Debates of 15 Jul 2019

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:42 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:42 a.m.
Mr Speaker 10:42 a.m.
Hon Members, Correction of Votes and Proceedings of Friday, 12th July, 2019.
Mr Speaker 10:42 a.m.
Hon Members, at the commencement of Public Business, item listed 4; Presentation of Papers.

Hon Members, item numbered 4(i) and 4(ii).
PAPERS 10:42 a.m.
Mr Speaker 10:42 a.m.
Hon Members, item listed 5 -- Motion.
Mr James Klutse Avedzi 10:42 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the report is not ready, so we will take it at another time.
Mr Speaker 10:42 a.m.
Thank you very much.

Hon Majority Leader, are we in the position to take item listed 6?
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, my information is that the Hon Minister is outside the jurisdiction, and the Hon Deputy Ministers are also at a meeting with the Hon Minster for Finance. So, we
may have to stand that one down for the time being.

We have asked the Hon Minister to send one of the deputy minister's down here, so that we would be able to deal with items numbered 7 and 8. So I believe in the next two or three minutes, the Deputy Minister would be here to lead us in items 7 and 8. For item numbered 6, we may have to stand it down.
Mr Haruna Iddrisu 10:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, item numbered 6, as the Hon Majority Leader has said -- and I even believe that we can always take it with what has been advertised tomorrow as Motion 5 that the University of Business and Integrated Development Studies Bill, 2018 be read a Second time since it is about the same University that is being split into those categories. We can take them together for a more informed and thorough debate.
Mr Speaker, with Motion listed as item numbered 8, we are suspending the Standing Orders for the Statistics Bill but I do not find that compelling. We should allow time to digest this important Bill. This is because if we see Motion 7, it is to suspend the Standing Orders so that Motion 8 can be done. Why do we want to suspend
Mr Haruna Iddrisu 10:55 a.m.
the Standing Orders? [Interruption] -- I am referring to Motions 7 and 8.

Mr Speaker, I understand that the Statistics Bill was laid on Thursday and I have requested the Table Office to provide me with some better particulars. That being the case, it means that Motion listed as item number 7 is wrongly advertised in the Votes and Proceedings and we can proceed to take the Second Reading of the Statistics Bill, 2018.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would urge the Hon Minority Leader that in matters of procedure, when I talk to him, he must listen to me. I told him that it appears the Bill came to the House earlier than Friday. This is because it does not find expression here and that being the case, Motion listed as item number 7 is moved and that it should not have appeared on the Order Paper.
Mr Speaker, then he asked, “You were not here; why do you bear witness to something that you did not witness.” When I talk to him about matters of procedure he should listen to me and take inspiration from what I tell him.
Mr Iddrisu 10:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, is it my procedure that this House suspends the Standing Order?
Mr Speaker, once the Table Office has satisfied the fact that it was done on Thursday and Motion listed as item number 7 is unnecessary, we are ready to go through the Second Reading of the Statistics Bill, 2018.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker 10:55 a.m.
So we can move on to item numbered 8.
Item numbered 8, Motion.
Minister for Finance?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, item numbered 8 is the one that I just spoke to and I said that the officials of the Ministry of Finance including the Hon Minister and the Hon Deputy Ministers are in conclave.
So I have asked the Hon Minister to send one of the deputies to come and take charge of Motion listed as item numbered 8. He is on his way coming and I am not able to tell where he is now. In that regard, I am trying to get him on phone but I am not reaching him. I guess we could take a suspension for about five minutes and I believe that by the time we come back, he would be in. On the other
Mr Speaker 10:55 a.m.
Hon Majority Leader, is it possible for you to commence the debate on the Motion listed as item numbered 8 on behalf of the Hon Minister?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Second Reading of a Bill --
Mr Speaker 10:55 a.m.
We are very much aware but if you were possessed with the relevant --
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, he must set out the policy and then the debate would be predicated on the policy and the principles.
Mr Speaker 10:55 a.m.
I was wondering whether you were briefed enough to be able to do that but we know the rule.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:55 a.m.
Mr Speaker, respectfully, if I were, I would then be in the position to do
the Second Reading but unfortunately, I am not. That being the case, we could suspend Sitting for about ten minutes to await the Hon Deputy Minister.
Mr Avedzi 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, once we do not have any business ready, we could suspend Sitting for some time.
Mr Speaker 11:05 a.m.
While awaiting the Hon Minister or his Hon Deputy to make the appropriate presentation, the House would stand suspended for 15 minutes accordingly.
11:05 a.m. -- Sitting suspended
11: 26 a. m. -- Sitting resumed
MR FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Yes, Hon Majority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Deputy Minister for Finance is with us. As I indicated, the Hon Minister has a meeting in respect of the Mid-Year Review, and has sent his Hon Deputy Minister to stand in for him. We could therefore deal with the Second Reading of the Statistics Bill, 2018.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Yes, Minority Leadership?
Mr Kwame Govers Agbodza 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I have no objection to that.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Very well.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the issue that I related to, has to do with procedure, and I related to the appropriate procedure. The response of the proterm available Leader has no relevance. He cannot challenge me on matters of the Standing Order.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Did he challenge you? I did not hear any challenge.
Mr Agbodza 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I believe that the Hon Majority Leader expected me to challenge him, and since I did not challenge him, he is not happy. I would however not challenge
-- 11:05 a.m.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Very well.
Hon Members, we would take Motion numbered 8, by the Hon Minister for Finance.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:05 a.m.
Mr Speaker, as I have indicated, the Hon Minister cannot be with us because of other engagements. The Hon Deputy Minister, the Hon Kwaku Kwarteng, would therefore stand in for the substantive Hon Minister.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:05 a.m.
Hon Deputy Minister for Finance, you may move the Motion.
BILLS -- SECOND READING 11:05 a.m.
Chairman of the Finance Committee (Dr Mark Assibey- Yeboah) 11:36 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to support the Motion and in so doing, I present the Committee's Report.
1.0 Introduction
The Statistics Bill, 2018 was first presented to Parliament and read the first time on Tuesday, 1lth December,
2018.
Mr Speaker referred the Bill to the Finance Committee for consideration and report in accordance with the 1992 Constitution and the Standing Orders of Parliament.
The Committee met with a Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon Kwaku Kwarteng, the Government Statis- tician, Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim and officials from the Ministry of
Chairman of the Finance Committee (Dr Mark Assibey- Yeboah) 11:36 a.m.


Clause 16 makes provision for the appointment of the Government Statistician in accordance with article 185 of the Constitution.

The functions of the Government Statistician are provided for in Clause 17. Clause 18 deals with the appoint- ment of two Deputy Government Statisticians to assist the Government Statistician in the performance of his functions. Clause 19 is on the appointment of a Secretary to the Board. Appointments of other staff are captured in Clause 20.

Clause 21 provides for the establishment of a regional office in each region. Clause 22 spells out the functions of the regional offices of the Service. Clause 23 mandates the Government Statistician to designate for each region an officer as the Regional Statistician. The functions of the Regional Statistician is provided for in Clause 24.

Clause 25 deals with collaboration among the Government Statistician, public corporations and partner institutions. Clause 26 allows the Service to treat statistics prepared by a public corporation or partner institution that is of an acceptable standard as official statistics. Clause 27 enables the Government Statis- tician to request a person to provide

information including estimates or returns in relation to matters specified in the First Schedule.

Clause 28 grants legal authority to the Government Statistician to enter any premises within reasonable hours for the discharge of his duties. Clauses 29 and 30 enables the Government Statistician to enter into an agreement to share information collected from a respondent of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, District Assemblies, public corporations and partner institutions as stipulated.

Clause 31 enables the Government Statistician to request for submission of returns by notice in the Gazette. Clause 32 deals with official secrecy. Clause 33 caters for restrictions on publication and Clause 34 spells out the matters for which the Government Statistician may collect, compile or analyse statistical data and disseminate statistical information.

Clauses 35 and 36 provides for the conduct of population census. Clauses 37 to 39 makes provision for agricultural censuses, economic censuses and other censuses and surveys. Clause 40 deals with the census questions. Clause 41 provides for the publication of census questions.

Funds of the Service are captured in Clause 42. Clause 43 deals with Accounts and Audit. Annual Report and other reports are in Clause 44.

Clause 45 deals with privileged information. Clause 46 is on Oath. Clause 47 is on incorporated contractors. Clause 48 deals with affirmation. Clause 49 provides for instances where a person refuses to take an oath or make an affirmation.

Clause 50 is on non-disclosure. Clause 51 empowers the Government Statistician to request for annual reports of public corporations. Confidentiality is captured in Clause 52. Clauses 53 and 54 provides for assurance to be given to individuals and entities in the course of collection of statistical data and the disse- mination of statistical information.

Offences and penalties are spelt out in Clause 55. The power of the Minister to make Regulations by legislative instrument is provided for in Clause 56.

The interpretation of words and phrases are dealt with in Clause 57. Clause 58 refers to listed enactments in the Third Schedule that are to be read as one with the provisions of this Bill. Clause 59 deals with conse- quential amendments and lists laws in

the Fourth Schedule that are to be amended. Clause 60 is on transitional provisions and deals with the transfer of assets and liabilities. Finally, Clause 61 repeals the Statistical Service Act,

1985 (P.N.D.C.L. 135).

The First Schedule is a list of institutions that the Government Statistician has the authority to obtain information and access to their records. The Second Schedule is on the oaths to be taken by officers. The Third Schedule is on Enactments to be read as one. The Fourth Schedule is on Consequential Amendments.

5.0 Observations

5.1 Justification for the Bill

The Committee was informed that the Statistical Service was established as an autonomous body with its core functions as to advise the Government. It also had mandate to conduct statistical surveys and censuses.

Unfortunately, the Service is unable to deliver on its mandate as expected. The Service does not have guidelines for the overall co-ordination of statistical data production. There is also inadequate institutional capacity for statistical development and there are unclear implementation mecha- nisms for the National Statistical
Chairman of the Finance Committee (Dr Mark Assibey- Yeboah) 11:36 a.m.


System. There is no policy or legislation to provide a national framework for data management and development in the country. The poor coordination of the National Statistical system in the current arrangement has presented practical difficulties where data produced by the Service or Ministries, Departments and Agencies are packaged and released independently, resulting in duplications and inconsistencies.

It is to address the above challenges, strengthen data collection and reposition the Statistical Service that the Statistics Bill, 2018 has been presented to the House for approval.

5.2 Ensuring timely and reliable data

The Committee expressed concern about the quality of some data disseminated in the country. The Committee was of the opinion that data were either of poor quality or disseminated late.

The Deputy Minster agreed with the concern and indicated that it was to address these difficulties that the Bill was promulgated. He said that part of the functions of the Service as provided for in the Bill is to ensure the production of quality statistics with respect to relevance, accuracy and

reliability, coherence and comparability, sustainability, timeliness and integrity, among others.

5.3 Funding for 2020 Population Census

The Committee was informed that there was the need for the Ghana Statistical Service to be adequately resourced to undertake its mandate as provided in the Bill.

The Government Statistician stated that a total amount of GH¢477 million has been budgeted for the 2020 Population Census. As at the end of May, the Service has only received GH¢16.9 million. This amount is woefully inadequate to even initiate preparatory works towards the Census exercise.

He further indicated that the Service is mandated to undertake a number of activities including con- ducting agricultural census, economic census, and other censuses as required by law. There was therefore the need for the Service to be adequately resourced to enable it carry out its activities.

5.4 Independence of the Govern- ment Statistician

The Committee's attention was drawn to the need for the Government

Statistician to have unfettered powers to decide in respect of the activities of Statistics on --

(a) the manner in which, and the time when a statistical collection is to be undertaken;

(b) the form, extent and timing of the release of statistical information; or

(c) whether a statistical collection should be discontinued.

The Committee noted that even though the independence was necessary and consistent with international best practice, it must be subject to Article 186 of the Constitution.

5.5 Mandating MDAs and MMDAs to submit data to the Service

The Committee also observed that the Bill makes provision for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to submit data to the Ghana Statistical Service.

The Committee noted that the provision would help address issues of duplication of data as well as

inconsistences. Further, data would be effectively managed by the Ghana Statistical Service for use by all stakeholders.

6.0 Recommendations

The Committee having carefully scrutinised the Bill proposes the following amendments for the consideration of the House:

Amendments

1. Clause 4 -- Amendment proposed -- delete and insert the following Functions of the Service:

4. To achieve its object, the Service shall

(a) provide leadership and direc- tion for the efficient, consistent and comprehensive collection, processing, analysis, docu- mentation and storage of statistical information within the National Statistical System;

(b) collect, compile, analyse, abstract, publish and disse- minate statistical information related to commercial, indus- trial, financial, social, demo- graphic, economic and other activities and conditions of the people of this country through the conduct of surveys and
Chairman of the Finance Committee (Dr Mark Assibey- Yeboah) 11:36 a.m.


delete “including” and insert “comprising”.

11. Clause 12 -- Amendment proposed -- subclause (1), paragraph (d), delete and insert “two representatives from academia not below the rank of a Senior Lecturer nominated by the Association of Vice Chancellors”.

12. Clause 12 -- Amendment proposed -- subclause 1, paragraph (e), subparagraph (ix), at end, delete “and'.

13. Clause 12 -- Amendment proposed -- subclause (1), paragraph (e), Add new sub paragraphs as follows:

“xi) Transport, and

xii) Interior”.

14. Clause 14 -- Amendment proposed -- subclause 1, delete “twice each year” and insert “at least once in six months”.

15. Clause 14 -- Amendment proposed -- subclause 2, line 1, delete “ten” and insert “twelve”.

16. Clause 15 -- Amendment proposed -- line 2, delete “the” before “allowances”.
Chairman of the Finance Committee (Dr Mark Assibey- Yeboah) 11:36 a.m.


26. Clause 38 -- Amendment proposed -- subclause (1), line 1 delete “shall” and insert “may”.

27. Clause 38 -- Amendment proposed -- subclause (2), line 1 delete “shall” and insert “may”.

28. Clause 38 -- Amendment proposed -- subclause (2), delete all words after “years”.

29. Clause 39 -- Amendment proposed - Subclause 2, delete.

30. Clause 40 -- Amendment proposed -- subclause (2), delete.

31. Clause 41 -- Amendment proposed -- line 2, after “Statistician” delete all words and insert “not later than sixty days before the commen- cement of a census.

32. Clause 42 -- Amendment proposed -- paragraph (b), add at end “including fees and charges”.

33. Clause 42 -- Amendment proposed -- paragraph (c), at end, delete “and”.

34. Clause 42 -- Amendment proposed -- paragraph (d), delete.

35. Clause 43 -- Amendment proposed -- delete and insert the following “Accounts and audit.

43. (1) The Service shall keep books of accounts and proper records in such form as the Auditor-General shall approve.

(2) The Service shall submit the accounts of the Service to the Auditor-General for audit not later than two months after the end of each financial year in accordance with section 15 of the Public Financial Management Act of 2016 (Act 921).

(3) The Auditor-General shall within six months after the end of the immediately preceding financial year, audit the account of the Service and forward a copy of the report, to the Minister and the Service.

(4) The financial year of the Service is the same as the financial year of Government.”

36. Clause 44 -- Amendment proposed -- subclause (2), delete and insert the following:

“(2) The annual report shall include

(a) the report of the Auditor- General; and

(b) any other information that may be required by the Minister in conformity with the Public Financial Manage- ment Act of 2016 (Act 921) or that may be relevant to enhance transparency and accountability.”

37. Clause 47 -- Amendment proposed -- Headnote, before “incorporated” insert “Oath by”.

38. Clause 48 -- Amendment proposed -- Headnote, delete and insert “Affirmation in place of Oath”.

39. Clause 51 -- Amendment proposed -- Headnote, delete and insert “Request for Annual Report of Public Corporations”.

40. Clause 53 -- Amendment proposed -- Headnote, delete and insert “Assurance to data providers”.

41. Clause 56 -- Amendment proposed -- subclause (1), paragraph (f) delete.

42. Clause 57 -- Amendment proposed -- Interpretation of “disse- mination” line 2, delete “whatever” and insert “an appropriate”.

43. Clause 57 -- Amendment proposed -- Interpretation of “public corporation”, delete and insert the following:

“public corporation” means a corporation or any other body of persons established by an Act of Parliament or set up out of funds provided by Parliament or other public funds;”.

44. Clause 57 -- Amendment proposed -- Add the following new definitions

“administrative data” means official records collected for purposes of registration, transaction and record keeping which are originally not meant to provide statistics for develop- ment reasons but can be enhanced to inform planning and guide developmental processes and is a variety of big data;

“big data” includes an unusual volume of data, a variety of data comprising a range of data formats available in the nature of text, pictures, video, financial or
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:36 a.m.
Yes, Hon Member for Wa West?
Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh (NDC -- Wa West) 11:36 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I think
that the Bill is long overdue because it is one that should help us re-enact the Statistical Service properly and re- define its role so that whatever it does, all of us would be comfortable with the output.
One of the issues that has been bothering the Statistical Service is gathering information from the District Assemblies in particular. We need to get accurate information from the District Assemblies all over; on education, on agricultural production and all the things that we need to make decisions on; so that right now, the requirement in the Bill that these are obliged to give to the Statistical Service data and information would be important.
Also, decentralisation would not be effective if we do not provide the Statistical Service with offices, divisions or units within the districts, solely to collect data on almost all the activities that they engage in.
Again, our planning is lagging behind in many ways. If we ask for any information on Ghana, we would get different figures.
If we even want to find out our population, apart from the projected thirty million population, all kinds of documents would give us different estimates. It is partly because we are not sensitive to the kind of quality of statistics we should get.
Again, if we look at what the Statistical Service does particularly in informing us about the economic situation, there is this same problem of politicising the outcome of some information when it is not favourable to a particular section of the society. If they say this is what we have done, people do not trust it.
But of course, it is also because of the attitude we all adopt in giving information to those who conduct surveys. People we assign to go to the markets or to villages to find information, whether they actually contact the appropriate persons is something that we need to emphasise. For the Statistical Service to provide us with information that we all would believe in, all of us need to be serious and give them the attention that they need.
I believe that if we continue to rely on the Statistical Service to provide us with professional information and also insist on them to do what is required, it would be in our interest. But they cannot do so if we do not fund them adequately, and that is always the problem. If we do not give them enough, they cannot do much more.
Mr Speaker, for the census, next year, it is the one database that should indicate whether more or less should
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:36 a.m.
Yes, Hon Member for Oforikrom?
Dr Emmanuel Marfo (NPP - Oforikrom) 11:46 a.m.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, I rise to also speak in favour of the Motion.The need for harmonising data to improve statistics in this country is very key and I do not think there is any doubt about that.

First of all, there is lack of coordination in the way we manage data in this country. For example, if a person goes to a research institute, like the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Universities, they generate a lot of data that should normally feed into the national development process but the

way the Ministries and the Agencies have been structured do not allow for proper harmonisation of data. For example, all the 13 institutes under the CSIR report to the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation meanwhile, the impact of the work they do in terms of the various sectors are outside that Ministry.

Mr Speaker, another example is the Crop Research Institute; they work for the Ministry of Agriculture and so, if they generate the data and at the end of the day, their report goes to the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, there is no system where this information would be translated to the Ministry of Agriculture. In the same way, the Forestry Research Institute does a lot of work but at the end of the day, their report ends up at the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation. Meanwhile, a lot of things they do is actually needed by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.

So, even at the inter-ministerial level, we need to have data coordination. If we have an agency that would serve as a one-stop shop for data harmonisation, or at least, collate the data so that everybody could have access to relevant information for their work, that would go a long way to help all of us.

Data is scattered all over this country -- private people, consultants local assemblies, NGOs and all kinds of institutions collect data. At the end of the day, where do we place all these data and harmonise them, so that as a country, we could speak with confidence that this is data that could be relied upon? Even as parliamentarians, when we do research to prepare for Statements, sometimes we find conflicting data even on national statistics and so on and so forth. So it is important that we have this agency which would be clothed with that responsibility to make sure that they coordinate and harmonise national data.

Mr Speaker, in other jurisdictions such agencies have gone ahead to even provide data on environmental services. In the United States of America (USA) today, they talk about ‘green GDP' because they believe that they need to quantify the environmental services that are provided and have them accounted for in national accounting. In this country, we do not do that and so in a way, we even discount some of the contributions of some of the sectors.

Mr Speaker, this is an important proposal, so we should all support and contribute to make sure that this Bill is passed at the appropriate time

to enable our country benefit from a credible data system.

Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for the opportunity.

Three Hon Members -- rose --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:46 a.m.
I intend to limit the debate to the last person on the left Side of the aisle. Since the Hon Deputy Ranking Member of the Committee has sat down, I would recognise the Hon Member for Keta.
Mr Richard Mawuli Kwaku Quashigah (NDC --Keta) 11:46 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity.
Mr Speaker, this Report on the Statistical Services Bill 2018, is a critical and important Bill. It is obvious that data is what drives development. In today's world if we operate in a system where there are challenges with data, then there is a problem. The reason for which I find this Bill on the Statistical Services --
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:46 a.m.
On a point of order. Mr Speaker, the Bill before us is the Statistics Bill, 2018 and not Statistical Service Bill, 2018. My Hon Colleague is talking to the Statistical Service Bill which is not before us. The short title before us is
Mr Quashigah 11:56 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I can only thank the Hon Majority Leader, for leading me on the straight and narrow path. Maybe, my lenses need some correction.
Mr Speaker, the Statistics Bill, has everything to do with data and in this country,we know the challenges that we have had with data coordination and harmonisation as mentioned earlier by some Hon Members -- the reason for which we have challenges with effective development.
Mr Speaker, you would agree with me that we even have challenges in this country as to the number of jobs that we have created over a period of time. There have been situations where people have even asked questions as to whether the information we churn out on a daily basis on the number of needed avenues in terms of unemployment -- the number of young people unemployed, et cetera — These are all challenges and a clear demonstration that this Bill is very critical, timely and appropriate.
Mr Speaker, I would want to give a classical example of the Statistical Service, which has fed this nation with data over the period. There have been situations where people have challenged data from that quarters which indicates that there is a problem. If there is a problem with data collection, data harmonisation, et cetera, it means that we are failing at planning. It is no wonder we cannot even tell the number of people who are not employed.
Employment is critical because it is the nerve centre of the forward march of this country. So if this Bill would come into effect and enable us to have the adequate and appropriate data on everything we do in our society that obviously would give us a clear indication and understanding as to how it should be planned.
Mr Speaker, with your permission, I beg to quote paragraph 5.2 on page 5 of the Report which says:
“The Committee expressed concern about the quality of some data disseminated in the country. The Committee was of the opinion that data were either of poor quality or disseminated late”.
Mr Speaker, this is very true and nobody can deny the fact that data
that is generally generated in this country, is often times diverse about one particular issue; it is also sometimes of very poor quality such that even the public tend to have questions about the credibility of those data. Again, the data that are available to us are not timeous. This means that for a long time in this country, we have just been beating about the bush as far as effective planning is concerned.
Mr Speaker, with your permission, I would like to quote paragraph 5.3 which says that:
“The Committee was informed that there was the need for the Ghana Statistical Service to be adequately resourced to undertake its mandate as provided in the Bill''.
Mr Speaker, that is a critical nerve centre. If the Ghana Statistical Service, which over the years has been collecting and disseminating data is not well resourced, it means we do not as a nation value that very critical aspect of our development. Without data, we cannot plan properly and as a nation, we do not value that very critical aspect of our development. Without data, we cannot plan properly and if we do not resource that arm of our agency then, we have a serious problem.

Mr Speaker, I agree so much with this Committee that this Bill must come into effect and should be able to strengthen resources being made available to this particular agency for data gathering.

Mr Speaker, independence of the Government Statistician is also talked about in paragraph 5.4. I think that is critical because, oftentimes, we politicise things so much in this country that a high ranking political figure could throw out a certain figure and the Ghana Statistical Service is sometimes compelled to do some massaging, so that those figures can assume some credibility. [Interruption] --

Mr Speaker, this is no speculation.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:56 a.m.
Hon Member, you would hold on.
Yes, Hon Member for Ekumfi?
Mr Francis K. A. Codjoe 11:56 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the last statement of my Hon Colleague cannot be proved anywhere, that the Ghana Statistical Service would want to confirm a figure put out by a politician only to make the politician look --
I do not think that is right; he has to retract that because he cannot prove it.
Mr Quashigah 11:56 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I obviously expressed an opinion of the situation. To say that I cannot express my opinion on matters of national interest would amount to gagging and taking away my freedom of speech.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:56 a.m.
Hon Member, my ruling is that, if you have any evidence to support that allegation -- You are alleging that the Ghana Statistical Service may massage figures in order to give relevance to what a politician might have said and that is a serious matter.
Mr Quashigah 11:56 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I used the phrase, “may be compelled”; it means that, it does not stand, in fact, but obviously it is an expression of an opinion.
Mr Speaker, again, we have had situations where because we do not have a one-stop shop information bureau, though we have the Statistical Service Department --
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:56 a.m.
Yes, Hon Majority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:56 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the statement by my Hon Colleague is quite loaded and really, it is an indictment on the performance of the Ghana Statistical Service. We are all bemoaning the quality of statistics that they churn out, but to state as a matter of fact, that they authenticate wild claims of certain government officials by massaging figures --
Mr Speaker, he is saying to us that he used the word, “may”. It means that there is a possibility and indeed, it has been happening. That certainly is unfortunate and that is why I would beg of you, Mr Speaker, to rule him out of order because he has not authenticated this wild claim and he should retract.
Mr Speaker, if he has evidence to that effect, he may put it out there; other than that, he may have to withdraw and move on.
Mr Quashigah 11:56 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I have heard the Hon Majority Leader but then again, the little modern English Language that I have learnt and taught does not inform me that to use the phrase, “may be compelled” necessarily would mean I am indicting a particular entity or institution. If I had
said, “will” or in some other contexts, “shall” then the Hon Majority Leader may be right in his assertion.
Mr Speaker, humbly, I hold a different opinion from what the Hon Majority Leader has said and I do not think I have departed from the intent that I had tried to put across.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:56 a.m.
Hon Member, let us avoid this needless controversy. So far, the discussion does not suggest any wrongdoing on the part of the Statistical Service or any other agency for that matter and you have stated that indeed we discuss our politics as to, in a way, denigrate state institutions. As soon as you start introducing, they “may be com- pelled”, you cast them in a situation which suggests that they are “compromiseable”. I think we should avoid that and so, just withdraw that and move on.
Mr Quashigah 11:56 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you so much for that direction; I am guided. [Interruption]
Mr Speaker, I cannot understand the aggression of the Hon Majority Leader. You have directed me and I have said that I am guided. In effect, being guided only means that I have taken on board what the Hon Speaker has said. [Interruption] --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:56 a.m.
Hon Member, my hands are not strong enough; it is the rules that are strong enough and the rules require you to withdraw when an objection is sustained. Just withdraw and proceed.
Mr Quashigah 11:56 a.m.
Mr Speaker, with your guidance, I withdraw.
Mr Speaker, not too long ago, we were in this country when a certain group came out with some statistics on unemployment in this country which was pitched at 3,000,000. It was contested by various groups of people and this is a clear indication that we have a challenge with data in this country. If there were one credible shop bureau, I would imagine that the confusion would not have arisen at all because, then, we would all know where to turn to get the appropriate information.
It is in the same vein that in 2015, a certain Vice Presidential Candidate also came up challenging the Statistical Service about the figures that they had churned out; a clear indication that we have a challenge with harmonisation of data in this country and thus a justification for this Bill.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:56 a.m.
Yes, available leader of the Minority.
Mr Kwame Govers Agbodza (NDC-Adaklu) 12:06 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to support the Motion on the Report of the Finance Committee on the Statistics Bill, 2018, which we are taking in 2019.
Mr Speaker, I make reference to Standing Order 127 (1), and with your permission, I quote:
“On a motion being made that a Bill be now read a Second Time, a full debate shall arise on the principle of the Bill on the basis of the explanatory memorandum
and the report from the Committee.”
Mr Speaker, basically, we are only dealing with the principles of the Bill. Based on that, I believe the object of the Bill is quite clear, that is “to establish the Statistical Service as the central statistics production and co- ordinating institution for the National Statistical System”.

Mr Speaker, Hon Colleagues have previously spoke about some of the challenges we currently have and some Hon Members of Parliament are already aware of the dangers we all face due to the lack of credible data or statistics from the State.

We know, for instance, that when even Government institutions tell us the volume of the housing deficit, some say 1.7 million -- and only God knows where those figures are coming from. However, I am sure that when we have credible data from a central source, that will be data that everyone can trust.

Mr Speaker, for instance, you would remember how many times we have made arguments in this House about the length of roads in this country. As a matter of fact, no Government has ever built even

10,000 kilometres in eight years; it is impossible. However, we have had situation to, over the years, pretend that when we say we have 72,000 kilometres of road, it means that we actually built, maybe, 10,000 kilometres or 20,000 kilometres of road which never existed. We know the cost of that will swallow almost all the budget. The reason it is so is simply because of the way data is captured by the agencies under the Ministry of Roads and Highways.

Basically, when I go and show them the path to my farm and they capture it under any of the agencies, such as under Feeder Roads, it becomes data they capture as that length of road as part of the road network in the country; whether they do anything at all on that road, does not matter. So, the establishment of this in law will be very helpful.

You will notice that even last week, a Government Agency turned up in this House and referred to Adaklu- Anyigbe District which does not exist. How is it that we live in the year 2019 and a Government institution would refer to a district which does not exist? This is because Adaklu-Anyigbe is a defunct district; it is rather Adaklu and Agortime-Ziope Districts. If we had a credible one-stop data centre, no Agency will come to this House --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:06 p.m.
Hon Member, is the name in itself a data and statistic?
Mr Agbodza 12:06 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the agency came here referring to the name and attributing certain things to it and I am saying that if Government Agencies worked --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:06 p.m.
I think you are confusing different things. If they gave you, let us say, 200 districts when it was 250 then you will be well grounded but the statistics of how many districts or Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) -- I am not aware that it has ever been misrepresented in this House. As for names, some still refer to my constituency as Amansie-East. It used to be Amansie-East but it is no longer so, but when it comes to the numbers, they get it right.
Mr Agbodza 12:06 p.m.
Mr Speaker, you are very right. Statistics is not only about numbers. If we have 250 districts in Ghana, the accuracy of the name adds to accurate statistics.
The point I am making is that the creation of this will help. In terms of employment, even economic activities that take place in Bekwai and other areas should be a matter of clear data, so that when we are making projections as to what interventions
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:06 p.m.
Yes, Hon Majority Leadership?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:16 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to also lend my voice in support of the Motion that has been moved by the Hon Deputy Minister for Finance.
Mr Speaker, the Constitution in article 185 sets out the remit of the Statistical Service. If I may quote:
(1) “There shall be a Statistical Service which shall form part of the public services of Ghana.
(2) The head of the Statistical Service shall be the Govern- ment Statistician.
(3) The Government Statistician shall be appointed by the President in consultation with the Council of State.”
Mr Speaker, we are talking about the Constitution and indeed, the composition of the Statistical Service. I believe that one of the reasons oftentimes is that people tend to lampoon the Statistical Service because they think that since the President appoints the head, necessarily, the person must bow to the dictates of the President.
My proposition is that we may have to look at that construct in the Constitution that; the President shall appoint the Government Statistician in consultation with the Council of State. I believe that the President may be required to do that with the prior approval of Parliament, as that would insulate the Government Statistician from the politicisation that people subject that Office to. That is one way of clearing mischief.
Mr Speaker, the need for this Bill, we are told, is the co-ordination of a national Statistical System in the current arrangement has presented practical difficulties where data that are produced by the Service or Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are packaged and released independently resulting in duplications
and inconsistencies. So, it is one mischief that the Bill has identified. The collaboration has also been plagued with poor quality data and delays in dissemination. This again is another mischief that this new Bill sets out to cure.
We are told that there is no policy or legislation at the moment to provide a national framework for data management and development in the country and the Service does not have guidelines for the overall coordination of statistical data production.
Mr Speaker, these are grave admissions that indeed, as a country we need to deal with. We are told again that there is inadequate institutional capacity for statistical development and unclear implementa- tion mechanisms for the national statistical system.
So we know what mischief exists and we must ensure therefore, that the Bill before us really offers the cure to the mischief that we have identified.

Mr Speaker, the Constitution again, in article 186(2) provides us with what the Statistical Service is required to do, that:

“The Government Statistician, under the supervision of the Statistical Service Board, shall be responsible for the collection, compilation, analysis and publication of socio-economic data on Ghana and shall perform such other functions as may be prescribed by or under an Act of Parliament.”

Mr Speaker, again, the Constitution charges the Government Statistician to perform this function, and not the Statistical Service. The Statistical Service is required to perform these functions, and not the Government Statistician. I looked at the Constitution and realised that what has been captured in article 186 (2) should really find expression in article 185 because, indeed, that is the charge of the Statistical Service and not the Government Statistician.

So, we must look at that constitutional arrangement. I think that we have located that responsibility at the wrong place because it is the Statistical Service that is charged with the responsibility of the collection, compilation, analysis and publication of the socio-economic data on Ghana and not the Government Statistician.

Mr Speaker, having said that, information sometimes also get

bastardised because of the fact that, as a nation, we have not agreed on what should go into the basket of information gathering. So, sometimes, the Statistical Department comes out with an information and after a while they go back to correct the information that they have provided.

Mr Speaker, Hon Quashigah related to what happened in 2015 when they came out with some statistics -- we remember that in 2015, they came out with figures relating to microeconomic indicators. They gave the 2015 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate as 6.7 per cent, but that figure was disputed by the Bank of Ghana and the World Bank team that came to Ghana to do the assessment. Mr Speaker, but before the Budget Statement was presented to Parliament, the figure was reviewed and it went down to 4.5 per cent. Subsequently, in 2016, it was reviewed further down to 3.7 per cent.

Mr Speaker, if we have studied the Budget documents that come to this House, we would realise that the figures that are given in this House, over a period of three years, all the economic indicators get changed. The first indicators come and into the second year, when the Budget Statement is presented, the figures would be reviewed. Then the final one
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:16 p.m.
Hon Leader, you cannot call them houses. Or are the kiosks also counted?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:16 p.m.
Mr Speaker, but some of the prefa- bricated houses at where Hon Okoe Vanderpuije stayed compares to the kiosks that we have in this system. Mr Speaker, but this is in a lighter vein.
Mr Speaker, I think that we would need to be more certain in these matters. In talking about 2010, I do recollect that the Committee on Lands and Forestry, which was at the time chaired by Hon Collins Dauda, left our various residencies at Sakumono and travelled out for a study tour. When we returned, the numeration had been done at Sakumono and the principle was that if a person migrated about three days before the census date then the person was required to be counted at the destination. Mr Speaker, but we were just on a working tour, so we never got
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:26 p.m.
counted anywhere. When we came back to Sakumono, the count had already been done. So, those of us on the Committee on Lands and Forestry in 2010 never got counted. Mr Speaker, there should be a better way of enumeration than we are used to.
Mr Speaker, again, my Hon Colleague related to the construction of roads in this country, and he said that it was not possible for any system or Government over an eight-year period to construct 10,000 kilometres. Mr Speaker, it has never happened, and no Government has ever claimed that.
What happened in the period between 2001 and 2008 under former President Kufuor, when we had an expansion in the network, was that there were a lot of road networks that were not captured by either the Department of Feeder Roads or Department of Urban Roads. The network that was recognised at the time totalled about 39,000 kilometres.
Mr Speaker, before President Kufuor left and because they had captured everything, there was an expansion to the tune of 69,000 kilometres. Of this, the roads that were constructed over the eight-year period was 9,000 kilometres. So, the
Government did not claim that they had increased the network by constructing new roads totalling 30,000 kilometres. This could not have been the claim, and I remember that when we discussed this, Hon Inusah Fuseini responded to this matter that under the Kufuor Administration, the real expansion was 9,000 kilometres.
Mr Speaker, under the recent NDC Administration it moved from 69,000 kilometres to 72,500 kilometres; and this was an increase of about 3,500 kilometres. Mr Speaker, this is a real increase, and the emphasis was not on feeder roads construction. Under former President Kufuor, the emphasis was on feeder roads construction and that was why they were able to do 9,000 kilometres. If they did asphaltic roads, then certainly it could not have been done. So, we should be realistic and also recognise what has been done. I wish that the various regimes that we have had --
Mr Speaker, so I believe that we need real information relating to what must be done. Employment figures have also come under scrutiny, and I recollect that -- I guess Hon Chireh would bear me out -- in 1998, Hon Austin Gamey was the Hon Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour Relations. People made noise about
unemployment in the system, and he said to us in this House that unemployment in Ghana was three per cent. We doubted that it could not be three per cent. What went into the basket was the issue that we disagreed on, whether those people selling dog chains around 37 Military Hospital would be considered gainfully employed.

They roped all of them in. Are they gainfully employed? That is the issue.

That is why I say what goes into the basket of aggregation should concern us. Otherwise, if we agree on those terms, certainly we would say that unemployment is not more than three per cent, but we know that certainly, it must be more than that.

Mr Speaker, if it is three million people what it means is that unemployment has escalated to 10 per cent of the population. Is that the case? Did they count those selling dog chains, chewing gums and so on? We should agree on the basis.

Mr Speaker, having said so, I believe this Bill is long overdue. Let us give it the support that it requires, and make sure that they have the appropriate structures to respond to the requirements of the dynamics of the present generation.

Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for the opportunity.

Question put and Motion agreed to.

The Statistics Bill, 2018 was accordingly read a Second time.
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:26 p.m.
Yes, Hon Member?
Dr A. A. Osei 12:26 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I did not hear the year of the Bill; you just said the Statistics Bill.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:26 p.m.
I meant the Statistics Bill, 2018.
Let me be sure of what is on my record. It is the Report of the Finance Committee on the Statistics Bill, 2018. Yes, it is the Statistics Bill,
2018.
Dr Assibey-Yeboah 12:26 p.m.
Mr Speaker, when the Bill is passed, it would be the Statistics Act, 2019.
Dr Assibey-Yeboah 12:26 p.m.


Noted.

Hon Majority Leader, can we return to the private matter of Statements? Two Statements have been admitted.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:26 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Deputy Minister for Education now has the full authority of the Hon Minister to take item captured as 6. So, we can take item numbered 6.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:26 p.m.
Are you talking about Motion numbered as item 5?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:26 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the second Motion listed as item numbered 6.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:26 p.m.
Very well. Item numbered 6 -- Motion, by the Hon --
Yes, Hon Member for Wa West?
Mr Chireh 12:26 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Majority Leader said “the Hon Deputy Minister has the full authority of the Hon Minister”, but I can see two Hon Deputy Ministers here. Which of them has the mandate to move this Motion?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:26 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the first application that I made to you was a generic one.
When we come to the Motion, I would have to get up and seek your permission for the relevant Hon Deputy Minister to lead us. We are not there, but Hon Yieleh Chireh jumped the gun.
Mr Speaker, when you call the Motion, I would then, appropriately, rise and submit the relevant application. He must not over- exaggerate his wits. He is now a recycled octogenarian, and he must know his own strength.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:26 p.m.
Yes, Hon Member for Wa West?
Mr Chireh 12:26 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Majority Leader knows what to do. The stages that he wants to pass through are not necessary because he could have just said the Hon Deputy Minister is to move the Motion, and just mention the one. In fact, they have duties attached to their titles. He should have mentioned the one— whether it is the one responsible for secondary education, double track or triple track. [Laughter.] He said I am jumping the gun; I have not jumped any gun.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:26 p.m.
I thought you would have responded to the charge that you are an octogenarian, but you rather chose to speak about Deputy Ministers being assigned responsibilities. We
approved their nominations here, and they were just approved as Deputy Ministers for Education; we are not aware of any responsibilities assigned to them.
However, Hon Majority Leader, the octogenarian refused to object. Which of the Deputy Ministers do you wish to move the Motion on behalf of the Hon Minister?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:26 p.m.
Mr Speaker, Hon (Dr) Adutwum, the Hon Member for Bosomtwe, is here with us. He has the authority of the Hon Minister to move the Motion on his behalf and, indeed, the Ministry.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:26 p.m.
Very well. Item numbered 6.
BILLS -- SECOND READING 12:26 p.m.
Chairman of the Committee on Education (Mr William A. Quaittoo) 12:36 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to associate myself with the Motion. [Interruption.] ---
rose
Mr Quaittoo 12:36 p.m.
I do not second. This is a Bill.
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:36 p.m.
Yes, Hon Member?
Dr Assibey-Yeboah 12:36 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to assist the House. [Laughter.] Hon Akoto Osei is a senior Member of the House, and I do not want to do this with him. Order 81 is clear:
“Unless otherwise provided in these Orders, every Motion unless made at the Second Reading or Consideration Stage of a Bill, must be seconded …”
We are at a Second Reading of the Bill, so the Hon Chairman of the Committee on Education is right in associating himself --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:36 p.m.
So why did you rise? He has not done anything wrong. What is the reason for your interjection?
Dr Assibey-Yeboah 12:36 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation was -- [Laughter.]
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:36 p.m.
You are out of Order.
Hon Member, you would please continue.
Mr Quaittoo 12:36 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in doing so, I present the Report of the Committee.
1.0 Introduction
1.1 The University of Technology and Applied Sciences Bill, 2018 was presented to the House and read the First time on Monday, 10th December,
2018.
Pursuant to article 106 (4) and (5) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and Order 186 of the Standing Orders of the House, the Rt Hon Speaker referred the Bill to
the Committee on Education for consideration and report.
1.2 To Consider the Bill, the Committee on Education met with the Hon Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education, Professor Kwesi Yankah, officials of the Ministry of Education, the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE), Attorney-General's Department and representatives of the following stakeholders among others:
i. Senior Members (Academic and Administrative), Uni- versity for Development Studies, Navrongo Campus;
ii. University Teachers' Asso- ciation of Ghana, University for Development Studies, Wa Campus;
iii. Navrongo Traditional Coun- cil;
iv. Senior Staff Association, Universities of Ghana (SSA- UoG); and
v. The Dagbon Forum.
1.3 The Committee expresses its appreciation to the Hon Minister of State, his technical team, and the stakeholders for their input.
Mr Quaittoo 12:36 p.m.


2.0 Rerence Documents

The Committee referred to the following documents during its deliberations:

i. The 1992 Constitution of Ghana;

ii. The Standing Orders of the Parliament of Ghana;

iii. The University for Develop- ment Studies Act, 1992

(P.N.D.C.L. 279);

iv. The University of Environ- ment and Sustainable Development Act, 2015 (Act

898);

v. The University of Health and Allied Sciences Act, 2011 (Act 828); and

vi. The National Pensions Act, 2008 (Act 766).

3.0 Background

University education plays a critical role in the development of every nation. Universities are conduits that propel the social, political and economic development of the community in which they are
Mr Quaittoo 12:36 p.m.


Chairperson of the governing body. Clause 14 makes provision for the appointment and functions of the Chancellor. Clause 15 provides for vacancy in the office of the Chancellor. The appointment and functions of the Vice-Chancellor are provided for in clause 16 while clause 17 deals with the appointment and functions of the Pro Vice-Chancellor.

Clause 18 establishes the Academic Board. Clause 19 deals with the composition of the Academic Board. Clause 20 empowers the Academic Board to establish standing and ad-hoc committees for the purpose of carrying out the functions of the Board. The functions of the Board are provided for in clause 21. clause 22 deals with the appointment of a Registrar of the University. The Finance Director and other staff are appointed under clauses 23 and 24.

Clause 25 enjoins the University to have an Internal Audit Unit while clause 26 authorises the Council to make arrangements for the internal organisation of the University.

Clauses 27, 28, 29 and 30 deals with the sources of funds for the University, borrowing powers of the University, standard provisions on Accounts, Audit, Annual Reports and other Reports. Clause 31 exempts the University from the payment of taxes,

duties and other charges that the Minister responsible for Finance may determine with the prior approval of Parliament.

Clause 32 provides for the Statutes of the University. The Convocation of the University is established under Clause 33. Clause 34 deals with matriculation.

The Congregation of the University is provided for under clause 35. Clauses 36 and 37 deal with matters on the governance of students, and Intellectual property. Provisions relating to anti-discrimination are specified in clause 38. Clause 39 provides for dispute resolution mechanisms.

Clause 40 deals with the interpretation of words and phrases used in the Bill while transitional matters are addressed in clause 41.

The Bill also has a Schedule which provides for the Oath of Office.

6.0 Observations

The Committee made the following observations during its deliberations:

a. Establishment of the University

The Committee observed that the upgrade of the Navrongo Campus of the University of Development

Studies into a fully-fledged University of Technology and Applied Sciences would ensure the realisation of Government's policy of establishing tertiary institutions in each region of the country.

The Committee further observed that the establishment of the University would foster development in Navrongo and other parts of the Upper East Region of the country, as well as the West African sub- region considering its proximity to the northern part of Togo and the southern part of Burkina Faso.

The Committee acknowledges that training and equipping personnel with the requisite skills and knowledge in technology and applied research sciences is pivotal to promoting the socio-economic development of the nation. The Committee therefore considers the proposed establishment of a University dedicated to technology and applied sciences, a step in the right direction.

However, taking cognisance of the tendency for public universities to deviate from their core mandate, and pursue unrelated programmes, the Committee underscored the need for the NCTE to ensure that the University of Technology and Applied Sciences focuses on its core mandate, when established.

b. Aims of the University of Technology and Applied Sciences

The Committee observed that the aims of the proposed University of Technology and Applied Sciences are to provide higher education, disseminate knowledge related to development in integrated technology and applied sciences, undertake research and foster relations with persons outside the institution in accordance with laid down principles. These principles among others are:

i. Higher education shall be made equally accessible to each person qualified and capable of benefiting from that education.

ii. In determining the subjects to be taught, consideration shall be given to courses of special relevance to the needs and aspirations of the country particularly, in the north- eastern part of the country.

iii. The use of critical tools that include information and communication technology for teaching, research, dissemination of knowledge and administration.

The Committee further observed that for the University to achieve its
Mr Quaittoo 12:36 p.m.


aims, emphasis would be placed on studies in integrated technology and applied sciences and shall have the underlisted schools:

a. School of Health, Environ- mental and Life Sciences;

b. School of Physical and Biochemical Sciences;

c. School of Engineering;

d. School of Medicine; and

e. Any other integrated tech- nology and applied sciences related schools, faculties, institutes and centres as the Council may determine.

The Committee noted that currently, the Navrongo Campus of UDS has three Faculties - the Faculty of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Mathematical Sciences and the Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences.

The Committee is of the view that the introduction of the new schools in addition to the existing Faculties would no doubt help train and produce the needed human resources for both the national and international markets in

the field of technology and applied sciences.

c. Transitional Provisions

The Committee took note of the fact that pending the establishment of the University Council, provision has been made in the Bill for an Interim Council under clause 41 to oversee the smooth operations of the University.

Provisions have also been made in the Bill to ensure that a continuing student of UDS before the commen- cement of the Act shall upon the coming into force of the Act, graduate as a student of UDS. All ongoing accredited programmes of UDS before the commencement of the Act shall upon the coming into force of the Act, remain a programme of the proposed university. All assets and liabilities of UDS at the Navrongo Campus shall also be transferred to the proposed University upon the coming into force of the Act.

d. Oath of Secrecy

The Committee observed that provision was made in the Schedule to the Bill to allow Principal Officers of the proposed University subscribe to the Oath of Office. However, no provision was made for Principal Officers to subscribe to the Oath of

Secrecy. This, in the opinion of the Committee, is inconsistent with Bills passed by the House.

The Committee, therefore, pro- poses an inclusion of an Oath of Secrecy to the Schedule of the Bill to conform to standard practice.

e. Provision of Resources

The Committee observed that unlike recent established universities such as the University of Health and Allied Sciences and the University of Environment and Sustainable Development, which were provided a base capital to support their smooth take-off, no such provision was made in the Bill.

Inasmuch as the Committee takes cognisance of the fact that the proposed University is an upgrade of an existing campus of UDS, which already has some infrastructural facilities in place, the Committee is of the view that establishing a fully- fledged science based University would require adequate funding for the needed facilities and infrastructure.

The Committee therefore urges the Government to provide adequate funds for the proposed University of Technology and Applied Sciences.

7.0 Proposed Amendments

The Committee, pursuant to the observations made during its deliberations, proposes the amend- ments in the attached Appendix for consideration and adoption by the House.

8.0 Conclusion and Recommendation

The significance of the University of Technology and Applied Sciences Bill, 2018 cannot be overemphasised. The Bill seeks not only to create and enhance access to tertiary education but also, train the needed specialists in the areas of technology and applied sciences in general, which is critical in nation building.

The Committee having regard to the intent and the purpose of the Bill, strongly recommends that the NCTE ensures that the University stays focused on its mandate when established.

The Committee hereby recom- mends to the House to adopt its Report on the University of Tech- nology and Applied Sciences Bill,

2018.

Respectfully submitted.
APPENDIX 12:36 p.m.
Mr Peter Nortsu-Kotoe (NDC -- Akatsi North) 12:36 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to associate myself with the Motion moved by the Hon Deputy Minister for Education and the Report presented by the Hon Chairman of the Committee on Education.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister mentioned that we have a number of universities in the country before the Fourth Republic came into force, and that is also found in paragraph 3 of the Memorandum accompanying the Bill.
Mr Speaker, I would like us to make a few corrections just to set the record straight.
First, the University for Develop- ment Studies was not established after the coming into force of the Fourth Republic. It was established in May, 1992. So, it is not a Fourth Republican establishment or creation.
Six universities were created during the Fourth Republic. The mistake we make is that we have eight technical universities in the country, but we always forget about them and do not recognise them as public universities. So when we talk about universities, we do not mention them. I think we are not being good to these technical
universities because they are fully- fledged universities with the law backing their establishment. We need to advert ourselves to this situation, so that we do not relegate them to second class universities in the country.
Mr Speaker, we realised that the creation of the University of Technology and Applied Sciences was an idea mooted a couple of years ago, and work has gone on for some time now. In our deliberation at the Committee level, we had a number of challenges where many people sent memoranda and congratulated the Government on making the effort to make the Navrongo Campus a fully- fledged university.
However, there were some petitions that the two campuses at Wa and Navrongo should remain campuses of the University for Development Studies (UDS), and if the Government wanted to establish new universities in Upper West and Upper East, they could do so.
The Committee in considering the memorandum accompanying the Bill, realised that there was the need to upgrade these campuses to fully- fledged universities, and that was why the Committee made the Report that the House approves its recommen- dations.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:36 p.m.
Hon Member, we also have the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, so keep the balance. Name the short ones, and then name the long ones as well.
Mr Nortsu-Kotoe 12:36 p.m.
When it becomes too long, that is where the challenge is. So we need to look at those things very carefully.
Mr Speaker, finally, I would urge again that as we establish this new university, immediate attention should be paid to their needs; otherwise, the challenge that we face when we set up new institutions would live on with them, and that would not auger well for their autonomy.
Mr Speaker, on that note, I support the Motion.
Mr Alex Kofi Agyekum (NPP-- Mpohor) 12:56 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to associate myself with the Motion on the Floor.
Mr Speaker, I would take three quick points here. The first one has
to do with a portion that is inherent in the Report, specifically page 5, paragraph 6.0 under observations, sub-paragraph 4. With your permission, I would read:
“However, taking cognisance of the tendency for public universities to deviate from their core mandate and pursue unrelated programmes, the Committee underscored the need for the NCTE to ensure that the University of Technology and Applied Sciences focuses on its core mandate when established”.
Mr Speaker, this is what I would want to re-emphasise on. I think that this House must dig deep and unravel the real challenges that make universities veer off their core mandates. Almost all the public universities now run courses that were formally not supposed to be run by them.

Mr Speaker, when we interact with these universities, we would see that the fundamental issue has to do with finances. Mr Speaker, once the university finds it difficult to get critical resources to finance its operations, then the ultimate thing that they can do is to introduce a course that would
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:56 p.m.
If it is money, why do they not charge for courses within their core mandate? For example, why should the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) put so much emphasis on taking in students to do Masters of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance and Accounting? Why do they not take students to do engineering for free?
Mr A. K. Agyekum 12:56 p.m.
Mr Speaker, that could be possible; but when one is faced with difficulties, one tends to turn round to pursue a line of resistance. Yes, I agree with you, but that is what they are doing. They feel that if they are to embark on a particular course that in itself entails additional equipment, then they should go into a programme that may not require the establishment of a physical
equipment. I think that gradually, this country is driven towards a situation where if one does not have the requisite amount, one cannot access, especially, the public universities.
So, I am just drawing the attention of this House to take a critical look at this. Maybe, the Committee on Education would also not just caution the NCTE, but from time to time, as part of their oversight responsibility, ensure that the mandate given to the specific university is pursued.
Mr Speaker, the next point that I would like to draw attention to is item number b (ii) on page 7 of the Report, and I beg to quote:
“In determining the subject to be taught, consideration shall be given to courses of special relevance to the needs and aspirations of the country…”
Here, specific reference is made, especially the north-eastern part of the country. Education is supposed to be functional. If they are to run a course that does not have any bearing on the community or area that the university is situated, of what benefit is the education? If one is to learn a hard subject without any relevance to the aspirations of the people, the kind of activities that are pursued -- so, courses must be run in such a way
that even in practical terms, they can have contact with the indigenous people and teach them the exact benefit to their day to day activities. That is what I ask the House to look at.
Finally, Mr Speaker, in the last point on page 8, item numbered (e), they urge the Government to provide adequate resources for these new universities that would be set up. Yes, we have facilities already there; but that must not cloud the aim of the Government to ensure that adequate resources - Sometimes when we have facilities there, there is that tendency for Government to think that once there are some lecture halls, et cetera, then there is the laxity to wait for some time.
Mr Speaker, this is an important university; University of Technology and Applied Sciences. So, whatever we would need to equip the University once it is inaugurated, we should ensure as Parliament that allocation to that university is made, so that we would not have a system where it would just exist by name. We will change the name and it will just be there. All the facilities required to make it operational to ensure that whatever they teach; the link between theory and practical is not lost. When we are able to do this, it would be in
the interest of this Government which is ensuring that right from the primary level, children are taught to think about things that they can do; to think about things that they can invent. That is the way to go rather than go on to learn theory without any practicals.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity.
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:56 p.m.
Yes, Hon Member for Builsa South?
Dr Clement A. Apaak (NDC - - Builsa South) 12:56 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
I associate myself to the Motion moved by the Hon Deputy Minister for Education, and indeed I also associate myself with the content of the Report of your Committee on Education regarding the establishment of the University of Technology and Applied Sciences.
Mr Speaker, as a native of the Upper East Region, I think that this is a very exciting process which I must emphasise did not start today. The desire that every region in this country becomes home to a university is a collective one and must be supported.
Dr Clement A. Apaak (NDC - - Builsa South) 1:06 a.m.
Mr Speaker, as a member of the Education Committee, there were a few issues that came up that I believe need more emphasis. Others who are also stakeholders in this enterprise have also had course to complain regarding seeming tensions existing between the mother university and the satellite campus which will become autonomous when we pass the Bill at hand.
Mr Speaker, a concern that has come to our attention suggests that the parent university has started offering same courses that the satellite universities, soon to become indepen- dent, currently offer. If indeed this complaint is confirmed, it portends a worrisome beginning for the schools to become independent universities. It is on the basis of this that some of us have suggested that there is the need to ensure that the transitional provisions are set up in such a way that would not disadvantage the soon to be established University of Technology and Applied Sciences.
Mr Speaker, another area of interest is the composition of a number of Council members -- indeed going through the Report, it has been clearly stated that the Council for the University would be composed of eleven (11) persons. I think that those 11 persons are selected and they are
to be designated to represent key stakeholders in the University.
Mr Speaker, the object of the institution itself are also worthy of mention, in particular, the School of Health, Environmental and Life Sciences. We are all aware we face challenges with climate change. In this part of the country where the main campus of the university will be situated, is right in the centre.
So, to have the School of Health, Environmental and Life Sciences in that University will clearly be advantageous in terms of having the needed academic expertise to work in support of the already existing institutions to ensure that we stem the tide of deforestation that affects that part of the country.
Mr Speaker, there is the School of Medical Science.

It is public knowledge that many of the health facilities in the Upper East Region have suffered to recruit and retain health care professionals, including medical doctors.

It is not unusual. We have seen this in news reportages that medical doctors are posted to the Upper East Region, but they refused to take up those postings. I believe this proposal

to have a school of medicine at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences would be one of the surest ways to address this challenge.

Mr Speaker, clearly, the indigenes of the region would be recruited, and when they go through the school of medicine, they would have no reason to abandon their own backyard and go elsewhere.

Mr Speaker, before I take my seat, I believe that it is very important to emphasise the need for Government to make sure that resources are made available to allow the University that we are looking at setting up, to be able to fulfil its objectives and the purposes for which we are undertaking this exercise of bringing it into existence.

Yes, the challenges are enormous, but once we have decided that this is an enterprise that would be in the collective interest of our nation, we must find the resources to ensure that the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, when it comes into being, is able to fulfil the mandate for which it is brought into existence.

Mr Speaker, on this note, I fully associate myself with the Motion, and the Report by your Committee.
Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin (NPP -- Effutu) 1:06 a.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to add my voice to the debate on the Floor.
Mr Speaker, in taking my turn in this debate, I would like to put across four main points in support of this Motion.
Mr Speaker, first, I would talk about local content. If we look at page 2, paragraph 3 of the Report of your Committee, it says, and with your permission I quote:
“…Universities are conduits that propel the social, political and economic development of the community in which they are established.”
Mr Speaker, it is important to put on record that Navrongo and the communities in that enclave; towns like Paga, Bolgatanga and Bawku, by virtue of the establishment of this University in Navrongo, would gain a new social status. There would be more economic activities, and it is important that this University, upon its establishment, pays attention to issues of local content.
Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin (NPP -- Effutu) 1:16 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I know that at the appropriate time, the appropriate amendment would be brought forth, to make this important issue part of the legislation. This is because the Committee has clearly stated it as part of the background for the establish- ment of this University. Therefore, we would have to find space for it as we start the process of the enactment, so that it becomes mandatory for managers of the University to pay due attention when it comes to local content.
Mr Speaker, my second point has to do with resources. I heard two of my Hon Colleagues drawing our attention to the need for this University to be well resourced. By saying so, the call is on Government to make sure that the University is adequately resourced.
Mr Speaker, we are aware that our universities retain 100 per cent of their Internally Generated Funds (IGF). In many cases, we realised that a university may not have sufficient lecture halls, lecturers may not have offices and ICT centres may not be available. Despite these circumstances however, huge contracts are awarded for the construction of shopping malls. These things happen, and it creates an impression of misplaced priorities. Therefore obviously, there would be challenge when it comes to providing this University with adequate resources.

Mr Speaker, Government cannot have it all. So, as we enact this Bill, we would need to draw the attention of the managers of our universities to the fact that it is not about expanding or coming out with ambitious projects, but sticking to their core mandates. They could be ambitious. This is because it is necessary to be ambitious, but would they be able to interlock their ambitions with their core mandates? If not, they would waste resources, and people would start to pose questions.

Mr Speaker, if we go to our traditional universities and try to audit their activities, we would find that there are real problems there. I hope that the universities listen to us. I also hope that this University would have a new focus when it is brought into being.

Mr Speaker, on my third point; apart from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST); maybe, I have forgotten or have not read much, but do we not have many more Ghanaians, who have served this country, be it in the educational sector, the economic sector; businessmen, or politicians; people who have contributed towards the socio-economic growth of this country, either pre-independence or post- independence? Are we really making our country proud? Are we

really serving any notice, or giving some inspiration for people to serve this country?

We do not have the courage to name universities after people, who have made it for this country. They could be in the area of football; sports, or whatever. The mere recognition is sufficient to inspire somebody else to serve his country. Therefore, I hope an Hon Member, the Ministry or somebody else would be bold, even as we consider this Bill, to come up with a name.

There would always be a debate as to why one person is chosen over another because of our politics, but it is part of it. Therefore we would have to consider that seriously because we cannot continue like that.

Mr Speaker, in 2015 to 2016, we had the University of Health and Allied Sciences. We had another one in Ho, and had our polytechnics, which were turned into technical universities, but we were not bold enough to name them properly. I therefore hope that the trend would change.

Mr Speaker, my last point has to do with the seeming polarisation in academia. If we read paragraph 3 on page 2 of your Committee's Report, it says, and with your permission, I quote:

“Apart from training and producing the required man- power for industries in the country, universities also serve as a platform, to conduct research and propose innovative solutions to existing and emerging problems.”

Mr Speaker, if we would want to propose innovative solutions or create a platform for research, then we should be ready to tolerate divergent views.

Mr Speaker, a university should be a place where nobody should be afraid to speak his mind.

Means of promotion, admission and opportunities should be such that one would not fear his background or even his political inclination. Mr Speaker, these are very critical and the seeming polarisation and the seeming partisanship on our campuses must come to an end.

Going forward, it is my hope that this new University would be a platform for its intended purpose.

Mr Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity.
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:16 a.m.
I intend to end the debate. Leadership, if you defer to the only other standing Member of the Upper East Region, then, that would be the end of the debate.
Hon Minority Leader, I am asking whether you would defer to the Hon Member. Yes? Very good; so, you would represent the Leadership of the Minority.
[Interruption]--
Mr Mahama Ayariga (NDC -- Bawku Central) 1:16 a.m.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Motion that the University of Technology and Applied Sciences Bill, 2018 be now read a Second time.
Mr Speaker, I rise to support the Motion. I think this process has a very long history beginning several years ago when there was some agitation that the Upper East Region also deserves to have a university; the Upper West Region also deserves to have a university. And that, the campuses of the UDS in the Upper East, in Navrongo; and the Upper West in Wa, were sufficiently able to run as autonomous and independent campuses.
So, the University should be split into three; we would have an independent university in the Upper East, in Navrongo and an inde- pendent university in the Upper West in Wa; and the main campus in the Northern Region would also stand as an independent university.
Mr Speaker, I recall this being debated at Cabinet where I was a member and a Committee was set up to conduct some studies and make some recommendations regarding the separation of the three to establish three separate universities.
Mr Speaker, I looked at your Committee's Report. The reference documents and the people, agencies and establishments that were consulted, and unfortunately, I do not see that the Committee benefited from the Report that was authored by Prof Christine Amoako Nuamah, the expert who authored the Report that made the recommendations for the separation and establishment of the three autonomous universities for the Upper East, Upper West and Northern Regions.
I believe that if the Committee and the Government had benefited from the work of the Committee established by the previous Government, it would have enriched the process of establishing the university in Navrongo.
Mr Speaker, the issue of establishing universities and having them focus on their core mandates, has been adequately captured by your Committee. So I would not belabour the point. But during the debate, a question arose as to why the penchant for universities established to pursue certain mandates especially in the sciences, turned to veer into the humanities and et cetera?
Mr Speaker, a number of reasons 1:16 a.m.
one basically is that running science is very expensive. It requires huge investments on the part of the State. Unfortunately, we have not made that kind of investment in our universities that we set up to promote science and technology. Because of our inadequate investments in these sectors, the universities, in their quest to raise funds, turn to veer into other domains and disciplines that they perceive to be capable of getting them more entrants into their universities thereby, enabling them to make more money.
The reason the humanities have tended to be very fertile grounds for universities veering off their mandate is because our employment sector tends to absorb a lot more people in the humanities; Management courses, Accountancy courses and others. So the universities also look at the market
and try as much as possible to respond to the demands of the market, and that is what pushes them into running these programmes in the humanities even when we, by law, established them and urge them to pursue a core mandate in the sciences.
Mr Speaker, the key issue is investment. I see that your Committee has made a specific recommendation that this university, not being like the ones in the Eastern Region and the one we established in the Volta Region, where we provided seed capital for campuses to be established and infrastructure to be established for them to start. This being a university established on the back of an existing infrastructure, we still should not lose sight of the importance of providing adequate resources for them to be able to pursue the mandate that we set out for them.
I would like to add my voice to the Hon Colleagues that have spoken before me that, in the coming years, whenever we are approving the GETFund formula, we should be mindful of the need for adequate resources to be allocated to these new universities in order for them to pursue their core mandates especially, in the sciences given and having in mind the challenge of running science related programmes in this country
Mr Speaker, a number of reasons 1:26 p.m.


and keeping human resources within this discipline.

Mr Speaker, let me correct something on page 5 of your Report, which mentions the University of Development Studies, and to say that it is University for Development Studies; and not University of Development Studies.

Mr Speaker, lastly, I would like to urge that the whole idea of just establishing universities when we have not really looked at the major structural issues that pose a challenge to really developing our capabilities in technological development and the sciences would be defeated if we do not address the structural issues.

The issues from the ground level coming up; or which is at the basic level into the secondary level and feeding into the tertiary level of the university if the foundation for teaching the sciences or technology is not strong and producing adequate numbers, seeking opportunities at higher levels in the sciences and the technological fields. If that foundation is not well-built, even if we establish two hundred new universities in the sciences and technological fields as we have done, because we converted all the Polytechnics into Technical Universities, I do not see the

difference between a technical university and a technology university. There is really no difference; it is the same thing.

But if at the foundation, at the basic level and the second cycle level we do not strengthen technical and vocational education, which would feed into the tertiary level, then Mr Speaker, we are really not going to achieve much.

We are going to establish universities and tomorrow, trust me, when we go and do an audit, we would find out that even though the name is “applied sciences'', what they really do is humanities' So, I urge that we should revisit the programme and make efforts to strengthen the foundation.

Mr Speaker, when I was the former Hon Deputy Minister for Education, I had the opportunity to visit Europe, Austria and other countries and in those countries I found out that the technical programmes were run by industries and the labour market recognised the importance of the technical programmes. In the hotels, the chefs earned more than the managing director because it is said that it is the chefs who make people visit the hotel and not the managing director.

So it would be realised that people would pursue programmes in those technical fields and rise up to PhD and the labour market rewards them adequately to encourage other people to pursue those programmes but this does not happen in this country. Let us review the situation comprehen- sively. This is a good idea, so we should establish the tertiary universities and then urge them to focus on technology and applied sciences and also help them to make sure that the foundation that feeds into them is also adequately catered for.

Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:26 p.m.
Majority Leadership?
Yes, Hon Second Deputy Majority Whip?
Mr Moses Anim (NPP -- Trobo) 1:26 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I duly associate myself with the Motion.
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:26 p.m.
Yes, available Hon Leader?
Mr Chireh 1:26 p.m.
Mr Speaker, he has nothing to add to this debate so, he should sit down -- and now he has decided to tell a complete lie about me.
This is not the university that he assigned me as being the Chancellor [Laughter]. At that time, he wanted me to have been a retired person who would be honoured with chancellorship -- that is the University in Wa and not this one. So, he is even wrong -- he has nothing to contribute and so he should not contribute anything at all to this debate. [Laughter]
Mr Anim 1:26 p.m.
Mr Speaker, with your permission, I beg to quote what is stated in the Memorandum. It says:
“The purpose of the Bill is to establish the University of Technology and Applied Sciences to be an outstanding internationally acclaimed applied research and practical-oriented educational institution, dedicated to the development of integrated technology and applied sciences to be located in Navrongo”.
Mr Speaker, the pure, natural or basic sciences that we all know, churn
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:26 p.m.
Hon Members, we have two Statements which speak to the same matter. They were deferred last week Thursday, and it was agreed that they are taken today.
Hon (Dr) Appiah-Kubi, you would read your Statement first and Hon (Dr) Rashid Pelpuo, would also read his.
STATEMENTS 1:26 p.m.
Dr Kojo Appiah-Kubi (NPP -- Atwima Kwanwoma) 1:26 p.m.
I thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to make a commemorative Statement on World Population Day, 2019.
World Population Day (WPD) is commemorated on the 11
th of July
each year, as a day dedicated to focusing attention on the urgency and importance of population issues. The choice of 11th July as the day of commemoration was heavily inspired by celebrations on the day in which the world's population reached 5 billion, renowned as the Day of Five Billion -- 11th July, 1987. Each year, the UN selects a theme which reflects current population development agenda and creates awareness of population growth and its implications for development.
Mr Speaker, the theme for this year's World Population Day is, “Reproductive Health and Gender Equality, Key to Sustainable Development”, which calls for global attention to the unfinished business of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development. It has been 25 years since this remarkable
Dr Kojo Appiah-Kubi (NPP -- Atwima Kwanwoma) 1:26 p.m.


they can devote more resources to providing food, education and decent job opportunities.

Indeed Mr Speaker, the surest way to having smaller families is through widened access to sexual and reproductive health and family planning services. Indeed universal access to sexual and reproductive health and family planning is seen to be very cost effective to managing population growth. The evidence is that for every USD $1 spent in providing family planning and other sexual and reproductive health services, there is a USD $120 return on that investment, through savings in education, sanitation, health, environment and security.

Yet funding for family planning services has been inadequate for decades, even though along with education, they constitute the greatest tools for the socio-economic advancement of women and girls and national development. As Thoraya Ahmed Obaid (former Executive Director, UNFPA) once said, “we cannot confront the massive challenges of poverty, hunger, diseases and environmental destruction [or achieve the SDGs] unless we address issues of population and reproductive health”. Meeting the unmet need for family

planning is both pragmatic and a critical approach to achieving gender equality and sustainable development.

Mr Speaker, Ghana has main- streamed the SDGs into its development agenda as the minimum socio-economic policy goals. In the view of a famous expert, Ellen Starbird, investing in family planning is key to achieving SDGS and our development goals and “without universal access to family planning the impact and effectiveness of other interventions will be less, will cost more and take longer to achieve”.

This requires that, Mr Speaker, the Government of Ghana takes popula- tion issues more seriously to also fulfil the spirit enshrined in Article 37 (4) of the 1992 Constitution of the country, which states that “The State shall maintain a population policy consistent with the aspirations and development needs and objectives of Ghana”.

Mr Speaker, I would like to end this Statement by appreciating Mad. Dr Leticia Appiah, the Executive Director of the National Population Council, who contributed to this Statement.

I am also grateful to Mr Speaker for the opportunity to make this Statement.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:46 p.m.
Hon Members, these Statements are supposed to be short but in recent times, we tend to use them to make very long speeches. I encourage Hon (Dr) Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo to truncate the 10 page Statement because it is about the same thing. So, I will allow him five minutes to comment on the occasion since both of them are speaking to the same matter.
The Need for Government to Increase Investment in the
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of the Adolescents
and Young People
Dr Abdul-Rashid H. Pelpuo (NDC -- Wa Central) 1:46 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in accordance with the commemoration of the National Population Day, 2019, I also make a Statement to reflect the sentiments of Ghanaians and I would wish that population issues become the centre of our developmental planning.
Mr Speaker, let me begin my address with a quotation and a commitment. First the quotation: “Perhaps, the greatest threat to Africa's peace and security is the very rapid rate of population growth.”— John Dramani Mahama, former president of Ghana, April 20, 2018 (In, Africa's Population Challenge,
2018).
Now the commitment, courtesy, the Government; two weeks ago, Ghana was the centre of the world in hosting the 3rd Africa- China Conference on Population and Development under the theme; ‘Population Data Management and Universal Access to Reproductive Health as Key Drivers of Sustainable Development.
The conference was hosted by the Government of Ghana and co- ordinated by the National Population Council in collaboration with the Ministry of Planning and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Part of the conference period and discussions was devoted to celebrations of the UNFPA as an organisation. It is l50 years old this year, 2019. The International Conference on Population and Development was held in 1994 in Cairo and that was also 5 years ago, which developed the programme of action on population (PoA). These milestones are worth celebrating and the highest of them is the celebration that would take place in Nairobi, Kenya in November 2019, with commitment and strategies for the future.
Last year UNFPA, the AU, ECA and African countries took stock of the past 25 years of the PoA and 50 years of UNFPA's existence. This year, all roads lead to Nairobi, Kenya
Dr Abdul-Rashid H. Pelpuo (NDC -- Wa Central) 1:46 p.m.


to make a commitment for the future to continue with the unfinished business, and Ghana must be there.

Mr Speaker, Africa has a great potential for rapid economic development, and this is a fact we all attest to unequivocally. We clearly have the capacity to expedite our economic transformation. Africa is also at this same time, threatened by rapid population growth rate, which has already outstripped our economic growth rate, and threatens to continue to do so, unless drastic measures are taken to curb the situation.

Since 1950, Africa's population has increased by 450 per cent, from 226 million to 1.26 billion by 2017 (Population Reference Bureau, 2017). Our high fertility rate of 4.6 per cent is currently an outlier on the world fertility graph, according to the World Population Data Sheet. Africa's population momentum has been driven largely by two main factors: early initiation of childbearing and high fertility rates, and any attempts to slow down the continent's population growth rate must therefore take cognisance of these two factors (Speidel, 2018).

Mr Speaker, Ghana's population growth rate is not far removed from that of the continent. Our current 2.5

per cent annual population growth rate means that, on the average, we are adding not less than 70,000 new souls to the population of the country each year. Quite significantly, major contributors to this statistics are adolescents and young people, mainly through adolescent pregnancies and unintended births. With 10 to 24-year olds forming 32 per cent of our population, the country is currently witnessing the highest number of young people in our history (GSS, 2012), and the implications in terms of sexual and reproductive health cannot be so easily ignored by us as a country.

Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu — rose —
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:46 p.m.
Yes, Hon Majority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:46 p.m.
Mr Speaker, maybe I should not intervene at the point I am intervening but my good Friend the Hon (Dr) Pelpuo is giving us some vital statistics that since 1950, Africa's population has increased by 450 per cent and he is saying to us that Ghana's population has about reflected the same percentage of growth.
Mr Speaker, that is a factual inexactitude because between 1950 and as we speak today, Ghana's
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:46 p.m.
The point of emphasis is the lack of statistics that is referable as was mentioned by the Hon Member for Keta. Yes, Hon Majority Leader, we may be guided by it.
Dr Pelpuo 1:46 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you.
It emphasises the point I am making that the rate of our population growth is scary and if Africa has a growth of 450 per cent, and we try to give the impression that Ghana is almost the same, Ghana is much more serious as it has more than 800 per cent growth. It tells us that there is the need for us to take some very cogent and concrete steps in addressing the population issue.
Mr Speaker, the risk of population explosion is high and also real for Ghana. Even if every Ghanaian couple decides today to have two children, we would still experience a high population growth rate, given the huge number of sexually active young people and the proportion of the
population in their reproductive ages. The recent Maternal Health Survey of 2017 shows that 49 per cent of our girls are sexually active by 18 years and 73 per cent by 20 years (GSS et al, 2018). Quite disturbingly however, our adolescents are among the least users of contraception in Ghana as just about 50 per cent of them use any form of modern contraception. (GSS et al, 2015).
Already, 14 per cent of all pregnancies in Ghana are recorded amongst 15-19 year olds. This ranks against the 10 per cent teenage pregnancy rate across sub- Saharan Africa and 1.5 per cent in high income countries (Telegraph, 2019). A disturbing 26 per cent of our girls are also married off before their 18th birthday (GSS et al, 2018). This exposes them to early childbearing and repeated pregnancies. We are, therefore in real danger of a high population growth rate, which may not be matched with corresponding expansion in the economy, infrastructure, education, healthcare and security among others.
Mr Speaker, evidence gathered by a 2015 UK All Party Parliamentary Committee on Population and Sexual and Reproductive Health report showed that for every one person added to the population of the UK, an investment of 165,000 pounds was
Dr Pelpuo 1:56 p.m.


required to expand services, infrastructure and training (All Party Parliamentary Group, 2015). This is even in the UK where the basic services are already available, and this investment only represents expansion. It is clear that the figure would be higher in our context, where basic services are still not available in many parts of the country.

Mr Speaker, estimates from expert economists suggest that, at one per cent annual population growth rate of a country, there need to be a corresponding six per cent to seven per cent annual growth in the GDP of that country in order for that country to maintain the same quality of life for its people. In our context as a country therefore, at our current 2.5 per cent annual population growth rate, we will need between 15 per cent to 17 per cent annual expansion in our GDP in order to keep our people at this same quality of life. If we really want to lift our people from poverty, then the rate of economic expansion must seriously outstrip population growth rate.

Mr Speaker, we have the opportunity to reduce the high adolescent pregnancies through increased investment in their Sexual and Reproductive Health. We already

have the policies and strategies in place. We have the Adolescent Reproductive Health Policy developed by the National Population Council, The Adolescent Health Service Policy and Strategy developed by the Ghana Health Service, a 5-year Strategic Plan to Reducing Teenage Pregnancy by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, among many other wonderful initiatives by partners. What is required now is the adequate funding of these policies and strategies, then we can be sure to bring down fertility and the high population growth rates, and avoid the Nigerian situation.

Quite recently, Mr Speaker, the Executive Director of the National Population Council, Dr Leticia Adelaide Appiah shared some disturbing data on the population crises of Nigeria in an interview she granted on the issue of overpopulation in Nigeria. She observed that Nigeria was only 45 million at their independence in 1960 from their colonial masters, the UK, which had a 52 million population at the time. Fast-track to 2018, and Nigeria's population has more than quadrupled to 200 million, while that of the UK is only 66 million. So, even though Britain was more populated than Nigeria at independence, our brother Nigeria today commands three times the population of the UK.

Mr Speaker, the challenges this high population growth rate has brought to Nigeria is evident for all of us to learn.

Currently, Mr Speaker, 32 per cent of our girls are already mothers by age 19, and this is unacceptable (GSS et al, 2017). We need to do everything possible to bring this figure down to the barest minimum, and that requires deliberate prioritisation and investment in adolescent/youth SRHR. Anything short of this would be suicidal for our poverty reduction objective, because it is evidential that investments in family planning and universal access to sexual and reproductive health information and services, hold some of the greatest returns on investment for any country.

Recent evidence from Kohler and Behrman (2014), shows that the value- for-money for universal access to sexual and reproductive health services and family planning was estimated to be US$ 120 in economic benefits for each US$ 1 spent in providing SRHR information and services. When we are investing in adolescent sexual and reproductive health, therefore, we need to appreciate the fact that we are investing for a lifetime of returns; we are investing to reap a lifetime of dividends, and that should be our motivation for increasing budgetary

allocation for adolescent and youth SRHR. It holds the greatest returns on investments.

In conclusion, Mr Speaker, I wish to share with the House a statement Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States of America made; “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.” I pray this becomes a timeless reminder to this House, of our solemn duty to the adolescents and young people of our country, to ensure that we give them a better future than we have lived. No resource of a nation is as important as its people. In prioritising the health and well-being of the people we therefore, secure the future we have always dreamt of. The people are always the instruments and the objective of development, and no priority can be greater than their health and well-being. I by this Statement issue a clarion call to all Arms of Government to work together to ensure that our young people are given the future they deserve.

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity given me.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:56 p.m.
Hon Members, having regard to the state of business of the House, I direct that the House Sits outside the regular Sitting hours.
Dr Kwaku Afriyie (NPP -- Sefwi Wiawso) 1:56 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity and I would congratulate the two Hon Members for bringing the attention of the House to this very important issue.
Mr Speaker, I tend to agree with a lot of the views and the conclusions that they have made. However, I would want to point out to the House that there are several issues and the issues involved in population growth and control are not as straight forward as we seem to believe. Mr Speaker, it is about the fight for resources in this world and there is evidence to show that in Africa we could accommodate our population simply if we had access to innovation, resources and the abilities of science.
Unfortunately, there is also evidence to show that either by contrivance, external forces or by our own inabilities, we are not able to access these innovations such that we could feed our population adequately. It is also tied into the geopolitical forces in this world where population also counts in the larger world. If a country has a small population, they tend not to have a voice internationally. On the other hand, if a country has a
big population and it increases very fast then it cannot meet its resources with its increased population.
Mr Speaker, the point I want to make is that we must have a firm national debate as to what we really want especially in the Ghanaian setting. We have to have a national evidenced-based debate on the population size that would be good for this country. This would enable us make use of our resources for our optimal growth.
Mr Speaker, population growth rate and size are also tied with economic development. In certain instances when the population is big, there would be economy of scale in markets and so on. So a small population could sometimes even be an impediment to a country's advancement.
Finally, if a country does not manage the population well, in future there could be a paradoxical phenomenon of aging dependency where a small population would be supporting a large group of people who are over the retirement age and there would be an unsustainable economic arrangement.
Mr Speaker, so while I agree with the general thrust of the Statements, there are so many pitfalls and gaps in the knowledge and application thereof in this kind of issue. That is why we
must have a very rigorous scientific approach to this debate and look out for what is good for our country.
Mr Speaker, with these remarks I would want to congratulate the Hon Members who made the Statements.
Thank you very much.
Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah (NDC -- Ellembelle) 2:06 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity.
I would also thank Hon Pelpuo and Hon Appiah-Kubi for the important Statements on World Population Day. Mr Speaker, indeed, the theme is a very important one -- “Reproductive Health and Gender Equality as Key to our Sustainable Goals.”
Mr Speaker, I would focus on this important theme that has been selected and the issue of gender equality. Mr Speaker, I think that this year we have had about four Statements related to the issue of women empowerment and gender equality; the issues of gender mainstreaming and the steps that we could take to ensure -- the critical population which is more than half of men in Ghana -- the issues that concern them are addressed especially with issues of education and women's health. As a country we still struggle with cultural challenges when
it comes to women issues and we must overcome this in the 21st Century. Not long ago, there were issues about women's reproductive health especially with girls and how they could deal with these issues especially in relation to their education.
Mr Speaker, oftentimes we see these issues as a taboo but they are very critical and so on a day like this we must focus attention on the challenging issues of women's health especially their reproductive health. The statistics that have been given that we have almost 32 per cent of young people likely to be pregnant at the age of 19 should be worrying to us especially on this particular day. If we would deal with the issue of population, then it is very critical that we deal with the root causes of girls who are pregnant.

Mr Speaker, it starts with the families and makes sure that men and women who bring children into this world would take full responsibility and that there would be proper planning. More importantly, structures should be put in place to support girls, especially.

Mr Speaker, in our educational system today, you would be surprised to know that we are still faraway from
Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:06 p.m.
Very well. This brings us to the end of Statement time. Since we have exhausted the Order Paper, I would bring proceedings to a close.
Yes, Hon Deputy Majority Leader, do you want to say something, otherwise --
Ms Safo 2:06 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I believe at this point, we can drop the curtain down and give Hon Okoe Boye, the opportunity maybe, tomorrow. This is because he was well prepared for
this, but we are guided by your direction. I believe that looking at the mood of the House and considering the fact that our Brothers and Sisters on the other Side are undergoing internal elections, it is only fair that we bring the curtain down at this point. Looking at the time, we are in your hands.
ADJOURNMENT 2:06 p.m.