Debates of 15 Dec 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.
Hon Members, Correction of the Votes and Proceedings of Saturday, 13th December, 2014.
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I noticed that the Hon Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu has been marked as absent without permission and I thought that the dialogue between us amounted to a cover. I should think that a similar arrangement, perhaps, beginning Wednesday, I might have been marked absent without permission. I hope the Table-Office would take care of it and rectify the anomaly.
Mr Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Very well.
Page 8….
Mr Murtala M. Ibrahim 10:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I was not here on Saturday and strangely, my name is captured.
Mr Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Your name was marked present?
Mr M. M. Ibrahim 10:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, that is so.
Mr Speaker 10:50 a.m.
What page?
Mr M. M. Ibrahim 10:50 a.m.
Page 7.
Mr Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon Murtala, what are you correcting?
Mr M. M. Ibrahim 10:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, what I am saying is that, I was not here on Saturday and did not expect my name to be marked as present. I thought I should have been marked as absent.
Mr Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Very well.
Dr Anthony A. Osei 10:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I was here on Saturday, but I am not sure that I saw 142 people in the Chamber.
Mr Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon Member, we would crosscheck.
Dr A. A. Osei 10:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I will want to give you some information — [Interruption.]
Mr Speaker 10:50 a.m.
I said we would crosscheck on that. I was not in the Chamber. I was here but did not enter the Chamber, and so, I say we will crosscheck.
Dr A. A. Osei 10:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I was going to give you some information.
Mr Speaker 10:50 a.m.
And I say we would crosscheck.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I was not around — [Interruption.]
Mr Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon Members, let us have order in the Chamber.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I was not around on Saturday and noticing that only 142 peo, has become a subject of dispute. I get the impression that, perhaps, we did not make sufficient announcement to the effect that Parliament was to Sit on Saturday and that is why perhaps —
Mr Speaker 10:50 a.m.
An announcement was made on the floor of the House.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, you may make an announcement, but if it is made on the floor, it depends on how many people were in the Chamber.
Mr Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon Minority Leader, that is another matter. I was in the Chair and before the Business Statement was presented by the Chairman of the Business Committee and before leaving the Chair, I made the statement. When I left, the Majority came and made the statement, which was carried all over the media networks, that the House was going to Sit on Saturday.
So, the number captured in the Votes and Proceedings, we would go and check the records and I will ask the Clerks-at- the-Table to do the necessary checks and corrections.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:50 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I appreciate that, but my worry was the pausity of the numbers and you are assuring that sufficient announcement was made. I was just indicating that it depends on when the announcement was made. But my Hon Colleague is indicating that it was carried on the various media, that Parliament was to Sit on Saturday. So, perhaps, if it becomes necessary for us to Sit on Saturday, which is not a normal day, perhaps, we should do much more.
Mr Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Very well. I agree with you.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:50 a.m.
That is the first one. But the second thing before you come to crosschecking the number of people in the Chamber and so on, my information was that, a Resolution could not be taken because of pausity of numbers in the Chamber. So, if it happens that 142 people were registered as having
attended, then there could be some incoherence. But you are saying that you would crosscheck, and so, let me go on the wings of the crosschecking and maybe, adapt.
Mr Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Very well.
Hon Members, the Votes and Proceedings of Saturday, 13th December, 2014, as corrected, are hereby adopted as the true record of proceedings.
  • [No correction was made to the Official Report of Thursday, 4th December, 2014.]
    • Mr Alban S.K. Bagbin 10:50 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, with your kind permission and the indulgence of my Hon Colleagues, I would propose that we start from item number 4 (c).
    The indication I have from the Committees is that item number 4 (c) (i) is ready and as we go along, I will mention those reports that are ready for laying.
    Mr Speaker 10:50 a.m.
    Hon Members, Presenta- tion of Papers; 4 (c) (i) — by the Chairman of the Finance Committee.
    PAPERS 10:50 a.m.
    Mr Bagbin 10:50 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, we can now take item number 4 c (IV)
    By the Chairman of the Committee —
    (iv) Report of the Finance Committee on the National Fiscal Stabili- sation Levy (Amendment) Bill,
    2014.
    Mr Bagbin 10:50 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, item number 4 c (v)
    By the Chairman of the Committee —
    (v) Report of the Finance Committee on the Special Import Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2014.
    Mr Bagbin 10:50 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, item 4 number c (VI).
    By the Chairman of the Committee —
    (vi) Report of the Finance Committee on the Internal Revenue (Amend- ment) Bill, 2014.
    Mr Speaker 10:50 a.m.
    Hon Majority Leader?
    Mr Bagbin 10:50 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, item number 4 (e), page 3 — the estimates on the Judiciary —
    rose
    - 10:50 a.m.
    Mr Speaker 10:50 a.m.
    Are you the Chairman?
    Mr Obeng-Inkoom 10:50 a.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker 10:50 a.m.
    Very well.
    By the Chairman of the Committee —
    (e) Report of the Committee on Judiciary on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Judicial Service for the year ending 31 st December, 2015.
    Mr Bagbin 11 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, we can now take item number 4 (g), which is on the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs.
    By the Chairman of the Committee —
    (g) Report of the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development for the year ending 31st December, 2015.
    Mr Bagbin 11 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, we can now take item number 4(h) both (i) and (ii)/
    By the Chairman of the Committee --
    (i) Report of the Committee on Defence and Interior on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Defence for the year ending 31st December, 2015.
    (ii) Report of the Committee on Defence and Interior on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of the Interior for the year ending 31st December, 2015.
    Mr Bagbin 11 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, item number 4 (j) of page 3, which is on Committee on Environment, Science and Technology.
    Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
    Hon Members, item number 4(j) -- by the Hon Chairman of the Committee.
    I thought I saw the Hon Chairman in the Chamber?
    Mr Bagbin 11 a.m.
    That is so, Mr Speaker. But the Vice --
    Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
    But do we have any Hon Member of the Committee or the Hon Vice Chairman?
    Mr Joseph Nikpe Bukari 11 a.m.
    The Hon Vice Chairman is here.
    rose
    Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
    You are the Vice Chairman? Is the Report ready?
    Mr Bukari 11 a.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
    Very well.
    Report to be laid by the Hon Vice Chairman of the Committee, on behalf of the Hon Chairman
    By Mr Joseph N. Bukari (on behalf of the Chairman of the Committee) --
    Report of the Committee on Environment, Science and Techno- logy on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation for the year ending 31st December, 2015.
    Mr Bagbin 11 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, item 4(k).
    Mr Bukari 11 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, item number 4 (k) is not ready. It is rather item number 4(l) which is ready.
    Mr Bagbin 11 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, item number 4(l) on page 4.
    By the Vice Chairman of the Committee (on behalf of the Chairman of the Committee) --
    Report of the Committee on Employment, Social Welfare and State Enterprises on the Annual Budget Estimates of the National Labour Commission for the year ending 31st December, 2015.
    Dr A. A. Osei 11 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would need your guidance.
    It appears that we have a situation where an Hon Member is a Vice Chair of two committees. He identified himself as
    Vice Chair of the two committees. [Interruption.] He said it. That is what I heard.
    Mr Bagbin 11 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, he is an Hon Member of the Committee, not Vice Chairman. The announcement came from me. So, I made the error. He is the Vice Chair for the Committee on Employment, Social Welfare and State Enterprises but an Hon Member of the Committee on Environment, Science and Technology. I am sorry for that.
    Dr A. A. Osei 11 a.m.
    When you said it, I thought you were going to say he was not the Vice Chair. But he conceded.
    Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
    The Hansard should correct the first one where we described him as the Vice Chairman of the Committee on Environment, Science and Technology.
    Yes, any other Paper for laying?
    Hon Majority Leader?
    Mr Bagbin 11 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, item number 4 (p) -- Only (i) is ready.
    By the Chairman of the Committee --
    (i) Report of the Committee on Roads and Transport on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Transport for the year ending 31st December, 2015.
    Mr Bagbin 11 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, we can now take item number 4 (r).
    By the Chairman of the Committee --
    Report of the Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Trade and Industry for the year ending 31st December, 2015.
    Mr Bagbin 11 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is now time for us to continue with the debate on item number 7.
    Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
    Very well.
    Hon Members, item number 7 on the Order Paper, at page 6.
    ANNUAL ESTIMATES 11 a.m.
    rose
    Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
    Hon Member for Wenchi?
    Prof. Gyan-Baffour 11 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, before we continue with the debate -- actually, we debated it thoroughly. What was left was putting the Question.
    But there was an error on Table 1, page 3. So, we have actually gone back to reconcile the figures and we have changed the figure in Table 1. So, I would ask the Hansard Department to replace the original Table 1, with this Table 1 that I have circulated around.
    Mr Speaker, I am sure you have got a copy. So, that is a replacement of that. There were some miscalculations within totals, that is why we had to change that Table -- that is for year 2013.
    Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
    How many Tables do we have in your original Report?
    Prof. Gyan-Baffour 11 a.m.
    In the original Report, we have Table 1 -- That is the main Table that we have.
    Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
    We have only one Table. So, why are we labelling it “Table 1”?
    Prof. Gyan-Baffour 11 a.m.
    Well, we needed a name, so we gave it Table 1.
    Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
    Well. When you put Table 1, then it means there is Table 2.
    Prof. Gyan-Baffour 11 a.m.
    Apparently, yes. But maybe, it was in anticipation that there would be Table 2. So, it would be Table.
    Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
    So, would we be right that we should substitute page 3 of the original Committee's Report with this current one and delete Table 1? Because I have realised that everything there is same, as on page 3 of the Committee's Report which you are replacing. Is that right?
    Prof. Gyan-Baffour 11 a.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker. That would be a better way.
    Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
    Very well.
    Hon Members, I will put the Question. And take note that we are replacing page 3 of the Committee's Report with the current page 3, which has been distributed to Hon Members.
    I am going to put the Question.
    rose
    Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
    Hon Member for Old Tafo?
    Dr A. A. Osei 11 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, going back to the issues that we were talking about earlier on Saturday -- [Interruption.]
    Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
    Hon Member, we are not talking about Saturday; we are talking about Monday, item number 7.
    I am going to put the Question.
    Dr A. A.Osei 11 a.m.
    The issue the Hon Majority Leader raised -- [Interruption.]
    Mr Speaker 11 a.m.
    Hon Member for Old Tafo, take your seat.
    rose
    Mr Speaker 11:10 a.m.
    Hon Member for Bimbilla and Hon Deputy Minority Leader, we are not talking about Saturday. Let us talk about Monday.
    Mr Nitiwul 11:10 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am not talking about Saturday. I have seen that you have tried your best to ensure that the Hon Member does not talk. I do not know whether you know what he wants to say. [Laughter.]
    Mr Speaker 11:10 a.m.
    Hon Members, I will put the Question. [Pause.]
    After listening to the Member for Wenchi, I was going to put the Question, because he urged the Chair to put the Question after the correction -- Yes, he did. I will want to put the Question. Very well.
    Hon Member for Keta, I will give you two minutes.
    Mr Richard M. Quashigah (NDC -- Keta) 11:10 a.m.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to make a contribution to the debate on the budget for the National Media Commission.
    It is obvious that the Media Commission, by our Constitution, is supposed to serve as the nerve centre of the media and ensure that that which is right and proper is done, knowing very well that the media plays a very crucial role in our democracy. Without the media doing that, which is right and proper, there is the tendency that this country will be on tenterhooks at all times.
    Mr Speaker, looking at what the National Media Commission is supposed to be doing, which is to ensure that the media has its freedom and does its work adequately within the confines of its ethical values and ensure responsibility, one would say that he is dismayed at the
    attention that we pay to the effectiveness and the workings of the Commission. I have observed that time and again or year after year, the budget voted for the Commission is referred to as “woefully inadequate.” Taking a cursory look at the budget, I realised that in 2014, a chunk of the money was spent on compensation of employees and close to half of that amount were monies that went to the Commission members and nothing was left for the Commission to perform its core functions.
    Mr Speaker, we have all complained about the responsibility of the media over and over again and it is expected that the Media Commission would be able to put in place mechanisms as it were, to ensure that the media does what is right and proper. But then, the Commission has been unable as it were, to monitor effectively the workings of the media over the period, because it has always complained about not having adequate ability to do that.
    Mr Speaker 11:10 a.m.
    Point of correction?
    Mr Osei B. Amoah 11:10 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, indeed, today, we are continuing from where we left off on Saturday. I do not know whether the Hon Member was here on Saturday. But if you read the Report and listen to submissions, the Media Commission has complained about the non-installation of the device because of
    Mr Quashigah 11:10 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would imagine that the Hon Member did not really get the point I was making. I was talking about the Commission not having adequate facilities to actually install the device for it to be used for the purpose it was intended. The fact that the Commission has complained, it is very in sync with what I was saying.
    I have not said the Commission had not complained. That notwithstanding, it is interesting to note that the National Media Commission of Ghana, which is a non-governmental organisation, in the year 2014, was able to carry out some monitoring of the media and projected several infractions from the media, which in itself, endangers our democracy.
    For instance, the Media Foundation, headed by Prof. Karikari, for a period of four months running, was able to determine that the infraction in the media stands at about 56 per cent, which in itself, is not an indication of the media improving on its unethical values.
    But we know too well the dangers of unethical practice in the media and it is also clear that agenda-setting objectives of the media houses are also not being adhered to.
    Mr Speaker, we all know too well things that have happened in other countries as a result of an untamed media, where the irresponsibility of the media tends to bring nations to their knees. If, indeed, particular attention is not paid to this aspect, we would be running a risk.
    One area that the Commission is not paying attention to, is what we call “citizen journalism”. Citizen journalism is today on the ascendency, considering the
    Mr Speaker 11:10 a.m.
    Hon Member, wind up; conclude.
    Mr Quashigah 11:10 a.m.
    Through social media, all kinds of materials and information are put out there, which can be injurious to our democracy and the privacy and the sensibilities of individuals. For instance, we have had situations where nude pictures --
    Mr Speaker 11:10 a.m.
    Hon Member, conclude.
    Mr Quashigah 11:10 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I would want to emphasise that there is the need for the Commission to be up and doing. In spite of the slim budget that it gets every year, it should be able to do more than it is doing. This is because if we have the Media Foundation, which is a private -- [Interruption.]
    Mr Speaker 11:10 a.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, wind up.
    Mr Bagbin 11:10 a.m.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
    As the substantive Chairman of the Special Budget Committee, it is important, in my view, after moving the Motion, to wind up on just a few issues.
    We engaged the Commission at a workshop and got details on its plight as captured in the Report of the Committee. I was also a member of the Commission from 1997 to 2000, so I have a practical experience of the situation at the Commission.
    It is not for nothing that the First Parliament of the fourth Republic was compelled by the decision of the good people of Ghana, which decision is captured in the 1992 Constitution, to pass certain laws within six months.
    Mr Speaker, I believe it is because Ghanaians, after opting for multiparty democracy, have committed themselves to ensuring that is succeds and that the benefits of democracy get to the people. And so, there are some agencies that were identified as critical for the success of our democracy and the one of such agencies is the National Media Commission. That is why in article 166 (1) of the 1992 Constitution, it clearly states, and with your permission, I beg to read:
    “There shall be established by Act of Parliament within six months after Parliament first meets after the coming into force of this Consti- tution, a National Media Commission which shall consist of fifteen members…”
    It is so critical to the success of democracy. But over the years, all Governments have paid some lip service to the Commission. Even the facility housing the Commission and the services that the members are putting in, including some Members of Parliament -- the State is not even able to give them sitting allowance. Clearly, the Report has emphasised the poverty situation at the Commission and that should not be tolerated.
    It is important that we draw Government's attention to this critical underpinning of our democracy.
    Mr Speaker, I believe Government can do something, at least, to make provision for the Commission to be able to pay and house the equipment that has been donated by the European Union. That is very critical and urgent.
    It is with this I would want to support the Motion by winding up and urging my Hon Colleagues, that in spite of the inadequacy of the provision made in the
    budget proposal, we should approve that and then try to urge Government to come back properly with some provisions for the Commission. Without the Commission, there is a serious threat to the democratic experiment again in this country.
    People assume that we are matured. I beg to differ. We have not yet consoli- dated our democracy and if we do not, we cannot entrench it. It is not the culture of our people now. For democracy to succeed, it has to become a culture of the people and that we can go, not just to sleep but assume that the systems and institutions that we have strengthened, will work -- so that sometimes, without Government, you would see the country being managed by the institutions and systems.
    This is what we are calling for and we have seen that in many countries, including Belgium. Sometimes, there is no government in place but the country moves on. I believe that these are some of the structures that can guarantee that and Mr Speaker, we urge Government to support the NMC seriously.
    Thank you very much for the opportunity.
    Mr Speaker 11:20 a.m.
    Thank you very much, Hon Majority Leader.
    Question put and Motion agreed to
    Resolved:
    That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢2,899,648 for the services of the National Media Commission for the year ending 31st December, 2015.
    Mr Speaker 11:20 a.m.
    Hon Majority Leader?
    Mr Bagbin 11:20 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, we can now take Motion 9.
    I would want you to, with your kind permission and with the indulgence of my Colleagues, allow the Hon Deputy Minister for Finance to move the Motion for and on behalf of the Hon Minister for Finance.
    The Hon Minister is the Chairman of the Ministers for Finance in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). He is representing his Colleagues at the Summit of the Heads of State of ECOWAS in Nigeria, to present a report on their behalf. This explains his absence on the floor today. So, with your kind permission, the Hon Deputy Minister could do so on his behalf.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker 11:20 a.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, before you move that Motion, I will want to find out whether you would have us lay item number 4(a) on behalf of the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice because time -- If the document is available, then time can start running. Or you are --
    Yes?
    Mr Nitiwul 11:20 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the President has refused to make him a Minister, so, he cannot lay it.
    Mr Speaker 11:20 a.m.
    I am not asking -- I just want to know whether we can take that item.
    Mr Nitiwul 11:20 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, he is not a Minister.
    Mr Speaker 11:20 a.m.
    No! He is in charge of Government business.
    Mr Nitiwul 11:20 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, secondly, I think that last week, you directed and he gave us assurance that the Ministers would be here. So, where is the Minister herself?
    Mr Speaker 11:20 a.m.
    In fact, in the case of the Minister for Finance, he was in my office to --
    Mr Nitiwul 11:20 a.m.
    Not the Minister for Finance, the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice herself.
    Mr Speaker 11:20 a.m.
    Last week, I know she was outside the jurisdiction.
    Hon Members, you know that when an Instrument is brought here, it has to mature after 21 Sitting days. That is why I am asking that if it is ready, then we can lay it for time to start running. That is the only reason I am making that special appeal to the House.
    Mr Bagbin 11:20 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, you are very right. I was waiting to see a substantive Minister come round for me to request him to lay the Instrument for and on behalf of the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice.
    Now, I have our Sister, who is in charge of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development available, in the person of Hon Sherry-Hanny Ayittey, who will kindly lay the Instrument for and on behalf of the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice.
    Mr Speaker 11:20 a.m.
    Hon Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, number item 4(a).
    You only get up and bow on behalf of the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice.
    PAPERS 11:20 a.m.
    Mr Speaker 11:20 a.m.
    Hon Members, Motion number 9.
    Hon Majority Leader, that is the item we are taking.
    Mr Bagbin 11:20 a.m.
    That is so, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker 11:20 a.m.
    Hon Deputy Minister for Finance?
    Mr Cassiel A. B. Forson 11:20 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would first of all like to -- [Interruption.]
    rose
    Mr Speaker 11:20 a.m.
    Hon Member for Old Tafo, you know you are now a senior Member of the House? You have been doing business with this House for the past 12 years in different capacities. So, kindly take your seat -- [Laughter.]
    Yes, Hon Deputy Finance Minister?
    Mr Forson 11:20 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to make a correction on Motion number 9 before I move it. The amount should read
    GH¢10,349,364.
    Mr Speaker 11:20 a.m.
    I would want to get the figure.
    Mr Forson 11:20 a.m.
    GH¢10,349,364 instead of the amount we have on the Order Paper.
    Mr Speaker, this is because the amount there was understated by GH¢11,730 and was wrongly credited to the Office of Government Machinery.
    ANNUAL ESTIMATES 11:20 a.m.
    Minister for Finance) 11:20 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢10,349,364 for
    the services of the Office of the Head of Civil Service for the year ending 31st December, 2015.
    Mr Speaker, the Office of the Head of Civil Service is mandated, among other things, to formulate the review of human resource management policies, guidelines, standards and programmes for the Civil Service and facilitate the implementations.
    The Office of Head of Civil Service is the apex body responsible for the human resource development and improving standards of service delivery in the Civil Service.
    Mr Speaker, the Office has over the years implemented programmes aimed at improving efficiency and effectiveness in the Public Service delivery in the country.
    Mr Speaker 11:30 a.m.
    Yes, Chairman of the Committee?

    Question proposed.
    Chairman of the Committee (Mr James K. Avedzi) 11:30 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion and in doing so, present your Committee's Report:
    Introduction
    The 2015 Budget Estimates of the Office of the Head of Civil Service (OHCS) was on Wednesday, 19th November, 2014, referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and report in accordance with article 179 of the 1992 Constitution and Standing Orders 140 (4) and 169.
    This followed the presentation of the Budget statement and Economic Policy of the Government by the Hon Minister for Finance, Mr Emmanuel Seth Terkper, for the year ending 31st December, 2015.
    IGF -- 11:30 a.m.
    Dr Anthony A. Osei (NPP -- Old Tafo) 11:30 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for allowing me to contribute.
    Dr Anthony A. Osei (NPP -- Old Tafo) 11:30 a.m.


    Mr Speaker, I would want to crave the indulgence of the Hon Chairman of the Committee to make a small correction on page (2), line six, “policy advises”. It should just be “policy advice” that word there “advises” is completely out of place.

    Having said that, Mr Speaker, we need to -- when my Hon Chairman was speaking, he talked about the Civil Service being the nerve centre of the Government. I think we are long passed that, by the fact that we have created other Services. Even the Health Service, is bigger than the Civil Service. So, the Civil Service, is no longer at the heart.

    We have divulged the functions to the Ghana Education Service, (GES); now, Local Government Services. So, we have now made them a small fly, less than, I believe, maybe 25,000. I am not sure where this notion about “nerve centre” is coming from?

    The GES alone is over 300,000 people. Clearly, the Civil Service cannot be the nerve centre and we ought to recognise that we have changed the functions of the Civil Service.

    Now, they are only a small part of the Public Services as it were. So, it is not surprising that you would see that Government is reducing the budget for 2015 by as much as GH¢232,72. That tells you that their functions are being diminished further. I do not know whether we have changed the laws to take cognisance of this new role of the Civil Service; they are just a minute part of the entire administrative structure of Government --
    Mr Speaker 11:30 a.m.
    What about if you come to consider the fact that they provide the critical mass of the human resources to the Ministries --
    Dr A. A. Osei 11:30 a.m.
    But they do not. That is my point, Mr Speaker. They do not. All the hiring that is done by GES, it is not done at the Head of the Civil Service --
    Mr Speaker 11:30 a.m.
    It is not about the GES but the Ministry; you know? That is the driving force. If you have a Ministry that is not effective, how they supervise the GES and the others that you are talking about -- even the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, the human resources are part of the Civil Service.
    Dr A. A. Osei 11:30 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, my point is that, the human resource function is not being undertaken by the Head of the Civil Service. Hiring at GES is done at GES; hiring at --
    Mr Speaker 11:30 a.m.
    Hon Member for Old Tafo, I am talking about the ministerial level. I am not talking about the various services level, like the Ghana Health Service, GES, et cetera.
    Dr A. A. Osei 11:30 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, but there is not a Minister in charge of the Head of the Civil Service. This group is under the Office of the President -- Government Machinery; there may be a Minister of State in charge of it. They do not have the equivalency. I am sure that they do not sit in Cabinet.
    Mr Speaker 11:30 a.m.
    Is there any relationship between the Chief Directors of the various Ministries and the Head of the Civil Service?
    Dr A. A. Osei 11:30 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I do not know if Mr Speaker is engaging me in a debate?
    Mr Speaker 11:30 a.m.
    I am not engaging you in a debate. You are making a statement, it is going on the record. The point that you are making is as if the Office of the Head of the Civil Service is no longer important. That is the impression --
    Dr A. A. Osei 11:30 a.m.
    No! Not at all.
    Mr Speaker 11:30 a.m.
    That is the impression that you are creating on the floor of the House.
    Dr A. A. Osei 11:30 a.m.
    Not at all. If Mr Speaker would allow me to make my point, perhaps -- I am saying that in the past, when you thought about the Head of the Civil Service, your mind went to them controlling and supervising all the Ministries. It is no longer the case. In fact, if I am correct, we are talking about less than 25,000 people. GES alone is over 300,000. The Health Service is more.
    So, I am asking, what do we think about the Head of the Civil Service now, such that their functions are being whittled away? And as an example, I am asking my question; their budget for 2015, why is it less than even the budget for 2014, by
    GH¢232,000?
    There is a signal there and I am asking all of us to take cognisance of the fact that the past notion we had of the Civil Service is no longer the case. It cannot be; even now the Local Government Service, I think, is bigger than the Civil Service. Not that they are unimportant, because most of the Chief Directors belong there.
    So, in terms of the functions of the Ministries, yes. But the majority of the public officials do not come under their supervision. I used the word advisedly. That is my point. The Head of the Civil Service may write performance agreements with the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, but that is about it. After that, all the powers divulge to the Ministry of Health and the Health Services.
    So, Mr Speaker, I am just pointing out that fact and I would just want to find out from the Hon Minister, what occasioned the need to reduce their budget? There is no reason that was given to us. So, perhaps, the Deputy Minister for Finance, in winding up, may tell us what occasioned reducing the budget of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service by
    GH¢232,000.
    Mr Speaker, you know there is an agency that comes under them, which is a very important one -- Public Records and Archives Administration Department (PRAAD). Mr Speaker, those of you who know about PRAAD, I think we ought to -- Everybody tells us that the record system in Ghana is not good, but we continue not to resource PRAAD.
    Mr Speaker, these days, when you go to most Ministries -- the Judgment Debt Commissioner talked about it. He said that the record system is very poor. The reason is that, we are not resourcing PRAAD well enough. So, I would think that we should have given more money to them to upgrade their record collection system, so that historically, when you want to --
    I remember when I was in the Ministry of Finance, in the corner of the stairway, one would find boxes of documents. If the Government must go to court on a case, is that where we want to find them? No!
    So, this House must begin to think about this, and encourage the Ministry to look at this particular function of the Head of the Civil Service, so that we upgrade their record keeping systems.
    These days, there is technology, which is not expensive. So, we should put all these records properly. When we do that, it will help Ghana.
    With these few words, I ask Hon Members to support the Motion.
    Mr Speaker 11:40 a.m.
    Hon Members, I am minded to put the Question.
    But I will take one contribution from each side before I do so. There is not much controversy about the figures.
    Yes, Hon Member for Sekondi?
    Mr Speaker 11:40 a.m.
    I thought you would use the Hon Member for Old Tafo as an example rather than the Speaker. [Laughter.]
    Papa Owusu-Ankomah 11:40 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for Old Tafo is a politician; you are not -- [Laughter.]
    Mr Speaker 11:40 a.m.
    He has the practical experience of being an Hon Member of the House and a Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance.
    Papa Owusu-Ankomah 11:40 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, unless this House takes a firm and decisive position on this matter, there would not be much difference.
    It is important that, now, at this time in particular, we need to take a position on these matters, so that the question of non releases of funds become a thing of the past, else we would seem to be making progress; but have never made progress.
    So, we allow the President to place the Appropriation somewhere, and he decides to do whatever he likes with moneys approved by the House. It is symptomatic --
    Mr Speaker 11:50 a.m.
    Why is it the President? I thought it should be the Ministry of Finance?
    Papa Owusu-Ankomah 11:50 a.m.
    What power does that Minister for Finance have? He presents the budget on the authority of His Excellency the President. If the Hon Minister tells whoever requests some moneys to be paid and this has not been approved under the Appropriations, I am sure that all Presidents being law abiding citizens, and chief enforcers of the Constitution, will recognise that and appreciate the position.
    I therefore, urge the House to approve the Motion.
    Mr Speaker 11:50 a.m.
    Thank you very much, Hon Member for Sekondi.
    I believe you have raised some very interesting issues, and I believe, at the appropriate time, Leadership of the House might want to look at those matters, especially when we say it is a charge on the Consolidated Fund. What exactly does it mean?
    So, we cannot continue these rituals. There should be a point when you should start negotiating, discussing these matters and seeing how we can arrive --
    Normally, when it is a charge on the Consolidated Fund, it means a whole lot of things. But I think that we are treating, whether it was a charge on the Consolidated Fund or we are still treating it as any other allocation.
    So, we need to start looking at some of those issues.
    Mr Avedzi 11:50 a.m.
    Thank you Mr Speaker.
    I amend the Report on page 1, line 2. Instead of 194, we make it --
    Mr Speaker 11:50 a.m.
    Yes, it is article 193.
    You just put article 193 there.
    Mr Avedzi 11:50 a.m.
    That is so. Article 193. So, we delete article 194 (1) and substitute with article 193.
    Mr Speaker 11:50 a.m.
    Very well.
    Hon Deputy Minister, do you intend winding up? Otherwise, I will put the Question.
    Dr A.A.Osei 11:50 a.m.
    As amended, because the figure has been amended.
    Mr Speaker 11:50 a.m.
    It is this figure that was moved by the Deputy Minister. So, in fact, he corrected it, and that is the figure that I am going to use. Yes, he corrected it before moving the Motion.
    Question put and Motion agreed to.
    Resolved:
    That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢10,349,364 for the services of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service for the year ending 31st December, 2015.
    Mr Speaker 11:50 a.m.
    Hon Majority Leader?
    Mr Bagbin 11:50 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, if we could now take item number 16 at page 8 of the Order Paper.
    Mr Speaker 11:50 a.m.
    Very well.
    Hon Members, item number 16 on the Order Paper -- Motions.
    Hon Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development?
    ANNUAL ESTIMATES 11:50 a.m.
    Minister for Fisheries and Aqua- culture Development (Ms Hanny-Sherry Ayittey) 11:50 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢72,514,577 for the services of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development for the year ending 31st December, 2015.
    Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development exists to promote sustainable fisheries and aquaculture management through research, technical support services, regulations, institutional building, co- management of stakeholder participation in the fisheries sector.
    Mr Speaker, the Ministry intends to use this money to develop sustainable fisheries and also development of aquaculture to create wealth and jobs for the people of this country.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Dr A. A. Akoto 11:50 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, before somebody seconds the Motion, I just checked with Hon Members on our side and they do not even have copies of the Report to contribute.
    Mr Speaker 11:50 a.m.
    Copies have been distributed. I have copies.
    Dr A.A.Osei 11:50 a.m.
    I just checked with all the members of the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs, and they all say they do not have -- the two of them here.
    Mr Speaker 11:50 a.m.
    Well, we will make copies available to them. In any case, if they attended the Committee meetings, they should have all the information available and they should be able to debate this matter. We will look for additional copies for them, so that we can make progress.
    Yes, Chairman of the Committee?
    Question proposed.
    Chairman of the (Mr Gabriel Kodwo Essilfie) 11:50 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I was going to comment on the point raised, but since you have ruled on it, I would leave it alone and support the Motion.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to support the Motion to approve the sum of GH¢72,514,577.00 for the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development for the year ending 31st December, 2015.
    In doing so, I would like to present your Committee's Report.
    Introduction
    The 2015 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the period ending 31st December, 2015 was presented to Parliament, by the Minister for Finance, Hon Seth Terkper, on 19th November, 2014 in accordance with article 179 of the 1992 Constitution.
    Pursuant to Orders 140(4) and 176 of the Standing Orders of Parliament, the Speaker referred the draft Budget
    Estimates of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development to the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs for consideration and report to the House.
    Deliberations
    The Committee met on 9th December, 2014, and considered the draft estimates of the Ministry. Present at the meeting were the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Hon Hanny- Sherry Ayittey, Chief Director of the Ministry, Mrs Rebecca Amooh Aboagye and the technical staff of the Ministry. The Committee is grateful to the Honc Minister and her team for their inputs and clarifications.
    Reference materials
    The Committee was guided by the following documents during its consideration of the estimates:
    i. The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.
    ii. The Standing Orders of Parliament.
    iii. The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of the Republic of Ghana for the 2014 financial year;
    iv. The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of the Republic of Ghana for the 2015 financial year.
    v. The Medium Term Expenditure Framework of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development for 2015-2017.
    iv. Presentation from the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development.
    Mr Speaker 11:50 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    Mr William A. Quaittoo (NPP -- Akim Oda) noon
    Mr Speaker, I beg to add my voice to the need to approve this amount allocated to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development.
    Mr Kwame Asafu-Adjei (NPP -- Nsuta-Kwamang/Beposo) noon
    Mr Speaker, I also beg to contribute to the Motion on the floor. By so doing, I would like to make the following observations.
    Mr Speaker, the cold stores that have been built are on the coastal sides of Ghana with special reference to the one at Elmina. It is huge and if care is not taken, it would be underutilised, in that the catch that the fishermen there are getting these days are not enough for the usage of the full capacity of the cold store.
    Secondly, in terms of management, we posed a question to the Minister: “Who were the people who were going to manage the cold store?” The answer was; “The District Assemblies”. I have a problem with that. As I speak, the Distr ict Assemblies have their own problems, and if one is going to add the management of cold stores to their jurisdiction. I am not sure they can have the capacity to do that.

    Mr Speaker, I was yielding to the Chairman, and it looks like --

    The generators are very important. If we want the beneficiaries to benefit from the facility provided by the Ministry -- If the fishing industry is to grow, in my view, the amount allocated to the Ministry would not be able to help to grow the way we want it. This is because if it is done the

    way we all want, I hope employment generation and also foreign exchange earnings, among other things, would be recognised. But when little money is given to that Ministry, then the food security that we are all looking for or yearning for would not be achieved.

    Mr Speaker, I beg the Government to give more money to the fisheries industry so that we would have more fish to consume in this country, employment would be generated and the food security that we are all talking about would be achieved.

    With these few words, Mr Speaker, I support the Motion on the floor.
    rose
    Mr Speaker 12:10 p.m.
    Hon Minister, do you want to wind up, otherwise, I will put the Question?
    Hon Member for Ningo-Prampram, do you want to say something?
    Very well. briefly.
    Mr Enoch T. Mensah (NDC -- Ningo- Prampram) 12:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I rise to support the Motion, that this House approves the amount stated to the Ministry.
    Mr Speaker, there are a lot of issues that I would want to raise. As a country, we have not treated fishermen fairly at all; there are so many problems bedevilling them. The attention that we put on cocoa products, I believe that if we should give the same attention to our fishermen, the additional jobs that would be created would be enormous.
    Mr Speaker, the Report talked about building of landing beaches. The construction of the landing beaches in a few areas, I believe, would not solve the problem. There is a problem that is staring
    Mr Speaker 12:10 p.m.
    Hon Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, do you want to wind up?
    Very well.
    Ms Hanny-Sherry Ayittey 12:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to state that the fisheries sector is a very important industry, especially in terms of support for food security and also in terms of job creation. It is an industry that can create a lot of jobs in the non formal sector for the youth and also for women. It is a sector that can also bring in wealth -- individual wealth -- and also contribute foreign exchange to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the economy.
    Mr Speaker, in terms of the coastal cold stores, the Ministry intends to provide the generators to support the operations of the cold stores. We have realised that there would be management problems for the cold stores. So, we have put in place a programme to develop management plans and also engage a technical person to support the District Assemblies to run the cold stores.
    Concerning the lack of technical personnel, Mr Speaker, as a new Ministry, we intend to provide the Ministry of Finance with the calibre, the scale of personnel that we need to achieve the 2015 objectives. So, we will submit the list to the Ministry of Finance to give us the certificate to commence sourcing for technical personnel --
    Mr Speaker 12:10 p.m.
    In spite of the ban?
    Ms Ayittey 12:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, this is a new Ministry and for its realignment and support of the economy, there is the need for the Ministry of Finance to make some concessions, so that we can get the right personnel.
    Mr Speaker 12:10 p.m.
    If you look at paragraph 5.4 of the Committee's Report, it shows that if there is a directive. How are they going to -- or --
    And that is the information that the Ministry provided the Committee with and that is why they have captured it in the Committee's Report.
    Ms Ayittey 12:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Finance has agreed with us that we should seek --
    Mr Speaker 12:10 p.m.
    Hon Deputy Minister for Finance, have you agreed?
    Mr Casiel A. B. Forson 12:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is also important that I bring to the notice of Parliament that in preparing the 2015 budget estimates, the compensation line includes additional staff that we have agreed to provide commencement certificates to the sector Ministry to employ. So, that line is there; we would be able to give them the authority to employ next year.
    Mr Speaker 12:20 p.m.
    So, Hon Chairman of the Committee, see your Report, paragraph 5.4 at page 7 --
    Hon Majority Leader, you do not have the Committee's Report? [Laughter] -- You know that the Committee made a categorical statement there and therefore, what we are picking on is very critical. If they need 25 and they have only three and they cannot add any at all, the reason being given is the directive from the Ministry of Finance. I mean, it is a very serious issue. Now, the Hon Deputy Minister is saying that the Ministry of Finance has agreed. The Hon Deputy Minister has given a certain assurance and I would want you, in the light of that --
    Did you interrogate the issues seriously in your Committee before you put this down?
    Mr Essilfie 12:20 p.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker. We deliberated it at the Committee level. At the time that we concluded, this is the position the Committee took. But subsequently, because of our recom- mendation, they have made the necessary consultation. That is why they are reporting to us, that the Ministry has now agreed to do that.
    Mr Speaker 12:20 p.m.
    Very well.
    Hon Minister?
    Dr A. A. Osei 12:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to follow your line of -- I am amazed. The Hon Minister for Finance has come to this House --
    Mr Speaker 12:20 p.m.
    The difference between the two of us is that, I am presiding; the Hon Minister is winding up. So, you cannot follow my -- [Laughter.]
    Dr A. A. Osei 12:20 p.m.
    I am wondering if the Hon Minister is saying that, in spite of the explicit Cabinet's policy that is here, a Minister for Finance can go and negotiate --
    Mr Bagbin 12:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, that is just to clarify that there is no ban on employment. It talks about recruiting new staff, and so, replacement is ongoing. This a general directive to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), but there are exceptional circumstances, including that of Parliament, where the Ministry is looking at the exigencies of each Ministry and giving some way for staff to be recruited. It is in line with this. But it should have been captured in the Report by the Committee but it is missing.
    Dr A. A. Osei 12:20 p.m.
    Just to inform the Hon Majority Leader who leads us, that Parliament does not come under the jurisdiction of the Hon Minister for Finance in terms of employment; we are a third arm of Government --
    Mr Speaker 12:20 p.m.
    The point he is making is that there is a general policy, and in terms of the policy--
    Dr A. A. Osei 12:20 p.m.
    Parliament cannot be part of that example that we can use, otherwise, we are saying that we need the permission of the Ministry to do our work. That is not correct.
    Mr Bagbin 12:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Finance acts on behalf of the President. So, before the Hon Minister for Finance would proceed to do such a thing, the Ministry would have discussed with the President. If you go through the Parliamentary Service Act as amended, you would see the role that the President even plays when it comes to the position of Parliament. It was in that light that I spoke.
    Mr Speaker 12:20 p.m.
    Hon Minister?
    Ms Ayittey 12:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to wind up and to beg this Honourable House to approve our budget of GH¢
    72,514,577.00
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker 12:20 p.m.
    Hon Members, that brings us to the end of the debate.
    Question put and Motion agreed to.
    Resolved:
    That this Honourable House approves the sum of GH¢72,514,577 for the services of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Deve- lopment for the year ending, 31st December, 2015.
    Mr Speaker 12:20 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader?
    Mr Bagbin 12:20 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    With your kind indulgence and that of my Hon Colleagues, we would wish to request your permission to suspend
    proceedings to allow Hon Members to go to their committees to continue with the businesses there and the reports that are ready would be taken on the extended Sitting today.
    So, if the Sitting could be suspended for about two hours for us to reconvene at 2:30 p.m. to continue with business, I am sure enough time would have been given for Hon Members to even take lunch before coming.
    Mr Speaker 12:20 p.m.
    Hon Members, I know the Appointments Committee is also meeting at the moment. Other committees are also going to meet to further consider the annual estimates. I hope by that time, we would have a number of reports to work on.
    On that note, the House is suspended for two hours. We will reconvene at about 2:30 p.m.
    Hon Members, thank you very much.
    12.26 p.m. -- Sitting suspended.
    4.30p.m. -- Sitting resumed.
    MR SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:20 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader?
    Mr Bagbin 12:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we would want to take item number. 11 on page 7 of the Order Paper dealing with the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:20 p.m.
    Thank you.
    Item number 7 -- Minister?
    ANNUAL ESTIMATES 12:20 p.m.
    Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing (Alhaji Collins Dauda) 12:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House approves the sum
    of GH¢463,103,420 for the services of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing for the year ending 31st December,
    2015.
    Mr Speaker, this request is being made to enable the Ministry to continue to manage in a sustainable manner, the country's water resources for increased access to safe, reliable and affordable water. It would also assist the Ministry, in our effort to continue to reduce the national housing deficit, which at present is in excess of 1.7 million, through the provision of safe, decent, secured and affordable shelter.
    Finally, it would also enable us continue to develop infrastructural facility in the area of flood control systems, drainage, coastal protection works and operational hydrology.
    Question proposed
    Mr David T. Assumeng (NDC -- Shai- Osudoku) 12:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to support the Motion and in so doing, present your Committee's Report.
    Introduction
    The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government for the fiscal year ending, 31st December, 2015 was presented to Parliament by the Hon Minister for Finance, Mr Seth Terkper on Wednesday, 19 th November, 2014 in fulfillment of article 179 of the 1992 Constitution.
    In accordance with Order 140(4) of the Standing Orders of Parliament, Mr Speaker referred the Annual Budget Estimates of
    Mr David T. Assumeng (NDC -- Shai- Osudoku) 12:20 p.m.


    Human Settlement and Development Programme

    A draft National Housing Policy has been formulated and it is before Cabinet, with an overall goal of providing adequate, safe, decent affordable housing, that is accessible and sustainable with infrastructural facilities.

    Phase I of the housing units for the security services were completed and 168 housing units of 2 and 3 bedrooms have been handed over to the BNI. The second phase, comprising 368 housing units has commenced and will continue in 2015.

    The construction of the 5,000 housing units at Saglemi-Ningo Prampram and the completion of 4,720 affordable housing units in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Northern, Upper West and Eastern

    Regions are on-going and would be continued in 2015.

    Ninety-one public and civil servants were supported in the year to complete their housing units under the Public Servants Housing Loans Schemes. And the construction of an Indigenous Building Materials Production and Training Centre was completed to reduce over reliance on foreign materials in the construction industry.

    General Maintenance and Management Programme

    The Ministry rehabilitated and refurbished 56 No prestige bungalows. Six hundred and eighteen (618) out of a target of 836 housing units under the Keta Sea Defence Resettlement Programme were completed. The resettlement programme will continue in 2015.
    Mr David T. Assumeng (NDC -- Shai- Osudoku) 12:20 p.m.


    For the implementation of the above programmes and activities, an amount of four hundred and sixty three hundred, one hundred and three thousand, four hundred and twenty cedis (GH¢463,103,420.00) has been allocated to the MWRWH. Out of this, GH¢209,364,187.00 is GoG funding, GH¢4,171,784.00 is IGFs and GH¢249,567,449.00 is from development partners.

    Observations and recommendations

    The Committee made the following observations and recommendations during its deliberations:

    Dwindling annual budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing

    The Committee observed that, the proportion of the Ministry's share of the total national budget has been registering marked decreases in recent years. In 2012, the percentage share of the budget was 2.1 per cent. It came down to 1.9 per cent in 2013 and further decreased to 1.5 per cent in 2014. In 2005, the percentage share of the allocation for the MWRWH has come to a new low of 1.1 per cent for the budget year.

    Considering that, Ghana is a developing country with huge infrastructure challenges, much financial resources will need to be invested in that sector to close the deficit gap. The Committee is concerned that, with the dwindling trend of the allocation to the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, the infrastructural deficit gap of the country will continue to widen and invariably affect government's policy targets such as reducing the housing deficit and increasing access to potable water to meet the Millennium Development Goal No. 7.

    Furthermore, the Committee considers it prudent for the Government to allocate more resources to the MWRWH for the realisation of much of these development objectives and urges the Government to do same.

    Performance of the 2014 Budget of the
    MWRWH 12:20 p.m.
    Mr Justice Joe Appiah (NPP -- Ablekuma North) 4:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I rise to support the Motion moved for the approval of the sum of GH¢463,103, 420 -- a reduction of GH¢68, 285,603 against last year. Mr Speaker, may I crave your indulgence to read from page 94 of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy, 2015, “Rural Water Management Programme” column 482?
    “Mr Speaker, under the Sustainable Rural Water and Sanitation Project, the Community Water and Sanita- tion Agency (CWSA) continued with the provision of potable water to rural communities with the following achievements: -- 782 boreholes out of the target of 1, 200 in Central, Western, Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions were successfully drilled. Drilling of boreholes in the Brong- Ahafo Region, rehabilitation of 9 small town water systems in Upper West and Northern Regions, construction of 47 small town water systems are at various levels of completion. 250 institutional latrines out of the 450 were completed. In 2015, all civil works on the entire project will be completed.”
    Mr Speaker, I further crave your indulgence to also read from the Hansard of Tuesday, 19th November, 2013, which contains the 2014 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana:
    “Under the Government's 20,000 boreholes project, 536 out of 1,115 boreholes drilled have been fitted with hand pumps this year; the rest are to be completed in 2014.”
    Mr Speaker, if these borehole projects are implemented successfully, it would help to alleviate the plight of young men and women and even the aged who have to travel several kilometres to look for water without success.
    Mr Speaker, it is not enough if all this while it was a five- year policy and now, for next year and 2017 -- out of the 20,000 boreholes which were promised by the Government, only 2,000 have been fitted. When are these boreholes going to be fitted? This is all that I am asking about.
    Mr Speaker, on page 36 of the Public Servant Housing Scheme -- I crave your indulgence to read from the 2015 Budget Statement and Government Policy. Mr Speaker, on page 95, 489:
    “… the completion of 4,720 affordable housing units in Greater Accra, Ashanti, Northern, Upper West and Eastern Regions are on- going and will continue in 2015.”
    Mr Speaker, the question is that, why this? This country needs a credible explanation. Would the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Housing Policy reduce the 1.8 million housing deficit? That is all that we are asking about.
    Mr Speaker, 4,720 affordable houses were started by the former National Patriotic Party (NPP) Administration, which were nearing completion. If 4,720 affordable houses were started by the previous Administration and now, the NDC Administration has been able to construct only 78 affordable houses, Mr Speaker, what are they telling Ghanaians?
    How are they going to manage the 1.8 million housing deficit, so that at least, Ghanaians would get shelter? Mr Speaker, we have a long way to go.
    So Mr Speaker, Government must come up with a good housing policy in order to alleviate the plight of the ordinary person who is sleeping at bus stops and lorry stations. Mr Speaker, this is very serious; 1.8 million housing deficit. We are asking this Government to make sure it implements policies that can liberate all Ghanaians from sleeping at bus stops.
    Mr Speaker, in spite of the oil revenues which the previous Administration did not have, the numerous loans collected, all the dollar grants, the Eurobond monies and all the Chinese Development Bank (CDB) loans disbursed, the 1.8 million housing deficit could not be met. Mr Speaker, we are asking the NDC Administration, what are they doing about the 1.8 million housing deficit?
    rose
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 4:40 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader?
    Mr Bagbin 4:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I was a Minister at the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing. It is not
    Mr Joe J. Appiah 4:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Majority Leader is threatening me. He is a very good Friend of mine but I would not take his advice. [Laughter.]
    Mr Speaker, the only thing I am saying is that the previous Administration started with 4,720 affordable houses, which were nearing completion . So Mr Speaker, what is the NDC Administration doing to at least, reduce the 1.8 million housing deficit? This is very simple. Mr Speaker, they should come up with policies which could liberate the ordinary Ghanaian. There are people sleeping at front of shops, in bus stops and it is becoming so tiring.
    Mr Speaker, on page 31, under the programme result statement, water supply coverage in the year 2013 are 59.40 per cent. In 2014, 61 per cent has been completed and this is not enough. On page 32, programme monitoring and evaluation that includes Akyim-Oda, Akwatia and Winneba, is at a standstill, and the Ministry has to embark on monitoring and evaluation with the Select Committee on Water Resources, Works and Housing.
    Mr Speaker, the Nsawam Water Project is at a standstill and silent. [Interruption] -- It is not in the document and they did not mention anything about it --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 4:40 p.m.
    Hon Member, you said it is not in the document. What document?
    Mr Joe J. Appiah 4:40 p.m.
    It is not in the Report.
    Mr Speaker, the Committee's Report is silent on the Nsawam Water Project.
    Mr Speaker, this Administration has to be very serious --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 4:40 p.m.
    Hon Member, I think you are concluding?
    Mr Joe J. Appiah 4:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am not concluding --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 4:40 p.m.
    You are not concluding? [Laughter.]
    Mr Joe J. Appiah 4:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, this Administration should take Ghanaians serious. They have never solved the housing deficit. Though they are working, up to now, we have never seen what we are supposed to see.
    Mr Speaker, the NPP would work hard to win the next general elections and I am very optimistic that when we come into power, we are going to create wealth, bring out policies that can reduce the 1.8 million housing deficit. And I am very optimistic we are going to win power.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to tell the NDC that we are going to work hard to win the 2016 elections, and in 2017, we are going to give out good policies which can create wealth and good economic ventures.
    rose
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 4:50 p.m.
    Hon Member for Shama, I saw you on your feet earlier?
    Mr Essilfie 4:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I was actually getting up on a point of order but since he is done, it is alright. [Interruption.] But Mr Speaker, he kept repeating “nearly completion”, “nearly completion” and I did not understand what “nearly completion” is.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 4:50 p.m.
    So, do you want to contribute?
    Mr Essilfie 4:50 p.m.
    No! I do not want to contribute.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 4:50 p.m.
    You do not want to respond to the “nearly completion”?
    Mr Essilfie 4:50 p.m.
    But there is nothing called “nearly completion”.
    rose
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 4:50 p.m.
    Yes?
    Mr Nitiwul 4:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I was also here and I heard the Hon Member. Every time he said “near completion”. He kept using the words “near completion” [Interruption.] Maybe, Hon Essilifie was hearing “nearly completion” but the Hon Member kept saying “near completion”, “near completion”.
    I heard him before he did [Uproar.] Because where he is speaking from, it transmits like this to me and I heard him say “near completion”.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 4:50 p.m.
    Hon Nitiwul, you have introduced another element into parliamentary practice, that when it crossed the aisle, it might have changed. You heard him first.
    Mr Nitiwul 4:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is an electronic transmission.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 4:50 p.m.
    All right --
    Mr Nitiwul 4:50 p.m.
    It is an electronic transmission. Voice transmission hits me first; the wave would hit me before him.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 4:50 p.m.
    So, when it hits you -- near transmission --
    Mr Nitiwul 4:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, even if it was electronic transmission, it would hit my machine before his and I am right; “near completion” not “nearly completion”.
    rose
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 4:50 p.m.
    Hon Woyome, do you want to contribute, because I am invi t ing people to contribute --
    Mr Woyome 4:50 p.m.
    No, Mr Speaker. I just want to also point out something because it is very important for the records. I really also wanted to ask questions --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 4:50 p.m.
    Excuse me, Hon Woyome -- You can point it out when you are contributing. So, I will recognise you and you contribute and point it out. Your contribution does not have to be long. This is because he has sat down and you cannot raise a point of order against him. But I am prepared to recognise you for a short contribution. [Interruption.]
    You do not want to contribute. [Interruption.] All right --
    Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh (NPP-- Nsawam-Adoagyiri) 4:50 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker, for your kind gesture.
    I have looked at the Report and I wish to support the Motion and as such, a statement would suffice.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 4:50 p.m.
    Hon Member, before you continue, I do not recollect whether Hon Joe Appiah supported the Motion or he was urging us to vote -- [Interruption] He supported the Motion? [Interruption.] All right.
    So, Hon Joe Appiah, were you supporting the Motion or against it? [Interruption.] So, get up and say it , please -- [Interruption.] I want to hear you say it.
    Mr J. J. Appiah 4:50 p.m.
    I was supporting the Motion. [Laughter.]
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 4:50 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member, continue --
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 4:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Report in part has mentioned the fact that over 80 per cent of the budgetary provision for that Ministry in 2014, have to come from donors.
    Mr Speaker, I say this being fully aware that the world now is a globalized village and therefore, each country or all of us need one another to survive. But when it comes to the provision of water, which is a basic necessity of life and as the wise saying goes; “Water is life”, it sends a certain worrying signal down my spine to realise that over 80 per cent of the budgetary provision for the Ministry in the provision of water had to come from donors.
    Mr Speaker, it is stated clearly in the Report and I would want to sound a bit of caution that we need to do some paradigm shift because Ghana, as a sovereign country, we cannot tie our apron strings to donors, especially where 80 per cent of support has to come from donors. It is most unfortunate. I am sure as the Hon Minister is here, the Government would begin to revert its mind to ensuring that at least, that percentage is reduced in moving ahead as a country.
    Now Mr Speaker, on maintenance -- it is captured in the Report, that in residential areas, maintenance work in terms of facility that provides water is stalling and that is a danger because moneys that are realised are all paid into the Consolidated Fund.
    I have heard a number of committees make suggestions to the Minister for Finance that various departments and Commissions should be given the leeway to keep part or percentage of their internally generated funds (IGFs), so that such basic costs can be taken care of. I would want to add my voice to the Hon Members who spoke earlier that the Ministry should begin to revert its mind in this direction, to ensure that such important costs, at least, can be taken care of internally without waiting for Central Government's support.
    Mr Speaker, it is important to also recall that a few years to elections, we heard in this country all sorts of names. Today, the reality is dawning on both sides of the House, especially on the other side of the House, that it is important we do not politicise the provision of water. [Interruption.] It is important we do not politicise the provision of water -- All sorts of names -- “Kufuor gallons” and the likes -- Today, the Kufuor gallons have increased in quantity and size -- [Interruption.] six years down the lane.
    I wish to pose a very simple question to our Colleagues on the other side: Having been consistently saying that, the erstwhile NPP Administration has been experts in ensuring that there is an abundance of “Kufuor gallons”, what is their answer to these number of “Kufuor gallons”? After six years, what is their solution to this problem?
    It is sad indeed, because the problem has got worse. [Interruption.] The problem has got worse and I am posing the challenge back to them. They need to demonstrate leadership when it comes to provision of water in this country.
    Mr Speaker, I am getting emotional because water -- [Uproar.] Water is life and I hope my Hon Colleagues on the other side will learn a very good lesson, that they would stop politicising water as we move ahead as a country.
    Again Mr Speaker, an aspect of the Report talks about the maintenance of water bodies in our country. Now, growing up as a young man in Nsawam in those days when the Densu River and the likes served as a dependable source of water for the nation, today, the Densu River is a pale shadow of its former self. Today, the Densu River has become so polluted.
    Today, Mr Speaker, galamsey has taken a better part of our water bodies. Today, our water bodies are being destroyed on daily basis. I am asking a simple question
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 4:50 p.m.
    Hon Member, do you want to --
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 4:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, are we going to sit unconcerned?
    rose
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 4:50 p.m.
    Hon Member, do you have a point of order?
    Mr Joseph N. Bukari 4:50 p.m.
    Yes -- [Interruption.]
    Mr Speaker, I am seeing some strange frontline here I do not understand. I do not know whether the Minority Leader has been taken off office and replaced. I can see somebody in his seat. I can see the Hon Ranking Member on Finance now taking the Deputy Minority Leader's seat and that kind of arrangement.
    I would want to know whether they have staged some internal coup d'etat we do not know. They should let us know.
    Mr Nitiwul 5 p.m.
    Let me -- For the avoidance of doubt, the Minority Leader is the Minority Leader and [Interruption] He is not sitting where Hon Joseph Bukari is supposed to sit. Mr Speaker, he should look at where he is sitting. Is it Hon Joseph Bukari's seat? [Interruption] So, just for the avoidance of those who seek to play mischief, the Minority Leader is the Minority Leader -- Hon Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5 p.m.
    When you said the Minority Leader is the Minority Leader without mentioning a name, I was also getting worried -- [Laughter] -- This is because you could have been talking about yourself and you said it twice before you mentioned his name. So, now I know that you meant that the Minority Leader is Hon Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu. But the Minority Leader is neither here nor there.
    Anyway, Hon Member, continue.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 5 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, so water bodies are not being managed properly and professionally in our country
    -- 4:50 p.m.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5 p.m.
    Are you still emotional? [Laughter.]
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 5 p.m.
    Just a bit emotional.
    So, as I speak, I can see the Minister's face and he is staring at me. Hon Minister, you need to demonstrate leadership when it comes to maintenance of water bodies -- [Interruption.
    An Hon Member 5 p.m.
    Address the Speaker.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 5 p.m.
    Yes, I recognise the Speaker.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 5 p.m.


    Let us demonstrate leadership when it comes to water bodies' management. It is so sad. Mr Speaker, there is nowhere in the world where water bodies are being wasted with such impunity. It is only in this country and under the leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Why? In the last six years, our situation as a country, has got worse. Why? The question is, why?

    Mr Assumeng — rose --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5 p.m.
    Yes, Chairman?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 5 p.m.
    Sure, leadership and cannot serve quality water. Why?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5 p.m.
    I have recognised the Chairman of the Committee.
    Mr Assumeng 5 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to inform my Hon Colleague that there is currently an unprecedented investment in water supply in this country under this Administration.
    Some Hon Members 5 p.m.
    Where! Where!
    Mr Assumeng 5 p.m.
    Unprecedented -- So, please, just take note of that. [Interruption]
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 5 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is sad to know that even though the Government is unable to provide the needed water facility to serve the good people of this country, it is almost an insult unto us as a country. This is because I can make a third reference to what is happening in Nsawam, where some other countries have provided some
    huge funding. All that is left, is Government to provide a little counterpart funding for the project to be completed. Close to three years down the lane and nothing to show for it. What are you doing Mr Minister; what are you doing about the Nsawam Municipality Water Project?
    We are still looking up to you and the European Union, having provided a huge chunk of the funding needed, Government is lacking -- just to provide less than 10 per cent of the total funding needed. It is sad; it is indeed, sad. So, sure, leadership
    -- 5 p.m.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5 p.m.
    Hon Member, wind up.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 5 p.m.
    In winding up, Mr Speaker, my last words are simple; water we say, is life. We cannot pollute our water bodies at one breath and at another breath, claim that we care to provide water for the good people of this country -- [Interruption.]
    Mr Goerge Maban Laliri — rose --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5 p.m.
    Hon Member, do you have a point of order?
    Mr George Maban Laliri 5 p.m.
    Yes, I have a point of order.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member is misleading this House. The reason being that this Government is doing very well. So far as the water sector is concerned --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5 p.m.
    Hon Member --
    Mr Laliri 5 p.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5 p.m.
    Do not worry.
    You sit down. I will recognise you to contribute and then you can also --
    Have you finished?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 5 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in finishing, let this Government show leadership when it comes to water provision.
    Thank you very much.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5 p.m.
    Hon Member, I recognise you.
    Mr George M. Laliri (NDC -- Wulensi) 5 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5 p.m.
    Sorry, before you come --
    Did you say you support the Motion at the beginning? We did not hear it. Did you say you rise in support?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 5 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I support the Motion.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member, I presume you are also rising to support the Motion?
    Mr Laliri 5 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I rise to support this Motion by saying that this Government has done very well, so long as the water sector is concerned. In fact, there are so many projects ongoing and at least, for this Government and the water sector, we do not have any gallons named after our Government but we have the “Kufuor gallons;” this Government has not got any name -- [Interruption.]
    Dr A. A. Osei — rose --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5 p.m.
    Hon Akoto Osei?
    Dr A. A. Osei 5 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want the Hon Member to tell this House if at Wulensi, there is water? He should tell this House. If they have done very well, how come we do not have water at Wulensi? [Interruption.] Ask him.
    Mr Bagbin — rose --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Majority Leader?
    Mr Bagbin 5 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member is misleading the House because water is life. If there is no water in Wulensi, how are they living? [Laughter.] Without water? How can you live without water? [Laughter.] Be frank, how can you live without water? How? Even the crocodile cannot live without water [Interruption.]
    Mr Speaker, I am going to contribute, so I do not have to be interfering but I will tell you whether there is water. In his constituency, there is water there.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member for Wulensi?
    Mr Laliri 5 p.m.
    So, Mr Speaker, what I was trying to say is that this Government is doing very well so long as the water sector is concerned. At least, we do not have “Kufuor gallons” in this era. [Uproar]
    Yes, we do not have “Kufuor gallons”; we have gallons that are known as “Kufuor gallons”. We do not have the normal gallons. So, by all means, you should know that we are doing very well. If you were doing well, gallons would not have been named after President Kufuor. [Hear! Hear!] -- [Interruption.]
    Mr Nitiwul 5 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member mentioned “Kufuor gallons” and there is nothing called “Kufuor gallons”. So, I would want him to withdraw that statement because we will not allow that
    Mr Nitiwul 5 p.m.


    I have heard the Hon Member for Wulensi mention “Kufuor gallons”. I did not hear any other Hon Member. I heard him and I would want him to withdraw that statement. [Interruption.] I have applied to the Speaker for him to withdraw the statement. That is all.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5 p.m.
    Indeed, I felt very uncomfortable when the first reference was made to “Kufuor gallons” but as a Speaker, I cannot comment. So, if now you have raised the matter -- it was first raised by one Hon Member before -- [Interruption.] So, please, we have all agreed that that era is past. President Kufuor is no longer the President. If there is a gallon, it cannot be his gallon. I do not want to mention it is anybody else's gallon. It is just a water gallon.
    Continue.
    An Hon Member 5 p.m.
    Mr Speaker's gallon.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5 p.m.
    Mr Speaker's gallon, I agree.

    Hon Member, have you finished?
    Mr Laliri 5 p.m.
    So, Mr Speaker, [Interruption] -- I am still on. I have not finished. [Laughter.]
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5 p.m.
    Hon Member, I am sorry to ask you this -- and I apologise. But is this your first term?
    Mr Laliri 5 p.m.
    Yes.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:10 p.m.
    Hon Member, speak; you have not finished. [Laughter.]
    Mr Laliri 5:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for the opportunity. [Interruption].
    But I have not finished.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:10 p.m.
    I will not allow anybody to -- The Hon Member for Wulensi will not be intimidated and I will not allow anybody to intimidate him.
    Continue; you have not finished.
    Mr Laliri 5:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
    I have made my point by saying that the Government is doing very well so far as the water sector is concerned.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:10 p.m.
    Thank you very much, Hon Member for Wulensi.
    He has now finished, so, I will not raise that --
    Dr A. A. Osei 5:10 p.m.
    I was watching the wall.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:10 p.m.
    I will not allow a point of order on what he said.
    Dr A. A. Osei 5:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I was trying to find out who he is. He said --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:10 p.m.
    No! He has finished.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:10 p.m.
    Hon Deputy Minority Leader, you did not give me a list this time — Assist me. Who should I recognise?
    Mr Nitiwul 5:10 p.m.
    To your pleasure —
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:10 p.m.
    Is it to my discretion?
    Mr Nitiwul 5:10 p.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:10 p.m.
    All right.
    Hon Isaac Osei?
    Mr Isaac Osei (NPP -- Subin) 5:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would make my contribution brief, so that others can also —
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for Nsawam-Adoagyiri made a point, which all of us must consider dispassionately. He said water is so important that we should have a complete national agenda for it, financed it mainly by resources from within our own country—80 per cent as has been indicated in the tables here appeared to have come from donors. But the Hon Member did not go on to say what I would want to say, and that is, there is donor fatigue, which is setting in.
    Mr Speaker, only yesterday, the Sunday Times of the United Kingdom (UK) came out with a news item with the headline; “British aid bankrolls Ghana's legion of ghost civil servants”. In that article, it is clearly stated that the European Union (EU) has now, over the last year, failed to deliver to the Ghana Government E135 million of funds, which had been committed —[Interruption] — For the 2015 Budget, we are relying heavily on aid from donors. Most of the donors are from the European Union. So, we have to be very cautious and look for ways of raising our own monies within our country — [Interruption.]
    Mr Bagbin — rose —
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:10 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader?
    Mr Bagbin 5:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we have to get a clear understanding on three issues -- donor funding, aid and loans. The Hon Member introduced the aid, that is why I
    have added it, but the Report talked about donor funding. What I know in the water sector, is generally made up of loans. It is not donor funding. That is why in my contribution, I wanted to draw attention to that, that the 81 per cent they are talking about, is mostly loans -- loans contracted by Government to —[Interruption] — I am not talking about bilateral --
    I will not mislead you — For example, the Kpong Expansion Programme, it is made up of loans from China. They have lumped the loans plus the aid, and the donor support to get this percentage. We should break it down -- because if we break it down, we cannot get donor funding [Interruption.] 81 per cent in the water sector —
    Dr A. A. Osei 5:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, point of information —
    As long as it is external, even if it is a Chinese loan, it is donor. The aid and grants are different. The point the Hon Member is making is that, external assistance, whether grants or anything, is too big. The Chinese loan is still donor. It is not internal and that is the point the Hon Member is trying to make and he is right.
    Mr Bagbin 5:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, when the Hon Member even added “donor fatigue” — This is because whatever loans we get, we pay back with our local money. We generate and pay them with interest. So, he cannot call that donor money because they are loans given to us which we generate our money, pay the principal plus the interest. So, that cannot be donor money. Donor money is mainly —
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:10 p.m.
    Hon Bagbin, would you agree with me that it is still donor money — It is not aid but loans. They are using donor to the extent that it is external. There is money that comes from abroad -- external funding -- some of it is aid, some grants and some loans. Are you saying that if it is a loan, there cannot be fatigue because you would pay back?
    Hon Bagbin, you will contribute and so, when you do that, then —
    Mr Ken Ohene Agyapong 5:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to give the information — I would want to correct the impression —
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:10 p.m.
    Hon Member, what I will do is that —Please, let me have some order —
    Hon Member, do you want to yield to the Hon Member?
    Mr Isaac Osei 5:10 p.m.
    No — I would want to finish my contribution and then someone else could come in —
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:10 p.m.
    Hon Joseph Bipoba Naabu, I am going to recognise you after this. I saw you on your feet about three times. I am going to recognise you and so, start preparing.
    Mr Isaac Osei 5:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, all of us must understand that when funds are coming from outside our country, especially from Governments, we classify them as donor money -- whether it is aid, grant, loan -- commercial or concessionary, it is still donor support. I am saying that donor fatigue is setting in because of the high level of corruption, which the European Union has mentioned as a result of which €135 million, which should have come to Ghana but has not come.
    Therefore, we have to now look at internal sources of funding, a key utility like water.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:10 p.m.
    Hon Naabu?
    Hon Naabu, I am recognising you or you will not contribute. Are you preparing?
    Mr Joseph Nikpe Bukari 5:10 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, Hon Naabu is a chief heckler. He should be made to contribute — Every time somebody talks, he makes —
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:10 p.m.
    Hon Member, are you challenging me — Is that what you are doing — Standing and shouting on top of your voice?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:10 p.m.
    You are not doing that?
    Mr Bukari 5:10 p.m.
    No, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:10 p.m.
    Then sit down.
    Mr Bukari 5:10 p.m.
    I was just trying to find out —
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:10 p.m.
    Do not try and do anything — Sit down — [Laughter.]
    Hon Member, please, leave me to manage the House, with respect. While Hon Bagbin was speaking, I saw the Hon Member on his feet about twice or thrice and I told him that if I see him on his feet, I will call him to contribute — I now call you to contribute, and if you have nothing to say, get up and say you have nothing to say, then I will know what to do the next time if you stand up.
    I thought maybe, you have a point of order or an important point, and I am calling you — [Laughter] — I am being fair.
    Mr K. O. Agyapong — rose —
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:10 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    Mr K. O. Agyapong 5:20 p.m.
    I would like to give an information to the Hon Majority Leader.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:20 p.m.
    No! You contribute.
    Mr Agyapong 5:20 p.m.
    Yes, I am contributing.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:20 p.m.
    So, you support the Motion?
    Mr Ken O. Agyapong (NPP -- Assin Central) 5:20 p.m.
    I am contributing but I am not supporting the Motion. [Uproar] -- You see, you do not have to support the Motion but you can still contribute. I am not an Hon Member of the Committee but I have a fair idea of what is going on, especially what the Hon Majority Leader said.
    Mr Speaker, water is very important in this country. In fact, I even went to the Hon Minister and asked why his budget is reduced from GH¢531 million to GH¢463 million and he explained that most of the projects are coming to completion, that is why probably, it has reduced. They are not certain. But my concern is that, whatever is happening at the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, cuts across all Ministries.
    I would use the Committee on Communications as an example -- [Interruption] -- The donor issue. We were given GH¢93 million in 2014, and out of this, only GH¢80,365,000 was from donor partners. And out of this, as at October, they had released GH¢32 million. So, it is a problem.
    When we are addressing issues like that, I advise my Hon Colleagues that we have to be non partisan and make sure we address the issues. This is my only concern.
    You see, I got up and my Hon Colleagues were screaming. I am only
    supporting the idea that the budget allocated to most of the Ministries are not enough. And even the ones that are not enough, they are not released on time and sometimes, it does not come at all. So, it is not a new thing with the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing.
    But what I am saying is that, some Ministries are more important than others -- whether you like it. Therefore, we have to prioritise our development and our allocation of resources. This is because with the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, for instance --
    I have no problem with the housing but when it comes to water, I have a problem. Why? I am weighing my priorities and water is more important than -- At least, in our culture, if your nephew does not have a place to stay, you can bring him in. Other places, they will not even allow their nephews when they turn 18; they would have to pay their own rent or whatever. So, water is very important to us.
    Hon Majority Leader, we entreat you to push the agenda for the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, so that they can increase their budget for all of us -- Whatever they called it, I do not want to repeat it -- But the gallons that we take round, whether it was 2000 or -- to date, we still take the gallons round looking for water. Every morning, affluent areas like East Legon, you would see trucks with big drums serving various homes.
    So, do not let us underscore this as if it is not an issue. It is an important issue that we need to address. And this, I plead with my Hon Colleagues. We are not doing politics here because when I am buying water, they do not ask which party I belong.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:20 p.m.
    So, what are we doing here? You said we were not doing politics. What are we doing here?
    Mr Agyapong 5:20 p.m.
    What I am doing now, I am not farming. [Laughter.]
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:20 p.m.
    What are you doing?
    Mr Agyapong 5:20 p.m.
    I am not doing partisan politics. I am saying that Ghana first. The problem is not National Democratic Congress (NDC), it is not New Patriotic Party (NPP). It is Ghana's problem. So, we need to address it because the housing that I am talking of in East Legon -- [Laughter.]
    Mr Speaker, so, with these few words, I would support the Motion.
    Mr Fritz Frederic Baffour (NDC -- Ablekuma South) 5:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I rise to support the Motion. This is a natural voice and it is from a certain genetic consideration.
    There has been this brouhaha about water and the lack of water in the system. But that is a natural concurrence when adjustments are being made in a supply.
    I live in the western part of Accra where water is supplied by Weija. In the eastern part of Accra and certain areas, especially around Adenta, they have not had water for a very long time. This Government has done incredibly well to ensure that provision is made for supply to be increased on the eastern side of Accra. And in doing so, they had to work, rehabilitate and renovate the supply system from Kpong.
    In doing so, they had to reduce the supply of water. Thankfully, that is coming to an end at the end of this year because the Kpong Project is almost completed. That means that the water that is being diverted from the west to the east would cease and the areas that had been deprived over a period of time, will get the full complement of water. So, it means that there is a will --
    Mr Frederick Opare-Ansah 5:20 p.m.
    On a point of order.
    Mr Speaker, I am lost where Hon Fritz Baffour is taking us. I am trying to follow his argument by following the Report but I am totally lost. I cannot see the relevance in the things he is saying.
    Mr Baffour 5:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, when you have Hon Members of Parliament who do not have compasses in their brains, they get lost. [Uproar] -- I do not allude to anyone; I was just throwing it in the air.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:20 p.m.
    Then, withdraw it from the air, Hon Baffour.
    Mr Baffour 5:20 p.m.
    I withdraw.

    Mr Speaker, when I mentioned the west and the east of Accra --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:20 p.m.
    I know some of these things are said in jest. We are having a very cordial debate. But sometimes -- Later on, when it is -- The spirit of the moment is not reflected in the Hansard. In the Official Report, all that is reflected is the word. So, sometimes when people read the words, they would not understand the spirit of it. So, please, just withdraw the whole thing -- “Compass” and all.
    Mr Baffour 5:20 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I concur. Therefore, I withdraw that.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:20 p.m.
    Thank you.
    Mr Baffour 5:20 p.m.
    When I was talking about the west and east of Accra, I was alluding to the development that is mentioned in the Report, that the completion of the Kpong Project would increase the water flow to the capital. What I would want to underscore is that, this Government is
    committed to the supply of water in as many communities as possible. We have water in the rural areas through the Community Water and Sanitation Agency -- Rural Water and Sanitation Project and the Ghana Water Company itself.
    Therefore, sometimes, when we worry about it, it is always in the interregnum. So, this being in the interregnum, we should not hold too much qualms about that but wait for those projects to be completed.
    When my dear Hon Colleague from Assin Central contributed, he did say that there was a reduction in the amount given to the Ministry because the Hon Minister explained that most of the projects that they were undertaking, were coming to an end.
    So, I believe that we should wait for the end of those projects, to see the real impact of the Government's development programmes. These carry on into the housing area of the Ministry where housing units are being built all over the country to help reduce the deficit.
    I believe that our Government is committed to ensuring the wellbeing of our people and therefore, I veritably support the Motion.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:30 p.m.
    Thank you.
    I will call one more Member from the Minority side and then, I will call -- Which of you is a member of the Committee?
    Some Members: None of us.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:30 p.m.
    None of you is a member? [Pause.] I will call Hon Boar.
    Mr Solomon N. Boar (NPP -- Bunkpurugu) 5:30 p.m.
    Mr Speaker. I am indeed, very grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion.
    I have looked at the Report carefully -- the achievements and what is to be done in 2015. There is something that I really want to propose to the Hon Minister to take a look at very serious. I am talking about rain water harvesting tanks.

    In the North for example, we have one rainy season. This can be done especially in schools where we have school feeding programmes. Everywhere in the North, it is working very well, where during the rainy season, they harvest this water. The tanks are in sizes; you can have 10,000 litres, 30,000 litres, 15,000 litres and it is actually possible to run this in a particular school where you can find this school feeding programme taking place.

    For good three months, they do not need to go anywhere to look for water because they have harvested the water during the rainy season -- and then during the lean season, they can use that.

    It is very important because in such a project, you do not need so much money and you do not need to go and seek any external support anywhere. What you need is any little internally generated funds you get, then promote it in schools like the senior high and primary schools.

    During that period, the school children rely on it and it is something that is very significant. If you look at the Report, it is completely missing and I looked at last year's Report and it was also very silent. But if you visit this -- We have many experts. I, for example, have done that on
    Mr Solomon N. Boar (NPP -- Bunkpurugu) 5:30 p.m.


    a number of occasions in many schools up North. So, I can offer you free consultancy in that regard. The Hon Minister should look at it very serious and see how we can promote this --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:30 p.m.
    Hon Member, can you be a little more specific? Up North. Where?
    Mr Boar 5:30 p.m.
    If you go to Tamale for example, there is a local non-govern- mental organisation known as New Energy which has promoted this over the years. If you go to Mpaha, for example -- that is under Central Gonja, you would find a lot of them there. If you go to Savelugu- Nanton District, you would find a lot of them. If you also go to a place like Nabdam, you would find a lot of them there and they are working perfectly.
    I would want to encourage you, that if we do this, I can assure you that at the end of the day, even individuals in their homes would adapt this.
    It is possible for us to adapt this because the water is so clean; you keep it and during the dry season, you do not need to be running round looking for money to now go and harvest the water that has gone down the earth. How much is the cost of a borehole now? At least, up North, you need about GH¢10,000 for just one borehole.
    Water that you could have harvested at no cost after putting up the tank. That is all. So, he should look at it critically and it would help us a lot.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:30 p.m.
    Hon Member, do you want to contribute?
    Mr Albert Abongo (NDC -- Bongo) 5:30 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to urge Hon Colleagues to
    approve the budget for the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing.
    Enough has been said about urban water and emphasis has been placed on the Accra systems. But I can tell you that a lot is going on in other urban areas to try to improve and expand the existing systems and to ensure that their capacities are increased.
    It is very important that we take note of the fact that the Ministry is doing so well, projects are ongoing in other urban areas and I believe in the near future, the problems associated with urban water delivery would reduce to the minimum.
    Mr Speaker, coming from a rural constituency, I would like to add that a lot still has to be done to try to deliver water in some communities in the rural areas. The Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA), has done a lot to deliver potable water to some communities but the sanitation aspect has not matched properly with the potable water delivery and so, we have challenges with toilet facilities in some rural communities.
    You would agree with me that for communities that do not have good sanitation facilities, we have a lot of diseases spreading. So, we should support the CWSA to expand and provide toilet facilities in the rural areas, particularly in all schools in rural communities. That would go a long way to stop the spread of diseases in these educational institutions.
    Having said this, I urge the House to support the budget for the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:30 p.m.
    Thank you. Hon Member. After him, Hon Bagbin and then I put the Question.
    Mr William A. Quaittoo (NPP -- Akim Oda) 5:30 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I rise to support the
    Motion on the floor but before I do that, I would want to caution us to really look at our Reports before we lay them.
    There are several mistakes in this Report and several others and while reading them, sometimes, you lose focus of what the statement really means. That is very bad. Meanwhile, Mr Speaker, if I take a look at --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:30 p.m.
    Are you saying that there are several typogra- phical errors?
    Mr Quaittoo 5:30 p.m.
    The sentences. If you read critically, they lose meaning. Long winding sentences and you do not get their meaning.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:30 p.m.
    Can you give us an example?
    Mr Quaittoo 5:40 p.m.
    Yes, I can. Item 9.6 on page 16.
    “The Committee was quite pleased with the Ministry's programme protection of the country's water bodies by the water bodies by the Resources Commission of the Ministry, with the development of a Buffer Zone policy and the intents implementation in in 2015. . .”
    What is “intents implementation'?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:40 p.m.
    Is this English?
    Mr Quaittoo 5:40 p.m.
    So, what is it? It has no meaning.
    Then if you go to the third paragraph,
    “The Committee therefore, tasked the Water Resources Commission to impress upon the local administra- tion authorities of the negative impact. . .”
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:40 p.m.
    Before you continue, can you take your seat?
    Majority Leader, what do we do in this case, because what he said is true. There are certain sentences, perhaps, that need better wording. What do we do in such a case?
    Mr Bagbin 5:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Chairman, in presenting the Report, should have drawn our attention to these secretarial errors but once it eluded him, the Members in their contributions, could correct those mistakes in the Report. And so, it is good that my Hon Colleague over there is drawing our attention to the errors because they cannot be captured in the Hansard as the correct Report from the whole Committee. And so, please, he is right to correct those sentences.
    You do not need to be a member of the Committee; any Member can make corrections to a committee's report.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:40 p.m.
    If you take your time to make those corrections, it will help us.
    Yes, Hon Member for Suhum?
    Mr Opare-Ansah 5:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am just buttressing your point. Indeed, there are several other errors. I see 2005, where it is supposed to be 2015. I recollect the Chairman, when he was presenting the Report, did make some corrections but there are still some number of corrections in there. Mr Speaker can direct that the
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:40 p.m.
    You know, all these things we are doing now are for posterity. They are not for us, I mean, we sitting in the room today. But it would not speak well of any of us if somebody takes the Hansard of today in about -- I do not know in how many years' time and then it is said that we approved this thing.
    I do not know. I am minded for the Report to be resubmitted tomorrow with all the corrections made, so that there is no debate, we take all the debates today. We do not put the Question and then tomorrow --
    I do not know whether that is a proper procedure, Majority Leader? This is because otherwise, Majority Leader, we are told that these are not the only two mistakes.
    Yes, Chairman of Committee?
    Mr Assumeng 5:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is true we have identified some of the errors that need correction. We have taken note of them and we would be doing the corrections. In fact, the Hon Minister in his winding up, would read some of them. For instance, I did correct the figure and that same figure needed to be corrected on page 12. We have identified them and we would want to effect the corrections -- [Pause.]
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:40 p.m.
    I am being advised by a Clerk-at-the-Table that the Editor of Debates has the power to make some of these grammatical corrections but if there are substantive corrections to do with figures and so on -- if there is a comma or there is, for example, the first one that you raised, which is on page 16, paragraph 9.6 --
    “The Committee was quite pleased with the Ministry's programme protection of the country's water bodies…”
    If it would just be a capital “p” and put into a bracket, would that not be the name of the programme? That is the name of the programme. The Programme's name is “Protection of Country's Water Bodies” by the Water Resources Commission. Is that the name of the programme? If that is the name of the programme, then just a comma and a capital “P” there could correct the sentence, at least, that part.
    Yes, Hon Bagbin? Hon Anthony Akoto Osei, are you looking at it?
    Dr A. A. Osei 5:40 p.m.
    I do not agree with the advice that is being given to you. It could be very dangerous. We cannot leave the Editors to impute our intents. So, that one, it would be very dangerous. Under normal circumstances, if we have time, we would say we should withdraw it and replace it. But even that, you may advise the Chairman to relook at it and submit the corrections to the Table Office, then we can proceed.
    The Hon Minister has been gracious to be here. We should not leave it to any Editor to impute our intents. It would be wrong.
    I have had it several times where they tried to impute my intents and it was completely false.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:40 p.m.
    Hon Bagbin?
    Mr Bagbin 5:40 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, there has not been any suggestion that it be left to any Editor because that would be the Editor's understanding or position on it and not the House's.
    Mr Speaker, what I stated and I would want to repeat, is that it is part of the debate for Members to draw the attention of the House to errors and to proceed to correct those errors. For example, the sentence referred to at page 16 under 9.6, from my understanding of the sentence, it should read:
    “The Committee was quite pleased with the Ministry's programmed protection of the country's water bodies by the Water Resources Commission of the Ministry with development of the buffer zone policy and the intention of the Ministry to implement it in 2015.”
    That is the sentence. This is because it talks about programmed protection. So, just”d” is missing from the “programme”.
    Dr A. A. Osei 5:40 p.m.
    The “Ministry's programmed protection of the country's water bodies” could be another version.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:40 p.m.
    The Majority Leader --
    Mr Bagbin 5:40 p.m.
    I have just corrected the first sentence --
    Dr A. A. Osei 5:40 p.m.
    And I am saying, I can correct it in my own way too and it would make sense.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:40 p.m.
    The Hon Majority Leader has convinced me about which way to go and the way to go is very simple.
    The substance of the Report is already there.
    There are two more people left to speak -- the Hon Member on his feet and the Majority Leader and then the Hon Minister would wind up. But I will not put the Question.
    We will take it that the Report has been fully debated. Then I will invite the Chairman of the Committee to withdraw the Report and resubmit it tomorrow.
    We take the Question tomorrow because we do not want to do something that in future, somebody will come and possibly embarrass all of us. I know that Hon Bagbin will not sit down to allow some of these mistakes to be looked over. I have great confidence in him -- [Interruption.] You do not know about him, Hon Member. What do you think Hon Member -- This is the novel situation.
    Hon Bagbin, what do you think? You are shaking your head violently.
    Mr Bagbin 5:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if I may suggest that we defer continuing with the debate, so that the Report can be corrected and then, we now continue with it. If we withdraw the Report, the whole debate collapses and then have no base to stand on. But we can continue and the amendments would be made tomorrow. The Chairman will come and put across those amendments as part of the Report presented earlier, then we can conclude the debate.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:50 p.m.
    After the Hon Member finishes speaking, I should then defer it.
    Mr Bagbin 5:50 p.m.
    That is so.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:50 p.m.
    Hon Member, as you are speaking, please, point out all the mistakes that you have seen.
    Mr Quaittoo 5:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Report was just given to us and I had the time to read only three pages and there are several of them. I am not part of the Committee and so, when I read, I do not get the meaning and the substance of what they really want to talk about. So, the correction can only be done by the Committee members and the Chairman.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:50 p.m.
    I will invite you to join to help them.
    Mr Quaittoo 5:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I read Chemistry and Management. I am not an English master but -- [Interruption.]
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:50 p.m.
    You read?
    Mr Quaittoo 5:50 p.m.
    I read Chemistry and Management -- [Laughter.] I hear Hon Naabu can help them.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:50 p.m.
    If you say you read Chemistry and you cannot join them, then I cannot accept what you are saying.
    Mr Quaittoo 5:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I guess I can help because from paragraph 9.6, almost everything there does not sound well to me.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:50 p.m.
    That is why you need to join them.
    Mr Quaittoo 5:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if you look at the next page, the first sentence there, it reads:
    “Whilst intensifying education to the public of the need to stop development too close to water bodies.”
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:50 p.m.
    That is the first sentence on page 17?
    Mr Quaittoo 5:50 p.m.
    The first sentence of page 17.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:50 p.m.
    It says: “Whilst intensifying education to the public of the need to stop development too close to water bodies”. That is a sentence by itself.
    Mr Quaittoo 5:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, a complete sentence on its own. It does not convey any meaning.
    Mr Speaker, let me go to the points I would want to raise on the substance of the Report.
    Can I proceed?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:50 p.m.
    Yes.
    Mr Quaittoo 5:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, let us look at page 13; the Observations. If I look at the Observations, the Report says that, “since 2012, there has been dwindling in the amount of monies given to the Ministry to tackle certain key challenges. But in 2012, the percentage share of the budget was 2.1 per cent. It came down to 1.9 per cent in 2013 and further decreased to 1.5 per cent in 2014.” And then in not 2005. That is another mistake; but in
    2015.
    But in the Report it is 2005. “In 2015, the percentage share of the allocation for the Ministry has come to a new low of 1.1 for the budget year.”
    When you read further down, it says that, “this will not allow Ghana to achieve the millennium goals …” So, it is very dangerous, particularly when we go to the next paragraph. Let me read that sentence:
    “The Committee is concerned that, with the dwindling trend of the allocation to the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, the infrastructural deficit gap of the country will continue to widen and invariably affect government's policy targets such as reducing the housing deficit and increasing access to potable water to meet the Millennium Development Goal No.
    7."
    Mr Speaker, this is a very serious statement and I hope that the Hon Minister will take it serious and address the situation with all pur- posefulness. This is because we cannot afford to, more or less, come to this level where we have no water to drink.
    Mr Speaker, with these few words, I support the Motion subject to the corrections.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:50 p.m.
    Thank you. --
    rose
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:50 p.m.
    Yes?
    Dr A. A. Osei 5:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, before you defer, I just make a humble suggestion.
    One of the reasons, maybe, we are experiencing this and other committees must look at -- It appears that the normal process where leadership of the committees look at the draft is not happening. So, I would want to appeal to you that let us make sure that we go through the process. At least, the leadership looks at the draft, especially when these reports are coming to us as soon as we come here.
    If the draft has not been seen, we would get this type of product. I am being told that Ranking Members and deputies did not see copies. We should have arrested it from the beginning. We would not have what is occurring.
    I would want to appeal to you to urge all Chairpersons to, at least, allow the other side to look at the draft before it is printed. We cannot say that it is a secretarial error; it is not the respon- sibility of the Secretariat. It is the responsibility of the committees, including the leadership. Otherwise, we would be arresting reports from now on. I would want to appeal to you to advise the leadership.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:50 p.m.
    Hon Bagbin?
    Mr Bagbin 5:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, as suggested earlier, we could suspend debate on the matter till tomorrow when the Chairman would be given the opportunity to rectify all the wrongs in the Report and then, we conclude the debate.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:50 p.m.
    The debate on Motion 11 is deferred.
    Mr Bagbin 5:50 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to crave your indulgence and the kind co- operation of my Colleagues for us to lay just two reports -- one on the Ministry of Communications and the other on the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General and then, we can call it a day. Those Reports are ready -- [Pause.]
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:50 p.m.
    Let us take the Report on the Ministry of Communications.
    PAPERS 5:50 p.m.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:50 p.m.
    The Report is duly laid and it is for the consideration of the House.
    This should bring us to the end of proceedings for today.
    ADJOURNMENT 5:50 p.m.
  • The House was adjourned at 6:00 p.m. till Tuesday, 16th December, 2014 at 10.00 a.m.