Debates of 28 Nov 2014

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:50 a.m.

VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:50 a.m.

Mr Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Correction of Votes and Proceedings.
Mr Speaker 10:50 a.m.
We do not have any Official Report for correction today, so we move on to item number 3 on the Order Paper -- Business Statement for the Fifth Week.

Hon Majority Leader --
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 10:50 a.m.

Majority Leader/Chairman of the Business Committee (Mr Alban S. K. Bagbin) 11 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I stand to present the Business Statement for the Fifth Week ending, Friday, 5th December, 2014.
Mr Speaker, the Committee met on Thursday, 27 th November, 2014 and arranged Business of the House for the Fifth Week ending Friday, 5th December,
2014.
Mr Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 56 (1), the Committee accordingly submits its Report as follows:
Arrangement of Business
Question(s)
(i) 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 Energy and Petroleum -- 5
ii. Minister for Health -- 5
iii. Minister for Education -- 3
iv. Minister for Food and Agriculture -- 2
Total number of Questions -- 15
Mr Speaker, in all, four (4) Ministers are expected to attend upon the House to respond to fifteen (15) Questions during the week.
Statements
Mr Speaker, pursuant to Order 70 (2), Ministers of State may be permitted to 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.
Debate on the Financial Policy of the Government
Mr Speaker, debate on the Financial Policy of the Government of Ghana for the year ending 31st December, 2015, is expected to continue during the week under consideration and conclude on Wednesday, 3rd December, 2014.
Mr Speaker, the Committee once again, appeals to Hon Members to endeavour to be as brief as possible and also avoid repetitions.
Sitting of the House on Monday/Extended Sittings
Mr Speaker, the Business Committee proposes that the House commences Sitting on Mondays from 1st December 2014. This is to enable the House conclude consideration of the Annual Budget Estimates and pass the Appropriation Bill before the Christmas recess.
Mr Speaker, as recommended during the presentation of the Business Statement last week, the Business Committee once again, proposes that having regard to the exigencies of the state of business before the House, the House Sits for extended periods during the ensuing week.
House Committee to Meet
Mr Speaker, considering the number of critical matters requiring action by the House Committee, the Business Committee
proposes that the House Committee meets on Monday 1st December, 2014 to consider the issues as a matter of urgency. It is recommended that the House Committee meets at 9.00 a.m. on the said date.
Public Holiday
Mr Speaker, Friday, 5th December, 2014 is National Farmers' Day, a statutory holiday and it is expected to be observed as such.
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.

Statements

Presentation of Papers --

(a) Report of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) on the management of petroleum revenues for the period 1 st January to 30th June, 2013.

(b) 2012 Annual Progress Report on the implementation of the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA), 2010-2013.

(c) Report of the Committee on Mines and Energy on the Petroleum Commission's Annual Public Report on Petroleum Resources and Activities for the year 2012.
Majority Leader/Chairman of the Business Committee (Mr Alban S. K. Bagbin) 11 a.m.
Motions --
(a) That this Honourable House approves the Financial Policy of the Government of Ghana for the year ending 31st December, 2015.
(Moved on Wednesday, 19 th November, 2014 by the Minister for Finance, Mr Seth Emmanuel Terkpeh and seconded on Tuesday, 25th November, 2014 by the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Mr James Klutse Avedzi) (Continuation of debate)
(b) That this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament.
(Moved on Wednesday, 19 th November, 2014 by the Hon Chairman of the Committee, Mr Alban S. K. Bagbin and seconded by the Hon. Vice Chairman of the Committee, Papa Owusu- Ankomah) (Continuation of debate)
Consideration Stage of Bills --
Customs Bill, 2014 (Continuation of debate)
Intestate Succession Bill, 2013.
Conduct of Public Officers Bill, 2013.
Committee sittings.

Questions --

*174.Mrs Freda Akosua O. Prempeh (Tano North): To ask the Minister

for Energy and Petroleum when electricity supply from the national electricity grid will be extended to the following communities:

(i) Tano Ano

(ii) Agona

(iii) Asen

(iv) Atudrubesa

(v) Bisi.

*175.Ms Freda Akosua O. Prempeh (Tano North): To ask the Minister for Energy and Petroleum when the ongoing electricity projects in the following communities in the Tano North District will be completed: (i) Ahyiayem (ii) Nsuaprem (iii) Mamponteng (iv) Onwe (v) Nkwantabisa.

*188. Mrs Freda Akosua O. Prempeh (Tano North): To ask the Minister for Energy and Petroleum whether the Ministry is aware of oil prospecting which was done in the Mankranho area, and if so, when is the Ministry going to continue with that project.

*189. Mr Mustapha Ussif (Yagaba/ Kubori): To ask the Minister for Energy and Petroleum when the on- going project to connect the Yagaba/Kubori Constituency to the national electricity grid shall be completed.

*215. Ms Grace Addo (Manso- Nkwanta): To ask the Minister for Energy and Petroleum when the following communities in Manso- Nkwanta Constituency will be con- nected to the national electricity

grid: (i) Camp (ii) Banko (iii) Abom (iv) Tweapeasi (v) Samanhyiakrom.

Statements

Motions --

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

(Moved on Wednesday, 19 th November, 2014 by the Minister for Finance, Mr Seth Emmanuel Terkpeh and seconded on Tuesday, 25th November, 2014 by the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Mr James Klutse Avedzi) (Continuation of debate)

(b) That this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament.

(Moved on Wednesday, 19th November 2014 by the Hon. Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Alban S. K. Bagbin and seconded by the Hon. Vice Chairman of the Committee, Papa O w u s u - A n k o m a h ) (Continuation of Debate)

(c) Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Environment, Science and Technology on the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident (1986).

(d) Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Environment, Science and Technology on the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency (1986).

(e) Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Environment, Science and Technology on the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (1997).

(f) Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Environment, Science and Technology on Environmental Challenges in Ghana.

Consideration Stage of Bills --

Customs Bill, 2014 (Continuation of debate)

Intestate Succession Bill, 2013.

Conduct of Public Officers Bill, 2013.

Committee sittings.

Questions --

*153. Alhaji Wahab Wumbei Suhuyini (Tolon): To ask the Minister for Health what plans are in place to equip various clinics in the Tolon District with anti-snake serum.

*238. Mr Justice Joe Appiah (Ablekuma North): To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry has plans to construct a modern hospital in the Ablekuma North Constituency.

*239. Mr Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh (Sunyani East): To ask the Minister for Health what the plans of the Ministry are to expand infrastruc- tural facilities of the Nurses' Training College in Sunyani.

*240. Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey (Anyaa/Sowutuom): To ask the Minister for Health when the Ga Central Municipality will be provided with a hospital.
Majority Leader/Chairman of the Business Committee (Mr Alban S. K. Bagbin) 11 a.m.


*241. Mr Ameen Salifu (Wa East): To ask the Minister for Health when Wa East District will be provided with a hospital or polyclinic.

Statements

Motions --

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

(Moved on Wednesday, 19 th November, 2014 by the Minister for Finance, Mr Seth Emmanuel Terkpeh and seconded on Tuesday, 25th November, 2014 by the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Mr James Klutse Avedzi)

(Conclusion of Debate)

(b) That this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament.

(Moved on Wednesday, 19 th November, 2014 by the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Alban S. K. Bagbin and seconded by the Hon. Vice Chairman of the Committee, Papa Owusu-Ankomah)

(Continuation of Debate)

(c) Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Health on the Establishment of the United Nations Ebola Response Emer- gency Hub in Ghana.

Consideration Stage of Bills --

Customs Bill, 2014 (Continuation fo debate)

Intestate Succession Bill, 2013. (Continuation of debate)

Conduct of Public Officers Bill, 2013. (Continuation of debate)

Committee sittings.

Urgent Questions --
Dr Sagre Bambangi (Walewale) 11 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 (Kwa- daso): 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, etc.
*233. Mr Simon Osei-Mensah (Boso- mtwe): To ask the Minister for Education when the 3-storeyed Staff Quarters Project at Jachie/Pramso Senior High School will be completed.
*234.Mr Kwasi Adusei (Ahafo-Ano North): To ask the Minister for Education whether the Ministry is aware that some senior high schools are charging unapproved fees and if so, what the Ministry is doing about it.
*294.Dr Kojo Appiah-Kubi (Atwima Kwanwoma): To ask the Minister for Education when the Ministry would provide the Atwima Kwanwoma Senior High School with a school bus.
Statements
Presentation of Papers --
Report of the Committee on Poverty Reduction Strategy on the 2011 Annual Progress Report on the Implementation of the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA), 2010-
2013.
Motions --
That this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament.
(Moved on Wednesday, 19th November 2014 by the Chairman of the Committee, Mr Alban S. K. Bagbin and seconded by the Vice Chairman of the Committee, Papa Owusu-Ankomah) (Continuation of debate)
Consideration Stage of Bills --
Customs Bill, 2014 (Continuation of debate)
Intestate Succession Bill, 2013. (Continuation of debate)
Conduct of Public Officers Bill, 2013. (Continuation of debate)
Committee sittings.

PUBLIC HOLIDAY (Farmers' Day)
Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
Yes, Hon Member for Old Tafo?
Dr Anthony A. Osei 11 a.m.
Thank you very much Mr Speaker.
On the Business Statement, there is on the first page, the issue of the debate on the Financial Policy of the Government. There are two things that I would want to say on this matter.
The first one is that, apparently, because Leadership and your goodself have decided that you would not allow anybody to even raise a point of order, Hon Members have taken advantage and stating clear untruth, which is not good for the credibility of this House.
Mr Speaker, I would want to give you a clear example. Yesterday, an Hon Member of this House stated categorically that former President Kufuor took Ghana to Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC), and that former President Mills and President Mahama took Ghana out. Historically, this is a lie. This House cannot allow ourselves - So, because we are not allowed to -- it is a lie.
Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
Honorable, it may be a very -- Please, Honourable
Dr A. A. Osei 11 a.m.
It is an untruth.
Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
Please, you may have a point.
Dr A. A. Osei 11 a.m.
Mr Speaker, with respect, I withdraw the “lie.”
Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
I am not too sure whether this is the time to raise these matters.
Dr A. A. Osei 11 a.m.
This is because I am raising it for you, so that you would relax -
- 11 a.m.

Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
Hon Members, we never took the decision that there should not be a point of order, but we said that as much as possible, we should allow the debate to flow. You can also agree with me that some of the points of order are really not points of order.
Dr A. A. Osei 11 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I agree with you.
Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
We are saying that as much as possible, we should allow the debate to be smooth and flowing. But when somebody makes a statement that breaches the rule or is clearly in breach of the rule, the rule takes precedence over those things.
Dr A. A. Osei 11 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I agree with you, but so far, what I have observed is that, there is a total blockage. I am saying that if we allow that, Hon Members would say untruth and it would go into the records. It is not good for us.
Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
Hon Member for Old Tafo, we are discussing Business Statement, but I can also say this that at times, people should listen and take notes as much as possible, so that when you get up and you have your chance, you can correct it. We also agreed that some of the points of order were just to waste time and derail the whole debate. So, the rule is not that nobody should raise a point of order at all. That is not the decision we have taken.
We are saying that as much as possible, we should allow the debate to be smooth and flowing. That was the decision. I have called a lot of people including you to a point of order when others were on the floor. I have recognised you on the floor.
Dr A. A. Osei 11 a.m.
Mr Speaker, you are clarifying it. But it appears in the last couple of days that when one gets up, he is not called at all. In fact, yesterday, I stood up for almost 15 minutes on a proper point of order, I was not called. So, that is why I got that impression. I do not mind the control that you want to bring, but we should also not allow people to state the untruth.
This is because it would go into the records. How do we correct it when it is already in the records? This issue I am raising is a historical fact. People come to listen to us, and students are given this impression; it is not good for the House.
Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
Honourable, even though you are hiding behind the Business Statement to do what you are doing, there is always an opportunity for Hon Members to correct any untruth on the floor of the House. There will always be an opportunity.
The position is that, as much as possible, let us allow the debate to flow. Do you remember that I called you to a point of order earlier in the week? I recognised you on the Floor. Check the Hansard. I did.
Dr A. A. Osei 11:10 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I appreciate that because the gentleman who made the statement made personal reference to me. That is why you called me. But how do I go and correct a statement made by somebody else, when he has not admitted that it is --
When you go through the --
Mr Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Hon Member for Old Tafo?
Yes, Hon Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture?
Dr Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan 11:10 a.m.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
I had wanted to plead with the Business Committee to reschedule the Questions.
rose
Mr Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Which one is the second issue?
Dr A. A. Osei 11:10 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the second issue refers to a matter I raised with you on the floor of this House during my contribution. I asked the First Deputy Speaker yesterday whether it had been discussed -- on the issue of how do we deal with the problem of what appears to be an inadvertent infraction on the laws of Ghana, which can affect the decision we would take when we are approving the Budget Statement, and asked if any discussion had been held so far --
Mr Speaker 11:10 a.m.
But that is not a Business Committee issue --
Dr A. A. Osei 11:10 a.m.
It relates to the debate --
Mr Speaker 11:10 a.m.
That is not a Business Committee issue. We can handle that matter not on the floor of the House.
Dr A. A. Osei 11:10 a.m.
I thank you.
Mr Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Yes, Hon Deputy Minister?
Dr A.Y. Alhassan 11:10 a.m.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
I would want to plead with the Business Committee to reschedule the Questions that the Hon Minister for Food and Agriculture is going to answer on Thursday. That will be the day before the National Farmers' Day, which starts on Monday. The entire Ministry would be in the Western Region to get the National Farmers' Day going.
So, rescheduling will help.
Mr Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Hon Majority Leader, he has raised a very important point. We do not want a situation where we would programme the Minister and because of other duties, he would not be here. It is a very important point.
What do you say to that?
Very well.
Yes, Hon Member for Ablekuma North?
Mr Justice Joe Appiah 11:10 a.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Today, I am very happy and I thank you also for at least -- the House Committee is meeting on Monday but it should not be a nine-day wonder; it should always continue. For all these years, the House Committee has never met. So, I thank you, Mr Speaker and the Leadership of the House for the House Committee's meeting. We have so much work to do.
I thank you very much.
Mr Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Hon Member for Kwadaso?
Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto 11:10 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I wish to express my dissatisfaction with the decision of the Minister for Agriculture not to come to this House on Thursday. I do not see why the National Farmers' Day on Friday should prevent the Hon Minister for Food and Agriculture from coming to the House to answer an Urgent Question which has been outstanding for nearly two months.
What has the Farmers' Day got to do with it? If he has Answers, it does not matter whether it is during the day or night, he should be able to answer the Questions in this House.
So, Mr Speaker, I honestly object to the fact that the Hon Minister is not appearing because Farmers' day is the next day. I find it totally unacceptable.
Mr Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Hon Minority Leader?
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:10 a.m.
Mr Speaker, unfortunately, I was not at the Business Committee meeting yesterday. But looking at the statements, that issue did strike me and I thought that we could relocate the Urgent Question to perhaps, Wednesday and take the Wednesday Questions to Thursday. We would have finished with the debate on Tuesday and Thursday would be relatively free. We could take the Wednesday's Questions to Thursday and then take the Urgent Questions on Wednesday.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Deputy Minister is shaking his head. If he shakes his head, then I would disagree with him because there are two Deputy Ministers for the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. So, there are three officers; the Minister and two deputies.
I am not too sure that all of them would be going to Takoradi on Monday -- To do what -- to arrange chairs and canopies? They should stay here and come and answer the Questions.

Mr Speaker, if we bring it forward by a day or two, it should be alright for them. It cannot be that the whole week they are going to be in Takoradi. They have no business going there. They have no business going to stay there for one week -- To arrange chairs and canopies? They should stay here and come and answer the Questions.
Dr A. Y. Alhassan 11:10 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Farmers' Day celebration takes the whole week. There are many activities - because the award winners report in the Western Region on Sunday and they are to be hosted by the Minister. I chair the Planning Committee, so I have to be there. My Colleague, Deputy Minister has other schedules in connection with the National Farmers' Day.
So, the entire Ministry is moving to the Western Region. We are not saying we do not have Answers, we have them. We are just pleading for rescheduling to the following week and we would be here to respond to the Questions.
Mr Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Hon Member for Manhyia South?
Dr Matthew O. Prempeh 11:10 a.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
There is a Motion that has been filed for almost two weeks and I have not been informed that you have not accepted it neither have I been informed by the Business Committee --
Mr Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Hon Member for Manhyia South, Motions are admitted by the Speaker and after they are admitted, they are forwarded to the Business Committee for programming. If the Motions are not programmed and not on the Order Paper, then you have to find out their status.
You have to find out from the --
Dr Prempeh 11:10 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I have been finding out every day.
Mr Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Please, you know the rules. So, please, find out from the Clerks- at-the-Table whether it is at my end or it is with them. Then you can take it up at subsequent --
Dr Prempeh 11:10 a.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I will find out whether the Motion is in transit.
Mr Speaker, it concerns another very important issue that was raised three weeks ago --
Mr Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Is it on the Business Statement?
Dr Prempeh 11:10 a.m.
Yes, it affects the Business Statement.
The Business Committee has still not answered the question that is lingering in the budget. The Minister for Finance said --
Mr Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Are you talking about the budget?
Dr Prempeh 11:10 a.m.
In the Business Committee. Mr Speaker, if I finish, you can rule me out. It is so important --
Mr Speaker 11:10 a.m.
But when the foundation itself is against the rules, why should I allow you to proceed.
Dr Prempeh 11:10 a.m.
The foundation is simple; three weeks ago, an issue was raised about the Ghana National Petroleum Company (GNPC) loan. Subsequently, the Minister for Finance has done something very serious; he says the GNPC loan is not a Central Government loan. But it has found itself in the Central Government's budget
Statement. So, we are reconciling this issue. Mr Speaker, I do not know whether you have allowed surreptitiously for something to enter the Budget Statement for us to approve, when he says that it is not a Central Government -- Mr Speaker, it is serious.
Mr Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Hon Member, please.
This is not out of the Business Statement; you may have a concern but I do not think that you should hijack the Business. You are hiding behind the Business Statement to do the kind of thing you want to do.
Yes, Hon Deputy Minority Leader?
Mr Dominic B. A. Nitiwul 11:20 a.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Back to the issue that was raised by the Ranking Member for Food and Agriculture.
For various reasons, some are not the fault of the Ministry though, an Urgent Question has been postponed about three or four times already. And Mr Speaker
-- 11:20 a.m.

Mr Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Was part of the reason not attributable to the person in whose name the Question stands?
Mr Nitiwul 11:20 a.m.
Mr Speaker, that is not what I said.
Mr Speaker 11:20 a.m.
This is because initially, when it was programmed, he said on the floor of the House that he was travelling to Tamale, in the Northern Region, and that, they should reschedule the Question for him, which was done. I do not know whether this was part of the Question.
Dr Akoto 11:20 a.m.
Mr Speaker, that was a month ago; a whole four weeks ago.
Mr Speaker 11:20 a.m.
So, if an Hon Member could ask for a Question to be rescheduled for him, then an Hon Minister could also ask that a Question should be rescheduled for him. What is important is that, the House should agree when it should be rescheduled to convenience everybody. In my view, that is the most important point.
Mr Nitiwul 11:20 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would go with the Minority Leader. This matter was thoroughly debated at the Business Committee; I was there. We were of the strong position -- that is how come some compromise was made and it was scheduled for that day.
There are two Deputy Ministers in addition to the Minister, making them three people. Mr Speaker, the House cannot wait for anybody. This House had to wait for people in an aeroplane to land.
Mr Speaker 11:20 a.m.
We did wait for the Member for Kwadaso some few weeks back.
Mr Nitiwul 11:20 a.m.
Mr Speaker, you gave him the dispensation.
Mr Speaker, this House had to wait for people in an aeroplane to come and land and vote. So, I am very clear in my mind that the Minister and his two deputies, we could schedule one of them to take 30 minutes to come and answer the Question and go back.
Mr Speaker 11:20 a.m.
Hon Members, let us focus on the issue on the floor; it is a very simple one.
A Deputy Minister in charge of that Ministry said that Thursday, 4th December, 2014 was not convenient for the Ministry -- if they could be re-scheduled.
APPENDIX 11:20 a.m.

O 11:20 a.m.

Mr Bagbin 11:20 a.m.
Mr Speaker, on the issue of managing the House and allowing people to raise objections, I recall that Hon Akoto Osei was present when I also stood for some time and I was not given the opportunity. It was the same Speaker who was presiding. So, I am surprised that he is raising this, referring only to his side, and not talking about it generally. [Interruptions]-- He did mention names.
Mr Speaker, so, I think that it is an understanding reached, and we have now agreed that they could recognise Leadership. And that is what was discussed with the Speaker this morning. So, if he has any concerns, he should pass them through his Leader, and he could push them through.
We do not want to encourage too many interruptions which have gone beyond heckling. We would want to have a smooth flow of the debate on the floor of the House. So, I would want him to bear with us.
Mr Speaker, as for Hon Nitiwul, because he is young, he does not understand that people were carried from hospitals to come and vote. He is young; so, he cannot recollect that one.
Mr Speaker, I thought that the Business Committee was being magnanimous by even rescheduling the Question still as an Urgent Question. This is because what is urgent about it if he is saying that it has taken four months. So, how urgent is the Urgent Question then?
And part of that urgency was taken away by him. This is because I was personally appealed to; the Committee was moving away, and they wanted to be present when the Minister answers the Question. So, it was scheduled and they requested for a postponement. We now had to get back to the Ministry to stop them from coming to answer the Question and try to arrange with them for a suitable date. So, the urgency of the Question was removed.
Mr Speaker, but the Committee is still magnanimous by still referring to it as an Urgent Question. Urgent for four months? That cannot be urgent again. We could have scheduled it as a normal Question, but we just decided to give it some prominence. That is why I focused on it.
So, I thought that the Business Committee should have been commended for rescheduling it as an Urgent Question but we are now being attacked and condemned for being gracious; I must say.
The point that has been raised, which I think is relevant is that, the House should not wait on the Executive. We should have our business planned, and the Executive should come to respond to our invitations. At the same time, I agree that we are arms of Government and we should collaborate, co-operate and work in harmony. That is why there is consultation and some negotiations to agree on a compromise.
Mr Speaker, it is true that the Ministry felt a bit pushed and pressured to come on Thursday. This is because they drew our attention to the fact that they would have this national assignment to execute. So, we did not want to take too much of the urgency away. That is why we still scheduled it. But the Ministry drew my attention to the fact that, it is almost an impossible task for them.
So, I would be pleading with the House to let us reconsider it and then put it in the following week after the Farmers' Day celebration. In fact, I have done a consultation with the Hon Member for Kwadaso on this matter, and he gave me the impression that he was going to concede, but this morning, it looks different.
Mr Speaker, the other matters that were raised by the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South was not before the Business Committee. Then the one on the Ghana National Petroleum Authority (GNPC) is a legal issue and we are told that three Hon Members from this House have already taken the matter to court.
So, by our Standing Orders, it has been taken away from us, and it is also not before the Business Committee.
So, Mr Speaker, I pray that the House should adopt the Report of the Committee and that would guide the Business of the House next week. As Members know, this is not cast in stone. As we go along during the course of the week, we could as masters of our own procedure, change some of the things that we have agreed upon today.
So, I thank you very much.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:20 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Majority Leader has made some statements which should be corrected.
First of all, he said that the Business Committee was being magnanimous in allowing for the maintenance of a certain Question to stand as urgent. Then, he goes further to say that they were being graceful.
Mr Speaker, you alone are vested with the authority to admit Questions in whatever form and character. When you have so admitted, it is passed on to the Business Committee to arrange. Changing the character, nature and form of a Question is not within the competence of the Business Committee, which the Majority Leader chairs.
I do not know whether he is the sunshine, gracious or charitable Leader. It does not lie in the competence of the Business Committee, and much less, in his hands to determine that a Question should remain urgent. That is the first thing.
The second thing is that, Mr Speaker, he says of the Hon Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto that when he had some discussions with him, he gave him the impression that he was going to concede but that today, he has changed his mind, giving the impression that the Hon Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto is a wavering personality.
That is most uncharitable. I know Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto as a very firm and decisive personality. He should take that on board.
Mr Speaker, Hon Dr Akoto Osei also never said that rising up and not being noticed was limited to only persons or Members on this side of the House. The Hon Majority Leader has introduced that into the fray and I think for this whole week, the Hon Majority Leader, a good friend of mine -- I do not know what has afflicted him because, in the course of this week, he has been injecting this dose of “we” and “them” into the debate and I believe it is not healthy at all.
Finally, [Interruption] -- Mr Speaker, let me rest my case -- [Laughter.]
rose
Mr Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Hon Members, that brings us to the end of the consideration of the Business Statement for the Fifth Week.
Business Statement for the Fifth Week accordingly adopted by the House.
Question time.

Hon Members, we are on Question time.

Hon Members, the first Question -- Question number 186, the first on the Order Paper stands in the name of the Hon Member for Juaboso.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS 11:30 a.m.

MINISTRY OF ROADS AND 11:30 a.m.

HIGHWAYS 11:30 a.m.

Minister for Roads and Highways (Alhaji Inusah A. B. Fuseini) 11:30 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Proso-Anhwiafutu Feeder Road is 9.0 kilometres and forms part of the Juaboso- Bonso Nkwanta road. It is an engineered
road and located in the Juaboso District of the Western Region. The road was awarded on contract for bituminous surfacing but was terminated due to non- performance of the contractor.
Future programme
The outstanding works on the contract have been repackaged and have been captured for bitumen surfacing in the 2015 Budget.
Mr Akandoh 11:30 a.m.
Mr Speaker, per the Answer provided at page 37 of the Order Paper, the Hon Minister says the project has been repackaged. Mr Speaker, may I know exactly when the project would commence?
Alhaji Fuseini 11:30 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the project is expected to commence in 2015 after the Budget Statement has been approved.
Mr Akandoh 11:30 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I believe 2015 is about 12 months and I would be grateful if the Hon Minister would mention the date specifically.
Mr Speaker, that notwithstanding, giving the deplorable nature of the road, would the Hon Minister consider as a matter of urgency, some kind of maintenance?
Alhaji Fuseini 11:30 a.m.
Mr Speaker, we have been carrying out routine maintenance on some of the roads that have gone bad and if this road falls within that category, we would direct the maintenance unit of the Ministry of Roads and Highways to check out that road and see what could be done in the short-term.
Mr Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Hon Members, we move on to Question number 190 standing in the name of the Hon Member for Tolon.
Work on the Tolon-Kpalgung- Katinga Market,
Tolon-Linbunga, Wantugu- Kasulyili, et cetera roads
Q.190. Alhaji Wahab Wumbei Suhuyini asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when the following roads would be worked on: (i) Tolon-Kpalgung - Katinga Market (ii) Tolon-Lingbunga (iii) Wantugu-Kasulyili (iv) Wantugu- Asaiyili (v) Tolon-Yipelgu (vi) Gundaa- Gbanjogla.
Alhaji Inusah B. A. Fuseini 11:30 a.m.
Mr Speaker,
(1) Tolon-Kpalgung-Katinga Market
Background
The above feeder road is a combination of two road links, namely: Tolon-Fehini- Kpalgung (7.5km) and Kating Daa - Kpalgung-Jegbo (6.1km).
The roads are engineered and are located in the Tolon District of the Northern Region. Kating Daa is one of the major market centres in the Tolon District and is connected by so many roads.
Current programme
The first road, Tolon-Fehini-Kpalgung (7.5km) has been awarded for routine maintenance under DFR Maintenance Programme for 2014.
The contract was awarded in January, 2014 and completed in June, 2014
The second road, Kating Daa- Kpalgung-Jegbo (6.1km) has been awarded for routine maintenance under DFR Maintenance Programme for 2014.
Future programme
These two roads would however be programmed for spot improvement pending availability of funds.
(2) Tolon-Lingbunga
Background
The first 4 kilometres (Tolon-Tali) forms part of the highway from Tamale- Daboya which is under GHA.
Tali-Ligbunga is a 25.2 kilometres engineered road. Most of the labour- based culverts decks are broken, requiring replacement.
Current programme
In March this year, DFR carried out routine maintenance on the stretch. However, due to persistent rains, the road is already in a bad condition.
Future programme
The road would however be pro- grammed for spot improvement pending availability of funds.
(3) Wantugu-Kasuliyili
Background
The Wantugu-Kasuliyili feeder road is 5.0 kilometres long. It is an engineered road and is located in the Tolon District of the Northern Region. The road, which goes through mainly farming communities, is currently in a poor condition.
Current programme
Wantugu-Kasuliyili feeder road, together with Lingbunga-Yizhegu-Gurugu Feeder Road and others (14.8km), Lingbunga-Yizhegu-Gurugu (7.4km) and Nyaba-Yizhegu (2.4km) feeder roads have been programmed for 2014 routine maintenance programme.

(4) Wantugu-Asayili

Background

Wantugu-Asayili is a 4.3 kilometres engineered road, located in the Tolon District of the Northern Region. The road is currently in a poor condition.

Current Programme

In 2014, routine maintenance involving reshaping of the road was carried out.

Future Programme

The road will be programmed for spot improvement subject to availability of funds.

(5) Tolon-Yipelgu

Background

The Tolon-Yipelgu feeder road is a 6.7 kilometres engineered road, located in the Tolon District of the Northern Region.

Current Programme

The road has been awarded for routine maintenance under DFR Maintenance Programme for 2014.

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

Future Programme

The road will be programmed for spot improvement subject to availability of funds.

(6) Gundaa-Gbanjogla

Background

The Gundaa-Gbanjogla feeder road is 21.70 kilometres long located in the Tolon District of the Northern Region. The first 9 kilometres of the road is engineered but the remaining 12.70 kilometres are un- engineered.

This road serves communities running parallel to the White Volta and access has
Alhaji Suhuyini 11:40 a.m.
Mr Speaker, from the Minister's Answer, he is indicating that most of these roads have been awarded to be worked on in 2014 but we are just one month away from the end of 2014. What assurance is he going to give to the constituents, or the people of the Tolon Constituency, that actual work will really be done before the end of the year because the roads are in very bad shape?
Alhaji Fuseini 11:40 a.m.
Mr Speaker, what actually happened was that we had awarded the contracts for routine maintenance of some sections of the road and some of the contractors have taken possession of the sites but have not been able to commence work. Indeed, we are monitoring the situation but I would want to assure you that most of the spot improvement contracts under the 2014 year have been awarded on contract already.
Alhaji Suhuyini 11:40 a.m.
My last question, Mr Speaker.
Can the Hon Minister for Roads and Highways give me time lines when the work will actually begin and end?
Alhaji Fuseini 11:40 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I will have to check with the Ministry -- [Inter- ruption] All right.
Now, the Tolon-Kpulgung road was awarded on the 17th of January, 2014 to Messrs TransVolta Company Limited at a contract sum of GH¢27,293.00. Work was expected to commence on the 3rd day of February, 2014 and complete on the 17th day of June, 2014. Payment on completion was GH¢27,003.00.
The grading of Tali-Wantugu- Kasuliyili feeder road, that is from the Lingbunga is zero kilometre to 21 kilometres. The contract was awarded the same day, 17th January, 2014 to Messrs Sam Sakabo Company Limited. Work was to commence on 3rd February, 2014 and end on 3rd March, 2014. We have so far paid GH¢35,743 and I am told the grading of Tolon- Dimabi- Asayili feeder road and others, 12.7 kilometres, the contract was awarded on the 17th day of January, 2014 to Messrs Silicon Ventures at a contract sum of GH¢24,194.40. Work was expected to commence on 5th February, 2014 and end on 3rd March, 2014. We have so far paid GH¢23,225.13 to the contractor.
The contract for the blurring of Tolon- Yipelgu feeder road and others which is 13.7 kilometres, was awarded on the 17th day of April, 2014 to Messrs Shabo Enterprise at the contract sum of GH¢26,069.50. Work was expected to commence on the 25th day of May, 2014 and complete on the 25th day of September, 2014. The contractor is still working and has not yet completed work.
The Gundaa-Gbanjogla road, that is the blurring of the Markayili to Wara feeder road and the others, 14.4 kilometres. The contract was awarded on the 17th day of January, 2014 to Messrs Yaro Wadata Company Limited at the contract sum of GH¢27,322.00. Commencement was 25th of May, 2014 and completion was 25 th September, 2014. Payment on completion was GH¢27,032. The work has been done on that road.
Mr Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Hon Members, we move to the next Question --
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu — rose
-- 11:40 a.m.

Mr Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Yes?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:40 a.m.
Mr Speaker, in the Answers that the Hon Minister has provided in these Tolon roads, he has given an indication that he gives the backgrounds of those roads which unfortunately, I am sad to relate to. He said almost all the roads are in very poor conditions. He then comes to say that the roads will however be programmed for spot improvement pending the availability of funds in almost all of them.
Mr Speaker, is it not true that the Ministry of Roads and Highways would have their own programme of action in road development and then look for funding for same? Or do they look for funding, stash them away and then they draw their programmes? Is it not the converse; is it not the first option that they would apply themselves to?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:40 a.m.
What is he shaking himself to because for each one, you nods to? I do not know which one he is nodding to.
Mr Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Hon Minister for Roads and Highways?
Alhaji Fuseini 11:40 a.m.
I am nodding to both scenarios because both apply.
But this is not development; this is maintenance, largely to be funded by the Road Fund Account. So, it means that when we have enough inflows and you know the Road Fund inflows come from sources. So, we can only project that this year, such amount of money will come into the Road Fund for spot improvement and that is the reason we are saying “pending the availability of funds”. This is because it is not subvented. It is on the Road Fund for maintenance and we can only carry out that maintenance regime if we are able to have enough inflows into the Fund. That is the reason we are saying “pending on the availability of funds.” But obviously, this is a mandate we need to carry out and we will look for funds to be able to carry them out.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker that is an issue because the Hon Minister says that the roads are already in a very bad shape and if it is that, he has to look for money before he programmes them, I believe by the time that he gets the money, the roads would be literally impassable. I think he should have a programme of action and look for money to do even the spot improvement and that should be the path that he should be pursuing.
Mr Speaker 11:50 a.m.
I thought it was more of a comment than a question.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, it would elicit a response from the Hon Minister.
Mr Speaker 11:50 a.m.
Very well.
Hon Minister?
Alhaji Fuseini 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, it is more of a comment made in very good faith and I also take it in good faith.
Mr Speaker 11:50 a.m.
Hon Members, we move to the next Question -- Question 191 standing in the name of the Hon Member for Bia West, Hon Michael Coffie Boampong [Pause.]
We move to the next Question numbered 192 standing in the name of the Hon Member for Jaman North.
Completion of Drobo-Sampa Road
Q. 192.Mr Stevens Siaka asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when the Drobo-Sampa road, which was started in 2006, would be completed.
Alhaji A. B. Fuseini 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker,
Background
The Drobo-Sampa road is in the Jaman North District of the Brong Ahafo Region. The road is 56 kilometres long and awarded for reconstruction on 27th March, 2007 and commenced on 2nd May, 2007.
Current Programme Work has stalled due to problems
encountered on the site. GHA is resolving issues to enable the contractor to mobilise to site.
Mr Siaka 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to ask the Hon Minister when the construction work was stalled?
Alhaji Fuseini 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am not able to tell exactly when work was stalled but I have a letter in my hand which clearly shows that the negotiations on the road started on the 23rd May, 2014 to enable the contractor to return to site.
Mr Siaka 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, is it the same contractor who is to tar the Sampa town roads?
Alhaji Fuseini 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, from the correspondence I have, it is still J.S Adom.
Mr Siaka 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, so exactly when would they finish with the whole exercise? Do they have an idea when they would finish? This is because it is almost seven years now.
Alhaji Fuseini 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, what we are currently preoccupied with is to get the issues confronting the contractor resolved, so that he could mobilise and move to site and we can have the project complete on schedule. This is because the project is expected to be completed within a certain period of time.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I guess the Hon Minister was referring to J.A Adom, the contractor and not J.S Adom —[Interruption.]
Are you referring to J.A Adom or J.S Adom?
Alhaji Fuseini 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I do not know the contractor but I think that the “S” is my addition -- [Laughter]— it is J Adom — the contractor is Messrs J Adom, and I have to apologise to this House— the “S” was my addition and the name is Messrs J Adom Ltd.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Minister has indicated to us that the road in question is 56 kilometres long and awarded for reconstruction on 27th March, 2007 and commenced on the 2nd May, 2007. How true is it that at least, 50 kilometres of that road has been primer sealed awaiting for the application of the gravel and then it has stalled all this while — indeed, 53 kilometres out of the 56 kilometres have been primer sealed.
Alhaji Fuseini 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I do not have that information and if the Hon Minority Leader is minded to engage me after this, I would be able to provide that for him.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:50 a.m.
I will certainly engage him on that. I guess he may also have to look at the cost implications—after a road has been primer sealed and then for whatever reason, he is telling us about problems encountered on the site, what are the problems that he encountered on the site or he wants us to do some consultations on this one as well?
Alhaji Fuseini 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, from the correspondence I have, it was about delayed payments and others. But I agree with the Hon Member that the cost of having to re-do a road that is primer sealed over a long period of time, which necessarily must result to reconstruction is huge. We at the Ministry are working to ensure that when the stage of primer seal is reached, we complete the process of putting the final seal , so that we do not overburden the State.
Mr Speaker 11:50 a.m.
Question 193— [Pause]— Q194 standing in the name of the Hon Member for Sene East.
Construction of Kwame Danso- Kojokrom Road
Q.194. Mr Dominic Napare asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when the Kwame Danso - Kojokrom road would be constructed.
Alhaji Inusah A. B. Fuseini 11:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker,
Kwame Danso-Kojokrom road --
Background
The Kwame Danso-Kojokrom road is located in the Sene East District of the Brong Ahafo Region. The road is engineered and is 60.5 kilometres long.
In 2012, the road was packaged into nine (9) lots and the works were awarded to nine (9) contractors for upgrading the road to bitumen surface dressing.
The works were procured under the ‘Eastern Corridor Multi -Modal Transport Project (ECMMTP)” to be funded by a facility from the China Development Bank (CDB) for infrastructural development to enhance economic growth.
Current Programme
The road has been awarded under the 2014 routine maintenance and the first grading has been completed and the second phase of the grading will be completed before the end of the year.
Future Programme
Construction works will commence when a new funding source is identified.
Mr Napare noon
Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the Hon Minister whether he is aware that the continuous grading on the road over the past 20 years has rendered the road in a worst state and whether the Ministry is considering spot improvement on the road to salvage the situation.
Alhaji Fuseini noon
Yes, Mr Speaker, the Ministry would consider spot improve- ment on those sections of the road that are very bad.
Mr Napare noon
Mr Speaker, may I know from the Hon Minister whether the Kwame Danso-Kojokrom road would be considered as a priority in 2015 since it was packaged and awarded way back in 2012 and has since not seen the light of the day.
Alhaji Fuseini noon
Mr Speaker, indeed, it has been considered as a priority road. For the information of the Hon Member who asked the Question, this road is part of the roads which we intend to construct by the use of the funds that we are getting from the Abu Dhabi Foundation and we have already sent to the proposal to the Foundation.
Mr Speaker noon
Hon Members, that brings us the end of Question --
rose
Mr Speaker noon
Hon Minority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu noon
Mr Speaker, I would want to be sure about this. In the third paragraph of the Minister's Answer, he said the work was procured under the “Eastern Corridor Multi Modal Transport Project (ECMMTP)” to be funded by a facility from the China Development Bank (CDB) for infrastructural development to enhance economic growth. Yes, it was procured under this facility. Is it still on the wings of that facility?
Alhaji Fuseini noon
Mr Speaker, the last sentence says that construction works will commence when new funding source is identified and we have since identified a new funding source and that is the Abu Dhabi Foundation.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu noon
Mr Speaker, the reason I asked this question is that, the Hon Minister is aware this facility came with a lot of problems and it was withdrawn. It never even came to Parliament for consideration. So, for him to have included it here that it was procured under that facility, is why I asked him what was the status of that. And if he knew that, why did he include it in his Answer?
Alhaji Fuseini noon
Mr Speaker, we just included it for historical significance. [Laughter.]
Mr Speaker noon
Hon Members, that brings us to the end of Question time.
Hon Minister for Roads and Highways, we thank you very much for attending upon the House to respond to Questions from Hon Members.
Hon First Deputy Speaker to take the Chair.
At the Commencement of Public Business -- Presentation of Papers by the Hon Minister for Finance -- Item number 6(b)(i).
Mr Bagbin noon
Mr Speaker, sorry for the --
Mr Speaker noon
I mentioned item number 6(b).
Mr Bagbin noon
Mr Speaker, item number 6(b) is for the Hon Minister for Finance.
Mr Speaker noon
Yes. That is what I mentioned because I have been informed that we are not laying item number 6(a) (i) and (ii). That is why I moved straight to item number 6(b).
The Hon First Deputy Speaker will take the Chair and continue with proceedings.
MR FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER
PAPERS 12:05 p.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon Deputy Majority Leader?
Mr Agbesi 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we are on item number 6(b)(ii).
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon Members, item number 6(b)(ii).
(ii) Grant Agreement between the Government of the Republic and the International Development Association (acting as admini- strator of the Health Results Innovation Trust Fund) for an amount of five million United States dollars (US$5,000,000) to finance the Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition Improve- ment Project.
Referred to the Committee on Finance.
Dr A. A. Osei 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I was trying to catch your eye before the Paper could be laid. I just wanted to ask the Hon Minister for Finance --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Later, you caught my eye but I saw that you were busy with your smartphone.
Dr A. A. Osei 12:05 p.m.
No! I was waiting for you.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
No! You caught my eye. You were standing but you were dealing with the gadget. [Laughter.]
Dr A. A. Osei 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I was just curious. Even though it has been stood down, I was wondering why the Hon Minister for Energy and Petroleum being allowed to lay a Loan Agreement Paper when the Hon Minister for Finance is here. Item number 6(a) -- it has been stood down but out of curiosity, I am surprised
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon Member, once it has not been dealt with now, we would let matters rest there.
Dr A. A. Osei 12:05 p.m.
I thought since the Hon Minister for Finance was here, maybe, he would be giving us an explanation. I do not know -- somebody said it was a mistake. It is on the Order Paper and that is why I was curious.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Very well.
Hon Minister?
Mr Terkpeh 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I believe it was a mistake. Usually, the sector Ministers present the commercial Agreements to the House through their Committees. So, this is inadvertent. This is a financial Agreement which should have come in under the heading of the Hon Minister for Finance.
Dr Prempeh 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I know that these two Agreements that have been laid and referred to the Committee on Finance. I have no problem. But the Committee on Health has not been apprised on any of these issues and it is a worry.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Which Committee?
Dr Prempeh 12:05 p.m.
The Committee on Health. It is directly to do with maternal and child health and nutrition improvement. We have had a similar problem where the Ministry of Finance had passed it and then when it came to the project implementation, the Committee of Health did not know. A typical example was the Ridge Hospital debacle. So, I wonder if the Ministry -- I know you have already made your ruling. I wonder if the Committee on Health should not be part, so that we can really interrogate the issues on what those moneys are going to be used for.
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon Ranking Member, do you have any contribution?
Dr A. A. Osei 12:05 p.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker -- to the Hon Minister for Finance. I know that he is following article 181(3). I am wondering -- the second part is a grant; it is not a loan. So, I do not know if this is the normal thing we have been doing. It is good. But this is not a loan. Maybe, it is an international transaction, that is why he is bringing it. I would want him to educate us.
Mr Terkpeh 12:10 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is a combined facility and it is going to come as such even though it is separated; it is a mixed facility. So, we are only providing information for the entire package.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:10 p.m.
With regard to the Hon Member for Manhyia South, I think I have given the direction; let it go and I believe we can look at it subsequently if the need arises. I agree with you that it has to do with health issues as well, but we are talking more about the money than --
Dr Prempeh 12:10 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is true. That is why I said I did not have a problem with your referral, but the money is coming for a purpose. Whether the money is going to be applied to the purpose, we hope it has been discussed. I have not seen anything in the Health Committee on this issue even though it is going to the Finance Committee. I thought we had to find a way to bring the Minister for Health to apprise us on some of these things. This is because loans can be approved and granted and then when it gets to the project implementation, it becomes an issue. That is why I brought it to your attention. But I agree, we will talk about it.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Yes, Hon Ranking Member?
Dr A. A. Osei 12:10 p.m.
Mr Speaker, may I crave your indulgence to invite the Chairman and the Ranking Member of the Health Committee to join us if that will assist?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Yes, Hon Gyan-Baffour?
Prof. George Y. Gyan-Baffour 12:10 p.m.
Mr Speaker, this issue about joint referral on any referral to the Finance Committee has come before the House over and over again. Sometimes, it even creates some
problems when we are debating it on the floor. The Leadership, and especially the Speakership, should really take a firm decision on that, so that when these things come before us and they are referred to the joint committees, that they can resolve issues about whether what the project is about is even necessary. But when we just refer it to the Finance Committee because we are dealing with a loan and we do not want to talk about the utility of the project.
The Finance Committee is not competent enough to talk about the utility of projects. But all the time, it comes in here and we say that it is just because of the loan, that is why it is before us and therefore we should not refer it to the other committees. I think we are losing a lot because all the debates we hear are not even about the structure of the loan but about the feasibility of the project, whether the project will work and yet you refer it to only the Finance Committee. I think we have to take a bold decision on that and decide on what to do, otherwise, we would always have these problems coming in.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Yes, Hon Member?
Dr A. A. Osei 12:10 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I sympathise with my Hon Colleague here. But I think the Finance Committee only talks about the terms and conditions. Secondly, all the commercial contracts are referred to the substantive committees. So, there is no problem. We only talk about the terms and conditions and do not get into the contracts. For example, if there is a commercial contract for health, we would not be looking at it in the domain of the substantive committee. But when they say it is referred to the Finance Committee, it is our mandate.
So, the appropriate sector looks at the other part and it is not referred jointly. This is because if I am following his argument, then it means that the Finance Committee
should always be invited. I do not think it would work because the burden is too much. The commercial contracts always get referred to the substantive committees -- [Interruption] -- It is a fact. These are the terms and conditions of the loan as it says in the Constitution and in our Standing Orders. We never see the original; we do not look at it. So, I think that --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Very well.
Hon Members, I have already given my ruling. But I am still sitting. So, I believe I have the power to review that decision that I gave early on. I believe a compromise for us is to get the leadership of the Health Committee to be part of the Finance Committee in considering this particular Paper that has been presented.
Dr A. A. Osei 12:10 p.m.
With the understanding that we will spend time talking about the terms and conditions of the loan, not the commercial contract?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Hon Members, I have ruled. The matter ends there.
Hon Deputy Majority Leader, we are in your hands.
Mr Alfred K. Agbesi 12:10 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we are continuing with the debate on the Financial Policy of the Government, item number 7 -- Motions.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:10 p.m.
Very well.
Hon Members, we are dealing with item number 7 on the Order Paper. Today is Friday. But we will try our best to accommodate the total number presented to us by both sides. I will take three of the contributions and then the Second Deputy Speaker will take the remaining three on each side. We start with Hon Dr Owusu Afriyie, Member for Kwadawo.
MOTIONS 12:20 p.m.

  • [Resumption of debate from 27/11/ 14]
  • Dr Owusu A. Akoto (NPP -- Kwadaso) 12:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is Owusu Afriyie Akoto, not Owusu Afriyie.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:20 p.m.
    Hon Member, probably, you would have to inform Leadership because this is what they have written on the list for me. I agree with you. You are right.
    Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto 12:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, that is for your information. My surname is Akoto.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:20 p.m.
    Very well.
    Dr Akoto 12:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you very much for this opportunity to make a contribution to the debate on the floor. I would want to concentrate on the agricultural part of this document, the document which is seeking to transform Ghana, as the theme proposed by the Hon Minister for Finance.
    Once again, the farmers of Ghana have had to come to the rescue of the people of this country and I am referring to the GH¢1.7 billion cocoa syndicated loan, which the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) signed and the arrival of the money in this country, which, as we all know, is doing a great deal to revive the health of the cedi.
    Dr Akoto 12:20 p.m.


    Mr Speaker, can you imagine what this economy would be like without this GH¢1.7 billion -- where would the cedi be? The contribution that farmers of this country continue to make is so important, yet this budget Statement clearly shows that farmers and fishermen are not the priority of this budget. Why do I say so? If you take together the total amount of money allocated to the two Ministries of Food and Agriculture and Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, they come to only GH¢484 million out of the GH¢44 billion allocated to all the sectors.

    That is only 1.1 per cent of the total amount of resources allocated for various activities in this country and in the six- year administration of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Government, percentage allocated to such a critical sector.

    Mr Speaker, on 25th February, 2014, the President of the Republic of Ghana, came here for the State of the Nation Address and complained about the fact that Ghana was importing US$1.5 billion of food into this country -- basic food staples which can be produced cheaply in this country. That is what he came to complain about.

    He does not make any reference to the fact that since this Administration took over six years ago, our food import bill was less than US$600 million. So, he has presided over an explosion in food imports to US$1.5 billion. This is very simple because if you look at the performance of agriculture, the growth rate of the general economy in the six years, has been on average, an annual growth rate of, 8.8 per cent, agriculture averaged 4.7 per cent. So, it means that agricultural growth is only half of the growth of the economy. What it means is that, consequently, food imports are

    being sucked in. This is because agriculture is not doing enough to produce food for the people of this country. That is a very simple explanation.

    Mr Speaker, I will just take three examples -- rice. In 2009, when this Government took over, we imported 384,000 metric tons of rice. Since then, rice imports have exploded to consistently over half a million metric tons. In 2013, it went to 577,000 metric tons. That is the predicament of this country, that in six years, a basic item like rice is being imported in large quantities. I am not even talking about the illegal rice smuggling across the border from Ivory Coast, which the local rice associations have been complaining about. I am talking about the officially landed statistics.

    Mr Speaker, that is the situation that we have in this country. If you take fish and you take poultry, it is even worst. Ghanaians have had to import almost double what they used to import in the six years of this Administration. From 171,000 tons of fish, we are now importing -- we imported in 2013, 265,000 metric tons.

    It is the same for poultry. Poultry imports rose from 69,000 metric tons in the same period to 148,000 metric tons.

    Mr Speaker, these are very serious trends and very worrying. It means that having presided over an explosion in imports of basic food crops from US$600 million a year to US$1.5 billion, we could soon be seeing imports of US$2 billion and could go on and on. It, therefore, makes what this Budget Statement is saying about agriculture very serious.

    Mr Speaker, in the same vein, in 2013, Ghana imported 216,000 metric tons of sugar, 114,000 metric tons of tomatoes and 124,000 metric tons of cooking oil -- ordinary cooking oil, and we are now importing over 124,000 metric tons.

    Mr Speaker, I am using these volumes because they actually bring out the seriousness of the situation. If you look at the values sometimes, on the international market, of course, the prices go up and down. But using actual volumes would tell you the way our farmlands are being flooded with imports because of lack of performance of agriculture in this country.

    Now, Mr Speaker, I am saying that the growth in import is related to our agriculture performance and it is obvious. In 2008 and 2009, agriculture was growing at more than 7 per cent. Since then, we have not seen it come to that level. It went as low as 0.8 per cent in 2011and it is now hovering around 5 per cent. And that 5 per cent, we know in the last two years, rainfall has benefited our agriculture tremendously, otherwise, without the good rain and so on, I do not know what the growth of this economy would have been.

    If you take two major interventions of this Government to help with the growth in agriculture, Mr Speaker, you would see from these budgets -- last year's budget and this year's budget, the defects in the whole programme of trying to resuscitate our agriculture growth.

    We take tractor hire services, which the Ministry of Agriculture calls Agriculture Mechanisation Service Enterprise Centres (AMSEC). AMSEC in the last year, there were supposed to be 89 tractor hire services in this country. This budget is saying that they are going to do another 41. Mr Speaker, I am amazed! Forty-one (41) tractor hire services in addition to the 84 in one year? They forget that in 2009, we had 86. So, within this period, of five (5) years, we have had three (3) more AMSECs established and

    how is it possible that we could have another 41 in one year? Somebody is not making their calculations right, Mr Speaker. Somebody is not taking the crises in our agriculture serious otherwise, they would not come and mention in this Budget Statement here that they are going to establish 41 new centres.

    Mr Speaker, as a Committee, we were in the Northern Region about three weeks ago and we know that most of the existing tractor hire services are not even operational. These tractors are either broken down because of lack of spare parts or lack of maintenance and so on.

    If you care to ask farmers, they would tell you that it is either only partially working or it is not working at all. And to write in this Budget Statement that they are going to establish 41 new centres, when there have been only three established in five years, beats my imagination. Somebody is not being serious about tackling the very serious agricultural crisis that is endangering our food security in this country.

    Secondly, Mr Speaker, you know that productivity on farms comes from mechanisation and application of fertilisers. Mr Speaker, in last year's Budget Statement, it was very clear -- they stated that they were going to import and distribute 180,000 metric tons of fertiliser -- NPK and the others.

    Mr Speaker, if you ask me how many were distributed; zero! In the past year, not one bag of subsidised fertiliser was distributed to farmers in this country. I am here to be challenged by anybody who would say that the Ministry imported subsidised fertiliser --
    Dr Akoto 12:20 p.m.
    Fair enough, Mr Speaker. I am coming to it. I am building my case because what is confronting us is a very serious trend of affairs.
    Farmers are being confronted with the retail price of fertiliser of GH¢130. Some local experts believe that come this dry season, there would be shortage of maize and other grains because of lack of fertiliser. For the first time in ten years since the programme began, we did not have one single bag of fertiliser.
    Mr Speaker, this is where our agriculture is headed to. All this talk about the Accra Plains Irrigation Project -- When I came to this Parliament, the first three budgets were littered with this great irrigation project, which was going to deliver Ghana from our food problems and all that. It has been quietly dropped.
    Mr Speaker, there is no mention of the Accra Plains Irrigation Project in this Budget Statement. Who is deceiving whom? The people of this country expect to be fed and if Government says that they were going to do these projects, the people expect them to deliver and not quietly drop this idea. There is not one drop of irrigation water on the Accra Plains, as I speak to you, Mr Speaker, which is equally very serious.

    We would continue to demand from this Government -- If the Government has seized the bonuses, they should say so because there is no mention of it here.

    President Mahama went to Tepa in March and promised the cocoa farmers that he was going to pay the three years outstanding bonus. Up till now, there is no talk of that. We would want to know what has happened to the money.

    Mr Speaker, in my estimation, this is worth about a hundred million Ghana cedis. Mr Speaker, hundred million Ghana cedis worth of bonuses are being withheld from farmers. [Interruptions.] Where is the money? I will ask: Where is the money?

    The prices which have been fixed -- for three years, farmers did not get any increase in producer prices but just fixed per cent for the year. Now, they have revised the price and they give only 65 per cent -- from GH¢202.00 to GH¢345.00.

    Mr Speaker, in my estimation, the farmers of this country should be paid GH¢479 and not GH¢345 -- [Interruptions.] That would be the 70 per cent which the NDC Government, in their manifestoes of 2008 and 2012, promised the people of this country.

    Mr Speaker, I would go on. The mass spraying programmes that they had promised in this budget -- Of course, since they assumed power, they took over the mass spraying and the high technology programmes from the Kufuor initiative of 2001. These programmes have continued but --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:30 p.m.
    Hon Member, one more minute.
    Dr Akoto 12:30 p.m.
    But the lie here, Mr Speaker, is that, these programmes have been cut back considerably to the extent where majority of cocoa farmers are no longer benefiting from the mass spraying and high technology -- That is the true fact of the matter. Anybody can go to the farmers in Sefwi Wiawso, Sunyani and other places and the fact would be made
    bare to them. Mr Speaker, that is what is happening to the people of this country.
    Lastly, Mr Speaker, I would talk about fisheries. This Government came and established the local premix committees all along the coasts to solve the premix situation. Mr Speaker, we know that, that has not solved the problem. There has been these persistent complaints from fishermen, that they do not get the premix fuel to go to sea, not only along the coast but also the river side --
    Dr Akoto 12:30 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, basically, what we are saying is --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:30 p.m.
    Hon Member, your time is up.
    Dr Akoto 12:30 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, give me just a minute. Let me conclude because this is a very serious turn of affairs in this country.
    Mr Speaker, the way things are going, our food security -- nutrition security is being endangered by this regime, and it is better they go back and do some further work to try and bring bits of life into the agriculture of this country --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:30 p.m.
    Thank you very much, Hon Member.
    Dr Akoto 12:30 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker. [Hear! Hear!]
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:30 p.m.
    Hon Members, it is the turn of Hon Theophilus Tetteh Chaie.
    Mr Theophilus T. Chaie (NDC -- Ablekuma Central) 12:30 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity given me to contribute to the Motion on the floor.
    Mr Speaker, the theme for the 2015 Budget Statement has a transformational agenda, which has a lot of bright prospects for the people of this country. Mr Speaker, may I refer you to the statements made by the Hon Chairman of the Finance Committee in reference to the debt situation of the country. He made assertions, that various countries' GDP ratios in terms of debt are even more than what we have as a country.
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:30 p.m.
    Hon Members, as agreed, if you have a point of order, pass it through Leadership and then -- That was the arrangement. I was sitting here when it was --
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:30 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Minority Leader?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:30 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Colleague, the Hon Member for Atwima-Mponua was whispering to me, that there was something very urgent. I do not know the nature of the urgency. So, maybe, you can listen to him. I do not know what it relates to -- I do not think it has to do with the statement of the Hon Member on the floor.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:30 p.m.
    Very well. Let us listen to him.
    Mr I. K. Asiamah 12:30 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, this is very urgent. It is about our dress code. We all admire our traditional dress -- the hats of Hon Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and other Hon Colleagues here are all traditional ones.
    Mr I. K. Asiamah 12:30 p.m.


    Mr Speaker, what I see from the Hon Member from Shama is unparliamentary and should not be allowed to be introduced in this House. We do not entertain these cowboy hats in this House. If we want to wear hats, it should be traditional Ghanaian hats. That is what we want and not this kind of -- So, I would want your guidance on the kind of hat he is wearing.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:30 p.m.
    Hon Member, I rule you out of order. I was discussing it with the Hon Second Deputy Speaker this morning. I do not think anything prevents him. If we want to rule out that one, we should be specific.
    Hon Member, please, continue.
    Mr Chaie 12:30 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, this is a diversionary tactics just to derail my line of argument.
    Mr Speaker, I alluded to the fact that, if you have a businessman who has a high market growth, and has a relatively high market share and wants to invest, and given the resources that that particular businessman has, he has to take about 20 years before he would get those resources needed to invest.
    Then somebody decides to give that businessman within the shortest possible time, an amount of money to invest in the business now. Which one would you go for? Would you go for investment now or investment in 20 years' time?
    The population of this country is growing at a faster pace. New areas are being developed for both commercial and residential purposes. Economic activities have also gone up.
    Mr Speaker, we cannot wait as a country and say because of our limited
    resources we would not develop our roads and transport sector. That is why our current GDP in terms of debt ratio is around 60.8 per cent.
    The people of this country will never forgive us, if we impoverish them for so many years for things that they need or needed now.
    As a result, I would want to commend the Minister for Finance through His Excellency the President, for the bold steps that they have taken to develop our infrastructure in terms of roads and transport.
    Mr Speaker, in his earlier statement on this Budget Statement, Prof. Gyan- Baffour made an allusion to the fact that, the late President did not support the idea that we could use our local resources to develop the road sector. We do not say negative things about the dead but then the truth must always be told.
    The late President never mentioned that we could not use our local resources to develop our road sector. If you want to build a house, you need to count the cost, look for the resource, and that was what His Excellency the former President said.
    On the gang of four roads that we came to inherit, we are all here, they should tell us how much resources they allocated in the budget to support those road projects. This is the difference between the two political parties.

    In terms of the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange, which is ongoing now, an amount of US$160 million has been

    Currently, in the Greater Accra Region, we are going to benefit from some roads rehabilitation -- resurfacing of roads in the Greater Accra Region -specifically, the Accra Metropolis.

    We always complain that pothole patching and other things are not helpful to our socioeconomic development and therefore, we need to look for pragmatic measures to solve this particular problem.

    As I talk to you now Mr Speaker, we have sourced for an amount of US$40 million to ensure that various road networks in the Accra Metropolis are asphalted and that is prudent manage- ment of the economy.

    The people in my constituency, Ablekuma Central, Sukura, Latebiokoshie et cetera are also going to benefit from the asphaltic overlay. [Hear! Hear!] The people of Madina are also going to benefit from this project; the people of Kanda North and South are also going to benefit from this project and that is what we call prudent management of the economy. [Hear! Hear!]

    Mr Speaker, let us go to the Kasoa interchange. An amount of US$160 million has also been allocated. In fact, we have sourced funding for that particular project; it is not going to be a project for which resources are not available as our Hon Colleagues on the other side of the House did when they were in office.

    This is because when it comes to road infrastructure development, the moment we start the construction of the road, we cannot prevent vehicles from using the road and whoever is working on the road, needs the resources to continue with the project. When resources are not available, what would happen is that, the cost of
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Prof. Gyan-Baffour just approached me to indicate to me that the Hon Member on his feet has mentioned his name in a statement, that he is purported to have alluded to the late President Mills and went on that path to criticise him, that as Hon Members, in our contributions, we should be truthful, that we should not be unkind or uncharitable to the dead.
    So, he came to me and I said, well, he should appeal to you and then you set the record straight, that is, if he was misquoted. So, he is on his feet.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:40 p.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, at the time the statement was made, I took a look; he was not in the Chamber and that was why I let it go.
    Hon Member, please, proceed.
    Mr Chaie 12:40 p.m.
    Thank you very much Mr Speaker.
    We are not looking at the Kasoa interchange, which is also costing the Government an amount of US$160 million. Funding has been made available and that is prudent economic management.
    Now, what is going to happen is that for the people of Kasoa, in terms of economic activities, things are going to be enhanced.
    Those who are using that particular corridor from the Western Region, through the Central Region are going to have easy access to their various areas. And the people of Kasoa are going to benefit from this project.
    There is going to be the construction of the Kasoa-Amasaman road. So, when one is coming from Kumasi and you want to go to the Central Region, one does not need to come to circle. From Amasaman, one just gets to Kasoa. We have the construction of a 20 metre span bridge over the River Densu. Won pe wei a, wo pe den? Construction of boarding toilet facility for the --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:40 p.m.
    Hon Member, please, translate what you said in Ghanaian language.
    Mr Chaie 12:40 p.m.
    What I said was: “If you do not want this, then what else do you want?” [Hear! Hear!]
    The Nyanyanor road is going to be dualled, giving it a very good shape as part of this construction. So, the people of Nyanyanor will see the benefit in this 2015 Budget Statement. We are also going to have the construction of service roads -- the Bawjiase road is also going to be tackled. So these are projects that Government has borrowed resources to fund.
    Mr Speaker, I have already told you that in putting up road projects, we need to provide the funding, it is very necessary. Those roads have failed because they did not provide the funding -- [Interruption.] You.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:40 p.m.
    Hon Member, address the Chair.
    Mr Chaie 12:40 p.m.
    As part of the transport sector, Government has made provision for 200 new buses to increase the fleet of buses for the Metro Mass Transit (MMT). The most important thing is that, Ghanaian citizens are going to benefit from this particular project. They want vehicles to ply the routes that Hon Members on the other side of the House would never like to ply.
    We want goods and services to be made available to them, to come close to their doors; we want cheaper cost of food for our people and definitely, we need these buses to enhance our road transport system. That is what the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Government is doing and that is what this Budget Statement is telling us to do --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:40 p.m.
    Hon Member, you have one more minute to go.
    Mr Chaie 12:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, as a result of these buses coming in, our school children are also going to benefit, because MMT normally supports students with free opportunity to use their buses, and this is going to increase the number of students using these available buses. If all these things are being provided in the Budget Statement and we are not happy about this, then what else do we want Government to do for us?
    Mr Speaker, there are a lot of things about this Budget Statement.
    The people of this country are looking for development, they want the development now and not tomorrow and it is prudent for Government to ensure that the few resources that we have are harnessed to support the road sector --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:40 p.m.
    Hon Member, your time is up.
    Mr Chaie 12:40 p.m.
    On this note, Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity given to me. [Hear! Hear!]
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:40 p.m.
    Thank you very much.
    Hon Members, the next Hon Member to take the floor is Dr Bambangi Sagre, Member for Walewale.
    Dr Sagre Bambangi (NPP -- Walewale) 12:40 p.m.
    Thank you Mr Speaker for the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Motion to approve the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2015 financial year.
    Mr Speaker, in doing so, I would like to focus on some aspects of performance and proposals for the agriculture sector.
    Mr Speaker, the Budget Statement in 2014 financial year, in paragraphs 382 to 385, proposed targets for the increased growth in incomes programme. This
    programme, Mr Speaker, targeted the production of 138,864 metric tons of pigs and guinea fowls and about two (2) million metric tons of cloth through support to farmers in 2014.
    Mr Speaker, unfortunately, in the 2015 Budget Statement, we cannot find any account for these targets. Whether these targets have been achieved, we have not been told. Unfortunately and lousily, the 2015 Budget Statement only makes a proposal again in paragraph 350 -- “…to increase poultry population by 8 per cent….” to achieve increased income growth.
    So, Mr Speaker, can we trust this Budget Statement?
    Some Hon Members -- No! No!
    Dr Bambangi 12:50 p.m.
    This is because the 2014 Budget Statement has not been able to deliver on increased growth in incomes, yet they are promising us again in this Budget Statement. [Interruptions] -- We are going to be able to increase incomes by increasing poultry production by eight per cent and so, the way this budget is shaking, we do not trust it. [Interruption.]
    Mr Speaker, again, in the Budget Statement speech of 2015, the Hon Minister for Finance, said and with your permission, I beg to quote:
    “The growth in the Agriculture Sector is expected to result mainly from planned Government interven- tions, including increasing the number of Agricultural Mechanisa- tion Services Centres (AMSECs), as well as enhancing the fertiliser and seed subsidy programme.”
    Mr Speaker, as we sit here, the cropping season for 2014, is almost over.
    Some Hon Members -- It is over! It is over!
    Dr Bambangi 12:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in terms of distributing subsidised fertiliser, there is no show. Going back to the 2014 Budget Statement, that the Budget Statement proposed to distribute 180,000 metric tons of subsidised fertiliser to small holder farmers. All such farmers have been awaiting the proposed subsidised fertiliser, including those in the Walewale Constituency, but there is no show.
    Some Hon Members -- No show! No show!
    Dr Bambangi 12:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, are we going to be able to trust this Budget Statement on delivery? We cannot trust the Budget Statement, Mr Speaker. We budgeted for the subsidised fertiliser. So, where is the money? [Interruptions.]
    Clandestinely, the 2015 Budget Statement is silent on the outcomes of the fertiliser subsidy. There is no mention of the outcomes. In terms of targets, how many tons of subsidised fertilisers were we able to distribute in 2014? The farmers are still waiting, and we are asking the questions.
    Mr Speaker, so, can such a Budget Statement be transformational? We promised farmers that we were subsidising fertiliser, and farmers factor this into their plans -- and farming is a profession that has to be done in timeliness, yet we disappointed all the farmers of this country in terms of subsidised fertiliser. Mr Speaker, we cannot trust this Budget Statement; it cannot transform the economy.
    Dr Bambangi 12:50 p.m.
    This is because, in paragraph 349, the Budget Statement indicates:
    “Mr. Speaker, a total of 12,715.48ha of land was developed for irrigation agriculture as against a target of 9,132ha. This is expected to yield 20,370mt of rice, maize and vegetables under the irrigation/ flood recession schemes and water conservation methods in 2014 cropping season.
    The Ministry in its effort to enhance collaboration in the agriculture sector, organised a joint sector review meeting with its key stakeholders and developed an action plan from the key recommendations. The action plan will be implemented and the reviewed Medium Term Agriculture Investment Programme (METASIP I) updated in 2015”.
    Mr Speaker, this, to the best of my knowledge, is quite lousy. This is because if we look at irrigation, it is one of the most important components, when we -
    - 12:50 p.m.

    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:50 p.m.
    Hon Member, can you replace the word “lousy” with something else?
    Dr Bambangi 12:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I withdraw the word “lousy”.
    Mr Speaker, what I wanted to say was that we have not done enough diligence to the issues of irrigation, because that is a very important aspect of agriculture and it is key to transformation in trying to improve agriculture, especially in northern Ghana, where we have only one cropping season --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:50 p.m.
    Hon Member, you have five more minutes.
    Dr Bambangi 12:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, based on these issues that I have just outlined, I believe the Budget Statement is not transformational. The Budget Statement

    Mr Speaker, and so, I expected the budget to have demonstrated enough transformational characteristics. However, in this budget, I find these characteristics non existent.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:50 p.m.
    Thank you very much Hon Members.
    The next Hon Member to take the floor is the Hon Dr Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan.
    Dr Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan (NDC -- Mion) 1 p.m.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to support the Motion on the floor and to contribute to the debate on the Budget Statement.
    There is no point in emphasising that agriculture is the mainstream of our Ghanaian economy, and it is also a fact that over the last couple of years, the sector has seen some steady growth.
    It is true that in 2011, we had 0.8 per cent growth and this rose up to 2.3 per cent in 2012. In 2013, 5.2 per cent and in 2013 again, 5.3 per cent. It is expected that in 2014, it is either 5.3 per cent or 5.4 per cent, and this is clearly stated in the Budget Statement.
    Mr Speaker, the sector has also demonstrated some robustness in the last couple of years. It is a fact that food inflation has been relatively low in comparison with non food inflation, clearly
    demonstrating that, Ghanaians pay more for non food items than food items or the rate of increase in the price of food is slower than that of non food items. That is a sector that supports Ghanaians and must be praised because it is robust.
    Mr Speaker, there has been some worries, that agricultural GDP contribution to the overall GDP has been going down. That shows maturity in the sector. This is because it is shedding some of its space to the industry and services sector.
    Let me say that as of 2008, agriculture GDP contribution was over 30 per cent. Today, it is around 23 per cent. Let us look at the values. The 30 per cent, then was worth GH¢ 32 million; the 23 per cent as of today is worth GH¢ 93 million. That is the distribution and the difference.

    Mr Speaker, between 2012 and 2013, rice production in the Volta Region went up by 95 per cent -- [Hear! Hear!] -- in one year.

    Mr Speaker, in the Ashanti Region, rice production went up by 30 per cent -- [Hear! Hear!] -- to the extent that a few days ago, the people of the Volta Region had the reason to have a brown rice festival
    -- 1 p.m.

    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1 p.m.
    Hon Member, can you give us the source of these figures?
    Dr A. Y. Alhassan 1 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, this is from Agriculture in Ghana: Facts and Figures, 2013, the Budget Statement presented by the Hon Minister for Finance and the Annual Report of the Agricultural Sector, 2013. Mr Speaker, I have a copy here -- [Hear! Hear!]
    Dr A. Y. Alhassan 1 p.m.
    Mr Speaker --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Minority Leader?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if a person rises to give a quotation from the Bible, he does not just lift the Bible and say to us that it is in it. He will give us the chapter and the verse. So, can he give us the pages of the documents that he related to? He must not just lift the budget up and say it is in it; he must give us the pages of where he quoted from.
    Dr A. Y. Alhassan 1 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, except the Budget Statement that we all have copies of, I intend to lay all the documents for Hon Members to make reference, if they so wish.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1 p.m.
    All right. Very well.
    Dr A. Y. Alhassan 1 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I can promise any Hon Member who is interested in soft copies, to send them to their e-mails.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1 p.m.
    Hon Member, proceed.
    Dr A. Y. Alhassan 1 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, as of 2008, this country could produce only 30 per cent of its rice consumption needs. Today, we are at 57 per cent and rising -- [Hear! Hear!]. Mr Speaker, because of that our rice deficit has fallen from 400,000 metric tonnes to 280,000 metric tonnes as of this year -- [Hear! Hear!].
    Mr Speaker, yes, fertiliser subsidy to farmers in 2014 suffered challenges. But it is also true that farmers had subsidised fertilisers through some other means.
    Mr Speaker, we released a new rice variety, CSIR-AGRA rice in 2014, and produced 40 metric tonnes of seeds to supply to farmers. The 40 metric tonnes of seeds went with the full complement of fertiliser for free; it was not subsidised.
    Mr Speaker, the urban special rice project, which the Ministry of Food and Agriculture runs, with Export Trade Agricultural and Industrial Development Fund (EDAIF) had 9000 hectares of rice put to crop. This came with subsidised fertiliser for the farmers.
    Mr Speaker, yes, we did not have the funfair of subsidised fertiliser making the headlines, but farmers had subsidised fertiliser across the country.
    Mr Speaker, the sector delivered improved seeds, and it is clear at page 72, paragraphs 344 and 345 of the Budget Statement.
    Mr Speaker, in 2014, Ghana Commercial Agricultural Project (GCAP) released an amount of US$5 million to 31 investors to invest in infrastructure for agricultural productivity. These are investments that went through in 2014.

    Mr Speaker, we do not have to live in the past. The Ministry of Food and Agriculture is meant to organise policy, develop programmes and projects. But Ghanaians are the ones to do the implementation of such programmes for results. So, when AMSECs are not functioning and an Hon Member asked what the Ministry was doing about it --

    it is surprising because the AMSECs are private companies. Their productivity or lack of it must be put squarely to the setting up of non performing companies, not the Ministry or Ghana Government.

    Mr Speaker, let me say that irrigation is a very serious matter for all of us. Our agriculture relies on rain-fed systems which are not sustainable. That is why this Government is eager and very convinced that investing in irrigation facilities is the best way forward.

    Mr Speaker, as I speak to you today, a private company in the Yarba area intends to invest and build an irrigation facility that will put 20,000 hectares of irrigation land into the agricultural system. Mr Speaker, 450 hectares are already under crop --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1 p.m.
    Hon Member, you have five more minutes.
    Dr A. Y. Alhassan 1 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Environmental Impact Assessment report has been done. The investor is being sought to invest in the Pwalugu Irrigation Project, which is a hydro-irrigation system.
    Mr Speaker, vegetable export is suffering a lot of notification as of today. That has to do with the way we produce them. The Ministry intends to revolu- tionise vegetable production by using green houses. As I speak, in 2015, 100 Environ Drones will be brought into the country to train the youth in particular in vegetable production.
    Mr Speaker, there is banana production in Nandom under irrigation.
    Mr Speaker, young people are investing in agriculture --[Interruption] -- I know a young man in the Northern Region,
    Sammy. It took me a whole day to go round his rice field. That is what we are talking about. We should be bold to invest. The farm is located near Nasia in Kparibu.
    Mr Speaker, Sammy has the biggest and the most sophisticated combined harvester in this country, and he gives services to rice farmers in the Volta Region. That is the kind of investment we are talking about.
    Mr Speaker, I know another person called Derek Ayerh. This is somebody in his constituency where there was not much rice farming.
    Today, he has eight hundred out- growers doing rice production. There is also a young entrepreneur called Abanga, who is dealing in knock-down tractors, to assemble in Tamale and to provide them for farming. We are talking about investing and investing in agriculture.
    Mr Speaker, on import substitution, this country's import of fish has come down from 35 per cent to 26 per cent as at
    2013.
    Our domestic meat production has come up from 44 per cent of our national consumption as at 2008 to 60 per cent of our national consumption as at 2013. It means that domestic meat supply has increased.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to conclude by saying that all these investments in agriculture would not make adequate progress unless science and technology inform our production.
    As a country, we are unsure and remain conservative about science and its application to our agriculture,yet other countries are moving ahead.
    Burkina Faso made over US$1 billion in cotton production in 2013. This is because 60 per cent of that cotton was Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT) cotton, while we are in Ghana unsure of whether to grow genetically modified crops.
    Dr A. Y. Alhassan 1 p.m.


    Mr Speaker, I would like to plead that it is important that this House passes the necessary piece of legislation that would make science and technology thrive in this country, that which would inform our agriculture production and that which would make our agriculture make a lot of progress.

    Mr Speaker, civil society, yes, but it is important for us to note that it is not in all cases that activity is equivalent to productivity. We would have to engage in productive discourse of our national economy, so that activities really become productive.

    Mr Speaker, I would like to conclude finally by saying that the bonus that was paid to cocoa farmers was just GH¢2 in previous years. Today it is GH¢ 5 --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:10 p.m.
    One minute more.
    Dr A.Y.Alhassan 1:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, and the GH¢ 5 is paid instantly with the cocoa. That is a lot of progress.
    Currently, as I speak to you, the cocoa farmer in Ghana receives 75 per cent of net free on board (FOB) price of cocoa in the world market. That is unprecedented in the history of cocoa business in this country.
    Mr Speaker, on cocoa farmers, this Government is investing --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:10 p.m.
    Hon Member, your time is up.
    Dr A.Y.Alhassan 1:10 p.m.
    - US$90 million in fertiliser and US$80 million in mass spraying.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:10 p.m.
    Hon Member, your time is up.
    Thank you.
    Dr A.Y.Alhassan 1:10 p.m.
    Thank you very much for the opportunity.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:10 p.m.
    Hon Members, the next to make a presentation is in the person of Hon Kwabena Owusu- Aduomi, Hon Member of Parliament for Ejisu.
    An Hon Member 1:10 p.m.
    [Inaudible.]
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:10 p.m.
    Aduomi?
    Yes, thank you for the correction.
    Hon Minority Leader?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, before Hon Owusu-Aduomi rises, the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, when he had to respond to the issues concerning the Agricultural Mechanisation Service Enterprise Centers (AMSECs) was saying that they were privately owned, yet he ended up glorifying the effort of private persons in the agriculture sector.
    But Mr Speaker, the more critical issue is that when he finished, I heard Hon Members from the other side including the Hon Member for Pru East (Dr Kwabena Donkor) and also Dr Sugri, Mr Speaker, all shouted Y e e e Ye e e e.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:10 p.m.
    Very well.
    Yes Hon Member, you have the Floor.
    Hon Aduomi. Is that the name?
    Mr Kwabena Owusu-Aduomi (NPP -- Ejisu) 1:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the honour, and I would limit myself to the roads and highways sector of the policy.
    Mr Speaker, references would be made from the Statistical and Analytical Report on Roads and Transport between the year 2002 to 2012, prepared by the Ministry of
    Roads and Highways, the Ministry of Transport and the Ghana Statistical Service. Another reference would be made to National Transport Households Survery phase two, prepared by the Ministry of Roads and Highways and Ghana Statistical Service for the year 2012. References would also be made to the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government from 2009 to 2014 financial years.
    Mr Speaker, many of the country's roads continue to be in poor surface conditions and travel on them becomes very difficult. This is because main- tenance has persistently been poor since the NDC took over the administration of the nation in January 2009. This is not the first time I have made this statement. I have been making this statement over and over again since 2009.
    Mr Speaker, as at the end of December 2008, about 42 per cent of the nation's network of 67,291 kilometres were in good condition. As at the time, the condition of our roads has not been better since 2008.
    In 2009, the percentage dropped to 40 per cent. In 2010, it rose to 42 per cent, in 2011, it dropped to 41 per cent, in 2012 it came to 42 per cent, and in 2013 Mr Speaker --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:10 p.m.
    Hon Member, your source?
    Mr Owusu-Aduomi 1:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have already given you the source, that I am referring to the Statistical and Analytical Report on Roads and Transport.
    Mr Speaker, anyone who goes there to read will find it; it is there.
    Mr Speaker, the Government's minimum disbursement on our roads that I have sat down to compile from the annual reports of the Committee on Roads and Transport, from 2009 to 2013 amounts to GH¢ 2.772 billion. Even this is not the total amount spent, because the disbursements are as at the end of September, from all the years from 2009 to 2013. It is GH¢2.772 billion. We have not been able to improve our road surface condition beyond the percentage that we had in 2008.
    Mr Speaker, indeed, maintenance has been relegated to the background, and the nation's road network has suffered the worst maintenance in the history of our country during this period.
    Mr Speaker, when you go to paragraph 493, page 95 of this budget, this House is being informed that the Government maintained its focus on routine and periodic maintenance. Mr Speaker, the house is being deceived, because the Government has lost focus on road maintenance.
    Road surface defects such as potholes, high shoulder buildups, bushy roadside vegetation, severe corrugations, slippery gravel surfaces, deep gullies, soft spots, et cetera, are still predominant on our roads. We would all testify; we all have roads.
    Mr Speaker, poor and inadequate maintenance interventions and inadequate funding are the two major causes.
    The Government may have done well on the development of major roads as reported in paragraph 497 on page 96 of this year's Budget Statement, but how many kilometres do they add up to, let alone working the percentage on the entire network?
    Mr Speaker, it would not even exceed 2 per cent, especially in paragraph 503 where the Government is now going to negotiate for funds to do very critical ongoing projects on trunk roads.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:20 p.m.
    Hon Member, you have five more minutes.
    Mr Owusu-Aduomi 1:20 p.m.
    Are there claims on interest of delayed payments? Monies that we could have used to pay actual work was used to pay the interest to contractors. The Government should have another look at the following policies which are affecting the road agencies in the country and make a change.
    Mr Speaker, now, procurement and road works are mainly done by sole- sourcing. It has become endemic in the NDC Government.
    In the 2010 report of the Public Procurement Authority, at page 51 to 74, out of 364 requests for single sourcing, only 29, constituting 8 per cent were turned down by the Public Procurement Authority. It means that 92 per cent of the requests were approved -- sole sourcing through sole sourcing -- means high contract and project cost. Sole sourcing does not introduce any competitiveness in the selection of contractors and it is the result of poor and sluggish performance on our roads.
    Mr Speaker, the Ghana Road Fund has a financing gap of 40 to 50 per cent of the annual funding of maintenance. What is
    the Government's policy on this? Although funds accrued from Road Fund is not adequate for maintenance on our roads, timely maintenance interventions are not achieved. This is because of the delay of the Ministry of Roads and Highways and the Ministry of Finance in releasing the fuel levy component of the Road Fund. The delay is causing us not to. Most of our nation's asphaltic concrete surface roads are of age. Many of such roads are giving way. What is the Government's policy in strengthening these asphaltic concrete roads that are so critical to the nation's economy?
    Mr Speaker, because of time, I cannot mention them. What is the Government's policy to equip our local contractors, so that they are able to provide asphaltic concrete overlays? All the time we depend on foreign contractors.
    Mr Speaker, interference by some organisations in the operations of road agencies are also affecting the road agencies.
    Now, the new administration of COCOBOD has taken over the procurement of work under the Cocoa Road Project. Now, they are selecting contractors for work. Are they experienced in the procurement of this? How can COCOBOD administration now select contractors for road works? What kind of policy is it?
    Now, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority also wants to take over the expansion of the Accra-Tema motorway, because they are sourcing for funds for the expansion of the Tema Port and it includes the widening of roads within the neighbourhood and within the corridor, including the Accra-Tema motorway. Now, Ghana Ports and Harbours also wants to take over expansion works of Ghana.
    Mr Speaker, it is important that some of these policies are checked. If you go to the National Transport Household phase II, poor surface roads have been

    identified nationwide as the significant obstacle in going to schools; encountered in visiting health facilities; faced by employees in going to their workplaces; faced by marketing farm produce; faced by people who commute to market centres; and also in reaching health facilities in cases of emergency.

    Mr Speaker, effective and timely maintenance of our roads resulting from adequate funding, is the way to go. The Budget Statement, 2015, hardly addresses these requirements. There is absolutely no bright future for the road network of this nation with this Budget Statement of

    2015.

    Mr Speaker, thank you very much for allowing me to speak.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:20 p.m.
    Thank you very much, Hon Member.
    Mr Richard Mawuli Quashigah (NDC -- Keta) 1:30 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the 2015 Financial Policy of Government.
    Mr Speaker, in commending the President for this financial document, which indeed, is transformational and poised to galvanise our forward match, accelerating into a bright future. Let me also commend the Finance Ministry for having cleared the outstanding single spine arrears of GH¢3 billion --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:30 p.m.
    Hon Second Deputy Speaker to take the Chair.
    Continue.
    Mr Quashigah 1:30 p.m.
    -- GH¢3 billion owed the public sector workers, an amount that is equivalent to the total receipts of oil revenue since we began exporting oil.
    Mr Speaker, I also wish to commend the NDC-led administration for its resilience and commitment to deliver on promise against all odds.
    Mr Speaker, in 2008, compensation of employees, including public sector wage bills stood at 1.9 billion Ghana cedis, but today, in 2014, as we speak, it stands at 12 billion Ghana cedis, an increase of about 700 per cent.
    In spite of this physical strain, this Government is poised and determined to ensure that the economy remains resilient through the mid to long-term and that in itself, is extremely and excellently promising.
    Mr Speaker, I would wish to remind this House that the Single Spine Salary Structure Policy was envisioned by former President Kufuor in 2006, as a strategy to coil workers' agitation for pay rise.
    The then administration knew it could collapse the Government at the time and never activated it into law and only did when it had lost the elections in 2009. That obviously, tells us the quagmire that we find ourselves in as a government and yet we are challenged to spend so much money on over 600,000 public workers.
    This Government has kept the ship of Ghana very much in place and on course and what is happening in other countries is not happening here. And when you look at the 2015 Budget, Mr Speaker, it has adequately provided for the forward march of this country, especially the road sector.
    Mr Speaker, as we speak, the Assin Praso - Asante Bekwai road in the Ashanti Region has been completed and is being enjoyed, especially by our Hon Friends, some of whom are on the other side.
  • [MR SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER IN THE CHAIR.]
  • Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
    Hon Member, you have five more minutes.
    rose
    Mr Quashigah 1:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, as we speak, a lot is being done to ensure -- Interruption.]
    Mr Nitiwul 1:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member used a word and I think he should withdraw it.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
    Which word?
    Mr Nitiwul 1:35 p.m.
    He says that the word “SADA” was not found in the budget. And of course, he misunderstood what the Hon Member said. [Interruption.]
    He said that the Hon Member said that there was no word called “SADA” in the budget. And that the Hon Member did not read the document and came to

    He said that he came to Parliament to sleep and that is very offensive. It is not good; it is offensive to the Hon Member and he should withdraw it. It is not parliamentary to tell your Hon Colleague that he came to sleep.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:40 p.m.
    To tell your Hon Colleague that --
    Mr Nitiwul 1:40 p.m.
    I am saying that, to describe your Hon Colleague in those unparliamentary terms, is not good, and I demand that he should withdraw that word.
    Mr Quashigah 1:40 p.m.
    Thank you so much Mr Speaker.
    I prefer to ignore the point of order raised by the Hon Deputy Minority Leader.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:40 p.m.
    Let me decide whether you should ignore it. I am sorry I did not catch the word that you are complaining about.
    Mr Nitiwul 1:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, he said the Hon Member came to Parliament to sleep.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:40 p.m.
    To come and sleep?
    Mr Nitiwul 1:40 p.m.
    “Sleep”. That is what he said.
    Mr Quashigah 1:40 p.m.
    Well Mr Speaker, I would want to pardon the Hon Deputy Minority Leader for not probably listening carefully. This is because I never said the Hon Member came to sleep. I said he came to deceive this House.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:40 p.m.
    You said he did what?
    Mr Quashigah 1:40 p.m.
    He came to “deceive”. This is because he talked of SADA not being mentioned in the budget, and SADA has clearly and vividly been mentioned in the budget. That obviously, if not deceit, I do not know what appropriate word to use for it.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:40 p.m.
    Hon Member, I have given you one minute more. So, continue.
    Mr Quashigah 1:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, when we look at agriculture for instance, a lot of activities are going on in the agriculture sector. The 2015 Budget indicated that under -- [Interruption.]
    rose
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:40 p.m.
    Hon Atta Akyea, are you the Hon Member he talked about?
    Mr Akyea 1:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I wanted your direction on this.
    Is it parliamentary with all respect, for an Hon Member of this House, to say that another Hon Member of this House “is deceiving this House” or “has misinformed this House”? This is because if one talks about deception, it is a matter of an attack on the personality. But if it is the articulation of views of information, then all that you can say is that, what he said was misinformation. But to say that he is deceiving this House, is to attack his personality. And I believe this is not parliamentary. It is not parliamentary to say that somebody is deceiving. I would want a direction on this.
    Mr Quashigah 1:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, this is a matter of syntax and semantics. [Hear! Hear!] -- So, I would prefer to ignore his point.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:40 p.m.
    Hon Member, it is not as simple as that. There are many ways as he said, to kill a cat. Yesterday, I was listening and somebody used the word “lie” and was asked to use “untruth”.
    In the same spirit, I know you have command over the English Language. You can substitute “deceit” with another word that has the same effect. So, I invite you to do that.
    Mr Quashigah 1:40 p.m.
    Thank you Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker, taking a cue from you, I would substitute it with the word “untruth”.
    We dwelt on “untruth” yesterday by saying that SADA was not mentioned in this budget. I would crave your indulgence to give me a little more time as a result of the interventions.
    Mr Speaker, this budget talks about increasing growth in income programme, and it says that this programme seeks to increase income from livestock and cash crops by the provision of improved production inputs and enhancing value chain development.
    To this end, Government intends that it would facilitate the production of thirty- two million doses ND1-2 vaccines, to help control poultry diseases and thereby, increase the production by eight per cent to 73 million doses in 2015. And that virtually rhymes with what was said on page 155. That we are going to reduce poultry importation by 40 per cent.
    If this is not a visionary Government, if this is not a Government that is transformational, then what can it be? If this is not a Government that is destined to see to ensure that the Ghanaian, and ordinary people of this county can have three square meals a day, then what kind of Government is this? This is a very promising Government that has presented to this House a very realistic and transformational document which we all need to embrace.
    Mr Quashigah 1:40 p.m.


    Mr Speaker, clearly, it would be appropriate and very much in place and in line with the expectation of the Ghanaian people that every well-meaning and patriotic Member of this House supports this financial policy of Government, such that, Ghana can move forward in the right direction, and the people of Ghana can have a better Ghana -- [Hear! Hear!] -- and our children can enjoy a better Ghana tomorrow.

    Mr Speaker, it is obvious that there is no question about the content of this document. The content of this document, indeed, is very progressive; the content of this document touches on the nerve centre of what concerns the ordinary people of this country; the content of this document, indeed, is determined to take Ghana to the next height -- [Hear! Hear!] -- and I think that we all, as Members of Parliament (MPs), ought to commend the Mahama-led administration for putting together a well thought-out document, a document that is not only realistic, but a document that cannot be questioned, to the point that even the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has admitted among other things that it is a realistic document -- [Hear! Hear!]. And so, if there is any individual who says this is not a realistic document, then that individual is living on another planet.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:40 p.m.
    Thank you.
    Hon Quashigah, when you lifted up the budget, I knew you were concluding, but your conclusion was nearly longer than your main speech.
    Hon Aye-Paye?
    Mr Samuel Aye-Paye (NPP -- Ayensuano) 1:50 a.m.
    Thank you Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to comment on the 2015 Budget.
    Mr Speaker, in doing so, I would want to restrict myself to the roads and transport sectors of the budget. In every economy, when you have a free flow traffic in which time spent in traffic is reduced, you would end up increasing business activities in the country, burning less fuel, and in doing so, you would improve the economy of the country.
    Mr Speaker, looking at the economy that we have now, which is in serious crises, having a good transport policy that would improve the business activities in the country, would end up reducing the crises and improve the economy as well.
    Mr Speaker, if you look at the budget and look at the road transport sector, all what one can see is the Government's action to increase revenue; how Government can tax and get money from the transport sector.
    For instance, looking at the verification of receipts at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Metro Mass Transit (MMT), you can see that Government's interest is to get money from the transport sector, but that is not enough. What is equally important is how best Government can expand the road network and put down policies that can improve the transport sector, and also to secure and reduce accidents on our roads.
    Mr Speaker, the Government is talking about importing 200 buses for MMT. Getting the buses for MMT is not enough. But we must also have value for money. The question is, what buses are we importing for MMT? Toyota Ghana
    Limited has an advertisement which says Toyota is a vehicle we have tried and tested. You try vehicles, you test them and you trust them. If you have not tried and tested the vehicle, you cannot trust the vehicle. MMT tried various types of vehicles including the Van de Leegle (VDL) buses powered by the Deutsche Als Fremdsprache (DAF) engine.
    Today, MMT also tried the Chinese buses; they could not pass the terrain of the roads that we have in this country. And then, this Government comes again, trying to import 200 Chinese buses into this country. We must try to have value for money. If indeed, we have money and want to buy buses for MMT, we must buy buses that the company has tried and trusted. For instance, we have the VDL buses powered by the DAF engine.
    Some were imported into this country in 2003 and they are still running on our roads. I am not saying Chinese buses are not good, but we have tried them and they could not help us. I am of the view that, if indeed, this Government would want to sustain Metro Mass Transit, we must try and get buses that can last for the company, not those Chinese buses that we are going to import into this country.
    Mr Speaker, also, we should look at bus replacement policy. As we speak, Metro Mass Transit does not have a bus replacement policy. All what we do is that, when they are in need of buses, Government buys buses for them and that ends it. Will Government continue to buy buses for Metro Mass Transit?
    Government should help Metro Mass Transit, since, is the biggest shareholder of this company, as to how best they can have a good bus replacement policy, so that when we buy the buses, they can
    work and pay back or replace the buses when they are out of the road.
    Mr Speaker, Government is also talking about buying the Scania buses for the State Transport Corporation (STC). Now, when the Ministry of Transport met your Committee on Roads and Transport, they talked about purchasing the vehicles, owned by the Ministry of Transport and for that matter, the Government of Ghana. Then there is another company that would take the buses from the Ministry of Transport and then rent them to STC.
    I do not think that we do not have technical men at the Ministry of Transport, who can sit down with STC and give the buses to STC. Rather than looking for a second company which will come between STC and the Ministry of Transport, own the buses and rent them out to the STC.
    For now, Parliament is not even aware of what the name of that company is and what interest or percentages they are taking in respect of hiring the buses to STC. I am of the view that, the Ministry of Transport should try as much as they can, to own the buses themselves and rent them out to STC and have a good bus replacement policy for STC.
    Mr Speaker, if you look at the Budget Statement carefully, it is talking about the Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) trying to see how best they can get receipts, verification of receipts before road worthiness certificate licences are issued. It is good.
    We look at screening the system and make sure that Government gets enough money into the system. But there is one important thing you must look at, and that is securing the motorists, the people and vehicles that are running on the streets. I am of the view that, if Ggovernment is having a policy in which we will look at an Act of this Parliament, through which new
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:50 a.m.
    Hon Member, you have five more minutes.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 1:50 a.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    And we will not have a situation where at the end of the day, Government is only interested in taking money and generating money from the road transport sector.
    Mr Speaker, we also have to look at how bridges, for instance, the Senchi bridge -- Your Committee paid a visit to Senchi bridge site, which is still under construction. Mr Speaker, I am of the view that the Senchi bridge construction is very slow and the Ministry should take a second look at it and see what the contractor needs. If it is a counterpart funding that is not coming -- because we know this Senchi bridge construction is a donor supported project. So, if Government is not getting money for the contractor -- because the people of Volta Region and certain parts of the Eastern Region are suffering.
    The Government claims it will buy ferry for the people to use to cross the bridge because of the construction that is ongoing.
    For now, we do not even know who owns the ferry and why the construction of the bridge is delaying. We do not want to believe the grapevine that is going on
    in the air, indicating that because someone wants the ferries to work for some time, that is why construction is being delayed. The people of Volta Region and those parts of Eastern Region behind the River Volta are actually suffering and there is the need for the Ministry of Transport to take a critical look at this and make sure that they finish with the construction very early for us.
    Mr Speaker, on this note, I would want to thank you for the opportunity.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:50 a.m.
    Thank you.
    In order not to interrupt the next Hon Member, I direct that having regard to the state of business, Sitting be held outside the prescribed time as provided for under Standing Order 40 (3).
    The next Hon Member is Hon Bright Demordzi.
    Mr Bright E. K. Demordzi (NDC -- Bortianor-Ngleshie-Amanfro) 2 p.m.
    Thank you very much for the opportunity to contribute to the Budget Statement for the year 2015.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to focus on the agriculture sector, which is very key to me and to the people of this country.
    As said by the Deputy Minister a few minutes ago, the agricultural sector is key to the economic development of this country. If you watch countries that find oil in commercial quantities, you will see that there is a difficulty in the way they manage their agricultural sector. But since 2011, our agriculturadldd sector in this country continues to grow from strength to strength. I am talking about 0.8 per cent in
    2011 to 2.3 per cent in 2012 to 5.2 per cent in 2013, and 5.3 per cent in 2014. That is a progressive growth in the agricultural sector. And clearly, it shows the commitment of Government in the area of agriculture.
    In the process of producing the agricultural produce, we are talking about land preparation. The Budget Statement for 2015 captured clearly what Government intends to do in the area of land preparation.
    We intend putting up another 41 Agriculture Mechanisation Service Enterprise Centres (AMSECs) across the length and breadth of this country.
    The Ranking Member for Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee is saying that setting up 41 AMSECs is over ambitious.
    I cannot understand how the setting up of 41 AMSECs would be over ambitious? We are talking about AMSECs with five, six to ten tractors. Is he trying to tell us that we cannot purchase 400 or 500 tractors for Ghana in a particular year? That is the point.

    Mr Speaker, it is important for us to know that last year, this Government promised that we were going to set up Agricultural markets in this country. As I speak now, the project is on course. Two major agricultural markets in this country and it is right on course. Very soon, we
    Mr Bright E. K. Demordzi (NDC -- Bortianor-Ngleshie-Amanfro) 2 p.m.
    are going to have a special agricultural market in this country, where if you want to buy maize in commercial quantity, you could go there and get it. That is a visionary Government.
    Mr Speaker, it is important that as a Member of Parliament for the people of Bortianor-Ngleshie Amanfro, I need to thank the President for the wonderful things that he is doing for the people of the western corridor of the Greater Accra Region. I am saying that because, I could line up a lot of projects that are happening in the western corridor of the Greater Accra Region.
    One, I am talking about the Kasoa Interchange. That is the western corridor of this country. If you compare that portion of Accra to the eastern corridor, I am talking about East Legon and West Legon, that area is like a deprived area, and wonderful projects are happening there, and I would want to let the people of Ghana know.
    Another one is about the Prof J.E.A. Mills bypass. It is going gradually. As we speak now, if you go to Bortianor, Kokrobite, Tuba and Nyanyanor, work is progressing steadily and we call that particular portion of the road Prof J.E.A. Mills bypass.
    Mr Speaker, it is not only that. The people of the western corridor of the Greater Accra Region are enjoying tremendous infrastructure facilities. Let me make reference to the Ministry of Communications modern Information Communication Technology (ICT) Centre being established in Ngleshie-Amanfro.
    A wonderful project is going on there, and it is going to train about 1000 youth just in about three months. That is a very tremendous work happening in Amanfro.
    Mr Speaker, in this Budget Statement, the people of the western corridor of Greater Accra are benefiting from a polytechnic, which is going to be established in Bortianor.
    It is in this Budget Statement that the Greater Accra Water Expansion Project is going to distribute water to the people of Ngleshi Amanfro, Kasoa and its environs.
    It is in the Budget Statement that we are going to have a tremendous expansion of the distribution network of water facilities across the western corridor of the Greater Accra.

    Mr Speaker, as I said, the Budget Statement has taken care of all the processes of production across the agricultural sector. Why am I saying that?

    In the Budget Statement of 2015, it is saying that we are going to produce foundation seeds for agriculture, and it is there clearly for people to see, that about 60,000 metric tons of foundation seeds would be produced in the area of agriculture. That is going to increase yield for those who are in the area of agriculture.

    Mr Speaker, I would want to say that the Ghana Commercial Agricultural Project (GCAP) programme, which is a very important programme, is going to give us about US$ 5 million, investing in the area of warehousing and infrastructure in the agricultural sector.

    The major problem that we are having in this country is management of post- harvest losses. We produce and averagely, we are having about 3 to 30 per cent post-harvest losses. But according

    to the Ghana National Buffer Stock, we are going to have two major warehousing facilities, which are going to take care of about 25,000 metric tonnes of maize across the length and breadth of this country.

    That facility is going to ensure that those of us who are farmers would be able to store our produce and have a guarantee price for them. That is very important for those of us who are farmers.

    Mr Speaker, it is also important to note that in the 2014 cocoa season, cocoa production exceeded its target. It is just because of the pragmatic strategies and plans that the Ghana Cocoa Board has put in place to ensure that cocoa farmers across the length and breadth of this country have access to the high tech- nology programme.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2 p.m.
    Hon Member, you have five minutes.
    Mr Demordzi 2 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, that is very important; that is a lot for me.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to mention the Rural Enterprises Programme which is being managed by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, is also taking care of a lot of programmes and initiatives which are going to create job opportunities for the youth of this country.
    Under this Rural Enterprises Programme, about 95 new Business Advisory Centres
    would be established in this country to train and counsel the youth who want to go into businesses. That is going to create job opportunities for our teeming youth in the various regions and districts across the country. That is very important.
    Under job creation, we are not only talking about white collar jobs but we would give opportunity to the youth, counsel them, and give them advice on what to do. And a Rural Enterprises Programme under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, is taking care of the youth.
    Mr Speaker, under the programme, about 20,400 youth would be trained across the length and breadth of the country -- in all sectors. I am talking about beekeeping, management of farms, proper agronomic practices and all that. That is going to ensure that our youth goes through schools in the area of entrepreneurship, agricultural manage- ment and all other areas, would be trained to ensure that they could be able to employ themselves, and that is very critical.
    Mr Speaker, I would beg to quote page 83, paragraph 413 of the Budget Statement. It says that:
    “A total of GH¢32.8 million was approved under the Agriculture, Agro-Processing Development and Credit Facility for 15 companies to boost the production and pro- cessing of various agriculture products for both local and export markets.”
    Mr Speaker, this is very important because we are talking about import substitution, or we want to increase export to reduce our trade balance. It is important that we look at this area, so that we can get enough revenue from our non traditional exports to reduce our trade balance.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2 p.m.
    Hon Ameyaw-Cheremeh, Member of Parlia- ment for Sunyani East.
    Mr Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh (Sunyani East) 2:10 p.m.
    Thank you Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the debate.
    Mr Speaker, one of the cardinal principles underpinning local democracy is the holding of periodic elections to select representatives from the various electoral units in the country.
    In the 2014 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, precisely at page 60, it was said among other things that the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana will re-demarcate electoral areas and units and also conduct and supervise District Assembly and unit committee elections. That was to be the outlook for the Electoral Commission as far as local government elections are concerned.
    Mr Speaker, as we speak, no elections have been held and there is no hope in sight that local government elections could be conducted before the end of this year. The truth of the matter is that, the Electoral Commission has just laid a Constitutional Instrument (C.I) in this House to legitimise or get the legal backing to recreate the existing electoral areas before it can even open nominations.
    Not too long ago, they announced a timetable but they have gone back on their words because the proper foundations had not been laid.
    Mr Speaker, how did we come to this level? It is because Government failed woefully in releasing funds that this House has approved for the Electoral Commission to carry out its constitutional mandate and it is quite unfortunate that Government would do that.
    Interestingly, Mr Speaker, the goal posts have been shifted from 2014 to 2015 without any tangible reasons being assigned. My fear is that, we are in the process of re-enacting what happened in the last local government elections, where elections were held “tot-by-tot,” -- piecemeal. It had never happened in the history of this country and there is the possibility that we are going to repeat the unfortunate incident which happened in the past.
    I thought we learnt from our past mistakes, but this Government never learns. So, we are even increasing the wrongs in gargantuan proportions.
    Mr Speaker, the term of office of the current District Assembly and Unit Committee members elapses on 14th of March, 2015 and yet, as I have said, there is no programme in place leading to the election of Assembly and Unit Committee members.
    This means that if the term elapses on 14th of March and the elections have not been conducted and we do not have new Assembly members and Unit Committee members to take over from the incumbent members, what kind of situation are we creating in this country? I believe we must all be up and doing as a country.
    Mr Speaker, I am not a prophet of doom, but what I foresee is that, we are not likely to have the elections before 14th March, 2015 and therefore, the preparations for the District Assembly elections will affect
    rose
    Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh 2:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, already, the Electoral Commission has indicated to us that it needs about three months to organise itself and hold the elections --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:10 p.m.
    Hon Agbesi?
    Hon Cassiel A. B. Forson -- rose --
    Mr Agbesi 2:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleague -- [Interruption.]
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:10 p.m.
    Hon Agbesi, you can yield to him but you have to say it.
    Mr Agbesi 2:10 p.m.
    Sorry. But I would go on.

    There is a programme which is on and they have announced when forms are going to be picked. When people -- [Interruption] Sorry? Nominations have been opened and the programme is ongoing; it is ongoing and the date for the election has been fixed. -- [Interruption] 27th February, 2015 has been fixed tentatively for the elections and people are in the process of picking forms.

    So, please, he should not let us give wrong information to the country. At least, the process is ongoing and my Hon Colleague knows about it -- [Interruption] -- Hon Dr Prempeh knows about it.
    rose
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:10 p.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, I do not know what to do. I saw Hon Prempeh from the corner of my eye and I was looking the other way ignoring him. Now, his name has been mentioned -- [Laughter] -- You know the principle we have in Parliament is that when you mention somebody's name, give him the opportunity to speak.
    What is your advice, Hon Minority Leader? [Interruption.] I was ignoring him; I had not seen him.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, as you have said, the Hon Deputy Majority Leader has just introduced a character into his debate when he says Dr Matthew Prempeh knows what he is saying. [Interruption] -- That he knows. [Laughter.]
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:10 p.m.
    So, Dr Prempeh, can you confirm whether you know? You have been called as a witness.
    Dr Prempeh 2:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I was wondering what he says I know because I am on the same Committees with him. Is it the reference to what we know as members of the Committee or the meetings that I did not attend or I should know?
    Mr Speaker, I do not know what he is talking about. But it is true that the Electoral Commissioner has a proposed timetable. It is true.
    What my Hon Colleague is saying has nothing to do with that proposed timetable; whether that proposed timetable is going to be met or the Ministry of Finance is going to furnish the Electoral Commission with money. This is because when we met the Electoral Commission, the biggest thing that is hindering that timetable is the lack of release of funds from the Minister for Finance. I attended the meeting with the Deputy Minister for
    Finance which he knows that they have pre-budgeted a GH109 million --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:20 p.m.
    I have seen that there is a certain conspiracy in the House to derail the debate. So, when you are ending, then you mention somebody's name. It is like a tag-team that you have mentioned the Minister for Finance and he will also mention somebody he also knows, then I will have to give them the chance. I will not call anybody again, whether you know or you do not know.
    Hon Member, continue.
    Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh 2:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Deputy Majority Leader said that there was a timetable. I wish he could make it available to this House. As far as I am concerned, there is no timetable. There is even no proposed timetable. The Electoral Commission proposed to open nomina-tions on the 25th of November and close nominations on 30th November. He should tell me whether people have started taking forms at Ashaiman? The Electoral Commission has stopped that process because the Constitutional Instrument (C. I.) will mature in January. And until that C. I. matures, they cannot start any process.
    So, they cannot put any programme in place and if they need three months to organise the elections, it means that the elections could be done in April. Are we not late? He was late in coming to East Legon -- [Laughter] -- He came late. So, he does not know what happened there.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:20 p.m.
    Hon Member, you know he is an elevated member of the Leadership. So, it could be that Leaders were meeting and I am sure when he came, he was briefed.
    Continue.
    Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh 2:20 p.m.
    I am most grateful for your guidance, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Agbesi — rose --
    Mr Agbesi 2:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, whether I was late or not, the issue is that at that meeting, the Electoral Commission distributed the Constitutional Instrument to all Members and then followed up to this House to give every Hon Member of this House a list of these electoral areas for corrections to be made. They collected the corrected list back and the Instrument was laid in this House -- [Interruption.]
    Dr Prempeh 2:20 p.m.
    When?
    Mr Agbesi 2:20 p.m.
    It was laid. Unfortunately, I cannot give the exact date but -- [Interruption.] No! Mr Speaker, the Instrument was laid in this House last week. And we were informed of the programme which followed the laying of the Instrument, which will mature after twenty-one (21) Sitting days. All these things have been done.
    The issue that I was late for that meeting does not arise because I myself and another Hon Member served on the Entity Tender Board of the EC, where these programmes were outlined and these things have been brought to our notice.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:20 p.m.
    Thank you, Deputy Minority Leader for your kind intervention.
    Hon Member please, continue.
    Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh 2:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, my view is that Government must demonstrate a real commitment to local democracy by ensuring that funds are made available to the EC for them to do what the Constitution requires of them. [Hear! Hear!] I do not think we will take any explanations again like it happened in 2010/2011.
    Mr Speaker, the Ghana School Feeding Programme, which was initiated in 2005 had laudable objectives. In this current year, we were told that a policy has been fashioned out and it would be launched in the course of this year.
    In this Budget Statement and Economic Policy, we have been told again that the policy, which we were told, was ready to be launched, will rather be launched next year in 2015. So, the question is, what does it take to launch a policy? A policy that has been prepared and crafted, does it take two years to launch that policy? It is either we were not told the truth, a policy did not exist, we were told there was a policy or the policy was then under preparation.
    Now, we are told that the policy will be launched next year and I do not think it is fair, or the information was quite misleading, to say the least.
    So, the question I posed was that, can we trust the Government this time that indeed, the National School Feeding Policy, if it exists at all, will be launched in 2015? Is it not the usual lip service that the Government engages itself in?
    Mr Speaker, we call something retargeting, and retargeting as I understand it in simple terms, is that some schools did not need to benefit from the School Feeding Programme. They were on the programme and therefore, it would be taken away from those schools that were
    Some Hon Members 2:20 p.m.
    Nothing!
    Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh 2:20 p.m.
    That is all about retargeting.
    Mr Speaker, this is a Government that promised that it would expand the school feeding programme to cover all basic schools both private and public within two years. So, by 2010, all basic schools in this country should have been on the School Feeding Programme. Later, the Government said it meant public schools.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:20 p.m.
    Minority Leader?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, just to supply some information to my Hon Colleague.
    When the President came with an amended statement, he did not just say that he meant only public schools but he said public schools in deprived communities. That was the language of the President. So, if he can take that one on board.
    Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh 2:20 p.m.
    Thank you, my Leader.
    Mr Speaker, the retargeting exercise was undertaken and the objective was that deprived areas within Ghana will benefit more. We have been made to understand that four regions in this country are very poor -- The three northern regions and the Central Region.
    Mr Speaker, interestingly, before the retargeting exercise, Central Region enjoyed 6.2 per cent of the national share of the School Feeding Programme. After the retargeting, they have been lowered to 5.2 per cent -- [Uproar]-- It does not make sense to me. The people you say are very poor and must be helped the more, you are subjecting them to suffering.
    The little that was given to them by the previous Government, you have taken it away. Is that what the retargeting was supposed to achieve? Mr Speaker, you cannot understand how they came to that.
    Mr Speaker, the Budget Statement proposes that in 2015 financial year, more pupils should be added, so that we increase the programme coverage from 1, 7 million in 4,881 schools to 2 million by 2015” and you can find this at page 135, paragraph 767 of the Budget Statement and the Economic Policy —
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:30 p.m.
    Hon Member, you have five more minutes.
    Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh 2:30 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    On page 136 —
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:30 p.m.
    I hope you were talking to yourself?—I heard what you said.
    An Hon Member 2:30 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, yes, I was speaking to myself—[Laughter.]
    Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh 2:30 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, again, on page 136, paragraph 769, we have been given the figures of pupils in kindergarten (KG); 1.6 million in primary schools; 4.1 million and 1.5 million in junior high schools, totalling 7.2 million pupils.
    Mr Speaker, assuming that the Government is able to increase the coverage to 2.5 million, it remains a fact that it would be about a third of the number of pupils in our basic schools and so, it does not cover everybody — Less than even a third.
    Mr Speaker, I doubt if this Government would be able to increase it even to 2.5 million and this stems from the fact that, even the 1.7 million pupils on the programme, Government owes the Ghana School Feeding Programme more than GH¢100 million —
    Some Hon Members—Ooooh!
    Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh 2:30 p.m.
    And the caterers are not able to feed the children the way we want them to be fed.
    Mr Speaker, I have a copy of the manual of the Ghana School Feeding Programme in my hand and with your permission, I beg to quote the immediate objectives of the programme, which are to contribute:
    “to reduce short-term hunger and malnutrition in school children;
    to increase school enrolment, attendance and retention; and
    to boost domestic school pro- duction.”
    Bonsu — rose
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:30 p.m.
    Hon Minority Leader?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:30 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member on his feet is making some startling revelations contained at page 136 of the Budget Document and paragraph 770, line 2, provides some useful information, the meaning of which I cannot simply fathom. Since the Deputy Minister for Finance is here, maybe, he could throw more light on that.
    The children in this country — The age brackets between, let us say 0-5 years, if we are able to capture all of them in school, we would say that we have been able to achieve 100 per cent success. We say so, if the children between 6-11 years, those of them who are supposed to be in school — If you are able to capture all of them, we would say that we have achieved 100 per cent success. But listen to this and I beg to quote:
    “At the end of 2012/2013 academic year, the primary school enrolment for children in the age group 6—11 years reached 105.0 per cent.”
    What is that, Hon Minister? What is the meaning of that? The age bracket is 6- 11 years and if you are able to trap all of them in the school, we would have achieved 100 per cent and yet in their budget they are saying that they have reached 105 per cent, what is the meaning of that?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:30 p.m.
    What page, please?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:30 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, page 136, paragraph 770, lines 2, 3 and 4.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:30 p.m.
    I think the Minister will note it and when they are winding up on Monday, they will take that on board.
    Hon Deputy Minister, do you want to pass a comment now?
    All right. Hon Deputy Minister, pass a short comment.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:30 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, this is really a contrived justification — [Laughter]— Read the entire sentence; it says that the previous year, they were able to reach 96.5 per cent of that age bracket — If he is saying to us that they went to 105.0 per cent, and he is saying to us that it is an achievement over the previous year, then he is then telling us that whereas the previous year registered 96 per cent, then perhaps, this year, they registered more than 200 per cent.
    Is that the meaning? Of the same age group — Please, go and look at it and come and tell us something better.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:30 p.m.
    This is not Minister's Question time.
    Prof . Gyan-Baffour 2:30 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I think the Finance Minister does not understand what they are saying here. So, maybe, it should be the Minister for Education who should come and explain this. This is because the answer that they have given is not right—[Laughter.]
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:30 p.m.
    I am sure there would be a time to interrogate this matter further.
    Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh 2:30 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, on the School Feeding Programme, I would want to conclude by saying that the inability of the Government to pay the caterers of the School Feeding Programme is adversely affecting the quality and quantity of food being given to our school pupils.
    Mr Speaker, in the course of this year, 2014, we heard of cholera outbreak all over the country and about 200 people lost their lives — very innocent Ghanaians. How did it happen — This is because of filth.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:30 p.m.
    Hon Member, I am sorry. But you will be winding-up — Would you not?
    Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh 2:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we are engulfed in filth because waste management contractors refused to collect the waste. In addition to that, the Accra Compost Recycling Plant was also shut down. Even if they collected the waste, they did not have a place to take it to because Government has failed to honour its obligation to the Accra Compost Recycling Plant.
    Mr Speaker, interestingly, the same Government that owes the Accra Compost Recycling Plant proposes that District Assemblies, in partnership with the private sector, should establish compost and recycling plants. What is the sincerity of this Government in this matter? I doubt if they mean what they are saying.
    Mr Speaker, Local Enterprises and Skills Development Programme (LESDEP) was introduced in 2012 and a whooping amount of GH¢84 million was allocated and approved. The whole of that amount was paid in 2012. In 2013, an allocation was made and it was never paid. In 2014, there was no allocation and in 2015, no show. Even in 2014, they said they would increase recruitments to 32,000 — How they were going to do it without a budgetary allocation, remains a dream.
    Mr Speaker, why did Government show so much interest in 2012, by allocating and paying GH¢84 million? Was it to gain an election advantage? And even though
    they say the money is a revolving fund, once Government is stopping that programme, is not continuing it, they must be able to come back to this House and tell us whether the moneys paid, the equipment given out and the loans given are being recovered for the benefit of Ghana.
    Mr Speaker, in concluding, I would want to land on street naming and property addressing. We all recall that the President gave a directive to all District Assemblies in this country that they must name their streets and address their properties, and they were to finish by the end of September this year. Mr Speaker, September has come and gone and the compliance rate is 30 per cent.
    That was why in this budget, they proposed to continue to facilitate street naming and property addressing.
    They claimed that they made provision for some equipment to the District Assemblies. Mr Speaker, I would want to challenge that. The moneys that were used in procuring the equipment were taken from the Distr ict Assemblies themselves. The capacity building component meant for the Distr ict Assemblies to build the capacities of the functionaries of the District Assemblies was recalled by the centre and used to buy those things.
    Mr Speaker, so for them to say they bought, they provided, is never true. They should better say that the District Assemblies acquired their own equipment because the moneys came from them.
    Mr Speaker, on that note, I am very grateful for the opportunity, [Hear! Hear!].
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:40 p.m.
    Thank you,
    Hon Edward Kaale Ewole Dery.
    Did I pronounce it correctly?
    Mr Kaale-Ewola 2:40 p.m.
    No, Mr Speaker, it is Kaale-Ewole.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:40 p.m.
    Kaale- Ewola, you know we have similar names in the Nzema area in the Western Region; Ewole and so on. Anyway, the person was not talking to me, he was talking to himself. Now, you can talk to me.
    Mr Edward Kaale-Ewola Dery (NDC -- Lambussie/Karni) 2:40 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to associate myself with the 2015 Budget Statement.
    Mr Speaker, the Budget Statement was presented by the Hon Minister for Finance on the authority of the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama. He did so under article 179 of the 1992 Constitution as part of his duty to this House.
    Mr Speaker, I have not been too long in this House, but I can tell you that this is one of the most exciting budgets one can talk of. [Hear! Hear!] Mr Speaker, this is the good news, the good news from His Excellency John Dramani Mahama to this House. In this good news, the theme speaks for itself. “Transformational Agenda: Securing the Bright Medium Term Prospects of the Economy”.
    Mr Speaker, I listened to some of my Hon Colleagues from the other side and found nothing good from this good news. Mr Speaker, even in the Bible, depending on one's own problems, one can always find a chapter that suits that particular problem. In the same vein, one may choose to read what is good for him in this particular good news.
    But what is good about this Budget Statement, when I heard about the inauguration of 150 million cubic feet lean gas into the Aboadze Thermal Power Plant; it was a source of joy.
    rose
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:40 p.m.
    Yes, Minority Leader?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleague on his feet is saying to us that he was extremely happy when taxes on exercise books and pharmaceutical products -- [Interruption.] --
    Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleague, Nii Lantey needs not be shouting across the aisle. Please, this is Parliament --
    Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleague says that he was extremely happy when these taxes were removed. But they were the same people who were overly excited and
    shouted “Hear! Hear!” when those taxes were imposed. So, when did he learn that it was good to remove the taxes?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:40 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member, is it a point of order? And what is the point of order?
    Dr Prempeh 2:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, our Standing Orders dictate that Hon Members speak from their allocated seats and the Hon Member speaking has been shown on our latest gadget that he is Hon Kunsu. But I know very well that he is not. He is not sitting in his allocated seat. He should find his allocated seat and make his statement.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:40 p.m.
    Where is it in the Standing Orders? [Laughter.]

    So, Hon Prempeh, now that you have moved to your right position, you think you are in a position to ask him to move to his right place.
    Dr Prempeh 2:40 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:40 p.m.
    But it is not in the Standing Orders.
    Dr Prempeh 2:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is the Standing Orders that Hon Members rise to speak from their seats. That is why in the new configuration of the Chamber, Hon Members were told to sit whether it is behind the Leader or in front of the Leader. That is not Hon Nii Lantey's sitting position as well; that is why he is causing so much problem.
    Mr Speaker, he should go to his seat, so that his name reflects or the Hansard would capture Hon Kunsu as speaking when he is not Kunsu.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:50 p.m.
    Hon Member, I think you will continue. Will you not?
    Mr Dery 2:50 p.m.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
    I know my good Friend succeeded in taking a few minutes from my allotted time for contribution but I am not contending whether I am a backbencher. I am. I am only taking the position to contribute because sometimes, there are so many interruptions.
    Let me continue with this important debate.
    When I listened to my Hon Colleague on the other side, I was fairly touched, in the sense that it is true the public sector debt stock rose to 60.8 per cent but indeed, that was as a result of the external net disbursement for infrastructure projects and the external domestic issuer.
    Mr Speaker, it is clear; no one will challenge the external disbursement in this country because we are all aware of the huge infrastructure deficit. As a matter of fact, if someone was challenging the trade balances and the balance of payment, it is a fact that they are all in deficit. But it also states that when we look at it, there is so much improvement on both sides, writing off the trade balances and the balance of payment. It has improved from 2012, 2013 and 2014 and if you go through, you would see that.
    He also gave us some joy; when you look at the market capitalisation, it has also risen to 5.5 per cent. The agricultural sector had the highest growth. So, I listened to my Hon Senior Colleague when he mentioned the agricultural sector being neglected in this budget. That is not the case. Maybe, some areas were not captured. But when you look at this, the agricultural sector recorded the highest growth of 5.3 per cent.
    Again, we also have the gross international reserve, where we realised an increase from the stock positon, a bail up of US$46.9 million dollars which was sufficient enough for an import cover of three months plus.
    rose
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:50 p.m.
    Hon Akoto Osei?
    Dr A. A. Osei 2:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, on a point of order.
    The Hon Colleague is a good Friend of mine and perhaps, he inadvertently did not want to say what he said.
    In the budget, the Hon Minister said the agricultural sector is 5.3 per cent, industrial sector is 4.6 per cent, service sector is 4.6 per cent but the global rate is 6.9 per cent. Mr Speaker, this is impossible. So, if he is using the 5.3 per cent, can he tell us how the Hon Minister got the 6.9 per cent?
    It is mathematically impossible. So, he is grossly misleading the House. He should go there and ask the Ministry to correct that before he uses it because it is not correct.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:50 p.m.
    Hon Member?
    Mr Dery 2:50 p.m.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
    My Senior Colleague would also agree with me that the Hon Minister gave two scenarios; one is from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) and the other one is from the Ministry of Finance. So, if we take the one that is from the Ministry of Finance, certainly, we will be talking about that of the -- The Ministry of Finance, yes. So, that is where the Hon Member is basing

    -- Ministry of Finance came with 4.6 per cent and then the Ghana Statistical Service also came out with what he is relating to.

    Let me continue with the debate.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:50 p.m.
    The Hon Chairman is on his feet. Do you want to yield to him? If you yield to him, it will eat into your time.
    Mr Dery 2:50 p.m.
    Exactly so.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:50 p.m.
    All right.
    Mr Avedzi 2:50 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:50 p.m.
    He has five minutes more, so you can take three.
    Mr Avedzi 2:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Ranking Member of the Finance Committee said if the agricultural sector is growing at 5.3 per cent, service sector at 4.6 per cent and industrial sector at 4.6, we cannot get 6.9 per cent. I remember in 2007, I asked the Hon Ranking Member who was then the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance the same question. The answer he gave me was that even a first year student at the university knew how to calculate that. Has he forgotten the calculation on how to arrive at the Gross Domestic Product
    (GDP)?
    My point here is that, he said the agricultural sector is growing at 5.3 per cent and the service sector is growing at 4.6 per cent but the contribution of these sectors to the GDP Growth is different. While the service sector is growing at 4.6 per cent, it is contributing 50.1 per cent to the GDP growth. And the agricultural sector, which is growing at 5.3 per cent, is contributing 20.3 per cent to the GDP growth. For that matter, if he has forgotten how to calculate the GDP of a nation, then he should say so. He should
    not add the figures 5.3, 4.6 and 4.6 and expect to see 6.9.
    Thank you.
    Dr A. A. Osei 2:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have been trying to teach the Chairman of the Finance Committee simple economics and he does not want to listen.
    It is a weighted average, if he understands what I mean. The weights of services is about 0.5 per cent you multiply it by 4.6 per cent and you get a certain figure. You do the same for industry and you can never get 6.9 per cent. I have done it and I got 4.65 per cent. So, I have not forgotten. He does not understand it but I would be willing to teach him how to get it.
    The GSS and Ministry of Finance are giving us two different numbers. So, if my Hon Colleague wants to stick to the 5.3 per cent of agriculture, then he should tell us real GDP grew at 4.65 per cent; I will not have any problem. But the question he must ask himself is, why does the Ministry of Finance, which is not the official data provider for this nation, decide to deviate from the GSS? I know why and the Minister knows why.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:50 p.m.
    And you kept it yourself? Knowledge is circulating among a few and you kept it to yourself?
    Dr A. A. Osei 2:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I intercepted some information from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on its way to the Ministry and that is where I found out. But I shall see you in chambers and explain why. It is a very serious matter; this is not a small matter. I can say it on authority that this is one of the reasons negotiations have not been concluded and they are still discussing it. So, I will leave it at that.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:50 p.m.
    Now, what has happened is that, you are threatening to derail the entire process.
    Hon Quashigah is on his feet, Hon Atta Akyea is geared up to -- Pardon? All the people --
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I was just indicating that since the document originated from the Ministry of Finance, you may call the Deputy Minister for Finance and not call the others who are raising their hands to be noticed; we do not raise our hands to be noticed by the Speaker.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3 p.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, yours is on a point of procedure; you are relying on the Standing Orders. It is the Standing Orders that is giving you the strength to speak.
    Mr Richard M. Quashigah 3 p.m.
    Rightly so, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3 p.m.
    What Order? Tell me what you want to say. Do not worry.
    Mr Quashigah 3 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Ranking Member of the Finance Committee had actually spoken to this financial document on the first day, that was on Monday. These very issues that he raised, one would have expected that he would have raised those issues on that day but he never did. Now, he tells us that he intercepted some IMF information and documents, which he would not want to disclose.
    Meanwhile, he has stirred hornet's nest by raising the matter and Hon Members are eager to know what exactly he has up his sleeves and what information he has, which is very important for the development of this nation and the economic document that he is talking about.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3 p.m.
    But where is he?
    Mr Quarshigah 3 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is appropriate that he discloses or divulges this information, so that we all can be well
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3 p.m.
    Thank you.
    Mr Ntiwul 3 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member raised the Standing Orders and you gave him an opportunity, and I thought he was bringing some information.
    Mr Speaker, the rule is very clear. He raised an order against an Hon Member who was contributing. He cannot raise an order against him. That is very clear.
    So, we would pretend that we did not hear him. Mr Speaker, I make the application that we should pretend that we did not hear him because he cannot -- I am saying Mr Speaker may have given him the opportunity to make a comment but he brought the Standing Orders. That is how he started and I am saying that on that premise, he is wrong.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3 p.m.
    So, is the application to me?
    Mr Ntiwul 3 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is to you.
    Mr Forson 3 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I think the Hon Ranking Member raised a very important point. It is also important that we clarify that for the records.
    Mr Speaker, if I am to refer you to page 158 of the Budget Statement, you will realise that we have two scenarios in there. We did provide a table where we showed the GSS provisional data and then obviously, provided another table showing the Ministry of Finance's projected data of which we projected a real GDP of 4.6 per cent while the GSS projected 6.9 per cent. So, what the Hon Member was using, was making reference to one particular line and it is important we do not mix the two.
    The Ministry of Finance, of course, has every right to project how we would end the year and in doing that, we projected, based on the numbers that we are receiving, that we may end the year with 4.65 per cent of GDP growth.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3 p.m.
    Thank you, Hon Deputy Minister.
    Mr Forson 3 p.m.
    So, Mr Speaker, it is clear that we have it here; we have it under page 158.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3 p.m.
    I am sorry. I will not take any more comment on this matter.
    Thank you.
    Mr Forson 3 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3 p.m.
    That is your explanation.
    Thank you.
    Hon Dery?
    Mr Dery 3 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3 p.m.
    Hon Dr Akoto Osei, I was in the House this morning and I heard your intervention after the Business Statement and I also heard the response from Mr Speaker.
    I agreed with what you and Mr Speaker said. So, if there is a matter which is factually incorrect, I will call you or recognise other Hon Members to comment. But what I can see on this matter are different interpretations being given to something. That is why I feel that you have raised something; they have explained it in their way; you may disagree with their explanation and that is your view, unless it is factually inaccurate.
    Dr A. A. Osei 3 p.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3 p.m.
    Not because it is --
    Dr A. A. Osei 3 p.m.
    It is very important that we understand that because never has this happened in this nation, that the Ministry of Finance comes to Parliament and says it is giving us its projections. Officially, it is only the GSS that gives us official numbers.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3 p.m.
    Hon Dr Akoto Osei --
    Dr A. A. Osei 3 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, no! It is important because this matter is at the heart of what I call a disagreement between the International Monitoring Fund (IMF) and Government. And we must support Government.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3 p.m.
    I understand you.
    Dr A. A. Osei 3 p.m.
    We must not be --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3 p.m.
    Hon Dr Akoto Osei, I am sorry. I understand you completely. But as you have said, it has never happened. But what I am saying is that this is their document and they have put their information in their document. If you believe that this document is from the
    President, read by the Hon Minister on the authority of the President and you think that something in it is -- Unless the thing does not exist in the document, I will not call it a factual inaccuracy.
    You can say what is there is wrong. “We have been told by Hon Members from both sides that they do not agree with this; this policy is wrong. This thing that they said is wrong; there was a debate over whether . . .”
    All of that is not a problem. But you are saying that nothing like that has happened before; it is possible. I do not know.
    But he is saying that it is there in their projection and they have the right to do it. This is what he is saying.
    Dr A. A. Osei 3 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, that is a point but I am cautioning the Hon Minister to be careful in this regard; otherwise, he may take us on the path where Ghana's image would not be well. I am cautioning the Hon Minister. He knows why I am saying that. So, it is important that we understand that there is difficulty with the national income data and technically, it is possible for two different institutions to get two different numbers.
    There has been a question raised about the data provided by the GSS. I think the Ministry is doing the right thing by accepting what is being questioned but they should advise GSS to do the same. That is my advice. The Ministry of Finance does not have the capacity to project the way they are doing it. I can put it on record. They do not have the model; they do not have the technical expertise, and it is only the GSS. So, when they put it here like that --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3 p.m.
    Hon Dr Akoto Osei, you cannot have another -- You said it.

    Hon Ato Forson said something and whatever you say, I will not let anybody speak, whether you mention every single person's name in the House or not, say something, then we go to -- We have got the point. Be brief, please.
    Mr Forson 3 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    It is not right that the Ministry of Finance does not have any model to project GDP --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3 p.m.
    Can you speak a bit loud?
    Mr Forson 3 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Finance's Real Division over the past have been working closely with GSS by ensuring that they can also project the national account going forward. In doing that, we notice that the GSS's 6.9 per cent may be challenged as a result of what we are experiencing now from the power outages.
    Therefore, the Ministry projected that we would end the year with 4.65 per cent instead of 6.9 per cent. We prepared this Budget Statement using the earlier base of 4.65 per cent, not 6.9 per cent, which in any case, is beneficial to us, as a country, so that in case we end the year with 6.9 per cent, though that is the GSS official position, the country may gain.
    It is important that we accept that information is not necessarily coming from the IMF. We, as country or the Ministry of Finance, we also work with the Real Division and obviously, we also do our own projections. That projection -- As we are saying, we prepared this Budget Statement based on a projection of real GDP of 4.65 per cent and we have done that obviously by providing two different scenarios under the budget.
    Thank you.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3 p.m.
    Thank
    you.
    Mr Dery 3:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, to continue with this, my point is on the credit to the public and the private sectors. It has also realised 50 per cent; the private sector realised 29.3 per cent.
    Mr Speaker, on the controversial 17.5 per cent VAT -- What probably some people are not interested to know is that, there is a GH¢50 million subsidy component to the same petroleum product. I am sure people were only interested in talking about the modification of the existing VAT that they were supposed to pay.
    Mr Speaker, another realisation is the 123 schools that a loan has be secured to put up. I am happy to let Mr Speaker know that, Lambussie/Karni Constituency is one of the beneficiaries to this project and we are part of the first batch to benefit. That is part of the good things that His Excellency, President John Dramani Mahama is doing for mother Ghana.
    Mr Speaker, I would also want to make some contribution toward the issue of taxation. All of us in this country have realised that we are losing so much to the multinational companies, especially in the area of oil and gas. It is in our interest that we collect all these revenues.
    If we are crying that we cannot go out and borrow, that the borrowing would not help us, it means that we need to generate revenue through the taxes that we would be collecting to support the national budget.
    Mr Speaker, in order to reduce waste, we also realised the biometric registration that we went through is one of the cardinal points to be able to reduce waste -- to be able to check our payroll and to be able to validate the payroll. That would reduce waste.
    Mr Speaker, in conclusion, the track record of the NDC, when it comes to health and education, is 300 miles away and no one can dispute that on both sides.
    Mr Speaker, in conclusion, they talked about a deficit --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:10 p.m.
    You are concluding the conclusion.
    Mr Dery 3:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, when you talk about budget deficit, if I may refer you to 2001 to 2006, we had an excess variation of 26.6, 14.4, 14.2, 14.7, 32.7 per cent respectively. That is on the public expenditure.
    Mr Speaker, this budget is like any other budget that is journeying toward development and growth. Of course, if we realise any deficit, I do not think it is something that anybody would want to run away or --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:10 p.m.
    Thank you very much.
    Hon Emmanuel Akwasi Gyamfi?
    Mr Emmanuel A. Gyamfi (NPP -- Odotobri) 3:10 p.m.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity.
    Mr Speaker, maybe, I would not take my full time.
    I am just wondering, whether the Hon Minister for Finance consulted the President of the Republic before coming to this Parliament to present this Budget
    rose
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:10 p.m.
    Hon Agbesi?
    Mr Agbesi 3:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, this Budget Statement was presented by the Hon Minister on the authority of His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama. He said that he was wondering whether the Hon Minister consulted the President before presenting this Budget Statement to the House. Mr Speaker, this is a serious statement. I wish my Hon Colleague can withdraw that statement.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:10 p.m.
    Hon Agbesi, he also said by the time he finishes, we may know why he said that. It is a rhetorical question. So, let us listen to him for a while for him to justify his very --
    Hon Agbesi, it is 3.16 p.m. Let him continue.
    Mr Gyamfi 3:10 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker
    -- 3:10 p.m.

    Mr Agbesi 3:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, without sounding as though I am challenging your authority -- I am not challenging your authority whatsoever.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:10 p.m.
    Hon Agbesi, you know that I have great respect for you. In addition to several other reasons, you are my senior Colleague but let him proceed. I have listened to you. You know in these matters, you can intervene at any time. We would soon see whether it is a rhetorical question. Let us listen to him. Do not worry, Hon Agbesi.
    Mr Gyamfi 3:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, was the President, His Excellency aware that the Hon Minister for Finance was coming to this House with a proposal for 17.5 per cent VAT on petroleum products while on the world market, crude oil price is dropping to about US$75.00 per barrel?
    Mr Speaker, is the President aware? By the automatic price adjustment, Ghanaians should have been buying fuel lower than how it is being sold. The President was not aware. If he were, he should not have allowed the Hon Minister to come and impose the 17.5 per cent tax on Ghanaians.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to find out again, whether the President was aware that in this Budget Statement that the Hon Minister for Finance brought to this House and to Ghanaians -- all the major economic targets were declining and yet he was promising Ghanaians a transforma- tional agenda -- Was the President aware? I believe the President was not aware --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:10 p.m.
    Hon Member, article 179 (1) of the Constitution provides:
    “The President shall cause to be prepared and laid before Parliament at least one month before the end of the financial year, estimates of the revenues and expenditure of the Government of Ghana for the following financial year.”
    That is what is popularly called the Budget; that is what he read. So, the President is aware. When you look at the front page of the Statement, it states quite clearly that, it is being presented on the authority of the President. I recall that the Hon Minister also said that. So you may make your submission. The President was aware. If you think the President was not aware --
    Mr Gyamfi 3:20 p.m.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for your ruling. Based on what you have said, I would want to state emphatically that Ghanaians are highly disappointed in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Party and His Excellency the President for coming out with this budget.
    Mr Speaker, as we speak now --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:20 p.m.
    Deputy Majority Whip, are you saying that if somebody says they are disappointed, it is a point of order, he should withdraw that? Is that what you are saying?
    Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 3:20 p.m.
    Please, Mr Speaker, that is not what I want to say. But what I wanted to say was that the very foundation of his argument for blaming the President and expressing Ghanaians disappointment was not done by merely the President. This 17.5 per cent increment that he is talking of was brought to this House and approved by this House and he was given the opportunity to show his disapproval which he failed to do.
    I would want to put it to the Hon Member that Ghanaians would be disappointed in him; he was not able to represent the interest of Ghanaians here, and therefore, he should not lay the emphasis Ghanaian are disappointed. He was given the opportunity, which he failed to use.
    This is what I would want to put before him, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Gyamfi 3:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member is my good Friend but let me respond shortly to him --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:20 p.m.
    Hon Gyamfi, you speak to the Speaker.
    Mr Gyamfi 3:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I never participated in the 17.5 per cent Valued Added Tax (VAT) for Ghanaians to pay, if the Hon Member wants to know.

    Mr Speaker, for this year, almost all the statutory payments are in arrears. We can talk about the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and the GET Fund; they are all in arrears and you have these document -- the Financial Policy of Government as being described as transformational. Transformational for Ghanaians or for whom? This is the question that I am asking and we all need to answer the question.

    Mr Speaker, the NDC Party and Government promised Ghanaians “Better Ghana Agenda”. Can they tell every Ghanaian and also tell themselves that what we are experiencing is a better Ghana? This is a very “Bitter Ghana” that we are experiencing.

    Mr Speaker, decentralization and local government is a very key tool to bring government to the grassroot. We have been able to implement the decentalisation policy for a number of years; we have been able to transfer the human resource; we have transferred functions. What we need to do is to transfer the financial resources to the District Assemblies to perform the assigned responsibilities that we have given to them.

    Mr Speaker, three quarters into the year, the 7.5 per cent of the total national revenue that is supposed to be transferred to the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) for them to execute the functions that we have transferred to them. As of now, we have only one quarter that has been transferred to the District Assemblies.
    rose
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:20 p.m.
    Hon Member,do you want to yield to Hon Akoto Osei? It would take a little time.
    Dr A. A. Osei 3:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would just want to assist my Hon Colleague that, so far, only one quarter has been served. Mr Speaker, I would want to remind him that officially, it is zero in here. So, he is being too generous. It is in here as zero. So, I just want to remind him, it is here zero.
    Mr Gyamfi 3:20 p.m.
    Thank you, Hon Member for the information.
    Mr Speaker --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:20 p.m.
    The Ranking Member and the Chairman of the Finance Committee, they want to take over, I do not know whether there is a coup d'etat or I do not know what they want to do.
    Mr Gyamfi 3:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, last year, during the Motion for the debate of the budget, I proposed that for us to see much development in our country, much resources should be transferred to the local administrators and authorities --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:20 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, are you leaving us?
    Mr Avedzi 3:20 p.m.
    No!
    Mr Gyamfi 3:20 p.m.
    I proposed 10 per cent of the total national revenue to the District Assemblies, so that we can see much more development going on there.
    Mr Speaker, the sad thing again is that, even though the money has not been transferred , there is so much in deductions at source that deprive the people in the districts of the much needed revenue and that for 2015. I wish that the Ministry would take a very critical look at it, so that much resources are sent to the
    Mr Quashigah 3:20 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleague on the other side of the House obviously has misled this House.
    Envisaging he has 15 minutes, he indicated that he was not going to speak for long but it is obvious that he has spoken for close to 14 minutes and he is still on his feet, and it appears he has a lot more to say. That clearly, is a deception, Mr Speaker, can you kindly call him to order?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:30 p.m.
    Hon Quashigah, you have taken the wind out of my sails because I also noticed that even though he said he would speak for a very short time, he is now in his elements. But I consider the fact that there were some interruptions here, and that is why I am just giving him a little more time.
    Yes, Hon Gyamfi, if you had said you would speak for a long time maybe, we would be here till tomorrow.
    Mr Gyamfi 3:30 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I believe I have an allocated time that I am supposed to -- [Laughter] — Mr Speaker, the crucial issue -- my Colleague Hon Ameyaw-Cheremeh said that the School Feeding Programme was a very good one. Everyone in this Chamber, and all Ghanaians, support that.
    Since 2005, the programme has been running. What is of a major challenge to us, as a country, and also as a Government, is to find where we can have a sustainable source of funding. Mr Speaker, unfortunately, this same mighty District Assemblies Common Fund, is funding the School Feeding Programme again, which is deducted at source, also depriving the District Assemblies enough resources to implement their projects.
    The Government --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:30 p.m.
    Hon Gyamfi, you have five more minutes.
    I said you have five more minutes.
    Mr Gyamfi 3:30 p.m.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. Thank you so much for the opportunity.
    This is also depriving the District Assemblies of so much resources, and Government should look for a sustainable source of funding, so that the School Feeding Programme can continue. It is very unfortunate. As mentioned by my Hon Colleague, Government intends expanding the programme to cover about 2.5 million people from the current 1.7, which is laudable.
    But as we speak now, the programme is seriously financially challenged, and if we rely on the District Assemblies Common Fund to fund the programme, I believe we would not be able to achieve much, and that we need to do so much so that our people in the public schools, as the President said “in deprived public schools” would have the benefit of enjoying this laudable programme.
    Mr Speaker, in 2012, the Government created about 46 new District Assemblies, and it is a way of getting the people in those areas to feel the development in their areas. Mr Speaker, these newly created Assemblies have been in existence, for almost three years. Your Committee on Local Government and Rural Development, visited some of them and it is very pathetic.
    The infrastructural deficit that they are suffering as we speak, and I was looking at the budget, to find a line that says that we are going to support these newly created Assemblies, so that the infrastructural deficit would be taken care of, and there is nothing of that sort.
    We cannot just create Assemblies and leave them to their fate. Some of them could only generate about GHH¢36,000, as internally generated funds (IGFs) for the whole year, and how can these
    Assemblies with these minimal IGFs be able to put up infrastructure, when even from the District Assemblies Common Fund, which is supposed to go and support them, that money is also not being transferred? So Mr Speaker, I wish that the Government and my good Friends on the opposite side, would listen to this proposal, and advise that in 2015, we would not have what we are experiencing now, and that we would not go through that again, because Ghanaians are not ready for this kind of hardship.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:30 p.m.
    Thank you.
    Mr Mathias Kwame Ntow (NDC -- Aowin) 3:30 p.m.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the Motion on the floor.
    rose
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:30 p.m.
    Hon Joe Appiah, do you have a point of order?
    Mr Justice Joe Appiah 3:30 p.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:30 p.m.
    Hon Joe Appiah, you were not listening.
    The Hon Member has said what is bothering him. He said what is bothering him is that all the Hon Members opposite him did not find any good thing about this budget, and he has a right to say that. So please, resume your seat.
    That is what is bothering him, and he can say that.
    Minority Leader, can I seek your advice? Does he have the right to say that? He says it is bothering him, and if it is bothering him --
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:30 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, he is absolutely right to make that observation, just like I guess he would also be right to also observe that on the other side, nobody has seen anything bad about the budget.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:30 p.m.
    Minority Leader -- [Laughter.]
    Mr Ntow 3:30 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, because negative one plus one is equal to zero. So, where do we stand? A budget has been presented to this House, and all the Hon Members -- On my side, we do not see anything bad because it is good. On the other side, they do not see anything good. How then do we stand as a House?
    Mr Speaker, it is proper for us to scrutinise it, and come out with the merits and demerits. Yes, there could be demerits, but there are merits -- which outweigh the demerits -- so that we can come to a proper balancing of this budget.
    Personally, I could see that there are a lot of hopes in this budget. That was why I was saying that it would be important or prudent for a lot of us Ghanaians to get hold of the document to read and see, whether the argument or the debate we are having in the House, we are right or wrong. But Mr Speaker, that is left to the discernment of the good people of this country.
    Mr Speaker, as somebody from the cocoa growing area, I would like to draw the attention of the House to a few issues that the budget has drawn. Mr Speaker, for the 2013/2014 cocoa season, the amount of cocoa that was produced increased. The COCOBOD, and for that matter, the farmers in these areas were able to exceed the target of 830,000 tonnes. The farmers were able to give us 896,187 tonnes of cocoa.
    Mr Speaker, these are the people that are immensely contributing to the entire development of this country. Why am I saying so? We can see cocoa roads in Accra, in Tamale, in Bolgatanga, and in Aowin. That is an indication that really, the farmers are contributing to the entire development of this country.
    Mr Speaker, secondly, the producer price of cocoa has been increased by COCOBOD and Government by 67.74 per cent, which is equivalent to GH¢3,392.00 per tonne. It is my prayer that, the world price of cocoa will continue to increase, so that we can get the best out of it. Now, it is GH¢5,520.00 for the farmers. Interestingly Mr Speaker, a farmer earns GH¢5.00 bonus on each bag of cocoa.
    Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh 3:40 p.m.
    On a point of order.
    Mr Speaker, would the Hon Member concede that if a bag of cocoa in equivalent terms, was US$114.00 last purchasing year, and this time it is US$109.00, then farmers of Ghana have been cheated miserably under NDC?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:40 p.m.
    Hon Prempeh, is it a point of order?
    Dr Prempeh 3:40 p.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker. He is praising the Government on cedi equivalence.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:40 p.m.
    This is not a point of order.
    Mr Ntow 3:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, my Hon good Friend and Brother from Manhyia knows very well that if we go to the cocoa growing areas now --The Hon Minority Leader himself is aware -- farmers are jubilating. They are thanking H.E the President of the Republic of Ghana -- [Hear! Hear!] for increasing the producer price of cocoa. [Hear! Hear!] If I am not telling the truth, the Hon Minority Leader is here to testify -- [Interruption.]
    An Hon Member 3:40 p.m.
    He is also a farmer.
    Mr Ntow 3:40 p.m.
    Yes!
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:40 p.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, are you jubilating? [Laughter]-- You did not tell us.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I cannot jubilate. As has been pointed out to him, in real terms, the farmers are not being treated equitably. This is because, in real terms, they have lost out in the amount that is being paid to them.

    Mr Speaker, there is no net. In any event --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:40 p.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, are you jubilating? [Laughter.]
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am not jubilating. The Hon Colleague is talking about farmers producing about one hundred bags. The bonus that is being paid to cocoa farmers per bag -- the GH¢5.00 is less than the amount that is earned by what is called “by day” labourers. What is there to jubilate about?
    In any event, Mr Speaker, let me inform him, if he does not know. He said, “one hundred bag of cocoa”. In this country, the average bag of cocoa produced by the typical farmer is fifteen (15). It is for a year -- 15 bags of cocoa, if he cares to know and I multiply that by the amount that is given and I would know the annual income of the typical cocoa farmer.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:40 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    Mr Ntow 3:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank the Hon Minority Leader for the good testimony.
    Mr Speaker, I said that the GH¢ 5.00 was the bonus. What do we mean by bonus? It means that, after all the calculations have been done, taking out all that is spent in the cultivation and the maintenance of the farm, Government says “Take this”.
    Mr Speaker, we are all aware in this country that before the cocoa leaves the farm, a lot of work is done.
    One, Government has given free chemicals --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:40 p.m.
    Hon Member, do you have a cocoa farm?
    Mr Ntow 3:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it will be very suicidal on my part, from a cocoa growing area, if I do not have any farm. Mr Speaker, with all respect, I have cocoa farms.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:40 p.m.
    So, Hon Member, you belong to the jubilating farmers. Do you not?
    Mr Ntow 3:40 p.m.
    Precisely so, Mr Speaker. [Hear! Hear!]
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:40 p.m.
    So, the Hon Minority Leader belongs to the non jubilating farmers. [Laughter.]
    Mr Ntow 3:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the cocoa trees in his constituency or district are all dying. That is why he is not jubilating -- [Laughter.]
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:40 p.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, association of nonjubilating farmers? [Laughter.]
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, my constituency is in the Kumasi Metropolitan Area. Admittedly, there are no cocoa farmers in Suame today, as we speak. This is because, all the lands have been taken over by residential develop- ments.
    But I have farms in Atwima-Mponua, and Hon Isaac Asiamah can attest to that. I also have farms at Assin North: Cocoa, teak, oil palm and so on. [Hear! Hear!]. Mr Speaker, that is the truth.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:40 p.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, then you are an accomplished farmer -- [Laughter] -- of the jubilating or the non jubilant category?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I cannot be jubilating. In fact, I am lamenting.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:40 p.m.
    Do you belong to the lamenting group? [Laughter.]
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:40 p.m.
    This is because of the non performance of this Government. The Hon Member talks about roads and the spraying of cocoa and so on.
    Mr Speaker, all governments have done so. We have said to them, that in spite of that we should still give them the 70 per cent FOB price at least. That is what is captured in their own manifesto. So, he should not allude to that, that in spite of that they still gave them 70 per cent.
    Please, he should check his own manifesto, if he has lost touch with the social contract that was established between him, his Government, his party and the people of this country.
    In any event, Mr Speaker, he said that we should be joyous because we see cocoa roads in Accra, Tamale and everywhere in the country. What is the principle behind cocoa roads? He should tell us.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:40 p.m.
    Hon Member, continue.
    Mr Ntow 3:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank the Hon Minority Leader. That was why I started by saying that -- Please, should I wind up?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:40 p.m.
    No! Continue.
    Mr Ntow 3:40 p.m.
    Thank you very much.
    I do not want my Hon good Brother to intervene.
    Mr Speaker, if you consider the amount of money the Government is giving to the farmers, no Government can pay that amount except the NDC -- [Hear! Hear!] which is a social democratic party for the welfare of the people.
    The Hon Minority is aware that during his tenure, he could not pay even 50 per cent of the amount. We are doing more than expected.
    In any case, Mr Speaker, this country is not ruled by the manifesto of the NDC. We have the Constitution, and there is a national development plan or agenda which we follow.
    Mr Kwame Asafu-Adjei 3:40 p.m.
    On a point of order.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member has called himself a farmer. In fact, he is not a farmer. He spends most of his time here in Parliament, arguing and debating. He is an absentee farmer. The definition of a farmer does not befit him.
    Mr Speaker, he is not a farmer; he cannot be a farmer. How many hours does he spend on his farm if he is really a farmer as compared to the time he spends here? He gets his salary from the House of Parliament. He is not a farmer.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:50 p.m.
    You have said it. Thank you.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    Mr Ntow 3:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I do not know what my Hon Friend is talking about. Did he hear of President Félix Houphouët- Boigny of la Cote d'Ivoire? He was the most important farmer in la Cote d'ivoire, but he was the President of the Republic. So, he should not be surprised that I am a Member of Parliament and at the same time, I am doing farming. Even the Minority
    Leader has farms, not a farm, including cocoa, sheanut, everything. So, Mr Speaker, to wind up, in conclusion --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:50 p.m.
    Just one minute.
    The Hon Member said you were not a farmer, but you were an absentee farmer. An absentee farmer is a farmer. So, I do not know why you are arguing with that.
    Secondly, I wonder whether both you and the Hon Minority Leader have appeared before the Committee of Members Holding Office of Profit, because apparently, both of you are engaged in some other economic activities unknown to us -- before these confessions on the floor.
    I do not know whether you have appeared before -- I happen to Chair that Committee. I have not seen you there. Neither have I seen the Minority Leader.
    Mr Asafu-Adjei 3:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, he is not a professional farmer, that is what I mean.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:50 p.m.
    But he is a farmer. Do not worry; he is a farmer -- whether professional or absentee, he is a farmer.
    Hon Member, what I like about your intervention is that, no matter the description, you end with farmer. So, professional farmer, absentee farmer, ordinary farmer, he is still a farmer. So, we will take it that way.
    Hon Member, please, continue.
    Mr Ntow 3:50 p.m.
    Thank you Mr Speaker. I am wondering when --
    Mr William Agyapong Quaitoo -- rose
    -- 3:50 p.m.

    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:50 p.m.
    Hon Member, are you on a point of order?
    Mr Ntow 3:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I wonder when my Hon Colleague became a specialist to probe into the activities of Members of Parliament.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:50 p.m.
    Do not worry. I will give you five more minutes. But there is a point of order. Let us take that before.
    Mr Quaitoo 3:50 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    He said something, which is a bit misleading.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:50 p.m.
    Who said it?
    Mr Quaitoo 3:50 p.m.
    My Hon Colleague on the other side said that it was only the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Government or Party which was a social democrat and which had offered this price. I want him to know that in 2000, when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) took power, the price of a bag of cocoa was GH¢20. In 2008, before we exited, it was GH¢125, an increase of over 600 per cent. Now, when they took over, from the GH¢125, if you increase it to GH¢345, the percentage increase is only 290 per cent.
    So they should stop making noise and saying that it is the NDC Government that has come to more or less better the lot of cocoa farmers. It is not true, and it can never be true. That is the calculation I have given. In 2000, the price of a bag of cocoa was GH¢ 20. In 2008, before we exited, the price was GH¢125.00. They should do the mathematics. The percentage increase is over 600 per cent.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:50 p.m.
    Hon Member, thank you.
    Five minutes more. With any intervention, I will add another five minutes.
    Mr Ntow 3:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we are not talking about 2000, 2001, 2003 or 2004. We are talking about 2013/2014 cocoa season. The prices of today is what we are talking about, and this is the area, the time, the season where the farmers are jubilating.
    Mr Speaker, a lot of roads have been constructed in this country, especially in my constituency, by this Government. So Mr Speaker, I do not see any reason we cannot critique this Budget Statement and then come out with the good things of it.
    On this note, I thank you for the opportunity.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:50 p.m.
    Thank you very much.
    Hon Members, I know that it is after 2.00 o'clock, but if the Leaders have something to say -- Clause -- then I adjourn the House.
    This brings us to the end of the debate on the Budget Statement for today.
    Minority Leader, do you have anything to say?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I do not have anything useful to say, except to remind Hon Colleagues that Monday is a Sitting day, and also to remind the Majority Leadership that we may run ourselves into a problem -- People were talking about the laying of the Instrument by the Electoral Commis- sion.
    Mr Speaker, we are supposed to rise on the 19th of December. Even when we are trying to conscript Mondays and Sit on Mondays, we would still not have the twenty-one Sitting days. And so, it would not mature for it to be operational. The Instrument from the Electoral Commission -- you were saying that it had occasioned the buying of forms, when you knew that it was an untruth. We will have problems. So, we may have to look at it.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:50 p.m.
    I am sure that you can discuss it among yourselves, being the Leadership, collective Leadership of the House.
    Hon Deputy Majority Leader, do you have any comments?
    Mr Agbesi 3:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is four minutes to 4.00 o'clock, the Business for the day has been exhausted.
    One interesting thing I would want to say before I move the Motion for adjournment --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:50 p.m.
    No! You will not move the Motion. I will adjourn today, because it is past 2.00 o'clock. I am just asking out of respect for your high office as Deputy Majority Leader --
    Mr Agbesi 3:50 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Hon Ntow who made the last contribution had a concern, but the concern has been addressed. According to him, one thing that worries him is that, Members on the opposite side do not see anything good about the budget. The Minority Leader came up to say that in the same way, Members at this side also see everything good about the budget.
    Mr Speaker, that is a very interesting development. We have to re-think about the debates we do, because if at the end of the day, one side sees everything good about the budget, one side sees nothing good about the budget, and yet we debate and then at the end, nothing good, something good - So, what is it?
    We cannot say there is nothing good about the budget, and we cannot say that everything is good about it. We have to be very objective.
    Mr Speaker, these are the few things I have observed about today's debate.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:50 p.m.
    Thank you.
    But time is so constrained --
    Yes Minority Leader?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the issue has not been that from this side -- we see nothing good. The role of an opposition party is to critique, let Government know what is wrong and
    then it would take it on board, those ones that would be critiqued. That is how a responsible Government behaves. But if you position yourself that whatever criticism that comes is repulsive to you, Mr Speaker, that is where the problem is. Then we become cheerleaders and yes -- men, and that is not good.
    So, let us listen to the criticism. Maybe, in the criticism, you could also fault the criticism. In this regard, I am not too sure that what you are saying is the truth, then we move on. But to challenge every criticism and say that “No, you are not…” like somebody said.
    My Friend Hon Yieleh Chireh said that they have been reading the budget up side down, that is why they are criticising. That is dangerous. Such declarations are dangerous to the House and the Government.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:50 p.m.
    I am sure he meant it on a lighter side.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is dangerous to the health of democracy, and people should watch it.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:50 p.m.
    There is a Ghanaian saying, which says that when you are charting a course, it is those behind you -- Do you want to bring that on board and localise your submission?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is said that the person charting a course would not know that the path that is left behind is crooked. So, it is for those of them standing behind to indicate to you that there is some crookedness. Right?
    Observers, impartials, neutrals, and instead of you to thank them and change your steps to correct yourself, you say that “Oh, I am right, there should not be any change in my direction.”
    No curve, no bend; you would enter the sea and plunge all of us into a ditch.

    Mr Speaker, but let us come together as he has said and move the agenda of national development forward.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:50 p.m.
    Both of you, thank you very much.
    At the end of the day, we would all come together. In democracy, everybody would have to have a say. But we should all take it in good faith and come together and move the agenda forward.
    Thank you very much, Hon Members.
    An Hon Member 3:50 p.m.
    Why?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:50 p.m.
    Some- body asked “Why”? But I am sure the person is talking to himself. He is not talking to the Speaker. [Laughter.]
    Thank you.
    ADJOURNMENT 3:50 p.m.

  • The House was adjourned at 4.02 p.m. till Monday, 1st December, 2014 at 10.00 a.m.