Debates of 30 May 2019

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:17 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:17 a.m.
Mr Speaker 10:17 a.m.
Hon Members, correction of Votes and Proceedings of Wednesday, 29th May, 2019.
Page 1…9 --
rose
Mr Speaker 10:17 a.m.
Yes, Hon Member?
Mr Ablakwa 10:17 a.m.
Mr Speaker, there are three matters on page 9 that I wish to draw the attention of the House to.
The first one is your directive after the very important Statement on the
possible regulation of churches. I recall that the referral was to both the Committees on Youth and Sports and Constitutional, Legal and Parlia- mentary Affairs; but you added that the Hon Minority Leader and the Hon Majority Leader should join them. That has not been captured. I recall, I heard you clearly.
Mr Speaker 10:17 a.m.
That is very correct.
Mr Ablakwa 10:17 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the second one is item numbered 10. The day is “International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers”. So we need to delete “Standing”. It is not supposed to be there.
Mr Speaker, finally, item numbered 11- the Hon Minister of State responsible for Tertiary Education is Prof. Kwesi Yankah, not Mr Kojo Yankah. It is not easy to become a Professor.
For item numbered 8, we properly acknowledged Hon Emmanuel Marfo as Dr, so same should be done for the Hon Minister of State for Tertiary Education.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker 10:17 a.m.
Thank you very much.
Any other correction?
Page 10…13.
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:17 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the amendment that I moved when we passed the State Interests and Governance Authority Bill, 2019 through a Second Con- sideration Stage did not seek to delete an existing provision.
What we said was that the original clause that provides:
“Acquire, receive, hold or administer or dispose of shares of the State and state-owned enterprises and joint venture companies”.
The one obtained in the original Bill got eliminated at the Consideration stage. They deleted it and I sought to bring it back, I did not ask for the deletion of any existing or an agreed upon provision. That was not what I said. I said we should bring it back; we should insert it. I said that wherever it was deemed appropriate to insert it, we should. So let it be captured appropriately.
Mr Speaker 10:17 a.m.
Hon Majority Leader, if you have any objection with
the rendition, with the rendition here what do you want it to be?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:17 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the rendition is to insert the words as a subclause:
“Acquire, receive, hold and administer or dispose of the shares of the State or state- owned enterprises and joint venture companies”.
That indeed has been captured. but then, the Votes and
Proceedings provide that I called for the deletion of something that exists and that is:
“Coordinate the sale or acquisition of State interests and the specified entities and advise the Minister accordingly”.
It says that I said we should delete that. I never said so.
Mr Speaker 10:27 a.m.
So does the deletion stand or not?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:27 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I did not call for any deletion at all. I only called for the insertion of these words, which have been attributed to me as a subclause.

here:

“(i) Clause 3 -- Amendment proposed -- delete …”

Must “delete” go for the sake of clarity, so that we do not come back to this issue?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:27 a.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker 10:27 a.m.
Thank you.
Yes, Hon Yieleh Chireh?
Mr Joseph Y. Chireh 10:27 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I agree with his correction; but I told him yesterday that he talked too much and confused everybody. [Laughter.] All he needed to do was to say that wherever he was migrating the thing back to the objects of the Bill, it should have been to move from that place to read as follows.
This was the correct thing I asked him to do, but he did not do that. He gave us big talk. When he was amending, he should just have said what he wanted to amend and not a whole lecture.
Mr Speaker 10:27 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Chireh.
So, the correction would be effected accordingly.

In the absence of any further correction, the Votes and Pro- ceedings of Wednesday, 29th May, 2019 as corrected be hereby admitted as the true record of proceedings.

Hon Okudzeto Ablakwa, we appreciate your diligence in putting the record in order. This is not just a by- remark. It should be captured in the Hansard for posterity.

Hon Members, the Official Report dated 20th March, 2019.

Any corrections?
Mr Speaker 10:27 a.m.
Hon Members, the Official Report of 1st April, 2019.
  • [No correction was made to the Official Report of Monday, 1st April, 2019.]
    • Mr Speaker 10:27 a.m.
    Hon Members, item listed 3 — Statements.
    We have two Statements; one on the night of power and one is a tribute to the late Hon Leader of the House.
    Hon Majority Leader, may I know your pleasure in this connection as to the sequence?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:27 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I believe we could do the tribute to the former Hon Majority Leader. The Hon Minority Leader has signalled that he is on his way. So, I would do what is necessary, and he would join.
    STATEMENTS 10:37 a.m.
    Majority Leader (Mr Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu) 10:37 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, this tribute is in memory of the late Hon (Dr) Kwabena Adjei, former Member of Parliament for Biakoye Constituency, in the now Oti Region, a former Minister of State and former National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
    Mr Speaker, Hon Dr Kwabena Adjei, a.k.a. “Wayoo wayo” and “Togbe Dadiwula” (for his saying that there are several ways of killing a cat) was horn on 9th March, 1943 in Nkonya Ntsumuru in the now Oti Region. His father was Sgt Winfred
    Kofi Adjei, a policeman, musician and the Commander of the Ghana Police Band. Madam Esther Akosua Nsiah was the mother. He was the first of two surviving siblings.
    He started his schooling at Worawora EP Primary School, and completed at Nkonya Ntsumuru EP Middle School and obtained Middle School Leaving Certificate in I960. He proceeded to Pusiga Training College, but completed at Jasikan Training College, obtaining the Teacher's Certificate A with distinction in 1963. He was a brilliant student. He passed the General Certificate of Education (Ordinary and Advance Levels) examinations in 1964 and 1965 through private tuition from the British School of Careers (UK).
    He continued to the University of Ghana, Legon where he pursued a degree programme in Psychology and came out successfully in 1970. He was offered a scholarship to pursue a Master's Degree in Psychology at the University Of Strathclyde Glasgow Scotland. His lecturers were impressed with his calibre and understanding of his field of study, and advised him to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy (PHD) instead of Masters. This he completed in 1973. His thesis was in research methods and Statistics in Psychology, which was at that time very pioneering.
    Majority Leader (Mr Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu) 10:37 a.m.


    Hon Dr Kwabena Adjei was actively involved in international cooperation activities related to his work as a parliamentarian and the NDC Governments in the Republic of Ghana from 1987 to 2014.

    Hon Dr Kwabena Adjei's membership of and participation in international conferences and other political and development forums included the following main official visits between 1987 and 2010;

    1987-1992 -- Ghana's accredited Delegate to the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Vienna, Austria.

    1998 -- Chairman, West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA), Sierra Leone.

    1994-1996 -- Head of Ghana delegation, International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO).

    1998 -- Head of Ghana delegation, Food & Agriculture Organisation (FOA), Rome, Italy.

    1998-2000 -- Head of Ghana delegation to Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Conferences in the UK and Trinidad & Tobago.

    Head of Ghana's delegation Inter- Parliamentary Union (IPU), Berlin, Germany.

    2009 -- Member of the President's delegation to UK.

    2009 -- NDC Representative, Socialist International Meeting in Dakar, Senegal.

    2009 -- NDC Representative, Socialist International Meeting in Vienna, Austria.

    2009 -- NDC Representative, Socialist International Meeting in Budva, Montenegro.

    Political Achievements

    Dr Kwabena Adjei can be credited with several unique achievements. As the then National Chairman, he led the NDC to resurrect from its slumber and shutters in opposition to electoral victory in 2009, and again led the NDC to retain power in 2012. His leadership was transformational as he played a neutralist leadership role to ensure that the NDC survived, united and elaborated itself. He delegated functions to and allowed his subordinate officers to enact their roles without hindrance, thereby permitting them to demonstrate their political and other potentials.

    In August, 2013 they had conferred on him the International award of Millennium Development Ambassador by the United Nations.

    In recognition of his distinguished Public Service and enormous contribution to the development of Constitutional Democracy in the Republic, he was conferred with the State Honour of Companion of the Order of the Volta (CV).

    Dr Kwabena Adjei was not in the best of health in the last two years. He was in and out of hospital many times, and when we all thought he was fine and could even see us off at his

    gate after a visit, he was suddenly taken ill again. On Saturday 9th March, 2019 he was rushed to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Ridge. Tuesday morning, three days after marking his 76th birthday, Dr Adjei returned to his Maker.

    May His Soul rest in peace.
    Mr Speaker 10:37 a.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, as you please.
    Minority Leader (Mr Haruna Iddrisu) 10:37 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would wish to contribute to the Statement, but with leave that Hon Yieleh Chireh and the Hon Member of Parliament for Biakoye --
    Mr Speaker 10:37 a.m.
    Since the Hon Majority Leader has made it, I would want you to respond, and then the others too can. So please proceed.
    Minority Leader (Mr Haruna Iddrisu) 10:47 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
    Mr Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I support the Statement made by the Hon Majority Leader on the passing on of an Hon Leader of this House. He served the Parliament of Ghana as an Hon Member and an Hon Leader of the House. He also
    Mr Speaker 10:47 a.m.
    Thank you very much, Hon Minority Leader.
    Hon Members, the door is still open for contributions.
    Mr Kwadwo Nyanpon Aboagye (NDC -- Biakoye) 10:47 a.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    [Pause] --
    Mr Speaker 10:47 a.m.
    With the building of a new Chamber, you would not have to hide behind a pillar. [Laughter.] No one would be compelled to hide behind pillars. In fact, it is most unparliamentary, but we cannot help it.
    Hon Member, you should please go on.
    Mr Kwadwo N. Aboagye 10:47 a.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to say a few words.
    Mr Speaker, I am the Hon Member of Parliament for the Biakoye Constituency. At the moment, I sit on the seat of the Hon Dr Kwabena Adjei when he was an Hon Member of Parliament. I was then a public servant.
    Mr Speaker, I knew him quite well. He was very affable. Whenever he came to the constituency, we all rushed to his place to have a chat with him because he had a lot to offer in terms of life experiences and advice.
    Mr Speaker, when he was ill, I used to visit him in his house at Agboba, and the last but one time that I went there, I thought he was getting better because we had a chat for more than two hours. Incidentally, I went with one other Hon Colleague, and we all chatted for more than two hours.
    Mr Speaker 10:47 a.m.
    Thank you very much, Hon Member.
    Ms Laadi Ayii Ayamba (NDC -- Pusiga) 10:57 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Statement made on the late Chairman of the NDC, Hon Dr Kwabena Adjei.
    Mr Speaker, I heard of Dr Kwabena Adjei when I was still in the Teacher Training College in Pusiga. He happened to have attended the teacher training college in Pusiga and became a certificate “B” Teacher.

    After that, I worked directly with him in my capacity as the Deputy National Women's Organiser of the NDC for 12 years.

    Mr Speaker, Dr Kwabena Adjei was affable, sociable, loved by everybody, and was always ready to support especially, the few women who held positions at the party headquarters.

    Mr Speaker, he never hesitated correcting anybody at the party headquarters or even outside. This is a man who used to say it as it is. He never discriminated, and would never want to say things simply because they satisfied him.

    Mr Speaker, Dr Kwabena Adjei was one of the persons who would fight for an individual as long as he knew that that person was worth it, and he put it as it was. Dr Kwabena Adjei was one of the persons whom this House, and for that matter, the great NDC have lost. This is a person who contributed his worth, and it was not on all platforms that he would handle it as someone who belonged to a particular party.

    I recall how he came by the name “wayo wayo”. It came about when we went for by-elections in Tamale. That is the by-election that led Hon Inusah Fuseini to this House. There was an issue on the table, and when we were talking and some people interrupted, he said he wanted to know the word Hausas use when they want to say use your sense and we told him it was wayo.

    Mr Speaker, he said even if we are two, three or four people, we needed to use common sense to undertake most of the activities that we needed

    as a team. We do not just talk and think that because it is a political party or because one belongs to a party, he should say whatever he wants. One needs some sense, so we had to be very careful in whatever we did. So, we came out with “wayo wayo”. We had to be sensible and be united. When one said wayo wayo, he would say wayo then he would raise his two fingers in affirmation of what was said.

    Mr Speaker, when Dr Kwabena Adjei took ill and passed on, I learnt something. Mr Speaker, you and some of us have mentioned this in passing. It is the issue of coming to this House as a legislator, and eventually getting out, and not having any support. We all know how difficult it is when we leave this House.

    At a certain point, he needed our support more than what we are talking about today. Today, we are saying good things about him, but when he was alive, lying there and shuttling between his home and the hospital, could we say anything about it? Did we remember him?

    Mr Speaker, it is very important for us to draw lessons from some of these things and ensure that at least, while we leave this House, there should be some kind of remem- brance, especially, for the Hon Leaders. Let us look at how Dr Adjei worked.
    Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh (NDC -- Wa West) 11:07 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to pay tribute to Dr Kwabena Adjei. I do so with a very heavy heart because he was one of the few people who stood by principles, and at the same time, he was somebody who was humble
    enough to always lower himself from the height of intellectual achievement to the level that he could communicate with ordinary party members.
    First, if you look at his political history, it shows somebody who, when he believed in something, made sure he did what his heart told him to do. I am very happy that Dr Kwabena Adjei is being accorded a state- assisted burial because of the values he had. Indeed, the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, had very kind words for him, and he said he would make sure Dr Adjei is given the appropriate recognition.
    Mr Speaker, it is because if you look at his upbringing, the way he lived his life -- He did not have much in terms of resources to show to people. He lived as a humble person; he was not after wealth, but he stood his grounds any time he had an argument.
    I met him first as the Deputy Secretary for Science and Technology in the 1980s. Eventually, he became a Cabinet Minister when I was also then a Regional Minister. I know the kind of battles that he fought within Cabinet and outside. Eventually, he became the chairman of our party at a very difficult time, but he was able to bring us together.
    He was able to unite the party, and that made it possible to win power in
    2008.
    The legacy he has left for us is one where people have to be true to themselves, and be principled. Whether people would like what you say or not, you stand by it. So long as one is right, and it is within the law, he must state his position clearly and stand by it.
    Mr Speaker, he lived a very humble and principled life. It is one of the things that the young people of this country need to learn from him. So many things have already been said about him, but we, as a party and as a nation, would miss him.

    I wish the family all the blessings that God can give them and they should be proud that Dr Kwabena Adjei lived a life worth emulating.

    I thank you very much for the opportunity.
    Mr Speaker 11:07 a.m.
    Thank you very much, Hon Members. We would observe one minute's silence in honour of the late Hon Leader of the House.
    Mr Speaker 11:07 a.m.
    May the soul of the late Hon Member, Dr Kwabena Adjei rest in perfect peace with God. Amen.
    Hon Members, it is important for us to seriously consider matters relating to former Hon Members of the House. And we are in the process of speaking with the State Insurance Corporation about an insurance. And we all know that the lives of the many former Hon Members are not as we would like to see, to put it mildly. And in fact, it pains me personally to see how we look like after we have served. And people think these are the people who are making money in this House. The media may want to record; it is painful.
    You people do not have money here and people are not here for money. See the other Hon Members of Parliament who have left too long ago. But we must therefore, also look at the reality and make provisions for pension and other aspects of the welfare of Hon Members.
    So I would refer this to the House Committee. Because what the Hon Member has said, we all know, it is more true than it has even been said but we do not do anything about it; we do not say it. Unfortunately, the public often do not even sympathise with us for not saying these things and they think you people have money, which you do not have.
    STATEMENTS 11:07 a.m.
    Mr Ras Mubarak (NDC -- Kumbungu) 11:07 a.m.
    I am very grateful for the opportunity.
    Mr Speaker, yesterday, yourself Rt Hon Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Aaron Oquaye who affectionately was given the name Mohammed in recognition of your profound speech and kindness to the Muslim caucus and Leadership of the House, joined our Chief Guest of Honour- H.E. Dr. Mahamud Bawumia; the National Chief Imam, some members of the Diplomatic Corps and the Clergy to celebrate with the Muslim Caucus of Parliament, the Night of Power or “Laylat ul-Qadr” in Arabic.
    Many of our colleagues who might have gone to the mails room to sign
    their names or pick up mails might have wondered what was going on at the foyer, which was decorated in the morning ahead of the event of the evening.
    Laylat ul-Qadr; variously rendered in the English language as the Night of Power, Night of Value, Night of Decree Essence, Night of Destiny or Night of Measures, is, in Islamic belief, the Night when the Arch-Angel Gabriel, descended from heaven with first few verses of the Holy Qur'an and revealed it to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
    And over a period of twenty three years, the Prophet (pbuh) received the text of the Qur'an in three forms;
    1. Some verses came to him in the form of a dream or vision.
    2. Through the Arch Angel Gabriel who appeared to him in flesh as a man.
    3. In the form of trance.
    The Holy Prophet was unlettered and could not take notes. For which reason he had to memorise all the revelations of the Qur'an he received.
    Mr Speaker, we had invited you and other distinguished guests to join us break fast and pray, to join us for
    dinner or Iftar. As Okonkwo aptly put it in “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe,
    “A man who calls his kinsmen to a feast does not do so to save them from starving. They all have food in their own homes. When we gather together in the moonlit village ground, it is not because of the moon. Every man can see it in his compound.”
    Laylat ul-Qadr is when Muslims all over the world are enjoined to share with their brethren, to lose more sleep and to pray; to pray not just for themselves but their loved ones, their leaders and their country. It is a period of contemplation and steadfastness.
    Mr Speaker, Ghana as a country has a soul, our nation has a spirit, and for that matter, every Ghanaian, especially Muslims during this period must endeavour to say prayers for Allah's guidance and grace unto our nation.
    Topmost on our minds as a people should be the underprivileged; those whose lives have been torn apart by conflicts in places such as Chereponi; those homeless kids in the streets of Accra, Tamale and elsewhere. It is a moment we should spare a thought for all those who have been displaced in conflicts around the world; those
    yearning to return home for school, to their loved ones or to work.
    Whatever our background or beliefs, we must continue to support the efforts of our government towards fostering peace and unity.
    Prayer in Islam is very key, but deeds are also important. In our social settings, people who commit crime are often from amongst us - not from any other race or space. And for that matter, we cannot continue to pray while our brethren live in depravity. We cannot continue to pray, and not work hard; we cannot continue to pray, while we rob the poor and not live upright, and not love our country.
    If we want our country to be great and strong, we have to work harder and pray without ceasing. We have to care, and to love. This is the time to open our doors and arms.
    This Ramadan, in this period of Laylat ul-Qadr, we have to revive our resolve to work towards a united country, to lift up the downtrodden, to protect the aged, feed the hungry, and clothe the naked.
    Let us continue to come together as Ghanaians and celebrate many nights of Power together with our friends and compatriots.
    Mr Speaker 11:07 a.m.
    Thank you very much, Hon Member.
    The Chairman of the Muslim caucus in Parliament would respond and we shall bring that to a close.
    Mr Ben Abdallah Banda (NPP -- Offinso-South) 11:17 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to also comment on the Statement made by the Hon Member for Kumbungu, Hon Ras Mubarak on the significance of the Night of Power, the History and its Relevance to the World.
    Mr Speaker, I would also like to seize this opportunity to add my voice and to thank you specially for gracing the occasion with your presence.

    Mr Speaker, not only do you annually grace our Night of Power with your presence, but you have been a very formidable pillar, so far as the progress, development and smooth running of the Muslim Caucus and the sustenance of our Zakat Fund are concerned.

    I remember that last year, when we invited you and you attended, you handsomely donated a whopping sum of money to the Zakat Fund. Last year, that went a long way towards the sustenance of the Zakat Fund. This year also, when you came, you did not only admonish us, but also contributed handsomely to the progress of the Muslim Caucus and also to the sustenance of the Zakat Fund.

    Mr Speaker, I commend you due to the fact that it is in your tenure that all activities of the Muslim Caucus have been fully financed. We are lucky in this country that through your magnanimity, we have a mosque here in Parliament.

    I quite remember that previously Muslims in this august House of Parliament, used to go outside the premises to partake in congregational Friday prayers. However, this time around, that is not the case. We can conveniently move outside the Chamber to the mosque, which is situated within the precinct of this august House to pray and return to resume parliamentary duties. This is a testament to your resolve and readiness to foster religious tolerance.

    The Hon Minority Leader and Hon Majority Leader also attended. On behalf of the Muslim Caucus, I would

    like to express my sincere gratitude to them for their presence and admonishment. All of us, both Christians and Muslims, are of the same stock. Yesterday, the Hon Majority Leader stated the facts which are in the Bible and the Qur'an, that we all descended from Messenger Abraham. However, somewhere along the line, some became Christians and others also became Muslims.

    Mr Speaker, despite that, we are all of the same stock and all belong to the same grandfather. It is therefore out of malice and sheer wickedness, that some people try to sow seeds of division, which I believe they thrive on.

    Yesterday, H. E. the Vice President also said that we strive to educate ourselves to know about the Bible and the Qur'an, so that the tendency of somebody sowing seeds of division or destruction would be less probable. It is because some misinterpret the Qur'an and the Bible, whether intentionally or unintentionally for their personal reasons and that explains why we are witnessing the spate of devastations and terrorism in this world.

    Mr Speaker, peace is very important and without it, Ghana and the world cannot progress. Peace is

    a sine quo non for development and we should all do well to ring-fence the relative stability and peace that we have in this country. We are blessed in this country because Christians and Muslims live in harmony.

    Mr Speaker, yesterday, you said that we should try and harmonise and live in peace and tranquillity. The National Chief Imam went to a church to visit his brethren and that has become a very great source of commendation to this nation, Ghana. People all over the world are commending Ghana for this noble step that the Chief Imam took. That is an example worthy of emulation.

    Also yesterday, not only Muslims attended but Christians also attended the Night of Power. A member of the Christian Fellowship of this august House, was given the opportunity to also speak. What he said was very significant. He said he is of two religious backgrounds -- his father is a Muslim and his mother is a Christian, but he is a Christian. That is a very wonderful combination. So we are blessed in this country. All that we need to do is to keep on ring-fencing the peace. When we do that, Ghana would be a better place to live in.

    Mr Speaker, with these few words, I would once again thank you for giving me the opportunity to say these few words.
    Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka (NDC -- Asawase) 11:27 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I agree that there was the understanding that the two of them would make the Statement but I wanted to correct a factually incorrect statement made by the Chairman about the place of worship.
    Concerning the place of worship, the Hon Chairman came to meet us in this House, we used to pray behind the Chamber Block. When the Job 600 Tower Block was being refurbished the decision was then taken that spaces should be made for Christians and Muslims and this was done. So, right from the day the Job 600 Tower Block was inaugurated, we have had our mosque, except that we started using it during this Seventh Parliament.
    So it was not in this Seventh Parliament that the mosque was built. That is an inaccurate statement. If you go there, you would see all the designs where there is a place to perform ablution and a place to worship which faces the qibla. They were all done before now. So, his statement which sounds like it was just built is not correct.
    Mr Speaker, whereas I agree with most of the Statements, I would want us to be a bit careful when we overstretch the comments that we live in peace and harmony. There are still packets of issues that we need to continue to pursue to make sure that we solidify the peace that we have in our country.
    We know that there is an issue at the Supreme Court and the issues that the Peace Council is handling are not over. I would want to urge that all issues that are at the Peace Council and Supreme Court be dealt with speedily, so that they do not get to the point of degeneration.

    Mr Speaker, one fact that I keep telling the Chairman of the National Peace Council is that, as a Christian Reverend, you would never accept that your son or daughter who attends T. I. Ahmadiyya Secondary School (T. I. AMASS) has been asked to perform ablution and to pray in the Mosque. So let us do unto others what we want done to us.

    Mr Speaker, it is a fact that when the Ambassador for Iran came before you, I told him that it would be an issue for Islamic University College to force the female students to wear veil because the University would be forcing them to practise something

    they do not believe in. Harmony does not mean I should do things the way you want it; understanding and not infringing on the rights of one another is very key.

    Mr Speaker, I would want to urge that the Muslim and Christian Caucuses in Parliament would continue to pursue the National Peace Council to solidify all these issues, so that we continue to live in harmony. I must admit, however, that the peace in Ghana is admired by everybody and all of us must do everything to protect it and ensure that when there are issues, we would have a platform to deal with them so that we continue to live peacefully.

    Mr Speaker, this Statement is a very important one and, yesterday, the whole country saw the beauty -- Reverend Fathers and pastors were here and some got the opportunity to speak. I think that we would need to do more of that.

    Mr Speaker, last month, the Methodist Reverend, the Catholic Bishop and the Presbyterian Moderator were at the meeting of the Hilal Committee in Kumasi. I would want to urge the Muslim community to do more of these exchanges in the various programmes of the various

    faiths so that we continue to portray to this country that, aside every other thing, we are first, humans and Ghanaians, and would continue to respect one another and where we have concerns, we should listen to one another to resolve them.

    Mr Speaker, with these comments, I would want to thank you for the opportunity.
    Mr Speaker 11:27 a.m.
    Hon Members, it is enough to know that no matter the antecedents of Muslim place of worship, as the Hon Minority Leader pronounced upon yesterday at the function, it is part of the design for the new Chamber Block that we shall have an official mosque and church so that everyone would be free to worship within the parameters of this Honourable House. So, there would be no difficulty at all in the future.
    Hon Banda, just in case you wanted to correct something --
    Mr Banda 11:27 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, yes, it appears the Hon Minority Chief Whip misquoted me because that was not what I said. I said that when I came to Parliament in 2009, there was no mosque here, so we used to go outside of this august House to partake in congregational prayers.
    Mr Speaker 11:27 a.m.
    Thank you very much.
    Hon Minority Leader, if you would conclude?
    Miniority Leader (Mr Haruna Iddrisu): Mr Speaker, I thank you very much and I commend the Hon Chairman of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee and the Hon Ras Mubarak for the Statement on the Night of Power, the history and relevance to the world.
    Mr Speaker, we cannot discuss the Night of Power without situating it within the context of Ramadan, which is one of the obligatory pillars of Islam beyond the Khalimatu Shahada which is recognising the oneness of God and His omnipotence. When we go to Salat and Zakat, Ramadan is a key pillar of Islam. During Ramadan, Muslims abstain not just from food
    and drink, but even sex from dawn to dusk.
    Mr Speaker, may I use this opportunity to urge all Ghanaian Muslims including myself to let the discipline of Ramadan permeate all other times and aspects of our lives. If we think that it is only in 30 days that we have to be disciplined, the Qur'an and the Holy Prophet say that, throughout one's life, avoid witnessing when you do not know the fact. That is falsehood. We abstain from a lot of things from dawn to dusk.
    Mr Speaker, let me commend you for yesterday and I understand that you have been very generous in supporting the Muslim Caucus of Parliament in terms of resources to support their activities. That remains a fact but what was significant yesterday was the high table as you were seated between H. E. the Vice President, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, the Hon Majority Leader and the Minority Leader and the National Chief Iman, Sheik Osumanu Nuhu Shaributu. You reflected the diverse and pluralistic nature of our society. That was a combination of different religious faiths congregating at the same time. Let us not take it for granted that religious tolerance has contributed to co-existence in this country and to the peace and stability of our country.
    Mr Speaker, few days ago, the National Chief Imam came under some attack when he visited a church. I am not too versed with the Qur'an but how I wished that I refer some of our Muslim colleagues to Qur'an Chapter 57 verse 27; a dedicated and a true Muslim is enjoined by the provisions of the Qur'an to believe in the revealed books of God. The revealed books include the Gospel which is referred to in the Qur'an as the Injil; the Psalm of David, the Torah of Musah. These are all provided for in the Quran that every Muslim shall profess faith in the revealed prophets and revealed books of God.
    Mr Speaker, if one wants a more specific aya,(verse from the Qur'an) he could go to my favourite one in the Qur'an Chapter 2, Sura-tul Baqarah (2:285) , there is an aya in Aamana Rasool which ends like, “His angels, His Rusul (Prophets) and His Kuttu- be-hii” (books)”. Mr Speaker, the significance of Ramadan should not be lost.
    In concluding, there is effort by you and the Leadership of Parliament to have a new Chamber. I am sure Hon Colleagues would be apprised. We have had the architect who sits with you on Board say that there must be a faith room dedicated to reflect the religious opinions and diversity in this
    House. That will be commendable when it happens. As we sit here, it is not out of place for us to support each other in building tolerance and fighting intolerance.
    Mr Speaker, what this country must guard against is religious fundamentalism and superiority of religion. Again, those who have read the Qur'an very well and those of my Hon Colleagues who do Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) every time - It explains why when one gets to Madina and is performing Hajj, he or she performs Suratul Kafiroon where the Prophet ended, to wit, have your religion and I will have mine”. Therefore, there should be no division in terms of the exercise of faith.
    Mr Speaker, so I would want to commend the National Chief Imam. I think he deserves the support of the country for his contribution to national unity, peace and stability. What he did, as we were told by Sheik Aremeyaw, was to change the narrative. Many of our Hon Colleagues need to do some more reading to understand how faith can contribute to it.
    Once this country guards against fundamentalism, and desist from your religion is more superior; mine is inferior, we are good to go as a country.
    Mr Speaker 11:37 a.m.
    Thank you very much. We have had a very useful time by this discussion and we must not take for granted the peace and stability of our nation. As I had the opportunity to say yesterday, if you kill anyone because you are a Christian or Muslim, by the very Qu'ran or Bible you use, God says, you will go to hell. That is very important as God will punish you by sending you to perpetual flames in hell. The Muslims and Christians say so.
    So, those who think that they will kill somebody else and go to Heaven and be rewarded, God says, they will not even enter there but will be punished in hell.
    I believe that, that is good enough for all of us so that we will kick out those who do not want the peace of our good country and we will have our peace here.
    Hon Members, at the Commence- ment of Public Business, item numbered 4 -- Presentation of Papers by the Hon Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.
    Mr Banda 11:37 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I crave your indulgence that the laying of the Report be stood down for a while as we are still putting it together. It is not yet ready.
    Mr Speaker 11:37 a.m.
    Item numbered 5, Motion by the Hon Majority Leader and Leader of the House?
    Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka (NDC -- Asawase) 11:37 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
    Question put and motion agreed to.
    Resolved accordingly.
    Mr Speaker 11:37 a.m.
    Item numbered 6, by the Hon Majority Leader.
    MOTIONS 11:37 a.m.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:37 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House approves the nomination of Hon Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie (Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North) to replace Hon Yaw Afful (Member of Parliament for Jaman South), who has been appointed a Deputy Minister of State, as a representative of the Parliament of Ghana at the Pan-African Parliament.
    Mr Speaker, in so doing, I would want to say a few things about Hon Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie.
    The Hon Member was born on the 3rd of September, 1969, is married, has four children and is a Christian by
    religion. She speaks English, Dutch, Twi, Ga and Fante.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member is a first time Member of this House and yet we all know that within the brief time she has been here, she has distinguished herself as a very capable and competent Hon Member of Parliament who has a very bright future in this House.
    One of few women that we have in this House and in the lead up to the primaries of the political parties we are urging various political parties, to not only retain female Hon Members that we have in this Chamber, but also endeavour to bring in many more women, given the fact that the inter- Parliamentary Union has charged all Parliaments in the world, including ours to have, at least, one-third of our Hon Members as women by the year
    2020.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member in question has participated in workshops in industrial relations in Holland in the years 1998 and 1999. She has also attended workshops in leadership training in Holland in the year 2003 and a seminar on marketing skills training again in Holland as well as training courses in Munster, Germany, between the years 2002 and 2003.
    Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka (NDC -- Asawase) 11:47 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to second the motion ably moved by the Hon Majority Leader to replace Hon Yaw Afful with Hon Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie to the Pan-African Parliament.
    Mr Speaker, I take this opportunity to congratulate my Hon Colleague, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, for this great opportunity to serve the African continent representing Ghana.
    I am privileged to have served in the Pan-African Parliament since the year 2012 as a representative from Ghana and I must say that Ghana is highly respected in the continent and especially, in the Pan-African Parliament, we are really appreciated in many things and as such we have to do the best we can.
    Mr Speaker, however, some of the concerns that we have, of which I will be happy that the House takes note of, is that, for the past two years, we have changed our delegation about four times. We started with our Hon Colleague, Adjoa Safo; it came to Hon Cynthia Morrison, then to
    Hon Yaw Afful and now Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie.

    Mr Speaker, the turnover in that regard is not sending a good signal to the Pan-African Parliament for Ghana. I know we do not have control over some of the decisions because as people move to the Executive as part of the protocol, we cannot serve in the Executive and continue to be in the Pan-African Parliament. This is because of the autonomy and the independence the African continent is trying to create with the Pan-African Parliament.

    I would therefore be grateful if this House would begin to talk to persons whom we may want to nominate to the Pan-African Parliament to be very clear in their minds whether they may in future be willing to accept Executive positions because nomination to the PAP is itself a very big role. It is always helpful if one stays a little longer to have institutional memory; he or she is able to really help, sincerely.

    Mr Speaker, I remember very well that I was in the Majority when I was first sent to the Pan-African Parliament. I would definitely say that, having been there for a while, it is a place of great honour and people who

    may want to go there should make their mind that they are ready to take it as a serious business so that they may not be lured into the Executive and have these changes. I hope that my Colleague, Hon Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, as she prepares to join us in the Pan-African Parliament would come and add to the effort Ghana is making and the name that we are making. I am happy that this is the second time we are having two women in our delegation. The first time was when we had Hon Elizabeth Agyemang and Hon Juliana Azumah- Mensah. Since then, we have always had one woman.

    Mr Speaker, in the new protocol, we encourage each country to have two ladies in the delegation. Now that we have two ladies, I hope that our contribution to the development of Pan-African Parliament would even be greater.

    Mr Speaker, I once again congratulate our Hon Colleague and hope that she would give out her best for the Pan-African Parliament.

    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.

    Question proposed.
    Mr Samuel O. Ablakwa (NDC -- North Tongu) 11:47 a.m.
    Thank you, Mr
    Mr Speaker 11:47 a.m.
    Actually, Ghana was the first. It is on record.
    Mr Ablakwa 11:47 a.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker. Kenya was second; Ghana was first. So that is really good news for Africa. Our Hon lady-Colleague would be joining the Pan-African
    Parliament at a very crucial time and many analysts are saying that this is the era for Africa. If we get this game changer right, our economic fortunes would improve and I want to redeem the call on our big brothers, Nigeria, to also follow suit and ratify.
    Fortunately, President Buhari was sworn in yesterday. He secured his second term. We congratulate him and we hope that he can now pay attention to this outstanding matter so that the biggest economy in West Africa would join this Africa Continental Free Trade Area.
    Mr Speaker, as I speak to this matter of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, I want to remind our Hon Colleague that Ghana has put in a very strong bid for the Secretariat and I issued a statement last week, also declaring the support of the Minority backing President Akufo Addo's bid and to say that this is a matter that the whole country is solidly behind Government -- We are united in our quest to host the Secretariat. Our Pan- African credentials are on unparallel and unmatched and we want to appeal to our Hon Colleague to join in the effort as she joins the Pan-African Parliament to ensure that we secure the bid.
    Mr Speaker, I do know that a team was in the country recently from the Africa Union and indications are that they were quite impressed with what we showed them. I know a number of Hon Ministers have also been deployed across the continent and they are lobbying strongly so that Ghana would secure the Secretariat. I hope that we would be successful and that the Pan-African Parliament would continue to carry the hopes and aspirations of all Africans so that, very soon, we would achieve meaningful continental unity -- what was envisioned by Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, -- a strong United States of Africa that would fight poverty, disease, ignorance and achieve the full potential of our continent.
    Mr Speaker, with these words, I congratulate Hon Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie and we wish her very well. She should go and make the Parliament of Ghana and the people of Ghana proud.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
    Question put and motion agreed to.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:47 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Motion that I moved was in respect of the House approving the nomination of Hon
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:57 a.m.
    Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North, to replace Hon Yaw Afful, Member of Parliament for Jaman South, who has been appointed a Deputy Minister of State, as a representative of the Parliament of Ghana at the Pan- African Parliament.

    Mr Speaker, in debating this Motion, a few things have been said, and I take notice of some of the Statements. One was by my Colleague, the Hon Okudzeto Ablakwa, who he said that in our quest to have --
    Mr Speaker 11:57 a.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, are you moving the Motion for the Resolution listed as item 7?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:57 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, for the record --
    Mr Speaker 11:57 a.m.
    We voted and put the Question on it. Hon Majority Leader, the Question has been put on item 6, and we are on the Resolution; item listed 7.
    Item listed 7, Resolution; let us listen to the Hon Majority Leader.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:57 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am moving the Motion for the adoption of the Resolution. I said,
    in contributing to the Motion listed as item numbered 6, a statement was made in this House by Hon Okudzeto when he said that the Minority side has issued a Statement to support the President's bid to have a Secretariat of the African Trades established in Ghana.

    He does that on behalf of the country. It is in him that is vested the Executive authority of this country. What are they objecting to?

    Mr Speaker, I move that this House adopts the Resolution captured as item 7 on page 3 --
    Mr Speaker 11:57 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    Hon Yieleh Chireh, I am seeing behind you --
    Mr Ablakwa 11:57 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am surprised that my statement has been misconstrued. It was just to declare our support to show that we are united and fully support the bid. It was done within a nationalistic context. Is the Hon Majority Leader aware that H. E. President Akufo-Addo wrote to the leader of the Opposition, former President Mahama, to support the effort?
    Mr Speaker, I have a copy of the letter that he wanted to even appoint him as an emissary to talk to his friend, the Kenyan President, as part of our -- [Interruption.] But he is compelling me to reveal some of these things. It is within the spirit of nationalism that I made that statement. We are not questioning the President's authority to put in the bid on behalf of all of us. So, I am surprised at the Hon Majority Leader's posture. A lot is going on behind the scenes that we do not want to talk about. So, he should not lead us into temptation.
    Mr Speaker 11:57 a.m.
    In fact, a lot is going on behind the scenes. I was also an emissary as part of the process in my recent travel there. So, let us not belabour in this manner.
    Hon Chireh, you are very capable of mending those statements, but if it pleases you, let us move on to the Resolution and leave that matter here.
    Resolution, item listed 7?
    RESOLUTION 11:57 a.m.
    Majority Leader and Leader of the House (Mr Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu) 11:57 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that
    WHEREAS 11:57 a.m.
    Mr Joseph Y. Chireh (NDC --- Wa West) 11:57 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
    Question put and motion agreed to.
    Resolved accordingly.
    Mr Speaker 11:57 a.m.
    It is worthy of comment that so long as we have this hybrid system with Hon Members of Parliament who are also Ministers, these difficulties would continue to arise. Maybe, as the Hon Majority Leader, the Hon Minority Leader and
    the Hon Second Deputy Speaker have been saying, we must seriously consider a Parliament that stands on its own as a legislature and has senatorial powers that would not allow such things to happen in the future. So, this is a further argument in that particular direction for those who want a dichotomy like we did under the 1979 Constitution.
    Hon Members, as for the women also joining Parliament, it is even right if we consider what has happened in the southern part of Africa. Special seats are created for women to be contested for by women only. In the end, we have the women coming in to participate. If we have 60 extra seats created for women only, to be contested among themselves, with the same political parties in electoral areas of about three or four constituencies put together, women can contest.
    Virtually, we are in a two-party system; we can have the women without it appearing that somebody is sacrificing for somebody because that is not a very fine way of entry, and we can adopt other mechanisms as others have done without appearing that someone is coming to take another's seat because she is a woman.
    With regard to those who would want to retire, there might be people
    who have competed you on two or three occasions who are also waiting and if it were you, would you like it? It is somebody's turn. Leave that seat for a woman because your competitor was a woman. This would not bring good blood. So let us look at the mechanisms because we all want more female participation.
    Very well, Hon Majority Leader, do we move to item listed 8?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:57 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, we can certainly take item numbered 8, but I would plead with us to indulge the Hon Minister for Planning to stand in for the Hon Minister for Finance and move the Motion listed as item 8.
    Mr Speaker 11:57 a.m.
    Thank you very much. Hon Minister?
    BILLS -- THIRD READING 12:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker 12:07 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, are we in the position to take item listed 9?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, item number 9. When we started the continuation of the Consideration, I said that we should begin from the very beginning. We got to clause 4 and realised that there was a mix-up in the documents that we were considering, and that is why I requested that we stop further Consideration --
    Mr Speaker 12:07 p.m.
    So shall we start with clause 1?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we have gone to do it, so we can now continue from clause 2.
    So clause 1 now would be intact, but we would begin with clause 2.
    BILLS -- CONSIDERATION 12:07 p.m.
    STAGE 12:07 p.m.
    Chairman of the Committee (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 12:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 2, opening phrase, line 2, before “crashes” insert “traffic”.
    So, Mr Speaker, the statement then becomes:
    Alhaji Muntaka 12:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I was trying to catch your eye.
    I wanted the Hon Chairman to tell us why he wants to put “traffic” between “road” and “crash”, because I believe the original rendition carries the same meaning, unless there is some special reason why we must make it “traffic crash”.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the National Road Safety Commission and the technical men at the Ministry of Transport made us understand at the Committee level that the technical term they normally use internationally, and which is well accepted, is “road traffic crashes”, hence the amendment.
    Clause 2 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Clause 3 -- Functions of the authority
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3, subclause (1), line 2, delete “perform the following functions”.
    Mr Speaker, we then go back to achieve the objects under section 2
    “the Authority shall perform...” So it lists the functions.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3, subclause (1), paragraph (a), after “traffic” insert “crashes, fatalities”.
    Mr Joseph Y. Chireh 12:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if you read the Hon Chairman's amendment, it fully would say; “…and the reduction of road traffic crashes, fatalities, deaths and injuries”. Does he still want to retain “deaths” when he has put “fatalities” there?
    You cannot have “fatalities” and “deaths” in the same sentence, so I prefer that they further amend by deleting “deaths”, because that is the effect of fatalities.
    Mr Patrick Y. Boamah 12:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, not every fatality results in death, so we must be clear on that. So his argument cannot defeat the amendment that the Hon Chairman has proposed. I agree with the amendment that has been proposed by the Hon Chairman.
    Mr Chireh 12:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, unless the Hon Member has not read the meaning of “fatality” in the dictionary.
    When you say that an accident is fatal, what is fatal? It is about death. He should look at it.
    So it is bad English to talk about fatality as separate from death. It is in Ghanaian English that people say they had fatal accidents, and they would be alive talking about it.
    Mr Speaker 12:17 p.m.
    Hon Minister, I watched your body language too. I thought your body was opposing, and I want you to speak to it, or you do not want to speak to it?

    Yes, Hon Chairman of the Committee?
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:17 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    rose
    Mr Speaker 12:17 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member for Adaklu?
    Mr Agbodza 12:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, as a matter of fact, once it is a fatality, which is death in an accident -- if it is not death, then it is just injuries and we could have different degrees of injury
    during an accident. So, in this particular context, when we say “fatalities”, we actually mean death.
    So, I agree with the Hon Yieleh Chireh that we do not have to use “accident” and “fatalities” in the same context. We would have to lose one of them.
    Mr Speaker 12:17 p.m.
    In fact, we should be very clear. There is a popular parlance that: “it was a fatal accident and nobody died”. In the English Language, it is not correct because “fatality” means death. If nobody dies, no matter the many amputations that would occur, there is no fatality. That one has to do with the English Language.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, at the interpretation section of the same Bill, the word “fatality” means a situation where a person who is involved in a road traffic crash dies within thirty days of the crash as a result of the crash.
    Mr Speaker, in doing so, I would want to further amend clause 3 by deleting “death”.
    Mr Speaker 12:17 p.m.
    Hon Member, the new rendition would then be?
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the new rendition would then be:
    Mr Speaker 12:17 p.m.
    So, you would want to provide for both “injury” and “fatality”.
    Mr Agbodza 12:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Chairman left out “crash” when he read the new rendition. The word should, therefore, be added to it.
    Mr Speaker 12:17 p.m.
    Hon Members, for the sake of the records, let us get the new rendition clear, adding, of course, “injury” and “fatality”.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the full rendition would then read:
    (b) “…develop a long term plan for the promotion of road safety and the reduction of road traffic crashes, fatalities and injuries and collaborate with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, road agencies, enforcement agen-
    cies, crash response agencies and road transport service providers to implement the plan.”
    Mr Speaker 12:17 p.m.
    Thank you very much.
    I see heads nodding, so I would put the Question.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3, subclause (1), paragraph (d), delete.
    Mr Speaker 12:17 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, why should we delete that?
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, paragraph (d) means to carry out special projects for the improvement of road safety. At the Committee level, we were not able to specify exactly what special projects are because looking at what they perform, it covers all that they would mostly want to do. So, “special projects” was not clearly explained, and we decided to delete that paragraph since the other paragraph takes care of whatever project they intend to do.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3, subclause (1), paragraph (g), at beginning, add “collaborate with other relevant bodies to”.
    Mr Chireh 12:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I heard the Hon Chairman use “collaboration”. It should rather be “collaborate”.
    Mr Speaker 12:17 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, do you get it?
    Mr Agbodza 12:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, Hon Yieleh Chireh is right. If we read the preamble which says “to achieve the objectives under section 2, the Authority shall…”, then “collaborate” is more appropriate than “collaboration.”
    Mr Speaker 12:17 p.m.
    Yes, what follows “shall” must be a verb.
    Mr Agbodza 12:17 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker, it should rather be “collaborate”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3, subclause (1), paragraph (h), lines 1 and 3, delete both occurrences of “any”.
    Mr Chireh 12:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the amendment is correct, except that it does not tell us where “any” appears. So, instead of what he said, it should rather be captured as delete “any” in the first and third lines.” So, “any” should be deleted wherever it would occur in the paragraph. The amendment is, therefore, correct as being moved.
    Mr Speaker 12:17 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, are you agreeable?
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in line 1, before “laid”, there is “…with any laid down…,” so “any” would be deleted for it to be captured as “…with laid down road safety standards...”
    Mr Speaker, again on line 3, before “road”, “any” should be deleted. So, “…provision of any road safety…” then becomes “…provision of road safety-related infrastructure…”
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3, subclause (1), paragraph (i), line 2, delete “any regulatory body responsible for road transport” and in line 4, delete “on” and insert “in”.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3, subclause (1), paragraph (k), line 2, delete “safe use of roads by” and insert “delivery of quality road transport services”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3, subclause (1), paragraph (1), line 1, after “procedure”, insert “and standards”.
    Mr Chireh 12:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in that case, what the Hon Chairman said was “establish the procedure and standards”. If he read it that way, the amendment is correct.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Speaker 12:27 p.m.
    Hon Members, item 9(x).
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3 subclause (1), paragraph (m), line 1, delete “liaise” and insert “collaborate” and in line 2, delete “any”, and in line 5, after
    “crashes” insert “fatalities and injuries”.
    Mr Speaker 12:27 p.m.
    Kindly read the entire rendition for us upon your correction.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it would read:
    “collaborate with Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, road agencies, enforcement agencies, District Assemblies and other public or private bodies that the Authority may determine to ensure compliance with existing procedures and standards to reduce the rate of road traffic crashes, fatalities and injuries in the design, construction and the use of public roads;”
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Speaker 12:27 p.m.
    Hon Members, item numbered 9(xi).
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3, subclause (1), paragraph (n), line 2, after “standards” insert “regulations”.
    Mr Speaker 12:27 p.m.
    So that it would read?
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it would read:
    “receive complaints and investigate violations of road safety standards, regulations and best practices and advise the Minister on the measures required to prevent or minimise the road safety risk;”
    Mr Chireh 12:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I do not understand the amendment because if the Hon Chairman says “receive complaints and investigate violations of road safety standards” and then insert “regulations”, where does “regulations” come from?
    If we are talking about a road safety standards bridge, that is a different matter; but the investigation is about the violations of -- It is not necessary; we do not need to add “regulations” there unless we say that it is the violation of regulations. Which regulations? It is the ones we are talking about in terms of violation. Are we violating any regulations?
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, after this Bill is passed and it becomes an Act, the Hon Minister, in consultation with the National Road Safety Authority, would bring a Legislative Instrument (L. I.) to this House to be passed into a Regulation, and that is exactly what we are referring to.
    Mr Speaker 12:27 p.m.
    Nevertheless, does that satisfy Hon Yieleh Chireh?
    Mr Chireh 12:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we do not need to put “regulations” here because a breach of a regulation is an offence by itself. Here, the complaint is to investigate the violation of standards and best practices. Best practices cannot be a regulation. I believe the amendment is not necessary at this stage.
    Mr Speaker 12:27 p.m.
    “Regulation” is all- embracing because it covers the standards.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the regulations would not contain only road safety standards. So, if we maintain the standards and an L. I. is brought to this House to be passed, and there are other regulations that fall outside the standards, then it means that we would be shortchanged. Having “regulation”, which would contain the road safety standards, is the best word to use here.
    Mr Chireh 12:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, there is a clause that deals with “regulations”, so when we are to make regulations, we would refer to the standards and best practices, and put that in the regulation. We do not need the regulation at this stage.
    Mr Speaker 12:27 p.m.
    What do you suggest?
    Alhaji Muntaka 12:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, “regulation” is not needed here. The Hon Chairman should just keep “standards and best practices”, and when we make the Regulations, all these would be within it; but when we add it here, it would be like mixing apples and oranges.
    Dr A. A. Osei 12:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I understand the Hon Chairman to be
    saying that the Regulations would include standards and best practices and other things. So, if we do not bring it, we would exclude the other things. That is what the statement of the Hon Chairman implied, and that is why he needs “regulations” there to cover those that are not standards or best practices. It is not the same thing Hon Yieleh Chireh said.
    Mr Speaker 12:27 p.m.
    Shall we carry both for the avoidance of doubt?
    Mr Ahiafor 12:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I support the amendment of the Hon Chairman. We can be guided by clause 31 of the Bill which deals with Regulations.
    If we look at the content of what the Regulation would seek to do, it is completely different from the standards that would be set. So, it is good to say “road safety standards, regulations and best practices”. To be emphatic, clause 31 says under regulations:
    “The Minister may, on the recommendation of the Board, by legislative instrument, make Regulations:
    (a) to prescribe conditions for the approval of road safety
    initiatives, programmes, adverts, campaigns and educational programmes;
    (b) to prescribe the procedure for the conduct of investigation of the road transport system and road traffic crashes;
    (c) to provide for the management of the Fund of the Authority;
    (d) to prescribe the procedure for the issuance of notices; and
    (e) generally for the effective implementation of this Act.”
    So, setting standards are not envisaged under clause 31, which would deal with regulations. It is, therefore, good for the safety standards to be there; the regulations would come and then the best practices would also come.
    Mr Speaker 12:37 p.m.
    So, “safety standards, regulations and best practices”, so that it would be all- embracing. That is the argument.
    Alhaji Muntaka 12:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I want to draw my Hon Colleagues'
    attention to what we are doing here. What we are doing here is the functions of the Authority. If they address their minds to what we are doing, we are looking at the functions of the Authority. They are saying that at the end, they would add “regulation”, where it says that the Authority would receive complaints and investigate violations of road safety standards and best practices.
    No, they should look at clause 31, which talks about regulations, when it says “to prescribe conditions for the approval of road safety initiatives, programmes, adverts, campaigns, educational programmes”. These are the standards and best practices that they would describe. It is just like saying that Mr Speaker would receive complaints about best practices, best standards and the Standing Orders. The regulations encompass all these.
    Mr Speaker 12:37 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, please respond and then I would put the Question.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, when we talk about “regulations”, it also involves standards and best practices. So, for the avoidance of doubt, I propose that we go by Hon Ahiafor's rendition and say, “standards, regulations and best practices”. I said we should go by “regulations and best practices”, but
    Mr Speaker 12:37 p.m.
    That is clear, so we have a rendition.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Speaker 12:37 p.m.
    It has, at least, given us clarity.
    Hon Chairman, the item numbered 9 (xii)?
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3, subclause (1), paragraph (o), line 1, delete “in consultation with the Minister,”
    The new rendition would read:
    “monitor the importation and sale of road safety equipment or devices for the safe use of roads”.
    Alhaji Muntaka 12:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I want to find out why he wants to take the consultation of the Hon Minister out.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, when this Bill is passed, it would set up an Act that would set up the National Road Safety Authority, which
    would work under the Hon Minister with legislative instruments that would be brought to this House for us to pass. So, once the Board is there, with the Director-General having some form of autonomy, I do not see the need for them to consult the Hon Minister in their day-to-day activities.
    The Committee found it necessary to allow the Authority to operate in terms of inspecting the importation of items. It is not all the time that the Hon Minister would be available to be consulted before items to be imported into the country would be inspected and being admitted.
    Mr Speaker 12:37 p.m.
    Hon Member, if you look at it, we have always talked about technical expertise as against too much of that which is political.
    Mr Chireh 12:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I advise the Hon Minority Chief Whip to withdraw his opposition to this amendment. We would increase bureaucracy if the Authority, in doing anything, has to consult the Hon Minister. It is presumed that where they require authority to perform some function, that is fine; but we are now indicating in this clause what they can do. So, we should not open it by saying that, “in consultation with the Minister, monitor”. I think that we should accept the amendment.
    Now, the sale of items by the Authority is a completely different thing that requires authority, not only from the Hon Minister, but also from the Chief of Staff sometimes. So, we should just leave it at “monitor”, instead of adding “in consultation with the Minister”. Otherwise, the Authority would do nothing and complain that they have not yet consulted the Hon Minister.
    Mr Speaker 12:37 p.m.
    I would put the Question, and we would know whether it would be carried or not. We should de-emphasise ministerial control; that is the rationale. Let us proceed.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Speaker 12:37 p.m.
    The Hon Minister's “aye” is very strong. [Laughter.]
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3, subclause (1), paragraph (p), line 1, before “foreign” insert “relevant” and further delete “that the Authority considers necessary”.
    The new rendition would read:
    “collaborate with relevant foreign and international bodies to achieve the objective of this Act”.
    Mr Agbodza 12:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I think that the Hon Chairman should consider normal using “international” and deleting “foreign” unless he can explain to us why “foreign” and “international” are both used. We could just use “international bodies”.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, not all foreign organisations are international organisations, although all international organisations are foreign in nature. We have the Nigerian National Road Safety Authority, which is a foreign institution but not international. International bodies and organisations are multi-national. The Nigerian Road Safety Authority has offices in only Nigeria.

    When one is in Ghana, that organisation is a foreign one but not international. We have the International Maritime Organisation, which is both foreign and an international organisation, but the Nigerian Road Safety Authority is not an international organisation; it is a foreign one.
    Mr Chireh 12:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I support the amendment because something foreign means it is not Ghanaian, but “international” also means that a number of countries accept it as a standard or an

    organisation. It is different from foreign. Both could be foreign, but “international” has a diplomatic meaning.

    If it is a Burkina Faso standard, it is foreign to us but it is not international. It is only peculiar to Burkina Faso; but if it is an organisation that sets out standards, then --

    So, the amendment of the Hon Chairman of the Committee is correct.
    Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
    Hon Chairman of the Committee, if you so not disagree with him, I would put the Question.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3, -- subclause (1), paragraph (q), line 1, delete “function that is necessary” and insert “relevant function”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
    The last listed amendment to clause 3.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3, subclause (2), lines 2 and 3, delete “and in particular the interest of the owners of properties on adjoining roads”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
    Any further amendment, even if not listed? [Pause.]
    Clause 3 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Clause 4 -- Governing body of the Authority.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 4, subclause (1), paragraph (b), subparagraph (ii), lines 1 and 3, delete “and Highway”.
    It then reads:
    “not below the rank of a Director nominated by the Minister responsible for Roads”.
    Mr Speaker, we are making this amendment because of the changes of the Ministries. We have a Ministry for Transportation and that of Roads and Highways. If one day we get a Hon Minister for Roads and Highway removed, then it means we have to bring this Bill to the House for amendment. Once, the Hon Minister for Roads is indeed in charge of roads, and highways are roads, there is the need for us to remove “Highways” and keep Minister responsible for Roads.
    Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
    The phrase “responsible for” never changes. Very well.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 4, subclause (1), paragraph (b), subparagraph (iv), lines 3 and 4, delete “and Minister responsible for Justice”.
    Mr Chireh 12:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I do not know why he is changing this, unless we are thinking that, one day, we would separate the office of the Hon Attorney-General from that of the Ministry of Justice.
    If it is so, why does he think that it should be the Hon Attorney-General who should appoint the person rather than the Hon Minister for Justice?
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister for Justice is the same person as the Attorney-General; but if we go into the performance of his or her functions, he or she has two —- the function of the Attorney- General and that of the Minister for Justice. In this case, we want the appointment of a State Attorney to be a member of the Board, and we think that responsibility should be reserved
    for him or her in his capacity as the Hon Attorney-General and not as the Hon Minister for Justice.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 4, subclause (1), paragraph (e), redraft as follows:
    “one representative not below the rank of a Director from
    (i) the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority nominated by the Minister responsible for Transport;
    (ii) the Local Government Service nominated by the Minister responsible for Local Government; and
    (iii) the National Insurance Commission nominated by the Minister responsible for Finance”
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 4, subclause (1), paragraph (f), redraft as follows:
    Mr Speaker 12:57 p.m.
    The final listed amendment to clause 4, after which we shall bring the Consideration Stage of this Bill to a close at this moment.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 4 subclause (3), line 1, delete “making the appointments”, and insert “appointing a person” and in line 2, before “knowledge” insert “relevant” and further delete “persons and in particular, knowledge in matters relevant to the functions of the Authority” and insert “person”.
    Mr Speaker, the new rendition then becomes, clause 4(3) 12:57 p.m.
    “The President shall, in appointing a person under this section, consider the know-
    ledge, expertise and experience of the person”.
    Mr Chireh 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, this is one of the typical things that should have been fully re-drafted because it is a small -- So, whatever he is reading now, we will all get confused because he cannot now read exactly what the new rendition will be. So, it calls for a complete re-draft like he did with the previous ones.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I seek your indulgence to flag this one and re-draft it and come back so that we could get the total import of what we intend to do.
    Mr Speaker 12:57 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, do you think we need to re-draft? I think that the situation is clear.
    Mr Agbodza 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I see no reason to re-draft. What is in the original rendition is all right as it conveys the intent. It reads;
    “The President shall, in making the appointments under this section, consider the know- ledge, expertise and experience of the persons and in particular, knowledge in matters relevant to the functions of the Authority”
    Mr Speaker, what else was he going to say if he should re-draft? I think that it is clear enough. Maybe, he should consider dropping the amendment so that we can make progress.
    Mr Anyimadu-Antwi 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it appears confusing but it is very straightforward. The new rendition reads as follows:
    “The President shall, in appointing a person under this section, consider the relevant knowledge, expertise and experience of the person''.
    Mr Speaker, that is all there is to it. The difference is that, at least, we have inserted “relevant” before “knowledge”, “expertise” and “experience”. It is not every knowledge that we consider but the relevant knowledge. Therefore, it makes “matters relevant to the functions of the Authority” therefore not necessary because we have introduced the word; ‘relevant'. That is the import of the quotation;
    “The President shall, in appointing a person under this section, consider the relevant knowledge, expertise and experience of the person''.
    Mr Speaker, this makes it clearer.
    Mr Chireh 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, they need assistance from the draft- persons at the back. What he is reading is a completely different one. The Hon Chairman is proposing that we should change “making appoint- ments” to “appointing persons”. Once we do that, the relevance is to the functions of the Authority and not the relevant knowledge and expertise as Hon Anyimadu-Antwi is now adding.
    So, if they can bring a rendition that captures what he wants to do, there is no problem but not the way the Hon Anyimadu-Antwi is proposing. He is proposing a different amendment.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I insist that we move on while we consider re-drafting it and come back properly. I recall very well that at the Committee -- [Interruption.]
    Mr Speaker 12:57 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, we will want to kill this and put the Question on the entire clause because, to me, this is very direct. Among other things, what is actually the point in the word ‘relevant'? When a President or Hon Minister is considering the knowledge and expertise, what is the point in telling the person it must be relevant? Would he or she not think of how relevant it is? If we are talking engineering, why should we go talking about music?
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we would just want to draw the attention of the appointing Authority to the fact that in appointing --
    Mr Speaker 12:57 p.m.
    You have already told the person about knowledge and experience and is he going to think of experience in art and craft when we are talking engineering? Otherwise, we will vote on it.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I think that we can leave it as it is.
    Mr Speaker 12:57 p.m.
    So, Hon Member for Adaklu, will you please put the rendition clearer?
    Mr Agbodza 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, my appeal is to the Hon Chairman to leave the rendition as this:
    “The President shall, in making the appointment under this section, consider the know- ledge, expertise and experience of the person and in particular, knowledge in matters relevant to the functions of the Authority.”
    Mr Speaker, this is the original rendition and I encourage the Hon
    Chairman to drop his amendment so that we can make progress. This carries the intention of the clause.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I therefore, drop the amendment so that we can make progress.
    Mr Speaker 12:57 p.m.
    Very well, amendment withdrawn.
    Mr Ahiafor 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, with due respect, before you put the Question, I would want to look at clause 4(1)(b)(ii). There is a consequential --
    Mr Speaker 12:57 p.m.
    Is there a further amendment? I do not understand.
    Mr Ahiafor 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, are you putting the Question on the amendment that has been withdrawn?
    Mr Speaker 12:57 p.m.
    The amendment has been withdrawn with all that it connotes.
    Mr Ahiafor 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, are you putting the Question on the entire clause?
    Mr Speaker 12:57 p.m.
    Yes.
    Mr Ahiafor 1:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, this is why I am saying that before you put the Question on the entire clause, I want to take you back to clause 4(1) (b)(ii), where there is a consequential amendment.
    Mr Speaker “Highways” has been deleted. It is the Ministry responsible for Roads, and so in line 3, it should also read “Minister responsible for Roads” and not “Minister responsible for Roads and Highways”.
    Mr Speaker 1:07 p.m.
    Very well. For the avoidance of doubt, that amendment should be “Minister responsible for Roads”.
    Mr Ahiafor 1:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, there is a first amendment that the Hon Chairman has done, but he has omitted the second one.
    Mr Speaker 1:07 p.m.
    Then wherever that occurs, it should be “Minister responsible for Roads”.
    Clause 4 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Mr Speaker 1:07 p.m.
    This would end the Consideration Stage of the National
    Road Safety Authority Bill, 2019, for today.
    Leadership, if there would be a motion for adjournment.
    Mr Moses Anim 1:07 p.m.
    Thank you very much — [Interruption.]
    Mr Speaker 1:07 p.m.
    You are moving. You did not say that at first, and so please get it right.
    Mr Anim 1:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that proceedings of today be adjourned till tomorrow at 10.00 a.m.
    Mr Speaker 1:07 p.m.
    Hon Minority Chief Whip?
    Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka 1:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
    Question put and motion agreed to.
    ADJOURNMENT 1:07 p.m.
  • The House was accordingly adjourned at 1.10 pm till Friday, 31st May, 2019, at 10.00 a.m.