Debates of 13 Jul 2018

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:42 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:42 a.m.
Mr Speaker 10:42 a.m.
Hon Members, item numbered 2 -- Correction of Votes and Proceedings and the Official Report.
Correction of Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, 12th July, 2018.
Page 1, 2, 3 … 10 --
Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah 10:42 a.m.
Mr Speaker, on page 10, under item numbered 9, the Hon Majority Leader and the Hon Minority Leader paid tribute in memory of the late Mr J. H. Mensah.
Mr Speaker, but the sequence here means that the tributes were paid before I moved the Motions listed as items 10, 11 and 12.
Mr Speaker, I recall that you were in the Chair when I moved the Motions, so items 10, 11 and 12 took place before we paid tribute to the late Mr J. H. Mensah.
Mr Speaker, even the item numbered 8 says that you withdrew from the Chair for the Hon First Deputy Speaker to take over, but you were in the Chair when the Motions were moved.
Mr Speaker 10:42 a.m.
Hon Member, thank you very much.
  • [No correction was made to the Official Report of Wednesday, 27th June, 2018.]
    • Mr Speaker 10:42 a.m.
    Hon Members, item listed 3 -- Business Statement for the Tenth Week.
    Hon Chairman of the Business Com- mittee --
    BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 10:42 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 10:42 a.m.
    Arrangement of Business
    Formal Communications by the Speaker
    Mr Speaker, you may read any available communication to the House.
    Question(s)
    Mr Speaker, the Business Committee has scheduled the following Ministers to respond to Questions asked of them during the week:
    No. of Ouestion(s)
    i. Minister for Health -- 2
    ii. Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources -- 3
    iii. Minister for Railways Development -- 2
    iv. Minister for Education -- 5
    v. Minister for the Interior -- 2
    vi. Minister for Trade and Industry -- 1
    vii. Minister for Special Development Initiatives -- 1
    viii. Minister for Roads and Highways -- 2
    ix. Minister for Aviation -- 2
    x. Minister for Finance -- 2
    Total number of Questions -- 22
    Mr Speaker, ten (10) Ministers are expected to attend upon the House to respond to twenty-two (22) Questions during the week. The Questions are of the following types:
    i. Urgent --3;
    ii. Oral --19
    Statements
    Mr Speaker, pursuant to Order 70(2), Ministers of State may be permitted to make Statements of Government policy. Statements duly admitted by Mr Speaker
    may be made in the House by Hon Members in accordance with Order 72.
    Mr Speaker, the Business Committee, however, recommends that Statements that are neither of urgent nature nor commemorative of important national/ international events should not be permitted, to enable the House deal with the tall order of business which require the attention of the House.
    Bills, Papers and Reports
    Mr Speaker, Bills may be presented to the House for First Reading in accordance
    Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 10:42 a.m.
    with Order 120. However, those of urgent nature may be taken through the various stages in one day in accordance with Order 119.
    Pursuant to Order 75, Papers for presentation to the House may be placed on the Order Paper for laying. Committee Reports may also be presented to the House for consideration.
    Right to Information Bill, 2018
    Mr Speaker, the Business Committee wishes to inform Hon Members that the Consideration Stage of the Right to Information Bill, 2018 has begun in earnest, and as indicated last week, much attention would be given to it during the week under consideration.
    Again, Hon Members who intend or have filed proposed amendments to the Bill are encouraged to continuously participate fully in the winnowing process of same when called upon to do so when the need arises.
    Loans and other Agreements
    Mr Speaker, again, as indicated in last week's Business Statement, greater attention would still be given to the Consideration Stage of the Right to Information Bill, 2018. However, the House would endeavour to consider and approve loans and other agreements pending before the House.
    Motions and Resolutions
    Mr Speaker, Motions may be debated and their consequential Resolutions, if any, taken during the week.
    Mid-Year Fiscal Review
    Mr Speaker, on Thursday, 19th July 2018, the Hon Minister for Finance is ex- pected to move a Motion for the adoption of the Mid-Year Fiscal Review of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2018 Financial Year.
    The House is expected to debate the Motion and take it through the other stages of approval in due course.
    Submission of Parliamentary Business
    Mr Speaker, again, having regard to the exigencies of the time, the Committee is urging the various MDA's to submit their business which require parliamentary approval before next week ends for the expeditious consideration of same by the House.
    Payments into the National Health Insurance Fund
    Mr Speaker, the Business Committee has programmed the Hon Minister for Finance to attend upon the House on Friday, 20th July, 2018 to brief Parliament on levies paid into the National Health Insurance Fund, pursuant to section 52(2) of the National Health Insurance Act,2012 (Act 852).
    Sitting of the House on Mondays/ Extended Sittings
    Mr Speaker, despite Order 40(2), the Business Committee again recommends the inclusion of Mondays to the Sitting days of the House for the remainder of this Second Meeting. Consequent upon the adoption of this recommendation, the House would be expected to Sit on (i) Monday, 16th July 2018; and (ii) Monday, 23rd July 2018.
    This prior information to Hon Members is to enable them plan their activities in order to avail themselves on the stipulated days for the transaction of parliamentary business.
    Furthermore, depending on the state of business for each day, the House may extend Sitting beyond the 2:00 p.m. stipulated in Order 40(2).
    Mr Speaker, the House is expected to adjourn sine die on Thursday, 26th July
    2018.
    Conclusion
    Mr Speaker, in accordance with Standing Order 160(2) and subject to Standing Order 53, the Committee submits to this Honourable House the order in which the Business of the House shall be taken during the week under considera- tion.

    Statements

    Presentation of Papers --

    (a) Findings and Status of Imple- mentation of recommendations contained in Auditor-General's Report for 2016 in the prescribed format for the Ministry of the Interior.

    (b) Report of the Committee on Communications on the African Union Convention on Cyber- Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo Convention).

    (c) Report of the Auditor-General on the Consolidated Annual Ac- counts of Government for the

    Financial Year Ended 31st December, 2017.

    (d) Report of the Auditor-General on the Management and Utilisation of District Assemblies' Common Fund and Other Statutory Funds for the Year Ended 31st December,

    2017.

    (e) Report of the Auditor-General on the Public Accounts of Ghana, Ministries, Department and Other Agencies (MDAs) for the Financial Year Ended 31st December, 2017.

    (f) Report of the Auditor-General on the Accounts of District Assem- blies for the Financial Year Ended 31st December, 2017.

    Consideration Stage of Bills --

    Right to Information Bill, 2018. (Continuation of Consideration)

    Committee Sittings.

    Tuesday, 17™ July 2018

    Urgent Questions --

    Mr Thomas Nyarko Ampem (Asuogyaman) To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry has conducted a thorough investigation into the injections at Senchi Health Post, which is alleged to have led to loss of lives, and what steps are being taken to ensure that it never happens again.

    Questions --

    *425. Mr Ras Mubarak (Kumbungu): To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry has plans to bring an amendment to Parliament in relation to the Coroners Act that
    Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 10:42 a.m.
    would take into consideration people's faith, some of which require that loved ones be buried within 24 hours after death.
    *400. Dr Mark Kurt Nawaane (Nabdam) To ask the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources the status of the proposed Community Water System for Pelungu in the Nabdam District.
    *401. Mr John Kwabena Bless Oti (Nkwanta North): To ask the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources the Ministry's strategies and plans towards clearing the various garbage heaps on the Agbogbloshie - Abossey Okai main road, and the Makola No. 2 Market.
    *402. Dr (Mrs) Bernice Adiku Heloo (Hohoe) To ask the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources what steps the Ministry is taking to resolve the perennial water problem in Hohoe and surrounding areas.
    *430. Mr Albert Akuka Alalzuuga (Garu) To ask the Minister for Railways Development whether the Ministry has plans to construct a railway from Kumasi through Tamale, Bolgatanga to Wa.
    *431. Mr Thomas Nyarko Ampem (Asuogyaman) To ask the Minister for Railways Development the cost implication for changing the termination point of the Accra - Akosombo railway line at Mpakadam and what informed the decision.
    Statements
    Presentation of Papers --
    (a) Report of the Finance Committee on the Ashra Export Credit Facility Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and Bank Hapoalim B.M. of Israel for a principal amount of forty million, six hundred and forty-three thousand euros (€40,643,000) to finance a turnkey project involving expansion works at the University Hospital in Legon, Ghana.
    (b) Report of the Finance Committee on the Commercial Facility Agreement between the Govern- ment of the Republic of Ghana and Bank Hapoalim B.M. of Israel for an amount of six million, five hundred and twenty thousand euros (€6,520,000) to finance a turnkey project involving expan- sion works at the University Hospital in Legon, Ghana.
    (c) Report of the Committee on Health on the Commercial Agreement (Engineering, Pro- curement and Construction Agreement) between the Govern- ment of the Republic of Ghana (Ministry of Health) and Engineering, Development and Construction Ltd. (EDC) for an amount of forty million, five hundred thousand euros (€40,500,000) for works known as Completion of University of Ghana Medical Hospital - Phase 2 under a turnkey project involving expansion works at the University Hospital in Legon, Ghana.
    Consideration Stage of Bills --
    Right to Information Bill, 2018. (Continuation of Consideration)
    Committee sittings.

    Questions --

    *315. Mr Magnus Kofi Amoatey (Yilo Krobo): To ask the Minister for Education when the uncompleted classroom blocks of the Yilo Krobo Senior High School at Somanya would be completed.

    *316. Mr Magnus Kofi Amoatey (Yilo Krobo): To ask the Minister for Education what steps the Ministry is taking to complete the GETFund funded projects that stand un- completed in the Yilo Krobo Constituency, particularly the following Basic School Projects: (i) Brukum Tsretsum (ii) Donguanor- Bisease (iii) Teapuornya (iv) Djopleminia (v) Korboe-Okumka Ahmadiya (vi) Akertebuor R. C. (vii) Tsebi-Teyi (viii) Yinase.

    *370. Mr John Majisi (Krachi Nchumuru): To ask the Minister for Education when work will resume and be completed on the following GETFund projects:

    i. 6-Unit Classroom Block at Anyinamae;

    ii. 6-Unit Classroom Block at Banda-Buya;

    iii. 3-Unit Classroom Block at Lonkolo.

    *421. Dr Mark Kurt Nawaane (Nabdam): To ask the Minister for Education whether some basic

    schools in the Nabdam District have been earmarked for rehabilitation and maintenance works in 2018.

    *422. Mr John Majisi (Krachi Nchumuru): To ask the Minister for Education when work will resume and be completed on the GETFund 6-Unit Classroom Block at Tumpunja in the Krachi Nchumuru District.

    Statements

    Motion --

    (a) Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Communications and on the African Union Convention on Cyber-Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo Convention).

    Consequential Resolution

    (b) Adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee on the Ashra Export Credit Facility Agreement between the Go- vernment of the Republic of Ghana and Bank Hapoalim B.M. of Israel for a principal amount of forty million, six hundred and forty-three thousand euros (€40,643,000) to finance a turnkey project involving expansion works at the University Hospital in Legon, Ghana.

    Consequential Resolution

    (c) Adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee on the Commercial Facility Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and Bank Hapoalim B.M. of Israel for an amount of six million, five hundred and twenty thousand euros (€6,520,000) to finance a turnkey project involving
    Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 10:42 a.m.
    expansion works at the University Hospital in Legon, Ghana.
    Consequential Resolution
    (d) Report of the Committee on Health on the Commercial Agreement (Engineering, Pro- curement and Construction Agreement) between the Govern- ment of the Republic of Ghana (Ministry of Health) and Engineering, Development and Construction Ltd. (EDC) for an amount of forty Million, five hundred thousand euros (€40, (500,000) for works known as Completion of University of Ghana Medical Hospital - Phase 2 under a turnkey project involving expansion works at the University Hospital in Legon, Ghana.
    Consequential Resolution
    Consideration Stage of Bills--
    Right to Information Bill, 2018. (Continuation of Consideration)
    Committee sittings.

    Questions --

    *428. Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza (Adaklu): To ask the Minister for the Interior the circumstances leading to the recall of the Ghana Police Unit on United Nations mission in South Sudan on sexual misconduct allegations.

    *429. Mr James Agalga (Builsa North): To ask the Minister for the Interior whether there are plans to

    implement the Arms Trade Treaty which was acceded to and ratified by Parliament in 2015.

    *427. Alhaji Inusah Abdulai Bistav Fuseini (Tamale Central): To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry what plans the Ministry has put in place to control the piracy of indigenous designs and logo of wax prints from the textile manufacturing industries which is collapsing these industries.

    Statements

    Presentation of Papers --

    Report of the Joint Committee on Mines and Energy and Finance on the Concession Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the Consortium of investors led by the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) for private sector participation in the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) with the terms of the Second Millennium Challenge Compact.

    Motions --

    Adoption of the Mid-Year Review of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2017 Financial Year.

    Consideration Stage of Bills--

    Right to Information Bill, 2018. (Continuation of Consideration)

    Committee sittings.

    Friday, 20™ July 2018

    Urgent Questions --
    Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (North Tongu) 10:42 a.m.
    To ask the Minister for Finance when the first quarter
    of the District Assemblies' Common Fund (DACF) for the 2018 Fiscal Year which is in arrears (overdue) shall be released.
    Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (North Tongu) 10:42 a.m.
    To ask the Minister for Finance what accounts for the delay in the release(s) of the District Assemblies' Common Fund (DACF) as stipulated by the 1992 Consti- tution.
    Questions --
    *420. Dr Mark Kurt Nawaane (Nabdam): To ask the Minister for Special Development Initiatives which villages in Nabdam are earmarked for dam construction in
    2018.
    *448. Mr Ali Maiga Halidu (Dormaa West): To ask the Minister for Aviation when the Sunyani Airport will be opened for public use as the closure is hampering economic activities in the region.
    *449. Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza (Adaklu): To ask the Minister for Aviation whether the Ministry and its relevant agencies are taking steps to provide adequate space for the development of an integrated bus and train terminal at the Kotoka International Airport to enhance access to the airport.
    *450. Mr Mohammed Abdul-Aziz (Mion): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways what urgent steps the Ministry is taking to prevent the Accra - Tema Motorway from becoming a full-blown slum.
    *451. Alhaji Bashir A. Fuseini Alhassan ( Sagnarigu): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways
    when the Dungu, Dungu -Yipala, Kunyevela, Gbambaya roads, which are in very bad state resulting in frequent accidents and the associated loss of lives and property, will be constructed.
    Statements --
    Briefing of Parliament by the Minister for Finance on Payments of Levies into the National Health Insurance Fund pursuant to section 52(2) of the National Health Insurance Act, 2012 (Act 852).
    Consideration Stage of Bills --
    Right to Information Bill, 2018. (Continuation of Consideration)
    Committee sittings.
    Mr Ras Mubarak 10:52 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, last week, an issue was raised on putting in place the necessary measures to ensure that Hon Members are adequately taken care of during these days of extended Sittings.
    I would encourage the Hon Majority Leader and Leader of the House to kindly take that into consideration and ensure that the necessary measures are put in place to look into the welfare of Hon Members during these extended Sittings.
    Mr Speaker 10:52 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Member for Adaklu?
    Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza 10:52 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank the Hon Deputy Majority Leader for presenting the Business Statement. I know the Hon Majority Leader is particular about this but you are more concerned about the same issue on our Research Assistants.
    Mr Speaker 10:52 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Member, any further issue?
    Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 10:52 a.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    About two weeks ago, there was a Committee of the Whole in relation to a directive that was given by the District Assemblies Common Fund Administrator.
    The Committee met and directed the Minister for Finance to give the actual releases of the Common Fund to the Committee on Local Government and Rural Development to reconcile with the provisional figures that are always publicised on the Ministry of Finance's web page.
    Since this Business Committee Report is dealing with the Business of the House ending 20th July, which I know is the penultimate week of the Meeting, till the House adjourns sine die, I think it is time we took Mr Speaker's directives very seriously.
    Would it be possible for the Hon Minister for Finance -- or has the Committee done their work? This is because, by Order 161(1), the recom- mendations of a Committee shall be presented to the House in the form of a report.
    Once the Speaker gave that directive, the House must be given a Report in the form of a recommendation, for us to be able to deal with it. That would help the House deal with the oversight function very well.
    I am just making a plea, but I am also asking the Hon Chairman of the Business Committee whether that directive has been dealt with.
    Mr Speaker 10:52 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Okudzeto Ablakwa?
    Mr Samuel O. Ablakwa 10:52 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am most grateful.
    I just want to draw the attention of the Hon Deputy Majority Leader that on page 4 of the Business Statement, item 4(iv) says;
    “Motions -- Adoption of the mid- year review of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Ghana for the 2017 financial year”.
    It should read “2018 financial year”. I believe that could be corrected.
    Mr Speaker, there is an issue with a referral you made after the Hon (Dr) Okoe Boye made a Statement on the “no-bed syndrome”. I have been following up on the matter and it appears that there is some inertia. Therefore we are hanging, so far as that referral is concerned.
    I just wanted to bring it to your attention because apparently, it looks like the Ghana Health Service said they were
    doing their own investigations. And so the Ministry of Health --
    I am referring to the referral on the “no- bed syndrome” which is a matter that is of concern to all of us and the vast majority of Ghanaians. There was a very good Statement made by Dr Okoe Boye. Mr Speaker referred the matter to the Committee on Health to take it up, but there has been no progress.
    I just wanted to bring the matter up so that we could find out exactly what the bottlenecks are so that we could make progress. This is because it looks like the situation is getting out of control and there are reports every now and then. Deaths are occurring and all of that.
    So, if Mr Speaker could lead us to offer some more direction on what should be done as a House.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Haruna Iddrisu 11:02 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you very much. I know the Hon Majority Leader takes objection to matters being raised outside the Business Statement, but I would make two comments.
    One, Hon Okudzeto has dealt with it; page 4, the correction should read 2018, for the record.
    Mr Speaker, to respond to Hon Kwame Agbodza, even before the Hon Majority Leader comes in, neither the Hon Speaker nor the Leadership should be blamed for the delay in the appointment of the Research Assistants.
    I know as a matter of record that when the Board, guided by Mr Speaker took a decision on it, the problem had to do with
    Members of Parliament not complying with the minimum requirement expected for the appointment of the Research Assistants. Let him also be informed that effective 1st July, that is the decision the Board took.
    Research Assistants are expected to commence work even as Hon Members support them in their roles as Research Assistants.
    Mr Speaker, when you come to page 5, there is briefing of Parliament by the Hon Minister for Finance on payment of levies into the National Health Insurance Fund. We have hardly seen the Hon Minister for Finance appear before this House. He operates largely through Deputy Mini- sters.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to indulge you, that henceforth, till the House rises, unless it is compelling, we would not accept a Deputy Minister standing in the stead of a Minister to answer Questions.
    Indeed, the President himself has placed a ban on foreign travel. I would like to believe it is motivated by two principal factors. One is for them to stay and engage domestically and deal with matters of the Ghanaian public at home, and to concentrate on their jobs.
    We would not accept any excuse that an Hon Minister is not able to attend before Parliament, therefore we are being persuaded to allow a Deputy Minister to stand in.
    So from now till Parliament rises, Hon Ministers must make themselves ready to appear before this House.
    Mr Speaker, finally, there are un- resolved issues. The Hon Majority Leader is doing his best on welfare matters. Hon Colleagues, again, when we go into the
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:02 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Deputy Majority Leader held the fort for me while I was away, and I had to
    seek permission from her to come and respond to the supplementary questions emanating from the presentation of the Business Statement.
    Mr Speaker, Hon Ras Mubarak raised issues about welfare. He knows what we have been doing in the course of the week. If beyond that there are any proposals from him, I would entreat him to see me and make the suggestions. We are trying to do our best under the circumstances.
    Mr Speaker, the issue of Research Assistants, the Hon Minority Leader has adequately responded to it. As I said, last week, when the Business Statement comes to be presented to the House, supple- mentary questions are to relate to the Statement.
    Yet, some people have the uncanny ability of springing forth on us, issues outside the Business Statement that is submitted to the House.
    Mr Speaker, henceforth, I would not respond to issues that do not relate to the Business Statement that is presented to Parliament.
    Mr Speaker, ever since Hon Agbodza asked the question about the Research Assistants, ever since he asked the question, he has been engaged in serious tête-à-tête with one of our own, a Lady Member of Parliament (MP). When the Hon Minority Leader was responding, he showed no interest in the response.

    Mr Speaker, on the Mid-Year Review, Hon Okudzeto asked that we properly caption it, and in his view, it should be for the 2018 Financial Year.

    The problem is, what we are going to do relates to the Appropriation Act, and the Appropriation Act is in respect of the year 2017. That is why it is so captured, but the year really is for the financial year

    2018.

    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minority Leader issued a threat, that hence, if the Hon Minister for Finance sends any of his Deputies to the House, he is not going to tolerate them.

    With respect to my Hon Colleague, he cannot issue that threat -- [Interruption.] -- Hon Yieleh Chireh was not listening to the Hon Minority Leader, he spoke to it.

    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minority Leader on his own cannot issue that threat. It would have to be a collective decision by the House. He cannot on his own get up to say that the House is not going to allow this. He should be told that he does not even control one half of the House -- [Laughter].

    Mr Speaker, in any event, he may have his say, but I represent the entirety of the House, but notwithstanding, I appreciate the issue that he has raised.

    Mr Speaker, this recycled youngman--
    Mr Speaker 11:02 a.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, you are very jealous of a number of Colleagues here this morning. You are jealous over your own position, you are jealous over the Hon Member for Adaklu's position. -- [Laughter.]
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:12 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is not for nothing that the Hon Majority Leader doubles up as the Leader of the
    House, and I expect my Colleague, the Hon Minority Leader to appreciate that.
    If he has anything to offer to the House, he should let us be in communica- tion. But he should not get up and pretend to speak for the entire House. We should be consensual in this.
    Mr Speaker, I have spoken about this in high circles, and it is intended for the Ministers to be in the House to attend to the business of the House.
    I know the routine expressions frustrations from certain Hon Colleagues anytime Deputy Ministers come to respond to issues relating to their sectors in place of their substantive Ministers. So I agree with the Hon Minority Leader, and Ministers would be making themselves available.

    Mr Speaker, somebody is saying that he does not need him today. [Laughter.] I would communicate same to him. [Laughter.]

    Mr Speaker, the Right to Information Bill is something that should engage the attention of all of us. I would implore Hon Colleagues who have any amendments, those advertised and those of them which are not advertised, we intend to have a winnowing session this afternoon.

    I would plead with Hon Members who have advertised amendments to be at the winnowing, so that we would be able to do the relevant and the necessary winnowing, and when we come to attend to them, we will have the consideration running through smoothly.
    rose
    Mr Speaker 11:12 a.m.
    Hon First Deputy Minority Whip, you know very well that after the Hon Minority Leader had made his contribution and Hon Majority Leader has responded, that closes the chapter. Please shall we make progress?
    The Business Statement as presented is hereby adopted.
    Hon Members, item listed 4, Questions. Hon Minister for Roads and Highways, please take the appropriate seat.
    Question numbered 440, Hon Member for Kintampo South should please get ready.
    Mr Ras Mubarak 11:12 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member has requested that by your leave, I ask the Question on her behalf.
    Mr Speaker 11:22 a.m.
    Hon Member, at least, tell us something, not that she requested; it is not enough for me.
    Mr Ras Mubarak 11:22 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, she is currently unavailable in the city due to exigencies beyond her control. She respectfully requests that I ask the Question on her behalf, if you would permit.
    Mr Speaker 11:22 a.m.
    You may go on, but you must always give us some reason. Let us just get it right. It is not an automatic right of any Hon Member who refuses to attend to the House to ask his or her own Question to just hand it over to another Hon Member, and for me not be given any reason.
    Hon Member, you may go on.
    ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS 11:22 a.m.
    MINISTRY OF ROADS AND 11:22 a.m.
    HIGHWAYS 11:22 a.m.
    Minister for Roads and Highways (Kwasi Amoako-Attah) 11:22 a.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Background
    Mr Speaker, Jema town is located within the Kintampo South Municipality of the Brong-Ahafo Region. The roads being executed are classified as major arterials and distributor/collector roads by the Department of Urban Roads (DUR).
    The town roads have been packaged as part of the project: “Rehabilitation of Selected Roads in Kintampo and Jema stretching over a distance of 12.9km.
    Mr Speaker, the current programme is that contract for the “Rehabilitation of Selected Roads in Kintampo and Jema (12.9km)” was awarded on 21st November, 2016. The works commenced on 27th February, 2017 for completion on 27th
    February, 2018. The completion date has since elapsed.
    Mr Speaker, under this contract, a total length of 9.15km of rehabilitation works is to be executed within Jema township. The remaining 3.75km is also to be executed in Kintampo township.
    The physical progress of work to date is projected at 15 per cent completion. The contractor has demobilised from site as a result of the employer's undue delay in paying for work done. The project is financed from the Ghana Road Fund.
    Mr Speaker, going into the future, the resumption and completion of the project depends on the employer's ability to pay for the work done.
    Mr Ras Mubarak 11:22 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, looking at the lamentable state of the road, especially in Jema Zongo, which resulted in the loss of life as a result of flooding in the area last week, would the Ministry consider treating this as a matter of urgency to forestall any further loss of lives in the area?
    Mr Amoako-Attah 11:22 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I can confirm that unfortunate incident has been brought to our attention and it is very regrettable. Our office in the region has been instructed to take immediate steps.
    I would want to put on record that the road is part of the general works that go on under our routine and periodic maintenance programme.
    That is being done, but we all know flooding is an act of God, so nobody had control over it. I would want to assure the Hon Member that we are taking steps to remedy the situation.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Ras Mubarak 11:22 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have no further questions.
    Mr Speaker 11:22 a.m.
    Hon Members, Question numbered 441, which stands in the name of the Hon Member for North Tongu.
    Reconstruction of Sege-Aveyime Road
    *441. Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when the Sege to Aveyime road would be reconstructed.
    Mr Amoako-Attah 11:22 a.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    Background
    The Sege-Aveyime road is part of Regional route R18. The road length is 28km. The road is in the Ada West District of the Greater Accra Region and North Tongu District of the Volta region. The road is the main trunk road connecting Sege on the main Accra-Aflao route to Battor through Aveyime.
    The road surface is surface treated. The surface condition is in fair condition.
    Current programme
    There is currently no major rehabilita- tion contract on the road. Routine
    Mr Ablakwa 11:22 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, under the current programme, the Hon Minister indicated that “routine maintenance (pothole patching) is scheduled for third quarter of 2018”. We are currently in the third quarter. We have done 13 days of the third quarter.
    So I would want to respectfully find out if this original schedule is still what they are working with within this third quarter, or they may have done some amendments going into the fourth quarter since we are 13 days in the third quarter and nothing has started as of now?
    Mr Amoako-Attah 11:22 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, as I indicated, I could confirm that that road is not in a good shape and it is also part of the ongoing routine maintenance programme.
    Once it is scheduled for this year, normally, we categorise all roads for the sake of proper management and control into various quarters -- the four quarters within the years so that it would be properly programmed.
    Mr Speaker, with the advent of the rains, we are redoubling our efforts to tackle all roads, particularly, where we get the report that the deterioration is fast.
    So I could assure the Hon Member that we are taking care of that and we would keep an eye on that road and maintain
    proper road surface, at least, to make it smooth and motorable. Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Ablakwa 11:22 a.m.
    I would want to find out from the Hon Minister which Agency would carry out the routine maintenance? This is because the second paragraph of the Answer says, “There is currently no major rehabilitation contract on the road.”
    Mr Speaker, I guess that perhaps, the Ministry itself would carry out the routine maintenance. So I just want clarity, if the Hon Minister could educate me on the body to carry out the routine maintenance.
    Mr Amoako-Attah 11:22 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, since it forms part of the trunk roads in our country, the unit that has jurisdiction over it is the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA). It is in their database and they would take action on the routine maintenance on that road.
    Mr Ablakwa 11:22 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, my final question is on the future programme. The Hon Minister indicated that it has been packaged under a “2019 trunk road programme depending on the availability of funds”.
    I would want to find out from the Hon Minister how the indications look like so far as the funding aspect is concerned? With the availability of funds, are you still looking at it within a 2019 framework or your projections have changed because of the availability of funds factor that you have raised?
    Mr Amoako-Attah 11:22 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the works to be carried out on that road would be resealing and partial rehabilitation. I again want to indicate that it is part of our programme for next year, for that exercise to be carried out and we would stick to that time table.
    Nothing has changed and I would want to firmly indicate that it would be carried out because it has already been pro- grammed.
    Mr Speaker 11:22 a.m.
    Hon Member for Pusiga, your Question 442.
    Construction of Pusiga-Kolgungu Road
    442. Ms Laadi Ayii Ayamba asked Minister for Roads and Highways when the road from Pusiga through Kultamise, Gambudugu to Kolgungu would be constructed to enable pupils cross rivers safely to school as the rains would soon set in and the rivers will be flooded.
    Mr Amoako-Attah 11:22 a.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    Background
    The Pusiga - Kultamise - Kolgungu feeder road is about 15km long and located in the Pusiga District of the Upper East Region. The road is unengineered and traverses three (3) major river crossings which render it absolutely unmotorable during the wet season.
    Current programme
    Engineering studies was carried out on this road in 2016 to assess the appropriate intervention needed on it. It was revealed during the studies that the three (3) river crossings identified are tributaries of the White Volta River, and each of them has spans of not less than 100m at their proposed appropriate locations of interest.
    The three crossing points identified on the Pusiga - Kultamise - Kolgungu feeder road have spans in excess of 100m and will necessarily have to be spanned with bridges (not box culverts) to provide full
    accessibility all year round to enable any meaningful development of the entire road.
    The situation has been referred to the DFR bridge unit which is undertaking preliminary studies and validation to enable the necessary design considera- tions to be incorporated in the choice of structure and cost estimation.
    Ms Ayamba 11:32 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, as stated by the Hon Minister himself, the road is unengineered, and he has also stated clearly under the current programme that some work was done in 2016.
    Mr Speaker, in this same House, I had asked the Question earlier and the Hon Minister had accepted the fact that the estimates and what have you, were done but it had not reached his office. But I just want to find out, depending on the Answer from the Hon Minister right now, when would the Department of Feeder Roads finish with its estimates and get back to us?
    Mr Speaker 11:32 a.m.
    Hon Minister, when?
    Mr Amoako-Attah 11:32 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, we are giving urgent attention to this particular stretch of road. It has been problematic for all these years, particularly during rainy seasons because of the three different points that pedestrians and other inhabitants particularly, school children have to cross.
    So, we are working on it with speed and within a matter of less than two months, we should be ready and some- thing would be done on all the three bridges at the various crossing points.
    The lengths are quite long; one hundred metres (100m) each at all the three
    Ms Ayamba 11:32 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I appreciate and I am very grateful for the answer. But I would want to find out from the Hon Minister, two months from today would be October, would the Hon Minister be ready to respond or accept me in his office to discuss issues going forward?
    Mr Amoako-Attah 11:32 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to assure my Hon Colleague that we are here to work together for the benefit of our people. So you are always welcome.
    Ms Ayamba 11:32 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am done.
    Mr Speaker 11:32 a.m.
    Thank you very much.
    Question number 443 standing in the name of the Hon Member for Ahanta West.
    Extension of Princess Junction to Akitakyi Road.
    443. Mr Ebenezer Kojo Kum asked the Minister for Roads and Highways what plans the Ministry had for the extension of the road construction from Princess Junction to Akitakyi having regard to the fact that the rains are due to set in and the road would become unmotorable.
    Mr Amoako-Attah 11:32 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, background. The Princess Town Junction to Akitakyi road is identified and called Akatakyi Junction - Akatakyi feeder road which is located in the Ahanta West
    District of the Western Region. It is a 3.0km gravel road with poor surface condition.
    Current programme
    The road has been captured by the Ghana Highway Authority for rehabilita- tion as part of the on-going contract for the rehabilitation of the Princess Town Junction - Princess Town road.
    Mr Kum 11:32 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am grateful. I have no further questions.
    Mr Speaker 11:32 a.m.
    Thank you very much.
    Hon Minister, we thank you very much for attending to the House to answer our Questions.
    You are discharged respectfully.
    Item listed 5 -- Statements.
    We have a Statement regarding the election of the President of Turkey, from the Hon Chairman of the Ghana-Turkey Parliamentary Friendship Association in the name of the Hon Suleman Sanid.
    STATEMENTS 11:32 a.m.
    Mr Suleman Adamu Sanid (NPP-- Ahafo Ano North) 11:32 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am very grateful for the opportunity to make a Statement to extend our congratulation to the newly elected President of Turkey, H.E. Erdogan and the noble people of Turkey for a successful election and consolidation of democracy in their Republic. H.E. Erdogan was sworn into
    office on July 9, 2018 for a fresh 5-year mandate to continue the path of amazing economic and social transformation of the Turkish society.
    This is his second term in office, but under a new constitution and new political system, which was accepted by the people through the 2017 referendum.
    H. E. Erdogan's political astuteness would be tested in this second term when he has to navigate his way through a Parliament that his ruling party, Justice and Development Party (AKP), do not command a majority of the seats, having secured 294 out of the 600 seats.
    Turkey has maintained a strong bilateral relations with many countries, including Ghana. This relationship has resulted in great mutual economic benefits to both countries.
    It is worth noting that Turkey as a nation adopted a policy of patriotism and socio-economic self-reliance right from its birth as a nation. This has been held on religiously by all successive governments. President Erdogan continued this policy and succeeded in turning Turkey into a global economic powerhouse.
    Turkey now has a considerable economic engagement and diplomacy with many countries, especially African countries with the view to providing the required support to build their economies. Turkey is not only working with Ghana but a lot of African countries alike are all benefiting from Turkish economic diplomacy.
    Mr Speaker, as a matter of incontro- vertible fact, Turkey is one of the few countries that has never taken a loan or accepted aid from any other sovereign country. Self-sufficiency and reliance is akin to pursuing economic development without recourse to aid and loans from external sources.
    As a long standing partner, we are convinced that Ghana can draw on useful lessons and inspiration from the Turkish experience in pursuit of our agenda of “Ghana Beyond Aid”.
    Drawing from the ingenuity, creativity, industry, and the re-awakened spirit of putting public and political accountability at the fore of public discourse, will take us to that destination.
    Mr Speaker, national pride and patriotism is at the core of Turkish life. A visit to any major city in Turkey confirms this fact. They hoist their national flag proudly around their buildings and along major streets always.
    I trust that with the political will being demonstrated by H. E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the enthusiasm of the citizenry, Ghana can emulate the Turkish example.
    Mr Speaker, democracy and the rule of law are very important pillars for sustaining societal cohesion and harmony. Therefore, we need to encourage and command the progressive societies and countries that tread on this path. The people of Turkey deserve our profound applause and commendation.
    To our Colleagues in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, we say congratulations and well done for working hard to preserve democracy in your country.
    On this note, Mr Speaker, permit me to extend our congratulations to President Erdogan and the people of Turkey for their efforts at holding a peaceful and successful election and wish them well in their quest to building a peaceful, harmonious and a progressive country in the world.
    Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (NDC -- North Tongu) 11:42 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I rise to support the Statement which was ably made by the Hon Chairman of the Ghana- Turkey Parliamentary Friendship Association.
    I wish to commend him for presenting what has been a very well researched and warm Statement which highlights the very good relations between Ghana and the People's Republic of Turkey.
    Mr Speaker, we all know that Turkey is emerging as a power house and it continues to chart the independent path of strong relations with its bilateral and multilateral partners. Ghana has remained a very friendly partner of Turkey.
    Mr Speaker 11:42 p.m.
    Hon Members, the First Deputy Speaker would take the Chair.
    Hon Member, please, continue.
  • [MR FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER IN THE CHAIR.]
    • Mr Ablakwa 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I recall that in 2011, the former President of Turkey visited Ghana to highlight the good relations that existed between both countries. In 2013, two years after that former President John Dramani Mahama also reciprocated.
    Last year, in March, five Hon Ministers from Turkey, led by their Hon Minister for Foreign Affairs visited Ghana. It was a very large delegation which had 50 business men and it was a trade delegation to deepen trade ties with Ghana.
    Mr Speaker, it is clear that Ghana- Turkish relation is at an all-time high and there is a lot that we could benefit from each other, such as cultural and economic exchange. We need to see how we could all leverage on this relationship.
    Mr Speaker, as we congratulate President Erdogan on his recent victory, the international community has urged him to do well to deepen the democratic space and to allow for opposition elements and other persons who may not necessarily agree with his political party's ideology to also have the space.
    We know that what happened to him when there was an attempted coup d'état was a trying moment in the history of Turkey. But it is in the credit on the Turkish people that they all stood firm and resisted the attempt to torpedo the democratic experiment in that country.
    After the coup d'état was aborted, the international community has been concerned that it would appear that very draconian measures are being put in place, a lot of people are being jailed, and media freedoms are not exactly what they should be.
    Mr Speaker, while we commend President Erdogan, we also want to add our voice to that of the international community to urge him to give space for democracy to be deepened and entrenched in that country.
    Mr Speaker, in October this year, Turkey would mark its 94 th year of Independence. We wish them well, we
    wish President Erdogan a successful tenure and we encourage our Hon Colleagues on the Ghana - Turkey Parliamentary Friendship Association to really deepen the ties.
    I look forward to the initiatives that they would bring on board and we as a House, would assure them of our support, to ensure that this friendship and partnership would grow and be sent to the next height.
    Mr Speaker, I thank the Hon Member who made the Statement and I would conclude by saying that long live Ghana- Turkey relations.
    Mr Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Dafeamekpor (NDC -- South Dayi) 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to support the Statement which was ably made by the Hon Deputy Chairman of the Ghana-Turkey Friendship Association.
    Mr Speaker, from the days when Emperor Constantinople formed the city of Constantinople to establish Christianity in the northern territory in the Roman Empire, to when the Ottoman Turks invaded the city and established the religion of Mohammedanism which has dominated Turkey in modern day times, Turkey has risen to become --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Hon Member, what religion did you say there was?
    Mr Dafeamekpor 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I said ‘‘Mohammedanism'', in other words ‘‘Islam''.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    I recall that there was a debate in the House and the law actually is ‘‘Mohammedan's Law'' and the Muslims objected very strongly that
    there are no ‘'Mohammedans'' that is why --
    Mr Dafeamekpor 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, you know in Law School we are thought that the laws are called the ‘‘Laws of Mohammedanism'', but I take a cue.
    Mr Speaker, the most important thing is that, Turkey as a nation has risen to become such an important socio-cultural and political force in central Europe.
    Mr Speaker, moving from the generals to the specific, Turkey has over the years established very strong ties with Ghana in terms of awarding scholarships to lots of Ghanaians to study in the areas of engineering and medicine.
    They have also increasingly improved the number of scholarships they award to Ghanaians to study Arabic and have also helped in the areas of commerce. Indeed in tourism, it has been realised that over the years, they have established the Turkish Airline which now flies to Ghana.
    Mr Speaker, it is important that we as a country could learn from the rapid progress that Turkey is making as a nation. We are described as a lower-middle earning country and so the commercial activities that we have to undertake to ensure that we move from the lower rank to the upper rank as a middle earning income country, we would have to do.
    Mr Speaker, so it would be realised that the figures show that there is a lot of trade improvement between Ghana and Turkey. A lot of Ghanaians now fly to Istanbul to do business or to bring goods from there to sell and not China alone. Turkey has become one of our most important trade partners.
    Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah (NDC -- Ellembele) 11:52 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity. I would congratulate the Hon Member who made the Statement and urge the Association to continue to strengthen the relationship between Turkey and Ghana.
    Mr Speaker, we take the pride and note the steady progress of Turkey and the people of Turkey. If you read the history books, Turkey at one time was described as ‘the sick man of Europe'.
    Truly, that was the period Turkey was really struggling. We have all seen that Turkey has made so much progress, especially, in their industrial drive. But the fundamental reason this has happened is something that we in Ghana should be very interested in.
    Mr Speaker, the reason for Turkey's rise and the reason for their strong economy is that, they have been strengthening the things that they have comparative advantage on. They are
    strengthening local industries and making sure they protect local industries.
    If you look at the food and beverage industry, the textile industry -- this morning, I read and noted the effort from the Ministry of Trade and Industry to stem out foreigners who have taken over retail businesses meant for Ghanaians.
    Mr Speaker, this is an effort that has been tried over and over again. I believe it is very important that even as we celebrate Turkey's progress, we learn new lessons and vow as a country to make sure that the things that we do to strengthen local industries and to empower Ghanaians, to the extent that we could be strong locally and export those expertise we have gain as a country, is what Turkey has done.
    The reason we see Turkey food and beverage industries spreading across the world is because they have built their capacity, they have tested it and they have succeeded. So when they decided to conquer the world, it was easy. Those are the things we have to learn even as we celebrate Turkey's progress.
    Mr Speaker, I believe we also note that as they make progress, there has been a lot of security challenges with Turkey. I believe we would continue to support Turkey in their effort to stem up extremism that has really attempted to derail the progress that Turkey has made.
    We saw with sadness so much of the bombing and attacks at the airports and the killing of innocent Turkish and foreigners. We also saw the effort that the country made in trying to stem that flow. A lot of measures have been taken in an attempt to prevent extremism in Turkey.
    Mr Speaker, I believe there is the need for that balance, making sure they stem up extremism and protect the fundamental
    rights of Turkey against the coup d'état. As we speak, we know that a lot of dissents have been crushed, so most of the opposition and people are in jail.
    I believe it is important that as Turkey moves forward as a very successful democracy, they must find that balance to continue with the industrial drive while they allow dissent.
    I believe that President Erdogan who has really taken over as the new President would again continue as he moves on to basically soften the stand in that direction.
    Mr Speaker, we congratulate Turkey as a country, and we would continue to learn new lessons from their success.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity.
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:52 a.m.
    Hon Members, I believe that should be enough. We have had three contributions from one side and none from the other Side of the House.
    Hon Leaders, do you wish to comment?
    Yes, Minority Leadership?
    Minority Leader (Mr Haruna Iddrisu) 11:52 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, let me thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Statement made by the Hon Suleman Adamu Sanid to congratulate the newly elected President of Turkey, President Erdogan and the people of Turkey for a successful election.
    Mr Speaker, since the creation of Turkey in the year 1923, Turkey has struggled to establish a stable world functioning democratic system.
    Indeed, during the era of President Mustafa Kemal, who is largely referred to as the most significant leader of that country, they have tried to build strong and viable political institutions. They are not there yet.
    So as we congratulate him, we would encourage him to deepen the democratic values and ethos of that country, and allow especially the media. We do know that there are problems at times and sometimes, even the dealings with the political opposition is also a kind of problematic thing from what we have been reading.
    Mr Speaker, to state that I am aware that the new airport project -- the new terminal building at the Kotoka Interna- tional Airport (KIA), which is about to be commissioned was funded with the Turkish Government's support.
    Apart from that I had the privilege as Hon Minister for Trade and Industry to establish Ghana's first ever trade office in Turkey, and additionally in China, Japan and South Korea in order to take advantage of our bilateral times and to expand exports.
    Mr Speaker, if you go to Turkey, there are many lessons that Ghana could learn. One fundamental lesson is with pen- sioners. The way the Government and people of Turkey deal with retirees from the public service, by the time you are out of retirement, at least a decent accommodation awaits you. I am sure it is one of the many lessons we could learn.
    Mr Speaker, another lesson Ghana could learn from Turkey is traffic management and traffic control. For them, they have one situation room where they
    Mr Moses Anim (NPP -- Trobu) 12:02 p.m.
    I thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to comment on the Statement and also to congratulate the new President elect.
    I remember when he was here to address the House as President of Turkey.
    Mr Speaker, ever since Mustafa Kemal Ataturk established Turkey, it has remained a secular State. No matter the system of governance, Turkey has remained a secular State.
    I believe Turkey has also been very bold. It changed their capital from Istanbul to Ankara when Istanbul got choked. There was so much concentration after expanding the suburb of Istanbul. They gathered the courage to move the capital to Ankara so as to develop a new capital.
    I believe it is a learning lesson for us. If Accra is becoming concentrated and choked and we need to relocate our capital, I believe there is a precedent to follow.
    As the Hon Minority Leader said, Turkey is endowed with agricultural products. They have a very large stock of apricot and they have developed the handling and post-handling procedures for most of their agricultural products. We need to learn a lot of lessons from Turkey.
    They would need our cocoa but as we said, Turkey has char. We need to learn from the domestication of that particular leaf. They have commercialised that leaf to the extent that when one visits them, it is their welcome call.
    We use water in Ghana, meanwhile, we have cocoa. If we had also domesticated cocoa to the extent that our welcome
    ceremony to every visitor would be the cocoa powder or chocolate, it would create a lot of local market for Ghana as well. [Interruption] -- without pineapple.
    Turkey was able to develop their apricot and other products; we were not able to maintain our smooth cayenne pineapple. The smooth cayenne was the best pineapple we could have, but because the Europeans introduced the MD2, we could not secure the seedling for the smooth cayenne.
    Technologically, we could not handle the MD2 variety and as a result, apart from the phyto-sanitary lapses that we had, we are only left with the sugar loaf which is grown in the Central Region.
    Because of the blend of sugar acid level, we are not able to process the sugar loaf because we would not get any organoleptic out of the sugar acid level and it cannot be blended. Because we could not secure the smooth cayenne variety, we have lost out on the pineapple production.
    I believe that we should learn a lot from Turkey for preserving their agro products, apricot and the rest.
    There is a lot to learn from Turkey. They have also industrialised their country so well that, from suburb to suburb, one sees most of their industries at work. As a consequence, “One District, One Factory” should be our hallmark to also develop and industrialise this country to get a lot of employment for our youth.
    The housing project of Turkey is so high. They have put up structures for the future. They have single room, one bed self-contained and double room accommodations for university students who are about to move into the world of work.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:02 p.m.
    Very well. That brings us to the end of Statements.

    Very well, at the Commencement of Public Business, item numbered 6 — Presentation of Papers.
    PAPERS 12:02 p.m.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:12 p.m.
    Hon Members, item numbered 7; Motion. Chairman of the Finance Committee on.
    MOTIONS 12:12 p.m.
    Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 12:12 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee on the Loan Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the Export-Import Bank of Korea for an amount in Korean Won not exceeding the equivalent of ninety million United States dollars (US$90,000,000.00) to finance the establishment of the University of Environment and Sustainable Develop- ment (UESD), Bunso Campus Project.
    Mr Speaker, in so doing, I present your Committee's Report.
    Introduction
    Loan Agreement between the Govern- ment of the Republic of Ghana and the Export-Import Bank of Korea for an amount in Korean Won not exceeding the equivalent of ninety million United States dollars (US$ 90,000,000.00), to finance the Establishment of the University of Environment and Sustainable Develop- ment (UESD), Bunso Campus Project was laid in the House on Tuesday, 19th June, 2018 and referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and report in accordance with the 1992 Constitution and the Standing Orders of Parliament.
    The Committee met with the Minister for Education, Hon Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Hon Minister of State for Tertiary Education, Hon Prof Kwesi Yankah,
    Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon Abena Osei Asare, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Hon Deputy Minister for Education and the technical teams from the Ministries of Finance and Education to consider the Report.
    Reference Documents
    The Committee referred to the following documents during its delibera- tions:
    1. The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.
    2. The Public Financial Manage- ment Act, 2016 (Act 921).
    3. The University of Environment and Sustainable Development Act, 2015 (Act 878).
    4. The Hansard of 28th October,
    2016.
    5. The Hansard of 2nd November, 2016; and
    6. The Standing Orders of Parlia- ment of Ghana.
    Background
    Ghana's developmental progress hinges on sound environmental practices towards attaining sustainable develop- ment for a sustainable future. This assertion has been reinforced globally by the United Nations, with special focus on less developed countries.
    In order to successfully build human capacities and to enhance equitable access to education at all levels, the Ghanaian Government seeks to establish at least one full-scale public university,
    distinct from technical universities in all the regions of Ghana.
    While there are already ten public universities in Ghana, some of which offer programmes relating to environment, engineering and development, none is designed specifically to conduct inter- disciplinary and entrepreneurship- oriented programmes and build human capacity in the agricultural and engineering fields.
    The University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) was established based on the need to develop intellectual capacities.
    It was also designed to conduct interdisciplinary and entrepreneurship programmes with the aim of equipping Ghanaians with the knowledge, tools and effective policies required to improve their livelihoods. In November 2016, Parliament approved a Buyer Credit Agreement to finance the Somanya Campus of the University.
    Unfortunately, UESD, which is situated in the Eastern Region is not a full- fledged public University, hence the priority accorded the project. Also, the Eastern Region is one of the most populous regions in Ghana.
    It is against this backdrop that the Government of Ghana (GoG) presented the Project to the Korean Government as GoG's top priority project to provide financial support for the establishment of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development in Ghana, under the Economic Development Corporation Fund (EDCF) of the Export-Import Bank of Korea.
    Components of the University
    The University will be a multi-campus institution with the main campus in
    Mr Anthony Effah (NPP -- Asikuma/ Odoben/Brakwa) 12:22 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion moved by the Hon Chairman of the Finance Committee regarding the approval of a US$90,000,000.00 facility to help establish the University of Environment and Sustainable Develop- ment.
    Mr Speaker, Ghana has recognised that indeed, educating the population is the best way to improve our sustained development. Several regions of the country have public universities but in the case of this particular one, the emphasis is more on entrepreneurship rather than the standard academic work that we do in other universities.
    There has been this debate about why the university has to be started at Bunso. Reading through the Report, we re- cognised that Bunso already has some research areas that can support its establishment, and starting a new university may require some support from existing agencies or institutions. In the area, we have the Cocoa Research Institute, which is an agricultural-based university that we are anticipating.
    We also have the Cocoa College, the University of Agriculture and Environ- mental Studies, and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and if this campus of the university is establi- shed at Bunso, we are going to get the benefit of the experience of all these research institutions.
    While the school is not even in full session, we could still have some of them undertake attachments with these institutions so they could improve upon learning and education.
    Mr Speaker, the choice of Bunso seems to be a good one because the available space for constructing the university, which is determined to be about 34,600 square kilometers (sqkm), would allow for future expansion of the university to take care of additional students that the university may envisage.
    In the plan, it is envisaged that about 10,000 students would benefit from the establishment of the school. Additional space would mean that in future, the university could take on more people. One of the exciting things about this university is that a drone technology would be introduced.
    And as the Hon Chairman said, there would be commercialisation of bio- resources which has been a challenge to Ghanaians; the use of bio-resources to improve on our development.
    Mr Speaker, going through the Report, we got the understanding that a council has to be in place before the university could be set up, but the Ministry of Education is quite aware of this provision and would work to make sure that the council would be set up.
    In the meantime, the Report before us is to approve the facility, pending the observation of these other requirements like setting up the council or an interim council to start the university.
    Mr Speaker, I stand to second the Motion and to ask our Hon Friends in the House to agree that setting up a university campus in Bunso does not deviate from the original plan of setting up a University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD).
    Mr Speaker, the campus at Somanya could follow after the one at Bunso has been established and the government is
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:22 p.m.
    Hon Member, I thought that you would not want to take part in the debate since you refused to second it.
    Mr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson (NDC -- Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam) 12:22 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to speak to the debate.
    Mr Speaker, I rise to vehemently oppose the Motion that was moved by the Hon Chairman of the Finance Committee. Mr Speaker, I call for total rejection of this Motion because fundamentally, the Motion in question breaches the University of Environment and Sustainable Development Act of 2015 (Act 898).
    Mr Speaker, I beg to refer you to the Committee's Report and read paragraph 7.7 at pages 6 and 7:
    “The Minority was of the view that Section 3 of Act 898 which provides that “the University shall be established in Somanya, with campuses in Donkorkrom and any other place as the Council may determine” …”
    Mr Speaker, “as the Council may determine” -- as we speak, there is no council in place. We wanted to get a report that the supposedly council that is supposed to set up a university council has conducted -- But we were told that as we speak, there is no council in place.
    I would want to find out the basis on which that university was established, and the Minority further argued that even though the Hon Minister for Education informed the Committee that he has an Executive authority to act in the absence of both the governing council and the interim council, there was no documentary proof to support his assertion.
    Mr Speaker, again, the Minority added that a documentary proof was necessary in order to determine whether or not the Hon Minister for Education had the power to establish a campus of the university.
    Mr Speaker, the argument is that, the university does not have a council in place and we were told that the Hon Minister indeed, has executive powers to be able to establish a council. When we inquired, we were told that the President had asked the Hon Minister to act in the absence of the council.
    Clearly, I am of the view that the Hon Minister responsible for Education does not have the power to establish a university campus. I say this because
    clearly, the Act that governs the establishment of the university and the governance and operations of the university do not allow that.
    As Hon Members of Parliament, we approved this Act, and Act 898 is a product of this Honourable House and we cannot allow the Hon Minister for Education to disregard the Act that governs the establishment of the university. Mr Speaker, we would not accept that.
    Clearly, the Hon Members of the Minority Side disagree with this and we would not support this Motion.
    Mr Speaker, again, you would notice that the original campus which is the main campus at Somanya is being constructed with a loan facility of up to £45 million and we are now constructing a sub- campus from the main campus at the cost of US$107 million.
    Mr Speaker, in the document attached, you would notice that we are making references as if the Bunso campus would be the headquarters of the university. Clearly, you would notice in paragraph 1.5 -- the university building -- headquarters school. As if the main campus is being moved from Somanya to Bunso. Mr Speaker, this is sad and we should not allow this Motion to be carried.
    I am of the strong view that if this Honourable House approves this loan, we would do a disservice to the people of this country. Mr Speaker, so I beg you not to accept this Motion and call on all my Hon Colleagues not to support this Motion.
    Mr Speaker, we support the expansion of the tertiary education for Ghanaians, but clearly, I am of the view that the Hon Minister's action is indeed an affront to academic freedom in this country and so we should not allow it.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister cannot take up the responsibility of a governing council and so I call on my Hon Colleagues on both Sides of the House to reject this Motion, not because of anything but clearly, it breaches the law that establishes the university itself.
    Mr Speaker, this is an illegal Motion and so we should not carry it.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you.
    M Frederick Opare-Ansah (NPP -- Suhum): Mr Speaker, firstly before I proceed, I would want to correct something on the first page of the Report; item 3 of paragraph 2.0 -- Reference. Mr Speaker, it reads:
    “The Universtity of Environment and Sustainable Development Act of 2015 (Act 878)” Mr Speaker, it must be corrected to Act 898 instead of Act 878.
    Mr Speaker, a proper interpretation of article 58 is clear, that everything we do in this country as far as executing the Executive authority of this country is concerned thus resides with the President. Mr Speaker, for emphasis, let me quote article 58 (1):
    “The executive authority of Ghana shall vest in the President and shall be exercised in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.
    (2) The executive authority of Ghana shall extend to the execution and maintenance of this Constitu-tion and all laws made under or continued in force by this Constitution.”
    Mr Speaker, Parliament did enact the law which brought the university into being and indeed, anything that is executable under it is done on behalf of the President per this provision.
    Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (NDC -- North Tongu) 12:32 p.m.
    I am very grateful, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to this Motion.
    I believe that some background at this point would be useful. When the erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) Government was in power, we had promised in our manifesto of 2008 that in line with article 38 of the Constitution of Ghana, we would seek to expand the education space and construct public universities in all the ten regions of Ghana, because at the time, we had only seven public universities in Ghana.
    So we set out to establish the University of Health and Allied Sciences in the Volta Region at Ho and we established the ninth university, the University of Energy and Natural Resources in the Brong-Ahafo Region.
    It is important.
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:32 p.m.
    Hon Member, hold on.
    Yes, Hon Chairman of the Committee.
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 12:32 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, he just stated that in their manifesto they had promised to site universities in all the ten regions and at the time there were seven public universities.
    I would want to bring it to his attention that there is no public university in the Upper West Region. So there could not have been seven public universities at the time. As of that time, their manifesto contained an untruth because --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:32 p.m.
    Hon Member, your point is well made. Hon Member, continue. Take that on board.
    Mr Ablakwa 12:32 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Chairman of the Finance Committee would have to take his time and learn. Upper West Region has the University for Development Studies, Wa Campus. There is University for Development Studies in the Upper East Region. [Interruption.] But it is a public university. [Uproar.]
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:32 p.m.
    Order!
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:32 p.m.
    Hon Minister for the Interior, do you have a point of order?
    Mr A. Dery 12:32 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:32 p.m.
    Hon Members, order!
    There is a University for Development Studies located in Tamale with campuses in places other than the Northern Region.
    Please, proceed.
    Mr Ablakwa 12:32 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, article 38 of our Constitution reads:
    “The State shall provide educational facilities at all levels and in all the Regions of Ghana, and shall, to the greatest extent feasible, make those facilities available to all citizens.”
    It is this educational objective that informed the decision to reach out with public universities in all regions in Ghana. In the case of the Eastern Region which did not have a public university, we set out to establish the University of Environment and Sustainable Develop- ment.
    Mr Speaker, a careful reading of section 3 of Act 898, the University of Environment and Sustainable Development Act, 2015; the headnote is “Campuses of the University”, it states;
    “The University shall be established in Somanya with campuses in Donkorkrom and any other place as the Council may determine”.
    Mr Speaker, this is as clear as daylight. It is as clear as the sun. The two primary campuses as we establish the University of Environment and Sustainable Development should be Somanya and Donkorkrom, and then when the university has been established and the university council has been set up, the council can then establish satellite campuses in other parts of the Eastern Region. That is what the Act says.
    We are being invited to engage in an illegality. We are being invited to breach section 3 of Act 898, and that is why we we are opposed to this facility.
    Mr Speaker, in any case, if the Government is minded to depart from Donkorkrom, as they have done and establish this campus in Bunso in the Akim Abuakwa Constituency where the President was a Member of Parliament, in the Akyem traditional area, then what the Government should have done was to have come to amend Act 898.
    That is the legal and proper thing to do. You do not flagrantly and so blatantly abuse Act 898 and expect us to come along and support you.
    Mr Speaker, we would not join this illegal endeavour. We would not be part of it, and we want the people of Ghana to know that we are not opposed to Bunso in the Akyem traditional area getting a University, no. Let it be stated clearly. What we are saying is that we should follow the law.
    In any case, the main campus was constructed for €45 million, which is US$50 million. That is what this House approved in November 2016. Interestingly at the time, my good Friend, Hon Agyarko said it was too expensive.
    He described the amount as daylight robbery. It is interesting that today, a satellite campus is even more expensive than the main campus; US$ 90 million. If what we did was daylight robbery, then what is this one?
    So Mr Speaker, logically, if we can build the main campus of the university for US$50 million in Somanya, I submit strongly that this US$90 million could have been divided to build the Donkorkrom campus and the Bunso campus. Then we
    are being fair, and we would have value for money.
    Mr Speaker, it is important that as lawmakers, we are minded of article 36 (2) (d) of the 1992 Constitution. It stipulates and I beg to quote;
    “The State shall, in particular, take all necessary steps to establish a sound and healthy economy whose underlying principles shall include --
    (d) undertaking even and balanced development of all regions and every part of each region of Ghana, and, in particular, improving the conditions of life in the rural areas, and generally, re- dressing any imbalance in development between the rural and the urban areas;”
    This is what article 36 (2) (d) of the 1992 Constitution says. We all know --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:32 p.m.
    Hon Member, going by this arrangement, can I not complain that in the sixties, the government established only one university in the Ashanti Region, and I am living at Bekwai and there is no university, but we create a new one, Somanya, Donkorkrom, all in one region? Is that even?
    So let us move away from there and talk to the issue.
    Mr Ablakwa 12:32 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is an important point you have raised, and my response would be that that is why after KNUST, we have the University of Education, Kumasi campus, we have Mampong campus. Those are all in the Ashanti region. That is objective.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:32 p.m.
    Those were built as technical schools.
    Mr Ablakwa 12:32 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, this House has to be very careful with the precedents we are setting. We passed a law, Act 898. Another party comes to power, we do not like our laws, we would not amend it, we do not tell the people of Donkorkrom anything, we are violating the law and we are going to a preferred place because of clear familial reasons.
    Article 17 of the 1992 Constitution frowns against discrimination. What we are being invited to do is to discriminate against the good people of Donkorkrom in flagrant violation of article 17 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, and that is why this Side of the House is saying that we would not be part of this illegal and discriminatory action.
    Let the people of Ghana know that we did not align ourselves, we did not support this discriminatory and illegal action.
    Mr Speaker, on page 5 of the Committee's Report, the first paragraph, we are told that following this develop- ment, and from the recommendation of the feasibility study, the EXIM Bank of Korea agreed to finance the construction of a campus of the university at Bunso.
    My question is, who did EXIM Bank of Korea agree with? Has Ghana lost its sovereignty? Since when do foreigners dictate to us where we would site our universities or implement our projects when we are contracting loans? Are we no longer a sovereign State?
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:32 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, please refer to the rule you are coming under.
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 12:32 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr Speaker, I come under order 92 (1)(a), and it says;
    “No Member shall interrupt any other Member except:-
    (a) by rising to a point of order, that is, where any of these Orders is alleged to have been infringed…”
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:32 p.m.
    Yes, I am asking what he has infringed upon, which rule?
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 12:32 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member is grossly misleading the House. He stated that the siting of the university at Bunso is informed by familial reasons. He is impugning wrong motive.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:32 p.m.
    What word is that?
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 12:32 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, familial reasons.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:32 p.m.
    I am not conversant with that word.
    Hon Member, what word did you use?
    Mr Ablakwa 12:32 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I used familial, and I stand by it.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:32 p.m.
    If you did so you are out of order, and I direct that you withdraw it, please.
    Mr Ablakwa 12:32 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would follow your directive, and to still insist that what we are being asked to do flies in the face of article 17 of the Constitution, which frowns on discrimination.
    We are discriminating against the good people of Donkorkrom. We have been blessed. When we were at the Ministry,
    our plan was that the €45 million would service Somanya. When the South Korean facility matured, we would then use that facility, which is bigger, for Donkorkrom and Bunso. That was our plan.
    Why are you sending all the money, even more than what we are using for the main campus, for only one place? What crime have the people of Donkorkrom committed? What have they done wrong?
    Mr Speaker, this is a very sad day in the history of democracy in our country, and we would not support this; we will not join this illegality and this discri- mination. It is a shame indeed, a very big shame.
    Thank you. Mr Speaker.
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:52 p.m.
    Let me hear from the Hon Minister for Defence.
    Minister for Defence (Mr Dominic B. A. Nitiwul) (MP) 12:52 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    I believe we are back to where we began. Just under two years ago, I was seating exactly where the Hon Member is. The Leader of our Side of the House then -- the Hon Majority Leader was not there -- I was the one who led the debate on the setting up of the university.
    Mr Speaker, I remember I said one single thing; every university that is set up in modern time starts from the capital. Why was it that Koforidua was cut out? [Uproar] -- I remember I said it -- [Interruption.] Who is discriminating here? -- [Uproar] -- unless they want to tell me that I cannot quote myself or I do not know what I said.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:52 p.m.
    Hon Members, order!
    Please continue.
    Mr Nitiwul 12:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am amazed about the angle our Hon Colleagues on the other Side of the House are adopting today. It was the same tatics they used and the next day, it was in the newspapers of the National Democractic Congress (NDC) that Nitiwul was against the people of Somanya.
    That is exactly what they are doing today, and it is very unfortunate -- [Uproar.] That is not how to run a country. We do not pitch people against one another when people are making points. [Interruption.]
    Mr Speaker, I would go to the main thing. I would want to ask the question that the Hon Member for Suhum asked? So, is it a crime for one President to say -- if another campus can be established, it should be established at Bunso, but it is not a crime for another President to set it up at Somanya and Donkorkrom.
    Is that what we are saying? Are we saying that it is not a problem?-- [Uproar.] -- As for the NDC, when they set-up campuses at Donkorkrom and Somanya, it is not a crime, but when any other political party decides to set-up, according to the Act, another campus at Bunso, it is a problem.
    Mr Speaker, there is nothing in the loan agreement that says Government has decided that they would not build a campus at Donkorkrom. In fact, if there
    was anything in this loan agreement which says that the Government would not build a campus at Donkorkrom, I would have voted against it; but there is nothing like that.
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:52 p.m.
    Hon Minister, please hold on.
    Yes Hon Member, what is your point of order?
    Mr Ablakwa 12:52 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister for Defence is totally out of order. He said every modern university --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:52 p.m.
    Hold on Hon Member. Tell me what he has said that is wrong or infactual.
    Mr Ablakwa 12:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, he is misleading this House. He said that every modern university was established in the capital of the regions. It is not true. The University of Education in Winneba was established in Winneba; Winneba is not the capital of the Central Region -- [Hear! Hear!]
    The University of Mines and Tech- nology in Tarkwa, which is not the capital of the Western Region. So; he is totally out of order.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:52 p.m.
    Hon Member take your seat. Yes, Hon Minister?
    Mr Nitiwul 12:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the capital of the Central Region has a university. The University of Education took its roots from the mother university and that is why we have it like that. [Uproar.]
    Mr Nitiwul 12:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I believe that if the Hon Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa is saying that US$45 million was given to the main campus, and over a US$100 million is being given to the satellite campus, the people of Somanya should be asking them questions on why they decided that 11,000 square metres would be built for the main campus, when they could have built on more than 50,000 square metres. [Uproar.]
    Mr Speaker, I would like to read from the Report 12:52 p.m.
    “The Committee was informed that unlike the Somanya campus with a total built area of 11,000 sqm, the total build area under the Bunsu campus project is expected to be 34,633 sqm.”
    [Interruption] -- It is my Colleagues on the other Side of the aisle who caused the people of Somanya. They should be apologising to them -- [Interruption.] They gave them land more than 100,000sqm.
    Mr Speaker, this money was available, but they chose to go for the small loan -- [Laughter.] This one was available. The Minority should be apologising to the people of Somanya. [Interruption.]
    Mr Speaker, the funny thing that the people of Ghana and the people of Somanya would know is that the small loan was more expensive than this big one, but they chose to go for the small loan-- [Uproar] --
    So the people of Somanya should be asking them why they decided not to go for the big loan that had better terms, but went for the smaller one that had worse

    Secondly, Mr Speaker, let it be known that when there is no governing board, the Minister can act. So they should not deceive the people of Ghana by saying that because there is no governing board -- The Minister can act and he has duly acted in consultation with the President. So it is wrong for them to say that they are voting against it, because the Act says that there must be a governing board.
    [Uproar]
    Mr President 12:52 p.m.
    None

    Mr Speaker, in conclusion, it is extremely dangerous to mislead the people of Ghana by stating that any attempt to build a campus at Bunso means we are taking the campus away from Somanya or Donkorkrom. It is not true. It is misleading, disingenuous and not good.

    Mr Speaker, it is the same thing they did when we debated the loan for the official establishment of the university. It does not help anybody. It did not help them the last time. It is not going to help them today and it would not help them in future.

    Mr Speaker, what we should do and what I expect the Hon Member for Afram Plains North to do is to appeal to Government. It is exactly what the Hon Minister for Finance said, that it is time to ensure that we get another loan to build the other campuses.

    But to say that the Government has come to change the Act -- The Govern- ment has not changed the Act. The Act still stays. The Act is still very clear that campuses would be built at Somanya, Donkorkrom and any other place. The Government has picked the ‘‘any other place'' to be Bunso.

    Mr Speaker, I thank you very much.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:52 p.m.
    The Hon Member for Afram Plains South?
    Ms Betty Nana Efua Krosbi Mensah 12:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is Afram Plains North.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:52 p.m.
    Let us hear you. I recall your exchanges with the Hon Minister for Education during Question time.
    Ms Betty Nana Efua Krosbi Mensah (NDC -- Afram Plains North) 12:52 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the privilege given me.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:52 p.m.
    Order! Hon Members, do you want to hear her?
    Hon Member, please continue.
    Ms Betty Mensah 1:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I stand to oppose your Committee's Report on the Agreement to approve an amount of US$90 million to finance the establishment of UESD in Bunso.
    Mr Speaker, I am particularly saddened and very disappointed in your Committee this afternoon. Mr Speaker, I would want to use this opportunity to appeal to Hon Members on both Sides of the House that we are here to represent our people, to protect, promote and project the interest of our various constituencies which I stand here to do today.
    Mr Speaker, in 2015, when the news to establish a university campus in the Kwahu Afram Plains enclave, specifically in Donkorkrom, was released, the people were extremely happy because the project was anticipated to lure investments and developmental projects into the district, the entire Kwahu land, with particular emphasis on road network improvement and to boost economic activities as well.
    Mr Speaker, the chiefs of Kwahu did not hesitate to release a total of 526 acres of land to the Government of Ghana with the necessary documentation. Mr Speaker, kindly pardon me to just draw a picture of the situation of Afram Plains.
    Mr Speaker, Afram Plains over the years has suffered developmental deficiencies due to its location. Afram Plains covers one-third of the whole of the Eastern Region in terms of land mass but has been cut off from the rest of the country because it is surrounded by water.
    Mr Speaker, this is as a result of the construction of the Akosombo Dam which today, millions of Ghanaians benefit from.
    Mr Speaker, if today we sit here enjoying electricity and television sets, it is because of the construction of the
    An Hon Member 1:02 p.m.
    Where were you?
    Ms B. K. Mensah 1:02 p.m.
    I was not here. You were here. You agreed and you passed the Act and we are waiting for the execution of what is stated in the Act. [Hear! Hear!]
    Mr Speaker, today, the Hon Minister for Education mentioned in the Report of your Committee, Government's decision to build a university in Bunso instead of Donkorkrom and I would like to refer to paragraph 7.2 on page 5 of the Com- mittee's Report -- why the Government decided to choose Bunso over Don- korkrom?
    According to the Hon Minister for Education, the Bunso site is located within a research catchment area of a number of agricultural agencies. He went further to state that it included the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), the Cocoa College, University College of Agriculture and Environmental Studies.
    Mr Speaker, if you look at the preamble to the Report in paragraph 7.2, it is categorically stated why Government decided to establish a university. It states and I quote with your permission:
    “In order to successfully build human capacities and to enhance equitable access to education …”
    Mr Speaker, if indeed that is true --
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:02 p.m.
    Hon Member for Suhum?
    Mr Opare-Ansah 1:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for Afram Plains North attempted to refer us to paragraph 7.2 of the Committee's Report and she was telling us why Bunso was chosen over Donkorkrom. Mr Speaker, the heading of paragraph 7.2 is “Why establishing the Project at Bunso”, not “Why Bunso was chosen over Donkorkrom” -- [Interrup- tion] Mr Speaker, that is my first objection.
    Mr Speaker, my second objection is that the Hon Member is clearly reading a prepared statement against our Standing Orders.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:02 p.m.
    Hon Member, you are out of order. She is entitled to refer to her notes. [Laughter.]
    Please continue.
    Ms B. K. Mensah 1:12 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, if the purpose for establishing a university campus is to enhance equitable access to education, then I dare say that the people of Bunso are already benefiting so much as the Hon Minister mentioned -- the Cocoa Research Institute, the University College of Agriculture and Environmental Studies and so many he mentioned in the Report.
    I dare say that the people of Kwahu Afram Plains have been disadvantaged for so many years now and deserve to be given a university campus.
    Mr Speaker, I believe that justice would be served if the university campus is sited in Donkorkrom.

    Mr Speaker, I stand here as the people's representative to appeal to His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ghana, Mr Speaker, your humble self and all Hon Members of Parliament to listen to the plea of the chiefs, the people, children of Afram Plains and myself, to reverse this decision and stick to the original provisions of Act 898 to establish a university campus precisely in Donkorkrom.

    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:12 a.m.
    Hon Minister for Eastern Region?
    Minister for Eastern Region (Mr Eric Kwakye Darfour) 1:12 a.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion on the Floor for the acquisition of US$90,000,000.00 for the construction of the University for Environment and Sustainable Develop- ment at Bunso. -- [Uproar.]
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:12 a.m.
    Order, please!
    Mr Darfour 1:12 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, as the Regional Minister for the Eastern Region, I am a bit saddened that the debate so far has an undertone that is knocking heads
    of the heterogeneous areas of our area against one another.
    Mr Speaker, Government as Leader- ship, at every point in time, would take a decision. Why did the erstwhile Government take the decision to send the first campus to Somanya and not to Asuogyaman; or maybe Akropong?
    It is because the Eastern Region at that time did not have a public university. So it was a decision taken by leadership and by the President. And this time around, there is a sitting President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who has chosen to make the decision that the next campus of the Eastern Regional University should go to Bunso.
    But my people choose to knock the heads of the Kwahus— I am a Kwahu myself and I would have been pleased if the university campus was going to Kwahu, but the decision has been made.
    So I would want to entreat all of us — In the Eastern Region there are eleven paramountcies and all of them deserve a campus or some other structures. There are thirty-three constituencies, and thirty- two districts. Each of them would have wished that the university was sent to their jurisdiction.
    Therefore if a decision has been made by the President to the effect that the university campus should be sent to Bunso, I would want to urge my Hon Colleagues to support it totally and not go on this bigotry of knocking heads together. It would not help us going forward.
    So, do our Hon Colleagues on the other Side want to tell us that if a decision is made — Why did we put Akosombo Dam at Adina, where it is now?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:12 a.m.
    Hon Minister, hold on.
    Yes, Hon Member for Pru East?
    Dr Donkor 1:12 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The Hon Member just said, “bigotry”. I believe the language is unparliamentary and he should be asked to withdraw it.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:12 a.m.
    Hon Member, did you use the word bigotry?
    Mr Darfour 1:12 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, if it is offensive, I withdraw.

    Mr Speaker, I urge them to support this loan and I am sure the university campus at Somanya -- [Interruption.] Currently, Mr Speaker, it is 35 per cent complete; it is ongoing. So, I urge you, gradually, moving forward -- Donkorkrom, -- I hope very soon, it would get its campus.

    I thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:12 a.m.
    Leadership? Three each is enough; there is nothing new coming out of the argument again.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:12 a.m.
    Hon Members, Order!
    Hon Minority Leader, let me hear you.
    Minority Leader (Mr Haruna Iddrisu) 1:12 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thought that you could accommodate one more from each Side, but it appears that you have picked up the sense of the debate and probably you want to see a conclusion on the subject.
    Mr Speaker, higher education is important for the development of this country, to the extent that we need to equip the young men and women with requisite skills for the development of our country.
    Mr Speaker, we are obliged under the Constitution of Ghana and by public policy, to expand access to tertiary education.
    I recall my role at the University of Ghana; I am sure Prof. Yankah and Hon Dr Anthony Osei Akoto would recall our collective sacrifices, even to liberalise higher education to allow for parents' participation and their role, including days that I recall I had to be chased out of the University of Cape Coast when I said that cost-sharing was a principle and Government, parents and students needed to support Government in expanding access to higher education.
    I attended the Akosombo Forum on Funding Tertiary Education—
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:12 a.m.
    Hon Leader, kindly hold on.
    Yes, Hon Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation?
    Dr Anthony Akoto Osei 1:12 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I intended to be quite over this debate, but unfortunately, my good friend is misleading this House and I would want to correct him.
    I do not know of any Osei Akoto in this House. Who is Osei Akoto in this
    House? -- [Laughter.] Mr Speaker, he has been in Parliament all these years with me, a good friend and he continues to mislead this House by calling me Osei Akoto.
    I think he should withdraw -- [Interruptions]-- my name is Akoto Osei.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:12 a.m.
    Hon Leader, please take note and proceed.
    Mr Iddrisu 1:22 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, Hon Anthony Akoto Osei, Hon Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation and Hon Member of Parliament for Old Tafo is accordingly recognised.
    Mr Speaker, I mentioned our collective work in the past to expand access to higher education -- I have always belonged to the school of thought which believes that an educated youthful population, if even unemployed, is better than an uneducated youthful population.
    Mr Speaker, I know the President well; he was here with us in Parliament in 2005 and he is law abiding. Just three days ago, I heard him state in the Volta Region during his tour -- and with your permission I would want to quote:
    ‘'Parliament passed the law on Volta Register, respect it''.

    Mr Speaker, with your permission, I would want to quote section 3 of the

    University of Environment and Sustain- able Development Act of 2015 (Act 898):

    ‘'The University shall be esta- blished in Somanya with campuses in Donkorkrom and any other place as the Council may determine.''

    Mr Speaker, to the President, his Hon Ministers and Hon Members of Parlia- ment, they should respect this Act.

    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for Suhum quoted article 58, and with your permission, I would want to respectively respond to him. He read only the first part of it which suited his purpose. I would want him to read further, article 58(2). His first quote was article 58(1) and I beg to quote:

    58. (1) “The executive authority of Ghana shall vest in the President and shall be exercised in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.

    (2) The executive authority of Ghana shall extend to the execution and the maintenance of this Consti- tution and all laws made under or continued in force by this Constitution''.

    Mr Speaker, I dare add that Act 898 is part of the laws of Ghana that should be respected. [Hear! Hear].

    Mr Speaker, even the President swore an Oath and it included abiding by the Constitution and the laws of Ghana. We on the Minority Side are saying that we would support the expansion of tertiary education anywhere in Ghana.

    But the Hon Minister for Defence should be reminded that Nyankpala is not
    Mr Iddrisu 1:22 a.m.
    the capital of the Northern Region, but there is a university there. Tarkwa is not the capital of the Western Region, but there is a university there.
    With the principle, even if it is said that Koforidua is a capital, are they asking the approval for it?
    Mr Speaker, this is the House of the people's representatives from both Sides of the aisle. I am saddened that we would reduce this debate. I heard an Hon Colleague even say ‘'site campuses to fit paramountcies''. [Interruption.] It was a suggestion. ‘'Paramountcies'' is not my word. They all would have wished to have campuses in their paramountcies.
    Mr Speaker, we do not need to stretch the debate that far. For those who are helping the President -- Hon Ministers for Finance and Education, why would they subject to this? They could easily walk to Cabinet, ask for an amendment of section 3 of Act 898.
    The law should be amended to include Bunso [Interruption.] -- Yes. Did they not amend the law on the Volta Register? They should come here and amend the law. I am giving them several options. One of the options is a joint Memorandum to Cabinet for policy approval to amend the law.
    Mr Speaker, with your permission, I would want to refer to page 2 of your Committee's Report.
    ‘'Components of the University-
    1) Department of Agronomy,
    2) Department of Agribusiness,
    3) Department of Animal Science.
    2. School of Engineering''.
    Mr Speaker, when were these created? We demanded minutes of the Council meeting to know when these institutions were created?
    Therefore it has become part of this university to have campuses. ‘'The university will be a multi-campus institution with the main campus in Somanya''. Yes, when did we take a decision on this?
    Mr Speaker, let it be said that nobody on the Minority Side is saying that we should not support the development of Bunso as an extension of the campuses of the university. What we are arguing here is that, the laws of Ghana should be respected, and Act 898 should also be respected.
    Mr Speaker, you are a lawyer yourself. Even the closest reasoning in law would have said that Bunso would be the ejusdem generis rule. I have seen some of our Hon Colleagues clothed themselves as if the power to interpret is vested in us.
    It is not vested in any Hon Member of Parliament or Parliament. But when they say Somanya and Donkorkrom, ejusdem generis, they could have assumed that many other campuses --
    Mr Speaker, again, with the Hon Ministers helping the President, all they needed was to source this law in the name of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development -- The rest is administrative. Then they could go back and decide how much of the amount should go where.
    They do not need to subject us to an emotive debate which would tear us apart with disagreement.
    Mr Speaker, our objection is that, Act 898 has not been respected and it has been
    honoured in breach because there is no council in place. They should submit to this House minutes of the council meeting where the campus was created at Bunso.

    Mr Speaker, one and half years in government, the President is supposed to constitute a council. I have had cause here to remind the President that there were many boards and councils which remained unconstituted and affected governance of this country. We repeat same.

    Mr Speaker, more importantly, a university is not a managing board. Parliament is the custodian and guardian of rights. We here would jealously safeguard and protect the academic freedom of universities.

    We would not sit here for anybody to say that in the name of the President or in the name of an Hon Minister, he or she is seeking to usurp or undermine the academic freedom of any university. No President, and no Hon Minister has the power to make that determination. [Hear! Hear].

    That is why the universities jealously guard their independence with their councils. The President can appoint a council this evening and ask it to take a decision relative to the fact that he wants an additional campus at Bunso and there would be no objection to it.

    Mr Speaker, they are seeking funding of US$ 90,000,000.00 -- we would respect Government policy and the desires and wishes of the President, but we would not accept a disrespect of the law.

    Mr Speaker, on this matter, I intend to call for a headcount. The President has said publicly that he would want to know where the Minority stands. We stand on this matter that Act 898 and the academic freedom of the universities should be respected.

    We believe that sourcing, supporting and approving the loan is not our problem. The law should be amended to include Bunso, or better still, they should get the council constituted to examine it and recommend same.

    Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I have to refer to the joint memorandum that Hon Ken Ofori-Atta and Hon Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh submitted. As we go through the attachments, I would want to share some numbers with Hon Members.

    Mr Speaker, when you see “description of the project” in item numbered 5.0, it has five components. The first one is “Construction of the University of Environment and Sustainable Develop- ment (USED) Campus at Bunso in the Eastern Region”.

    So there should be no repetition of headquarters of the university elsewhere. It must be where it was intended to be in the Bill.

    Mr Speaker, next time they should share the numbers with us. I assume, based on my reading that some US$70
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:32 p.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, hold on.
    Yes, Hon Chairman of the Committee?
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 1:32 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if the Hon Minority Leader would care to know, I spend a lot of time on the Reports that come to this House. He should look at the Appendix of the Report, there is a detailed breakdown of the project cost.
    So the Hon Ranking Member should please advise him to take time to read the Reports before he makes his contribu- tions.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:32 p.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, take note and continue.
    Mr Iddrisu 1:32 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am concluding. First of all, if one did not refer to the Appendix, he or she would not appreciate its full utilisation. But even if we go to the Appendix, we would see a total of 107,563,054.
    I am referring to the Minister of Finance's document, which is jointly signed with the Hon Minister for Education. The Hon Chairman of the Committee should advert his mind to page 12 of the document; he should incor- porate it in his Committee's Report next time.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to read page 12 1:32 p.m.
    “Goods and Services -- US$71 million.
    Consultancy Services --US$5.9 million.
    Contingencies -- US$12 million.”
    [Uproar].
    Mr Speaker, why should “Contin- gency” be 12 million? That is too much.
    Mr Speaker, I would continue. They have “Service Charges” which brings them to US$90 million. So if I take “goods and services”, I would relate it to those five items.
    So I am saying that next time -- This is not personally to the Chairman of the Finance Committee but the Finance Committee as a whole, they must do a detailed work so that we know an allocation -- [Interruption].
    Yeboah — rose
    Mr Iddrisu 1:32 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, he should show me “Goods and Services” amounting to US$70 million in the Appendix, apart from referring to the Hon Minister's document. [Pause.]
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:32 p.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, have you finished your submission?
    Mr Iddrisu 1:32 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, almost. Just a minute.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:32 p.m.
    So why have you sat down? Have you decided to cede to somebody else? [Laughter.]
    Hon Minority Leader, please conclude your debate.
    Mr Iddrisu 1:32 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, that is appreciated.
    Mr Speaker, in conclusion, an approval of a loan facility to expand access to higher education should not divide this House. It should neither divide us on partisan lines, nor should it divide us on towns, cities and other areas.
    Mr Speaker, we on this Side insist that if the President wants to borrow, it is within his power shared with Parliament under article 181. He should let the borrowing be in the name of the university. But he should not specifically tie it to Bunso which is not yet created by council, the Hon Minister or the President.
    Mr Speaker, we should respect the existing law, Act 898. The people of Donkorkrom and Somanya --
    Mr Speaker, you would be amazed with what the University for Development Studies has done for communities in and around it. Whether in Wa or in Bolgatanga, new livelihoods have emerged as a result of it.
    So in principle, we cannot be against the President wanting to expand access to higher education and to Bunso. But the laws of Ghana, under article 58 (2), remind us that the President must uphold this law.
    He should come and amend the law or the Hon Ministers for Finance and Education should borrow the money in the name of the UESD and administra-
    tively decide how they would want to use it. As we sit here, in law, we are not aware of a creation called the Bunso Campus of the UESD Act. It is in the law, the expressio unius rule. It is explained in section 3 of the law.
    Mr Speaker, so this flagrant disregard for the laws of Ghana -- They would not get our Side to support a breach of the law. So Government should do what is appropriate. The advisors to the President should also do what is appropriate. It does not take -- yesterday's Cabinet meeting --
    The Hon Majority Leader is capable; he should lead the process to amend the law, come back under a certificate of urgency, include Bunso and take the money away. But he should not come and borrow in the name of an existing entity not yet created by council.
    Mr Speaker, with these words, I remain supportive of the principle for expanding and securing funding for higher educa- tion. But I demand, as a custodian and Member of Parliament, respect for the law, that the President and Hon Ministers must respect the law passed by Parliament until it is so amended.
    Mr Speaker, I know you would put a voice vote; today, I would travel another leg to ask for a headcount on this matter. This is because on many of these matters --
    Mr Speaker, regrettably, education should be the last issue on which debate on this Floor should be on partisan lines or on those lines. I am not happy about it. We have a consensus and we would support the President to do anything to expand the frontiers of education, but disrespect for our laws, we would not.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:42 a.m.
    Hon Majority Leader --
    Majority Leader (Mr Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu) 1:42 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the item before us is a Motion which reads:
    “That this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee on the Loan Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the Export- Import Bank of Korea for an amount in Korean Won not exceeding the equivalent of ninety million Untied States dollars (US$90,000,000.00) to finance the establishment of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD), Bunso Campus Project.”
    Mr Speaker, the Motion before us is for the approval of a US$90,000,000.00 credit facility to finance the establishment of a campus of the UESD.
    Mr Speaker, it is regrettable that the debate on this Motion is not on the terms and conditions of the loan. Deliberately, we have elected to veer off and engage in matters that should not be taken at this time.
    Mr Speaker, what is before us is the terms and conditions of this Agreement. Unfortunately, certain people have elected to chart for themselves a new course and run on a very slippery path.
    Mr Speaker, on point of relevance, what they have said thus far does not relate to the Motion before us. The policy of the location of a university is done by the Government.
    Our attention has been drawn, on many occasions, to section 3 of Act 898. With your permission, I quote:
    “The University shall be established in Somanya with campuses in Donkorkrom and any other places as the Council may determine.”
    Mr Speaker, it appears that we were not too careful about how we crafted that phrase. A careful reading of this --
    Let me repeat:
    “The University shall be established in Somanya with campuses in Donkorkrom and any other places as the Council may determine.”

    Mr Speaker, those who went to other schools are saying no. Let them read it and they would understand. They should read and read again.
    rose
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:42 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, if the Hon Ayariga wants me to assume my seat and listen to him, I would do so.
    He should read it.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:42 a.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, are you done with your submission?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:42 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, it was because he wanted to violently intrude into what I was saying.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:42 a.m.
    Please proceed.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:42 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, let anybody apply critical thinking to this and he or she would see what we have done in this House. Section 3 of Act 898 provides, and with your permission, I quote:
    “The University shall be established in Somanya with campuses in Donkorkrom and any other places as the Council may determine.”
    What it means -- [Interruptions] -- Please.
    It means that establishing the uni- versity at Donkorkrom in the first place ought to have been done by the council.
    Some Hon Members 1:42 a.m.
    No.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:42 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, they do not even understand this simple construction. -- [Uproar].
    Hon Ayariga should bear me out and teach his people. [Uproar.] Mr Speaker, have they realised what they have done? This is simple grammar. All they are saying is much ado about nothing. [Uproar.]
    Mr Speaker, if we are to apply ourselves critically to it, then we should own up, that the law that we fashioned out was wrongly structured. This is because it means that establishing the university at Somanya ought to have been determined by the council. It is as simple as that.
    Mr Speaker, I believe the Hon former Mayor for the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, who schooled in the United States of America would agree with me. [Laughter] -- This is what we did, and today, perhaps we must go back and change that construction. Certainly, it does not reflect what was intended to be done.
    It is not about who brought the law; it is about understanding the Queen's English. It is as simple as that. All that people did was much ado about nothing. Maybe, the premise is wrong and perhaps we should go back.
    Having said so, establishing a university from the outset does not depend on the council's decision; it is a policy decision. Indeed, that is what article 25(1) provides and with your permission, I would run us through:
    “(1) All persons shall have the right to equal educational opportuni- ties and facilities and with a view to achieving the full realisation of that right --”
    Mr Speaker, indeed, the operative clause is, “All persons shall have the right to equal educational opportunities and facilities…”
    Mr Speaker, that right includes the right of access. Article 25(1)(c) further enhances this right, and with your permission it states:
    “(1) All persons shall have the right to equal educational opportunities and facilities and with a view to achieving the full realisation of that right --
    (c) higher education shall be made equally accessible to all, on the basis of capacity, by every appropriate means, and in particular, by progressive introduction of free education;”
    Mr Speaker, my emphasis is on, “higher education shall be made equally accessible to all…”
    What should that indicate to us? We have just told ourselves that any Government is obligated under the Directive Principles of State Policy to
    Mr Speaker, article 38(1) of the Constitution provides, and I beg to quote 1:42 a.m.
    “(1) The State shall provide educational facilities at all levels and in all the Regions of Ghana, and shall, to the greatest extent feasible, make those facilities available to all citizens.”
    Mr Speaker, availability of the facilities to all citizens includes ensuring that the facilities are indeed located in as many places as possible, even within the region, so that people would have proximity to those facilities. So people raising these issues about not locating the facility at Donkorkrom and so on and so forth, to me, it is neither here nor there.
    This is because the facility that we have before us is not in any way saying that it is putting paid to the communities that we shall in future, have campuses of this university in the Eastern Region or perhaps in other regions.
    Mr Speaker, we could have campuses of this university established in other regions. What is wrong with that? So there is no need to raise ethnic tensions on this matter.
    The cost of building this facility is US$90,000,000.00 and we must interrogate the facilities that the said amount is going to be applied on. If we have any cause to raise issues with that amount, let us do so.
    It is simplistic to say that we could have used US$45 million to do the Bunso project and another US$45million to do Donkorkrom.
    The person who is saying that the whole thing is illegal is now saying that if we had split the amount into two, one half for Bunso and the other half for Donkorkrom, in that regard, it would legitimise it. You cannot speak from both sides of your mouth.
    Mr Ablakwa 1:52 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would not be misquoted.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:52 a.m.
    Hon Member, you are out of order.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:52 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, Hon Members may have to learn to respect the rules of this House.
    Mr Speaker, I have not mentioned anybody's name [Uproar] -- People should learn to respect the rules in this House; we do not just get up and start talking.
    Mr Speaker, now, the facility is going to be used in the construction of the main administration block, the school of agriculture, lecture halls, laboratories, faculty offices and seminar rooms. But the school of engineering will have lecture halls, faculty offices, multimedia laboratory and then shared laboratory.
    There would also be the Vice- Chancellor's residence, 20 residences for professors, 24 residences for senior
    lecturers, 46 residences for other staff, auditorium, library and a hostel to inhabit 216 students.
    We should look at this and interrogate whether or not there is going to be value for money. That is what is before us.
    Mr Speaker, further to that we have the terms and conditions of this loan before us, and we noticed that the grant emanated in this facility is about 66.78 per cent. What it means is that the loan component of this facility is only US$39 million and the rest of them are grants.

    The maturity period for the first one was 12 years plus a grace period of two years. Today, the maturity period for this facility is 40 years, including a grace period of 10 years. These are the matters that we should be interrogating.

    For reasons of convenience, people elect to move away from this and are engaged in tribal politics. We should not use this House to do that.

    Mr Speaker, in the previous one, we had a structuring fee of 0.50 per cent flat of the amount, but today, we do not have that. So we should be interrogating these facts and tell ourselves if we have value for money.

    If we do not have, let us interrogate that and if there is anything we could do to further improve the loan, let us do that.

    But on balance, it appears that this one before us now is much better than what obtained previously.

    Mr Speaker, as I said, the facility is not meant to take the establishment of the campus away from Donkorkrom as Act 878 provides, and certainly many more campuses would be established in the Eastern Region and perhaps, outside the region.

    So I would plead with my Hon Colleagues that with the facts before us, we should all join ranks in approving the loan, and hereafter, have a look at the Act again --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:52 a.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, I have to announce that --
    Hon Members, having regard to the state of Business of the House, I direct that we Sit outside the regular Sitting hours.
    Please, you may now continue and conclude.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:52 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am just concluding that with what we have before us, I would want to appeal to my Hon Colleagues, that this should not be the end to the expansion of the University at Somanya and we should appeal to Government, that because Donkorkrom has been specifically mentioned, we should ensure that maybe the next loan that we procure should go to Donkorkrom.

    Mr Speaker, with that I appeal to my Hon Colleagues to join ranks, so that we all approve this loan to establish the campus of this University at Bunso.

    Thank you very much for the space accorded me.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:52 a.m.
    Hon Members, loan agreements are regulated by article 181 of the Constitution and our responsibility is only to examine the terms and conditions.
    The Report covers the terms and conditions of the loan, but the Hon Members of the Committee managed to introduce a controversy of their interpretation of an Act regulating the university into the Report, which was required to consider the terms and conditions of the loan.
    Unfortunately, that aside has clouded the debate, whether the terms and conditions of the loan are favourable or otherwise. However be it, we have to have a minimum of 50 per cent of all Hon Members to be able to take a decision.

    Hon Majority Leader?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, as of the last count on my Side --
    Mr Speaker, when I counted, my number here was about 76 and there are about 60 of them on the Minority Side, so we should have more than that.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:02 p.m.


    Mr Speaker, they have started walking out. As of now, the number is more than one-half so we could take a decision.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:02 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, I need a minimum of 138, but as of the last count we had 129. Is that right?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, by my count, the number in the Chamber now is more than 140. If we are able to stop them from trooping out, we can take a decision.
    Mr Speaker, have you seen them trooping out? Mr Speaker, but the decision lies with you.
    Hon Armah Buah, come in. Where are you going?
    Mr Speaker, it lies with you; if you want to put the Question, Yes, you could put it.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:02 p.m.
    I made the Clerks-at-the-Table to do the counting for me and they are verifying to compare with the respective figures you are telling me.
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:02 p.m.
    Hon Deputy Minority Whip.
    Mr Ahmed 2:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am surprised at the Hon Majority Leader for saying that his Side is 76 and he was challenging your figure. Mr Speaker, he is controlling 169 Hon Members on his Side and so if he has 76 Hon Members, then that is even less than half of his Side. So he should agree with you.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:02 p.m.
    Hon Member for Suhum?
    Mr Opare-Ansah 2:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I believe you could go ahead and put the Question. Mr Speaker, you would notice that Hon Members keep coming into the Chamber and leaving, but under our rules, a Hon Member needs not to be here to have listened to the debate to vote.
    So once the debate has concluded, Mr Speaker could put the Question and after your decision, if any Hon Member is so minded and calls for a headcount then the Hon Member could do so.
    Mr Speaker, so, I would want to encourage you to put the Question.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:02 p.m.
    Hon Members, at the last count, the number is
    137.

    Hon Majority Leader, I do not have the numbers to take a decision and so I would defer the Question on this matter.

    I believe that also goes for item numbered 8(1) and (2).
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Resolution would have to be taken next week because we would require at least one-half to take the Resolution.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:02 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, I am saying that the deferment affects item numbered 8 as well.
    So we could take item numbered 9, if you are ready.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we attempted to do some winnowing on the Right to Information Bill, 2018. [Interruption.]
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:02 p.m.
    Hon Members, order!
    Please, could Hon Members resume their seats?
    Hon Member for Tema West, please take your seat.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I was saying that we have started in earnest to do some winnowing on the Right to Information Bill, 2018, and today being Friday, I would want to plead, that in the circumstance that we find ourselves, we should take an adjournment for the Committee to continue with the winnow- ing session in order for us to be able to continue when we Sit on Monday.
    Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:02 p.m.
    Minority Leadership?
    Mr Ahmed 2:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have no objection, and since we are coming on Monday, I believe this is an appropriate time for the House to adjourn so that the Committee could go and work on it for us to work expeditiously on Monday.
    ADJOURNMENT 2:02 p.m.
  • The House was adjourned at 2.11 p.m. till Monday, 16th July, 2018, at 10.00 a.m.