Debates of 22 Nov 2019

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:32 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:32 a.m.
Mr Speaker 10:32 a.m.
Hon Members, Correction of Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, 21st November, 2019.
Page 1 … 18.
Mr James K. Avedzi 10:32 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am sorry to take you back to the Votes and Proceedings.
On page 6 of the Votes and Proceedings, item 3, entry 9, my name has been captured as being absent with permission. Mr Speaker, I was in the Chamber yesterday, so, I do not know how I should be captured as being absent with permission. So, the correction should be effected.
Mr Speaker 10:32 a.m.
Hon Members, we have the Official Report of Wednesday, 6th November, 2019.
Mr Speaker 10:32 a.m.
Is the Business Statement ready?
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 10:32 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 10:32 a.m.
Arrangement of Business
Formal Communications by the Speaker
Mr Speaker, you may read any available communication to the House.
Questions
Mr Speaker, the Business Committee has not scheduled any Minister to respond to Questions. However, any Questions duly admitted by Mr Speaker would be programmed in due course for response by the relevant Ministers of State.
Statements
Mr Speaker, pursuant to Order 70(2), Ministers of State may be permitted to make Statements of Government policy. Statements duly admitted by the Rt Hon Speaker may be made in the House by Hon. Members, in accordance with Order
72.
Bills, Papers and Reports
Mr Speaker, Bills may be presented to the House for First Reading in accordance with Order
120. However, those of urgent nature may be taken through the various stages in one day in accordance with Order 119.
Pursuant to Order 75, Papers for presentation to the House may be placed on the Order Paper for laying. Committee reports may also be presented to the House for consideration.
Motions and Resolutions
Mr Speaker, Motions may be debated and their consequential Resolutions, if any, taken during the week.
Debate on the Financial Policy of the Government
Mr Speaker, debate on the Financial Policy of the Government of Ghana for the year ending 31st December, 2020, is expected to continue during the week under consideration and Leadership would conclude on Tuesday, 26th November,
2019.
Sitting of the House on Monday/ Extended Sittings
Mr Speaker, the House is scheduled to sit on Monday, 25th
Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 10:32 a.m.
November 2019. Furthermore, the House may have extended sittings to enable the completion of scheduled business.
Submission of Committee Reports on Estimates of Mdas and Other Institutions
Mr Speaker, every effort is being made to ensure that the Estimates of the various MDAs and Independent Constitutional Bodies are submitted for the consideration of Committees of the House.
In this regard, an indicative schedule has been prepared to guide Committees on dates for submission of the reports (schedule is attached). It is recommended that Committees work, as far as practicable, within the proposed time frame.
The schedule may, however, be varied to accommodate any Committee Reports on the estimates which may be ready prior to their scheduled date for consideration during the week.
Conclusion
Mr Speaker, in accordance with Standing Order 160(2) and subject
to Standing Order 53, the Committee submits to this Honourable House the order in which the Business of the House shall be taken during the week under consideration.

Statements

Motions --

(a)That this Honourable House approves the Financial Policy of the Government of Ghana for the year ending 31st

December 2020.

(Continuation of Debate)

(b) Second Reading of Bills

Land Bill, 2019.

Consideration Stage of Bills --

Tree Crops Development Authority Bill, 2019

Narcotics Control Commission Bill, 2019. (Continuation of Debate)

Committee sittings

Statements

Motion --

That this Honourable House approves the Financial Policy of the Government of Ghana for the year ending 31st December

2020.

(Conclusion of Debate)

Consideration Stage of Bills --

Narcotics Control Commission Bill, 2019. (Continuation of Debate)

Committee sittings

Statements

Presentation of Papers --

Report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Contract/ Technical Support Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented

by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration) and Orell Füssli Security Printing Limited and TGN Digital Security Limited for the Supply of Machine-Readable Visa Stickers and Hardware Personalisation Systems.

Motions --

Third Reading of Bills

Tree Crops Development Authority Bill, 2019

Consideration Stage of Bills

Narcotics Control Commission Bill, 2019. (Continuation of Debate)

Committee sittings

Statements

Presentation of Papers --

(a) Report of the Joint Commi- ttee on Works & Housing and Foreign Affairs on the
Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 10:32 a.m.
Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and Interna- tional Lakes serviced by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (1992 Water Convention).
(b) Report of the Joint Commi- ttee on Works & Housing and Foreign Affairs on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Water- courses (1997 Watercourse Convention).
Consideration Stage of Bills --
Narcotics Control Commission Bill, 2019. (Continuation of Debate)
Corporate Insolvency Bill,
2019.
Committee Sittings

Statements

Motion -- Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Contract/Technical Support Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration) and Orell Füssli Security Printing Limited and TGN Digital Security Limited for the Supply of Machine-Readable Visa Stickers and Hardware Personalisation Systems.

Consideration Stage of Bills --

Narcotics Control Commission Bill, 2019. (Continuation of Debate)

Corporate Insolvency Bill, 2019. (Continuation of Debate)

Committee sittings

SPACE FOR APPENDIX -- PAGE 7, 10.32 AM
Mr Speaker 10:42 a.m.
Hon Majority Chief Whip, thank you very much.
Yes, Hon Ablakwa.
Mr Samuel O. Ablakwa 10:42 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am most grateful. I commend the Hon Majority Chief Whip for the presentation of the Business Statement for the week ending Friday, 29th November, 2019.
Mr Speaker, I wish to draw the attention of the Hon Majority Chief Whip that the Hon First Deputy Speaker was in the Chair on 6th November, 2019, and after the Hon Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs read a Statement on the Nigeria-Benin border closure which has affected Ghanaian traders, Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) members and others, he directed the Hon Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration to brief the House this week.
Mr Speaker, the week has come to a close and there is no indication that the Hon Minister would brief this House as directed by the Hon First Deputy Speaker. So I want to find out from the Hon Chief Whip if perhaps, there is an alternative arrangement or whether the Hon Minister has asked for another day
so that we would be apprised. Mr Speaker, because this is a very important issue it continues to agitate the minds of Ghanaians.
Mr Mutawakilu Adam 10:42 a.m.
Mr Speaker, two weeks ago, I raised an issue about a directive that you gave to the Hon Minister for Energy in respect of some recommendations that your Committee made concerning the renegotiated AGM Agreement. Mr Speaker, you directed that within six months, the Hon Minister should report to the House. But so far the time has elapsed but the Hon Minister has not been here. The last time I asked this issue, the Hon Majority Leader indicated that he would discuss with him and get back to the House, but we have still not heard anything.
Mr Kwame G. Agbodza 10:42 a.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity, and I thank the Hon Leader for the presentation of the Business Statement.
Mr Speaker, my first comment is about attendance and you have done your best to encourage all of us to be here in our numbers. Today, the numbers are still disappointing, and we are considering the Budget Statement. Mr Speaker, if you look at the Order Paper, no Committee is meeting as at now. We are drawing close to the end of this Meeting and I
Ms Helen A. Ntoso 10:42 a.m.
Mr Speaker, even though the Business Committee has not scheduled any Hon Minister to respond to Questions next week, I just want to draw your attention to three Urgent Questions that I filed; one in February and two in June. I want the Table Office to take notice of this. [Interruption]
Mr Speaker, one was directed to the Hon Minister for Agriculture, the second was directed to the Hon Minister for Energy and the third to the Hon Minister for Health. Mr Speaker, the most serious Question is the one directed to the Hon Minister for Energy, because a contractor has dumped electric poles at the banks of the lake. The flood waters were gradually submerging the poles and now all the poles are under water.
That is why I filed the Urgent Question for the Hon Minister to tell us what the poles were meant for.
Mr Peter Nortsu-Kotoe 10:42 a.m.
Mr Speaker, this is the Business Statement for the sixth week ending 29th November, 2019. As my Hon Colleague said, some of us have filed a number of Questions some time ago. We do not know whether our Questions would be taken during this Meeting. Mr Speaker, ordinarily, before this time we would have been given an agenda for the Meeting, but the fifth week is ending and there is no agenda to guide us to know whether our Questions would be taken during this Meeting. Mr Speaker, can the Hon Majority Chief Whip tell us when the Agenda for this Meeting would be available.
Mr Speaker 10:52 a.m.
Hon Majority Chief Whip.
Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh 10:52 a.m.
Mr Speaker, Hon Ablakwa drew our attention to the border closure between Benin and Nigeria. which is affecting commuters, traders and people who want to travel to or from Nigeria, and the fact that the Hon First Deputy Speaker directed that the Hon Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration come to the
House to brief us. My information is that, the Hon Minister has travelled with the President and a delegation outside the country. She assured the Hon First Deputy Speaker that when she returns, she would attend upon the House to brief us. So there is an assurance to that effect.
Mr Speaker, the issue that was raised by Hon Mutawakilu Adam is being handled by the Hon Majority Leaders. And so let us have faith in the process he has put in motion.
Mr Speaker, nobody takes delight in poor attendance in the House. However, my worry is that, when the Hon Member was talking about poor attendance, he said I should let my people come to the House. When we talk about the House, it is both Sides. The left of the Hon Speaker is not fully attended in much the same way as the right of the Hon Speaker. So when he is talking, he should talk in general terms for all Hon Members who fail to attend upon the House or for some reason absent themselves. He and I know that some Hon Members also take leave of the House. He is taking leave to be absent next week. Is that not it? And so he would not be here. He would be absent next week, and so he should not create the impression that he is a saint and every other person is not good.
Mr Speaker 10:52 a.m.
The Business Statement as presented is accordingly admitted.
At the Commencement of Public Business, item listed 5 - Presentation of Papers.
Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh 10:52 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I seek your leave for the Hon Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation to lay the Paper on behalf of the Minister for Finance.
PAPERS 10:52 a.m.
Mr Speaker 10:52 a.m.
Yes, Hon Deputy Minority Leader?
Mr James K. Avedzi 10:52 a.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much. I could not catch your eye when I stood up to raise an issue concerning the request made by the Hon Majority Chief Whip.
Mr Speaker, he came to justify the absence of Members on the Floor. I expected the Hon Majority Chief Whip to just accept what the Hon Member raised and raise concern on
where he mentioned only the Majority side. I agree with that, but not to justify that Hon Members have gone for other programmes for which reason they are not here. We are dealing with a very important document, which should take precedence over any other activity of Government. If the Budget is not approved, it affects the Government. That is why it should be the first priority. We are debating the Budget Statement. That is the reason Hon Agbodza raised a concern about Hon Members who are not attending upon Sittings.
Mr Speaker, the Loan Agreements that would be approved to support the implementation of the Budget Statement, the Minister for Finance who came to present the Budget Statement to the House is not even in the House to lay the Agreement. It is rather another Hon Minister who is supposed to monitor these transactions is the one to lay these Agreements.
Mr Speaker, the issue raised by Hon Agbodza is just the same thing happening here. If the Hon Minister for Finance has presented the Budget Statement and he would not come to lay the loans that would be needed to get revenue to run the Budget
Statement, the House should consider it and tell the Hon Majority Chief Whip that he should not defend and justify what is going wrong in this House.
Mr Speaker 10:52 a.m.
Thank you very much.
Item numbered 5 (a) (ii)?
By the Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation (Dr Anthony A. Osei) (on behalf of the Minister for Finance) --
(ii)Write-Off of a Deficiency in Public Funds (Defunct Loans Receivables) amounting to three hundred and seventy million, sixty-two thousand, and fifty-five Ghana Cedis, thirty-seven pesewas
(GH¢370,062,055.37)
recorded in the Public Accounts on the Consoli- dated Fund.
Referred to the Finance Committee.
Mr Speaker 10:52 a.m.
Item numbered 5 (b) (i)?
By the Chairman of the Committee --
(i) Report of the Finance Committee on the Request
Mr Speaker 10:52 a.m.
Item numbered 5 (b) (ii)?
Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah 10:52 a.m.
Mr Speaker, item numbered 5 (b) (ii) and 5 (b) (iii) are both not ready.
Mr Speaker 10:52 a.m.
Item listed 6, Motion -- further discussion on the Financial Policy as presented.
Hon Manu Adabor, you have 15 minutes.
MOTIONS 10:52 a.m.
  • [Resumption of Debate from 21/ 11/19.]
    • Mr Francis Manu-Adabor (NPP -- Ahafo Ano South East) 11:02 a.m.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion seeking to approve the Financial Policy of the Government of Ghana for the year ending 31st December, 2020.
    Mr Speaker, with your permission, I would want to read paragraph 732 and 733 of the Budget Statement:
    “Land Administration and Management Programme
    732. Mr Speaker, Govern-ment is reviewing avail-able strategies, including Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements, to support the Lands Commi-ssion to reduce the time taken to register lands to meet the
    target of delivering land title certificate within 30 working days.
    733. The key activities to be implemented include:
    fully decentralizing land administration services to the district and regional levels;
    digitizing and automating land registration processes to improve the speed and accuracy of land registra- tion for both deeds and title; and
    preparing up-to-date and accurate maps through the development of digital or thophoto and topogra- phical maps; and other spatial data.

    Mr Speaker, we all know the problems we go through when we want to register our interest in land. It takes more than a year for the documentation before a land is registered. It is because all the work that is done at the Lands Commission is manual.

    Mr Speaker, from 1988, the Land title registration started in Accra and Tema, and then it was introduced to Kumasi in the Ashanti Region. The best we can do is to produce digital maps, so that most of the work done would just be adding on to the digital data, so that the whole process would be automated.

    Mr Speaker, since 1974 that the whole country was flown and topographic maps were prepared by Terra Surveys of Canada and the Ordnance Surveys of the United Kingdom, almost every year, we fly parts of Ghana, especially Accra, Kumasi, Tamale and other cities. We concentrate on these areas because development goes on fast. We forget about the villages, towns and the district capitals.

    Mr Speaker, so if you travel to the village and communities, there are no base maps and layouts, so people build slams even in this modern world. If the Budget Statement indicated that we would produce orthophoto maps of the country, I believe that is the way to go for us to speed up the process of acquiring land and to boost investor confidence.

    Mr Speaker, when we produce orthophoto maps across the country, we would produce base maps. These are the data Town and Country
    Mr Francis Manu-Adabor (NPP -- Ahafo Ano South East) 11:02 a.m.
    Planning which is now, Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA) require to produce layout in the villages and at the district office. But they do not have these maps. So, the LUSPA officer at the district has nothing to do, because he is supposed to produce layout and supervise the building development.

    The problem with Lands Commi- ssion is not the one-stop-shop that we have now, which is building offices across the country and putting the staff together. The problem is how to network all these agencies, so that we can get the data within a short period from one computer.

    Mr Speaker, plans are advanced for a contractor to be awarded that contract to fly the whole country and help with the automation of processes in the registration of both land title and deeds. If you go to our neighouring country. Rwanda, they register the title within a week. So, I believe Ghana can also do the same by automating all processes in the registration of land.

    Mr Speaker, the Lands Commi- ssion, initially was Lands Evaluation and Survey Departments put together. They all have their data in the offices. The problem is the medium for them to put the data together, but the orthophoto map that would produce the base map is the spatial data and all the other information would be put together as attributes before the data could be meaningful to any Ghanaian who wants to do business on land. It has taken up so long for us to get the orthophoto map that covers the country for this process to begin.

    I would want to thank the Government for this good initiative. Since 1974, I think we are breaking the barrier now. Flying the whole country to produce these maps at 1:2500, scale such that if a person wants to register his land, he would just go to the Lands Commission, and then they would identify the plot on the layout that has been produced. So, the idea of a surveyor going to the field to map the land which causes delay would be in the past. When they identify the plot, they extract the information and forward it to the Land Title Registry for the registration to commence.

    Mr Speaker, the Land Title Registry, during the years past, produced about 5,000 parcels in a year. I am happy to announce that with

    the onset of the automation, last year, they produced 6,000 and 2019, they have produced over 7,000 parcels. I strongly believe if we fly the country and get them the maps, we could go far beyond 10,000 parcels in a year.

    Mr Speaker, the Lands Commi- ssion offices in Accra, Tema and Kumasi, where the land title registration goes on, it is time for us to expand to cover the whole country. Once these three cities do land titles, the other parts of the country still do land deeds — When the land titles are sent to where land deeds are done, the people would have to bring their documents back and start with the land title process.

    Mr Speaker, if we get all these maps, it would be easier for us to extend the Land Title Services to all the regions in the country. We get a lot of revenue from these three cities because of land titles. Once we want to get revenue, I believe it is time for us to declare the whole country as a land title zone, so that people would register their lands for revenue to increase.

    Mr Speaker, there are so many people whose buildings are not mapped, so they dodge taxes. If we produce maps that cover the whole country, every small parcel of land

    with a building hidden anywhere would be captured on the map, so that the tax network would be expanded.

    Mr Speaker, the orthophoto map would also serve as a map base for tourism. It would be used by the Forestry Commission. Every year, we get information about the size of plantations and the forest cover of the country, but we do not have maps to visualise these information. When we tell people about them, it is as if we exaggerate. The orthophoto map would be digital in nature, so we could sit behind the computer and get the aggregate of maps, and then we get the total size of forest in the country. It would tell whether the lands are being degraded or afforestation is ongoing.

    These maps would also be useful for the military. We now have new regions and districts. All these boundaries are imaginary now. When we fly across, we could get accurate map of all the regions and districts in the country, so that it would help in our physical planning.

    Mr Speaker, there are districts whose boundaries cannot be determined. People cannot tell exactly which district they belong. They just criss-cross across districts. It is time we get accurate maps of the country to do away with these problems.
    Mr Francis Manu-Adabor (NPP -- Ahafo Ano South East) 11:12 a.m.
    There are many achievements in the forest subsector - the Vice Chairman of the Committee would talk about the forest in the country, so I do not want to go there.

    Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I would want to urge this House to help approve this Budget, because when we get the maps, everybody here will benefit from this orthophoto mapping. The Vice President is leading in the acquisition of the orthophoto maps and he has a committee that meets in his office every week. Now, they are almost through with the consultant who would come and make sure they automate all the processes that lead to the registration of land title in the country.
    Mr Speaker 11:12 a.m.
    Thank you Hon Manu-Adabor Now, Hon Agbodza.
    Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza (NDC -- Adaklu) 11:12 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the debate.
    I would start by referring Hon Colleagues to page 21, Table 4, which sets out the benchmark of the construction industry in this country. In 2016, this industry grew by 8.4 per cent but in 2019, it is supposed to grow at -8.5 per cent. This level of growth cannot be what the NPP Government promised. There are people behind these numbers because there are so many people in the construction industry.
    Mr Speaker, I have here, a Report prepared for the House of Commons, entitled “Construction Industry: Statistics and Policy”. My reference is just to give you an idea of what the contribution of the construction industry does to a country. In this Report which is for 2017, economic output for construction to the United Kingdom (UK) economy is six (6) per cent. The jobs that are created are 2.4 million and businesses that are linked to construction are one million.
    So, if you reduce from 8.4 per cent to -8.5 per cent — this is what they have done to the economy — It means that companies have folded up, real people have lost jobs, somebody cannot pay school fees and somebody is sick and cannot get proper treatment because he cannot pay for his treatment. These are real numbers of people, so when you see a reduction from 8.4 per cent to -8.5 per cent is a tragedy for this country.

    Today, Kumasi Airport has another phase of rehabilitation ongoing and it is the same with the Tamale Airport. These are sustainable jobs because there are people engaged in work there today, so when it is completed, there would be people working there.

    Mr Speaker, domestic numbers in terms of passenger throughput has increased and this means that aviation is providing employment for our economy and resource generator for this country. I want to remind Hon Colleagues that this House set up the Ghana Infrastructure Fund, which is part of the moneys we used to pay for this.

    Mr Speaker, I would want to commend the Minister for Transport for coming back to this House to reactivate the part of the China Development Bank (CDB) loan that the NDC government could not implement in terms of the landing site. We supported the Agreement at that time and we would support it again today. When we build these landing sites at all the locations that have been mentioned, including Dixcove and other places, it would create jobs and revenue for this country. It is a good thing that one Government can start something and even if they do not finish it, another Government can continue it for the betterment of this country.

    Mr Speaker, the railway sector within our Committee has been the
    Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza (NDC -- Adaklu) 11:22 a.m.
    poorest performer. There are few paragraphs about it which talk about more or less, nothing. The railways starting from Tema to Paga that they promised, there is nothing. All that we were told is that there was a masterplan that started in 2013 and then in 2020, the final draft would be prepared.
    I wanted to see in the Budget Statement that we had started constructing even one mile of that railway, unfortunately, there is nothing on that. Curiously, this House approved another loan for a railway from Tema to Mpakadan, but this Budget Statement decided not to talk about it. As we speak, there are Ghanaians who are employed to lay railway tracks from Tema to Mpakadan.
    Thanks to this House and the former NDC Government, that has become a reality. How on earth could the Government ignore that? We would have a brand new railway because of this -- This is the only proper railway project going on currently, but the Government decided to miss it. I am telling them that there are Ghanaians benefitting from that employment and when it is completed, there are Ghanaians who would benefit from it.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to raise this caution that the termination point of that rail line is not the destination. We are supposed to develop a terminal and make sure that we actually remove the tree stumps in the Volta Lake to be able to create a navigable channel that would take goods from Tema to Mpakandan, all the way to Buipe. However, I have not seen anything from this Government, which tells us where the second phase of the project would go.
    Now, let us come to the road sector. We are told that this is a year of roads. I would analyse this Budget Statement on a few things. It is not simply listing roads in the Budget Statement that makes the roads work. I want to commend the Minister for Roads and Highway for being the most diligent, in terms of attendance in the House. I think that he has answered Questions more than any Minister and unless he is not within the jurisdiction, every Friday, he is here to answer Questions.
    However, almost all the Answers he gave in terms of making sure our roads are done never came true. This is not because he did not want to do it, but because we never gave him the money to construct the roads. In this Budget Statement, the Government outlined some roads and some of the roads have been in the Budget Statement since 2016.
    Mr Speaker, Hon Okudzeto Ablakwa said, the most important table in this Budget Statement is the famous Table 21. This Side of the House never said that the Budget Statement never said anything about the Volta Region in terms of roads. We said that we believe that Table 21 could be the table that the Government wants to focus on in terms of delivering on road infrastructure in this country. We thank the Hon Minister for Finance for doing the needful by coming back to the House to correct it.
    I encourage all communicators of the Government who still say that the NDC or Minority should not have raised the issue to just follow the Minister for Finance. He did the right thing. So, when he heard the Vice President say that what we did was propaganda, how could it have been propaganda when the Minister for Finance came here to correct it? How could he correct something which was not broken? So, we commend the Minister for Finance.
    Mr Speaker, most importantly on Table 21, is a list of road projects. The length of which amounts to over 2,200 kilometres. Based on the price of one kilometre under Sinohydro which is about US$1.2 million, the 2,200 kilometres on Table 21 in this Budget should cost about US$2.6 billion.
    I went through the Budget Statement to find out whether we could find US$2.6 billion in it and the Road Fund is the obvious one. I realised it generates about GH¢1.6 billion but the sad thing is that the Minister for Finance constantly took about GH¢600 million from it through capping.

    If we were to put together all the money the Hon Minister for Finance has taken from the Road Fund, it would be equal to the Sinohydro Agreement on roads. What is the point of taking money that should go to road construction and spend it somewhere else and they come to tell us that they would mortgage our bauxite to construct roads? We encourage the Hon Minister for Finance we probably, do not need Sinohydro. The money could have been found in the Road Fund, so it is not important for us to say that. There is sod cutting everywhere.

    Mr Speaker, as a matter of fact, on the 7th December, 2015 the contractor, Rolinder started the road construction from the Hohoe to Jasikan Road. So, what was the point of the Government going there to do another sod cutting. We do not construct roads by sod cutting. If roads are being constructed,
    Mr Speaker 11:22 a.m.
    Hon Ayeh-Paye?
    Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye (NPP -- Ayensuano) 11:22 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, It thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion.
    Mr Speaker, I want to refer to the 2016, 2017 and 2019 Budget Statements for us to know what the previous Government left behind. When the NPP Government took over in 2017, the total commitments of roads; which is, contracts awarded on roads done and undone and on those that had not been started but awarded, totalled GH¢17.2 billion. If the average release for the Ministry of Roads and Highways was GH¢1 billion per year, it meant that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's Government should use 17 years to pay what was awarded even if we would not repair or maintain any roads or award new contracts.
    Mr Speaker, if the construction industry does not grow as the Hon Ranking Member just said, it is because of the rots they left behind.
    The House approved a Syndicated Loan for cocoa of GH¢5.6 billion and they ended up awarding contracts that were supposed to be paid and
    rose
    Mr Speaker 11:22 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Agbodza?
    Mr Agbodza 11:32 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to let the Hon Chairman on the Committee of Roads and Transport know that indeed, he was right when he said that the quantum
    of all the projects under cocoa roads was more than the annual realise which was the US$150 million. We explained that the cocoa roads were never expected to be completed in a year. In any case, the Government suspended all cocoa roads and did audit for three years. Could the Hon Chairman of the Committee on Roads and Transport help the House, because this is a House of records - Could he tell us whether they found any lapses after the audit.
    Mr Speaker, again for the records, the Hon Chairman of the Committee on Roads and Transport said that the NDC said that they constructed all the roads in this country. He is a senior Hon Member of this House and a respected legislator, so I would encourage him to go away from the propaganda.

    This Ministry is a very serious one. Let us stick to the point. He should quote where it was said that the NDC Government did all the roads in this country. Let us stick to the facts. Otherwise, if he is not able to provide the source of the information, I would encourage him to withdraw that part of the statement.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 11:32 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I sat down quietly when the Hon Member for Adaklu made statements that were
    An Hon Member 11:32 a.m.
    Withdraw it.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 11:32 a.m.
    I would respond. You keep quiet. Let the Hon Member who would speak next put down the points and respond accordingly.
    Mr Speaker 11:32 a.m.
    Hon Member, I am afraid, that is not the rule of this House. When Hon Agbodza said that which you thought should be corrected, you should have done so. Now, you are the man who has been caught -- [Laughter.] You can never go to court and say that somebody else also stole.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 11:32 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, what he said is not true.
    Mr Speaker 11:32 a.m.
    Hon Member, I am afraid, you would have to withdraw what you said.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 11:32 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I withdraw “all roads”, but the Green Book of the NDC told us that most of the roads had been constructed.
    Mr Speaker, they should listen to the prudent management of the road sector from 2017 to date under Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's Administration. As soon as we took
    over power in 2017, a committee was formed, and the chairman was Hon Owusu-Aduomi. This is what we did: projects which were to commence were put on hold because there was no way we could pay GH¢17.2 billion within four years.
    Secondly, re-scoping of some projects were done. Mr Speaker, if we are to construct 10 kilometres of road that had been awarded by the previous Government, and we can only pay for the construction of five (5) kilometres, we renegotiate with the contractor to construct the five (5) kilometres. If it is a drain that would cost us too much, but we can construct one side of it for the road to work technically, we do that. That is what is termed as re-scoping.
    performing contracts, which the previous Government had awarded, was also done. Mr Speaker, when all these things were done, we were able to reduce the GH¢17.2 billion commitment to GH¢5.7 billion. That is what is called prudent management of the road sector. Mr Speaker, as we speak, payment of these contractors rose
    Mr Buah 11:32 a.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member has quoted three times in a row that the quantum of debt that the NDC Government left in terms of road contracts awarded or completed was GH¢17.2 billion. Mr Speaker, this is a House of record so, I would want the Hon Member to give us the source he quoted that figure from. If it is in the Budget Statement, he should let us know. He should give us the source, other than that, he should withdraw.
    Mr Speaker 11:32 a.m.
    Hon Member, your figure has been challenged. Justify.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 11:32 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, my source is the Ministry of Roads and Highways. A Question was put by an Hon Member opposite, and the Hon Minister for Roads and Highways came to this House and said that the total commitment left was GH¢17.2 billion. Mr Speaker, I can provide hard copies of the source to you after my presentation.
    Mr Speaker, this is what the Ministry of Roads and Highways, under Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo's Government, after prudently managing the road sector, this is how debt --
    Mr Speaker 11:32 a.m.
    Hon Member, when we were at the Post-Budget Workshop --
    An Hon Member 11:32 a.m.
    It is in the Hansard.
    Mr Speaker 11:32 a.m.
    If it is in the Hansard, bring it.
    At the Workshop, I said that Hon Members who would want to rely on documents in this House of records must bring them to the House like we take our documents to court. Hon Member, withdraw. Whenever you are ready with your document, you can come. That is why I reminded Hon Members of that strategy in argument.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 11:32 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister for Roads and Highways --
    Mr Speaker 11:32 a.m.
    Hon Member, I have made myself very clear. If you cannot substantiate here and now, withdraw. You may come back tomorrow.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 11:32 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is a record of Parliament. The Hon Minister for Roads and Highways came to answer Questions here. [Interruption] Mr Speaker, I will submit the document later. This is a fact and the immediate Past Hon
    Minister for Roads and Highways can never say that he did not leave GH¢17.2 billion --
    Mr Speaker 11:32 a.m.
    Hon Member, now, you are arguing with the Chair. You have got five minutes.
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 11:32 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, for the respect I have for the Chair, I would want to withdraw, but promise that I will bring a document to substantiate. I have withdrawn.
    Mr Speaker, this is how the current Government managed the debt the NDC Government left behind. Mr Speaker, GH¢1 billion out of the total GH¢2.2 billion that has been earmarked to be paid to contractors who were not paid since 2014 has been released. Any contractor that Government owed between GH¢1.00 to GH¢500,000 has been paid. Those whose debt is above GH¢500,000 are receiving payments as I speak.
    Mr Speaker, this year is indeed a year of roads. [Hear! Hear!] Unlike what the NDC Administration did by awarding road contracts more than the total budget of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), this is what the current Government is doing. Mr Speaker, 43 projects under cocoa roads have been awarded. On 30th

    Mr Speaker, on phase II, 24 projects have been programmed under COCOBOD, of which 22 lots have been programmed, and the construction would also start in January 2020. Phase III has 59 projects. When all is put together, it makes up 15 per cent of the Syndicated Loan of US$1.3 billion that this House approved for COCOBOD. We would never use the total amount of what COCOBOD needs to buy cocoa beans and inputs for cocoa roads.

    Mr Speaker, Government has selected regional roads and named them critical roads for each region. All the 16 regions in this country have therefore benefitted from the critical roads. When you go to the Ahafo Region, we have Akrodie-Sayereso Road which is about 40.3 kilometres.
    Mr Speaker 11:32 a.m.
    In conclusion?
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 11:32 a.m.
    If you go to the Ashanti Region, we have Obuasi town roads. Mr Speaker, Obuasi, being the hub of gold in this country, has bad roads, and this Government, under Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,
    Mr Ayeh-Paye 11:42 a.m.
    would construct all the Obuasi town roads.
    Mr Speaker, the NDC held a press conference and talked about critical roads in which the Volta Region was neglected. If time would permit, I would just mention some few roads in the Volta Region.

    In the North Tongu District, we have the Dufor-Adidome-Asikuma junction road. That alone is 39.2 kilometres. In North Tongu District again Asutsure-Aveyime road is 23.9 km. The Ho Munipality in Ketu North Constituency, the rehabilitation of Ho- Denu roads is 99km undertaken by the Government of Ghana.

    Mr Speaker, in north Tongu alone, where we had the Volivo Bridge, it would cost the country, GH¢100 million. When we go to --
    Mr Speaker 11:42 a.m.
    Hon Okudjeto Ablakwa
    Mr Samuel O. Ablakwa (NDC -- North Tongu) 11:42 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am most grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the Budget Statement.
    Mr Speaker, before I delve into matters relating to foreign affairs, I
    would wish to make some few preliminary observations about the nature of the Budget Statement.
    It appears that our Hon Colleagues at the Ministry of Finance are not paying attention to details. There are too many unpardonable mistakes, contradictions and untruths in the Budget Statement and I intend to point out a few.
    Mr Speaker, in Paragraph 19 of the Budget Statement, the Hon Minister speaks in to support for industry and entrepreneurship. He says;
    “Mr Speaker, to support Industry and Entrepreneurship;
    181 companies have benefited from support under the 1D1F programme;
    19,500 start-ups business have received training support under the Government Entrepre- neurship Programme;
    80 business incubation hubs have been up across the country to build the capacity of entrepreneurs;
    20,000 students have been trained, under the Student Entrepreneurship Initiative;
    100 disabled women have been empowered to start businesses;
    Mr Speaker, then surprisingly, the Hon Minister says; “Dagbon is finally at peace!' How is ‘Dagbon is at peace' related to support for industry and entrepreneurship?
    At paragraph 558 of the Budget Statement, the Hon Minister states that:
    “Mr. Speaker, Ghana also signed a number of MoUs during the President's official travels, among others, with car manufacturing giants such as Toyota, Nissan, Sino Truck and Volkswagen and a host of multinational companies (building factories) in Ghana”
    Mr Speaker, again, this is factually inaccurate. These companies have not begun building factories in Ghana. Our Committee met the German Ambassador a few days ago and the programme is to start next year. So, we have to be factual. The fact that they have signed an Agreement -- there ought to be precision and accuracy with the Budget Statement.
    If we go to paragraph 1073 and compare that with page 202, you see contradictions on how much our peacekeeping troops receive. Paragraph 1073 says there has been an increase from US$30 to US$35
    and yet, paragraph 202 says, from US$31 to US$35. This is a House of records; we cannot really accept these inaccuracies. We have seen what other inaccuracies have caused. For example, we were told the number of cocoa farmers were 180,0000,000 which is embarrassing. We saw what happened to Table 21; that is, the omission of the Volta Region from critical roads. So, there are just too many of these mistakes.
    Mr Speaker, I am also concerned about the assurances that His Excellency the President makes to this House, the country and the world. We all know that he is a co-chair of the SDGs eminent panel. On the 21st of February, 2019 during the State of the Nation Address, he announced that the Jubilee House, in line with the principle of the SDGs, specifically, 7 and 13, the Jubilee House will go solar by August this year. Three (3) months after that, it has not been met and there is no explanation only for us to be told in paragraph 825 of the Budget Statement and I quote:
    “Preparatory works for a 1.0MW solar at the Jubilee House was completed and the installation works have commenced”
    Mr Speaker, three months after the deadline that the President himself
    Mr Speaker 11:42 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Member, do you rise on a point of order?
    Mr Kingsley C. Ahenkorah 11:42 a.m.
    On a point of order.
    Mr Speaker, I believe that this is a House of record and so, if my Hon Colleague is making any statements, he needs to ensure that he maks valid statements.
    Mr Speaker 11:42 a.m.
    Like what? Please, be specific.
    Mr Ahenkorah 11:42 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, he alluded to the fact that in the run-up to gaining the bid for the Secretariat of the AfCFTA in Ghana, the former President played a very vital role.
    Mr Speaker 11:42 a.m.
    He said, he played a role.
    Mr Ahenkorah 11:42 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, let us agree that he said that; ‘a role'. I want to know which former President he is talking about.
    Mr Speaker 11:42 a.m.
    I know that he played a role.
    Mr Ahenkorah 11:42 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, which former President?
    Mr Speaker 11:42 a.m.
    Hon Member, please go on.
    [Interruption] --
    Mr Ablakwa 11:42 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
    From paragraph 769 --
    Mr Speaker 11:42 a.m.
    Honestly, if you contest it, check from the Hon Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, you would have the full list of those who played roles. Some of these are high diplomacy.
    Please, go on.
    Mr Ablakwa 11:52 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, there is an important matter about the financing of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area at paragraph 769 on page 143 of the Budget Statement.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to read 11:52 a.m.
    “In addition, Government offered a $10 million settling-in grant to support the establish- ment of the Secretariat.”
    I checked the appendix to see if we are meeting this obligation. On page 224, appendix 4 B, I noticed that the allocation under entry 21 for the Africa Continental Free Trade is GH¢40 million. Mr Speaker, US$10 million at today's exchange rate should be, at least, GH¢55 million. So there is a short fall of about GH¢15 million. Mr Speaker, the African
    Mr Speaker 11:52 a.m.
    Hon Member, what are you talking about?
    Mr Ablakwa 11:52 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have now moved to a matter that the President spoke on about illegal mining.
    rose
    Mr Speaker 11:52 a.m.
    Hon Leader.
    Mr Anim 11:52 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, earlier, you admonished all of us to speak with facts and provide evidence. The Hon Member is saying that US$10 million is more than GH¢40 million and making reference to exchange rates. Mr Speaker, he should provide his calculation because he is --
    Mr Speaker 11:52 a.m.
    Hon Leader, what is your point of challenge?
    Mr Anim 11:52 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, my contention is that he is saying that the GH¢40 million is far less than the US$10 million, and it should be GHC55 million. So, he should provide the exchange rate.
    Mr Speaker 11:52 a.m.
    Hon Member, is it not common knowledge that US$10 million is more than GH¢40 million? What evidence do you want to support this?
    Dr Appiah-Kubi 11:52 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member in his submission referred to paragraph 769, which reads:
    “In addition, Government offered a $10 million settling-in grant to support the establish- ment of the Secretariat.”
    Mr Speaker, in the 2020 Budget Statement, the Government has allocated GH¢440 million. There is a
    big difference between the two, so he should not mix the two because the US$10 million is what the Government has offered. It may be that the Government has already paid part of it. So that US$10 million cannot be the GH¢440 million that the Government has allocated in the Budget Statement. Mr Speaker, he should not mislead the House.
    Mr Speaker 11:52 a.m.
    Hon Ablakwa, this is a challenge that you have to respond to.
    Mr Ablakwa 11:52 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I wish to assure the Hon Member who is not a member of our Committee that I have checked. [Uproar.]
    Mr Speaker 11:52 a.m.
    Hon Member, kindly withdraw that statement.
    Mr Ablakwa 11:52 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I withdraw; I meant no malice. Mr Speaker, the point I am making is that I can confirm authoritatively that this is the first allocation in fulfilment of the US$10 million that the Budget Statement speaks to. The equivalent at page 224, item 21, does not add up. Mr Speaker, the exchange rate on the Bank of Ghana website today is GH¢5.53 so GH¢55 million is even conservative.
    Mr Speaker 11:52 a.m.
    Dr Appiah-Kubi.
    Dr Appiah-Kubi 11:52 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, what I want my Hon Colleague to understand is that the GH¢440 million is not the equivalent of the US$10 million because where in the Budget Statement has it been stated that the Government -- [Interruption.]
    An Hon Member 11:52 a.m.
    You are misleading the House.
    Dr Appiah-Kubi 11:52 a.m.
    He is mis- leading the House. The GH¢440 in the Budget Statement is not equivalent of US$10 million because the Government has offered --
    Mr Speaker 11:52 a.m.
    Hon Ablakwa, you are debating but the Hon Member has the Floor on a point of order, so let him finish.
    Hon Member, go on.
    Dr Appiah-Kubi 11:52 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to read paragraph 769:
    “In addition, Government offered a $10 million settling-in grant to support the establish- ment of the Secretariat.”
    Mr Speaker, he is talking about GH¢440 million, but that is different from the US$10 million.
    Mr Ablakwa 11:52 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, if I may clarify; on page 224, there is a
    Mr Speaker 11:52 a.m.
    Hon Member, let us talk about the figures that are available, and not what it is supposed to represent.
    Mr Ablakwa 11:52 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am referring to paragraph 769, and it is not equivalent to the financial provision --
    Mr Speaker 11:52 a.m.
    In terms of the document before us, that is the Ghana cedi amount stated. So let us stick to it and argue. You cannot bring in some dollar equivalence that you are invoking from somewhere to make an argument.
    Mr Ablakwa 11:52 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have stuck to the figures.
    Mr Speaker 11:52 a.m.
    We would not talk about what you have done elsewhere.
    Mr Ablakwa 12:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I did not mention GH¢440 million.
    Mr Speaker 12:02 p.m.
    Hon Member, that is extraneous. It is not before the House, and that was why you started by saying that the Hon Member was not an Hon Member of the Committee. That is not the issue, so please stay in context; which is the Budget Statement duly before this Honourable House.
    Mr Ablakwa 12:02 p.m.
    I will follow your guidance and, respectfully, I beg to quote paragraph 769 on page 143:
    “Mr. Speaker, Ghana was selected in July 2019 by the AU Heads of State and Government to host the Headquarters of the AfCFTA in Accra, after a successful bid process. In fulfilment of the bid require- ments, Government provided a permanent office building to host the AfCFTA Secretariat which is expected to become opera- tional not later than March 2020. In addition, Government offered a $10 million settling-in grant to support the establish- ment of the Secretariat.”
    That is the context, and the numbers of the allocation of the
    US$10 million on page 224 do not add up. That is the point I am making.
    Mr Speaker, I proceeded to raise the next issue --
    Mr Speaker 12:02 p.m.
    Hon Member, juxtapose and tell us for everybody to see clearly which numbers do not tally. You should mention this and that, and show that if you compare this to that they do not tally. Then you would be talking. If you would abandon that pathway and conclude your argument.
    Mr Ablakwa 12:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, US$10 million is what the text refers to in paragraph 769.
    Mr Speaker 12:02 p.m.
    Hon Deputy Minister for Finance?
    Mrs Abena Osei-Asare 12:02 p.m.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
    If we would all recall, in the Mid- Year Budget Statement, we made some provision for this same amount. So, the GH¢40million we see here is the difference of what we made and this one. So, it is not a US$10 million translated to GH¢40 million. That is not the case. If we look in the mid- year Budget review, we made some allocation for this same Africa Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat. So, Mr Speaker, this is
    aside what was provided in the Mid- Year Budget Statement.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker 12:02 p.m.
    Hon Member, my ruling is that abandon that pathway and make a conclusion of your contribution. You have a minute. In fact, I have given you five additional minutes, just to make clarity. It is clear; if you were calculating, you should have stopped at 12.00 noon. Now, you are stopping at 12.05 p.m. I knew what I was doing by giving you that extra time. It is exhausted; so conclude.
    Mr Ablakwa 12:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, as I conclude, there are two quick matters I would wish to bring to the attention of the House.
    Mr Speaker 12:02 p.m.
    There would be only one for that conclusion.
    Mr Ablakwa 12:02 p.m.
    The first one is the revelation, at paragraph 801, that 139 Chinese illegal miners were arrested and deported in the fight against galamsey. That is disappointing. On 20th September, the President said Aisha Huang's deportation was a mistake. We expected it to end there.
    Mr Speaker 12:02 p.m.
    Thank you very much.
    Mr Ebenezer N. N. Nartey (NPP -- Ablekuma Central) 12:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for this opportunity.
    The 2020 Budget Statement, which I believe strongly would transform this nation, is a clear indication of competency of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Dr Mahamadu Bawumia.

    Mr Speaker, this morning, I had the opportunity to go to --
    Mr Edward A. Bawa 12:02 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr Speaker, for the Hon Member to sit and project that --
    Mr Speaker 12:02 p.m.
    He was standing.
    Mr Bawa 12:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, for the Hon Member to indicate that the motivation for the former President to clear his own neighbourhood was influenced by an afforestation project when he has no evidence for that -- this being a House of record, he cannot use that as a basis.
    Mr Speaker 12:02 p.m.
    Yes, thank you.
    Mr Nartey 12:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is very important for me --
    Mr Speaker 12:02 p.m.
    Hon Member, your time is ticking away.
    Mr Nartey 12:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I withdraw.
    What I would want everybody to understand is that the Forestry Commission has made forestry in this country very innovative such that many people, including statesmen and women in this country, have involved themselves in weeding and taking part in forestry and plantation.
    This year alone --
    Mr Speaker 12:02 p.m.
    Order!
    Mr Nartey 12:02 p.m.
    In this year alone, the Forestry Commission supplied 19 million seedlings for forestry plantation. I have amire and wawa here. This should tell us the competency of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
    Mr Speaker, the target for the Forestry Commission was to plant 15,000 hectares; but because of the competency of this Government, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the members on the Committee from the Majority, and the Chief Executive Officer, Mr Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly called Sir John; we have planted 17,118 hectares. It tells us how the Forestry Commission and the Ministry is working to see to it that this Government, our Government-- your Government and my Government -- succeeds.
    Mr Speaker, when it comes to the land sector, in the 2018 Budget
    Statement, we assured Ghanaians that the frustration they go through when it comes to registration of land would be a thing of the past. Five offices were therefore, created; the Sekondi- Takoradi, Bolgatanta, Accra --
    Mr Speaker, all things being equal, come 2020, we would have six new offices for the newly created regions. This is a Government that believes in infrastructure and registration of properties. Today, my Hon Colleagues on the other Side can bear witness that those in the forest reserves have seen a total change in their various constituencies.
    Mr Speaker, in 2018, the Lands Commission decided to have a map for the entire country so that registration of title for lands would be so simple. In 2018, a total of 6,000 land title certificates were issued. As I speak now, the year has not ended, but they have registered and issued close to 7,000 land title certificates. This is competency.
    I am so happy to see in this year's Budget Statement, the allocation and preparation towards getting offices for the newly created regions.
    rose
  • [MR FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER IN THE CHAIR.]
    • Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:02 p.m.
    Hon Member, hold on. Kindly switch off your microphone so that you do not miss time.
    Yes, Hon Agbodza?
    12. 12 p. m.
    Mr Agbodza 12:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleague just made a statement. This is a House of records. One is not allowed to live inside the forest reserves.
    So, by saying that those living inside the forest reserves have seen their lives improved, he should not give the impression that he is aware of people closer to him who live in forest reserves and have been breaking the laws.
    We do not live in forest reserves in this country; he should correct that.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:02 p.m.
    I am sure he meant those who live in the forest regions. [Laughter.]
    Hon Member, continue.
    Mr Nartey 12:02 p.m.
    Thank you Mr Speaker, may you live long.
    Mr Speaker, the Office of the Stool Lands Administration (OSLA) operates at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. They have no office and have perched there for so many years. God willing, next year, the OSLA would move into their own office at Cantonments; the Survey and Mapping Division; the Land Title Registry; the Land Valuation Board; the National Office of the Lands Commission and the Survey School would have their own offices. That is competency.
    Mr Speaker, this Government has done so well when it comes to land registration and forestry as well, and has also dealt with illegal mining. As the Hon Vice Chairman of the Committee, we have had the opportunity of travel lines — we paid visits to some mining areas. It would sadden and surprise most of us here, the way and manner our forestry reserves have been destroyed. Thanks to the President and the NPP Government, we have been able to plant more than one million trees. What else do we need?
    Mr Speaker, I am also happy that the Forestry Commission has assured this House that they are prepared to give every Hon Member who needs seedlings to plant in their houses.
    Mr Speaker, to conclude, I believe strongly that my Hon Colleagues on the other Side have seen the good works of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo and the NPP Administration when it comes to the land, forestry and mining sectors. That is why they all say we deserve another term.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:02 p.m.
    Hon Mensah Kwabla Woyome?
    Mr Mensah Kwabla Woyome (NDC -- South Tongu) 12:02 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    I rise to contribute to the Motion on the Floor. In doing so, I would like to refer to page 111, paragraph 637 of the 2017 Budget Statement; the first Budget of the current NPP Administration. Looking at the performance of the NDC Administration in 2016, they were very candid to indicate that, and I quote:
    “The National Youth and Sports Bills were passed by Parliament to give strategic focus to the implementation of youth and sports priorities programmes in the country.”
    Mr Speaker, the emphasis is on the strategic implementation of youth and sports priority programmes which
    were started by the then Government, which this Government has duly acknowledged and quoted in the 2017 Budget Statement as the performance in 2016. So one would have expected that the Government would have continued from there.
    Mr Speaker, however, let me, refer to page 164, paragraph 3 of their own manifesto in which there were a series of promises and pledges to the Ghanaian youth. They referred to something here, which I would like to discuss and analyse. I beg to quote:
    “There is also inadequate investment in sports and —
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:02 p.m.
    Hon Woyome, which party's Manifesto are you holding?
    Mr Woyome 12:02 p.m.
    The NPP 2016 Manifesto.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:02 p.m.
    Is that the Manifesto?
    Mr Woyome 12:02 p.m.
    I am referring to a page of the Manifesto to buttress the point that I intend to make. That is to bring out the promises and some pledges to the Ghanaian youth and of course —
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:02 p.m.
    Hon Member, if you are going to quote
    Mr Woyome 12:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is on page 164, and I could tender this after I have —
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:02 p.m.
    Your Hon Colleague is holding the Manifesto. Take it and quote from it. That would be authentic.
    Mr Woyome 12:22 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to quote:
    “There is also inadequate investment in sports resulting in the low motivation and morale of sportsmen and women in the country. The absence of an adequate legal framework for sports development and promotion also hinders the development of sports. The lack of a maintenance culture…”
    Mr Speaker, having diagnosed the problem and so promised the Ghanaian youth, one would have expected the Government to build on quickly where we left off.
    Mr Speaker, let me refer to the 2020 Budget Statement. It has been
    well articulated on page 177, paragraph 975 in which the Government says that, and I beg to quote:
    “Mr. Speaker, work on the two Legislative Instruments (L.I) for the National Youth and Sports Acts are progressing steadily. Two consultants were procured to draft the two L.Is to be submitted to Parliament by the end of the year.”
    Mr Speaker, these statements were given to Ghanaians through Parliament in 2017, 2018 and 2019, and it is now being repeated in 2020. The question is, are we just to recycle this without necessarily giving real meaning and implementation, and actualising some of the things that were promised the people of this country? This is because the importance of the L. I.s is to actualise and to ensure that these laws work. This cannot be overemphasised because we are actually engaging key stakeholders in the industry who are ready to support the sports industry, but for the lack of these L. I.s, they are not ready to support.
    So, this, as promised in the 2020 Budget Statement would definitely not see the light of day as it has been the case in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
    Mr Speaker, may I refer again to paragraphs 634 and 642, in which there were promises again that they would continue the process of ensuring that they engage Public Private Partnership (PPP) and engage key people to ensure that the process that was started under the then NDC Government was continued.
    Mr Speaker, with your permission I could quote a portion of paragraph 634 of the 2017 Budget Statement which states that:

    “Work on the passage of the National Sports College Bill, and the revision of the 1994 National Sports Policy would be pursued in 2017 and submitted to Cabinet”.

    Also, in paragraph 642, they went ahead to say that they would expand the infrastructural work and transform the National Sports College into a centre of excellence. The Ministry would continue with the public private partnership investment arrangement to continue the work that was duly started by the NDC Government.

    Mr Speaker, it was again promised in their manifesto that they would ensure that it was done, and also build many other sports colleges.

    As we speak today, that has not seen the light of day. As their last Budget Statement to the nation and at the end of their four-year term next year, clearly, they have not been able to fulfil some of the things that were promised the Ghanaian youth.

    It is so worrying because the sports colleges are currently in deplorable states and not performing. We need to build capacity in the industry and get people. When we do it properly, we would find means of creating job opportunities for the youth and many more. This is because physiotherapy, sports medicine, fitness practitioners and several others are out there. With the requisite training, they could earn certification, and be useful in this country and elsewhere in the world. That is very important, but it has not seen the light of day. It is a worrying situation.

    Mr Speaker, the Government acknowledges something under the 2020 Budget Statement which is on paragraph 977. This is an acknowledgement of some work they are doing. I want to be quick to say that they must give credit to the then visionary leadership under former President Mahama for passing Act 939, which enables a five per cent allocation from the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF).
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:22 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Deputy Minister?
    Mr O. B. Amoah 12:22 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have been listening to the Hon Ranking Member of the Committee who has made a statement that is misleading, and we cannot allow it to pass. He said that we passed the Act in this House and because we inserted in the Act that there should be a certain percentage from the DACF to assist in running the National Youth Authority, if the Ministry of Youth and Sports is building 10 regional youth centres, then we should give the credit to former President Mahama.
    I do not understand it, and he is misleading the House. The fact that money would be allocated from the National Youth Authority does not mean that every project that would be carried out under this Admini-
    stration should be credited to the former President. It does not follow.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:22 p.m.
    Hon Member, you are in line to argue. So unless you are alleging that he has made a statement of fact -- Which fact has he said that you disagree with?
    Mr O. B. Amoah 12:22 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am saying that under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the priority was to build youth centres across the country, and that is what President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is pursuing. So, I do not see any link between what President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is pursuing and what former President Mahama did.
    He is not associated with what President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is now doing under his presidency, so I do not see why he should bring that in. The passing of an Act does not mean that whatever follows from that Act should be credited to the previous President.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:22 p.m.
    Hon Member, you are out of order.
    Mr Woyome 12:22 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am sure that the Hon Ranking Member in 2016, who is currently the Hon Minister for Youth and Sports, would have told you about the idea when we looked at the Bill. We wanted to

    I said that at the time —. I would not mind my Hon Colleague. He was the Hon Ranking Member at the time, and he is currently the Hon Minister for the sector. You are not the Hon Minister responsible for the sector. He would appreciate it, but all the same --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:22 p.m.
    Hon Member, are you addressing me or engaging in an aside?
    Mr Woyome 12:22 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, going forward, that agenda is being pursued, and I am sure we would look at many more strategies. In the Manifesto, there were promises of building and rehabilitating the current stadia across the country. It was been well- articulated in the 2017 and 2018 Budget Statements, but lost its place in subsequent Budget Statements. Nothing has been done so far on them, so they have actually promised, but have not delivered.
    We have just won the bid to host the 2023 All African Games. As a way of preparation — I am at a loss as to whether they are looking at how they
    intend to host that beautiful game come 2023, beginning from today, in terms of preparation. How would they ensure that they have all it takes to host the Games in a befitting manner?
    Mr Speaker, in the entire Budget Statement, knowing very well that this event is ahead of us, we have not seen any mention of the allocation of any figure for this come 2023. We know what it takes, so we need to put our facilities in place, begin to look at our athletes, help them train and give them opportunities to participate in international and national events. we have however not seen that in the figures.
    Now, there was specific mention that the University of Ghana Sports Stadium would be completed. As we speak, there is nothing in terms of getting it completed. I do not think that it would see the light of day by the end of next year when they hand over. I believe that is a worrying situation. The Government is not really walking the talk so far as their submission on promises to the youth is concerned. As contained in their Manifesto, may I use this opportunity to bring out some of the lack of support for the lesser-known sports in the country.
    Mr Speaker, if we look at the Doha World Athletics Championship,
    Mr Woyome 12:22 p.m.


    which was held recently from 27th September to 6th October, 2019, nine athletes represented Ghana in both the men and women's 4X100 relay teams. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) provided tickets, accommodation and feeding for the eight athletes who qualified. The Ghana Athletics Association provided tickets for the two coaches, one official and one reserve athlete.

    They requested per diem in writing to the Ministry, but they were never given. That is a worrying situation that must be looked at. The Ministry did not support them, even though they went ahead to win medals. These medals have been showcased in the Budget Statement as achievements of the Government, but the Government had not done any investments towards it.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:22 p.m.
    Hon Member, you have one minute more.
    Mr Woyome 12:32 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it would be very appropriate that the Government begins to look at all these and corrects them. This is because all the achievements and medals in Morocco were won without the Government investing a dime in supporting the preparation and qualification of these athletes.

    Mr Speaker, what is even more serious is that some of the athletes who represented us in the African Junior and Senior Championship games in Abidjan, La Cote d'Ivoire and who won nine medals, and also in the ECOWAS Championship in Niamey in Niger and won 11 medals were not supported and had to travel by road. That was a worrying situation. A bus was provided with a driver and the Association had to fuel it. The situation cuts across all the federations and this is an issue that must catch the attention of the Government.

    Next year, if we really want to revamp our sports as was promised in the NPP Manifesto -- this is disappointment to the youth and everybody else --
    Mr Speaker 12:32 p.m.
    Hon Alex Agyekum?
    Mr Alex Kofi Agyekum (NPP -- Mpohor) 12:32 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the debate.
    Mr Speaker, I stood up earlier to correct a misleading information that the Hon Ranking Member of the Youth, Sports and Culture Committee gave, that the Government did not
    support the national teams that went to Morocco and for other assignments. As an Hon Ranking Member of the Committee, I do not expect him to make such a categorical statement because I know for a fact that the Government supported these teams to the extent that this particular year, it went out of its own way to support football clubs like the Ashante Kotoko Football Club and Ashgold FC Ghana. That has not been the normal situation.
    Mr Speaker, on a more substantive note, I wish to state that youth development and training has become the pivotal highlight of this Government's policies.To that extent, going into the 21st Century the industrialisation drive of this Government hinges much more on the way we train our youth.
    Training the youth would involve three main domains; making sure that they are trained in their cognitive abilities, the pyscho-motor skills and the affective domain. The cognitive skills has to do with their intellect and that is why the various programmes that have been rolled, especially, the reforms in the educational sector are geared towards training the youth in terms of how they would develop their intellect and be more innovative. We have started with the basics, instead
    of the root memory kind of teaching. The children would be introduced to robotics in which case, as they play, they would have enquiring minds. I want to commend the Ministry for introducing all these.
    Mr Speaker, paragraphs 944 to 947 of the Budget Statement give us synopsis of the various interventions that the Government would do in terms of emphasis on science, technology, mathematics and innovations. What makes me happy is the policy cohesion and integration that has been adopted. Whiles all these innovations and change in curriculum and other training programmes go on, there are still other agencies like the National Youth Authority (NYA), Youth Employment Agency (YEA), et cetera who have introduced models that train the youth to be more skilful for the job market. That is a policy we urge the Government to continue.
    Mr Speaker, paragraphs 981 to 983 of the Budget Statement make specific mention of basic training programmes like metal fabrication, cosmetology, hair weaving and some basic things that are done by those who could not pursue education to higher levels. When they are trained, they would not be left on their own but would be given start up capital and kits to continue with their vocation.
    Mr Alex Kofi Agyekum (NPP -- Mpohor) 12:42 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, paragraphs 244 to 246 of the Budget Statement talk about the NABCO intervention. This is a policy intervention that this House must look at and, possibly, legislate as a Government intervention that would have perpetuity in terms of having a programme that would inure to the development of this country.
    Mr Speaker, one year down the line, the report from NABCO on these various models such as the Educate Ghana, Heal Ghana, Feed Ghana, Civil Ghana, Digitise Ghana and Enterprise Ghana is a positive one, so I want to urge the House and the Ministry of Youth and Sports to think about ways and means to let this House approve a Legislative Instrument (L.I) that would ensure that this particular programme does not become a temporary one but a permanent one that would be recognised as an entity that is geared towards development.
    Mr Speaker, with regard to sports development, I would be first to admit that 2019 has been a difficult year and it took the Government's intervention and tactfulness for this country to escape a ban by FIFA. This is because we were all hit by the Anas expose where some alleged malfeasance were revealed. Tactfully, the Government undertook the
    assignment to ensure that this country was not isolated internationally. At the same time we were also mindful of the fact that wrongdoing was not condoned.
    Today, I am happy to report that after the setting up of the Normalisation Committee and all the processes and the mandate given to them to ensure a review of the status of the Football Association (FA) in Ghana, they have been able to go through all those mandates and as I speak, there is a new president and a vice president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) as well as, the Executive Council members.
    Mr Speaker, with your permission, maybe, next week, the new Executive Council with their president would call on Parliament and I would lead them to your office for a courtesy call.
    I commend the Government for properly shepherding this particular situation that the country went through and also thank the Normalisation Committee whose mandate ended on the 17th November, 2019 for the work they did.
    Mr Speaker, I would turn my attention to a very peculiar thing that is part of the difficulty that affects youth employment. In Parliament, the national service personnel are about
    550, and my checks yesterday, at the Human Resources Department revealed that permanent staff are 470. If 470 is added to the almost 600 and national service personnel — that is
    275.

    Mr Speaker, we have quite a sizeable number here and my emphasis is almost the attrition rate. National service persons are posted to the Parliamentary Service and at the end of the one-year duration, there is no programme by the Parliamentary Service to retain even one per cent of them but they are also to go outside to fend for themselves in the labour market.

    I am appealing to Parliament to look into its Budget Statement and, as a way of complementing the NABCO programme instituted by Government, to also have a policy of at least, retaining some small number of national service persons who are hardworking in critical areas in Parliament rather than having them come to work here and just going away.

    Mr Speaker, finally, I would like to state that mere education of our youth without inculcating moral values in them will end up in training our

    youth to become smart nation wreckers. That is why this year when His Excellency the President came to address this House, he mentioned the fact that there was the need for us to ensure that the moral upbringing of our children is taken care of.

    I urge this House that whatever it takes for us to back this, we must do it. As a country, we were bequeathed with some moral values from our parents but what do we see today? Our parents taught us to appreciate that; “good name is better than riches” but the current generation including some of us seated here have overturned it in a manner that shows that money is better than good name. That is why a lot of embezzlements and other moral issues are prevalent.

    Mr Speaker, I urge this House to critically look at this and ensure that the introduction of a policy by any Ministry that ensures that the moral upbringing of our children is enhanced will be supported. We will not bow to the pressure of relegating moral training of our children to the background.

    I know that people may think that sometimes, interventions by the Government is a waste of resources but we must look at the real cost of some policy interventions like NABCO. What would have
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:42 p.m.
    Hon Dr Francis Bawaana Dakura?
    Dr Francis B. Dakura (NDC -- Jirapa) 12:42 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Budget Statement.
    Mr Speaker, I contribute from the perspective of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration. Before I even start, I would urge by advising the Hon Minister for Finance that in submitting such important documents to this House, once they are released and lands in this House, it goes beyond the borders of Ghana.
    As I speak, we could have got those documents on the desk of our various Foreign missions across the globe. Yesterday, I got a call from a Ghanaian undertaking a PhD programme in China and he says that he was asked by a number of his colleagues since when did the population of Ghana reach a half of China's? This is because they saw 880 million farmers in Ghana when we actually have 30 million people.
    Mr Speaker, I know that this was corrected, but I think that we can prevent such things when dealing with such important documents.
    I will like to focus on two important areas of the Budget Statement. This is because as an Hon Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, I am aware that the most important thing that can happen to us is to get our foreign direct investments constantly increasing year-on-year.
    In the year 2018, we got about US$3.5 billion of foreign direct investment. It is important that we recognise the importance of trade agreements and our relationships with our foreign counterparts and other governments across Africa and the world.
    Mr Speaker, in doing so, it is also important for us to recognise the factors that can affect our standing in the international community. One of these factors is the issue of corruption. As at the year 2016, Ghana stood at the 70th position the International Corruption Index. Unfortunately, as I speak to the Budget Statement today, we stand at the 78th position and that is because as we know, ‘things are knocking things' in terms of our national economy.
    The subtle attempts at state capture does not inure to our international reputation. We are aware that corruption, as a social vice, can be a disease that is ubiquitous and actually insidious. It is important that in submitting a Budget Statement, the Government takes into account, steps that it takes to deal with the issue of corruption in this country.
    This year, the Government of Ghana has made tremendous efforts in a number of areas and it needs to be commended on that. However, we have got serious challenges with the perception that corruption is growing in this country and that is affecting the ability to attract further direct investment from outside the country.
    Mr Speaker, with all the attempts by Government to ensure that Ghana
    is a safe haven and more attractive for foreign direct investment, there is a lot for us to do in dealing with the issue of corruption.
    I am dwelling so much on corruption because this Government seems to be fast losing its strength in dealing with the issue of corruption. We are aware that one of the very strong points that the current Government and the party used in attaining power in the year 2016 was that they will fight corruption with all the might at their disposal.
    Mr Speaker, however, we are aware that they are fast becoming a very good clearing agency for corruption.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:42 p.m.
    Hon Member, what is the meaning of that? This is a House of records and when you say somebody is a clearing house for corruption how do you explain it?
    Dr Dakura 12:42 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if you want me to withdraw that I will do so but I would like to explain that --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:42 p.m.
    What it means is that there is no such thing --
    Dr Dakura 12:42 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I humbly withdraw.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:52 p.m.
    Very well.
    Dr Dakura 12:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I do not want to embark on anything which is controversial, but I think that it is important for us to fight corruption objectively because it is painting the picture of Ghana very badly. As we speak, Ghana is even falling behind Nigeria in terms of corruption perception. Mr Speaker, this is not from me but from Transparency International. This is not a generalised statement but a statement based on research conducted by Transparency International.
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:52 p.m.
    Hon Member, hold on.
    Mr Elvis M. Donkor 12:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member is misleading the House by saying that Ghana is overtaking Nigeria in a corruption index. He should provide for the House his source of that information because there is nowhere in a Transparency International report that says Ghana has overtaken Nigeria in terms of corruption. So he
    should prove to the House by providing the evidence.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:52 p.m.
    Hon Member, your source has been challenged. Can we see the source?
    Dr Dakura 12:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I will help my Hon Colleague if he has serious issues with research. In fact,-
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:52 p.m.
    Hon Member, our rule is that once it has been challenged then you must provide the evidence.
    Dr Dakura 12:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to quote from the 2018 report by Transparency International:
    “Recently describing how Ghana has surpassed Nigeria regarding the perception of corruption in each country. . .”
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:52 p.m.
    Hon Member, table it for the record.
    Dr Dakura 12:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, after the debate I would table it.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:52 p.m.
    Hon Member, what are you quoting from?
    Dr Dakura 12:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, what I am saying is that I conducted a research and made notes of what I
    needed. I am not doing a summary and I have quoted the 2018 report by Transparency International.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:52 p.m.
    Hon Member, the issue is that your source has been challenged and as soon as there is a challenge then we must verify it. So, if you have the evidence then table it; otherwise, you do not have to quote from it unless it is verified.
    Hon Leader.
    Mr A. Ibrahim 12:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member on his feet said that he did a google search of the 2018 report by Transparency International. Mr Speaker, you caused the training of Hon Members in e-parliament and Hon Members are putting it into practice. I do not see the challenge of this House when the Hon Member has provided the source because any Hon Member who is interested should just browse the internet for the source. If a google search is conducted and the source is not found then what he is saying can be disputed.
    Mr Speaker, Parliament has a website and any Hon Member could access that website and make a reference. If the Hon Member is disputing the integrity and credibility of the corruption perception index on the website of Transparency
    International then I have no problem. Mr Speaker, this is not a hardcopy document that the Hon Member can table. This is a source that has been quoted and so any Hon Member could browse for that source. If it is not found then the Hon Member can withdraw but when it is there --
    Mr Speaker, if we accept such challenges then it would be difficult for Hon Members to conduct research.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:52 p.m.
    Hon Leader, you were here when the Hon Chairman of the Committee on Roads and Transport cited a record form the Hansard from our own Parliament but because he was not able to produce it, the Rt Hon Speaker ruled that he could not use it. That is what our rule is. On the day the Question was answered, I was presiding and I remember that exactly but because he could not produce the Hansard it was ruled that he could not --
    So, please produce it; if not, then do not use it.
    Dr Dakura 12:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would humbly withdraw but I want to indicate that I do not plagiarise like others do. I picked my notes clearly but if it is being challenged then I would withdraw.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:52 p.m.
    Hon Member, hold on.
    Dr Kwaku Afriyie 12:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I rise on Standing Order 93 (2). In responding to your ruling, the Hon Member said that he would not plagiarise like others do. Mr Speaker, the motive for saying that is unparliamentary.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:52 p.m.
    Hon Member, ‘others' could be anybody.
    Dr Dakura 12:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I appreciate that interruption because plagiarism is quite normal around the world and that is why degrees could
    be withdrawn. I did not mention in particular -- but plagiarism is a crime.
    Mr Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to urge my Hon Colleagues and to say without reservations that we support the Government's Economic Policy for
    2020.
    Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:02 p.m.
    Hon O. B. Amoah.
    Mr Osei B. Amoah (NPP -- Akuapim South) 1:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion on the Floor. I would talk about youth and sports in this country.
    Firstly, this country is witnessing a very dramatic attention on the youth in this country. Mr Speaker, if you look at every sector; economy, employment, education, skills development and training, what we are witnessing is unprecedented. Indeed, on page 202 of the Budget Statement where some of the achievements have been listed -- I would want to focus on what has been done for the youth.
    We are told, and it is obvious that we have established the Nation
    Builders Corps and recruited 100,000 graduates.
    Mr Speaker, 350,000 persons have been recruited into the Public Service, some of whom obviously are the youth. We are absolving the West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) registration fees for students. Obviously we have restored the Teacher Training Allowances; we have introduced new reforms to allow teacher trainees to be awarded degrees rather than diplomas, after graduation; the famous Nurses Training Allowances have been restored; and we are constructing 10 youth resource centres across the 10 regions. They are 10 because as of that time, we had 10 regions. We are informed that the six additional regions would have their share.
    This Government has established and implemented the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme with over 10,000 beneficiaries who are all youth and there is the students' entrepreneurship initiative to inculcate the spirit of entrepreneurship in students from high school -- that has also been established.

    When you have a good Government, it delivers. In every sector, it is the youths who prosper and benefit the most. This is what is happening under this Government of President Akufo- Addo.

    Indeed, Mr Speaker, if you go to the specifics, we are all over the place. For instance, paragraph 961 states it, and with your permission, I would just read a bit of it:

    “Job Creation and Develop- ment Programme

    961. Mr Speaker, to effectively work towards the vision of “facilitating and creating sustainable employment opportunities for the youth and providing them with employable skills”, the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) engaged 91,420 beneficiaries under the various YEA modules. The Agency also launched one of its new products, “The Job Centre”, an interactive web-based system that seeks to bring job seekers and job offers together. The Job Centre will be linked with the Ghana Labour Market Information System to enhance employ- ability of beneficiaries”.
    Mr Osei B. Amoah (NPP -- Akuapim South) 1:12 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, if you go on to
    paragraph 962, it talks about YEA introducing another module, which is the Artisan Directorate, and that it is expected that total enrolment would be increased from the 91,420 to 130,000 by 2020.
    This is what a very efficient and competent Government does. They build the foundation, and when it is built, it lasts forever from top to bottom. We must commend the Government of President Akufo- Addo for focusing on the youth as far as education, skill training, job creation and development are concerned.
    Mr Speaker, if you look at paragraph 980 of the Budget Statement, something very critical has gone on. The last time we had a youth authority policy was in 2010. The youth authority policy has now been reviewed. If you look at paragraph 987, the National Youth Authority is now implementing this policy for the youth. When it comes to youth policy, a lot of factors go into such policies. It affects every aspect of the life of a youth, whether it is health, education, sports or training. Everything that makes the youth become responsible and take over the events of this nation is captured.
    Mr Speaker, on sports, I heard my friend, the Hon Ranking Member of the Committee responsible for Sports saying nothing has happened as far as renovation of facilities is concerned. That is not accurate. Indeed, Ghana hosted the Africa Women Cup of Nations, and the Accra Sports Stadium was rehabilitated for that tournament. It is a fact. Certain training centres including the El Wak Sports Stadium were rehabilitated. This is aside what the Ministry is building in the then 10 regional areas. So it is not accurate for the impression to be created that nothing is happening when it comes to sports.
    Indeed, the Hon Ranking Member said he did not see anything about Ghana hosting the 2023 All Africa Games. Last year, I remember very well that it was mentioned in the Budget Statement that Ghana is preparing towards the All Africa Games for 2023. A special committee has been set up by the Ministry to ensure that Ghana prepares for it. Some infrastructure are being built and some existing infrastructure would be used for the 2023 All Africa Games. And so it is not accurate that nothing is being done in that area.
    Mr Speaker, we all know about our national teams and what is going on. As we speak today, we are all hoping and praying that the Olympic Team,
    which is the Under 23 Team would qualify for the Olympic Games for the first time since 2004. We know they would deliver today so that at least, our youth would participate in the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
    Mr Speaker, we are glad to note that the national soccer league would commence on 21st December, 2019, at long last. We all know what we have gone through in the absence of the league and the absence of a substantive Ghana Football Asso- ciation. What we have gone through; thankfully, we are over with the Normalisation Committee. We now have in place the Executive Committee of the Ghana Football Association, and they have already started running as they were even sworn into office. We all know that the Ghana Black Stars are topping their group, and as I said, the Olympic team would also follow.
    However, Mr Speaker, I think what we should expect from the Ministry of Youth and Sports is the fact that at long last, they have almost concluded the Legislative Instrument (L.I.) for certain aspects of the Sports Act to be activated and implemented. I remember very well that when we were passing the Sports Act, a lot of items were listed for the Hon Minister to come to this House with an L.I. to activate them.
    We should be more interested in sport academies; that is how the youth who enter into sports are trained to earn their keep. We should even be interested in how to raise funds to support our sports; the rules that adopt into the sport sector concerning gaming and betting. Several aspects of sports need regulations to be activated and implemented. We urge the Ministry of Youth and Sports to look beyond just the two L. I.s and look at other aspects of it. Particularly, a sports fund which is how we would use sports to raise funds and make sure that we develop every aspect of sports and not only soccer or a few like boxing and athletics.
    Indeed, it is said that sports is a multi-billion dollar business anywhere. If you look at how other nations are using sports to earn so much and to motivate the youth by putting them in schools-look at their health, everything that could be done under sports would enhance the wellbeing of the average person, especially the youth.

    That is how come the UN centred on sports and development and looked at all aspects of sports which could raise the image; the stature and everything that we could think of the individual and of a country.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:12 a.m.
    Hon Alfred Oko Vanderpuije?
    Dr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije (NDC -- Ablekuma South) 1:12 a.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the 2020 Budget.
    I would like to follow up -- from where my good Friend just left of.
    Mr Speaker, my good Friend spoke well about government
    initiatives for the youth and for sports. I would have loved to see in this Budget Statement serious budget allocation going to the grass roots - the communities to ensure the improvement and engagement of youth activities.
    So, in as much as I appreciate what the Ministry of Youth and Sports is doing, I would encourage that we would have loved to see funding going down to the grass roots. So that the youth in our communities would begin to engage in colt sports, and community competitions where we normally grow our players -- both boys and girls and bring them on different levels.
    Mr Speaker, with respect to the 2020 Budget Statement for the economy, the Hon Minister for Finance talks about our economy, and I expected that. However, when my good Friend and neighbour -- Ablekuma South and Ablekuma Central, we know too well that if the Hon Minister for Finance says on page 201 that:
    “We have reduced inflation to its lowest level since 1992”.
    Mr Speaker, the reality is not on the ground. If we have reduced inflation to the lowest level since 1992, one would have expected that when we go to the market, our purchasing power should be better today than it
    was yesterday. One would have expected that when we take trotro and taxi or when we go to the petrol station to fill our fuel tanks, the cost of living today should be much better than it was yesterday.
    However, my Brothers and Sisters on the other Side and I know too well that we have families in this country, who cannot afford a three-square meal; we have families in this country who cannot afford their children's education —
    Mr Codjoe 1:12 a.m.
    On a point of order. Mr Speaker, obviously, my Hon Colleague is misleading the House. When we talk about inflation, we are talking of the rate of change. There is nowhere that inflation rate means prices of goods would be cheaper. The rate at which the prices are rising is slower than before. It does not mean that prices would come down and purchasing power would improve. I would like him to correct himself.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:12 a.m.
    Hon Member, please, be advised.
    Dr Vanderpuije 1:12 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, let me bring my Brother home on another level:
    “We have reduced overall tax burden on Ghanaians”.
    Mr Speaker, which Ghanaians? Is it the Greater Accra Ghanaians or those in the Northern Region? They have reduced some other taxes, but the burden from some other angles is so high. So, the overall effect on our people -- on the economy, the reality is that, our people are suffering. Whether in the market, whether when they pay their children's school fees; whether they visit clinics and hospitals or whether they are taking their children to the day-care centres, our people cannot make it; they are suffering.
    Mr Speaker, I would also like to make a comment in the area of the PDS scandal. On pages 802, 821 and 822, the Hon Minister for Finance made reference to the PDS and this is a sad situation for me to witness in this country.
    Mr Speaker, I was part of Ghana's delegation, with our former President when he was Vice President, that went to the United States of America (USA) to negotiate and assure the Americans that Ghana would do whatever it takes to satisfy the conditions of the first phase of the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA). Mr Speaker, at that point of our visit to the USA, the N1 Highway construction did not look like we would complete it.
    Mr Moses Anim 1:12 a.m.
    On a point of order. Mr Speaker, the last page for this Budget is 267. The Hon Member keeps quoting page 822 -- [Interruption] -- so, if he could apply himself to what exactly is in the Budget Statement.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:12 a.m.
    I am sure he is referring to paragraph 822. Well noted.
    Dr Vanderpuije 1:22 a.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker, and thank you my good Friend. It is paragraphs 220, 221 and
    222.
    Mr Speaker, as I was saying, we had to assure the Americans that Ghana would complete the construction of the N1 Highway. The Americans said in our presence that, if we did not complete the construction of the N1 Highway, Ghana would not qualify for the Compact II. I had to assure them as Mayor of Accra that we would complete it. We came back, the former President John Dramani Mahama monitored the situation to make sure them, that we would complete the construction of the N1 Highway, and we did. Therefore, we qualified for the Compact II.
    Mr Speaker, my point is, only for the money to come and what did we see with it? PDS scandal all over the place. That is not good for the country.
    What I expected the Administration of the NPP to do was to take that money which is earmarked for energy, to improve our energy sector. But that is not what we are experiencing and it breaks my heart to see that.

    So, I hope as a Ghanaian and a Hon Member of this House that we would correct all the unnecessary situations around PDS. GH¢500 million of which part has come in and part is yet to come, so that in the interest of our country, we would solve the energy problems of this country.

    Mr Speaker, the National Cathedral is earmarked to cost us GH¢9,246,720. The passport office has to be relocated and other Government facilities have been pulled down to construct the National Cathedral. I know too well that majority of the churches in the country are working hard to construct church facilities for themselves.

    So, if we want to spend GH¢9,246,720, I am very sure that the Ministry of Education would have loved to see this money added to their Budget for the Free SHS Programme because we all support it. We would not have had the Double Track System and the Deputy Minister for Education would have been happy.
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:22 a.m.
    Hon Member, hold on. You have one minute left but your own Member wants to challenge you.
    Dr Ayine 1:22 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I just heard the Hon Member say that the National Cathedral would cost us GH¢9,246,720. That is the administrative cost of the secretariat. The Minister said it would cost over US$100 million. That is a point of correction, so he has to correct it.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:22 a.m.
    Are you speaking to the Budget Statement or quoting from elsewhere?
    Hon Bawa, you went and whispered into his ears, did you tell him the source? [Laughter] -- Let us speak to the Budget Statement because what you heard outside is not part of the debate. What is in the Budget Statement is what he is referring to.
    Dr Ayine 1:22 a.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker. It is described as administrative cost of the secretariat and not the cost of construction.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:22 a.m.
    So, what is your problem? That is what has been budgeted for.
    Mr Ayine 1:22 a.m.
    That is so, Mr Speaker.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:22 a.m.
    Hon Member, please continue.
    Dr Vanderpuije 1:22 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to use my one minute to address the issue on page 109, paragraph 553 on the conditions of service for foreign service staff.
    For the three years this Administration has been in office, we have not seen any improvement in the conditions of service of foreign service staff. So, I would want to advocate that this Budget should do something about that because Ghanaians in foreign service deserve the best conditions of service.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker, for this opportunity.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:22 a.m.
    Hon Kojo Asemanyi?
    Mr Kojo Asemanyi (NPP -- Gomoa East) 1:22 a.m.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to speak on the Motion on the floor of the House.
    The remarkable achievements of the NPP Government, led by H. E. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in less than three (3) years in office is something that has made my belief in God go very high. It somehow makes me understand that God is a prayer answering God.

    Mr Speaker, from 2012 to 2016 especially, we could describe our situation as that of the Israelites in the land of Egypt. We were saddled with dumsor and industries were collapsing; and the youth were sacked with nothing to feed on and no work.

    Mr Speaker, the introduction of this Budget, on page 1, paragraph 5, describes the situation that we were in and I quote:

    “It is proper to put this budget into perspective to understand how far we have come. On Thursday, 2nd March 2017, I had the honour and privilege to present the first budget of President Akufo-Addo to this House. At that time, as you may recall, the economy was in a very bad shape, suffocating under a mixed weight of debts, arrears, very high cost of living, high youth unemployment and the worst growth rate since 1994. Moreover:

    Growth in agriculture was declining;

    Industry growth was in the negative;

    Interest rates were high;

    The banking system was weak;

    Unemployment was rising; and

    Businesses and households were working mainly to pay off their utility bills.”

    Mr Speaker, I would just like to let you know the situation that we were in and the fact that God answered our prayers by bringing in H. E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo.
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:22 a.m.
    Hon Member, hold on. Switch off your microphone.
    Mr Agbodza 1:22 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, what my Hon Colleague just read is what was written but I seek your guidance. If you look at the Table at Figure 2, in 2016, agriculture grew by 2.9 per cent and it is growing by 2.7 per cent now. So, that statement that in 2016 --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:22 a.m.
    What is the factual error here?
    Mr Agbodza 1:22 a.m.
    The factual error is that the Statement by the Minister for Finance is incorrect.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:22 a.m.
    So, what has he said that is not in the Budget?
    Mr Agbodza 1:22 a.m.
    I think that this House can correct it because --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:22 a.m.
    You are out of order.
    Please continue.
    Mr Asemanyi 1:32 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker, for coming to my rescue.
    Just as you have come to my rescue, H. E. the President of the Republic of Ghana came to the rescue of Ghana during those times that things were all in negative.
    Just like Joseph, in three years, the economic growth that was 3.4 per cent has miraculously turned to 6.8 per cent. Inflation rates are at their lowest. When Joseph was Prime Minister of Egypt, when there was hunger, he brought the Planting For Food and Jobs Initiative and the whole of Egypt and Israel was fed. I hope Hon Agbodza is getting me.
    Mr Speaker, the fact of the matter is that figures do not lie and this Government as the statistics show, has proven to all of us that within two and a half years, we can turn things around.
    Mr Speaker, after speaking generally about what has been done by this Government, I want to zero in on the performance of this Government in youth and sports development. The Chairman of the Committee has spoken extensively on it. Also, a senior Member of this House, Hon O. B. Amoah has spoken about the many things that this Government has done, so far as youth and sports development is concerned.
    I just want to reiterate the fact that there is a conscious effort by this Government through this Budget to make sure that we develop our talents. Talent is not enough to get to where we want, so far as our various disciplines of sports are concerned. If you see what this Government has been doing over the years, and what this Budget is trying to do, we are making a conscious effort to develop the talents that our youth have, so that we can get the necessary results out of sports as a nation.
    Mr Speaker, as we speak, there are renovations all over.

    As has been said's Tamale Sports Stadium renovation is going on. The Cape Coast and Accra Sports Stadia --
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:32 p.m.
    Yes, available Hon Leader?
    Mr Woyome 1:32 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to correct the Hon Member. He mentioned that sports stadia were built and he mentioned Cape Coast and Accra Sports Stadia. I would want to tell him that the Cape Coast Stadium was constructed under the NDC Administration and it was commissioned by the current Government. Even with regard to the Accra Sports Stadium, we did some rehabilitating work which has not even ended.
    Mr Asemayi 1:32 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, what I said was that there were renovations going on to accommodate the lesser- known sports and to make sure that swimming pools are constructed and other things are made that would encourage lesser-known sport than he said this Government has not paid attention to.
    Mr Speaker, if we look at the stadia that have been built across the nation, there is a cautious effort for about 15 disciplines that would be given the opportunity. This is the way to develop the talents that we want, so that we could get to where we want to get to, so far as sports concerned.
    Mr Speaker, as we know, plans are advanced to make sure that we do renovations to develop facilities to hold the 2023 African Games. This would go a long way to get facilities in place, so that the youth would make use of themto sharpen their talents. It would also give them the opportunity to be able to compete internationally and win laurels for this country and get the necessary economic gains for this country.
    Mr Speaker, there is also a special attempt by this Government — the Ministry of Youth and Sports, through the Ministry of Finance has given financial clearance to recruit staff for National Sports Authority at the various places. For a very long time, there has not been the human resource capacity, so this is a good initiative because it would ensure that there are people who would serve as trainers, administrators and those who would serve in various capacities to ensure that we develop our sports at the various levels.
    Mr Speaker, there are also special arrangements that have been put in place by this Ministry. An example is the Ghana-Columbia Association that share ideas and train sports people. There is the Ghana-Ukraine Agreement that has been signed to ensure that our sports people would be able to visit and use facilities in that country, which is known for athletes and swimming. So that we sharpen our —
    Mr Speaker, there are plans also to send coaches to some of these countries. Last year, two coaches came to Ghana to undertake training for some of our disciplines. These are the initiatives that have been taken by the Ministry to ensure that we get to where we want to get to, so far as our sports development is concerned.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:32 p.m.
    Hon Member, you have a minute more.
    Mr Asemanyi 1:32 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, about tourism, we all know that this is the Year of Return, which is pursued by the Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture, backed by the President. There is a clarion call to wear Ghana, eat Ghana and to do all the things to make sure that we invite foreigners to the country, so that there would be foreign investments in the country.
    Mr Speaker, with regards to the National Cathedral, it is a very important assignment we have to undertake, but our Friends who have thrown sand in it, do not know that we have to give to Caesar what is due Caesar and to give to God what we have to give to God.
    Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I do not want to say that we have done everything but this Government is on course and is on the right direction; it deserves a very good --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:32 p.m.
    Hon Stephen Ackah?
    Mr Stephen M.E.K. Ackah (NDC -- Suaman) 1:32 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I rise to contribute to the Budget Statement and in doing so, I would want to refer to the Budget Statements for 2018 and 2020.
    Mr Speaker, I have perused the 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 Budget Statements on sports development. What I realised was that there is just a recycling of events, year in and year out.
    Mr Speaker, with your permission, I beg to quote to paragraphs 975, 976, 977 and 978 of the 2020 Budget Statement and paragraph 659 of the 2017 Budget Statement. In paragraph 978 of the 2020 Budget Statement it reads.
    Mr Stephen M.E.K. Ackah (NDC -- Suaman) 1:42 p.m.
    “In 2020, the Ministry will facilitate the qualification and participation of all National Football Teams in various international tournaments including the Black Stars preparation and qualification to the 2021. . .''
    Mr Speaker, in the above statement, it looks like the Ministry would do just facilitating of national teams into competitions which have passed through from 2016 to 2019 and I ask myself whether it is the main mandate of the Ministry. Is it just to facility competitions or the Ministry is there to really develop the sports in Ghana?
    Mr Speaker, this is just like putting up a house without a foundation. The Ministry would go through all these as activities and programmes along the years, but it has not got the legal and political policy know-how to give the direction. There is no policy which directs the Ministry as to how far they should move sports.
    When Hon O. B. Amoah spoke, he acknowledged that the Youth Policy Act, 2010, which was passed has given way to the Youth developments and their operations. It means that there is a legal document that has regulation to support the
    Youth Agency to be able to promote whatever activities they do.
    Mr Speaker, we are yet to pass the two L.Is that I have talked about which are still pending in Cabinet. Therefore, there is no roadmap for now, which actually leads the Ministry into what focus they should channel sports. All we do is to say, it is part of the cycle because we qualify for all these competitions every year and we must go. What is the impact?
    Mr Speaker, the way forward is to make sure that, as early as possible, we fast-track the passage of these L.Is, so that it would give that sort of authority to the Ministry of Youth and Sports to be able to run through their programmes because it is not only competitions that the Act would ask us to do.

    Mr Speaker, I therefore, would want to find out the vision and mission of the Ministry. It is only when we have these things passed that we could now use them as a mission and vision to move along with our sports development.

    My second point is that, the Ministry oversees the National Sports Authority and under the Authority, we have about more than 20 federations

    for which football is one of them. It appears that the attention of the Ministry is more on football. Almost all the year-on-year Budget allocations to the Ministry is channelled to just sports competitions of the Black Stars Team especially. [Interruption] -- It does not matter when, but that is what we do. If you look at what we have put in the Budget Statement, you would realise that every amount of money being rolled out is going to the Black Stars, Black Princesses, Black Meteors and so on, in effect, it is all football.

    Mr Speaker, what are we doing with all those other disciplines, How are we resourcing them so that all those disciplines would also be revamped?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:42 p.m.
    Hon former Minister for Youth and Sports, just hold on.
    Yes, Hon Chairman?
    Mr Agyekum 1:42 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, my Hon Senior Colleague is misleading this House completely by making certain categorical and sweeping statements.
    Mr Speaker, he even asked for the vision statement of a Ministry --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:42 p.m.
    Hon Member, tell me what he has said that is not factual.
    Mr Agyekum 1:42 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the second statement that he made was that almost all the budgetary allocation to the Ministry is channelled to football. This is not correct; he should prove it. We have not come to the Budget Estimates.
    Mr Speaker, you know that we are debating policies and he is veering into the arena of estimates.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:42 p.m.
    No, I do not think so. If the policy is to fund only football, he is entitled to criticise that. If you are saying that is not correct, then I expect you to say 40 per cent of the allocation is to football, 20 per cent is to athletics so that you can say he is not correct. For now, you have not said anything to prove that.
    Mr Agyekum 1:42 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, what he said is not correct in terms of policy. So, he should be guided.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:42 p.m.
    Hon Former Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, remember that in the Budget Estimates, you would give the specific allocations.
    Mr S.M.E.K. Ackah 1:42 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, let me first correct you that I was not a former Hon Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports but for Local Government and Rural Development.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:42 p.m.
    You used to be the Hon Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development? Very well.
    Mr S.M.E.K. Ackah 1:42 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you.
    As I said, we are giving a chunk of all the moneys that come in come allocations to the Ministry into just developing football to the detriment of all these lesser-know sports as we call them. However, I do not see any sport as a lesser-know sport.
    Mr Speaker, just mention Usain Bolt and then you would realise what sort of impact it has in Jamaica.
    In the same way, few years back, we heard of Alice Anum, Ohene Kakari, the Apraku, Rose Asiedua and so on and they made Ghana proud in athletics. We also had people like Azuma Nelson, and our own Abedi Pele who started in the year 1978 as a youth football player in of the national teams in Koforidua and that is where his name came up.
    What are we doing with our lesser- known sports as we call them now? The Ministry and the Government
    should resource these sports. We have a lot of people in the National Sports Authority who are virtually doing nothing. They only handpick certain events and say, this is for the year. How coordinated, coercive, brilliant and vibrant are they? Ghana needs all of these talents to develop; let us use the opportunity we have to go out there and bring all these people up.
    Mr Speaker, I suggest that the Ministry collaborates with the Minister for Education to start school sports. That is the basis of our future generation. [Interruption] -- As we speak, we do not see any ‘Physical Education' on the timetable of the schools and yet, we want to unearth talents. How do they unearth talents when they are not organising anything at the lower level?
    It is high time the Ministry and Government paid attention to school sports to be able to unearth talents that are lying fallow so that we can bring them up to support the aging ‘soldiers' who are fast falling out from our competitions.
    Mr Speaker, one thing that is very important with sports development is, sports infrastructure. Yes, I recom- mend what is going on with the building of the ten (10) sports centres. However, they are not adequate.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:42 p.m.
    Hon Member, you have one more minute.
    Mr S.M.E.K. Ackah 1:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to urge the Government to put a lot of money into the construction of infrastructure to speed it up.
    Finally, I would just want to sound a word of caution; the image of Ghana is heavily dented by the Gold Coast event in Australia. For that matter, so long as we are still in eliminations and we continue to compete in subsequent engagements, our outings must be well scrutinised. We cannot do away with supporters, but as much as we want supporters to cheer us on in our games, let us be very careful in making sure that we do not go sinking deep into such squalor again.

    Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports (Mr Perry C. K Okudzeto): Mr Speaker, thank you very much.

    I would like to state that I have heard a lot of contributions on the Floor on the Legislative Instrument (L. I). The Ministry has made its position clear that we have engaged consultants and we expect to have a draft of the L.I. before the end of the year.

    The Ministry intends to engage the various stakeholders and complete the draft in order for us to submit it to the Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and then to the House.

    We have given ourselves up to the close of the year to complete this process. So, we hope that by the close of the year, we will complete the process on both L.I's for both Youth and Sports.

    Mr Speaker, there is also an issue that was raised about the NPP Manifesto and the establishment of sports colleges across the country. A committee is in place as we speak and we are working to make sure that these things are deliberated upon and implement in order for us to have two more sports colleges in addition to the Winneba Sports College.

    On rehabilitation of existing stadia; as you aware, Mr Speaker in November, 2018, Ghana won the bid to host the 13th Africa Games in

    2023.

    A project team has been put in place of which I am the Chairman and we have been tasked to look at existing infrastructure including the rehabilitation of the Essipong Sports
    Mr S.M.E.K. Ackah 1:52 p.m.


    Mr Speaker, the University of Ghana Sports Stadium was mentioned during the debate. I would like to state that for eight years, that sports stadium was not attended to. Moneys were not disbursed for the continuation of the project. As we speak, in the last one year, the Ministry in collaboration with the Hon Minister for Education through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) have facilitated the funding of the project. That is the reason Consar Limited has returned to site and construction is ongoing.

    Mr Speaker, I also heard during the debate --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:52 p.m.
    Hon Member, hold on.
    Mr Kobena M. Woyome 1:52 p.m.
    I have noticed that the Hon Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports is introducing new renditions that are not captured in the 2020 Budget Statement. For instance, the rehabilitation of the stadia
    is not in the Budget Statement for us get the understanding that it has been planned for.

    Mr Speaker, it ought to be mentioned.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:52 p.m.
    Hon Member, what has he said that is not factual?
    Mr Woyome 1:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, what he is saying is alien to us; unless what he is saying --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:52 p.m.
    Which one?
    Mr Woyome 1:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the intention of the Government to rehabilitate the four stadia to assess their readiness to host the 2023 All African Games. I thought it would have been captured as on intention, for which there would be an allocation next year. We are discussing the 2020 Budget Statement, but what he is saying is not captured in the document.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:52 p.m.
    Hon Deputy Minister, he says what you are saying is not in the Budget Statement. How do you justify it?
    Mr P.C.K. Okudzeto 1:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I said it in response to his own comments about the fact that these stadia have not received attention in the last couple of years.
    That is why I am briefing the House because the processes we have begun are at a sub-committee level of Cabinet, and I am sure that in due course these things would come to the attention of the House.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:52 p.m.
    Very well.
    So, what he said is true, except that you have intention to do it in the future.
    Mr P.C.K. Okudzeto 1:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, yes.
    Mr Speaker, a point was also made about the fact that our athletes have travelled by road and because of this it meant that we did not pay attention to lesser- known sports. Mr Speaker, travelling by road is not a negative thing; actually, it saves cost for countries that are around Ghana. In most cases when we had competitions in countries like La Cote D'Ivoire, Togo and Burkina Faso, to save cost, we travel by road. We even travel to Nigeria by road for some competitions. I do not think that there is anything wrong to travel by road to any of these countries for a competition.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to also state that the Ministry is working on a new sports policy. A committee has
    been put in place and, as has been mentioned by the former Hon Deputy Minister for Sports, a new sports policy is in the offing. At the appropriate time it would be launched to direct sports development in Ghana.
    We also have in place a team that is working on a National Sports Fund which would be brought to the House in due course.
    Mr Speaker, as for the 10 youth resource centres that are being constructed across the country, I believe that the Committee is aware of the progress of work.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to also state that we do not have 20 federations -- as we speak, we have 43 federations that are registered under the National Sports Authority. The resources that we get annually, as a Ministry, is not enough for us to cater for every single federation. However, we do our best.
    I heard that we are focusing only on football. Mr Speaker, we cannot deny the fact that football is the biggest sport and has the largest following in our country, and that is why at certain times it is seen as the most funded.
    Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I would like to state that for nine years, the national marathon was not held. Last year, in the Mpohor Constituency, which is the constituency of the Hon
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:52 p.m.
    Hon Leader, what is it?
    Mr Anim 1:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg your leave for us to alter the order of business and take item numbered 8 -- Motion.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:52 p.m.
    Firstly, it is already 2 o'clock. If the Leadership agrees, then I would extend the period for Sitting.
    Hon Deputy Minority Leader, he says we should take Motion numbered 8.
    Mr Avedzi 1:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we can take the Motion.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:52 p.m.
    Very well.
    Hon Members, we would take Motion numbered 8.
    Hon Chairman of the Committee.
    MOTIONS 1:52 p.m.
    Chairman of the Committee (Mr Emmanuel A. Gyamfi) 1:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 80(1) which require that no motion shall be debated until at least forty-eight hours have elapsed between the date on which notice of the motion is given and the date on which the motion is moved, the motion for the adoption of the Report of the Committee on Mines and Energy on the Commercial Contract Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Energy) and China International Water and Electric Corporation for an amount of one hundred and three million United States dollars (US$103,000,000.00) for the supply and erection of electrical materials and equipment for the electrification of 582 communities in the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Eastern, Volta and Western Regions (Phase 2 of the initial 1,033 Communities) may be moved today.
    Mr Mutawakilu Adam (NDC -- Damongo) 1:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
    Question put and Motion agreed to.
    Resolved accordingly.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:52 p.m.
    Motion numbered 9.
    Commercial Agreement between GoG/China International Water and Electric Corporation for the
    Electrification of 582 communities in Ashanti, Brong
    Ahafo, Eastern, Volta and Western Regions (Phase 2 of the
    initial 1,033 Communities)
    Chairman of the Committee (Mr Emmanuel A. Gyamfi) 1:52 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Committee on Mines and Energy on the Commercial Contract Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Energy) and China International Water and Electric Corporation for an amount of one hundred and three million United States dollars (US$103,000,000.00)
    for the supply and erection of electrical materials and equipment for the electrification of 582 communities in the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Eastern, Volta and Western Regions (Phase 2 of the initial 1,033 Communities).
    Mr Speaker, in so doing, I beg to present your Committee's Report.
    1.0 Introduction
    1.1 The Commercial Contract Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Energy) and China International Water and Electric Corporation for the supply and erection of electrical materials and equipment for the electrification of 582 communities in the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Eastern, Volta and Western Regions (Phase 2 of the initial 1,033 Communities) was laid in Parliament by the Hon Minister responsible for Planning, Professor George Yaw Gyan-Baffour on behalf of the Minister responsible for Energy pursuant to Article 181 (5) of the 1992 Constitution.
    1.2 Subsequent to this, the Rt Hon Speaker referred the Agreement to the Committee on Mines and Energy for consideration and report in accordance with Order 188 of the Standing Orders of the House.
    Mr Mutawakilu Adam (NDC -- Damongo) 2:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I rise to second the Motion. In doing so, I would highlight some few issues.
    Mr Speaker, this is the second phase of the project. The Committee realised that it was very important that rural electrification and access to electricity is critical to the development of this country; but there was an observation. Out of the 582 communities, the Ashanti Region, which has 91.57 per cent coverage, rather had a chunk of communities
    numbering about 343, which constitute about 59 per cent of the total communities that are supposed to be connected under this phase. If we look at the Western North, they have a coverage of about 77 per cent, and the whole of Western Region and, Western North Region had 38 per cent. We think it is not equitable and therefore should be considered by the Hon Minister.
    Also, we realised that the value - for- money audit that was done by Crown Agents was related to a 2015 project. We think the year difference
    should have required that another value for money audit be carried out so that we truly know the true reflection of the audit.
    Mr Speaker, we also noted that as of 2015, it was the recommendation by Crown Agents that the contract sum should be reduced by about US$500,000 to be used to increase the scope of the project. However, the Hon Deputy Minister who was present could not actually tell us what that US$500,000 was meant for, and what communities it was able to cover.
    Mr Speaker, with these few words, I appeal to the House to adopt the Motion and approve it.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:02 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Chairman, what is the issue?
    Mr Gyamfi 2:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Ranking Member made a statement that I need to clarify. At the Committee, the issue was raised, and the answer given was that the value- for- money audit was done for the entire project, covering Phase 1 and Phase 2. There was an amount of about US$500,000. If we add phase 1 and Phase 2, it is not 1,300 communities as the initial project is to capture. We now have 1,089 communities to be connected. So I needed to correct that impression.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:02 p.m.
    Yes, Leadership, do you intend to comment further? I notice the room is becoming warm.
    Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 2:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, because of that, we would want to bring issues down. We would just let Hon Bawa make some few comments, then you could put the Question.
    Question proposed.
    Mr Edward A. Bawa (NDC -- Bongo) 2:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I rise to support the Motion. In doing so, there are a few things I need to talk about.
    Mr Speaker, we would realise that on page 2, under Background, paragraph 4.0, there is a statement that is made here, which is very important. The extension of electricity supply was to provide reliable access to power to facilitate the establishment of small to medium-scale industries across the country, particularly in the areas to create jobs, reduce poverty, curb rural-urban migration, increase economic activities and increase the standard of living.
    Mr Speaker, so it is very clear that if we look at the rationale behind the whole idea of the National Electrification Scheme, it is about reducing poverty. We have been
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:02 p.m.
    Yes, Majority Leadership.
    Mr Moses Anim (NPP -- Trobu) 2:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, just to remind the Hon Minister that you gave a directive the other time. The Ministry should, therefore, try and incorporate your direction into the contract. That is all I have.
    Thank you so much, Mr Speaker.
    Question put and Motion agreed to.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:02 p.m.
    Item numbered 10 -- Resolution.
    Mr Anim 2:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I seek your leave to allow the Hon Minister for Works and Housing to take the Resolution on behalf of the Minister for Energy.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:02 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Minister for Works and Housing?
    RESOLUTIONS 2:02 p.m.
    THIS HONOURABLE 2:02 p.m.
    HOUSE HEREBY RESOLVE 2:02 p.m.
    Chairman of the Committee (Mr Emmanuel A. Gyamfi) 2:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to second Motion.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:02 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Deputy Minority Leader?
    Mr James K. Avedzi 2:02 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister for Works and Housing moved a Resolution and only made reference to the item number on the Order Paper without telling us what the Resolution is about. He should tell us a bit about that so that we know what we are approving.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:02 p.m.
    Hon Member, you have been following the programme from day one. This is the conclusion of what we started at item numbered 8.
    Question put and Motion agreed to.
    Resolved accordingly.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:02 p.m.
    Hon Members, in view of the circumstances, I intend to adjourn proceedings.
    ADJOURNMENT 2:02 p.m.
  • The House was adjourned at 2.12 p.m. till Monday, 25th November, 2019 at 10.00 a.m..