Debates of 3 May 2019

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:14 a.m.

Mr Speaker 10:14 a.m.
Hon Members, the Leaders may pay tribute to Professor Nana Kwabena Nketia. We have a Statement, but the owner of the Statement is not here. I therefore will vary the Order Paper; we will do the correction of Votes and Proceedings later. We have some contributions by way of paying tribute to a very distinguished Ghanaian. One Hon Member from each Side and then the Hon Leaders.

Hon Members, we will read Hon Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa's Statement and there will be one contribution from each Side. We will see whether we can pay tribute to Professor Nketia which I will call for immediately after. If there is nothing, we will suspend Sitting.
STATEMENTS 10:14 a.m.

Minority Leader (Mr Haruna Iddrisu) (on behalf of Mr Samuel O. Ablakwa) 10:24 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am enormously grateful to you for this opportunity to render this Statement to commemo- rate the World Press Freedom Day, 2019 which is being celebrated across the world today by all those who believe in the power of a free, pluralistic and independent press as a great force for good, guaranteed under article 162 of the 1992 Constitution.
Mr Speaker, the United Nations General Assembly in 1993 pro- proclaimed World Press Freedom Day to be observed every 3rd May. It is instructive to note that the processes leading to this declaration was spearheaded by African Journalists who in 1991 issued the landmark Windhoek Declaration on media pluralism and independence.
Mr Speaker, back home in Ghana, our credentials are great. Indeed, even today, I say without fear of contradiction that Ghana is ranked higher than the United Kingdom when it comes to World Press Freedom. Even though we have fallen a little in ranking, we are still doing as it is reported. I will show evidence of it shortly.
On this day, therefore, we salute all journalists and honour them for their sacrifices, tribulations and toils. We also pay glowing tribute to the memory of the journalist of Tiger Eye P.I., Ahmed Hussein-Suale, who is no longer with the living, but whose
legacy in contributing towards fair and just world lives forever.
Mr Speaker, this year's celebration according to Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, is under the theme: “Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in times of Disinformation.”
As Ghana prepares for a watershed eighth election just next year, presidential and parliamentary primaries, this theme is rather fortuitous. We must all reflect on the dangers posed by disinformation.
Mr Speaker, today the social media or the information and communication technology is a source of toxic misinformation, which can be very worrying in terms of the reliability of information and the speed with which falsehood spread on it, particularly with matters relating to fake news and people's belief in it.
Mr Speaker, as we commemorate this day, we must take judicial notice of our decline in the 2019 World Press Freedom Index where we dropped from the rank of 23 to 27. Sadly, we also lost our status as Africa's best ranked country in the World Press Freedom Index compiled annually by Reporters Without Borders which evaluates the state of journalism in some countries.
Mr Speaker, while travelling, I was readi ng through The Times newspaper, Britain's most trusted national newspaper. Indeed, as I
stated, this would be my contribution to the Statement.

It is reported that Britain ranks below Ghana, South Africa and Jamaica in a new league table of press freedom because of heavy-handed media restrictions. So what we need to do as a country, which we have done, is to liberalise further, the media landscape.

Mr Speaker, it is heart-warming to know that the media in Ghana have unfettered freedom. Matters of criminal libel are all things of the past. Defamation and other matters are purely dealt with as civil matters and not criminal matters.

Mr Speaker, as this Statement is not mine, I should be concluding --
Mr Speaker 10:24 a.m.
Hon Minority Leader, you are reading on his behalf. In fact, Hon Okudzeto Ablakwa has lost this opportunity.
Mr Iddrisu 10:24 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I shall at this juncture like to commend the media in Ghana for entrenching a new wave of activist journalism. A positive trend is emerging where journalists do not only tell the story and move on but take up the story as a cause and pursue it until there are clear and tangible results. In this regard, I congratulate the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, the spirited campaign to find the kidnapped Takoradi Girls, the campaign to disband political vigilante groups and the remarkable story of resilience of
Mr Speaker 10:24 a.m.
Thank you very much.
While we go on with our contributions from each Side, we should be thinking of what we are going to proceed with by way of tribute to the late Prof. Nketia. We do not have any other opportunity, assuming we would rise today, and it is just fitting and proper for us to say a few words.
Mr Abraham D. Odoom (NPP -- Twifo Atti Morkwa) 10:24 a.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the Statement ably made by the Hon Minority Leader on behalf of Hon Okudzeto Ablakwa .
Mr Speaker, talking about press freedom and journalists, there is also one worrying issue that needs to be tackled within our society and I am talking about the condition of service of our journalists. Their salary and service conditions are so low that invariably, it renders them so vulnerable to so many things.
Issues or scandals that are coming up among our journalists could be related to service conditions. So as we make this Statement, I believe it is also very important that we bring these issues to the fore, so that media houses who are engaging our journalists would make sure that they give good conditions of service to them so that they can perform their professional duties credibly.
Mr Speaker, for these few words, I thank you.
Mr Mathias K. Ntow (NDC -- Aowin) 10:24 a.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for this opportunity.
One cannot overemphasise the importance and credibility of journalists in the world, in Ghana and more especially in this House of representatives. Whatever we do here, for the people out there to know, it is all done by the good work of our journalists. The question, however, is do they have the necessary tools to work as journalists in this country? How much are they given at the end of the month? Is there any plan for journalists in this country as far as going on retirement is concerned? These are pertinent issues that we have to consider.
Mr Speaker, again, journalists all over the world put their lives on the line in the execution of their mandate.
Mr Speaker, we are all aware of what is happening elsewhere and even in our own country, journalists being beaten here and there. So it is very important for Government to ensure that these journalists who are doing legitimate and proper analysis of issues before coming up with write- ups are protected and well taken care of to ensure that they put in their best.
Mr Speaker, to conclude, I want to congratulate all journalists and media men in this House for the good work they are doing and urge them to continue. That is the profession
they have chosen and they must take it up head-on. They should not be afraid but very objective and report as they see.
With these few words, I wish them all the best and I thank you for the opportunity.
Mr Speaker 10:24 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member; particularly for your brevity.
Any contribution from my right and then we move on to the tribute.
Mr George N. K. Andah (NPP -- Awutu-Senya West) 10:24 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would like to make a contribution on the World Press Freedom Day on the Statement that has been ably made on behalf of the Hon Member for North Tongu and Ranking Member on the Committee of Foreign Affairs.
Mr Speaker, it is indeed a statement of fact that the media play a very important role in supporting our democratic process. In the recent past, there have been a number of concerns about freedom of the press, security for the press and indeed, there is also some commentary about the remuneration for members of the press.
Mr Speaker, I think that on this day, we all need to appreciate the efforts that great journalism plays as far as our democratic process is concerned and to recognise the role that individual journalists -- we could mention a number of names -- have played in the democratic process of Ghana.
Mr George N. K. Andah (NPP -- Awutu-Senya West) 10:24 a.m.


Mr Speaker, we as Hon Members of Parliament need to support the media. We need to encourage more individual media houses, not just those that are owned by Government or those that are owned by people that are close to politicians but media houses that are truly independent and can put out balanced reports to grow our democratic process.

Mr Speaker, with these few words, I would like to congratulate all members of the media, all journalists in Ghana, and to wish them a happy World Press Freedom Day.

Mr Speaker, thank you very much.

10: 34 a. m.
Mr Speaker 10:24 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Members.
Hon Members, we had a clear indication as to what we are doing; we would move on to the Statement, which pays tribute to Professor Nketia, who would be buried tomorrow, and I would give Hon Members the free range to make contributions.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:24 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I thought that the Hon Okudzeto Ablakwa, who is the --
Mr Speaker 10:24 a.m.
The Hon Okudzeto Ablakwa had a Paper, and it has been read. His views have been fully reflected and captured in the Hansard.
This is not the first time that I have taken this approach, and I would continue to do so. If an Hon Member
brings a Statement and it is read on his behalf, he should not come and tell us his story again. This applies to everyone. An Hon Member, through his written Paper, is considered to have spoken. I have so indicated, and I trust that casts fairly.
Hon Members, any contributions on Professor Nketia?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:24 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Statement on Professor Nketia is not ready and --
Mr Speaker 10:24 a.m.
Hon Members, in the circumstances, we may not have the opportunity when Business begins, and we would want to use this time as an opportunity to prepare the grounds for the Business ahead of us.
Hon Members, I could see the Hon Minister for Education is not present yet, and that is why I warned earlier. Nevertheless, for five minutes, we have another Statement on the late Hon Member of Parliament, the Hon Kojo Oppey Abbey, which the Hon Member for Awutu-Senya West would deliver in a couple of minutes.
Hon Members, you may therefore get ready for any contributions that you may want to make with regard to the Hon Abbey.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:24 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I wanted to make a proposal that we have a tribute of an Hon former Member of Parliament who has transitioned, the Hon Oppey Abbey.
Mr Speaker 10:24 a.m.
That is the Statement we are going to read.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:24 a.m.
Mr Speaker, we could therefore allow the Hon Member --
Mr Speaker 10:24 a.m.
Hon Majority Leader, I have announced it, but you were not paying attention. I have said so.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:24 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I was paying attention. I rose up to make that application.
Mr Speaker 10:24 a.m.
Hon Majority Leader, it is true, but I say that I have announced it already. I have it on my hand.
Hon Majority Leader, are you not aware of that?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:24 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I just wanted to add to what you had done. I rose up earlier to make the application.
Mr Speaker 10:24 a.m.
Very well. I have also got that, and we are moving on. We do not have a difficulty.
Hon Member, you may make your submission, but be brief. Statements time would be over at 11. 00 a. m.
Tribute to the Former Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya Constituency, Hon Kojo Oppey
Abbey
Mr George N. K. Andah (NPP -- Awutu-Senya West) 10:24 a.m.
Mr Speaker, please permit me to start on a biblical note, knowing how selfless
the gentleman I rise to make this Statement was in his service to his constituents.
“And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. From henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest which from their labours; and their works do follow them.'' Revelations
14:13. (KJV)
Mr Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I bring to the attention of the House, the death of an illustrious man, the Former Member of Parliament for Awutu-Senya West Constituency, Hon Oppey Abbey. The death of the late Hon Oppey Abbey, whose sad event occurred on the 22nd of February, 2019, at the 37 Military Hospital, after a short ailment, came to me and the entire constituents as a shock, considering that we recently had fruitful conversations.
He obtained a diploma in Mechanical Engineering from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and Technicians Diploma from Accra Polytechnic in 1966 and 1971, respectively. He built a career as a mechanical engineer and was an astute politician.
He crowned his political ambitions as the Member of Parliament for Awutu-Senya West Constituency between the years of 2004 and 2008, serving his constituents and contributing his quota to the development of our great nation.
Mr Speaker 10:24 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member.
We shall take one contribution from each Side, including Hon Leaders. [Pause.] --
Mr Kobena M. Woyome (NDC -- South Tongu) 10:44 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to add my voice to the tribute read by
our Brother, the Hon Deputy Minister for Communications.
Mr Speaker, having listened to the entire tribute, one would realise that our late former Hon Colleague served his people so creditably.

Until his untimely death, he was still in the service of the constituency where he became the first Hon MP on the ticket of the NPP.

Mr Speaker,all his achievements, counsel and all that have been said about him are worthy to be emulated by the living who currently serve our people in our various constituencies; that we must remain at the service of the people who have reposed that confidence in us and also do what they wish and meet their aspirations.

Mr Speaker, I believe he served with humility which is the reason he was given the support. Today, we have heard that he was still in service and that recognition tells everybody here and me that we should discharge our duties so creditably, definitely, for many to also aspire to do same.

I was not here at the time when the late Hon Abbey served in this august House as an Hon MP, but with all that has been said about him and all that we heard from other Hon Colleagues who worked with him closely on various committees that he served on,

we know that he was so much passionate about issues concerning the nation, and would always discuss same with the drive in him to achieve results for Mother Ghana.

With these few words, I can only say condolences to the bereaved family, all those that worked closely with him, the entire constituency he served and the NPP. We say may his soul rest in perfect peace.
Mr Speaker 10:44 a.m.
Any other contribu- tion from the Majority?
Majority Leader (Mr Osei K y e i - M e n s a h - B o n s u ) 10:44 a.m.
M r Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to say a few words about our departed former Hon Colleague, the former Hon MP for Awutu-Senya West Constituency.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Oppey Abbey, as we have been told, was an engineer by training, and when he entered Parliament, he had about retired from Public Service. Mr Speaker, here was an Hon MP who could be described as a perfect and very well composed gentleman. He was not given to too much talking, and he had a very calm composure.
Mr Speaker, the late Hon Member was one who was very duty conscious, and one of the Hon MPs who was almost always present in the House. In spite of his own advanced age, when I asked him one time why he was always in Parliament, he said to me that he wanted to learn, and he recognised that there was something new to learn every day in Parliament.

Mr Speaker, here was somebody who had retired from Public Service who found himself in Parliament, and who was purposed to be putting his best foot forward in the conduct of Business in the House. Mr Speaker, I got to recognise him because he served on the Business Committee with me, and he was one of the Hon Members who was always with us at the Committee.

Mr Speaker, I do recollect that in 2008, some Hon Members of the Business Committee, myself included travelled on a working visit to the United States of America (USA), and we were to continue from the USA to Canada. After our programme in the USA, we were about leaving to the John F. Kennedy International Airport to emplane to Toronto in Canada but unfortunately there had been a mishap in the booking, and instead of Toronto, Canada, the agent had just written Toronto, and so, we were taken to Toronto in California. It was a complete tragedy for us.

Mr Speaker, that trip included the Hon Osei Aidoo, who was then the Hon Majority Leader, the Hon Doe Adjaho, who was the Hon Deputy Minority Leader at the time, and who eventually became the Rt Hon Speaker.

Mr Speaker, on our way to the airport, it was he who alerted us to some message that had come to him in respect of the sudden transition of the Hon Baah Wiredu at the time, and all of us were shell-shocked. We had to crosscheck with his daughter who

had broken the news to him, and lo and behold, that was indeed the position. We had to recline and have a short prayer session to honour the departure of the late Hon Baah Wiredu.

On this occasion when the late Hon Oppey Abbey himself is embarking on a journey to the greater beyond, we can only wish him well, and pray to God Almighty to find a place for the soul of the Hon Oppey Abbey, a very hardworking man when he served as Hon MP.
Mr Speaker 10:44 a.m.
Shall we have a minute's silence?
Mr Speaker 10:44 a.m.
Hon Members, before we move on to the next tribute, can we lay any of the Papers so that the relevant readings could be done as we possibly take another tribute? We must maximise the time and manage it well.
Therefore I will vary the order of Business on the Order Paper, and move on to the Commencement of Public Business and take Presentation of Papers at this juncture. Whatever is available and what other Businesses Hon Ministers available would want to transact, we can proceed accordingly then move back to Statements to maximise the time.
Hon Majority Leader, please, what is available?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:44 a.m.
Mr Speaker, we can take the item numbered 5 on the Order Paper.
Mr Speaker 10:44 a.m.
Item 5(a) -- Minister for Education?
BILLS -- FIRST READING 10:44 a.m.

Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:54 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the item numbered 6 is ready. We could take it, but I would plead that we recline to continue with the tribute to Prof. Nketia and get it out of the way and then get back to public business.
Even though the other ones are ready, I thought that when we get the tribute out of the way, we could then come back and if we get to a point and have to suspend Sitting, we could do that. For the time being, could we go back and do the tribute if you are all right with it?
Mr Speaker 10:54 a.m.
We would go back to Statements and have five minutes for each presentation. I want you to, please, note that.
Hon Minority Leader?
Mr Haruna Iddrisu 10:54 a.m.
Mr Speaker, at this juncture, could you allow the Leader of the House to lead in the Statement (tribute) for us to eulogise Prof. Nketia?
Mr Speaker 10:54 a.m.
The Hon Majority Leader would read the Tribute. You shall have five minutes each because the Statement time would have then ended. If you have anything, it may be captured, then we would go by the programme. You would soon appreciate what I am talking about, if we have to rise and come back. As the Hon Majority Leader said, kindly let us go by that. It is good that we are back to work and can make these
Mr Speaker 10:54 a.m.


Tributes at this time. Please, let us apply brevity of speech.

Hon Majority Leader?
STATEMENTS 10:54 a.m.

Majority Leader (Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu)(NPP -- Suame) 10:54 a.m.
Mr Speaker, respectfully, before I begin the tribute to Prof. J. H. Kwabena Nketia, we have also lost a former Colleague, Hon Steve Akorli and I would plead with my Hon Colleagues to have a tribute done to be read in his honour before we exit today. I would go on with the tribute of Prof. Nketia.
“A life well lived is a legacy of joy, pride and pleasure, lasting memory, our grateful hearts will treasure. ''
The visionary Prof. Emeritus Joseph Hanson Kwabena Nketia, at an early age, identified a role and lived a life in continual fulfilment of the quest to contribute to African music.
Imagine how a world without music would be; very hollow. Music holds the strings that bind and give us expression of identity and our culture. Without great personalities like Prof. Kwabena Nketia, our culture and identity, as we know, it would have faded in this ever changing world.
Today, we celebrate the life of one of the greatest pioneers of music on
the African continent, the premier musicologist and a mentor to many. Prof. Emeritus Kwabena Nketia was a composer, ethnomusicologist, a writer, a scholar and instrumentalist, to mention a few of the known attributes, and his works in the field of music baleen globally acknowledged.
As Parliament, our heart was saddened when the news reached us that the spear of death had struck the heart of our brother, husband, father, grandpa and friend, Professor J.H. Nketia.
On the 13th of March, 2019, Prof. Nketia said a bitter goodbye to the world.
Eulogising Prof. Emeritus as Parliament, we would say words are not enough to express his role in sharpening and shaping the dreams of many Ghanaian youth and Africans in the Diaspora through music.
Prof. Kwabena Nketia was born on June 22, 1921, at Mampong, in the Ashanti Region. He received his first musical education, and eventually trained as a teacher at the Presby- terian Training College, Akropong Akwapim, where he later taught and became the Acting Principal in 1952.
The Professor had a scholarship to study music in Great Britain and proceeded from there to the United States of America, attending Columbia University, Juliard School of Music, and Northwestern University to do courses in Musicology and composition in 1958.
Professor Nketia, after a year in the United States of America, returned to Ghana where he rose through the ranks at the University of Ghana, Legon, from Senior Research Fellow (1962), to Associate Professor, and finally, a full Professor in 1963.
He was appointed as the first African Director of the School of Music, Dance and Drama, in 1962 which was established as part of the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana. His presence factored some significant strides in the early stages of African Studies establishment in Ghana. He later retired from the University in 1979.
He has, for several years, delivered many public lectures within and outside Africa leaving behind more than 200 publications and 80 musical compositions. Notable among his compositions are Adanse Kronkron, Mebedi Asem, Monna N'Ase, Monkamfo No, Yaanom Mon Tie, Onipa Dasani Nni Aye.
Prof Nketia's “Music of Africa (1974)” became a standard textbook that has been translated into various languages and up to date is a must- read for budding African Musicologists.
Professor Nketia launched his last book, “Reinstating Traditional Music in Contemporary Contexts”, during his 95th birthday celebration. His ageless intellect served him even in the latter days of his well-lived life and he did not fail to impart knowledge to the generations after him.
Mr Haruna Iddrisu (NDC -- Tamale South) 11:04 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for this opportunity and I also thank the Hon Majority Leader for reading the Tribute to eulogise one of our most respected and distinguished persons in academia, Professor Emeritus Joseph Hanson Kwabena Nketia.
Mr Speaker, the music world, writers and composers would miss him. Some of his well-known choral works include Adanse Kronkron to wit “good testimony'', Onipa Dasani Nni Aye, to wit “human beings are ungrateful'', Onipa Beyee Bi to wit “human beings cannot accomplish everything'', Barima Nifahene to wit “the right hand king'' and Asuo Meresen, to wit “the flowing river''. The best way to eulogise him is the originality of his work and I would plead that the originality of it be maintained for purpose of the Hansard.
Mr Speaker, he also wrote extensively on western orchestral instruments like the flute, violin, cello, percussion and piano. It is through his
pacesetting works for traditional African instrument that his genius is acclaimed. To eulogise him, as a country, we must dedicate ourselves to work harder to achieve our cultural ambitions as a people.
He also wrote for a variety of combinations of modern and local African instruments which works include the Builsa Work Song (1963), Dagarti Work Song (1961), At the Cross Road (1961), Owora (1961), Volta Fantasy (1961) and Contem- plation (1961).
Mr Speaker, the late Professor Emeritus Kwabena Nketia studied with Reverend Danso who was a pupil of the late Ephraim Amu. It is, therefore, not surprising that his earliest choral works were deeply influenced by the pioneering work of the late Ephraim Amu. So, beyond the late Ephraim Amu and the late Professor Emeritus Kwabena Nketia, who is next? Young people must be inspired by his work to make a meaningful contribution.
Mr Speaker, for example, the late Professor Nketia introduced the use of the easier to read six-to-eight time signature in his composition as an alternative to the use of the dapple two-to-four time with triplets which were used earlier by his mentor, the late Ephraim Amu.
Mr Speaker, remarkable to the memory of the late Professor Nketia, well renowned musicologist and composer is his African music, as captured in this quote:
“Professor Nketia is well renowned as musicologist and composer. He is to African music what Bartok is to western music of all the interpretations of African music and ascetics, Nketia set the pace.''
Mr Speaker, the Hon Majority Leader has shared with us some of his national achievements. I have not been to the University of Ghana lately, but I am sure that the institution, supported by your good self, now in high office as the third most respected person of our Republic, should find a monumental recognition for him within the precincts of the University of Ghana; and to acknowledge his contribution not only to academic and research work but to the development of music in Ghana and Africa.
Mr Speaker, I want to extend my condolences and profound sympathy to the family.
Mr Speaker, I thank you.
Mr Speaker 11:04 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Minority Leader.
I would take one contribution from each Side in addition.
Mr Samuel O. Ablakwa (NDC-- North Tongu) 11:04 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am most grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this Statement which was eloquently delivered by the Hon Majority Leader.
Mr Speaker, the late Professor Emeritus Joseph Hanson Kwabena
Mr Samuel O. Ablakwa (NDC-- North Tongu) 11:14 a.m.


Nketia was undoubtedly one of the greatest Ghanaians ever.

It is Shakespeare who said, and I beg to quote:

“The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes”.

Mr Speaker, I recall not too long ago, at the Aggrey-Fraser-Gug- gisberg Lectures at the University of Ghana, it was just a few days after news came in that the Professor Emeritus had been called by the Almighty at age 97. The entire University community and the audience gathered at the Great Hall, observed a minute of silence and paid tribute instantaneously to this great icon.

I recall what the Registrar of the University said, that when the University decided to rebrand and have for itself a new anthem, there was no other person to turn to than the late Professor Emeritus Kwabena Nketia. In the words of the Registrar and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, the late Professor Nketia refused to take a dime. He did not charge for the composition of that great anthem of the premier university, the University of Ghana. We all did not know this and we were most astonished and impressed to hear that.

Mr Speaker, if you would permit me, I would want to read out the University anthem which Professor J. H. Kwabena Nketia composed for the University of Ghana. It is only two stanzas; very brief but very profound. I believe that it captures his thoughts, principles, ethos and what he stood for, and if all of us could be inspired by the words in this anthem, we shall give off our best to our dear country, and our country and the world would be better.
Mr Speaker, I beg to quote 11:14 a.m.
1. “Hail University of Ghana The nation's hope and glory The place that bears the star
of peace
That bids us all to do our best Let the great tower of learning Inspire both young and old May we proceed in unity to Uphold the public cause.
Arise, arise O Legon Defend the cause of freedom Proceed in truth and integrity To make our nation proud
2.We ask for strength and wisdom
As we climb the hill of learning May we excel in whatever we do As we prepare to face the world With a mind ready at all times And a conscience quick to feel
May we proceed in unityup- hold the republic cause.
Arise, arise O Legon Defend the cause of freedom Proceed in truth and integrity To make our nation proud”
Mr Speaker, a great anthem delivered to the University of Ghana, gratis; without any charge. This country has lost a legend. Fortunately, he is a Professor Emeritus whose compositions and works would live forever. He is an authority, for that matter, he is sought after globally.
Mr Speaker, I would want to add my voice to that of the Hon Minority Leader in asking that this country and the University of Ghana must erect a monument certainly in honour of this great African.
He is a man who towers above many; an ethnomusicologist of great repute, an exceptional scholar who has left footprints that history will forever and ever remember. We salute his memory and we convey our condolences to his family, children, the University community, way beyond the University of Ghana, and indeed, the international university community and we pray that the good Lord will comfort all his students and apprentices and all those who used to study at his feet.
May the good Lord grant him eternal rest.
Mr Speaker 11:14 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member.
Mr Speaker 11:14 a.m.
May the soul of the late Professor J. H. Nketia rest in perfect peace. Amen!
Hon Majority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:14 a.m.
Mr Speaker, we were to really do some two Motions, but unfortunately one of them is not listed. We have the Second Reading of the National Road Safety Authority Bill, 2019, but it has not been listed here, and so we have asked that an Order Paper Addendum be done to cover that.
Mr Speaker, with regard to the item numbered 6, I am just being told that there are some challenges we need to deal with before they come to move the Motion.
In the circumstance, I believe we may have to take a suspension and resume at 2.00 p.m., and I believe we would be in a position to carry through the remaining assignments.
Mr Speaker 11:14 a.m.
Hon members, the House would stand suspended till 2:00 p.m. accordingly.
11.23 a.m. — Sitting suspended.
3.59 p.m. -- Sitting resumed.
VOTES AND 11:14 a.m.

PROCEEDINGS AND THE 11:14 a.m.

OFFICIAL REPORT 11:14 a.m.

Mr Speaker 11:14 a.m.
Hon Members, order!
We will go back to the Correction of Votes and Proceedings. We have Votes and Proceedings dated Thursday, 2nd May, 2019. I will take it as read, having been distributed earlier, so that we can move with expedition. Any corrections?
Mr Ras Mubarak 11:14 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am very grateful.
Yesterday, I was here --
Mr Speaker 11:14 a.m.
Page?
Mr Ras Mubarak 11:14 a.m.
Mr Speaker, my name has been listed on the absent page and I would like that to be accordingly corrected.
Mr Speaker 11:14 a.m.
Thank you very much.
Noted accordingly.

In the absence of any further corrections, the Votes and Proceedings of 2nd May, 2019 as corrected is hereby adopted as the true record of proceedings.

We have the Official Report dated 25th March, 2019 for correction?
Mr Speaker 11:14 a.m.
Now, we move on to public business.
Hon Majority Leader, which Business is ready and from which angle do we tackle public business?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:14 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I believe that we can start with the item numbered 8 on page 4 of the Order Paper.
Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 11:14 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 80(1) which require that no Motion shall be debated until at least forty-eight hours have elapsed between the date on which notice of the Motion is given and the date on which the Motion is moved, the Motion for the adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee on the Request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, GETFund Levy, Import NHIL, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy, ECOWAS Levy, AU Levy amounting to sixty-nine million, two hundred and seventeen thousand, eight hundred and forty United States dollars and twenty-four cents (US$69,217,840.24 [equivalent to GH¢351,972,717.62]) on materials and equipment to be procured for the Construction/Rehabilitation of Selected Roads and Interchanges in Ghana -- Phase 1, under the Master Project Support Agreements (MPSA) may be moved today.
Mr Alex Adomako-Mensah (NDC -- Sekyere Afram Plains) 11:14 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
MOTIONS 11:14 a.m.

Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 11:14 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee on the Request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, GETFund Levy, Import NHIL, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy, ECOWAS Levy, AU Levy amounting to sixty-nine million, two hundred and seventeen thousand, eight hundred and forty United States dollars and twenty-four cents (US$69,217,840.24 [equivalent to GH¢351,972,717.62]) on materials and equipment to be procured for the Construction/Rehabilitation of Selected Roads and Interchanges in Ghana - Phase 1, under the Master Project Support Agreements
(MPSA).
1.0 Introduction
The request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, GETFund Levy, Import National Health Insurance Levy, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy, ECOWAS Levy, African Union Levy amounting to sixty-nine million, two hundred and seventeen thousand,
eight hundred and forty United States dollars and twenty-four cents (US$69,217,840.24 [equivalent to GH¢ 351,972,717.62]) on materials and equipment to be procured for the construction/rehabilitation of Selected Roads and Interchanges in Ghana - Phase 1, under the Master Project Support Agreement (MPSA) was laid in the House on Monday 29th April, 2019 by the Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon Kwaku Agyeman Kwarteng, on behalf of the Minister for Finance.
Pursuant to Order 169 of the Standing Orders of the House, the request was referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and report.
The Committee met and considered the request with the Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon Kwasi Amoako-Attah, Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon Anthony Karbo, Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon Kwaku Agyeman Kwarteng as well as officials from the Ministries of Finance and Roads and Highways and the Ghana Revenue Authority.
The Committee hereby presents this Report to the House pursuant to Order 161(1) of the Standing Orders of the House.
2.0 Background
The Government of the Republic of Ghana and Sinohydro Corporation Limited signed a Master Project Agreement (MPSA) on 16th May, 2018 and the EPC Agreement/
Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 11:14 a.m.
SPACE FOR TABLE, PAGE 7, 3.59 P.M

SPACE FOR TABLE CONT., PAGE 8, 3.59 P.M
Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 11:14 a.m.


Levy, ECOWAS Levy, African Union Levy amounting to sixty-nine million, two hundred and seventeen thousand, eight hundred and forty United States dollars and twenty-four cents (US$69,217,840.24 [equivalent to GH¢ 351,972,717.62]) on materials and equipment to be procured for the

construction/rehabilitation of Selected Roads and Interchanges in Ghana - Phase 1, under the Master Project Support Agreement (MPSA) in accordance with article 174(2) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.

Respectfully submitted.
Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 11:14 a.m.


SPACE FOR TABLE TAX ASSESSMENT, PAGE 24, 3.50 P.M
Mr Speaker 11:14 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Chairman.
Mr Alex Adomako-Mensah (NDC -- Sekyere Afram Plains) 11:14 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion and in so doing, I will make a few comments.
Mr Speaker, you will recall that this House considered the Sinohydro Corporation Limited Agreement on 3rd December, 2018. Under this barter Agreement, the Sinohydro group will provide a US$2 billion infrastructure in exchange for Ghana's bauxite.
There is a confusion on this tax waiver being sought for, and the reason is that whether the facility is a barter or a loan, it is something we need to discuss. When you go back to the last but two pages, there is an indication that the loan amount is US$500 million and then tax to loan -- which means that it is not well defined.
Mr Speaker, because it is not a regular facility we have been approving in this House, therefore, we need to look at it carefully in giving a waiver to this Project. The Project scope comprises the 10 lots; the Kumasi Inner-City road is the highest and the Accra Inner-City.
However, what I am very interested in is Lot 8 --
Dr A. A. Osei 4:09 p.m.
On a point of order. Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleague is grossly misleading this House, and the reason is the following.
This august House has approved a Master Project Support (MPSA) Agreement that was a barter arrangement. It is very important. So to say that he does not know what it is, he is grossly misleading this House.
Is he saying this House has done the wrong thing? Then all of us must be crazy. He must take this House seriously. We approved a barter agreement, and he is an Hon Member of the House. It is in the public domain. He should not mislead this House.
Mr Speaker 4:09 p.m.
Hon Member, we all know the background to that controversy, whether barter or loan. One thing is, it is settled; this Honourable House approved a barter arrangement. That is a fact. [Interruption.]
Hon Members, those who are shouting should be careful -- [Laughter.] -- We cannot lead pretentious lives. I do not approve of such. Whether you agree or not, that is what happened, the factum of the matter.
So please, let us proceed to call a spade a spade and an axe an axe.
Mr Adomako-Mensah 4:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am just dwelling on Lot 8, the upgrading of selected feeder roads in the Ashanti and Western Regions. As much as we are trying to beautify the cities, we should think of the rural areas where most of the foodstuffs come from.
Mr Speaker, a case in point is Sekyere Afram Plains, where I cannot
Mr Speaker 4:09 p.m.
Hon Members, if any Hon Member has an objection, you know the way to go about it.
Mr Adomako-Mensah 4:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am making an appeal through you to the Hon Minister to consider Sekyere Afram Plains.
In going forward, the country's tax exemption regime poses a major challenge to the revenue mobilisation and fiscal stability. We all agree that tax exemption is a percentage to revenue, and the growth in tax exemptions has been quite worrying.
The tax regime in respect of import and domestic tax is expected to have gone up to GH¢4.6 billion, representing 1.6 per cent of Gross Domestic Product. As much as we are giving tax exemptions to the foreign companies, Ghana Revenue Authority is falling short continuously. This is attributed to the low domestic revenue performance.
Mr Speaker, Sinohydro tax exemption would also increase the tax exemption percentage that we are trying to control.
The Hon Minister was not able to explain to the Committee whether the cost of tax waiver has any cost reduction on individual projects that we are embarking on. We were informed that the equipment that do
not get exhausted after the end of the project would be sent back to the original place. My problem is that it would be appropriate if we could re- negotiate and give it to the local contractors to use them to develop the country.
Mr Speaker, as a matter of urgency, as a nation, we need a policy on the tax exemptions that would introduce suitable measures which may disturb the easy and comfortable arrangements that many foreign companies have been attached to.
Mr Speaker 4:09 p.m.
Hon Members, order!
The Hon Member is well entitled, while supporting the Motion, to express whatever the Hon Member thinks should be expressed. So please, I do not want to hear “waa hwe”, to wit, just look, and so on. It does not help us, and it undermines congeniality.
For a good reason, I would like us to proceed on that line this evening and conclude the Business duly before us.
There would be one contribution from each Side. This is a unanimous Report by the Committee.
Mr Kwame G. Agbodza (NDC -- Adaklu) 4:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to speak to the Motion as moved by the
Mr Kwame G. Agbodza (NDC -- Adaklu) 4:09 p.m.


Hon Chairman and seconded by the Hon Ranking Member.

Mr Speaker, the decision we are going to make today would have an effect on what we do in the future in terms of tax waiver approvals. It is a good thing if Government invests in road infrastructure in this country.

Mr Speaker, the original Agreement came to Parliament, and as you may be aware, part of this Agreement was to build about 441 kilometres of road and two interchanges. The President went ahead and did a sod-cutting at Tamale for the Tamale Interchange.

Mr Speaker, when we write a contract agreement, it is meant that the parties respect the agreement. This Side of the House took issue with the fact that as at the time the President did the sod-cutting, a condition precedent in this Agreement was not met, and this is part of clause 5 of the Agreement.

One of the things that was listed there as a condition precedent for the effectiveness of this contract was the condition of a value-for-money audit by the Ministry of Finance. When this Side of the House raised this issue, the Minister for Information on the 10 th of April, 2019 issued a statement and said Government had procured the value-for-money audit for the project, but we know that is not exactly the case.

Mr Speaker --
Dr A. A. Osei 4:09 p.m.
On a point of order. Mr Speaker, it is important that when we make statements, they should be factual.
The Hon Member just said the value-for-money audit was a condition precedent. It was not a condition precedent. He knows it, so I do not know why he wants to mislead this House.
Mr Speaker 4:09 p.m.
Hon Member, what was it?
Dr A. A. Osei 4:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it was a condition, but not precedent, and he knows why. He is a Senior Member. He should know better.
Mr Agbodza 4:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, for the record, I hold in my hand the contract for the Tamale Interchange, and I would encourage my Hon Senior Colleague who is more experienced in this House than I am to pay attention to the Agreement.
Mr Speaker, I would turn to article 5 of the Agreement --
Mr Speaker 4:09 p.m.
On what page?
Mr Agbodza 4:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is not numbered, but this is the document that the Hon Minister brought, and I beg to read;
“5 (a) The contract shall come into full force and effect on the date when all the following conditions are fully satisfied … completion of a value for money audit by the Ministry of Finance”.
Mr Speaker, I am not a lawyer, but with this one, I could lead the Hon Member on it because I could call myself a procurement specialist. This is what we call a “condition precedent”. So, if he does not understand it, then I could guide him. There is no other way we could call it. This is a condition precedent.
Mr Speaker 4:19 p.m.
Thank you very much.
Hon Member, you should hold on.
Dr A. A. Osei 4:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, what the Hon Member read is not a condition precedent. Moreover, when he came to the meeting, the Hon Minister informed him that the value- for-money audit has been done. The Hon Member was at the meeting, because he is the Hon Ranking Member for the Committee on Roads and Transport. I am, therefore, surprised that he misleads this House. I do not know why. [Interruption.] What he read is not a condition precedent.
Mr Speaker 4:19 p.m.
Hon Members, we shall not engage in a shouting match. Those who would insist on that would be called upon to contribute because if they would want to know what a condition precedent is while they sit on their seats, then it becomes unparliamentary. Hon Members cannot ask that in Parliament.
Hon Member, please continue.
Mr Agbodza 4:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I do this simply because we needed to be guided. The House you lead is a House of record and facts must be stated.
Mr Speaker, for the records and for the benefit of the public, what I read is a condition precedent. My Hon Senior Colleague should be guided by this, because there may be students of procurement, who might listen to the two of us.
Mr Speaker, when we do these things, we do it only for --
Mr Speaker 4:19 p.m.
Hon Member, the Hon Dr A. A. Osei also said that nevertheless, the value-for-money audit had been done under the auspices of the Hon Minister, and that you are aware of this.
Mr Agbodza 4:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, as an industry player, we have ten different contracts, spanning a road network of 441 kilometres. For us to present a document to a value-for-money auditor, we should have a full survey, a full design, bills of quantities and everything, before a reputable value- for-money auditor could assess the project.
Mr Speaker, as we speak, I say that as at the time that this Side raised the issue, the Hon Minister did not show us any report of a value-for- money audit. But by the time that the Hon Minister for Information told the world on the 10th of April, 2019 that the Government has got value-for-
Mr Agbodza 4:19 p.m.


money audit, as a fact, that did not exist, and I say that if it exists, then they could lay it.

Mr Speaker, I did speak to the Hon Minister privately, and if I take this Agreement -- I would give you one example. On a page in this Agreement, which I cannot mention because unfortunately the document is not numbered, with the Hohoe -- Jasikan Road, for instance, there was a contractor working -- [Interruption.] --
rose
Mr Speaker 4:19 p.m.
You should decide which one of you would speak.
Yes, Hon Minister for Information.
Mr Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah 4:19 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Member, who was on his feet, just said that at the time that I, as an Hon Minister for Information, said that there was a value-for-money audit, that report did not exist.
Mr Speaker, he just said that, but that cannot be correct. That report exists, and it existed as at the date that we made an announcement that it existed. If he would want to request that a copy of it be made available, then he knows the proper thing to do, but the record should be corrected
that at the time that the Ministry of Information said that report existed, it indeed existed. I even have a soft copy here that I could avail it to him. If he wants one, then he knows how to make a proper request for it.
Mr Speaker 4:19 p.m.
Hon Members, order!
Mr Iddrisu 4:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Ranking Member on Roads and Transport -- I am sure that our Hon Colleague should take guidance from you. He has every right to debate the Report and to share his views. If the Hon Minister for Information has the report, then he should lay it, because that is what is required. We demand that if he has the value-for-money audit report on Sinohydro, then he should lay it.
Mr Speaker, this is because it was raised at the Committee meeting and it was raised even on the day that we debated the barter and contract agreement. The other day when I made reference on my phone, there was a ruling, but now the Hon Minister tells us that he has a soft copy on his phone. So he should bring the hard copy and lay it. We demand of the Hon Minister that if he has the value- for-money audit report, then this is the Parliament of Ghana and so he should lay it. We are ready and we demand it.
Mr Speaker 4:19 p.m.
Hon Member for Adaklu, you should proceed.
Mr Agbodza 4:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, one of the reasons that this House must insist on the value-for-money audit report is that one of the lots of Sinohydro is the Hohoe-Jasikan Road which was under construction though I must admit that about ten kilometres of that Road was not under contract. That had been packaged under the one of the lots on Sinohydro.
Mr Speaker, in this Report, we are supposed to pay the developer, in this case, Sinohydro, five per cent for design, and I say that Rolider Ltd. (Ghana) carried out some of these works. A proper value-for-money auditing firm would point out that a portion of that has already been done, and has probably been paid for. So, when we call for these things, it is not between them and me. It is not about them and us, but it is about saving money for this country, and that is what this Parliament must do.
Mr Speaker, therefore, my Hon Colleague must admit this and --
Mr Speaker 4:19 p.m.
Hon Members, if we would want to do tit for tat by both Sides of the House, then I would allow you, but we would see where we would get to by 12 midnight today. I know what I am saying, and would want Hon Members to pay attention and go by our rules. If an Hon Member has a point of order, he knows what to do.
Hon Member for Adaklu, you would continue.
Mr Agbodza 4:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
Mr Speaker, with regard to my very good friend, the Hon Minister for Information, yes, he did release a value-for-money audit report from the Ghana Institute of Surveyors -- there was something on social media that he shared his views on. However, that was on the road in Accra, but on the day the President cut the sod, he cut the sod in Tamale, which has got to do with this document. Till date, I am not aware that there is a full value- for-money audit report, and so we demand for it.
Mr Speaker, to proceed, if we look at the Report of the Committee, on page 8, the item numbered 4.6 which is on multiple use of equipment, the Hon Chairman should consider it because under this contract, all the projects were supposed to be going on at the same time. So, when they write a report and say that the Hon Minister said that there were going to be multiple use of materials, it does not work like that.
Mr Speaker, when the contractor uses a grader on a project in Tamale, on that same day, he cannot be available on a road project in Hohoe. So, it is a very misleading statement in this Report.
Mr Speaker, this Side of the House believes in building roads in this country, and I encourage the Hon Minister, especially the Hon Minister for Information -- it is not good enough for him to ridicule the Minority by saying that they have a value-for- money audit report.
Mr Agbodza 4:19 p.m.


Mr Speaker, if I were the Hon Minister for Information, I would run to this House with copies of the value- for-money audit report, authored by a valid value-for-money auditing firm and table it here. But as long as he does not have it, I say that this contract is fully executed because of a condition precedent in this Agreement.

So, as we speak today, I wonder whether this House would be taking a rightful decision by granting a tax waiver on a value of a project that we are not yet aware of. This is because the value-for-money audit report would determine whether the figures that are here are justified or not.

Mr Speaker, with these few words, I wish I could wholeheartedly say that we should support this. In my view, as long as the Hon Minister could guarantee that a value-for-money audit report would be provided so that no developer would take a cedi more than what he is entitled to building roads, I would be happy. But sadly, I do not believe I am convinced enough that due diligence has been done enough for us to approve this. We still do not know the cost of this Project, and I believe this House would be taking a wrong decision by granting a tax waiver on a project whose value is yet to be determined.

Mr Speaker, with these few words, I thank you for the opportunity.
Mr Speaker 4:29 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader, who speaks for the Majority; then, we come to the Leadership.
Mr Iddrisu 4:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would yield to the Hon Inusah Fuseini.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 4:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for Adaklu spoke on the other Side, so the turn is for --
Mr Speaker 4:29 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader, please proceed. Who speaks for the Majority?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 4:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I yield to Hon Owusu- Aduomi to take the floor.
Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways (Mr Kwabena Owusu- Aduomi)(MP): Mr Speaker, it is not true that the cost of these projects have not been determined. If my Hon Agbodza would remember, these projects have their cost, and that was the time that they even queried some of the cost items in those projects.
Mr Speaker, if he would remember, they thought of building side camps and photographs which were high. Has he forgotten? These costs have been determined already. It is very interesting to hear Hon Colleagues from the other Side talk about the value-for-money audit.
Mr Speaker, value-for-money audit, in principle, is assessing the risk that the employer would go through when this contract is
executed. Which aspect of the contract is he talking about? Is it the conditions of contract, the performance security or the mobilisation guarantee?
Which aspects of the conditions of contract he is so worried about that he is afraid that when this Project goes on, the employer would be in high risk? Is it the contractor's performance? Is it the contractor that he is afraid would not execute the job that he talked about the value-for- money audit or is it about the cost of the Project?
Mr Speaker, he cannot just say the value-for-money audit. Which aspects of the contract conditions does he need? He should let this House know. If it is the conditions of contract, the Hon Member has read through it and there is no risk that the employer would go through that is so high that the Government of Ghana would lose money.
Mr Speaker 4:29 p.m.
Hon Members, I will put the Question. I said it from the beginning.
Alhaji Muntaka 4:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, as the Hon Minority Leader agreed with you, the Hon Inusah Fuseini would speak on behalf of the Minority Leadership.
Mr Speaker 4:29 p.m.
Hon Fuseini, you have five minutes.
Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini (NDC -- Tamale Central) 4:29 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for this opportunity to contribute to the matters on the Floor of the House.
Mr Speaker, I have in my hand a parliamentary memorandum dated 12th April, 2019 titled “Request for Waiver Import Duties, National Health Insurance Levy, GETFund, VAT, AU Levy, ECOWAS levy, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy (SIL), amounting to US$82,082,587.88 equivalent to GH¢417,389,959.30 on Materials and Equipment for the Construction/ Rehabilitation of Priority Infrastructure Project.”
Mr Speaker, I have a report of the Committee which has requested that we do the same thing on the same project, but this time, at US$69, 217,840.24 equivalent to GH¢351, 972,717.62. I would embark on an enquiry.
Mr Speaker, I embarked on an enquiry to determine what caused the difference. The import assessment attached to the Committee's Report is the same one with the same values attached to the parliamentary memorandum --
rose
Mr Speaker 4:29 p.m.
Hon Chairman?
Dr Assibey-Yeboah 4:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for Tamale Central referenced a document that came to this House which was subsequently withdrawn and a new one laid.
Mr Speaker, I seek your guidance. Can the Hon Member speak to that document that was laid in the House but7 subsequently withdrawn? That document is not before us. He has that document in his hand, and he compared the second one which was referred to the Committee. Mr Speaker, the Report before the House is based on the --
Mr Speaker 4:29 p.m.
Hon Member, you are taking us backwards. If that is so, kindly withdraw what you said.
Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 4:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am not taking this House backwards; I am not debating the document laid on 12th April, 2019.
Mr Speaker 4:29 p.m.
It was withdrawn.
Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 4:29 p.m.
I am not debating that one because it is not before this House.
Mr Speaker 4:29 p.m.
You agree that it was withdrawn, and the current one was laid.
Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 4:29 p.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker. I am not debating it.
Mr Speaker 4:29 p.m.
The reference to it is to what effect?
Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 4:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the reference to it is to the effect that the domestic tax and import tax assessments are the same documents contained in today's Report and that of the memorandum dated 12th April, 2019. [Interruption.]
Some Hon Members 4:29 p.m.
No.
Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 4:29 p.m.
It is the same.
Mr Speaker 4:29 p.m.
Hon Member, I will not allow you to refer to that which has been withdrawn which is otiose and not before this Honourable House. Please withdraw it. It is of no relevance; it has no currency.
Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 4:39 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I withdraw any reference to the document.
Mr Speaker, this Project came to this House as part of the first phase of a gamut of projects that would be taken under a Chinese facility which we have assessed as US$2 billion. The first phase of the project entitles us to draw on US$500 million to execute projects in 30 months; two and a half years.
Mr Speaker, within the project implementation periods, we would pay US$146.6 million as interest on the US$500 million.

Mr Speaker, the project cost and the financing cost together after 30 months would be US$646.6 million. We are not finished with the prospects and this afternoon, we are saying that

we should add another cost to the US$500 million which cost has already attracted US$146.6 million.

What we are saying is that for the US$500 million, after a period of 30 months, we should be paying more than US$200 million on it. However, we think that this Project offers the people of Ghana value-for-money, that when you use US$500 million for a project for 30 months, you should pay back --
Dr Assibey-Yeboah 4:39 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am amazed that the former Minister for Roads and Highways who took a loan at an interest rate of 31.9 per cent for two years would today ask if the interest of US$500 million makes sense. He should not be the one raising this in the House. [Interruption.]
Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 4:39 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am not debating the past but debating the present. [Interruption.] The amount of US$500 million represents 85 per cent of the contract price. We are being told --
Mr Speaker 4:39 a.m.
In conclusion, please? I gave you 10 minutes and you have now clocked eight minutes,
that is why I want you to conclude. [Interruption.] That is why I gave him 10 minutes. I am keeping my eye on the watch and being fair.
Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 4:39 a.m.
Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I pray hard that having determined that this project is an expensive one to be carried out by a Chinese citizen, with the Chinese still enjoying some benefits by way of prisoner exchange in this country, we, at the final analysis, would have value- for-money.
Mr Speaker 4:39 a.m.
Hon Members, let us not be carried away, and let us be careful. [Interruption.] The Hon Member who has just taken his seat would not listen. Let us be very careful about remarks which touch and concern our foreign development partners of all types. That is why we should not get carried away.
Mr Ambrose Dery 4:39 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Member made reference to prisoner exchange. [Interruption.]
Mr Speaker 4:39 a.m.
Order!
Hon Member, do you rise to make a contribution?
Mr Ambrose Dery 4:39 a.m.
No, Mr Speaker, I want him to withdraw because it is not a statement of fact. [Interruption.] There was no exchange of prisoners between Ghana and China and the Hon Member should do the right thing. I am the Hon Minister for the Interior and there is no such thing. He can make his argument but let us be decent in these matters.
Mr Speaker 4:39 a.m.
Hon Fuseini, a matter of correction for the records can be brought to my attention even after the completion of a debate on a particular topic, so as to make a correction, and sometimes in Parliament, an apology. We would want you to withdraw that aspect of your statement. [Interruption.] Hon Members, we are not fighting over here.
Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 4:39 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I probably did not convey what I wanted to bring out carefully, and that brought about the Hon Minister's remarks. This is because you told me that my time was up and so I tried to summarise. Indeed, there was no prisoner exchange between Ghana and China but we are told that a Chinese national was part of the consideration. [Interruption.]
Mr Speaker 4:39 a.m.
The Hon Minister's objection was therefore well placed. Hon Members, let us proceed with caution. I do not want to start making mention -- let us proceed.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 4:39 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister for Roads and Highways would make his comments by way of winding down deliberations on the Motion moved.
Minister for Roads and Highways (Mr Kwasi Amoako- Attah) 4:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it has been very interesting to listen to all the arguments in connection with this facility and project, particularly from our Hon Colleagues on the other Side.
This Project and Facility is going to take Ghana to a different state all together after this Sinohydro Facility has been fully implemented in the road sector. It would be a game-changer for our nation and would take the whole country's road infrastructure to a different phase altogether.
Mr Speaker, I need not go into the basis of this Facility because it has been so innovative. By the end of the phase I of this project which covers 10 major projects across the nation and which would kick in the Phase II which would also cover not less than 60 projects across the nation, the whole country would come to accept and applaud the Government for this creativity and innovation in the road sector.
Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleague on the other Side talked about the value- for- money audit and for which they would want to describe it as a condition precedent. If we take the various contracts which cover all the 10 major projects which constitute the first phase of this project, there are two conditions which would have to be satisfied before the contracts kick- start and also before the commencement of the job.
Mr Speaker, I would want to put on record in this House that all these conditions, however determined, have been satisfied and I speak as the Hon Minister for Roads and Highways who represents the President. I assure this House and the nation that we have at hand -- it is completed and was submitted by my Ministry on 8th April, 2019, a well written value-for-money audit report which was carried out by the Ghana Institute of Surveyors. As it is in the various Agreements that it should be procured before the contracts kick-start, we have it at hand.

Mr Speaker, the country would benefit from this major project for the first time and a lot of benefits would also accrue from this contract which has been executed.

Mr Speaker, I would want to zero in on one of the projects which is the Tamale Interchange. I would zero in on this particular project out of the 10 because sod has been cut for it by the President of the Republic and the value-for-money report which has been submitted by my Ministry clearly shows that the country would benefit and do this project at a cost which is minus 37 per cent and in terms of money, it works to almost a little over US$12 million. This means that

the project cost as it stands now at US$35 million for the Tamale Interchange per the value-for-money report. It is cheaper by minus 37 per cent and working in monetary terms of US$12 million and that is the bridge component on it because the Tamale Project is made up of the bridge and road components. The road project stretches over a 10km stretch and that project which is estimated to cost US$20 million is cheaper by little over minus 39 per cent. So, if we put the two together, the Government of H. E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in arriving at the project cost and for the first time in the annals of history in this country coming out of a period of a lot of uncertainty on project cost -
- 4:49 p.m.

Mr Speaker 4:49 p.m.
In conclusion?
Mr Amoako-Attah 4:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we have given to the people of this country a real value-for-money and we would undertake each of these road projects at a cheaper cost because of the value-for-money report that we have.
Mr Speaker, all these conditions have been certified before the projects commence. The current position is that, having obtained the relevant documents, we are in the position to write to the contractors the proponents, and the employer to bring in what is called their financial closure. As soon as we get the financial closure, the project would start and the contractual relationship between the employer and the contractors would have come into effect within the next few weeks.
Mr Amoako-Attah 4:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to assure the people of this country that by the end of this year, even into next year, a number of road projects would have carried on across the country simultaneously and the people of this country would be assured that there is a good Government in place. A Government that would evolve the road infras- tructure and the quality of infrastructure that the people of this country would be amazed.

Question put and Motion agreed to.
Mr Speaker 4:49 p.m.
Item listed 10 - Resolution, by the Hon Minister for Finance.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 4:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, if I may seek permission and the indulgence of my Hon Colleagues to have the Hon Deputy Minister for Finance to move the Motion for the adoption of the Resolution listed as item numbered 10.
Mr Speaker 4:49 p.m.
Hon Deputy Minister for Finance?
RESOLUTIONS 4:49 p.m.

BY THE COMBINED 4:49 p.m.

Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 4:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr Speaker 4:59 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader, next item please?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 4:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we can now go to item numbered 11.
Dr Assibey-Yeboah 4:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 80(1) which require that no Motion shall be debated until at least forty- eight hours have elapsed between the date on which notice of the Motion is given and the date on which the Motion is moved, the Motion for the adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee on the Request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, GETFund Levy, Import NHIL, and EXIM Levy on plant, machinery and equipment or parts, as well as Corporate Tax for five years of operation being tax incentives to support implementation of the One District One Factory (1D1F) Programme may be moved today.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr Speaker 4:59 p.m.
Hon Members,
item numbered 12.
MOTIONS 4:59 p.m.

Dr Assibey-Yeboah 4:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable
House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee on the Request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, GETFund Levy, Import NHIL, and EXIM Levy on plant, machinery and equipment or parts, as well as Corporate Tax for five years of operation being tax incentives to support implementation of the One District One Factory (1D1F) Programme.
Mr Speaker, the Request for the waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT/ GETFund Levy, Import NHIL, ECOWAS Levy, AU Levy, EXIM Levy on plant, machinery and equipment or parts as well as Corporate Tax for five years of operation being tax incentives to support implementation of the One District One Factory (1D1F) Programme was laid in the House Thursday, 28th March, 2019 in accordance with article 174(2) of the Constitution, and referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and report pursuant to the Standing Orders of the House.
The Committee met with the Minister for Trade and Industry, Hon Alan Kyerematen, an Hon Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon Kwaku Kwarteng, and a technical team from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Trade and Industry to consider the request.
Documents Referred to
The Committee referred to the following documents during its deliberations:
The 1992 Constitution of Ghana;
The Public Financial Manage- ment Act, 2016 (Act 921); and
The Standing Orders of the Parliament of Ghana.
3.0 Background
It has been observed that the growth in the Industrial Sector of this country is slow and this was attributed to the lack of targeted incentives by Government to make the Industrial Sector competitive and attractive to the Private Sector.
It is in this vein that Government is determined to ensure that the best investment climate exists to attract the needed investments into the Manufacturing Sector. This requires that appropriate incentives and regulations are put in place to create a favourable environment within which businesses could thrive and also protect the interests of shareholders.
The “One District One Factory” programme is a key component of Government's Industrial Transfor- mation Agenda. The role of Government in this programme is to facilitate the establishment of District Enterprises by creating the enabling environment, including the provision of infrastructure such as access roads, water and electricity. The programme is a Private Sector-led initiative but Government can invest up to thirty per cent (30%) equity in
Dr Assibey-Yeboah 4:59 p.m.
In November 2018, Parliament approved the 2019 Budget Statement which, among others, contained the Government's broad policy frame- work on the implementation of the ID IF programme.
The Request before the House is the set of incentives proposed to support the implementation of the One District One Factory Programme.
4.0 Request
The request is to seek approval for tax incentives to be granted to companies under the One District One Factory (IDIF) Programme.
The tax incentives sought to cover the waiver of:
Corporate Taxes by 1D1F companies for the first five (5) years of operation;
Import Duties, VAT, NHIL, GETFund, ECOWAS Levy, AU Levy, EXIM Levy and Taxes on Equipment, Machinery and Parts that are not exempted or zero rated under the Customs Harmonised Code;
Direct and Indirect Duties and Levies on all Raw Materials imported by the companies for 1D1F production and exports; and
Withholding taxes on dividends paid.

5.0 Observations

5.1 Rationale for the 1D1F Programme

The Committee was informed that the 1D1F programme has been designed to:

Create massive employment particularly for the youth in rural and peri-urban communities, thereby improve levels and standards of living, as well as reduce rural-urban migration.

Add value to the natural resources of each district and exploit the economic potential of each district based on its comparative advantage.

Ensure even and spatial spread of industries and thus stimulate economic activity and growth in different parts of the country.

Promote exports and increase foreign exchange earnings to support the Government's development agenda, as well as reduce the volume of imports through imports substitution.

5.2 Expected Benefits

The Committee observed that, when successfully executed, the initiative would lead to an increase in the creation of jobs in all the 254 districts in the country and an increase in Government revenue. It would also help curb the issue of rural-urban

migration and the promotion of economic activities across the country'.

5.3 Proposed Incentives under the 1D1F Programme

The Committee noted that in order to attract more private sector investments in support of the 1D1F initiative, Government, as a policy, has proposed the following incentive packages, namely:

Waiver of corporate taxes;

Waiver of import duties and taxes on equipment, machinery and parts;

Waiver of payment of duties and levies on raw materials;

Waiver from the payment of withholding taxes;

Assurance for the repatriation of dividends;

Guarantee against nationalisa- tion; and

Expatriate Worker Quota.

5.4 The need for the tax incentives

The Committee was made aware that approval of the tax incentives framework would help to inform and give confidence to the investor community about efforts being made by Government to support the Programme. It would also help businesses to be certain of the tax incentives they are expected to benefit

if they should enroll on the 1D1F Programme.

The Committee was assured that following the approval, the specific requests for tax waivers for the individual companies registered under the 1D 1F Initiative, accompanied with the relevant tax assessments, would be submitted to Parliament for approval as and when the need arises.

6.0 Recommendation

After carefully considering the Request, the Committee recommends that the House should approve the Government Policy on the Tax Incentives for the implementation of the One District One Factory Programme.

Further and in accordance with article 174(2) of the Constitution, the Committee recommends that every single waiver that is connected to the One District One Factory Programme should be submitted to Parliament for approval before the respective company could enjoy the waiver.

7.0 Conclusion

Considering the benefits to be derived from the Progamme, the Committee is of the view that the request is in the right direction.

The Committee, therefore, re- commends to the House to adopt its Report and to approve by Resolution the Request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT/ GETFund Levy,

Import NHIL, ECOWAS Levy, AU Levy, EXIM Levy on plant, machinery and equipment or parts as well as Corporate Tax for five (5) years of operation being tax incentives to support implementation of the One District One Factory (1D1F) Programme in accordance with Article 174(2) of the Constitution, the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921) and the Standing Orders of Parliament, subject to its proposed recommendations and consequential orders as may be contained in a resolution.

Respectfully submitted.
Mr Speaker 4:59 p.m.
Any seconder?
Mr Anthony Effah (NPP — Asikuma/Odoben/Brakwa) 4:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion before the House for the approval of certain tax incentives for companies that would be registered under the One District One Factory (1D1F).
Mr Speaker, the whole idea is to attract private sector investment into the country and the route of the 1D1F seems to be a very simple way to get private investors, particularly, domestic private investors to invest in the country.
Mr Speaker, by approving a framework of waivers or incentives, the respective investors become very certain of what it is in there for them to bring their money into the country, or to invest in their respective districts in the country.
Mr Anthony Effah (NPP — Asikuma/Odoben/Brakwa) 4:59 p.m.


Mr Speaker, we have said in the Report that every single request for waiver would be assessed by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) appropriately and submitted to this House for approval before the factory or the investor would benefit from the waivers. Sufficient provisions have been made to protect that right of the House such that no individual factory or investor takes this as a blanket approval, to as it were, enjoy this benefit.

Mr Speaker, with these few words, I would like to second the Motion.
Mr Speaker 4:59 p.m.
We will take one contribution from each Side before we come to the Hon Leaders.
Mr Benjamin K. Kpodo (NDC — Ho Central) 4:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would like to contribute to this Motion on the tax incentives for the 1D1F Programme.
We think that this process is very alien to this House, and it is an exercise in futility. The point is that, traditionally, this House is presented with a set of specific request stating the items that are to be bought, the tax computations, the duties, et cetera and we are asked to approve specific sums. And so it is strange for the Hon Minister to present to us an omnibus request that we should approve waivers of duties, levies for items which we do not know when they are going to buy or which specifications and what quantities and values. This is strange.
We do not know anything about these things and so this is strange to the House. And the House should not entertain this. We are waiting. Our traditional approach is that we are waiting, and anytime a set of machinery or equipment is purchased and brought to the port, a report should be given to us, and an assessment and evaluation would be done by the GRA and a specific report would be brought to this House and the Finance Committee can work on it. If they find it accurate and viable, we would give approval to it. But for us to just be announcing that we have approved waivers for 1D1F machinery and equipment is strange to the House without knowing how much we are approving. We are saying that this is not acceptable in this House.
Mr Kingsley C. Ahenkorah (NPP — Tema West) 5:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity.
I am lost trying to understand my Hon Colleague on the other Side despite the plain language in which the Hon Chairman of the Finance Committee read his report -- He is seeking to propose these incentives for 1D1F, and even finished his statement by saying that when any company desires to go under incentives, they have to come to this House and seek for that incentive.
Mr Speaker, I think that if we take our time to listen, especially, even when we read further -- if we decide to read a little bit further or if they try to understand what we say from this Side of the House, we would all be on the same wavelength and move forward in unison.
Mr Speaker, no country in this world has shown serious growth without industrialisation. And we have been in this position for a very long time without seeing any meaningful growth in our industrial landscape. We came to inherit this country as a Government when industry was growing in the negative direction.

Mr Speaker, today, we are saying that to get the private sector to have some interest in Ghana and bring their moneys here to invest, we need to put out some incentives there to, as it were, pull them in.

Mr Speaker, if you go to Rwanda, they are giving 10 years tax holiday to companies and it is the same in Singapore and Dubai. Incentives are given everywhere to attract invest- ment into an economy, and that is exactly what we are trying to do as a Government. So why I see no reason why anybody in this Chamber who reads should refuse to accept -
Mr Speaker 5:09 p.m.
Hon Member, people here do read. Please, do not cast insinuations.
Mr Ahenkorah 5:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, accepted. I withdraw.
However, to move on to my main point, I am very happy that the Hon Chairman of the Committee has actually stressed the fact that no company is going to go under this incentive package without coming to this House for approval. I would want us to stress the point that it is not going
to be an omnibus incentive for every company; they need to come to this House first.
Mr Speaker 5:09 p.m.
In conclusion?
Mr Ahenkorah 5:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, with these few words, I ask that this House approves this waiver for the 1D1F Programme.
Mr Speaker 5:09 p.m.
One more contribution from each Side. Hon Leaders?
Mr Iddrisu 5:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
I will speak to the Motion but I will be unable to support this grant of tax exemption for two principal reasons.
Mr Speaker, a while ago, this Honourable House exercised the same constitutional mandate under article 174 when the Hon Minister for Roads and Highways and his Ministry sought tax exemption for Sinohydro Phase 1.
Mr Speaker, in it, you can see a figure of GH¢351,972,717.62 and US$69 million. We are being called to grant tax exemption and waiver under article 174 of the Constitution for 1D1F, a flagship programme of Government. Where is the taxable amount? What are we granting the waiver for? Like we just did for the Ministry of Roads and Highways, there was a certain amount determined and assessed by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) as taxable. You do so, because the GRA will do an assessment; with the 1D1F, as I read through the pages, I have not seen any amount.
Mr Iddrisu 5:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, now I have heard the Hon Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry. How interesting? We have been there before.
There is a difference between an incentive regime and a tax waiver regime. If this Government wants to grant incentives, the appropriate Legislation is the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Act of 2013, Act 865 and not under article 174 of the Constitution. They want to grant exemptions --
Mr Speaker, indeed, I have been the Hon Minister for Trade and Industry and if we want to grant incentives, that is why the GIPC Act was passed. In any case, I am saying that with this, what taxable amount are we exempting? They should show me - I have not seen any amount and I have gone through pages 1, 2, 3 and 4 and that is all.

Mr Speaker, if there is a shea butter factory in Lawra, Nandom and the others and you want to give them tax exemption --
Mr Speaker 5:09 p.m.
Hon Chairman?
Dr Assibey-Yeboah 5:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, respectfully, I refer the Hon Minority
Leader to the recommendation on page 5, bullet 6.0. In paragraph 2 it reads: “Further and in accordance with article 174(2), the Committee recommends that every single waiver that is connected to the One District One Factory Programme should be submitted to Parliament for approval before the respective company could enjoy the waiver”.
Mr Speaker, this recommendation of the Committee has found space in the Resolution. As a matter of fact, on page 8 of today's Order Paper, the Resolution which this House might adopt, in the last four lines, it is categorically stated that: “the GRA shall assess each company on its individual merits and it shall present same to Parliament”.
So, if indeed there is some exercise in futility, then it will be submissions that we are hearing from the other Side because every single company that wants a waiver under the 1D1F will come back to this House.
Mr Iddrisu 5:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, to register how strong we intend to fight this wrong, I will be invoking Standing Orders 113 and 114 for a division on this matter for the record to establish it that we will not support a blank cheque for 1D1F. [Hear! Hear!]
Mr Speaker, the principle of the 1D1F Programme is to create jobs, and to support the President in this regard who has our fullest support. The Hon Chairman has just referred me to a page in his Report. In the Road Sector Report and to quote him; ‘The GRA shall'. How I wish he had said; ‘The GRA has'. Where is
the assessment from the GRA? When we say ‘exemption', something must be taxable to qualify to be exempted. Where is the exemption; what is the amount for which they are exempting?
For instance, you must say that to set up 1D1F [Interruption] -- Mr Speaker, I intend to invoke Standing Orders 113 and 114 and we will take a vote on this matter because there is no way we will support a blank cheque for 1D1F.
If they want exemptions, they should come properly by bringing us the list, the names of the corporate entities, the assessed values as required by the GRA to support same. Without that we will not -- like the Road Sector waiver we did for the Hon Minister because the amount is known and certain. With the Road Sector, you have attached --
Mr Speaker, that is why I drew attention to it. With the road waiver, the assessment from the GRA is attached. Where is the attachment on this matter? So, we are not able to support -- if Government wants to give incentives, they should come under the GIPC Act, Act 865 --
Mr Speaker 5:09 p.m.
Hon Member, that is well taken.
Mr Iddrisu 5:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, more importantly --
Mr Speaker 5:09 p.m.
You have made that point.
Mr Iddrisu 5:09 p.m.
I am concluding.
Many of these companies have already benefitted from Government's support from the Ghana EXIM Bank yet they are still giving them incentives. We are not able to justify it.
Mr Speaker 5:09 p.m.
Majority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 5:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to speak to the Report before us. Mr Speaker, --
Mr Speaker 5:09 p.m.
Hon Members, at least, we would want to hear the Hon Majority Leader. Those behind him who are engaged in other activities --
Hon Majority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 5:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is important to observe the conclusion of the Report before us. The conclusion provides that:
“Considering the benefits to be derived from the programme, the Committee, that is, the Committee of this House is of the view that the request is in the right direction. The Committee therefore, recommends to the House to adopt its Report and approve by resolution, the request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, GETFund Levy, Import NHIL, and EXIM Levy on plant, machinery and equipment as well as Corporate Tax for five years of operation being tax incentives to support the implementation of the 1D1F Programme in accordance with

article 174(2) of the Constitu- tion, the Public Financial Management Act, Act 2016, Act 921 and the Standing Orders of Parliament subject to the proposed amendment and suspension orders as may be contained in the Resolution.

Respectfully submitted.

Mr Speaker, it does appear for all intents and purposes that this is the conclusion adopted by the Committee by consensus, if not by unanimity. So, it is strange when these things have happened at the Committee level for people to come and widely disagree.

Mr Speaker, it does also appear that some people have come to this House, having set their own examination questions, provided their own set of marking schemes and gone to mark their own scripts and then awarded themselves huge marks and congratulated themselves.

What are the issues? What is contained in this Report is the policy and principles underpinning the 1D1F. Parliament must be informed of the policy underpins of any Government programme and that, indeed, is what we are being served today. Nothing more, nothing less.

Mr Speaker, it is for that reason that the Committee's Report provides the page that was read by the Hon Chairman of the Committee and, for emphasis, I will read the recom- mendations;

“After carefully considering the request, the Committee recom- mends that the House should approve the Government policy”.

Mr Speaker, the phrase is; ‘the Government policy' and so, all that we are doing is the approval of Government policy. That is bullet 6.0. So, when the Motion is for the adoption of the Report, the Report is saying to us that we should adopt and approve Government policy on tax incentive for the implementation on the 1D1F programme. Therefore, when you look for figures, you will not find it in this Report. It is as simple as that.

When you have the request come before you -- [Interruption] -- Mr Speaker, it is strange that people do not know that Parliament should stand to approve for policy and look for policy reconciliation in any Government Agreement. If people in this House do not know that, then it is strange and most unfortunate. That is the remit of every Parliament. You should look at the policy underpinning any programme or project and look for policy reconciliation.

Mr Speaker, so this Report is urging us to approve of the zeroing in further of policy. Indeed, the Resolution under the Ghana Free Zones Act --
rose
Mr Speaker 5:19 p.m.
Hon Minority Leader, do you have any point of order?
Mr Iddrisu 5:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yes; the Hon Majority Leader knows it all. He should read the Motion. Mr Speaker, Motion 12 reads:
“That this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee on the Request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, GETFund Levy, Import NHIL, and EXIM Levy on plant, machinery and equipment or parts, as well as Corporate Tax for five years of operation being tax incentives to support the implementation of the One District One Factory (1D1F) Programme.”
Mr Speaker, the Committee's Report makes reference to article 174 of the Constitution, so nobody has set his questions and is marking them. They should mark their own Motion and award themselves that their Motion is a policy.
Mr Speaker, for the record, even when this --
Mr Speaker 5:19 p.m.
Hon Minority Leader, are you on a point of order?
Mr Iddrisu 5:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yes.
Mr Speaker 5:19 p.m.
I would have wished that you advised your Hon Members when you heard all the inhibitions. I am putting this for the record and this is what I expect of all the Hon Leaders of the House. We heard all the inhibitions.
Hon Majority Leader, please continue.
Mr Iddrisu 5:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, they would be guided.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 5:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, article 174 that was quoted by the Hon Minority Leader --
Mr Speaker 5:19 p.m.
Hon Members, let us not, by gestures and other motions, give the impression that we are at some war in this Honourable House. Please let us act in such a way that if there were strangers, they would give due regard to the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana.
Hon Majority Leader, please continue.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 5:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, article 174 is on tax waivers as the Hon Minority Leader related to, but who said to him that incentives do not include waivers? Mr Speaker, I am surprised.
Mr Speaker, I see my Hon Colleague, Dr Ayine, nodding and he agrees with me that incentives include waivers and it is as simple as that. So, I do not see why we should split hairs over this.
Mr Speaker, having said so, I think that it is important because he drew attention to the Motion. Indeed, the Motion is for this House to adopt the Report of the Finance Committee and the Report is asking us to adopt and approve government policy on tax incentives. This is the essence of this Report. Indeed, the Resolution which has been read again by the Hon
Chairman provides in the conclusion that 5:29 p.m.
“NOW THEREFORE, this Honourable House, having taken note of the earlier approval of the IDIF Programme outlined in the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Ghana, hereby approves, the tax incentives to support the implementation of the IDIF Programme for five years of operation. However, the amount of taxes and duties to be waived for each specific 1D1F- approved factory in exercise of the power conferred on the Minister responsible for Finance shall be accessed on individual merit by the Ghana Revenue Authority and presented to Parliament…”
Mr Speaker, so who is giving a blank cheque? It shall be brought to Parliament for consideration and approval in accordance with article 174(2) of the Constitution. Mr Speaker, so this is much ado about nothing. People are saying that consideration is not coming to this House, but this is clear in black and white unless we decide to overlook it.
Mr Speaker, under the Ghana Free Zones Act, Parliament has granted a waiver of all such incentives and more to be managed by the Authority upon application by the
beneficiary companies. Such applications do not come to Parliament but the incentives are granted by the Authority because Parliament exempted that by two- thirds of our membership by Resolution.

We are saying that as far as the 1D1F is concerned, they should come here, individually, for approval, and so much heat is being generated.

Mr Speaker, as far as I am concerned, it is much ado about nothing, and what we are doing today is a further improvement of what is required by Parliament to be done with respect, first, to policy approval and reconciliation, which is the remit of Parliament. It appears people do not even know that.

Mr Speaker, the Hon Minority Leader is saying that I know. He should know as well, and if he does not know, it is unfortunate.

So, Mr Speaker, that is where we are. Let us approve of it and make progress for the growth of the economy of this country.

Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the space granted me.

Question put and Motion agreed to.
Mr Speaker 5:29 p.m.
Item listed 13, Resolution.
RESOLUTION 5:29 p.m.

BY THE COMBINED 5:29 p.m.

Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 5:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the motion.
Question moved and motion agreed to.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 5:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, let us go back to the Order Paper Addendum -- Presentation of Papers, item numbered 1.
PAPERS 5:29 p.m.

Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 5:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, item numbered 17, page 10 on the Order Paper.
MOTIONS 5:29 p.m.

Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 5:29 p.m.
Mr
Speaker, I beg to move, that notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 80(1) which require that no Motion shall be debated until at least forty-eight hours have elapsed between the date on which notice of the Motion is given and the date on which the Motion is moved, the Motion for the adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee on the Request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, GETFund Levy, Import NHIL, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy, and other local taxes amounting to the Ghana cedi equivalent of sixty- five million, two hundred and forty- eight thousand, three hundred and ninety-seven United States dollars and sixty cents (US$65,248,397.60) on materials and equipment to be procured for the development of an Integrated Container and Multi- Purpose Terminal at the Takoradi Port by IbisTek Limited under a Concession Agreement between the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and IbisTek Limited may be moved today.
Dr A. A. Osei 5:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question moved and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Request for Waiver of Import Duties et al on the Concession
Agreement between Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority
and IbisTek Limited for IC and MPT at the Takoradi Port
Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 5:29 p.m.
Mr
Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee on the Request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, GETFund Levy, Import NHIL, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy, and other local taxes amounting to the Ghana cedi equivalent of sixty- five million, two hundred and forty- eight thousand, three hundred and ninety-seven United States dollars and sixty cents (US$65,248,397.60) on materials and equipment to be procured for the development of an Integrated Container and Multi- Purpose Terminal at the Takoradi Port by IbisTek Limited under a Concession Agreement between the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and IbisTek Limited.
Mr Speaker, in so doing, I present your Committee's Report.
Introduction
The request for the waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT/ GETFund Levy, Import NHIL, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy and other local taxes amounting to the Ghana Cedi equivalent of sixty-five million, two hundred and forty-eight thousand, three hundred and ninety- seven United States dollars and sixty cents (US$65,248,397.60) on materials and equipment to be procured for the development of an Integrated Container and Multi- Purpose Terminal at the Takoradi Port by 1BISTEK Limited under a Concession Agreement between the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and IBISTEK Limited was presented to the House on Tuesday, 30th April, 2019, in accordance with article
Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 5:29 p.m.


174(2) of the 1992 Constitution and referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and report pursuant to the Standing Orders of the House.

The Committee met with the Minister for Transport, Hon Kwaku Asiamah, a Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon Kwaku Kwarteng, and officials from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Transport and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.

References

The Committee referred to the following documents during its deliberations:

The 1992 Constitution of Ghana;

The Public Financial Manage- ment Act, 2016 (Act 921);

The Standing Orders of the Parliament of Ghana;

The Concession Agreement between the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and IBISTEK Limited; and

The Tax Assessment by the Ghana Revenue Authority.

Background

The Takoradi Port dates back to April 3, 1928, when it was officially commissioned and opened for operations. Since then, the port has not seen any dramatic expansion or

any major rehabilitation work even though the economy and maritime trade (exports and imports) has seen substantial growth and increase in ship sizes.

The existing infrastructure is unable to support the increased volume in trade at the port. There is therefore the need for the port to be modernised and expanded at this point in time in order to prevent any unforeseen congestion.

In view of this, the Government of Ghana, represented by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) and acting through the Ministry of Transport, has entered into a Concession Agreement with IBISTEK Limited to rehabilitate and expand the Takoradi Port.

Clause 23.1 of the Concession Agreement requires that any levy or levies including increase therein of taxes or duties, on account of or in respect of Guarantor's Assets payable to the Government or any Govern ment Authority shall be met and paid by the Guarantor. In order to successfully implement this project, there is the need to waive taxes and duties applicable.

It is in this regard that the request for the waiver of taxes and duties has been submitted to Parliament in accordance with article 174 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.

The Request

The request before Parliament is for the waiver of Import Duties, Import

VAT/GETFund Levy, Import NHIL, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy and other local taxes, amounting to the Ghana cedi equivalent of sixty-five million, two hundred and forty-eight thousand, three hundred and ninety - seven United States dollars and sixty cents (US$65,248,397.60).
Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 5:29 p.m.
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Attached as APPENDIX is the details of the tax assessment.
Observations
Rationale for the Project
The Committee observed that the rationale for the Project is to address
the current infrastructure deficit at the Takoradi Port. Under the Agreement, IBISTEK Limited is expected to design, redesign, engineer, finance, construct, equip, operate, manage, maintain and repair the Container and Multipurpose Terminal (C&MPT) at the Port of Takoradi for the handling,

storage and delivery of containers, RoRo cargo, general project cargo, oil and gas exploration cargo (including pipes and steel and agri- bulk cargo such as cocoa, cereals and grains). The Concessioner is also expected to rehabilitate and reconstruct the port access roads.

Expected Socio-Economic Benefits

The Committee was informed that when completed, the project would help:

Increase the Takoradi Port's throughput capacity to ade- quately handle the country's trade growth;

Create about 2,000 jobs that will contribute to pension funds, national health insurance scheme, et cetera;

Connect Ghana to the global market and facilitating trade that would enable Ghanaians to cost effectively compete for businesses;

Strengthen the strategic position of the port in the sub-region as larger vessels would be able to dock at the port;

Provide new infrastructure and modern equipment and advanced technology to serve larger and deeper vessels; and

Help develop the port competi- tiveness and attractiveness to secure its leading position in West Africa.

Scope of Project/Project Description

The Committee noted that the Scope of works at the port under the Concessional Agreement comprised the following:

Access Channel dredged to 16 metres;

Extension of Breakwater 1.08 Northward;

Construction of Bulk Terminals with 16 metres depth;

Construction of oil service terminal;

Reclamation of 53 hectares (ha) of land;

Construction of open storage area for oil field, plant and machinery; and

Construction of dual access roads to the port.

Conclusion

Considering the benefits to be derived from the project, the Committee is of the view that the request is in the right direction.

The Committee therefore recommends to the House to adopt its Report and to approve the request

for the waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT/GETFund Levy, Import NH1L, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy and other local taxes amounting to the Ghana cedi equivalent of sixty- five million, two hundred and forty- eight thousand, three hundred and ninety-seven United States dollars and sixty cents (US$65,248,397.60) on materials and equipment to be

procured for the development of an Integrated Container and Multi- Purpose Terminal at the Takoradi Port by IBISTEK Limited under a Concession Agreement between the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and IBISTEK Limited in accordance with article 174(2) of the Constitution, the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921) and the Standing Orders of Parliament.

Respectfully submitted.
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Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini (NDC- Tamale Central) 5:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion before the House and to call on Hon Members of the House to approve of the waiver.
Mr Speaker, IbisTek, and I do it on moral and legal principles -- IbisTek is an indigenous Ghanaian company. It is the only Ghanaian company which during the era of President Kufuor demonstrated a capacity and ability to build a cargo handling centre. At the time, Mr Paul Ansah was the Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.
If we have approved tax waivers for companies that only operate in Ghana but are not owned by Ghanaians, why would we not approve tax waivers for a company that is inherently Ghanaian and that has the capacity to deliver?
Mr Speaker, on this principle alone, I pray and invite Hon Members of this House to exercise their collective responsibility of ensuring that Ghanaians benefit from incentive regimes that are available to others who are non-Ghanaians.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko- Mensah (NPP -Takoradi) 5:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to support the Motion to adopt the Report of the Finance Committee to give a tax waiver of US$ 65,248, 397.60, which I believe is long overdue.
Mr Speaker, first and foremost, the contractor is a Ghanaian, and secondly, this Project is also happening not only in my Region, but also in my own Constituency.
Mr Speaker, the Project would provide over 2,000 jobs. We are also being told that after the construction phase, it would also provide around 3,500 jobs.
Mr Speaker, even before they start the actual construction of their part of the Project, they have started constructing some of the roads. In fact, through their concession, they have been able to construct one of the biggest road challenges I used to have in my constituency, the New Takoradi Road. It had been constructed even before we started doing this.
Mr Speaker, therefore, clearly, they have shown that they are Ghanaians and they are capable. I do believe that as we grant them this tax waiver, it would go a long way to ensure that the Takoradi Port would be the Port of choice for oil and gas services, and container operations.
Mr Speaker 5:29 p.m.
Hon Members, order!
Hon Members, we may take two concluding remarks from the two Sides.
Yes, Hon Member, briefly.
Mr Kwame G. Agbodza (NDC -- Adaklu) 5:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to support the Motion for the granting of tax waiver for the Takoradi Port Project.
Mr Speaker, just as the previous speaker said, it is very gratifying to know that this developer is a Ghanaian-owned business. It gives the impression that, given the opportunity, the Ghanaian could competitively act in the business environment, create jobs and wealth for our people.
Mr Speaker, I am most happy to know that the GPHA, when they appeared before the Committee, were happy with this Agreement. I say this partly because the same GPHA sits in meetings where such Agreements were passed in the past, but later, we hear that GPHA is unhappy with contents or certain aspects of the concession. I hope the participation of GPHA in this Concession Agreement signifies and makes everybody aware that they are actually beneficiaries. When Ibis Tek Project makes money, GPHA makes money and the Government of Ghana also makes money. We hope that we would not wake up one day for GPHA, the partner in this, to also cry
that they are losing their jobs and other things.
Mr Speaker, we also had a detailed breakdown of what the developer is procuring, and when we interrogated them, we found out that these are realistic figures in every way.
Mr Speaker, without stretching this argument, I believe this proposal when passed would give Takoradi Port the needed investment. In fact, your Committee went there recently, and the size of expansion going on there would facilitate much of what Ghana would want to do in terms of export, which has got a direct relationship with the strength of our economy, especially with the currency of our country.
Mr Speaker, I would urge Hon Colleagues to support this Agreement, and when it is passed, we hope that the developer would continue to do the necessary investment that would make the Port a better one for all of us.
Mr Speaker, with these few words, I thank you for the opportunity.
Mr Speaker 5:29 p.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member.
Minister for Transport (Mr Kwaku O. Asiamah) 5:29 p.m.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker, this is a real commitment from the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who believes that,given the opportunity, the Ghanaian is capable of competing in the international competitive environment. So, with what has been said by the House, I believe it is something encouraging, and we all need to support this Project.
So, I thank the House for approving the tax waiver for the Ibis Tek Project.
Mr Haruna Iddrisu (NDC -- Tamale South) 5:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, ordinarily, although the Hon Minister has concluded -- I would just want to draw the attention of the Hon Minister to some matters. It is important that he drives the policy objectives home because, a few minutes ago, we were being schooled about policy and tax exemptions. So, embedded in this exemption is policy, and therefore, I would want to make some few comments on policy.
Mr Speaker, one, I support the principle of expanded port. Indeed, I have shared with the Hon Minister for Finance that it is my honest view that all the taxes that Ghana needs are from the port, so he should tighten his surveillance and monitoring at the ports, in order that matters like bonded warehouse, and exemption of tax regime -- [Interruption] --
Even with those exercised by the Hon Minister for Trade and others, some of it are open to abuse which contributes to the leakages of Government revenue.
Mr Speaker 5:29 p.m.
Hon Member, you should address me.
Mr Iddrisu 5:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister, by a letter dated the 27th February, 2019, requested the approval of tax concession under article 174 of the Constitution.
My worry is that, in his honest belief, he was of the view that US$272 million would have been worthwhile. Now that we are getting less, are we sure that the contractor or the partner would not be put in a disadvantaged position? This is per the letter of the Hon Minister.
Mr Speaker, if I even go further to his document, which is attached -- Request for tax relief on page 2, again, his request was for an amount of about US$ 272,591,000 over the 25-year period. Now, we must work the equity arrangement well. If Government is waiving taxes for an indigenous player, then Government deserves benefits, especially when we say that the entire contract sum is around US$ 400 million. So, it is less of the tax exemption that we are giving him, which must be conceived and presumed as a contribution of Government to support the indigenous
Mr Iddrisu 5:49 p.m.
player. So, what benefits accrue to the Government? He is to take ownership of it.
Mr Speaker, I recall that the Hon Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation and I even sponsored an amendment to one of the tax laws for customs to begin to work for 24 hours. That is why there were efforts to build the Atuabo Port Project sometime back.

Mr Speaker, I listened to the President and the TUC Secretary- General during the May Day celebration. They raised questions about agreements GPHA signed with MPS and others. I hope that they heard them, and that they are guided that, tomorrow, the same GPHA would not come and tell us that they are signing an agreement that is undesirable or not good enough.

Finally, Mr Speaker, it is only in coming for the tax waiver that Parliament has now seen this Agreement. That is not good enough. If they want to benefit from tax exemption, then they should apprise us fully of the relationship between GPHA and the contractor.

Mr Speaker, they are only bringing it to us now. I saw their letters and the Executive letter. We are seeing this Agreement now, but we did not see it formerly. We have seen it only to guide us to take a decision on tax exemption.

Mr Speaker, next time, we need to have ownership of it as a Parliament. I cannot grant tax exemption when I do not know the relationship they have entered into, and the commitment they are making.

Mr Speaker, we need expanded ports. I am of the view that the ports should even work for 24 hours non- stop and we should police it well in order to get revenue.

I thank you for the opportunity.

Question put and motion agreed to.
RESOLUTION 5:49 p.m.

BY THE COMBINED 5:49 p.m.

Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 5:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr Speaker 5:49 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader, where do we go from here?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 5:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we could take the items numbered 2 and 3 on the Order Paper Addendum.
MOTIONS 5:49 p.m.

Minister for Transport (Mr Kwaku O. Asiamah) 5:49 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 second reading of the National Road Safety Authority Bill, 2019, may be moved today.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 5:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr Speaker 5:49 p.m.
Hon Minister for Transport?
BILLS -- SECOND READING 5:49 p.m.

Minister for Transport (Mr Kwaku O. Asiamah) 5:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that the National Road Safety Authority Bill, 2019 be now read a second time.
Mr Speaker, the National Roads Safety Commission (NRSC) was established in 1999 by the National Road Safety Act, 1999 (Act 567) with a mandate to develop, coor- dinate and promote road safety activities in Ghana. Since then, the Commission has made some progress by developing the National Road Safety Act, action plan and the strategy III.
Mr Speaker, as it is now, NRSC, currently, per its statutes, lacks the capacity to enforce compliance to road safety standards, procedures and policies due to the constraints in the current Act. The Act, as it is now, is just an operative. [Interruption.] NRSC can only advise or encourage road users without real act of enforcing them to abide by road safety regulation.
Mr Speaker, due to this lack of enforcement, the gains that the Commission has made have been eroded because the operators themselves do not adhere to the principles of road safety regulations in the country.
In view of this, there was the need for a new mandate and a change in direction of NRSC with emphasis on compliance to road safety standards, policies and procedures to provide the needed results in terms of national expectations and global demand.
Mr Speaker, this new mandate is in line with the commitment of Government to empower the
Commission to ensure that com- pliance by road users is adhered to.
Mr Speaker, in view of this, it is the view of the President that we need to enhance the capacity of NRSC, and before we can do that, it is just right that we enhance the mandate of the Commission. The law, as it is now, does not give the Commission any power to enforce regulations.
We are here today to enhance the capacity of the Commission to enable it to perform its functions as it is expected.
I wish to kindly urge the Honourable House to consider and approve the new Bill to give the Commission a stronger mandate and position it strategically to play its role in ensuring that our roads are safe.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 5:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to support the Motion and, in doing so, I present your Committee's Report.
Introduction
The National Road Safety Authority Bill, 2019, was presented to Parliament by the Minister of Transport, Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, on Thursday, 2nd May, 2019.
In accordance with article 106 (4) and (5) of the Constitution and Order 189 of the Standing Orders of the House, the Rt Hon Speaker referred the National Road Safety Authority Bill to the Committee on Roads and

Transport for consideration and report.

During the consideration of the Bill, the Committee was assisted by the Minister of Transport, Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, his Deputy, Hon Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover, the Chief Director of the Sector Ministry, Mr Selby, the Executive Director of the National Road Safety Commission, Mrs May Obiri- Yeboah, and a number of officials of the Ministry of Transport, the National Road Safety Commission and the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice who provided extensive information on aspects of the Bill under reference.

The Committee acknowledges the invaluable contributions of the officials who attended upon it.

Reference Documents

In the course of the Committee's work, references were made to the following documents:

The 1992 Constitution of Ghana;

ii. The Standing Orders of Parliament;

iii. The National Road Safety Commission Act, 1999; and

iv. The National Road Safety Authority Bill, 2019.

Background

In 1989, the National Road Safety Committee was established under the Administration of the Ghana Police Service. By an Act of Parliament in 1999, Act 567, the National Road Safety Commission came into being with a mandate to promote road safety in Ghana. The Commission was charged to undertake nationwide road safety education, coordinate and monitor related activities, among others.

The Commission was also to recommend to the Minister and such bodies as it may determine, measures that would help prevent accidents that involve the use of vehicles which ply on our roads.

The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), with a governing board of 21 members, run the Commission with limited sources of funding to implementing its nationwide activities. To shore up its funding and come to grips with effective implementation of its mandate, the Commission identified with key road safety stakeholders and developed a National Road Safety Policy.

The NRSC rolled out its National Road Safety Strategy specifically Strategy I, II and III and implemented an action plan that targeted reducing road traffic accidents specifically in Kumasi.

In 2014, it is estimated that economically, RTC cost the country 1.0 per cent of its GDP. The

Commission led an advocacy for a review of its regulations and consequently led to the rebirth of the Road Traffic Regulation, 2012 (LI

2180).

Data suggest that marginal progress has been made in reducing road carnage by way of quantum in reductions in persons killed and injured over the years; however, a lot more remains to be done. Global best road safety practices show that to achieve an improvement in road safety and to reduce road crashes, fatalities and injuries, there must be increased education and effective implementation of road safety standards, procedures and policies by road safety related bodies and institutions.

Over the years, the Commission has put together a series of data-led strategies that require several public or private institutions to implement existing road safety standards, procedures and policies intended to reduce deaths and injuries caused by road accidents.

Since 2010, the Commission has been advocating for a review of its mandate to make it more responsive.

The Commission lacks the mandate to demand compliance with its standards or implementation modules in the interest of public safety. The Bill seeks to put in place the legal framework to mandate the Authority to implement standard, procedures and policies that would impact positively on road safety.

Object of the Bill

The Bill seeks to elevate the NRSC into an Authority by putting in place the legal framework to mandate the Authority to implement standard, procedures and policies that would impact positively on road safety.

Highlights of the Bill

Clause 1 establishes the National Road Safety Authority as a body corporate with perpetual succession.

Clause 2 states the object of the Authority. The object of the Authority is to reduce the incidence of road crashes, fatalities and injuries through the promotion of road safety, the development and coordination of policies in relation to road safety and the implementation of standards in relation to road safety.

In clause 3, the functions of the Authority are spelt out and they include, among others, to regulate, monitor, co-ordinate and oversee activities related to road transport operations; promote, maintain and monitor standards in the delivery of quality road transport services; develop a comprehensive plan for the promotion of road safety through education, sharing of information and publicity and issue certificates and licences to road safety service providers and other related service providers.

Clause 4 provides for the governing body of the Authority which is a Board, comprising thirteen (13) members appointed by the President with Standard provisions on the tenure
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 5:49 p.m.


of office of members of the Board, meetings of the Board, disclosure of interest by members of the Board, establishment of committees of the Board and allowances payable to members of the Board and committees of the Board are dealt with in clauses 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, respectively, whilst clause 10 provides for Ministerial oversight responsibility.

Clause 11 provides for the establishment of directorates of the Authority; namely, the Planning and Programmes Directorate, Inspecto- rate and Compliance Directorate, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate, and Finance and Administration Directorate.

Clause 12 makes provision for the Board to establish an office of the Authority in each region. A regional office is to be headed by a Regional Road Safety Director. A regional office of the Authority is to perform functions of the Authority as the Board may direct.

Clause 13 provides for the appointment by the President of a Director- General of the Authority in accordance with article 195 of the Constitution. The Director-General is to hold office in accordance with terms and conditions specified in the letter of appointment.

Clause 14 deals with the functions of the Director-General. The Director-General is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the affairs of the Authority and is

answerable to the Board in the performance of functions under the Act.

Under clause 15, the President is to appoint road safety inspectors for the Inspectorate and Compliance Directorate. A road safety inspector may at a reasonable time enter any premises to inspect the premises and ensure that the provisions of the Act are complied with.

Clause 16 makes provision for the Director-General, acting in consultation with the Board, to designate a person appointed under clause 17 to act as Secretary to the Board. The functions of the Secretary are spelt out in the clause.

Clause 17 provides for the appointment of other staff of the Authority.

Clauses 18 and 19 provides for the funds of the Authority.

Clause 20 deals with the bank account of the Authority.

Clause 21 mandates the Board to prepare budget estimates for each financial year and present the estimates for approval by Parliament.

The standard provisions relating to accounts and audit and annual and other reports are provided for in clauses 22 and 23, respectively.

Clause 24 specifies the conduct of investigation into road transport systems.

Clause 25 makes provision for the issue of a compliance notice.

Clause 26 enables the Authority to apply to the High Court for the enforcement of a directive of the Authority.

Clauses 27 and 28 require other bodies to collaborate with the Authority in the performance of its functions under the Act.

Clause 29 provides for the coordination and collaboration between the Authority and public and private organisations. Clause 30 provides for offences and penalties.

Clause 31 is on matters that may require Regulations.

Clause 32 deals with the interpretation of words used in the Bill and clauses 33 and 34 provide for repeals and savings and transitional provisions, respectively.

Observations

The Committee found most of the clauses in the Bill acceptable, however, some needed more clarification. Indeed, the passage of the Bill to transform NRSC to an Authority is timely to allow for the efficient and effective performance of the Commission. Unlike the NRSC Act, 1999 (Act 567) where the Commission lacks the mandate to demand compliance with road safety standards or their implementation in the interest of public, the National

Road Safety Authority Bill, when successfully passed, will accord the Authority the power to implement standards, procedures and policies that would impact positively on road traffic safety.

Provision of Funds for the Authority

Under clause 18 of the Bill, the sources of funds for the Authority are specified. However, the Committee questioned the availability and the flow of the funds in the short and medium term. The Committee is of the considered view that the Authority will depend on the short and the medium term on the availability of statutory funds. The Committee noted with satisfaction that unlike the Act 567, all the statutory funding that the Authority will source from the various institutions are clear and indicated in percentages.

The Committee further noted that apart from the statutory funds, NRSA has put in place measures to obtain loan and credit facility subject to section 76 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921). The financial provision will greatly facilitate the implementation of the various road traffic activities which hitherto, NRSC could not embark on to save lives and properties in the country as the Commission was financially handicapped.

The passage of the Bill will enable NRSA to ensure that standards are met and focused on the fundamental issues relating to road safety. The Committee observed that the Bill
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 5:49 p.m.


would enable Ghana to address the potential road traffic threats posed by road agencies and road users.

Stakeholders Consultation

Stakeholders in the Road and Transport Industry such as the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), the Ghana Police Service and others have been working with the NRSC on the subject of Road Traffic Safety. The Committee noted that through the activities of the Commission, other stakeholders have also been consulted at specially organised fora and interviews conducted and their concurrences have been sought for the passage of the Bill.

Using ICT Tracking System to Monitor Road Users

Road Traffic monitoring involves the collection of data describing the characteristics of vehicles and their movement through road networks. Such data may be used for one of these purposes such as law en- forcement, congestion and accident detection and increasing road capacity.

Road Traffic monitoring can be done manually or through the use of ICT devices. Intelligent Trans- portation Systems (ITS) are advanced road traffic monitoring tools which provide innovative services relating to different modes of transport and traffic management and enable various users to be better informed

and make safer, more coordinated, and smarter use of transport networks.

The Committee noted the use of ITS for road traffic monitoring in the modern world. Its usefulness and benefits to road agencies cannot be overemphasised as the user would be able to track road incidents at the touch of a button. In this regard, some transport and road agencies have invested in such tools to promote road safety. The Committee observed that ICT devices in road traffic monitoring should be the way forward for the Commission and advised that they liaise with STC for more information to that effect, and also ascertain how technology is employed to minimise road traffic incidents.

Duplication of Efforts

The committee noted that the integration of road transport sector activities will reduce duplication of efforts and investments. As such, efforts should be made to integrate actions for the short, medium and long term. To avoid duplication of efforts, the Committee advised that the Commission consult the GHA Act 1997 (Act 560) that established the Ghana Highway Authority. The Act emphasises road safety, regulation of the road sector, maintenance and other road issues. The Committee found it laudable to consolidate all these issues on road safety.

Recommendations and Conclu- sion

The National Road Safety Authority needs to be established to

help reduce the incidence of road crashes, fatalities and injuries through the promotion of road safety, the development and coordination of policies in relation to road safety and the implementation of road safety standards as the National Road Safety Commission in its current form lacks the mandate to demand

compliance with the existing road safety standards.

The Committee unanimously recommends to the House to approve its Report and pass the National Road Safety Authority Bill, 2019, subject to the attached Amendments.

Respectfully submitted.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 5:49 p.m.


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Mr Speaker 5:49 p.m.
Hon Members, can we take one contribution from each Side?
Mr Kwame G. Agbodza (NDC -- Adaklu) 5:59 a.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion for the elevation of the National Road Safety Commission to an Authority.
The Memorandum that came to Parliament clearly stated that it is the wish of Government to find ways to address the carnage on our roads and one of such ways is to see whether we can strengthen the activities of the National Road Safety Commission and make it more effective.
Mr Speaker, one of the questions we asked the Hon Minister was whether this elevation per se would address the issue of carnage on our roads. The Hon Minister was quite clear that it would help in this direction. The Bill talks about many things, including the expansion of the activities of the Commission, the creation of new directorates and the creation of new regional offices, among other things.
We noticed that the proposed elevation could also potentially create a possible conflict of functions with for instance, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), the Motor Transport and Traffic Directorate (MTTD) and the Ghana Highway Authority. There are some functions these organisations perform
on our roads that appear to be unclear as to whose job it is. The Hon Minister was of the view that legislation would be passed in the form of a Legislative Instrument (L.I.) to address this.
Mr Speaker, the issue of funding for this Authority came up and the Hon Minister told us that it was the intention of Government to allow the Authority to use, for instance, 2.5 per cent of the Road Fund as moneys for this Authority. We noticed that even though the Ministry told us that they have done consultations with relevant organisations, we were approached by the DVLA who appeared not to be very clear with the new Authority.
The Committee said that it would be necessary for us to do further consultation with them. We asked that, for instance, if a vehicle is not roadworthy, and according to the Bill, the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) could cause that vehicle to be removed from the road, what would happen if the DVLA certified that vehicle as worthy to be on the road?
Mr Speaker, these questions were not properly answered, so we feel some Agencies, including DVLA should still be further consulted before we move further.
Mr Speaker, every clause in this Bill appears to be relevant to the need for us to do whatever we can to reduce the carnage on our roads. A few weeks ago, we were all saddened by the spate of accidents on our
roads. I sincerely do not believe that the passing of a new and good law alone would help. I believe and state that good patriotic citizens of this country need to contribute towards the implementation and sustenance of the laws to make our roads safer.
With these few words, I support the Motion and encourage my Hon Colleagues to support it. If we come to the Consideration Stage, I am sure Hon Members would get the opportunity to bring on board their experiences and proposals to make this Bill fit for purpose to reduce the carnage on our roads.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity.
Mr Speaker 5:59 a.m.
Hon Majority Leader, may I have an indication from your end? [Pause.] Is there any difficulty?
Alhaji Inusah A. B. Fuseini (NDC -- Tamale Central) 5:59 a.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion on the Floor of the House and urge Hon Members to support the Motion to change the name of the Ghana Road Safety Commission to the Ghana Road Safety Authority.
Mr Speaker, when the Bill first came to the House, I was surprised that an attempt was being made to change the name of an institution that creates an enabling environment for safety on our roads from a Commission to an Authority. At that point, I could not get the rationale, so I asked. Today, I am being told in the
Alhaji Inusah A. B. Fuseini (NDC -- Tamale Central) 5:59 a.m.


Report that to change the name from a Commission to an Authority is to upgrade it.

This surprises me because in Ghana, even in our Constitution, we have the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) and the Electoral Commission (EC) which are constitutional bodies. We have the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) which is also a Commission. However, we have the Ghana Highway Authority, the National Lottery Authority and Volta River Authority which are statutory bodies.

Mr Speaker, I do not think that the suggestions being made that institutions created by the Constitution are lower than institutions created by Acts-- [Interruption] -- I do not think that is the suggestion. This is because according to the Oxford Advanced Dictionary, to “Commission” is to authorise, so you would commission a committee of inquiry to investigate and authorise a committee to investigate.

As an archaic form, it is a mass noun which is to authorise an institution to perform a certain job, that is, commission the institution to do so. The National Road Safety Com- mission to be called the National Road Safety Authority is a very critical institution in this country. By their mandate, they are supposed to devise strategies to maintain safety and security on our roads, to educate road

users and ensure that in constructing our roads, the Ghana Highway Authority --
Mr Speaker 5:59 a.m.
Hon Member, in conclusion?
Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 6:09 p.m.
The Ghana Highway Authority and the Department of Feeder Roads put in features that would ensure safety on our roads.
If the intention is to create an aura of respectability and authority which surrounds the institution, I support entirely the move, but if it is just to change the name which means the same thing, then we had better leave the name as a ‘‘Commission''.
I thank you for this opportunity.
Mr Speaker 6:09 p.m.
One contribution on my right Side and we shall move into the nitty gritty of the Bill itself.
Mr Kwabena Owusu-Aduomi (NPP - Ejisu) 6:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, over the years, the National Road Safety Commission has not got the actual mandate to demand from the Agencies that provide road infrastructure to go strictly to safety measures. All that the Commission does is to advise. For instance, if the Ghana Highway Authority constructs an asphaltic concrete road which is very dark in colour and road land markings have not been provided to ensure safety, especially, when driving in the night, and the road causes traffic and accident, there is no Authority to demand compliance in safety.
Mr Speaker, the purpose to change the National Road Safety Commission to Authority is to give mandate to the National Road Safety Authority so that all those implementing Agencies who would in one way or the other be involved to provide infrastructure which would need the safety of our people, the National Road Safety Authority would demand that these safety aspects on the roads are done.
For instance, the foot bridges on the Adenta road could not be completed and it led to the loss of citizens. If we had the National Road Safety Authority, it could be able to demand from the Ghana Highway Authority that if they do not finish with a particular important safety aspect of the road, there is no way they would allow them to hold --
Mr Speaker 6:09 p.m.
Hon Member, please conclude.
Mr Owusu-Aduomi 6:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the purpose to change the name from “Commission” to “Authority” is crucial; it would help us ensure safety on all our roads.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for this opportunity.
Question put and motion agreed to.
The National Road Safety Authority Bill, 2019 was accordingly read a Second time.
Mr Speaker 6:09 p.m.
The item numbered 4 -- Motion.
Mr Speaker 6:09 p.m.
Hon Members, item listed 20 -- Motion, by the Hon Chairman of the Committee.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 6:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, respectfully, if we could have some 10 minutes interregnum within which time we would deal with the tribute to our departed Hon Colleague in order for us to have some consultation on the items listed 20, 21 and 22.
Mr Speaker 6:09 p.m.
Hon Members, order!
Hon Members, there is brief tribute we would pay in memory of the late Hon Steve Senu Akorli. Who would read the tribute?
Yes, Hon Member for Adaklu?
STATEMENTS 6:09 p.m.

Mr Kwame G. Agbodza (NDC -- Adaklu) 6:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to read this tribute in memory of the late Hon Steve Senu Akorli, my uncle.
According to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:
Mr Kwame G. Agbodza (NDC -- Adaklu) 6:19 p.m.
“The heights that great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night”
The passing on of Hon Steve Senu Akorli struck us in Parliament with trepidation as this was least expected.
Hon Steve Senu Akorli's association with Ghana's Parliament dates back to the 7th of January, 1993 when he was sworn in as one of the pioneering Members for the Ho East Constituency in the First Parliament of the Fourth Republic.
Growing up in a typically rural setting with very few schools at the time, which were inaccessible, depending on where one lived; and subsistence farming being the preoccupation, formal education was simply not a priority except for his mother, also a peasant farmer, who was prepared to spend her last pesewa on him.
His tenacity of purpose and sense of focus on the acquisition of formal education at all cost propelled Hon Akorli, the fourth child and the first son of his parents, to confront the challenges to this goal, the mother's rather very weak financial situation notwithstanding. Steve, as his colleagues affectionately called him, would thus do all kinds of odd jobs whilst holding on to his conviction and keeping alive his aspiration.
Unfortunately for him, just at the time he struggled to eventually enrol in the Teacher Training College, the teacher trainee allowances were cancelled. He told himself in his harsh economic situation:
“I told myself I will surely meet those privileged ones pursuing secondary education, in the same year, at the university”.
The late Steve studied privately, sat and passed the GCE “O” and “A” Level Examinations and eventually graduated from the University of Ghana, Legon, in 1977 with a BSc (Hons) Administration Degree. This was a great achievement, especially in the light of the family's financial circumstances at the time when the entire family also looked up to him.
Steve was a model Parliamentarian who took his work in this House seriously. He dutifully attended Sittings of the House and actively participated in proceedings both at Plenary and in Committee.
Over his 12 years in Parliament, he served on the following Committees: Finance Committee; Public Accounts Committee; Committee on Health; Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism; Committee on Environment, Science and Technology; House Committee; Committee on Roads and Transport, and the Committee on Members Holding Offices of Profit.
The late Hon Steve, having himself been a product of the rural community, always sought to pursue the development of the rural areas.
Contributing to a debate on the tax exemptions of rural banks, with particular reference to the ARB APEX Bank, he had this to say:
“... Mr Speaker, I rise to support this motion and to say that we need to actually give this tax exemption to ARB APEX Bank in order that the rural banking sector can see a lot more development and growth.
Mr Speaker, we have noticed that about 65 per cent of Ghanaians live in the rural areas, and rural banks play a major role in intermediation as far as these rural people are concerned.
Mr Speaker, we have also realised that if we really want to grow our economy where small and medium scale industries especially and agro-processing in particular, have to be encouraged then the rural banking sector needs a lot more intervention...”
(Official Report, 2004, VOL. 48 NO. 27 column 1793.)
Steve believed that a Member of Parliament needed to be worth his salt as an accomplished statesman who should not be found wanting in skills and capacity in the discharge of duties of the Office. He, therefore, advocated the need for Members, particularly new Members, to get acquainted with the rules of procedure, namely, the Constitution
and the Standing Orders in particular, which to him were sine qua non to effective and diligent performance of duties.
Contributing to a Statement on the challenges facing Parliament under the 1992 Constitution, he stated, among others:
“...my advice to those who would replace us is that, they should as quickly as they can grasp the proceedings of Parliament by looking strongly and strategically at both the Constitution and the Standing Orders of this House”.
(Official Report, December, 2004, Vol. 48 No. 28 column 1874.)
Steve travelled extensively as a result of his Parliamentary duties and participated in a number of international and local conferences where he presented papers and also peer-reviewed papers and critiqued peer presentations. Some of his works were serialised in the Parliamentary magazine, The Legislature.

His subsequent appointment as a Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways and later the acting Minister for the Sector did not affect his attendance of Sittings and work as a Member of the House, a fact which both Colleagues and his constituents would attest to.

Steve was a very jovial and affable character who related well with all those who came into contact with him. He, with his sense of humour and witty stories, always broke the silence
Mr Speaker 6:19 p.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member for Adaklu, for this well-read Statement.
Mr Ras Mubarak (NDC — Kumbungu) 6:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am very grateful for the opportunity to pay tribute to the late Hon Steve Akorli.
He was an irrepressible campaigner for rural development. This House clearly would remember him for his warmth, not just to his Colleagues, but to everybody who came across him. He was very passionate about building consensus in Parliament.
Mr Speaker, my thoughts and condolences go to his family at this very difficult time. Indeed, his kindness transcended the political divide and he would be sorely missed. May his soul rest in perfect peace.
Mr Emmanuel K. Bedzrah (NDC -- Ho West) 6:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I
want to also add my voice to the tribute read by the Hon Member for Adaklu, where the late Hon Steve Akorli hails.
Mr Speaker, I had the privilege to work with Hon Steve Akorli even though I did not meet him in Parliament. But when I came in 2009, I had the privilege to work with him when he was the Chairman of the Technical Implementation Committee (TIC) that supervised the construction of Office space for Members of Parliament.
As a member of the Parliamentary Service Board, he was the Chairman of the sub-committee that supervised this noble edifice that Hon Members of Parliament are enjoying today. It was a time that the Ministry of Works and Housing was our client as well as the Parliamentary Service Board wanting to take over the property from the Ministry of Works and Housing. And here was Hon Steve Akorli chairing the sub-committee that was supposed to supervise both the consultant and Members of Parliament on the committee and also supervise the Ministry of Works and Housing that has jurisdiction over the property.

Mr Speaker, one could see some tension between us being the end users and the Ministry of Works and Housing but Hon Akorli, with his calm demeanour, would sit at the meeting and decide that this is how it should

go. At the end of the day, the Technical Implementation Committee (TIC) prevailed and today, we can all enjoy the property that has been constructed under his direction as the Hon Chairman of the TIC.

The late Hon Akorli, as we heard from the tribute, came from a very rural and poor home, for that matter. A peasant farmer who did not have what it takes; that is, all the wealth that it takes for a child of a peasant farmer who, today, had been known as an Hon Member of Parliament. But that did not deter him in life as he decided to brave the storm and make sure he had education. He educated himself, as was read to us, by writing the GCE ‘O' and ‘A' levels at home and he even went to the university at that time.

Mr Speaker, this should tell all of us that if you do not have what it takes to get to where you are going, by determination, you can make it in life, and the late Hon Akorli has led the way. This is to all of us hearing us, that if you even have parents who do not have what it takes to take you to where you want to go, with determination and perseverance, you can reach where you want to go.

Mr Speaker, with these few words, my condolences go to the bereaved family, the Parliament of Ghana, Adaklu Constituency, the Volta Region and the entire nation, having lost a noble man who has served his nation well.

Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity.
Mr Rockson-Nelson E. K. Dafeamekpor (NDC -- South Dayi) 6:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to say a few words in memory of the late Hon Akorli.
Mr Speaker, as a teenage in the secondary school in the 1990s, we got the opportunity to listen to persons who were key debaters in this House, and the late Hon Member was one of the people who made very useful contributions in the House.
He rose to become the Hon Minister for Roads and Highways and made very useful interventions in the road sector in this country. Indeed, his contributions to debate and other policy matters in this House were contained in the Hansard for all of us.
Indeed, it is a path that all of us, as Hon Members, will one day take and therefore, it is important that we contribute our quota in such a way that will leave footprints in the sands of time and he has done that.
Mr Speaker, as a matter of principle, he will not support wrongdoing within his political party and indeed, in national politics. He was a man of principle and I recall that 10 years ago, during our politicking activities in the Volta Region, he was one of the key people that we looked up to for our contributions.
I want to conclude by quoting John Keats who wrote a poem called; “Ode on a Grecian Urn” where he
said that it is by our deeds we are deified. Indeed, it is by your contributions and works that you will be glorified or remembered.
Mr Speaker, I would want to extend my condolences to his family, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and indeed, the Parliamentary Service Board that he served very well within the past few years.
With these few words, I thank you for the opportunity.
Alhaji Abu-Bakar S. Boniface (NPP -- Madina) 6:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the late Hon Akorli, popularly known on this Floor as Steve. I have known Steve who was more or less, a brother who tutored me on this Floor. He was a very warm person, gentle and always prepared to interact with Hon Colleagues irrespective of their political fraternities.
In fact, to go further, I would want to console the family that the world is a stage and humans are the players. There is time for entry and a time for exit. Death is a necessary end that will come when it must come.
Mr Speaker, Steve has played a very great role and impacted on the economy of Ghana and served in various positions and has excelled. Even when he was out of Parliament, Steve was always here, interacting with very good friends.
I know that the country has lost a great man. As it is often said in Islam; “Kullu nafsin thaiqatul mauti” to wit, “Every soul shall taste death”.
In fact, it is a social contract between him and God, the time he was born and the time he must leave this earth. This is because every life given to any individual on earth is like a Chinese watch; when the battery runs out, your life comes to an end. He has begun a new life and we, of the Islamic fraternity, believe that he has begun a new journey.
Mr Speaker, let me take this Floor to extend my condolences to the entire family, especially, the wife and children and wish him eternal rest. I hope that one day, we will meet, even though somebody is expecting me to say tomorrow, but not tomorrow. We will meet when we also finish our work here on earth.
I wish him eternal and peaceful rest.
Mr Speaker 6:29 p.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Minister.
Yes, Hon Member, your leader points at you.
Mr Benjamin K. Kpodo (NDC -- Ho central) 6:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I will start by expressing condolences to the immediate family and to the NDC family as well as the constituents with whom he worked during his lifetime.
Mr Speaker, Steve, even though came from Adaklu, lived almost all his life in Ho which is my constituency, and we lived so closed to each other that we used to criss-cross one another very often. There was one day I was in one community campaigning, without notice, he appeared behind me and tapped me
that he was there to support me. That was our level of co-operation.
Indeed, last year when we were having a gathering, he came in as a principal speaker and his contribution really rejuvenated our people to action. We have really missed Steve, as we popularly called him because we will not have him supporting us, even long after leaving Parliament in active service.

We wish the Lord's blessings upon him and we pray that the immediate family and even the extended family would take peace from this event. Mr Speaker, I think the House has also lost someone who even after long service continued to help in all spheres that we requested of him.

May his soul rest in peace and may those of us living also have peace for ourselves.

Mr Speaker, thank you.
Mr Speaker 6:39 p.m.
Before the Minority Leadership, I would listen to Hon Gyato.
Mr Michael Y. Gyato (NPP -- Krachi East) 6:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to also express my deepest condolence to our late brother, Hon Steve Akorli.
Mr Speaker, when we all heard about the demise of our senior brother on 3rd March, 2019, it was with shock to all of us because we were young when we heard about this gentle Hon
Mr Speaker 6:39 p.m.
Hon Minority Chief Whip.
Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka (NDC -- Asawase) 6:49 p.m.
Mr
Speaker, I equally rise to pay tribute to our former Colleague and compatriot, Hon Steve Akorli.
Mr Speaker, many of us did not get the privilege of meeting him in this House. He exited just when we came in, but as a member of the Parliamentary Service Board, one had had the opportunity to interact with him on a number of occasions.
Mr Speaker, he took keen interest in many of us who came to this House very young in age and were willing to learn. He used his experience many times to guide us as to how we would one day be called well-trained or well- groomed Hon Members.
Mr Speaker, as it has been said, Hon Steve Akorli was one person that took attendance to the Chamber and the work of Parliament very seriously even when he was an Hon Minister. Mr Speaker, I remember the difficulties and sad moments about 12 years after he exited Parliament when the challenges set in; he was not well and when one saw him sometimes, one could see that he was not well, frail and weak.
Mr Speaker, it is said that mourning of the dead should be a warning to the living, and I would want to take this opportunity to send a word of caution to all of us that as Hon Members of Parliament, as we get busy carrying out our responsibilities in our constituencies and in Greater Accra, we must do well to exercise, eat well and periodically check the status of our health.
Mr Speaker, I remember that a number of times this House has lamented about the lack of a gym, but about some few months ago and with your help, as well as the help of the Parliamentary Service Board, we got a very befitting gym for the House. Mr Speaker, but it is sad to note that as at today, only about 28 of us have been patronising the gym, including those who are not regular. When I checked as a Minority Whip with the clinic, we have Hon Members in this House who are yet to even visit our clinic. Mr Speaker, it simply means that many of us may be exercising outside Parliament, but many of us do not even take the exercise and our health seriously at all. For many of us, a year would pass and we would not even check our health.
Mr Speaker, when you see our Hon Colleagues who have left this House as former Hon Members, you do not even need to be told that they burnt a lot of energy within the period that they were here such that they have become worn out after leaving this House. Mr Speaker, it is something that we need to be conscious of because if we look at Hon Steve Akorli, I would not say that he died old. In my view and looking at the health medications that we have today, he died young because this is somebody who had served 12 years in this House, served as an Hon Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways and also served as the Hon Minister for Roads and Highways.
Just as Hon Boniface said, I believe that death would come when it has to come, but if we take good care of our health, we would live a very healthy life even before death comes. Mr Speaker, but today if you meet most of our Colleagues who are outside this House, one of their biggest challenges is their health.
Mr Speaker, let me take this opportunity to commend you that upon the assumption of your reign as the Speaker, you have put in a policy for our former Hon Members of Parliament and their spouses to be able to visit our clinic. We need to do more for those who are even here because it is my belief that Parliament as an institution should pay for us to go for medical check-ups every year. Mr Speaker, some of us take it upon ourselves to do that every six months just to know our health status and when to start taking medication or when to stop doing some other things so that we would stay healthy. Mr Speaker, it is sad that we have lost one of our compatriots and I believe that as we pay tribute to him, I would want the rest of us in this Chamber to remember that no matter how long we live, one day we would be just like him. What would we be remembered for doing in this Chamber?

Mr Speaker, it is sad to say that some of our Hon Colleagues take it upon themselves to just show their faces in the Chamber and leave. They should remember that a day like this would come. What would they be remembered for?
Ms Sarah A. Safo (NPP -- Dome/Kwabenya) 6:49 p.m.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
I rise to comment on the Statement ably made in remembrance of a former Member of Parliament, Hon Steve Akorli --
Mr Speaker 6:49 p.m.
Please, after this, if Hon Bagbin could please make a few remarks as a Senior Member.
Ms Safo 6:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, our hearts indeed pour out to his family. This great nation has lost a great son.
Mr Speaker, the former Member of Parliament was also a former Minister for Transport. We are told that he passed on on the 3rd of March this year. He was the former Member of Parliament for Ho East for 12 years. He served in this House for 12 years and he was a Member of Parliament of the First Parliament of our Fourth Republic.
He voluntarily retired from Parliament and from active politics in 2004. He entered Parliament in 1993. At the time he entered Parliament and represented his people, there were other equally hardworking Members of Parliament from the Progressive Alliance, the National Convention Party and the Eagle Party.
After his passing away, all tributes and memories of this great man have been that he had very good human relations, and indeed, understood his work as a representative of the people. He also had the heart and the humility to serve his country.
Mr Speaker, so, on this day, as we remember our former Hon Colleague, I believe that it is a word of advice to all of us as we have been voted by our respective constituents. We should be able to serve to the best of our ability so that at the end of the day, our deeds would speak for themselves, and our service to our nation would be beneficial and memorable.
Mr Speaker, he again joined the Second Parliament, and that Parliament was very active and lively to the extent that he was in this House with very hardworking, intelligent and humble Members of Parliament from other political parties. We are told that in the Second Parliament, he worked with other Hon Colleagues in the House such as the late J.H.Mensah, the late Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Papa Owusu Ankomah, Dr Apraku and lastly, our current sitting President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Mr Speaker, I am very sure that as the people of Ghana always remember the hard work and level of commitment of Members of Parliament of that Parliament, we cannot say that without adding to our history books the name of Hon Steve Akorli.
I would urge that, as a country, we move away from the culture of praising the dead. The question I ask myself is, are we able to tap the intelligence, experience and expertise of our former Members of Parliament when they leave Parliament? We should advert our minds to that and make sure that those who take parliamentary work as a career are not left with their experience and expertise until they die.
Mr Speaker, I am very happy that Parliament now has a training institute. I know your good self is a believer of tapping on the experience and expertise of former Members of Parliament, and I know the effort that, together with the entire Leadership, you are putting in place to ensure that even the welfare of former Members of Parliament is taken care of.
Mr Speaker, I believe that we should begin to touch base with all of these former Members of Parliament. I know they have an association, and sometimes they use our premises for meetings. We should encourage them. We should go to them. Sitting Members of Parliament should tap on the intelligence of former Members of Parliament in our constituencies.
Mr Speaker, it is not only at the Members of Parliament level. Even at the constituency level, we should make good use of persons who have served in our political parties in the past and always involve them in our activities, because once upon a time, they stood the ground and believed in the ideologies and the principles of our political parties.
Mr Speaker, in ending my contribution, I would state again that Ghana has lost a great son. To the entire nation, to Parliament, to the people of the Volta Region, Oti and Adaklu Constituency, we say he should rest in perfect peace.
Mr Speaker 6:49 p.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Deputy Majority Leader. I would respectfully ask Hon Bagbin, the most Senior Hon Member, to make a few remarks.
Mr Alban S.K. Bagbin (NDC -- Nadowli/Kaleo) 6:49 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
I am most grateful to be part of these efforts to pay a befitting tribute to one of our former Hon Colleagues who suddenly left us and is now in the hands of the Almighty God.
Mr Speaker, I happen to have been among the guinea pigs that were sworn into Parliament on the 7th of January, 1993.
Our late former Hon Colleague was a Member, and he was full of life, very passionate, focused and hardworking. He represented the people of Ho East, and in fact, transcended beyond
Mr Alban S.K. Bagbin (NDC -- Nadowli/Kaleo) 6:59 a.m.
the borders of Ho East to represent the whole Volta Region.
Typical of Members of Parliament from the Volta Region, he was very visible, vocal and ever present in Parliament.

Mr Speaker, no wonder that he caught the eye of the then President, His Excellency Jerry John Rawlings, who appointed him as the Hon Deputy Minister for Roads and Transport.

Mr Speaker, later in September 2000, he was elevated to the position of Acting Hon Minister for Roads and Transport. At that time, a number of our Hon Colleagues, now present in the House, were also appointed as District Chief Executives (DCEs). By announcements on radio, some of them were nominated as DCEs, and were approved. Today, they are also Hon Members of Parliament.

Mr Speaker, the late Steve Akorli, showed his method, and in fact, did so well that even after he voluntarily decided not to contest the 2004 elections, Parliament decided to tap the treasure of knowledge and experience in him and he was made to join the Parliamentary Service Board. It is in that role, as the Hon Emmanuel Bedzrah stated, that he as an Hon Member of the Technical Committee led the Parliamentary Service Board to be able to restructure the Job 600 Building, which now serves as an iconic place for the work of Hon Members of Parliament.

Mr Speaker, therefore, I really was struck, because I spoke to him not long ago. I was shocked that he just died without a word, but I was told that he was taken ill and was admitted at the Ho Regional Hospital. It turned rather bad, and he had to be rushed to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital where he died.

Mr Speaker, I would want to reiterate what the Hon Minority Chief Whip stated. As we serve our people in this House, we should do everything to take care of our health. It is very difficult because of the nature of the service, but it is a good advice. We should try as much as possible to take good care of our health.

Mr Speaker, it is with this that I would want to urge the Parliamentary Service to try to provide a place where Hon Members could conveniently access some food to eat. That is one of the serious challenges of this House. We always try to go round looking for food, and as I stand here, I am suffering it because for many years, I have not always been able to access lunch. This is because it is difficult to get it around this place, and the time we waste to drive somewhere to go and take lunch could have been used to do something to serve our constituencies.

Mr Speaker, I believe that it is a fact that many of our former Hon Members have died as a result of the drudgery that they have gone through in this House. People are only looking at the glamour of people that sit in Land Cruisers. They do not know that even when they are in the air

conditioned Land Cruisers, they still sweat.

Mr Speaker, it is only when Hon Members come to this House that they realise that all that glitters is not gold. As the anchor of the former Hon Members of Parliament, we have an association, and I have a list of all those who are demised, and it is so frightening. I know a number of Hon Members who sat and talked with their constituents, they collapsed there and died immediately, and all that the constituents did was to just leave the dead body and walk away for the family to take care of.

Mr Speaker, I believe that we should re-look at that association, and see what we could put in place like other mature Parliaments. Mature Parliaments have put some schemes in place to take care of Hon Members of Parliament and their spouses, even when Members were no longer Hon Members of Parliament. This is because there are no retirement benefits for Hon Members of Parliament, and we all know that what we call the ex-gratia are securities for facilities to contest for elections.

Mr Speaker, therefore, when we take that facility and contest the elections and are no longer elected, we go out in debt, and there is so much stress and pressure on us such that we take off within a very short time.

Mr Speaker, I believe that these things should be lessons for all of us,

and I know that my Hon Colleague have gone not in glamour, but at least, he has left a legacy for the people of Ghana. He would be remembered for all that they did to establish the Ministry of Roads and Transport at that time, which is now split into so many Ministries -- Roads and Highways, Transport, Aviation, including Railways were all merged into one Ministry, the Ministry of Roads and Transport, and as a trade brawler, we know how they suffered, but what else can we say? We are here as players, and when our time is up, there is no turning back. When death is on you, it is on you, and it would come when it would come. So, it is his turn.

Mr Speaker, I know as the rock of ages in this House that he is a legend of Parliamentary practice in Ghana, and I know the role that he has played as a Parliamentarian of global action, and the submissions he made to the Canadian Parliament for and on behalf of this House, and all that he did to make sure that we are here as a better positioned House than it was before.

Mr Speaker, I mentioned that we were the guinea pigs, and many people do not understand that the First Parliament of the Fourth Republic had no conditions of service. The first report of the Presidential Committee was in 1998, and that was in the Second Parliament, and is the Greenstreet Report.

Mr Speaker, from 1993 to 1996, there were no conditions of service and whatever was given us, we accepted it because we were serving
Mr Speaker 7:09 p.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Bagbin, for these rich words. In fact, I asked you to contribute for very good reasons. This is because every institution must have institutional memory and pride of ancestry.
I remember the late Hon Akorli together with men like Hon Bagbin that I would always refer to. In 1993, there had only been Hon Acheampong of blessed memory, who had tasted Parliament before -- one person. So, institutional memory was zero, and we had to learn Parliamentary practice. Think tanks, lecturers who were engaged included my humble self, and Hon Bagbin would tell you of the numerous lectures I gave in many parts of the country with Hon Members of Parliament.
So far as I am concerned, I would give the late Hon Member a grade A for his enthusiasm and quest for knowledge. He was always asking questions and was always seeking to know, and that is why we would not forget him, and I believe that was very worthy of him.
It is very important that we build an institution, and I would be very interested in Parliament from 1993 and evolve with all manner of developments of the institution, both outside and inside, and I would say that my interest in the welfare of Hon Members comes out of the relationship I have had with people like himself, Hon Bagbin and the others. We should continue to protect ourselves as an institution, and as for the Parliament canteen, it is really much on the way, and we should have a very powerful canteen very soon.

Members of House of Commons who go on recess come to Parliament. Even during recess time, they collect their newspapers, read a bit around, and eat lunch because it is five-star and it is heavily subsidised. I look forward to our having that very soon. We can socialise and convivialise so that Parliament would be a place we would want to come to.

We shall have a minute's silence on behalf of our late brother.
Mr Speaker 7:09 p.m.
Hon Bagbin, in view of the consultations going on, if you
would kindly take the Chair for the Consideration Stage on the Order Paper Addendum as we sort out a few things, and I come and conclude the Motion listed 20 which I had earlier mentioned, and then read my remarks for us to rise, if possible.
If we succeed in rising today, all the better. If there is any difficulty, we would rise on Monday, but I hope we can resolve matters outstanding.
I thank you very much.
Mr Speaker 7:09 p.m.
Hon Members, Motion listed 5 on the Order Paper Addendum -- The National Road Safety Authority Bill, 2019, at the Consideration Stage.
Hon Members, we would revert and move the Motion numbered 4 on the Order Paper Addendum first to fulfil the prerequisite.
Motion listed 4 -- Minister for Transport.
MOTION 7:09 p.m.

Minister for Transport (Mr Kwaku O. Asiamah) 7:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that notwithstanding the provisions of the standing order 128(1) which require that when a bill has been read a second time it shall pass through a consideration stage
which shall not be taken until at least forty-eight hours have elapsed, the consideration stage of the national Road Safety Authority Bill, 2019, may be taken today.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 7:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to second the Motion.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr Speaker 7:09 p.m.
We would move on to the item listed 5 -- National Safety Authority Bill, 2019, at the Consideration Stage.
BILLS -- CONSIDERATION 7:09 p.m.

STAGE 7:09 p.m.

Chairman of the Committee (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 7:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 1, subclause (1), redraft as follows:
“There is established by this Act the National Road Safety Authority as a body corporate with perpetual succession”
Mr Speaker, this is just to conform to the practice of the House and
Mr Speaker 7:09 p.m.
The Hon Second Deputy Speaker will take the Chair.
MR SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:18 p.m.
Hon Chairman, you were on your feet.
Mr Ayeh-Paye 7:18 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we are on clause 1. I have moved the amendment and I am waiting for secondment.
Mr Ahiafor 7:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to support the amendment moved by the Chairman of the Committee. We have moved away from the use of “to be known as…”. So, the new rendition that the House has agreed on in the recent Bills passed is:
“There is established by this Act the National Road Safety Authority as a body corporate with perpetual succession.”
So I support the amendment proposed by the Chairman of the Committee.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Mr Ayeh-Paye 7:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 1, subclause(2), lines 1 and 2, delete “movable and immovable”.
We are talking about property and whether it is movable or immovable, it is property. So, the new rendition would then read:
“For the performance of its functions, the Authority may acquire and hold property, dispose of property and enter into a contract or any other related transaction.”
Ms Safo 7:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to support the proposed amendment made by the Chairman of the Committee. In line with recent Bills passed, the rationale has been that property includes movable, immovable and even intellectual ones. So, if we are precise with the word “property”, it could actually encompass all these types of property that are recognisable under our laws.
Mr Dafeamekpor 7:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I support the present amendment proposed, save that I have discovered that we have not defined “property” at all in the interpretation section. We need to do that to reflect the present rendition that we seek to place on the term “property”.
Mr Ahiafor 7:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I support the amendment but disagree with the view of my Hon Colleague. Property may be movable, immovable or as indicated by the Hon Deputy Majority Leader, intellectual property. It cannot be a term of art for us to
provide a definition in the interpretation section of the Bill. It is only when a word is a term of art that we provide a definition in the interpretation section.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:19 a.m.
Hon Member, he is just drawing our attention that we could provide a definition to capture “intellectual property” as has been added by the Hon Deputy Majority Leader. There would be nothing wrong with improving on the definition of property as captured by other laws because of the way we are now redrafting our legislation. So, I do not see anything wrong with it, but I think that he would want to add further clarification to the issue raised.
Mr Dafeamekpor 7:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, property is not simply movable and immovable but could also be described as corporeal or incorporeal. So, it is important that we do not limit the definition to simply movable or immovable. I like the third element that the Hon Deputy Majority Leader sought to place on the term, “property”. That is why it is important that we give it some form of definition in the interpretation section.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:19 a.m.
It would be helpful if you started drafting something in that nature.
Mr Banda 7:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I think that in order to do away with all doubt with respect to what is meant by “property” within this context, we should define property in the
interpretation section to mean “movable and immovable property”. This is because property --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:19 a.m.
Hon Member, we have not reached the interpretation section, so we are not defining it yet. Hold on with that until we get there. We are just dealing with the amendment to clause 1 and once it is accepted, I would put the Question.
Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 7:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, we should not even concern ourselves with the definition of property. The rules of interpretation are quite clear that words must be given their ordinary meaning unless in construing them in the ordinary sense, it becomes absurd. So, we do not need -- We give interpretation to words because in their ordinary significance, they do not make sense, but if in their ordinary meaning, they make sense, we do not need to define them.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:19 a.m.
I would have agreed with you if it was that easy. What is the ordinary interpretation of the word “property”? It goes beyond what the ordinary people know and that is why there is the need for us to do that.
Hon Deputy Majority Leader, I see you disagreeing vehemently with the Chair by conduct and not by words. Let me hear you.
Ms Safo 7:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, respectfully, I was shaking my head in disagreement. I agree with Hon Fuseini because it is a fundamental rule of interpretation that when interpreting words, one does so,
Ms Safo 7:29 p.m.
first, in the ordinary sense and then when there is ambiguity or absurdity, one moves into applying other aids of interpretation to give more clarity to it.
I do not think that we should define the word “property” in this context. The reason is that I have googled the meaning of “property” and it says; “a thing or things belonging to someone”, simplicita. So, whether intellectual property, movable property or immovable property, in that context, if it is land or house, it belongs to somebody.
Property is something belonging to somebody and if it is intellectual, trademarked, patented or industrially designed, it is somebody's invention and for that matter belongs to somebody. When it comes to immovable property as well, that same interpretation can be given. So, simplicita, property has its ordinary meaning and when you situate it in this clause, I do not think that it gives the clause any ambiguity or absurdity. For purposes of consistency, in the Bills that we previously passed such as the Chartered Institute of Bankers Bill, it was the same thing we did.

Mr Speaker, when we considered the Iron and Steel Development Authority Bill, it was the same thing and even same with the State Interest and Governance Bill which was passed yesterday. As a House, I believe that we could not have erred on all these three occasions and, so

for purposes of consistency, brevity and giving more clarity to the laws that we pass, we should leave the term “property'' and not define it.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:29 p.m.
Hon Members, that is not the Motion before us. We will not define “property''; we are to delete “movable'' and “immovable''.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:29 p.m.
Hon Members, where from the interference?
Mr Ayeh-Paye 7:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 1, subclause (3), line 1, delete both occurrence of “immovable” and insert “landed” and do same wherever “immovable” occurs in the Bill, unless the context otherwise determines.
Mr Speaker, clause 1(3) of the Bill refers to the State Land Act, 1962 (Act 125) which shows clearly that “property” refers to as landed.
Mr Ahiafor 7:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I support the amendment made by the Hon Chairman of the Committee simply because the State Lands Act, 1962 (Act 125), could only deal with landed property. So, the use of the word “landed'' is more fitted in the phrase.
Mr Banda 7:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, if we would rely on the State Lands Act 1962 (Act 125), then we must quote
the correct word that was used in it. In the State Lands Act, the relevant section does not use the word “landed'' but rather “land''.
Mr Speaker, with your permission, I beg to quote section 1(3) of the State Land Act which says:
“Where the President is satisfied that special circumstances make it expedient that a particular land which is subject to the Administration of Lands Act, 1962 (Act 123) should be declared under subsection (1) as land required in the public interest…''
Mr Speaker, if we want to use the word “landed'' within the context of the State Lands Act, then we might as well, in order to do away with interpretational challenges, define “landed property'' in the interpretation section of the National Road Safety Authority Bill, 2019, otherwise, “landed property'' is misplaced.
Mr Chireh 7:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I support the explanation given by the Hon Chairman for Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee.
The State Lands Act is an Act that enables the President to acquire land. An empty land could be acquired -- it is not a property that would be bought. This amendment is not necessary and should be rejected because it would introduce questions of interpretation again. Any property
that is on land should not be described as landed property. If we would want to avoid immovable property and yet talk about landed property, the immovable property is better because we all know that the immovable property invariably deals with property that is on the land. If we would want to say that “landed property” should replace “immovable property'', I would say no.
Mr Speaker, I would recommend that we reject this amendment.
Ms Safo 7:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am taken a bit aback by comments of Hon Members on this particular amendment. Not too long ago, we did the Consideration Stage of the State Interests and Governance Authority, the Office of the Special Prosecutor and the Iron and Steel Development Authority Bills, with the same Hon Members of Parliament and because of the deletion that was done on the terminologies of “immovable'' and “movable'' in clause 1(2), we restricted ourselves to the wording “property'' to include that property actually means all types of property which includes movable, immovable and even intellectual property. So, in clause 1(3), indeed, the reason “landed property'' was inserted was for purposes of emphasis because referral was made to the State Lands Act.
The amendment agreed upon at the time by the House per the votes was that since referral made in this respect was restricted to landed property, “landed property'' was appropriate.
Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 7:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, indeed, it is for the reasons advocated by the Hon Deputy Majority Leader that I support this amendment. This is because immediately an institution is established as a body corporate, it does not even need perpetual succession. These are attributes of a body corporate. Indeed, clause 1(3) -- because in the 1960 Constitution the whole principles were not part. Acquiring property for public use was upon the prompt adequate and fair compensation, so we needed a pursuant legislation and that was why the law allowed to acquire by Act 125.
Mr Speaker, today, even if there is no Act 125 in this law, article 20 of the 1992 Constitution provides for it. We are limited in our argument because we are being told that we are being consistent, but sometimes the consistency can lead us to absurdity.
The only thing that one can acquire under the State Land Act is immovable property, and it is landed property.
Mr Speaker, so for consistency sake, I will support the Hon Deputy Majority Leader because it is too early to begin to depart from what we did just yesterday. Just yesterday, we argued vociferously that if we do not want “immovable”, we should put “landed”, and today, we are saying that it does not even matter. We would be too inconsistent.
Mr Speaker, I support the amendment that “immovable property” be substituted for “landed property”.
Mr Dafeamekpor 7:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity. When I heard the Hon Chairman of the Committee defend the grounds for which he sought the permission of the House to delete “movable” and “immovable” property from clause 1, he said to the effect that it was needless and that when we refer to “property”, we refer to all manner of property that is capable of being acquired by the entity we are seeking to establish.
Mr Speaker, so why would we suddenly say that where there is a hindrance in acquiring an immovable property, we should do so in accordance with the State Lands Act. I will propose that the rendition be taken this way; “where there is a hindrance to the acquisition of land, the land may be acquired for the Authority, under the State Lands Act”.
So that we do not run ourselves into interpretational difficulties by having recourse to the use of “immovable” or “landed”, because he defended the position that we should depart from same in clause 1.
Mr Speaker, I prefer that we refer to land when indeed we are making reference to the State Lands Act, because land can only be acquired under that Act anyway, Once we begin to make reference to the use of “immovable” then it should be taken out and “landed” used — because a building is a landed property and a bare land is land. But when we have building sitting on land, it is no longer bare land but landed property. So we should be very careful. I would have preferred if we had retained the use of “immovable”. Once we are departing from the use of that, then we should be very specific.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:39 p.m.
Actually, that is why the Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs referred us to the State Lands Act, and the term used there is “land” and not “landed property” because of this difference. So the proper thing to do is that, if we are really talking about the body corporate acquiring land, we should say so. If we are talking about the body corporate acquiring “land” and “landed property”, then we should stay put with “immovable property”. So, Hon Chairman of the Committee, could you direct us?
Mr Ayeh-Paye 7:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, rightly so.
Mr Speaker, talking about clause 1(2) which talks about the “movable and immovable property” we are talking about the properties of the Authority, but at subclause (3), there may be a situation where a structure is creating insecurity or the position where the structure is poses danger to road users. The Authority may acquire the property, demolish it to secure right of way. So, this clause is not seeking to address only the acquisition of property for the usage of the Authority, but also, the Authority can acquire a property, demolish it to pave way or ensure road safety. We have to be very careful in using “land”, considering the State Land Act 1962, (Act 125). If we say “land”, we would have restricted the Authority. In the case where they need the land to secure right of way but a property has been built, this Bill seeks to authorise the Road Safety Commission (RSC) to acquire the landed property, demolish it and secure right of way. That is where we have to be very careful.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:39 p.m.
Do you have a provision there also dealing specifically with acquisition of land, and not landed property?
Mr Ahiafor 7:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I agree with my Hon Colleague in view of the argument made by the Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.
Mr Chairman, the rendition, as he proposed, will resolve all the problems for us. Because, the State Lands Act, specifically mentioned “land”, and the argument over being a landed property or land can be
Mr Chireh 7:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I will support the amendment by the Hon Member who just spoke, because the explanation that the Hon Chairman was giving is erroneous. If one wants to even construct a road, the person acquires by way of lease. The person would have to go and acquire and direct how far and wide it should be. The person must acquire that land. So if one acquires land, one also acquires whatever is on it. That is the explanation to owning a land. We cannot talk about breaking down houses which belong to people because they are nuisances. We cannot do that. This Bill does not allow us to do that. If one sees a building on a land that is obstructing traffic, one can only go and acquire it. acquisition means buying and then destroying it. It does not matter but it
is land. So we cannot say, landed property. We do not want the situation where we are only talking about landed property when we really mean, anything, for instance, acquiring even land without property.
Mr Speaker, so, I think, if the Hon Chairman will agree to the amendment that is being proposed, by the Hon member we should rather accept it.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:49 p.m.
Hon Members, I get the sense of the House that we should improve on the proposed amendment from the Hon Chairman of the Committee to delete; “immovable property” from line 1 and 2 and then insert; “land”.
So, subclause (3) will read;
“Where there is a hindrance to the acquisition of land, the land may be acquired for the Authority under the State Lands Act, 1962 (Act 125) and the cost shall be borne by the Authority”.
Hon Chairman, is that the sense?
Mr Ayeh-Paye 7:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yes. I agree with that rendition.
Mr Quaittoo 7:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, when we do it that way, it will mean that in all the three recent Bills that we have considered in the last Meeting the same Hon Colleague over there referred to the State Lands Act and then we used; “landed property”.
Mr Speaker, so, I believe that it is in the same vein that they sought to amend this clause by using the word, ‘landed'. Would that mean that so far, all the three Bills we have considered we would have to leave them all to stand like that in their various Acts?
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:49 p.m.
Well, you are reiterating the same argument of consistency but we have gone beyond that.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:49 p.m.
Please, Hon Members, let us try to expedite action.
Clause 1 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 2 - Objects of the authority.
Mr Ahiafor 7:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is true that there is no proposed amendment to clause 2 but with your leave, may I propose an amendment to clause 2.
Clause 2 line 2, after “through” insert “the” and then subclause (a), (b) and (c), delete “the”.
Mr Speaker, it is in line with what we have always been doing and it is for brevity.
Alhaji Fuseini 7:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in principle, we could do that but it is not right. “The” is a definite article qualifying, “promotion”, ‘development' and “implementation”.
Yes, we have sought as a House to always move the definite article to the top but that is not how Legislation is drafted; a definite or indefinite article must always follow the noun or before the noun but not to stand on its own.
So, I believe that it does not spoil anything if we leave it that way and it is actually good drafting.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:49 p.m.
Yes, Hon Member, do you disagree with him?
Mr Ahiafor 7:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, you will not read sub-clause (a), (b) and (c) in isolation. So, you would have to read it together and in doing so, it will be;
‘The object of the Authority is to reduce the incidences of road crashes, fatalities and injuries through the
(a) promotion of road safety,
(b) development and co- ordination of policies in relation to road safety; and
(c) implementation of standards for road safety''
Mr Speaker, so, when you move it up, there is no need repeating it all along and it is very elegant in this way.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:49 p.m.
Hon Chairman, what do you say to this proposal?
Mr Ayeh-Paye 7:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I agree with the Hon Member for Tamale Central that we should let it
Mr Dafeamekpor 7:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am persuaded to support the position canvassed by the Hon Ahiafor. If you read the controlling sentence, we do not talk of “objects” and so, the incidents of the things that will constitute the effective realisation of the “objects of the Authority” are the things that are listed in the sentence.
So, indeed, as he said, if we read the whole sentence together, then the use of the definite article to describe the various things that the Authority must undertake in order to achieve this ‘object' renders them surplus age.
Mr Speaker, indeed, we adopted this elegant way of drafting in the Companies Bill that we just passed yesterday. In fact, at the winnowing stage, we employed it copiously in a lot of the clauses that we encountered in drafting.
I am really surprised that the Hon Ranking Member is departing from what we did yesterday. My position is that we should take out the article “the” which describes the various activities and move it up so that it reads;
“The object of the Authority is to reduce the incidence of road crashes, fatalities and injuries through the
(a) promotion of road safety,
(b) development and co- ordination of policies in relation to road safety; and
(c) implementation of standards for road safety''
Mr Speaker, indeed, when we take them out, they will look very elegant.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:49 p.m.
Well, Hon Members, I do not know why you are belabouring this point. It does not actually change anything but the problem we have is that those opposing that we move “the” up should not mention paragraphs “(a)”, “(b)” and “(c)”. When we say;
“… through the
a. promotion of road safety,
b.development and coordination of policies in relation to road safety; and
c. implementation …”
You do not mention it but it does not make any difference. We are talking about elegance and consistency so I will put the Question.
Hon Minority Leader?
Mr Iddrisu 7:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I agree with you but you could put the Question. However, I have just two policy questions.
If you read the first line of clause
2;
“The object of the Authority is to reduce the incidence of road crashes, fatalities and injuries…”
Mr Speaker; “accident” does not even find expression there. What they are talking about in terms of road crashes -- I am saying this because if we come to clause 3(1) (a), we are talking of “road traffic deaths”. What are “road traffic deaths”? They are a function of accidents on the roads. With the “Object”, even when we come to subclause (c), we should add ‘enforcement' to “implementation”. They are not just to ‘implement' but to ‘enforce' standards for road safety.
So, it will be;
“the implementation and enforcement of standards for road safety”
Mr Speaker, I agree with the Question on the first line. In my view, we cannot be talking about ‘Objects' of Road Safety Authority without reference to “accident” except that, maybe, this is what is defined as “crashes and fatalities”. However, when we come to clause 2(c), I would, with your leave, insert the words “and enforcement” after “implementation”.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:49 p.m.
Hon Members, there is a further improvement that has been proposed.
Mr K. O. Asiamah 7:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the amendment that the Hon Minority Leader has proposed in reference to the functions of the National Road Safety Authority, that we should have a look at road accidents, is true. However, per the definition of United Nations (UN) in terms of the road safety, “crashes” involves “accidents” and that is why we have “road crashes”. So, it is in there. [Interruption] -- When we talk of “road crashes”, it is an international terminology and per the UN definition, it involves “road accidents” and he could cross-check.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:49 p.m.
So, Hon Minister, do you prefer the term “crashes” to “accidents”?
Mr K. O. Asiamah 7:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yes.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:49 p.m.
Are all accidents “crashes”?
Mr Iddrisu 7:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in ordinary practice, any student of interpretation who gives words their ordinary meaning, when the ordinary meaning could lead to absurdity, one goes for the secondary meaning. No Ghanaian will use the word “crash” as an ordinary meaning of “accident”. I can agree that that is a wholesale word but I would now research further.
In Ghanaian Legislation -- Why is she Hon Minister for Transport here?
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:59 p.m.
Hon Deputy Majority Leader?
Ms Safo 7:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I appreciate the concerns by the Hon Minority Leader, but I do not intend to pose as a specialist in this area, but my ordinary understanding of these two words is that it is just a difference in language.
Mr Speaker, the United States, for instance, use “crash” and the British would use road accidents. Mr Speaker, I do not think that there is much difference and I am being alerted by the Hon Minister that it is in the Interpretation section and it has been defined to suit our context.
Mr Speaker, even if it is not in the interpretation section, to say road crash is an American terminology and probably as the Hon Minority Leader has said “road accidents” best suits the context and usage of our English Language, which is tilted to British terminologies. So I do not have a difficulty to which terminology that we would use.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:59 p.m.
I would want to hear the Hon Minister.
Mr K. O. Asiamah 7:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, indeed, as the Hon Deputy Majority Leader just said, if we turn to page 19 under the Interpretation section, “road traffic crash” means an accident that involves at least one vehicle resulting in an injury or death. Mr Speaker, it has been defined under the Interpretation section.
Mr Ras Mubarak 7:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, on the further proposed amendment to 2 (c), I think that we may have a conflict situation if the Authority were to implement and enforce because per my understanding and the workings of the Authority, the enforcement rests with the Police. I think that if we were to cloth the National Road Safety Authority with not just the implementation of standards but also the enforcement of standards, we may have to take a second look at the proposed amendment.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:59 p.m.
Hon Ranking Member.
Mr Agbodza 7:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, first of all, my Hon Colleague's fear would not be realised because 2(b) says that “the development and coordination”. In fact, we are aware that MTTD exists to enforce some regulations on the road. The National Road Safety Authority does not intend to hold and act as if they are the MTTD. That would still be the job of MTTD so the fears of my Hon Colleague that there would be duplication of activities would not be an issue at all in this particular case.
Mr Speaker, also at the Committee, we interrogated the issue of distinguishing between what crash, fatality and injuries are. Someone could drive into a lamp post with just a vehicle and the damage would be on the vehicle where nobody got injured.
Mr Speaker, we would want to be able to deal with this because on the motorway you would see many lamp posts that have been installed with public funds and have been knocked down and these are costs to the State. Secondly, there could be a crash with fatality; where someone dies. We would want to reduce that and also, there could be a crash with an injury such that a person losing the limb.
Mr Speaker, so, we think that explicitly it must be stated that crash, fatality and injury are different and an incident could result in one, two or all of them. So, the use of the word “accident” does not explain it well enough and I think that this is a better rendition than the use of the word “accident”.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:59 p.m.
Hon Members, could we move on. This is just a word.
Hon O. B. Amoah
.
Mr O. B. Amoah 7:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I
think that we should stick to the word “accidents” because we have “accident victims”, “road accidents” or “accident cars” but if we say “crash victim” would it be “road crash victim”? Mr Speaker, in lexicon and insurance terminologies we cannot use
“crash” when the actual word is “accident”. Mr Speaker, it is road accidents and if we check all the definitions what they say are that persons who are killed in accidents are accident victims. They are not crash victims.
Mr Speaker, so, I think that it would be safe for us to use the word “accidents” and move on. We do not need to debate this over and over again. We should look at all the definitions that we could think of; either in insurance or the automobile industry the word “crash victims” when it is road accidents. Mr Speaker, so, we should specify it as “road accidents” because that is what it is.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:59 p.m.
Hon Member for Tamale Central.
Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 8:09 p.m.
It is accidents. It cannot be crashes. It is road accidents. Because there are accidents, you know they would occur, and that is why you want to reduce them, is that not so?
But Mr Speaker, I thought that we should be more ambitious. The law is not ambitious at all. It is saying that it wants to reduce, so that means accidents would definitely happen. I thought that we should set up a commission to prevent and reduce, not to say you are going to reduce.
Set yourself ambitious targets. So I am suggesting that the object of the Authority is to prevent and reduce the
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 8:09 p.m.
Hon Member for Tamale Central, we also have force majeure. You cannot prevent accidents. You cannot make it an object to prevent accidents. In reality, you cannot. So you cannot set an object that you know is not achievable. It is like saying we are to prevent death.
So I am not persuaded by that argument.
Hon Members, I would proceed to put the question. All you are talking about is a clash between the Queen's English and American slang, that is all.
Mr Defeamekpor 8:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I heard my Hon Colleague describe or equate crashes to accidents, that they are interchangeable. They are not.
Mr Speaker, indeed, there can be an accident without a crash happening. Let me demonstrate this.
I may be driving between Nkawkaw and Konongo.I am not familiar with the new speed ramps that have been erected. I hit a ramp, and my rim is buckled. It is not a crash. I lose a tyre, and I remain on the speed ramp. That is an accident. My vehicle has not crashed. There is no damage to my windscreen, nothing. Just my rim. That is an accident.
So the argument from the proposers that a crash is equivalent to an accident simpliciter is erroneous, but there cannot rather be an accident without involving a crash, but there can be a crash without necessarily an accident happening.
So my position is that we must employ the word accident instead of crash, and I agree with the Hon Minority Leader that we must employ accident instead of crash.
Thank you very much.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 8:09 p.m.
Hon Members, may I plead with you so that I can put the question? You are to take the decision, so I would put the question.
Question put and amendment negatived.
Clause 2 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 3 -- Functions of the Authority
Mr Ayeh-Paye 8:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3, subclause (1), opening phase, lines 1 and 2, delete “perform the following functions”.
So Mr Speaker, the new rendition then becomes; “to achieve the objects under section 2, the Authority shall...”, then (a), (b), (c), (d).
It is just a drafting style to remove the “perform the following functions” and go straight by itemising the functions.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
My Ayeh-Paye: Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3, subclause (1), paragraph (d), at beginning, add.
Mr Speaker, the rationale behind this amendment is that there are other organisations like the MTTD and DVLA who are also working to ensure safety on our roads, so the National Road Safety Authority Bill when passed would not stand on its own to ensure safety on our roads. They would definitely work in collaboration with other organisations like the Ghana Standards Authority to achieve their mandate.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Mr Ayeh-Paye 8:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3 (g), at beginning, add “collaborate with other relevant agencies to”.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Mr Ayeh-Paye 8:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3, subclause (1), paragraph (h), delete “certificates and licences” and insert “certificates and a licence”.
Mr Speaker, the draftpersons made us to understand that in draftpersons the law, it is always important to use that singular than the plural.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 8:19 a.m.
Hon Chairman, you talked about subclause (1) paragraph (h), line (1), and you said we should delete the phrase “certificates and licenses” --
Mr Ayeh-Paye 8:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, and insert --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 8:19 a.m.
I do not have that on my Bill. I do not have that at paragrah (h) in my Bill. [Pause] So, Hon Chairman, we should move on to the next proposed amendment.
Mr Ayeh-Paye 8:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would go back, crosscheck and get back to you.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 8:19 a.m.
Yes, I believe there is a mix up, so let us go on to amendment (viii).
Mr Ayeh-Paye 8:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3, subclause(1), add the following new paragraph:
“ensure institutional compliance with procedures and standards related to road safety;”
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 8:19 a.m.
Hon Members, it is a new paragraph that has been proposed.
Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 8:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, what does the phrase “ensure institutional compliance” mean? Do we mean that we should ensure that institutions would be engaged or in delivering services or whatever, we should ensure compliance? Is it the

institutional compliance of the Road Safety Commission or what?

Mr Speaker, the amendment is not that clear. The Hon Chairman may tell us exactly what he wants because with the way the amendment is couched; it means that the Road Safety Commission must ensure compliance with road safety standards. The Road Safety Commission is the institution, so when it says “institutional compliance”, it means that the Road Safety Commission must comply. Is that what the Hon Chairman means? That is the problem.
Mr K.O. Asiamah 8:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, in ensuring safety on the road, it is not limited to only the National Road Safety Commission. There are certain players within the maintenance of safety on our roads, for instance the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry for Roads and Highways. What the law intends to achieve is that the institutions which are supposed to maintain safety on our roads are to make sure that they play their institutional roles.
Mr Speaker, for instance, if the Ministry for Roads and Highways builds roads, they are supposed to put road markings on the roads. If they do not put the road markings, the National Road Safety Commission can - compel them that without the road markings, they should not open the road for the use of the general public. That is what this law intends to achieve, and that is why we
captioned it as “institutional compliance.”
Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 8:19 a.m.
Hon Minister, what is the difference between this new proposal and what is contained in paragraph (h)? It says: “ensure compliance with the laid down rules on safety standards and procedures for the development use and provision of any road safety related infrastructure, service or undertaking.”
Mr Asiamah 8:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, it is virtually the same.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 8:19 a.m.
So there is no need for us -- It is not the same?
Alhaji I.A.B. Fusini 8:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister is trying to say that it could be cured by a similar phrase in amendment numbered (vii). This is because the example that he gives is to the effect that institutions that are part of the architecture for delivering road safety infrastructure on our roads must ensure compliance with standards and procedures. So if the Ministry of Roads and Highways constructs roads they ought to ensure that the proper signals are put and road line markings are observed.
Mr Speaker, therefore, those institutions must ensure compliance with the procedures developed under (h). We could therefore simply have said that “in (h), collaborate with other relevant agencies to ensure
compliance with any laid down road safety standards and procedures for the development, usage and provision of any road safety related infrastructure, service or undertaking”.
This would be so that all agencies connected with delivering road safety infrastructure could come under (h), but with the way it is done here, it gives a different impression of the National Road Safety Commission itself, complying with the institutional procedures.
Mr Chireh 8:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, this is so important, and there are conflicts that would arise when it comes to implementation. One of them is exactly what he tries to put in this new phrase. First of all, is it the National Road Safety going to develop the standards for everybody, or as we already have in the system, we have the Drivers and Vehicle Licenses Authority (DVLA) and other road institutions, who have standards?
Mr Speaker, therefore, if we do not couch it in a manner to show that the Road Safety Authority is the one to ensure that they do that -- [Interruption]. If we do not set the standards, then how could we enforce them? In setting the standards, is it only the Authority that should do so, or other institutions could also do so? This is because what he says in this one is “institutional compliance”, but which institutions? We would need to indicate the institutions.
Mr Speaker, the conflict is there and he himself realised it. This is
because DVLA has functions, the Police MTTD also has functions, so they all are to ensure that these things happen. So if they do not couch it well, confusion would be created as to the implementation and enforcement.
However, we are tired even as we deliberate on this Bill now. We have been sitting down the whole morning and there is no way --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 8:29 p.m.
Hon Member for Wa West, it is not part of the --
Mr Chireh 8:29 p.m.
It is part of it. I am giving a warning that if we do not take care and rush when Hon Members are tired and we say things, we would make a bad law.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 8:29 p.m.
Hon Member for Wa West, you are now crash landing.
The proposal from the Hon Member for Wa West is for the inclusion of the phrase, “collaborate with other relevant agencies to ensure compliance”. As for the standards, when you go to paragraphs (k), (l), (m) and the rest, you would see that the Authority is to establish the standards, the procedures and everything.
Hon Members, the Rt Hon Speaker would take over the Chair.
MR SPEAKER
Mr Speaker 8:31 p.m.
Hon Members, we would continue with the Consideration Stage at another time.

Hon Members, Motion listed 20 on the Order Paper.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Emmanuel A. Gyamfi) 8:31 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 Joint Committee on Finance and Mines & Energy on the Amendment No. 1 to the Petroleum Agreement among the Government of the Republic of Ghana, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), GNPC Exploration and Production Company Limited and AGM Petroleum Ghana Limited in respect of the South Deepwater Tano Contract Area may be moved today.
Dr A. A. Osei 8:31 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr Speaker 8:31 p.m.
Item numbered 21 -- Motion.
MOTIONS 8:31 p.m.

Chairman of the Committee (Mr Emmanuel A. Gyamfi) 8:31 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Joint Committee on Finance and Mines and Energy on the Amendment No. 1 to the Petroleum Agreement among the Government of the Republic of Ghana, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), GNPC Exploration and Production Company Limited and AGM Petroleum Ghana Limited in respect of the South Deepwater Tano Contract Area.
Mr Speaker, in so doing, I present your Committee's Report.
Introduction
The Amendment No. 1 to the Petroleum Agreement among the Government of the Republic of Ghana, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), the GNPC Exploration and Production Ghana Limited, and AGM Petroleum Ghana Limited in respect of South Deepwater Tano Contract Area was laid in Parliament on 29th April, 2019, in accordance with section 20 of the Petroleum (Exploration and Pro- Production) Act of 2016 (Act, 919) and article 268 of the 1992 Constitution.
Pursuant to Orders 156, 171 and 188 of the Standing Orders of Parliament, The Amendment No. 1 to the Petroleum Agreement was referred by Mr Speaker to the Committee on Mines and Energy and Finance for consideration and report.
Deliberations
The Committee met with the Hon Minister for Energy, Mr John Peter Amewu, and his three Hon Deputy Ministers, (Dr Mohammed Amin Anta, Hon Joseph Cudjoe and Hon William Owurako Aidoo) and the Hon. Deputy Minister for Finance, Mr Charles Adu Boahen and considered the Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement.
In attendance were Officials from the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) led by the Chief
Executive, Dr K. K. Sarpong and the Ministries of Finance and Energy.
The Committee expresses its profound gratitude to the Hon Ministers and their officials for attending upon the Committee to assist in the deliberations.
Reference documents
The Committee referred to the under-listed documents during its deliberations:
i. The 1992 Constitution;
ii. The Standing Orders of Parliament;
iii. The Petroleum Commission Act, 2011 (Act 821);
iv. The Income Tax Act, 2015 (Act 896);
v. The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation Act,
1983 (PNDCL 64);
vi. The Petroleum (Exploration & Production) Act, 2016 (Act
919);
vii.The Petroleum (Local Content and Local Participation) Regulations,
2012 (L. I. 2204);
viii. The Petroleum Agreement Among the Government of the Republic of Ghana, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), The GNPC Exploration and
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Emmanuel A. Gyamfi) 8:31 p.m.


Production Company Limited and AGM Petroleum Ghana Limited in respect of the South Deeperwater Tano Contract Area; and

ix. Official Report of Parliament on 4th December, 2013 issue.

Background

The South Deepwater Tano Petroleum Agreement (SDWT PA) dated 10th September, 2013, was executed among the Government of Ghana (State), Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), GNPC Exploration and Production Company Limited (Explorco), and AGM Petroleum Ghana Limited (AGM) and it ratified on 4 th December, 2013 and it became effective on 24th January, 2014. The Operator for the SDWT PA is a joint operating company established by AGM and Explorco.

Following the execution of the Agreement, planned exploration activities in the SDWT Block had to be deferred due to the pending arbitration process involving Ghana and la Cote D'Ivoire over the delimitation of the maritime boundary at the Special Tribunal of the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea. The deferment of the exploration activities was also necessitated by the fact that almost

eighty per cent (80%) of the block fell within the disputed area.

The final decision of the Special Tribunal was delivered in favour of Ghana on 30th September, 2017. This has now paved the way for the restart of exploration activities within the block.

Key Highlights of Existing SDWT Petroleum Agreement

Key terms of the existing SDWT PA are summarised below as follows:

Contractor

At the time of ratification of the SDWT PA, the Contractual Parties were AGM (then owned by AGR Energy (49.5per cent) Minexco Limited - 48 per cent and an indigenous Ghanaian Company, MED Songhai Developers 2.5 per cent) and Explorco which held a commercial interest of 24 per cent.

Contract Area

The Contract Area lies within the Offshore Tano Basin. It is located in South of the Deep Water Tano Cape Three Points lock and covers an area of 3,482 square kilometres.

Fiscal and Financial Terms

The Parties agreed on the fiscal and financial terms stated in Table 1 above.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Emmanuel A. Gyamfi) 8:31 p.m.
Additional Oil Entitlement
The State under the existing fiscal regime expects to receive Additional Oil Entitlement upon the attainment of agreed rates of return as follows:
SPACE FOR TABLE 2, PAGE 4, 8.29 P.M
SPACE FOR TABLE 1, PAGE 3, 8.29 P.M
Work Programme
Initial Exploration period - 3.5 years
The Contractor under the Agreement has committed to undertake the following:
a. Acquire, process and interpret 750 square kilometres of 3D seismic;
b. Drill a minimum of 2 explora- tion wells; and
c. Minimum Expenditure for work in Initial Exploration period is US$259,000,000.
First Extension Period -1.5 years
The Contractor under the Agreement has committed to undertake the following:
a.Reprocess existing data where required;
b.Drill 1 Exploration Well; and
c.Minimum Expenditure
US$126,000,000.

Second Extension Period - 2 years

The Contractor under the Agreement has committed to undertake the following:

a. Reprocess existing data where required.

b. Drill a minimum of 1 Explora- tion Well.

c. Minimum Expenditure of

US$126,000,000.

Renegotiated Terms of the SDWT
PA 8:31 p.m.

Mr Speaker, line 1 of page 7 should read 8:39 p.m.
“The Committee expressed concern about the decision to reduce the total interest of the
GNPC --”
Mr Speaker 8:39 p.m.
Hon Chairman, your attention was being drawn to page 6. What you are reading starts from page 6.
Mr Gyamfi 8:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, with your indulgence, I started from page
6.
Mr Speaker 8:39 p.m.
You said page 7.
Mr Gyamfi 8:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, after “Operator”, I would want to insert the following new sentence.
“The Committee in the circumstance recommends to the House to request the Minister for Energy to renegotiate an increase in the GNPC additional interest from 3 per cent up to 10 per cent.”
Mr Speaker, on the same page 7, under “Petition in respect of MED Songhai”, the second should read:
Mr Speaker, in the second paragraph on page 8, it should read 8:39 p.m.
“The Committee was made to understand that through the entire execution of the Sale and Purchase Agreement, both AGM Gibraltar and Petrica Holdings were under construc- tive notice of the interest of MED Songhai. The Committee recommends that the Ministry of Energy -- “
Mr Speaker 8:39 p.m.
Hon Chairman, unfortunately, I am not with you. If you can help me; you referred to page 8.
Mr Gyamfi 8:39 p.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker 8:39 p.m.
Which part of page
8?
Mr Gyamfi 8:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the second paragraph.
Mr Speaker 8:39 p.m.
The second paragraph starting with what word?
Mr Gyamfi 8:39 p.m.
“The Committee”.
Mr Speaker 8:39 p.m.
Before you proceed, you must refer to what we have here then we know where you are. Are you referring to the paragraph that starts with “The Committee noted”?
Mr Gyamfi 8:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we would want to delete “noted”.
Mr Speaker 8:39 p.m.
Exactly. Otherwise, we do not know what you are talking about. “The Committee noted” should be what?
Mr Gyamfi 8:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, “noted” should be deleted and “was made to understand” be inserted. The paragraph would now read:
“The Committee was made to understand that through the entire execution of the Sale and Purchase Agreement …”
Mr Speaker 8:39 p.m.
Thank you very much. That is clear.
Mr Gyamfi 8:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in the same paragraph, line 3 should read:
“The Committee recommends that the Ministry of Energy, together with Petrica should facilitate the resolution of the issues surrounding the 2.5 per cent shareholding interest of MED Songhai in the AGM (Gibraltar) and its consequential interest.”
Mr Speaker, “in the SDWTPA” should be deleted.
Mr Speaker, on the same page, under “Conclusion and Recommendation”, I would want to make this insertion after the first paragraph.
“The Committee recommends that the House approves the Amendment No. 1 Agreement
…”
Mr Speaker 8:39 p.m.
Hon Chairman, let us go cautiously. Where are you?
Mr Gyamfi 8:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in paragraph 7.0, “Conclusion and Recommendation” on page 8, after “job creation”, insert the following new paragraph.
“The Committee recommends that the House approves the Amendment No. 1 Agreement subject to the recommendations proffered in respect of the renegotiated interest structure.”
Mr Speaker, on the same page 8, paragraph 7.0, “Conclusion and Recommendation”, the fourth paragraph, which is the last line should now read:
“The Committee by consensus accordingly recommends to the House to adopt the report…”
Mr Speaker 8:39 p.m.
Hon Chairman, I can hear “No”. Hon Chairman, you are not listening to me. If you would want to say, “The Committee is of the opinion”. I would be glad if you would be careful about the use of the word “consensus”.
Mr Gyamfi 8:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we should delete “by Majority decision” and insert “by consensus”. That is what I have indicated.
Mr Speaker 8:39 p.m.
I did not get you. What did you say? Hon Chairman, please repeat what you said.
Hon Members, order! Let us be able to hear one another. What do you say, Hon Chairman?
Mr Gyamfi 8:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, on page 8, the last line should read:
“The Committee by consensus accordingly recommends to the House to adopt the report and ratify by Resolution, the Amendment No. 1 to the Petroleum Agreement among
the Government of Ghana, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) …”
Mr Speaker 8:39 p.m.
Hon Chairman, could you limit that to “The Committee recommends”?
Mr Gyamfi 8:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, alright.
Mr Kobina Tahir Hammond (NPP--Adansi Asokwa) 8:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question proposed.
Mr George Mireku Duker (NPP --- Tarkwa-Nsuaem) 8:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, this Agreement was brought before your Committee and we extensively discussed it. We saw that the Ministry did good work by extending the stake of the nation from the 10 per cent carried interest to 15 per cent carried interest. We realised that was a good call.

Mr Speaker, going through the Report, we also realised that the block in itself was ideal. This exposed GNPC and, for that matter, Explorco to 24 per cent, which would not help in future. So, we needed to shield GNPC by protecting its future. That

is why you would see in the Report that the Explorco shares have been moved out.

Mr Speaker, another aspect that I would want to also indicate is the aspect of employment which this amendment would generate. The Committee was excited about it.

I would indulge this House to unanimously accept this Agreement for the Republic of Ghana.
Mr Mutawakilu Adam (NDC - - Damango) 8:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for this opportunity.

Mr Speaker, we disagreed with this Agreement based on one, article 20 that required for materiality to necessitate re-negotiation which is not sufficient in this matter. If somebody has acquired Hess block and wants to do exploration on AGM to create an integration does not amount to sufficient condition for renegotiation and that is why in June 2018, when Hon Agyarko was in office as the Hon Minister for Energy, he used this to reject any attempt for any renegotiation.
Mr Mutawakilu Adam (NDC - - Damango) 8:49 p.m.


Mr Speaker, GNPC has a mission of being standalone operator in five years and world class international oil company in 15 years. To achieve this, we must take certain bold steps, decisions and risks. In every risk, there are benefits attached and that is why one of the best Agreements was AGM where additional interest was 15 per cent; Explorco, 24 per cent; and 10 per cent royalty.

Mr Speaker, this renegotiated Agreement if approved by this House, would deny the people of Ghana billions of United States Dollars, and so I do not think we should go for it. The Hon Minister explained that the additional interest was reduced from 15 to three per cent because they do not want the exposure of GNPC.

Mr Speaker, but it is good to note that that additional interest is when discovery is made. GNPC would not pay anything until a discovery is made and then it would take decision whether to acquire or not. Why should we prevent GNPC from exercising this right?

We all know that in the Tullow Block and EO Group 2.5 per cent alone - when they wanted to dispose it, how much did they get? They had US$300 million. Why could we not take advantage of this, that when there is a discovery we acquire the 15 per cent and if we have financial challenge we fund in, even five per cent could help us in the production.

Mr Speaker, Explorco has been reduced to zero. We believe that for Explorco to achieve the international world class stage, it must venture into the exploration and that is why in the existing Agreement, it is one of the joint operating company. In this new Agreement, Explorco has been run to zero. There is nothing they could acquire in terms of technical to lead this country into a stage where we could have companies like Petrobras, Petronas and other companies.
An Hon Member 8:49 p.m.
Hon Member, please, conclude.
Mr Speaker 8:49 p.m.
Please, you do not determine who should conclude what. [Laughter.] As for those who intervene the debate, please, do not let me mention you. If you want your chance, you would have it and contribute and of course intelligently so.
Hon Member, continue.
Mr Adam 8:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, with the existing Agreement, we have a stake of 43 per cent and that is when we take royalties and cost oil. With whatever is left, we would take 43 per cent of that. With this new renegotiated Agreement, we would take 18 per cent. This means that after royalties and the deduction of cost oil, we would only take 18 per cent. We
have dashed away 25 per cent to AGM and I believe that is a dangerous move by this decision to go into renegotiation.
Mr Speaker, the local partner of five per cent -- the company was registered on 10th April, 2019 which is less than a month today. It is therefore, proper for me to conclude that, that company was set up purposely for this renegotiated Agreement and that is a dent on us.
We must be very careful that depending on auxiliaries like the construction of FPSO and Tema Ship yard to add value is not the only thing we would look for. Government's stake in any petroleum Agreement is the most critical element. When we have that stake and we could regulate what we want to do, all these other things would follow. We must know that our resources are finite and the judicious use of it at any point in time is critical.

Deputy Minister for Energy (Dr Mohammed Amin Anta): Mr speaker, thank you for the opportunity.
Mr Speaker 8:59 p.m.
All those who do not agree with others, get ready to contribute. [Laughter]
Hon Deputy Minister, go on.
Dr Anta 8:59 p.m.
Mr speaker, the AGM block is the deepest offshore block in Ghana so far. And working in deep offshore block involves so much; it requires so much money and technology. As we speak today, about 13 oil blocks that were awarded between 2013 and 2016, these blocks were owed by contractors who were supposed to drill 14 blocks. They were expected to spend US$890 million. Mr Speaker these blocks include the AGM block. And Mr Speaker, as we speak, not a single one has been drilled. Mr speaker out of the US$890 million they were to spend only US$95 million -- [interruption]
rose
Mr Speaker 8:59 p.m.
Hon Member, do you stand on a point of order? Not a single one has been drilled. You speak to that or you sit?
Mr Bawa 8:59 p.m.
Mr speaker, thank you, very much.
Mr Speaker 8:59 p.m.
Hon Members, Order!
Hon Member, you would respond simply to that statement; “not a single block has been drilled apart from this block”. For the record, true or false?
Mr Bawa 8:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker —
Mr Speaker 8:59 p.m.
Please, listen carefully. We would not go round and round. Answer me specifically because I also have knowledge on the matter. Has any other block been drilled apart from that one under reference now?
Mr Bawa 8:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the statement is misleading because —
Mr Speaker 8:59 p.m.
Hon Member, sit down.
You are not able to really substantiate.
Dr Anta 8:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I repeat, these wells were to be drilled between 2013 and 2016. We are in 2019 and not a single well has been drilled. Of the US$890millin there were to spend on seismic works and drilling, only US$95million has been spent so far.
Mr Speaker, this means that the companies were not able to attract investment. They were not able to raise the funds to do the work that they were supposed to do under the contract.
If we have to provide incentives for a company that is ready to bring the investment, and as I speak to you, AGM is ready to start drilling next week. That is the determination of a serious company that wants to work with Ghana, to partner with us to increase our reserves and increase production in Ghana.
Mr Speaker, as I speak, Ghana is faced with a challenge of declining oil production. The Jubilee Field, in the next three years, will enter its declining phase, which means that if we do not take care, over the next six to ten years, we will not have an oil and gas industry. Therefore, it is imperative that we increase our reserve size, increase our replacement ratio and therefore, bring new wells into production. We can only achieve this if we are doing drilling and have companies that are bringing money and their technology, and this is exactly what AGM is doing so that we can increase our recent position and ensure that we do not deny the many Ghanaians who are getting jobs and opportunities including sub-contracts in the oil and gas Industry of our country.
Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleague on the other Side was putting percentages together that we are reducing the percentage interest of Ghana. It is too simplistic to talk about percentages. Because, hundred percent of zero is zero. And therefore, if a company has 50 per cent and Ghana has 50 per cent and that

Mr Speaker, the whole issue about the oil and gas industry is to produce oil and that is where we create jobs and get revenue to finance developmental projects in Ghana. So if Ghana has higher percentage in oil blocks and yet those blocks cannot be brought into production, then that is not good for our country. [Hear! Hear!].

Mr Speaker, it is also important to talk about the local content. People are saying that the company which is local on the block has 2.5 per cent. That is not correct. It has 2.5 per cent in its parent company, AGM (Gibraltar). If we put it in the context of the block, it amounts to 1.6 per cent. So it is not 2.5 per cent as people parade around. We have been able to negotiate from that 1.6 per cent to five per cent, and we are creating more opportunities for Ghanaians and local companies.

Mr Speaker, somebody is talking about the fact that the company was just incorporated in April. We should go through all the laws that governs the petroleum sector. There is no provision that says that if a company is registered today, it cannot go into a
Mr Speaker 8:59 p.m.
One more contribution from each Side and then the Hon Leaders.
Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah (NDC--Ellembelle) 8:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we are discussing and dealing with a very terrible amendment. When we look at the Agreement, in the interest of Ghana, was to engage our Hon Colleagues on the other Side to look at the fiscal terms and its impact and to try to make sure that they can understand that the state for Ghana is too high, and that they cannot go and vary fiscal terms that have been agreed upon and approved by this Parliament and thus bring it down the levels that have been brought.
Mr Speaker, and we were making reference to the carried interest. The only reason why we currently have the 15 per cent in this new Agreement
Dr Anta 9:09 p.m.
On a point of order. Mr Speaker, the Hon Member is misleading the House.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Member stated that the increase in the initial current interest from 10 to 15 per cent is because it is provided for in Act 919. That is misleading. At the time the original Petroleum Agreement

(PA) was signed, Act 919 did not exist. This PA, including all its fiscal terms, are protected by stability provisions, which were also approved by this House. [Hear! Hear!] Therefore if there is any change in law or policy that would seek to disturb the fiscal equilibrium of the original PA, that would not apply.
Mr Buah 9:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want the Hon Minister to take the recording and listen to himself. He says that they have a new PA and they are to vary the terms for AGM Petroleum Ghana Limited; I am just telling him that he has no choice than to make sure that it matches the law in place.
Mr Speaker 9:09 p.m.
Hon Members, at this stage, I have already indicated who would contribute. In a brilliant debate, if you have a point, you may need to pass it on to the last speaker. [Interruption.]
Mr Buah 9:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the current Hon Minister for Energy was in this House to answer a Question on the 13 Petroleum Agreements (PAs) that were passed between 2013 and 2016.
This was his answer. He admitted that the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) litigation with la Cote D'Ivoire affected most of these companies. In this Report, it has been stated that 80 per cent of the blocks of AGM Petroleum Ghana Limited were affected by the litigation at ITLOS. So as a result, we had to give extension to these companies. The Hon Minister went on to confirm that those affected had been given extensions.
According to the Hon Minister, all the 13 companies had carried out their obligations to different degrees, reprocessed existing data, acquired 23 new seismic data, and others were preparing to drill. These quotes are from the Hon Minister for Energy. He said here in Parliament that, indeed, these companies were affected by the case at ITLOS; but having given them extension, they were still within the law and were working.
Mr Speaker, it is the obligation of the Hon Minister for Energy to ensure that work obligations and financial commitments made by these companies are met. Every time I see the Hon Minister throw his hands in the air to blame the National Democratic Congress, I would tell him he is sleeping on the job. Why do I say so? We took our job so
seriously, and that is why we have three major producing fields -- 21 out of the 23 new discoveries in Ghana.
Secondly, I say this because if the companies are not meeting their obligations, the Hon Minister is to take the blocks from them. That was what I did. He gave a block -- [Uproar.] Mr Speaker, they gave a block to Gasop Oil Limited in the year 2006 and to Orantor Petroleum in the year 2008, but none of them performed. I followed the letter of the law diligently and revoked their licences. When they took us to court, we won. I am happy that those hardworking lawyers are here. That is what an Hon Minister for Energy does. He should not blame past Governments. [Interruption.]He should follow the law; this Parliament has given him the power.
Mr Speaker 9:09 p.m.
Order!
Mr Buah 9:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, to this very issue, it is important that we understand what we are doing here. We have tried to engage the Majority, in the interest of the State, on the issue of local content.
Mr Speaker, you were here and you saw the effort made on local content and why this House passed the local content law. It has been admitted that the Ghanaian local company, MED Songhai, had 2.5 per cent. What happened? [Interruption.] Of what? Does he know what it is?
In the negotiation today, the Committee --
Mr Buah 9:09 p.m.


Speaker: Hon Members, you cannot ask questions while seated.
Mr Buah 9:09 p.m.
The Committee listened to the Ghanaian partner. It was clear that the Ghanaian company, quite frankly, was not involved in the process that led to the sale of that company. So, the Ghanaian company was completely lost.
Mr Speaker, again, something has gone wrong. It is the responsibility of the Hon Minister for Energy to ensure, before he gives consent, that all these issues are looked at. So, why did the Hon Minister for Energy give consent without consulting to make sure that all the partners were in support of this Agreement? Today, this Parliament has to deal with this issue.
Mr Speaker 9:09 p.m.
In conclusion? [Interruption.]
Mr Buah 9:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is important that we do not get here. The reason we are trying to empower Ghanaians --
Mr Speaker 9:09 p.m.
Hon Members, if we keep on disturbing the Hon Member on his feet, he would start again.
Hon Member, go on.
Mr Buah 9:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the bottom line is that this amendment has really reduced the stake of the State. Quite frankly, even the concessions that they claim they have made are not acceptable.
I support my Hon Colleagues when we say that we are not in support of it.
Mr Speaker 9:09 p.m.
Thank you very much.
One more contribution on my right, and then the Hon Leaders on both Sides. If you have a contribution, make it available to your Hon Leader.
Mr Kobina Tahir Hammond (NPP-- Adanse Asokwa) 9:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
Mr Speaker, the block and Agreement in question has some history. On 4th December, 2013, this block, which is the subject of this Agreement and debate on the Floor tonight, was laid bare; it was discussed.
A few matters troubled our Hon Colleagues on the other Side at the Committee. There were predominantly three matters. In the third one, it looked like there was a consensus; everybody seemed to have agreed that something had gone wrong -- we would come to that. The two matters, which troubled them considerably, were the 24 per cent interest for the GNPC Exploration and Production Company Limited.
We cannot hide the fact that on the Floor of this House, that argument had been made many times, particularly
when we were on that Side. Some of us had actually asked GNPC to make clear and underline the specific economic reason why apart from its own interest, they would want to set up another vehicle, GNPC Exploration and Production Company Limited. Some of us took the view that the financial implication involved in this matter was so huge and gargantuan, and GNPC could not take on the responsibility of the original Government's interest and take on paying of the commercial interest. We went on and on. Ultimately, this Agreement was passed -- 24 per cent for GNPC. It is to the credit of history that ultimately nothing appears to have been done about the 24 per cent.

Now a new Government, incidentally, the NPP Government says that we should examine the commercial viability and sensibility of this whole GNPC Exploration and Production Company Agreement.

To this extent, a huge 24 per cent, which would be a quarter of the 100 per cent. The ratio or correlation in this matter is that they would bear their financial responsibility in relation as a correlation to how much interest they have. [Hear! Hear!] So with 24 per cent interest, GNPC would have paid 24 per cent paying interest. When it was last worked out, it came close to US$ 1.968 billion, which would have been the liability of GNPC.

Mr Speaker, it is against this background and considering all the discussions that we have had on this Floor about GNPC asking for money, their work programmes and the hullaballoo that had attended the activities of GNPC, the government decided that we have to be a bit economically sensible and that is the reason an economic -- and for some of us a very sensible decision was taken that the 24 per cent should get back into the pool. Mr Speaker, I think that it was a sensible decision that was taken by the Government.

Mr Speaker, we then talked about the 15 per cent additional interest. These Matters on oil is not just talking about percentages, but it is about checking the pockets and bank accounts. The financial state of everything is not so rosy and so we do not have to saddle ourselves. There was the issue of a person sitting behind a lawyer and saying that lawyers are very nice and sexy, but someone alerted the person that he should wait till his bill arrives and then he could confirm whether lawyers are that good.

Mr Speaker, whether it is 15 per cent or 20 per cent, they should wait till a call is made to them to contribute their quota towards the development of the world. This 15 per cent so- called carried interest was only carried from the first stage or second stage and when we get to the exploration, development and production we would have no carried
rose
Mr Speaker 9:19 p.m.
Hon Minority Chief Whip.
Alhaji Muntaka 9:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order and my Hon Colleague is misleading this country. Mr Speaker, he was an Hon Deputy Minister in this sector, and he knows very well that in the case of ENI, when GNPC had participating interest of 10 per cent and the time came for the additional interest, they exercised it.
So, at least, there is evidence to show that when they had the additional interest they were able to carry it. So, for him to say that with the additional interest of 15 per cent they would have to check their pockets -- At least there had been an agreement where they were able to exercise that 10 per cent.
Mr Speaker, so, he cannot just say that on the basis of 15 per cent when he has not yet arrived to conclude that they cannot take it. Mr Speaker, if he wants to give other reasons then he should, but he should not say that GNPC is incapable of taking it because there is a given example in the case of ENI where they were able to exercise it.
Mr Hammond 9:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, unfortunately, I have not even developed the point. What he said is not what I would be belabouring to say at all. I said that it was originally 15 per cent, and considering how much would be put in the end, of course when GNPC in the end exercises the option that he is talking about, then they would have to pay.
How much was the excess that in the end they had to exercise their right in respect of? Mr Speaker that is not the point. I am talking about the total caboodle of the 15 per cent.
I am saying that in respecting the sensibilities of the other Side, the Report as amended has indicated that instead of the three per cent it must now be raised up to 10 per cent. That is listening to their concerns.
Mr Speaker, the final point is really in respect of the indigenous 2.5 per cent that has been discussed. Mr Speaker, it became quite clear during the Committee's discussions that something had disastrously gone amiss and the Committee was petitioned. As I said, on this matter both Sides were in some sought of agreement.
On the day in question, 4 th December, 2013, on the Floor of this House, I raised the question of the indigenous components of this Agreement which was then the 2.5 per cent. Mr Speaker, we were shown shareholdership Agreements and various communications which would appear to suggest that in the milieu that attended the sale from the old AGM Gibraltar to the new AGM and Akers, something appears to have gone wrong and now, at least on the evidence presented to us we cannot track the 2.5 per cent that belongs to MED Songhai which is the indigenous Ghanaian company.
Mr Speaker, there has been a recommendation that the Hon Minister for Energy together with those who have now purchased the interest to endeavour to make sure that these interests are retrieved wherever the source.
Mr Speaker, it is pretty interesting that any time my Hon Colleague gets up on this Floor he talks about his part of the House or the government in which he was the Hon Minister for Energy and he talks about the discovery of 10 or 20 discoveries. Mr Speaker, it is repugnant and disgusting when he makes those submissions because they are not true and I would invite him to stop making those suggestions on the Floor of the House because it is misleading the people of Ghana. I threw a challenge to him the last time that he should tell this House and the people of Ghana one oil block which is now bearing fruit during the
government of which he was the Hon Minister. Mr Speaker, last time, my Question in the House to the Hon Minister of Energy was that of the 14 oil blocks --
rose
Mr Speaker 9:19 p.m.
Hon Member, do you rise on a point of order?
Mr Buah 9:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I always speak with facts and I back it up with record. It is not our fault that they gave oil blocks and we happen to be the ones that supervised the discovery of the oil.
Mr Speaker 9:19 p.m.
Hon Member, please we must put the question right and then answer.
Is there any one block which is producing?
Mr Buah 9:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, what he has said is factually inaccurate. The ENI block and Sankofa block were given in 2006 to a company called Vitor and this was a company in the downstream sector and they knew nothing about upstream. Mr Speaker, so, what we did was that we went around the world and brought a giant which was the ENI and they discovered oil and gas and they are producing 180 million cubic feet of gas today for Ghana. So what he said is inaccurate.
Mr Hammond 9:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, indeed, the matter has been concluded today. He has made it fairly
Mr Hammond 9:19 p.m.


easy for me because he has admitted today that indeed we gave that block out. Mr Speaker, he admits that it was the block that was given out under the instrumentality of an NPP Government that is yielding this. Mr Speaker, since January 2009 to December 2016, the government of which the Hon Member was a Hon Minister for Energy had 14 oil blocks which were approved on the Floor of this House.

Mr Speaker, till today, not a single one has produced one gallon. Indeed, I am being too charitable, not even one teaspoonful of oil in this country. I want to spare his brashes, but Mr Speaker, that is the sum total of it.
Mr Hmmond 9:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, My friends are asking me to conclude and to spare their brashes. So with these few words, I support the Motion. [Hear! Hear!]
Mr Speaker 9:29 p.m.
We would have the final contribution. Hon Member, you may speak for five minutes, the Hon Minister or Chairman may want to conclude for five minutes, and then the Hon Leaders would have the last words. No interruptions.
Mr Edward Abambire Bawa (NDC -- Bongo) 9:29 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the debate, and in doing that I would state clearly as said earlier by my Hon Ranking Member that this Side of the House totally opposes --
Mr Speaker 9:29 p.m.
Hon Member, make your contribution. You are not speaking for that Side of the House. You are speaking as an Hon Member. [Interruption]
Mr Bawa 9:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in doing that, I am also very sad that this particular conversation is taking place roughly about a week after the country was bedevilled with some controversies surrounding the Deepwater Tano Cape Three Points Block, where we were even contesting the validity of the PA that was governing that particular block.
We were also looking at why Government deliberately refused to exercise the right to acquire 10 per cent additional interest when Parliament of Ghana in 2015 had approved US$ 47 million for the acquisition of the same block.
I am sad today that when the Hon Deputy Minister for Petroleum was talking, he indicated very clearly that if you look at the AGM block that we are talking about today, no single well was drilled. What he refused to tell Ghanaians through Parliament was the fact that about 80 per cent of that block was under dispute, and therefore we could not drill a well.
Mr Speaker, it is important to also put --
Mr Speaker 9:29 p.m.
Order! About 80 per cent of those blocks -- Hon Member, I did not hear you. The 80 per cent of those blocks were what?
Mr Bawa 9:29 p.m.
About 80 per cent of it was part of the catchment area that was under dispute, and these were not words from us. These were the words from the Hon Minister for Energy himself.
It is important to make the point that if you look at the strategy --
Dr A. A. Osei 9:29 p.m.
On a point of order. Mr Speaker, this is a House of records.
My good Friend, Hon Bawa, made reference to an Hon Deputy Minister for Petroleum. There is no deputy minister for Petroleum here. He has worked at the Ministry, and he is telling us this?
Mr Speaker 9:29 p.m.
You mean the Hon Deputy Minister for Energy?
Dr A.A.Osei 9:29 p.m.
Yes Mr Speaker. He should do the right thing.
Mr Speaker 9:29 p.m.
Thank you, correction done.
Hon Member, go on. You do not need to respond.
Mr Bawa 9:29 p.m.
I would just ask Mr Speaker to protect me a bit to make my point.
Mr Speaker, it is important to state that if you look at the 7-year strategic plan of the GNPC, where they were hoping that in the 7th year they were going to be a standalone operator, it was very clear that the country had a particular vision.
The vision was that based on the experience we got in the mining industry where most of the value went outside, we found a way of ensuring that we would make sure that the value remains in Ghana --
rose
Mr Speaker 9:29 p.m.
Hon Member, you would have the opportunity to say the last points per your team. Put your team together and let one person respond.
Hon Member, go on. No more interruptions.
Mr Bawa 9:29 p.m.
So the whole idea was that because the State had the muscle, it was supposed to ensure that on behalf of Ghanaians, it would go ahead and take higher stake such that after declarations of commerciality for any discovery, we would have the value stay in Ghana.
It is within this particular thinking that GNPC decided to have a subsidiary company known as Explorco, obviously based on the initial investment that was done by GNPC -- which talks about US$ 30 million. We had effectively de-risked that area; therefore, everybody who was in that industry knew very clearly that there was a high potential of discovery if we should decide to use all the technologies we have.
Mr Speaker, the surprising thing is that the current renegotiated
Mr Bawa 9:29 p.m.


Agreement is telling us that we are transferring 25 per cent of our equity interest to AGM, and in terms of equivalence, we are looking at 250 million barrels of oil production, which is almost the size of Jubilee Field.

Mr Speaker, it is interesting to know that in all this arrangement, Government has specifically, and I state it with all the pain I have in me, consistently tried as much as possible to ensure that GNPC is stripped naked of all their shareholdings whether it is with the current Agreement we are talking about, the whole idea of trying to exercise the 10 per cent interest that we had already voted money for --
Mr Speaker 9:29 p.m.
And in conclusion?
Mr Bawa 9:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in conclusion, let me state very clearly that this country is being short- changed. This country is being ripped off. I am not too sure of the motivation, but it is clear that 20 or 30 years from today, our children would be very sad that we were part of a team that approved this particular Agreement.
Mr Speaker 9:29 p.m.
The final contribution from the Majority before the Hon Leaders. Who concludes on my right? You have five minutes.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 9:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister listened to comments that Hon Members made, and he wants to respond in his winding up, so the Hon Minority Leader would make his intervention.
Mr Speaker 9:29 p.m.
Hon Minority Leader, for avoidance of doubt, you have 10 minutes. The time is 22 minutes to 10 o'clock.
Minority Leader (Mr Haruna Iddrisu) 9:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would endeavour to keep within time.
Mr Speaker 9:29 p.m.
You would keep it and not endeavour. I have so ordered, so you will proceed.
Mr Iddrisu 9:39 p.m.
Mr Speaker, this House is being called upon to approve the Petroleum Agreement between the Government of Ghana, the GNPC, GNPC Explorco and AGM, in respect of the Deepwater Cape Three Points Contract Area.
Mr Speaker, our petroleum resources are not infinite. They are non-renewable, and as I said the last time, there is even a World Bank study on Ghana which gives some information that Ghana between now and 2036 is likely to gain an additional 23 billion in public revenue between 2016 and 2036.
Mr Speaker, this Agreement was also approved by Parliament on 10th December, 2013 under President Mahama.

Mr Speaker, today, we seek to compare two situations. They are not the same, and they can never be the same. We believe strongly that royalty in the existing Agreement was ten per cent, carried interest; ten per cent, additional interest; 15 per cent and Explorco interest was also 24 per cent. We had all these percentages in 2013. I have heard that people still argue on when this was discovered, but we now know when this was discovered, that it was 2013 when there was an Exploratory Agreement.

Mr Speaker, today, that is being amended to 10 per cent royalty. Additional interest is three per cent, that of Explorco is zero per cent and carried interest 15 per cent. This means that Ghana's take in the existing Agreement under President Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was 43 per cent. Today, Ghana's take, as being negotiated is 18 per cent. The re-negotiation mathematically would then lead to a drop by 25 per cent.

Mr Speaker, my understanding is that we are approving this Agreement on the basis of the understanding that local content, local interest and the indigenous Ghanaian business interest, would be respected in accord with the local content law. That is why it was re-assuring to hear the Hon Chairman state in a paragraph of the Agreement that the 2.5 per cent would be

restored. So, subject to that understanding, I believe that there is respect for local content, and there would be respect for indigenisation.

Mr Speaker, my further under- standing was that the additional interest, which has been reduced to 3 per cent would be increased to 10 per cent. That is my understanding, and I expect that when you are putting the Question on this matter, we would get your clear unambiguous directive that this Agreement is being considered and adopted by the House on condition that those improvements to the Agreement would be done.

Mr Speaker, I believe that was the wish and thinking of the Hon Buah, at the time that he was the then Hon Minister. I have heard examples and references to Cinco. Everywhere in the world, this is how they develop their own GNPC. So, in Ghana, ours is the GNPC, our national oil company, and that is why it was done.

Mr Speaker, one would have wished, and we would wish that at least Explorco, instead of zero per cent from 24 per cent, in the national interest and in the best interest of the State, could be given 5 per cent, so that in future, as a national oil company, we could develop their capacity. That is why my Hon Colleague said that it was a sale off if we took all the 24 per cent from them and gave them zero per cent.

Mr Speaker, the Petroleum Explora- tion and Production Agreement also
Mr Speaker 9:39 p.m.
Hon Minority Leader, thank you very much.
Mr Speaker 9:49 p.m.
Hon Minority Leader, thank you very much.
Hon Majority Leader?
Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs (Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu) 9:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much and I believe that we are making some progress.
Mr Speaker, firstly, I would start by responding to the issue that was raised by the Hon Ranking Member. At the Committee level there was no
consensus on the content of the Report and it was agreed that it would be passed, if it had to, by a majority. That was indeed the agreement, but the purpose of the dialogue that we engaged in was to build consensus and we thought that having migrated from fixated positions to a central location, we had attained some consensus and that is why because of the give and take that had gone on, the Hon Chairman came to say that the agreement that we had come to was by consensus.
Mr Speaker, if people are not comfortable with that, then we could recline to the original status and I have no difficulty with that, but I thought that we had made some considerable progress. Mr Speaker, issues have been raised about the state of Explorco and I think that it is important that we address this.

Explain, by who? Mr Speaker, I am restoring equilibrium.
Mr Speaker 9:49 p.m.
Hon Leader, address me only.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 9:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, clearly, this nation has lived with the antecedent of GNPC and we all saw the wastage that went on in the past. We have got out of that situation and would want GNPC to concentrate on its business that Parliament has prescribed for it.
Again, the GNPC's own stake, the carried interest -- Some Hon Members have not addressed their minds to what we have said. We said in section 7(3) of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act that after 15 years, this country would no longer resource GNPC. Where would they have the money from? The position being canvassed for GNPC that we should allow them to do A, B, C, where would they get the money from?
Mr Speaker, even today when we are resourcing them, close to almost 50 per cent of our earnings from petroleum revenue -- 15 years -- and it is just five years from now. If we pull out the funding of GNPC, where would they be? We speak as if the funding of GNPC is eternal; it is not. We should be careful.
Mr Speaker, to agree with the Hon Minority Leader, the resource is finite and the allocation to the GNPC is also finite and the nation agreed that five years from now, they would no longer have that amount that has been going
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 9:49 p.m.


to them. Where would they get the money in activating their interest? We talk as if we are on cloud nine. We are not there. GNPC is not there. They would soon hit the ground and we would see what would happen to them.

We should encourage them to be much more focussed and savvy in the application in the resources that we have been giving them. Thus far, we are not too convinced about how they have been using those allocations. Mr Speaker, we should be careful.

Having said that, we are told that there has been some climb down in the percentages. We are told that it has decreased from 43 to 18 per cent. Mr Speaker, the 43 per cent was never activated anywhere, and the 18 per cent would yield us some outcomes. What would go into the construction of the dry dock and so on?

If we net out clearly, this nation would not be short - changed. Rather, we would have much more than anticipated. Mr Speaker, they should do the arithmetic themselves.

For anybody to go out there and make one plus two very simplistic additions and say to us that the nation would be short-changed, that person has not really considered the entire gamut of the net outcomes. They would not make that simplistic argument at all.

Mr Speaker, I believe that ultimately, all of us to protect the

interest of this country and the future of our oil earning, so, we should listen to ourselves and if it would help us improve on what laws that we are crafting, so be it. That is why, Mr Speaker, I am happy that when we came together and spoke to ourselves, we agreed that the House request the Hon Minister to renegotiate an increase in the GNPC additional interest from three to 10 per cent.

Mr Speaker, we said that subject to that, the House would approve of this. That is why I said we were moving towards some consensus building and that is why I said I am sad when some Hon Members that there was no consensus. I thought we were migrating to a centre point.

Mr Speaker, let us hold together and this Agreement may not be sacrosanct but we would still be able to further improve the system as we go along. That is the essence of what we are doing.
Mr Speaker, for the local content we said 9:49 p.m.
“The Committee recommends that the Ministry of Energy together with Petrica should facilitate the resolution of the issue surrounding the 2.5 per cent shareholding interest of MED Songhai in AGM (Gibraltar) …”
Mr Speaker, and its consequential interest -- We are saying that the Ministry should facilitate, and the
Ministry within six months after we approve this should report to us what progress they have made.
I believe we are advancing the course of local interest, and we should work together to ensure that we improve the regime. That is why I am sad when people still say that we should object to the Report of the Committee. It is really saddening, and I thought that sometimes some Hon Members would not apply themselves to the improvement that we have brought to bear in the original.
If they had, they would not still be fixated on a rejection of the Committee's Report. They should read it carefully, and they would see the improvement that we have brought to the regime.
Going forward, I believe we can only work to improve any agreement that would come subsequent to this.
Mr Speaker, on that note, I would thank my Hon Colleagues for their contribution with the hope that those who rejected it would migrate home in order for us all to be together on this Report.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity.
Mr Speaker 9:49 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader, thank you very much, and particularly for staying within the time given. I appreciate that.
Thank you very much, Hon Leaders.
Hon Minister, with this spirit, you may just thank Hon Members now so that we would move forward with the plane that is well on course.
Minister for Energy (Mr John Peter Amewu) 9:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, first of all, it is important for the House to recognise that some material changes triggered the need for this review.
The first is that; the original wells that needed to be drilled were two. The changes that occurred deemed as material was as a result of drilling additional wells.
Mr Speaker, secondly, at the time of negotiating the PA, the oil price was hovering between US$ 80 and US$ 90 per barrel. The changes that occurred prior to this negotiation brought oil price to between US$ 60 and US$ 70, so that is a significant change.
Mr Speaker, there is a decline in the reserve to production ratio in our country. As a government, we have taken the decision to embark on aggressive exploration activities, so these are the reasons that triggered the review of this Petroleum Agreement.
Mr Speaker, Hon Buah refuses to understand that he as an Hon Minister was the one responsible for granting
Mr Speaker 9:59 p.m.
Hon Members, I would put the Question, subject to the clear understanding that improvements anticipated including local interest, carried interest, et cetera would be done as indicated.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Mr Speaker 9:59 p.m.
We would now move on to item numbered 22, Resolution, which is duly affected by the correction to the Motion and the rider towards capturing those improvements as this Hon House has decided upon.
On that note, Hon Minister, you may move for the adoption of the Resolution.
RESOLUTIONS 9:59 p.m.

Chairman of the Committee (Mr Emmanuel Gyamfi) 9:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
CLOSING REMARKS 9:59 p.m.

Minority Leader (Mr Haruna Iddrisu) 10:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I have just served a Motion to you through the Table Office pursuant to article 82 of the Constitution.
Mr Speaker 10:09 p.m.
Hon Minority Leader, I have not seen any Motion.
Mr Iddrisu 10:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I just filed it.
Mr Speaker 10:09 p.m.
Hon Minority Leader, please, let us do that at the appropriate time.
Mr Iddrisu 10:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, that is alright; but there would be a Motion to censure the lion Senior Minister, so that he would come and respond appropriately.
Mr Speaker 10:09 p.m.
Hon Minority Leader, that matter is out of order because we want to stick to the matters before us. Otherwise,
Mr Iddrisu 10:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to thank you, the Clerk to Parliament, the media, the Hon Majority Leader and Hon Colleagues. Even us I disagree with the Hon Majority Leader, he keeps his eye on the ball.
Mr Speaker, as I indicated earlier, the President deserves my flower on the issue on Dagbon because as I quoted —
Mr Speaker 10:09 p.m.
Hon Minority Leader, we dealt with the issue on Dagbon before the House rose sine die and came back.
Mr Iddrisu 10:09 p.m.
No, Mr Speaker —
Mr Speaker 10:09 p.m.
Hon Minority Leader, unless I keep contributions within context, we would not leave this place.
Mr Iddrisu 10:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am worried about developments that could undermine the process and the progress the President has made —
Mr Speaker 10:09 p.m.
Hon Members, no more Dagbon — we dagbonised before the House rose sine die.
Hon Minority Leader, you are out of order.
Mr Iddrisu 10:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you -- but the threats on the lives of journalists must be looked at.
Mr Speaker 10:09 p.m.
References to Dagbon must be expunged.
Mr Iddrisu 10:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, you must be accommodating.
Thank you.
Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs (Mr Osci Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu) 10:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to make these few remarks.
Mr Speaker, pursuant to Order 42 (3) of our Standing Orders, the House was recalled from recess to sit from Monday, 29th April to today, Friday, 3rd May, 2019 to consider some urgent parliamentary Businesses. I must express my profound gratitude to Hon Colleague members for availing themselves to discharge their constitutional mandate.
Mr, Speaker, the House debated, amended and passed two Bills during this Emergency Meeting. They are the Companies Bill, 2018, and the State Interests and Governance Authority Bill, 2019.
As we may recall, the Companies Bill, with its over 369 amendments,
Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs (Mr Osci Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu) 10:09 p.m.


was at the Consideration Stage during the First Meeting of the Third Session of the Seventh Parliament. The House worked up to clause 210 before it went on recess on 12th April, 2019. The “Winnowing Committee” met during the recess and went through the outstanding amendments, which paved way for the House to bring to a closure, the Consideration of the Bill yesterday.

May I take this opportunity to extend my fullest appreciation to Members of the “Winnowing Committee” and assure them that their reward would not be in heaven, but on earth — and they know what I have talked about.

Mr Speaker, the House also gave approval to the following during this Emergency Meeting:

i.Request for Tax waiver in respect of the Construction/ Rehabilitation of selected Roads and Interchanges — phase 1.

ii. Tax Waiver Request in respect of the Implementation of the One District One Factory (IDIF) Programme.

iii. Tax Waiver Request in respect of the Integrated Container and Multi-Purpose Terminal at the Takoradi Port by Ibis TEK.

iv. The Amendment No.l to the Petroleum Agreement relating

to South Deepwater Tano Contract Area.

v. The National Road Safety Authority Bill, 2019 came to be laid and just today, the Bill went through a second Reading.

Indeed, we have started with the consideration stage, but it has not been completed and I hope that when we come back, we would do so in earnest.

Mr Speaker, Bills and budget performance reports, among others, were also presented to the House and referred to the appropriate Committees. I entreat all Committees to endeavour to consider all outstanding referrals as early as possible to enable the House deliberate on them during the Second Meeting of Third Session of the Seventh Parliament.

Mr Speaker, as we are all aware, the Vigilantism and Related Offences Bill was presented to the House during the last Meeting and referred to the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for consideration and report. The Committee met and unanimously reported to the House that the Bill is of an urgent nature. This implies that the House must see to the passage of the Bill as a matter of urgency.

However, indications from the Committee points to the fact that the Committee was preoccupied with the
Mr Speaker 10:09 p.m.
Then please, resist it without reference. [Laughter.]
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would resist the devil — I would not go there.
Mr Speaker, I thank you and your Hon Deputies for steering the Business of the House for the week successfully.
My appreciation also goes to the Clerk to Parliament, his staff for ensuring that the Business of the House for the week went smoothly.
To our media friends, I thank them for their good work and urge them to continue with it to enhance our democracy.
Mr Speaker, I end here by wishing all of us well as we journey back to our various constituencies not to rest, but to continue with Parliament Business at those various locations.
Mr Speaker, the other matters of welfare are under serious consideration, and I know Hon members would be sufficiently compensated.
Mr Speaker 10:19 p.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Majority Leader.
Honourable members,
The gracious presence of the lord has been with us and greatly endowed us with the needed fortitude to successfully complete the business arraigned for the four-day special sitting of the house. It is proper and much befitting to the lord and glorify him for an answered prayer.
Indeed, the two important bills which are:
i) the state interests and governance authority bill, 2019; and
ii) the companies bill, 2018 were all completed within the set timeline.
Crucial matter on energy, tax exemption et cetera were dealt with conclusively.
I recognise the contribution made by Hon Members, committing themselves to long-Sitting hours both in committee and plenary to complete the important assignment, hoping other equally important work laid before the house subsequently, will be tackled with same spirit and vigour.
As I always say, we owe our constituents, a duty to work conscientiously in their interest at all times. As you leave the house today, i will appreciate if you continue to serve them in like manner. Do right to each and every person at the constituency to mirror the representational inclusiveness of what the institution of parliament basically stands and strives for.
Let me again remind leadership of the committees that have outstanding referrals from the previous meeting as well this meeting that they should work on them during the recess.
This will help reduce the workload on the committees and also facilitate speedy consideration of their reports thereon by the house on time on resumption.
I thank the deputy speakers for their continued supports to work for mother ghana even at the peril of their health.
The leadership as usual, was instrumental for ensuring effective and timely execution of parliamentary business. I thank them for their pivotal role.
ADJOURNMENT 10:19 p.m.