Debates of 5 Jun 2015

MR FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER
PRAYERS 11:55 p.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 11:55 p.m.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:55 p.m.
Hon Members, correction of the Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, 4th June, 2015.
Pages 1. . . 7 --
Mr Wisdom Gidisu 11:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I was in the House yesterday but I have been marked absent.
Page 7, Hon Wisdom Gidisu, Member of Parliament for Krachi East.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:55 p.m.
Table Office, please take note.
Mr Bright Edward K. Demordzi 11:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I was in the House yesterday.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:55 p.m.
What page are you referring to?
Mr Demordzi 11:55 p.m.
Page 5.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:55 p.m.
Very well.
Please, take note.
Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, 4th June, 2015 is hereby adopted as the true record of proceedings.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 11:55 p.m.
Majority leader/Chairman of the Business Committee (Mr Alban S. K. Bagbin) 11:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Committee met on Thursday, 4th June 2015 and arranged Business of the House for the Fifth Week ending Friday, 12th June 2015.
Mr Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 56 (1), the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows:
Arrangement of Business
Question(s)
Mr Speaker, considering the constraints likely to be posed by the state of affairs during the week, the Business Committee has not programmed Ministers of State to respond to Questions.
Statements
Mr Speaker, pursuant to Order 70 (2), Ministers of State may be permitted to make Statements of Government policy. Your goodself may also admit Statements to be made in the House by Hon Members in accordance with Order 72.
Bills, Papers and Reports
Mr Speaker, Bills may be presented to the House for First Reading and those of urgent nature may be taken through the various stages in one day in accordance with Order 119. Papers and Committee Reports may also be presented to the House.
Motions and Resolutions
Mr Speaker, Motions may be debated and their consequential Resolutions, if any, taken during the week.
Conclusion
Mr Speaker, in accordance with Standing Order 160(2) and subject to Standing Order 53, the Committee submits to this Honourable House the order in which the Business of the House shall be taken during the week.

I want to add by praying for them to come back.

So, the Business for next week would be quite light.

Statements --

Consideration Stage of Bills --

Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Bill, 2014.

Chieftaincy (Amendment) Bill, 2013. (Continuation of debate)

Committee sittings.

Statements

Consideration Stage of Bills --

Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Bill, 2014.

University of Environment and Sustainable Development Bill, 2014.

Committee sittings.

Statements

Motion --

Third Reading of Bills

Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Bill, 2014.

Consideration Stage of Bills --

University of Environment and Sustainable Development Bill, 2014.

Committee sittings.

Statements

Motion --

Third Reading of Bills --

University of Environment and Sustainable Development Bill, 2014.

Committee sittings.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:55 p.m.
Thank you very much.
Hon Member for Old Tafo?
Dr Anthony Akoto Osei 11:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Majority Leader and Chairman of the Business Committee, I do not know whether he was reading the Business Statement or he was just repeating what he normally says.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:55 p.m.
Hon Deputy Majority Chief Whip?
Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is true. Those two things cropped up at the Business Committee yesterday and these were issues that were referred to
Leadership to make sure that we liaise with the Hon Ministers for Petroleum and Finance to be available in the House. But we considered when it would be conducive for both sides of the House and the Leadership -- and that was yesterday.
But if you look at how the Business of the House went yesterday, it was not possible for Leadership to meet on these two issues and to call the Hon Ministers. However, the Business Committee would still liaise with Leadership and look at the outcome and maybe, we programme them for the following week.
Mr Speaker, we even considered that of 13th June, 2015. If you say Hon Members of the House may not be available to ask questions -- These are two critical issues where the input of our Hon Colleagues on the Minority Side would be needed. The Business Committee took all these into considera- tion and the following week, Leadership may come out with the outcome and they would be programmed to appear before the House.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Very well, thank you very much.
Yes, Hon Member?
Mr Justice J. Appiah 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, looking through the Business Statement, the House Committee is mandated to take care of the office complex. Hon Members are still transacting business in their car boots. These offices are still there so Leadership should tell us when we are getting the offices because we are still doing business in our car boots. It is very serious and the Business Committee is not working on it to give us our offices.[Hear! Hear!]
Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, on the Business Statement, the House Committee is part of the Committees and I think they would meet within the week
or so, it would be possible. The House Committee is part of the Committees of the House and they would meet within the week.
Dr Matthew O. Prempeh 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, there is a particular problem I want your direction on. If, sitting in the Chair, you direct that something should be made available to the House, how does it find itself when it comes to the House? Where do Hon Members get copies and how does it reflect in the Hansard that your order or directive has been fulfilled?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
I believe with an issue like this, if you get in touch with the Table Office, they would address it properly; you know the procedure.
Dr Matthew O. Prempeh 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the reason I am asking is that, if an Hon Minister comes to answer Questions, and out of that, you direct that certain information should be provided to the House or to Hon Members, and that Answer is brought, it has to reflect in the Hansard. So, if I go to the Table Office, it does not reflect the direction you have given, sitting in the Chair. That is what I wanted Leadership to think about, because it is not available to the House.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Normally, in a situation like that, it would find its way into the Business Committee's meeting and then it would take effect from there. This is because, once the directive has been given, it depends on whether there was a time frame or not. Finally, it gets to the Business Committee and they programme everything for this House.
Dr Matthew O. Prempeh 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much for that illumination. There is an issue that I have just been informed has come to the House a very
long time ago, and even last week, Mr Speaker, sitting in the Chair was wondering where the Answer was. But, if the Answer has gone to the Clerk to Parliament or Clerks-at-the-Table or other place, then it has to find a way -- either you order them to put it in the Hansard so that every Hon Member could make himself or herself available.
This is because, if I walk alone to the Table Office or the Clerks-at-the-Table, it still does not fulfil the Chair's directive to confer on what we do in those circumstances. I do not need an answer now but Leadership --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon Member, you would do well to confer with the Clerks-at-the-Table and I am sure they would help you to sort it out.
Hon Members, in the absence of any corrections to the Business Statement, it is hereby adopted as the Business Statement for the Second Meeting of the Third Session of the Sixth Parliament of the Republic of Ghana for the Fifth Week ending Friday, 12th June, 2015.
Mr Bagbin 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think we could take item number 4 which is ‘Urgent Questions.' The Hon Minister for Power is available to answer the Urgent Question.
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I believe before the Hon Minister comes to answer the Urgent Question, we need to be on the same page. The Business Committee, when they met, decided that for next week, no Question should be programmed. The Chairman, in submitting the Report, is indicating to us that Questions shall be programmed and that is the reason the -- [Interruptions]
Mr Bagbin 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thought we had gone beyond this but for the records, the Statement that is clearly stated in the Report says that:
“Mr Speaker, considering the constraints likely to be posed by the state of affairs during the week, the Business Committee has not programmed Ministers of State to respond to Questions.”
That is the Statement. But I am saying that, it is likely that Questions may be permitted and asked and that is all I added and I do not think that is an offence.
This is because during the course of the week, anything could happen and any of my Hon Colleagues could rush to ask an Urgent Question. Are we going to say that by virtue of this, we would not permit the Hon Member to ask the Question? No!
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Very well, thank you very much for the information.
Mr Bagbin 12:05 p.m.
It is an opportunity for you to come and ask. Yes, it has not been programmed but anything could happen and you could come and we would allow you to ask the Question. I am being more democratic.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, he says he is being more democratic. He is assuming the powers of a dictator. A whole Committee has met and decided that no Question should be programmed and now he says that it is likely that we allow for Questions -- Mr Speaker, the Hon Majority Leader being the Chairman of the Committee should be reminded that he has no veto powers at the level of the Committee. He has no such powers.

Former Majority Leader, do not shake your head; the value is not the same.

Mr Speaker, I guess we could move on.
Mr Bagbin 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, this is one of the students of one of the former Speakers; Mr Owusu Agyepong, who used to insist that as a Leader and Chairman of the Business Committee, he had residual powers -- [Laughter.]
Now, even this residual powers, he wants to take that away from me.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Hon Members, we have had enough of that.
Mr Bagbin 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, to quote the late General I.K. Acheampong:
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Yes, Hon Deputy Minority Leader?
Mr Dominic B. A. Nitiwul 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, that was on a lighter note and we all enjoyed it. But Mr Speaker, I would want to make an application, since we are masters of our own procedure.
I would want to make an application for us to amend the Business Statement include something -- If you think that the whole House -- because our Side would not be there during the ensuing week, I would apply to you.

I do not want to say what happened but all those who went know what happened. It was clear that the people were not happy and so, this House has to make sure that we let them know that we are serious with our work concerning their welfare.

Mr Speaker, that is why I would want to make an application that we should bring the Hon Minister of Finance to this House either next week or the ensuing week.

There were two Credit Agreements between the Republic of Ghana and Export/Import Bank of United States of America and Standard Chartered Bank for a total amount of US$663,299,496.00 between the Ministry of Water Resource, Works and Housing and the Ministry of Finance on the 25th of October, 2012 for the construction of the Accra Sanitary Sewage and Storm Drainage Alleviation Works Project.

Mr Speaker, we have to find out and call the Hon Minister urgently for him to brief this House why that loan has not been disbursed and we now have people dying. This is because, we were not made to believe that there was no funds -- [Interruption] -- Yes, so, I just thought that I should bring this -- either we amend it or maybe, in your wisdom, if you think that the whole House should be here, that is after the 13th of June 2015 after our primaries where we can all take this matter and look at it.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader, what do you say?
Mr Bagbin 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, this is a matter, I believe and do agree with the Hon Member that, it cannot be business as usual. We cannot continue to be using the word “perennial” and “serial” or whatever terms any time we find ourselves backtracking when there is a small down- pour and so, we have to take it really serious. Not just summoning the Hon Minister for Finance to come and tell us the state in which Government has gone about implementing the approvals of the House concerning a loan facility for the drainage system in the country.
I think we have to go beyond that and get our Committees to work and get approvals so that we can set and put in place a clear programme to bring this to an end. It does not portray us as-- [Interruption] -- not the politician, but the whole country. We are all contributing to this mess. Clearly, Leadership is needed but we cannot keep on crying and killing ourselves; it is not the best.
A lot of us are down-hearted because of what happened yesterday and the solution is very easy. I keep on saying that, in this country, we are allowing the mob to lead us and as leaders we must lead and the followers must follow. We
Mr Bagbin 12:15 p.m.


only listen to them but we see more than them and we take the decision and we enforce it. If not, we cannot move forward.

Our interpretation of democracy and how we practice it in this country is upside down. Democracy here is about talking; that is not democracy. We must act. So please, yes, the Business Committee would take it up and we would programme properly for the Hon Minister for Finance to come and give us a brief -- [Interruption] -- Please, when we talk about financial matters, it is the Hon Minister for Finance.

When we talk about the implementation -- because, it might be that, after the approval, they have not been able to source the money and we know there are a lot of processes after the approvals. [Interruption.] -- When he becomes the Hon Minister for Finance, he would understand this. [Interruption.] So, it does not matter.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Order! Order!
Hon Majority Leader, you have the floor.
Mr Bagbin 12:15 p.m.
His Excellency ex- President J. A. Kufuor reminded all of us about the gestation period of programmes and we should not easily forget that one. Yes, the Hon Minister for Finance can come and if he is able to tell us how far they have gone about it whether they have sourced the moneys or not, then we would get the Hon Minister in charge of Water Resources, Works and Housing to tell us how they are implementing the programme and we would put our Committee to oversee, monitor and report to us.
Mr Speaker, the procedure is there and the Business Committee would take it up.
Mr Alexander K. Afenyo-Markin 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I have seen the Business Committee's Report and that --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
If you are coming back to the Business Committee Report, you are out of order. This is because it has been adopted.
Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, on that note, I rest my case. I came in late and I sought the guidance and I have been told that -- [Interruption.]
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Hon Member, you are out of order.
Yes, Hon Majority Leader? [Interruption.] Can we have some order please?
Hon Majority Leader, you told us the Hon Minister is available. Can we get him to come forward?
Hon Members, we have an Urgent Question in the name of Hon Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Member of Parliament (MP) for Nsawam-Adoagyiri.
Hon Member, you have the floor.
URGENT QUESTION 12:25 p.m.
MINISTRY OF POWER 12:25 p.m.
Minister for Power (Dr Kwabena Donkor) 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the reasons attributable to the current power supply challenges include the following:
(i) Exponential growth of demand for power over the last decade.
(ii) Poor hydrology
(iii)The non-availability of some generating units through faults
(iv) Mandatory inspection and routine maintenance and fuel supply challenges among others.
Mr Speaker, concrete measures being taken by the Ministry to end the ongoing load-shedding exercise, and also to ensure that it does not occur again in Ghana include the following:
Short term Measures:
a) Restoration of already existing plants that had been shut down.
b) Completion of the following projects:
220 MW Kpone Thermal Power Project,
110 MW TICO Expansion Project,
180 MW Asogli Phase II (1) Project
c) Emergency Power Project
Mr Speaker, under the emergency or fast track measures, the following projects are currently being worked on:
The 225 MW power ship. Preparatory works are in progress on this.
The 250MW Amery-Energy Power Project. Civil works have also commenced on this.
The 370 MW AKSA Project, and
Emergency Power Agreement has been initiated. We have received Cabinet approval and it would come before this Honourable House for approval.
110MW TEN Power Project.
The Emergency Power Agreement has been signed, it is going through Cabinet and it would come to this House for approval.300MW GE Power Project—the Emergency Power Agreement is being finalised.
Mr Speaker, the above projects should be adding power to the national grid by the end of this year, 2015.
Mr Speaker, in terms of fuel solutions to address the erratic nature of gas supply from Nigeria, through the West Africa Gas Bipeline, the following projects are currently being considered;
Emergency L&G project to be delivered in five months at Tema by West Africa Gas Limited.
Regular L&G Project to be delivered by Quantum Power Ghana, in the second quarter of 2016.
Mr Speaker, in the medium- term, and in line with Government's promise to ensure that load shedding does not reoccur in the foreseeable future -- arising out of generation deficit at the end of the current one, the Ghanaian State is creating the enabling environment for both State and non-State actors to add substantial capacity to our generation mix, to ensure an adequate redundancy as required under international best practice.
Mr Speaker, Government is also conscious of the need to address the trilemma of energy that is, availability of supply, affordability and security of supply and would not relent in this effort. Consequently, the Ministry of Power is encouraging both conventional and non- conventional forms of generation by encouraging new gas fired plants, biomass fuel plants, solar and wind farms, tidal power generation as well as clean coal fuel generation.
Mr Speaker, the Ministry believes that, when these measures, especially, the short-term measures fully come to fruition, load shedding will be a thing of the past.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon Member, any follow-up question?
Mr Annoh-Dompreh 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, with your kind indulgence, I plead to make a text reference to the State of the Nation Address presented by His Excellency, the President on February, 26th 2015, and I beg to read the second paragraph of page 6:
“We would be rolling out this year, new initiatives on solar energy. A prepaid solar meter scheme that would enable residents of remote off-grid communities own and enjoy solar lighting would be launched as a private sector activity facilitated by government. We are also working on a proposal that would make solar power available for micro enter- prises operated by barbers, hair- dressers, dressmakers and other such micro entrepreneurs whose businesses are currently affected by the current challenges.”
Mr Speaker, my question is simple; I am aware that the Hon Minister's Ministry is relatively new. These were emphatic words of His Excellency the President. What has the Hon Minister's outfit done as definite attempt at ensuring that these words of H.E the President come to fruition?
Dr Donkor 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in fulfilment of the promise made by H.E the President, the Ministry of Power facilitated an Agreement between an indigenous Ghanaian company known as Oasis Energy and an acknowledged interna- tional firm in solar power generation and distribution, Azuri, based in Cambridge in the United Kingdom (UK), and as we speak, the first units are on the high sea, arriving in the country.
These units would essentially be in the rural areas. They will power solar
facilitation in the rural areas and that should fulfil a part of the President's promise.
Mr Speaker, the second component for small-scale, especially micro enterprises, barbers and such enterprises that need minimal amount of electricity are going through the procurement process— Energy Commission is the lead agency on this, and the first units will definitely be in the system by the end of the third quarter,
2015.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, this Administration is known for giving timelines when the energy crisis will end. H.E the President, with the greatest respect to him and his office, has also given timelines which has failed embarrassingly. My question is very simple; what necessitated those top officials of Government to give these timelines, and why were they unable to ensure that these timelines were met.
Dr Donkor 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, as the Hon Minister with responsibility for power, I have only given one timeline; that is, load shedding will end by the end of this year and I will deliver—[Hear! Hear!]
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon Member, your last follow-up Question.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister has rightly answered that he gave only one timeline, which is true, but what about the other timelines that were given by the other top government officials and even the Presidency?
Mr Speaker, what necessitated the giving of these timelines, and why has these timelines failed embarrassingly?
Mr Ahmed Ibrahim—On a point of order
Mr Speaker, the content of the question that was given to the Hon Minister to come and answer is quite different from the supplementary question the Hon Member is asking now and therefore, that question must be ruled out of order.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon Member, I believe that you are referring to some promises made by other persons separate and apart from the Hon Minister. It would not be fair, especially so because, his Ministry had not been brought into being at the time those promises were made. If you could use the opportunity to ask another question.
Mr Nitiwul 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I wanted you to respond. The only person who has the authority to decide whether the question is admissible or not, is Mr Speaker. So, I thought that the Hon Member was absolutely out of line and place, to determine whether somebody —
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon Member, I have taken a decision, and I think that is what matters.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for your indulgence.
Mr Speaker, I am reframing my question. Rightly said, you are on record to have said that by the end of the year if you do not end the ‘almighty dumsor,' you will resign, excellent. My question now to you is this, would your possible resignation constitute a good compensa- tion for the economic loss done unto this country?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
Hon Member, I do not think that is a fair question.
I will still give you the opportunity to reframe your last question, this one is not a fair question.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, my last follow-up question.
Since the Ministry for Power is a new one, can the Hon Minister for Power tell us if, as we speak now, we have received the full complement of your budget provision for the Ministry?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
Relevancy. [Laughter.]
Mr Annoh-Dompreh 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, if you would kindly indulge me --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
You asked him to come and tell us what steps his Ministry is taking to deal with the situation. You are now bringing in the question of financing and I think --
Mr Annoh-Dompreh 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is a basic fact that, as the Minister spoke, he enumerated a number of programmes yet to be prosecuted by his Ministry. It is also basic for us to know that for the Ministry to be able to prosecute these programmes, funding is a critical component. So, I wish to know whether as a new Ministry, funding that is supposed to be given out to the Ministry has been released by Government and received by the Ministry.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
You can bring a question to that effect but this is not relevant to this particular question that you brought.
Yes, Hon Member?
Mr David Tetteh Assumeng 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in time past, this nation sought divine intervention in curbing this same problem. Is the Hon Minister considering divine intervention in curbing this problem?
Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah 12:35 p.m.
I would like to find out from the Hon Minister for Power as an assurance to this House, and an assurance to the Committee on Government Assurances, whether at the end of this year as he mentioned, the current power crises would be a thing of the past?
Dr Donkor 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am being extremely careful in my choice of words. I am not talking about power crises, I am talking about load shedding.
Thank you.
Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would like to know from the Hon Minister for Power his definition of the end of load shedding. What is his definition? Does it mean that if there is a world cup match and there is light it means that load shedding is ended or it is going to be a thing of the past for the next 30 or 50 years. I would want to understand his definition of “a thing of the past”?
Dr Donkor 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, by load shedding I am referring to a programmed activity where arising out of generational deficit, some communities do not receive power at given times. That is what I mean by load shedding. However, we could have a situation where we would have adequate generation arising out of localised operational fault some communities could not be receiving light.
Mr Justice Joe Appiah 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, listening to the Hon Minister, he talked of challenges on crude oil to power the thermal plants at Aboadze. I would want to find out from the Hon Minister for Power what plans he has to get enough
crude to power the thermal plants in order for us to stop the dum-dum, I do not call it dumsor, I call it dumdum.
Thank you.
Dr Donkor 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in my Answers I referred to fuel supply challenges. Crude is a component of the fuel supply. The primary fuel for the plants in Aboadze is not crude, it is natural gas or gas. Crude is the secondary fuel in the absence of natural gas. So in our solution, we are looking predominantly at a natural gas based solution. The plants are more efficient when they run on natural gas and that is why I have mentioned that we are bringing in emergency Legacy Oil Plus Gas (L&G) to the Tema Corridor, that in the worst case scenario at Aboadze, we can pump natural gas through the West African Pipeline to feed the plants in Aboadze.
Thank you.
Dr A. A. Osei 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in the Hon Minister's Answer, I should be corrected if I am wrong, he listed at least five projects with different capacities; 225, 250, 370 then he listed two of them as 110 and 300 yet to be brought to Parliament. My simple question is, what is the source of funding for all these projects, given that it is not his Ministry that was given money. Can you tell this House how these projects are being funded and what state the funding is?
Dr Donkor 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, some of these projects -- indeed, all of them are private sector funded projects. If you take the Kpone Thermal Plant, it is an exception. That is owned by Volta River Authority (VRA) and as we speak, it is about 98 per cent complete. They have started the process of going through the commission- ing phase which could take up to three months. So that is nearly fully funded, but the funding arises out of the internal resources of VRA.
In terms of the Asogli Phase II Expansion, it is an Independent Power Producer (IPP) and it is funded by the Private entity. In terms of the power-ship, it is an IPP coming under an emergency mode and the funding arises out of the owners' jurisdiction.
However, this is not to say that there are no commitments by the Ghanaian State. For example, the Ghanaian State has to secure some standby Letters of Credit on behalf of its entities and as we speak, two of such standby Letters of Credit have been secured. Yes, it has not come easy but the Ghanaian State has secured this.
Thank you.
Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin 12:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister in an earlier answer made a distinction between load shedding and power crises and he underscored the point that load-shedding will end by the end of the year leaving his understanding of power crises in a limbo.
Now, my question is, he has earlier also made mention of Karpower emergency power plant totalling 450 megawatts.Since it is part of the plans aimed at ending the load shedding, I would want to know whether that arrangement for the provision of 450 megawatts of power by Karpower has been approved by this House.
Dr Donkor 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the conven- tion and practice has been that, when Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), in its capacity as a commercial entity, signs a commercial Agreement, that Agreement does not come to this House. However, where ECG or the parties involved require government's consent and support Agreement, then that Agreement would
have to come to this House because this is the only House that can approve of such a consent and support Agreement.
The existing Karpower Agreement does not require a government consent and support Agreement. [Interruption.] Yes, and that is why it has not been brought to this House. Thank you Mr Speaker.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Yes, Hon Deputy Minority Leader. After that, we would come to the Hon Deputy Minority Whip.
Mr Dominic Nitiwul 12:45 p.m.
I did not know somebody was at the back.
There are two quick questions; the Hon Minister gave a time line of December 31st 2015, which is the end of the year.
Does the Hon Minister foresee the load shedding which he said would end as a temporal thing or a permanent one?
Dr Donkor 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the commit- ment of the State led by its elected leader, President John Dramani Mahama -- [Hear! Hear!] -- is that, load shedding should not reoccur in Ghana.
Mr Speaker, we are taking measures. If you look at the current generation deficit, we would require only about 400-700 megawatts to fix it. However, with an exponential growth of 12 per cent demand per annum, this would not address the long term. Therefore, in ensuring that load shedding would not reoccur, the Ministry of Power is looking at other forms of generation that are cheaper and more competitive than the existing forms.
Mr Speaker, this country is moving on a new trajectory that it has never walked on since 1965. The new trajectory is that, hydropower is increasingly becoming the
Mr Nitiwul 12:45 p.m.
I just asked a simple question.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Very well.
Mr Nitiwul 12:45 p.m.
But Mr Speaker, the second leg of my question;the Hon Minister said that the State agency is giving the contribution on behalf of the State. What is the total contribution of the State regarding these things he has listed? [Interruption.] Somebody asked about funding. He gave an Answer that the State agency is giving the contribution on behalf of the State. I do
not know what it is. Maybe, it is Ghana National Petroleum Company (GNPC) or Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG). I just would want to find out whether he knows the total amount that the State is expected to contribute, with regard to the five or six things that he has listed.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Very well. If the Hon Minister is in a position to answer.
Dr Donkor 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, ECG is in most cases the off taker and as in all normal commercial transactions, the off taker may be required to issue a standby Letter of Credit at the initial stages and as the project matures to the level of supply, then the payments are on normal commercial terms and therefore, it would be difficult to quantify what the payments will be in ten years but these are normal commercial transactions.
Thank you.
Mr Ignatius BaffourAwuah 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister in his Answer stated that he has short term and long term plans to solve the problem. When I listened to him, I realised most of his programmes he mentioned here are within the short term. I would want to know from the Hon Minister what he is doing. Is he fixing or managing the problem?
Dr Donkor 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we are not just managing and postponing it to another year. We are fixing it.
In the medium term, this House has approved at least two projects; the Jacobsen Jelco Ghana Limited and ECG and Amandi Energy Limited and Government of Ghana agreements. They have been approved by this House. I did not mention them because I believe the House is familiar with these projects.
The Cenpower energy project that would generate over 300 megawatts in the next three years was also approved by this House. So, enough projects are in the pipeline to address the medium term.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Yes, Hon K.T. Hammond.
Mr K. T. Hammond 12:45 p.m.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
I guess it is also on the path of the new trajectory the Hon Member for Pru East and the Minister for Power talks about. He said that in the medium term, the country is thinking about both conven- tional and non-conventional means of stabilising the system.
I would want to find out from the Hon Minister for Power if he really thinks you can add that -- that the non-conventional sources that he talks about is a very serious way of not solving in itself but helping to solve the problems of the country. Considering what I believe he must be aware of about the international dimension or the global aspect arising out of the non-conventional ones that he is talking about.
Dr Donkor 12:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, by non- conventional in the Ghanaian context, I am talking about plans coming in, that would be fuelled by biomass. For example, Mr Speaker, as we speak, there is a project currently ongoing in the Atebubu- Amantin district of Brong Ahafo where African Plantation Systems Ltd would be generating 120 megawatts of power using eucalyptus trees as fuel source.
Indeed, halfway through the project, over 5,000 hectares of land have been cultivated, and we have already employed 1,000 Ghanaians on the plantation.
Mr Speaker, the most interesting thing about the employment is that, 80 per cent of the people being employed are women; at Atebubu Amantin and Kwame Danso, as we speak. Mr Speaker, this is an example
of the unconventional power sources we are talking about.
Mr Speaker, we also have a pilot project going on at Ada at the moment, to use tidal waves to generate power. That also comes into the unconventional sources of electricity box.
For this country, we have never gone the coal way. So, adopting Clean Coal Supercritical Technology is also something I consider unconventional in the context of Ghana.
Mr Speaker, I sincerely believe the Hon Member is talking about some of the other known uconventional sources like nuclear. The Ministry of Power is studying the situation, and there have been options and offers on the table but no decisions have been made yet.
Thank you Mr Speaker.
Major Derek Oduro (retd) --rose --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
Hon Oduro, before you speak, let us listen to the Hon Member for Manyia South.
Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh 12:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Minister for Power in an earlier answer said, that when commercial entities go into commercial contracts, they do not need to come to this august House, which I agree with.
Mr Speaker, with the matter of Karpower, the President of Karpower issued a statement when you took journalists there, to the effect that, the Karpower Agreement is contingent on the Government of Ghana's guarantees. As we speak, only one guarantee has gone through, and the power badges would be in by September, 2015.
Dr Donkor 12:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am not aware of a Government of Ghana guarantee. Should the Government of Ghana issue a guarantee, it would be the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance and the Hon Attorney-General and the Minister for Justice to decide whether it should come to Parliament.
The guarantee that has been issued in the Karpower case is a business development guarantee. GNPC, which is mandated by law to trade and deal in petroleum products, would be supplying the heavy fuel oil for the power badge. In order to facilitate the transaction, GNPC has helped ECG to provide a guarantee, which is a condition precedent, for the power badge to arrive in Ghana. The Ministry has seen this as a business development opportunity for GNPC.
Indeed Mr Speaker, some private company actors in Ghana have approached the Ministry to provide the guarantee, so that they would supply the heavy fuel oil. We believe that if there is any side benefit arising out of the power badge, the State and its agencies should be the first to benefit from this. We believe GNPC, so mandated by law to trade in petroleum products, should be given the opportunity.
Thank you.
Maj. Derek Oduro (retd): Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister in his Answer gave availability, affordability and security of power as long term measures to end the power crises.
Mr Speaker, I would want the Hon Minister to clearly define these three points as long term measures to solving the power crises; availability, affordability and security.
Dr Donkor 12:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I mentioned that this is the trilemma in energy management; matching availability, security of supply and affordability. This is the global trilemma in energy management everywhere. In taking decisions and looking at new projects, we would want to ensure that these basic requirements in energy management are factored into whatever decisions we take, Mr Speaker.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
The last question -- Hon Deputy Minority Leader.
Mr Nitiwul 12:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to ask the Hon Minister whether Government has ever issued a comfort letter to GNPC, that in the event that things go wrong, they would bear the liability; in the Karpower Agreement.
Dr Donkor 12:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am aware that the Ministry of Finance gave GNPC some comfort, and since I am not the sector Minister responsible for Finance, I would not know the details of the comfort letter GNPC was given. I would leave that to the Ministry of Finance.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
Hon Members, I indicated that that was the last question. If you have a follow-up on the last question, that is fine.
Mr Nitiwul 12:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, if the Hon Minister is saying that he does not know the contents of that comfort letter, which was given to GNPC, I would want to find out from him whether he would come back to the House? This is because if the comfort letter is committing the Government, then that has to come to
Parliament. I would want to find out from the Hon Minister whether he is coming back to this House to brief us on the contents of the comfort letter.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
Very well.
Ideally, I would have thought that that question was not in line with the original question. But if you want an answer to that kind of question, I believe the avenues are open. You could channel a question in that direction, and he would come and answer.
Mr Nitiwul 12:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, you have given your ruling.
Mr Speaker, I asked whether there was a comfort letter that Government ever gave GNPC. The Hon Minister said yes, but he does not know the contents.
Mr Speaker, it is just right that we would want to find out whether he would come to brief this house on the contents of the comfort letter.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
Hon Member, you are talking of a comfort letter, which has been issued by the Ministry of Finance. Appropriately, I think that it would be the Hon Minister for Finance or his representative who should come to give such an answer.
That was why I said that the avenues are not shut. You could still table a Question to the relevant Ministry, and they would come and answer.
Hon Members, this brings us to the end of the Urgent Question, and I would want to thank the Hon Minister -- [Interruption] -- You have other Questions on his Ministry; very well.
Then, we would go to Question 328, standing in the name of Hon Wahab Wumbei Suhuyini, Hon Member for Tolon.
rose
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS 12:55 p.m.
MINISTRY OF POWER 12:55 p.m.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
Hon Minster, before you answer the Question, I have seen the Hon Dr A.A. Osei up standing.
Hon Member, is it on a point of order?
Dr A. A. Osei 12:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am on my feet trying to catch your eye; to provide you with information to assist the Business of the House. But you did not call me, so I am wondering if I should wait till later to give you the information, which might assist the House to make progress.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
Does it concern the earlier question?
Dr A. A. Osei 12:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yes.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Unfortunately We have gone past that one. Yes, Hon Minister can you answer the Question?
Dr Donkor 1:05 p.m.
Sabegu, Fihini, Zagua, Kpaligung, Tibogu, Wayamba, Nagbuligu, Munya, Gundu, Buiyili, Jagriguyili, Apeyili and Toroyili have been earmarked for electricity connection to the national grid under the Northern, Eastern and Volta Rural Electrification Project (Hunan). Value for money (VFM) assessment is currently on-going. The VFM and other statutory processes are expected to be concluded in the third quarter of this year to allow for contract signing and the commencement of the project.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Any follow- up question, Hon Member?
Mr Suhuyini 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister talked of value for money to be concluded in the third quarter.What are the other statutory processes that you talked of?
Dr Donkor 1:05 p.m.
The statutory processes are not directly in the bosom of the Ministry of Power but they would include coming to this House for the Northern, Eastern and Volta Rural Electrification Project (Hunan) Loan Agreement and without the loan agreement being approved by this House, we would be unable to proceed with the project.
Mr Suhuyini 1:05 p.m.
May I know from the Hon Minister, the assurance he would give to the people of the above mentioned communities in my constituency that, work would start in the communities before the end of the year?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Ordinarily, I would take his Statement on the floor as
an assurance which the Committee on Government Assurances can act on. So, do you have any more follow-up questions?
Very well.
We move to the next Question which stands in the name of Hon Suhuyini, the same Hon Member.
Extension of Electricity Supply
Q.329. Mr Wahab Wumbei Suhuyini asked the Minister for Power when electricity supply from the National Grid would be extended to the following communities in the Tolon Constituency:
(i) Woribogu Kambonaayil (iii) Tibognaayili (iv) Asaaiyili (v) Kpaniyili (vi) Gbanjong (vii) Kuglogu (viii) Kaa (ix) Galimkpegu (x) Naha.
Dr Donkor 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, Woribogu, Kambonaayil, Tibognaayili, Asaaiyili, Kpaniyili, Gbanjong, Kuglogu, Kaa,Galimkpegu and Tibognaayili and Naha have been earmarked to benefit under the Northern, Eastern and Volta Rural Electrification Project (Hunan) component. Value for money (VFM) assessment is currently on-going. The VFM and other statutory processes are expected to be concluded in the third (3rd) quarter of this year to allow for contract signing and the commencement of the project.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Yes, Hon Member, any follow-up?
Mr Suhuyini 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think the Answer is almost the same as that of the first Question so I would not have a follow-up question.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Hon Members, the next Question stands in the name of Hon Samuel Ayeh-Paye (Ayensuano). Is he in the Chamber? No. We would move on to the next Question in the name of Hon Richard Mawuli Quarshigah --Hon Member for Keta.
Extension of Electricity Supply
Q.332. Mr Richard Mawuli Quashigah asked the Minister for Power when electricity supply from the national grid would be extended to the following communities in the Keta Constituency.
(i) Lowoshime (ii) Mamime (iii) Songbe (iv) Havedzi (v) Havene (vi) Lotsiofedo (vii) Kotogbor (viii) Koviefe (ix) Amedordzikope (x) Afegame (xi) Tsiame SHS and other parts of the
town (xii) Kporgui (xiii) Netime (xiv) Agorvinu (xv) Beach area of Dzelukope.
Dr Donkor 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker,Lowoshime, Mamime, Songbe, Havedzi, Havene, Lotsiofedo, Tsiame SHS and other parts of the town, Kporgui and Agorvinu communities have been captured for electricity connection under the upcoming China International Water and Electric Corporation(CWE) electrification project in the Volta, Eastern, BrongAhafo and Western Regions. Value for money (VFM) assessment is currently on-going.
The VFM and other statutory processes are expected to be concluded in the third quarter of this year to allow for contract signing and the commence- ment of the project.
Kotogbor, Koviefe, Amedordzikope, Afegame, Netime and Beach area of Dzelukope communities do not form part of any of the ongoing projects currently being executed by the Ministry. The communities would be considered when the next phase of electrification projects are being designed.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Yes, Hon Member, any follow-ups?
Mr Quashigah 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to find out from the Hon Minister if he is aware that communities such as Havedzi, Havene, Tsiame SHS and the Tsiame town have some work currently on-going in those areas under the special electrification project of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG)?
Dr Donkor 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am aware, however, at the time the Question was filed and the Answer was provided to this House, the status was as stated here.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Any further follow-ups?
Mr Quashigah 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker , the Hon Minister indicated that, in relation to Kotogbor, Koviefe, Amerdordzikope, Afegame, Netime and the Beach area of Dzorlukope, they would be considered in the next phase of the electrification project that are being designed. I would want to know specifically when because he says the next phase and I find that a bit omnibus.
Dr Donkor 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the process of electrification is a continuum and that at the end of each phase, applications are made to relevant funding bodies and the Ministry of Finance, as well as Parliament for funding into another phase and until those processes are completed, the Ministry can only encapsulate such communities that have not been served in this forward planning but can unfortu- nately not be specific as to timing.
Thank you Mr Speaker.
Mr Quarshigah 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in relation to Dzorlukope communities around the Beach, the Hon Minister indicates that, it would be considered in the next phase. Would he not consider that Dzorlukope, since the majority of that area already has electric power, is a matter of intensification programme that ought to extend power to the other areas that have been talked about, which should not require much activity as in the case of Kotokope, Kotogbor and Koviefe which he indicated would be considered in the next phase of the electrification?
Dr Donkor 1:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I agree with the Hon Member that intensification is less capital intensive, ordinarily compared to new extensions. But the Ministry of Power and Central Government alone should not carry the burden particularly in cases of intensification.
District, metropolitan and municipal assemblies also have a responsibility and in the interim, it would be appropriate to look at other sources of funding.
However, when all other sources fail, going forward, the Ministry would then capture such intensification needs either under its SHEP or some donor-funded project. I would want to assure the Hon Member that the Ministry would take due cognisance of the need for intensification in that area.
Thank you.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
We would move on to the next Question which stands in the name of the Hon Member for Yendi.
Hon Member, you have the floor.
Alhaji Habibu Tijani Mohammad 1:15 p.m.
I rise to ask the Hon Minister for Roads and Highways when bridges would be constructed over the following water bodies in Yendi -- [Interruption.]
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
Please, hold your breath. We are through with the Hon Minister for Power and therefore, we have to discharge him first.
Hon Minister, thank you for attending upon the House, you are discharged.
Can we now have the Hon Minister for Roads and Highways?
Hon Majority Leader, is the Hon Minister here himself?
Mr Bagbin 1:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister is very involved in the disaster issues and he is holding a crunch meeting with his technical staff as to how to respond immediately assuage the suffering of our people.
So, he has mandated his Hon Deputy Minister to come and answer the Questions for and on his behalf. I think that, subject to your permission and the leave of my Hon Colleagues, we may allow the Hon Deputy Minister to answer the Questions for and on behalf of the Hon Minister.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
Yes, Hon Minority Leader?[Pause.]
Very well, leave is granted.
Hon Deputy Minister?
MINISTRY OF ROADS AND 1:15 p.m.
HIGHWAYS 1:15 p.m.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
Hon Member, any follow up question?
Alhaji Mohammad 1:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to know from the Hon Minister, all the communities around Paansiya, which are at the other side of the road, find it very difficult to move to
Yendi during the rainy season. What can be done, or what is he going to put in place to address this problem before funds are received for the project?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
Hon Deputy Minister?
Mr I. A. Mensah 1:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, these are critically prioritised bridges and that is why they are covered under the Ghana- USA Bridge Scheme. Therefore, the officers and the Directors of the Department of Feeder Roads would accordingly be instructed to go and assess the situation on the ground and see what immediate steps to be taken before the actual programme is approved and executed.
MR SPEAKER
Mr Speaker 1:21 p.m.
Hon Member, second supplementary question.
Alhaji Mohammad 1:21 p.m.
Mr Speaker, once again I would want to find out from the Hon Minister, at the other side of the town we have a cluster of schools and it is also a new settlement. What can be done to reduce this problem so that at least this year, school children can move to the other side to attend school without problems?
Mr Mensah 1:21 p.m.
Mr Speaker, because of the critical nature of the situation, the Department of Feeder Roads would accordingly be instructed to go and assess the situation on the ground and ensure that remedial measures are put in place to alleviate the situation. We are much concerned about providing a lasting solution to the problems, I mean the bridges.
So, whatever would be done to ease the challenges there would be done. But before then, they would have to go and assess the situation and submit a comprehensive report for the necessary course of action.
Alhaji Mohammad 1:21 p.m.
Mr Speaker, what precise timeline can he give me as assurance to the people of Nabugu, Nashagu, Oseido/Mabedo and the entire good people of the Yendi constituency?
Mr I. A. Mensah 1:21 p.m.
Mr Speaker, as I said initially; the officers would go and study the situation on the ground and submit a report to determine the appropriate course of action.
Mr Speaker 1:25 p.m.
Hon Members, before I proceed further to Question 266, I would want to draw the attention of the House to an issue that was raised on the floor of the House regarding the Hon Member for Talensi.
At the time the issue was raised, I had not received any communication from the Hon Member as to his whereabouts and the First Deputy Speaker was then presiding, sometime last month. However, on the 26th of May, 2015, I received a letter from the Hon Member dated 12th May,
2015.
In the letter that I received on 26th of May, 2015, the Hon Member informed me that he is still undergoing the process leading to the final rites and recognition as the enskinned Paramount Chief of the Talensi Traditional Area. He added further that his:
“anticipation is that, the process shall be brought to conclusion in the next few weeks after which I shall inform you Mr Speaker of my resignation from the House.”
I have been in discussion with the Leadership on this matter with regard to my constitutional responsibilities

regarding the Hon Member involved vis- à-vis this House.

In the first place, it is not for him to determine when he should resign. At the same time, given the time honoured institution of chieftaincy that we have, I have also decided to give him some time to hear from him.

However, as I speak, I have not heard from him, and therefore, I have decided that if I do not hear from him, then on next Tuesday, I would rule on the matter. That is the information for the House.

Question number 266.
rose
Mr Speaker 1:25 p.m.
Hon Minority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, with respect, since I was not in the House, may I crave the indulgence of Hon Colleagues on the other side to at least have the patience to listen to what I have to say. -- [Interruption] -- Mr Speaker, you would caution the man in the baritone.
Mr Speaker, I have heard you and I believe that it is within the competence to ultimately make a determination on this. In respect of which leg to use, I am not too sure. Unfortunately, it is likely I may not be here on Tuesday, the date that you are indicating you might come to that determination if you have not heard anything from our Hon Colleague, and I cannot anticipate what you would say. So really, I am caught in a cul-de-sac more or less, not knowing how to proceed further.
This is because, as you said, you are not giving us an indication about what is intended to be done by the Chair. So, I find myself in an awkward position on which path to proceed, since you are not breaking the nuts for us. If you were
breaking the nuts, then perhaps I could make some comment, but you are not breaking it, and I do not know whether it is intended to be broken.
Mr Speaker 1:25 p.m.
Hon Member, a matter has been raised on the floor. At that time I was not within the jurisdiction and the Hon First Deputy Speaker was presiding at the time and he informed you that he would leave this matter for the Hon Speaker to rule on. I came back and received a communication from the Hon Member for the first time.
The reason I am giving the notice is because I know that some of you might not be in the House next week for very good reasons, but I am informing the House.The matter has been raised and what is the final outcome? What I am saying is that, I would make my ruling on the matter on a certain date and so it is an information to the House.
Fortunately, your able Hon Deputy Minority Leader has informed me that he would be available in the House on Tuesday, and so he would be able to hold the fort. Let us wait for Tuesday.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, my only worry is as you have stated, most likely on Tuesday, most of us on our side of the House may not be around. For such an important announcement, I thought that if it meets the convenience of the Chair, of course, subject to the indulgence of my Hon Colleagues, the announcement could wait until we return, which would be just one week from the date you have sounded that you would come out with the final determination.
Mr Speaker 1:25 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader, do you have anything to say?I have not made any ruling? I am only informing the House that it would happen on Tuesday.
Yes, Hon Majority Leader?
Mr Bagbin 1:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, you are entirely at the mercy of the law. There is nothing you could do about that. We are guided by our Constitution and our Standing Orders. We have discussed this for some time now, Leadership and your good self.
In my opinion, this is sufficient notice, and so my Hon Colleagues plea that he might not be here on Tuesday is just a plea for mercy and nothing more than that.
As I said, you are completely at the mercy of the Law, and so there is not much you could do. But if you decide to temper justice with mercy, then you might be sitting as a judge of the court, but you are the Rt Hon Speaker.
I believe that on Tuesday - we should not start jumping the gun. It is possible that Mr Speaker might receive some positive development and there might not be the need for the declaration. If that does not happen and the law ties your hand and you would have to declare, so be it.
We are Hon Colleagues here, and we have thought deeply into this matter because we need to work together as a House, and we have been doing that for some time now. We would not allow one occasion to mar our relationship.
So Mr Speaker, let us see what happens on Tuesday. My Friend, the Hon Minority Leader indicated that he might not be around. Maybe, we may have his able Deputy to deputise for him. If he is not around and the law is around, then there is nothing we could do than to apply the law. I would only plead with you that, let us see what happens between this time and Tuesday..
Mr Speaker 1:35 p.m.
Very well,Question number 266?
rose
Mr Speaker 1:35 p.m.
Yes, Hon Minority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the intervention of the Hon Majority Leader was in the direction that I was pleading for mercy. Indeed, that was not what I did. It was not a plea for mercy at all and you know that the engagement we had was not a plea for mercy. But I am happy that you are indicating that the law may have to be applied.
Mr Speaker, my hope is that there would not be any contrivance and that it should indeed be the law.
So, it is not a plea for mercy at all.
Mr Speaker 1:35 p.m.
Hon Members, I have had an extensive discussion with the Leaders on this matter and it would not be possible to bring out what we discussed in my Lobby onto the floor of this House.
So, Hon Members, let us proceed and see what happens on Tuesday.
Question number 266, Hon Member for Tano North?
Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Question stands in the name of Hon Freda Akosua Prempeh, Member for Tano North. Unfortunately, she is not here but she asked that I ask the Question on her behalf.
Mr Speaker 1:35 p.m.
Where is she?
Mr Awuah 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yesterday, we were told that she was affected by the flood and she is recovering from the trauma that she suffered.
Rehabilitation of Roads
Q. 266. Mr Ignatius BaffourAwuah(on behalf of) Mrs Freda AkosuaPrempeh asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when the following road would be rehabilitated:
(i) Duayaw Nkwanta, Asukese-Bormaa,
(ii) Bomaa-Subonpang.
Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways (Mr I. A. Mensah): Mr Speaker,
(i) Duayaw Nkwanta-Asukese-Bomaa
Background
The Duayaw Nkwanta-Asukese- Bomaa feeder road is an engineered road which is 14.4 kilometre long and located in the Tano North District of the Brong Ahafo Region. The first 9.0kms from Duayaw Nkwanta is tarred. The remaining 5.4 kilometres is untarred.
Current programme
Procurement process for the routine maintenance of the road is currently on- going.
Future programme
The untarred section of 5.4 kilometres has been selected for bitumen surfacing under the COCOBOD Funded Rural Roads in Cocoa Growing Areas Programme Phase
II.
(ii) Bomaa-Subonpang
Background
The Bomaa-Subonpang feeder road is an engineered road, 8kms long and located in the Tano North District of the Brong Ahafo Region. The road is captured in the DFR Road Database as Tanoso-Bomaa- Tepa.
Current programme
The road was awarded on contract for rehabilitation in 2012 and work was completed in May, 2014. DFR will continue to carry out yearly routine maintenance on the road.
Mr Awuah 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister said that the Duayaw Nkwanta- Asukese-Bomaa road is 14.4kilometres and that the first 9 kilometres is tarred, leaving the remaining 5.4 kilometres untarred. I want to know from him when the first 9.4 kilometres road was tarred?
Mr I. A. Mensah 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to crave your indulgence to give some details on the project.
The contractor who was awarded the contract of the Bomaa-Subonpang road, which is 8.4kilometres is Messrs Alexboam Company Limited. The contract was actually a spot improvement and the commencement date was 9th October, 2012 and the actual completion date was in May, 2014.
Mr Speaker, the contract sum was GH¢369,492.82 and the physical completion rate, to date,is 100 per cent.
Mr Awuah 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am sorry, perhaps the Hon Minister did not hear my question. My question -- [Interruption.]
Mr Awuah 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, he did not answer the question I asked.
Mr Speaker 1:35 p.m.
Your second supplemen- tary question.
Mr Awuah 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister said that the first 9 kilometres of the Duayaw-Nkwanta-Asukese-Bomaa road has been tarred and I would want to know from him when that portion was tarred?
Mr Mensah 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I will do well to come back with the specifics so that the Hon Member would know when that road was tarred. This is because the project has already been tarred.
Mr Speaker 1:35 p.m.
Your last supplementary question.
Mr Awuah 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister said that the Bomaa-Subonpang road has been completed. I just want to know what scope of work was assigned to the contractor and to what extent he could say that the works have been completed?
Mr Mensah 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the project is spot improvement and so it requires more details which I can do well to provide for him accordingly.
Thank you.
Mr Speaker 1:35 p.m.
Please, what did you say? What was your concluding part?
I would want to hear it.
Mr I. A. Mensah 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, what I said was that the project is a spot improvement, one which requires drain preparation, gravelling, and so on. So it is a broad one. But if he requires specifics or more information I would provide him the details at the appropriate time.
Mr Speaker 1:35 p.m.
Question number 267, Hon Member for Berekum East?
Dr Kwabena Twum-Nuamah 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would like to stand the Question down. Yesterday, I was at the site and the bridge in question had been repaired.
Mr Speaker, the Question was asked about eight months ago but it was advertised in the Order Paper for the First Meeting --
Mr Speaker 1:35 p.m.
Has it been done?
Dr Twum-Nuamah 1:35 p.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker.
Dr Twum-Nuamah 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, but I would want to plead with you to let the Table Office endeavour to allow us to ask our Questions as early as possible so that we do not get some of these problems.
Mr Speaker 1:35 p.m.
Very well.
Dr Twum-Nuamah 1:35 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker 1:35 p.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member for Berekum East.
Hon Deputy Minister, I learnt the bridge has been done.
Question number 270, Hon Member for Ablekuma North?
Construction of Speed Ramps Kwashieman
Mr Justice Joe Appiah asked the Minister for Roads and Highways what steps were being taken to construct speed ramps at Kwashieman near the Anglican Cluster of Schools.
Mr Speaker 1:35 p.m.
Hon Deputy Minister?
Mr I. A. Mensah 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker,
Background
Kwashieman High Street is a distributor and collector Road which is 1.5 kilometre long with an asphaltic concrete surface finish. It connects two major urban arterials that is Winneba Road and N1 (George Walker Bush Highway). The Kwashieman High Street has high vehicular traffic flow and it currently experiences traffic congestion resulting in major delays because of developments along the road corridor.
Current Programme
The Ministry through the Department of Urban Roads, (DUR) 2015 Traffic Management and Safety Maintenance Budget has awarded a contract for the construction of 2 No. road humps on the section where the Anglican Cluster of schools is located and will re-mark the pedestrian crossing points on the entire Kwashieman High Street before the end of August, 2015, to provide safe route especially for pupils and staff of Anglican Cluster of schools.
Mr J. J. Appiah 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I crave your indulgence to read from the Hon Deputy Minister's Answer:
“The Ministry through the Department of Urban Roads, (DUR) 2015 Traffic Management and Safety Maintenance Budget has awarded a contract for the construction of 2 No. road humps on the section where the Anglican Cluster of schools is located and will re-mark the pedestrian crossing points on the entire Kwashieman
Mr Speaker 1:45 p.m.
He has answered the first part that it has been awarded, so ask the question again. Please, hurry up.
Mr J.J.Appiah 1:45 p.m.
I would like to find out from the Hon Deputy Minister if the contract has been awarded. If yes, at what time; and if no, why?
Mr I. A. Mensah 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, per my presentation, if you would pardon me to read --
“…the Anglican Cluster of schools is located and will re-mark the pedestrian crossing points on the entire Kwashieman High Street before the end of August, 2015…”
The question is whether it has been awarded, when it was awarded and if it has not been awarded, why.
It is a commitment. By the end of August, 2015, this would have been done to provide safe routes, especially for pupils and staff of the Anglican Cluster of schools. Before we said that by the end of August, 2015, it would be done, that means that the procurement processes and others had begun. Mr Speaker, with all due respect, I could provide the Hon
Member with the specifics relating to which contractor has been awarded the contract accordingly.
Mr J. J. Appiah 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, as I speak to you now, every now and then school children and adults are knocked down by vehicles. What is the Ministry doing to avert that situation? Or what is the Ministry doing to prevent -- Pedestrians being knocked down by cars?
Mr Speaker 1:45 p.m.
Question disallowed. Please, rephrase the question.
Mr J. J. Appiah 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, as I speak to you now, school children and adults are frequently knocked down by vehicles. I would like to find out from the Hon Deputy Minister what plans he has to avert the situation now.
Mr Speaker 1:45 p.m.
Hon Member, you know they said they were going to award contracts. They have awarded contracts to address these concerns, and you are asking him again what he is going to do to avert the situation.
Mr J. J. Appiah 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am asking this question because from his answer, it looks like the contract has been awarded, but as of now, we are still suffering in the area. Cars are knocking down pedestr ians, both the school children and the adults. Even yesterday, we had a serious accident.
So, I am asking the Hon Deputy Minister, what plans has he right now to salvage us from that predicament?
Mr I. A. Mensah 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, that is why we are committed to the point that by August, 2015 that would have been done. This means the project has been prioritised. We are concerned about the challenges there, and action has been taken that by the end of August, 2015, the problem would have been resolved.
Mr Speaker 1:45 p.m.
But the question you have asked, the answer is here. They have said they will re-mark the pedestrian crossing and they would finish by the end of August, 2015.
Mr J. J. Appiah 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it was started about two years ago. So I would like to find out from him when pedestrian crossing would be done.
Mr I. A. Mensah 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would do well to provide the Hon Member with all the details involved, so that he would have trust in what I have just presented.
Mr Speaker 1:45 p.m.
Hon Member for Ablekuma North, Question number 271.
Resealing of Access Roads in South Odorkor and Sakaman
Q. 271. Mr Justice Joe Appiah asked the Minister for Roads and Highways whether the Ministry had any plans to reseal access roads in South Odorkor and Sakaman in the Ablekuma North Constituency.
Mr I. A. Mensah 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker,
Background
South Odorkor and Sakaman are the oldest urban townships within the Ablekuma North Constituency located at the South-East end of the city of Accra. Sakaman is bordered to the south by Dansoman Community, on the east by Mateheko, on the West by Blue Lagoon and the north by Odorkor.
South Odorkor and Sakaman are a coterminous well laid out urban suburb which houses a significant proportion of the local populace and have large proportion of road network unpaved.
The Ministry is also currently undertaking the following underlisted projects to alleviate the peculiar flooding problems at Sakaman area:
1. Construction of 2.5metre by 1.8metres storm drain at Blue Lagoon.
2. Desilting of Sakaman to Glefe storm drain (3.50 kilometre).
Current Programme
The Ministry through the Department of Urban Roads (DUR) 2014 maintenance programme completed 7.5 kilometres of road side drainage construction, six kilometres of gravelling works and about four kilometres of bituminous surfacing of roads all within the Ablekuma North constituency.
Some of the selected roads which received these developments are:
Road Name Suburb in the Constituency
Kojotso Street and Close Darkuman
Great Garden Street Odorkor
Korley Kojo Street “
Wuo Street “
Gbawe Tawiah Road and Link “
Twum Tawiah Cresent “
Nii Awuley Lartey Street “
Kwashie Ahiaku Street “
Nii Abbey Street “
Nii Sackey Link Darkuman
Nii Abbey Link “
Tackie Yarboi Street “
Asafoatse Lankai Link “
Amoanaa Street “
Future Programme
The Ministry through the Department of Urban Roads (DUR 2015 Maintenance Budget has programmed to reseal about 7.5 kilometres of South Odorkor and Sakaman area roads.
The selected roads include Poultry Farm Avenue, South Odorkor Estate Roads, Busia Street (all in Sakaman and South Odorkor) and Nii Tetteh Kpeshie in South Odorkor.
Mr J. J. Appiah 1:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the construction of the 2.5 metres and 1.8 metres storm drain at Blue Lagoon is about 70 per cent completed.
Mr Speaker, may I know from the Hon Deputy Minister why the project has been abandoned for two years?
Mr I. A. Mensah 1:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, in addition to the answers that I said I will provide, I will give the Hon Member the details.

But my understanding is that the project in ongoing, and we hope at the appropriate time, per the contract, the project would have to be executed and finalised.
Mr J. J. Appiah 1:55 a.m.
I am not convinced; the answer is not convincing at all.
Mr Speaker 1:55 a.m.
Please, ask your supplementary question.
Mr J. J. Appiah 1:55 a.m.
All right.
Mr Speaker, the desilting of the Sakaman drain is not on course at all. The recent rains have made the place very -- When a person gets to Sakaman, he or she cannot walk to his or her house.
So, I would like to know from the Hon Deputy Minister, what plans has he got now to get those gutters desilted?
Mr I. Adjei Mensah 1:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, with all due respect, we are all aware of
what happened yesterday as a result of the rains. A lot of areas have been
Mr J. J. Appiah 1:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, may I know from the Hon Deputy Minister -- The sealing of the South Odorkor roads, he did not include the former Prime Minister, Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia's area; he was our Prime Minister. What is he doing to include Dr Busia's area in the plans for the road to be resealed?
Mr I. A. Mensah 1:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, if it is a request from the Hon Member to ensure that the former Prime Minister's area, which has not been sealed, be sealed, I will from here ask the engineers to go and examine the situation and submit a plan for consideration.
Mr Speaker 1:55 a.m.
Hon Members, that brings us to the end of Question Time.
Hon Deputy Minister, thank you for responding to Questions from Hon Members.
Hon Majority Leader?
Mr Bagbin 1:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, it is exactly 2.00 o'clock and there is something that, if my Hon Colleagues will have no objection to -- Item number 7, which deals with the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2015. I have been told that the Committee met and looked at it, and the Report came before the House.

They did the Second Reading, it is now at the Consideration Stage and they do not have much dispute. If that could be taken because they will not be around next week. So, if your goodself can add just a few minutes after 2.00 o'clock, then we will take that and call it a day.
Mr Speaker 1:55 a.m.
Hon Members, if there is no objection to the application which has been made, I will come under Standing Order 40 (3) to extend Sitting outside the prescribed period so that we can take this matter.
Unless -- Hon Minority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I just inquired from the Hon Ranking Member, whether there are any contentious matters, and he assures me that there is none. If that is the position, I guess we could take it.
Mr Speaker 1:55 a.m.
Very well.
BILLS -- CONSIDERATION 1:55 a.m.
STAGE 1:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker 1:55 a.m.
Hon Members, Supple- mentary Appropriation Bill, 2015 at the Consideration Stage.
Hon Chairman of the Committee, before I proceed, is there any amendment?
Hon Ranking Member, is there any amendment?
Very well.
Clauses 1 and 2 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Mr Speaker 1:55 a.m.
The Schedule?
Hon Chairman of the Committee, do we have one Schedule or more than one?
Chairman of the Committee (Mr James Klutse Avedzi) 1:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, we have only one schedule.
Mr Speaker 1:55 a.m.
Why did you put there, first Schedule? In the Bill is it first Schedule?
Mr Avedzi 1:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, in the Bill, it is first schedule. I think we should have just made it ‘Schedule'.
We do not have a second one. So --
Mr Speaker 1:55 a.m.
Hon Majority Leader, should it be “first Schedule” or “the Schedule”?
Mr Bagbin 1:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I believe it is right; it should be First Schedule. This is because in the parent Act, there are a number of schedules and so the first schedule of the parent Act is what is being replaced by this First Schedule.
Mr Speaker 1:55 a.m.
In fact, that is the advice I have been given, but it is wrong. This is a separate Bill and the Bill itself refers to a Schedule.
Mr Bagbin 1:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, this is a Supplementary Appropriation Bill, so it is supplementary to the main one.
Mr Speaker 1:55 a.m.
Yes. It is supplementary, but it is a Bill in its own right. That is why it is passing through all the processes to stand in its own right.
Mr Bagbin 1:55 a.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker, I have no problem with it passing through the processes. But we are talking about a schedule, and this refers to the Schedule in the main Act.
Mr Speaker 1:55 a.m.
Yes. But clause 1 talks about the Schedule. It says: “…Fund for the purposes specified in the Schedule to this Act…” Look at clause 1, it talks about the Schedule; it does not say first Schedule.
rose
Mr Speaker 1:55 a.m.
Yes, Hon Member for Wa West?
Mr Chireh 1:55 a.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
There are two Schedules to this Bill. The first one is shown on the first page.
There is a second one which is over leaf -- [Interruption] -- Yes.
Mr Speaker 1:55 a.m.
It is the continuation.
Mr Chireh 1:55 a.m.
No, we have under the first one, total expenditure. Then -- [Interruption] -- Why? No, I am saying that because --
Mr Speaker 2:05 p.m.
Hon Member for Wa West, but the proposers of the Bill did not put second “Schedule” on the one you are referring to.
Mr Chireh 2:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I was coming to that.
First of all, this is a Bill that we are going to pass -- It mentions a” table of figures”, that has to be the schedule. So it should have indicated that after the first and second, it should be the column that is the schedule. If we want to make it one Schedule, then fine, but because -- No, I am saying the total expenditure there makes it look like -- In the Bill itself, we talk about another expenditure which is in relation to petroleum.
Mr Chireh 2:05 p.m.


That is why it has to be two Schedules. But if they say it is one Schedule, then fine, I have no problem, but we need to put in the Bill itself as “Schedule”. So the amendment that I am proposing is that, the Bill itself has “Schedule” and so these others should follow, but if we want to make it one, then fine.
Mr Speaker 2:05 p.m.
Hon Chairman and Hon Ranking Member, is the Schedule at the back of the Bill a continuation or it is the same thing?
Mr Avedzi 2:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is a continuation of the first one.
Mr Speaker 2:05 p.m.
Hon Member, then why did you put “total expenditure” there?
Mr Avedzi 2:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, every sub item has a total. The one at the back page, which is “other payments”, also has a total. The totals are always given at the top, then the breakdown follows. So, if you look at the one at the back, “other payments”, give a total of 4.3 and the breakdown follows. So that is how the whole thing is arranged.
The overall total for everything is the amount quoted at the top of the First Schedule on the first page, which says; “appropriation of 36.1”. That is the overall total. But then each of the items is given a total, and the sub items follow under it. So what we see there as “total expenditure”, is not the total of the entire Bill. The actual total is --
Mr Speaker 2:05 p.m.
Very well.
Now, we have resolved that issue, that it is the continuation, so it is one Schedule. Should it be First Schedule or it should be The Schedule. It should be The Schedule.
Hon Majority Leader?
Mr Bagbin 2:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think what is captured in clause one is the right thing. That is “in the schedule to this Act”. So, it should just be “schedule”.
Mr Speaker 2:05 p.m.
Hon Chairman, can you move for the amendment?
Mr Avedzi 2:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the “First Schedule”, should be amended to read, “The Schedule”.
Question put, and amendment agreed to.
The Schedule as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
The Long Title ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Speaker: Hon Members, that brings us to the end of the Consideration Stage of the Supplementary Appropriation Bill,
2015.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think we have travelled this road before. I keep wondering whether the language of the Constitution as captured in article 179 (9), by suffixing the year 2015 with what we have done in 2014, is correct. This is because we all know that it refers to 2014 Financial Year. The Constitution provides that it can only be introduced this year. But should the year be 2015 or
2014?
We have already, on a number of occasions, debated this matter. But I think we should look at this --
Mr Speaker 2:05 p.m.
I think you have answered the question. Once we have agreed that the Constitution says it should be the ensuing year, the ensuing year is 2015, which you have conceded to, and we are making the law this year, so it should be 2015.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, on the face of it, if a Bill passed by Parliament, is not assented to by the President, it cannot be operationalised. So once we have passed it and the President assents to it, maybe, today or the following day, what is the import of it? Does it have retrospective effects?
Mr Speaker 2:05 p.m.
Hon Member, I do not think there should be any problem at all. Fortunately, under the Interpretation Act, when one wants to interpret, they look at the Memorandum of the Bill and what happened in Parliament in making the interpretation. If you look at the memorandum, it is quite clear what this floor is intended to do, and therefore, I think there should not be any problem. This is the way we have been doing it over the years.
It think it is right, because this year - You made a point, which is true, that the Constitution says it should be the ensuing year; and that is the year, 2014. We approved it in 2014, but it says that we should not do the appropriation that year. Instead, we should bring it to the following year. So, they brought it in line with the provisions of article 179, (9) and once we are passing the law this year, we have to use this year.
Mr Chireh 2:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, this matter keeps coming up from this angle, but with what we are saying, the correct thing is this; we are passing the law this year and
so it should be this year. But once we have referred to the Supplementary Budget in 2014, there should not be any confusion at all. In fact, there should not be any doubt about what we are doing. We are passing the law this year, it would be assented to, but it is assumed that the money was spent last year. That is how it should be.
Mr Speaker 2:05 p.m.
Hon Members, I think in future, the Long Title should refer to the year. This is because we would use it to meet Government expenditure for the financial year. Which financial year? The Long Title should make it very clear. The Long Title should address that in future -- We need to capture it. If you say “for the financial year”, the Long Title here will not tell us which financial year.
So, as it has been captured in the Memorandum to the Bill, the Long Title should tell us which financial year 's Supplementary Appropriation that we are talking about.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, indeed, that was in line with what I was pursuing, that we could have a situation that we would have for the Short Title, A Bill entitled the “Supplementary Appropriations Act, 2014”, which would be introduced in the ensuing year. That would be one way of dealing with it.
Alternatively, if we should allow this to stand, then the Long Title, “An Act to provide for sums of money from the Consolidated for Supplementary Appropriation to meet Government expenditure for the financial year -- Which financial year are we talking about? It is 2014. So that makes it -- Not the Memorandum.
Mr Speaker 2:15 p.m.
I think he has a point there. I think the point that the Hon Member has made maybe, we may need to draw the Draftspersons' attention--
Hon Majority Leader, we need to draw their attention to it because even the impression that you create in the Long Title as if the money is now going to be losing anything. This is because right now, under the Interpretation Act, you have to interpret with the Memorandum attached to the Bill.
That is clear; it is for 2014 and that addresses the concern. Maybe, in future we may have to take a second look at it for the avoidance to the Bill.
Mr Bagbin 2:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I really do not know what has occasioned this renewal of this debate. [Laughter] Whether the issue is that we cannot pass laws to have retroactive effect, which is the concern that is being raised, I think we can; this is because if you look at article
107 --
Mr Speaker 2:15 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader, that is not the point that the Hon Member has raised. It has nothing to do with retroactivity.
Mr Bagbin 2:15 p.m.
The Hon Member is talking about the years.
Mr Bagbin 2:15 p.m.
We are passing it in 2015 but we are saying that it has already taken effect in 2014.
Mr Speaker 2:15 p.m.
Yes.
Mr Bagbin 2:15 p.m.
His concern is that we should rather capture the 2014 and then another part should say that, it is an Act passed in 2015. Now the concern the Hon Member raised was that, he felt this law when we passed it in 2015, it was going to have retrospective effect which he thought was not right. We should capture that; yes, it is going to have 2014. But I

am saying that, that has been accepted by clause 107 (b).
Mr Speaker 2:15 p.m.
Yes. Hon Majority Leader, what you are saying is right because even the Constitution itself says that we cannot pass the Appropriation Bill in the year that we are taking the money. It has to be in the following year which is 2015 when we are making the law in 2015
-- 2:15 p.m.
Mr Bagbin 2:15 p.m.
Exactly.
Mr Speaker 2:15 p.m.
So we cannot use 2014.
Mr Bagbin 2:15 p.m.
We cannot use that and that is why immediately after it is passed by Parliament and assented to by the President, Supplementary Appropriation for the Financial Year ending on the 31st December, 2014. It is there in the Constitution, Mr Speaker you are right. So it is covered.
Mr Speaker 2:15 p.m.
You are right, clause (1) is there, and everything is covered in clause (1) so there is no issue. [Laughter.]
Dr A. A. Osei 2:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am surprised you just reaslised that it was there.
Mr Speaker 2:15 p.m.
No.
Dr A. A. Osei 2:15 p.m.
This is because he asked us; “all those in favour of clause (1)…” so I thought he read it. Mr Speaker, it sounds like you just saw it.
Mr Speaker 2:15 p.m.
I hear no evil, I see no evil, I speak no evil. [Laughter.]
Hon Members, that brings us to the end of the Consideration Stage of the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2015.
Are we suspending the Standing Orders to do the Third Reading? Or I have extended the time. Hon Majority Leader,
do we suspend Sitting so that the Hon Deputy Minister for Finance is here, so we can take the Third Reading and be done with it? Or should we do that next week?
Dr A. A. Osei 2:15 p.m.
I was wondering why there was no Addendum for the Third Reading. It is not advertised; there is no addendum but since we are masters of our own procedures --
Mr Speaker 2:15 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader, what do you say? Please, we have finished the Consideration Stage of the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2015.
Mr Bagbin 2:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, as has already been noted, we are masters of our own procedures. Unless there is any objection, we could take the Third Reading and --
Mr Speaker 2:15 p.m.
Hon Members, please, this one --
Mr Bagbin 2:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think we could take it next week. This is because --
Mr Speaker 2:15 p.m.
The Hon Ranking Member says we could take it.
Mr Bagbin 2:15 p.m.
The Hon Ranking Member drew my attention to the fact that there had to be an Addendum.
Mr Speaker 2:15 p.m.
No, he said that, we are masters of our own procedure and I agree with him.
Dr A. A. Osei 2:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is deemed to have been advertised.
Dr Matthew Prempeh 2:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I agree with you that we should make room for that, and being masters of our own game, do this. But Mr Speaker, the
caution should go to the Hon Deputy Minister for Finance.
Mr Speaker, still, Parliament's subventions take so much time in coming and it is affecting the work of Parliament. We are bending back to do the Appro- priation Bill, 2015 for them. So when she goes back to the Ministry, she should tell the Hon Minister that the way Parliament subvention is held up in the Controller and Accountant-General's Department is not good.
If he wants us to break our rules and do things for them, they should treat Parliament fairly.
Mr Speaker, Parliament is in a serious cash crisis and the Hon Deputy Minister for Finance should take that information to the Hon Minister that if Parliament --
Mr Speaker 2:15 p.m.
Who has complained to you?
Dr Prempeh 2:15 p.m.
I have been complained to but the complain --
Mr Speaker 2:15 p.m.
No, no please.
Dr Prempeh 2:15 p.m.
It affects projects by the Committee on Health.
Mr Speaker 2:15 p.m.
Well, nobody has drawn my attention to it. I am the Speaker; nobody has drawn my attention to that point.
Dr Prempeh 2:15 p.m.
So, we should suspend and do it. Mr Speaker, it is privileged information that I am giving to you. It is affecting the work by the Health Committee.
Mr Speaker 2:15 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader, let us suspend the Standing Orders and then I can put the Question for the Third Reading. Do you want us to take it next week? [Pause.]
Hon Members, let us take the Third Reading. -- [Pause.] Let us take it so that I would use the weekend to pray for all of you.
Dr A. A. Osei 2:15 p.m.
The Hon Deputy Minister wants time to absorb the intricacies of the Motion, and we should allow her enough time to be able to craft the statement. So we can adjourn till Tuesday, it is all right.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we are told that the application is harmless so it must be entertained. Mr Speaker, I do not have anything against it ordinarily.
My worry is that, if this application is accepted, we could have some -- [Interruption.] She is not applying yet? So do we adjourn? Mr Speaker, what are we doing?
Mr Bagbin 2:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think we should take it next week. I do not want us to set a precedent that I think is, in my humble view, not in accord with good parliamentary practice. So I would --
Mr Speaker 2:15 p.m.
I do not have any position on this matter but the only reason is that, I am informed by discussions that I have held with the Leaders in my Lobby with regard to the work of next week; that is the only reason and this is a financial issue. That is the only reason I thought that the Minority side of the House should be here when this Motion is moved. But we can take it on Tuesday.
Mr Bagbin 2:15 p.m.
Tuesday is such a crucial day for us.
Mr Speaker 2:15 p.m.
Very well. Hon Members, on that note, the House is adjourned till Tuesday at 10.00 o'clock in the forenoon.
Hon Members, thank you very, very much.
ADJOURNMENT 2:15 p.m.
  • The House was adjourned at 2.27 p.m. till Tuesday, 9th June, 2015 at 10.00 a.m.