Debates of 22 Mar 2019

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:19 a.m.

VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:19 a.m.

Mr Speaker 10:19 a.m.
Hon Members, correction of Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, 21st March, 2019.
Mr Speaker 10:19 a.m.
Hon Members, we have the Official Report of Wednesday, 20th February, 2019.
Hon Members, any corrections?
Mr Richard Acheampong 10:19 a.m.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker, sorry for taking you back to the Official Report of Friday, 15th February, 2019.
Mr Speaker 10:19 a.m.
You may go on.
Mr R. Acheampong 10:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, column 976, third paragraph, line 15 -- I want to make the necessary corrections.
Mr Speaker 10:19 a.m.
Is it the Official Report of 20th February, 2019?
Mr R. Acheampong 10:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, it is the Official Report of Friday, 15th February, 2019 [Interruption.]
Mr Speaker 10:19 a.m.
Was that distributed this morning?
Mr R. Acheampong 10:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I have been told we have dealt with it already. I have seen some mistakes I would like to correct, not knowing it is not before the House this morning.
Mr Speaker 10:19 a.m.
Hon Member, was that distributed this morning? Do we have it before us this morning?
Mr R. Acheampong 10:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I got it this morning.
Mr Speaker 10:19 a.m.
You appear to be --
Mr R. Acheampong 10:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would handle it with the Clerks-at-the-Table.
Mr Speaker 10:19 a.m.
Very well.
Hon Members, we are dealing with the Official Report of Wednesday, 20th February, 2019.
Hon Members, any corrections?
Mr Speaker 10:19 a.m.
Hon Members, Business Statement for the Ninth Week.
Chairman of the Business Committee, Hon Majority Leader?
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Memorandum attached to the Business Statement is not yet ready so I guess we can wait for the time being and take the Urgent Question.
Mr Speaker, I understand that yesterday, there was an Urgent Question slated for the Hon Minister for Health --
Mr Speaker 10:19 a.m.
Let us handle what is on the Order Paper for today, and then we shall proceed with other matters.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:29 a.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker, we would do that. I was not here but I understand that you directed that it should be answered today. So, I am just reminding you.
Mr Speaker 10:29 a.m.
The Hon Minister for Health?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:29 a.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker 10:29 a.m.
So if the Hon Minister is ready, we shall take that.
Has the Answer been published?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:29 a.m.
Mr Speaker, it is an Urgent Question so the Answer is not published.
Mr Speaker 10:29 a.m.
All right. Let us deal with what is listed.
Hon Minister for Roads and Highways?
The Question stands in the name of the Hon Member for Bole/Bamboi.
URGENT QUESTIONS 10:29 a.m.

MINISTRY OF ROADS AND 10:29 a.m.

HIGHWAYS 10:29 a.m.

Minister for Roads and Highways (Mr Kwasi Amoako- Attah) 10:29 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Dakurpe - Kabilma feeder road is a 16.9 kilometre gravel road located in the Bole/Bamboi District of the Northern Region. The regional DFR office was notified of the incident of a wash-out on a section (km 11.90) of the road. An inspection carried out following the report revealed that a heavy rainfall on the night of 2nd February, 2019 undermined a 1/3x3 box culvert.
The vehicle in question was travelling in the night during the rainfall and without knowledge of the ‘wash-
Mr Sulemana 10:29 a.m.
Mr Speaker, with your permission, let me make a little correction; the Hon Minister referred to Bole under Northern Region; I think it should be Savannah Region -- [Laughter.]
Mr Speaker, the last time I asked this Question -- I want to make reference to the Official Report of 23rd June, 2017, one of the responses was that the project delayed because of delay in payments. So, from 2017 to date, I want to find out from the Hon Minister whether he has made some payments to the contractor.
Mr Amoako-Attah 10:29 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the contractor on that road is M/S Kasmida Ventures and the contract sum for that project is GH¢5,143,658.04. Payment up to date is GH¢3,716,874.28.
So, Mr Speaker, payment on that contract has been effected and I would say that even the substantial payment has been made. So out of the total contract sum of over GH¢5
million, almost GH¢4 million has been paid.
Mr Sulemana 10:39 a.m.
Mr Speaker, my question is, from 2017 to date, how much has been paid? I am not asking to know the total amount of money disbursed. I would want to know how much has been paid from 2017 to date. The contractor abandoned the project because he had not been paid, which led to an incident; the death of three people, and we are concerned.
Mr Speaker 10:39 a.m.
Hon Minister, have you got the details here?
Mr Amoako-Attah 10:39 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I do not have the instalment payments made, but the most important thing is that out of the total contract sum, at least, over 75 per cent has been paid. Whether they were paid yesterday or today, a substantial amount of the contract sum has been paid, and the contractor has no excuse for halting the work just because of payments.
The contractor has no cause to stop work. He can only ask for final payment when the work is completed. All contract payments are made in arrears, so the contractor has no reason to halt work.
Mr Sulemana 10:39 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am very happy with this Answer. The contractor abandoned the project for more than two years.
Mr Speaker 10:39 a.m.
Hon Member, you are making a statement on behalf of
the contractor. The Hon Minister has made it clear that till date, 75 per cent has been paid, and that, by their practice, the contractor has no business not completing the work and coming for his 25 per cent.
If you would want a tabulated detail of all the payments, then you would have to come by a Question to that effect.
Mr Sulemana 10:39 a.m.
Mr Speaker, this is my last question.
Mr Speaker, I would want to find out from the Hon Minister what he is doing to ensure that the contractor gets back to work to complete the project.
Mr Speaker 10:39 a.m.
Hon Member, please ask the question again.
Mr Sulemana 10:39 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to find out from the Hon Minister what he is doing to get the contractor back to site to complete the project.
Mr Speaker 10:39 a.m.
Hon Minister, what are you doing to get the contractor to the site?
Mr Amoako-Attah 10:39 a.m.
Mr Speaker, we have a procedure for dealing with contractors in such circumstances. If the contractor delays, warning letters would be issued, and if he proves adamant, steps would be taken to terminate the contract, repackage and re-award.
Mr Speaker 10:39 a.m.
Hon Members, we would move on to Questions. We would take Question numbered *565,
ORAL ANSWERS TO 10:39 a.m.

QUESTIONS 10:39 a.m.

MINISTRY OF ROADS AND 10:39 a.m.

HIGHWAYS 10:39 a.m.

Mr Speaker 10:39 a.m.
Yes, Hon Minister, your Answer?
Mr Amoako-Attah 10:39 a.m.
Mr Speaker,
Background
The Enchi -- Dadieso road forms an integral part of both National Road (N12), which starts from Elubo and terminates at Hamile, also referred to as the Western Corridor; and Regional Road (R129), Kramokrom -- Dadieso -- Africa --New Debiso road.
The Enchi - Dadieso road has a total length of about 50km and spans between the Aowin and Suaman Districts of the Western Region.
The road is being constructed in phases.
Enchi -- Dadieso road (km 0 - 30)
The first 30km of the Enchi -- Dadieso road was awarded on 21st May, 2010, for execution and completion within twenty-four (24) calendar months. The project commenced on 16th August, 2010 and was expected to be completed on 16th August, 2012. Funding is wholly from the Consolidated Fund (GoG).
The Project has, however, suffered several delays in payment of contractor's works done by the employer. This has affected the contractor's cashflow and prolonged the completion period.
Besides, the request to the Ministry of Finance for variation to change natural gravel pavement to mechanically stabilised gravel subbase and 100 per cent crushed stone base had not been approved since February 2014. The variation was to increase the effective project cost by 80 per cent.
The project is 64 per cent completed, after about nine (9) years of commencement.
The first 5km has been sealed by the contractor and the condition is good. However, the remaining 25km of the project is in fair to poor condition.
The contractor has suspended work since September 2015 as a result of undue delay in payment of works done and that of issuing approval for additional works
involving change in materials for road pavement.
Enchi -- Dadieso road (km 30 --
50)
The second section of the Enchi -- Dadieso road (km 30 -- 50) was awarded to Messrs GS International Developers (GH) Limited for execution and completion in eighteen (18) calendar months. The project commenced on 24th May, 2015 and was projected for completion on 23rd November, 2016 under COCOBOD Funding.
The project has been completed and the condition of the road is very good.
Future
The Ghana Highway Authority, in view of the long period that the project has travelled, will engage the contractor for termination of the contract. This will enable repackaging of the outstanding works for re- award.
Mr Speaker 10:39 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member.
Mr Ackah 10:39 a.m.
Mr Speaker, from the Hon Minister's Answer, the completion of this road has lasted over nine years, and it keeps on recurring in all the Budget Statements that have been read in this House, including the 2018 Budget Statement.
Mr Speaker, I would want to know when the Ministry would
terminate the contract for re- awarding, so that the people of Aowin Suaman can have a relief because of the nature of the road.
Mr Amoako-Attah 10:39 a.m.
Mr Speaker I could not have agreed with my Hon Colleague more. The project has over delayed, spanning over a period of nine years, and I share in his concern.
Mr Speaker, the project, as indicated in my Answer, was divided into two 10:39 a.m.
the first 30 kilometres and the second 20 kilometres. The first 30 kilometres was undertaken by GS International --
Mr Speaker 10:39 a.m.
Hon Minister, what the Hon Member of Parliament wants at this stage is simply to know when.
Mr Amoako-Attah 10:49 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the first 30 kilometres was undertaken by Messrs GS International, and that was efficiently carried out. We are going to engage the contractor for the second part of the road, and if he does not perform -- Fortunately, we have a contractor on site, who has performed creditably.
So, if the contractor does not perform, then we shall terminate the contract and prepare a variation order for the other contractor to carry out the work.
Mr Speaker, that process is ongoing.
Mr Amoako-Attah 10:49 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I believe that within a period of one month, we should finish this process.
Mr Speaker 10:49 a.m.
We would take Question numbered 566 standing in the name of the Hon Member for Nkwanta North.
Construction of Kpassa to Kabonwuli Road
Mr Kwadwo N. Aboagye (on behalf of Mr John K. B. Oti) asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when the Kpassa to Kabonwuli feeder road, which was approved by the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) in 2016, would be awarded for construction.
Mr Amoako-Attah 10:49 a.m.
Mr Speaker,
Background
The Kpassa -- Kabonwuli road is 13.2km long and located in the Nkwanta North District of the Volta Region. It is a road with earth surface at some sections and gravel surface at remaining sections but both surfaces are in poor condition.
Approval was sought from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) for a number of roads including the
Kpassa -- Kabonwuli road to be procured under restrictive tendering.
However, in 2017, due to budgetary constraints, the road projects could not be procured.
Current Programme
There is no rehabilitation or upgrading programme on the road. In order to improve the surface condition of the road, grading of gravel surface, patching of gravel sections and cleaning of side ditches under 2019 routine maintenance programme of the Department of Feeder Roads will be carried out. Invitation for tenders from eligible contractors closed on 13th February, 2019 and bids submitted had been opened.
The evaluation of tenders is on- going.
Future Programme
The engineering design and estimates for the upgrading of the Kpassa -- Kabonwuli feeder road (13.20km) to bituminous surface will be reviewed to pave way for procurement of works when funds become available.
Mr K. N. Aboagye 10:49 a.m.
Mr Speaker, that road becomes almost impassable during the rainy season and it appears that from 2016 to date, nothing has been done. Is there any assurance that, at least, the routine maintenance, as stated, or certain gravel sections would be corrected before the rainy season would be done this time?
Otherwise, the road would be completely cut off during the rainy season.
Mr Amoako-Attah 10:49 a.m.
Mr Speaker, that has been made abundantly clear under the Current Programme in my Answer. I have indicated that that road has been captured under our 2019 routine maintenance programme by the Department of Feeder Roads.
So, it has already been captured and we would ensure that routine maintenance is carried out on that road to make it passable until such a time that it is rehabilitated to a bituminous level.
Mr Speaker 10:49 a.m.
We would move to Question numbered 567 standing in the name of the Hon Member for Biakoye.
Construction of a Flyover at Obetsebi Lamptey Circle
Q.567. Mr Kwadwo N. Aboagye asked the Minister for Roads and Highways the stage of implementation of plans to build a flyover at Obetsebi Lamptey Circle, which contract was signed in year 2016.
Mr Amoako-Attah 10:49 a.m.
Mr Speaker,
Background
The Obetsebi Lamptey Circle is located on the western part of the Ring Road and is sandwiched by the following suburbs; Kaneshie, Abossey Okai and Old Fadama, all
at Accra West and within the Accra Metropolis of the Greater Accra Region.
The circle or the intersection is connected by the following major arterials; Ring Road West, Ring Road West Extension, Graphic Road and Dr Busia Road, formerly christened Winneba Road.
As part of its objectives to improve the urban road network around the Obetsebi Lamptey Circle and its environs, the Department of Urban Roads (DUR) shall undertake the following activities to address safety issues and reduction of travel times, amongst others:
a. Phase 1
i. Construction of a two-tier interchange at the Obetsebi Lamptey Circle; and
ii. Construction of storm drains and culverts beneath the Graphic Road.
b. Phase 2
i. Widening into a three-lane dual carriageway with provision for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) facilities of Ring Road West from Ring Road flyover to the Obetsebi-Lamptey Circle;
ii. Widening into a two-lane dual carriageway of the Nii Teiko Din Road (Pamprom Junction) from Winneba Road;

iii.Widening into a two-lane dual carriageway of the Awudome Road from Ring Road East; and

iv.Improvement of Kaneshie Market Terminal and Traffic Management works.

Current Programme

The contract for the Design and Construction of Obetsebi Lamptey Interchange and other ancillary works was signed on 25th October, 2016 for completion within 24 calendar months.

However, the condition precedent for commencement of the contract is based on the date on which the Contractor receives the Advance Payment. The Contractor received the Advance Payment on 20th December, 2018, after the Client and Contractor had met all the conditions for coming into force of the contract.

The design and construction of the Obetsebi Lamptey interchange is a Design and Build Contract. The Contractor has since commenced the Design Stage of the contract and the Option Study Report was submitted to DUR on 8th March, 2019 and is being reviewed by DUR and MRH.

The project is funded from the HSBC Bank Plc, United Kingdom.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr K. N. Aboagye 10:59 a.m.
Mr Speaker, if we look at the first paragraph, after the paragraph on Current Programme, the contract was signed on 24th October, 2016, and the project was supposed to take 24 months, which means it should have been completed when all conditions were met early enough on the 25th October, 2018. The advanced payment was received two months after the 2018 possible completion date.
So, what has delayed the project so much? I would like to know what has delayed the provisions of the conditions such that the project stalled. If things have gone according to the earlier programme, the whole project should have been completed.
Mr Speaker 10:59 a.m.
Thank you very much.
Hon Minister, what is holding it up?
Mr Amoako-Attah 10:59 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I indicated in my Answer that this was a project that had certain conditions precedent for it to get started. All the conditions had to be fulfilled; both on the side of the employer and the contractor.
I have also indicated that this contract is funded by HSBC Bank Plc, United Kingdom, and the first payment had to be effected, among other things, before it could get started. The most important thing is that both
parties have satisfied all the conditions, and the work is just about to start.
We had to satisfy all the conditions, and that caused the delay.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker 10:59 a.m.
Yes, Hon Member, any further questions?
Mr K. N. Aboagye 10:59 a.m.
Mr Speaker, from the Hon Minister's Answer, we know certain conditions were not met, and that is the reason for the delay. Is there any guarantee that now all conditions have been met and, therefore, the project would go on as scheduled?
Mr Speaker 10:59 a.m.
Hon Minister, have the conditions been met now so that we have an expectation?
Mr Amoako-Attah 10:59 a.m.
Mr Speaker, that is so.
Mr Speaker 10:59 a.m.
Hon Minister, “that is so” does not seem to be clear with me. Have the conditions been met?
Mr Amoako-Attah 10:59 a.m.
Mr Speaker, all the conditions have been met and work would start any moment from now. My Hon Colleague would be invited to the sod cutting ceremony to make him happy.
Mr Speaker 10:59 a.m.
Hon Minister, thank you very much for your continuing cooperation and for attending to this House today, in particular, to Answer
our Questions. You are respectfully discharged.
Hon Minister for Health --
Yes, Hon Minority Whip?
Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 10:59 a.m.
Mr Speaker, that was agreed upon yesterday, and the Hon Member is ready to ask the Question. So, you are on the right path.
Mr Speaker 10:59 a.m.
Hon Minister, you may please take the appropriate seat, and we would go on with that Business.
URGENT QUESTIONS 10:59 a.m.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH 10:59 a.m.

Minister for Health (Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu) 10:59 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Ministry is not aware of the non- existence of anti-rabies vaccines at Zabzugu District Hospital. Checks at
Mr Umar 10:59 a.m.
Mr Speaker, as you know, this Urgent Question referred to the time the Hon Minister just stated. I asked this Question in November 2018 and I expected that based on Standing Order 64(4), the Hon Minister would have provided an Answer within seven days, but he did not do that.
It took five months. My check with the regional medical warehouse indicated that the Ministry got this and supplied them in January 2019.
Mr Speaker 10:59 a.m.
Hon Member, do you have any supplementary question?
Mr Umar 10:59 a.m.
Mr Speaker, yes. The supplementary question is could the Ministry assure this House that they would ensure that the dogs within Zabzugu or nationwide are vaccinated?
Mr Speaker 10:59 a.m.
Hon Minister, can you assure us?
Mr Agyeman-Manu 10:59 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am afraid my Ministry deals with the
health of human beings. Dog vaccination goes to the Veterinary Service, which is part of the work for the Ministry of Agriculture.
Mr Speaker 10:59 a.m.
Hon Member, do you have any further question?
Mr Umar 10:59 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am satisfied.
Thank you.
Mr Speaker 10:59 a.m.
Thank you very much for your satisfaction.
rose
Mr Speaker 10:59 a.m.
Hon Member, this is a constituency-specific Question. Please, let us go by our procedure.
Hon Minister, thank you very much for attending to the House and answering our Question. You are respectfully discharged.
Hon Members, Statements -- Item listed 6.
Yes, Hon Majority Leader?
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 10:59 a.m.

Majority Leader and Chairman of the Business Committee (Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu) 10:59 a.m.
Mr Speaker, as indicated to you, the Memorandum to the Business Statement was not ready early enough, so I appealed to you to stand the presentation down.
So, I now submit to the House for consideration and adoption, the Business Statement for the Ninth Week ending, 29th March, 2019.
Mr Speaker, the Committee met yesterday, Thursday, 21st March, 2019, and arranged Business of the House for the Ninth Week ending Friday, 29th March 2019.
Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its Report as follows 11:09 a.m.
Arrangements of Business
Mr Speaker, the Business Committee has scheduled the following Ministers to respond to Questions asked of them during the week:
Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its Report as follows 11:09 a.m.
stages in one day in accordance with Order I19.
Pursuant to Order 75, Papers for presentation to the House may be placed on the Order Paper for laying. Committee reports may also be presented to the House for Consideration.
Motions arid Resolutions
Mr Speaker, Motions may be debated and their consequential Resolutions, if any, taken during the week.
Sitting on Monday/Extended Sittings
Mr Speaker, as the House may recall during the presentation of the Business Statement last week, the Business Committee, having regard to the volume of Business pending in the House, proposed that Parliament Sits on Mondays until adjournment sine die. All Hon Members are therefore reminded that the House is expected to Sit on Monday, 25th March, 2019.
The House may also be required to Sit beyond the regular adjournment time of 2:00 p.m. pursuant to Order
40(3).
Conclusion
Mr Speaker, in accordance with Standing Order 160(2) and subject to Standing Order 53, the Committee submits to this Honourable House the order in which the Business of the
House shall be taken during the week under consideration.

Statements

Presentation of Papers --

(a)Request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT/GET- Fund Levy, Import NHIL, ECOWAS Levy, AU Levy, EXIM Levy, on plant, machines and equipment or parts as tax incentives to support implementation of the One District One Factory (IDIF) Programme.

(b)Report of the Finance Committee on the State Interests and Governance Authority Bill, 2019.

(c)Report of the Committee on Mines and Energy on the Ghana Iron and Steel Development Corporation Bill, 2019.

Consideration Stage of Bills --

Chartered Institute of Bankers (Ghana) Bill, 2018. (Conti- (nuation of debate)

Committee Sittings.

Urgent Question
Mr Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwame Dafeamekpor (South Dayi) 11:09 a.m.
To ask the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice why the General Legal Council has not issued and/or renewed licences of lawyers who were formerly Circuit Court Judges and Magistrates.
Questions
Q.483. Mr Rockson-Nelson E. K. Dafeamekpor (South Dayi): To ask the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice the steps the Chief Justice has taken to appoint Judges to the High Courts in Hohoe and Ho.
Q.491. Mr George N. K. Andah (Awutu-Senya West): To ask the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture what plans the Ministry has to commence work on the Senya Landing Beach Wharf for which the sod cutting was done by the late Hon Gladys Asmah in the year 2008.
Statements
Presentation of Papers --
Report of the Committee on Mines and Energy on the Petroleum Agreement by and among the Government of the Republic of Ghana,Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), ExxonMobil Explora- tion and Production Ghana (Deepwater) Limited and GOIL Offshore Ghana Limited in
respect of Deepwater Cape Three Points Block (DWCTP), Offshore the Republic of Ghana.
Motion --
(a) Second Reading of Bills --
Ghana Iron and Steel Development Corporation Bill, 2019.
(b)Third Reading of Bills
Chartered Institute of Bankers (Ghana) Bill, 2018.
Committee Sittings.

Questions --

Q.550. Mr Geoffrey Kini (Nkwanta South): To ask the Minister for Energy when the Ministry will extend electricity to the following communities: (i) Pofripoh (ii) Allege Akura (iii) Kortorkror (iv) Njaare (v) Alokpatsa (vi) B-Zongo (vii) Chartie (viii) Kojoheneba (ix) Kofi Akura (x) Dain Akura (xi) Kankye Akura (xii) Bakamba (xiii) Laboanu (xiv) Fan- kyenekor (xv) Dufrumkpa Old Town (xvi) Panku Akura (xvii) Krachi Akura.

Q.551. Mr Edward K. Dery (Lambussie): To ask the Minister for Energy when the following communities will be connected to the National grid:
Mr Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwame Dafeamekpor (South Dayi) 11:09 a.m.
(i) Hamile/Muoteng (ii) Chetu (iii) Kuutawie (iv) Kokoligu (v) Koro (vi) Piina No. 1 (vii) Kpare Baazu (viii) Kami Danpuo (ix) Chebogo (x) Bognuo (xi) Gyerigan (xii) Nyubulc (xiii) Tapuma (xiv) Konsi Dahile (xv) Bu.
Statements
Presentation of Papers --
(a)Report of the Appointments Committee on H. E. the President's nominations for Ministerial and Deputy Ministerial Appointments.
(b)Report of the Committee on Environment. Science and Technology on the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Concluded at Montreal on 16th September, 1987).
(c)Report of the Committee on Environment, Science and Technology on the Further Amendment of the Montreal Protocol (Kigali Amendment of 14th October, 2016).
Motion --
Second Reading of Bills
State Interests and Governance Authority Bill,
2019.
Motion --
Third Reading of Bills
Right to Information Bill,
2018.
Consideration Stage of Bills --
Companies Bill, 2018.
Ghana Iron and Steel Development Corporation Bill.
2019.
Committee sittings.

Questions

Q.545. Mr Samuel O. Ablakwa (North Tongu): To ask the Minister for Aviation the steps the Ministry is taking to improve service delivery and customer satisfaction for passengers flying commercial international airlines on the Ghana -- Europe and Ghana -- America routes.

Q.563. Mr Kobena M. Woyome (South Tongu): To ask the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources what step is being taken to extend potable drinking water to Dorkploame and the seventeen surrounding communities, being one of the food baskets of the area.

Q.570. Ms Sophia K. Ackuaku (Domeabra/Obom): To ask the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources when the Ministry will continue the pipe-laying from

Dankyira to Asalaja town and its surrounding villages.

Statements

Motions --

(a)Adoption of the Report of the Appointments Committee on H. E. the President's nominations for Ministerial and Deputy Ministerial Appointments.

(b)Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Mines and Energy on the Petroleum Agreement by and among the Government of the Republic of Ghana, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), ExxonMobil Ex- ploration and Production Ghana (Deepwater) Limited and GOIL Offshore Ghana Limited in respect of Deep water Cape Three Points Block (DWCTP), Offshore the Republic of Ghana.

Consequential Resolutions

Consideration Stage of Bills --

Companies Bill, 2018. (Continuation of debate)

Ghana Iron and Steel Development Corporation Bill, 2019. (Continuation of debate)

Committee sittings.

Friday 29th March, 2019

Urgent Question --
Ms Sophia K. Ackuaku (Domeabra/Obom) 11:09 a.m.
To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways when road safety signs, such as road markings, road reflectors and street lights would be fixed on the main Asalaja through Domeabra to Kasoa road in order to limit motor accidents on the road.
Questions
Q.571. Ms Helen Adjoa Ntoso (Krachi West) asked the Minister for Roads and Highways when work on the following roads will resume and be completed: (i) Dambai Lake Side to Kete Krachi (ii) Osramanie Junction to Osramani and its town roads, (iii) Ehia- mankyene Junction to Ehia- mankycnc and its town roads (iv) Ntewusu town roads.
Q.572. Mr Collins Owusu- Amankwah (Manhyia North): To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways when Kumasi roads will be given a face-lift.
Statements
Motions --
(a) Third Reading of Bills
Ghana Iron and Steel Development Corporation Bill, 2019.

(b) Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Environment, Science and Technology on the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Concluded at Montreal on 16th September,

1987).

Consequential Resolution.

(c) Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Environment, Science and Technology on the Further Amendment of the Montreal Protocol (Kigali Amendment of 14th October,

2016).

Consequential Resolutions

Consideration Stage of Bills --

i Companies Bill, 2018. (Continuation of debate)

Committee sittings.
Mr Speaker 11:09 a.m.
Any contributions?
Mr Ras Mubarak 11:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity.
I rise to comment on the Business Statement. I would want to draw the attention of the House to the agenda for this Meeting. When we were presented with the agenda, there were very important Bills that we expected would find expression in the Business. Currently, we are inching towards recess, but many of these Bills have not found expression in the Business Statement.
Mr Samuel O. Ablakwa 11:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to raise a few issues. First of all, I would want to thank the Hon Majority Leader for the presentation.
Mr Speaker, last week, after the presentation of the Business Statement, you gave indication that the Business Committee would have to come back to the House with clarity on when we would adjourn because of some very important matters that have to be conducted by you and Leadership.
I expected that the Business Statement for the Week ending Friday, 29th March, 2019, would have given us that an indication. I only see that we now have Extended Sittings confirmed.
We would Sit on Mondays, and we would also have Extended Sittings beyond 2 p.m; but there is no indication as to the date for recess, if that matter has been confirmed. I would want to find out from the Hon Majority Leader if that issue has been addressed by the Business Committee.
Mr Speaker, the second issue has to do with the annual reports of the universities, which I raised last week. We still have not received them and I would want to keep reminding the House that the universities are breaching the various Acts that established them.
It also hampers our work, in terms of our oversight over these institutions,
so that Hon Members of Parliament would stop visiting these universities to solve problems. The right thing is to wait for these annual reports, and then we could deliberate on them.
Mr Speaker, the third issue has to do with Urgent Questions. I have filed an Urgent Question, and it has gone past the 15-day period as our Standing Orders stipulate. It is an Urgent Question to the Hon Minister for Finance.
It is a very urgent matter that has to do with our international relations within the European Union on a matter which is brewing and is really of urgent nature. I would want to find out if that has come to the attention of the Business Committee, and what is being done about it.
Finally, Mr Speaker, I wish to remind the Hon Majority Leader and the House of the obligation of the Executive under the Presidential Office Act, 1993 (Act 463). Section 11 of the Act, which deals with annual report is very clear, and with your permission, I read:
“The President shall within three months after the end of each financial year, submit to Parliament an annual report containing
(a)the number of presidential staff employed at the Office,
(b)the ranks or grades of the staff, and
Dr Francis B. Dakura 11:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, as we reach the final weeks of this Meeting, I want to commend the Hon Majority Leader and the Business Committee for the deliberations we would have for the week starting 25th March, 2019.
Mr Speaker, there is something very dear to my heart, which I raised on 20th February, 2019, which can be found in the Official Report of that day. It is the link between Committee sittings and our availability in the Chamber.
You talked about its relevance and ruled on this matter, as was raised by Hon Mahama Ayariga and the Hon Majority Leader. Hon Ayariga indicated that it is important we
Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 11:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, on Wednesday, 27th March, 2019, among the Motions to be taken is the Right to Information Bill, 2018. Yesterday, you gave a directive that if all is not done, it should be taken from the Order Paper, which has been done.
I just want to enquire from the Hon Majority Leader whether they have finalised things for it to be taken on Wednesday as it has been scheduled, so that we put finality to that issue.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, Hon Ras Mubarak drew attention to the content of the agenda that was circulated to Hon Members at the beginning of the Meeting, and entreated us to work according to it. I agree by and large with him, except that the agenda gives an indication of
the work that is supposed to be transacted by the House. This explains why the order relating to agenda indicates to all of us that in the course of the Meeting, the agenda is subject to review.
Mr Speaker, the agenda that we have set out relates to the work that is supposed to be done in the course of the entire Session. As we go along, we take away those we are able to transact, so it is not cast in stone. We may, as we go along, have a review of same.
He related to what happened yesterday. Yesterday, we ran into some headwinds when we dealt with the Chartered Institute of Bankers Bill, 2018 and we said to ourselves that we would have a meeting of the Committee members and also invite some experts in the field to dialogue.
Unfortunately, as we would all recollect, we had to, on behalf of Parliament, meet with the President. When we came back, time was far spent and I met a few Hon Members here. The Hon First Deputy Speaker had been waiting, and when we waited for some time but we did not have Hon Members come in, we adjourned.
Mr Speaker, before then, we had not resolved what occasioned the suspension of the Sitting, which was a meeting over the challenges that we met in the course of smithing the Chartered Institute of Bankers Bill. So, even if we had met, it would not have been possible for us to make any progress. When we finally adjourned,
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:29 a.m.
we found space to meet in the Hon First Deputy Speaker's conference room to do some work. So, today, we would continue with the Chartered Institute of Bankers Bill, 2018. The day was not wasted.
Hon Ablakwa asked for the adjournment date and that we should be very clear in our minds when we would adjourn. In the course of this week, I have had cause to talk to the issue that we should prepare ourselves to adjourn on 12th April, 2019. I spoke to it in the course of the week on two occasions already and, perhaps, the Hon Member was not in the Chamber.
However, I indicated that if we were able to transact Business on the main items before us, it may be possible for us to adjourn on 5th April,2019; the date, however, remains 12th April, 2019. If we finish early, we may bring forward the date of adjournment.
Mr Speaker, on the annual reports of the Universities, the Hon Minister assured us the other day that they were ready, and I think they may be in the House. I spoke to the Hon Minister last week, and they were ferrying them to the House. Maybe, I would have to have a discussion with the Clerks-at-the-Table to see if the reports are indeed in the House.
The assurance when we adjourned that day was that they were being ferried to the House, and I want to believe they are here. If they are not, we would pursue same.
Mr Speaker, Hon Ablakwa said that he had filed some Urgent Questions and for more than 15 days, they had not been responded to. In his opinion, Urgent Questions are required to be answered within 15 days.

Mr Speaker, I do not really know where he took his inspiration from, that Urgent Questions are supposed to be answered in 15 days. It has no grounding in our Standing Orders, and I do not think that he would want to conjure any figures from the top of his head.

I have always insisted that because we have a time set for normal Questions, we should define the time range during which Urgent Questions must be responded to. I agree with him that we cannot, perhaps, go beyond a week but I believe that for Urgent Questions to serve their appropriate purpose, the Hon Ministers should be given a limited time respond to same.

I think that it should not even be 15 days, but perhaps within seven days. Which is why in the review of the Standing Orders, we have stated and we are definite that Urgent Questions should be responded to within a week, which is seven days. When we adopt the new Standing Orders, it would define for us the appropriate route.

Mr Speaker, with the issue of presidential staffers, for whatever reason, almost all regimes are late in

transmitting the list on it. Last year, the Administration responded very early enough and, indeed, it was unprecedented in the Fourth Republic. In this year, it appears there would be a slip, but we still have more than a week, so we would dialogue with the Executive and the Chief of Staff's Office for them to make an early transmission of this in the course of the week.

Mr Speaker, Hon Dakura, again, asked for the proper interpretation of our rules. I have always insisted that the Sittings of Parliament, as defined by Order 7, which he alluded to, which reads and with your permission I quote:

“Sitting'' includes a period during which Parliament is sitting continuously without adjourn- ment and a period during which it is in Committee”.

Mr Speaker, I have always insisted that the construction could only refer to Parliament Sitting in plenary, reclining into a Committee of the Whole and not the various sector or standing committees. So, when we sit in a sector committee, we are supposed to register same with the Clerks-at-the-Table, and even seek permission from the Rt Hon Speaker.

That is why when a Committee travels out, they have to seek permission. It is not considered, on the face of it, as an extension of Parliament. That is the proper understanding of Order 7.

Mr Speaker, the Hon Member also alluded to what happened yesterday. Yesterday, when the House sat, I understand that on the very outset, there were about 15 Hon Members in the Chamber. That was not preconceived. I, as usual, came to this House at 6.15 a.m. in the morning.

I was in my office working when the Hon Minority Leader drew my attention to the pendency of the one- week observation of the late Hon Dr Kwabena Adjei, and he invited me to the event. I called a few Hon Members, and indeed, mentioned to the Rt Hon Speaker that we had to be at the one week celebration.

We were in good company -- a couple of so many Hon Members were there. Unfortunately, we could not return to Parliament early because of the traffic situation in Accra.

The House sat, and there were not too many Hon Members in the Chamber at the commencement of Business. It was not intentional that Parliament would have few Hon Members in the Chamber; but because there was a lot to do, the Rt Hon Speaker also felt that if we did not Sit early enough, we would not finish the Business that was before us, which was why Sitting started early. Mr Speaker, but most of us were at the late Hon Dr Kwabena Adjei's one week celebration.

Mr Speaker, I think I have answered the questions -- [Interruption.] With regard to the
Mr Speaker 11:29 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Majority Leader.
The Business Statement as read is accordingly admitted.
Hon Members, item listed 6 -- Statements.
There is a Statement to be read by the Hon Deputy Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Hon Michael Yaw Gyato, on ‘'World Water Day''.
STATEMENTS 11:39 a.m.

Mr Michael Yaw Gyato (NPP -- Krachi East) 11:39 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity.
The United Nations (UN) has since 1993 designated 22nd March of every year as International World Water Day to focus global attention on the importance of water. States are invited to devote the Day, as appropriate in the national context, to concrete activities related to the utilisation, conservation and development of water resources.
Each year, different aspects of water is chosen to reflect the many facets of freshwater resources. World Water Day, 2019 focuses on the theme: “Leaving No One Behind: Water is a Human Right”.
Indeed, the essence of the commitment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals is to enable people in all countries to benefit from socio-economic development, including access to safe water and sanitation services.
It is also to achieve the full realisation of human rights, without discrimination on the basis of gender, age, race, language, religion, national or social origin, property, disability, residential, economic, and political or any other social status.
The Day, therefore, offers an opportunity to collectively reflect on the past and the present and to proffer ideas which will ultimately help address the issues of people being excluded or left behind in terms of access to water as a basic human right.
Mr Speaker, Ghana has made significant progress in the provision of basic drinking water services to the population. However, much more remains to be done as some areas remain unserved and underserved with safe water. Also, various disparities and inequalities exist amongst the people who have access to water.
The Ghana Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2017/2018 indicates that eight in every 10 household populations in the country use basic drinking water services. However, urban dwellers are 11 per cent more likely to have access to improved water sources than rural populations.
The rate of access to improved water supply also varies across the regions, from 50 per cent in the Northern Region to 98 per cent in the Greater Accra Region. Disparities in access to improved water services are also more pronounced between various socio-economic groups.
Whereas 51 per cent of persons in the poorest wealth quintile have access to improved water services, the rate of access to persons in the richest quintile is 97 per cent. About
56 per cent of the population spend not more than the acceptable 30 minutes for a roundtrip including queuing to collect water. However, 20 per cent spend over one hour to three hours for collecting water each day in households without water on premises.
For the celebration of World Water Day, 2019 in Ghana, activities have been planned to put a spotlight on people currently left behind and their rights to water and sanitation by changing attitudes, shaping culture and increasing awareness. The public has been invited to engage on the relationship between people left behind and how water and sanitation can be the enablers of change.
Local government authorities and service providers, who are major stakeholders in implementing the rights-based approach to water and sanitation are also invited to initiate outreach programmes such as organising local fora and discussions.
Mr Speaker, today, a durbar and flag hoisting ceremony at the School for the Blind, Akropong, would climax the celebration. This was preceded by radio and television talk shows, and excursion of the media to a health facility, prison institution, and public Senior High Schools to ascertain their water accessibility status.
The occasion also presents us with an opportunity to take stock of our socioeconomic practices with respect to our waters and its importance to other vital sectors of the economy. It is a call to act on the best ways of
Mr Speaker 11:39 a.m.
Hon Members, we have another Statement and a tribute so we are going to be very brief. We would take one contribution from each Side.
Hon Leaders, I would need your guidance.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:39 a.m.
Mr Speaker, if you may allow, at least, one person from either Side excluding the Hon Leaders which then may mean a maximum of two from each Side.
Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 11:39 a.m.
Mr Speaker, we agree to one contribution from each Side and then we take that of the Hon Leaders.
Mr Speaker 11:39 a.m.
Very well.
Yes, Hon Member?
Mr Emmanuel K. Bedzrah (Ho West) 11:49 a.m.
Mr Speaker, let me thank the Hon Deputy Minister for Water and Sanitation who made the Statement for bringing to the fore today's
celebration of World Water Day which is christened, “Leaving No One Behind: Water is a Human Right” as we strive towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 (1).
Mr Speaker, water, as we know, is a commodity that everybody needs. It is a commodity that we cannot do away with. I do not think anybody in this room can decide not to drink water and live.
That is the reason we say water is life. Lack of water for the human body has health implications; if you do not drink water, you would be emaciated and if care is not taken, you could easily die.
Also, as you carry your activities throughout the day, you would need to wash down. Therefore, water is a necessity in our daily lives.
Mr Speaker, water for all as we strive towards SDG 6 (1), we must admit that Ghana has done tremendously well moving water from averagely between rural and urban water from 40 per cent in past terms up to about 60 to 70 per cent in today's terms. As we all know, we have the Kpone Water Supply Expansion Project that has come on board and we currently have the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) Sanitation and Water Project that is ongoing.
We have the Chinese Water Project and we relatively have some boreholes that have been sunk all over the places.
Mr Speaker, but one of the things we should all note is that, as nations develop and as there have been migrations in various cities and towns, we should begin to move away from just hand-dug boreholes to mechanised boreholes.

Mr Speaker, even if we cannot provide or if there is no electricity in those communities so as to mechanise the boreholes, we should be able to provide, at least, solar panel mechanised boreholes so that communities who depend solely on hand dug-outs would begin to also enjoy water which would be filtrated and have some elements of chemicals that would treat the water for human consumption.

Mr Speaker, that would also mean that the health implications that we all know are associated with some boreholes -- In the northern sector, some boreholes have been identified to have iron. This has health implications. So if we could develop a system that could take away the iron and provide some chemicals to solve the iron problem as we mechanise the boreholes, the health implications in those area would be solved.

Mr Speaker, even as we strive towards the SDG Goal 6, I would want to plead with the providers of water services, especially some Non- Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organisa-tions (CSOs) that provide water. Sometimes, we get worried as a Committee when we go to
Mr Speaker 11:49 a.m.
One from my right; yes, Hon Member?
Mr Alexander K. Afenyo- Markin (NPP -- Effutu) 11:49 a.m.
I thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to comment briefly on the Statement.
Mr Speaker 11:49 a.m.
Be brief, indeed.
Mr Afenyo-Markin 11:49 a.m.
Mr Speaker, we have been told by the Hon Member who made the Statement that provision of potable water is a human right issue and rightly so it is.
Mr Speaker, if we seriously want to achieve this, then it is important for us to look at other socio-economic activities that may affect our efforts in ensuring sustainable supply of water in rural and urban areas of the country.
Mr Speaker, in my capacity as the Board Chairman of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) -- [Hear! Hear!] -- I have come to appreciate the effort of the company in ensuring sustainable supply of water in our urban areas but it is becoming more expensive in the treatment of water. Government of Ghana does not subsidise treatment of water.
GWCL generates revenues to enable it to undertake such activity. Therefore, in talking about our commitment to Agenda 2030, let me urge my Hon Colleagues to support Government in its fight against all illegal related mining activities. It is costing GWCL more money in treating water because of the unprecedented contamination of our water bodies.
Mr Speaker, when the galamsey activities were brought under some control, the cost of treatment reduced, but it is suddenly rising and this is affecting us. Not only the cost of treatment but some other dangerous chemicals that are left in our water bodies as a result of illegal mining activities affect our health.
I am not a scientist and I do not want to get into that but, generally put, we know that the effect of galamsey activities affect our water bodies and there are people who do not even
have access to potable water. They take in the raw water and develop all manner of ailments.
Mr Speaker, the sad thing is that, if we are unable to address the rather unregulated activities of those in the illegal mining business, we may not even have water at all to produce and treat. That is the danger.
Mr Speaker, I would therefore, urge my Hon Colleagues, as we observe this day we commend the Hon Deputy Minister, Mr Michael Gyato and Hon Yaw Boamah, for putting together this write-up and giving me the opportunity to contribute, to make it a point to talk about the effect of galamsey activities in our various communities so that water supply would be sustained to enable us achieve Agenda 2030.
I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your patience and audience.
Mrs Comfort D. Cudjoe Ghansah (NDC--Ada) 11:59 a.m.
I thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to add my voice to the Statement ably made by our Hon Deputy Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources.
Mr Speaker, it has been established, however, that regardless of this vision, there are many people still living with us who lack safe drinking water worldwide and Ghana is no exception. We have many households, schools, workplaces and several communities around the world at the moment that lack safe water.
If the SDG Goal 6 of getting potable water for all by 2030 would be realised, then, we need to work harder as individuals and groups to make this vision a reality.
Mr Speaker, the theme for this year's World Water Day is, “Leaving No One Behind” which is in line with the Agenda 2030 for the SDGs. Indeed, this had been my agenda even before I became a Member of Parliament: to make water accessible to all and sundry in my constituency.
Mr Speaker, in my capacity as a Member of Parliament for Ada Constituency and in my own effort to contribute to the realisation of this goal, I have committed part of my Common Fund to champion the distribution of potable water to all villages in my constituency which I have christened; “Operation Send Water Everywhere”.
To this effect, I have successfully constructed and commissioned pipe borne water facilities in many of the communities in my Constituency so far at different levels of completion. I am not resting until all communities and villages within my Constituency get safe water.

Mr Speaker, I would like to use this platform to commend some of the NGOs who are working hard in Ghana to get water to some of our rural communities, especially, Easy Water.
Mr Speaker 11:59 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Doyoe Cudjoe Ghansah.
Yes, any contribution from the Majority Side?
Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh (NPP -- Nsawam-Adoagyiri) 11:59 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to make a short contribution to the Statement.
First of all, I would like to commend my good Friend, the Hon Deputy Minister, and also Hon Afenyo- Markin for making very good contributions to the Statement.
Mr Speaker, we must recognise the fact that, way back in 1992, at Rio de Janeiro when this day was set aside as an international day for recognising the importance of water in the scheme of things --
Many years down the line, Ghana as a country, has shown commitment to overcoming the challenges that confront us in our bid to provide water for our people, particularly, in the countrysides.
Mr Speaker, a few social factors are militating against this bid 11:59 a.m.
urbanisation is critical. As population grows, urbanisation becomes a part of the challenge. This is the area we would need to pay particular attention to. The question is, do we have enough institutions or industry players to ensure provision of water? The answer is in the affirmative.
Mr Speaker, for instance, the Water Resource Commission -- we have an Act of Parliament backing them in their operation and they have the legislations which are relevant in
doing their business. The challenge has always been that of empowerment.
Mr Speaker, former President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, came to tell us that we need strong institutions but not strong men.
I think that on this important international day, we should revert our minds to the role assigned to the Water Resource Commission and see whether the legislation in place is enough, whether we do not have any lacuna in the law as we speak.
We would need to look at how we can empower these institutions: the relevant Ministry and the Water Resource Commission.
Mr Speaker, I could not have agreed more with the Hon Member who spoke from the Minority Side, on the need for us to urge and congratulate CSOs and NGOs which have remained faithful and honest in their pursuit of supplying water to our people.
Mr Speaker, the SDG 6 is clear; Water for all by 2030. The theme for this year's celebration is “Leaving No One Behind”.
Today, Ramseyer sites which serve as an important buffer for the provision of water are being destroyed with impunity. Today, our green belts in the countrysides -- not
to talk about our cities -- are under threat.
I relish the fact that there is consistent effort to engage our youth in the planting of trees, which has an interface with water provision and protection of our water bodies.
I think that going forward, we should find a way of strengthening institutions and industry players to ensure that, indeed, as the theme for this year's celebration stands out, “Leaving No One Behind” is supported to ensure that we ultimately provide water to, particularly, our countrysides and the citizens who need water most.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for your kindness.
Mr Speaker 11:59 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member.
Hon Members, Hon Francis Kingsley Ato Codjoe, Hon Member for Ekumfi, and Deputy Minister for Fisheries would give us an information paper on the implementation of the 2019 Closed Season for all fleet.
INFORMATION PAPER 11:59 a.m.

Mr Speaker 12:09 p.m.
Thank you very much.
The Hon Leaders have agreed that there should be one contribution from each Side so that we make progress.
Mr Kwabena Ohemeng- Tinyase (NPP -- Kade) 12:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank the Hon Deputy Minister for the very good presentation he has made in respect of the closed season for the fishing industry.
Mr Speaker, it would be recalled that in all the natural edifices we have all over the world and the habitats in such environments, if we do not carefully look at how they are reproduced, we would end up bringing them to extinction.
In several other places, some natural species that mankind lives on are eventually getting extinct from the entire environment of that place. The sea is not completely different and all the species that we have in the sea need a time to habitate, reproduce and be able to have enough to feed the humankind that lives on them.
It is in line with this closed season and opening of seasons practised -- even in the animal kingdom in the forest, in some countries there are laws banning people to hunt at certain periods of the year. So it is with the fishing industry, too.
Mr Speaker, I am very happy that under the able leadership of our Government, led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, we have revisited this very important system whereby for every season, we are going to have a closed season for all the various species of fish that we have in the sea to allow a period that
there can be very good reproduction and to allow the non-extinction of the species that mankind lives on.
Mr Speaker, I believe that with the various consultations and a series of meetings we had with the farmers and all other stakeholders, the timeline has been fixed.
It has been a down-to-top approach, whereby the fisher folks were instrumental in determining the times and when it contravened with the scientific knowledge that we had, we allowed the fishermen to have the day such that we could learn from their natural experiences and that of the scientific experiments that have been conducted and the scientific practices that have been witnessed elsewhere.
I take this opportunity, therefore, to appeal to all stakeholders to go by what has been agreed on at the various consultation levels with them and to see to a successful close of the season and the opening of the season of the fishing industry in Ghana.
Mr Speaker, I pray that the multiplication of the species in the waters would reduce the higher expenditure that the Government spends on importing species of fish to feed the growing population and that we can attain a Ghana beyond aid with this situation where we would have abundant fish in our seas to feed us and there would be no need to spend foreign exchange on the importation of fish.
Mr Eric Opoku (NDC -- Asunafo South) 12:19 p.m.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to associate myself with the presentation ably made by the Hon Deputy Minister for Fisheries.
Mr Speaker, fish consumption in our country is estimated around one million tonnes annually, but Ghana is able to produce less than 400,000 tonnes. This has resulted in Ghana spending millions of dollars on the importation of fish to supplement local production. Therefore, there is the need for us, as a nation, to evolve measures to increase fish production in our country, reduce the huge import bill, and reduce the pressure on our currency.
Mr Speaker, this is the reason for which the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture has decided to implement a lot of interventions including the implementation of a closed season to protect the fish during the period of spawning, so that the young ones could be protected.
Mr Speaker, however, in doing this, we would have to put in place a lot of important measures because when we close the season for one month, it means that the fishers would not have the opportunity of embarking upon their activities within that
particular one month. So, how do we support these fisher folks?
That is the basic source of their livelihood. So, if they are denied the opportunity of fishing during the period, then they have been prevented from getting something to eat for a period of one month. What then are we putting in place to cushion these fisherfolks during those periods?
Mr Speaker, secondly, when we close the season for one month, it means that for one whole month, we are not going to get fish in the market, and so we would have to take precautions. Do we have enough fish in the stores, so that when we close the season for one month the price of fish would not appreciate in the market? Have we taken into consideration all these measures?
Mr Speaker, last year, we started it, but because we had not properly planned for it, at some point in time, Government had to come in to ask the Ministry to stop it.
There was an order from Cabinet, asking the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture to stop the implemen- tation of the closed season, but this year, we are still preparing towards it. Mr Speaker, these are some of the critical interventions that we would need to implement, if indeed, we intend to implement the closed season.
Last year, your Committee engaged the fisherfolks, and they raised a lot of legitimate concerns. One of the concerns had to do with
whether we had done some studies to indicate the loss that would be occasioned as a result of the closed season for the one-month period. What would be the cost to this nation and the ordinary fisherfolk?
Mr Speaker, this is because all their children and wives depend on them for livelihood, and if they are denied the opportunity of embarking upon that economic activity for even one week, then the whole house would be in trouble.
So, what would be the impact? And how do we intend to cushion them? All these things must come into the discussion, so that at the end of day, we would have a policy that would inure to the benefit of the whole nation, and not create inconveniences for anybody in the system.
Mr Speaker, another important point has to do with whether or not the Ministry has properly engaged the players in the sector or industry. There should be an extensive consultation process for all of them to understand and appreciate what exactly we are to do.
Last year when we engaged the researchers, a very important point was raised. The argument was that the fish we are talking about, the very fish that we intend to protect, migrate and they pass through our waters, but in August through to September, they head towards Togo and Benin.
Therefore, if we place the closed season in Ghana during that period, then by the time we open for fishers to go about their activities, these fisherfolks might have crossed our seas to Togo and Benin, and we would have lost.
Mr Speaker, because we do not have a regional policy, they would be catching the fish, while we would also be seeking to protect them here. The researchers raised this important issue, and we asked the Ministry to try and respond to it, but as I speak with you, the Ministry has not come out with any response as to whether they would be able to contain a situation of that nature.
Mr Speaker, so our idea of protecting the fish in Ghana is a good one, but because of our inability to confine them and the fact that they migrate, after that one-month period of closed season, no one could assure this country that the fish would remain in our waters for the fishers to take advantage of.
Until that assurance is given, I have my doubts whether that exercise would inure to the benefit of our fishers. We expect the Ministry, if they have done any research or have some responses to these issues, to make them known to us, so that all of us would support such initiative.
Mr Speaker, closed season is not the only means through which we can increase fish production in our country. There must be investment in aquacul- ture production. We must invest
Mr Speaker 12:19 p.m.
Hon Deputy Minister, it is just appropriate for you to make a few remarks in conclusion. It is to address what has been contributed, not to repeat what you have said, unless of course, you do not have any response.
Mr Codjoe 12:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for the opportunity, and I would want to thank the two Hon Members, who spoke in contribution to what we presented today.
Mr Speaker, I would want to, however, clear the air on some of the issues that the last Hon Member who spoke, the Hon Ranking Member for the Food and Agriculture Committee raised.
Mr Speaker, indeed, fish is a migrating animal, but all over the world, most countries use closed season to help the fishes to spawn to be able to recover dwindling stock.
Mr Speaker, in the West African Region, Ghana is not the only country that is contemplating a closed season. Indeed, the first time we agreed with our fishers to do a closed season in Ghana was in 1996. In 1996, at a meeting in Winneba, the fishers and Government agreed to do a closed season.
It has taken us over 20 years, but under the able leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, we have been bold to say that we would have to implement this policy again. We are very hopeful that at the end of the day, this programme would come to stay and become part of our fishing programme in the country.
Mr Speaker, yes, we know that during the one-month closed season, there would be some issues with the supply of fish, but if we look at the days that we have announced, the trawlers, the tuna flakes and the artisanal flakes are not closing the season at the same time. So, when the artisanal flakes are not working, the trawlers would be there to provide fish, and by the time the artisanals are over, the trawlers would also start their closed season.
Therefore, it is not going to be a complete closure for all the fishes at the same time. So, we would have some provision of fish for everybody.
Mr Speaker, also, with the question about compensation or what would happen to the fishermen during the one month, our view is that fishing is a seasonal activity, and especially, we agreed with our fishermen to close
the sea at May, because during the month of May, actually, they do not do a lot of activities, so we do not hope that there would be much stress on them.
However, we are working with our partners to make sure that some provisions are made for fishers during that time.
Mr Speaker, I would want to thank you, and call on the House to support us, because we are getting to very troubled waters. Our fish per average stock is dwindling, and if we do not take care -- People are worried about the spawning of the imports now, but if we do not address it today, we may have to take more money to import more fish into this country.
Mr Speaker, we also have a programme -- the Aquaculture for Food and Jobs, which is going to increase the production of tilapia in this country. We hope to launch this Programme in August. So, yes, we are also looking at investing in aquaculture.
Mr Speaker, we also have a programme with the Norwegian Government, which is called Fish for Development. That is also expected to be launched this year, and it is also going to focus on aquaculture production. So, we have a programme for aquaculture, but we would also have to protect the fish we have in the marine waters.
Mr Speaker 12:29 p.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Deputy Minister.
The Hon Member, Dr Ziblim Iddi -- Hon Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture to pay tribute to the late Emeritus Prof J. H. Kwabena Nketia.
STATEMENTS 12:29 p.m.

Dr Ziblim Iddi (NPP -- Gushegu) 12:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to read the tribute to the late Emeritus Prof J. H. Kwabena Nketia.
Professor Emeritus J. H. Nketia, the world renowned Ghanaian teacher, musician, composer and writer, has joined our ancestors. He died in his sleep, peacefully, at the age of 98.
Known by many as “The Godfather, Grandfather of African Music”, the learned ethnomusicologist was the most published and best known authority on African music and aesthetics in the world.
Joseph Hanson Kwabena Nketia was born on June 22, 1921 at Mampong Asante. He received his first musical education and eventually trained as a teacher at the Presby- terian Training College, Akropong Akwapim, where he later taught and was appointed Acting Principal in 1952. At 23, a very young age to go
Dr Ziblim Iddi (NPP -- Gushegu) 12:39 p.m.


abroad in those days, Kwabena, through a Ghanaian Government scholarship, went to the University of London to study for a Certificate of Phonetics at the School of Oriental and African studies.

In 1949 at Birkeck College, University of London, and later at Trinity College of Music, London, he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree.

He moved from the UK to the USA, in 1958. He studied first at Columbia University, then to the world famous Juliard School of Music, and thence to Northwestern University to do courses in musicology and composition.

Armed with musicology in three musical cultures, namely African, British and America, he returned to Ghana to teach at the University of Ghana. His rapid rise through the educational and arts ranks is testament to the quality of his scholarship, including not only the authoritativeness and practical usefulness of his research works but also the originality of African thought and melodic structure of his compositions.

Prof. Nketia was world- renowned. Of all the interpreters of African music and aesthetics, Nketia set the pace. Indeed, it was acknowledged universally that Nketia was to African music what Bartok was to Western music.

His concept and interpretation of time and rhythmic patterns in Ghanaian and other African folk music

were revolutionary, and became standard for researchers and scholars around the world.

He also wrote extensively for Western orchestral instruments like the flute, violin, cello, percussion and piano. But it is through Nketia's pace- setting works for traditional African instruments that his genius is acclaimed.

For example, Nketia introduced the use of the easier-to-read ‘‘six- eight” time signature in his compositions as an alternative to the use of duple (that is the “two- four”) time with triplets used earlier by his mentor, Ephraim Amu.

Today, many scholars around the world have found Nketia's theory very useful in transcribing African music. His work in reconciling the melodic and rhythmic elements of folk music with contemporary music spurred a new kind of compositional technique for African musicians, and academic worldwide.

Other pioneering works include the transcription of many Ghanaian folk songs in a manner virtually free from Western influences.

No wonder he was Professor of Music not only at the University of Ghana but also Professor of Music at UCLA, Horatio Appleton Lamb, Visiting Professor at Harvard University, Visiting Cornell Professor at Swarthmore College, Hannah Distinguished Professor of Integrative Studies at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Visiting Professor at the

University of Brisbane in Australia, Visiting Professor at the China Conservatory of Music, Beijing, Andrew Mellon Professor of Music at the University of Pittsburgh, and Langston Hughes Professor at the University of Kansas, Lawrence.

His numerous publications, available in bookstores and libraries around the world include “African Gods and Music, ‘‘Drumming in Akan Communities”, “Possession Dances in African Societies”, “Traditional Music of the Ga people”, “The Role of Non- Western Music in General Educa- tion”, ‘The Contribution of African Culture to Christian Worship”, “Music, Dance and Drama. A Review of the Performing Arts of Ghana”, and “Artistic Values in the African Music Composer”.

One time Chancellor at the Akrofi- Christaller Institute of Theology, Mission and Culture at Akropong- Akuapem, the learned professor was a Foundation Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts & Sciences; Honorary Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Society of Great Britain and Ireland; Honorary Member of the International Music Council; Honorary Fellow of the Pennsylvania Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; Honorary Member of the Pan-African Writers Association (PAWA); Member of the Inter- national Jury for the Proclamation by UNESCO of Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity;

and Board Member of the National Commission on Culture in Ghana.

Professor Nketia's contribution to the preservation and promotion of culture in Ghana cannot be quantified. In 1962, he was appointed the first African Director of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana. In the cultural domain, he served his country as the first Chairman of the Arts Council of Ghana set up in the First Republic, by President Dr Kwame Nkrumah's Government in which capacity he spearheaded the fashioning out of the country's first Cultural Policy.

He was several times a member of the National Commission on Culture, in which capacity he, again, in 2004, participated in no small measure in crafting the existing Cultural Policy commissioned by President J.A. Kufuor.

His final work for the propagation of knowledge in African music and dance was his establishment of the International Centre for African Music and Dance (1CAMD) based at the University of Ghana of which he was the first Director.

Professor Nketia was recipient of several awards, locally and internationally, including Order of the Volta, the Flag Star Award by the Arts Critics and Reviewers Association of Ghana (ACRAG), the Cowell Award of the African Music Society, UNESCO Prize for Distin-guished Service to Music, Prince Claus 1997
Mr Speaker 12:39 p.m.
Thank you very much.
Hon Members, we shall present our Addendum and then come back to take contributions from each Side.
At the commencement of Public Business; item listed 1(a) on the Order Paper Addendum By the Hon First Deputy Speaker.
PAPERS 12:39 p.m.

Mr Speaker 12:39 p.m.
Item 1(b) -- By the Hon Minister for Finance.
Ms Safo 12:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, respectfully, I beg to seek your permission to allow the Hon Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation to lay the Paper on behalf of the Hon Minister for Finance.
By the Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation (on behalf of the Minister for Finance) --
Request for waiver of import Duties, Import VAT, GETFund Levy, Import NHIL, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy amounting to the Ghana Cedi equivalent of twenty-four million nine hundred and thirty-four thousand, nine hundred and eighty-two United States dollars (US$24,934,982.00) on project materials and equipment to be procured for the Rehabilitation and Up-Grading of Equipment in Technical Universities, Polytechnics and Technical and Vocational Training Centres under the Government Concessional Loan Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the Export- Import Bank of China.
Referred to the Committee on Finance.
Mr Speaker 12:39 p.m.
Hon First Deputy Speaker would take the Chair.
Hon Members, item listed 1 (c).
Ms Safo 12:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to seek your permission to lay the Paper on behalf of the Hon Majority Leader and Hon Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.
Mr Speaker 12:39 p.m.
Very well.
By the Deputy Majority Leader (on behalf of the Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs) --
Proposed Formula for the disbursement of the National Health Insurance Fund for year
2019.
Referred to the Committee of the Whole.
Ms Safo 12:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, if we could go back to the original Order Paper and take item numbered 7.
Mr Speaker 12:39 p.m.
Hon Members, we would move to item numbered 7 - Motion to be moved by the Hon Chairman of the Committee on Roads and Transport.
MOTIONS 12:39 p.m.

Chairman of the Committee (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 12:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move that that this Honourable House adopts the Report
of the Committee on Roads and Transport on the following:
(i) Convention on the Inter- national Hydrographic Organisation as Amended by the Protocol of 2005.
(ii) Protocol of 2005 to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts of Violence Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation (SUA Convention).
(iii) Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf, 2005.
(iv) International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001.
(v) Protocol of 1998 relating to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea
(SOLAS), 1974.
(vi) Protocol of 1988 relating to the International Convention on Load Lines, 1966.
(vii)Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, 2007.
(viii)Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009.
Mr Speaker, I beg to present your Committee's Report.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 12:39 p.m.
The Committee further noted that Ghana is a member of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a specialised United Nations agency and shipping is an international business. For this reason, there is no alternative to consider other than Ghana adhering to the international accepted norm.
The Committee noted the right of extradition under the convention and the fact that offences stipulated under the convention should not be deemed as extraditable offence in any extradition treat existing between parties for the purpose of using extradition as a political offence. The Committee also noted that request for extradition may not be refused on the sole grounds that the offence is inspired by political motive.
Protocol of 1988 Relating to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974 and the International Convention on Loadlines (LL)
1966
Background
The SOLAS Convention as amended severally is generally regarded as the most important of all international treaties concerning the safety of merchant ships. The first version was adopted in 1914 in response to the Titanic disaster, the

second in 1929, the third in 1948 and fourth in 1960. The 1960 SOLAS Convention was the first major task for the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) after the organisation's creation in 1959 and it represented a considerable step forward in modernising regulations and keeping pace with technological advancements in the maritime industry.

A new SOLAS Convention was adopted in 1974 which included amendments agreed upon (until that date) and a new amendment procedure called the tacit acceptance procedure designed to ensure that modification could be made within a specified time. SOLAS 1974 entered into force on 25th May, 1980 and Ghana is a contracting party to

SOLAS.

The 1966 International Convention on Loadlines relates to safety of ships, specifically on Loadlines of ships and borders on three main principles. The principles are:

To ensure the watertight integrity of ships' hull below the freeboard deck;

To preserve reserve buoyancy, by establishing minimum permissible freeboards; and

The protection of the safe means of access for the crew.

The Convention on loadlines has provisions for determining loadlines, details of marking and verification of
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 12:39 p.m.
without compromising the safety and operational efficiency of ships as well as the operation of ship recycling facilities in a safe and environmentally sound manner.
It also addresses the establishment of an appropriate enforcement mechanism for ship recycling, incorporating certification and reporting requirements.
The Committee noted that under the Convention, ships to be sent for recycling will be required to carry an inventory of hazardous materials, which will be specific to each ship.
An appendix to the Convention provides a list of hazardous materials, the installation or use of which is prohibited or restricted in shipyards, ship repair yards and ships of Parties to the Convention.
Ships will be required to have an initial survey to verify the inventory of hazardous materials, renewal surveys during the life of the ship, and a final survey prior to recycling.
Furthermore, ship recycling yards will also be required to provide a Ship Recycling Plan, to specify the manner in which each individual ship will be recycled, depending on its particulars and its inventory.
Parties will be required to take effective measures to ensure that ship recycling facilities under their jurisdiction comply with the Convention.
The Committee noted that ratifying the Convention will also make it possible for recycling activities to be guided by standards set by the IMO. It will also enable Ghana to address the potential environmental, economic and health threats that are eminent, should these vessels be left unattended to.
The Convention, when ratified, will enable Ghana to legislate and focus on important issues regarding ship recycling. Additionally, Ghana stands to benefit economically since the process of recycling makes it possible for all materials and equipment to be re-used. When properly regulated, ship recycling activities can generate employment for both skilled and unskilled personnel.
The Convention on the Inter- national Hydrographic Organisa- tion as Amended by the Protocol of 2005
Background
The International Hydrographic Organisation is an intergovernmental body recognised by the United Nations (UN) as its competent Technical Authority for Hydrography and Nautical Charting. The organisation seeks to promote the application of hydrography and nautical charting and the application of hydrography for safe navigation, improve global hydrographic capacity and to ensure the highest level of uniformity in carrying out hydro- graphic surveys and the production of nautical charts to prevent accidents.
In achieving their objectives, the International Hydrographic Orga- nization is responsible to ensure a close and permanent association between all National Hydrographic Officers and to study matters that relate to hydrography and the allied sciences.
The Organisation will also encourage the coordination of hydrographic activities as well as cooperate with other International Organizations and scientific institutions which have related activities, among other functions.
Justification for the Protocol and Convention
Ghana, a coastal State, has responsibility to ensure that its waters are surveyed and charted to enhance the safety of navigation. As a contracting party to the International Convention on the Safety of Life At Sea, (SOLAS) Ghana is obliged to ensure the provisions of the hydrographic and nautical charting services.
Hydrography encompasses nautical cartography and promulgation of navigational warnings which are key factors for maritime safety and protection of the marine environment. The absence of these services poses a real threat to safety of life at sea.
Benefit of Membership
Ghana as a member of the International Hydrographic Orga- nisation will benefit from technical

assistance to develop its hydrographic capacity and be assisted to establish in-country hydrographic services through the International Hydro- graphic Organisation technical support and capacity building programmes.

Observations

The Committee was informed that the financial outlay of Ghana's membership to the International Hydrographic Organisation will involve payment of annual membership contributions and bearing the cost of travel allowances of its delegations to meetings of the International Hydrographic Organisa- tion.

The Committee noted that, as a member of IHO, Ghana stands to benefit from the national hydrographic services, including the charting of Ghana's waters for safe navigation, delimitation of Ghana's maritime boundaries, protection of offshore operations and assets and exploration and gas, among others.

Various agencies in Ghana, such as the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, the Ghana Navy, the Fisheries Commission and oil companies in the upstream sub- sector also stand to benefit.

The Committee noted that the Ghana Maritime Authority would benefit from data derived from hydrographic surveys in charting navigational routes on the Volta Lakes to enhance transportation and that would help minimise boat accidents.
Mr Kwame Govers Agbodza (NDC -- Adaklu) 12:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion and make brief comments on the Report as presented by the Hon Chairman of the Committee.
Mr Speaker, as rightly put forward by the Hon Chairman, these are eight Conventions and Protocols aimed at improving work on our seas and navigable waterways in the country. These conventions, when ratified by
this House, would make Ghana's waterways and its sea safer, and those who do business in this area would have better returns and make our waterways safer.
Mr Speaker, on page 4 of your Committee's Report, the objectives of the first Convention is to take action against persons who commit unlawful acts against ships. Sadly, there are people who go to harbours and basically do damage to properties which are not theirs. In this country, there are no laws in terms of these conventions that would identify and punish these people.
So, this particular Convention is aimed at identifying and making it a law in this country.
The second one on page 7 is aimed at having a specified minimum standard for the construction of equipment to be operated as ships and other things. We all know how many times we have heard about certain types of vessels capsizing on our inland waterways.
One would ask for the standard by which these have been manufactured. We have all seen them. Sometimes, somebody just go and cut down a log and dig a hole in the middle somewhere, and they are on the waterways navigating.
This Convention is aimed at having a minimum standard by which we can do this. How many people could a particular vessel carry? In the past,
we did not have it. This Convention gives the State the opportunity to regulate some of these things.
Mr Speaker, on page 8, the Convention on International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001 is aimed at having a uniform international regime of ensuring availability and payment of adequate, prompt and effective compensation to persons who suffer damages.
Mr Speaker, the question is, how were people able to get compen- sations when they suffered these sort of damages in the past? These Conventions are timely and are aimed at enhancing our own lives.
On page 11, the Hong Kong Convention, 2009, as we call it, is aimed at ensuring that ships, when recycled after reaching the end of their operations, are done in such a way that it is environmentally friendly.
Mr Speaker, is it not unusual to go to some of the harbours and see a ship abandoned there for year?. If you go to Tema, they are sitting there. And you would ask yourself whose job it is to clear these. Apparently, there is no law mandating that these could be done in many ways.
Sometimes you see people go in there and try to cut parts as scrap metal, but the way they do it rather endangers the people who use those things.
So I think these Conventions are not controversial. They are needed,
MR FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER
Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh (NNP -- Nsawam/Adoagyiri) 12:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for your kindness. I rise to support the Motion, and in so doing, make these remarks.
Mr Speaker, there are a number of Conventions that this House ratified, but this clearly stands tall. I could not have agreed more with the Hon Ranking Member of the Committee.
Mr Speaker, page 14 of your Report, if you would permit me to read, itemises a few of the importance, and I beg to read:
“The Committee noted that as a member of IHO, Ghana stands to benefit from the national hydrographic service, including the charting of Ghana's waters for safe navigation …”
Mr Speaker, what I find important which catches my attention is the aftermath of the ratification of such important Conventions.
Going forward, I urge the Ministry, after this Convention has been ratified, to put in place a regular crusade to educate the industry players. I say this against the backdrop of the fact that relevant Conventions that have been ratified and largely remained unknown are significant. This is my first call.
Mr Speaker, then again, financial commitment on the part of Ghana is made abundantly clear. For what I have read, I have not seen any inherent financial commitment. If there is any, I am sure my good friend, the Hon Deputy Minister, who is here would be able to speak to it.
However, these are important and significant issues, relative to such international conventions. On conflict resolution, in the event of conflicts rearing its head, the parties' minds must meet and come to an agreement. This must be expressly stated in the Conventions where such conflicts would be resolved.
Cursorily looking at the Conven- tions, I have not seen many of these conflict resolution centres and I think it would be important we get to agree on that.
Mr Speaker, I daresay that if you look at the happenings of 9/11 in the 1980s which necessitated a number of international conferences very relevant to these maritime safety concerns, I would want to say that, going forward, we should look at the possibilities of domesticating this Convention in our laws. That would facilitate implementation of this in our geographical area.
Mr Speaker, in principle, I support it. Then, there are three other Conventions. The third one on environmental concerns on ship- wrecks, because of the fact that Ghana is a coastal country, and the
discovery of more oil in our water bodies, it is so important. And somewhere among the benefits, it states inter alia that Ghana would be aided in upping its security protection of its water bodies. The financial commitment to ensuring that one has such capacity is huge. So, if this benefit would come along the ratification of this Conventions, I cannot be different but to support it.
Mr Speaker, I support it and I urge Hon Members to support the ratification of this Convention.
Mr Speaker, I am grateful.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:53 p.m.
Yes, Hon Deputy Minister for Transporta- tion?
Mr Daniel N. K. Titus-Glover (NPP - Tema East) 12:59 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion.
Let me first say a big thank you to my Hon Colleagues, most especially, your Committee for the work done to ensure that we are able to bring these Protocols and Conventions before Plenary for consideration. Just to speak a few words about some of the points that have been raised by the Hon Ranking Member and my Hon Colleague, Frank Annoh- Dompreh, in terms of conflict resolution.
Mr Speaker, when we take our minds back to paragraph 3.3 on page 8 of your Report, the International
Mr Daniel N. K. Titus-Glover (NPP - Tema East) 12:59 p.m.
Convention on Civil Liability for the Bunker Oil Pollution Damage was passed in March, 2001 and it became operational on 21st November, 2008.
It then took care of only the pollution of damage in terms of spillage within our coasts. Unfortunately, victims and ships involved in this pollution were not taken care of. That is why this Convention has come at the right time to make sure that we do both as and when they happen to ensure that the right compensations are made.
I agree with Hon Annoh-Dompreh that in order not to create any conflict, should some of these things happen, there is the need for us to have some mechanism in place to ensure that we carry this across.
Again, he spoke about the need to engage stakeholders for advocacy. I agree with him in that respect that, after these protocols are approved by the House, our Agency, Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), would do the needful to ensure that all industry players within the maritime sector, including officers from International Maritime Organisation (IMO), where Ghana is affiliated to, would do their best to ensure that we carry these Protocols and Conventions to the letter.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Member also spoke about the need to domesticate these Conventions into our local laws. It is well noted. I would make sure to communicate this to the

Hon Minister and the possibility of the Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice to assist us to draft the needed legislation to back this Convention.

Mr Speaker, paragraph 3.4 on page 9 and paragraph 3.5 on page 11 of your Report talk about the Nairobi Convention on Shipwreck. Mr Speaker, when we go along the coast of Tema, in my constituency, as we speak now, we would physically see ships wrecked along the coast.

When we drive further to Kpone towards Prampram, Ningo, Ada and far away, we would see a couple of these shipwrecks. If we are not able to remove some of them, it makes navigation within our maritime waters so difficult and environmentally challenging.

Mr Speaker, when we back that up with the Hong Kong Convention, it tells us how we should recycle some of these wrecked ships as and when they are found in our waters.

On this call, Mr Speaker, I would want to thank my Hon Colleagues for their wonderful support to ensure that we pass these Conventions to make sure that our coastal waters are safe, secure and environmentally friendly to promote maritime business within our waters.

Mr Speaker, I am most grateful for the opportunity.
Mr Samuel O. Ablakwa (NDC -- North Tongu) 12:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to
contribute to the Motion, and to appeal to Hon Colleagues to ratify this raft of Conventions that the Committee on Roads and Transport wants us to approve.
Mr Speaker, the preliminary observation I wish to make is that the Committee on Foreign Affairs would have hoped that in the referral of these Conventions, at least, the Leadership of the Committee could be asked to work with the relevant Committees. We have done that in the past; but in recent times, that practice seems to have been jettisoned.
It would only be appropriate that we do not abandon that Convention. It enriches the process of ratification, and it also informs your Committee to carry out its oversight when it comes to monitoring some of these Conventions that would be ratified by the House.
That said, Mr Speaker, the Conventions are pretty straight- forward; they have to do with the security and safety of our maritime sector. The International Convention on Civil Liability for the Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001 is one that I take particular interest in, considering the fact that it would guarantee better compensation for victims of oil spillage.
I refer to page 8 of your Committee's Report. Ghana has now become a net exporter of oil. With increasing exploration activities on our shores, so it is important that we ratify
this particular Convention so that in instances of spillage, our people would be duly and properly compensated.
We have had a situation of spillage in this country before. I recall in 2010 and 2011 thereabout that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had to grapple with that. This Convention, when ratified, would ensure that the pollution that occurs in times of spillage is properly managed and is swiftly addressed.
Mr Speaker, paragraph 3.3.2 on page 9 of the Committee's Report reads, and I beg to quote:
“The Committee took cognisance of the fact that Ghana has a sizeable domestic fleet comprising fishing vessels, offshore supply vessels, cargo vessels and harbour crafts, which together are likely to increase bunker operations and the risk of a bunker oil spill.”
Mr Speaker, this Convention could not be ratified at any opportune moment than now, and I wish to add my voice to that of Hon Members who spoke earlier that we should, immediately after this ratification, look at how we can domesticate the Conventions into our laws.
We would expect that the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation would work with the Agencies that are responsible to carry out the needed amendments to our laws.
Mr Samuel O. Ablakwa (NDC -- North Tongu) 12:59 p.m.


If there ought to be new laws, this House, I am sure, would be willing to have them passed so that the needed safety on our shores would be guaranteed.

Finally, we all know that no country is immune to the threats of piracy and terrorism. Terrorists employ all kinds of unconventional methods, so any raft of Conventions that would secure our maritime waters and enhance the security of all the natural resources that we have in our water bodies should be encouraged.

With these words, Mr Speaker, I support the Motion and appeal to Hon Members to approve the eight Conventions that have been recommended for ratification.

Question put and Motion agreed to.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:09 a.m.
Items numbered 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 are all Resolutions relating to the Conventions we have voted to adopt.
Yes, Hon Minister for Transport?
Mr Titus-Glover 1:09 a.m.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:09 a.m.
Hon Member, you are not the Hon Minister for Transport.
Ms Safo 1:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I respectfully ask permission for the Hon Deputy Minister for Transport to move the Motion for the adoption of the Resolution on behalf of the Hon Minister for Transport.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:09 a.m.
Yes, available Hon Leader for the Minority?
Mr Chireh 1:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, there is no problem, but it is only proper for the Hon Minister, having brought several protocols for ratification, to be here. Otherwise, all the appeals that he would make might not be followed. In any case, the Hon Member could go ahead.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:09 a.m.
Hon Deputy Minister, you may now move the Motion for the adoption of the Resolutions.
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:09 a.m.
Hon Majority Leader, are you arresting the Motion for the Resolution to be adopted?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:09 a.m.
No, Mr Speaker, but just for the sake of setting the record straight, Hon Fifi Kwetey is here and he is the master of the game. This is the property of the Ministry and not for a person. By way of explaining, the Hon Minister is out of the jurisdiction and would be
back this evening, that is why he is not here. So, the Hon Deputy Minister could do that enterprise since it is not a laborious one.
rose
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the pro-term available Hon Leader should assume his seat when I am on my feet.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:09 a.m.
I thought the Hon Leader is in, so your available leadership position is abated.
Mr Chireh 1:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I started the argument. What the Hon Majority Leader said, he knows that is what the one who made the application ought to have stated, and I would not have raised any issue about the absence of the Hon Minister. She did not say so. [Laughter.]
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:09 a.m.
Very well.
Hon Deputy Minister for Transport?
RESOLUTIONS 1:09 a.m.

Chairman of the Committee (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 1:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to support the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts of Violence
Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation (SUA Convention)
Deputy Minister for Transport (Mr Daniel N. K. Titus-Glover on
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 1:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety
of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf, 2005
Deputy Minister for Transport (Mr Daniel N. K. Titus-Glover on behalf of the Minister for Transport): Mr Speaker, I beg to move,
WHEREAS by the provisions of article 75 of the Constitution any treaty, agreement, or convention executed by or under the Authority of the President in the name of Ghana is made subject to ratification either by an Act of Parliament or by a resolution of Parliament supported by the votes of more than one-half of all the Members of Parliament.
IN ACCORDANCE with the said article 75 of the Constitution the President has caused to be laid before Parliament through the Minister responsible for Transport the Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf, 2005 on 29th January, 2019.
NOW THEREFORE, this Honourable House hereby resolves to ratify the said
Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf, 2005.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 1:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil
Pollution Damage 2011
Deputy Minister for Transport (Mr Daniel N. K. Titus-Glover on behalf of the Minister for Transport): Mr Speaker, I beg to move,
WHEREAS by the provisions of article 75 of the Constitution any treaty, agreement, or convention executed by or under the Authority of the President in the name of Ghana is made subject to ratification either by an Act of Parliament or by a resolution of Parliament supported by the votes of more than one-half of all the Members of Parliament.
IN ACCORDANCE with the said article 75 of the Constitution the President has caused to be laid before Parliament through the
Minister responsible for Transport the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001 on 29th January, 2019.
NOW THEREFORE, this Honourable House hereby resolves to ratify the said International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 1:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Protocol of 1998 relating to the International Convention for the
Safety of Life at Sea
(SOLAS), 1974
Deputy Minister for Transport (Mr Daniel N. K. Titus-Glover on behalf of the Minister for Transport): Mr Speaker, I beg to move,
WHEREAS by the provi- sions of article 75 of the Constitution any treaty, agreement, or convention executed by or under the Authority of the President in the name of Ghana is made subject to ratification either by an Act of Parliament or by a resolution of Parliament supported by the votes of
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 1:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of
Wrecks, 2007
Deputy Minister for Transport (Mr Daniel N. K. Titus-Glover on behalf of the Minister for

Transport): Mr Speaker, I beg to move,

WHEREAS by the provisions of article 75 of the Constitution any treaty, agreement, or convention executed by or under the Authority of the President in the name of Ghana is made subject to ratification either by an Act of Parliament or by a resolution of Parliament supported by the votes of more than one-half of all the Members of Parliament.

IN ACCORDANCE with the said article 75 of the Constitution the President has caused to be laid before Parliament through the Minister responsible for Transport the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, 2007 on 29th January 2019.

NOW THEREFORE, this Honourable House hereby resolves to ratify the said Nairobi International Con- vention on the Removal of Wrecks, 2007.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 1:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and
Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009
Deputy Minister for Transport (Mr Daniel N. K. Titus-Glover on behalf of the Minister for Transport): Mr Speaker, I beg to move,
WHEREAS by the pro- visions of article 75 of the Constitution any treaty, agreement, or convention executed by or under the Authority of the President in the name of Ghana is made subject to ratification either by an Act of Parliament or by a resolution of Parliament supported by the votes of more than one-half of all the Members of Parliament.
IN ACCORDANCE with the said article 75 of the Constitution the President has caused to be laid before Parliament through the Minister responsible for Transport the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009 on 29th January, 2019.
NOW THEREFORE, this Honourable House hereby resolves to ratify the said Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:09 a.m.
Hon Majority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, item numbered 16.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:09 a.m.
Item numbered 16 -- By the Chairman of the Committee?
MOTIONS 1:09 a.m.

Chairman of the Committee (Dr Kwabena Twum-Nuamah) 1:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 80(1) which require that no Motion shall be debated until at least forty-eight hours have elapsed between the date on which notice of the Motion is given and the date on which the Motion is moved, the Motion for the adoption of the Report of the Committee on Health on the Contract Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Health) and VAMED Engineering GmbH of Vienna, Austria under Works known as Engineering, Procurement and Construction of Public Health Facilities in Selected Districts in the Western Region of Ghana under the Mixed Credit Facility

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the ING Bank of the Netherlands to finance the “Improving Access to Quality Health Care in the Western Region Project” may be moved today.
Mr Kwabena M. Akando 1:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:09 a.m.
Item numbered 17.
Contract Agreement between GoG/VAMED Engineering
GmbH of Vienna, Husting under the mixed Credit Facility
Agreement between GoG/ING Banking of Netherlands Quality
Health Care Project in the Western Region”
Chairman of the Committee (Dr Kwabena Twum-Nuamah) 1:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Committee on Health on the Contract Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Health) and VAMED Engineering GmbH of Vienna, Austria under Works known as Engineering, Procurement and Construction of Public Health Facilities in Selected Districts in the Western Region of Ghana under the Mixed Credit Facility Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the ING Bank of the Netherlands to finance the “Improving Access to Quality Health Care in the Western Region Project”.
In so doing, I would like to present your Committee's Report.
Introduction
On Friday, 8th March, 2019, the following Contract Agreement was presented in Parliament by the Honourable Minister responsible for Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu.
Contract Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Health) and VAMED Engineering GmbH of Vienna, Austria under Works known as Engineering, Procurement and Construction of Public Health Facilities in Selected Districts in the Western Region of Ghana under the Mixed Credit Facility Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the ING Bank of the Netherlands to finance the “Improving Access to Quality Health Care in the Western Region Project' ( Western and Western North Regions).
The Contract Agreement was referred to the Committee on Health for consideration and report in accordance with the Constitution and Order 178 of the Standing Orders of the House.
Deliberations
The Hon Minister for Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, led the Team of Officials from the Ministry of Health to meet the Committee to discuss the referral.
Acknowledgement
The Committee expresses gratitude to the Minister for Health and other Officials of the Ministry of Health for their assistance.
Reference Documents
The Committee, during its deliberations, referred to the following documents:
i. The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana; and
ii. The Standing Orders of Parliament.
Background
The Western Region, now Western Region and Western North Region, faces important shortages in the provision of health facilities, especially in most of its remote areas. Extensive study conducted by the Ghana Health Service demonstrates that existing health care facilities are inadequate to achieve significant improvements in quality health service delivery.
The range of quality of services is insufficient to meet the needs and demands of the population in the region and the problem is further compounded by the lack of critical human resources, especially doctors, medical assistants, nurses and midwives.
According to research, the Western and Western North Regions have three times less number of doctors than the national average and
Chairman of the Committee (Dr Kwabena Twum-Nuamah) 1:09 a.m.
almost seven times less the number of nurses.
The unavailability of critical human resources is directly linked to the deplorable and sometimes non- existence of quality health facilities in the Region. This makes it one of the most deprived Regions in terms of access to health care facilities and human resource in Ghana. The Ministry of Health was therefore desirous of executing a project that will reduce the gap in health care by the building/upgrading of health infrastructure in the regions.
The Project entails the provision of both hardware (construction/ upgrading of health facilities) and soft- ware (capacity-building) facilities. The Project would involve the construction of two (2) district hospitals in Akontombra and Elubo, an enhanced polyclinic in Bogoso and the refurbishment and upgrading of the existing facilities in Mpohor to attain polyclinic status, while two (2) smaller facilities will be constructed in Nsuaem and Wassa Dunkwa.
It would be recalled that in 2016, the Ministry of Health received approval from both Cabinet and Parliament subsequent to which international competitive bidding was done to procure Vamed Engineering GmbH, Austrialia for the execution of the Project.
Project Description
The project has two main phases. They include:

a. Implementation Phase which consists of two components of:

i. Construction/upgrading and equipping of six (6) health

facilities;

ii. Quality management system development;

b. Operations and Maintenance Phase.

The construction/upgrading and equipping components (hardware) of the Project would involve the actual construction works and installation of equipment in the health facilities whiles the quality management system development (soft-ware) would involve the development of quality managerial tools and guidelines (human resource management, quality assurance system, health information system and investment performance monitoring and evaluation system) and training of key staff at facility and district levels.

Objectives of the Project The overall objective of the Project,

as indicated previously, is to improve access to quality health care in the Western and Western North Regions to reduce morbidity, disability and mortality and ultimately, make economic gains (including improved economic productivity, micro economic growth and increased household income).

The objective of the Project is expected to be achieved by investing in health infrastructure to promote

quality-driven and results-oriented health care service delivery, tailored to local health needs resulting in a high quality primary health care system.

The Project's specific short-term objectives are as follows:

a.To improve access to emergency, referral primary health services by the poor in the six (6) project catchment areas;

b. To improve access to quality equipment and medicines;

c. To improve human resource base of the beneficiary health facilities;

d. To improve quality health care delivery; and

e. To increase the involvement of local health industry in health system.

The long-term objective of the Project is to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.8 -- “achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all”.

Cost of the Project The total cost of the Project is

€26,290,429.00 (twenty-six million, two hundred and ninety thousand, four hundred and twenty-nine euros),

comprising €17,088,778.00 loan from ING Bank N.V. and €9,201,651.00 grant from Netherlands Government through

ORIO.

Observations

Stakeholder Consultations and other Actions already taken

The Project is scheduled to be implemented in thirty (30) months and the Committee observed that all the relevant stakeholders, especially the Ministry of Finance and Attorney- General's Department have been consulted in all the relevant aspects of the Project to ensure smooth execution.

Benefits Expected to be obtained from the Project

The provision of health care to the six (6) communities will typically lead to a reduction of the prevalence of common diseases and maternal mortality. Additionally, all the facilities to be constructed/upgraded under the Project will be accredited by the National Health Insurance Scheme to allow them (the facilities) to reach the lower economic segments of the population.

Furthermore, the investment will offer quality health care that is more closely located to the target population, thus saving them transport costs to other facilities. The investment will also integrate the emergency response system in order to reduce the costs associated with emergency cases.
Mr Kwabena M. Akandoh (NDC -- Juaboso) 1:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion that was ably moved by the Hon Chairman of the Health Committee.
Mr Speaker, undoubtedly, this is a very laudable project, which has been long expected. I say so because the funding of this particular Project was secured in 2016 and the parliamentary approval was also given in the same year.
This project is important because there has been a research by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) that healthcare facilities in this country are woefully inadequate for any significant improvement in health delivery. Especially so, when the then Western Region, the present day Western and Western North Regions, fall short of the national average.
It is only expected that we attempt to bridge the gap, so that the people in the remote areas would also have access to quality healthcare.
Mr Speaker, it is also gratifying to note that in paragraph 7.2 on page 4 of the Report, there are some specific short-term objectives that are very important. The objects are to improve access to emergency referral primary health services; to improve access to quality equipment and medicines; to improve human resource base of the beneficiary health facility; and to improve quality healthcare delivery.
Mr Speaker, while supporting this particular Agreement, I hope that similar projects would also be executed across the length and breadth of this country in order to end the “no-bed'' syndrome in this country.
Mr Speaker, I would also want to urge the Government to expedite action on the numerous uncompleted health facilities in this country, so that at the end of the day, the taxpayer would get value for money.
Mr Speaker, with these few words, I support the Motion.
Mr Kwabena O. Darko- Mensah (NPP -- Takoradi) 1:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am very grateful to the Committee for such a brilliant Report.
Mr Speaker, with your permission, I beg to quote the last clause of the second sub-paragraph in paragraph 1.1 which says and I beg to quote;
“Improving Access to Quality Health Care in the Western Regions Project''.
Also, line three of paragraph 5.1, says, and with your permission, I beg to quote:
“Extensive study conducted by the Ghana Health Service demonstrates that existing health care facilities are inadequate to achieve significant improve- ments in quality health service delivery''.
It moves further down to say that:
“...the problem is further compounded by the lack of critical human resources, especially, doctors, medical assistants, nurses and midwives. According to research, the Western and Western North Regions have three times less the number of doctors than the national average and almost seven times less the number of nurses''.
Mr Speaker, if we put these two paragraphs together, clearly, it would be realised that the Western Region, delivers 60 per cent to national Gross Domestic Product (GDP), even though it has these difficulties.
Mr Speaker, healthcare facilities in our region are really inadequate. Our regional health service, which is the Efiankwanta Hospital, might not even qualify to be a regional hospital in this modern day. We are grateful that

these six projects -- it is high time the Bogoso Project made a district hospital because it is now a municipal hospital.

The Prestea Hospital, which was built by the mines in the 1920s, cannot just cope with what is happening; so, just giving us an enhanced polyclinic in Bogoso -- the Ministry of Health should look at ways to vary the project along.

At least, if we could even get some 10 per cent for the six projects, that could be used to support this one to become a complete district hospital. In doing so, we would improve our preparedness to deliver for the good of the people.

Mr Speaker, with the new division of the region that has been created, it holds 70 per cent of the old Western Region, which clearly shows that the numbers are there. Bogoso being a major centre in the middle, we should be able to upgrade it from an enhanced polyclinic to --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:19 p.m.
In the middle of what?
Mr Darko-Mensah 1:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, going forward, there is also the issue about --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:19 p.m.
Hon Member, I asked, “Bogoso is in the middle of where''?
Mr Darko-Mensah 1:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, with the map of the new Western
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:19 p.m.
Is it the Western North?
Mr Darko-Mensah 1:19 p.m.
No, Mr Speaker, the new Western Region. [Interruption.] That is my region. Mr Speaker, I am using “new'' in quotes.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:19 p.m.
It is new. The Western Region has been divided into two, so this one is a new Western Region and not the old Western Region. The boundaries have changed, so you are right.
Mr Darko-Mensah 1:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, but the name of the region is still Western Region, and we host 70 per cent of the population of the old Western Region.
Mr Speaker, the other issue has to do with the lack of critical human resource, especially doctors. Recently, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) opened up opportunity for doctors to be recruited in the Western Region.
Mr Speaker, about 15 doctors got the opportunity to sign on. Unfortunately, when they called for interviews, only three of them reported.
The Regional Health Directorate has tried to get the other twelve doctors to report so that they could
interview them, but they have not appeared. We critically believe that they are finding new ways to stay in Accra. I would want to use this opportunity to inform the Hon Minister for Health to help the Western Region to take our clearance letters from these doctors, so that we could give it to other doctors who are ready to serve in the Western Region.
Mr Speaker, what we are actually looking at is that people should apply directly to the Region instead of just applying online, so that we could at least be in control of the doctors who are willing to serve the Western Region.
Mr Speaker, with these few words, I would like to commend the Committee for this Report, and I believe that this project would be implemented as quickly as possible for the benefit and good of the Western Region.
Mr Alexander R. Hottordze (NDC -- Central Tongu) 1:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in supporting the Motion, let me narrow down on the benefits that I expect to be derived from this particular project.
The Committee was made aware that the project would provide health care to six communities in the region. Not only that, it would also hook them on to the National Health Insurance
Scheme to expand access to healthcare.
Mr Speaker, in addition to that, the Committee was informed that quality healthcare would be brought closer to the doorsteps of the targeted population, and emergency response systems would also be installed to reduce the cost associated with emergency cases in the region.
Mr Speaker, what is more refreshing is the fact that the Committee was also made aware that as part of the project, personnel will be trained to take over from the contractors as soon as they finish. I believe that is so refreshing in the sense that it would enhance the maintenance culture that has most of the time been lacking as far as new facilities are concerned.
Mr Speaker, I would also want to express my happiness about the assurance given by the Hon Minister that health personnel are prepared, and financial clearance has already been sought for a lot of health personnel to be posted to these facilities as soon as they are completed.
I am so happy about that and would humbly urge the entire House to approve the Agreement so that our people in that part of the country would also enjoy good healthcare.
Mr Speaker, I thank you.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:29 p.m.
Hon Minister, you may conclude.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I have taken note of the comments that came from my Hon Colleagues here, and I admire the passion that all of us in the House have for health issues. At least, we all think about our communities and people. It looks like we are all talking in line with Government's agenda -- previous and even today -- about how we all could facilitate to get facilities closer to our people to give them quality healthcare.
Mr Speaker, these types of clinic would not take long to commence; I have visited four out of the six places where these facilities would be done. As soon as we get the Resolution done, it would not take long; work would actually commence in these areas. These are things that we are doing.
Mr Speaker, for the training of personnel, I am happy to announce that, as I stand here, we have quite a number of nurses and midwives that we are in the process of posting; some of them have started this year, and the numbers are a bit large.
Mr Speaker, between late 2017 through 2018 and now, I have inaugurated 10 facilities, like these ones, all in the Central Region. The good news is such that anytime we inaugurated, we did not leave it open

but immediately found people to sit there to work in them.

We have problems with medical doctors -- they are just not adequate. They all therefore try to move into the few places and areas where they seem to be a little bit comfortable. We are working on this as we have come to realise that quite a large portion of our medically trained doctors are just sitting in Accra, Kumasi and some of our regional hospitals.

We find it difficult to get some of them to the district hospitals, but we are seriously working on them. We would soon get our human resource policy completed, and we would see what new things we would use to attract these doctors to those places.

Mr Speaker, we are aware of what is happening in the two Western Regions - the old Western Region and the newly created Western North Region. I have been to Adabokrom, and we have another programme with which we would expand the health facility at Adabokrom quite well. When we are inaugurating, I would plead that my Hon Colleague does not come there; I would not invite him for some obvious reasons.

Mr Speaker, I have been to Dabiso, and there is one doctor there by name Dr Koomson. The Hon Deputy Minister for Health, who is now becoming the Hon Regional Minister for that Region, should try to visit Dr Koomson at Dabiso when he goes there. He is there, and he has ‘‘one hospital, one doctor'' syndrome in Dabiso.

So, the Hon Regional Minister should try to visit him, and encourage him as they are doing so well there -- I have been there myself. [Interruption.] I am pleading with him to see Dr Koomson for me, so that he would stay there. [Laughter.]

Mr Speaker, it is not only that. We are working on the facility at Asafo and soon the contractor would get back to site. We are even expanding it and putting two new accom- modation places together with the old facilities that never got completed for the past 10 years. We are working together to fix it.

So, as we concentrate on the Western North and Western Regions, we are not leaving the rest of the country idle. There are numerous projects that are still standing. We are having challenges with how some of the contracts were awarded, the packaging, some litigation issues with contractors and sub-contractors, and the value-for-money issue that has taken us a very long time to resolve.

I would, however, want to assure the House that some of these things are getting done, and we would soon get back to work. About 10 or so of them which are uncompleted would soon see work going on.

Mr Speaker, I am happy to let you know that the Bekwai issue has been resolved, so we would get work started on the Bekwai Hospital. [Interruption.] I am talking about health facilities in the country, and the

numerous ones that have not been done yet. So, let me talk about what we are doing generally. The doctors are working on that, and we would try to see --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:39 p.m.
Hon Minister, I would want to be clear. Which Bekwai issue are you referring to?
Mr Agyeman-Manu 1:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Asante Bekwai facility --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:39 p.m.
Which issue?
Mr Agyeman-Manu 1:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the health facility there that is not progressing --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:39 p.m.
The Bekwai Hospital for which this House approved a loan facility nearly a year ago, now, you have finished the dispute and it is ready to start?
Mr Agyeman-Manu 1:39 p.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker, and I would invite you to come for the recommencement of the project.
Mr Speaker, so we are thinking about health facilities closer to our people and there are a lot more facilities that would come soon to the doorsteps of this Chamber for us to look at, including the Ayensuano District Hospital.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:39 p.m.
Hon Members, I would put the Question -- [Interruption] --
Dr A. A. Osei 1:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, if you advert your mind to the last line of item numbered 17, and then compare it to the last line in the last paragraph of page 7 of the Committee's Report, it is meticulous in the Committee's Report in defining, “Western Region Project” but the Motion does not define it.
Mr Speaker, I would need your guidance; are the two the same or not? When one reads the page 7 of the Committee's Report, it reads: “Western Region Project” (Western and Western North Regions)” but in the Motion it reads, “Western Region Project” with no definition.
Mr Speaker, so I just need your guidance.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:39 p.m.
Hon Minister, would you want to offer some explanation?
Mr Agyeman-Manu 1:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think we should have defined that one. It is the same thing. The new Western North Region was just created; structures are not seriously there. This type of thing was done even prior to the creation of the Western North Region.
So, I would plead with my Hon Colleagues to accept it and let them understand that Western Region means the Western Region and the newly created Western North Region.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:39 p.m.
Very well, the explanation has gone on record. So, I would put the Question.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:39 p.m.
Hon Members, item numbered 18; Resolution by the Hon Minister for Health.
RESOLUTIONS 1:39 p.m.

Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu 1:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move,
WHEREAS by the provi- sions 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 operation unless the said terms and conditions have been laid before Parliament and approved by Parliament by a Resolution supported by the votes of a majority of all Members of Parliament;
PURSUANT to the provi- sions of the said article 181(5) of the Constitution, and at the request of the Government of Ghana acting
THIS HONOURABLE 1:39 p.m.

HOUSE HEREBY RE- 1:39 p.m.

Chairman of the Committee (Dr Kwabena Twum-Nuamah) 1:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:39 p.m.
Yes, Hon Majority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we can take the Order Paper Addendum. I understand there is a prayer for a Second Consideration of the Right to Information Bill, 2018. We can take it and possibly, then, deal with the item numbered 2 on the Order Paper Addendum.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:39 p.m.
Very well, item numbered 2 on the Order Paper Addendum; yes, the Hon Member for Okaikwei Central?
Mr Patrick Y. Boamah 1:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you very much. If I may refer you to Standing Order 130 and with your kind permission, I would read:
Mr Rockson-Nelson E. K. Dafeamekpor 1:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion ably moved by my Hon learned brother and Member of Parliament for Okaikwei Central.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:39 p.m.
Very well, I will put the Question.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:39 p.m.
Now, the Hon Member for Okaikwei Central may proffer his proposed amendment to clause 91, Right to Information Bill, 2018, at the Second Consideration Stage.
BILLS -- SECOND 1:39 p.m.

CONSIDERATION STAGE 1:39 p.m.

Mr Patrick Y. Boamah 1:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 91,
delete, “Minister” means Attorney- General and Minister for Justice” and insert, “Minister” means Minister for Information”.
This is grounded in the reasoning that when the Bill was introduced, it had the flavour of the Constitution giving the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice the right to usher through this Bill with some powers as provided for under article 21 (f) of the 1992 Constitution, but having gone through the whole Bill, I realised that it has moved from its constitutional colour to more of an administrative function which would be carried by an office.
I believe that the Office of the Minister for Information would have the right capacity to deal with those issues that have been raised in the process.
Mr Speaker, I think the Office of the Minister for Information is well suited to undertake that process.
I thank you very much.
Mr Chireh 1:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Member who has just moved this amendment is not the proponent of the Bill and I do not know whether the proponents of the Bill agree with him.
Mr Speaker, the point is that the Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice is the one who introduced the Bill to Parliament and one expected that they should say that they
have a change of mind. In fact, a Member of this House, who did not pilot in the old Bill, is now proposing a very serious and major change.
I find it extremely difficult and his explanation does not convince me about the way he argues. This is a constitutional matter and that is why the Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice brought it.
So, at this last minute, we would want the Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice to agree that what the Hon Member is saying -- and fortunately, she is here.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:49 p.m.
Hon Member for Suhum?
Mr Frederick Opare-Ansah 1:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to support the amendment proposed by the Hon Member for Okaikwei Central. If you would recollect, during the first Consideration Stage of the Bill, I had actually filed a similar amendment but for the fact that I was not available to move it, and prior to filing that amendment, I had consulted both the Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Information and there was clear agreement that the implementation of this Bill sits better with the Hon Minister for Information than with the Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice.
So notwithstanding the fact that this Bill is to give effect to a constitutional matter, its implementation sits better with the Ministry of Information,
except to say that while supporting my Hon Colleague, if he would agree with me, he would further amend his proposal to read; “the Minister responsible for Information” rather than the “Minister for Information”.
Mr Speaker, until this current Administration, the Hon Minister for Communications had responsibility for the Ministry of Information and so, if we leave the law at, “the Minister for Information”, there may come a time where there is no Hon Minister for Information.
So if the Hon Member would agree with me, we would further amend his proposal to read, “the Minister responsible for Information”.
Mr Dafeamekpor 1:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity. Indeed, I got persuaded to support the present amendment and I am further persuaded to support the further amendment being proposed by the Hon Member for Suhum.
This is because from the beginning, we were all consumed with the thinking that this was a right we were sifting from a constitutional provision but having gone through the Bill and making all the necessary amendments, it has become evident that the real work would be done by staff and persons who will be recruited by the Commission and it may not really become a legal issue but an administrative matter.
Mr Speaker, so in the thinking of Government, it is prudent to place this under the aegis of the Ministry of
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:49 p.m.
I would like to hear the Hon Member who was stoutly against the Bill from day one before I come to the Hon Majority Leader. Yes, Hon K. T. Hammond?
Mr K. T. Hammond 1:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, that is precisely the point I was coming to. Considering all the flak I have taken with respect to this particular Bill, I would not want it to go out in any shape which will compound my difficulties with those guys out there.
Mr Speaker, so I was wondering whether it is appropriate in the context of this case when the Hon Attorney- General and Minister for Justice has brought a Bill to the House which we debated and then almost at the 11th hour, the 59th minute and 59th second, there is a suggestion that an Hon Member or Colleague or the House -- I am not sure if it is the decision of the House at the moment,
but if it is, I suspect that the Leadership would have some knowledge about it.
I would want the Hon Majority Leader to explain, if that is the -- [Laughter] -- whether that is the view he thinks the House should adopt. Fortunately, the Hon Attorney- General and Minister for Justice herself is also here and we do not have to get anything wrong.
Mr Speaker, talking about the Second Consideration Stage now, this is on my mind but I believe that the Hon Majority Leader will, as usual, supplement my suggestion. We have been dealing with one year -- one year why do we not make the matters complete by making it five years? That is the gap that is -- [Laughter] --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:49 p.m.
Hon First Deputy Minority Whip?
Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 1:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I join my Hon Colleague in supporting the Motion -- [Interruption] -- In principle, Hon Chireh did not disagree but all he was saying was that he wanted to hear from the Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and the same thing was what the Hon K. T. Hammond said.
Mr Speaker, you will recollect that at a point when we started this Bill, it was jointly undertaken by the Committees on Communication and Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs in collaboration with the World Bank. That was when you were the acting Hon Ranking Member -- [Laughter] --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:49 p.m.
Hon Member, you are out of order. That was two Parliaments ago. [Laughter.]
Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 1:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much. In those days, the parent Committee considering the Bill was the Committee on Communication responsible for both the Ministries of Information and Communication. The Committee for Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs was asked to join because the Hon Minister who signed the Bill at that time was the Hon Minister for Information.
So I believe that the right thing is being done and therefore, I would want to join those speaking in favour of the Motion that we should change it from “the Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice” to “the Minister for Information”.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:49 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the issue relates to the Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice who brought this Bill and as a matter of policy, she is supposed to be the pilot for this Bill. Along the line, when Parliament weighed the issues, we realised that it will be better if the sponsoring Ministry becomes the Ministry of Information.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:59 p.m.


Mr Speaker, I do not also agree that because it is a right, it must necessarily be shepherded by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice. There are so many rights and the Constitution guarantees the rights to work, good healthcare and education but it does not mean that Bills relating to education, work and health must emanate from the Attorney-General.

So, I think that we are comfortable with this and the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice is here so she could speak for herself but this is a policy. If she came here to wash her hands off it and Cabinet had not given her the permission to do so, then she could not do that and if Parliament deems it appropriate to even maintain it, Parliament is enabled to do so.

I think that Parliament in its collective wisdom has agreed that it should shift to the Ministry of Information and Cabinet has also agreed to it and so we could make progress.

Mr Speaker, thank you.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:59 p.m.
Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, do you propose to speak to this matter?
Ms Gloria A. Akuffo 1:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I could see that the Hon Yieleh Chireh is determined to hear my voice in the House. [Laughter.]
Mr Speaker, the record would show that this piece of legislation is jointly sponsored by the Hon Minister for Information and the Attorney- General and Minister for Justice from Cabinet through to the Committee. At the point that changes are made at the last moment, notwithstanding, I think that this House has done a great job on the law and have come to the realisation that the change which is being sought is necessary.
Mr Speaker, we need to separate the constitutionality of the Bill and put in place a legal framework for its implementation and the administration involved. It is as a result of this that from the deliberations of the House, the Hon Majority Leader spoke with me and upon considerations, we thought it necessary.
We actually discussed the matter at the highest level in Cabinet and we got Cabinet's consent that this change ought to be effected. Mr Speaker, yes, I could confirm that I held discussions with the Hon Majority Leader and I am fully in support of the change.
Mr Speaker, thank you.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:59 p.m.
I would now put the Question.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Clause 91 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we would not proceed further to deal with the Motion listed as item number 2 on the Order Paper Addendum. In that case, we would not move the Motion for the Third Reading of the Right to Information Bill, 2018, today. We would stand it down until next week Tuesday.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:59 p.m.
Very well. That brings us to the end of the Second Consideration of the Right to Information Bill, 2018.
Hon Leader, it is already two O'clock so should I extend Sitting?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I believe that we have come to the end of the transaction of Business for today, but I would remind Hon Members that the House would Sit on Monday and we would commence the Sitting at 10.00 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Companies Bill requires of us to have some serious winnowing. Mr Speaker, most likely on next week Friday, the Committee in charge of the winnowing may have to move outside the precincts of Parliament to have a serious time to do serious business relating to the winnowing of that very fat document.
We hope that two or three days after that, we should be very well positioned to begin the Consideration of the Companies Bill.
So, it is a prayer to those who are involved in the winnowing and if I should mention their names, then they are the Hon Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Hon Bawa B. Abdallah, and the Hon Ranking Member, Hon Anyimadu-Antwi, Hon Bernard Ahiafor, Hon Yieleh Chireh, Hon Rockson Dafeamekpor, Hon Yaw Buaben Asamoa, Hon Shaibu Mahama and Hon Alexander Kom Abban.
Mr Speaker, it would be a nine 1:59 p.m.
None

Mr Speaker, so we would move into residence outside Accra next week Friday and dedicate the Saturday and Sunday to deal with it so that when we come back, we would be able to do a meaningful work on it.

Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
ADJOURNMENT 1:59 p.m.

  • The House was adjourned at 2.07 p.m. till Monday, 25th March, 2019, at 10.00 a.m.