Debates of 11 Jul 2014

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:35 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:35 a.m.
  • [No correction was made to the Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, 10th July, 2014.]
    • Mr Speaker 10:35 a.m.
    Hon Members, we have the Official Report of Tuesday, 8th July, 2014 for correction.
    Mr Ben Banda 10:35 a.m.
    None

    Yes, Hon Member?
    Mr Banda 10:35 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, column 1106, last paragraph. There is a statement which has been attributed to me.
    “if you were a Muslim, you were not allowed to watch a movie which is patently un-Islamic.”
    Mr Speaker, I said, “if you are a Muslim, you are not allowed”. The last three lines: “if you are a Muslim, you are not allowed.” It is not “if you were a Muslim, you were not allowed.”
    Mr Speaker 10:35 a.m.
    Any other correction?
    Hon Members, in the absence of any further correction, the Official Report of Tuesday, 8th July, 2014 is adopted as the true record of proceedings.
    Dr Benjamin B. Kunbuor 10:35 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, that is the Business Statement for the week that was omitted initially.
    Mr Speaker 10:35 a.m.
    Business Statement for the Sixth Week.
    BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 10:35 a.m.
    Majority Leader/Chairman of the Business Committee (Dr Benjamin B. Kunbuor) 10:35 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, your Committee met on Thursday, 10th July, 2014 and arranged the Business of the House for the Sixth Week ending Friday, 18th July,
    2014.
    In accordance with Standing Order 56 (2), the Committee respectfully submits as follows:
    Mr Speaker, based on some developments that were discussed at the Leadership level, it is intended that the House Sits on Monday, which was originally not programmed on the Business Statement. We believe that some matters would be taken up and then a substantial matter in relation to a Motion that should have been taken today could be taken on that day.
    Mr Speaker, we are rescheduling that Motion to Monday because we noticed that there have been some intervening factors and you would know that given the level of polarisation of this country, the only thing that has united this country has always been sports. So, we would want the House to set the standard in which for once, the House would speak with one voice on this all important matter.
    We thought that we could get the Hon Member proposing the Motion and the one who is proposing an amendment that is still pending to find a common ground
    on this, so that the entire House could go with one voice in relation to this Motion on Monday. That is why we are shifting it to give it enough time for consultations that were not concluded absolutely with Leadership on this matter.
    Mr Speaker --
    Mr Speaker 10:35 a.m.
    Before you proceed, is that the only business that you are proposing to be taken on Monday or you would come back on Monday morning to add some other business?
    Dr Kunbuor 10:35 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, yes. There are other items that we are almost certain on this Order Paper, we would roll over automatically to Monday.
    Dr Kunbuor 10:35 a.m.
    We still have the outstanding Consideration Stage of the Customs Bill, 2014 and any other matters that we would consider.
    Mr Speaker 10:35 a.m.
    Very well.
    Dr Kunbuors 10:35 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Com- mittee met on Thursday, 10th July, 2014 and arranged Business of the House for the Sixth Week ending Friday, 18th July, 2014.
    Mr Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 56 (2), the Committee accordingly submits its Report as follows:
    Arrangement of Business
    Question(s)
    Mr Speaker, the Committee has programmed the following Ministers to respond to Questions asked of them during the week:
    No. of Question(s)
    i. Minister for Health -- 5
    ii. Minister for Finance -- 1
    iii. Minister for Energy -- 6
    iv. Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing -- 1
    v. Minister for Food and Agriculture -- 1
    vi. Minister for Roads and Highways -- 6
    Total number of Questions -- 20
    Mr Speaker, in all, six (6) Ministers are expected to attend upon the House to respond to twenty (20) Questions during the week. The questions are of the following types:
    i. Urgent -- 7 ii. Oral -- 13
    Statements Mr Speaker, pursuant to Order 70 (2),
    Ministers of State may be permitted to
    Dr Kunbuors 10:35 a.m.
    make Statements of Government policy. Mr Speaker may also admit Statements to be made in the House by Hon Members in accordance with Order 72.
    Bills, Papers and Reports
    Mr Speaker, Bills may be presented to the House for First Reading and those of urgent nature may be taken through the various stages in one day in accordance with Order 119. Papers and committee reports may also be presented to the House.
    Motions and Resolutions
    Mr Speaker, Motions may be debated and their consequential Resolutions, if any, taken during the week.
    Mid-year review of the budget
    Mr Speaker, a Motion for the adoption of the mid-year review of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2014 financial year is expected to be moved on Wednesday, 16th July, 2014.
    Briefing by the Minister for the Interior
    Mr Speaker, the Minister responsible for the Interior has been scheduled to attend upon the House at the Committee of the Whole on Friday, 18th July 2014 to brief Parliament on the security situation in Bimbilla. Hon Members are entreated to take note and avail themselves at the briefing to actively participate in the deliberations.
    Conclusion
    Mr Speaker, in accordance with Standing Order 160 (2) and subject to Standing Order 53, the Committee submits
    to this Honourable House, the order in which the Business of the House shall be taken during the week:

    Urgent Questions --

    (a) Mr Frank Boakye Agyen (Effiduase/Asokore): To ask the Minister for Health whether it is true that the Ministry has directed all Government hospitals to sack all casual workers in the hospitals by the end of July 2014, if so, what are the reasons for that direction.

    (b) Mr William Agyapong Quaittoo (Akim Oda): To ask the Minister for Health when the allowances of the 2012 and 2013 batches of nursing trainees will be paid since a considerable number of these students are being sacked from school for non-payment of school fees.

    Questions --

    *106. Mr David Hennric Yeboah (Afigya Sekyere East): To ask the Minister for Health when would the S.D.A. Hospital at Agona-Asaman will be given accreditation to operate the midwifery school constructed by the S.D.A. Hospital.

    *107. Mr Boniface Gambila Adagbila (Nabdam): To ask the Minister for Health what sustainable measures are in place for the provision of anti- snake serum for prompt access by victims of frequent snake bites in the Nabdam District.

    *108. Mr William Kwasi Sabi (Dormaa East): To ask the Minister for Health when the Dormaa East District will be provided with a district hospital.

    Statements

    Presentation of Papers --

    (a) Annual Report of the District Assemblies Common Fund for the year 2013.

    (b) Annual Report of the National Development Planning Commission and Financial Statements for the year 2013.

    (c) Annual Report of the Investment Advisory Committee for the year

    2012.

    (d) Report of the Appointments Committee on H.E. the President's nominations for Ministerial and Deputy Ministerial appoint- ments.

    Consideration Stage of Bills --

    Customs Bill, 2014 (Continuation of Debate)

    Plant Breeders Bill, 2013 (Continuation of Debate)

    Committee sittings.

    Urgent Questions --

    (a) Mr Kwaku Agyeman Kwarteng (Obuasi West): To ask the Minister for Finance what has occasioned the arrears in the payment of Statutory Funds.

    (b) Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey (Anyaa/Sowutuom): To ask the Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing when the Lafa River storm drain running

    from Dzorwulu through Tabora, Kwashibu, Santa Maria to Mallam Junction will be constructed to stop the serious flooding claiming lives and property.

    (c) Mr Justice Joe Appiah (Ablekuma North): To ask the Minister for Energy and Petroleum what occasioned the recent fuel shortage in the country and what steps the Ministry is taking to avoid a future recurrence.

    Questions --

    *111. Mr Isaac Kwame Asiamah (Atwima Mponua): To ask the Minister for Energy and Petroleum when electricity supply from the national grid will be extended to the following communities in Atwima Mponua Constituency: (i) Wuru- begu (ii) Kwabena Fori (iii) Aboabo Kalonko (iv) Oseikrom (v) Akomfre (vi) Nkrankrom (vii) Afepaye (viii) Owusukrom.

    *112. Mr Isaac Kwame Asiamah (Atwima Mponua): To ask the Minister for Energy and Petroleum when electricity supply from the national grid will be extended to the following communities in Atwima Mponua Constituency: (i) Dodowa (ii) Bentekrom (iii) Kwadwo Forjuorkrom (iv) Bayerebon No. 1 and 2 (v) Obuasekrom.

    *115. Mr Kennedy Nyarko Osei (Akim Swedru): To ask the Minister for Energy and Petroleum what plans the Ministry has towards con- necting the following towns and villages in the Akim Swedru Constituency to the national electricity grid: (i) Edinkrom (ii) Otwereso Praso (iii) Apoli Ningo (iv) Ofosukrom (v) Oforikrom.

    *116. Mr James Cecil Yanwube (Tatale/Sanguli): To ask the Minister for Energy and Petroleum when the Rural Electrification Project will commence in the Tatale/Sanguli District.

    *117. Mr Justice Joe Appiah (Ablekuma North): To ask the Minister for Energy and Petroleum whether the Ministry is aware of adulteration of fuel for profit in some parts of the country and the smuggling of petroleum products out of the country and if so, what measures are being proposed to combat the situation.

    Presentation of Papers --

    Report of the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs on the Regional Convention on Fisheries Co-operation among African States bordering the Atlantic Ocean.

    Motion --

    Adoption of the mid-year review of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2014 financial year.

    Consideration Stage of Bills --

    Plant Breeders Bill, 2013 (Continuation of Debates)

    Committee sittings.

    Urgent Questions --
    Mr Anthony Osei Boakye (Atwima Nwabiagya South) 10:35 a.m.
    To ask the Minister for Food and Agriculture
    Mr Anthony Osei Boakye (Atwima Nwabiagya South) 10:35 a.m.
    Statements --
    Motions --
    (a) Adoption of the Report of the Appointments Committee on H.E. the President's nominations for Ministerial and Deputy Ministerial appointments.
    (b) Adoption of the Report of the joint Committee on Finance and Roads and Transport on the Commercial Agreement among the Government of the Republic of Ghana, Lonrho Ports Ghana Limited and Atuabo Freeport Ghana Limited in respect of the Ghana Oil and Gas Freeport Project.
    Consequential Resolution
    Consideration Stage of Bills --
    Plant Breeders Bill, 2013 (Continuation of Debates)
    Committee sittings.

    Urgent Questions --
    Mr Kofi Frimpong (Kwabre East) 10:35 a.m.
    To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways when the Kenyasi - Antoa road, the only route to the southern part of the constituency which has become impassable, would be repaired to enable motorists ply the route.
    Questions --
    *139. Mr Joseph Appiah Boateng (Afram Plains South): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways
    what plans the Ministry has to rehabilitate the road from Kwasi Fante to Dome and the main road from Ekyi Amanfrom to Donkor- krom.
    *140. Ms Freda Akosua Prempeh (Tano North): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways when the following feeder roads will be rehabilitated: (i) Duayaw Nkwanta - Asukese-Bomaa (ii) Bomaa- Subonpang (iii) Duayaw Nkwanta - Adagyamamu/Santase.
    *141. Mr Daniel Kingsley Atta-Boafo (Adansi Fomena): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways what plans the Ministry has for the rehabilitation of the feeder roads in the Adansi Fomena Constituency, especially the road from Kyeaboso to Akrokerri, Fomena to Ayasi, and Dompoase to Adokwai.
    *142. Mr Johnson Kwaku Adu (Ahafo Ano South West): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways what percentage of work has been executed in respect of the road construction from Wansamire - Wioso - Tepa junction.
    *143. Mr David Hennric Yeboah (Afigya Sekyere East): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways when the Wiamoase town roads will be tarred.
    Statements
    Motions --
    Third Reading of Bills --
    Customs Bill, 2014
    (b) Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs on the Regional Convention on Fi- sheries Co-operation among African States bordering the Atlantic Ocean.
    Consequential Resolution
    Consideration Stage of Bills --
    Plant Breeders Bill, 2013 (Continuation of debates)
    Committee sittings --
    Committee of the Whole to be briefed by the Minister for the Interior on the security situation in Bimbilla
    Respectfully submitted, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
    Any comments before we adopt the Business Statement?
    Mr Kofi Frimpong 10:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, after the return of His Excellency the President from his trip to Dubai, I could remember I put in an Urgent Question on the expenses incurred on his trip by the State. Up to this time, the Question has not been listed. Mr Speaker, may I know the status of that Question?
    Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
    Hon Kofi Frimpong, you know that I admit Questions. So, if you have a problem with your Question, find out from the Clerks-at-the-Table. If you do not get any response, come and see me.
    It is not the Business Committee that admits Questions. So, if your Question has not been programmed, maybe, it has not been admitted. If you have a problem, check from the Clerks-at-the-Table, they will tell you records of the Questions that have been admitted and those that have been rejected and for what reason they have been rejected. If you are not satisfied, see me.
    Mr Frimpong 10:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, please, I think it behoves the Clerk to inform the Hon Member who asked the Question, that his Question has not been admitted, so that the Hon Member would know --
    Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
    Hon Member, that is one of the possible ways; there are other ways.
    Mr Frimpong 10:45 a.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr I. K. Asiamah 10:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, as you rightly said, it is within your powers to admit either Questions, Statements or Motions.
    Dr Kunbuor 10:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, this was a matter we are considering at Leadership level. Certainly, as the Majority Leader, I am supposed to be aware of what is happening in the Majority Caucus. My attention has been drawn to the matter that possibly at the time the Hon Member would move the Motion, an amendment to it might be made.
    I was not able to get the Hon Member for us to have some detailed discussions, and I did draw the attention of the Hon Minority Chief Whip to it. Given the import of what I know of that amended Motion, it would not augur well for this House. This is because as I said, this should be a matter that Parliament should speak with one voice.
    I would have no option just to say well, go ahead and move your Motion and then it gets partisan on a matter that we are all
    passionate about and would want to get to the bottom of it. It was in that light that I thought that shifting it to Monday for us to resolve these matters gave us the opportunity to deal with that type of bi- partisan approach.
    Mr Speaker, because the time was short, I had asked the Hon Minority Chief Whip to get in touch with the Hon Member who moved the Motion to have a discussion before. It just happened that we had to take the Business Statement. But this matter would have come up subsequently, to know what the position is, so that we can proceed.
    Mr Benito Owusu-Bio 10:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, currently, there is a trending story on the international news network regarding some sports fans who went to Brazil and are seriously tarnishing the image of Mother Ghana --
    Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
    Hon Member, please, take your seat.
    These were some of the matters that were brought to my attention this morning in my Lobby. If you listened carefully to the Hon Majority Leader, he said that: “Other intervening factors”. Those were the words he used.
    Leadership discussed it and that is why further consultations are going on to see whether it would be possible for the House to speak with one voice on this matter. I have asked Leadership to do the necessary consultations with the person in whose name the Motion stands and advise me. So, do not jump the gun.
    Mr Owusu-Bio 10:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am not aware of those arrangements.
    Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
    Very well.
    Dr Anthony A. Osei 10:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, on the Business Statement, we are being told that on Wednesday, the Hon Minister for
    Finance would move a Motion for the adoption of the mid-year review of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana. May I know from the Leader -- in reading this, it looks like it is a review and there is no indication on what has been advertised about a supplementary -- and I am wondering if he has any further information on this.
    The reason is that, if it is being moved on Wednesday, my suspicion -- maybe, I am jumping the gun -- we may have to begin debate on Thursday and Friday and thereafter. So, if we have additional information, it may help us prepare for the debate. If he has it and he can share it with us, I would appreciate it.
    Dr Kunbuor 10:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, basically, these matters that come in this format are normally guided by the advice we get from our procedural advisers. We have been given just the basic information about what would happen on that day. As I said, there are other developments that also show that the House might not travel beyond some point; so we are factoring all those issues into it.
    I am sure on the day that the substantive matter would be coming up, that would have been clarified. We have also directed at the administrative level that the Hon Minister for Finance should get in touch with the members of the Finance Committee to prepare before Wednesday. I am sure he should be doing that and the Hon Member would guide us subsequently on how we should proceed.
    Dr A. A. Osei 10:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, you hinted that the House might rise earlier, that is
    perhaps, why I asked the question. So, I am wondering the time period that might be available for the debate on such an important matter and so, the more information we have on this, the better.
    Dr Kunbuor 10:55 a.m.
    You know that normally, with these reviews and supplementaries, it is actually consequential to wider financial statements that would have come to this House. We guess that within the time constraints available, we should have enough time to be able to exhaust the issues that would come in the review.
    Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, further to the honest enquiry by the Hon Member for Old Tafo, who also doubles as the Ranking Member of the Finance Committee, if the Motion is for the adoption of the mid-year review of the Budget Statement and Economic Statement of Government of Ghana for the 2014 financial year, then of course, that Motion could be a stand alone one.
    If on the other hand, subsequent after that, there is going to be a supplementary budget which would require an Appropriation, that then requires the approval of Parliament not merely the adoption of it. So, the Motion then would have to be split into two. However, we may have to look at it. If indeed, it is intended to achieve that purpose, then the relevant Motion should lead us to that expectation, that there is going to be a supplementary budget and that, the House would be required to approve it and not merely adopt it.
    Dr Kunbuor 10:55 a.m.
    Yes, but we know by the Constitution, in the normal scheme of things, supplementary Appropriation Act should accompany it if appropriation is going to be done. But by our Constitution, that Act would be passed by next year. It is not supposed to --
    Dr Kunbuor 10:55 a.m.
    Yes, thank you. We will do that. I had actually drawn the Finance Minister's attention that some figures were attached to it and they would be exhibited. We have not received the actual text. It would come in today and I would get the Minority Leader adequately informed. I am sure he would even be given a copy of it.
    rose
    Mr Speaker 10:55 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Member for Sekondi before I come to the Minority Leader. [Interruption.]
    rose
    Mr Speaker 10:55 a.m.
    Do you have anything to say again? Where are you going?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:55 a.m.
    Appointments Committee--.
    Mr Speaker 10:55 a.m.
    I would prefer you to be in the Chamber. Sorry, you are the Ranking Member.
    Hon Member for Sekondi.
    Papa Owusu-Ankomah 10:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I know that the calendar of this House has already been advertised tentatively to us when we are going to rise. I noted that normally, we rise by the last day of the month. But from the coded statements being made by the Majority Leader, I get
    the impression that, Mr Speaker, in the exercise of his powers, probably, has had some extensive consultations with the Leadership of the House. I would want us to be given an indication because we have planned our programmes.
    Next week Friday is 18th and the next Friday is 25 th; we have planned our programmes. If there is the likelihood that we are going to rise earlier than advertised, then please, I was hoping that the Business Committee would give us an indication. I looked at the Statement and there was nothing and you would not be fair to us to give us just a week's notice that we are going on recess. So, please, give us an indication, so that we can plan our itinerary better.
    Thank you.
    Dr Kunbuor 10:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is intended that the Business Committee in the course of next week would convene immediately to address some matters. As I indicated, we have had the technical advice on the reconfiguration of the Chamber and that advice is actually informing this Sitting, that should have been for eight weeks, that it would be for seven weeks. This is because the original thing was that, we were going to be here for eight weeks and you know that we had actually not returned earlier as was anticipated.
    We had factored in the reconfiguration issue but we did not know that things would move as fast as we have reached now. So, Mr Speaker is actually in consultation with us. But why we could not indicate that the House would rise sine die is that, he also wants to be convinced about some matters and if he is convinced, the Business Committee would meet and the House would adequately be informed.
    Dr A. A. Osei 10:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, following from that, can the Business Committee consider a meeting of the Committee of
    the Whole, not to look at Bimbilla but to look at other important matters for this House? If we are to rise early, it would be necessary to do that as soon as possible. I do not want to discuss the details but it may be useful if Leadership of the House considers that.
    Dr Kunbuor 10:55 a.m.
    Definitely, I know if the House convenes as a Committee of the Whole beyond the main item on the agenda, there is room by our procedure for other matters to come up. But I would take note of it, so that the timing for that meeting should be sufficiently long to accommodate other matters.
    Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh 10:55 a.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker, first, I would want to congratulate the Business Committee, at last, a Question inviting the Minister for Finance to explain the delay in the payments of statutory funds has been captured. I would want to congratulate the Business Committee on that.
    Mr Speaker, I would also want to bring to the notice of the Business Committee that the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) has been on strike for
    -- 10:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker 10:55 a.m.
    Hon Member, are you making a Statement? If you want to make a Statement on POTAG, bring the Statement to me, I would allow you to make it. We are discussing the Business Statement.
    Hon Member, you are fond of abusing the process of this House when given the chance to speak. Please, respect the rules of the House. We are discussing the Business Statement and take a cue from your seniors, all the issues that they have been raising.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 10:55 a.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker; rightly so.
    Mr Speaker 10:55 a.m.
    Hon Members, thank you very much.
    Business Statement for the Sixth Week ending Friday, 18 th July, 2014 is accordingly adopted.
    Hon Chairman of the Business Committee, I will urge the Business Committee to meet and respond to some of the issues raised by the Hon Members for Old Tafo and Sekondi, for the House to be properly informed.
    Dr Kunbuor 10:55 a.m.
    Very well, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker 10:55 a.m.
    You can then inform the House regarding arrangements for the debate on the mid-year review by the Minister for Finance.
    Hon Members, thank you very much.
    Question time. We will start with the Urgent Question standing in the name of the Hon Member for Offinso North.
    URGENT QUESTIONS 11:05 a.m.
    MINISTRY OF ROADS AND 11:05 a.m.
    HIGHWAYS 11:05 a.m.
    Mr Speaker 11:05 a.m.
    Hon Minister?

    Outgoing Minister for Roads and Highways (Alhaji Amin Amidu Sulemani): Mr Speaker, Darso - Nkenkaasu is a section of the Kumasi-Techiman asphaltic concrete surfaced road. It forms part of the national road N10. About 100m stretch between these towns has developed multiple defects due to deterioration in the pavement layers and drainage problems.

    There is also another failed section in Samproso near Offinso town on the same road.

    Detailed investigations have been carried out to prescribe a solution to the problem.

    Current Programme

    A contractor has been instructed to urgently carry out the remedial works on the two sections, and he is currently mobilising to site.
    Mr Ntim 11:05 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister, in view of the dangerous situation, would he consider as a matter of urgency, putting up sufficient warning signs at the place, so that commuters would be warned ahead of the dangers to avert possible accidents.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:05 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, as I indicated, we have asked a contractor to move to site. We would also ask him as part of the works to install the necessary warning signs to alert those of us travelling on that road of the dangers ahead.
    Mr Ntim 11:05 a.m.
    May I find out from the Hon Minister, when was the contract awarded?
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:05 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I cannot tell the exact date, but as we were coming here, I inquired and the contractror is presently in Kumasi mobilising to go to site.
    Mr Ntim 11:05 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, may I find out from the Hon Minister, when was the contract supposed to be concluded -- the maintenance. As we speak now, I have information from the constituency that there has been another accident claiming two lives. It appears that day in, day out, there are accidents on that segment of the road. So, it is very serious and we need to accord it all the necessary urgency it requires. I would want to find out, when is the contract going to be executed, so that it also averts the problem.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:05 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I do appreciate the concerns of my Colleague. This is because I also use that road. As I indicated, there are a lot of challenges on that section of the road-- the diversion and other things. The contractor would have to do some appropriate diversion because it is one of the most trafficked roads in the country. The contractor would have to do the appropriate diversions to be able to carry the load of the traffic that we are going to have.
    This is a road that serves not only the northern part of the country but also our northern neighbours--Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. So, the contractor, as I said, is mobilising to site, and as soon he does the diversion, removing the concrete surfaces and the rest -- should not take too much time.
    Mr Speaker 11:05 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Deputy Minority Whip?
    Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah 11:05 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to know from the Minister whether the defect liability period of the original contract has elapsed.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:05 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, rightly so. The defect liability period is over, that is why we have to carry out -- otherwise, the original contractor would have gone back to site to do the work.
    Mr Kwabena Owusu Aduomi 11:05 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to know from the Minister why this section of the road has failed so early, because the Kumasi- Techiman road is fairly new. Has he been briefed by his technical men why this section has failed so early that we should have potholes?
    Mr Speaker 11:05 a.m.
    Hon Minister?
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:05 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, happily, my Colleague is an engineer and he knows that there are a number of factors that lead to road failure. He is aware that the movement of the road -- that is why it took us a lot of time to investigate and know exactly the course of the failure. We suspect there are soft spots underground which were not properly catered for before the construction works were done.
    Mr Speaker 11:05 a.m.
    Last supplementary question.
    Mr Kwabena O. Darko-Mensah 11:05 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have been using that road for some time and it seems that there are a lot of unauthorised speed rumps --
    Mr Speaker 11:05 a.m.
    What have you been doing there ? I know your constituency is nowhere near--
    Mr Darko-Mensah 11:05 a.m.
    The last time I went there, I passed through the constituency for the NPP Congress.
    Mr Speaker 11:05 a.m.
    Very well.
    Mr Darko-Mensah 11:05 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would like the Minister to tell us what they are doing to regulate the unauthorised speed rumps on that road because it is so dangerous, especially at night.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:05 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I do not know if my Hon Colleague is referring to the Kumasi-Techiman road. None of the speed rumps there is unauthorised. They are all proper speed rumps on that road.
    Mr Speaker 11:05 a.m.
    Hon Members, we proceed with Questions. Question number 134, Hon Member for Sene West?
    ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS 11:05 a.m.
    MINISTRY OF ROADS AND 11:05 a.m.
    HIGHWAYS 11:05 a.m.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:05 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Atebubu -Kwame Danso-Kwadwokrom road is a gravel surfaced road in a poor condition. It is in the Sene West and East Districts of the Brong Ahafo Region and has a total length of 30.8 kilometres.
    Current Programme
    The road was awarded on contract for upgrading on 23rd September, 2011 and works commenced on 26th January, 2012 for completion in 24 calendar months. The contractor has vacated the site due to cash flow challenges but has been cautioned to resume work.
    Mr Ampofo 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would yield to the Hon Member for Sene East.
    Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    Please, if you have finished or if you do not have any supplementary, it is not your duty to say you are yielding to anybody. So, if you do not have supplementary, please, take your seat.
    Mr Awuah 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for Sene West wanted to know when the contractor working on the Atebubu, Kwame Danso, Kwadwokrom roads would go back to site.
    In the Answer, the Minister indicated that the entire stretch of the road is 30.8 kilometres. Mr Speaker, anybody who knows Atebubu, Kwame Danso, Kwa- dwokrom roads knows very well that the entire length of the road is not 30.8 kilometres. So, I would like the Minister to tell us whether he still stands by the figure provided in his Answer.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the contractor is not working on the entire road. He asked me about the contractor on site, and that contractor is working on 30.8 kilometeres of the road. I stand by my Answer, Mr Speaker.
    Mr George Kofi Arthur 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would would want to know from the Minister whether since the contractor started, he has done work that corresponds with the amount that the Ministry has given to him or he has not done anything at all, which is why he has vacated the place. This is because he said that he left the place because of cash flow. Maybe, some amount of money had been given to him. Has he done work on that amount?
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the contractor has raised claims or what we call certificates and we have not been able to honour all of them. That is why he is not on site.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Dr A. A. Osei 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, is the Hon Minister aware that the Atebubu, Kwame Danso, Kwadwokrom stretch is 100 kilometres in length?
    Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    He has already answered that question. He said that he was limiting his answers to the portion that the Question had referred to.
    Dr A. A. Osei 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, with respect, the Question was asked about the Atebubu, Kwame Danso, Kwadwokrom roads. That portion is not 30.8 kilometres; it is 100 kilometres.
    Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Majority Leader.
    Dr Kunbuor 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, there is some confusion here. There is always the name of the road and then the length. So, the name of the road is what they have used to ask the Question. The portion of the contract on that road is actually the subject matter. It is like when you say Bole- Bamboi -- [Interruption.]
    Dr A. A. Osei 11:15 a.m.
    It is not 30.8 kilometres. This portion in the Answer is not 30.8 kilometres.
    Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    Hon Member for Old Tafo, the Question was asked by the Deputy Minority Whip and he said that, that portion is 30.8 kilometres and he stands by his Answer.
    Dr A. A. Osei 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, that is why I re-asked the question because that is incorrect.
    Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    How do you know?
    Dr A. A. Osei 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, that is my area.
    Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    That is not your area. I know your area very well and it does not extend beyond Odumase.
    Dr A. A. Osei 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have business there but I would not disclose the nature of the business.
    Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    Mr Dominic Napare 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to find out from the Minister whether he is aware that the portion between Kwame Danso and Kwadwokrom is the worst portion of the road. With the onset of the rains, what contingency measures is the Ministry putting in place to fix that portion of the road?
    Thank you very much.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I was on the road not too long ago and I know the portion he is referring to. I would certainly programme to do routine maintenance on that portion of the road to make it motorable.
    Thank you.
    Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    Hon Minority Chief Whip.
    Mr Daniel Botwe 11:15 a.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    The Outing Minister has actually been touring the whole country and GTV has been showing some of his travels. It is surprising that he has been moved from the Ministry of Roads and Highways.
    Mr Speaker, is the Hon Minister aware that the late President of the Republic of
    Ghana, the late Prof. Mills; may his soul rest in peace, was actually in Kwame Danso and promised them that this road would be fixed? Is he aware that the late Prof. himself was there? How does he therefore, answer to the fact that the promise that was given has not been fulfilled?
    Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    Are you aware?
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, at that time, I was Ghana's Ambassador to Egypt, so, I certainly was not here to hear the Professor promising to fix the road.
    Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    Hon Members, I want us to take the last supplementary question on that matter and then we move forward.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    Mr David Hennric Yeboah 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister said that the contractor had vacated the site due to cash flow challenges but had been cautioned to resume work.
    Has he sort out the cash flow problems before asking him to resume work?
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, we have the man's claims and we are working with the Ministry of Finance to try and pay some of them. It is based on that, that we are asking him to go back to site.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    Question number 135. Hon Member for Achiase.
    MR SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:21 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the 17 kilometres Cannan - Achiase road is a bituminous surface treated road in the Eastern Region. The road links the Agona Swedru - Eshiem - Akim Oda road and the Akim Oda - Achiase - Amanfopong road. It, therefore, serves as a good connection between the Eastern and Central Regions, but is currently in a fair to poor condition.
    Current Programme
    A contract for the partial reconstruc- tion and sectional resealing of the road was awarded on 28th March, 2012 for completion in 18 calendar months.
    The contractor delayed in commencing the works. A final warning letter to terminate the contract for non- performance was issued and the contractor has since mobilised to site to commence work.
    Clearing of the road sides is in progress.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:21 a.m.
    Hon Member?
    Mr K. N. Osei 11:25 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, per the Hon Minister's Answer, I would want to find out from him if the contractor was given a mobilisation fund when the contract was awarded to him.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:25 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, he was not given mobilisation funds.
    Thank you.
    Mr K. N. Osei 11:25 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to find out from the Hon Minister. If a contract is given and no mobilisation fund is given to the contractor, how do you expect him to commence work?
    Would the Hon Minister admit that it is no fault of the contractor but the fault of Government and his Ministry -- the failure on their part-- to ensure that the contractor is given mobilisation fund to get the road constructed as promised? Now, we are in the 30th month, whereas the actual contract was to last18 months. I would want to hear from him what he is doing and his view about it. I would also want to find out whether it is proper to award the contract without giving mobilisation fund to the contractor.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:25 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, contracts are awarded on various terms. There are contracts that are awarded and mobilisation given; there are contracts that are awarded without mobilisation. And this is one of such contracts. It is not a rule that every contract awarded must go along with mobilisation.
    Mr K. N. Osei 11:25 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, my last question to the Hon Minister. He said the contractor is on site and work is steadily
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:25 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, as I indicated, I am happy that my Hon Colleague has confirmed that the contractor actually went to site. When a contractor moves to site, his daily activities cannot certainly be known by the Hon Minister every day. He is being supervised by the Eastern Regional Ghana Highway Authority, and until he reports to the Ghana Highway Authority, who will in turn report to me, I would not know about his daily activities.
    However, I am happy that he confirmed that the contractor had gone to site. Maybe, he had challenges with his equipment. I would not know about his work schedule.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 11:25 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister's Answer indicates that the contractor delayed in commencing works. Can he tell Ghanaians whether he tried to find out what caused the delay in the commencement, and then whether that attracted some extra cost to the State?
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:25 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, when a contract is awarded, a contractor is given time to mobilise to site. If the time elapses and he does not go to the site, the agency concerned will want to find out from the contractor why he has not gone to site. Normally, they would give him time again to mobilise to site.
    Mr Speaker, the reason sometimes we allow them time is that once the contract has been awarded, if as a result of the contractor's inability to go to site on time, you are quick in terminating the contract, it brings us a lot of additional costs, in that you have to repackage the contract and award it at a different cost. That is why sometimes, once the contract has been signed, we give the contractor enough time to mobilise and go to site.
    Of course, we all know that road construction is a very capital intensive enterprise which involves a lot of money. Sometimes, the contractors work with their banks to be able to mobilise resource to go to site. It will depend on when his bankers assist him for him to move to site.
    So, Mr Speaker, there are a number of varied reasons and it is such that you cannot ask the contractor to be writing essays to you why he has not gone to site.
    Mr G. K. Arthur 11:25 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister said the contractor was given 18 months to complete the project, and he also added that the contractor delayed in going to site. So, if he even takes the 18 months, the contractor should have completed the project in October last year. So, may I know from the Hon Minister how long the contractor delayed? If he adds the days he delayed plus the completion date, I still do not see the contract being delayed. Can he give us the number of days he spent before going to site?
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:25 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I do not really get the question he is asking; if he can go over it.
    Mr G. K. Arthur 11:25 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, what I would want to know is, how long did it take the contractor to mobilise to site?
    My second issue is, if he were to spend 18 months and he had gone to site on time, he should have finished with the contract on 18th of October last year -- 2013. So, if the time it took the contractor to mobilise to site is within six months, then I do not see it as a delay. Maybe, he spent more months than six months before mobilising to site. So, how long did it take him to mobilise to site?
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:25 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I still do not understand his question.
    Mr G. K. Arthur 11:25 a.m.
    All right. Simply, Mr Speaker, how long did it take the contractor to mobilise to site? He was to go to site
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
    You said “simply” and you have asked the question and you are -- So, let him answer it.
    Mr G. K. Arthur 11:25 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the contract was given on 28th of March, 2012
    -- 11:25 a.m.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
    Hon Member, you have asked a question -- “How long did it take for the contractor to go to site?” Let him answer it.
    Mr G. K. Arthur 11:25 a.m.
    All right; good.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
    The Hon Minister understands that. I am sure.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:25 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I cannot tell exactly how long it took him to go to site. But he was not working and that was why we had to threaten him. That was why I said he delayed in commencing the
    work. He actually delayed in going to site. But as I indicated in an answer to an earlier question, we normally do not rush in terminating the contracts because of other implications.
    Mr Yaw Owusu-Boateng 11:25 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister earlier indicated that there was a new contractor on site. So far as I know -- I am also from the area -- the new contractor has just scooped off the sides of the road but he has taken all his equipment away. So, what assurance is the Minister giving those of us from the area that the work would be done within the shortest possible time?
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:25 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, as I indicated, we had actually threatened terminating the contract for non- performance and we will monitor. If the contractor has just gone to site for a few days and moved out and we realise that he has not got the capacity to go back, we will actually terminate the contract and repackage it and that would take some time before we can re-award it.
    Mr Owusu-Aduomi 11:25 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, if you work from the 28th of March, 2012 that the contract was awarded to this month -- July or last month June, 2014, then it means work started at least, nine months after the expiration of the contract period, which was supposed to be on 27 th September, 2013.
    I would want to know from the Hon Minister whether proper evaluation of this contractor was made at the procurement stage, because it seems the contractor had no money at all to move to site, unless maybe, he knows of some other reasons.
    Will the Hon Minister agree with me that the contractor who was selected was poorly evaluated?
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:35 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I do agree with my Hon Colleague that sometimes the agencies do not do due diligence on some of these contractors -- they go ahead and award the contracts and they later on realise that they do not have the capacity to do that work.
    So, we have put in the necessary mechanisms to ensure that when contractors tender for jobs, their past and present performance is properly evaluated before they are taken on board.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
    Hon Gyan-Baffour?
    Prof. George Yaw Gyan-Baffour 11:35 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister is saying in the Answer that, clearing of the road side is in progress. Meanwhile, he is saying that the contract has been terminated. They are contradictory. What is the situation?
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:35 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I never said the contract had been terminated. I never said so. I said that the contractor was on site, and my Colleagues are saying that he only went there for few days to clear the site, and he has vacated the site.
    I am saying that we would evaluate. If we realise that he has not got the capacity, we would terminate the contract. It has not been terminated.
    Mr Awuah 11:35 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the contract was awarded way back in March, 2012. Works have just started. Certainly, prices as of 2012 are no longer the prices which prevail today. [Interruption.] So, I would want to know from the Hon Minister whether in his candid view, he thinks the contractor would be able to deliver on the project.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:35 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, my candid view certainly is that, the contractor would not be able to deliver on the terms of the contract because of the rising cost of materials. But that is one of the reasons we do not also terminate contracts that easily. For instance, the contractor is held to the prices at which he did the bidding -- by holding him right now to those prices.
    Of course, we are a human institution, so, he should have written to us to tell us that the prices have since gone up. If we detect that it is his fault that he did not go to site -- But if the fault is not his, then we may review the prices.
    Contract awarded to Rega on the Bogoso-Insusaiden Road Project
    (Review)
    Q.136. Mr Francis Adu-Blay Koffie asked the Minister for Roads and Highways whether the Ministry had any plans of terminating the contract awarded to Rega Construction on the Bogoso- Insusaiden road and re-awarded it to another contractor.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:35 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Bogoso-Insusaiden feeder road forms part of the Bogoso-Insusaiden-Oppong Valley feeder road which is 12 kilometres long. The road is engineered and is located in the Prestea Huni Valley District of the Western Region.
    The road was awarded for bitumen surfacing in three phases in December, 2008. The phases I and II have been completed and handed over. The completion of phase III, which is from kilometres to kilometre 12 has delayed and is currently 43 per cent complete.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:35 a.m.
    Hon Member?
    Mr Koffie 11:35 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, according to his Answer, the road package was in three phases. Phases one and two have been completed. How soon is the third phase going to start?
    My interest is in the termination of the contract because the contractor who was supposed to do the third phase has delayed, looking at the time. Recently, it was a bridge, a culvert of the road paved in, and it was a mining company, Golden Star, whom we appealed to come and fix that culvert for us. My interest is the termination. When is the contract going to be terminated and re-awarded to another contractor?
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:35 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the contract would be terminated and as I said, repackaged. When we repackage it, it has to be another award. That is why I am saying it is not going to be that immediate, because of the processes involved in procurement.
    When we terminate it, we have to go through the procurement processes to be able to re-award it to another contractor. But I have ordered that the termination should be done.
    Mr Koffie 11:35 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am satisfied with the Answer.
    Thank you.
    Sofoline Interchange and Abuakwa Road
    (Completion)
    Q.137. Mr Anthony Osei Boakye asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when the Sofo Line Interchange and the road to Abuakwa would be completed.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:35 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have made some amendment to the Answer on the Order Paper. The first Question was answered based on the interchange, but with my understanding, I realised the Question had to do with the whole contract. So, I have made an amendment and I would be reading that.
    Mr Speaker, the Sofo Line Interchange and the road to Abuakwa are part of an ongoing contract being undertaken by the Ministry of Roads and Highways under the contract “Rehabilitation of Sunyani Road in Kumasi”. The road is 11kilometres, from the Komfo Anokye Hospital roundabout to Abuakwa. The road is being widened into a six-lane dual carriageway with its associated drainage and relocation works.
    The following is also part of the works:
    Construction of the Sofoline interchange, with pedestr ian underpasses and central flood lighting system.
    Construction of the Komfo Anokye Hospital roundabout underpass.
    Construction of an underpass at Agric intersection to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion.
    Relocation of affected public structures including schools at
    Abuakwa, Tanoso and Kwadaso, police station for Suntreso District Police Head Office, Multi Storey Family Planning Unit for Komfo Anokye Polyclinic.
    The works are being undertaken by M/S China Geo Engineering Corporation and being supervised by Messrs ABP Consult Ltd. Notice to commence was issued in August, 2007.
    The original contract sum was GH¢ 73,175,175.72. The revised contract sum is GH¢ 99,869,953.67.
    The Government of Ghana is funding the project
    Current Programme
    Mr Speaker, the progress of work on the entire project is 78 per cent. However, the works on the Sofoline interchange is about 95 per cent complete. Outstanding works on the interchange include the asphaltic concrete wearing course and expansion joints on the right hand side carriageway from Abrepo junction, roadline markings and signs.
    In order to ensure that sections of the 11kilometres road is substantially completed and handed over to the Ministry of Roads and Highways, the contractor has been instructed to concentrate his efforts on the section of the road between Bekwai roundabout and Apatrapa junction, that is, 6.5 kilometres. This will enable the client to take over that section of the road by the end of December
    2014.
    The other aspects of the project like the relocation of affected public structures have been substantially completed and
    Mr Boakye 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want the Minister to inform this House what has actually caused the delay of this very important project which has created serious traffic jams to vehicles from Kumasi to Western and Brong Ahafo Regions.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, as I indicated, this is a huge project which we commenced under our budget, our annual budget in 2007, and certainly, we have had challenges being able over the years to make the necessary releases to match the works that one would have expected to be carried out to complete this project -- as a result of several constraints on the budget.
    So, Mr Speaker, we have had some challenges with the necessary budget to match the works of the project and that is why it has delayed.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Boakye 11:45 a.m.
    Can the Hon Minister assure the people of Abuakwa whether this project will actually be captured by the 2015 budget and the project will include the upgrading and tarring of the Abuakwa town roads?
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:45 a.m.
    As I indicated, the present contract is a dual-carriage, six lane-way from the interchange to Abuakwa. That certainly would be put in our budget; it is a project that is running. So, certainly, it is in our budget. When we have done that beautiful road, there would be the need to make the Abuakwa town roads to match the facility.
    So, certainly, we would take care of that when we have been able to do this road.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Hon Member?
    Mr Boakye 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to ask the Minister whether property owners along the main road from Sofo- line to Apatrapa junction have been compensated for the property loss they have suffered.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:45 a.m.
    Rightly so, Mr Speaker, and that was part of my Answer.
    I said we had taken care of the relocation and the payment of compensation to persons affected.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am a bit surprised with some of the statements made in Answer to the Question before this House today.
    The Minister is saying that between Bekwai roundabout and Apatrapa junction, he is planning that it will be completed in 2014. Mr Speaker, we are in

    July, 2014 and I pass this road every weekend. In fact, I am going to Kumasi today and I will go through that road.

    For the last eight to nine months, nothing has happened to that portion of the road. We still have only five and a half months or so left in this year and for the Minister to tell this House that that section of the road would be completed, it is over-optimistic.

    I would want to find out from him how much is outstanding to the contractor as we speak. I know for a fact, for the last four, five to six years, I have been in contact with the contractor and his main complaint is that he has not been paid for works done. How much is outstanding to the contractor as we speak today, to allow him to say that that portion of the road will be completed by the end of 2014?

    Thank you.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would need time to tell him how much we owe the contractor, because that was not part of the information I brought to this House. But I certainly know that we have some claims of the contractor with us.
    Dr O. A. Akoto 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the last time I spoke to the contractor, they were owed something like GH¢20 million and apart from that there are compensations which have still not been paid to property owners along that section of the road. So, I am still saying that this projection that the Bekwai roundabout-Apatrapa section would be completed in 2014 is not feasible. Does he agree with me, given this outstanding payments and debts owed to contractors and property owners?
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, that is the workplan of the contractor; if we are able to match his request with the releases that we have on hand, he has promised that he would be able to deliver the work by the end of 2014.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Ntim 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister has just given an indication as to the components of the roads and the cost of the contract as at 2007 as GH¢73 million plus. He has also told us that the contract has been revised to about GH¢ 99 million. Can he tell this House what informed that huge variation of about GH¢26 million.
    Can he tell us what informed that?
    Thank you.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, as I indicated, in contractual agreement, if there is some default from one side, we certainly are bound to incur the cost. The contractor has claims with us and those claims would attract interests. If we do not pay him, it attracts interests. So, certainly, that would have informed the cost difference.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    You have only one opportunity, I am sorry.
    We have to bring this session to an end but I will give the Hon Member for Atwima-Nwabiagya North the oppor- tunity to ask a question.
    Mr Benito Owusu-Bio 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, in the Minister's Answer, he said:
    “the rest of the work which is the continuation of the road works from Apatrapa junction to Abuakwa would be undertaken in 2015. It is therefore, expected that the project will be completed in 2015.”
    Mr Speaker, in the design, there is supposed to be a mini-interchange to link the Western Region road -- the road from Abuakwa to Bibiani and then the road from Abuakwa to Sunyani-- so that when the six lanes meet there, there would be easy access and not traffic congestion. As we speak now, nothing has been done about that bit, and I would want to find out from the Minister, since this has not commenced, how sure he is and how is it possible that the project would be completed in 2015.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:55 a.m.
    The Sofoline inter- change, generally, has gone through a lot of changes in design and everything.
    On the other works that he is commenting on, the original design of the interchange has also changed and that also occasioned the increase in the cost that the Hon Member had asked earlier. That is not the original design that we are doing. So, there are a lot of things including the depreciating of the cedi -- the interchange designs have changed and all that. So, when he asks about the additions that he is asking, I cannot presently tell whether they are even part of the designs that we are working on.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Owusu-Bio 11:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am not an engineer, but the little I know which beats my imagination is, how does a six- lane road terminate into a single lane? What are the causes which it would lead to?
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am happy that he said he is not an engineer and that is why he should not be wondering; we do not do designs at a go. Over the years, you cannot just plan and design an interchange -- Sometimes when
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Hon Minister, are you an engineer?
    Hon Minister, when you are asked questions, you answer in the microphone.
    I asked you a question; are you an engineer?
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    I will take the Ranking Member; that is the last question, and then we go to Statements.
    Mr Kwabena Owusu-Aduomi 11:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, from the Minister's Answer, a programme has been outlined from Bekwai roundabout to Apatrapa in 2014. Apatrapa junction to Abuakwa would be completed in 2015, and in his last statement, he said that the project would be completed in 2015. But the project starts from Komfo Anokye roundabout, through Bekwai roundabout to Abuakwa.
    What is happening to the section between Komfo Anokye roundabout and Bekwai roundabout?
    Is the section between Komfo Anokye roundabout and Bekwai roundabout deleted from the contract? Is there a programme that he did not inform this House about?
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I indicated that we were concentrating on the Bekwai roundabout and Apatrapa junction in 2014. I said the rest of the work would be completed in 2015. So, I have not actually deleted any works.
    Mr Owusu-Aduomi 11:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, he is saying that -- and I would read from his Answer:
    “The rest of the works, which are the continuation of the road works from Apatrapa Junction to Abuakwa
    . . .”
    So, it has been specifically indicated.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Hon Member, the Minister amended his Answer.
    So, Hon Minister, there was an amendment to your Answer, and you have read that there is a new testament, so to speak?
    Mr Owusu-Aduomi 11:55 a.m.
    All right. Mr Speaker, if it has been amended and Komfo Anokye and Bekwai roundabout sections are included, then I am alright.
    Thank you.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Thank you, Hon Minister for attending upon the House. You are discharged.
    Hon Members, Statements.
    rose
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Hon Member, do you have a Question?
    Sorry, Hon Minister, there is a last Question -- Question number 138, please.
    Zabzugu to Tatale road (Upgrading and tarring)
    Q.138. Mr James Cecil Yanwube asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when the road between Zabzugu town through Tatale town would be upgraded and tarred.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:55 a.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Background
    Mr Speaker, the 31kilometre Zabzugu- Tatale road is a gravel road in a fair condition. Culverts were constructed under our 2013 maintenance programme to repair soft spots on the road.
    Current Programme
    Mr Speaker, contract has just been awarded to grade the gravel surfaces and repair soft spots on the road under our 2014 maintenance programme. The contractor will move to site soon.
    Future Programme
    Mr Speaker, engineering studies will be carried out on the road this year (2014), and based on the outcome of the studies, the appropriate intervention will be implemented.
    Mr Yanwube 11:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, he is saying that the contractor would commence work very soon. Please, may I know when the contract was awarded, and when the contract would actually start?
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the contract was awarded in the Northern Region to Messers Fosac Company Limited at the cost of GH¢ 164,680, and we expect him to commence work soon.
    Thank you Mr Speaker.
    Mr Yanwube 11:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, please, would he be able to tell us the cost of the project, and the source of funding?
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the project is GH¢ 164,680.93 and the source of funding is the Government of Ghana.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    You said the source of funding is the Government of Ghana? All right.
    Mr Yanwube 11:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to ask whether the Minister is aware that the eastern corridor road between Yendi and Zabzugu and all other places are completely untarred. And I would want to know why it is that the road is not--
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Could you ask the question again? The Minister did not get you well.
    Mr Yanwube 11:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, apart from Yendi, the eastern corridor roads are not upgraded and tarred. Why is it so? [Interruption.]
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Could we have some order? I do not want to mention any names.
    Alhaji Sulemani 11:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I do sympathise with my Brother from Zabzugu-Tatale on the nature of the roads, and that is the major challenge that we have in the sector; that many of our roads up in that area and other parts of the country are not tarred. It would have been appropriate if the Government would have the necessary resources to tar all roads. But as it is, that is not feasible in our present circumstances.
    But on the eastern corridor, we have a contract from Oti Damongo towards Nankpanduri, and for a major road construction on that part. In the course of that, we would be able to link up some of the roads with tarred surfaces.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    rose
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Hon Member, this is a constituency-specific Question, so I would plead of you to let us move on to Statements.
    Hon Minister, thank you very much. You are discharged.
    Hon Members, Statements --
    The Speaker has admitted one Statement from Hon Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe Ghansah.
    Yes, Madam?
    STATEMENTS 11:55 a.m.
    Minister of State (Mrs Comfort Doyoe C. Ghansah)(MP) 11:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the international community celebrates World Population Day every 11th of July to focus attention on pertinent population issues.
    Significantly, this year, 2014, marks the 20th Anniversary of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Deve- lopment (ICPD).
    The global theme for the 2014 World Population Day, “Investing in Young People,” re-echoes the recommendations of the ICPD-Programme of Action for nations to meet the needs and aspirations of young people, to ensure their participation and integration in all spheres of society.
    We in Ghana have adapted the global theme: “Investing in Young People. Our Future Our Heritage.” This is to re- energize the commitment of policy and decision-makers, including Parliament as well as communities and families towards supporting and improving the lot of young people.
    Mr Speaker, according to statistics, currently, one out of every three persons in Ghana is between the ages of 10 and 25 years, representing 31.8 per cent of the total population of Ghana. It is important to invest in them to produce a healthy, well educated and well trained human capital to propel the country towards her development aspirations.
    Mr Speaker, as we mark this year's World Population Day, I would want to take this opportunity to urge us to re- affirm the role that young people play in our nation's development and to prioritise interventions that will facilitate their transition to adulthood and responsible citizenship. The question is, what investment are we making in these young people in order to derive the benefits we so desire?
    Mr Speaker, in conclusion, as a country, several laws and policies exist to protect and promote the growth and
    development of young people. There must be intensive collaboration among Ministries, Departments, Agencies and NGOs, to ensure effective implementation and enforcement of policies and programmes.
    Young people must also be given space to be actively involved in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of activities that directly impact on their lives.
    In this regard, I commend His Excellency President Mahama for opportunities created for young people in his Government.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Thank you, Hon Member?
    Mr William Kwasi Sabi (NPP -- Dormaa East) 11:55 a.m.
    I thank the Hon Member for making such an important Statement on an important issue like population, especially highlighting on the youth and the role the youth play in the development of our country.
    Mr Speaker, the youth form a high percentage of the population in the country. Therefore, anything that can be done to ensure that we develop our youth in order to make important contribution to development, should be made. It is at this point that, we should all give a lot of attention to youth programmes that we have in the country, so that in the end, we do not leave our youth out.
    I happened to attend an international conference on population and deve- lopment. Most of the issues that came out
    were highlighted in the Hon Member's presentation, especially concentration of the youth. So, I am grateful that she has made this important Statement and that we should all take it serious and contribute to that.
    Thanks for the chance to contribute to this.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Thank you Hon Member? [Interruption] --
    Yes, there was a previous indication from Leadership. If it has changed, then I should take the previous -- [Interruption] -- yes, so we are taking only one contribution each, unfortunately. I am acting on the advice of Leadership, unless --
    Dr Kunbuor 11:55 a.m.
    It has not changed.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Thank you.
    Deputy Majority Chief Whip?
    Mr Ahmed Ibrahim (NDC -- Banda) 11:55 a.m.
    Thank you very much, Hon Speaker for the opportunity given me to contribute to the Statement.
    Mr Speaker, first of all, I would want to thank the maker of the Statement for recognising the importance of this day and making this Statement in support of it.
    Mr Speaker, going through the Statement, one thing is unique; that is, investing in young people.
    This presupposes that, we need to invest in young people and human resource development is inevitable.
    Looking at this Statement, we have a youthful population, simply because a high percentage of Ghana's population is so young and if you do not consider the kind of result that we expect from Ghana's population, we may not be able to prioritise and give the kind of investment that must be given.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Keep me out; keep me out of this -- just leave me here -- [Laughter ]-- You know the Speaker of the Canadian Parliament is not here, so, you can speak about him. But I am here, please. I beg you, keep me out of this.
    Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 11:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, Ghana is also no exception; we even have Presidents or Heads of State in Ghana who started in their late 30s and also became very successful. In that regard, investing in the youth is also something that we must take cognisance of. Some countries have taken the notion, that they even have youth Members of Parliament.
    A friend of mine in Rwanda entered Parliament, representing the youth and after finishing with that term, he contested a constituency and won.
    So, these are some of the innovations. As a country, we must be moving towards -- Look at the gurus that we have in this Chamber; some of them started very young. The Hon Majority Leader sitting here started very young and it is not for nothing that his name has become a common name in the whole country. Look at the Hon Minority Leader.
    Mr Speaker, we have very good quality Members of Parliament who started very young. It does not mean that they did not make mistakes when they started; they
    might have learnt through some of the mistakes. I think given the chance, we, the youth, are also ready; we can follow their footsteps and in the near future, Ghana can also enjoy the benefits we have invested in our youth. The way the leadership of the country is moving towards giving some of the youth the chance to become Ministers and other things, is something we must also applaud the Head of State and those appointing authorities in that regard.
    With these few words, Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Statement.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    I have been told by Leadership that I will take one from the Minority, and one from the Majority. If you want to speak, I am going to keep my peace for one minute; negotiate with your leadership. If you do not tell me anything, I will not call you. [Laughter.] [Pause]
    The one minute is past --
    Mr Awuah 12:15 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to plead with you that maybe, you give us one chance each. That is because I have seen Hon Murtula Muhammed Ibrahim on the other side of the House and on my side too, I have seen some people. So, I will cede mine to Hon Simon Osei-Mensah, if you so agree.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Majority Leader, one from each side.
    Hon Abdul- Rashiid Pelpuo.
    Dr Kunbuor 12:15 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I will also cede my position to Hon Pelpuo, so that we can have the one, one.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    All right. Hon Simon Osei-Mensah?
    Mr Simon Osei-Mensah (NPP-- Bosontwe) 12:15 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, this is an important Statement on a very significant topic. However, if you juxtapose the theme Ghana has set for herself, and the policies of the Government, they are at variance.
    Mr Speaker, we are saying “Investing in young people”; how do you invest in young people; what is happening in this country?
    Mr Speaker, the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) that is responsible for putting up educational infrastructure has not been paid and somebody has gone to court and won. So, how do we say that we are investing in people? People who have been sent on scholarships outside, for example, in Cuba, I am told somebody has even stolen and has been arrested. We are not paying them; how do you tell us we are investing in young people?
    Capitation grant; heads of senior high schools have come out that they may be compelled to close down schools. How do you tell us we are investing in young people? Polytechnic Teachers Associa- tion of Ghana (POTAG) is on strike and students are suffering, yet you are telling us we are investing in young people.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Deputy Majority Leader?
    Mr Alfred K. Agbesi 12:15 p.m.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Osei-Mensah 12:15 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am surprised that the Hon Member who just spoke is telling me I am provoking debate. Is he telling me that the person who went to court for the Government to honour its obligation to pay the GETFund did not win the case?
    I am making factual statements. So, I am not provoking debate. Is it not true that POTAG is on strike? Is it not true that Capitation Grant has not been paid? So, what debate am I provoking? I am stating facts. Is it not true that students in Cuba are not being paid? Students in Morocco are not being paid? These are factual issues which we cannot run away from. We are in this country; newly recruited teachers work for two years and they are told they would be paid for only 6 months and we say we are investing in people? Which sort of people are we investing in?
    Those people we have taken to Brazil to disgrace Ghanaians and seeking political asylum over there, are they the people we are investing in? --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Hon Member, this is not a response to a State of the Nation Address; you are just contributing to a Statement made by one of your Colleagues. But now, you are taking us from Cuba to Morocco, Brazil -- I do not know where else you want to take us.
    Mr Osei-Mensah 12:15 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Hon Member, do you have a point of order?
    Mr Murtala M. Ibrahim 12:15 p.m.
    Yes Mr Speaker. You drew his attention to the fact that he should not indeed, provoke debate.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    I never said that.
    Mr M. M. Ibrahim 12:15 p.m.
    I mean the Hon Member drew his attention to --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    But I never said that?
    Mr M. M. Ibrahim 12:15 p.m.
    Yes, the Hon Member drew his attention to --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    But the Hon Member is not the Speaker.
    Mr M. M. Ibrahim 12:15 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, but I guess you gave him the opportunity to take a point of order --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Let me just say, since the Leaders are here, that I have a view on this issue provoking debate -- because when you look -- but I do not want to make a ruling. I can share my view with you. When you look at -- it is just a matter of fundamental nature that perhaps, the Speaker himself should make a ruling.
    But when you look at Part 10, which talks of Statements, it says in Standing Order 70, that:
    “Mr Speaker may make statements on any matter of interest to the House.”
    So, one of the Statements that can be made is by the Speaker and that is why the Speaker as we are closing from time to time makes a Statement.
    Standing Order 70 (2) says that:
    “A Minister of State may make an announcement or a statement of government policy. Any such announcement or statement should be limited to facts which it is deemed necessary to make known to the House and should not be designed to provoke debate at this stage. Any Member may comment briefly, subject to the same limitation.”
    So, the second kind of Statement is the Statement that is made by a Minister. It is an announcement or a Statement of government policy. There, the Order says specifically that it should not provoke debate and you must even note that it says “it should not provoke debate at this stage.” Subsequently after that, there can be debate.
    Three, Standing Order 71, the third kind of speech is ceremonial speech. It says:
    “Ceremonial speeches may be allowed. Such speeches may be confined to commemorating special events or occasions of death of distinguished persons.”
    That is why we do all these speeches on July 1, and all of that. So, that is another kind of speech. Then the Statement that is being made today is under Order 72 and it says:
    “By the indulgence of the House and leave of Mr Speaker a Member may, at the time appointed for statements under Order 53 (Order of Business) explain a matter of personal nature or make a statement on a matter of urgent public
    importance. Any statement other than a personal statement may be commented upon by other Members for a limited duration of time not exceeding one hour. The terms of any such proposed statement shall first be submitted to Mr Speaker.”
    My view on this matter, it is not a ruling, it is just my view -- is that, where the framers of this Standing Orders wanted to say that there should be no debate, they said it. There are different kinds of statements; Statements by the Speaker, Statements by a Minister, Ceremonial Statements and Statements by Members.
    It is only with Statements by Ministers of State, (Standing Order 72) that the framers of the Standing Orders specifically say that there should not be any debate. I have been in this House for about ten years and I know that the practice has developed, when Statements are made, that we do not say things to provoke debate.
    I am not going to make a ruling but if I were to make a ruling, my view is that, apart from Statements that come under Standing Order 70 (2), you can provoke debate because this is a House of debate. If we cannot debate here, where can we debate? But it is not a ruling.
    Hon Simon Osei-Mensah, Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, you know the Conventions in this House, so, let us stick to them. Though you have brought us from Brazil to Ghana, we have finished with POTAG, do not repeat it and the other things you have said. You conclude in about two sentences.
    Mr Osei-Mensah 12:15 p.m.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
    As I said earlier --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Sorry, the Hon Member wants to say something.
    Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 12:25 p.m.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for your guidance, even though you said it was not a ruling.
    Mr Speaker, if you look at the heading of the Statement, it states 12:25 p.m.
    “Statement on the floor of Parliament by the Minister for Social and Allied Institutions, Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe Ghansah on the occasion of World Population Day on Friday, 11th July, 2014.
    Thank you very much.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    You are correct. This falls within the narrow class of Statements. In my view, that cannot provoke debate and so, Hon Member —
    Mr Osei-Mensah 12:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, as I said —
    rose
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Yes, Hon K.T. Hammond, are you on a point of order or —
    Mr Kobina T. Hammond 12:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thought you could have clarified this matter — if you were making a ruling, we would have been quite comfortable to go by it. But you seem to have clarified the situation and in the end, referred to a Convention which you seem to be slightly uncomfortable with.
    Mr Speaker, I am not so sure. The Convention is that, any Statement, one would get up to say that we are provoking debate, you think might not be entirely right? You have actually indicated specifically where the provocation thing lies — I thought Mr Speaker may well have clarified what we should do and not leave it the way you have left it.
    Mr Speaker, some of us are slightly confused.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Thank you very much.
    I appreciate your comments that it would be useful to pronounce specifically on this matter, so that perhaps, we move the matter to — I agree with you. Where there are clear provisions of any Order or Statute, one cannot use Convention or practice to overturn it—when it is clarity, it is clarity.
    The opportunity would bring itself tomorrow or the day after tomorrow and I assure you that, when the opportunity brings itself again, I would rule in a manner that would be pleasing to your goodself and perhaps, to many others.
    Hon Simon Osei-Mensah, this comes under the exceptions where you cannot say anything to provoke debate. So, please, advise yourself.
    Mr Osei-Mensah 12:25 p.m.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker, as I said earlier, I have withdrawn that aspect relating to Brazil.
    Mr Speaker, while I am concluding with my last two sentences, I was saying that newly recruited teachers —
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    You have already said that.
    Mr Osei-Mensah 12:25 p.m.
    When they worked for two years, they are paid only six months' salary —
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Hon Simon Osei-Mensah, you have already said that.
    Mr Osei-Mensah 12:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, what I want to say is that, when we set a theme for ourselves, we must justify it by our actions. Our actions should not run counter to the theme. If one looks critically at the policies of the Government, this particular theme about investing in young people, we are doing otherwise; we are rather not investing in -- [Interruption.]
    Mr M. M. Ibrahim -- rose —
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Hon Member, are you on a point of order?
    Mr M. M. Ibrahim 12:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thought that as a senior Member of Parliament and the fact that you have admonished him to go strictly by what the Standing Orders say, he would have done that, but he is indeed, provoking debate regardless of what the Standing Orders, that regulate the conduct of Hon Members of this House, entreat us to do.
    Mr Speaker, in any case, development and policy interventions are not events but are processes, and indeed, a process can actually begin by a previous administration and so, he should go strictly by the Standing Orders of the House.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Hon Murtala, if I had not recognised you today — so you have made your point now. Is that the point you wanted to make or you have another point?
    Hon Simon Osei-Mensah, please, end.
    Mr Osei-Mensah 12:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, while ending, I would leave this issue for the Ghanaian public to judge, whether the actions of the Government are actually, investing in young people to improve upon our human resource —
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Thank you.
    Hon Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo?
    Minister of State (Alhaji Abdul- Rashid Hassan Pelpuo)(MP) 12:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, let me also start by congratulating the maker of the Statement for bringing this up and pointing at young people and reflecting on the common theme adopted globally; “Investing in Young People, Our Future, Our Heritage.”
    Mr Speaker, we all know that when young people are mentioned, we are definitely talking about the future, developing a human capacity that eventually would shape the thinking, action and the development trajectory of this nation.
    Mr Speaker, it is necessary and compulsory for us to begin reflecting on how we would want to handle our young people, how we would want to treat and train them to be what we would want them to be.
    Mr Speaker, I do appreciate that, in Ghana, we have always considered the youth as the state of the mind. One would go to communities and find that, when we talk about young people, we are actually talking about anybody who is thinking youthful, because normally, we would have the chairmen of the youth associations or groups being people over 45 years old.
    Mr Speaker, I was not amused at all when, in our own definition of a “young person” in the youth policies of both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), we define the “youth” as somebody between the ages of 12 and 35 years and was even threatening to extend it to 45 years.
    Mr Speaker, it shows that there is something good about young people and being youthful and people strive to remain young. It is fortunate for us that in the world today, Africa has the biggest population of young people and it is estimated that by 2013, Africa would have the least dependency load ratio; meaning that, the number of working people as compared to those who are not working, young and seeking help, would be lower in Africa than any other continent in the world.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Thank you very much.
    Hon Member, you used the words “young person” and “youth” inter- changeably and you mentioned the policies of successive Governments
    which defined them up to the age of 35 but “young person” is defined under the Children's Act 560 of 1998, Section 124 as a person above eighteen years or below, who is under year twenty. So, a young person is between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one.
    If in our policies, we are defining “young person” up to the age of twenty- five. Our law does not allow us to do that and being in the high office that you are now, you can give this advice and then we would be able to define our policy in terms of the law —”youth” is not defined, but “young person” is defined. So, when we classify “young person” up to the age of thirty-five, the Children's Act does not permit us to do that.
    Deputy Majority Chief Whip?
    Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 12:35 p.m.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
    rose rose
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Hon Member, there are two Hon Members standing. Is it related to -- because we have finished with the Statement matter?
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, there is a matter, that most humbly and respectfully, I would like to seek your guidance on. It is of national importance.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    What Order are you coming under?
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, respectfully, I am coming under Order 30 (l) and I am also fortified by article 122 of the 1992 Constitution.
    Mr Speaker, respectfully --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    One minute, please. Let me check --
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, Orders 28 and 30 (2) and I combine them with article 122 of the 1992 Constitution.
    Mr Speaker, I am seeking your guidance, fortified by the provisions of these rules and I am rooting the guidance on a newspaper publication by the Daily Guide, dated Thursday, 26th June --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Can you give me a minute?
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:35 p.m.
    Very well, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    I have -- Obviously, we will hear you -- While we are hearing you, we will see whether we should continue hearing you or stop.
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am grateful.
    Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if you look at the Orders that he has quoted, that is on contempt of Parliament. On matters of that, he can only do that prior to the - - if he has previously spoken to the Speaker. I do not know if he has seen you before raising this content on the floor.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Clearly, I am as surprised as you are.
    I have asked advice from -- you saw me conferring. You saw that I asked him to sit down and I conferred? The advice I have received is that, we should start hearing him and see the way he is proceeding, then we will know what to do. Within a second, we will know where he is going.
    In fact, the Hon Member raised a newspaper. Maybe, we should have just waited for him to -- Be very alert. Jumping up and down, I will be recognising you here and there.
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am grateful for this exceptional leave to proceed.
    Mr Speaker, in the newspaper publication, the headline is 12:35 p.m.
    “Apoh fights
    …”
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Which newspaper publication?
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, Daily Guide, 26th June, 2014 --Thursday issue
    147/14.
    Mr Speaker, the headline 12:35 p.m.
    “Apoh fights Nana Oye”. Mr Speaker, the content of the publication seems to me and my view is that the Hon Minister of State, by her conduct, is in contempt of Parliament.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Give me a second.
    Hon Member, you are mentioning weighty matters. Give me a second, let me continue looking at --

    Hon Member, you are raising matters which under Orders 53 and 73(1), you should have notified the Speaker. I allowed you to proceed for a while because I was prepared to relax the rules if it was a matter of urgency, something was happening
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:35 p.m.
    Respectfully, it is dated Thursday, 26th June.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    It was some time ago, not a matter of -- you are raising it some time later. It is not a matter of extreme urgency, in my view. What we will do is that -- Thankfully, we would sit on Monday -- What we will do is that you notify the Speaker, then on Monday, you have the opportunity, once more, to bring the matter up.
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, respectfully, with the greatest difference, if you may permit me to read Order 28 (2).
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    I have read it. All right. You read it. Let us read the Orders. I have not made a ruling. -- [Interruption.]
    Hon Members, every day that we Sit here, it is a process of learning. Once he is not dealing with the substance of the matter but he is arguing questions of procedures, I am prepared to hear him. Unless he convinces us on the question of procedure, we will not proceed. It is the procedure that allows us to go to the substance. Allow him to mention the Orders, we will go through and then I will take my decision.
    Yes, Order 28?
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, Order 30(2) States:
    “Any act or omission which affronts the dignity of Parliament or which tends either directly, or indirectly to bring the name of Parliament into disrepute.”
    Amounts to contempt of Parliament.
    Therefore, Mr Speaker, what I am saying is that, the matter that has been brought up about encouraging the youth and a situation whereby an Hon Member of Parliament who has been confirmed as a result of her being nominated by His Excel lency to be mal t reated by a Minister --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    But Hon Member, you are also aware that we work with rules. I am not ruling on your matter. I am not saying that your matter is not relevant. I am not saying that your matter, is not contempt of Parliament. All I am saying is that, in bringing up this matter let us be advised by Order 73 (1) and I would be grateful if you will read it out.
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Please, read it out.
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, that is why I did not make an application under Order 72, but I was seeking your guidance because a matter had been brought up that the youth must be encouraged -- and I thought that since we were vetting Deputy Ministers, I would bring this matter for the general guidance of the House, so that if indeed, we are motivating the youth, we want the youth to aspire -- we want to inspire the youth, they must not go through such an ordeal.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Hon Member, I have indicated in so many ways --
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would come properly. I take a cue. I am grateful exceedingly. Enjoy the weekend, Mr Speaker -- [Laughter.]
    Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I just wanted to advise my Hon Colleague to exercise patience and listen to you because Mr Speaker must be heard in silence. When you were speaking, he was also speaking. If we are to go that way, I do not think the youth in the Chamber can learn anything. We must give due respect to the Chair.
    He should listen to the Chair and go in that direction. If Mr Speaker is speaking and Hon Members are also speaking, how can we make headway?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    One of the problems of adjourning early is that, Hon Members want to speak some more. Your Motion -- because this is a simple matter, you will want to raise it, then he also responds and we will be here till two o'clock.
    Thank you very much for defending me.
    In fact, the last two contributors have made my weekend. One wished me a happy weekend. The other one is defending me and fighting my cause.
    Thank you very much both of you and let us be guided by the Standing Orders.
    Those who were not here early, we are Sitting on Monday.
    The Motion has been moved; we are waiting for it to be seconded.
    Mr Dan Botwe 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
    Question put and Motion agreed to.
    ADJOURNMENT 12:35 p.m.
  • The House was accordingly adjourned at 12.46 p.m. till Monday, 14th July, 2014 at 10.00 a.m.