Debates of 28 Jul 2018

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 11:57 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 11:57 a.m.
Mr Speaker 11:57 a.m.
Hon Members, Correc- tion of Votes and Proceedings of Friday, 27th July, 2018.
Page 1… 33 --
Mr Speaker 11:57 a.m.
Yes, Hon Member?
Mr Ras Mubarak 11:57 a.m.
Mr Speaker, with regard to item numbered 36 on page 32, there is a word that is not clear.
‘'clause 1, accordingly...''
Mr Speaker, I do not know what they wanted to put in, but there is something missing.
Mr Speaker 11:57 a.m.
Very well.
Page 34…40.
Hon Members, the Votes and Proceedings of Friday, 27th July, 2018, as corrected is hereby adopted as the true record of proceedings
Hon Members, item numbered 4 -- Presentation of Papers.
Hon Majority Leader, any indication?
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:57 a.m.
Mr Speaker, we could start with item numbered 4(a)(ii).
PAPERS 11:57 a.m.
Mr Speaker 11:57 a.m.
Yes, Hon Majority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:57 a.m.
Mr Speaker, we could take item numbered 4(a)(iii).
By the Chairman of the Committee --
Report of the Finance Committee on the Request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, Import NHIL, ECOWAS Levy, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy amounting to the Ghana cedi equivalent of fourteen million, nine hundred and twenty-six thousand, eight hundred and nine United States dollars (€14,926,809.00) [equivalent to GH¢81,257,072] on project materials and equipment in respect of the development of the Kumasi International Airport phase
II.
rose
Mr Speaker 11:57 a.m.
Hon Chairman of the Finance Committee?
Dr Assibey-Yeboah 11:57 a.m.
Mr Speaker, with regard to item numbered 4(a) (iii), I would want to seek your leave to amend the denomination. It should be euros (€) and not US dollars (US$).
Mr Speaker 12:07 p.m.
Hon Member, you mean the amount quoted as 14,926,809.00 should be in euros and not dollars?
Dr Assibey-Yeboah 12:07 p.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker. But the cedi equivalent quoted is correct, as that is the cedi equivalent in euros.
Mr Speaker, same would apply when we get to items numbered 17, 18 and 19.
Mr Speaker 12:07 p.m.
It would run through items numbered 17, 18 and 19 as euros and not dollars.
Very well. Amended accordingly.
Hon Majority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we would start with item numbered 14.
Mr Speaker 12:07 p.m.
Item numbered 14 — Motion. Hon Chairman of the Committee?
MOTION 12:07 p.m.
Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah 12:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 80(1) which require that no Motion shall be debated until at least forty-eight hours have elapsed between the date on which notice of the Motion is given and the date on which the Motion is moved, the Motion for the adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee on the Request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, NHIL Levy, ECOWAS Levy, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy
amounting to the Ghana cedi equivalent of pillion, nine hundred and sixty-nine thousand, four hundred and six euros (€6,969,406.00) on project materials -and equipment in respect of the Upper East Regional Water Supply Project may be moved today.
Mr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson 12:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Hon Chairman of the Committee?
MOTIONS 12:07 p.m.
Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 12:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee on the request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, Import NHIL, ECOWAS Levy, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy amounting to the Ghana cedi equivalent of six million, nine hundred and sixty-nine thousand, four hundred and six euros (€6,969,406.00) on project materials and equipment in respect of the Upper East Regional Water Supply Project.
Mr Speaker, in doing so, I beg to present your Committee's Report.
Introduction
The request for Waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, Import NHIL, ECOWAS Levy, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy and other approved imposts amounting to six million, nine hundred and

sixty-nine thousand, four hundred and six euros (€6,969,406.00) on equipment and materials to be imported in respect of the Upper East Region Water Supply Project was laid in the House on 19th July, 2018, in accordance with article 174 (2) of the 1992 Constitution.

Mr Speaker referred the request to the Finance Committee for consideration and report in accordance with Order 169 of the Standing Orders of the House.

The Committee met with the Minister for Water Resources and Sanitation, Hon Joseph Adda, Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon Kwaku Kwarteng, and technical teams from the Ministries of Finance and Water Resources and Sanitation to consider the request. The Committee appreciates their valuable contributions.

References

The Committee referred to the following documents at its deliberations:

The 1992 Constitution of Ghana;

The Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921); and

The Standing Orders of the Parliament of Ghana.

Background

The Upper East Region has over the years been faced with perennial water shortage. The major cities of the region which include Bolgatanga, Navrongo, Paga and Bongo have been identified by the Ghana Water Company Ltd (GWCL) as deprived areas in relation to access to potable water.

The main source of water in the region which is the Vea Dam is located between Bolgatanga and Bongo. It has inadequate water capacity to meet the demands of the fast developing towns and cities which are experiencing increasing population growth.

The Vea reservoir is also used by the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority for its irrigation activities.

In order to adequately supply water to Bolgatanga, Navrongo, Paga, Bongo and their surrounding communities, there is the need for a new water source as well as the construction of a new water treatment plant to be established.

The Tono Irrigation reservoir which is nearer to Navrongo has been identified to have surplus capacity to help meet the water supply needs of Bolgatanga, Navrongo, Paga, Bongo and their surrounding communities. This particular system, when developed would be able to also accommodate further water extensions to other catchment areas in future.

It is in this light that the Government of Ghana sourced for a Credendo-Backed Export Credit Facility from the ING Bank of Belgium SA/NV (Lender) for an amount of twenty five million, three hundred and forty-one thousand, nine hundred and fifty-eight euros (€25,341,958.00), being the loan component of the total project cost of thirty-seven million six hundred and thirty-eight thousand, two hundred and sixty-six euros (€37,683,266.00) to finance the Navrongo (Upper East) Water Supply Project.

The balance of twelve million, three hundred and forty-one thousand, three hundred and eight euros (€12,341,308.00) is by way of a grant from the Netherlands Government.

This Agreement was approved by Parliament at its Twenty-Sixth Meeting held on Tuesday, 14th November, 2017.

As part of the conditions to the Agreement, the facility is excluded from the payment of taxes and duties that may be applicable in Ghana.

In view of the above condition and the need to implement the project successfully, there is the need to waive the payment of taxes and duties related to the materials and equipment of the project. It is in this vein that the request has been laid in Parliament for consideration and approval.

Objectives

The objective of the project is to develop a reliable water supply system that can provide the people of Bolgatanga, Navrongo, Paga, Bongo and their surrounding communities with sufficient, good and reliable drinking water up to year

2030.

Required Waiver

Tax assessment conducted on the project materials and equipment by the Ghana Revenue Authority and the Tax Policy Unit of the Ministry of Finance revealed that the total waiver required under the project amounted to six million, nine hundred and sixty nine thousand, four hundred and six euros (€6,969,406.00). Details of the assessment is captured in Table 1 below:
Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 12:07 p.m.
Table 1 -- Tax Assessment
SPACE FOR TABLE, PAGE 7, 12.07 A.M.
Observations
Expected Benefits
The technical team informed the Committee that the project when completed would help to:-
Provide essential basic infrastructure (water system);
Improve the health of inhabitants in the project area; provide economic stimulus for existing companies and industries as well as new companies; and lastly,
Improve the standard of living of the inhabitants in the region.

Need for the Waiver

The Minister informed the Committee that the project is expected to commence on 1st September, 2018. The contractor is currently mobilising all the equipment and materials required for the project. However, without the tax waiver, the contractor would not be able to ship the goods.

He said if the request is approved, the items would arrive in time for the project to commence as scheduled.

Conclusion

After a careful consideration, the Committee is of the view that the project would help Government achieve its objective of providing potable water to deprived communities throughout the country.

The Committee therefore recommends to the House to adopt this Report and approve the request for Waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, ECOWAS Levy, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy and other approved imposts amounting to six million, nine hundred and sixty- nine thousand, four hundred and six euros (€6,969,406.00) on equipment and materials to be imported in respect of the Upper East Regional Water Supply Project in accordance with article 174(2) of the Constitution and the Standing Orders of the House.

Respectfully submitted.
Mr Richard Acheampong (NDC-Bia East) 12:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to second the Motion.
Mr Speaker, the facility itself has been approved but there is a condition precedent that we should grant this tax
waiver so that the project can be executed which is an amount of €6,969,406.00 for the Upper East Regional Water Supply Project.
Mr Speaker, at the Committee level, they provided us with the list and we saw that even stationery items of €43,000 were to be imported into this country. So, what happens to local content?
They said that they are going to revise the list and give us a detailed list. Maybe, they would take out this item that we raised at the Committee level.
Mr Speaker, but we have the Committee's Report and the list is not attached. If we give this approval, how sure are we that they are going to revise this list as promised at the Committee level? We cannot be giving approval in a vacuum.
At least, there should be some information so that we can also do the follow up. We have the Committee's Report without the list so what is the guarantee that those issues raised at the Committee level would be dealt with?
Mr Speaker, so, I would plead with the Hon Minister and the Hon Chairman; we should at least take the Committee seriously and try to address issues raised at that level, so that we would be rest assured, that whatever was said at Committee level, they have respected the decision of the Committee and we would take it through.
This is because we cannot just be approving for approving sake because at the end of the day, the backlash would come to the House of which Mr Speaker would be part of.
It would be said that Parliament sat and approved this facility without doing due diligence. No value-for-money audit was

Mr Speaker, so this is a straightforward thing, but better particulars should be provided to the House so that we would be guided accordingly.

Some Hon Members — rose -
Mr Speaker 12:07 p.m.
Hon Members, I see there is consensus on this matter. I would put the Question.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Mr Speaker 12:07 p.m.
Hon Minister, you may move the Resolution.
RESOLUTION 12:07 p.m.
Dr Assibey-Yeboah 12:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Resolution.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we could take item numbered 8.
Mr Speaker 12:07 p.m.
Item numbered 8 - Motion.
MOTION 12:07 p.m.
Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah 12:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 80(1) which require that no Motion shall be debated until at least forty-eight hours have elapsed between the date on which notice
of the Motion is given and the date on which the Motion is moved, the Motion for the adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee on Master Project Support Agreement (MPSA) between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and Sinohydro Corporation Limited for an amount up to two billion United States dollars (US$2 Billion) for the Construction of Priority Infrastructure Projects may be moved today.
Mr Cassiel Ato Forson 12:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly
Mr Speaker 12:17 p.m.
Hon Chairman, you may move the substantive Motion numbered 9 on the Order Paper.
Master Project Support Agreement between GoG and Sinohydro Corporation Limited for the
Construction of Priority Infrastructure Projects
Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 12:17 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee on Master Project Support Agreement (MPSA) between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and Sinohydro Corporation Limited for an amount up to two billion United States dollars (US$2 Billion) for the Construction of Priority Infrastructure Project.

Introduction

The Master Project Support Agreement (MPSA) between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and Sinohydro Corporation Limited for an amount up to two billion United States dollars (US$2 Billion) for the Construction of Priority Infrastructure Projects was presented to the House on Monday 23rd July, 2018, by the Hon Deputy Minister for Finance, Mr Kwaku Agyeman Kwarteng on behalf of the Minister responsible for Finance.

Pursuant to article 103 of the 1992 Constitution and Orders 169 and 171 of the Standing Orders of the House, the Agreement was referred to the Committee on Finance for consideration and report.

The Committee subsequently met and discussed the Agreement with a Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon Charles Adu Boahen and officials from the Ministry of Finance.

The Committee hereby submits this Report to the House pursuant to Order 161(1) of the Standing Orders of the House.

The Committee is grateful to the above- mentioned Hon Deputy Minister and officials for attending upon the Committee.

References

The Committee referred to and was guided by the following documents inter alia during its deliberations on the Agreement:

The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana;

The Standing Orders of the Parliament of Ghana; and
Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 12:17 p.m.
Background
The Government of Ghana recognises the importance of good road infrastructure as a critical facilitator for rapid socio- economic development of the country through the improvement of access reduction in travel times, congestion, vehicle operating cost, accidents and cost of doing business.
To ensure the operational efficiency of road transport in moving persons, goods and services within the country and with neighbouring countries, the Government has implemented some major road infrastructural projects and continues to source for funding to implement additional critical infrastructure projects such as hospitals, bridges, interchanges, roads, affordable housing and fishing landing sites in line with its infrastructural development agenda.
Pursuant to the above, the Government of Ghana is entering into a Master Project Support Agreement (MPSA) with Sinohydro Corporation Limited to support priority infrastructural projects in Ghana.
Programme objectives
The overriding consideration for identifying the priority projects is the strategic socio-economic significance of the selected priorities.
The objectives are to improve road infrastructure for enhanced intra-urban, regional and national road traffic flow, pursue rural electrification, affordable housing, fish landing sites, strengthen economic and regional integration and reduce the cost of doing business in the country.

Terms and Conditions of the MPSA

The terms and conditions of the MPSA are as follows:

MPSA Amount -- US$2.00 Billion

Advance Payment (GOG) -- 15 per cent of the EPC Contract Price (to be pre- financed by Sinohydro)

Grace Period -- 3 years

Repayment Period -- 12 years

Tenor -- 15 years

Repayment Item -- receipts from refined Bauxite (alumina or aluminium)

Interest Rate -- US Libor + 2.8 per cent -3.3 per cent per annum

Commitment Fee -- 1.00 per cent per annum

Management Fee -- 1.2 per ecnt Flat

Sinosure Premium -- 7-9 per cent Flat and Financed Upfront

Observations
Mr Speaker 12:17 p.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Chairman.
Mr Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi (NPP - Asante Akim Central) 12:17 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Thank you.
Question proposed.
Mr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson (NDC- Ejumako-Enyan-Essiam) 12:27 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to speak to the Motion. In doing so, I would advert your mind to paragraph 6.5.1 of page 5 of the Report, and I beg to quote:
A Barter Agreement not a Loan?
The Hon Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon. Charles Adu Boahen informed the Committee that the Agreement is only a barter arrangement and not a loan. He explained that the refined bauxite (alumina or aluminium) would be used for the barter agreement and it will not add to the public debt.”
We, the Hon Members of the Minority at the Committee, had a problem with that because if we are to look at the very memorandum that was submitted to Parliament, we would notice that item one of the action required says, and I beg to quote:
“Parliament is respectfully invited to consider and approve the under- listed agreements in accordance
with Article 181 of the 1992 Constitution and Sections 55(1) and 56(1) of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921)”.
Mr Speaker, if I may refer to article 181 of the 1992 Constitution, it says and I beg to quote:
“(1) Parliament may, by a resolution supported by the votes of a majority of all the Members of Parliament, authorise the Government to enter into an agreement for the granting of a loan out of any public fund or public account.
(2) An agreement entered into under clause (1) of this article shall be laid before Parliament and shall not come into operation until it is approved by a resolution of Parliament.
(3) No loan shall be raised by the Government on behalf of itself or any other public institution or authority otherwise than by or under the authority of an Act of Parliament.”
Mr Speaker, I would like to draw attention to the fact that the very action required tells us to approve a loan.
The Hon Minister for Finance however, tells us that this is not a loan.
Mr Speaker, again, if we are to look at section 55(1) of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016, Act 921 (PFMA) it says that:
“Subject to article 181 of the Constitution and this Act, the
Minister has the authority to raise a loan on behalf of the Government, both within and outside the country and in local and foreign currencies”.
Mr Speaker section 56(1) also states that 12:27 p.m.
“The terms and conditions of all government borrowings shall be laid before Parliament and shall not come into operations unless the terms and conditions are approved by a resolution of Parliament in accordance with article 181 of the Constitution”.
This is the PFMA, 2016, Act 921, the very action that Parliament is called upon to do -- Parliament is being asked to approve a loan, however, the Government is telling us that this is not a loan. Unfortunately, if I may refer you to the Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review of the 2018 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government which Ken Ofori-Atta, the Hon Minister for Finance presented to us and I beg to quote;
Mr Speaker, if I may read paragraph
190:
“Mr Speaker, I would like to assure this august House that the two billion of infrastructure to be provided by Sinohydro, will not add to the public debt stock and will involve a moratorium period of three years to give Government the time to establish an aluminium refinery”.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister for Finance informed all of us and the country that it is not going to be a public loan or debt. The very action is that the Hon Minister is asking this Honourable House to approve a loan. We were also told by the Hon Deputy Minister that this is not a loan so, what are they asking us to do?
Mr Speaker, it says that 12:27 p.m.
“Sinohydro will be contacting a financier and the financier is the industrial and commercial bank of
China or any other bank that the creditor may select. It also says that they are going to get an export credit insurance and it will come from the China Credit Insurance Corporation
(SYNO-SUR).
They said that the Ministry of Finance is going to issue letters of support and if I may read what the letters of support says. It states that:
“The Ministry of Finance, Republic of Ghana will issue a Letter of Support (abbreviation being “LoS”) that secures the Debtors obligation to effect the deferred payments and interests accrued. The form and content of the LoS shall be subject to the acceptance by Sinosure”.
Mr Speaker, the letters of support in the appendices is described as a security document. What is a security document in financial terms? It is a Government guarantee. What are they telling us? If it is not Government guarantee --
Let me read the rendition again. It says that:
“The Ministry of Finance, Republic of Ghana will issue a Letter of Support (abbreviation being “LoS”) that secures the Debtors obligation to effect the deferred payments and interests accrued…”.
Mr Speaker, is this not a guarantee? We also have the terms which states that 12:27 p.m.
“The interest payment is six months LIBOR plus 2.8 -- 3.3 per cent Basis point, this is the interest rate”.
Again, interest rate of the said loan is that with the financing of the management fee. Agreed financing fee will be reimbursed to the creditor in the first four
installments in equal amounts after the commencement of the repayment period.
Mr Speaker, the evidence before us Suggest that this is buyer's credit. Something interesting in terms of cost, fees and expenses. If I may read:
“All reasonable costs, fees and expenses for legal, insurance, technical and any other pro- fessional consultants engaged with the prior consent of the Debtor, as well as all other out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Creditor and the Financier in connection with arrangement of the Finance in- cluding preparation of the Financial Documents and enforcement thereof will be for the Debtor's account”.
Mr Speaker, my worry here is “out of pocket expenses” What is out of pocket expenses? It needs to be defined and we cannot grant you a blank cheque. We cannot accept this, and let me also say that repayment terms states that:
“The debtor shall make the deferred payments under each account receivable assigned by the Creditor to the Financier via twenty-four (24) semi-annual installments during the Repayment Period”.
The repayment terms are that nobody can convince those of us on this Side of the House that this is not a loan. The very action required is for us to approve a loan. We are not against the Agreement in principle, but we on this Side of the House are against any attempt to hide public debt. [Interruption.] -- This is a loan and let them admit that it is a loan.
Mr Speaker, we will join the Government in approving a loan that will seek to
improve infrastructure for the Republic, you can count on us on that one, but an attempt to hide public debt or loan and create the impression that it is a barter, we, Hon Members on this Side of the House can never be part of that. Hear! Hear!
I am urging my Hon Colleagues to do the honourable thing and accept that this is a loan because the action required of us is to approve a loan. I will support a loan but I cannot support something -- “barter”. What is barter?
Mr Speaker, let me conclude by making one point. Even if it is Government's intention to use bauxite revenues to pay the debt.
Mr Speaker 12:27 p.m.
Order!
Mr Forson 12:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, let us be reminded that revenues accruing to the State in the form of bauxite revenue is Government revenue and it will go into the fiscal as such, the expenditure, if it comes in, will go out as Government expenditure.

Deputy Minister for Information (Mr Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah) MP: Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to speak in support of this Motion.

Mr Speaker, there are some legal matters that we would need to lay to rest once and for all. It is true that the
Mr Forson 12:37 p.m.


memorandum to Parliament says that Parliament is respectfully invited to consider and approve the listed Agreements in accordance with article 181 of the 1992 Constitution.

Mr Speaker, but the Minority cannot elect to quote article 181(1) and (2) as what we are referring to. Mr Speaker, if we go to article 181(5) -- I encourage my Hon Colleagues to pay attention to the words of the Constitution. Mr Speaker, the Constitution is sui generis -- it is like no other document -- and it reads that

“This article shall, with the necessary modifications by Parliament, apply to an international business or economic transaction to which the Government is a party as it applies to a loan.”

Mr Speaker, moving to the second argument of sections 55(1) and 56(1), they are being complied with in procedure because they are also grounded on article

181.

Mr Speaker, this country has a history of being blessed with a lot of natural resources but anybody who pays attention realises that we find contracting parties that come and dig up our resources
Mr Speaker, I would refer to paragraph 2.1 of the MPSA Agreement which reads 12:37 p.m.
“The financing terms and conditions under which Sinohydro will arrange the Sinohydro Arranged Project Financing will be subject to mutual agreement of the Parties who will jointly negotiate with Chinese or other international financial institutions for such Sinohydro Arranged Project Financing, it being understood however that Sinohydro shall play the role of lead arranger and negotiator in the process and is solely responsible to enter into the financing agreement(s) with any
financial institution that agrees to provide the Sinohydro Arranged Project Financing.”
Mr Speaker, paragraph 2.3 (c) reads that 12:37 p.m.
“GoG shall make payment for the Sinohydro Arranged Project Financing out of the receipt from the transfer of refined Bauxite (Aluminium or Alumina). …”

Mr Speaker, it is clear on its face that we are asking Sinohydro to build roads, bridges and other associated infrastructure for us and in return, we would pay back with bauxites or aluminium. Mr Speaker, this cannot be interpreted as a loan.

Mr Speaker, the next point is that because this is not a loan, we opted not to give a letter of guarantee. In fact, there was an option to go for a letter of guarantee but we elected and agreed with Sinohydro that we would give them a letter of support but not a letter of guarantee. So that cannot be interpreted as a loan and it is interesting that my Hon Friends on the other Side of the House would say that if it is a loan then they are willing to support it.

My understanding of this is that our Hon Colleagues on the other Side are saying that they do not have a problem if we are willing to take a loan, but if we are willing to come up with an innovative financing structure that delivers roads, bridges and infrastructure in return for bauxite, they would not support same.
Mr Speaker 12:37 p.m.
Any Hon Member who wants to make a contribution would have the opportunity to do so. The Hon Member on my right would finish and I would move to my left side. Hon Members, let us avoid a chaotic situation.
Hon Member, continue.
Mr Oppong-Nkrumah 12:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you.
Mr Speaker, it is worth noting that my Hon Friends on the Minority Side say that if we say that we are going to take a loan, then they would be willing to support it but if we come with an innovative financing structure such as this, then they would not support. Mr Speaker, I believe that ought to go on record.
Mr Speaker 12:37 p.m.
Hon Members, order!
Mr Oppong-Nkrumah 12:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, this transaction was mentioned by the Hon Minister for Finance in his Mid-Year Fiscal Review document and I beg to refer to pages 40, 41 and 42 which lists the first set of beneficiaries of this transaction.
Mr Speaker, I beg to read 12:37 p.m.
“Cape Coast inner-city roads: Akotokyir, Amamoma, Abura New Community Area, Cape Coast Polytechnic Road, Apawusika Road, and other selected Cape Coast Inner-City roads”.
Mr Speaker, I beg to read 12:37 p.m.


Mr Speaker, in the Northern and Upper East Regions; the Tamale Interchange and the Upper West Wulugu-Kpasenkpa-Wa Road -- let the people of the Northern and Upper West Regions take note that the Minority Side do not support this innovative structure for building that infrastructure.

Mr Speaker, Lawra-Han-Tumu Road, Upper West, Lawra-Dikpe Bridge, Upper East, Chuchulga-Sandema-Wiase Road.

Mr Speaker, in Volta Region, the Jasikan-Dodo Peppesu-Nkwanta Road that the President just drove on -- let the people of the Volta Region take note that the Minority Side have said that they would not support an innovative finance structure like this which would deliver those roads.

Mr Speaker, in conclusion, beyond being one of the lead founders of our country and the first President of our nation, one of the things that Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah is well remembered for is infrastructure development, but even with that, I am not sure that we could point to about US$2 billion worth of infrastructure across the length of this country during his day.

This would be a major epoch in Ghana's history for the construction of about US$2 billion worth of roads, bridges and other infrastructure across the length and breadth of this country. I encourage my Hon Colleagues on the other Side to change their minds and support this
Mr John Jinapor (NDC -- Yapei/ Kusawgu) 12:47 p.m.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker, today is indeed a very sad day. [Uproar.] I cannot believe that before your very good self, Mr Speaker, our Colleagues on the other Side would look into our faces and tell us that this is not a loan but a so--- called barter arrangement. [Uproar.]
Mr Speaker, let me quickly refer to www.businessdictionary.com for the meaning of barter. It is: “Trading in which goods or services are exchanged without the use of cash”.
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Order!
Mr Jinapor 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, before the medieval ages; before civilisation --
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Hon Members, this is a house of debate. Let us go by the rules of the game. Let us hear each other.
Mr Jinapor 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, before civilisation, we used to do barter. And what did we do? If I had a bowl of rice and you had a bowl of salt, what we did was that I would bring the salt and exchange it with the rice; money was not involved.
Mr Speaker, I also refer to the article 181 (6) of the Constitution 12:47 p.m.
“For the purpose of this article, “loan” includes any money lent or
given to or by the Government on condition or return of repayment, and any other form of borrowing or lending in respect of which --”
Mr Speaker, it is curious --
Mr Speaker, I am resilient and no amount of noise will supress me. I would continue to make my point under your guidance.
Mr Speaker, it is curious that we seek -
- 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Hon Members, I wonder; those making the noise fear debate. [Laughter.] If you have a good point, why not wait and point it out?
Hon Member, please, continue.
Mr Jinapor 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is curious that we seek to approve an amount of US$2 billion and yet this amount has not gone to Cabinet for deliberation. This came with Executive approval. It is curious for me and I reserve the right to raise that.
Mr Speaker, if you go to what they describe as an MPSA, as far as I agree that the President can give an Executive approval, I hold the view that an amount of US$2 billion should have been deliberated at Cabinet where the likes of the Hon A. A. Osei would contribute.
Mr Speaker, if you take the MPSA --
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Hon Member, unless we are mistaken, is the Executive approval illegal or unknown to our governance procedures?
Mr Jinapor 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, not at all. I am saying that as a Member of Parliament representing the Yapei/Kusawgu
Constituency, I am of the opinion that the US$2 billion should have gone to Cabinet for deliberation. That is my opinion. I am not saying it is illegal.
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
But do you consider Executive approval as acceptable under the very Constitution and our practices?
Mr Jinapor 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am not debating the constitutionality of it. I am just saying that I believe it is proper that Cabinet debates such an amount.
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Proceed.
Mr Jinapor 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, if you go to the MPSA, paragraph 2.2 (c), it says execution and delivery by the GoG of a letter of support. At the Committee meeting, we asked for this letter of support and -- the Hon Chairman is here. We were promised that the letter of support would be made available.
Mr Speaker, this is because it is the letter of support which would tell you whethe inherent in the letter of support, it is a loan or not. As we speak, we are approving this without that letter of support.
There is an attempt to turn “66” upside down to “99” and present to us for approval. We would not be part of it today and we would not be part of this tomorrow.
Mr Speaker, if you go to paragraph 2.3 (c), it says 12:47 p.m.
“GoG shall make payments for the Sinohydro Arranged Project Financing out of receipts from the transfer of refined Bauxite (Alumina or Aluminium) to its strategic partner (Offtaker), and where receipts from the refined Bauxite are not sufficient for the repayment of the Sinohydro Arranged Project Financing, GoG shall use other sources for the repayment of the SYNOHYDRO.”
rose
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Hon Members, just a moment.
Hon Members, do you stand on a point of correction? I see your Constitution in your hands. I am tempted to believe that you want to quote or correct something.
You have your Constitution in your hand. What is it that you want?
Please, are you rising on a point of order?
Mr Kpemka 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is a point of information.
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Hon Member, we have come to a point where I would want you to be very specific. What do you rise on? A point of order?
Mr Kpemka 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yes.
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Go ahead.
Mr Kpemka 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in quoting portions of the Constitution to elucidate one's point in matters of this nature, he has to construe the article as a whole. In doing so, when one picks out a section or phrase or clause --
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
To quote the whole article as a whole?
Mr Kpemka 12:47 p.m.
Specifically.
Mr Speaker, Hon John Jinapor cited article 181(6) and he read just a portion of the paragraph, but when you construe it in a whole, it defeats what he was making as a whole.
Mr Speaker, first, with your permission, this is what --
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Hon Member, just a moment.
Mr Kpemka 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it says --
Mr Speaker; Hon Member, just a moment. Be patient and make your sense.
Hon Members, we would want to have an intellectual discourse. He says relevant parts have been left out. Let him support it and then we would know or otherwise.
Hon Member, you may continue.
Mr Kpemka 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am grateful.
Article 181 (6) which he read says:
“(6) For the purposes of this article, “loan” includes any money lent or given to or by the Government on condition or return of repayment, and any other form of borrowing or lending in respect of which --
(a) Moneys form the Consolidated Fund or any other public fund may be used for payment of repayment; or
(b) moneys from any fund by whatever name called, established for the purpose of payment or
repayment whether directly or indirectly, may be used for payment or repayment.”
In this case, money is not going to be used for repayment, so what is he talking about?
Mr Speaker 12:57 p.m.
Hon Members, I have been bending my back to use very persuasive language. The Hon Member was reading from the Constitution. I was following it closely. At least, the text is correct, according to our Constitution. We are waiting for his comment on the text so read, and then some people shout “no”. No for what? -- [Laughter.]
We cannot have this. Or do we not go by the Constitution anymore? Please, I insist on order. Let him finish. Let him comment on the provision he is reading, and if you have to debunk him, do so.
Hon Member, please continue.
Mr Kpemka 12:57 p.m.
Mr Speaker, again, (b);
“moneys from any Fund by whatever name called, established for the purposes of payment or repayment whether directly or indirectly, may be used for payment or repayment”.
Mr Speaker 12:57 p.m.
Order! We are all students of our own Constitution. The Hon Member is essentially saying “fund or moneys” form the essence of what is there.
Hon Member, you may continue.
Mr Jinapor 12:57 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I refer to the Constitution, article 181, and my good Friend quoted article 181 (6) (b). This is what 181 (6) (b) says; “moneys from any fund by whatever name called…”
[Uproar]
Mr Speaker 12:57 p.m.
Hon Member, the cumulative effect of (a) and (b) clearly indicates funds; cash, money, dwetee - [Uproar] -- Otherwise, if it is a different kind of business; it is barter.
Hon Member, you would conclude; then I would rule accordingly.
Mr Jinapor 12:57 p.m.
Mr Speaker, so the underlying principle or issue has to do with receipt from all these resources and that is why I quote 2.3 (c)
“Government of Ghana shall make payments for the Sinohydro arranged project facility out of receipts from the transfer of refined bauxite”.
Mr Speaker, what it means is that, when you process the bauxite into alumina and you export the alumina, the receipts that you get, which Mr Speaker called dwetee -- [Uproar]-- would be used to pay the loan. Even more disturbing is the issue where we are committing that, if the receipt from the bauxite resources is not enough, we would go and look for money to repay what you call a barter arrangement.
Mr Speaker, if this is not a loan, then what is it? If you go to appendix 2, the term sheet itself which we are looking at,
Mr Speaker 12:57 p.m.
In conclusion -- [Laughter.]
Mr Jinapor 12:57 p.m.
Mr Speaker, if you go to page 2 --
Mr Speaker 12:57 p.m.
Although ducks walk slowly, they arrive [Laughter.]
Mr Jinapor 12:57 p.m.
Mr Speaker, certainly I am guided.
Mr Speaker, cost, fees and expenses; all reasonable cost, fees and expenses for legal insurance, technical and other professional consultants as well as out of pocket expenses incurred by the creditor shall be borne by the debtor.
Mr Speaker, the simple question we have to ask ourselves is -- and we asked this at the Committee level -- how much do we expect from this bauxite resources per anum?
Mr Speaker, we know capital budget, we know investment appraisal. You do not step into an investment when you do not even know how much you are going to expect from the bauxite resources. As we speak, we do not know.
In conclusion, let me make it clear that on this day, the 28th of July, 2018, those of us in the Minority are not opposed to the development of this country, but we would not be part of this attempt to obfuscate the issues, to hide the fact that this is a debt and present it to us as if it is a barter.

Mr Speaker, thank you. May you live long. I wish you well.
Minister for Planning (Prof. George Gyan-Baffour) (MP) 12:57 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you.
Mr Speaker, I would urge my Friends on the other Side of the aisle to calm down and let us appeal to things that we all agree on.
Mr Speaker, we all agree that the country's infrastructural state is so deplorable. We all agree on that. The roads are bad, we need the clinics, we need all this infrastructure that we are referring to here. We agree on that, do we not?
Mr Speaker, we all agree also that at the current state of our economy, we cannot absorb a lot of loans. Do we not agree? We do.
Mr Speaker, they do agree that we cannot absorb a lot of loans, yet we have to do these roads and build all these clinics. So we have to come out with a reasonable way, an innovative way of financing all these things. Do we not agree on that?
Mr Speaker, we agree on that. That is why we are coming out with this arrangement which is a barter.
The Hon Member tried to define what a barter is and he used a dictionary that I have not seen, but when you go to the Webster English Dictionary, this is what it says about a barter:
“exchanging a commodity or service for another commodity or another service”.
In other words:
“to trade goods or services in exchange for another goods or services.”
Mr Speaker, what we are doing here is trying to trade our refined bauxite for roads. This is a classic example of barter. I do not know what else can be described as barter. Barter is something like a farmer exchanging a crop for services.
In the same way, we are exchanging our future, not even today, resources for building us a road this time around. That is the extent of what we are doing.
Mr Speaker, Hon Members should agree with us that it is not really a loan that we are taking up but we are actually exchanging some goods for another service. That is all that we are trying to do here and it is not going to go into the fiscal tables as some Hon Members have said.
Mr Speaker, this is not something that has not been done anywhere else before. It has been done all over the places and we are all aware of that. Mr Speaker, what we are doing here is not going for a loan.
The main reason we are here is because it is an international economic transaction and that is why we are in the House. It is not because we are going for a loan.
So, Hon Members should calm down and understand that because of the need and the deplorable state of the nation, any alternative that would not be a loan that can put pressure on us should be acceptable to all of us.
And so I will call on my Hon Colleagues -- I note that this is a majority decision. It has to be a decision by consensus. I urge all Hon Members to calm down and let us move this Motion forward.
Mr James Klutse Avedzi (NDC -- Ketu North) 1:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to oppose the Motion in the form it is.
Mr Speaker, these are my reasons. For the first one, the Hon Deputy Minister for Information, the Hon Oppong-Nkrumah, read only article 181(5) where he mentioned international business or economic transaction. Mr Speaker, that is true.
He is perfectly correct that if Government is entering into any agreement which is international and of economic value, Parliament must approve it. That is correct.
But the action required from Parliament made reference to article 181 of the Constitution. If you go to the article 181, it talks about loans. There are three main items that we can see under article 181.
The first one is when the Government of Ghana is granting loan out of our public funds, it must be approved by Parliament. The second one, if Government of Ghana is contracting loan into public funds, it must be approved by Parliament.
Mr Speaker, permit me to read. It says 1:07 p.m.
“Subject to article181 of the Constitution and this Act, the Minister has the authority to raise a loan on behalf of the Government, both within and outside the country and in local and foreign currencies.”
So, the Hon Minister for Finance is riding on section 55 (1) on the authority given to him by this Act to raise loan. That provision of section 55 (1) did not give authority to the Hon Minister for Finance to go and raise barter.
‘‘Subject to article 181'', if you refer to article 181 (5), this one does not support those provisions because section 55 (1) of the PFMA does not talk about economic transaction or international business.
Mr Speaker, the next provision on which the Hon Minister for Finance is riding is section 56 (1) of the PFMA. Mr Speaker, permit me to read:
“The terms and conditions of all government borrowings shall be laid before Parliament and shall not come into operation unless the terms and conditions are approved by a resolution of Parliament in accordance with article 181 of the Constitution.”
Mr Speaker, the provision that the Hon Minister quoted did not say that the terms and conditions of barter trade shall be laid before Parliament for approval. It said:
“The terms and conditions of all government borrowings shall be laid before Parliament and shall not come into operation unless the terms and conditions are approved by a resolution of Parliament in accordance with article 181 of the Constitution.”
Mr Speaker, if the Hon Minister himself rides on article 181 (5) of the Constitution, sections 55 (1) and 56 (1) of the PFMA and asks Parliament to approve this, how does he turn round to say it is not a loan or borrowing but it is a barter trade?
Mr Speaker, if you go to pages 2 and 3 of the Committee's Report, we have the terms and conditions of the loan. Mr Speaker, I would want to find out for which barter trade you pay interest? I want an answer.
Mr Speaker, page 3 of the Committee's Report reads, “Interest rate -- US Libor +2.8 per cent -3.3 per cent per annum”. It is only in this Government that we pay interest in a barter trade. In which barter trade do we pay interest? [Laughter.] I want an answer. --[Interruption]
You said it is barter and you are paying interest. Mr Speaker, which barter trade do you pay commitment fee or management fee?
Mr Speaker, under this Government, we are going to pay management and commitment fee on barter trade.
Mr Speaker, we have seen it before in this House that during the tenure of President Kufuor, when we constructed the Bui Dam, we took a loan from China where we paid with proceeds from our cocoa. It was not a barter; it was a loan that we took and we paid with our cocoa.

Mr Speaker, if this is told to a class three child, he would not believe it.

1. 17 p. m.
Mr Speaker 1:07 p.m.
And in conclusion?
Mr Avedzi 1:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, this is complete loan. Our Side is not against it. But if they decide not to tell the truth that this is a loan, we would kick against it. If they tell us that it is a loan, we would support them; we are ready to support them.
Mr Speaker, is it because we went round to say that we would not take loans that is why we do not want to hear the word, ‘borrow'? Is it because we said we would not borrow that is why we do not want to hear the word, “borrow” or “loan”? Mr Speaker, this is a complete borrowing.
Mr Speaker, let me pose another question; if we want to trade with our bauxite —
Mr Speaker 1:07 p.m.
Hon Member, I have heard you conclude so many times by saying that, you would only have to say that it is a loan and we would support.
Mr Avedzi 1:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am concluding.
Mr Speaker 1:07 p.m.
Would you end on your favourite note?
Mr Avedzi 1:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we are taking US$2billion and so what quantity of bauxite are we going to use to repay? We do not know. We have to sell or value the bauxite that gives us the value and then, we could compare it to know how we are going to pay the US$2billion.
Mr Speaker, barter trade is where goods would be sent and goods would be taken in return. But in this barter trade, we are taking US$2billion loan and then paying with aluminium.
Mr Speaker, there is one fundamental issue with which I would conclude. The action required says that, we are to approve the Master Project Support Agreement (MPSA), which is US$2billion.
The second one is to approve a Commercial Agreement of US$500million; the Memorandum refers to a US$50million; the Motion refers to a US$2billion; the conclusion of the Report of the Committee and what the Committee is asking the House to approve is an MPSA of US$2billion. Mr Speaker, which of the two are we approving?
Mr Speaker, the Committee is not asking us to approve the MPSA and then the Commercial Agreement of US$500 mllion; it is asking us to approve only the MPSA of US$2billion. So Mr Speaker, we need to find out.
Mr Speaker 1:07 p.m.
Hon Member, you have concluded for about five times.
Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo- Markin (NPP-Effutu) 1:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity—
Mr Speaker 1:07 p.m.
Hon Member, hold on. Hon Majority Leader, which Hon Member? Call the relevant Hon Member to respond. The Hon Professor has spoken.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, originally, names that were supplied included the Hon Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, but if you have called Hon Afenyo- Markin, you could allow him to go on.
Mr Speaker 1:07 p.m.
Hon Afenyo-Markin?
Mr Afenyo-Markin 1:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to add my voice to the debate on the Floor.
Mr Speaker, the facts before us are not different from the facts in the Karpower transaction between the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Karpower.
Mr Speaker, in the Karpower transaction, Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah contended that to the extent that the Government of Ghana had issued a comfort letter, which amounted to a guarantee that in the unlikely event that ECG was unable to discharge its obligation to Karpower, Government of Ghana was going to pay same, it constituted a transaction which ought to come to this House under article 181.
Mr Speaker, the Majority then, who are now in Minority, disagreed and the matter was at the Supreme Court. Mr Speaker, eventually, the Supreme Court determined the matter and held that, although the Government of Ghana had issued the said
comfort letter, which in itself was a guarantee, same needed not to come to this House; it was an independent transaction and the Parliament of Ghana had nothing to do with it.
Mr Speaker, a distinction has been made that this is not a loan on a commercial transaction. In the Dr Mark Assibey- Yeboah case, the Supreme Court emphasised substance and not form.
Mr Speaker 1:07 p.m.
Order!
Mr Afenyo-Markin 1:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in the Karpower transaction, we disagreed but we stayed in this House; we did not walk out. Mr Speaker, the court has pronounced on this matter and if our Hon Colleagues have any disagreement - I believe the respected Dr Ayine is in this House and so if they disagree, this is not the time for them to suddenly shift their position.
Mr Speaker, I recall that Hon Ato Forson, the then Deputy Minister for Finance and my respected Hon Colleague, John Jinapor, the then Deputy Minister for Power were all in disagreement with our position. What has changed? Nothing has changed.
The fact that they are in opposition should not suddenly get them to change their opinion, no. That is bad faith; mala fides.
If they argue on principle, they do not suddenly shift from their principle; their
principle must remain firm. Dr Assibey- Yeboah lost the case. Today, the same transaction is before us.
In the Hon Finance Minister's case, he has been sincere enough by bringing a disclosure; he has not sat in his office and said that ‘‘this is a commercial transaction, although Government is involved, there are some obligations on Government so, it would not come to Parliament.''
He has, in the spirit of transparency, brought this before this House. It is better than what happened in the Karpower transaction.
What is the difference? In the Karpower transaction, the comfort letter stated inter alia that, if ECG is unable to pay, Government would pay. Today, we are being told that in this transaction, because there is a provision that if the bauxite proceeds are insufficient, other means would be used to pay, it is a loan. What has changed?
Mr Speaker, the Supreme Court has pronounced on this and we are bound by it. The Supreme Court held that the fact that Government has undertaken to pay, if ECG is unable to pay, would not amount to a loan transaction; that was the position of the Court. So, nobody should mislead this House.
Mr Speaker, having addressed that point, let me come to the issue of the transaction itself. Mr Speaker, Ghana Bauxite in Awaso has been operating for over eighty (80) years.
Mr Speaker, fortunately, I have been very active in some transactions at the Ghana Bauxite for over 10 years; not a single year has Ghana Bauxite declared
dividends and the Government of Ghana has gotten nothing.
In fact, in 1995, there was a supposed tax moratorium granted Ghana Bauxite. That Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) never came to this House and my respected Colleague, Hon Ato Forson, is aware of this.
I took this matter up to the court claiming among others that, that tax exemption never came to this House and therefore the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) must go and claim those taxes.
The court held that I did not have capacity because GRA was the proper entity to sue. My Hon Brother was aware. I fought for this and it never happened. So, if today, we are ensuring value addition, the NDC Minority must applaud the NPP Majority. [Hear! Hear!] We are ensuring value addition. All these years, Ghana Bauxite --
Mr Speaker, in fact, we do not know how much a ton of bauxite costs. If we go to the Bank of Ghana to ask how much a ton of bauxite costs, they do not know. Ghana Bauxite, owned by Bonsai Minerals Group as majority owners, sells the bauxite to their parent company in China. We do not know.
What steps did they take in the past eight years to address this? However, if today we are saying that we want to ensure value addition in a transaction that we would at least be able to determine the price, sell and trade off, why would somebody want to downplay it? In any event, these are going into projects.

Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleagues must be quiet and listen to me. We are debating. If we said we would do without loans, we are telling them that we could do it in another form. [Interruption.] It is like going to trade in commodities.

You could decide to go and take a loan or establish a Limited Corporation (Lc.), a deferred instrument or guarantee which would only crystallise upon you selling your product.

It would be different if you went ab initio to procure a loan -- That would cost you more and those were the things we cautioned them about. This is a structured facility and they should know it. This is not a direct loan that immediately would cost us money as it happened with the Kasoa Interchange.

They paid so much as it happened in the China Development Bank (CDB) loan. Within three years, they had paid in excess of US$300 million in penalties alone for failing to draw down on the facility. [Interruption.] These are matters of public record.

They went for a US$3 billion loan and within three years, they could not meet all the requirements for drawing down. [Interruption.] The Chinese put in penalty clauses.

Mr Speaker, in the CDB loan, my Hon respected Colleague knows that I was a member of the Committee on Finance at the time and part of the deliberations. In the CDB loan, the Government of Ghana was to procure a US$3 billion facility. There were so many penalty clauses that if we did not draw down, they would charge us.

Since we could not meet a lot of the draw down conditions, within three years, we had paid in excess of US$300 million. I want Hon Forson to challenge me. When Hon Seth Terkper, the then Minister for Finance met the Committee on Finance to cap, he said they were losing so much money. They waited to lose US$300 million before coming to cap it to US$1.5 billion.

Is it that we are losing money here? They should please accept the transaction and not out of bad faith -- Whether they eye me or not, I would make my point. Whether from the front-bench or back- bench, they should not eye me.

They should look at me with smiles. [Hear! Hear!] What kind of intimidation is that? Mr Speaker, some of them are eying me but I do not care. They should smile back. This is a House of debate.

If they intended well, they would have put in measures to ensure that they would not spend over US$300 million on the CDB loan. Dr A. A. Osei cautioned them on this Floor to look at those penalty conditions.

They ignored it and went ahead to procure. So, in good faith, this Government is taking a major step to ensure value for money, value addition to our bauxite, increase in employment and creation of jobs.

Mr Speaker, when I saw the facility, the transport sector alone would have access to over 400 twenty-cubic-sized trucks for haulage. That in itself would create business for Ghanaians. Is that what they are complaining about?

Mainority Leader (Mr Haruna Iddrisu): Mr Speaker, let me thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion.

In doing so, I would like to let you and the people of Ghana appreciate that the Minority recognises that, annually, Ghana faces a US$2 billion infrastructural deficit. Therefore, appropriate investments in infrastructure could accelerate growth and that growth could ameliorate poverty. That infrastructure would manifest in roads, bridges and others.

Mr Speaker, let the people of Ghana also know that this is not the first time Government has engaged in an effort to borrow from China for the purpose of infrastructure. To make work easier for us, I have the Official Report of 30th July, 2007.

I was in this House when the respected late Hon Kwadwo Baah Wiredu came before this august House. I refer to column 2757 of the Official Report of 30th July, 2007. It reads:

“GoG/Export/Import Bank Buyer's Credit and Concessional Loan Agreement

“Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee on the Buyer's Credit and Con- cessional Loan Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the Export-Import Bank of China for an amount of five hundred and sixty-two million United States dollars (US$562 million) for financing of the 400 MW Bui Hydro electric Project.”

Hon Nii Adu Mante was the Chairman of the Committee on Finance and he moved it.

Mr Speaker, this is significant. I quote column 2761 of the Official Report of 30th July, 2007.

‘'The Buyer's Credit Agreement on the other hand will be treated as a secured facility. To ensure the security for the payment of the credit, the following securities would be required:

Receivables from the sale of up to 30, 000 tonnes of main crop and 10,000 tonnes of light crop cocoa... ''

Mr Speaker, this was barter -- se wofr; na wose fa gyene bra na gye mako tua ka aa -- [Laughter.] to wit, ‘'if one says bring onions and pay back in pepper''. That is barter.

Mr Speaker, this one, we should distinguish between using a collateral security. It was cocoa in that case, and for today's purpose, it is alumina or bauxite. Nobody should attempt through a deception that this is not a loan and this is not a Buyers Credit Agreement. I have referenced what happened in 2007.

Mr Speaker, we need to be sober. If this Government would want to borrow for purpose of infrastructure, they have our word and honour. We would support it, but they should just say they are borrowing. This is not bring moko and take gyene business, no.
Mr Afenyo-Markin 1:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I intend to contribute to this debate on the Constitution. Even with this matter, given the posture of our Hon Colleagues, there is a condition precedent to it which we have not even done as a House, and on it, I would raise a constitutional matter and challenge it constitutionally here and anywhere even in the Supreme Court.
Mr Speaker, that constitutional matter I intend to raise is in article 268 and with your permission, I beg to quote:
“Any transaction, contract or undertaking involving the grant of a right or concession by or on behalf of any person including the Government of Ghana, to any other person or body of persons howsoever described, for the exploitation of any mineral, water or other natural resource of Ghana made or entered into after the coming into force of this Constitution shall be subject to ratification by Parliament''.
Mr Speaker, I have not seen any ratified decision of Parliament which grants a mineral right to Sinohydro for which in this Report --
Mr Speaker, with your permission, I would want to refer to page 3 of the Committee's Report. It says:
“Repayment Item -- receipts from refined Bauxite (alumina or aluminium)''.
Mr Speaker, we expect that there is a grant of a mineral right because to get alumina and aluminium, one must have processed a mineral resource. I am not aware that this Parliament has granted any right.
Mr Speaker, with your permission, I beg to quote article 268 (2) for emphasis.
“Parliament may, by resolution supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds of all the Members of Parliament, exempt from the provisions of clause (1) of this article any particular class…''
Mr Speaker, so first of all, there is a condition precedent and I have not seen Government nor Parliament meet it.
Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleagues who spoke earlier including the Hon Deputy Minority Leader, Hon Avedzi -- I heard the response from the Hon Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and in his attempt to wax his knowledge of constitutional law said that we should read article 181 together.
Mr Speaker, this is a loan, and in any case, the Memorandum to Parliament said it should be approved in accordance with article 181.
Mr Speaker, I heard arguments from the Majority Side that we are relying on article 181 (1) and (2) and I heard Hon Oppong- Nkrumah quote article 181 (5). I also heard the Hon Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice quote article 181 (6).
Mr Speaker, for my emphasis, I would want to quote article 181 (6), and with your permission, I beg to quote:
“For the purposes of this article, ‘'loan'' includes any moneys lent or given to or by the Government on condition of return or repayment...''.
Mr Speaker, so if this is not a loan, how come on page 3 in the Committee's Report there is, ‘'Repayment Item - receipts from refined bauxite (alumina or aluminium)''?.
Is that not repayment? Even relying on their own article 181 (6) --
Mr Speaker, with regard to what Hon Oppong-Nkurmah said in connection to article 181 (5), this Parliament and the Attorney-General's Office up to the Sixth Parliament is yet to respond to the Supreme Court's ruling on International Economic Transaction, and if he has a copy, he should table it.
Mr Speaker, with your permission, I beg to quote article 181 (5).
“This article shall, with the necessary modifications by Parliament…''
Mr Speaker, he should show me the modification by any Parliament from the First, Second up to the Sixth Parliament. We have not responded to this and therefore he cannot rely on article 181 (5). We are bound by the Supreme Court ruling, but Parliament is supposed to have the necessary modification.
Mr Speaker, I now would want to come on my own authority and my authority is the Constitution. Article 181 (1) and (2) says that when a loan or an Agreement is granted -- I have referred to the Bui Hydroelectric Project which was done in the NPP Government and copper was used as a collateral and it came to Parliament as loan.
Why would they want to run away from it today? It is because they made a monster of borrowing and a monster of loan. The legally germane issues are articles 181 and 286.

Mr Speaker, I have the Agreement with me — Joint Memorandum to Parliament, Minister for Finance and my uncle, the

Hon Minister for Roads and Highways for the US$500 million.

Mr Speaker, it reads ‘Government of Ghana' - and when we asked, it is signed by the Hon Deputy Minister, Mr Adu Boahen of the Ministry of Finance. He did not even say for and on behalf of the Hon Minister.

So you see an Hon Deputy Minister signing this US$500 million agreement then when we asked for the witness, it is one Kwaku Appiah Aidoo of Jubilee House - Office of the President.

This serious agreement must have the signature of the Roads and Highways Minister and minuted maybe, by the Hon Minister for Finance. But we have rather John Kwaku Appiah Adu, an assistant signing this? [Interruption.] There is no indication of signing for over here.

Mr Speaker, on the list of projects, I see Accra Inner-City up to construction at Hohoe. The whole of the Upper East and Upper West Regions, no project is mentioned. That is not equitable; it is not good enough and does not make the project -- [Interruption.] I have referred to page 10. I am saying this US$500 million agreements it raises questions of equity.

Mr Speaker, in concluding, this House is bound by the Constitution and we are bound by the laws of Ghana. Article 181, section 55(1) of the Public Financial Management Act, section 56(1) of the Public Financial Management Act all refer to loan transactions.

Mr Speaker, in the years 2007 and 2011, they were loans. One cannot change the skin of the leopard. This Government is struggling to change the leopard's skin, they cannot do so. I have given them procedural precedence and practice.

On this, let this Government consider to withdraw and bring it as a buyer credit agreement or a loan for the House to consider as it happened in 2007 and we would support it. But to hide behind this borrowing as if it was an exchange of tomatoes for onions, we say no!

Mr Speaker, so on this site, be assured. I have heard people say that the Minority -- my Hon Ranking Member who demonstrated death on -- that he is against Cape Coast -- he is not. He is simply saying that they should do what is right.

They should place before Parliament an instrument to borrow and then borrow. We have not met the minimum conditions even for condition precedence. Therefore our Side would not support this.

Mr Speaker, finally, Hon Kyei-Mensah- Bonsu said I should quote him. In the year 2011 when the US$3 billion Master Facility was laid before this House, his argument was that all the subsidiary agreements should accompany it.

Today, where is the subsidiary agreement for the US$1.5 billion? [Laughter.] There should be consistency today as we are approving US$2 billion but we cannot approve two billion. We know that for now, he would want something up to US$500 million and he should say so.

But to ask us to approve US$2 billion when we do not know what the US$1.5 billion would be used for, to quote Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, ‘‘that is legally inappropriate''. He should read the Official Report.

Mr Speaker, I would want to quote him now as to where he stood?

Mr Speaker, so, if the Government wants a loan of up to US$500 million using a collateral to borrow, we have seen it before under the former Hon Minister, the late Baah Wiredu; we have seen it before under the NDC Administration in 2011.

We would not be part of an approval of an open cheque of US$2 billion when they really want US$500 million. Until we see the subsidiary agreement of the US$1.5 billion and what each of them would be used for on behalf of the people of Ghana, we conceive of this as a loan and we think that Government must -- it is the same Government in the year 2007 and it is the same Government today. They must do what is appropriate.

Mr Speaker, so what Mr Kyei-Mensah- Bonsu believed and espoused in the year 2011 still stands and is relevant today. We want justification for the additional US$1.5 billion.

Therefore certainly, we are not and we would not stand the way of Government to expand infrastructure. But we would stand in the way of Government if it wants to come through deception that it is not borrowing and that it is not coming for a loan when it is indeed a loan.

Mr Speaker, the condition precedent under article 286, in my view, has not been satisfied. So for this, even as the Rt. Hon Speaker puts the vote, we may invoke the Standing Orders to demand so that the people of Ghana would know where we stood on this matter.

A loan we would support; infras- tructural development we would support; a loan up to US$500 million we are for it but not for US$$1.5 billion that we do not know the use to which it would be committed.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.
Mr Speaker 1:57 p.m.
Majority Leadership?
Majority Leader (Mr Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu) 1:57 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I have listened to Hon Colleagues who have spoken to this Motion from both Sides of the House.
My belief is that from the start, we have all recognised a huge infrastructural deficit in the country. As the Hon Minority Leader admitted, the infrastructural requirement of this country is in the region of US$2 billion dollars every year.
Of course, we do know that if the nation has to pay for loans that we would contract, we would not be in the position to fulfil this responsibility, yet the people of this country need them.
Mr Speaker, we need the roads, the houses, the bridges, the schools, the health facilities and so on. What should be the way forward for us as a country, when we know that we are not in a position to contract and pay out loans the sums that we require to construct these infrastructural facilities?
What do we do as a nation? That is why I believe that we should arrive at some consensus as to the way forward for the nation. I do not think that in arriving at a consensus, semantics should divide us; I do not think so at all. Semantics should not divide us if we have to move on.
Mr Speaker, it is important to also talk to some of the issues raised by my Hon Colleague, the Hon Minority Leader, when he said that the projects that have been planned in this first phase do not include any facility --
Mr Speaker 1:57 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader, just a minute.
Hon Members, in view of the time and the tall order of Business before us, I direct that Sitting extends beyond the regular hours.
Hon Majority Leader, you may please continue.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:57 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minority Leader alluded to the fact that the first phase of the draw down would not accommodate facilities and projects for the two regions; Upper East and Upper West.
That is true, but that is just the first phase. Just as only this week we have approved of so many bridges for the two regions, Upper East and Upper West - we approved bridges for Kulungugu, Garu, Doninga, Sissili, Kulun and Ambalara, which are all in the Upper East and Upper West Regions.
None of us from the other regions, which are not to benefit from this facility, complained because the Upper East and Upper Regions are a part and parcel of Ghana. We all recognise that these projects are required to be done in those regions.
Mr Speaker, so it is unfortunate if an issue is raised and made to appear as if the Government deliberately precludes some other regions from benefiting from a facility. That could only be unfortunate.
Mr Speaker, an issue has been raised about the Hon Deputy Minister who appended his signature to this facility that it should not have been.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:57 p.m.


Hon Moses Asaga, the then Hon Deputy Minister for Finance, signed; he did not sign for — [Interruption.] They should ask the Hon Second Deputy Speaker. In Hon Asaga's haste to sign, he even forgot the correct spelling of his own name.

Mr Speaker, it should be understood that not all borrowings are loans. Indeed, those of them who struggled to quote the Constitution -- the Hon Minority Leader tried to apply article 268 and said that there is no transaction before us for a concession.

Nothing could be farther away from the truth. Indeed, it appears my Hon Colleagues still think that we would use bauxite as a mineral resource. That is a palpable untruth, and that is where my Hon Colleagues are debating. They are getting it wrong fundamentally.

Alumina and aluminium are not a natural resource; it is processed. Chocolate is not cocoa. So, people should not mix up apples with oranges. I am surprised that they are debating in this way.
Mr Speaker, article 257(6) provides, and I beg to quote 1:57 p.m.
“Every mineral in its natural state in, under or upon any land in Ghana, rivers, streams, water courses throughout Ghana, the exclusive
economic zone and any area covered by the territorial sea or continental shelf is the property of the Republic…”
The worth of that mineral is vested in the President, and requires a concession. So, if people understand that aluminium or alumina is not natural bauxite, it cannot be vested in the President, and it would not trigger article 268; it is as simple as that. I am shocked that people are debating this.
Mr Speaker, I agree with my Hon Colleague, the Hon Minority Leader, that at a point in time, we shall require a subsidiary Agreement. What we are doing is to approve of the share.
I agree with him that subsequent to that, we are required to have the subsidiary Agreement in respect of those portions that are not treated now.
Hon Members have said that, nobody would convince them that this is not a loan. For those who stand from that premise, I do not think that anybody should waste his or her time to convince them because, at the very outset, nobody could convince them that it is not a loan.
We should not convince or attempt to convince him because he already has his own mind-set. It becomes difficult when we enter a debate and Hon Members come with fixations.
The issues that my Hon Colleagues quoted -- today happens to be 28th July, 2018. It appears that the “28” is jinxed. If it is not so, we would not have heard the kinds of arguments that we have heard today.
Page 28 did not serve this nation any good. On 28th July, 2018, it appears that people have come with fixations. So we should be careful.
The Constitution is very clear in article 181(5) and (6). It does not only talk about loans. What we are doing is an international business transaction.
I agree with Hon Colleagues who say that barter is a trade by exchanging goods rather than selling them for money. What we are doing today is not to sell aluminium for money; we are exchanging aluminium or alumina for roads and clinics.
It is true that in any exchange, whether it is onion for tomato or onion for ginger, one would put worth or the value would be known before the exchange is transacted. That is exactly what we are doing.
If people say that there is a monetary consideration, that is how it should be because a tonne of aluminium or alumina would be valued, and it would be matched against the money that would fund the infrastructural facilities that we would apply the moneys on.
Mr Speaker, I would suggest to my Hon Colleagues that, we cannot split heads on the fact that we need to develop this country. We would need to develop the infrastructure of this country.

Mr Speaker, let him keep his calm, he would certainly benefit from that.

Mr Speaker, having said that, I believe the difficulty is whether it is a loan or not. For those of them who think that it is a loan, let them vote for the facility and have it in mind that it is a loan and those of us
Mr Speaker, article 257(6) provides, and I beg to quote 1:57 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I see some people laughing about this and I believe that they are convinced and persuaded that the people of this country need the roads, hospitals, bridges, interchanges, affordable housing and fishing landing sites.
For that reason, I would implore all my Hon Colleagues on both Sides of the aisle to vote overwhelmingly for this facility.

Question put and Motion agreed to.
Mr Speaker 2:07 p.m.
Order!
RESOLUTION 2:07 p.m.
Minister for Finance) 2:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move,
WHEREAS by the provisions of article 181(5) of the Constitution the terms and conditions of any international business or economic transaction to which the Government of Ghana is a party shall not come into
THIS HONOURABLE HOUSE 2:07 p.m.
HEREBY RESOLVES AS 2:07 p.m.
FOLLOWS 2:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker 2:07 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader, next?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, item numbered 17?
Mr Speaker 2:07 p.m.
In the process, the Hon First Deputy Speaker will take the Chair.
Item numbered 17?
MOTIONS 2:07 p.m.
Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 2:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 80(1) which require that no Motion shall be debated until at least forty-eight hours have elapsed between the date on which notice of the Motion is given and the date on which the Motion is moved, the Motion for the adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee on the Request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, Import NHIL, ECOWAS Levy, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy amounting to fourteen million, nine hundred and twenty-six thousand, eight hundred and nine United States dollars (US$14,926,809.00) [equivalent to GHc 81,257,072] on project materials and equipment in respect of the Development of the Kumasi International Airport phase II may be moved today.
Mr Benjamin Kpodo (NDC - Ho Central) 2:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr Speaker 2:07 p.m.
Hon Chairman of the Committee, now, the substantive Motion?
Waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT et cetera in respect of the Development of
the Kumasi International Airport phase II
Dr Assibey-Yeboah 2:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee on the Request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, Import NHIL, ECOWAS Levy, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy amounting to fourteen million, nine hundred and twenty-six thousand, eight hundred and nine United States dollars (US$14,926,809.00) [equivalent to GHc 81,257,072] on project materials and equipment in respect of the Development of the Kumasi International Airport phase II.
In so doing, I present your Committee's Report
Introduction
The Request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, Import NHIL, ECOWAS Levy, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy and other approved imposts amounting to fourteen million, nine hundred and twenty-six thousand, eight hundred and nine United States dollars (US$14,926,809.00) [equivalent to eighty- one million, two hundred and fifty-seven thousand and seventy-two Ghana cedis (GHc 81,257,072)] on project materials and equipment in respect of the Development of the Kumasi International Airport phase II was laid in the House on Friday 27th July, 2018.
Pursuant to Order 169 of the Standing Orders of the House, the Request was referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and report.
The Committee met and considered the Request with a Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon Kwaku Agyeman Kwarteng,
Deputy Minister for Aviation, Hon Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, and officials from the Ministries of Finance and Aviation as well as the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) and hereby presents this Report to the House pursuant to order 161(1) of the Standing Orders of the House.
Background
In the year 2016, Parliament granted approval for the development of the Kumasi International Airport phase II.
It would be recalled that Parliament at its Fourteenth Sitting of the Third Meeting held on Monday 31st October 2016, approved by resolution:
i. A Buyer Credit Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and Banco Santander S.A. and Its Affiliates for an amount up to sixty-five million, thirty- seven thousand, five hundred euros (65,037,500.00) for the Development of the Kumasi International Airport; and
ii. A Tied Commercial Loan Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and Banco Santander S.A. and its affiliates for an amount up to seven million, seven hundred and sixty-two thousand, five hundred euros (€7,762,500.00) for the Development of the Kumasi International Airport.
Subsequently, on Thursday 3rd November, 2016, the House approved the Commercial Contract Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (with the Ghana Airport Company Limited

as Implementer) and Contracta Con- struction UK Limited for an amount up to sixty-six million, three hundred and fifty thousand euros (€66,350,000.00) for the Design and Execution of Works in respect of the Development of the Kumasi International Airport.

The phase II Project entails the construction of a modern terminal building, runway extension, an apron linking taxiway, construction of drainage systems, car park and other ancillary facilities.

Total Waiver Requested

The total amount of taxes and duties for which the waiver is being sought for amounts to fourteen million, nine hundred and twenty-six thousand, eight hundred and nine United States dollars (US$14,926,809.00) [equivalent to eighty- one million two hundred and fifty-seven thousand and seventy-two Ghana cedis (GHc81, 257,072)] on project materials and equipment.

The breakdown is presented in the table below:

Again, Clauses 11.1 to 11.6 of the Facility Agreement also require all payments relating to taxes and duties to be borne by the Employer.

The Committee notes that in essence, if the taxes and duties are not waived, then the obligation to pay them would be on the Government of Ghana, especially given that the pricing calculation of the cost of the project was modeled on an exemption from taxes and duties.

Conclusion

In view of the importance of the Project in serving the transportation and developmental needs of Kumasi and the central belt of the country, the Committee recommends to the House to adopt this Report and approve by resolution, the Request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, Import NHIL, ECOWAS Levy, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy and other approved imposts amounting to fourteen million, nine hundred and twenty-six thousand, eight hundred and nine United States dollars (US$14,926,809.00) [equivalent to eighty-one million, two hundred and fifty- seven thousand and seventy-two Ghana cedis (GHc 81,257,072)] on project materials and equipment in respect of the Development of the Kumasi International Airport phase II in accordance with article 174(2) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.

Respectfully submitted.
Mr Benjamin Komla Kpodo (NDC -- Ho Central) 2:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion for waiver of the listed levies and duties on the Kumasi International Airport project so that work can commence.
Mr Benjamin Komla Kpodo (NDC -- Ho Central) 2:17 p.m.
Indeed, we were very unanimous in
supporting this Motion and I would like to add that, a lot of work has already been done, especially in the previous Administration led by the former President, John Dramani Mahama.
We will recall that the Airport had been converted into an international one and the former President flew in directly from Abuja to the Kumasi Airport. When we are faced with further work, we do not have any problems with the project.
Mr Speaker, the issue is about the concept of this tax waiver. I recall that when the current Hon Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon Kwaku Kwarteng, and the current Hon Chairman of the Finance Committee happened to be on the Minority Side, they vehemently opposed any form of tax waivers, but they have now become ‘‘Apostle Pauls'' and they are championing tax waivers. Mr Speaker, it is curious to note that in the Hansard for --

2. 18 p.m. --
  • [MR FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER IN THE CHAIR.]
    • Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:17 p.m.
    Hon Member for Ho Central, please wait.
    Hon Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation?
    Dr A. A. Osei 2:17 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr Speaker, I was the Hon Ranking Member on the Committee on Finance and it is not true that the current Hon Chairman as well as the Hon Deputy Minister for Finance opposed every tax waiver that came here. Mr Speaker, the records would show that. So, he is misleading the House and he should withdraw.

    Mr Speaker, he said every tax waiver and that is not true. He is deceiving this House.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:17 p.m.
    Hon Kpodo?
    Mr Kpodo 2:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I maintain and they know that they were vehement opposers of tax waivers.
    Mr Speaker, I would refer you to the Official Report of 2nd August, 2017, where the Hon Deputy Minister for Finance was curiously championing a waiver of stamp duty when we were considering the cocoa loan. Mr Speaker, I beg to read:
    “The Committee inquired of the Board why they should be exempted from the payment of Stamp Duty.”
    Mr Speaker, his response in column 3120 of the Official Report was that “For this facility, there would be the need to grant them the Stamp Duty exemption.”
    Mr Speaker, they have become converted Apostles.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:17 p.m.
    Hon Member, I thought that you were bringing me the evidence?
    They objected to what? You said that they opposed a particular tax exemption, but you said that you stand by it. So I thought that you were bringing me evidence of that, but you have brought evidence of them supporting a tax waiver.
    So you have not been able to prove that they were perennial objectors to tax waivers.
    Hon Member, please proceed.
    Mr Kpodo 2:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, that was in the Sixth Parliament.
    Mr Speaker, in canvassing for the support of tax waiver, the Hon Deputy Minister for Finance informed the Committee that COCOBOD is reviewing its operations and addressing issues of inefficiencies and going forward COCOBOD should pay Stamp Duty.
    Mr Speaker, he added that the Ministry was preparing a policy document on tax waivers but up till now we have not received that document. So we are just approving the requests for tax waivers without any policy guideline. I believe that it is time the Hon Minister walked the talk.
    Mr Speaker, what is important for us to do is that, in accounting for projects for which we grant tax waivers, we should be mindful of the fact that the tax amounts that we waive are accounted as part of the cost of the projects, otherwise we would under-price or undervalue the projects that we execute under tax waivers.
    Mr Speaker, even with this document that has been provided to us, the figures do not add up. The request which was first submitted to us gave a total of €16,843,457. Mr Speaker, this was the application -- “book no lie”.
    Mr Speaker, the Ministry, in making the request to Parliament, asked for a waiver of US$14,926,809. But if we look at the new request, we cannot find the levy for the National Health Insurance.
    It was in the first list that was submitted, but if you look at the new submission to Parliament, it has disappeared completely and no explanation was given.
    Mr Speaker, but even if we take out the National Health Insurance Levy, still the figures would not add up because when we take out the €1,079,601 which is for the National Health Insurance Levy from the difference, we would still have a gap.
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:17 p.m.
    Hon Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation.
    Dr A. A. Osei 2:17 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr Speaker, Hon Kpodo rose to second the Motion, but he has told us that the Motion he seconded is not what is here. Mr Speaker, he said that the figures are wrong. This is a simple Motion that he has seconded so if the figures are wrong, which Motion did he second? He should tell us.
    Mr Speaker, there is a simple Motion with a right figure and the request is clear, but he is saying that the figures are wrong. So, he should tell the House the Motion that he seconded.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:17 p.m.
    Hon Member, your Hon Colleague has raised an issue that if you think that the figures do not add up, then why are you still seconding it?
    Mr Kpodo 2:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, this issue was raised at the meeting today and the Hon Deputy Minister told us that he has taken note of it. We cannot Sit in Parliament and
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:17 p.m.
    So why did you not resolve it at the Committee before bringing it to us? You were supposed to do all those investigations and your Report should reflect that these things are not up to, but I do not see that in your Report so far.
    Mr Kpodo 2:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, as I said, the matter was raised at the Committee meeting and the Hon Deputy Minister's response was that he would take care of it, but we are dealing with the Report and he has not taken care of it because the figures are the same.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:17 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, why are you bringing a Report with figures that do not add up?
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 2:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, Committee's work on referrals from your good self.
    Mr Speaker, the referral to the Committee was a request for the approval of tax waiver of €14.9 million and we did not know about any €16 million.
    Mr Speaker, the memorandum from the Ministry had a number of documents attached and one of it had the €16 million. So, we inquired from the Hon Deputy Minister where the €16 million came from.
    Mr Speaker, he responded that Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) did the assessment and the assessment brought
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:27 p.m.
    Hon Kpodo, what you were asked to approve is what you should speak to.
    Mr Kpodo 2:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I agree that what was brought to us is what we are approving, but every request that is brought before Parliament has documents supporting it.
    They do not just bring request for waiver and we would take it, present it at Plenary and ask for approval. We go into it and that is what we did. If the Report had captured what I am saying, everybody would be clear.
    But the Report is oblivious to the fact that there are differences in the figures which have been lumped together for us for approval. That is why I am bringing them up.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:27 p.m.
    Hon Kpodo, move away from that because it has been explained. What Mr Speaker asked the Committee to report on is the €14 million. Please, speak to that else I would give the Floor to somebody else.
    Mr Kpodo 2:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you. I take a cue from that; I have raised the issues already.
    Mr Speaker, with that aside, we have stated a fixed cedi equivalent of the euro amount being asked for. I was of the
    opinion that we should not have indicated GH¢81,275,072.00 because the exchange rates of the cedi to the euro is constantly changing.
    As we sit here today, already, there is an increase in the cedi equivalent by over GH¢441,000. So, we should limit ourselves to the euro that we ask approval for so that in future, when the exchange rate changes, we can easily adjust to that.
    Mr Speaker, with these words, however, for good reason that the airport should be done such that we can have international flights operating there, a modern terminal, I second the Motion and recommend to the House to approve the tax waiver for work to progress.
    I thank you.
    Deputy Minister for Finance (Mr Kwaku Agyeman Kwarteng) (MP): I thank you, Mr Speaker.
    I am grateful to the Hon Member for concluding that there is a good reason. It is just unfortunate that it took him so long to come to that simple conclusion, but I would be brief.
    Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleague made the point about exemptions and the fact that in the past, we have expressed some views about looking at exemptions and reducing them. I agree.
    As I have assured this House, Government is working on a policy and indeed, a Bill on exemptions that would come to this House. I hope that addresses his concern.
    It is important to note that the Resolutions which we are approving today were actually approved first in the commercial loan Agreement of 31 st
    October, 2016, under President Mahama's National Democratic Congress's (NDC) Administration.
    The commercial contract which again committed Government to grant these exemptions was passed on the 3 rd November, 2016.
    I believe it is problematic to muddy water upstream and to come to downstream to ask who muddied the water. Please, they should not do that. It is good. As he indicated, for good reason; let us approve this so that the project can happen.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you.
    Question put and Motion agreed to.
    RESOLUTION 2:27 p.m.
    Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 2:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
    Question put and Motion agreed to.
    Resolved accordingly.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:27 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Deputy Majority Leader?
    Ms Safo 2:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we can now take item numbered 21 -- Motion.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:27 p.m.
    Item numbered 21, Hon Deputy Minister for Finance, you are permitted to do that.
    MOTIONS 2:27 p.m.
    Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 2:27 p.m.
    I beg to second the Motion.
    Question put and Motion agreed to.
    Resolved accordingly.
    BILLS -- SECOND READING 2:27 p.m.
    Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 2:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion. In so doing, I present your Committee's Report.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:27 p.m.
    Hon Members on the Majority Side; Hon Deputy Minister, Hon Member for Manso Nkwanta, please resume your seat.
    Yes, Hon Chairman of the committee, proceed.
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 2:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, Hon Members are saying they do not have copies.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:27 p.m.
    The Table Office should ensure that Hon Members who do not have copies of the Report are given.
    Please, go ahead.
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 2:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    Introduction
    The Luxury Vehicle Levy Bill, 2018, was presented to Parliament and read the First time on 27th July, 2018. It was subsequently referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and report, in accordance with article 174(1) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 169 of the Standing Orders of the House.
    Pursuant to the referral, the Committee met with a Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon Kwaku Kwarteng, and officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Ghana Revenue Authority.
    Urgency of the Bill
    In accordance with Order 119, the Committee has determined that the Bill is of an urgent nature and should therefore be taken through all the stages of passage in one day under a certificate of urgency.
    References
    The Committee referred to the following additional documents during its deliberations:
    The 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
    The Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).
    The Standing Orders of the Parliament of Ghana.
    Purpose of the Bill
    The purpose of the Bill is to impose a Luxury Vehicle Levy on all motor vehicles with engine capacities of 3,000 cubic centimetres (cc) or more and to provide for related matters.
    Clauses of the Bill
    The Bill is divided into five (5) clauses.
    Clause 1 of the Bill imposes the Luxury Vehicle Levy on all motor vehicles with an engine capacity of three thousand (3000) cubic centimetres (CC) or more. The levy is to be paid on the registration of the vehicle, and subsequently on or before the annual renewal of the roadworthy certificate of the vehicle. The Levy is also imposed on vehicles existing prior to the passage of the Act.
    Clause 2 exempts certain categories of vehicles namely tractors, ambulances and commercial vehicles that carry more than ten (10) persons, commercial vehicles for the transport of goods as well as those the Minister may exempt via Regulations.
    Clause 3 empowers the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority to collect the Levy.
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 2:27 p.m.


    Clause 4 provides for a bank account into which the levy is to be paid.

    Clause 5 deals with penalties. Clause 6 provides for Regulations and

    Clause 7 is on interpretation.

    Observations

    Rationale for the Levy

    The Committee noted that Government is introducing a levy on vehicles with high engine capacities of three thousand (3000) cubic centimetres or more. The levy is to be paid at the time of registration of the vehicles and afterwards. The Bill would also require persons with already registered luxury vehicles to pay the levy annually.

    The annual levy would be paid to DVLA at the time of renewing the vehicles annual roadworthy certificate.

    Estimated Impact of the levy

    The estimated revenue to be derived from the Levy is three hundred million cedis (GH¢300m) for the period of August to December, 2018.

    Exempt vehicles

    The Committee was informed that the Levy is targeted at only luxury vehicles. The Bill therefore excludes normal commercial vehicles that fall within the category. Further, ambulances, farming machinery and other pro-poor vehicles that fall within the category are exempt from the payment of the tax.

    Coverage of the Levy

    The Committee observed that the Minister for Finance stated in the Mid- Year Statement that the levy would be

    imposed on vehicles with engine capacities of three thousand cubic centimeters (3000cc) and above. However, the Bill seeks to impose it on vehicles with engine capacity of two thousand, nine hundred and fifty cubic centimeters (2950cc) and above.

    The Committee was informed that the correct nomenclature for the vehicle for the popular three thousand cubic centimeters (3000cc) was two thousand, nine hundred and fifty cubic centimeters (2950cc). Hence the need to state the correct nomenclature.

    Amendments

    After careful considerations, the Committee proposes the following amendments:

    i. Clause 1 -- Amendment proposed - subclause (1) lines 2 and 3, delete “of three thousand cubic centimeters or more” and insert “as specified in the second column of the Schedule”.

    Reason: To make appropriate reference to the Schedule where the various engine capacities are specified.

    ii. Clause 4 - Amendment Proposed -- Headnote -- Delete and insert the following:

    Reason: To correct a typographical error.

    iii. Clause 5 -- Amendment Proposed -- Delete and insert the following:

    “Payment of Arrears

    (5) A person who fails to pay the Levy in any year shall pay all arrears accrued on or before the renewal of the roadworthy certificate”.

    Reason: To make any arrears of the Levy payable.

    iv. SCHEDULE -- Amendment Proposed -- Delete and insert the following:
    SCHEDULE 2:27 p.m.
    Mr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson (NDC- Ajumako/Enyan/Essiam) 2:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I rise to speak to the Motion and to associate myself with it.
    In doing so, I would speak on three issues. First, looking at the policy document that announced the Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review and the 2018 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, may I refer you to paragraph 225. It says on Tax Policy Measures;
    “The Government proposes to introduce a Luxury Vehicle Levy on vehicles with engine capacity of three litres and above”.
    Mr Speaker, the policy said that the intention of Government is to introduce a Luxury Vehicle Levy in excess of three litres and above. Unfortunately, if you look at the Bill that has been presented to us, this three litres has been reduced downwards to 2.950 cubic centilitres.
    Mr Speaker, I am of the view that the Mid-Year Review document is what we are making reference to, and if that is the case, then it means that the Schedule of the Bill should conform to what the Ministry of Finance and the Government have announced.
    I am aware that before policies like this are announced, they would have to go
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:37 p.m.
    Is there no such provision in the Road traffic Regulations Act? You could apply for boarding.
    Hon Ayeh-Paye, under the Road Traffic Regulations, is there not a provision for boarding, that if the vehicle is not in use so you apply to DVLA and it is certified that this vehicle is not in use?
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 2:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, yes. If perhaps you are travelling out of the country, you could apply to DVLA and park your vehicle for a year or two. When you return, you would not pay the arrears, because you notified DVLA that you are not going to use the car for a year or two.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:37 p.m.
    So the law is there already. It need not be in the tax once you are not available.
    Mr Forson 2:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, unfortunately, this is not what the Bill is saying. This is an imposition of a levy different from the road worthy certificate. This one, whether you park the car or the car is unserviceable, you would have to pay the tax, unfortunately, and that is what I am trying to draw the attention of the House to.
    Just like what we did under the Road Safety Regulations, I am of the view that
    if the car is unserviceable and you have parked it or you are not using it, you should not be made to pay the tax. Paying 20 million old Ghana cedis for a vehicle in excess of four litres is a lot. Paying GH¢1,000.00 for three litres and above is a lot. Paying for 3.5 to 4 litres is a lot.
    I believe that we should be able to exempt unserviceable vehicles and for instance, if I have a vehicle and I am travelling abroad, it should be exempted. Unfortunately, it did not capture it that way. That is my concern. If I have parked my vehicle, I strongly believe that I should be exempt from paying the tax.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:37 p.m.
    We have the opportunity to make amendments that are necessary here, so we should just take note.
    Mr Kwarteng 2:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I understand the point my Hon Colleague made, but it is important that we advert our minds to the objective of bringing this and seeking to make it into a law ; to rake in revenue for Government, focusing on people with a certain kind of vehicle.
    Mr Speaker, if we were to introduce such exit windows, that once your vehicle is not serviceable, then you do not pay, I have no doubt in my mind that a time would come when almost every vehicle in Ghana would not be serviceable, and Government would need to spend money to confirm that your car was indeed unserviceable, or that you really used the car.
    I believe that largely, we keep vehicles because we want to use them, and therefore, if in those extreme cases you are not using your vehicle, it is still part of
    your assets as an owner, and therefore, the objective or intent is to tax those who own such vehicles.
    Once you import or buy a vehicle with engine capacity beyond the threshold, then you should know that you have an annual levy to pay. It is not so much to do with the usage.
    Dr A.A.Osei (NPP--Old Tafo) 2:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we are beyond the principles of the Bill. We are at the Report, and there is a debate on the principles.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:37 p.m.
    I raised that issue, so this is the Second Reading where we discuss the principles.
    Hon Member for -- I am always forgetting your constituency. It is not fair, but I cannot remember. Yapei/Kusawgu?
    Mr John Abdulai Jinapor (NDC-- Yapei/Kusawgu) 2:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would make a decision to get closer to you.
    Mr Speaker, first and foremost, we appreciate the fact that Government must raise revenue, but in taxation or levy imposition, you must avoid ambiguity.
    There should be certainty, predic- tability and ease of payment. These cardinal principles ought to be observed and so, inasmuch as we agree that we ought to raise some revenue, we should be careful not to leave some grey areas that would create problems.
    Mr Speaker, I have looked at section 28 of the PFMA, Act 921, which stipulates that the Hon Minister must go to Cabinet to present the proposals for approval before it comes here.
    Mr John Abdulai Jinapor (NDC-- Yapei/Kusawgu) 2:47 p.m.


    So if the Hon Deputy Minister tells us that it is 3,000 cubic centimetres and above, I believe that we should not go below it. Let us stick to it.

    I am sure that they would have done some work before.

    Mr Speaker, this levy, and you rightly said it, that once one goes to DVLA, he is required to pay. And as you said, when we come to the Consideration Stage, we can propose amendments.

    But just briefly, this is so important. We should be careful not to legislate so that eventually, people fall within this net and they are penalised. We gave a clear example at the Committee level, that if my vehicle is involved in an accident, and I cannot salvage it, what happens?

    Mr Speaker, I thought that the right thing we should have done is simple. As part of one's requirements for a road worthy certificate, which enables him to drive the car, he should pay the GH¢2,000. After all, Mr Speaker, if one does not have road worthy certificate and he moves his car on the street, it is an offence, but to attempt to decouple it and say that every year, whether the car is serviceable or parked, go and pay, let us be careful. People are watching us and we must do what is proper.

    I thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr James Klutse Avedzi (NDC -- Ketu North) 2:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have a challenge with this Bill. Mr Speaker, the Bill seeks to impose a levy on these vehicles and it says luxury vehicles --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:47 p.m.
    On the owner of the vehicle, not the vehicle.
    Mr Avedzi 2:47 p.m.
    On the owner of the luxury vehicle. What is a luxury vehicle? Is it every vehicle that has the engine capacity of 3,000 cubic centilitres and above that is described as a luxury vehicle? There is a challenge here.
    When we say luxury vehicle, let us simply make it a vehicle with engine capacity of 3,000 cubic centilitres and above. But if you say luxury vehicle, that is not defined in the Bill.
    Apart from exempting trucks or machines like tractors that have those engine capacities and above, for the rest, we could say that vehicles used by Hon Members of Parliament and Land Cruisers.
    Mr Speaker, there are other vehicles that are not Land Cruisers but they also have the engine capacity of 3,000 cubic centilitres and above. So there must be the need to define what a luxury vehicle is. Then it is clear that once I own that vehicle, I have to pay. That is the first point.
    Mr Speaker, the second point is that we just passed a Bill. We amended the Income Tax Act to impose additional income tax on individuals for any income above GH¢10,000 to attract a rate of 35 per cent. So the middle and high income earners who earn more than GH¢10,000 pay extra 35 per cent on that extra amount above GH¢10,000. So we are taxing these individuals.
    Now, if I use the balance that is left for me after taxing to buy a vehicle which is 3,000 cubic centilitres, because the engine capacity is high, I consume more fuel. So, because there is tax element on that fuel I consume, I am taxed also there.
    So first of all, my income is taxed because I am a middle or high income earner. Then I bought a vehicle with engine capacity of 3,000 cubic centilitres and above to protect my life because
    those vehicles are more robust that my safety is very important. Now, I pay more because I consume more fuel.
    In addition to these two types of taxes that I pay, I have to pay another levy which is also a tax because I use that vehicle. Mr Speaker, it is only one person.
    We are taxing his income, the fuel he consumes and we also tax him because he owns a 3,000 cubic centilitres capacity vehicle. Mr Speaker, that is too much. We are targeting middle and high income earners and we are not being fair to them.
    Mr Speaker, one person's income, we are taxing it three times. We tax him at the time of receiving the income, when he spends the rest of the money on fuel, then after that and when he renews his road worthy certificate, we tax him again. Mr Speaker, this is not fair to the middle and high income earners.
    Mr Speaker, we should take a second look at the issue raised by the Hon Ranking Member on the cubic capacity being reduced from 3,000 to 2,950 cubic centilitres and then also, the other one where if you are not using the vehicle.
    For instance, Mr Speaker, I have three vehicles with engine capacities of more than 3,000 cubic centilitres and I do not use them --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:47 p.m.
    It shows how wealthy you are. It is your wealth that is being taxed.
    Mr Avedzi 2:47 p.m.
    No. I said three cars.
    So it means that I should be paying GH¢2,000 on all these vehicles even though I do not use them. Mr Speaker,
    this is not fair. If I am going to use the vehicle, I am willing to pay. If I have parked the vehicle, do not charge me.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:47 p.m.
    Hon Member, why is it not fair?
    Mr Avedzi 2:47 p.m.
    It is not fair because if I am not using the vehicle, I do not need to pay. If I am going to use it, I will pay.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:47 p.m.
    But the Hon Deputy Minister explained that this is not a road use fee; this is a tax on your wealth. So if indeed you own that number of vehicles, you are that wealthy.
    Mr Avedzi 2:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am not sure that you want to involve in the debate but if it is a tax on my wealth, that is why I pay higher income tax rate.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:47 p.m.
    Then in addition, you pay more.
    Mr Avedzi 2:47 p.m.
    That is why I said it is not fair because you have already taxed me higher, taxed the fuel I buy then you tax me again. It is not taxing of my wealth.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:47 p.m.
    Because you can afford it.
    Mr Avedzi 2:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, when it comes to the Consideration Stage, we should look at that element and amend it to ensure that if I am not using a vehicle, I should not be asked to pay the tax. When I am using it, then I can pay.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
    Question put and Motion agreed.
    The Luxury Vehicle Levy Bill, 2018, was accordingly read a Second time.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:47 p.m.
    Item numbered 23.
    MOTION 2:47 p.m.
    Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 2:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
    Question put and Motion agreed to.
    Resolved accordingly.
    2. 57 p. m.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:47 p.m.
    Hon Members, item numbered 24, Luxury Vehicle Levy Bill, 2018 at the Consideration Stage.
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 2:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, you mentioned the Luxury Vehicle Levy Bill, 2018 at the Consideration Stage, referring to item numbered 24.
    We have Order Paper Addendum, so, I thought we would go to Order Paper Addendum and take item 1.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:47 p.m.
    Very well. Hon Members, my attention has been drawn to the Order Paper Addendum which also captures item numbered 24 as item 1. So, please refer to Order Paper Addendum clause 1?
    BILLS — CONSIDERATION STAGE
    Luxury Vehicle Levy Bill, 2018
    Clause 1-Imposition of luxury vehicle levy.
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 2:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move,
    Clause 1 — subclause (1), lines 2 and 3, delete “of three or more and insert “as specified in the second column of the schedule”.
    Mr Speaker, so that it would now read 2:47 p.m.
    “There is imposed by this Act, an annual Levy to be known as Luxury Vehicle Levy on a motor vehicle with an engine capacity as specified in the second column of the Schedule”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Clause 1 as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:47 p.m.
    Clause 2?
    Clause 2-Exemption from levy.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:47 p.m.
    There is no advertised amendment.
    Mr Forson 2:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, add a new paragraph as follows — [Interruption.]
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:47 p.m.
    Hon Member, you would just tell me what you want to do.
    Mr Forson 2:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I indicated during the Second Reading that I would propose an amendment when we get to clause 2.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:47 p.m.
    Very well, proceed with your amendment.
    Mr Forson 2:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, add a new paragraph as follows: “serviceable but unused vehicles subject to the approval of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA)”.
    Mr Speaker, I propose this amendment because serviceable vehicles that are unused should not be made to pay this levy in accordance with the existing laws.
    Mr Speaker, serviceable but unused; I could have a vehicle for instance, but I may travel out of the country for say, two years, I should be exempted from paying this levy. This means that going forward, it is those who are actually using these vehicles that should be made to pay for their luxury. Mr Speaker, that is why I am proposing this amendment.
    Mr Speaker, I beg that this Honourable House supports me in approving this amendment.
    Mr Ambrose Dery 2:47 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker, this is an ownership tax; not a usage tax; that you own that calibre of class of vehicles, you are taxed.
    Mr Speaker, we should not pass a taxation law depending on exemptions. Let us pass the law and concentrate on the object. It is ownership; if we start including clauses that would let the tax be sabotaged, to be circumvented, to be evaded, then, it is defeatist. This is an ownership tax, not a usage tax.
    Mr Kwarteng 2:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would appeal to my Hon Colleague, Hon Ato Forson to withdraw his amendment because he has an option under clause
    2(e) as it stands to make a proposition to the Hon Minister for Finance to include that if the Hon Minister considers it worthy in the amendment that would come in the Regulations. So please, withdraw your amendment and take advantage of that window.
    Mr Avedzi 2:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Deputy Minister made reference to a clause, if he could come clearer. This is because looking at the Bill, there is no Clause 2(e) here. -[Interruption]- A wrong one? So, all the time we have the wrong Bills and we now have to be directed which one is a correct one. Eeee! Asem ooo!
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:47 p.m.
    I would take one more and I would put the Question.
    Yes, Hon Kpodo?
    Mr Kpodo 2:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I believe we are on clause 2, I would want to add that—
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:47 p.m.
    We have to take a decision on the Hon Ato Forson's proposed amendment first.
    Mr Kpodo 2:47 p.m.
    Alright, then, I would relax and move my further amendment—
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:47 p.m.
    Do not worry, I would give you the chance.
    Mr Dafeamekpor — rose —
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:47 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Dafeamekpor, do you want to speak to the Motion? Let me hear you.
    Mr Dafeamekpor 2:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity. I am in support of the amendment being proposed by Hon Ato Forson. This is because it has become the case that a lot of vehicle owners park their vehicles and travel out, sometimes, exceeding one year.

    And we are saying that even though these vehicles have not been put on the road, I should pay a tax just because I remain the owner.

    Mr Speaker, it means that when vehicles develop mechanical faults -- [Interruption..]-- and it takes over a year to service — because sometimes the reality is that you would buy an engine, it is not able to function so it takes you over a year to complete the servicing, when you come to renew your road worthy certificate, the Government is saying that you must pay this amount of tax. And I believe it would inure to the economic disbenefit of a lot of vehicle owners in this country. -[Interruption.]-

    Yes, this is about ownership tax; it is not about use. And the wrongful assumption in this matter is that when I own a Nissan Hard Body, 2009 model the framers of this law, that is we, assume that the person is a wealthy person.

    He may not be. Perhaps he might be using it for farming purposes in the rural areas. [Interruption] He might be driving on feeder roads. So I am in full support of this amendment to take care of people who might fall within this bracket.
    rose
    Mr Dafeamekpor 3:07 a.m.
    I see the learned Hon Minister for the Interior on his feet.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:07 a.m.
    Unless anybody is presenting a new argument -- I have not heard any new argument, so I was going to put the Question. Hon Member, you have had one chance already, so unless somebody would tell
    us something new. I would put the Question whether we --
    Hon Minister, let me hear you.
    Mr Dery 3:07 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I can have 10 cars of that calibre, park nine and use one. This exemption would save me from paying for the nine. Social Democratic Party--- We are talking about a progressive tax, that those who earn more should contribute more to the development of our people.
    Do they think that a Nissan Hardbody could be owned by an average Ghanaian? That is not the Ghana we inherited. [Interruption.] In my constituency, the majority are peasant farmers, and we say this tax should make those of us who are in that bracket contribute more. I expect a social democratic party to say thank you.
    Mr Speaker, that amendment would defeat our purpose because the more cars that are owned -- I would now make an argument that we know people who have parked Mercedes Benz cars and are not using them. They must pay and contribute to the development of this country.
    Question put, amendment negatived.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:07 a.m.
    Any more on clause 2?
    Mr Kpodo 3:07 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move a further amendment on clause 2. Add new clause 2(f) “Government Vehicles”.
    Mr Speaker, I think we have a principle where Government taxing itself has long ago been abandoned. That is why Government institutions are banned from investing in Government treasury bills, so that they would earn income from the person who gave them the money.
    In the same way, Government cannot give subventions to institutions and then turn to collect taxes from them. So, I think that Government vehicles which fall in this category must be exempted from this duty.
    Mr Kwarteng 3:07 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I rise to oppose the proposition my Hon Colleague just put on the Floor. My reason is that the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) are given allocations and those allocations are supposed to be used judiciously.
    If an MDA is making a decision to acquire vehicles, we would want them to pay attention to a provision like this and advise themselves accordingly.
    It is not fair to ask private people to be mindful of the vehicles they buy because that decision would have to be sensitive to this tax and then say that for Government officials and departments, they are allowed to buy any car because they are exempted. I think it has to be for everybody.
    Secondly, we are sending a signal to the population that this is the new direction. It would be unhelpful for Government to be seen exempting itself and asking private people to pay. It is the reason we should reject the amendment.
    Mr Quashigah 3:07 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I also rise to oppose the amendment that Government vehicles should be included and must also pay.
    Clearly, if that is done, the irresponsibility that has been exhibited by State institutions would continue. We have had situations where in the past, electricity bills and others that are supposed to be paid by some Government institutions were not paid.
    In this same situation, if we allow Government vehicles to be exempted, it would not benefit all of us. After all, what is the difference between those who work for private entities who would use such luxury cars and those who drive luxurious Government vehicles?
    Mr Speaker, the amendment is not a good one and I oppose it. Government institutions should not be exempted. Thank you very much.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:07 a.m.
    I would listen to the Hon Deputy Minority Leader and then I would bring -- Yes, Hon Deputy Minority Leader?
    Mr Avedzi 3:07 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the levy is not on the vehicle but on the owner. Who is the owner of Government vehicles -- Government. So, Hon Kwarteng should reconsider his position.
    What it means is that a Ministry which has 100 of that type of vehicle would budget for it and Government would give the money to the Ministry. The Ministry would then collect the money to go and pay and that is the same thing. The Ministry would tout that they have been able to raise so much revenue, yet in effect, they did not raise that much revenue.
    Mr Speaker, we could go ahead and approve it, but the effect is zero. This is because Government would pay out of the Consolidated Fund, the MDAs would collect the moneys, go back to DVLA to pay and it would go back into the Consolidated Fund. It is circulating. They should reconsider their position.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:07 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the point has already been made. The Electricity Company and Ghana Water Company are Government owned. [Interruption] Please, Hon Deputy Minority Leader, people listened to you
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:07 a.m.


    when you spoke. Have the patience to listen to others as well. The service is provided by Government and the MDAs pay.

    Mr Speaker, we had the toll booth levies but did not exempt vehicles. We take Government money to pay and on a daily basis, if you did the calculation, you would see that it would be more than what is required to be paid at the end of the year.

    I believe that with this reasoning, we should move on and pass the Bill. We need to make progress. We have listened to the Hon Member who is attempting to rise up. Mr Speaker, if you put the Question, we would make progress on that.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:07 a.m.
    Hon Kpodo, would you want to withdraw or I put the Question?
    Mr Kpodo 3:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have worked for a long time in a Government department and if you look through the allocations under goods and services for MDAs, it is a very paltry amount. If we impose these levies on them, they would be compelled to pay that as a priority before any other thing would happen in the institution.
    Some of these vehicles are not bought by the MDAs but they do come as a result of projects, where vehicles are given to them as part of the grants.
    We approved some vehicles recently-- 32 vehicles were approved for one programme and 10 vehicles for another programme.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:17 p.m.
    Hon Member, the project implementers decide which vehicle they would buy.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:17 p.m.
    Hon Members, the lines are drawn.
    Question put and amendment negatived.
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:17 p.m.
    Hon Acheampong?
    Mr R. Acheampong 3:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, although there is no advertised amendment on clause 2 (c), I would want to move an amendment to it.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to suggest that we could merge clause 2 (c) and (d), so that the new clause 2 (c) would read:
    “commercial vehicles for the transport of goods, persons and other motor vehicles that the Minister may by Legislative Instrument exempt''.
    Mr Speaker, I say so because the original clause 2 (c) says 3:17 p.m.
    “commercial vehicles that have the capacity to transport more than ten persons''.
    Mr Speaker, the qualification is on persons, but there are towing cars which have the capacity for more than three litres and the occupants are not up to 10 and it is classified as a commercial vehicle. So under this arrangement, towing cars would pay this levy.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to suggest that we could merge the two to include those towing cars, so that they would not pay the levy. This is because we cannot say that a towing car is a luxury vehicle.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:17 p.m.
    Hon Member, I am sure that under clause 2 (e), the Hon Minister can add that.
    The Hon Chairman of the Committee is complaining that those of you who worked at the Committee, you had every opportunity to propose your amendments, but you brought the Report with just the approved amendments and then you are proposing amendements one after the other.
    Anyway, your proposed amendment can be taken care of under clause 2 (e), so I suggest that we proceed.
    Mr R. Acheampong 3:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, since today is the last day -- These are some of the challenges some of us face at the Committee level. Sometimes one would not even be recognised to raise certain issues. A person may have a legitimate concern, but if the person is not called by the Hon Chairman of the Committee, how could the person make a proposal?
    Mr Speaker, I would want to plead with you to advise the Hon Chairman of the Committee so that he would give us the opportunity. This is because I feel embarrassed sometimes when I criticise my own Committee's work, but if a person
    does not get the chance at the Committee level, what would the person do? You come and raise your concerns on the Floor of the House.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:17 p.m.
    Hon Member, when it comes to filing amendments, a person does not need the Hon Chairman of the Committee's approval.
    Clause 2 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Clause 3 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Clause 4 -- Bank account
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 3:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 4 — headnote, delete “account” and insert “Account”.
    Mr Speaker, this is to correct a typographical error.
    Question put and amendment agreed to
    Clause 4 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Clause 5 -- Penalty
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 3:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to delete the entire clause 5 because there is a Headnote which is ‘'Payment of arrears''.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:17 p.m.
    Hon Chairman of the Committee, the Headnote here is ‘'Penalty''.
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah Mr Speaker, the whole of the clause 5 would go with the ‘'Penalty''.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:17 p.m.
    Hon Chairman of the Committee, let us start from the Headnote.
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 3:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, delete the ‘'Headnote'' and insert ‘'Payment of Arrears''.
    Question put and amendment agreed to
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 3:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 5, — delete and insert the following:
    “Payment of Arrears
    (5) A person who fails to pay the Levy any year shall pay all arrears accrued on or before the renewal of the roadworthy certificate”.
    Mr Agbodza — rose —
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:17 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member for Adaklu?
    Mr Agbodza 3:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I oppose this amendment vehemently.
    Mr Speaker, what is done progressively in most countries now is to give people the opportunity.
    For instance, if a Ghanaian has a vehicle and he or she works with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and gets posted to a diplomatic mission and does not return in the next four years and his or her car is packed in the garage — We must understand the reasons road taxes are paid. If a person does not use the road, what is the penalty for?
    Mr Speaker, this is a big nuisance tax. There should be a mid-way clause which would say that if a person decides not to use his or her car for the next five years and it is not on the road, one could declare that his or her car is not in use -- [Interruptions.] Hon Colleagues, listen.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:17 p.m.
    Hon Member, you are addressing me.
    Mr Agbodza 3:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, sometimes when we do these things, we pretend they are something new. There is a world standard as to what is done in these cases. In the United States of America or United Kingdom, there is a middle way.
    A person could declare that he or she would not use his or her car for the next year and once the car is declared that way, the car cannot be found on the road. When the person decides to use the car, the person has to go back and buy the road worthy. That is more progressive than to make it --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:17 p.m.
    Hon Member, I believe you were out. We have gone through this argument already, that this tax is not on use. It is on ownership. Once a person owns the vehicle, he or she would pay the tax. That is the principle.
    So boarding it — I raised the issue that one could go to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and board it, but my attention was drawn to the fact that this is not on use, but on ownership.
    Mr Agbodza 3:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, is it now a crime that if I come from Adaklu and a salon car would not work in the area simply because there is no tarred road and I have a 4x4 car, it is now a punishment for me to have a car with a bigger engine?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:17 p.m.
    Hon Member, no, it is not.
    Mr Agbodza 3:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, this is a tax that should never be accepted in this country; it is regressive —
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:27 p.m.
    Hon Member, it is not. It is that you are wealthy; you are the one who has money and so contribute more -- That is all.
    Mr Agbodza 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, you do not buy 4 X 4 vehicle because you have money.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:27 p.m.
    Hon Member, I have given the Floor to the Hon Member for Tamale Central.
    Mr Agbodza 3:27 p.m.
    Jesus Christ!
    Alhaji I. A. B. Fuseini 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I was going to appeal to the Hon Ranking Member to abandon his argument. This is because even if you park your car for five years and do not pay roadworthy certificate for the five years, any time you go to pay the roadworthy certificate, you are going to pay for the preceding five years.
    I do not know how they are going to collect this tax but I believe that it is going to be collected at the DVLA. So it only makes sense -- [Interruption.] It would just work on the same basis as the roadworthy certificate.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:27 p.m.
    Hon Members, let me listen to the Hon Member for Asante Akim Central.
    Mr Anyimadu-Antwi 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I support the amendment and I believe it is in order. I say this because if you own a house, you always pay property rate.
    The principle that is being introduced is that the rich should contribute to the development of the economy. I benefit from my son attending senior high school free of charge. If I have three pick-up trucks and I pay for all of them in order to
    cover my son and other children, I believe it is apt.
    Mr Dafeamekpor 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity.
    Mr Speaker, with all due respect to the Hon Anyimadu-Antwi, the principle that he is using is wrong because it is not simply about ownership of vehicles. He is saying that it is akin to property rate. Property rate does not distinguish between how luxurious the property is or not. -- [Interruption.] With property rate, one pays according to the nature and the purpose.
    With this one, they are saying that a vehicle of certain capacity makes you rich; or the fact that you own a vehicle of that manner, you are a wealthy person. And I am saying it is a very wrongful assumption to make.
    When you own a property, whether it is a wattle or a daub or a property in East Legon, you are rated according to the nature of the property.
    But with this one, you are cutting down the number of people who own vehicles below the capacity of 3cc and saying that anybody who owns a vehicle of 3cc capacity or above and the vehicles are private they are supposed to pay the tax.
    And those who also own the vehicles but use it for commercial purposes and take passengers beyond ten people are not supposed to pay. But there are a lot of vehicles that take passengers below ten people and they are commercial vehicles and they are in serious business.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:27 p.m.
    Hon Members, I would put the Question --
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:27 p.m.
    Hon Chairman of the Committee, what is it again?
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, earlier, I said we should delete “in” so that it reads: “(5) A person who fails to pay the Levy in any year …” that we should delete the “in”.
    Mr Speaker, but I would now want to insert “for” so that it reads 3:27 p.m.
    “(5) A person who fails to pay the Levy for any year shall pay all arrears accrued on or before the renewal of the roadworthy certificate”.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:27 p.m.
    Very well.
    I thought Hon Members were going to raise issues with linking my tax liability to my right to use my vehicle -- That is what I have a problem with.
    I owe you a tax, you have a process for collecting your tax. [Interruption.] I am not entering the debate; I am raising issues for Hon Members to consider.
    I owe tax; there is a procedure for collecting taxes. Why do you link that to the use of my car? You can take action against me, get a judgement against me for tax evasion and you may even attach the vehicle and sell it.
    But to say I cannot register the vehicle, I wonder; upon what basis? This is because the DVLA Act does not make payment of my income tax and condition for renewing my roadworthy certificate.
    Some Hon Members —- rose —-
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:27 p.m.
    I would want to listen to the Hon Deputy Minister since they are proposing this.
    Mr Kwarteng 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is because this levy is on your vehicle as the owner of the vehicle itself. So the idea is to incident the payment on an activity that relates to that vehicle.
    The difference between that and income tax is that, income tax would not relate to that particular vehicle. Of course, there are tax enforcers who have to find a way of ensuring that they enforce it at the point where the tax incidents.
    So if it is from a business, the tax authority is allowed to go and lock up the business premises because that is where the income is coming from. But here, it is from the vehicle and that is the reason we --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:27 p.m.
    Very well.
    Hon Members, I would put the Question, unless there is a proposed amendment to this one.
    Hon Member for Ho Central?
    Mr Kpodo 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the blanket requirement for people to pay this levy has a problem.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:27 p.m.
    Hon Member, are you proposing an amendment? We have gone past the principles.
    If you would want to propose an amendment, then I would listen.
    Mr Kpodo 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am opposing the --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:27 p.m.
    Hon Member, we have finished the debate and I was going to put the Question. So unless you are proposing an amendment
    -- 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Kpodo 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, what if you are owning a so-called luxury vehicle but you have become a non-taxable person what then happens to you? Would you continue to pay if you are on retirement and you have a V8 vehicle?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:27 p.m.
    Hon Kpodo, please, if you are proposing an
    amendment, I would listen to you. If not, I would put the Question.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, there are clauses 6 and 7. There are no proposed amendments but we would have to put the Question on them.
    Clauses 6 and 7 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    The Schedule -- Imposition of Levy
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 3:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, SCHEDULE delete and insert the following:
    SPACE FOR TABLE, PAGE 1, 3.37 P.M
    Mr Speaker, this is to make it consistent with the Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System (HS code). So, instead of using litres, we want to keep it at “cc”.
    Dr A. A. Osei 3:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Chairman should consider a further amendment. The reason is that we could have -- At the Committee, it was said that research shows that Toyota Land Cruiser Prado is of 2950cc capacity and that most cars have the capacity of 3.5 litres and above. It is possible for an automaker to have a capacity of 2951cc - - [Interruption.] This does not say that.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:37 p.m.
    From 2950cc to 3549cc.
    Mr Agbodza 3:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to propose a further amendment in the Schedule -- For vehicles between 2950cc to 3549cc, I propose GH ¢200.00 instead of GH¢ 1,000.00. With the vehicles between 3550cc to 4049cc, I propose GH¢300.00. For the vehicles in the third line, which charges GH¢ 2,000.00, I propose GH¢ 500.00. [Hear! Hear!]
    Mr Speaker, the reason is that the Hon Minister has not convinced anybody in
    Mr Agbodza 3:37 p.m.


    In many progressive countries, when people are taxed this way it may be called sin tax because when one smokes, drinks alcohol or drives a gas guzzler it would be based on the fact that the air is polluted more or other things.

    This is the first time I have heard an Hon Minster for Finance tax people simply because one has a rickety car with a 4.0 litre engine capacity, which probably does not even move. I am supposed to pay and the Hon Minister classifies me as a rich person because I own a car with a 4.0 litre engine capacity.

    Mr Speaker, on behalf of the many Ghanaians who have bought cars of 3.0 litre engine capacity and above, but the car has been on stones at the workshop for the past two years and they are asked to pay this money, I propose that the last batch should be GH¢500.00.

    I urge that my Hon Colleagues should not look at their salaries and status as the basis. [Interruption.] Maybe, Mr Speaker, we live in two countries where things are so good for the people on your right hand Side, so they could pay all these. It is not that good for us on this Side.

    So I propose this on behalf of the poor people in this country, that this is extortionist, regressive and an Hon Minister for Finance who wants to extort money from people. This has nothing to do with anything that is good for this country. If they are broke, they should look for better ways to get money.

    I urge my Hon Colleagues to support this Motion.

    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:37 p.m.
    Hon Members, I just want to share - the Hon Second Deputy Speaker is not here.
    In the year 2013, we were sponsored by a German group to visit Germany; it was myself, the Hon Second Deputy Speaker, Hon O. B. Amoah and the former Hon Deputy Leader. We went to discuss tax. It was said that they needed more money, so they taxed ownership of pets; if one owns a pet, one pays. If one owns a horse, one pays higher.
    One pays lower if one owns a dog or a cat. So even there, the ownership of something was a basis for determining how much more tax one pays. This is just a crux of the matter --
    Hon Majority Leader, I would want to hear your response to this and then I would put the Question.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, for the record, the language from my Hon Colleague, who spoke last, is unacceptable in the House.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:37 p.m.
    Hon Leader, we cannot hear you.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:37 p.m.
    He described the Hon Minister for Finance as an extortionist. We should mind our language. One may not agree with his methods, but to call him an extortionist does not sit well in this House. Please, we are not to do that.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:37 p.m.
    Hon Members, let us put the Question on his proposal.
    rose
    Mr Frist Deputy Speaker 3:37 p.m.
    Hon Member, please resume your seat.
    Hon Kwame Agbodza, you have described the Hon Minister for Finance as an extortionist. Extortion is an offence. If you said that the tax itself was an extortion, it is different from saying the person is an extortionist. Kindly withdraw.
    Mr Agbodza 3:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if the Hon Majority Leader said that he did not hear me say that this tax is extortionist, what is wrong with that? That is English language. I said that the action is extortionist. [Uproar.]
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:37 p.m.
    Hon Member, listen to me.
    I heard you say, “this Hon Finance Minister is extortionist.” Kindly withdraw and proceed.
    Mr Agbodza 3:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I never meant the Hon Minister for Finance -- [Uproar.] I do not know what has excited my Hon Colleagues. I am speaking for myself and people outside. In this House, when we speak, we are supposed to speak of -- [Interruption] -- I never meant the Hon Minister for Finance is an extortionist.
    I said that the action is extortionist. If anybody thought I referred to the Hon Minister as a person, I withdraw that portion.
    Mr Speaker, but I insist that this action, I feel, is a way of taking money from me, not because they want to save the climate or do anything, but to get money --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:37 p.m.
    Hon Member for Adaklu, I personally heard you; I have ruled that it is wrong, so withdraw. I would not give you an opportunity to --
    Mr Agbodza 3:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I just said that if --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:47 p.m.
    You were continuing -- [Interruption.] Please resume your seat.
    Hon Members, I would put the Question on the proposed amendment that the levies in columns 1, 2 and 3 in schedule 1 should be GH¢200, GH¢300 and GH¢500.00 respectively.
    Question put and amendment negatived.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:47 p.m.
    I would put the Question on the amendment of the Hon Chairman of the Committee.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Schedule 1 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Long Title ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    That brings us to the end of the Consideration Stage of the Luxury Vehicle Levy Bill, 2018.
    Yes, Hon Majority Leader?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, item numbered 25.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:47 p.m.
    On the original Order Paper?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, on the original Order Paper.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:47 p.m.
    Very well. We return to the original Order Paper. Item numbered 25?
    MOTIONS 3:47 p.m.
    Minister for Finance) 3:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 131(1) which require that when a Bill has passed through the Consideration Stage, the Third Reading thereof shall not be taken until at least twenty-four hours have elapsed, the Motion for the Third Reading of the Luxury Vehicle Levy Bill, 2018 may be moved today.
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 3:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
    Question put and Motion agreed to.
    Resolved accordingly.
    BILLS -- THIRD READING 3:47 p.m.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I believe that we can do the closing remarks.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:47 p.m.
    We have Motion numbered 20 which has not been dealt with.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we had an agreement that we would stand that one down and when we come back, we will deal with it.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:47 p.m.
    We stand it down?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we stand Motion numbered 20 down till we resume.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:47 p.m.
    Very well. While we are waiting for Mr Speaker to come and conclude, the Hon Minority Leader may start his closing remarks.

    Hon Minority Leader, please.
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:47 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member for Manhyia North, what is the matter?
    Mr Collins Amakwah 3:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I come under Standing Orders 78 and 90 (1) (b) and I would want to move that the words used by the Hon Member of Parliament for Adaklu -- That is Standing Order 93(2) which I quote states:
    “It shall be out of order to attempt to use offensive, abusive, insulting, blasphemous or unbecoming words or to impute improper motives to any other Member or to make personal allusions”.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member in his presentation --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:47 p.m.
    Hon Member, you are out of order.

    I ruled and got him to withdraw. Yes, Hon Minority Leader?
    CLOSING REMARKS 3:57 p.m.
    Minority Leader (Mr Haruna Iddrisu) 3:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thanks to your leadership and guidance with the support of Hon Members, the Clerk and his able men, the Second Meeting of the Second Session of the Seventh Parliament comes to a necessary end this afternoon. May we thank Almighty Allah for the opportunity and the strength to serve the people of Ghana in our various respective capacities.
    I would like to note that this particular Meeting, as eventful as it was, was also with some acts of God and natural events. This Meeting saw the passing on of H. E. Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, former Vice- President of the Republic, former Governor of the Bank of Ghana and Hon Deputy Minister who served this country in diverse respects.
    He was a brilliant and intelligent economist who contributed to the development of this country politically, socially and economically. Yesterday, we saw a dignified, solemn, honourable and befitting funeral to see him off. That is how it should be.
    Mr Speaker, just as we were brooding over the passing on and death of H.E. Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, we were informed of the departure of one of our own; the respected J. H. Mensah who was Hon Minority Leader and Leader of Government Business, a political icon of our time and one of the very few Hon Members of Parliament with the gift of thinking straight on his feet momentarily and uprightly.
    He was endowed with judgement and depth. We also saw him --
    May their respective souls and the souls of the departed rest in peace.
    I should also note that since the Third Parliament, you have been engaged in some efforts with Leadership to see this House adopt new Standing Orders. We still do not have the improved or enhanced Standing Orders.
    In order to improve upon the work of this House and the governance of our country, this Parliament needs to take its pride of place in exercising oversight responsibility, particularly, over holding the Executive accountable, and more importantly, protecting the public purse.
    Mr Speaker, yesterday, any of us who listened to the sermon of the Methodist Bishop at the funeral of the Vice President would have at least left with some notion of what the clergy and the people of Ghana think of the political class.
    Mr Speaker, I do believe that it is not above you; we should dedicate ourselves to see to the completion and adoption of the new Standing Orders to improve the work of this House.
    We are confident that the Standing Orders, when revised and adopted, will see the introduction of a Minority day where the Business of this House is not only dedicated to public business but Hon Members of the Opposition and backbenchers will have an opportunity to contribute to the debate.
    Mr Speaker, let me also use this opportunity to state that one of the weaknesses of our Parliament over the years, since the Fourth Republic, has been our inability to exercise the power to hold the Executive accountable and to exercise due diligence.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:57 p.m.
    Hon Members, the Rt Hon Speaker would take the seat.
    MR SPEAKER
    Mr Speaker 4 p.m.
    I heard you saying that you were concluding so I am waiting.
    Mr Iddrisu 4 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, since I would want you to hear me --
    Mr Speaker 4 p.m.
    I heard you.
    [Laughter].
    So just go on. I heard you very clearly and I approve of what you were saying.
    Mr Iddrisu 4 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I appreciate it.
    Mr Speaker, so I thank you for the leadership that you have provided and you could trust that you have our support to undertake the necessary reforms that would make this Parliament stronger and more transparent and accountable to the people of Ghana.
    Mr Speaker, I also thank my Hon Colleague, the Hon Majority Leader and leader of Government Business. He has endeavoured to make us work even on Saturdays till this hour, and he is not minded that Hon Members would have sat through these longer periods.
    Mr Speaker, in the last few months, he has attempted to improve the relationship between Hon Members of Parliament and District Chief Executives. We know that within the Executive, there are still those conflicts between Boards, Board chairpersons and Chief Executive Officers which threaten governance.
    Mr Speaker, I cannot conclude but to highlight one of our concerns which is that, this Parliament does not make laws for the laws to be disrespected.
    When I related to the Mid-Year Review of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of 2018, I relied on article 28 (c) of the Constitution which requires that whatever analysis and revenue expenditure that the Hon Minister for Finance shall submit on behalf of the President shall cover the first half of the year, which is six months.
    Mr Speaker, that is the letter and spirit of the provision in article 28 (c). Mr Speaker, but if you look at paragraph 19 of the Hon Minister's Mid-Year Review, he said that he was reporting on five months; January to May.
    Mr Speaker, given that the Budget Statement comes in November, that is not a reliable and accurate data which we should be using for analysis of the Budget Statement.
    Mr Speaker, those of us in the Minority Side have raised concerns about the Ghana Card and we appreciate that we need a national identity system.
    An identity system remains a national imperative for purposes of economic planning and combating crime, but we certainly cannot understand why it must cost the State US$1.2 billion to undertake the process. Mr Speaker, the longer the period, the cheaper the credit should be.
    Therefore we demand explanation from the Executive on the justification for Ghanaians to be paying US$40 per person in order to have a national ID card. Mr Speaker, citizenship cannot be redefined and article 42 allows us to be registered as voters when we are adults.
    Therefore just as the President himself is a product of a voter ID card, we see no reason why it cannot be included in the process.
    Mr Speaker, I reminded Hon Colleagues that Act 750 was an Act of Parliament, and if there was no processes for amendment of laws, then why did we amend Act 750?
    Mr Speaker, once again, let me thank you for the leadership, the Clerk to Parliament, Clerks-at-the-Table and all the staff for the tremendous support and sacrifices over the years.
    Mr Speaker, to the two Hon Deputy Speakers, the Hon First Deputy Speaker and the Hon Second Deputy Speaker --- I know sometimes they have disappointed you when you wanted them to hold the fort; nonetheless they were readily

    Mr Speaker, the Parliamentary Press Corps have been wonderful in their reportage and we have had cause to sometimes question how balanced their reportage have been on some issues. But we thank them and we say they should continue to reflect the debate in this House.

    Mr Speaker, I cannot assume my seat without acknowledging the cooperation and support of my Hon Colleague, the Hon Majority Leader.

    We have had our differences, but let him be assured that there are a number of national issues to which he could count on our support at all times to the extent that it engenders for the public good and for the Ghanaian people, we do not need to split our hairs.

    I know that as the Hon Chairman of the House Committee, he has done something appropriate for Hon Members. So, let us hail him.

    Mr Speaker, I wish him and other Hon Colleagues well and travelling mercies. I am sure we would be back in October.

    Mr Speaker, thank you for the leadership.
    rose
    Mr Speaker 4:07 p.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, thank you very much.
    Mr Bagbin 4:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you very much.

    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minority Leader has not got that capacity to be able to assess our performance. So I would want him to clarify that statement because everybody is listening to us here, and I do not know how we have disappointed Mr Speaker in the performance our duties.

    Yes, he used the word “disappoint”. That was the word he used.
    Mr Iddrisu 4:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if my Hon Colleague is unhappy, I withdraw it. I am not too sure I used the word “disappoint”. I said there were times that when you needed them, they were not readily available. That was what I sought to convey. [Laughter.]
    However, if I used it, I withdraw it. Expunge it from the records.
    Mr Speaker 4:07 p.m.
    Hon Members, I would be very glad if in future Hon Members including Leadership would take notice of the need to make what statement, at
    what forum, and at what occasion. This is essentially a closing, ceremonial occasion. I would advise that this Parliament, in all circumstances, must avoid statements that could in the least be said to be controversial.
    Mr Iddrisu 4:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, for the avoidance of doubt, I did not question the standing and competence of the Hon First and Second Deputy Speakers. That was not my intention. I am sorry.
    Mr Speaker 4:07 p.m.
    That was why I added “for the avoidance of doubt” because that is not to say that you did say what you said you did not say.
    Hon Majority Leader?
    Majority Leader (Mr Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu) 4:17 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I tell my Colleague, the Hon Minority Leader, that in these matters, he may have to have time for himself and script his speech. If he does so, it would not be subject to this kind of analyses and people attributing words to him that he says he did not say.
    To be honest, I did not hear him say so because at the time, I was otherwise engaged. So I did not hear him utter those words.
    Mr Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity offered me to make these few remarks as the House prepares to rise sine die, today.
    Majority Leader (Mr Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu) 4:17 a.m.
    It is important that we show our appreciation to the Almighty God for the love, grace and the strength he granted us to perform our duties. We are indeed grateful to Him for sustaining our lives.
    The House held 46 Sittings within an eleven (11) week period during which the House carried out its representational, deliberative power-of-the-purse legisla- tive, oversight and power of ratification of Agreements, Treaties, Protocols and Conventions functions, among others. Permit me Mr Speaker, to highlight some of the businesses transacted by the House at this Meeting.
    The following Bills were presented to the House and referred to the appropriate Committees for consideration and report:
    i.Patents (Amendment) Bill, 2018;
    ii. Companies Bill, 2018;
    iii. Conduct of Public Officers Bill,
    2018;
    iv. Chartered Institute of Bankers (Ghana) Bill, 2018;
    v. Minerals Income Investment Fund Bill, 2018;
    vi. Ghana Education Trust Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2018;
    vii. National Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2018;
    viii. Income Tax (Amendment) Bill,
    2018;

    ix. Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2018;

    x. Luxury Vehicle Levy Bill, 2018; and

    xi. Notaries Public (Amendment) Bill,

    2018.

    The House debated, variously amended and passed the underlisted Bills into law:

    a. Witness Protection Bill,

    2017;

    b. Technical Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2017; and

    c. Legal Aid Commission, Bill;

    d. Ghana Integrated Bauxite and Aluminium Authority Bill, 2018. (which the House Amended to read, Ghana Integrated Aluminium Corporation Bill, 2018);

    e. Ghana Education Trust Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2018;

    f.National Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2018;

    g. Income Tax (Amendment) Bill,

    2018;

    h. Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2018; and

    i. Luxury Vehicle Levy Bill, 2018.

    I am hopeful that these Bills that we have passed to strengthen the spine of our governance structures would stand the test of time.

    The following Instruments were introduced in the House and came into force at this Meeting:

    i.Petroleum (Exploration and P r o d u c t i o n ) ( G e n e r a l ) Regulations, 2018;

    ii. Adoption Regulations, 2018; and

    iii. Foster-Care Regulations,

    2018.

    Mr Speaker, the House also adopted a number of Committee Reports on Agreements during this Meeting - Credit Facility Agreements, Financing Agreements, Loan Facility Agreements, among others. Some Conventions were also ratified during the period.

    About fifty-eight (58) Statements to commemorate important national/ international events were made by colleague Hon Members during the Meeting.

    About ninety-seven (97) Questions were also asked of and answered by various Ministers. Undoubtedly, some of these Questions contained such side- splitting names that but for the circumstances of these times, they could have created a national uproar.

    Mr Speaker, there are referrals pending before various Committees for consideration and report. I entreat all Committees to endeavour to consider all outstanding referrals during the recess period to enable the House to debate on them during the Third Meeting.

    The Right to Information Bill, which is currently at the Consideration Stage would hopefully be passed during the Third Meeting. Given the status of some of the referrals, it may become necessary for the House to be recalled. There remains some urgent matters that the House shall have to transact.

    In the event, we may perhaps have to reconvene on the 10th of September, 2018. We would be required to do a one week meeting.

    Mr Speaker, on the 22nd day of May, 2018, the House approved the nomination of Ms Jane Naa Koshie Lamptey by H.E. the President for appointment as the Deputy Special Prosecutor.

    I commend the Appointments Com- mittee for the good job done during the vetting of the nominee. Let me use this occasion to once again, congratulate Ms Jane Naa Koshie Lamptey on her appointment as the Deputy Special Prosecutor.

    As a lawyer of 30 years' standing at the Bar, former Acting Director of Public Prosecutions at the Attorney-General's Department, former Deputy Director of the Legal Aid Board and former Deputy Registrar-General at the Registrar- General's Department, I trust that she would bring her experience and competence to bear by assisting the Special Prosecutor to deliver on his mandate.

    Mr Speaker, on Thursday, 19th July, 2018, the Hon Minister for Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta made a Statement on the Floor of the House in which he sought to apprise the House on the Mid-Year Review of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government for the 2018 Financial Year.

    The Statement was in fulfilment of section 28 of the Public Financial Management Act of 2016 (Act 921). Undeniably, the Statement marked the highpoint of this Meeting and I must say that the contributions to the Statement by Members is a clear indication that our democracy is advancing steadily.

    Whereas some of the Statements were meant to offer concrete alternatives to improve our governance, other Hon Members elected to spike their contributions.

    Mr Speaker, the nation lost two of her illustrious sons during this Meeting. On the 29th of June, 2018, the nation woke up to the sudden transition of our former Vice President, H. E. Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, who was laid to rest yesterday.

    Indeed, his demise shocked the entire nation. Here was a man who drove himself to a fitness gymnasium early in the morning to exercise in order to stay healthy. Nobody would have expected him to be confronted with any sudden medical challenge.

    Yet sadly, he exited this planet within a twinkle of an eye. His demise brings to mind, the inevitability of death when your time is due. In the midst of life we are in death. We must all therefore strive to live peaceably with all manner of persons at all times.

    On the 12th of July, 2018, we woke up to be confronted by another shocker: the demise of Hon Joseph Henry Mensah, veteran politician, former MP for Sunyani East, former Minority Leader, former Majority Leader and the first Senior Minister that the country has known.

    J.H. Mensah, as he was affectionately called was a veteran politician and an economist who contributed to the face lifting of decaying urban centres and road developments, and a shift from a controlled economy to a liberalised economy.

    He was known to have introduced among others, the first Structural Adjustment Programme in Ghana. J.H. Mensah served this country creditably in many capacities.

    Mr Speaker, these two gallant men have contributed their quota to the socio- economic development of this country.
    Majority Leader (Mr Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu) 4:17 a.m.


    Our sincerest condolences to the families of the late former Vice-President and the late former Senior Minister. May their souls, and the souls of all the faithfully departed, rest in perfect peace.

    On Thursday, 19th of July, 2018, H. E. the President of the Republic of Ghana, in accordance with article 70 (2) of the 1992 Constitution, sought the advice of the Council of State, for the appointment of a new Chairperson, two Deputy Chairpersons and a Member of the Electoral Commission given what the calendar of elections contain.

    It is our hope that the Council of State would discharge its constitutional duty expeditiously to enable the President make these critical appointments to the Electoral Commission.

    Mr Speaker, in recent times, the Ghana Police Service has come under heavy criticism by the public as a result of events involving some of its officers.

    Latest indiscriminate shootings by the Police and brutalities meted out to the very people they are to protect are diminishing the opportunities for trust building.

    For the Police to maintain law and order, and to protect lives and properties, it is critical that mutual trust is built between the Police and the general public.

    On this occasion, I would like to entreat the Police Service to incorporate the culture of ethical conduct and professional responsibility in their organisational culture, policies and practices.

    For Police Officers to serve the citizenry with the highest level of professionalism, it is important that strong moral character is displayed at all times, and unscrupulous behaviour eschewed.

    Mr Speaker, may I take this opportunity to express my appreciation to you and your Deputies for the maturity you and your two Deputies exhibited in presiding over the affairs of this Meeting.

    It is my sincerest hope that the good Lord will grant you and your Deputies, the knowledge, wisdom, forbearance and grace to continue to discharge your duties in an impartial and just manner.

    Mr Speaker, Hon Members must be commended for their cooperation and commitment in ensuring the effective execution of Parliamentary Business during the Meeting.

    Indeed, we have had an exhaustive Meeting due to the tall order of business the House had to deal with.

    During the latter part of the Meeting, Sittings were extended beyond the stipulated time of 2.00 p.m., and Mondays came to be added to the Sitting days of the House. On several occasions, Sittings went beyond 8.00 p.m. Hon Members cooperated and I must extend my profound gratitude to the Hon Members of this august House.

    In the winnowing process which we had to resort to in order to reconcile and streamline amendments to Bills, some smoother consideration of the Bills in Plenary.

    I owe a duty to the House and to my conscience to mention the names of these Hon Members for extra commendation: Hon Ben Abdallah Banda, Hon Joseph Yieleh Chireh, Hon Yaw Buaben Asamoa, Hon Inusah Abdulai B. Fuseini, Hon Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, Hon Ahiafor, Hon Ameyaw Cheremeh, Hon Shaibu, Hon Dafeamekpor, among others.

    These Hon Members sacrificed their early mornings and late evening activities to lend a hand to the winnowing of Bills. For this, I cannot grow tired of extending thanks to them.

    I must in particular commend the Minority Leader for the cooperation that he has provided to get the Business of the House facilitated. The rest of us in leadership, I must commend all and Sundry for the yeomans role they all played in getting the ship of Parliament have a smooth sail.

    Mr Speaker, I hope that as Committees continue to work, and Members carry out activities in their constituencies during the recess, we will take time off to rest in order to return to the House refreshed and poised to continue with the work entrusted to us by the Ghanaian people.

    May I also express my sincerest appreciation to the Clerk to Parliament and his staff for working tirelessly to enhance the Business of the House.

    The Parliamentary Press Corps also deserves commendation for ensuring that the good people of Ghana are kept updated on the proceedings of the House.

    I wish us all well during the recess, and pray that the good Lord keeps us safe till we return, most probably on September 10th, 2018.

    Mr Speaker, thank you very much for indulging me.

    Speaker of Parliament (Prof. Aaron Michael Ocquaye):

    Introduction

    The Second Meeting of the Second Session of the Seventh Parliament of the Fourth Republic commenced on Tuesday, 15th May, 2018 and ended on Friday, 27th July, 2018.

    The House held a total of Forty-Five (45) Plenary Sittings within Eleven 11) Weeks during which it performed its deliberative and legislative functions, among other duties. Bills, Reports from Committees of the House and Ministries, Departments and other Agencies (MDA) among others.

    Demise of Former Vice President

    The Speaker informed the House of the sudden demise of the former Vice- President of the Republic of Ghana, H. E. Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah Arthur on Friday, 29th June, 2018 at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.

    Demise of Former Senior Minister

    The Hon Minority and Majority Leaders on behalf of Leadership took turns to pay tribute in memory of the late Economist and former Member for Sunyani East who was also a former Majority Leader, and also a former Senior Minister, Mr Joseph Mensah, who died on Thursday, 12th July, 2018 at the Military Hospital.

    Mid-Year Review of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy

    The House considered and approved the Mid-Year Review of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2018 Financial Year.
    Majority Leader (Mr Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu) 4:17 a.m.


    Papers Presented

    One hundred and forty-eight (148) Papers were presented to the House. The

    Papers include, Bills, Reports from Committees of the House and Ministries, Departments & other Agencies (MDAs) among others.

    The details are outlined as follows:
    Majority Leader (Mr Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu) 4:27 p.m.


    Privileges from the Parliament of Botswana visited the Parliament of Ghana;

    ii. A Two-member delegation from the Parliament of Gambia who were in the country on an official visit, visited the Parliament of Ghana;

    iii. A Six-Member delegation of the Natural Resources Committee from the Parliament of Uganda who were in the country on an official visit, visited the Parliament of Ghana;

    iv. A Thirteen-Member delegation of the Finance and Public Accounts Committee from the Parliament of the Republic of Gambia who were in the country on an official visit, visited the Parliament of Ghana; and

    v. A Five-Member delegation of the Iran-Ghana Parliamentary Friendship Association from the Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran who were in the country on an official visit, visited the Parliament of Ghana.

    Hon Members, the House rises today for recess after a hectic Meeting. We made supplication to the Almighty God at the beginning of the Meeting and indeed, each day that we sat.

    And He answered our prayers by giving us vision and strength to conclude business without any noticeable mishap.

    We glorify and thank Him bountifully for answering our prayers.
    Majority Leader (Mr Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu) 4:27 p.m.


    developed for the use of Parliament than same being lost due to neglect. Parliament lands will no more lie fallow and be stolen under strange circumstances. Indeed we are acquiring more.

    Proper welfare of Hon Members and staff of the Parliamentary Service continued to receive great attention during the Meeting. Details of the matters considered by the Board for the Staff of the Service are of monumental significance which details will be shared with them during a durbar to be organised at the next Meeting. Welfare package approved by the Board is unprecedented.

    I therefore urge all staff of the Service to serve with diligence as delinquency will not be countenanced under my watch.

    Regrettably, Ghana lost the late illustrious J.H. Mensah and H. E. Amissah-Arthur around the end of the Second Meeting of the Second Session.

    Hon Members, as the House rises today, you should all endeavour to have more interaction with your constituents, keeping in view challenges stalling development and coming back to find headways to them through legislation and other tools at the disposal of the House.

    I thank my Hon Deputies for their dependability, the Leadership for their resourcefulness, the Members for their cooperation, the Clerk to Parliament and his staff for their professionalism, the Parliamentary Press Corps for their support and the Security Services for their alertness.

    May our dependable God keep each one of you in safe hands till we meet again as a team.

    Hon Leaders, though we are adjourning sine die, just in case, we would want the two Leaders to say their parting words, looking to meet again.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 4:37 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thought we had included that in our closing remarks. But I wish all of us good rest and very resourceful holidays.
    Mr Speaker —
    Mr Speaker 4:37 a.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, are you giving us notice that our holidays may be curtailed?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 4:37 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I sounded that it may become possible that we do that, and if we have to do that, because there are critical businesses to be transacted, it may have to be on the 10th of September, 2018. So, people would take that into account in planning for their holidays.
    Mr Speaker, as I said, if we should come, we would do a one-week Meeting and adjourn again.
    I thank Hon Members and I am really grateful to all Hon Members for the cooperation. Today is Saturday and you could see the number of Hon Members in the House. On many occasions, we have gone even beyond 8.00 p. m. The Ad hoc Winnowing Committee has also done tremendously well in helping us.
    Mr Speaker, I cannot get tired of thanking them. So once again, thanks to everybody.
    Mr Speaker 4:37 a.m.
    Hon Minority Leader?
    Mr Iddrisu 4:37 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am not sure I have anything to add except to apologise to the First and Second Deputy Speakers and ask that my comments— I just would want to thank them and expunge those other unacceptable words.
    They were slips of tongue. I know the circumstance in which many times, particularly, First and Second Deputy Speakers had to come and support you.
    I regret those words.
    Mr Speaker 4:37 a.m.
    And so do we rise accordingly until we are re-called.
    Thank you very much.
    ADJOURNMENT 4:37 a.m.