Debates of 14 Nov 2014

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:45 a.m.

VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:45 a.m.

Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Hon Members, Correction of the Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, 13th November, 2014.
rose
Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Yes, Hon Deputy Majority Leader?
Mr Alfred K. Agbesi 10:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, may I draw your attention to a mistake on the date on the Order Paper? It is headed Thursday, 13th November, 2014 instead of Friday, 14th November, 2014.
If direction can be given --
Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Hon Members, I observed it this morning. So, I direct that it should be corrected accordingly. Instead of Thursday, 13th November, 2014, it should read, Friday, 14th November,
2014.
Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Yes, Hon Member, page one?
Mr Isaac Osei 10:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am just wondering about the sequencing; number one, whether Mr Speaker takes the Chair before Prayers or Prayers are read before Mr Speaker takes the Chair.
This is because I remember you sitting down first. So, perhaps, we could indicate that Mr Speaker took the Chair and

Prayers were read. I think that is the correct sequencing.
Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Very well.
Dr Anthony A. Osei 10:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Deputy Majority Leader made correction on the Order Paper about the date and he should also make a similar correction on the Votes and Proceedings
-- 10:45 a.m.

Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
The Votes and Proceedings are for the previous day. That is correct.
rose
Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Yes, Hon Member?
Ms Esther Obeng Dappah 10:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I draw your attention to page 37, the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. Those that were present, the name is Mr Ofosu Asamoah, not Asamoah Ofosu.
Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Very well.

Hon Members, the Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, 13th November, 2014 as corrected are hereby adopted as the true record of proceedings.

I also direct that the Clerks-at-the-Table should look at the sequence with regard to item number 1 on page 1.

Hon Members, we do not have any Official Report for correction today, so, we move on to --

Very well, I do not have my copy. So, what do we do? Do we defer it to Tuesday?

Hon Members, we move to item number 3 on the Order Paper -- Business Statement for the Third Week.
BUSINESS O F THE HOUSE 10:45 a.m.

Dr Sagre Bambangi (Walewale) 10:55 a.m.
To ask the Minister for Food and Agriculture when the distribution of subsidised fertilisers to farmers will commence in the ongoing cropping season (2014).
Questions --
*227. Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto (Kwadaso): To ask the Minister for Food and Agriculture what practical steps and policy measures the Ministry is taking to reduce the rising cost of import of basic food items like rice, tomatoes, cooking oil, poultry, meat, et cetera.
*166. Ms. Elizabeth Agyeman (Oforikrom): To ask the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection what measures the Ministry is putting in place to solve the problems of the numerous “kayayei” in our markets and on the streets of Ghana.
*201. Mr Frank Boakye Agyen (Effiduase/Asokore): To ask the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice whether there is any plan to upgrade the professional, academic and hierarchical status of the career magistrate.
*214. Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh (Nsawam-Adoagyiri): To ask the Minister for Transport what plans has the Ministry put in place towards revamping the Accra -Nsawam Railway line.
*265. Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah (Akuapem South): To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry steps the Ministry is taking to enforce the ban on export of scrap metals.
Statements
Presentation of Papers --
(a) Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (Paris, 20th October 2005).
(b) Convention for the safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (Paris, 17th October,
2005).
(c) Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage (Paris, 2nd November, 2001).
(d) UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects (Rome, 24th June, 1995).
(e) Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms against Unauthorised Dupli- cation of their Phonograms (Geneva, 29th October, 1971).
(f) Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (Paris, 14th November,
1970).
(g) Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict with Regulation for the Execution of the
Convention (The Hague, 14th May 1954).
(h) Report of the Committee of Selection on the re-composition of committees.
Consideration Stage of Bills --
Customs Bill, 2014 (Continuation of debate)
Plant Breeders Bill, 2013 (Continuation of debate)
Committee sittings.

Statements --

Presentation and First Reading of Bills --

Transfer of Convicted Persons (Amendment) Bill, 2014.

Motions --

(a) Adoption of the Report of the Committee of Selection on the re- composition of committees.

(b) That this Honourable House approves the Financial Policy of the Government of Ghana for the year ending 31st December, 2015.

(Minister for Finance)

Committee sittings.

Urgent Questions --

Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover (Tema East): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways what effort the Ministry is making to replace the over 50 years old bridge linking Community 1 and Tema Manhean because of its weakness and the danger it poses to users.
Dr Sagre Bambangi (Walewale) 10:55 a.m.
(a) Second Reading of Bills --
Fisheries (Amendment) Bill, 2014
(b) Third Reading of Bills --
Fisheries (Amendment) Bill, 2014
Consideration Stage of Bills --
Fisheries (Amendment) Bill, 2014
Customs Bill, 2014 (Continuation of debate)
Plant Breeders Bill, 2013 (Continuation of debate)
Committee sittings.

Questions --

*157. Mr Wahab Wumbei Suhuyini (Tolon): To ask the Minister for Education when the Tolon Senior High School, which is the only Senior High School and a day school in the district, will be converted into a boarding school.

*158. Mr Wahab Wumbei Suhuyini (Tolon): To ask the Minister for Education when construction works on a two-storey dormitory building for the Tolon Senior High School will be completed.

*178. Mr Yaw Frimpong Addo (Manso-Adubia): To ask the Minister for Education why the Manso Adubia Senior High School has not benefitted from any GETFund infrastructural project.

*179. Mrs Freda Akosua, Prempeh (Tano North): To ask the Minister for Education when Bomaa Senior High School will be made a boarding school.

*187. Mr Benito Owusu-Bio (Atwima Nwabiagya North): To ask the Minister for Education when the following schools which hold classes under trees will be provided with school buildings: (i) Atwima Koforidua D/A School (ii) Atwima Akropong R/C School (iii) Owabi D/A School (iv) Asuofia D/A School.

Statements

Motions --

Third Reading of Bills --

Customs Bill, 2014

Consideration Stage of Bills --

Plant Breeders Bill, 2013 (Continuation of debate)

Intestate Succession Bill, 2013.

Conduct of Public Officers Bill, 2013.

Committee sittings.

Respectfully submitted.
Mr Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Hon Members, that is the Business of the House for the Third Week ending Friday, 21st November, 2014.
Business of the House accordingly adopted.
Mr First Deputy Speaker to take the Chair.
Hon Members, we continue with Question time.
Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh — rose --
Mr Speaker 10:55 a.m.
It is Question time; Business Statement and nobody was on his or her feet and we have closed the discussion. We are moving on to --
Hon Member for Manhyia South, that is very good. I know what you were doing at that time.

Question time -- Hon Members, we have the Hon Minister for Roads and Highways in the House to respond to Questions from Hon Members. We will start with the Urgent Question standing in the name of the Hon Member for Assin Central.

Yes?
Nana Amoakoh 10:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to ask the Hon Minister --
Mr Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Are you the Hon Member for Assin Central?
Nana Amoakoh 10:55 a.m.
I am coming to that [Laughter] -- because he asked me to ask this Question in his absence because he is --
Mr Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Very well. Go ahead.
URGENT QUESTION 10:55 a.m.

MINISTRY OF ROADS AND 10:55 a.m.

HIGHWAYS 10:55 a.m.

Minister for Roads and Highways (Alhaji Inusah A. B. Fuseini) 10:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, a background to the Assin Fosu - Twifo Praso Road is that, it is 37.4 kilometres in length. It is gravel surfaced and in a fair condition.
The current programme on the road is that, a section of eight (8) kilometres towards the Assin Fosu end of the road was awarded for rehabilitation on 30th July, 2010 for completion on 14th May, 2011. The work has been completed up to prima sealing level. However, the contractor has since vacated the site. He has been cautioned to go back or have the relevant contractor clauses revoked against him.
The future programme for the road is that another ten (10) kilometres of the road on the Twifo Praso end has been programmed for rehabilitation under the 2014/2015 Rehabilitation Programme for Rural Roads in Cocoa Growing Areas, which has just commenced. Between Twifo Praso and Dunkwa, another ten (10) kilometres are to be rehabilitated under the same programme for rural roads in cocoa growing areas.
Thank you.
MR FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Yes, Hon Member, any follow-up question?
Nana Amoakoh 11:05 a.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker.
The Hon Minister said, the road is in a very good condition but I would want to know the last time he travelled on that road.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Very well. Hon Minister?
Alhaji Fuseini 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am yet to travel on that road. As a Minister, I depend on the advice I receive from the technical directors.
Nana Amoakoh 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I asked that question because I went on the road last week, and from the Answer that the Hon Minister has given, that the road is graded, et cetera, I do not think the road is in a very good condition.
Mr Speaker, I would want an assurance from the Hon Minister on when the road would really be constructed.
Alhaji Fuseini 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I have given an indication of what is going to happen on different segments of the road. I have said that one part of the road has been awarded on contract and the two other sections of the road would come under a programme to be executed under the Cocoa Growing Areas Programme by the COCOBOD.
Mr Speaker, there is a comprehensive programme for the rehabilitation of the road.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon Member, your last follow-up question.
Nana Amoakoh 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to get an assurance from the Hon Minister that the road would be included the 2015 Budget. I would want the Hon Minister to give us the assurance that, what he has said would be carried out.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon Minister?
Alhaji Fuseini 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, these roads, particularly the sections from Twifo Praso to Dunkwa would not be captured under the budget. It is by arrangement with the COCOBOD to do roads in cocoa growing areas, and so, this particular section would not find expression in the budget.
Nana Amoakoh 11:05 a.m.
The Hon Minister said, to Dunkwa —
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon Member, you have exhausted your number of follow-up questions.
Hon Isaac Osei?
Mr Isaac Osei 11:05 a.m.
Since the cocoa roads programme is an ongoing programme and every year, some money is allotted for that purpose, can the Hon Minister tell us what year this particular road would benefit from the cocoa roads programme.
Alhaji Fuseini 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, this road and particularly the section between the Twifo Praso to Dunkwa would benefit from the 2014 and 2015 cocoa roads programme and that is this year.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh — rose —
Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I wish to know from the Hon Minister, as he said, that there is going to be an arrangement between his outfit and that of COCOBOD, if he could be much specific; is it COCOBOD that is going to fund these roads or the Ministry of Finance?
Alhaji Fuseini 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, these roads and particularly the section from the Twifo Praso to Dunkwa would be funded under the cocoa programme by
COCOBOD.
Dr A. A Osei — rose —
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Yes, Hon Member?
Dr A. A Osei 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am very surprised by the name “Dunkwa” — it is not “Dunkwaw”; between Assin Fosu and the stretch that the Hon Minister is talking about—Dunkwaw is about 70/80 miles away and so what is the Hon Minister talking about?—[Interruption.]
Alhaji Fuseini 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I do not know whether it is the pronunciation, but between Twifo Praso and Dunkwa.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon Minister, if you look at the Question, it is asking you to give an Answer with regard to Assin Fosu -Twifo Praso stretch of the road but you have gone beyond that to give an Answer connecting Twifo Praso to Dunkwaw, and that is where we are having a problem with you.
Alhaji Fuseini 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, probably, I was over indulging the House —
Dr Owusu A. Akoto Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister has not answered the question. Could he please, answer the question—He has not answered the original question that Hon Isaac Osei posed to him. Now that he has been corrected, can he give us the answer?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Can Hon Isaac Osei go over his question?
Mr Isaac Osei 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, with due respect, I said that the cocoa roads programme is an annual ongoing programme and therefore, the Hon Minister should tell us whether this would be part of the 2015 programme — And please, he should let us get the end point of the roads r ight — There is no “Dunkwaw” on that road.
Alhaji Fuseini 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the last paragraph of the Answer was probably over indulging Parliament, but I agree that I should have limited myself to Assin Fosu- Twifo Praso.
Mr Speaker, I have answered the question in respect of when these roads, Assin Fosu-Twifo Praso would find expression in the programme undertaken by COCOBOD and I have said that it is between 2014-2015. Mr Speaker, I said so because procurement activities are taking place now.
Mr Isaac Osei 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, and so will it be done in 2015? The Hon Minister should be specific.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
I thought it was implied but —
Alhaji Fuseini 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, pro- curement activities are taking place now and hopefully, in 2015, the road would be done.
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu—rose—
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Yes, Hon Minority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I have two observations. First, I noticed that the Hon Minister included the other stretch of the road -- the one from Twifo Praso through Awisam, and through Camp to Dunkwa- On-Offin. But the point is, I also noticed that the answer that the Hon Minister is providing really replicates the Answer that he has given to Question 161. It is the same answer that the Hon Minister has lifted to this question—True? Alright.
The Hon Minister has indicated that the contractor has vacated site and they have cautioned him to go back to site in respect of the eight kilometres out of the
37.4 kilometres, which is the stretch of the road from Assin Fosu -Twifo Praso. Can the Hon Minister tell us what explains the vacation of site by the contractor?
Alhaji Fuseini 11:15 a.m.
I am unable to tell the Minority Leader now, why the contractor has vacated site. And that is why we think that he is not justified in vacating the site. And that is why we have cautioned him to return to site.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:15 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister cannot tell us why the contractor has vacated the site but he is able to tell us the justification for cautioning him to go back to site. I would leave it there.
Mr Speaker, the Question to the Hon Minister states that the road is almost impassable. Now, he is telling us that they are going to engage in routine maintenance to keep the road motorable, which means that he disputes the Question. He wants to keep it motorable. So, currently, in his view, it is motorable.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Minority Leader, are you dealing with the other Question?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:15 a.m.
No! It is the same Question.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
The same Question? This is because I realise that there are two Questions which are similar.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:15 a.m.
Yes, he has decided to co-join the two Questions -- One is an Urgent Question, and the other is not an Urgent Question.
But Mr Speaker, I am asking the Hon Minister, is the road impassable or is it motorable, in his view, since his Answer

seems to suggest that the road is impassable but it is motorable.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Minority Leader, are you not asking for an opinion?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:15 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Question says that the road is “almost impassable” to motorists. The Hon Minister, in his Answer, says that it is motorable. And I am asking him which is which?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Very well.
Alhaji Fuseini 11:15 a.m.
In fairness to the Hon Member who asked the Question, Mr Speaker, the Hon Member said “almost impassable”. So, the Hon Member who asked the Question believes that rightly so, the road can be traversed except that it is difficult. And I am saying that the road is in a fair condition. It is motorable.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:15 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Ministry has awarded eight kilometres of the 37.4 kilometres stretch on contract. And he is now saying that he is going to award the road -- It is going to be on contract or to be rehabilitated by COCOBOD using their COCOBOD road project or fund. Mr Speaker, which section is for his Ministry to deal with and which section is for COCOBOD roads.
This is because already, he has awarded the eight kilometre section on contract and now he is telling us that it is going to be programmed for COCOBOD roads rehabilitation. What is he talking about?
Alhaji Fuseini 11:15 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am talking about the whole stretch of the road. And I am saying that part of the road is under construction presently, managed by the Ministry of Roads and Highways under an agency of the Ministry. And I am saying that the second part, which is 10 kilometres of the road on the Twifo Praso end, will be awarded under a rehabilitation programme to be funded by
COCOBOD. That is what I am saying. It is the same road - right, ten and there is still more work to be done.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Very well.
Hon Members, we move on to the next Question which stands in the name of Hon George Kofi Arthur, Hon Member for Amenfi Central.
ORAL ANSWERS TO 11:15 a.m.

QUESTIONS 11:15 a.m.

MINISTRY OF ROADS AND 11:15 a.m.

HIGHWAYS 11:15 a.m.

Minister for Roads and Highways (Alhaji Inusah A. Fuseini) 11:15 a.m.
Mr Speaker, in answering the Question, we have broken it into the various lots of roads.
1. Ankwawso - Wratrem.
Background
The Ankwaso - Wratrem Feeder Road is 24.0kilometres long. It is engineered and located in the Amenfi Central District of the Western Region.
Current Programme
The road has been awarded together with Agona Amenfi -Ankase (6.4 km) and Dominase-Asummunam (5.6 km) feeder roads under 2014 routine maintenance propramme.

The Contract was awarded in March, 2014 to commence after the rains. Currently, the contractor is mobilising to commence works.

2. Watrem -Hemang

Background

The Watrem -Hemang forms part of the Ankase-Watrem-Jukwa/Hemang-Afransie Feeder Road. The road is 33.00 kilometres long. It is engineered and located in the Amenfi District of the Western Region.

Current Programme

The road had been awarded for routine maintenance under DFR maintenance programme for 2014.

The contract was awarded in March, 2014 to commence after the rains. Currently, the contractor is mobilising to commence works.

3. Hemang-Ohiaahyeda/Awunakrom.

Background

Hemang-Ohianhyeda/Awunakrom Feeder Road is 6.60 kilometres long.

It is un-engineered and located in the Amenfi District of the Western Region.

Current Programme

Engineering studies were carried out on the road in September, 2014.

Future Programme

Engineering studies were carried out on the road in September, 2014. The road has been captured for spot improvement in 2015 Budget of the Ministry.

4. Juabo-Bungoro

Background

The Juabo - Bungoro Feeder Road is 9.20 kilometres long. It is an engineered road and is located in the Amenfi Central District of the Western Region.

Current Programme

The road had been awarded together with Kwamang Junction-Kofiekrom (19.5 km) feeder roads under 2014 routine maintenance programme.

The contract was awarded in March, 2014 to commence after the rains. Currently, the contractor is mobilising to commence works.

5. Agona-Gyedua

Background

The Agona-Gyedua Feeder Road is 6.10 kilometres long. It is engineered and located in the Amenfi Central District of the Western Region.

Current Programme

Currently, a programme is scheduled to do routine maintenance in 2015.

Future Programme

Routine maintenance works will be carried out on this road next year as part of the 2015 maintenance programme.

6. Pensano-Amuni

Background

The Pensano-Amuni Feeder Road is 16.2 kilometres long. It is engineered and located in the Amenfi Central District of the Western Region.

Future Programme

Routine Maintenance works will be carried out on this road next year as part of the 2015 maintenance programme.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Member, any follow up question?
Mr Arthur 11:15 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to get the list of the contractors and their schedules. I would go to the office and take it from him.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
I believe you can get in touch with the Hon Minister for the information.
Mr Arthur 11:15 a.m.
Yes, I would go to the Ministry and take it.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:15 a.m.
All right.
We will move on to the next Question.
Hon Members, the next Question stands in the name of Hon Stephen M. E. K. Ackah, Hon Member for Suaman.
Dadieso-Juaboso Road (via Kwesikrom)
(Tarring)
Q. 8159. Mr Stephen M. F. K. Ackah asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when the Dadieso to Juaboso road via Kwesikrom would be tarred to ease the movement of goods and services.
Alhaji Fuseini 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker,
Background
The Dadieso to Juaboso via Kwesikrom Feeder Road is a 42.0 kilometre engineered road which connects Juaboso and Suaman Districts of the Western Region.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon Member, any follow-up question?
Mr Ackah 11:25 a.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker. I would want to find out from the Hon Minister, when exactly the Cocoa Roads Programme will start.
Alhaji Fuseini 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Cocoa Roads Programme has commenced. Presently, we are in the process of procuring works for the contracts to begin.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Yes, Hon Member, any more?
Mr Ackah 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, this road is very important, especially because of cocoa evacuation from within the catchment of these three districts, and it is very deplorable now. So, what immediate plans has the Ministry got in making it motorable while waiting for the programme of cocoa roads to be completed?
Alhaji Fuseini 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I did not get the Hon Member's question clear. If he could come again.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon Member, can you go over the question?
Mr Ackah 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, what I said was that, this particular road is very important as far as cocoa evacuation is concerned and it is very deplorable. So, what plans has the Ministry got now in making it motorable while waiting for the cocoa programme process to be completed?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Yes, Hon Minister? Do you understand the question now?
Alhaji Fuseini 11:25 a.m.
I understand it to be, what plans have we got to put the road in a motorable condition.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
What he wants to hear from you is, fine, you have indicated that the cocoa road programme will take care of it. In the meantime, before that commences, do you have any plans?
Alhaji Fuseini 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, he has said that the road is very important and in a very deplorable state. Immediately we return to the Ministry, I will dispatch the Rural Maintenance Unit of the Ministry to go and inspect the road, and if we can do something in the interim before the rehabilitation takes place, we will do that.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Yes, Hon Member, your last follow-up?
Mr Ackah 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the 42 kilometre stretch connects Suaman, Bodi and Juaboso Districts to Ashanti and Brong/ Ahafo Regions. Is the Hon Minister saying that when the Cocoa Programme starts, the construction of this road will cover the whole 42 kilometres?
Alhaji Fuseini 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am unable to say whether the cocoa programme will cover all the roads that he has mentioned -- connecting to the Brong Ahafo and Ashanti Regions. What I can say is that, it is a programme to run for a number of years and so far as we are taking it one step at a time, I am sure that in future, all those roads will be covered under the Cocoa Programme or under the programme to be done by the Ministry of Roads and Highways.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Thank you very much.
Hon Members, we move on to Question 160, which also stands in the name of Hon Stephen M. E. K. Ackah, Member of Parliament for Suaman.
Bituminous surface for Dadieso town roads
Q.160. Mr Stephen M. E. K. Ackah asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when Dadieso Town Roads would be given bituminous surface.
Alhaji Fuseini 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker,
Background
Dadieso is the district capital of Suaman District of the Western Region.
Current programme
DFR has a programme for the tarring of Dadieso town roads. Construction of concrete drains has been completed.
The next phase which is the tarring of the Dadieso town roads has been catered for under the 2014-2015 Rehabilitation Programme for rural roads in cocoa growing areas, which has just commenced.
Procurement of works is ongoing.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Yes, Hon Member, any follow-up question?
Mr Ackah 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to find out from the Hon Minister when exactly procurement process may end for work to start.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Yes, Hon Minister?
Alhaji Fuseini 11:25 a.m.
We hope that the procurement work process will end by December, so that we can start construction in January.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Any more, Hon Member?
Mr Ackah 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to have an assurance from the Hon Minister that come next year, the people of Dadieso will have their road getting a bituminous surface.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon Member, I believe that with the answer he has given, the Government Assurances Committee will have enough reason to follow-up. It is quite clear.
Shall we move on to the next Question?
The next Question is 161, standing in the name of Hon Samuel Ato Amoah, Member of Parliament for Twifo Atti Morkwa.
Mr Samuel A. Amoah 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would like to ask the same Question that was urgent for Hon Ken Agyapong, that when will the Twifo Praso to Assin Fosu Road be constructed. He gave only answers but partially. I have to add my voice to it, so that is my Question.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
I did not hear you clearly but I thought that Question had been asked earlier, although both have been placed on the Order Paper. If the Answer the Hon Minister gave in respect of the earlier Question satisfies you, then probably, we might have to move on. Otherwise, if you want specific areas to be dealt with, if you make it known, we can work that way.
I do not know if you see the point that I am making. Are you alright with it?
Very well.
Hon Members, we move on to the next Question which is the last one, in the name of Hon Wahab Wumbei Suhuyini, Member for Tolon.
Nyankpala junction to Adubilyili on the Tamale-Kumasi road
(Bituminous surface)
Q. 162. Mr Wahab Wumbei Suhuyini asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when the road from Nyankpala junction to Adubilyili on the Tamale- Kumasi road would be given bituminous surface.
Alhaji Fuseini 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker,
Background
The Yankpala junction-Adubilyili Feeder Road is 12.8 kilometres long.It is engineered and located in the Tolon District of the Northern Region.
Current Programme
The road has been awarded under the 2014 Routine Maintenance Programme. The contract was awarded in January,
2014.
Future Programme
The road has been captured for bitumen surfacing in the 2015 Budget.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon Member, any follow up question?
Mr Suhuyini 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister is very aware that it is a very important road, that the Savannah and Agriculture Research Institute (SARI) and the University for Development Studies, which are located in my constituency, use to access the Tamale Metropolitan area. But as he has spoken, no work has been done on the road this year and we are left with just two months to the end of the year. Meanwhile, he has indicated that it has been awarded to a contractor.
What effort is he going to put in place, so that for the next two months, at least, the road will be graded pending the inclusion of the road in next year's budget for asphalt.
Thank you.
Alhaji Fuseini 10:35 a.m.
Mr Speaker, yes, I am aware of the importance of the road. This is because it serves as a link between Nyankpala and people who would want to access the Kumasi road.
The contractor who is doing the work is Jonara Company Limited and the contract was awarded on January 17, 2014.
We will ensure that we follow-up and see what he is doing on the road because he was expected to complete work on June
4, 2014.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Yes Hon Member? [Interruption] -- Yes.
Very well --
Hon Members, this brings us to the end of Question time.
The Business Committee has scheduled the Minister for Health.
Before then, Hon Minister, thank you for attending upon the House. You are discharged. --
The Hon Minister for Health has been scheduled to make a Statement on the Ebola menace and we have him in the Chamber -
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Hon Deputy Majority Leader?
Mr Agbesi 10:35 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister is in the House following the directives for him to come and brief the House on steps so far taken on the control of Ebola. So, he is here; if he could be given the permission to brief the House.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 10:35 a.m.
All right.
STATEMENTS 10:35 a.m.

Minister for Health (Dr Kwaku Agyeman Mensah) 10:35 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to brief the House on Ghana's preparedness and response to Ebola.
Mr Speaker, on the 8th of August, 2014 the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease in West Africa as a public health emergency of international concern. This outbreak is the first of a kind that has gone beyond the borders of one country with large numbers of cases from rural and urban areas.
The disease is commonly spread from one person to another, through close contact with blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected or dead animals. It is also spread through direct physical contact with body fluids of infected persons like blood, saliva, stool, vomitus, urine, and soiled linen. Burial ceremonies where mourners have direct contact with the body of the deceased person can play a role in the transmission of Ebola.
Mr Speaker, since the World Health Organisation was notified of the outbreak, a total of 13,042 confirmed, probable, and suspected cases of Ebola virus disease have been reported in six countries as at 2nd November, 2014. The countries are Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Spain and the United States of America. Nigeria and Senegal are two previously affected countries. There have also been 4,960 reported deaths. The outbreaks in Senegal and Nigeria were declared over on the 17th and 19th October, 2014 respectively. At the country level, the weekly incidence appears to be stable in Guinea. In Sierra
Leone the weekly incidence continues to rise, while in Liberia it appears to be declining.
In the three countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, transmission remains persistent and widespread, particularly in the capital cities. All administrative districts in Liberia and Sierra Leone have reported at least, one confirmed or probable case since the outbreak began. Cases and deaths continue to be under- reported in this outbreak. Of the countries with localised transmission, Mali and the United States of America continue to monitor potential contacts.
Mr Speaker, His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama has been at the forefront of the fight against the disease. Under his leadership, Ghana is playing a leadership role in the co-ordination of a sub-regional response to the Ebola outbreak. This has led to the decision by the United Nations to site its Mission for Emergency Ebola Response, UNMEER in Accra.
Mr Speaker, in Ghana, as at 13 th November, 119 suspected Ebola cases have been reported and tests at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research have all turned out negative. We therefore, have no confirmed case of Ebola in Ghana as of now.
We have had Ghanaian fishermen from Sierra Leone and Liberia returning to towns like Komenda. There was also the case of Ghanaian workers from Sierra Leone through Paga. The refugee camp at Budumburam is also noted for the constant interaction between Liberians in Ghana and their relatives back in Liberia. In all of these instances, these travellers have been identified and monitored. The local health systems have alerted their
contact tracing teams to monitor and follow these returnees up to the maximum incubation period of 21 days without the development of any adverse effects of concern. The alert system in the communities detected these travellers and called to action the local health systems to respond. This gives an indication of the sensitivity of the surveillance system.
Mr Speaker, the Government of Ghana has set up an Inter-Ministerial Co- ordinating Committee to harmonise and monitor the implementation of sectorial plans. Membership consists of the Ministers for Defence, Communications, Interior, and Local Government and Rural Development as well as representatives of the Ghana Immigration Service, NADMO and other agencies. The Minister for Health chairs the Committee, while the Chief of Staff at the Presidency provides oversight. The Committee meets weekly to review and discuss the progress of implementation of the plans for a national response and co-ordinate resource mobilisation to that effect.
The Ministry of Health has set up a National Technical Co-ordinating Committee (NTCC) that advises, and where required, assists with imple- mentation of the health sector preparedness and response plan.
Mr Speaker, an Incident Management System has been established to identify, isolate and manage any case of Ebola that is detected in Ghana. It consists of an Emergency Operations Centre with an Incident Commander in the person of the Deputy Minister for Health, Dr Victor Bampoe. The Emergency Operations Centre has been put in place to:
1. identify, isolate and manage incidents of Ebola in rapid response time and co-ordinate all activities regarding the control of the infection;
Minister for Health (Dr Kwaku Agyeman Mensah) 11:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, to improve the capacity for case management, a group of Ghanaian health professionals made up of epidemiologists, infectious disease experts, clinicians, communication experts and nurses have undergone training in Congo Brazzaville and Brussels to serve as master trainers.

Members of the Emergency Operations Centre and the case management team of Nigeria were in Ghana with officials of the Centre for Disease Control of the USA to share with their Ghanaian counterparts, what they did to successfully contain the case of Ebola that was introduced into Nigeria.

At the regional level, regional case management and contact tracing teams have been formed, and training is ongoing for them. The Greater Accra, Ashanti, Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions, teams have been trained. The plan for training all regional teams is on course and all regional teams will be trained by the 14th of December; selected personnel of the ambulance service have also been trained.

Mr Speaker, in terms of infrastructure, the Tema treatment centre is complete, while the centres in Tamale and Kumasi are in the process of being constructed. Kumasi as of now, has a facility that can be used for treating four cases at a time.

The incentive package for health workers who will be at the forefront is being finalised. This involves payment of incentive allowances and life insurance package to persons who will be involved in ambulance evacuation, case management, contact tracing and other services that will be rendered to potential Ebola patients, including burial squads.

The Government together with some private companies, the WHO and development partners have provided over 10,000 personal protective equipment, non-contact infrared thermometers and other materials for case management. UNICEF has pledged to provide additional 25,000 PPEs.

Mr Speaker, the original policy on case management was to have three treatment centres but the Government is now providing additional support to regional hospitals, teaching and specialised hospitals like 37 Military and Police Hospitals, so that they can also manage cases if they report at such facilities.

The preparedness of managing suspected and confirmed cases are being tested using simulations. Gaps identified during the last simulation exercise at the Tema Treatment Centre on 30th October, 2014, have been factored into updating our preparedness plans.

Mr Speaker, at the UN Security Council in September, Ebola was cited as a disease that was a threat to peace and security globally. Subsequently, the UN General Assembly voted to tackle Ebola with the formation of the UN Mission for Emergency Ebola Response (UNMEER).

One hundred and thirty countries voted and it represents the largest number of counties to vote for a UN Resolution in history. Ghana was chosen to be the hub, in part. This is because of H. E. President John Dramani Mahama's efforts as ECOWAS Chairman to co-ordinate West Africa's response and point out to the world that this is not a problem for West Africa alone. It was also because of Ghana's relatively strong support systems. This mission consists of 250 UN personnel, 100 of whom are based in Accra. Accra serves as the hub to transport much needed commodities to the three worst affected countries.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Thank you very much Hon Minister.
Hon Members we have a problem with time constraint. We can only allow two comments each from either side of the House. This is because there is another Statement.
I want to chip in that the Defence and Interior Committee of this House also presented a Report a few days back and Mr Speaker who was in the Chair at that time directed that copies of the Report, as well as comments made by Hon Members should be sent to the Hon Minister.
Hon Minister, this is meant for you.
A few days back, the Defence and Interior Committee of this House presented a Report which had to do with the various entry points and it painted a rather gloomy picture. So, Mr Speaker directed that copies of the Report as well as comments made by Hon Members be forwarded to your office among other places, and I believe that would go a long way to tell you what we feel.
So, we would allow two observations to be made, and then after that, we would take the second Statement, which is a ceremonial one, so that the Hon Minister could go and attend to other business.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (Ms Hannah S. Tetteh) (MP) 11:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would like to add some points to those that were made by the Hon Minister for Health for the information of this House, following the Economic Communities of West Africa States (ECOWAS) Summit that was held last week here in Accra on the matter of Ebola and the spread of the disease within the West African sub-region.
Mr Speaker, a couple of items were agreed and they were contained in the communique that was issued by the Heads of State at the time and I would want to summerise a few.
Mr Speaker, in order to ensure the effective co-ordination of Ebola efforts within the sub-region, His Excellency President Faure Nyasingbe of Togo was appointed by his colleague Heads of State as the head of government who should co-ordinate and assist the other countries that have been afflicted with Ebola in the Ebola response.
Mr Speaker, what that would mean is that President Nyasingbe becomes effectively the envoy of his colleague Heads of State and has the responsibility of engaging with the three affected countries and ensuring that whatever can be done at the regional level to support the efforts would be done.
Additionally, it was reiterated that notwithstanding the incidence of Ebola, it was important for us to maintain our commitment to the free movement of people and as such, all the member States were requested to continue to maintain open borders and rather intensify public education on Ebola, so that people become more aware of the challenges that they face and how best to protect themselves against the disease.
Mr Speaker, the representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicated that there would be vaccines against Ebola ready by early next year for trial and that it was envisaged that by March next year, there would actually be a vaccine against Ebola that would be available.
Mr Speaker, we were all encouraged to work with the companies that are involved in the manufacture of these vaccines and with the development partners to ensure that as much as possible, these first vaccines, when made available, would be at a subsidised cost. This is because it is envisaged that each vaccine would probably cost about US$100 per shot. But
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Thank you very much.
Yes, Hon Matthew Opoku Prempeh.
Dr Matthew O. Prempeh (NPP -- Manhyia South) 11:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, we thank the Hon Minister for Health and the Hon Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration for the Statement made on the floor of this House.
Mr Speaker, there are other things that have not been said, which I would like to draw the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and Hon Minister of Health's attention to.
Mr Speaker, I would like to start from the Heads of Agreements that allowed the United Nation's Members of Ebola Eradication Response (UNMEER) to be established in Accra. As at the last time, the Committee on Health met the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and her deputy, and the Minister for Health and his deputy, the agreement had not been signed or finalised. That agreement would detail or state how the interaction of the UNMEER
and Ghanaian citizens in general are going to be governed. As of now, we do not know how they interact with the UNMEER Secretariat and whether their interaction could not bring any untoward effects. We do not know how the UNMEER Operation centred in Accra is going to even benefit Ghana or for that matter, those countries. Nothing of that matter, has been told by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration. So, it is a bit of a problem.
Mr Speaker, the second thing is that, just like the Hon Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration talked about the President of Togo made to be the contact person for those countries with the disease. In this our own country, Mr Speaker, everywhere an emergency situation arises, it is not the Minister for Health who should be in charge of our Ebola efforts in this country.
It is cross-sectorial and I hope we can escalate it to the Vice Presidency or the Presidency to bring on board other Ministries and agencies to see that this is a national emergency, so, we need to be more alert, like the education sector. As you just said, the Defence and I nterior -- we need higher body at the Cabinet level to be the supervisory agent in charge of this crisis. Nowhere do we have only one sector being in charge.
Mr Speaker, that shows --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon Member, if you listened closely to the Hon Health Minister, he indicated that there is an inter-ministerial body that has been put in place to play certain roles. I do not know if that satisfies the point you are making.
Dr Prempeh 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I hope it does. I will just give an example before I move to the third one. The emergency number deployed for Ebola is very
different from Ghana's emergency response. Even when you call the police, it is a problem. If somebody has or suspects a case, the person now has to look for an Ebola number, while everywhere else, it should be only one emergency response number in the country, so that everybody- as soon as it goes through, whether it is the police that is handling it, it is beside the point, the right contact can be made. That is the second worry why we need to have an emergency control on this.
Mr Speaker, when you go to the entry points, the Committee on Defence and Interior has in their Report analysed a gloomy situation. Even in Accra, when you come through the Kotoka International Airport, the response there is not appropriate.
Mr Speaker, when you go to Uganda, you will see that as soon somebody disembarks, if the person is from an Ebola zone or country, he or she goes through a different line not only to be examined by the thermometer, but to take the person's details: Where he or she will stay, contacts and a certificate is given to the person and a retainer is made before the person leaves that airport.
So, even our response at the airport, Mr Speaker, we need to up our ante a bit. It is probably not appropriate.
Mr Speaker, when we think about what is happening in Sierra Leone, they are not containing the disease there. That is a big worry.
About our effort, as we speak, the Minister for Health or the response centre has not been able to tell which specific Ebola treatment centre in the country is complete, and how many they are going to complete. We have had such a long grace period. We do not hope it comes into this country. If one centre is not complete, Mr Speaker, it is a worry. Our response is slow.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Thank you very much for your contribution.
Yes, Hon Cletus Avoka.
Mr Cletus A. Avoka (NDC -- Zebilla) 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to join my Colleagues in thanking the Minister for Health for making this Statement and
giving us extra information on the state -- update of the Ebola epidemic in the sub-region and the status in Ghana as well.
Mr Speaker, it is on record that following the outbreak, the Committee on Defence and Interior, with the kind permission of Mr Speaker, made some tours of some of the regions of this country to ascertain the preparedness of the security to collaborate with the health service personnel at the various borders to fight this disease.
I say so because, Mr Speaker, Ebola is not just a health hazard. It is also a security risk. That was why the Committee on Defence and Interior took interest and with the support of Mr Speaker, we made those tours.
Mr Speaker, our tour sent us to the Upper West Region, where we visited the border at Hamile. We also went to the Upper East Region, Paga and Bawku -- Pusiga. In the Volta Region, we went to Aflao, and in the Western Region, we went to the Elubo border.
As a result of those tours -- in fact, that was in September, during the early period that we were engulfed with this epidemic. We discovered that even though the staff at the various border posts were aware of the menace, they were in desperation, in the sense that the post health officials, even though they knew about Ebola, had nothing to be able to detect. We discovered that even though they had created some type of isolation centres, so that if people came to tell them that somebody had Ebola, and they send the person to the centre, there was nothing in that centre for them to deal with the fellow.
Thirdly, there was no ambulance to transport suspected Ebola victims or even infected victims to a key health facility or hospital. Indeed, in many of the border
posts that we interviewed the personnel, the health authorities said that they will either use a commercial vehicle like a taxi or borrow somebody's car to transport the people to the hospital. That, by itself, is a risk. It can also cause further spread of the infection.
It is against this backdrop that I think we are lucky. We thank the Government and the President of the Republic for accepting that Ghana becomes a focal point for the management of the disease by way of taking custody of equipment and materials.
So, we want to suggest humbly that, we should take advantage of this, and ensure that the various borders that we have in the country, given the fact that they are very porous, have enough equipment and materials to carry out the detection in the first place before we talk about treatment.
We also think that we should be able to improve the facilities at the isolation centres in the various border posts, so that those who are isolated can be taken care of before they are transported to the key hospitals that are identified to take care of Ebola cases.
It is also important that we get some ambulances in the various border posts, so that they can transport infected or suspected infected people to the various hospitals. The idea of carrying them in commercial vehicles with passengers who are known not to have been infected is certainly a very big risk that we are taking.
Mr Speaker, the Committee took that decision to tour the country against the backdrop of the risk of our own lives because at that time, nobody knew whether it had spread to Ghana.
But as citizens of this country and responsible people, we decided to take that tour.
Mr Speaker, I would want to commend the President and the Government for refusing to host the Africa Cup of Nations next year because that would have been a disaster if we were to do so.
We just had a report today that five cases have been reported in Mali. Nobody knows whether a case has been recorded in Burkina Faso and the other countries. So, I would want to commend the President for that. I pray that the Minister for Health - we should not be complacent; we should not rest on our oars but be on the alert, particularly with the porous borders.
We should involve the stakeholders at the various border posts. It is not only the health personnel; the Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Fire Service, Customs, Excise and Preventive Service officials, should be educated. We should work in synergy with the Distr ict Assemblies in the border areas in the regions, so that at the end of the day, we might be fighting this in a holistic manner rather than piecemeal.
On this note, I would want to thank the Minister again for the Statement he has made. We pray that Ebola will not find its foot in Ghana.
Mrs Ursula G. Ekuful ( NPP-- Ablekuma West) 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I wish to commend the Hon Minister for Health for his presentation to the House this morning. It is all well and good, the preparations that they are making to prevent the entry and spread of this disease.
However, my concern is that, despite the fine arrangements that appear to have been made on paper, on the ground, we seem to still have a problem.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Thank you very much.
Yes Leadership- Hon Minority Leader, do you have some comments to make?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:15 p.m.
No Mr Speaker.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
No contribution? Very well.
Then in that case, Hon Members, before we move on to the next stage.
I would like to direct that the comments made by Hon Members with regard to the presentation of the Hon Minister for Health be forwarded by the
Hansard Department to the Ministry of Health for the purposes of the Ministry of Health looking at it closely, together with what our Defence and Interior Ministry did, so that we all forge ahead.
We would like to thank the Hon Minister for Health for attending upon this House.You are discharged.
Now, Hon Deputy Majority Leader, before you tell us what next to do, the Rt Hon Speaker has admitted another Statement. That one is ceremonial, to do with the World International Diabetes Day.
As far as that is concerned, and after the Statement has been made, we would not invite any contributions because we are constrained.
That Statement happens to stand in the name of the Hon Member who is the Deputy Ranking Member for the Committee on Health, Hon Augustine Collins Ntim.
Healthy Lifestyle -- Diabetes
Mr Augustine Collins Ntim(NPP (Offinso North) 12:15 p.m.
Thank you Mr Speaker, for the opportunity given me to make a Statement on the menace of diabetes.
Mr Speaker, Ghana joins the rest of the world to mark World Diabetes day on the 14th November, 2014. The day has grown from a humble beginning to become a globally celebrated event to increase awareness about diabetes.
The theme of the World Diabetes Day, from 2014 to 2016 has been “healthy living and diabetes”. This year, there is a focus on starting each day right by having a healthy breakfast.
Breakfast is important for a Type 2 Diabetic. This is because it helps with proper blood sugar control and provides the body with energy for the day. A proper breakfast includes a healthy carbohydrate
and protein source. Meal timing, correct portion sizes and healthy food choices are keys to controlling blood sugar levels.
Mr Speaker, diabetics need to eat the correct foods at the beginning of the day. Foods that diabetics should avoid in general are those that are high in refined sugar, low in fibre and high in fat and calories. Refined carbohydrates spike blood sugar levels quickly and keep them at higher levels throughout the day.
Diabetes, Mr Speaker, is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.
Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar, a common effect of uncontrolled diabetes over time, leads to serious damage to many of the body's systems, especially the nerves and blood vessels.
Mr Speaker, non-communicable diseases remain the leading cause of death worldwide. It is responsible for over 36 million deaths in 2008 alone, the W.H.O report for 2009 has stated. The most pathetic aspect of the pandemic is that, it is a lifestyle disease which could be avoided, controlled, or managed with good nutrition and exercise.
On World Diabetics Day, It is incumbent on governments to make good commitment to address non-communicable diseases, including fostering sustainable food production, cleanliness and consumption of good drinking water.
Mr Speaker, across the world, over 350 million people live with diabetes. Today, diabetes kills more people than HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined. The World Health Organisation predicts that by 2030, it will be the 7th leading cause of death worldwide.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Thank you very much.
Yes, Hon Deputy Minority Leader?
Mr Dominic Nitiwul 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I take notice of the fact that there is no contribution but I would want to make a small comment.
The Minister for Health was here when you announced that the Hon Member would be reading a Statement on diabetes

and he walked out. I remember he came to make his Statement on Ebola. I thought that he would have sat and listened attentively to the Statement because it affects his Ministry but he walked out. And I was watching my Friend c opposite
-- 12:25 p.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon Member, I cannot hold brief for him and I do not know what other engagements he has as a result of which he could not stay on. I prefer that we leave that matter to rest.
Yes, Hon Deputy Majority Leader?
Mr Agbesi 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister did not just walk out as my Hon Colleague was saying. He said he had come to brief the House. He also told me he had finished with his assignment and that he had other urgent assignments. If there was an instruction to him to stay, which would have come from Mr Speaker, I believe he would have obeyed.
Thank you.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Very well.
Hon Members, we move on to the next item.
We are in the hands of the Deputy Majority Leader.
Mr Agbesi 12:25 p.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker, the next item is item 7, which is Presentation of Papers.
Mr Speaker, there is a Paper to be presented by the Majority Leader and I would want to seek your permission with the indulgence of the House to present it on his behalf.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Yes, Hon Minority Leader? [Pause.]
Very well. Go ahead. That is item number 7 (a)
PAPERS 12:25 p.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Item number 7 (b), Chairman of the Committee.
Mr Agbesi 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I have been informed that item number 7 (b) (i) and (ii) are not ready.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Very well. So, the whole of (b) is not ready. So, where do we move on from here?
The Hon Second Deputy Speaker to take the Chair.
So, you direct us what to do, Hon Deputy Majority Leader.
Mr Agbesi 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Customs Bill is at the Consideration Stage and it is for continuation.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Very well.
Hon Members, Customs Bill, 2014 at the Consideration Stage.
BILLS -- CONSIDERATION STAGE 12:25 p.m.

Chairman of the Committee (Mr James K. Avedzi) 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 57 delete and insert the following:
JJJJSPSPACE FORSS 12:25 p.m.

Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I really have not applied myself much to this Bill but just looking at the construction in clause 58 --
“A person shall not import a right- hand steering motor vehicle into the country unless authorised by the Minister.”
Would you rather say “unless approved by the Minister” or “unless authorised by the Minister”?
I think if a person is minded to import, the Hon Minister may have to approve of it. If you are saying that the Hon Minister has to “authorise”, then it means the Hon Minister would have to initiate the process of, maybe, telling the person to bring in a second hand vehicle. But there may be a need, the person may apply and the Minister would have to approve or disapprove of it.
Mr Avedzi 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think that the intention of the Bill will not change if we change “authorise” to “approve”. So, I support the amendment that we change the “authorise” to “approve”.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
Very well, in that case, I will put the Question with regard to the proposed amendment.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Clause 58 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 59 -- Forfeiture of overstayed motor vehicles
Mr Avedzi 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 59, subclause 1, line 2, delete all words after “enter” and substitute the following:
“And clear the motor vehicle within sixty days after final discharge of the ship or aircraft or in the case of motor vehicles imported overland the date on which it crossed the national borders into the country.”
MR SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER
Mr Avedzi 12:38 p.m.
Mr Speaker, let me take it again. “Subclause (1), line 2, delete all words after “enter” and insert the following:
“And clear the motor vehicle within sixty days after final discharge of the ship or aircraft or in the case of motor vehicles imported overland, the date on which it crossed the national borders into the country.”
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:38 p.m.
Yes, Hon Minority Leader --
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:38 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want the Hon Chairman of the Committee to look at the amendment being proposed carefully, otherwise, it would not make sense. He is saying to us that we should delete all the words after “enter”. If we delete all the words after “enter” and we insert this, it does not make sense.
It says:
“A person who imports a motor vehicle into the country and does not enter the motor vehicle within sixty days after importation shall forfeit the motor vehicle to the State.”
And he is saying that we should delete all those words. Now, if we insert this one after “enter”, please, read it again, you would see it does not make sense.
There should be a sanction after the refusal to enter the country.
Mr Avedzi 12:38 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the words to be deleted should rather be “the motor vehicle within sixty days after importation” and if we substitute it with the new rendition, the entire subclause (1) would read:
“A person who imports a motor vehicle into the country and does not enter and clear the motor vehicle within sixty days after final discharge of the ship or aircraft or in the case of motor vehicles imported overland, the date on which it crossed the national borders into the country shall forfeit the motor vehicle to the State.”
Mr Speaker, I so move.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:38 p.m.
Mr Speaker, that construction makes much more sense. But still, I am a bit confused about the import of that construction--
“A person who imports a motor vehicle into the country and does not enter and clear the motor vehicle within sixty days.”
What is the entry referring to? Is it referring to the person or the motor vehicle? By that construction, it is unclear.
Mr Avedzi 12:38 p.m.
The reference here is actually “the motor vehicle”. The rule is that, once you import a motor vehicle, you have to enter it. The “enter” is a term which has been defined that you import and you enter and clear it.
Now, if you import and you do not enter and clear it within sixty days of that importation, which can be in the form of a ship coming through the seaport or airport or overland, if you do not do the entering and clearing within 60 days, you are going to forfeit this motor vehicle to the State. That is what the clause is trying to talk about.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:38 p.m.
I believe that I can put the Question now.
Hon Minority Leader, you do not seem to be happy. There seems to be some discomfort on your side.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:38 p.m.
Mr Speaker, first of all, it is the word or the term “entered” that has been defined and not “enter”. That is the first -- [Interruption] -- You think it is that easy, it is the past tense of it -- [Laughter.]
Mr Speaker, so, we may have a problem there; that is the first thing. The second thing is that the construction is a bit clumsy there. It says:
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Hon Akoto Osei?
Dr A. A. Osei 12:45 p.m.
We are not talking about the person himself. So, that issue should not arise. We are dealing with the item -- motor vehicles. So, that issue can be dealt with later if the Leader is interested, but the issue is about the vehicle.
We are not worried about the sanction for the person. [Interruption] -- No! There is no person. That person shall forfeit and have the motor vehicle forfeited. [Interruption] -- No! The person shall forfeit the motor vehicle to the State. It is alright.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Since we are not going to end today --
Dr A. A. Osei 12:45 p.m.
No! We are not going to end today.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
We are spending too much time on this clause. Can we --
Dr A. A. Osei 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, if the Leader would avert his mind to even the previous one, it is a term he is using. So, that is why we are keeping that. We do not say “a motor vehicle that enters.” That would be reared. It should be “a person who imports it”. This is because a motor vehicle cannot come by itself. How does the motor vehicle enter?
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Yes, Chairman of the Committee?
Mr Avedzi 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the point here is the forfeiture of the motor vehicle. Now, the clause says, “a person who imports”. So, in this case, let us use “Minority Leader”. The Minority Leader imports a motor vehicle, and does not enter and clear this motor vehicle within sixty days, that motor vehicle he imports would come through the seaport or through the airport or by land.
Once he does not enter and clear within sixty days, he shall forfeit the motor vehicle to the State. That is what we are talking about. It has captured the intent of the clause.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Thank you.
Should I put the Question on this clause?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, sincerely, I thought that since the matter related to the entry and clearance of the motor vehicle, a better construction would have been -- “a motor vehicle imported into the country, and if it is not cleared, say within 60 days, shall be forfeited to the State.” You may say the value is the same, but the construction is clearer. That is what I meant by that.
Dr A. A. Osei 12:45 p.m.
It is important that we relate the importation to a person. This is because a motor vehicle cannot by itself be imported, entered and cleared. So, it needs a person to do the importation. That is why it is important that this construction be maintained.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
I agree with you. I am not entering the fray but sometimes when you are drafting, you do not state the obvious. So, all of you are right in some way. I suggest that you put your very wise heads together. The three of you are wiser than perhaps, even three wise men. Put your wisdom together; you are also three in number.
We will we would stand down 59 and quickly make progress. Or should I put the Question?
Ms Sarah Adwoa Safo 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I have a bit of a difficulty with the way the clause is couched. It is couched in such a way that, it is putting an obligation on the person who has imported the car, and after 60 days have failed to clear the vehicle, that is when the law would come into effect. But the way it is drafted, in legal drafting language, it does not depict that intention.
So, I am of the view that since it is imposing a sanction within a specific period, which is the 60 days -- If one imports a motor vehicle and within that 60 days, one fails to clear it, then the effect of this clause comes into being.
I am of the opinion that, why do we not start with a preceding section, which would put an obligation on that person who has imported the car, that within 60 days, if he has not cleared the car, then the subsection would impose that fine or whatever that it is seeking rather than going round and round saying, a person who imports a motor vehicle into the country and does not enter -- The obligation occurs --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
I agree with you, when you read it, “the person imports the motor vehicle into the country and does not enter the motor vehicle.”
Ms Safo 12:45 p.m.
“Enter or clear the motor vehicle”. So, it is an obligation, but the obligation only comes in after the 60 days period when he has failed to clear it. So, why do we start with the obligation itself which is that, when one imports a motor vehicle, by law, one shall within 60 days clear it . Then the next section would be,
in the event that one fails to clear in 60 days, then the obligation would apply. But the way it is couched, is a bit clumsy.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
I suggested that we skip this clause and move on to the other ones because I must say that what has just been urged upon by Hon Adwoa Safo also has its own attraction. So, are the other comments; I am sure that you would put your heads together. I intend to stand this down and move on to clause 60.
Dr A. A. Osei 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thought there was an agreement that because of some obligations on some of us, we would end at 12.45 p.m., and I would want to make sure that we live up to it.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Unfortunately, we have spent all the minutes -- What we would do is that, we would just take clauses 60 and 61, which have no amendments. So, I will just take them, then we will adjourn.
Clauses 60 and 61 order to stand part of the Bill.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Minority Leader, you want to help him?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we agreed that we had an obligation elsewhere at 1.00 o'clock, for which reason, we were purposed to leave at 12.45 p.m. So, I guess we could leave now and come to continue at the next Sitting day.
Mr Alfred K. Agbesi 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that the House adjourns to Tuesday, the 18th November at 10.00 o'clock in the forenoon.
Mr Dominic B. A. Nitiwul 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
ADJOURNMENT 12:45 p.m.

  • The House was accordingly adjourned at 12.55 p.m. till Tuesday, 18th November, 2014 at 10.00 a.m..