agenda.
Mr Speaker, there are additional works on 12 new district hospitals and any of
you who visits Gushiegu or Janga in the Northern Region or Tarkwa would appreciate the intervention that had been done in the last one year.
Mr Speaker, supply of modern equipment was done to 40 distr ict hospitals including Ridge Hospital and Ridge Hospital is also benefiting from a US$250 million facility, which would become a service centre, particularly for public service workers within that area, who can immediately access quality healthcare.
Mr Speaker, let me touch on the structure of the economy. His Excellency the President again said that, we must move this country away from an import dependent economy to a producing economy. Government had lined the National Export Strategy, which is seeking to increase our exports from the current US$2.3 billion to US$5 billion; and to paraphrase the President, “we must consume what we grow and grow what we consume in order to keep our economy competitive.”
Mr Speaker, His Excellency announced that, he is supporting the private sector of our country by way of building their capacity and by way of building their competitiveness.
I can say without fear of hesitation that, a number of pharmaceutical companies in Ghana are receiving credit. In fact, some have even collected the money to the tune of GH¢50 million. For example, Dannex Pharmaceuticals, Ernest Chemist, Dana-dams and with others are being processed. This was in response to a committee's report from this august House -- when your Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts noted that there was no Ghanaian pharmaceutical company capable of producing anti- retroviral drugs. This financial stimulus

Mr Speaker, the President was also honest enough to state, and I beg to quote

Mr Speaker, on rice production, it is certainly not acceptable and I am sure our Colleagues sitting opposite accept the fact that, we cannot be spending US$ 100 million to US$300 million annually on rice importation annually when we have capacity to be able to produce it in Ghana.
In that direction, the Ministry of Trade and Industry is working with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to have a group which would dedicate itself to reducing the rice import bill and expanding local production of rice.
It would also further support irrigation development in a number of areas in the country, including Tamale in the Upper East Region, Kamba in the Upper West Region, Koue in the Volta Region, Nasia and Libuga in the Northern Region and one in the Afram area, so that it can support year round production not just of rice but also of tomatoes.
A committee to be chaired by the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture ably supported by Hon Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry would work together with experts in rice farming and government would give generous support by way of mixed grant and credits to those who genuinely want to go into rice production, so that in future, we can even become an exporter of rice and disentangle ourselves from our status today, which makes us a net importer of rice.
Mr Speaker, I have some statistics to share. For instance, for 2013, rice imports alone accounted for US$ 374 million. For 2012, it was US$359 million, 2011, it was US$ 384 million and 2010, it was US$202 million. This must necessarily spur us to rise to the challenge of structural transformation, because we have the capacity to produce rice in this country.

We have done it before during the Acheampong era and we can improve it if we support rice farming in our country.

Mr Speaker, let me also share some statistics on poultry. For 2013, US$169.2 million was spent. In 2012, US$196 million was spent; 2011, US$184 million was spent and in 2010 -- Yet we can develop our poultry industry as a value chain.

Government is accordingly supporting a number of identifiable poultry-related farmers with credit, in order to increase their production. I have often heard arguments like: “Why not ban the importation of rice?” “Why not ban the importation of poultry?” We are ready to do so as a Government when we set up the institutional infrastructure, which would see to the establishment of the International Trade Commission that would deal with matters of anti-dumping and counter valance. Very soon, we would lay before this august House, a Bill to address that particular challenge.

Mr Speaker, on trade and investment, His Excellency the President assured the investor community that Ghana remains the place to do business in Africa. Our brand is stable, peaceful political order.

Our brand, a country governed by the rule of law. Our brand, enormous investment opportunities, whether in agriculture, manufacturing or agro- processing and he is ready to offer strategic incentives to those who want to invest in that part of the country.

What was unique and significant was the assurance the President gave the investor community, that they are assured that they could repatriate their profits notwithstanding the directives of the Bank of Ghana. That assurance means a lot to our investor community who must be assured that Ghana remains the place and the destination for foreign direct investment (FDI). What we insist on these

Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

Mr Speaker, with respect to my Hon Colleague, what the President said last year and repeated this year, in respect of the construction of
1,600 CHPS compounds was different from the savings from the voluntary contributions of the President and Ministers. He said it was to complement it.
Let the Hon Minister not mislead this country into thinking that, the savings are what are going to be used to construct the 1,600 CHPS compounds. That is not so! Mr Speaker, that is not CHPS compounds! He should not mislead this country.

Mr H. Iddrisu

Mr Speaker, with your permission, may I refer him to the Hansard of 25th February, 2014, column 869, paragraphs 5 and 6. His Excellency said and I beg to quote:
“To support this wonderful campaign, my colleagues and I in the Executive branch of Govern- ment have taken a voluntary ten per cent (10 per cent) cut in salaries. These contributions would be used to construct more CHPS com- pounds, so that we can save the lives of more women during childbirth.”
But Mr Speaker, even before then, with particular reference to the comment he has made, I beg to quote again His Excellency the President --

Mr Speaker

Hon Minister, what are you disputing about the clarification of the Hon Minority Leader?

Mr H. Iddrisu

Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President said that 1,600 CHPS compound would be built by the end of 2016.

Mr Speaker

That is not the problem of the Hon Minority Leader.

Mr Speaker

You have two minutes more.

Mr H. Iddrisu

Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President also touched on his Energy-For-All Initiative. He said that 900 rural communities were connected to the rural electrification grid. Mr Speaker, 550 megawatts of electricity were added, thanks to the inauguration of the Bui Dam which was initiated by the predecessor New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government. But it means that, the Government is assuring industry and the Ghanaian public alike that they would have access to the utility, particularly water and electricity.
Mr Speaker, in concluding, may I refer you to article 25, that the President's education policy, he emphasised quality, access and relevance. Mr Speaker, we have often heard arguments to the extent that, free senior high school (SHS) had become the copyright of a particular generation. Mr Speaker, with your indulgence, I beg to quote article 25 (1):
“All persons shall have the right to equal educational opportunities and facilities and with a view to achieving the full realisation of that right --”
Mr Speaker, for emphasis, article 25 1(b)
“(b) Secondary education in its different forms, including technical and vocational education, shall be

Mr H. Iddrisu

Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President --

Mr Speaker

Conclude.

Mr H. Iddrisu

Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President was only discharging a constitutional obligation which he has sworn an oath to abide, that he would ensure that Ghanaian people and children have access to quality education through an expanded access. Mr Speaker, you can confide in the word and honour of the President.

Mr Speaker

Hon Deputy Minority Leader, that really is a point of argument; he is quoting the Constitution. When it comes to your turn, then you make your submission.
Hon Member, conclude. Your time is up.

Mr H. Iddrisu

Mr Speaker, indeed, in concluding, let me brandish a copy of our winning Manifesto of 2012, titled: “Advancing the Better Ghana Agenda” and in particular, I refer to page 17.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Member can refer to page 17 where we pledged to the people of Ghana that we would provide progressive free senior high schools, for which the people of Ghana massively reposed confidence in the President and elected him as President --

Mr Speaker

Your last sentence.

Mr H. Iddrisu

Mr Speaker, let me conclude, that, very soon, to improve revenue, custom officials would work 24 hours shift, subject to the revision of L.I. 1066. We are working to decongest the ports --

Mr Speaker

Hon Member, your time is up.

Mr H. Iddrisu

Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity. [Hear! Hear!]

Mr Ignatius B. Awuah (NPP -- Sunyani West)

Mr Speaker, thank you for giving me the chance to second the Motion, thanking the President for honouring his constitutional obligation under article 67 of the 1992 Constitution, on his Message on the State of the Nation delivered to this House.
Mr Speaker, on that day, you did on behalf of the House, thank the President. But it is also appropriate that I, on behalf of my side of the House, add my voice in thanking the President.
Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President, in diagnosing our current situation and proffering solutions to them, kept to his 2013 thematic areas, which he described as the four pillars of his Government -- putting the people first, building a strong and resilient economy, expanding infrastructure for growth, maintaining transparent and accountable governance.
Mr Speaker, I recall that in seconding the Motion for adjournment on that day, the Hon Minority Leader stated that, in listening to the President, he wondered whether the 2014 Message, was not a rehash of the 2013 Message, which was delivered by the President. He said so with reference to the fact that, about 80 per cent of issues raised in the 2013 Address were repeated in the 2014 Address.
Mr Speaker, I totally agree with the viewpoint of the Hon Minority Leader, but added to that is the fact that, 2013 was a no show year. [Hear! Hear!] Nothing really happened in 2013, and for a whole year, Mr Speaker, as a nation, we wasted it.

Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka

Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleague the Hon
Deputy Minority Whip is grossly misleading this House.
He is saying that in 2013 nothing happened. He has forgotten that they were in court for eight (8) months. Is that also nothing? Something really happened in 2013 and the Hon Member knows that it delayed the development of this country, and they are the cause of it.
Mr Speaker, his salary was also paid the whole of the year and he is saying that nothing had happened --

Mr Speaker

Hon Members, if you want to raise points of order, you should not go personal.
So, Hon Member, withdraw the second part of your --
11.30.a.m.

Mr Speaker

Very well.

Mr Awuah

Mr Speaker, he is my Colleague; I forgive him for that comment.

Mr Speaker, my Colleague, who moved the Motion, is an Hon Member of Parliament coming from the SADA area. I would want to challenge him that, if he did see anything from the document on SADA, he should come out for people to hear him.

Mr Speaker, is it a case of a failed programme? Is the Government no more using SADA as a tool to bridge the gap between the South and the North?

Mr Speaker, also missing from the entire Statement was the issue of cocoa. Cocoa was never mentioned in the entire Address. Mr Speaker, cocoa, together with timber and gold, have been our main foreign exchange earners in this particular country. How come the President was

here for two and a half hours talking about the economy but did not mention cocoa, more especially, when the cocoa sub sector is being challenged with declining production, non-payment of bonuses to cocoa farmers for three years and the collapse of the mass spraying exercise, together with smuggling, which are affecting that sector?

Mr Speaker, the President talked about fighting corruption. I would want to applaud the President for being bold in his fight against corruption, but how could the President be here for two and a half hours talking and did not mention an important arm of government, the Judiciary? It was totally missing from the President's statement.

Mr Speaker, just last week, we had an opportunity to inaugurate a group in Parliament here called (GLOBE) Global Legislators for a Balanced Environment. The group is to be an advocacy wing among Members of Parliament on climate change issues. Mr Speaker, at almost every international fora, especially attended by Heads of State, issues of climate change are addressed. Unfortunately, the entire Statement did not make a single mention of climate change and how we are adapting to it.

Mr Speaker, these are important areas of our national life that I thought the President should have advised. I would want to seize this opportunity to plead with Mr Speaker to perhaps, follow me to the President and ask him. Perhaps, we would be charitable enough to give him a second opportunity to come back to this House and perhaps, address some of these issues.

Mr Speaker

Hon Deputy Majority Whip, do you have a point of order?

Mr A. Ibrahim

Rightly so Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, I remember on that day, I could hear voices from somewhere saying

-- “conclude, conclude, conclude!”, and now, the same people are criticising the speech for not including everything. How could the President touch on everything when they were saying “conclude, conclude!?”

Mr Speaker

Hon Member, continue.

Mr Awuah

Mr Speaker, the President said he would put people first. I totally agree with him because, all what we are doing, we are doing it for the benefit of the people. Mr Speaker, the President having accepted the fact that, the gate way in ensuring enlightened community, is to progressively introduce free senior secondary education.
Mr Speaker, at this stage, without offering a critique of the proposal at this stage, let me simply ask whether it is not a case of eating a humble pie -- [Hear! Hear!] -- Mr Speaker, does that make Nana Akufo-Addo a visionary?
Mr Speaker, in putting the people first, how is the President going to address or solve the mirage of problems affecting the ordinary person? As a matter of fact, in the country today, the youth are dejected, because they are either unemployed or underemployed.

Alhaji Abdul-Rashid H. Pelpuo -- rose

Mr Speaker

Hon Minister of State, do you have a point of order?

Alhaji Pelpuo

Yes.
Mr Speaker, it is important that --

Mr Speaker

Hon Members, I will take strict points of order.

Alhaji Pelpuo

Mr Speaker, I believe that when information is put out in the
public domain, it has to be accurately reported.
The Hon Member who just spoke said that the President said he is introducing free secondary education and he is asking whether it is not eating of the humble pie.
Mr Speaker, the President never said we were introducing free secondary education. He said he received a Paper from the Minister for Education which is -- [Interruptions] -- yes, and the Paper is presenting how government would progressively introduce free secondary education. Mr Speaker, he repeated it twice and it is in accordance with our party manifesto, and it is also in accordance with the Constitution. Mr Speaker, we have not shifted our position at all. It is the same thing; we would introduce it but it must be progressive.

Mr Awuah

Mr Speaker, building a strong and resilient economy -- every strong building stands on a firm foundation. The President admitted that the fundamentals are good but we are currently going through turbulence. Mr Speaker, for the President to have said we were going through turbulence in my view, it is being more charitable in his choice of words.
The IMF team that reviewed the economy in its meeting with the Finance Committee just a day before the Message was delivered, described the economy as being in extreme difficulty -- [Hear! Hear!]. Mr Speaker, we would want to say this again. They described the economy as being in extreme difficulty. They never said we were facing challenges, they never said we were going through turbulence, they never said we were in difficulty but they said we were in extreme difficulty. Mr Speaker, these are known fact issues like huge budget deficits --

Mr Speaker

You have two minutes more.

Mr Awuah

Rising inflation and depreciation of our local currency are
already the norm. Our industries are collapsing as a result of high taxes on imported raw materials, high tariffs, irregular supply of electricity among many other things. Mr Speaker, dumsô, dumsô is back with us.
Mr Speaker, what is happening about our road sector? Our maintenance programme is abandoned. Most of the road works which were inaugurated for commencement by his predecessor the late Prof. Mills are either still at finishing stages or are not even receiving attention. A typical example is the Atebubu Kwame Danso Kadjebi road, --[Interruption]-- the Brekum-Seikwa road-- [Interruption]- - the Takwa-Bogoso road, -- [Interruption]-- the Nsawam-Apedwa road.
Mr Speaker, what is happening now is the issue that, Ghanaians have lost credibility in the Government of the day. They cannot trust the Government to deliver on its promises. Why am I saying that? When the Government said it would introduce one-time premium on health insurance, where is it now? Where are the Members of Parliament (MPs') offices in their constituencies. [Interruption.] Where is the corruption free society the NDC promised us? [Interruption.]

Mr Speaker

It is unparliamentary to be shouting. You want me to name people? It is unparliamentary. You can do heckling but there should be reasonable heckling.You do not do it to disrupt the business of the House.

Mr Speaker

Hon Akoto Osei, he mentioned your name.

Dr A. A. Osei

Mr Speaker, I do not know why the Hon Chairman would mention my name when my Hon Colleague is giving out facts. He said his constituency --

Mr Speaker

He mentioned your constituency.

Dr A. A. Osei

Mr Speaker, I live in my constituency; he has never been there, and there is no office going on. In any case, there are 275 Members of Parliament (MP's) including the former Member of Parliament (MP) --

Mr Speaker

Hon Anthony Akoto Osei, is anything going on in your constituency?

Some Hon Members

No!

Dr A. A. Osei

Mr Speaker, if there is something going on, I have not seen it. Mr Speaker, I have gone to the former Member of Parliament (MPs) constituency, I do not want to mention the name; it used to be called Member for Ave/Avenor [Laughter.] I think there is an office there.
Mr Speaker, I am looking for an office here, not in my constituency. That is all.

Mr Speaker

Hon Member, your time is up, conclude. [Laughter.]

Mr Awuah

Mr Speaker, in winding up --

Mr Speaker

Yes, wind up.

Mr Awuah

Mr Speaker, in winding, up, I would want to --

Mr Speaker

Wind up.

Mr Awuah

Mr Speaker, I would want to laud His Excellency the President for one thing he did, that he used the time to do an advocacy for made in Ghana goods and for that I want to applaud him.
Mr Speaker, I do not want him to end there, he should extend the campaign not only to the consumption of made in Ghana goods, but to all other things which are produced locally. For instance, the affluent in society should spend their holidays in Ghana but not to go to Dubai.

Question Proposed.

Mr Kennedy N. Osei (NPP--Akim Swedru)

Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the floor.

Mr Speaker, if the NDC's track record is anything to go by, then I can boldly

say those numerous promises which were made by the President will never see light of the day. [Hear! Hear!] First of all —

Mr Speaker

Hon Member, what is your point of order?

Mr Richard Quarshigah

Mr Speaker, I would want to put across that the Hon Member obviously has misled the House in the statement he just made.
This Government is not the NDC Government, it is the Government of the people of Ghana. So, to say that it is an NDC Government, I think it is inappropriate. The best one could say is an NDC led Government but this is the Government of Ghana, the Government of the people of Ghana and I would want to correct him on that point.

Mr K. N. Osei

Mr Speaker, I am surprised my Colleague is running away from his own Government. In any case, it is the NDC Government and I will continue to say NDC Government. [Uproar]
First of all, Mr Speaker, if I may draw you back a little, Ghanaians were promised that they would drastically reduce fuel prices. This was a major promise which was made by the then candidate John Evans Atta-Mills, and the NDC Government, that when they come to power, they would reduce fuel price drastically.
What do we see now? Now, fuel price which was handed over to them at GH¢3.50 when they took power, is now GH¢11.55 . [Uproar] An increase of about 218 per cent, just five years in government. Mr Speaker, NDC Government promised the people of Ghana and that of Ghanaian manufacturers, that when they come to power, they would not introduce any new taxes and I say “any
new taxes”. What do we see? Numerous taxes which have been introduced by this NDC-led Government in just five years in government. They introduced taxes on condoms and machetes. To add insult to injury, they introduced 2.5 per cent VAT, which is cutting the throats of the good people of this country. [Hear! Hear!] This is the people's first Government that were promised by this NDC Government.

Mr Speaker

What is your point of order?

Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka

Mr Speaker, when you talk of a new tax, that is a tax that is not existing but it is new altogether, VAT is not a new tax. VAT is an old tax that has been reviewed. So, it is not a new tax. [Uproar.] That is the issue.

Mr Speaker

Hon Member, continue.

Mr K. N. Osei

Mr Speaker, I am surprised my Hon Member — Mr Speaker, let me go on.
Now, we have a crisis in this country and what is the crisis? High unemployment. Now, there are no jobs in the country. At least, statistics have shown that every year, 300,000-- new graduates join the labour force. Out of these 300, 000 -- Yes, I know Mr Speaker, the Hon Member wants to check my source; he can check it from the Ghana Statistical Service and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations. Out of these 300, 000 —

Mr K. N Osei

Mr Speaker, I am surprised. I thought my Colleague Hon Member was going to say that, I was wrong with what I am quoting but referring me to the word. We are in Ghana and I am specific on the issues of Ghana —

Mr Speaker

Hon Member, they have challenged your source, so, provide it.

Mr K. N. Osei

Mr Speaker, I have provided it. Ghana Statistical Service; they can check it.

Mr Speaker

Hon Members, please! A number of publications come from there. Give us the exact publication you are referring to.

Mr K. N. Osei

Mr Speaker, 2012 -- they can go and check it.

Mr Speaker

Please, take your time, do not work yourself out. Hansard needs to capture your source, so, give us your source so that Hansard would capture the source.

Mr K. N. Osei

Mr Speaker, Statistical Report 2012.
Mr Speaker, we were promised by this Government, the NDC -- if I say this Government, NDC Government in this House, that they would establish Members of Parliament Development Fund to alleviate the tension between Members of Parliament and District Chief Executives. The question is, where is the Fund?

Mr K. N. Osei

Mr Speaker, where is the money?

Some Hon Members

No show.

Mr K. N. Osei

Mr Speaker, the NDC Government promised this country and the good people of Ghana that within 100 days in office, they would clear all filth in Ghana. Go to Makola and see, go to landfill sites, even the waste management companies have nowhere -- they are finding it difficult even to discharge refuse.
I would want to continue and say that we live in a country where in the past, some politicians have made some weird promises to the people of Ghana and at the end of the day, they are not able to fulfill these promises. They go scot-free - - and they even give more promises.
Mr Speaker, the Government promised that they would create new development centres in all the districts. I would want to ask this Government, and that is the NDC Government, where are these offices? Where can we locate them? They promised to build an office for NUGS, where is the office? They promised to separate the Attorney-General's Department from the Ministry of Justice, where is it? They promised to complete the Kotokroaba market within their first term in office, where is the market? --

Some Hon Members

No show!

Mr K. N. Osei

Mr Speaker--

Mr Speaker

Majority Chief Whip, what is your point of order?

Mr Speaker

Hon Majority Chief Whip, the debate has just begun. Those who would come to the floor and make Statements that cannot be verified would be exposed by the end of the debate. So, do not worry; nobody should be worried. He has quoted his source; I do not have his phone with me; I am not in a position to rule on this matter now. The Hansard would show us the source and then we can resolve this matter before the end of this debate.
So, Hon Member, wind up; your time is up.

Mr K. N. Osei

Mr Speaker, I know truth hurts. Sometimes when you say the truth, it becomes very piercing.

Mr Kwabena M. Akandoh (NDC -- Juaboso)

Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion.

Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

Mr Speaker, after the delivery of the State of the Nation Address by His Excellency the President, it is customary that the Speaker conveys the gratitude and the thanks of this House to him. Thereafter a formal Motion is moved on the path dating by the Speaker. We do not thank the President because the message is full of hope or whatever. [Interruption.]
We are doing so because it is traditional, it is conventional. That is what is required of us to do; we do not do so because of contents.
Can he go on?

Mr Akandoh

Mr Speaker, I can understand, let me go on.
Mr Speaker, in doing so, His Excellency has demonstrated clearly that he really cares for the people of Ghana. [Hear! Hear!] That his salary and that of his appointees must be cut down in order to supplement the construction of CHPS compounds in this country.
Mr Speaker, I think this is the first of its kind in this country. [Hear! Hear!] Mr Speaker, if you are in Accra you may not know the importance of CHPS compounds, but if you come from where I come from, you would agree with me that CHPS compounds are equally important in this country -- [Interruption]

Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

Mr Speaker, with respect to my Hon Colleague, he is a young man in the House. But when he is talking about unprecedented feats, voluntary reductions or cutting salaries, Mr Speaker, this exercise was begun in this country way back in 1969 by Prof. Busia.

Mr Akandoh

Mr Speaker, still I can understand him; the 1969 that he is talking about I was not born. I am talking about the Fourth Republic. That is exactly what I am talking about.
Mr Speaker, let me touch on something His Excellency spoke about as far as the economy is concerned and that touched me very much. He spoke about the dollarization of the economy, and to the extent that, people work in this country, they are paid and they convert their moneys into dollars. Mr Speaker, nobody can develop this country for us except ourselves. If we do that we are simply giving strength to the foreign currencies. So, I think that it is something that we all must take note of.
We rent houses in dollars, we rent cars in dollars and we turn round to blame leaders of this country. We all have the responsibility as citizens of this country; we must abide by the regulations of the country. I think that His Excellency was right on point and that we should learn a lot from that.
Again, going forward, His Excellency again demonstrated -- when he was coming to the floor of the House, the cloth and shoes were all made in Ghana. [Hear! Hear!] This is a clear demonstration of patronising made-in-Ghana goods. Indeed, a social democratic -- [Interruption.]

Mr Speaker

Hon Member, proceed.

Mr Akandoh

Mr Speaker, the Hon Member is a leader in this House and you have clearly directed that we should not personalise issues on this floor, but he is personalising it.
Mr Speaker, I am talking about the State of the Nation Address with reference to the President, not myself. [Hear! Hear!] With a great deal of respect, Mr Speaker - [Interruption.]
Going forward, I think that His Excellency used the platform to market the

Mr Nitiwul

Mr Speaker, the President appealed to all of us to wear made-in- Ghana shoes. That is why I am wearing something that has been made in Ghana. He cannot preach to us when he is disrespecting what the President has said, or he did not hear what the President said. I expect him to learn to wear made-in- Ghana goods when he is preaching made- in-Ghana goods. This is because the television would capture him; he is wearing a coat and a tie and he wants people to listen to him, Mr Speaker.

Mr Akandoh

Mr Speaker, I thought that he was going to refer to his own half and looking at the number of people who have dressed like me. But if you would allow me to continue, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker, I think that is exactly what we should be doing. If we go to the market and we have “foreign rice” and the “local rice” and we decide to buy the one that comes from Thailand and what have
you, we would be doing harm to our selves. So, it is about time we all learnt to patronise what we manufacture in this country. One thing I heard from the President, - and it is refreshing to say -- is that his Government would assist the local producers of rice in this country. And that is the way forward -- [Hear! Hear!] That is a leader who really cares for his country.
Mr Speaker, a lot of people have been talking about rehash of 2013 and what have you. Mr Speaker, our problems remain the same. The issue of electricity would continue to persist; the issue of water would continue to persist; the issue of roads would continue to be with us. And so, if the President comes in 2013 and talks about those things, do we expect him not to talk about those things in 2014? Mr Speaker, I cannot understand and so, I think that the President is on course.
Mr Speaker, if you look at rural electrification, an Hon Member on the floor of the House said nothing had happened in the year 2013. Mr Speaker, I can challenge him; he should come to my constituency. From 2013 up till now, about 13 communities have been connected to the national grid. [Hear! Hear!] How can he say nothing has happened in this country in 2013?
Mr Speaker, in winding up, this House is a House of records and the records must be set clear, that the mass spraying exercise has never collapsed.

Dr Owusu A. Akoto (NPP -- Kwadaso)

Mr Speaker, I would like to start my contribution by quoting from the President's Address on page 11. He said and I beg to quote:
“Mr. Speaker, in 2013 alone we spent a whopping amount of almost US$1.5 billion in foreign currency on the import of rice, sugar, wheat, tomato products, frozen fish, poultry and vegetable cooking oils.

Mr Speaker, I would want to follow this up with a quotation on the same page and it is a continuation of the first quotation. He said, and I beg to quote:

“Mr. Speaker, between 2012 and 2013, Ghana lost US$1.3 billion in export revenues on account of the decline in cocoa and gold prices.”

Mr Speaker, between these two quotations, is an admission of failure of government policy. [Hear! Hear!] It is an admission for the first time on the floor of the House, that agricultural policy has failed. We, for the last six years, have been monitoring the agricultural growth performance and we have been knocking in here, ringing the bell, that things are not good in the agricultural sector.

Mr Speaker, on many occasions, I have said that, in 2008, agricultural growth was 7.4 per cent. In 2009, it came down slightly to 7.2 per cent. In 2010, it came to 5.2 per cent. In 2011, it was minus 1.3 per cent. - - [Uproar] -- In 2013, it was 1.3 per cent.

Now, they are projecting that it would be 3.4 per cent but I doubt if we can get two and a half per cent. If this is not failure of the six years of the administration of this Government, I do not know what it is.

Mr Speaker, it is very serious that we should spend US$1.5 billion in all these areas that we are spending the money. Ghana could produce these products cheaply and create employment for our teeming youth and all the benefits which should have come with it.

We were in this House three years ago when your predecessor referred to us the Poultry Farmers Association who were so frustrated with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, that they decided to petition the Speaker of this House. When they met us, it was pathetic. They were talking about an industry which could generate 450,000 jobs -- nearly half a million jobs and for which they had engaged the Ministry of Food and Agriculture for so long and were getting no response and were forced to come to this House for reliefs.

Mr Speaker, I can cite so many of such cases where we have had visitors coming to this House -- to the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs to plead with us for government's intervention to help them, but these interventions are not coming.

Mr Speaker, if one looked at the budget for the last six years, the percentage of the budget allocated to agriculture has been going down. If one looks at the annual budget funding amount for the last three years since they started, the portion which is supposed to be given to the agriculture, the first two years went to SADA and we know what SADA means in our terminology. It means corruption and so on. But that is the extent to which our petrol money, which is supposed to be supporting agriculture has been spent.

Mr Speaker, on the failure of agricultural policy, I can go on and on.

Dr Kwabena Donkor

Mr Speaker, since this is a House of record, the Hon Member said we all know what SADA means. That SADA means corruption - [Uproar]- For the record, SADA means Savannah Accelerated Development Authority.

Dr Akoto

Mr Speaker, no amount of shine that my Hon Friend would put on it would detract from the fact that every- body knows that trees were planted in November and December in the dry season in the North.
It cost the taxpayer GH¢15 million. He also knows that the Akonfem project, which is very famous now for what it is, also cost us GH¢33 million. So, there is no need for us to argue about that.
Mr Speaker, let me continue.
The fact of the matter is that, the tractors imported into this country to support our farmers are totally inadequate against what the Government itself has stated in the budget.
Lastly, to demonstrate the failure of policy, I am coming to this favourite subject of cocoa. Mr Speaker, last week we held a press conference immediately following the State of the Nation Address. Why did we? This is because such a pillar of the economy of this country -- 120 years since our great Tetteh-Quarshie brought the seeds from Fernando Po in 1886, it has always been the pillar.
For the President to come here and in two and a half hours of speech, not mention anything about cocoa when there is a crisis in that sector, in my view, was an admission of the failure of policy.

Dr Akoto

Mr Speaker, I wish people would pay attention and listen to me carefully when I am talking. I am talking facts and figures and it is very clear. Ghana reached a peak of one million metric tonnes which we have never done throughout our 120 years of cocoa in this country. We know, as a matter of fact, that since then, production has been steadily coming down.
Now, COCOBOD is talking about a harvest of 800,000 metric tonnes. I, as an expert in the cocoa industry -- [Hear! Hear!] -- I am saying that we would be lucky to export 750,000 metric tonnes. And one can bet me on that. This is a very serious turn of affairs. And when we are speaking about it, please, one does not have to disturb and let us see -- [Interruption].

Mr Akandoh

Mr Speaker --

Dr Akoto

Mr Speaker, have you given him the floor?

Mr Speaker

Hon Akondah, do you have a point of order?

Mr Akandoh

Yes, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker

What is your point of order?

Mr Akandoh

Mr Speaker, the Hon Member is grossly misleading this House.
The fact that we had one million metric tonnes last year, does not mean that the subsequent year the tonnage must increase. If he knows cocoa very well, if it hits the peak, then automatically, in the subsequent year, it would drop. That is how cocoa production is. So, the fact that it dropped, does not mean that there is crisis in the cocoa industry.

Dr Akoto

Mr Speaker, I wish some Members did not demonstrate their ignorance of the subject on the floor of this House. I wish so. This is too serious a subject for these kinds of disruptions.

Mr Speaker

Hon Member, your time is up. Conclude.

Dr Akoto

I would conclude, Mr Speaker, by saying that the Government urgently should increase producer prices by at least, 50.4 per cent. That is my calculation.
A bag of cocoa which has been fixed at GH¢212.00 should be increased to at least, GH¢319.00 in order to give some encouragement to our farmers and the Government should pay the bonuses. Government should pay the bonuses which the farmers are entitled to.

Mr Ameen Salifu (NDC -- Wa East)

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to support the Motion ably made by my senior, the Hon Member for Tamale South. In doing so, I would like to thank His Excellency the President for the wonderful State of the Nation Address he delivered to this House on the 25th of the second -- [Interruption] -- 25th of February, 2014. Mr Speaker -- [Interruption]

Debates of 4 Mar 2014

PRAYERS

VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT

STATEMENTS

PAPERS

BILLS -- FIRST READING

BILLS -- FIRST READING

MOTIONS

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