Debates of 11 Apr 2019

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:05 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker 10:05 a.m.
Hon Members, correction of Votes and Proceedings of Wednesday, 10th April, 2019.
Pages 1...8 --
Mr Bedzrah 10:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I was present yesterday, but I have been marked absent. I would want the Table Office to correct it.
Mr Speaker 10:05 a.m.
Thank you very much.
Pages 8…18 --
Hon Members, the Votes and Proceedings of Wednesday, 10th April, 2019, as corrected is hereby adopted as a true record of the proceedings.
Mr Speaker 10:05 a.m.
Hon Members, item listed 3 -- Statements, by the Hon Member for Works and Housing. He would make a Statement on the Ministry's preparedness to contain the imminent rain-induced flooding.
Hon Minister, you are welcome.
STATEMENTS 10:15 a.m.
Minister for Works and Housing (Samuel A. Akyea) (MP) 10:15 a.m.
Mr Speaker, Global warming has had an effect on rainfall patterns all over the world. Ghana as a tropical country is exposed to heavy rainstorms with a devastating consequence on life and property because of our antiquated and overstretched poor drainage systems and our subculture of dumping filth in these drainage channels. The unpleasant effects of the situation aforesaid are not just in Accra but also across the entire country.
Mr Speaker, in 1958, Dr Kwame Nkrumah's Ghana endured a heavy downpour which brought the capital city, Accra, to a standstill. Ever since, we have not found a comprehensive and lasting solution to rain runoffs but rather the country is comfortable with the lexicon, “perennial flooding”. We have even called on God through prayer warriors to spare the nation of the devastating effects of flooding.
The Ghana Meteorological Agency, using additional data from major world forecast centres like International Research Institute for Climate and Society, Climate Prediction Centre and European
Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast projects early rainfall patterns for our country. (See Ghana Meteorological Agency forecast issued on the 19th day of March, 2019 referenced as Met.9/vol.22/ 2004). Obviously, there will be rain- induced floods in the country.
The Ghana Meteorological Agency proffers the following palliatives:
i.Harvest runoff water;
ii. Desilt the drains before the rains set in;
iii. Monitor water quality and clean up communities through water drainage and gutter cleaning operations;
iv. Make it a point to listen to the daily weather forecast before leaving home;
v. People should move to higher grounds in case they stay in flood prone areas; and
vi. Citizens should move to safer places in case there is approaching storm and strong winds.
On our part, the Ministry's Hydrological Services has gone ahead of Ghana Meteorological Agency, to mitigate flooding this year in some of the flood-prone areas.
Under the programme, contracts have been awarded for the following channel improvement works to be carried out on some critical drains:
a. Concrete lining of selected drains.
b. Reconstruction of selected culverts whose sizes are inadequate and as such have become bottlenecks in the drainage channels.
c. Evacuation to create channels in areas where channels are undefined.
d. Dredging and desilting of silted channels; and
Works have commenced and are ongoing on some of the drains, while on others, the contractors are mobilising to commence work.
With regard to the Odaw River which has been causing perennial flooding of parts of the nation's capital, Accra, channel improvement works have begun on some sections of the channel. These areas include Agbogba, Achimota, Legon, Westlands and Pantang. Other areas to be desilted include Haatso, Kwabenya, Kwei- man, and Oyarifa. Some of the main tributaries of the Odaw River, such as South Kaneshie drain, Onyasia drain, Mukose drain and Nima drain are also to be desilted.
Minister for Works and Housing (Samuel A. Akyea) (MP) 10:15 a.m.


Meanwhile, the Ministry has renewed the dredging contract for Messrs Dredge Masters for two years. Under the renewed contract, Dredge Masters will dredge the lower section of the Odaw channel from Caprice to the outfall sea bridge, evacuate and properly dispose of the dredged material at a landfill site to prevent it from being washed back into the channel. The lower section of the Odaw Channel is the most critical in the flood management of the Odaw River. Work is therefore expected to commence immediately to clean the channel ahead of the 2019 rains.

Mr Speaker, I can report to the House that I met the contractor just yesterday and he has mobilised to site.

However, dredging and desilting alone are not enough to fully mitigate the perennial flooding of the low-lying areas along the Odaw channel. Other measures such as construction of detention ponds, flood plain lowering channel expansion, flood zoning and flood early warning systems are needed to mitigate flood risk within the Odaw catchment. These measures are being considered under the Greater Accra Climate Resilience and Integrated Development Project (GARID) and supported by the World Bank which is expected to come on stream by November 2020. This will give a permanent fix to the

Odaw-Circle perennial flooding debacle.

Mr Speaker, the Ministry is evaluating the bids of contractors, both national and international as a prerequisite to qualify them to work on the huge drainage challenges at Dichemso in Kumasi.

Mr Speaker, I have the approval of Cabinet to initiate these capital- intensive projects and in due season, I will come to this august House to seek approval as the Constitution demands.

Mr Speaker, the whole nation is being mocked by ancient drainage with sewage challenges and it's about time we took a bold decision to go to the capital market to secure long-term financial bonds to bankroll such huge infrastructural outlay. Ghana has come of age, and like any developed country, we should have Ghana without open gutters and drains, given the fact that all filth and sewage should be underground to avoid environ- mental hazards.

Mr Speaker, may I detail the flood relief works that my Ministry has secured with funding from GOG sources in 2018 to be operationalised this year?

Mr Speaker, the following are the actual concrete lining drainage projects for 2019.

SPACE FOR TABLE -- PAGE 3, 10.15 AM
Minister for Works and Housing (Samuel A. Akyea) (MP) 10:15 a.m.


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Minister for Works and Housing (Samuel A. Akyea) (MP) 10:15 a.m.


SPACE FOR TABLE -- PAGE 6, 10.15 AM SPACE FOR TABLE -- PAGE 7, 10.15 AM
Mr Speaker 10:25 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Minister, for this briefing for which matter we shall have contributions from each Side.
Mr Richard M. Quashigah (NDC -- Keta) 10:25 a.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to such an important Statement presented to us by the Hon Minister for Works and Housing.
Mr Speaker, it is obvious that in this country, on yearly basis, when God blesses us with rain, it sometimes turn out to become a curse especially for those of us in the urban centres. What actually troubles me greatly is the fact that in the last 10 to 15 years, we have always talked about Government spending money to
address the problem of flooding in our major cities. One cannot give an obvious figure on how much has been spent in the last 15 years in addressing flooding in the country, especially during times like these.
As much as it is commendable that the Ministry has taken a bold decision to address the problem, which would cost GH¢194.5 million, the question is; would the problem be solved, especially when this colossal amount of money is spread across all regions?
Mr Speaker, this is where my problem is. Can we not identify the areas where we have the biggest challenge, pump all this money into, and address it once and for all, knowing that next year we would move to another area to address the problem instead of thinly spreading the money across the 16 regions of Ghana? At the end of the day, the work that is done cannot stand the test of time, just because politically we think we must please every area.
When you go to China, that is not how it works because they target specific areas with specific timelines and address the problems, knowing that the following year they would move to another area. Then the problem is adequately addressed and we can say it is a permanent solution that has been adduced at a particular point in time.
Mr Speaker, it is the same with road construction. Everybody wants roads to be constructed in his area because if it is not constructed, the tendency is that some political party
Mr Speaker 10:25 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member, for your contribution.
Mr Patrick Y. Boamah (NPP -- Okaikwei Central) 10:35 a.m.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
Let me commend the Hon Minister for Works and Housing for this elaborate Statement on the Ministry's preparedness to contain the imminent rains in Accra and across the country.
Mr Speaker, let me also thank the Hon Minister for tackling one of the major drains in my constituency, Okaikwei Central, around the Lapaz area which causes a lot of havoc when it rains. I thank the Hon Minister and Government for that initiative.
Mr Speaker, that notwithstanding, the Hon Minister has attached a long list of communities and suburbs within the country at a total cost of GH¢194.5 million as the estimated cost of the project. The question is; how much has he received to ensure the completion of this project?
Mr Speaker, we have to be bold in tackling some of these perennial issues. We have a Ministry of Works and Housing that we believe must solve some of these problems that we have termed “perennial”. But are we putting our moneys where our mouths are?
Mr Speaker, as a House, we must be bold to support those strategic Ministries to solve those yearly problems that we come here to make Statements on. It would not help anyone. We must dedicate funds to solve perennial problems and stop Ministers from coming to the House to always reiterate the same problems of not having the needed support to complete those projects.
Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleague from Keta talked about us concentrating on projects, if it is drainage in one area of the country. It can never be done. The Constitution does not allow it. The Constitution calls for a uniform distribution of development across the country.
Mr Speaker, what are we doing as a country and as a society? Our attitudes are very bad when it comes to maintenance. We litter around and
do everything and anything anyhow and expect different results. We cannot achieve that result when we go and take out those metal gratings on drains, litter around and expect the rains to flow through the drains. It would not happen.

Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister spoke about climate change and change in weather patterns. It is true there ought to be a lot of advocacy in that area, to ensure that Ghanaians are well alert to some of these challenges. I have spoken about Government's commitment. Government ought to be bold in supporting some of these strategic Ministries.

Mr Speaker, in my view, the solution is a total plan for urban regeneration. We have a lot of development without proper planning, and I believe the Architecture and Engineering Services Limited (AESL) and the Government, ought to map out this country again. Where we ought to demolish and rebuild, we have to do it; otherwise, we would spend millions of dollars constructing new drains, but people would still live in the kind of surroundings that they are in now, and we would not attain different results.

Mr Speaker, therefore, the solution to this problem is proper urban regeneration. I believe, as a former High Commissioner to India, it is nothing new to you, because you have seen it happen there. A lot of countries

have regenerated a lot of slums and communities that were not well planned, and I believe that ought to be the priority of Government.

Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity.
Mr Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member.
rose
Mr Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Yes, Hon Bedzrah?
[Interruption] --
Hon Members, the Hon Minority Leader indicated to me his preference. We communicate in many ways. [Laughter] --
Yes, Hon Bedzrah, you may proceed.
Mr Emmanuel Bedzrah (NDC -- Ho West) 10:35 a.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker, I would like to use this opportunity to thank the Hon Minister for Works and Housing for coming to the House to inform Ghanaians on the preparedness of the Ministry to curtail the perennial flooding in the country.
Mr Speaker, on this note, I would want to say, and also to give my condolence to the bereaved families, especially, the families of those who lost their lives last Sunday at the onset of the rains. It is not the best, and as a country, we should not continue to shed tears when people die as a result
Mr Speaker 10:35 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member.
Mr Joseph Mensah (NPP -- Kwesimintsim) 10:35 a.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker, I would want to commend the Hon Minister for this Statement, especially, on where he mentioned some very crucial drains in my constituency, Kwesi-mintsim, Anagi and Effia areas.
Mr Speaker, we know that every year, we have to grapple with flooding in our areas, especially in my constituency and in Accra. We spend so much money trying to resolve this issue. From the Hon Minister's Statement, the country is going to spend so much on drains, and that is very good, but have we asked ourselves some pertinent questions?
Mr Speaker, why would we have to spend so much money every year and still live with this issue of perennial flooding in our country? Our attitude, as a people, contributes so much to the flooding in our country. Where do we build our houses? We build them on water ways. We have town planning authorities that give permits to people to build on water ways. If we continue doing that, then no matter how much we spend on drains, this problem would never be solved.
Mr Joseph Mensah (NPP -- Kwesimintsim) 10:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, have we asked ourselves where we throw our rubbish? We throw our rubbish into the drains and we expect Government to pay so much money to desilt it every year. It is good that the Ministry spends so much to fight perennial flooding in our country, especially in my constituency, but we have to look at our attitude as a people.

We have to look at how we give permits to people to build houses on waterways. When one identifies some houses that contribute to flooding in our areas, because of political expediency, we fear to pull them down. If we do, we would be told that they will not vote for us in 2020. So because we want to win election 2020, should we allow people to do whatever they want to do in our country? It is time for us to fight this canker in our society.

Mr Speaker, we will continue to come and sit here and elaborate on flooding every year if we do not change our attitude as a people. It is high time those in positions of authority did the right thing and made sure that all of us, as a people, benefit from whatever moneys the Ministry would spend to construct these drains for us.

Mr Speaker, with these few words, I would want to thank the Hon Minister who made the Statement.
Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Minority Leader- ship, you may nominate, but that is
up to you. We have a lot of matters ahead of us.
Minority Leader (Mr Haruna Iddrisu) 10:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for the opportunity to contribute to the Statement made by the Hon Minister for Works and Housing, Hon Atta Akyea.
Mr Speaker, in commending him, I have a difficulty with some of his numbers. He should be appropriately informed as I know he has a handle on his job. There is a difference between dredging and constructing a drain. The figures he mentioned, GH¢100,000, could only be for the purpose of dredging and not for the construction of a drain.
Let me just refer him to some pages of his own document for the Hansard to correct it. In the last paragraph, on page 5 he has “Brong Ahafo” and under that, he has “TAMALE
GUAMANI DRAINS”, “TAMALE
GARIBA LODGE AREA DRAINS”
and “TAMALE CENTRAL DRAINS”. Certainly, those cannot belong to the Brong Ahafo Region, so he should check it. Those drains belong to the Northern Region.
Mr Speaker, the Guamani drain, in particular, which is just by the Gariba Lodge, has claimed two lives. Every other rainy season, Bapuni was lost in it. It is not a project for which the Ministry should look at GH¢100,000. I am not even sure GH¢1 million or GH¢2 million would do for that. It is a long stretch drain.
I know currently the Nalung- Bulpela drains are being done by the Ministry of Roads and Highways. The drain by Ambariya, a very popular Islamic school, was done up to some point. It links up to Hon Suhuyini Alhassan Sayibu's constituency.
Mr Speaker, when we look at the Hon Minister's amount, for the Tamale Guamani drains, GH¢100,000 has been allocated. The Government must prioritise the construction of drains. If they want to desilt, it should be done early.
Mr Speaker, we cannot have open drains in the country. Generally, we should move towards covering them. Much of the problems with poor sanitary conditions, malaria and other diseases are a function of flooding. There is nowhere in the world that we would see open drains as we see here.
At Nima, we would see that the drain is constructed up to some point just when you link up on the Kawokudi road to Kanda. The small half of it is undone. We need to look at it, and go further into the part that links up to Kokomlemle, Mallam Atta and other areas. We would need more than GH¢100,000.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon Kwarteng, is behind the Hon Minister for Works and Housing. What the Hon Minister for Works and Housing has fallen short of saying is that the Ministry of Finance should provide him adequate
resources to deal with the flood problems in the country. What he wants to do with tokens of GH¢100,000 would not ameliorate the flooding problem we have, particularly in the Greater Accra Region.
If we take Hon Patrick Boamah's constituency, Okaikwei where I live we would need to do the drains at the Orgle Road in Bubuashie .
Mr Speaker, for the Industrial Area, particularly North Kaneshie, we need to get serious as a country. They are the same industrialists that we say they must produce things. They provide employment. From Latex Foam and Ash Foam factories to Melcom -- when it rains --
Mr Speaker, I almost lost my life on 3rd June, 2015 in a vehicle. The vehicle I was using at the time, from the Ministry of Trade and Industry got consumed by flood. My driver and I had to use an empty water bottle to empty our car of the water.
What the Hon Minister needs is not a GH¢100,000 intervention. He should do a comprehensive budget, get the President's support and approval that he wants to reform the drainage system of our country, and to do away with open drains.
I only can empathise with him because he cannot do much of his work without money. The releases from the Ministry of Finance do not come regularly or adequately --
Minister of State and Deputy Majority Leader (Ms Sarah Adwoa Safo) 10:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to commend the Hon Minister for Works and Housing for making this rather timely intervention by presenting a Statement to the House on the preparations his Ministry and himself are making towards the rainy season.
Mr Speaker, we are all aware of the problems that come with flooding anytime it rains in this country. As a country, I believe that we ought to take very pragmatic steps and focus on
investing heavily in infrastructure that would ensure that flooding, if not eradicated, is reduced to its barest minimum.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister for Works and Housing has indicated and actually given an outline of the areas, region by region and district by district, of how the Government has committed financially to the construction of these drains and culverts to ensure that, indeed, as we enter the rainy season, we do not get too much of the misfortune that come with it.
When it rains and floods occur, most people are displaced and lives are lost. We have had instances where rains around the Kwame Nkrumah Circle area led to an explosion at a filling station, and that day was sad for all of us in Ghana.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister for Works and Housing ought to be commended for, at least, coming to the House and briefing the people of Ghana of what steps the Ministry is taking in this direction.
I have seen that in the Greater Accra Region, a number of areas, including our constituency, have been mentioned. In the Region, the Dome/ Kwabenya Constituency is one of the areas where when it rains, we experience a lot of flooding. I see that Haatso, Kwabenya, Taifa and Dome Market drains have been captured, and I commend the Hon Minister for Works and Housing, but there are still a number of drains in the constituency
and other constituencies that require prompt attention in terms of construction of drains and culverts.
Mr Speaker, we have been told by the Ghana Meteorological Services Department that we would have early rains this year and it has indeed started. So as a country, how do we plan to ensure that the perennial floods that come with the rains are planned and taken care of? At this point, the Hon Minister has given his version of how he intends to invest in that infrastructural development.
We also have to appeal to NADMO to be on the guard as well because in disaster planning and dealing with disaster all over the world, we have to be proactive. So NADMO should be at its wheel and on its feet to attend to victims of flooding areas.
We also implore the Ghana National Fire Service to also be on standby. So that they cooperate among themselves to be able to attend promptly to these disasters as and when they occur, this is because we have had instances of fire outbreaks as a result of flooding.
Mr Speaker, on this note, I would like to again commend the Hon Minister for Works and Housing. Indeed, the people of Dome- Kwabenya are very much grateful as well as other constituencies that have been captured in his list, and the investment that he and the Government intend to do in this regard.
As humans, we have insatiable needs and Oliver Twist would always ask for more because our demands on drains would continue to be a priority for most Hon Members of Parliament and Ghanaians. So he should always be at the disposal of his people or Hon Members of Parliament when they make proposals and suggestions to him on areas that are within their constituencies that require urgent attention. On his part, I know the Hon Minister, is very competent and he would adhere to it so that at the end of the day, it would be for the betterment of our people and for Ghana.
I thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Deputy Minority Leader.
We thank the Hon Minister for attending to the House and briefing us accordingly.
Hon Members, that would end Statement time.
At the Commencement of Public Business, item listed 4; Presentation of Papers. Item 4(a)?.
PAPERS 10:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Item 4(b), Hon Minister for Health?
By the Minister for Health—
Protocol to Eliminate illicit Trade in Tobacco Products.
Referred to the Committee on Health.
Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Item 4(c), Hon Minister for National Security?
Ms Safo 10:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I seek permission for the Hon Minister for Defence to lay the said Paper on behalf of the Hon Minister for National Security.
Indeed, we were in touch with the Hon Minister for State in charge of National Security, and he indicated that he would be in the House. I was told he was in the House, but I am sure he just stepped out.
So Mr Speaker, with your permission and indulgence, the Hon Minister for Defence would lay the said Paper on behalf of the Hon Minister for National Security.
Mr Iddrisu 10:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Deputy Minority Leader's request, ordinarily by our rules in seeking your leave and guidance, should aim at two things -- first, to seek your leave that the substantive Minister for National
Security is unavailable and to provide a reason why the Hon Minister is unavailable; then, the second part is what she has done right to request the Hon Minister for Defence, who is a member of the National Security Council to lay it.
We ordinarily would have no reason to object to it because he qualifies so appropriately. In the first leg, there is an Hon Minister for National Security and an Hon Minister of State in charge of National Security. Is the Hon Deputy Minority Leader saying that none of the two is available for these two important exercises?
Mr Speaker, it is noted, but her words -- she emphasised “Minister of State in charge of National Security”. There is Hon Kan Dappah, who is the Hon Minister for National Security. So if she is talking, she should speak to that and not to narrow herself to the Hon Minister of State in charge of National Security.
Ms Safo 10:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I under- stand the concern of the Hon Minority Leader.
Mr Speaker, the reason I jumped to the Hon Minister of State in charge of National Security at the Presidency was because I knew that the Hon Minority Leader himself was aware that a sod was cut in his constituency, in Tamale, for the Sinohydro project, I assume that he saw the Hon Minister for National Security there, together with the President. That was why I jumped to the Minister of State in
charge of National Security. That was why my office was actually in talks with the Hon Minister of State.
So Mr Speaker, I assumed that he had taken judicial notice since the action was in his constituency, that we cut sod to commence the Sinohydro project; the major road construction that his people and the people of Ghana would be witnessing in Tamale.
Mr Speaker, that is why the Hon Minister for National Security is not here. It is the Hon Minority Leader's benefit.
Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Hon Minister for Defence?
By the Minister for Defence (Mr Dominic A. B. Nitiwul) on behalf of) The Minister for National Security) —
Budget Performance Report in Respect of the Ministry for National Security for the Period January to December, 2018.
Referred to the Committee on Defence and Interior.
Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Item Numbered 4(d), Hon Minister for Planning?
Ms Safo 10:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister for Planning is currently out of the jurisdiction with the Hon Minister for Finance.
We ask permission for the Hon Minister for Communications to lay
the Paper on behalf of the Hon Minister for Planning.
Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Hon Minister for Communications.
By the Minister for Communica- tions (Mrs Ursula G. Owusu- Ekuful) on behalf of the Hon Minister for Planning —
Budget Performance Report in Respect of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs for the Period January to December, 2018.
Referred to the Finance Commi- ttee.
Mr Speaker 10:45 a.m.
Item numbered 4(e), Hon Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs?
Ms Safo 10:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs is currently not within Accra.
So Mr Speaker, we ask leave of your self Rt Hon Speaker and the indulgence of the Minority to allow the Hon Minister for Communications to lay the said Paper.
Mr Iddrisu 10:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the only person and authority from whom permission could be sought on this matter is your good Self. The Hon Deputy Majority Leader keeps saying “permission”. This is Parliament; we expect the Hon Minister to appear before Parliament.
The only person who can grant mercy and say the Hon Minister be
Ms Safo 10:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, obviously, the Hon Minority Leader did not listen to me. I said that the Hon Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs is out of Accra, so I sought leave of Mr Speaker and the indulgence of the Minority.
Mr Speaker, I think that the Hon Minority Leader is over-excited about the SinoHydro Project -- [Laugh- ter.] -- So this morning he is somewhere else.
Mr Speaker, obviously, the permission is in your bosom. I asked leave for the Hon Minister for Communications to lay the said Paper.
Thank you very much.
Mr Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon Minister for Communication?
By the Minister for Communica- tions (Mrs Ursula Owusu- Ekuful)(on behalf of the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs) --
Budget Performance Report in Respect of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs for the Period January to December, 2018.
Referred to the Committee on Youth, Sports and Culture.
Mr Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Items numbered 4 (f) (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and (vi), Hon Chairman of the Finance Committee?
Ms Safo 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Chairman of the Finance Committee is again out of the jurisdiction, so the Hon Vice Chairman of the Committee can lay the Papers on his behalf as he did yesterday.
Mr Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon Vice Chairman of the Finance Committee, you may.
By the Vice Chairman of the Com- mittee (Mr Kwabena Amankwah- Asiamah) (on behalf of the Chairman of the Committee) --
(i) Report of the Finance Com- mittee on the Facility Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Finance) and Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch (as Agent, Arranger, Structuring Bank and Original Lender) for an amount of forty-six million, two hundred and forty-two thousand, seven hundred and seventy- four euros and fifty-seven cents (€46,242,774.57) [including the UK Export
Finance support fee] relating to the financing of phase 3 of the Kumasi Airport Redeve- lopment Project.
(ii) Report of the Finance Committee on the Facility Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Finance) and Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch (as Agent, Arranger, Structuring Bank and Original Lender) for an amount of eighteen million, nine hundred thousand euros (€18,900,000.00) relating to the financing of phase 3 of the Kumasi Airport Redevelopment Project.
(iii) Report of the Finance Committee on the Loan Facility Agreement between the Government of the Repu- blic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Finance) and Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch (as Agent, Arranger, Structuring Bank), as well as Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch and the UK Export Finance (as Original Lenders) for an amount of one hundred and twenty-two million, five hundred and forty-three thousand, three hundred and fifty-two euros and sixty cents (€122,543,352.60) [including the UK Export Finance support fee] relating to financing the modernisa-
tion of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and Associated Buildings in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
(iv) Report of the Finance Committee on the Loan Facility Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (repre- sented by the Ministry of Finance) and Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch (as Agent, Arranger, Structuring Bank and Original Lender) for an amount of thirty-two million, five hundred thousand euros (€32,500,000.00) relating to financing the modernisation of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and Associated Buildings in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
(v) Report of the Finance Committee on the United Kingdom Export Finance Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Finance) and Standard Chartered Bank of the United Kingdom for an amount of sixty million, two hundred and forty thousand euros (€60,240,000.00) to finance the construction of the Koforidua Regional Hospital.
(vi) Report of the Finance Committee on the Tied Commercial Facility Agree- ment between the Govern- ment of the Republic of
Mr Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Item numbered 4 (f) (vii).
Mr Kwabena Amankwah- Asiamah 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, item numbered 4 (f) (vii) is not ready.
Mr Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member.
Items numbered 4(g) (i) and 4(g) (ii), Chairman of the Committee.
Ms Safo 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Committee on Health is currently meeting, but we have the Hon Vice Chairman here to lay it.
Mr Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Please, is the Report ready? If the Report is not ready, his presence --
Ms Safo 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Report is ready.
Mr Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Is it ready?
Item numbered 4(g)(i) and (ii) -- Hon Vice Chairman, do you have the Report?
By the Vice Chairman (Dr Nana Ayew Afriye)(on behalf) of the chairman of the Committee) --
Report of the Committee on Health on the EPC/Turnkey Contract Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Health) and Con- tracta Construction UK Limited for a sum of one hundred and twenty-nine million euros (€129,000,000.00) for the execution of the Modernisation of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) Maternity and Associated Infrastructure.
Report of the Committee on Health on the Commercial Contract Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Health) and JV Tyllium-Eclipse UK Limited for an amount of seventy million euros (€70,000,000.00) for the construction of the Koforidua Regional Hospital.
Mr Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Item numbered 4 (h), Hon Chairman of the Committee?
Ms Safo 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, it is not ready.
Mr Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Item numbered 5, Presentation and First Reading of Bills -- the Hon Learned Attorney- General.
BILLS - FIRST READING 11:15 a.m.
Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Members, the request by the Learned Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice in her communica-tion to the House is to consider the Bill under a certificate of urgency.
Having regard to the calendar of the House, Hon Members, per Standing Order 119, the determination of the urgency or otherwise of a Bill, for purposes of its consideration by Parliament, is the prerogative of the relevant Committee of Parliament.
Hon Members, in this regard, the House shall await the determination of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs on the referral; mindful, of course, that this Honourable House is expected to adjourn sine die tomorrow, Friday, 12th April, 2019.
Mr Iddrisu 11:15 a.m.
Mr Speaker, you have just referred to the appropriate Standing Order 119, which is in pursuit
of article 106 of the 1992 Constitu- tion. Once we have the learned Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice here, who is also the principal legal advisor to the Government, it is appropriate I draw attention to this matter.
I assure you that we would support the uncompromising mood of the President, who is in a hurry to deal with vigilantism as the gravest threat to our constitutional democracy and the peace and security of our country.
Mr Speaker, article 106 provides, and with your permission, I beg to quote 11:15 a.m.
“(1) The power of Parliament to make laws shall be exercised by bills passed by Parliament and assented to by the President.
(2) No bill, other than such a bill as is referred to in paragraph (a) of article 108 of this Constitution, shall be introduced in Parliament unless ...”
Mr Speaker, the word “unless'' provides that it is accompanied by an explanatory memorandum. The Bill by the Hon Attorney-General and Minster for Justice is accompanied by an explanatory Memorandum, so it satisfies that requirement. Except that the Commission of Enquiry Report on Ayawaso West Wuogon, as required by article 280 of the Constitution, has not been published.
Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Members, let us deliberate.
Mr Iddrisu 11:15 a.m.
Mr Speaker, article 106(2)(b) says “published in the Gazette''. Indeed, the Hon Attorney- General and Minister for Justice has been so responsive to this matter that she even served me a personal copy, but I do not see any Gazette indication. I would want to assume that as you have referred to Order 119, the Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice may rely on article 106(13), and with your permission I beg to quote:
“Where it is determined by a committee of Parliament appointed for the purpose that a particular bill is of an urgent nature, the provisions of the proceeding clauses of this article, other than clause (1) and paragraph (a) of clause (2)…''
Mr Speaker, it did not say “paragraph (b) of clause (2)”, but it said “paragraph (a) of clause (2)”.
I respect the Hon Attorney- General and Minister for Justice and her knowledge of constitutional law and its principles. I can understand that the President is in a hurry to deal with it, but we think that there must be stakeholder consultation. The scourge of vigilantism is bigger than the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Party and the New Patriotic Party (NPP). It is a national problem and therefore, we are minded that it should not be rushed through an emergency; the Ghanaian citizens and the civil society would not have the opportunity to input on.
Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Minority Leader, whether it is a matter of rushing or whatever, the determination thereof is reposed in our Committee and we have not got to that hurdle - we would jump it at the appropriate time.
Mr Ayariga 11:15 a.m.
Mr Speaker, it appears that a lot of guidance could be obtained from Standing Order 119, and with your permission I beg to quote:
“Where it is determined and certified by the appropriate Committee of the House appointed in that behalf that a particular Bill is of an urgent nature, that Bill may be introduced without publication. Copies of the Bill shall be distributed to Members and may be taken through all its stages in one day''.
Mr Speaker, this creates a situation where a Bill may be brought without being gazetted and presented to the Committees to determine whether it is of an urgent nature. The difficulty is that these are provisions of our Standing Orders, and they stand in the face of a clear unambiguous difficulty to misinterpret the provision of the Constitution, which says that when it comes to dealing with Bills of an urgent nature, everything could be dispensed with except the obligation to gazette and publish.
Mr Speaker, is it possible that when the Constitution is so plain, unambiguous, explicit and deals with a particular matter -- it foresees the situation of urgent Bills and says that in that case, we could dispense with A, B, C, and D, except that it does not allow to dispense with the obligation to gazette. Our Standing Orders tries to create a mechanism to deal with this and, in that process, allows a Bill to be introduced in this House without being gazetted.
Mr Speaker, given your many years standing at the Bar, your background as a professor, having been in this House for many years and chaired for many years, you should provide some guidance where the Constitution is clear and unambi- guous; yet, our own Standing Orders invent a mechanism, that in the face of the Constitution, creates difficulty for those us who want to assist and ensure that the Business of this House is conducted in a way that fulfils the
desire of the President to deal with the problem of political vigilantism.
Mr Speaker, we leave the matter in your hands. Give us guidance.
Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Ayariga, that was why I referred to the very Order 119 you talked about. We are masters of our own procedures, and so says the Supreme Court. Anyone who is worried about the constitutionality thereof may want to test it in the Supreme Court, mindful of the Supreme Court's own holding or the mastership that this House has over its own procedures.
Ms Safo 11:15 a.m.
Mr Speaker, you have, indeed, directed and your direction is well taken.
Mr Speaker, we know the issue of vigilantism is of national concern, and no matter could be as urgent as it.
When the President delivered the State of the Nation Address in this House, he committed to fight and ensure that we bring a stop to vigilantism within political parties.
Mr Speaker, with your permission, I beg to quote page 28 of the State of the Nation Address where the President was very apt when he talked about vigilantism and its disbandment:
“If voluntary disbandment by the parties is not feasible, then I will initiate legislation on the matter''.
The issues raised by the Hon Mino- rity Leader as to whether or not --
Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 11:25 a.m.
On a point of order. Mr Speaker, the Hon Deputy Majority Leader has engaged in a pre-emptive strike.
Mr Speaker, you have so ruled and your ruling is properly founded on our Standing Orders that in this particular case, the proper body that has jurisdiction to so determine whether this Bill is of an urgent nature is the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. It is premature to debate the principles of the Bill.
Mr Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Yes, Hon Deputy Majority Leader?
Ms Safo 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, Hon Alhaji Fuseini is forgetting that you gave me the permission to also submit. — [Interruption] — If it is premature, this is a House of debate, and so having listened to the Hon Minority Leader, which is the practice of the House, you have given me an opportunity to also do same although you have ruled. And my initial opening statement was that we have taken your ruling and it is in good faith. But as Hon Deputy Leader of Govern- ment Business, I also have to show why Government is committed to passing this Bill under a certificate of urgency. And I know that Standing Order 199, as you rightly made reference to, and also article 106(13) of the Constitution settles the matter.
Mr Speaker, it is not for us to determine here whether we are stating that the Bill should be under a
certificate of urgency. It is for the Committee that you have referred it to, which is the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee.
As you have already made the referral, they would come back and tell this House whether indeed, it has to be taken under a certificate of urgency or otherwise.
Mr Speaker, on the issue of the Commission of Enquiry that was raised by the Hon Minority Leader, does not have any relevance to what we are doing here.
Although there is a Commission of Enquiry that has been set up by H. E. the President to investigate the violence that occurred in Ayawaso West Wuogon, article 180(3) of the Constitution is so explicit that the President has six months to present a report. And a Commission of Enquiry established by the President -- As we all know, this is a House of legislators, and Parliament also has the right to be able to pass this Bill concurrently.
Mr Speaker, waiting for the report of the Commission could take us to the end of July, September or even October. Is the Hon Minority Leader telling us that we should wait until the Commission of Enquiry is done with its investigations? No. The commit- ment of Parliament and H.E. the President to bring a stop to vigilantism in our political parties is of a national interest and so Mr Speaker, we support your direction and wait upon the Committee.
Mr Speaker 11:25 a.m.
The Hon Leaders have spoken and I think we should end it here. The business is now in the court of our Committee and they would come out and give us their findings and we shall proceed thereon. And in view of the fact that there is no Hon Member of this Honourable House who would encourage vigilantism, we therefore ask the Committee to move expeditiously so that we can proceed and deal with this matter on hand. — [Pause]
Hon Members, there is a little difficulty with item numbered 4(b), and I will ask the Hon Minister for Health to please help us to put the records straight.
Minister for Health (Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu) 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to seek your leave and that of this House to withdraw the Memorandum to Parliament on the Protocol to Eliminate illicit Trade in Tobacco Products which was laid in this House on the 19th March, 2019 to be replaced with a more appropriate document this time around.
Mr Speaker 11:25 a.m.
You are allowed to withdraw with leave and to represent.
Paper withdrawn by leave of the House.
PAPERS 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon Members, item numbered 6.
I trust the Committee on Legal, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs would come with a report soonest. So Hon Members may excuse us.
Are we in the position to go on with item numbered 6?
Mr Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Very well.
Are we in the position to go on with item numbered 7 either?
Ms Safo 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, no.
Mr Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Can we take item numbered 8?
Ms Safo 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker, no. Items numbered 8, 9 and 10 are not ready and so we can take item numbered
11.
Mr Speaker 11:25 a.m.
Hon Members, item numbered 11 — Chairman of the Committee.
Hon Chairman, we have the Report so do not give us the details. Kindly give us your findings and recom- mendations and conclude, and let Hansard capture the Report in its entirety.
MOTIONS 11:25 a.m.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Ken Ohene Agyapong) 11:25 a.m.
Mr Speaker,
Introduction
The Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention) was pre- sented to the House on Tuesday, 19th March 2019 by the Hon Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu on behalf of the Hon Minister responsible for Communica- tions, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful. The Convention was subsequently referred to the Committee on Communications for consideration and report, in accordance with Order 182 of the Standing Orders of Parliament.
Thereafter, the Committee met with the Hon Deputy Minister for Communications, Mr Vincent Sowah Odotei and the National Cyber Security Advisor and considered the referral.
The Committee expresses its appreciation to the Hon Deputy Minister and the National Cyber Security Advisor for attending the Committee's meeting to assist in its deliberations.
Reference Documents
The Committee made reference to the following documents during its deliberations:
i. The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.
ii. The Standing Orders of Parliament.
iii. The Electronic Transactions Act, 2008 (Act 772).
iv. The Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 842).
Background Information
As is the situation with many countries, Ghana is faced with the challenges of Cybercrime and the security of its digital ecosystem. According to the Ministry, “The Cybercrime and Cybersecurity Trends in Africa 2016” Report, paints a sad picture of the state of cyber security in Africa. Also, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) report categorises West Africa as a fertile ground for cyber criminality.
The Ministry further indicated that an assessment conducted by the World Bank and the Global Cyber Security Capacity Centre of Oxford University on Ghana, revealed that one major obstacle to fighting cybercrime was the lack of an effective international cooperation framework for investigations and prosecutions. As a result, law enforcement agencies and criminal justice institutions often find it difficult to obtain evidence from other jurisdictions.
There has therefore been calls for international cooperation to combat
crimes committed through the internet and other computer networks.
With government undertaking a number of digitalisation initiatives, and given that key sectors of the economy are heavily dependent on ICT systems, it has become more important now than ever for government to take the needed measures to protect the country's Critical National Information Infrastructure, individuals and businesses.
In this regard, Parliament in July 2018, ratified the African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo Convention), which is one of the existing international treaties on cybercrimes. Since the Malabo Convention is complementary to the Budapest convention, it is imperative for Ghana to ratify the Budapest Convention to facilitate a coordinated response to cyber security issues both at regional and international levels.
Given the potential benefits of the Convention as a framework for international collaboration for fighting cybercrime and protecting Ghana's cyber space, the Country communi- cated to the Council of Europe, its intention to accede to the Convention on Cybercrime. Ghana subsequently was invited to accede to the Convention on cybercrime in 2016. With the approval of Cabinet and pursuant to article 75 (1) of the 1992 Constitution, H.E the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, acceded to the convention on 18th September,
2018. Thus Ghana became the 62nd party to the Convention as it joined other European States and countries such as Australia, U.S., Canada, Chile, Argentina, Senegal, Mauritius, Philippines, Cape Verde and Tanzania.
Objective of the Convention
The Convention seeks to facilitate international cooperation arrange- ments respond to existing and emerging cyber threats, through prevention, investigations and prosecution of cybercrime.
Benefits of the Convention
The ratification of the Convention on Cybercrime is expected to benefit the Country in many ways, some of which are enumerated below:
The ratification of the Budapest Convention by Ghana will ensure a coordinated response to cyber issues at the regional and international levels in view of its (Convention) comple- mentarity and interoperability with the already ratified Malabo Convention.
The ratification of the Convention will create the platform for Ghana and the Council of Europe to jointly initiate measures to promote the rule of law in cyberspace and thus strengthen global action against cybercrime.
The ratification of the Convention would provide the impetus for Ghana to invest in cyber security and cybercrime response with the aim of transforming the country into a sub- regional hub for cybersecurity.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Ken Ohene Agyapong) 11:25 a.m.


The ratification of the Convention will enable Ghana build institutional capacity and share knowledge and best practices with global partners through such international fora as the Octopus Conference, organised by the Council of Europe. The Country will also benefit from various capacity building programmes and technical assistance in the area of cybercrime response.

The ratification of the Convention on cybercrime will enable criminal justice practitioners in Ghana secure relevant evidence from crimes committed using computer systems, networks and platforms from other jurisdictions for the prosecution of cybercrimes.

Observations and Recommen- dations

The Committee gathered that the Budapest Convention is presently considered the most comprehensive framework on cybercrime and electronic evidence as countries can draw adequately on this guideline to develop national legislations to address cybercrime. The Committee noted that the Budapest Convention criminalises conducts involving such acts as illegal access, data and systems interference, computer related fraud and child pornography. It further makes provision for procedural law/tools for investigating cybercrime and effectively securing electronic evidence as well as fostering international cooperation in the fight against cybercrime.
Mr Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Hon Members, who seconds the Motion?
Mr Daniel Kwesi Ashiamah (NDC -- Buem) 11:35 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to second the Motion on the Convention of Cybercrime (Budapest Convention).
Mr Speaker, it is very paramount that Ghana ratifies the Budapest Convention due to some serious cyberspace criminality that is going on all over the world. Ghana being part of this global security will actually work well for a congenial business environment.
Mr Speaker, today, systems of organisations are being hacked and attacked and people's moneys are being transferred illegally through cyberspace and this still continues. Pornographic materials are being
posted on sites that are sometimes in the arms of our children and youth. In the developed world, utility systems like water and electricity in some parts of the world are being hacked and attacked.
Mr Speaker, if it is so, we are equally in the 21st Century, a century in which Information and Com- munications Technology is the order of the day. Taking a critical look at all the Acts and laws that have been enacted in this country, it is all good that Ghana ratifies this Budapest Convention.
Mr Speaker, in page 3 of the Report, you would read various acts that have been enacted by Ghana and that even makes it easier for Ghana to ratify this Budapest Convention. So I am calling on the House in that collaborative effort to ratify it. However, I would like to state that just as was mentioned in a Statement made yesterday, the laws themselves cannot be a security for our systems and businesses.
What I would like to do is to call on the Ministry of Finance in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications to ensure that enough resources are given to the Ministry of Communications to invest in human capital and equipment investment. I say this because if we make all these laws but do not have the expertise to manage and monitor them, it would come down to zero. So, I am calling on the Ministry of Finance to actually give more budgetary allocations to the Ministry
of Communications. Why am I saying so?
Mr Speaker, even as we speak today, the drones that they are going to use for the delivery of blood can be attacked because they are ICT equipment. So we need to be ready before that time comes. The Hon Minister for Communications and myself were once in Estonia in Europe -- if she would remember; I met a lot of West African youth learning how to hack over there which is something that can talk about cyber criminality. But we must also get people like this who would be able to stop such activities on cyberspace.
So I believe it is all good that we ratify this Budapest Convention. Equipment must be there to help the Ministry to build its systems very well. When we are able to build the system, as a member of Comity with Europe and America, what is going to happen is that we are going to create a congenial business environment that would attract more direct foreign investments. And when we have more direct foreign investments, it means that our youth in this country would get more jobs to do and that is going to lead to expanding the economy.
Mr Speaker, not to take much of your time, I would like to conclude on this particular note so I call on the House to approve this Report in ratifying this Budapest Convention.
I thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker 11:35 a.m.
Hon Members, we would take one contribution from each Side.
Question Proposed.
Mrs Catherine Abelema Afeku (NPP -- Evalue Ajomoro Gwira) 11:35 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to support the Motion ably moved by the Chairman of the Committee. In so doing, I would make an attempt to use the short time allotted me to elucidate the importance of Ghana's ascension to the Budapest Convention and to also share with the House the opportunities that come with fighting cybercrime.
Mr Speaker, there are two basic objectives for us as Committee Members; by ratifying this Budapest Convention, we will get the opportunity and the support to investigate and prosecute cybercrime that has become the new war in globalisation.
Also, to share with the House that apart from being a member of the European Council and the Budapest Convention, African Union has the Malabo Convention that is a precursor and a compliment to the Budapest Convention.
Mr Speaker, cybercrime is real; basic security facilities that we take for granted like our electoral fortunes, everybody knows what happened in the USA in 2016 -- trolls, as a result of cybercrime changed the destiny of elections.
Mrs Catherine Abelema Afeku (NPP -- Evalue Ajomoro Gwira) 11:45 a.m.
Trolling is a phenomenon that can
change the dynamics of what you decide and who leads a nation and it is all in the effort to use technology. Cybercrimes can also affect our financial institutions, electoral fraud, financial crimes and the ability to destabilise basic utility and services that can impact the economy in grand scale -- that is unimaginable.

Hence the urgent need for us as Legislators to see the ratification of the Budapest Convention as apt, appropriate, and timeous.

Mr Speaker, we also need to see the opportunities that the young men in Ghana who have been stigmatised as sakawa boys another word for glorified hackers. Let us see how we can get them socialised and brought into mainstream to help us with the kind of knowledge that they have picked up by breaking into security and mainframes and attacking other people's electronic mails and accounts that are secured.

These are what other jurisdictions are using; the knowledge that the young men and women have learned which they call coding. If you go to other jurisdictions, those who have actually stopped a major transaction through technology, either jailed or imprisoned, have been used to establish centres of excellence to find out what they know and how they know it. However, in our parts of the world, it is easy to stigmatise and discard.

Mr Speaker, as part of our efforts to use the Convention to broaden the scope of using technology in our day- to-day affairs, I would urge and commend the Hon Minister for the “Girls Can Code” initiative and to court some of these young people from neighbourhoods that we do not tend to think that good things can come from. We can actually maximise the knowledge and turn it around instead of it being seen as something negative.

Mr Speaker, the Budapest Convention can also assist us in maximising technology for socio- economic development. Once it is ratified, I am sure that other companies coming in to set up using Ghana as their base with the background for outsourcing creating jobs in the era of sharing and transferring knowledge through technology can be a plus.

So it is not just the exercise of ratification but we should actually examine and look through the benefits that it will inure to our nation as the future is in ICT and the earlier we come on board as a nation, the better. Starting with those of us in Parliament and our attitude towards technology -- How many of us are security conscious? Do we shut down our electronic mails, turn off our computers, change our passwords and not take these things for granted as well as our online bank accounts? How are we using the tools available to us to be ICT compliant?

Mr Speaker, so I am very hopeful that with our support from this level and at the Committee level, ratification of the Budapest Convention suppor- ting the Malabo Convention will put Ghana in a very bright position to support the upward movement of using ICT for development.

Mr Speaker, with these few words, I lend my voice to the ratification of the Budapest Convention. Thank you for the opportunity.
Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
Hon Member, thank you very much.
Mr Samuel N. George (NDC - - Ningo-Prampram) 11:45 a.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much. I rise to lend my unreserved support to the ratification of the Convention on cybercrime known as the Budapest Convention.
Mr Speaker, early on this year, you referred this to the Committee on Communications in conjunction with the Malabo Convention which has already come before you for ratification.
His Excellency the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo - Addo, has assented to this Convention and we laid that Instrument with the Council of Europe. The Committee on Communications clearly has no reservations whatsoever with this House ratifying the Convention as it so stands. However, we made some key findings which we believe will
guide the Ministry and this House going forward.
Mr Speaker, the Convention as it sits today, is very much in tandem with many of our local laws especially, the Data Protection Act (DPA) and the Electronic Transactions Act (ETA). However, when you look at the articles of the Convention, you would realise that there are one or two grey areas that we will need to strengthen local laws with and it is in line with this that we recommended in our Report to the Ministry that they do broad consultations with stakeholders to ensure that we bring our local laws; the Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Communications Act (ECA) and the Data Protection Act up to speed to cover some of the grey areas that have emerged from this Convention.
Again, I would want to urge the Ministry that as we look to domesticate the Convention, after ratification by this House by improving the ETA, ECA and DPA, we should also be mindful of other Conventions. For example, the Lanzarote Con- vention which will aid Ghana in fighting child and sexual exploitation of young people. That is also a Council of Europe Convention and so, we need to look at how we could imbibe part of the Lanzarote Convention into our localise laws to ensure that Ghana is in the position to fight these crimes.
However, I would urge that we hasten slowly with ratifying many of these Eurocentric laws as Ghana seeks to be a leader in the ICT sphere
Mr Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member.
Leadership? Then we shall sort out all the outstanding matters in the interim.
Mr Iddrisu 11:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to speak to the Motion on the Convention on Cybercrime referred to as the Budapest Convention presented by
the Hon Minister for Communications and to urge all our Hon Colleagues to give this matter its needed and appropriate support.
Mr Speaker, you have been a former Hon Minister for Commu- nications yourself. In your generation, our focus was on infrastructure, after it was legislation.
The task of the current Hon Minister for Communications should be application and fighting cybercrime to which I would urge that we support her. Mr Speaker, my worry is that Ghana is yet to appreciate why we should mainstream Information Communication Technology (ICT) in all aspects of our national life. Mr Speaker, that is key because the next world war would not be about weapons and guns, but it would be about a technological revolution of
ICT.
Mr Speaker, as I speak today, Ghana's Ministry for Defence does not have any robust ICT infrastructure so how prepared are we when we talk about cybercrime?. I recall that the Hon Minister invited former Hon Ministers to discuss it. Mr Speaker, when the Hon Minister for Defence presented his budget, there was a small portion of allocation to build his ICT infrastructure. Mr Speaker, maybe the Hon Minister for Communications must collaborate with the Hon Minister for Defence because defence and ICT infrastruc- ture including aeronautics is driven by
ICT.
Mr Speaker, I have looked at the Convention on matters of jurisdiction, confidentiality of data, mutual assistance, matters relating to traffic data on computers and others.
Today, the most sophisticated crime in the wold is committed in the name of ICT and its usage and that is why Parliament's approval of this convention is important, but we would need to mainstream it in our national life. Mr Speaker, even if the Office of the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice wants to combat illicit Money trade, matters of corruption and so on, they would have to rely on IT infrastructure on the transfer of information.
Mr Speaker, so, I wholeheartedly support the initiative of the Hon Minister because “The Cybercrime and Cybersecurity Trends in Africa 2016” poses a worry for Ghana and we have to situate our Ministry for Defence and other national infrastructure -- Mr Speaker, we passed the Data Protection Act, which has been referred to, and we are told that pursuant to article 75 (1) of the 1992 Constitution, Cabinet has recommended the ratification of this Convention. Mr Speaker, as I have referred to the constitutional provision, we should all be mindful of why we referred to clause (1) of article 75 and not just article 75. Mr Speaker, because (1) says:
“The President may execute or cause to be executed treaties, agreements or convention in the name of Ghana”.
Mr Speaker 11:55 a.m.
Thank you very much.
Hon Majority Leadership?
Ms Safo 11:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would yield to the Hon Member for Suhum.
Mr Frederick Opare-Ansah (NPP -- Suhum) 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you.
Mr Speaker, we would agree that gradually all our activities are moving away from the brick and mortar environment and moving more into cyberspace. For that matter, it is important that our laws begin to gear itself towards securing that environ- ment.
Mr Speaker, not too long ago, I had the opportunity to represent your good self at an event that was organised by the Ministry of Communications when the current Hon Minister had invited all the previous Hon Ministers for Commu- nications of this country spanning from the era of Hon Spio-Garbrah through to the immediate past Hon Minister, Hon Omane Boamah. Mr Speaker, discussions bordering around cybersecurity of our nation took centre stage.
Mr Speaker, the internet and cyberspace, as it is generally referred to, is a borderless environment and that is why there is the need for us to ratify the action that the President has undertaken by acceding to this particular Convention. Other international issues which have been considered to be of greater para- mountcy have seen the international community coming up with interna- tional laws. Mr Speaker, at the time that these Conventions were being designed, the international community
had not yet seen cybercrime as an international threat and that is why they used the mechanism of a Convention where countries and states voluntarily accede to it.
Mr Speaker, by and large, Ghana on its own had enacted several pieces of legislations which had sought to secure our participation in cyberspace and that is why when the Council of Europe sent their emissaries here, they reviewed our situation and they felt that indeed we had qualified to be invited to accede to the Convention. Mr Speaker, the Hon Minority Leader insisted that the Report should have captured the referral of article 75 (2). Mr Speaker, the action of the President in acceding to the Convention is actually guided by 75
(1).
Mr Speaker, what we are currently doing is the ratification and that is what is in 75 (2) and that is why the Committee in making reference to the President's action referred to the authority under 75 (1) with which he did same. Mr Speaker, the beauty of the convention is that it does not make absolute provisions which have to be incorporated as such in our statutes but it provides clear guidelines on how we need to make our legislations to conform to what others have made so that it would be fit for the purpose.
That is why when they examined our legislations they found a few gaps. Mr Speaker, I would speak to one such issue which is the definition of a minor with regards to pornographic content in cyberspace. The Conven-
tion places a minor between 16 and 18 years, but in Ghana we have a particular age for sexual consent and we have another age for marital consent.
Mr Speaker, elsewhere issues have come up regarding the definition of who a minor is with regards to this particular convention; in that currently there is a phenomenon that is developing on social media called “sexting” where two people are purportedly in love and they exchange nude photographs of themselves and this is a growing phenomenon amongst the youthful population.
Mr Speaker, the provisions of this Convention against child pornography is designed to protect children.

Mr Speaker, fancy the situation where against child pornography, it is designed to protect children. Fancy the situation where the definition of a minor is set up to age 18 years, whereas the age for sexual consent is 16 years. Clearly, there is a two-year window within which somebody can consent to have sex and yet if they were to engage in sexting, they would be committing a crime.

The challenge is, when most relationships like that end, there is the tendency for the aggrieved partner to begin to send out those nude pictures that they exchanged when the relations was healthy. For those who are below the allowable age under the Convention, it becomes difficult to report the matter to the Police,
Mr Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Hon Member, you should be winding-up.
Mr Opare-Ansah 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I take a cue from you. I was just talking about the fact that the internet of things is coming, it is here with us. We have already seen airplanes fall from the sky by software functions. These days, the airplanes are connected to the internet; there is Wi- Fi. So it would not be too long when, if cyber space is not properly protected, we would hear of hijackers no longer having the need to get on board the aircraft, but sitting at their home and taking control of an aircraft - Hon Deputy Majority Whip, do not be afraid, it will not happen soon.
Mr Speaker, I would like to urge Hon Members of the House that we should all support the recommen- dation by the committee for us to ratify the action of the President in acceding to the Convention.
Mr Speaker 12:05 p.m.
Thank you, Hon Member.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Hon Members, Resolution, item listed 12. Yes, Hon Minister?
RESOLUTIONS 12:05 p.m.
Minister for Communications (Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful) 12:05 p.m.
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 Constitu- tion, the President has caused to be laid before Parliament through the Minister responsible for Health the Protocol to
Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products on 19th March 2019.
NOW THEREFORE, this Honourable House hereby resolves to ratify the said Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention).
Mr Speaker, with your leave, I would like to make a few comments.
Mr Speaker, the ongoing digitising of all aspects of our economy is one side of the coin, and the other side is the security of our digital and cyberspace interactions. As we are increasingly doing digitisation, we need to focus on that aspect of it as well. It necessarily has to be cross- sectoral. We are working in tandem with other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and the private sector, whose actions can affect or improve our cyber health.
Mr Speaker, with the ratification of the Convention, Ghana joins an exclusive club of nations which have ratified both the Budapest Convention and the Malabo Convention. There are only five countries in Africa which have ratified both the Budapest Convention and Malabo Convention and Ghana joins them.
Mr Speaker, by this action, we are providing leadership for our sub region in concrete measures to be taken to protect all our cyber interactions. We cannot opt out and we cannot do it alone. We need international cooperation and
Minister for Communications (Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful) 12:05 p.m.
Mr Speaker, this year, we would be establishing the Cybersecurity Authority as announced by the Hon Minister for Finance in his Budget Statement. We have already began looking at strict enforcement of existing laws on SIM registration to protect our citizens against the rising incidence of mobile money fraud and other fraudulent use of our mobile devices.
With our governance model which we are implementing here, in giving effect to our cyber security policy and strategy, it has been recommended for adoption across the sub region and our personnel who have been trained and their capacity is built, are currently acting as trainers in other parts of the region.
Mr Speaker, we also intend to come before this House with a comprehensive stand-alone cyber security legislation to deal with the gaps in our legislation which was revealed by our accession to the Budapest Convention, and to deal comprehensively with issues such as child-online protection, which are key to us in terms of the exposure our children have and the increasing online activities that they are engaged in.

Mr Speaker, we would also prescribe standards and guidelines to protect our critical national informa- tion infrastructure and designate all those infrastructure in the course of this year.

Mr Speaker, we would encourage the construction of more sectoral sects. Currently, we have one for the telecommunication sector and the financial sector. The utility, security and all other interested affected sectors have to start building the infrastructure which would protect the information technology resources as well.

Mr Speaker, I am grateful to the House for their overwhelming support for this Convention. With the continuing support of this House, we would continue to digitise our operations, and build a protective layer around it. We would also extend a hand of assistance and friendship to others who may be looking up to us to also help them build their information technology security infrastructure, while we also learn from the experiences of others.

Vice Chairman (Mr Andrew Mercer): Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.

Question put and Motion agreed to.

Resolved accordingly.
Ms Safo 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, item numbered 8 is ready.
Mr Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Very well.
Hon Members, item numbered 8.
We have the Report. Chairman of the Committee, please move the procedural Motion.
Suspension of Order 80(1)
Chairman of the Committee on Roads and Transport (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 80(1) which require that no Motion shall be debated until at least forty-eight hours have elapsed between the date on which notice of the Motion is given and the date on which the Motion is moved, the Motion for the adoption of the Report of the Committee on Roads and Transport on the EPC/ Turnkey Contract Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Aviation) and Contracta Construction UK Limited for a sum of fifty-eight million, nine hundred thousand euros (€58,900,000.00) for the execution of the Development of Kumasi Airport (phase III) may be moved today.
Mr Kwame Govers Agbodza 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Mr Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Hon Members, item numbered 9. The substantive.--
MOTIONS 12:15 p.m.
Chairman of the Committee on Roads and Transport (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Committee on Roads and Transport on the EPC/ Turnkey Contract Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Aviation) and Contracta Construction UK Limited for a sum of fifty-eight million, nine hundred thousand euros (€58,900,- 000.00) for the execution of the Development of Kumasi Airport (phase III).
Mr Speaker, in doing so, I present your Committee's Report.
Introduction
On Tuesday, 9th April, 2019, the Deputy Minister for Aviation, Honourable Yaw Afful on behalf of the Minister for Aviation, Hon Joseph Kofi Adda, presented to the House the Commercial Contract Agreement between the Republic of Ghana represented by the Ministry of Aviation and Contracta Construction UK Limited in the sum of fifty-eight million, nine hundred thousand euros
(€58,900,000.00) for the develop- ment of Kumasi International Airport phase 3.
Pursuant to article 103 of the 1992 Constitution and Order 189 of the Standing Orders of the House, the Agreement was referred to the Committee on Roads and Transport.
Deliberations
The Committee on Roads and Transport subsequently met and deliberated on the Contract Agreement with the Deputy Minister of Aviation, Hon Yaw Afful, the Acting Chief Director of the Sector Ministry, Ms Christina Edmund and other officials of the Ministry and the Ghana Airport Company Limited.
The Committee is grateful to the Deputy Minister for Aviation and the officials for attending upon the Committee.
Reference Documents
The Committee referred to and was guided by the following documents during its deliberations:
The 1992 Constitution;
The Standing Orders;
The Contract Agreement between the Republic of Ghana (Represented by Ministry of Aviation) and Contracta Construction UK Limited in the
Chairman of the Committee on Roads and Transport (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 12:15 p.m.


Scope of Works on Airside:

Apron Extension (7,731m2);

Runway Strip (202,805m2);

Airside Service Road.

A detailed scope of works is attached as Appendix A.

Summary of Terms and Condi- tions of Financial Agreement

The estimated cost of the project is €58.90 million. Deutsche Bank AG.
Chairman of the Committee on Roads and Transport (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 12:15 p.m.


The Committee satisfied itself with the profile of the contractor and observed that the con- tractor was already engaged in phase II of the project and is of proven experience.

Conclusion

The Committee carefully examined the Contract Agreement and is of the view that the nation is getting value for money with the Kumasi Airport phase III.

The Committee respectfully recommends to the House to adopt its report and approve the EPC/ Turnkey Contract Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Aviation) and Contracta Construction UK Limited for a sum of fifty-eight million, nine hundred thousand (€58,900,000.00) for the execution of the Development of Kumasi Airport (phase III) in accordance with Article 181 (5) of the 1992 Constitution.

Respectfully submitted.

SPACE FOR APPENDIX A -- PAGE 10, 12.15 PM

SPACE FOR APPENDIX B -- PAGE 10, 12.15 PM

SPACE FOR APPENDIX C -- PAGE 10, 12.15 PM

SPACE FOR APPENDIX D -- PAGE 11, 12.15 PM
Chairman of the Committee on Roads and Transport (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 12:15 p.m.


SPACE FOR APPENDIX E -- PAGE 11, 12.15 PM

SPACE FOR APPENDIX F -- PAGE 12, 12.15 PM

SPACE FOR APPENDIX -- PAGE 13, 12.15 PM
Mr Speaker 12:15 p.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member.
We would take one from each Side.
Mr Alexander K. Afenyo- Markin (NDC -- Effutu) 12:15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you for the oppor- tunity to add my voice to the debate on this matter.
Mr Speaker, I have taken note of the very positive views expressed by my Hon Colleague who seconded the Motion. Ghana is indeed making progress. The fact that my Hon
Colleague talked about value for money having been done and the fact that looking back, some three or four years ago, rehabilitation at Kumasi was costing us US$29 million and when the details came to this House, we were only told that some aeronautical lights were fixed and the runway was asphalted to create better stability and today, we have figures showing infrastructure, shows me that the Ghana of yesterday and Ghana of today is better and in his own words, he is calling on all of us to support this. It is a happy moment.
Mr Speaker, if we look at page 2 of the Report, just for emphasis, a new passenger terminal building, parking lot and access road and the airside, aprons and issues he raised, all these per the value for money analysis audit done, the figures are very reasonable and the savings made, which was emphasised by the Hon Member who seconded the Motion.
Mr Speaker, without more, I call on my Hon Colleagues to support this Motion for us to make progress.
Mr Speaker, I thank you.
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member. Is there any contribution?
Minority Leader (Mr Haruna Iddrisu) 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to speak in favour of the Motion and to commend the Ministry of Aviation for moving and
Minority Leader (Mr Haruna Iddrisu) 12:25 p.m.


accelerating progress of work beyond the first phase of the Kumasi Airport project into the second and the third phase.

Mr Speaker, in doing so, let me just draw your attention to the Commi- ttee's Report, particularly page 2 and I would juxtapose it against page 6. The Committee should be consistent. In that paragraph, we are told that, an amount of €4,000,000 will be saved, but when you come to page 6, we are told €4,377,000. What are we saying? In the last paragraph of page 2:

“Works on phase two started in May, 2018, and construction is ongoing as scheduled. The Ghana Airports Company Limited advised that the two phases, phase 2 and phase 3 should be combined to reduce cost. It is estimated that a total amount €4,000,000 will be saved if the two phases are delivered concurrently.”

And when you come to page 5, we have €4,377,000. Which figure do they want us to accept and work with? That is important.

Mr Speaker, my other comment is; on page 8 of the Committee's Report, I see reference to article 181(5). Article 181 (5) deals with international economic transactions which requires that it should be with modifications from the Attorney-General.

I agree, but do not forget --
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon (Dr) Akoto Osei?
Dr A. A. Osei 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, he is aware of what we are doing. This is not a loan agreement. This is a contract agreement. We have finished with the loan agreement. So saying that it is loan agreement is not correct. It is a commercial agreement, and that is why reference is made to that. Maybe, he did not avert his attention to that. I just would want to bring his attention to that.
Mr Iddrisu 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am not reading from my head. He should open to page 5. What does he see in the table there? That is what I am speaking to. That is in the Committee's Report, and I have referred to the last paragraph. So I am speaking within. Look at “The summary of the two financing agreement is provided below”.
What Report have they distri- buted?
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon (Dr) Akoto Osei, we would want to be clear on this and then move on.
Mr Iddrisu 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am within. I am holding the same document he is holding: Turnkey Contract Agreement between the Government of the Republic Ghana --
I am supporting it, so what is his worry?
I am not entitled --
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Order!
Hon Leader, please, assume your seat.
Yes, Hon (Dr) Akoto Osei?
Dr A. A. Osei 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, he is right. He said EPC Contract Agreement. The addendum of the loan agreement is to provide more information, but it is not the loan agreement. We went through that yesterday. That is all I am bringing his attention to. He went somewhere; he was not here, and so I am just reminding him. He is a good friend of mine, and so I just would want to remind him.
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon Minority Leader?
Mr Iddrisu 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I did not go somewhere. I was here yesterday, anyway.
But Mr Speaker, I referred to page 5. So he should dispute that page 5 is not providing terms for the loan. If it is providing, he should hold his beef.
Mr Speaker, I support this, and I think there are some savings. For me, Kumasi is strategic. We should look at the long-term. You can check. As far back as 2013, I requested the Export Development which is now Ghana Export-Import Bank to support the development of a cold house at the Kumasi Airport to begin preparing the country for exports. That is what we should do. I had learnt this from Germany on one of my visits.
I said Tamale and Kumasi were to benefit, and I accordingly issued policy instruction.
Mr Speaker, as I support this, we would be interested in -- my own Tamale Airport, the last time I flew, the phase II that we always say work would start in April, we are in the second week in April, I would want to see actual work. This is because, that is also a target for export and for agricultural development and for us to take advantage of.
Mr Speaker, I thank you.
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Thank you very much.
Yes, Hon Member?
Dr A. A. Osei 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minority Leader made a very
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon Chairman, if you could make that reconciliation for us?
Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the amount there is a typographical error.
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Which amount? We are talking about two amounts and you are saying the amount is a typographical error.
Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the savings made is €4,377,000. So I am correcting the figure for page 2. The correct amount is €4,377,000.
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Thank you very much. €4,377,000 holds as against
€4,000,000.
Any concluding remarks from the Majority?
Very well, I would put the Question.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Item listed 10 -- Resolution.
Mr Moses Anim 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, by your leave, we ask Hon Darko- Mensah to move for the adoption of
the Resolution on behalf of the Hon Minister.
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
There is no objection, apparently, so you can go away with that.
RESOLUTION 12:25 p.m.
Minister for Aviation) 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move
WHEREAS by the provisions of article 181(5) of the Constitution the terms and conditions of any international business or economic transac- tion 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 provisions of the said article 181(5) of the Constitution, and at the request of the Government of Ghana acting through the Minister responsible for Aviation, there
has been laid before Parliament the terms and conditions of an EPC/Turnkey Contract Agree- ment between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Aviation) and Contracta Construction UK Limited for a sum of fifty-eight million, nine hundred thousand euros (€58,900,000.00) for the execution of the Development of Kumasi Airport (Phase III).
THIS HONOURABLE HOUSE 12:25 p.m.
HEREBY RESOLVES AS 12:25 p.m.
Mr Kwame Govers Agbodza 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Anything in particular at this stage? Otherwise, we would take a break and come back, Hon Deputy Majority Leader?
Ms Safo 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we would move for a two hour suspension to enable the Committees carry out their work and present Reports to us. So I move that we suspend proceedings for two hours.
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon Deputy Majority Leader, why do we not come back at 2 o'clock?
Yes, Hon Minority Chief Whip?
Alhaji Muntaka 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we would be grateful to resume at 2.30 p.m. because we have a short meeting at 2.00 p.m..
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Very well. Hon Minority Chief Whip, what do you suggest?
Alhaji Muntaka 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I suggested that we resume at 2.30 p.m. instead of 2.00 p.m.
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Very well. Thank you very much. We would suspend Sitting till the hour of 2.30 p.m. prompt.
Hon Member, get ready to have the bell at about 2.15p.m., and at 2.30 p.m. we are on Business.
12.35 p.m. -- Sitting suspended
3.27 p.m. -- Sitting Resumed.
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Yes, Hon Deputy Majority Leader?
Ms Safo 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we could take the item numbered 13, which is a procedural Motion. After that we would take the items numbered 14 and 17, which are both Motions contained in one Report.
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Very well.
Hon Members, we would take item numbered 13 -- Motion, by the Hon Chairman of the Committee. It is a procedural Motion.
Mr Kwabena Amankwa Asiamah 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am rather the Vice Chairman.
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon Member, proceed.
Chairman of the Committee) 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, That notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 80(1) which require that no Motion shall be debated until at least forty-eight hours have elapsed between the date on which notice of the Motion is given and the date on which the Motion is moved, the Motion for the adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee on the Facility Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Finance) and Deutsche Bank AG,
London Branch (as Agent, Arranger, Structuring Bank and Original Lender) for an amount of forty-six million, two hundred and forty-two thousand, seven hundred and seventy-four euros and Fifty-seven cents (€46,242,774.57) [including the UK Export Finance support fee] relating to the financing of phase 3 of the Kumasi Airport Redevelopment Project may be moved today.
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Yes, who seconds the Motion?
Mr Alex Adomako-Mensah 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Hon Vice Chair- man, you would have to move Motions 14 and 17. Is that correct?
Mr Adomako-Mensah 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we do not have the Report?
MOTIONS 12:25 p.m.
Chairman of the Committee) 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report
of the Finance Committee on the Facility Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Finance) and Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch (as Agent, Arranger, Structuring Bank and Original Lender) for an amount of forty-six million, two hundred and forty-two thousand, seven hundred and seventy-four euros and fifty-seven cents (€46,242,774.57) [including the UK Export Finance support fee] relating to the financing of phase 3 of the Kumasi Airport Redevelopment Project, and that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee on the Facility Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Finance) and Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch (as Agent, Arranger, Structuring Bank and Original Lender) for an amount of eighteen million, nine hundred thousand euros (€18,900,- 000.00) relating to the financing of phase 3 of the Kumasi Airport Redevelopment Project.
Mr Speaker, in doing so, I would present your Committee's Report.
Introduction
The
i.Facility Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (repre-sented by the Ministry of Finance) and Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch (as Agent, Arranger,
Structuring Bank and Original Lender) for an amount of forty-six million, two hundred and forty-two thousand, seven hundred and seventy four euros and fifty-seven cents (€46,242,774.57) [including the UK Export Finance support fee] relating to the financing of phase 3 of the Kumasi Airport Rede- velop-ment Project; and
ii. Facility Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represen- ted by the Ministry of Finance) and Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch (as Agent, Arranger, Structuring Bank and Original Lender) for an amount of eighteen pillion, nine hundred thousand euros (€18,900,000.00) relating to the financing for phase 3 of the Kumasi Airport Redevelopment Project were presented to the House on Tuesday, 9th April, 2019 by the Hon Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah, on behalf of the Minister responsible for Finance.
Pursuant to article 103 of the 1992 Constitution and Orders 169 and 171 of the Standing Orders of the House, the Agreements were referred to the Committee on Finance for considera- tion and report.
Chairman of the Committee) 12:25 p.m.
SPACE FOR TABLE -- PAGE 5, 3.27 PM
Project Description and Scope
The scope of Third Phase of the Project is as follows:
a. Terminal and Landside
Terminal Building Extension (2,522m2);
New Fire Station;
New Fire Access Road;
New Air Control Tower
(ACT);
Car Park Extension (9,000m2);
Access Road Extension (4,200m2);
2 New Boarding Bridges;
b.Works on Airside; Apron Extension (7,731 m2);

Runway Strip (202,805m2);

Airside Service Road.

Observations

Need to Combine Phases 2 and 3

The Committee was informed that there is the critical need to undertake phases II and III together in order to realise cost and time saving. It is estimated that a total amount of €4,000,000.00 will be made in cost savings if the two phases are combined.

In addition, combining the two phases will ensure that interruptions to operations and lags in the delivery schedule are minimised. Thus combining the two phases will enable the Project to be fast- tracked and at the same time meet the agreed programme of work for the project.

International Status

The Committee observed that under the phase III of the project, a new Air Control Tower would be constructed. Additionally, an aerodrome 4D, an important component of the Project will be provided to ensure that the Kumasi Airport properly meets the classification of an international airport.

Expected Benefits of the Project

The Committee observed that the Kumasi International Airport's master plan has been translated into an overall vision and a strategy for short to
AND 12:25 p.m.
Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Vice Chairman.
Hon Members, who seconds the Motions?
Mr Adomako-Mensah (NDC - - Sekyere Afram Plains) 3:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion and in doing so, I would like to make a few remarks.
Mr Speaker, this expansion and upgrade would give Kumasi the much needed grounds to reinforce the position of an important commercial centre in Ghana and in West Africa. Mr Speaker, the Project's objective is to position Kumasi, which is the
largest commercial centre in the central belt of Ghana.
The scope of the phase 2 started in 2018, and it is only 17 per cent done. Mr Speaker, the total scope of the work is divided into three broad groups - airsides, landsides and terminal. The observation is that the work of phase 2 is already in progress. The merger of phases 2 and 3 would be cost-saving and allow- for the progress of work with considerably less disruptions to ongoing construc- tion work.
Mr Speaker, the current scope of works of phase 2 does not achieve a full code Four Dimension (4D) certification of international airport. In order to achieve the standard required within the timelines, a new air control tower needs to be constructed.
Mr Speaker, the Ghana Airport Company currently faces some financial constraints, due to the servicing of the commercial loan contracted to finance Terminal 3, the Ho project and others.

Mr Speaker, if the Government has raised funds for the development of the Kumasi Airport, then there is no need to on-lend to the GACL. Al- ready, the company is overburdened. So if the Government wants to borrow, it should and then do the project as a commercial intervention so that it would support the city of Kumasi rather than on-lend to them to compound their burden.

Mr Speaker, the current boun- daries of the Kumasi Airport prevents any further extension unless the elevated cost is considered. The extension of the runway would imply extensive cost on relocation of homes and businesses. If we are to do it, then we would have to think about it because moving it to the new site would bring another cost, so we have to weigh the two.

Mr Speaker, with these few words, I second the Motion.

Question proposed.
Mr Anthony Effah (NPP -- Asikuma/Odoben/Brakwa) 3:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to support the Motion for the approval of the facility for the expansion of the Kumasi Airport project. The whole objective is to bring it to a standard where the Kumasi Airport becomes interna- tional.
Mr Speaker, this request before us is based on a premise that should the ongoing phase 2 project be completed before we initiate Phase 3, it would cost us a lot more money because even the terminal requires some expansion. So the request before us is to allow the contractor to assume responsibility for phase 3, where there would not be any demolishing of phase 2 should it be completed. Concurrently, phases 2 and 3 would run.
Mr Speaker, the argument that has been advanced is that because it takes
a long time to complete these projects, once Phases 2 and 3 run concurrently, time would be saved. The project consultants have also indicated that doing Phases 2 and 3 at the same time would lead to a savings of about €400 million of the contract sum. That is reason enough for the expansion.
We realised that the entire funding is sponsored by the Deutsche Bank and the UKEF. What that means is that, there is no initial injection of capital by the Government of Ghana during this stage, but it also comes with a cost. The guarantee amount of about €6 million that would be provided by UKEF comes at a cost of 15.6 per cent premium because the Deutsche Bank is now required to also finance even that portion of the guarantee amount on behalf of the Government, which makes it a 100 per cent financing.
Mr Speaker, the argument has also been advanced that should phases 2 and 3 be completed, we would have an aerodrome that would meet international standards, and we would also have the communication equipment all installed.
Without phase 3, completing phase 2 may not necessarily make the Kumasi Airport international. So there is a requirement that should we agree to do phases 2 and 3 at the same time, then after completion in November, 2020, which is the projection execution date, the facility in Kumasi would now be ready to receive aircrafts from far and near as an international airport.
Mr Speaker 3:37 p.m.
It would be good to have a few contributions before the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs come and close us.
Mr Kwame Govers Agbodza (NDC -- Adaklu) 3:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to support the Motion for the approval of this Agreement.
Mr Speaker, your Committee on Roads and Transport presented the Report on the Commercial Agree- ment, but it appears 70 per cent of this Report is still about it. I believe the Finance Committee could be helpful to us by concentrating on the financing and its impact on the project instead of repeating the same things.
I heard an Hon Member say that GACL would not be able to do on- lending on this project because they are saddled with debt. When the Hon Minister for Aviation was here when we considered the Ghana Civil Aviation Bill, he assured us that the inflows to GACL and others are good enough to repay the loan for Terminal 3. I am not sure why we say that it is saddled with debt, so it cannot do an on-lending on this project?
Significantly, I expected the Finance Committee to touch on something very important. We were told that they did a value for money audit on this project. This is the Report of the Finance Committee, and it should be expressly put here because that gives the country comfort that a value for money audit has been done. Though it is not here, we know the audit has been done, but we expected that it would be part of this Report.
Mr Speaker, to conclude, we also believe that the revenues to GACL have been growing. We are told that, passenger numbers have grown both domestic and international. So the Finance Committee should, in the future when these things happen, give us a projection based on what we know as data from Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) — whether we would be able to repay this.
Mr Speaker, the absence of these things just appear as if the Report of the Roads and Transport Committee
has been repeated and that may not be helpful to us.
With these few words, I believe this is a very good loan facility that must be approved for the completion of the work.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
3. 47 p. m.
Mr Speaker 3:37 p.m.
Thank you very much.
Hon Afenyo-Markin?
Mr Alexander K. Afenyo- Markin (NPP -- Efuttu) 3:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to add my voice to the debate.
This morning we dealt with the Commercial Agreement and at the risk of being repetitive, let me reiterate the issue of the value for money as addressed by my good Hon Friend and Colleague, Mr Kwame Agbodza, that he commended the Committee for a good work done. -- [Interrup- tion.] He commended the Ministry for ensuring value for money.
I made the point that yesterday, we looked forward for value for money when it was about rehabilita- tion; fixing of aeronautical lights and asphalting the runway, which cost us GH¢29 million but a value for money audit never happened. I am happy that today, the value for money audit has been done, and he is happy about it.

Mr Agbodza — rose —
Mr Afenyo-Markin 3:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in comparative terms -- Interrup- tion.]
Mr Afenyo-Markin 3:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would yield if he has anything of value.
Mr Speaker 3:37 p.m.
Order!
Hon Member?
Mr Agbodza 3:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, ordinarily, I would have allowed him to go on.
The first phase of the Kumasi International Airport figures are a matter of record in this country; it was not GH¢29 million, and the scope of works exists. I do not have a problem with my Hon Colleague using it as a basis of his argument.
Also, the issue about the value for money audit he talked about is not entirely so. I just want him to be guided with the figures because he is putting record into the Hansard. He mentioned GH¢29 million and others, but it is factually incorrect.
Mr Afenyo-Markin 3:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Member cannot vary truth; he cannot change his position just because his Hon Leader has eyed him. Mr Speaker, he cannot. This morning—
Mr Speaker 3:37 p.m.
What does it mean for somebody to ‘eye' another? -- [Laughter.]
Mr Afenyo-Markin 3:37 p.m.
Very well, Mr Speaker.
For somebody to “eye” another, one, it could mean that “eeeeei, you are allowing the Government to expose us?”. It could also mean that, “why are you telling the truth?”. Mr Speaker, it could mean so many things.
Mr Speaker, but the Hansard has captured Hon Kwame Agbodza for his sincerity. He should not bring unnecessary dent on his reputation. This morning, he was sincere; and the Hansard has captured him; he is on record as having commended the Ministry and the Committee on the issue of value for money. He even made reference to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital where he himself, in his own Government, raised issues and there was a savings of US$6 million.
Mr Speaker, the risk of being repetitive, I would reiterate my earlier point this morning to the effect that if a value for money audit had been done some three or four years ago in the rehabilitation phase 1 where aeronautical lights were fixed and further improvements as well as the re-asphalting on the runway, this time, new structures are being built. So if it had been done yesterday, we would have been better off. We are better off today and he, on record, commended the Ministry and the Government. God bless him for his sincerity.
Mr Speaker, to add, on —
Mr Speaker 3:37 p.m.
After the “eyeing”? -- [Laughter.]
rose
Mr Afenyo-Markin 3:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Deputy Minority Leader is on his feet. He may want to give some more information; I would yield to him.
Mr Speaker 3:37 p.m.
Hon Deputy Minority Leader?
Mr Avedzi 3:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Member says that— if the Hon Member could listen to my point; could Hon Afenyo-Markin listen to me?
Mr Speaker, when you said, “after the eyeing”, the Hon Member also looked at you with the angle of his eye. -- [Laughter.] I would want to find out from him if that was the “eyeing” he referred to.
Mr Speaker 3:37 p.m.
Hon Deputy Minority Leader, do you mean that the Hon Member ‘eyed' me? -- [Laughter.]
Hon Afenyo-Markin, please proceed.
Mr Afenyo-Markin 3:37 p.m.
So Mr Speaker, if we look at this facility, having regard to my previous experience on the Finance Committee some four or five years ago, it is clear that this financing arrangement is cheaper.
Mr Speaker 3:37 p.m.
Compared with?
Mr Afenyo-Markin 3:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, if you look at Kar Power for instance -- [Uproar.]
Mr Speaker 3:37 p.m.
Order!
Hon Member, you have no basis for that comparison.
Mr Afenyo-Markin 3:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, they do not want me to flow; intimidating me?
Mr Speaker 3:37 p.m.
Order, order!
Mr Avedzi 3:37 p.m.
On a point of order. Mr Speaker, the Hon Member made a point, that looking at the terms of this Agreement, the financing is cheaper. That is not true.
Mr Speaker, when we have a loan Agreement that has a tenure of twelve years and a grace period of two years, a six month libor plus 1.4 per cent per annum, a commitment fee of 0.75 per cent per annum; arrangement fee of one per cent and a striking fee of 0.5 per cent. What is the grant element? The Committee even failed to tell us the grant element of this facility; whether it is concessionary or commercial.
Mr Speaker, the second one — the tenor of five years; a grace period of one year; and six months libor plus 4.90 per cent per annum. This cannot be a cheaper facility. This is a Commercial Agreement, it is not a Concessionary Agreement. There- fore he should not say that it is cheaper. He should rather describe it very well.
Mr Speaker 3:37 p.m.
Hon Dr Osei, do you rise on a point of order?
Dr A. A. Osei 3:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the document we have says, “six months EURIBOR”; it did not say six months LIBOR. The former Chairman of the Finance Committee cannot differen- tiate between EURIBOR and LIBOR. I am very surprised. It is EURIBOR and not LIBOR; the two are different.
Mr Avedzi 3:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, he has even worsened the case because LIBOR is even cheaper than EURIBOR. So EURIBOR makes it more expensive.
Dr A. A. Osei 3:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, EURIBOR is negative now as we speak; how could it be more expensive than LIBOR? He needs to stay up to task. Mr Speaker, I think we should bring him back on the Finance Committee, so he continues learning. He is seriously losing his touch. EURIBOR is negative as we speak; LIBOR is positive.
Mr Speaker 3:37 p.m.
Hon Afenyo- Markin.
Mr Afenyo-Markin 3:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I was comparing with the previous transaction; the Phase I facility was more expensive than this one. A similar facility that was procured in 2015—
Mr Speaker 3:37 p.m.
Hon Member, just make sure you do not compare apples with oranges.
When you speak of the previous transaction, I appreciate it, but please leave it to that. Otherwise, we shall go on a transaction spree.
Mr Afenyo-Markin 3:57 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for your guidance and I take a cue. The point I would want to make is that we have had a situation where for a very good project on the Kasoa Interchange, we had to pay for insurance and at the same time make 20 per cent of the loan amount in the collection account, which cost so much.
When I look at this well-negotiated transaction, Ghana stands to gain and benefit. I, therefore, add my voice to the general position of the House that this Financing Agreement be approved. This is because it is a matter of cost; we have approved the Commercial Agreement, and moving to this level would make it a complete package. I, therefore, invite my Hon Colleagues to support this Motion, so that we make progress.
Mr Richard Acheampong (NDC -- Bia East) 3:57 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to support your Committee's Report.
Mr Speaker, before I move to my substantive contribution, the issue of the value-for-money audit report keeps coming to this Floor, but we do not see an end to it. So, I just want to invite you, since we are masters of our own rules -- As a House, the Executive cannot dictate to us, so let us take a position on this matter
because there are some contracts and projects that we would find the value- for-money audit report attached, like my Hon good Friend stated.
In the other reports, we would not find it. Like the Sinohydro Project, the Committee made a recommendation in the Report and requested for it. They were sure that before they executed the contract, they would provide a value-for-money audit --
Mr Speaker 3:57 a.m.
Hon Member, you would remember that I said that we should not start making comparisons; otherwise, we would not end there. That is why Hon Afenyo-Markin was advised accordingly. Please, be so advised.
Mr Richard Acheampong 3:57 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am guided but --
Mr Speaker 3:57 a.m.
No buts.
Mr Richard Acheampong 3:57 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am guided.
Moving forward, I thank God that the Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice is with us. Let us take a common position as a Committee. If there is the need, we are to first get the report attached to any Agreement that we would debate on this Floor, so we would settle this matter once and for all. This is because almost every day, we are revisiting the same issue.
Mr Speaker, turning to page 6 of your Committee's Report, under
“On-Lending Arrangement” --
Dr A. A. Osei 3:57 a.m.
Mr Speaker, my good Hon Friend is a senior Hon Member of the House and a legislator. We go by laws and not by our wishes. The law on procurement is very clear about value-for-money audit. It is not up to this Committee to change the law, but up to the Executive to bring it. So we may recommend, but he should not say that the Committee should decide because we cannot decide. There is a law on value-for- money audit on sole-sourcing, and that is what we should work with. If the Executive brings a new law, we would go along with it.
Mr Richard Acheampong 3:57 a.m.
Mr Speaker, my good Hon Friend has opened the floodgates. Many of our contracts, about 80 per cent, are sole- sourced and it is in the law. So, I am just giving information that if this would be the case, let us do the proper thing so we do not waste our time debating on the value-for-money audit report; that is my point.
When my good Hon Friend used to sit on this Side, he demanded this document in this Chamber. He was a good Hon Friend of mine and we sat on the same Committee. Now, the positions have changed and he wants to change his tyre.
Mr Speaker, moving forward, I would want to refer the House to page 6 of the Committee's Report. Uunder On-Lending, the matter is not conclusive --
Mr Richard Acheampong 3:57 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I just started.
The Report did not conclude on the matter because one expects Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) to borrow on their own balance sheet. Here is the case we would on-lend the facility to Ghana Airports Company Limited, but it is not clear in the Report. [Interruption.] I raised this issue at the Committee level.
Mr Speaker, let us be clear in our minds that we would on-lend this facility to the GACL at the back of their own balance sheet. At the end of the day, after this Agreement is passed, they would not come back to this House for us to know what would transpire. Either they would open the escrow account for which they would deposit the revenue into that account for the repayment of the facility --
We are talking about Phase 3 of the project. We were told at the Committee level that they have done only 17 per cent of Phase 2. In June, 2018, the President visited Kumasi to cut sod for the commencement of work for Phase 2. He gave them 24 months to complete the Phase 2 project. As I speak, from June last year to today, April, 2019, they have done 17 per cent. The question is, what is the justification for calling for Phase 3? At that programme, the
President mentioned that Phase 2 would make --
Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye 4:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, this issue came up at the Committee level that only 17 per cent of the project had been done so far. The Ministry of Aviation and the GACL made us understand that most of the structures are prefabricated metal scratches, so the 17 per cent is concrete works. The pre-fabricated structures are being built, which is about 80 per cent complete. So, they would put these prefabricated structures on the civil work. To say only 17 per cent work has been done is not enough.
An explanation was given as to why only 17 per cent had been done, and it was on the civil works and not the prefabricated metal works.
Mr Richard Acheampong 4:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, they provided an explana- tion, but the bottom line is that they have done 17 per cent. It does not change the percentage; 17 per cent has been done.
We are told that they are expanding the runway from 1,981 to 2,310, which is a positive sign for bigger aircraft to land in Kumasi. This would enable people travelling to the middle belt and northern sector fly straight to Kumasi, not necessarily using the airport in Accra where sometimes the traffic, passenger throughput and congestion are so high.
I think that we need to support the Committee's work. These are the issues we need to follow-up on and make sure that the right things are done. If we had the value- for -money
audit report, we would not waste our time discussing all these matters. [Interruption.] It is not attached to the Report, so why is my good Hon Friend so jittery.
Mr Speaker, on this note, I call on Hon Members to support the Committee's Report, but we need to raise the critical matters. This is because it is the taxpayer's money we would use to defray the debt, so we cannot just sit down and say “Hear, Hear” and approve it.
Mr Speaker 4:07 p.m.
Hon Member, withdraw that one because this House does not operate like that.
Mr Richard Acheampong 4:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I withdraw.
Mr Speaker 4:07 p.m.
Yes, any further contributions while we await the supplementary paper on the Vigilantism and Related Offences Bill,
2019?
Mr Afenyo-Markin 4:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, with your leave, I want your guidance on an important matter. I know we have closed the debate —
Mr Speaker 4:07 p.m.
We have not at all.
Mr Afenyo-Markin 4:07 p.m.
Very well.
Mr Speaker, my respected Hon Colleague raised an important issue regarding the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice giving legal opinion to Committees, and that he thinks that
if the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice is able to support, they can do a better work and there would be some consistency.
Mr Speaker, my view is, and unless your superior knowledge overrides the understanding I have, but per Standing Order 201, all Committees have the power to request from the Attorney- General and Minister for Justice, a counsel to assist. So, for an Hon Member of the Committee to come — When we were examining a witness -- when a Minister comes to the Committee to give information and all that and we need legal advice, the rules provide for that. And so he should not come again and argue that the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice has not been coming. It is not for her to come.
Mr Speaker 4:07 p.m.
Let it not be suggested that anyone is saying that the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice does not come, and if I understand the Hon Member correctly, what he is saying is not at variance with your position, actually. Because in effect, he is saying that we must apply that which is already provided for as part and parcel of our practice regularly to benefit from the very essence for which this provision was made. And so there is no difficulty. You are singing from the same hymn sheet in effect. We are waiting for a supplementary paper.
Mr Benjamin K. Kpodo (NDC — Ho Central) 4:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I also rise to support the Motion to approve the loans for the completion of Phase 3 of the Kumasi Airport which is
Mr Benjamin K. Kpodo (NDC — Ho Central) 4:07 p.m.


meant to be converted fully into an international aerodrome.

Mr Speaker, at the Committee, we held discussions regarding the scope of work that would be done at the Kumasi Airport. When we juxtapose anticipated passenger throughput to that airport, it cannot be concluded that it would be profitable in the near future. So, we agreed on what my Hon Colleague was saying, that it is like a social intervention project and that Kumasi Airport cannot pay the loan. Indeed, as we stand here, Kumasi Airport does not make enough money to support its operations. It is not only Kumasi; same with Tamale and Sunyani. They are running —
Dr A. A. Osei 4:07 p.m.
On a point of order.
Mr Speaker, it is important that we do not distort what happens at the Committee. The Hon Member says the Committee agreed that they would not make enough money. The Committee never came to such agreement. It is his opinion and he should say so. But to come on the floor of the House to say, the Committee agreed to that, he is misleading this House. And as a senior Hon Member, he should not go that way. I think he should withdraw that statement.
Mr Speaker 4:07 p.m.
Hon Member, let us expunge that from the records.
Mr Kpodo 4:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the last sentence on page 6 says, and I beg to read:
“The Committee is however of the view that the funds should not be on-lent to the company…”
That is what the report says, and it is a result of the discussions that we held.
Mr Speaker 4:07 p.m.
Hon Member, let us go strictly by the Report.
But you are of a certain view that the airport does not make profit, is that not so? Are you of that view?
Mr Kpodo 4:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yes.
Mr Speaker 4:07 p.m.
And for that matter, what?
You do not support the project because it does not make profit or what? Come to a conclusion from that point.
Mr Kpodo 4:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am making reference to the Report and deliberations of the Committee to reiterate a point that as at now, Kumasi Airport cannot pay for its operational cost, and therefore, those other regional airports depend on what happens at Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to fund their activities, and that is the truth.
Mr Speaker 4:07 p.m.
And for that matter?
Mr Kpodo 4:07 p.m.
And for that matter, I support the position that the loan should not be on-lent to the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL).
Mr Speaker, there are other reasons.
Dr A. A. Osei 4:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Member should read the Report so everybody understands. And with your permission, I would want to read page 7 of the Report:
“The Committee is however of the view that the funds should not be on-lent to the company but must be taken on directly by the Government of Ghana since the operations of the Kumasi Airport may not make sufficient income in the short to medium term to repay for the facility.”
Mr Speaker, the Committee did not say, “cannot”, the Committee said “may not” and he is insisting that that is the agreement we came to. We should please go by the records. He should please read the whole sentence and not just pick and choose what he wants.
Mr Speaker 4:07 p.m.
Hon Member, please proceed and conclude.
Mr Kpodo 4:07 p.m.
If you go to write West African Examination Council (WAEC) exam and they say, “you may answer the following questions”, if you like, do not answer them. — [Laughter.]
Mr Speaker, there is another issue which cropped up. We talked with the
Managing Director (MD) and he even complained about the airport service charge of domestic flights. It is only GH¢5, and it does not bring in the needed income to be able to maintain the airport. I think these are some of the issues which should attract our attention so that the domestic route can become profitable.
Mr Speaker, if we do not do that, all these loans that we are taking would be borne by the taxpayer as it has earlier been alluded to. So, in managing our airports, we should do a whole re-engineering, so that we can make these things profitable and then allow the GACL to borrow on its own balance sheet.
Mr Speaker, the GACL is also saddled with major income cuts in Accra; apart from us approving a capping law, which affects the revenue of the GACL, we have also taken another 7.5 per cent of it and these are things we have agreed here, and this is what is causing the problem for the GACL. I think a detailed review of all of this would enable the company to get off government budget and be on its own.
Mr Speaker, with these few words, I call on Hon Colleagues to approve the Report so that the amount can be made available to the
GACL.
Mr Speaker 4:07 p.m.
Hon Minority Leader, you may make a few concluding remarks.
Minority Leader (Mr Haruna Iddrisu) 4:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity. I am more for us adopting the Committee's Report for the Redevelopment of Kumasi International Airport.
Mr Speaker, Kumasi is the second largest city of our country; a business enterprising region of our country. The development of the airport infrastructure holds the key to the future development of that area not just in respect of taking advantage of the Sahelian travel, but also expanding our airport infrastructure facility.
Mr Speaker, in contributing to this, may I again respectively refer you to paragraph 6 of your Committee's Report; in particular, the “Need to Combine Phases 2 and 3”. Again, an amount of €4,000,000.00 is being quoted. A while ago, I demanded that the amount is to be €4,337,000.00. If they are making savings, they should let us know how much savings we are making. It cannot be €4,000,000.00 in one page and €4,337,000.00 in another page. So, the Hon Chairman of the Committee should take note of that and rectify accordingly.
Mr Speaker, my second comment is on language; we would want a 4D Aerodrome to facilitate that it truly becomes an international airport which is in the international status of it. As it was reported, as far back as 2012, former President Mahama had then cut the sod for the Phase 1 of the Kumasi International Airport.
When President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo gave the contractors 24 months to complete the Project after his inaugural speech on 18th May, 2018 we need to know the progress of work, so that we can track it.
Mr Speaker, if you say Phases 2 and 3 if done concurrently -- I heard the Hon Regional Minister at the time, the Hon Simon Osei make a case that if Phase 3 was not added and even Phase 2 was completed, the Airport would not be functional. So, we are doing what is prudent and what is appropriate to get the upgrade of Kumasi International Airport.
Mr Speaker, while I support it, again I think it is important that the Committee apart from rectifying the figures, we see on page 5 -- “Expected Benefits of the Project”. My key point is, what were they expected to do under Phase 2? If they are giving us indication of Phase 3 making a saving, they must juxtapose what we expect in Phase 3 against Phase 2 for us to monitor. As a Parliament, our work is oversight and so we need to understand what is involved in it.
Mr Speaker, for those who are missing -- as you advised them, Rt. Hon Speaker, in the Phase 1, there was what we called Asphalt Reinforcement Grid (ARG) and there was a requirement for a thick marshal quotient asphalt on the ARG and that is what made it expensive. So, those of us who would want to understand aeronautics, it is important that we know that there are two phases of the
asphalts that are done. There is what we call the Asphalt Reinforcement Grid and in Kumasi, apart from the lighting system there was a thick marshal quotient asphalt which was built on the ARG and that therefore accounted for the cost.
Mr Speaker, it was also expected that the expansion of the runway from 1,981 metres to 2,300 metres would give it the opportunity to receive bigger and larger aircraft. We would need to know this so that if we go to Phase 3, what do we expect as additional to the number of metres that are to be constructed, so that in terms of oversight, our Committee can hold them to it. If you have 1,981 metres of runway and you are required to expand to 2,300 metres, what would be the addition in metres in the Phase
3?
Mr Speaker, Kumasi deserves more than that. My view, having come from the Ministry of Trade and Industry is that Ghana needs to take export seriously. All the fruits that are manufactured in the Ashanti Region -- we should be thinking ahead, in the next ten to fifteen years, how do we export banana, orange and other things to other parts of the world, particularly Europe. It would take for instance six hours instead of seven hours to get a flight to leave Kumasi International Airport for any part of Europe.
Mr Speaker, so, I support the financing for the Phase 3 of the Kumasi Airport Redevelopment Project. But I believe that we should
monitor in detail what is expected of the contractor in respect of Phase 2 and what is expected of the contractor in respect of Phase 3 in order that there can value-for-money.
Mr Speaker, when the President gave the admonition of 24 months, it does not appear that the contractor is working in a manner which is satisfactory. So, maybe, our Committee should further -- there is this debate of about 17 per cent of work done. What is the percentage of work since the President cut the sod; we need to know and this House deserves to know.
Mr Speaker, with these words, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker 4:07 p.m.
Hon Members, does the Majority Side intend to say anything more, otherwise I would put the Question.
Ms Sarah Adwoa Safo (NPP -- Dome / Kwabenya) 4:07 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to support the Motion that is being debated on the Floor.
Mr Speaker, as earlier Hon Members who contributed have all enumerated, I believe that it is a step in the right direction that Phases 2 and 3 of Kumasi International Airport would see the light of day. So that the Airport would be uplifted and help promote agriculture, tourism and the entire business activity in the middle belt.
Mr Speaker, with your permission, I would like to read article 35 (7) of the Constitution. It reads:
Ms Sarah Adwoa Safo (NPP -- Dome / Kwabenya) 4:27 p.m.
“As far as practicable, a government shall continue and execute projects and pro- grammes commenced by the previous Governments.”
Mr Speaker, if you turn to page 2 of the Report, paragraph numbered 3.0 which is the “Background”, we are being told that it was on the 10th of December, 2012 that the former President, H. E. John Dramani Mahama gave approval for the commencement of the Kumasi International Airport Redevelopment Project.
Subsequently, on the 10th of November, 2017, Cabinet of the NPP Administration further endorsed and also approved the redevelopment of the Kumasi International Airport Phase 2. I believe that this is to uphold the very tenets, spirit and wording of our Constitution and Ghanaians especially people in the Ashanti Region and in the middle belt area of this country would be very much appreciative of the continuing project that has been taken up by H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Mr Speaker, we are being told that for purposes of cost efficiency and savings of time and money, Phase 2 and Phase 3 would be combined, so that it would be faster and the contractors would be able to execute the construction within the time schedule that is being given.
Mr Speaker, we are all very much aware that contract delays and
contractors not being on schedule could actually cost this nation an extra money which would have otherwise been used for other developmental projects. So we applaud the Government and we applaud the Hon Minister for giving that initiative which is to combine the two Phases of the construction process.
Mr Speaker, in the Report, we have been told that this Project would benefit inhabitants of Kumasi and the middle belt of this country. We know of the agricultural and economic activities that go on within and around that area.

So if we have an international airport for the purposes of export of these products of the 1D1F initiative of adding value to our raw materials, there would be access to flight to transport these goods for foreign exchange to be earned by this country.

Mr Speaker, so I believe that this project is long overdue. It is about time that at least, all of our regional capitals had international airports that are open to the market out there such that they do not have to travel to the Kotoka International Airport in the Greater Accra Region to board a flight to wherever they want to undertake any business.

So without much to say, I commend the Government and urge all Hon Members of the House to support this initiative.

However, before I end, I believe that the Hon Vice Chairman of the Committee on page 4 of the Report,

the figure ought to be corrected and the Hon Minority Leader has drawn our attention to it. The figure there should be €4,377,000.00 and not

€4,000,000.00.

Mr Speaker, so I believe that once this amendment is made, I urge this Honourable House to adopt and support this Motion. It shows that the expected initiative industrialisation and the rapid socioeconomic development in the Kumasi and the middle belt area would be realised. I know that a lot of other international airports will supplement the openness of our country to other countries who want to come in and or our citizens to travel abroad.

I know that the Tamale Interna- tional Airport is also underway and we hope that at least, each regional capital would have the frequency -- and the international image and standard of an airport to be able to raise the expectations, and to urge on businessmen who travel in and out of this country to undertake business that goes to the economic growth and development of our country.

Mr Speaker, I support the Motion accordingly.

Thank you.
Mr Speaker 4:27 p.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Deputy Majority Leader. The correction is hereby effected from €4,000,000.00 to €4,377,000.00
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Dr A. A. Osei 4:27 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we have debated on two Motions and not one.
Mr Speaker 4:27 p.m.
Yes, Motions 14 and 17.
Thank you very much.
Now, we will move Motions 15 and 18 which are Resolutions for both.
Ms Safo 4:27 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I seek your permission for the Hon Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon Kwaku Kwarteng to take the Resolution.
RESOLUTIONS 4:27 p.m.
THIS HONOURABLE HOUSE 4:27 p.m.
HEREBY RESOLVES AS 4:27 p.m.
Mr Kwabena Amankwah Asiamah 4:27 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr Speaker 4:27 p.m.
Hon Members, we will move to the Order Paper Addendum -- Presentation of Papers
by the Hon Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parlia-mentary Affairs.
PAPERS 4:27 p.m.
Mr Speaker 4:27 p.m.
Item numbered 2 -- Motion
MOTIONS 4:27 p.m.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Banda) 4:27 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 80 (1) which require that no Motion shall be debated until at least forty-eight hours have elapsed between the date on which notice of the Motion is given and the date on which the Motion is moved, the Motion for the adoption of the Report of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamen- tary Affairs on the urgency or otherwise of the Vigilantism and Related Offences Bill, 2019, may be moved today.
Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 4:27 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr Speaker 4:27 p.m.
Motion numbered 3 by the Hon Chairman of the Committee.
MOTIONS 4:27 p.m.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Banda) 4:27 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs on the Urgency or Otherwise of the Vigilantism and Related Offences Bill, 2019.
Introduction
The Vigilantism and Related Offences Bill, 2019, was laid in Parliament by the Hon Attorney- General and Minister for Justice, Ms Gloria Afua Akuffo under a certificate of urgency on Thursday, 11th April, 2019, in accordance with article 106 of the 1992 Constitution.
The Bill was referred to the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs by the Rt. Hon Mr Speaker for consideration and report pursuant to article 106(4) of the Constitution and Order 179 of the Standing Orders of Parliament.
Mr Speaker further directed the Committee to determine the urgency or otherwise of the Bill pursuant to
Article 106 (13) of the Constitution and Order 119 of the Standing Orders of the mouse.
Deliberations
The Committee met with the Hon. Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Ms Gloria Afua Akuffo and the Director of Legislative Drafting Division of the Office of the Attorney- General, Mrs Mavis Amoa, to discuss the urgency or otherwise of the Bill.
The Committee expresses its profound gratitude to the Hon. Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and the above mentioned Official for their attendance and for assisting the Committee in its deliberations.
Reference Documents
The Committee referred to the following documents during its deliberations:
i. The 1992 Constitution of the Republic
ii. The Standing Orders of Parliament
iii. The Vigilantism and Related Offences Bill, 2019
Observations
The Committee made the following observations during its deliberations:
Urgency of the Bill
The Committee has duly con- sidered the urgency or otherwise of the Bill and determines, by unanimous decision, that the Bill is of an urgent nature and may be taken through all the stages in one day in accordance with article 106(13) of the Constitution and Order 119 of the Standing Orders of the House.
The Committee, however, reco- mmends to the House to allow sufficient time to enable the Committee to engage political parties, Civil Society Organisations, security experts and other stakeholders to solicit their views and perspectives towards the enactment of a robust law to combat the menace.
Urgent Treatment of Bills
The Committee notes that the passage of Bills under certificate of urgency in Parliament is governed by article 106 (13) of the 1992 Constitu- tion, and Orders 119 and 124 of the Standing Orders of Parliament.
Accordingly, when a Committee of the House determines that a Bill is of an urgent nature, that Bill need not be gazetted at all before being laid in Parliament for passage. Rather, it is after the laying of that Bill that gazzette publication may be made within twenty-four hours or soon thereafter under Order 124 of the Standing Orders of the House.
Recommendation and Conclusion
The Committee therefore, by a unanimous decision, recommends to the House to adopt this Report and to pass the Vigilantism and Related
Offences Bill, 2019 in accordance with article 106 (13) of the 1992 Constitution.
Respectfully submitted.
Mr Speaker, with your leave, I would like to delete “and to pass the Vigilantism and Related Offences Bill, 2019 in accordance with article 106 (13) of the 1992 Constitution”.
Mr Speaker, I think these group of words are not necessary.
Mr Speaker 4:37 p.m.
They are so deleted.
Yes, Hon Fuseini?
Alhaji Inusah A. B. Fuseini (NDC -- Tamale Central) 4:37 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker, I rise to support the Motion on the Floor of the House and to urge the House to support the Committee's Report.
Mr Speaker, at the Police Headquarters of this Republic, it is written on the walls that ‘vigilantism is a threat to our democracy'. Events subsequent to 31st January, 2019 clearly puts vigilantism beyond acceptability.
Mr Speaker, the subsequent killing of the gentleman in Kumasi should make that act an abominable act. Civil society and organisations have spoken about it. Religious bodies have spoken about it. The President in his
Mr Speaker 4:37 p.m.
Order!
Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 4:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am sorry. The provision is in article 106 (13). Actually, I was referring article 106 (2) (b).
Mr Speaker, so your Committee came to the decision that we should waive the requirement for gazette notification if we are so deciding and treat the Bill as of urgent nature.
But, Mr Speaker, because of the importance of the subject matter, we should allow time for the Committee to consult stakeholders to build a robust regime to deal with political vigilantism. I believe that if we do so, we would have satisfied all the stakeholders in coming to a firm conclusion that we are putting in place a legal regime that would deal conclusively with political vigilantism.
Mr Speaker, I urge Hon Members to support the Report and ensure that we have the opportunity to engage stakeholders and do what is needful in the circumstances
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Question proposed.
Mr Speaker 4:37 p.m.
Hon Members, there is a complete agreement in this House on this matter. I would receive one contribution from each Side, and we would kill this matter.
Hon (Dr) Akoto Osei?
Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation (Dr Anthony A. Osei) 4:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Committee has done an excellent job; the decision is unanimous. We are not here to debate vigilantism as of now. It says, it is of urgent nature. We may consider it. So let us not even debate it, but just approve it and come back to do it.
Let us not go into --
Mr Speaker 4:37 p.m.
Exactly. Nobody is going that pathway.
Dr A. A. Osei 4:37 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I urge Hon Members to just decide not to debate anything and let us approve it.
Mr Speaker 4:37 p.m.
We are just adopting the Report as it is.
I would receive contribution from Hon Ayariga, and the Hon Leaders would speak to this. This is because, we would come back to the whole thing later. For now, we are only saying we should adopt what the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs presented. When we return, then I would adjourn till 29th April, 2019 and to come and proceed with the Report of the Committee after it had been heard by the public.
Let us get that clear.
Yes, Hon Ayariga?
Mr Mahama Ayariga (NDC -- Boligatanga Central) 4:47 p.m.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
As indicated by Colleague Hon Members, there is no need to debate this matter except to elucidate and explain the rationale for the conclusions that the Committee arrived at.
Mr Speaker, the whole idea of the Constitution is that before a Bill is brought to Parliament, it should be gazetted and published. That is a process that provides notice to the public for fourteen days for members of the public to be aware that something like this is before Parliament, and if they have some inputs, they can make it through their Hon Members of Parliament.
It would make it impossible for this very important matter to be brought to this House for the House to be seized with the matter. Therefore, the Committee unanimously thought that we should agree to the labouring of the Bill as an urgent matter, so that we could be seized with the Bill.
Mr Speaker, we would rather appeal to your good self, that even though it is an urgent matter, given the level of public interest, we create room for the public to be engaged by the Committee, so that we could consider it and pass it, not tomorrow, but at a future date.
Mr Speaker, the members of the Committee also accepted this
Mr Speaker 4:47 p.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member.
Any comments by Hon Leaders, otherwise, I believe we have a very elaborate understanding of the process.
Minority Leader (Mr Haruna Iddrisu) 4:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Dagombas say that when one sees a pregnant goat in the market, it means that there is a pregnant problem at home. Therefore, if we are invited as a Parliament to support the Executive to deal with a matter which is of a grave threat to the democracy, of which we are lead practitioners as Parliament, and as Hon Members of Parliament, then we could only endorse it.
Mr Speaker, I would refer to the Committee's Report, paragraph 4.1, the second paragraph, which says, and with your permission I read;
“The Committee however recommends to the House to allow sufficient time to enable the Committee to engage political parties, Civil Society Organisa- tions, security experts and other Stakeholders to solicit their views and perspectives towards the enactment of a robust law to combat the menace.”
Mr Speaker, we should be seen to be engaging more. It should not be a bilateral matter between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP). It should include all political parties in Ghana, including the National Peace Council and other civil societies, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and others.
Mr Speaker, however, I quoted the paragraph because when it says 4:47 p.m.
“The Committee however recommends to the House to allow sufficient time to enable the Committee to engage political parties, Civil Society Organisa- tions, security experts and other Stakeholders to solicit their views and perspectives towards the enactment of a robust law to combat the menace.”
Mr Speaker, it means that it must be a multi-stakeholder affair. We also note the fact that we may be rising. We are prepared, and if it is the wish
of your good self, that we stay and do justice to this, then we would do it; but I may disagree with some people's understanding of article 106.
Mr Speaker, I am however bound by your ruling, as in article 119, and therefore, if we happen to adjourn tomorrow, then we look forward to the Committee to thoroughly engage the Ghanaian public. Peace is priceless and they are legitimately concerned about the state of the country's peace, with this insidious violence in the name of political vigilantism and political youthfulness. We would just need to master courage as a country, and have the will to punish lawlessness in all its forms, not just vigilantism.
Mr Speaker, I thank you.
Mr Speaker 4:47 p.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Minority Leader.
Majority Leadership, any comments?
Ms Adwoa Safo (NPP -- Dome/ Kwabenya) 4:47 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would make very brief comments.
Mr Speaker, I rise to support and to contribute to the Report that has been presented by the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee. By a unanimous decision, they recommend to this House that indeed the Vigilantism Bill that has been laid before this House is of an urgent nature.
Mr Speaker, I believe that by that determination, we have the laxity to come and debate at the Consideration Stage, the details of the Bill. Inasmuch as it is urgent, we need further and broader consultations as has been suggested by the Committee.
Mr Speaker, I therefore believe that the Committee would act expeditiously to engage in this stakeholder consultations, so that as has been pronounced, we could come back and take this Bill.
Mr Speaker, however, before I sit, I would want to state and reiterate the point that was made by H. E. the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the State of the Nation Address on page 28, when he said, and with your permission I quote:
“The time has come to put an end to the phenomenon of politically-related violence.”
Mr Speaker, it goes to say on the second paragraph of page 29 that 4:47 p.m.
“If voluntary disbandment by the parties is not feasible, then I will initiate a legislation on this matter.”
Mr Speaker, this is in fulfilment of what he came to this House and said to the whole nation that he would bring a Vigilantism Bill to deal with the issue of political vigilantism in this country which is a threat to the security of our nation and I believe the President ought to be commended for this bold initiative.
Mr Speaker 4:47 p.m.
This House has agreed that this Bill is of an urgent nature as presented by the learned Hon Attorney-General and that all consultations must be done with dispatch in this connection. All stakeholders, including all political parties, should please in this connection send their views immediately to Parliament for consideration and report by our Committee.
Hon Members, order!
Furthermore, I direct that the Clerks-at-the Table should ensure the Motion in this connection is slated for the date we resume work on 29th April, 2019 for urgent deliberation. On the first day we resume, it must be there for our urgent consideration of this Bill.
Thank you very much.
Hon Deputy Majority Leader, any other matters?
Ms Safo 4:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, at this juncture, we can bring closure to Business for today.
Mr Speaker 4:47 p.m.
Hon Minority Leader, any special something?
Mr Iddrisu 4:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we are in your hands.
Mr Speaker 4:47 p.m.
I do not like to adjourn without giving the Hon Leaders an opportunity to say what perhaps could be pending.
Mr Iddrisu 4:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we can only be guided by your ruling. My strong view is what I expressed in the morning that on this matter, the President should endeavour to publish the white paper on the enquiry on vigilantism.
ADJOURNMENT 4:47 p.m.