Debates of 8 Dec 2015

MR FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER
Mr Quashigah 12:06 p.m.
The focus for 2016 intends to galvanise this forward march. It is expected that in 2016, very important policies, such as the Interconnect Clearing House, the Mobile Virtual Networking Operating Licence, International Work Wholesale Carrier Licence and Unified Telecom Licences would come on board.
Mr Speaker, we all know too well that the Interconnect Clearing House, especially, would be able to address some deficits that have been experienced in 2015. It obviously would ensure greater transparency and monitoring of revenue generation to enable us monitor instant
call records and terminate operator sites. These obviously would stamp out a long list of claim abuses within the tele- communication sector.
Mr Speaker, I would want to also indicate that another effective performance of the sector is captured in paragraph 585 of the Budget Statement.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:06 p.m.
Hon Member, you have five more minutes to go.
Mr Quashigah 12:06 p.m.
Mr Speaker, this is to enable us effectively ensure that the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), are connected in order to even limit the use of paper work. Mr Speaker, that obviously, is a great achievement and would improve internet connectivity for all the MMDAs and MDAs. That would save the MMDAS and MDAs lots of funds as was not the case previously.
Mr Speaker, the Eastern Corridor Fibre Optic Project is a landmark achievement of this Government in 2015. So far, the over 808.35 kilometres Fibre Optic stretch Project has linked Ho in the Volta Region to Bawku, Yendi and to Tamale in the Northern Region. This has obviously improved the coverage of telecommunica- tion services -- and is boosting businesses and to a large extent, creating employment for the many young people who can take advantage of it.
It is therefore, refreshing that the Government is not just ending there. In 2016, the Budget Statement talks about a Western Corridor Fibre Optic Project, which would help link the entire nation for us all to take advantage of the internet connectivity that we so much desire.
Mr Quashigah 12:06 p.m.


Mr Speaker, I think that in paragraph 588 of the Budget Statement, which also talks about the Secondary Data Centre that has been constructed in the Ashanti Region, which obviously would benefit Hon Nuamah's constituency. [Interruptions.] -- Hon Isaac Asiamah's constituency. [Laughter.] -- So, I think he should be very happy about that. That would act as a secondary -- or serve as a redundancy to the primary data we have in Accra.

Mr Speaker, we all know the essence and relevance of a data centre. This would enable us to effectively store relevant and requisite information and manage them as well in order to be able to use these kinds of information timously in helping businesses and also increase the various knowledge bodies we have in this country.

If these cannot be described as good, then I obviously do not know what is good. It is the reason for which we ought to commend the Ministry for these bold steps and excellent approaches to addressing the challenges that confront us in this technological era.

Mr Speaker, what is of great significance to my constituents -- the people of Keta, is the 21 enhanced community centres that were constructed throughout the country, and the first of which to have been completed was the one at Keta. It is benefiting the people extremely; they are very happy about that and are continually thanking the Government for recognising Keta as a beneficiary of the 21 enhanced community information centres, but like Oliver Twist, we would continue to ask for more.

Mr Speaker, permit me to just add two lines -- moving away from the communica- tion sector to youth and sports --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:06 p.m.
Hon Member, I said your time is up. It is unfortunate, your time is up.
Mr Quashigah 12:06 p.m.
Mr Speaker, on that note, I thank you very much.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:06 p.m.
Hon Members, it is now the turn of Hon Isaac Asiamah.
Mr Isaac K. Asiamah (NPP-- Atima- Mponua) 12:06 p.m.
Thank you Mr Speaker, for this opportunity.
Mr Speaker, I would want to make an observation about this year's debate on the Budget Statement. Normally, after the Budget Statement has been presented, we deal with the principles or the intents and purposes of the Budget Statement before we go to the Annual Budget Estimates.
Mr Speaker, as we speak now, committees have started considering estimates and they are calling Hon Members. I think we first needed to have addressed the issue of the principles of the Budget Statement and to have taken a decision on that before we move to the estimates. Mr Speaker, we need to take a look at this development. It is bad for us.
Hon Members should be here now, debating the principles of the Budget Statement because those things underline the estimates. Without the principles, we cannot go to the estimates. The estimates are derived from the principles. It is very important, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker, I would want to begin my contribution to Motion number 5 on the Order Paper, on agriculture. Mr Speaker, Hon Members would be wondering why Hon Isaac Asiamah has now started with agriculture. Mr Speaker, whether we like it, agriculture has been the mainstay of our economy all these years --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
The reason is that Hon Isaac Asiamah is very versatile.
Mr I.K. Asiamah 12:15 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Agriculture has been the mainstay of our economy. Mr Speaker, we should consider agriculture as the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. It is very important. This is because that underlies our wellbeing and everything.
Mr Speaker, for some years now, growth in this sector has been declining as a result of low budgetary allocation. In the year 2009, for example, it was 3 per cent and in 2016, as we speak now, it is getting to 1.1 per cent, 1.1 per cent budgetary allocation; such a negligible figure.
Mr Speaker, agriculture offers unique opportunities for all of us, especially the teeming unemployed youth of this country. The land is vast and fertile. What are we doing to the land?
Mr Speaker, we need to motivate and inspire our farmer's, so that they can produce more. It is not by accident that we instituted the National Farmers' Day to reward, motivate and inspire our farmers.
Mr Speaker, my concern here is that, over the years, because of the importance we attach to the National Farmer's Day, Presidents over the years have been attending. If the President is not able to attend, at least, his Vice attends.
Mr Speaker, in 2015, what did we observe? Neither the President nor his Vice was there. The irony of it was that, the people of the Upper East Region sat down waiting for the Vice President to grace the occasion.
They sat down only to be told that because of harmattan, the Vice President could not attend. This is inexcusable, unacceptable and highly regrettable. [[Hear!] [Hear!]
Mr Speaker, we should not accept these things. This exposes even the weakness in our Armed Forces -- very much.
Mr Edward Kaale-ewola Dery 12:15 p.m.
rose-
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Hon Member, is that on a point of order?
Mr Dery 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, exactly so.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
What is it?
Mr Dery 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, Standing Order 91(a). I would want to address my Hon Senior Colleague. For him saying that the Vice President could not go to the Upper East Region because of the harmattan, is not the case.
No! He cannot state that harmattan was the reason the Vice President could not go to the Upper East Region. That was not the case.
There was a technical reason. So, he cannot say that the Vice President was avoiding harmattan, that is why he did not go to the Upper East Region. That is wrong and he should withdraw that.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Hon Member, I know without descending into the arena of debates. I know as a fact that, the Meteorological Services Department has advised that the harmattan would be so severe that air flights should be reduced to the minimum as soon as there is a signal that it would
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.


Yes?
Mr I. K. Asiamah 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you.
Mr Speaker, this is not a debate of propaganda. We have to come with the facts and I am speaking the facts on authority and if you want to challenge me, you need to come with facts.
Mr Speaker, thank you for your intervention.
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Yes, Hon Majority Chief Whip?
Alhaji Muntaka 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thought -- my Hon Colleague is grossly misleading this House. I thought he would have taken a cue from the free information that you gave.
The Meteorological Services Agency in our country did advise that because of the nature of the weather, he should know that the Tamale Airport is being reconstructed and one needs some gadgets to guide airlines to enable them land.
Mr Speaker, because this just started happening on that same Thursday, it was not anticipated that by Thursday morning, the weather was going to be that bad.
So, it was because of that the aircrafts could not move but the National Farmers'
Day itself was on Friday morning. It was not a deliberate thing. For him to say that it exposes our military -- this is about security and safety and when he knows how the airlines operate -- the paramount thing is safety.
One cannot go gambling with the lives of individuals, whether the person, with the greatest of respect, is a labourer or a President or a Vice President, making an attempt to insist against the advice of the Meteorological Services Agency, to still fly.
So, if he wants to restrict himself to the debate about agriculture, that would serve him well. But to say that that exposes our military, when the Meteorological Services Agency is advising against flying, I do not see why he should be saying that.
Mr Speaker, he should get the facts right, stay within the facts and he should not speculate and accuse people wrongly.
Thank you.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Yes, Hon Member, please proceed.
Mr I. K. Asiamah 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the advice of the Meteorological Services Agency came five days before the National Farmers' Day. So, they should have taken that advice on board by their planning.

Mr Speaker, whenever we are raising such issues, Hon Members should listen. It is a very important issue I am raising. It is about the state of our readiness as a country; this is very important.

Mr Speaker, so, the Hon Majority Chief Whip should take it on board, so that we would build this country together. That is my concern.

Mr Speaker, from here to Bolgatanga -- the Vice President was then even acting as the President of Ghana and had unimpeded access to the road. Wherever he wanted to go, the road would have been cleared for him -- motorcade and so on.

Mr Speaker, from here to Bolgatanga would not have taken him more than six to seven hours, when he had access to all these facilities.
Mr Sampson Ahi 12:15 p.m.
-- rose--
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Yes, Hon Member, is it on a point of order?
Mr Sampson Ahi 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think my Hon Colleague is over stressing the whole matter. Explanation was given why the Vice President was unable to attend the National Farmers' Day.
Mr Speaker, in fact, the Hon Ranking Member for the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs is the Hon Member for Kwadaso. Every year, he attends the National Farmers' Day. This year, he did not go. What reason did he assign to it? Is it because he does not like the people of Upper East Region or what?
He, as the Ranking Member, did not go. Every year, he has been attending but this very year, he refused to go --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Hon Members, let us have some order. Let us not turn this into personal attacks. The point has been well made. The weather is not too good and therefore, we should listen to the Meteorological Services Agency. As soon as the warning signs are served -- Let us leave politics out of this as much as possible and make progress.
Yes, Hon Member, continue.
Mr I. K. Asiamah 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I hope you take on board the time that has been consumed by Hon Colleagues so that --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
I will take it on board.
Mr I. K. Asiamah 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, these things are very important and let me add that, when it comes to polictical rallies, you know how politicians rush, no matter the time, they would go there --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Hon Member, I want you to veer off that area and make progress.
Mr I. K. Asiamah 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I remember in 2012, --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
No! You go ahead with your submission.
Mr I. K. Asiamah 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, having said that, I think we should walk the talk, not just by gracing National Farmers' Day and just talking but we should act and act well.
Our actions should demonstrate our real commitment to the cause of farmers. That is my concern.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Hon Member, you have 10 more minutes.
Mr I. K. Asiamah 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, this Ministry -- [Interruption]
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Hon Member, I have seen you stand up. I have decided that we should not go any further with that debate on the weather situation. Otherwise, we would keep on bandying.
Mr Nitiwul 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the way the Hon Member for Bodi mentioned his name and the way he put it, it is necessary that he responds.
This is because he gave a very bad impression about the Hon Ranking Member and that is why I am pleading that you give him that opportunity to respond.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Well, I will reluctantly give him the opportunity.
Mr Nitiwul 12:15 p.m.
Thank you.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:15 p.m.
But I do not think we should continue debating this issue.
Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you for this opportunity for me to set the records straight.

I do not really appreciate those kinds of interventions from my Hon Member.

I was not in Bolgatanga. Yes, but neither was I in Sefwi Wiaso -- his region last year. So, to give the impression that I intentionally did not attend this function in Bolgatanga, is very bad.

The main reason I rose was to support what he was saying. The President of Tanzania, only last week, drove from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma, 600 miles. He refused to take an aeroplane to go to Dodoma and in my view, that is a real commitment --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon Member, I thought you said because your name was mentioned, you were clearing the air with regard to yourself. I do not want us to drag this issue any further.
You have explained yourself away. You were not in the Western Region last year. You have not been there -- So, I think that is enough.
Dr O. A. Akoto 12:25 p.m.
But the Tanzanian President travelled 600 miles by road to go to Dodoma.
Mr I. K. Asiamah 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, youth and sports is captured on page 130, paragraph 692 of the Budget Statement. Mr Speaker, it is regrettable and unfortunate that this particular Ministry, since 2009, has been saddled and afflicted with chaos, confusion and all the ills of governance. Since 2009, we all recall what happened to the Ghana Olympic Committee -- the confusions that have characterised that place which affected the work of the Ministry.
Other tournaments that we have participated -- South Africa, Equatorial Guinea, and Brazil, have all been
characterised by suspicions of corruption and abuse as we are all aware, and that led to the institution of a commission of inquiry by the President to look into some of these matters.

Yes, this is Budget Statement and we are talking about money and we have to look at how efficient the money is going to be used -- the prudence, the effective- ness and of course, the bottom line is value for money. That is what we are doing here.

Mr Speaker, the Ministry has over the years been characterised by corruption, abuse and all that you can think of. This is not about me saying --

Mr Speaker, we participated in the All African Games in Maputo and I have a copy of the report, the findings that came -- and when you read the findings, for example, it is so intriguing that -- and Mr Speaker with your kind permission, I beg to quote:

“The Committee believes that given the extent of managerial incom- petence, institutionalised corrup- tion and organisation rot that is going on at the National Sports Council, it is only a ‘roots and branch' shake up of the entire setup that will rid the organisation of these ills.”

This is a report that was done by the Ministry itself. So, many years -- 2011 and nothing has been done about it. Those individuals that were cited are walking free. So, the Ministry, over the years, has been promoting that culture of

impunity. They do it, nothing happens to them and they go on and on to repeat it. That is why after Brazil, we thought we could have learnt a lesson; we went to Equatorial Guinea and it was a disaster. Look at the Committee of Inquiry's report, and here, the Minority side has been vindicated.

We have been vindicated. When the Committee was being set up by the President, we said that it was going to be a waste of the poor taxpayer's money. That is going to happen. The Committee's report was published in February 2015, and as of today, nothing has been done about the report -- no kobo; nothing. Is that how we run a country?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Did I hear you mention the name Afoko?
Mr I. K. Asiamah 12:25 p.m.
No! I said “Kobo”, nothing. [Laughter.]

Mr Speaker, so, all the recommendations in the report have been flattened; they have been violated and not a single one has been respected or honoured. The Committee did recommend that any time the Black Stars travel and they are to be paid their allowances, et cetera, they should be paid through their bank accounts. We went to Kigali just recently and the money was carried once again to Kigali to pay the Black Stars. So, we have not learnt anything at all.

Another key recommendation of the Committee's report was the fact that some individuals -- I do not want to mention names but this is the Committee's report and I can quote page 25 to show that it is not coming from me but it is the Committee's report. Mr Speaker, with your kind permission, I beg to quote page 25, recommendation (b):
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon Member, is it a point of Order?
Mr Woyome 12:25 p.m.
Yes.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Actually, I do not know whether my Hon Brother, the Hon Ranking Member is really helping in debating the Budget Statement. An issue of relevance here.
Mr Speaker, we are aware that this particular report has been referred to the Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and I am sure he is also aware that they are working on that. So, I do not see why -- this is really not part of what we are supposed to be debating, and I do not see the relation here.
So, the issue of relevance has to be really looked at, so that we speak to the issues contained in this Budget Statement, to make some --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon Member, I do not think I want to descend into the arena of debate but at least, it has to do with money sent out by Government to a particular Ministry for a particular purpose and if these things happen, it is quite relevant. We are talking about budget estimates and things like that.
So, Hon Member, proceed.
Mr I. K. Asiamah 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you.
That is why I started my debate with the observation I have made about the principles of the Budget Statement. Those provide the intent and purpose of the Budget Statement. So, my Hon Colleague, it is relevant in the discussion; very genuine and he should take it on board. This is because he is the Hon Chairman of the Committee. So, he should rather support me, so that we fight corruption in the Ministry. It is a canker that is destroying the Ministry. The Ministry's image is --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon Member, your time is up but I will give you two more minutes.
Mr I. K. Asiamah 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the bottom line is that as Hon Members of Parliament, any time we are considering this Budget Statement, we should look at the three core areas that I mentioned -- efficiency, effectiveness and value for money because those three areas underline our core mandate of providing quality and proper oversight over the Executive.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Thank you, very much.
Hon Members, it is now the turn of Hon Emmanuel Bedzrah.
Mr Emmanuel K. Bedzrah (NDC -- Ho West) 12:35 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion ably moved by the Hon Minister for Finance, and seconded by Hon James K. Avedzi, to debate this year's 2016 Budget Statement presented on behalf of the President of the Republic.
Mr Speaker, the Budget Statement christened “Consolidating Progress towards a Brighter Medium Term” has come at a time that we all know that Ghana has attained lower income status. And for us to move forward and consolidate, there are certain sectors of the economy that need to be well taken care of. One of them is the infrastructural sector and we all know that when the infrastructural sector is taken care of, we will have increased in investment and increase also in foreign direct investment in the country, which will boost our revenue as well.
Mr Speaker, therefore, I will be speaking on the infrastructural sector -- looking at the water resources, works and housing, the roads sector as well as the transport sector.
Mr Speaker, paragraph 546 of page 106 of the 2016 Budget states among other things, that the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing exists to ensure sustainable management of the nation's water resources, provide safe, adequate and affordable water and water- related sanitation, drainage works, coastal protection works and affordable housing.

Mr Speaker, I have lived in Madina for the past 20 years. In the last year's budget, the Minister for Finance spoke about the fact that water project from Kpong to Madina and its environs would be completed. That project has been completed. Today, in my house, I have water flowing 24 hours in the whole week. This consolidates the progress of our economy in the medium-term.

Mr Speaker, it is not only in Madina and its environs but most parts of Accra are experiencing water flow into their tanks. A project of 20 million gallons per day has been inaugurated at Dodowa.

Mr Speaker, it does not end there. Paragraph 552 also states that a booster station, a reservoir at Dodowa Boi and Madina were completed in the year 2015. It shows clearly that this Government puts its mouth and money at where they fit most. This is the Government that the people should continue to vote for. This is because whatever they say, they deliver.

Mr Speaker, it does not end at all. We all know that, in the housing sector, this country has been plagued with about a million housing deficit per annum. In paragraph 563 of page 108, which is on the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, we are made aware that affordable housing and middle-income housing are under construction.

Today, as we speak, at Saglemi in the Ningo Prampram area, phase I of the project has been completed. Those of us on the Committee on Works and Housing visited the project site. I can assure you that, by the end of the year 2016, which this budget talks about, the first phase of 1,502 housing units would be completed at Ningo Prampram.

Mr Speaker, this is what we are talking about. If we want to consolidate our progress we must make sure that there would be a brighter medium-term; we must
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:35 p.m.
Hon Members, it is now the turn of Hon (Dr) Twum-Nuamah.
Dr Kwabena Twum-Nuamah (NPP -- Berekum East) 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion on the floor.
I would concentrate on the health sector by saying that the Ministry of Health exists primarily to promote good health for all Ghanaians, or better still, for
all people living on the soil of Ghana through preventive and curative care. Mr Speaker, the big question is, does this Budget Statement provide any opportunity to improve the quality of healthcare for Ghanaians at the moment?
Mr Speaker, the health sector budget, as a percentage of the total Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) budget for the year 2016, is 13.8 per cent. This is the lowest over the past four years. In the year 2014, it was 19.8 per cent; in the year 2015, it came down to 16.8 per cent; and in the year 2016, it is now 13.8 per cent.
Mr Speaker, furthermore, the health sector budget as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has declined from 3.5 per cent in the year 2015 to 3.3 per cent in the year 2016. Does this mean that the Government does not see health as a priority area?
Mr Speaker, at the moment, internally generated funds (IGFs) now provide the bulk of health sector resource needs. As a result, the departments in the health sector which do not have any major source of IGFs generation are seriously under resourced.
Mr Speaker, I would refer to some data. In the year 2016, the Government of Ghana (GoG) subvention to the health sector was only 36 per cent as against the total IGFs of 62.3 per cent. This GoG subvention is consumed in the form of compensation. Consequently, goods and services which are used in the operations in the health sector have nothing.
Therefore, most of the departments which do not have IGFs are not working. A lot of the places which have suffered most are the supervisory areas like the health directorates -- national, regional and district.
Mr Speaker, it would interest you to note that the Regional Health Directorate for Greater Accra had the unpleasant experience of having their electricity cut off for more than three weeks because they could not pay their bills of GH¢50,000.
Mr Speaker, most of the departments cannot go on supervisory visits because they do not have money to fuel their vehicles. So, how do we expect that health outcomes would improve in the midst of these difficulties?
Mr Speaker, the bulk of the IGFs generation in the health sector comes from the Ghana Health Insurance Authority. One of the best interventions in the health sector over the years has been the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme by President J. A. Kufuor; coincidentally,today is his birthday.
Mr Speaker, the National Health Insurance Scheme is seriously challenged at the moment as far as finances are concerned. There is a huge funding gap that the National Health Insurance Scheme faces as we speak. We can also call it “arrears”. At the end of the year 2014, the funding gap for the National Health Insurance Authority was almost GH¢300 million. This has ballooned to a little over GH¢800 million in the year 2015.
Mr Speaker, it is no wonder that the National Health Insurance Authority is unable to pay the claims of most health providers as we speak.
Mr Speaker, in the 2016 Budget, which we are considering, the amount that has been earmarked for the Authority through the NHI levy and the social security contribution, is around GH¢1.5 billion.
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Yes, Hon Member, is it a point of order?
Mr Agbesi On a Point of Order.
Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleague is misleading us. It is not true that “cash and carry” has come back. I challenge him to produce the evidence. It is not true; it is totally false that “cash and carry” has come back into the system.
Dr Twum-Nuamah 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is a fact that in most of the hospitals in Ghana, especially the Christian hospitals, the only thing insurance covers now --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Yes, Hon Member?
Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh 12:45 p.m.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
I rise on a point of order.
My Hon Colleague, who is a Medical Doctor, is misleading this House. When the National Health Insurance was introduced, we had co-payment at all times, which means that some of the payments would be covered by insurance and others are paid for. Today, he is making it look like we are re-introducing “cash and carry”. It is not true.
It is co-payment. If there are delays, he is right but not to say that we are bringing “cash and carry” again. He is misleading the House; he is a member of the Committee and he knows the truth. So, he should not say so.
Dr Twum-Nuamah 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, for the information of the Hon Chairman of the Committee on Health, most of the things I am referring to now were covered by the NHI but because of the failure of the Authority to pay their claims, the hospitals are trying to make up for the losses by charging fees --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Hon Member, you have 10 more minutes because you are standing in for the Hon Ranking Member.
Dr Twum-Nuamah 12:45 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker, when you visit the hospitals --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
What I have before me indicates that he is standing in for the Hon Ranking Member. That is why
-- 12:45 p.m.
Alhaji Muntaka 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yesterday, Hon Collins Ntim stood in for the Hon Ranking Member, if you remember. It is not possible for one person to stand in for the Hon Ranking Member yesterday and today, another person would also stand in for the same Hon Ranking Member -- [Interruptions.]
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Order! Order!
Let him finish with his submission and then you can respond.
Alhaji Muntaka 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yesterday, we were in this Chamber and Mr Speaker himself was here and Hon Collins Ntim stood in for the Hon Ranking Member. It is not possible for two people to stand in for the same Hon Ranking Member.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Yes, Hon Deputy Whip, can we hear from you?
Mr Igantius Baffour Awuah 12:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is true that yesterday, Hon Collins Ntim spoke on health. We made a case for him to speak as a Ranking Member but that was turned down by the Rt Hon Speaker. So, he had only 10 minutes. That is why today, we got Hon Dr Twum- Nuamah as the Hon Ranking Member for our side. It is never true that Hon Collins Ntim spoke for more than 10 minutes.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Very well. Let us then go by what I have before me.
Dr Twum-Nuamah 12:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to reiterate that hitherto, services which were covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme are now paid for in the various hospitals because of the fact that the hospitals do not get enough repayment from the National Health Insurance Authority.
Mr Speaker, the effect of this phenomenon has been captured in the Budget Statement. In paragraph 721 of page 134, the Minister for Finance indicated that the rate of admissions has reduced by 2.8 per cent. The reason for the reduction, according to the Minister, is that less people are now becoming ill.
I have news for the Hon Minister for Finance; that is not the reason. It is because of the fact that outpatients department (OPD) attendance is covered by insurance, that a lot more people access OPD according to the Budget Statement. However, admissions are now paid for; less people go for admission.
Mr Speaker, this phenomenon would lead to a lot of people dying in their homes because they can only come when they are seriously sick, which would only defeat the purpose of the health insurance.
Mr Chireh 12:55 p.m.
On a point of order.
Mr Speaker, he referred to page 205 of the Budget Statement and he spoke about figures related to other Government Obligations. What he has referred and urged Government to take some money to pay, are obligations that have been budgeted for. He should understand that. So, there is nothing that they can take and give to another institution.
So, please, that is not a good suggestion. He should bring another one.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
Hon Member, how do you respond to that?
Dr Twum-Nuamah 12:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, if we go to item 62 on page 205, what is stated are other earmarked funds, arrears, et cetera. It means that it is open, and I suggest that, because of the utmost importance of healthcare in Ghana, the Government should, as a matter of urgency --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
Hon Member, are you aware that since it has been designated, it has been earmarked for a purpose and we cannot just keep varrying at this stage?
Mr Awuah 12:55 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker, it is true that the other Government Obligations figure is earmarked, but if we go into the details, there is an allocation for contingency, which is not earmarked for any specific project. If my Hon Colleague should plead with Government to earmark some of those funds for the health sector, I think it is in the right direction.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
In that case, you should talk about contingency, then we would understand him.
Dr Twum-Nuamah 12:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, there is the adage that “you put your money where your mouth is.” I feel that the health of the people of Ghana is the most important ingredient on the table. So, the Government would have to look for money --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
Hon Member, you have one more minute.
Dr Twum-Nuamah 12:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the challenges of the NHI has affected even the Millennium Develop-ment Goals in the health sector, that is, child health and maternal health. The number of supervised delivery in the year has reduced because of the deterioration of
the free maternal delivery. Once supervised delivery reduces, it means we cannot improve maternal health.
Mr Speaker, one of the main indicators in child health is immunisation. Since Ghana became a lower middle income country, we have had to do a coping peer mechanism with the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI).
Mr Speaker, 2015, Ghana defaulted in our payment with GAVI. Therefore, we had a lot of stock out of our major vaccines over the year.
Mr Speaker, it is now a luxury for a child born in Ghana to have all his or her immunisations at the scheduled dates --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
Hon Member, please, conclude. Your time is up.
Dr Twum-Nuamah 12:55 p.m.
In conclusion, I would say that provision of quality health care should be holistic. It should not be a Kwashiorkor type of healthcare provision, where we provide carbohydrate foods only as against protein foods.
Mr Speaker, we must concentrate on all the aspects. This Government has spent most of its resources on the provision of infrastructure because of the flashy nature.
Mr Speaker, operational issues --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
Hon Member, please, resume your seat. Your time is up.
Dr Twum-Nuamah 12:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am concluding.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:55 p.m.
Please, resume your seat. I asked you to conclude and you went on and on and on. Your time is up. Please, resume your seat.
Hon Members, it is now the turn of Hon Hanna Bisiw.
Dr Hanna Louisa Bisiw (NDC--Tano South) (MP) 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion, that this House approves the Financial Policy of the Government of Ghana for the year ending 31st December, 2016, ably moved by the Hon Minister for Finance.
Mr Speaker, I would start by commending the President, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, for the transformational leadership he is offering us, which is transforming various sectors of our economy.
Mr Speaker, one of the sectors, which is enjoying the transformation from the transformational leader is the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, and to be specific, the livestock department.
Mr Speaker, the department is enjoying a transformation with the increase in guinea fowl production, with the training of 320 guinea fowl outgrower farmers on the improved fowl production. And not only that, they have also been given 1,600 eight-week old grower breeds as start-up stock in the three northern regions.
Mr Speaker, again, one of such transformations is the financial support for the poultry industry, which is backed by a strong political will.
Mr Speaker, because of this, the poultry industry today is fast reviving from the near comatose state in which the New Patriotic Party (NPP) left it.
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Yes, Hon Member?
Mr I. K. Asiamah 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, is the Hon Colleague reading another Budget Statement to this House? She keeps on reading from a book. [Interruption.]
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Hon Member, you know as a fact --
Hon Member, please, resume your seat.
You know as a fact that the rules permit Hon Members to refresh their memories from their notes?
Hon Member, please, proceed.
Dr Bisiw 1:05 p.m.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker --
Mr Awuah 1:05 p.m.
On a point of order.
Mr Speaker, I think the practice of this House has been that, an Hon Member gets the opportunity to talk when you recognise him or her.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Order! Order!
Mr Awuah 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to say that, if we want the debate to flow orderly, then some of these things should be avoided. When some of these things are allowed to go on, they would derail the sanity that we want to have in our debates.
Mr Speaker, I would want to urge you to tell the Hon Member to stop that.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Very well. Your point is well made.
I find both sides guilty of the complaint you have made. Let us have some order, so that the debate will flow.
Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto 1:05 p.m.
On a point of order.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture is misleading this House.
Did I hear her say the guinea fowl project is successful? Has she forgotten the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) and the GH¢13 million guinea fowl project, which up to today, the Government has not been able to account for? She is misleading this House, Mr Speaker.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Yes, Hon Deputy Minister?
Dr Bisiw 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, as I said, 320 female outgrower farmers have been trained. They have been given 1,600 eight-week old grower birds as start-up stock in the three northern regions.
Mr Speaker, once again, the trans- formation that the poultry industry has received from the transformational leadership of His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama is a bold political decision -- [Hear! Hear!] -- to cut down 40 per cent of the import of poultry into our country.
Mr Speaker, the cut down of poultry import has also revived a lot of our poultry farmers and our poultry industry is thriving.
Mr Speaker, under the previous NPP Administration, a lot of the farmers were indebted to financial institutions. When we came, we met them and with the President's bold decision --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Hon Member, you have five more minutes.
Dr Bisiw 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we have seen a lot of foreign companies coming in to sign joint ventures with local companies; we have seen food chains also signing agreements with local companies, so that they will be able to purchase 87 per cent of their produce from our local farmers.
Mr Speaker, when we talk about transformational leadership -- Yesterday, we heard of how NADA, which means “nothing” in Spanish and that is, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo -- should be given the chance because he is a transformational leader.
Mr Speaker, when we talk about transformational leadership, we are talking about the transformation that His Excellency the President is brining into our hospitals, the transformation that he is bringing onto our roads when thousands of kilometres of roads, both feeder and urban, have been constructed and some under construction.
Mr Speaker, we are talking about the transformation of our airports, where today, we can fly at night at the Kumasi Airport. We are talking about the transformation that is going on at the Tamale Airport, whereafter, that we would have a transformational trip to Saudi Arabia for Hajj.
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Hon Members, if you would cast your minds back, when Hon Atta Akyea made his submission, he made certain statements concerning Nana Akufo-Addo as a transformational leader, et cetera. She is only responding to it. I do not see why it should create any problem.
Yes, Hon Member, please, proceed.
Dr Bisiw 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we can also talk about the transformation that is happening in our energy sector now. We would all admit that the problem did not start with the administration of His Excellency the President.
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Hon Deputy Minority Chief Whip?
Mr Awuah 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to draw your attention to the fact that Hon O. B. Amoah was up on a point of order. Unfortunately, Mr Speaker, you mis- construed his being up to mean that he would challenge the Hon Colleague on her feet on the issue of transformational leadership. Unfortunately, that was not the reason the Hon Member was up.
I would want to plead with you to recognise him, so that at least he can make his point of order. [Interruption] -- That is why I said I would want to plead with the Chair to recognise him, so that he would make his point of order.
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Yes, Hon Deputy Majority Leader?
Mr Agbesi 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, you are in charge of this House and its affairs. If for any reason, an Hon Colleague does not catch your eye, you cannot be directed to do so. You are in charge and must be seen to be in charge and you must direct affairs.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Very well.
What is the point of order?
Mr O. B. Amoah 1:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, as the Hon Member said, it is your right to recognise whoever gets up. However, when you said that yesterday, Hon Atta Akyea referred to transformational leadership, so you do not see why we should respond, that was not why I stood up.
Indeed, the Hon Deputy Minister said in her delivery that poultry farmers were indebted to financial institutions in the previous Administration. So, I got up to say that, this is a House of record, and she should be able to provide the evidence of what she has said or she should be made to withdraw it. She has to substantiate what she said that poultry farmers were indebted to financial institutions. She cannot just make a sweeping statement and be allowed to carry on.
She is the Hon Deputy Minister and this is a House of record. If her Ministry has access to information that poultry farmers were indebted to financial institutions during former President J. A. Kufuor's era, she should produce it. That was why I stood up. Otherwise, she should withdraw it.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
Very well.
Hon Deputy Minister, did you make any such statement? [Some Hon Members: Yes.] -- No! I am asking her a question. Please, let us have some order.
Did you make any such statement?
Dr Bisiw 1:15 p.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
Do you have the evidence to support it?
Dr Bisiw 1:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I made the statement because we have had meetings with poultry farmers. I am the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture in charge of livestock and the farmers have expressed it.
With the President's initiative, they have come back to thank us for the bold decision we took and the revitalisation of the broiler project, which has enabled them to offset their debts to the financial institutions.
I said so, with the information that I have, Mr Speaker.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
Hon Deputy Minister, you realise that under such circumstances, we would need some form of evidence because this is a House of record. We know that as an Hon Deputy Minister, you are likely to have meetings with stakeholders but we want evidence. That is the problem.
Dr Bisiw 1:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it will be provided.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
Hon Member, how soon are you providing the evidence?
Dr Bisiw 1:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, by the end of this week. I say so because I am not at the Ministry. I do not know whether I am going to get access to the Directors who are in charge. I am in Parliament right now. By the end of this week, it is going to be provided.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
Hon Member, I can only make this rider. If by the close of the week, you do not produce the evidence, what you said should be considered expunged.
Dr Bisiw 1:15 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
Hon Member, continue.
Dr Bisiw 1:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, as I said, that bold decision taken by His Excellency the President has also seen a lot of private and foreign investors coming into the country --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
One more minute to finish.
Dr Bisiw 1:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I will say that all that has been said these past days and albeit, that the wholesale political harassment and perpetual verbal mutilations from our detractors, His Excellency the President, has remained resilient, robust and focused at all cost to carry the cross and mantle of transformational “Better Ghana Agenda” to its pinnacle of success, not oblivious of all the thorns, pins, needles and nails that have been in every cresscendo sinister and subtle agenda fan their fangs to poison every success.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member. Your time is up.
Dr Bisiw 1:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, on this note, I would want to leave us with Psalm 23. Goodness and mercy shall follow His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama, the transformational leader.
Thank you.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
Hon Members, it is now the turn of Hon Francis Manu-Adabor.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:15 p.m.
Hon Member, you have five more minutes to finish.
Mr Manu-Adabor 1:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Town and Country Planning Officer in the district needs what is called base map before he can do his work. We do not have surveyors in the districts. The Town and Country Planning Officer doubles as the land surveyor and then goes out to survey the land. This is not his profession. That is why we continue to see slums in our districts, towns and villages.
Mr Speaker, if we do not employ surveyors and decentralise the Lands Commission to the district level, people will continue to develop haphazardly and then when it comes to emergencies like fire, vehicles cannot have access. People are still developing slums.
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:25 p.m.
Hon Deputy Majority Leader, is it a point of order?
Mr Agbesi 1:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Member started by saying that he expected what he is saying to be in the Budget Statement. If that is his expectation and it is not in the budget, then it appears that he is debating his own matter.
Mr Speaker, relevance to the budget is my issue. Is what he is debating relevant? It is not in the budget. He is debating something out of the budget and it is not relevant for this purpose.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:25 p.m.
Hon Member, how relevant is it? We are discussing the budget. You indicated early on that because some counterpart funding was not made available, certain things happened. That is relevant. Beyond that, how relevant is what you are saying?
Mr Manu-Adabor 1:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, these are policies that we expect to be in the budget, so that we can curb the menace in the society. This is because when you go down to the districts, we have the Town and Country Planning Officers there. We do not have surveyors and the Town and Country Planning officer cannot work without a surveyor. So, what are we doing?

We continue to create slums in the districts, down to the towns and then the villages. This is an important information we were expecting to be in the budget. That is what I am saying.

So, Mr Speaker, finally, I would want to conclude, that we over-rely on donor funding; we have to be serious as a country. We have to pump money into the land sector, so that investors who are coming down will have confidence in our land tenure system. Nobody can work in space. We all need to work on land -- so, if you do not support the Lands Commission with funds, how can people come and register their lands?

So, I believe the donors can help us to crawl but for us to run, Government would have to give us support.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:25 p.m.
All right.
Thank you very much.
Hon Members, this brings us to the end for today, with regard to the debate of the Financial Policy.
Hon Deputy Majority Leader?
Mr Agbesi 1:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, with your indulgence, we may move to the Order Paper Addendum to take the Minerals Development Fund Bill, 2014.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:25 p.m.
Very well.
Hon Members, Order Paper Addendum.
Yes, Hon Deputy Majority Leader, at the Commencement of Public Business, Minerals Development Fund Bill, 2014 at the Consideration Stage.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker to take the Chair.
MR SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER
BILLS --CONSIDERATION 1:27 p.m.
STAGE 1:27 p.m.
Chairman of the Committee (Alhaji Amadu B. Sorogho) 1:27 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 2 -- delete and insert the following:
“2. The object of the Fund is to provide financial resources and other resources for the direct benefit of
(a) a mining community;
(b) a holder of interest in land within a mining community;
(c) traditional and local govern- ment authority within a mining community; and
(d) an institution responsible for the development of mining.”
Mr Speaker, the reason is that, this is a further amendment to what has been proposed.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Clause 2 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 3 -- Sources of money for the Fund.
Alhaji Sorogho 1:27 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3 -- paragraph (e), line 1, delete “or property that may become lawfully vested in the Board for” and insert “to”
Mr Speaker, the clause has included properties that may become vested in the governing body of the Fund as part of sources of moneys for the Fund, which is inappropriate and that is why we are deleting it. So, the proposed amendment is therefore, to delete them to correct the error.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Clause 3 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 4 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 5 --Application of the Fund.
Alhaji Sorogho 1:27 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 5 -- paragraph (e), delete and insert the following:
“(e) support the policy planning, evaluation and monitoring functions of the Ministry in respect of mining related activities”
Mr Speaker, the clause seeks to allow the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to apply its allocation for the
performance of its general operational duties. The Committee was of the view that the allocation to the Ministry may not be used towards achieving the object of the Fund, hence the proposed amendment to restrict the use of their allocation for mining related activities.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Clause 5 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 6 -- Governing body of the Fund.
Alhaji Sorogho 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 6, subclause (1), paragraph (b), sub-paragraph (i), line 2, delete “and”
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Alhaji Sorogho 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 6, subclause (1), paragraph (b), sub-paragraph (ii), line 2, delete “Innovation” and insert “Innovation, and”
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Alhaji Sorogho 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 6, subclause (1), paragraph (b), add the following new sub-paragraph:
“(iii) Ministry of Finance”
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Alhaji Sorogho 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 6, subclause (1), add the following new paragraph:
“(g) a representative of the Ghana Chamber of Mines”
Mr Speaker, to include the Chamber of Mines to the membership of the Board to represent industry players. This is because the Chamber of Mines is the representative of all those mining companies and by adding them, they would make sure that they would take care of their interest and it also reduces friction. Any time they want to do something, it is easier achievable rather than excluding them and they also come in.
Mr Speaker, that is the rationale behind it.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Alhaji Sorogho 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 6, subclause (1), paragraph (g), line 1, after “ruler” insert “from a mining area”.
Mr Speaker, the Committee was of the view that the publication of the criteria for the disbursement of the Fund and its utilisation should not be subject to the approval of the Minister.
No! Mr Speaker, the rationale was a consequential amendment to the first one that we did “nomination of only chief from mining communities.” It is a consequential amendment.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
So, it would read “a traditional ruler from a mining area.”
Alhaji Sorogho 1:35 p.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker. It should not just be from any other place
but it should be from the mining area. If we just leave it like that, any chief at all can say he should be representing them.
rose
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
Yes, Hon Muntaka?
Alhaji Muntaka 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, that is why I would want to draw his attention to his earlier amendment on clause 2; where they changed “mining area” to mining community”. Now he is changing this one to “mining area”. Is there not inconsistency?
Mr Speaker, the first one in clause 2, if you look at the cover page of the Addendum, (b) in particular, “a holder of interest in land within a mining community”. changing it from “mining area” to “community” and now, he wants to go back to “area”.
Alhaji Sorogho 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, a chief can have -- there can be several communities within a mining area and that is why we are doing that. This one is, “a chief from the mining area”, but there can be communities. All the communities can come together, but one would represent them in the mining area.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
But it is not part of the interpretation. This interpretation that mining community -- a cluster of mining communities making a mining area, it would have been useful if it is in the interpretation section -- clause
30.
Yes, Hon Minister?
Nii Osah Mills: Mr Speaker, I agree with you and Hon Muntaka. It is best for us to stick to the expression “community”, rather than “area”. This is because, it is an expression that has been -- I think “community” is defined, but “area” may not have been defined in the Minerals and Mining Act.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
Thank you, Hon Minister.
Did I see Hon Yieleh Chireh on his feet?
Mr Chireh 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I had wanted to make a suggestion, that we are saying “from a mining area” now, you are not saying “from the mining area”. So, a community -- either way, you can have the chief or the traditional ruler from a community. But we need to qualify it by making it “the mining area”, unless of course, we are saying any mining area. We are saying “any mining area” -- it depends on what the --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
Hon Yieleh Chireh, what is the meaning of “a mining area”? An area where mining is undertaken?
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
What is the definition of “mining community”? A community where mining is undertaken.
Mr Chireh 1:35 p.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
What is the difference between “a mining community” and a “mining area”?
Mr Chireh 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, that is why I am saying we would have to be uniformed in what we say.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
That is what Hon Muntaka is saying.
Mr Chireh 1:35 p.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker, and I think --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
Do you agree with him?
Mr Chireh 1:35 p.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker. I agree with him.
Alhaji Sorogho 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would go with that, “nomination of chiefs only from the mining communities”. So, a further amendment to the “mining area” to “a mining community”?
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
So, the amendment would read; after “ruler” insert “from a mining community”.
Alhaji Sorogho 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, exactly.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Clause 6 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 7 -- Functions of the Board
Alhaji Sorogho 1:35 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 7-- paragraph (e), line 1, delete “with approval of” and insert “in consultation with” and after “publish”, insert “in a daily newspaper of national circulation”.
Mr Speaker, it is straightforward.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:35 p.m.
Hon Members, the Hon Chairman says, it is straightforward and I do not know whether you agree with him. But since there is no comment, I think you all agree with him.
Question put and amendment agreed to.

Clause 7 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 8 -- Tenure of office of members
Alhaji Sorogho 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 8, subclause (1), line 1, delete “period” and insert “term”
Mr Speaker, the proposed amendment is meant to ensure consistency.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Alhaji Sorogho 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 8, subclause (4), line 1, delete “other than the Chief Director”
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:45 p.m.
Yes, it is simple.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Clause 8 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill
Clause 9 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 10—Disclosure of interest.
Alhaji Sorogho 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, Add the following new subclause:
“(3) The Board may revoke or nullify a decision on a matter that is arrived on a matter in which a deliberation of a member contravenes subsection (2) and benefits from that contravention”

Mr Speaker, the issue is that, if one is a member of the Board, and in taking a decision he or she has an interest but refuses to disclose that interest and a decision is taken, that decision is to be nullified.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:45 p.m.
My only concern is that what you have read is different from what is written.
Alhaji Sorogho 1:45 p.m.
The way it is written is different and so, if we can —
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:45 p.m.
You mentioned “which” which is not here —
Alhaji Sorogho 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, there is a problem with the way it is couched. So, if we can set it aside and move on.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:45 p.m.
There is no “standing down” today. I have confidence in you and so, rephrase it.
Alhaji Sorogho 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, then we can get the draftspersons, so that we can quickly do that. But the intention is clear and it is that, if one does not disclose and takes part in a decision that benefits that person, this clause is supposed to nullify that decision. As we all understand, we can go ahead and then the draftspersons can—
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:45 p.m.
I have just been advised that we have a standard rendition and I think the Interpretation Act also talks about it.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Clause 10 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:45 p.m.
The draftspersons should render that amend- ment in accordance with the standard provisions that have been used in previous Acts.
Clause 11—Establishment of Committees
Alhaji Sorogho 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, add the following new subclause:
“(3) A non-member of the Board who is appointed to a Committee of the Board shall depose……”
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:45 p.m.
Chairman, this is a four line amendment. Let me remind you of Standing Order 129 (c):
“At the consideration stage of a Bill:
(c) where an amendment appears on the Order Paper and exceeds four lines it shall not be necessary for the Member moving it or Mr Speaker in putting it to read out the amendment, provided that the place in the Order Paper where it appears is pointed out;”
Alhaji Sorogho 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 11, add the following new subclause:
“(3) A non-member of the Board who is appointed to a committee of the Board shall depose to an oath of confidentiality.”
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:45 p.m.
Well, this is not a four line amendment. It is a three line amendment. I will take it that you have moved it.
Alhaji Muntaka 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think that the convention has been very useful but sometimes when it is read, even though one may be holding the paper, it helps in hearing it again from the Hon
Chairman and sometimes providing some explanation. We would be grateful if you could kindly allow the Hon Chairman to read it and provide some further explanation.That may convince us why he wants to add that: It will do us a lot of good but the discretion is completely yours.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:45 p.m.
I am glad that you added that the discretion is mine, and I have already indicated that I intend to exercise my discretion.
Mr Chireh 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I do not know why they are making this amendment. I say so because in any committee, a Board is supposed to be sworn in. Therefore, if one is not a member of the Board but a member of a committee, that person should be sworn in. We cannot isolate the non-member as if he or she is the only person who needs to be sworn-in in a case like that. I do not know why this additional thing. I have never seen it before. Everybody is supposed to be sworn-in.
Alhaji Sorogho 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to remind my Hon Member that, these are not members. These are co-opted members and provision has not been made in the Bill for them to be sworn-in. That is why we want to be sure that because these things border on a lot of confidentialities, they are sworn- in, so that, it can help in operations. Plenty meat does not spoil the soup. I think it can be done.
Alhaji Muntaka 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, this looks weird for me. We have seen so many Bills pass through this House and it is usually silent, and there are reasons. This is because, sometimes what the sub- committees are engaged in are not things that require that people swear an oath. Before the committee decides to even co- opt people to serve in their sub- committees, there is some partial work and
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:45 p.m.
Hon Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, is it a bad thing because it has not been done before? I thought you would be applauding them for introducing innova- tion?
Alhaji Muntaka 1:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I agree with you that we cannot stick to the status quo. We need to sometimes think outside the box, but we need to do it when it will add something or further improve what we are doing. I do not see this happening.
Mr Speaker, with the greatest of respect, this House, on many occasions, form sub-committees that sometimes involve staff. We have committees that sometimes do other things with the staff members and sometimes people from outside. We do not pause to swear them in and say just because we are under oath therefore, they must also be sworn-in. These are sub-committees and it is going to make it very cumbersome.
This is because, what it requires is that, then anytime a sub-committee is formed, we may need to get a Judge to come and swear these people in. I do not see the difference that sub-committee members who are not members of the Board swearing an oath will make the work that they will be doing at the committee.
Mr Agbesi 1:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I totally agree with this amendment. Even in this House, when committees are meeting and they are going to take some decisions, in some instances, we insist that some people should go out. The fact that it has not been happening does not mean that we cannot bring in this as an innovation.
Mr Speaker, issues come up and then after deliberations, we do not actually know how those matters came to the notice of the public or otherwise.
Mr Speaker, if people who are going to serve on the committees are being required to swear or to take the oath, we do not necessarily need a Judge to come and take an oath or swear somebody in.
I agree that this innovation is good and necessary because we are improving upon the laws that we make. So, I would agree that this amendment should be carried.
Mr Ebenezer OkleteyTerlabi 1:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think that, yes, we may want to make our Bills water-tight but I do not think that, it is also good to legislate everything. We must be a little flexible and allow things to take their course, otherwise, we might end up legislating everything, which I do not think is also good.
Thank you.
Mr Chireh 1:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, as the Hon Member who is the last contributor said, the issue is that, if you look at this amendment, it is presuming that, the Board members who are on that committee -- because they took the oath as committee members we do not swear them in. Is that what they are saying?
Mr Speaker, you know that we have a precedence in this House how many times you can swear when you want to -- [Laughter]. So, my point is that, you do
not talk about taking an oath. These are things that are procedural and if you look at any position that you occupy, considering any small committee; once it is legislated that there would be a committee, you have to be sworn-in. So, you do not legislate swearing in. And confidentiality about this -- what confidentiality? Confidentiality is not a sworn one but transparency. So, I do not think that it is necessary.
Mr Quashigah 1:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, as much as I agree with some of my seniors that it may not necessarily be important to, as it were, admit this amendment, looking at it critically, I think that it may be necessary, in the sense that issues of confidentiality, we cannot necessarily determine or predict that an issue that may arise as far as that sector is concerned, which may be very confidential, and with sub- committees, it is not a matter of necessarily having members who have already been sworn in but you may have technical expertise and all.
I think if I critically listened to the position of the Chairman, that probably, is what he is driving at. And these may bring out some inherent matters that may border on confidentiality and if these people are not conscious of the fact that they are under oath, they may not, being Members of Parliament or members of that committee, go out there and divulge information that may turn to impinge on the forward march of that particular issue or matter.
It is from this angle that I am of the view that probably, though it has not been a convention, it is an innovation that we can look at depending on the particular sub-committee that is being formed and the exigencies of the time.
Mr Speaker, I would propose that we admit this amendment.
Thank you.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:55 p.m.
Hon Members, having regard to the state of business in the House, I direct that Sitting be held outside the prescribed period.
I will put the Question.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
[Only Hon Muntaka voted against the amendment].
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:55 p.m.
Oh, -- [Laughter] -- Hon Muntaka, you have become a lone ranger? [Laughter.]There is nothing wrong with that because you may be right and the whole world may be wrong.

This is a very interesting discussion and I was just looking at the Company's Act today and I think, sections 200 and 201, which talk of the Board, and committees of the Board, and the power of the Board to delegate powers and it is interesting -- If you ask, I will say that, both sides of the argument make a lot of sense.

First of all, the argument so brilliantly put up by my Friend, the Hon Member for Keta (Hon Quashigah) that there may be some matters that may border on secrecy and if the committee members have not been sworn-in, they may be able to as it were, not be bound by anything.

As the Deputy Majority Leader said, we go and have meetings and when it reaches a point, you say that some people must go out. And I just thought about it, maybe, because they have not been sworn to secrecy, so, they must leave.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:55 p.m.
Chairman of the Committee, Bear in mind Standing Order 129 (c). [Laughter.]
Alhaji Sorogho 1:55 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 14 -- delete and insert subclause 1 to 7.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:55 p.m.
I think this is so long but I will give you the opportunity to read it, so that we would follow it.
Alhaji Sorogho 1:55 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for giving me that dispensation.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 14 delete and insert the following 1:55 p.m.


“Appointment of Chief Executive Officer to administer the affairs of the Fund

14. (1) The President shall in accordance with article 195 of the Constitution appoint for the Fund a Chief Executive Officer.

(2) The Chief Executive Officer is responsible to the Board in the performance of functions of the Chief Executive Officer.

(3) The Chief Executive Officer shall hold office on the terms and conditions specified in the letter of appointment.

(4) The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for the day to day administration of the affairs of the Fund and the performance of the Fund under this Act.

(5) The Chief Executive Officer is the Secretary to the Board

(6) The Chief Executive Officer shall perform other functions related to the Fund determined by the Board.

(7) The Chief Executive Officer may delegate a function to an officer of the Fund but shall not be relieved of the ultimate responsibility for the performance of the delegated function.”
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:55 p.m.
Yes, Hon Members? [Pause.]

Hon Muntaka, clause 14 (3)? We have this letter of appointment --
Alhaji Sorogho 2:05 p.m.
This is a convention that almost all the Boards and institutions talk of letters of appointment.
Alhaji Muntaka 2:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I find it very difficult to believe that we would want to create an office of the Chief Executive Officer just to manage the Fund, looking at other agencies that this Ministry has. Mr Speaker, with the greatest respect, this Fund is just about 20 per cent of the royalty and with that, one creates a whole Chief Executive Office, with all that it takes to create an office just to manage a Fund.
I am tempted to believe that, even if we do not want to add that to the functions of the Chief Director as the original Bill envisaged, I believe that there are so many agencies within that Ministry which are already dealing with the mining sector that could be given additional responsi-bility to do this.
Mr Speaker, we need to be careful about creating another bureaucracy when the object of the Fund itself is to be able to deal with the challenges of communities where these activities are going on.
Now, we are going to create another office that would come with office building, vehicles and a lot of things. By the time you realise, the chunk of this money would have to be used to maintain this office.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
Hon Yieleh Chireh, are you rising on a point of order? -- [Interruption.]
Alhaji Muntaka 2:05 p.m.
What the original Bill is proposing, is to safeguard, with the greatest of respect, the tendency of abuse or the waste of those resources.
That is why it is given to an existing office to be an additional responsibility that would not have to feed so much on the Fund. But with the one we are trying to propose in the Hon Chairman's amendment, I am reluctant to say that we would be spending so much of the Fund just to maintain it and I think we can look at a better alternative.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
Hon O. B. Amoah?
Mr O. B. Amoah 2:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in the first place, I would want to know whether the Chief Executive Officer is a member of the Board of Directors. Then, we are back to this issue of recommending that the Chief Executive Officer should be Secretary to the Board.
We have come across such proposals and this House rejected them. Just recently, in the Youth Employment Agency Bill, the issue came up and the House agreed that, indeed, if we want a Secretary to the Board, we should appoint a Secretary to the Board. We do not make the Chief Executive Officer of an institution Secretary to its Board. He is a member of a Board. If he is part of the Board, he does not end up being Secretary to the Board.
We have crossed this path. So, I am surprised that there is this proposal that the Chief Executive Officer, under clause 14 (5) should also be Secretary to the Board.
Apart from the fact that he needs to be told whether indeed, the Chief Executive Officer is a member of the Board, I think that the proposal that he should be Secretary to the Board should be rejected because this House has decided on numerous occasions that we should separate the work of Secretary to the Board from the office of the Chief Executive of a particular institution.
Mr Chireh 2:05 p.m.
Thank you Mr Speaker.
I think that, there is the need to establish the Fund, then an administrator of the Fund. That is why they are calling “Chief Execut ive”, whether i t i s appropriate --
But once you establish a Fund, you must have an administrator and it must be a full time job. This is because if you look at the functions -- the disbursement and all that, it is like the Office of the Administrator of Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) or the Distr ict Assemblies Common Fund. So, you need a full time person who needs to be interacting and would advise.
The argument that my Hon Colleague, Mr O. B. Amoah is making, this is not an authority we are creating. This is a Fund we are creating.
When you create a Fund, you need an administrator to be the one who -- If it is a formula, as you see in clause 21, we have not reached there yet. But if you read clause 21, it is the recommendation the person would be making. In fact, there is absolutely no need to give the job to another officer who is already burdened, particularly a Chief Director. It has to stand alone.
If you look at the mining in this country and the minerals that we are thinking about, if we are establishing a Fund to facilitate the development of mining, we need a full time Chief Executive who should be able to do this.
Whether he should be a Secretary to the Board, it is not the issue. -- [Interruption] -- It is not the Board. This is a Fund. It is not an Authority that we are creating a Board to manage. It is a Fund and just like all the --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
Hon Yieleh Chireh, so, the GETFund has an administrator. Is that what you are saying? The GETFund and the District Assemblies Common Fund have

So, what happens to the Road Fund?
Mr Chireh 2:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, what I am saying is that we do not need to mention, say, “administrator” but the role he is playing here is that of an administrator.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
I agree. What about the Road Fund?
Mr Chireh 2:05 p.m.
The title does not really matter.
Mr Chireh 2:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, please, there are differences. I am talking about development.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
I would be grateful if you answered the question.
Mr Chireh 2:05 p.m.
That?
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
Who administers the Road Fund?
Mr Chireh 2:05 p.m.
There is a Fund Manager.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
The Road Fund?
Mr Chireh 2:05 p.m.
Yes. There is a Road Fund Manager -- [Interruption.] -- He is under the Hon Minister but all the moneys that go, he liaises with the Minister for Finance to administer the funds. [Interruption] -- He makes the recommendation -- [Interruption] -- No! The Hon Minister for Lands and Natural Resources would still be the one who would oversee this institution.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
Hon Yieleh Chireh, do not worry. The points that you have made are valid. They make a lot of sense. So, we are not trying to throw you off your --
I am just wondering. I understood the first point you made. We have Funds and we have managers of Funds. But then I also thought about the Road Fund. So, I was just asking what happens to the Road Fund. That is all I was asking.
Yes, Hon Muntaka?
Alhaji Muntaka 2:05 p.m.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
If you look at the memorandum --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
Can you help us with the Road Fund? Is there an administrator?
Alhaji Muntaka 2:05 p.m.
I know that it is under the direction of the Hon Minister, even on a month to month basis. That is what I know. I am not sure what is in the Road Fund Act.
But Mr Speaker, if you look at the memorandum that accompanies this Bill, it says that this Fund was administratively created in 1992.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
Yes.
Alhaji Muntaka 2:05 p.m.
It would be very useful if the Hon Minister could provide us with some information that would help us to decide whether it should be managed by an administrative officer or it should be managed by [Inaudible] -- Because since 1992, that is about 23 years, how has that Fund been managed? Because I know --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:05 p.m.
This is by the Minerals Commission. [Interruption.] -- Yes. That is what it says. Then, it says that subsequently, the Office of the administrator of Stool Lands. It is there.
Alhaji Muntaka 2:15 p.m.
Minerals Commission has a Chief Executive. Aside that, we would want to get a rough projection of how much that Fund is able to gather annually. This is because the administrative cost is something that we should be very concerned with.
It may be true that we have created GETFund, National Health Insurance Fund, Road Fund and what have you, in line with the earlier comments, we can change to how we do things.
Mr Speaker, I feel very strongly that, this particular Fund, I would differ that we should not create someone to manage it but let us look at the existing structure currently, since it has been managed for the past 23 years and try to strengthen it but not to create another bureaucracy that would be feeding so much on the Fund.
Mr Speaker, I would want some further information from the Hon Minister, maybe, that would help me to change my mind. But for now, I insist that the current arrangement by the Minerals Commission should continue, so that we can strengthen it by putting safeguard measures to pluck in all the loopholes.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:15 p.m.
It is not administered by the Minerals Commission. It is administered by the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands. After they have distr ibuted some money, the remainder is administered by the Ministry of Finance. That is what the Explanatory Memorandum to the Bill states.
It started from the Minerals Com- mission, moved to the Administrator of Stool Lands, then the remainder is done by the Ministry of Finance.
Alhaji Muntaka 2:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, can I further add this?
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:15 p.m.
I thought you were going to say that you have had the privilege of being a Chief Executive before.
Alhaji Muntaka 2:15 p.m.
No! I have not been a Chief Executive before, but the cost of running those offices are very high.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:15 p.m.
Hon Chairman, what is your pleasure?
Alhaji Sorogho 2:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I have listened very attentively to all the arguments that have been put by my Hon Colleagues.
Mr Speaker, I do not know whether they still have the Bill. This is because it is a long time and we are all just speaking to the Order Paper and the Committee's Report.
Mr Speaker, but if they take the Bill and read critically, the rationale is simple. The proposed amendment -- As it is now, the
clause places the responsibility of the day to day administration on the Chief Director, who is already overburdened. So, what - - [Interruption] -- Please, when he was speaking, I was quiet.
Mr Speaker, what the proposed amendment seeks to do is that, in view of the busy schedule of the Chief Director, the Committee proposed the amendment for the appointment of a substantive Chief Executive Officer of the Fund.
Mr Speaker, the Tourism Development Levy, which is even small in terms of quantum, here in this very House, we created an administrator and a Chief Executive to administer the Fund. The Bill was passed into law here. [Interruption] -- So, you have changed your mind now.
Mr Speaker, I do not think we need to talk a lot about this. It is very important that we insulate the Fund.
Mr Speaker, you were talking about the Road Fund. There are several problems. It is out of these problems that your Committee thinks that we should not fall into the same ditch. That is why these amendments are being proposed, Mr Speaker. So, I think that -- [Interruption] -- His intention is to stand it down; he should keep quite, so that we make progress.
Mr Speaker, we think this is something that must stand. The amendment must be allowed to go; it is very important. The Fund must be independent -- so that they can work. The Mineral's Development Fund is supposed to develop the minerals sector.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:15 p.m.
Hon Deputy Majority Leader, do you have a point of order?
Mr Agbesi 2:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to contribute.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:15 p.m.
Hon Deputy Majority Leader, you can contribute.
Mr Agbesi 2:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in view of the controversy, particularly when the Hon Majority Chief Whip is not agreeing with the Hon Chairman, I would want to suggest that we stand this clause down, so that we look at the other ones and come back to it.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:15 p.m.
I was minded not to stand anything down, but the Hon Majority Chief Whip is at complete odds with the Hon Chairman. So, they should confer with each other.
I do not think that we would complete this Bill today. So, let us do everything and go as fast as possible. Then, by tomorrow, they would have married their differences.
Alhaji Sorogho 2:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, if we go further, it would become clearer why there is the need for even the Fund to be established.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:15 p.m.
So, let us go further.
Alhaji Sorogho 2:15 p.m.
When we go further, when the percentages are changing, the Minerals Commission themselves are beneficiaries and they also have a percentage; then it becomes the reason we must have an independent body to administer it.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:15 p.m.
Thank you.
So, further consideration of clause 14 is deferred.

Clause 15 -- Appointment of other staff.
Alhaji Sorogho 2:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 15, subclause (2), line 1, delete “and” and insert “or”.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Alhaji Sorogho 2:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause15, add the following new subclause:
“(3) Other public officers may be seconded to the Fund or otherwise give assistance to it”.
If you want the rationale, I would give it to you.
rose
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:15 p.m.
Hon O. B. Amoah?
Mr O. B. Amoah 2:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I really do not understand what is being proposed that:--
“Other public officers may be seconded to the Fund or otherwise give assistance to it.”
What does it mean to give assistance to the Fund as a public officer?
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:15 p.m.
Consult to understand.
Mr O. B. Amoah 2:15 p.m.
I do not understand it.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:15 p.m.
Maybe, you are not seconded full time, but you can be instructed to give some professional --
Alhaji Sorogho 2:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I do not think it would do any harm to the intended amendment if we take that one off. The reason was that, as you are aware, there is an institution that is playing that role. So, there are officers who are already there; we could second them. It is not only seconding them to be permanent workers but at times, you may need somebody from there to assist and give guidance to them.
I do not think it would cause any harm if we take the further amendment, “Other officers to give assistance to…” I would have wished that we allowed it to stay.
Alhaji Muntaka 2:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, all I wanted to ask the Hon Chairman is that, if it is not captured in the law, does it mean that people cannot be seconded?
No! A number of times, it is not in the law but one is able to second people. Sometimes, the challenge we have is that, if we try to legislate everything, we create further problems. This is because once it is a public institution, people can be seconded. We do not need to state it in the law, let alone create all this controversy; much more, talk about giving assistance and now, we are arguing about the construction of the sentence.
Mr Speaker, when this Bill for the establishment of this institution is passed, officers can be seconded to this institution without necessarily stating it in the law.
So, I would want to plead with the Hon Chairman to abandon the amendment, so that we would make progress.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Alhaji Sorogho 2:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I find it very difficult to abandon that amendment and the reason is simple. This is not the first time we are doing this. In a lot of the institutions that are already in existence, when officers are moving to another stage, it depends upon who sees your face and who wants you.
So, Mr Speaker, it is to give security to those who are already working before that institution is -- [Interruptions.] -- No! It is there. So, secondment from wherever they are. What would it spoil if it is there?
Mr O. B. Amoah 2:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, if indeed, the rationale is to give security, then this is not how he put it -- “Other public officers may be seconded…”
If it is “may'”, then why is he saying that he is giving security to anybody? Then he goes on to say “Or otherwise give assistance to it”.
Is he referring to the security?
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:25 p.m.
Hon Members, there is a standard clause but this is not it. There is a clause that when you are changing from one institution -- for example, the transition provisions. That is, for example, when the Economic Organised Crime Office (EOCO) emerged out of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), there was a clause; this is not the clause. Let us defer it. I have deferred it.
Clause 16 -- Establishment of the Mining Community Development Scheme.
Alhaji Sorogho 2:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 16, delete and insert the following:
“16. (1) There is established by this Act a Mining Community Development Scheme for each mining community.
“(2) Where before the commencement of this Act a Mining Community Development Scheme exists in a mining community that Scheme shall be deemed to be a scheme established under subsection
(1).”
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:25 p.m.
Hon Chairman of Committee, the clause 16 (2), these are the transitional provisions we are talking about, which deal with existing schemes, existing employees.
As we speak, it is there in the existence of this Fund -- Does the Minerals Development Fund exist?
Alhaji Sorogho 2:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, there are community schemes that are already existing between the mining companies and those communities. So, if you do not take that into consideration and you pass this new one as if they have not been recognised, there can be frictions.
To clear this friction, you just say that, “all those who were there are deemed to have been, when the law is passed”. It is the same thing.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:25 p.m.
Hon Chairman, this Mining Community Development Scheme that you are referring to here -- We are not talking about the Scheme between the mining companies and the mining communities. That is a private arrangement.
We are talking about a State sponsored scheme. I stand corrected. I am just wondering.
Yes, Hon Minister.
You know the mining companies have their corporate social responsibilities with
the mining communities? Is that what you are talking about when we say, “our Mining Communities Development Scheme”?
Nii Osah Mills: Mr Speaker, what I intended to do actually is to confer -- If you could give me a minute.
Thank you.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:25 p.m.
Thank you.
I did not think this was by law we were making provisions for the schemes that Ashanti Gold and all those other mining companies already have with the areas they are operating in. Those are their own corporate social responsibility but we are talking about a Mining Community Development Scheme which is funded through a Minerals Development Fund established by statutes.
Alhaji Sorogho 2:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, part of the Fund is supposed to be shared among various mining communities.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:25 p.m.
Yes.
Alhaji Sorogho 2:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, there are already existing schemes. Under this Fund, there is one big scheme which is going to take charge of all these and we are saying that, if you do not do that -- It says, the proposed amendment is to clarify the provision and also provide for the inclusion of existing Mining Community Development Schemes into the ones to be established now under this Act.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:25 p.m.
Fine. Thank you.
The Hon Minister says, he is checking. Should we let the Hon Minister check or we should put the Question now?
Alhaji Muntaka 2:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to find out from the Hon Chairman of the Committee, whether it would not be better to state in the law, that “they would establish these schemes in mining communities” rather than to say, “by the passage of this law, every mining community should have a scheme”.
This is because from experience, when we were doing the National Health Insurance, we thought that every district must have one.
Mr Speaker, the controversy and the difficulties -- We had to come back to this House to then say that, no, the authority would open these things as and when they find it necessary. It gives them space and time to be able to develop them gradually.
This is because the moment we pass this law, the next day, if there is any community that currently does not have a scheme, it would be a legitimate battle for them to go to court. You would be putting unnecessary pressure on the Fund even without giving them space to organise the scheme properly.
So, yes, the ultimate aim is to get every mining community to have a scheme but please, give those there, the authority or the governing Board space to be able to carry this scheme instead of [Interruption]-- But when you state it as you are proposing, it means that, immediately, every community that there is a mining activity, must have a scheme.
That is your objective in the law. But if you put it this way, you are not giving the opportunity for it to be created. It would just spring up and then you would have a lot of challenges.
I say so because, Mr Chairman -- Listen to what you are saying:
16 (1) “There is established by this Act a Mining Community Development Scheme for each mining community.”
That is why we are saying, -- We are talking from experience. When we pass another Bill and the consequences of it, we have to rush it back to this House; it just creates the breaks. So, let us look at it, whether you do not want to further amend this.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:25 p.m.
As we wait for the Minister --
Yes, Hon Member?
Mr Kwasi Amoako-Attah 2:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I share the position of the Chairman, that this amendment must stay, in the sense that I think the intention of the scheme is to deal with problems that might crop up as a result of the mining activities.
This is because mining in any community could create health and environmental problems. That is the purpose of making sure that in every community where mining is being undertaken, automatically and by law, there must be a scheme in place that would benefit that community, so that should any health or environmental issue crop up, because of the existence of the scheme, the Board would find it necessary to extend that facility to the community.
So, the rendition of the amendment makes it more or less automatic, that any community where mining takes place, comes into the scheme and it must be compulsory.
Mr Speaker, this is because with the highest respect, if anybody has got the opportunity to visit any mining community to witness the level of destruction that goes on -- water pollution, land degradation and others,
they have serious implications on the people living in that community and if we should come out with a law that would not make it mandatory for that community to benefit from any scheme, we may be doing great harm to the people in that community.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:35 a.m.
Hon Quashigah, then Hon Member for Akatsi South.
Mr Richard M. Quarshigah 2:35 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to believe that if you are talking about a mining community, we must be specific. Specifically, we must be referring to a community where mining activities are taking place, whether it is at a very infant stage.
I think that the reasons that the Hon Member who spoke before me alluded to, comes to the fore, in that if we are just going to make it a bit generic, indefinite, that the “mining community …”. I think that if it is left to the discretion of the Ministry or the Fund to determine it, could create a problem.
So, as long as some mining activities are taking place in any community, irrespective of even the level, I think this scheme should apply. Even if it is an exploration, we are going to have a situation where the environment would be impacted on negatively, positively or whatever. So, that scheme, right from the beginning, must exist.
We ought to think about it. It must not be left to the preserve of certain group that would determine that these people would need this scheme and other people would not need it.
I think it is in that vein that I agree that the “each mining community” should stand.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr O. B. Amoah 2:35 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I believe we have two challenges here. One is the obvious challenge of whether or not going further, we should agree to membership of such community schemes. Secondly, the more fundamental one is, if we refer to clause 30 on page 8 of the Order Paper Addendum -- Proposed amendment - it reads and Mr Speaker, I beg to read:
“. . . mining community means a community determined by the Board to have been impacted on by mining activity.”
So, it is not automatic. The Board would have to determine what a mining community is by this Interpretation and that means a community where there has been an impact by a mining activity. So, we cannot make it blanket by saying that the moment this Bill is passed, then the Community Development Scheme would be established. This is because we are going further to say that the Board should determine that this is a mining community.
So, it is not blanket that the moment the Bill is passed, every mining community should have a community scheme. It is the Board which would even determine by this insertion and addition what we want to make.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:35 a.m.
Thank you very much.
There is no problem with different views being expressed. We will resolve it by vote.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Clause 16 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 17 -- Object of the Scheme
Alhaji Sorogho 2:35 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 17, line 1, delete “provide for” and insert “facilitate”. [Interruption.]
Mr Speaker, the two have been finished.
Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka 2:35 a.m.
-- rose --
Alhaji Sorogho 2:35 a.m.
Do you want us to stop here?
Clause 17 is not controversial; it is to clarify the provision. The object of the Mining Community Development Scheme is to facilitate the socioeconomic development of the mining communities.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Clause 17 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:35 a.m.
Yes, Hon Deputy Majority Leader, I have been informed that you have news for me.
Mr Agbesi 2:35 a.m.
Mr Speaker, we have the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) scheduled to brief the House. So, we would want to end the Consideration Stage and continue next time.
rose
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:35 a.m.
Yes, Hon O. B. Amoah?
Mr O. B. Amoah 2:35 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I thought we had an understanding with the Leadership that we should move Motion numbered 7 because today is the final day for the Legislative Instrument (L.I.) to come into force and if we do not move it
-- 2:35 a.m.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:35 a.m.
Then let us bring the Consideration Stage to an end and then we can discuss other matters.
Hon Members, that brings us to the end of the Consideration Stage on the Minerals Development Fund Bill, 2014 for today.
Thank you.
Hon O. B. Amoah, the point that you made, I would be grateful if you raise it again.
Mr Agbesi 2:35 a.m.
Item 7 on the main Order Paper.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:35 a.m.
Hon Chairman of the Committee, item number 7 on the original Order Paper?
MOTIONS 2:35 a.m.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Osei B. Amoah) 2:35 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 80 (1) which require that no Motion shall be debated until at least forty-eight hours have elapsed between the date on which notice of the Motion is given and the date on which the Motion is moved, the Motion for the adoption of the Report of the Committee on Subsidiary Legislation on the Local Government (Sub-Metropolitan District Councils of Metropolitan Assemblies) (Establishment, Composition and Functions) Instrument, 2015 may be moved today.
Mr Charles Obeng-Inkoom 2:35 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Item 8 - Hon Chairman of Committee?
Report on Local Government (Sub- Metropolitan District Councils of
Metropolitan Assemblies) (Establishment, Composition and
Functions) Instrument, 2015
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Osei. B. Amoah) 2:35 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Committee on Subsidiary Legislation on the Local Government (Sub-Metropolitan District Councils of Metropolitan Assemblies) (Establishment, Composition and Functions) Instrument,
2015.
Introduction
The Local Government (Sub- Metropolitan Distr ict Councils of Metropolitan Assemblies) (Establishment, Composition and Functions) Instrument, 2015 (L.l. 2223) was laid before Parliament on Tuesday, 27th October, 2015 in accordance with article 11(7) of the Constitution. Pursuant to Orders 77 and 166 of the Standing Orders of Parliament, Mr Speaker referred the Instrument to the Subsidiary Legislation Committee for consideration and report.
Reference documents
The Committee referred to the under- listed documents during its deliberations:
i. The 1992 Constitution
ii.The Standing Orders of Parliament
iii. Local Government Act, 1993 (Act
462)
iv. Local Government (Sub- Metropolitan District Councils of Metropolitan Assemblies) (Establishment, Composition and Functions) Instrument, 2015 (L.l. 2223)
Deliberations
The Committee met with the Hon Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Alhaji Collins Dauda and a technical team from the Ministry. Officials from the Attorney- General's Department were also in attendance. The Committee is grateful to them for their attendance and inputs.
Background information
In 2004, the Third Parliament enacted the Local Government (Accra Metro- politan Assembly) (Establishment) (Amendment) Instrument, 2004 (L.l. 1804), the Local Government (Kumasi Metro- politan Assembly) (Establishment) (Amendment) Instrument, 2004 (L.l. 1805) and Local Government (Shama-Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly) (Establish- ment) (Amendment) Instrument, 2004 (L.l.
1806).
These Instruments sought to amend the structure, composition and functions of the Sub- Metropolitan District Councils of the affected Metropolitan Assemblies and revoked the analogous provisions in the earlier Instruments establishing those Metropolitan Assemblies. However, since the Instruments were enacted, their implementation has been impossible.
In view of the fact that, L.l. 1804, 1805 and 1806 revoked the analogous regulations in the original Instruments establishing those Metropolitan Assemblies, they cannot be used to establish new Sub-Metropolitan District Councils because they cease to have effect.
As an interim measure, the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development directed the affected Metropolitan Assemblies to allow staff of the Sub- Metropolitan District Councils to manage affairs pending the enactment of new legislation.

Observations

The object of L.l. 2223 therefore, is to revoke the Legislative Instruments on the Sub-Metropolitan District Councils of Accra, Kumasi and Shama-Ahanta East, among others, and enact a single new Instrument for the six existing Metro- politan Assemblies, that is, Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi, Tamale, Tema and Cape Coast to make for uniformity and consistency in the structure of their Sub- Metropolitan District Councils.

The Committee observed that the Local Government (Accra Metropolitan Assembly) (Establishment) (Amendment) Instrument, 2004 (L.l. 1804), the Local Government (Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly) (Establishment) (Amendment) Instrument, 2004 (L.l.1805) and Local Government (Shama-Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly) (Establishment) (Amendment) Instrument, 2004 (L.l. 1806) sought to establish an Executive Committee of a Sub-Metropolitan Assembly, which appears to be in contravention of the law.

The Committee noted that the new L.l. 2223 seeks to establish Sub-Metropolitan District Councils for six (6) Metropolitan District Councils namely, Accra, Cape Coast, Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi, Tamale and Tema. The Committee also noted that Metropolitan Assemblies require District Assemblies for the effective and efficient running of the districts.

The Committee further observed that the Instrument provides for the membership of the Sub-Metropolitan District Councils, which consists of not less than fifteen and not more than twenty members. The Instrument also empowers each Council to retain not less than fifty per cent of the rates, taxes, licence fees

and other revenues collected by the Council on behalf of the Assembly in the Sub-Metropolitan District.

Conclusion

The Committee has carefully examined the Local Government (Sub-Metropolitan Distr ict Councils of Metropolitan Assemblies) (Establishment, Composition and Functions) Instrument, 2015 (L.l. 2223) and is of the considered view that the Regulations do not contravene the provisions of the Constitution, Order 166 (3) of the Standing Orders of Parliament and the Local Government Act, 1993 (Act 462) which served as a reference guide to the Committee.

The Committee accordingly recommends to the House that the Local Government (Sub-Metropolitan District Councils of Metropolitan Assemblies) (Establishment, Composition and Functions) Instrument, 2015 (L.l. 2223) should come into force at the expiration of twenty-one Sitting days as provided for under article 11(7) (C) of the 1992 Constitution.

Respectfully submitted.
Mr Charles Obeng-Inkoom 2:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
It is straightforward.
I have taken the advice from the able Hon Deputy Minority Leader. I have read his lips and what he said was that, it is straightforward. So, I will put the Question.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
Yes, Hon Majority Chief Whip?
Alhaji Muntaka 2:45 p.m.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
As it was programmed last week, that today, Tuesday, 8th of December, the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) would meet this House in the Committee of the Whole to brief us on the Forty-Year Development Plan. It was scheduled for 2.00 o'clock and they have been here since 2.00 o'clock. We would be grateful if you could suspend the House for the Committee of the Whole.
But Mr Speaker, because of peculiarity of this presentation, we would want the Press to be allowed to stay in and cover the presentation that would be done by the National Development Planning Commission.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
Hon Members, then, I would adjourn the House. I would not suspend Sitting.
Hon Members, the Clerk-at-the-Table has advised me. I am happy it is an advice, and not an instruction.
We can move into a Committee of the Whole, and come back to adjourn.
Is there any business other than this business or could we adjourn and move into the Committee of the Whole?
Alhaji Muntaka 2:45 p.m.
Mr Speaker, with the greatest of respect, if you adjourn, it means that the proceedings of the House and its recordings come to an end. But because we are moving into the Committee of the Whole, it is part of the Chamber work. It is just another way of proceedings.
Mr Speaker, I would be grateful if you do not adjourn the House, but constitute us into the Committee of the Whole. Even though we might not have any business after that, after the Committee of the Whole, we would then be in your hands for adjournment.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
Hon Muntaka, you know I have a soft spot for you. Even though I disagree with you, I will take your advice.
Alhaji Muntaka 2:45 p.m.
I am very grateful, Mr Speaker.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
So, the House is thereby ordered to move into the Committee of the Whole. The Press as well as our friends in the Public Gallery are invited to remain and observe proceedings.
Thank you very much.
2.48 p.m. -- Sitting suspended.
4. 20 p.m -- Sitting resumed.
MR SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:45 p.m.
Hon Members, the House is accordingly adjourned till tomorrow at 10 o'clock in the forenoon or so thereafter as we shall convene.
Thank you.
ADJOURNMENT 2:45 p.m.