Debates of 18 Feb 2020

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 11:15 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 11:15 a.m.
Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Members, Votes and Proceedings of 14th February, 2020.
Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
Hon Members, we have the Official Report of 10th December, 2019.
Any corrections please?
  • [No correction was made to the Official Report of 10th December, 2019]
    • Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    Hon Members, Questions.
    Hon Deputy Majority Whip, what is the position?
    Mr Matthew Nyindam 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, with regard to Question 659, the Hon Minister for Transport is indisposed and the House is duly informed that the Question would be rescheduled for next week.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    And also, with regard to Question 661?
    Mr Nyindam 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, with regard to Question 661, the Hon Minister for the Volta Region is currently in the Volta Region. Currently, the President is touring the Volta Region and the Hon Minister wrote to ask to reschedule the Question for next week.
    Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    He is in the Volta Region; you share what he is doing there with us. Give us in full.
    Mr Nyindam 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, that is why I said the President is currently touring the Volta Region and as the main man in the Region, the Hon Minister could not have left the President alone in the region to do the
    touring. Mr Speaker, as the representative of the President in the Region, he could not have left the President alone in the Region for him to come and answer the Question on the Floor. Mr Speaker, so, we intend to reschedule him for next week.
    Thank you.
    Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    Hon Minority Leader?
    Mr Haruna Iddrisu 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, understandably, there should be no difficulty with the Hon Deputy Majority Whip's request. We are aware that the President is in the Volta Region, therefore the Hon Minister responsible for the Region is the President's host and the President as his special guest. And we are interested in where the President is and what he does in the exercise of our oversight responsibility.
    Mr Speaker, with the Hon Minister for Transport, we were adequately informed by the Hon Majority Leader at the last sitting that he was not feeling too well.
    Mr Speaker, therefore, we could proceed with other business for the day.
    Thank you.
    Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    Hon Members, the item listed 4; Statements.
    Statement in the name of Mr Alhassan Suhuyini Sayibu, Hon Member for Tamale North on Environmental degradation.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    [Pause] --
    Mr Iddrisu 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for Tamale North, normally would clear this with your conclave. I just saw the Hon Minority Whip --
    Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    I beg your pardon, Sir.
    Mr Iddrisu 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I say the Hon Member for Tamale North should be here in a jiffy. He was in the Chamber when the Hon Minority Chief Whip informed him that you have accepted the Statement in his name.
    [Pause]--
    Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    Hon Members, there is something called nature's call sometimes -- [Laughter]-- and when nature calls, it has called. Hon Member, you may please make your Statement.
    STATEMENTS 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Suhuyini Alhassan Sayibu (NDC -- Tamale North) 11:15 a.m.
    Thank you very much Mr Speaker for the opportunity to make this Statement on the devastating effects of galamsey and our nation's determination to end the illegal practice.
    Mr Speaker, we ought to be sad that according to Global Forest Watch, the rate of deforestation in Ghana in April 2019 was estimated at 60 per cent, which made it the worst in the world, largely due to illegal mining activities. Infact, 1.13 per cent of primary forest was lost last year alone due in part to gold mined illegally.
    Mr Speaker, it frightens me greatly that the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has repeatedly warned that potable water importation in two decades is inevitable due to the destruction caused to our water bodies. They have been compelled lately to intermittently shut down some of their treatment plants or report increases in cost of chemicals and equipment repairs in order to continue to be in a position to supply treated water to our homes and work places.
    Mr Speaker, the destruction of farmlands, especially cash crops, owing to illegal mining remains a constant feature in print and audio- visual news stories and in the countryside.
    Mr Speaker, law abiding entrepreneurs in small-scale mining are estimated to have lost more than half a billion dollars of their genuine investments in the course of an over two years ban on all their activities. This ban was ostensibly put in place to enable government streamline the sector to ensure sustainable development.
    Mr Speaker, some of these investors in small-scale mining who adhered to the ban but could not withstand the financial stress it brought forth, according to Mr Francis Poku, Communications Director of the small-scale miners association, have unfortunately lost their lives.
    What is disappointing, Mr Speaker is that, according to an officer for international conservation group A Rocha, Mr Daniel Kwamena, the ban only pushed more small-scale miners to work within the protected Atewa forest and others, operate at night when security officials are off duty.
    Mr Speaker, Government, through this Parliament, committed millions of the tax payer's money to streamline illegal mining for sustainable development.
    According to the Finance ministry, a quarterly amount of GH¢33, 423,996 was released by the Finance Ministry to the Inter-ministerial committee to help in the galamsey fight. It will mean that if the releases were constant and up to date, the nation, through the inter-ministerial Committee would commit about (GH¢300,815,968.5) to this exercise.
    Mr Speaker, our cherished media devoted expensive airtime, precious spots in their newspapers and deployed personnel who risked their lives traversing mining areas across the country to highlight and support a national charge to streamline small- scale mining to the benefit of all generations.
    Civil Society Organisations, the Clergy and some Traditional Authorities all got on board to support the exercise.
    Mr Speaker, it is therefore depressing to many well-meaning Ghanaians to listen to recent daily
    reports of how it seems political patronage and the greed of a few have bungled an otherwise well-supported campaign to improve our water bodies, forest cover and environment in general.
    Mr speaker, aside the recently reported missing seized excavators, there were an undercover expose conducted by Anas Aremeyaw Anas and Joy news, many of which stories have raised questions about the direction of the campaign and the commitment of officials, especially politicians, to the success of the campaign.
    This should be a cause for us all politicians to worry, especially when in September 2012, a University of Ghana Business School policy brief, by Benjamin A. Teacher, predicted in its summary of key findings “That the inherently political nature of the galamsey menace in Ghana suggests that any anti-galamsey crusade that fails to tackle the political drivers of the problem is unlikely to succeed.”
    Mr Speaker, as leaders of the nation, never before has it become imperative at least in the face of these reports of murky political associations and conspiracies, for us to act to assure all citizens that their resources, confidence and support when
    Mr Speaker 11:15 a.m.
    Thank you very much Hon Member for your Statement.
    Hon Pelpuo?
    Alhaji (Dr) Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo (NDC -- Wa Central) 11:15 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, it was with a lot of regret that when a few days ago, it was revealed that a tape had been published that showed a Minister in conversation with some people who practised galamsey and who were angered by a decision of the Hon Minister.
    The tape caused a lot of consternation in this country and brought a lot of shock to the minds of many people. When the President made his pronouncement that he would fight galamsey, even to the peril of his Presidency, many of us took him very serious.
    Many of us refused to contradict him because that pronouncement was genuine to us and would have brought this practice to an end to save our rivers and water bodies and ensure that Ghana's gold is protected. It would also ensure that legitimate and licenced operators were the only ones who would use the land for the extraction of the precious mineral.
    Mr Speaker, unfortunately, later on, we found out that all the earth moving equipment that were seized found their way out into private hands. Also, the gold that was seized
    vanished into areas that could not be traced and an Hon Minister was found complicit in the practice.
    Mr Speaker, this is something we need to take seriously. For me, it is not about politics but about saving this country from this practice. The water bodies are back to the state they were in and people feel defeated.
    This is because they think that Government and policy makers are not serious and can even go to the extent of taking part in the practice of destroying the lands of this country.
    I thank the Hon Member who made the Statement for bringing it up and would urge Hon Members to dispassionately deal with this issue, so that we can save this country from the practise of galamsey.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you and urge my Hon Colleagues to be objective in diagnosing this Statement.
    Mr Speaker 11:35 a.m.
    Thank you very much Hon Member.
    Yes, Hon Member, I saw you.
    Mr Francis Kingsley Ato Codjoe (NPP -- Ekumfi) 11:35 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Statement.
    Mr Speaker, as good nationals, we are all concerned with the degradation of the environment; how some people destroy the environment, especially water bodies and the forest and we know that this degradation and destruction did not start recently.
    There have been leaders in this country who have promised that when they come back to power, they would allow the operation of galamsey, whereas other leaders have committed their own Presidency to fight the effort.
    Mr Speaker, the fight against galamsey peaked at the time that Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) came up to say that if care was not taken to address the crises that was at hand, which had been in existence before even President Nana Akufo-Addo came to power, water would be imported into the country.
    We know that GWCL stopped processing water from the Ankobra River in 2015. We also know that the chemical composition of a lot of
    Dr Clement Abas Apaak (NDC -- Builsa South) 11:35 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to contribute to this worthwhile and very meaningful Statement made by the Hon Member for Tamale North, Mr Sayibu.
    Mr Speaker, we all agree that galamsey is a menace that has to be stamped out. However, you have always admonished us to make sure that when we contribute to Statements, we should not make comments that would engender debate but sadly, the Hon Member who just spoke made some comments that need to be corrected.
    He accused the former NDC Government under the former President and the incoming President
    of Ghana, Mr John Dramani Mahama [Hear! Hear!] -- of having confiscated excavators which belonged to the NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman and did not account for them.
    rose
    Dr Apaak 11:35 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, this could not be true and it is important that we put this matter to rest. However, be it as it may, the current President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the outgoing President of the Republic of Ghana -- [Hear! Hear!] -- put his presidency on the line and promised Ghanaians that he was willing to do whatever it will take to ensure that this menace was ended once and for all, even if it would cost him his Presidency.
    Mr Speaker 11:35 a.m.
    Hon Dan Botwe, if you stand on a point of correction only, then I would allow you to speak. Otherwise, you would contribute.
    Mr Botwe 11:35 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleague made reference to your statement that we should state matters that are factual but he went ahead to make a dangerous statement that there would be an incoming President -- [Interruption]. He should be corrected. There are pupils and students in the public gallery and they should not leave this Chamber with
    Dr Apaak 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, you understand fully that this is an election year. There would be the possibility that the current President will be retained or rejected and on that basis, we believe that our candidate is the in-coming President. [Hear! Hear!]
    Mr Speaker, the point I seek to make is this 11:45 a.m.
    a President puts his presidency on the line by publicly pledging that if he fails in a particular fight, he is prepared to be punished for it. I believe that the evidence that we have available today indicates very clearly that President Nana Akufo- Addo has failed woefully. [Hear! Hear!]
    If one considers the river bodies of this country -- [Interruption] and I come from the Upper East Region precisely, Doninga in the Builsa South Constituency. I say this on authority that as we speak, not only has galamsey been instituted but it has
    expanded to parts of the country where hitherto it did not exist under this President.
    Mr Speaker, as we speak, it is only under this President that somebody was caught on tape allegedly taking moneys to circumvent --
    Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Order!
    Hon Member, please move away from that pathway of unpurported tapes that are not provided. Kindly conclude. [Pause] -- Parliament is not a House of rumours, speculations and so on.
    Please, proceed and conclude.
    Dr Apaak 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the point is this --
    Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Hon Member, do not tell me about any point when I have made my point. When I make my point, you do not make your point.
    Dr Apaak 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the point is that galamsey has expanded and it is still --
    Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Hon Member, please keep within the parameters and conclude.
    Dr Apaak 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, very well.
    The menace of galamsey continues to exist with us. There is available evidence to suggest that persons who we believe were resourced by the State -- Government appointees that the good people of Ghana trusted to fight this menace, are accomplices in facilitating, enhancing, benefiting and profiting from this illegality.
    Mr Speaker, the truth must be told. The only way that His Excellency the President can demonstrate to the good people of this country --
    Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Hon Member, the truth is told with supporting evidence.
    Dr Apaak 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am about to adduce the evidence.
    Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Hon Member, please hold on. The truth must be told if its being supported with relevant evidence. If you do not have any, kindly take your seat.
    Dr Apaak 11:45 a.m.
    Very well. As we speak, Government itself has indicated and recognised that some persons within Government have not played the roles and responsibilities that they were expected to. As we speak, cases have been referred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to investigate --
    Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Very well. All cases referred to the CID will of course be reported on. Meanwhile, conclude and sit. [Interruption] --
    Dr Apaak 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I will conclude on this note that the good people of Ghana expect the President to lead by his word and to take the needed action to show that he is not condoning his appointees who are engaged in an illegality. Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity. [Hear! Hear!]
    Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Hon Minister for Local Government and Rural Development and then the Leadership. After this, if you have something to say, tell your Leader.
    Hajia Alima Mahama: Mr Speaker, thank you. Our President --
    Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Hon Minister, I just want us to get this straight. We would want to talk on the principles of this matter. If you turn this place to a campaign ground, I will stop you and by that I mean, everybody.
    Hon Member, go on.
    Minister for Local Government and Rural Development (Hajia Alima Mahama)(MP) 11:45 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, our President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is very much

    [HAJIA MAHAMA] [HAJIA MAHAMA]

    aware of the menace of galamsey and has decided to focus on it and to ensure that the right system and structures were put in place to deal with it.

    Mr Speaker, this is not an issue that we should just leave to take care of itself but some actions need to be taken. The President therefore set up an Inter-Ministerial Committee to work assiduously on the issue of illegal mining. The Inter-Ministerial Committee focused on this activity and delivered.

    When the President decided to put his job on the line to ensure that we worked on the menace of galamsey, we did not give a time frame by which we would put an end to the galamsey menace. [Uproar] -- It is about making a national response for all of us, including those of us here to see it as a phenomenon that must be handled to ensure that we had a sustainable environment. It was not an issue meant to be used for political propaganda for people to consider these issues and determine who has won what and who has not won what.

    The Inter-Ministerial Committee focused on the work and achieved some successes, having set up the system and cleared galamseyers in the area; that is people who are

    involved in illegal mining. We then lifted the ban to allow for small-scale miners who had the legal permits to mine. That was why the ban was lifted. In the process, we established a structure of which, perhaps, you may not have heard about, which is called the Community Mining System

    (CMS).

    Mr Speaker, we have identified areas for community miners to do rock mining not alluvial mining. That is why the CMS is going on because we know that they need to have a livelihood. If in the process of the ban being lifted and other people have found their way to engage in illegal mining, it is not a system that we will say that other people have not gone into: it is for us to work to identify the illegal miners and get them out of the system. No one is saying that if we go out now, there is nobody involved in illegal mining. We have lifted the ban and other people have found their way in and we are still focused on the work and ensuring that we get them out.

    Now, in talking about excavators, there is no hullabaloo about that.
    Mr Speaker 11:45 a.m.
    Order!
    Hajia Mahama: Mr Speaker, the Inter-Ministerial Committee, out of an audit report, identified that there were some excavators that were sent
    to a station in Tema [ An Hon Member: How any?] Thirty four (34) of them. That is all. [Uproar] --
    Mr Speaker, the focus is on Tema. I am telling you the facts because I have them. Since I am an Hon Member on the Inter-Ministerial Committee, I know the situation. There were supposed to be 34 excavators and the audited report findings reported on some missing excavators --
    Mr Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Order!
    Hon Member, please wait a moment so that you can be heard.
    I do not know why we have difficulty simply carrying out a debate according to our Rules. When those shouting are satisfied, we will continue.

    Hajia Alima: Mr Speaker, the whole hullabaloo about the excavators was because we had an audit report. The question is who conducted the audit on the seized excavators?

    Mr Speaker, the auditor's report indicated that there were excavators in Tema but they were not up to a

    supposed figure of 34 excavators, and therefore, we asked for an investigation into this. When the authority conducting the investigation is done with its work they would present a report, and if there is a need for any prosecution, that would be done accordingly. So when the Hon Member talks about missing excavators then I do not know where he is getting that information from.

    Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleagues forget to talk about the success stories and my Ministry has a success story concerning galamsey. The Ministry has introduced an alternative livelihood programme and under this programme we have identified 6,000 youth who are interested in vocational training. We have trained about 1,000 of them in community development in vocational institutes in various --
    An Hon Member 11:55 a.m.
    Where is the evidence?
    Hajia Alima: Mr Speaker, it was televised and there are pictures so the Hon Member could come to my office for all the evidence. They were trained in construction works, plumbing, electricals, dressmaking, hairdressing and so on. Mr Speaker, 500 of them have passed and some have been attached to craftsmen in the
    Mr Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Minority Leadership?
    Minority Leader (Mr Haruna Iddrisu) 11:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to comment on the Statement on Environmental Degradation and Matters Relating to illegal Small Scale Mining popularly referred to as Galamsey.
    I would also thank Hon Alhassan Suhuyini Sayibu for bringing this matter to the fore.
    Undoubtedly, the mining sector contributes significantly to our revenue earning as a country, as well as employment creation and generation. Even though Ghana has formalised the process for engaging in small scale mining on legal basis since the 1980s, there is a problem of a growing ascendency or increase in the incidence of illegal small scale mining, particularly, in the Western, Eastern and Ashanti Regions. It affects water bodies, and can therefore affect the quality of lives of persons engaged in it.
    Mr Speaker, it is not for nothing that President Akufo-Addo hinted that he did not mind fighting this menace even if he meant losing an election. Mr Speaker, this was the pedigree of his commitment to the course because he believed that it is a right course. Even today, I share in
    the faith and belief of the President that illegal small scale mining must be fought, but what I do not share is an opportunity to loot and share excavators that have been seized.
    Mr Speaker, the excavators are not 34 and we demand that the Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee should report to this Parliament on the number of excavators and other equipment that have been seized so that the debate -- [Interruption.] I heard the Hon Minister for Local Government and Rural Development mentioned the figure to be 34, but researchers in the area like Hon Suhuyini Sayibu and many others including the media have reported a figure of 500. Mr Speaker, we have seen that they have returned some of them onto the streets and we have videos of this Mr Speaker, --
    Mr Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, if you want the Hon Minister to come to this House and provide answer to an issue, we have our processes and we must also point the four fingers at ourselves to ask a Question. We know our rules and provisions, so we must accuse ourselves before we even say anything about the Hon Minister. If there were any Urgent Question in this regard, I would have admitted them immediately.
    Mr Iddrisu 11:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister for Local Government and Rural Development has quoted a figure of 34 and the Hon Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, who is a respected heart surgeon and not an expert in the seizure of excavators, also quoted a figure of 300 on Joy FM. So, who should we believe and whose figure should we accept?
    The people of Ghana are further demanding that beyond excavators, gold bars were seized. Where are those gold bars? In whose possession are those gold bars?
    Mr Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, is that an allegation or a statement of fact? I would like you to file a Question for the Hon Minister to come to this Floor so that you can confront the Hon Minister specifically. This would not be a House of speculations and so I overrule that.
    Please this should be expunged from the record as not having been said.
    Mr Iddrisu 11:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, in July 2017, an anti-galamsey taskforce numbering 400 was formed. We demand to know that Parliament is reported to and apprised of the work of the Committee which must include
    Mr Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, this is commentary. I am giving you very positive guidance. You are interested to know so take steps to do that and a step of parliamentary procedure is to file a Question to the Hon Minister. Otherwise, kindly take your seat.
    Hon Minority Leader, you would conclude and I would give you the liberty to file an Urgent Question tomorrow; if you so desire; but to not file a Question yet stand on the floor of this House and make free statements is unparliamentary.
    Mr Iddrisu 11:55 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, this Parliament is stronger and would be stronger if we grow it to be above the clearinghouse of an Executive embarrassment including this kind of embarrassment. You can curtail my comment on this; I stand by every word that I have said and I am making a comment --
    Mr Speaker 11:55 a.m.
    Order! Order!
    Hon Minority Leader, respectfully, it is unparliamentary to respond to the Speaker in this way. I have no doubt in my mind that the proper approach
    is to ask a Parliamentary Question and Parliament must learn to go by its own processes.
    An Hon Member 11:55 a.m.
    There are many approaches.
    Mr Speaker 12:05 p.m.
    The Hon Member who says there are other approaches should please justify it now. Justify it openly before this honourable House, otherwise withdraw your comment and apologise. I would give you the opportunity to openly justify your approach.
    This House would not be turned into a propaganda house under my leadership, and I mean what I am saying.
    If you would want to make a point by asking the Hon Minister a Question, do so and we shall interrogate the matter factually. Do you not know Parliament has the right to even ask for documents to be produced in this honourable House? Exercise your right by asking for the documents, but our rights does not mean we should just make comments without facts.

    Hon Minority Leader, if you have not finished, you may continue, but

    you would definitely move away from that pathway.
    Mr Iddrisu 12:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I refer to paragraph 801 of page 148 of the Budget Statement of 2020. Respectfully, I would want the Hansard to capture it while I quote:
    “…monitored and tracked 900 excavators used in mining operations leading to the arrest and deportation of 139 Chinese illegal miners.”
    Mr Speaker, I quote on authority, but we would want to know what number of excavators have been seized, stolen and what have been returned.
    Mr Speaker, in conclusion, the manifestations of failure of the President's galamsey fight started with the release of Aisha Huang, the galamsey expert and queen. This is an Executive embarrassment, and this Parliament should not cover them up. We demand from the chairman of the Inter-ministerial Committee on Galamsey to do what is needful and appropriate by resigning.
    Mr Speaker 12:05 p.m.
    Majority Leadership?
    Mr Matthew Nyindam 12:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I yield the opportunity to Dr Kwaku Afriyie who is from the Western Region to comment on the Statement.
    Dr Kwaku Afriyie (NPP -- Sefwi Wiawso) 12:05 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker, and Hon Leader for the opportunity.
    I also congratulate the Hon Member who made the Statement for bringing such an issue to the floor of the House. Actually, galamsey has always been in the public space, but it is just appropriate that it be brought here.
    Mr Speaker, my congratulations to the Hon Member who made the Statement is somehow tempered by the fact that there are elements of sheer immorality with ethical issues from where it is coming from. When you do a historical analysis of evolution of illegal mining in this country, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) regime in particular cannot escape blame.
    Indeed, if I may paraphrase an Akan proverb with your permission, won aye won ho te se anomaa kokonekone. Won kohono suao wo asufifi an won ne yen nyinaa abesu
    Dr Kwaku Afriyie (NPP -- Sefwi Wiawso) 12:05 p.m.
    wo anaafoo to wit, they behave like that bird who goes upstream to muddy the waters and come to commiserate with us that the water is muddy.

    If he was operating, he was operating under their regime of dysfunctional policies. The policies were so dysfunctional that everybody thought it was the right thing to do.

    We now have a Government in place which has developed some perverse dislike for people who were going by the book in the Minerals Commission. That is why this problem came to a halt when a fine military officer was killed even at the beginning of our regime.

    However, there is no doubt at all that the antecedents started from their regime, for instance the Obuasi issue. That is why I find it so difficult to accept that somebody should ascend

    on high moral pedestal and give it to a president who had vouched his presidency on the line. It was not for nothing that my President did that.

    Mr Speaker, we have chalked a lot of successes in this campaign. I have seen the latest satellite images; the forest cover which was receding has been stopped by several things. The turbidity of water bodies until about three months ago was receding. It is only one metric that people are using to measure the success of this Government. When you go to the field --

    By the way, I find in almost all the galamsey areas. When you go to some places, you would not find galamsey; when you go to Asankran Breman, galamsey has reduced as it is in a lot of other places.

    They are happy on one element which is the turbidity of the river bodies as a metric. Right now, there are no chanfans on the river bodies, but in the dry season, any disturbance in the waterbed would spring up the turbidity.

    I would want to tell Ghanaians that a lot of successes have been chalked. Right now, there are alternative livelihood programmes. If you go to Nfuom near Dunkwa-on-Offin, they

    are doing a lot of seedlings which we would use for land reclamation. There are several of such in this country.

    Mr Speaker, I believe that, but for this kind of politically tinged Statement, I would have associated myself with the Hon Member who made the Statement for the simple fact the I cannot bring myself to accept the fact that any piece of Ghana's land should be degraded. However, the insincerity, immorality, unethical Statement that has been made on this Floor makes me feel very sad indeed.

    Thank you.
    Mr Speaker 12:05 p.m.
    Hon Minority Whip?
    Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka 12:15 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleague, Dr Afriyie, is a senior Member of this House. I am referring him to Standing Order 93(2).
    “It shall be out of order to use offensive, abusive, insulting,
    blasphemous or unbecoming words to impute improper motives to any other Member or to make personal allusions.”
    Mr Speaker, it is clear beyond reasonable doubt that the insinuation of the Hon Member and the proverb that he paraphrased were all improper and imputing wrong motives to Hon Members. This is a house of debate. His views might not necessarily be the views of others. However, in disagreeing, he is to choose his words carefully.
    Mr Speaker, in this instance, my Hon Colleague chose to be insulting and imputing wrong motives right from his proverb and all the other things that he discussed.
    Mr Speaker, I call on you to draw my Hon Colleague's attention for him to withdraw this and apologise to Hon Members. This is because if it goes this way, then it is going to be a precedence and thus open the flood gates for every Hon Member who gets up to be able to insult the other and get away with it. He can make his point and disagree without imputing wrong motives that is our rules.
    Mr Speaker, I call on you to make the ruling.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Nyindam 12:15 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I think galamsey, just like we are all talking about, is something we are worried about as a nation. If we listened to the Hon Minority Leader, he actually agreed that for the President to put his Presidency on the line in fighting galamsey, it tells us how serious his commitment is and what he has inherited as the President.
    So for a president-elect to first tell us that he is putting his life on the line to fight something tells us that as a nation, galamsey is an issue. So if the same people who handed over galamsey to H. E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo are claiming that he should resign, that is insincerity. If a person says one is insincere, he has not attacked him. So I do not see why they are calling --
    Mr Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Hon Majority Whip, I do not see your line of argument. The counterpart of yours has made a point. If you want to respond specifically to his objection, kindly do so and categorically. Otherwise, please take your seat for the time being. You have already given your place to Dr Afriyie.
    Mr Nyindam 12:15 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am objecting to his point of Order because he claims that the Hon Member used the word, “insincere” and for him to say they are insincere
    is an insult. I am saying that it is not an insult because galamsey was inherited from their own government.
    So for the President to put his life on the line in fighting galamsey the same people today are claiming that the President is doing nothing, then they are insincere. That is what I meant, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Hon Afriyie, please conclude.
    Dr K. Afriyie 12:15 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I want to conclude by saying that by using the word, “insincere” and “immoral”, I was referring to the Statement, not the person who made it. I was referring to the posture.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity.
    Mr Speaker 12:15 p.m.
    Thank you very much.
    Hon Members, that brings us to the end of Statements.
    Hon Majority Whip, what is the next business?
    Mr Nyindam 12:15 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we would take item numbered 7, -- Motion on page 3.
    MOTIONS 12:15 p.m.
    Chairman of the Committee (Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah) 12:15 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this honourable House adopts the Report of the Finance Committee on the Request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, Import NHIL Levy, Import GETFund Levy, Domestic VAT, Domestic NHIL and Domestic GETFund amounting to the Ghana cedi equivalent of twenty-three million, nine hundred and eighty-three thousand, thirty-three United States dollars forty-three cents (US$23,983,033.43) on materials, plant, machinery and equipment to be procured by Platinum Properties Limited for the Pullman Accra Airport City Hotel and Serviced Apartments.
    Mr Speaker, in so doing, I present the Committee's Report.
    1.0 Introduction
    The request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, Import NHIL,
    Import GETFund Levy, Domestic VAT, Domestic NHIL and Domestic GETFund Levy amounting to the Ghana cedi Equivalent of twenty- three million, nine hundred and eighty- three thousand, thirty-three United States dollars forty-three cents (US$23,983,033.43) on materials, plant, machinery, and equipment to be procured by Platinum Properties Limited( for the Pullman Accra Airport City Hotel and Serviced Apartments was presented to the House on Tuesday 28th January, 2020 by the Hon Deputy Minister for Finance, Mrs Abena Osei-Asare on behalf of the Minister responsible for Finance.
    Pursuant to Order 169 of the Standing Orders of the House, the Rt Hon Speaker referred the request to the Finance Committee for consideration and report.
    The Committee subsequently met and considered the request with the Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon Mrs Abena Osei-Asare, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Center (GIPC), Mr Yoofi Grant, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), Mr Solomon Asamoah as well as officials from the Ministry of Finance, the Ghana Investment
    Mr Iddrisu 12:25 p.m.
    On a point of Order. Mr Speaker, we are following him and we are following him to righteousness not on the wrong path. He just said that it is the Hon Minister for Finance and not the GIPC that has the mandate to grant waiver. Mr Speaker, that is not consistent with article 174 of the Constitution.
    And I so read for the record and that is why I am on my feet:
    “No taxation shall be imposed otherwise than by or under the authority of the Act of Par- Parliament”.
    Then, article 174(2):
    “Where an Act, enacted in accordance with clause (1) of this article, confers power on any person or authority to waive or vary a tax imposed by that Act, the exercise of the power of waiver or variation, in favour of any person or authority, shall be subject to the approval of Parliament by resolution”.
    Mr Speaker, therefore, it shall be subject to the approval of Parliament.
    Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Shall be?--
    Mr Iddrisu 12:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am choosing the words carefully; he uses prior-approval, which is a term of Act defined by the Constitution.
    Mr Speaker, so he cannot say that the Minister for Finance has any power.
    -- [Interruptions] --
    Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Hon Members, there is no ah-ah in this matter. Why do we easily get vexed?
    The Hon Minority Leader is raising what he considers as a Constitutional legal matter. Is there no one who could respond? If there are, then please wait and let us hear you.
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 12:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, this is my eighth year in the House and I have never seen such behaviour when a Report is being presented.
    Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, withdraw the word, “behaviour”.
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 12:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have never seen such intervention at the time a Report is being laid.
    Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, a technical, corrective intervention could be raised anytime. Like in Court, if the thing is legally frailed, it could be raised in two, three or four sentences. Please, if you get what the Hon Minority Leader is saying —
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 12:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the last paragraph on page
    9 —
    Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, if you would listen to me, it would help. The intervention per se, I will rule is permissible. Those who want to respond, may do so and then we will proceed.
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 12:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, my Counsel is here.
    Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Hon Member, you may continue.
    Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    No, I am told you are Counsel for the argument; make your argument.
    Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Hon Member, what else do you also want?
    Hon Members, let us be orderly in this matter. The Hon Minority Leader has been given the full opportunity; there is going to be a response. You have no right to stand; please take your Seat.
    Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, you would reframe and I would like you to withdraw the word, “behaviour”. Say it clearly.
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 12:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I already did and I replaced it with intervention.
    Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, say you withdraw.
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 12:25 p.m.
    I withdraw and I apologise.
    Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Thank you.
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 12:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, furthermore, the Attorney-General —
    Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    No, no. I thought you engaged a counsel. Let us hear the counsel.
    Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin 12:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, when you make an order or you so direct, our duty is to yield in obedience. Accordingly, my Hon Colleague yielded in obedience; but the question all of us would like to ask, and humbly find out from you is that such intervention at the time that a Report is being presented, is it founded?
    Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Hon Member —?
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, that is why I am saying that we cannot challenge you but because you have granted me —
    Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    If you cannot challenge me, I will like to explain myself.
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:25 p.m.
    Very well, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    If in this honourable House, at any stage of proceedings, at any presentation of any Report or whatsoever, a Member is of the view that there is a technical objection, particularly one founded on the Constitution or on the law generally, or on the rules of procedure in this
    honourable House, that person needs not wait for us to keep on proceeding. The person may raise that fundamental objection, which can be done any time in a legal process. And I say I want a response, not an objection because that one can be done.
    And I believe that we can borrow by taking the leaf from the rules of the Supreme Court of Ghana. Hon Member, so if you have a response, say it because if the process is going to be a mere waste of the time of this honourable House, I would not allow it to continue. I may order that there should be amendments or whatever. That is the essence of not allowing people to go the full length before drawing their attention on that which is legally, constitutionally or fundamentally misplaced.
    Please, you may go on if you want to. Were you here to listen to the Hon Minority Leader? I am not sure that you were here.
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I heard him.
    Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    You heard him? Would you like to respond now? That is it; you may go on.
    rose
    Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Hon Member, stop interrupting.
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in response to the --
    Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Hon Members, this matter is so interesting to me. If you need clarification I would ask the Hon Minority Leader to repeat or expatiate on his point.
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in response to the intervention -- [Interruption.]
    Mr Speaker 12:25 p.m.
    Hon Member, you are addressing me so concentrate.
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:25 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am addressing you but I would not take unnecessary intervention by my junior. He is my junior in this House. When you granted me audience, should he be interrupting and frustrating my submission? Mr Speaker, that is not right and if you have given me that right, he should listen to me in silence so he would respond.
    Mr Speaker, in response, I would like to rely on the last paragraph of page 9; the said point upon which he grounded his objection. Mr Speaker, this is what it says:
    Mr Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Hon Member, if you do not place your argument well, you may fall on tempting waters.
    As for the matter of when, I have ruled. If you want to talk about the fact that that which is being raised is not acceptable, unfounded or misplaced, say so specifically and take your seat and I would --
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, staying on the path of safety and righteousness, it is my position that the Hon Minority Leader was in haste. He rather came up with an objection prematurely because if he had patiently waited for the venerable Dr Assibey-Yeboah, an Economist par excellence, and Professor of Economics to land -- [Interruption.]
    He has two Masters degrees in Economics, a PhD in Economics and has also taught at the University. He has also worked at the Central Bank, written research papers and has been
    published in very reputable journals. [Interruption.] He is the only contemporary Economist here.
    Mr Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Order! Order!
    Hon Member, do not ruin a case by unnecessary deviances. I do not see how we cannot do things within their contextual holes and kill them.
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, all I am saying is that Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah as I know, has made a submission --
    Mr Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Hon Member, leave that and make your own point.
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, my point is that if the Hon Minority Leader had paid full attention to the entire document --
    Mr Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Hon Member, “if somebody had paid full attention”, is an innuendo to the effect that he did not pay full attention. It is not acceptable, so withdraw it.
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I do withdraw that aspect of my submission and insist that the said technical objection was premature because the concerns have been well addressed by the concluding paragraph. I so submit.
    Mr Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Any further response to the matter? When you hire a lawyer, you should stick to your lawyer. [Laughter.] When you concede, you concede.
    Mr Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Dafeamekpor (NDC -- South Dayi) 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, this is a House of records and I want to be guided on the procedure under which the House just operated, that it would become one that we would follow in future. An Hon Member who was not on the Floor --
    Mr Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Hon Member, you are overruled.
    Mr Dafeamekpor 12:35 p.m.
    Very well, I am guided.
    Mr Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Hon Members have access to what is happening in the House in many ways. Hon Member's movement from one point of Sitting to another can sometimes vary, the important thing is the argument. If you have something else to say in terms of this argument, please make it. That is the reason I gave you the opportunity, especially when people were now treading legal waters. If you have one, say it.
    Mr Dafeamekpor 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity.
    Mr Speaker 12:35 p.m.
    Hon Members, there is a clear provision to the law quoted by the Hon Minority Leader, that the whole of the financial arrangement to be put before this House, is something that is subject to parliamentary approval. The fact that it is subject to parliamentary approval is why we are so gathered here this morning. Taking a holistic approach and a purposive meaning to the provisions, I say that the Hon
    Chairman of the Committee is well seized with going on with his presentation of the Report.
    Hon Member, you may proceed.
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 12:35 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    5.0 Conclusion
    The Committee, in view of the foregoing, respectfully recommends to the House to adopt this Report and approve by resolution, the request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, Import NHIL, Import GETFund Levy, Domestic VAT, Domestic NHIL and domestic GETFund Levy amounting to the Ghana cedi Equivalent of twenty- three million, nine hundred and eighty- three thousand, thirty-three United States dollars forty- three cents (US$23,983,033.43) on materials, plant, machinery and equipment to be procured by Platinum Properties Limited for the Pullman Accra Airport City Hotel and Serviced Apartments in accordance with article 174(2) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.
    Respectfully submitted.
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 12:45 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the business we are transacting in this House this afternoon should be done with regard to some matters that have transpired before Parliament was seized with this application. What is before us is an application from the company, Platinum Properties Limited, a special purpose vehicle, jointly owned by the Ghana Infrastructural Investment Fund and Inter-Afrique Holdings Limited, which application has been ferried through the Ministry of Finance and the Presidency.
    Mr Speaker, before arriving here, the country had been seized with a conversation, which I believe this House can take notice of. That conversation is to the effect that H. E. the President has suo moto (on his own), granted a tax waiver to a company known as Platinum Properties Limited.
    First of all, as we start this process, if indeed H. E. the President had granted suo moto, a tax waiver, there would be no need for Parliament to Sit here and have this conversation. The process we are going through here this afternoon shows clearly that all of the commentary thrown into the public domain, that the President had

    Mr Speaker, this is because in accordance with the Constitution, no President on his own has the power to grant tax waiver to a company as we are doing today. Article 174 (2) of the Constitution as was quoted by the Hon Minority Leader says, and I beg to read:

    “Where an Act, enacted in accordance with clause (1) of this article, confers power on any person or authority to waive or vary a tax imposed by that Act, the exercise of the power of waiver or variation, in favour of any person or authority, shall be subject to the prior approval of Parliament by resolution.”

    What it means is that if anybody purports to grant a tax waiver, that person must come to this House and make an application. If Hon Members consider it fit for the purpose, Parliament is the right body, seized with the power to grant this waiver.

    Mr Speaker, as a first step, on the face of the record, all of that commentary that the President has on

    his own granted a tax waiver to a company for whatever purpose is not true.

    Secondly, this application is before us because the Board of the GIPC, under section 26(4) of the GIPC Act, (Act 865) finds favour with the application that, that company has made and that is why they have ferried it. It is a procedural ferry that has come to Parliament for us to consider. If this House is of the view that they do not qualify, then it could be rejected. There has been a precedent where this House has cut out people's request. So we are seized with the ability to consider.

    Mr Speaker, not only has this House been requested to consider and grant the approval if we find it fit, but this House has been asked to do something that has never been done in the history of this country, under this Act 865 that is, when a company believes that it qualifies under section 26(4), to apply through the Executive for the Executive to come to Parliament and request on their behalf.

    Mr Speaker, paragraph 4.7 in the Report of the Committee is clear and with your permission, I beg to quote. It says:

    “The Committee sought to know whether any investors have previously been granted Strategic Investor status and given benefits including tax exemptions/waivers. To this, the Committee was informed that on the 29th day of April, 2015, the then President approved a similar strategic investor status and accompanying tax incentives for the following companies:

    i. Messrs. Ghacem Ltd;

    ii. Messrs. Dream Realty Ltd;

    iii. Messrs Garden City Mall Ltd;

    iv. Messrs. Boston Investments Ltd;

    v. Messrs. Shoprite Ghana Pty Ltd;

    vi. Messrs. Vincien Sugar Refinery Ghana Ltd;

    vii.Messrs. Dzata Cement Ltd;

    viii.Messrs. Ecobank Ghana Ltd;

    ix. Messrs. Ciments De L'Afrique Ghana Ltd.

    Further, on 7th January, 2016, H. E. the then President gave approval
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 12:45 p.m.
    for strategic investor status and tax exemption for other companies including the following:
    a. Messrs. Wilmar Africa Limited;
    b. Messrs. West Hill Mall Limited;
    c. Messrs. Tang Palace Hotel Limited;
    d. Messrs. Mabani Seven Company;
    e. Messrs. Sunon Asogli Power Project (Phase II);
    f. Messrs. Quantum Power Ghana Gas Limited''.
    Mr Speaker, what your Committee discovered was that these tax waivers were granted without recourse to the constitutional provision of Article 174(2) and in the privilege of this House, I dare say that these waivers are unconstitutional.
    It is for that reason we sought the counsel of the Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, whether it was proper for any President or any Hon Minister for Finance or any GIPC boss to sit in his office and suo moto say that he or she deemed that
    a person is qualified- a power which has been given to Parliament. The Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice applied and said no, because Parliament must be seized with it to make the determination. That is why your Committee had the opportunity to consider for the first time, these applications that were hiding under section 26(4) and were granted by the Executive for the time and brought to Parliament for us to make deter- mination on it.

    Mr Speaker, in conclusion, in reference to the specific request before us, the Committee agrees with the GIPC's Board in its findings that the investment potential, the jobs that would accrue as a result of it, the income and corporate taxes that would be paid as a result of it would be of benefit to the growth of the Republic and so we support this application.
    rose
    Mr Speaker 12:45 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member for Keta, Mr Quashigah?
    Mr Richard Quashigah 12:45 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would yield to Mr Jinapor.
    Mr John Abdulai Jinapor (NDC -- Yapei Kusawgu) 12:45 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, what Parliament has been asked to do is to give tax waiver to the equivalent of more than US$23 million. If we convert this amount to the current rate, it means that the people of Ghana have been asked to give an amount of GH¢134 million to one company.
    Mr Speaker, with your permission, I beg to quote page 2 of the Committee's Repot which says:
    “The Pullman Accra Airport City Hotel and Serviced Apartments is a dual hospitality project, positioned to become Ghana's largest and most distinguished hotel facility''.
    Mr Speaker, what is the basis to describe this Pullman Hotel as Ghana's most distinguished hotel facility? There should be a basis for that. What do they seek to achieve?
    Mr Speaker, again with your permission, I beg to quote page 5 of the Committee's Report which says:
    “The Committee observed that the implementation of the project (phase 1) is expected to generate substantial amount of taxes for government over the initial period of operation''
    So Government's interest is to raise taxes over the initial period. What about the long term period?
    Mr Speaker, there is something known as “investment decision''. [Interruption.] I am a finance person. The Hon Chairman of the Committee is not the only person who is an economist. In taking investment decisions, there is something known as “investment appraisal''.
    In conducting an investment appraisal, there are tools to determine whether that investment would be profitable or not. If not for anything, there is the net present value, internal rate of return, profitability index and pay up period. All these have not been met. There is no evidence to show that this project if undertaken, would be profitable.
    When they want to inject the Ghanaian tax payer's money of an amount of GH¢134 million into a private venture, they ought to do an investment appraisal, convince Parliament and let Parliament know that it is worth doing before they inject
    Mr Speaker 12:45 p.m.
    Hon Members, in view of the Business before us and the time, I direct that we Sit beyond the prescribed hours.
    Mr Jinapor 12:55 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, they initially went for a debt, and in page 7 of the Report, it says that the debt would be replaced by a long term financing from the African Export- Import Bank. The Board of the African Export-Import Bank was said to have already passed a resolution approving the transaction.
    Mr Speaker, the Chairman of the Committee is telling us that the Board of this Bank is said to have approved of that facility. What this means is that the success of this project hinges on this Resolution. The critical question is, where is that critical Resolution from the Board to convince us that this is indeed a legitimate project?
    Mr Speaker, one cannot catch a bird, defrock it, take off its feathers and present it to the Rt Hon Mike
    Oquaye, a distinguished Speaker, and ask him what bird it is. [Uproar] -- Mr Speaker, that is tantamount -- [Interruption]-- This critical condition has not been met and so, we do not even know the long term financing viability of this project.

    Mr Speaker, we are dealing with a hotel, and I would want to quote page 8 of the Report. With your permission it says:

    “Again on 31st of October 2016, the GIPC by a letter indicated its approval of strategic investor status for the 5-Star Shangri-La Hotel...”

    The Chairman of the Committee clearly lists companies that have been granted tax waiver status on page 8;

    Shangri-La Hotel was not granted a tax waiver status, and so to say that because Shangri-La was granted strategic investor status it amounts to granting of tax waiver status, it is not here, it is not there and it is not anywhere.

    Therefore, this attempt to use the taxpayers GH¢134 million to grant the tax waiver status to Pullman Accra Airport City Hotel and Serviced Apartments fails the test of time. This very hotel that is being constructed under President Akufo-Addo -- This Akufo-Addo Hotel -- does not meet the standard and I would want to serve notice that on this Side of the House, we would not be part of an illegality.

    We would not support it. This is unfortunate. This is an abuse, a misuse; it tantamounts to misusing the taxpayers' money as far as this is concerned.
    rose
    Mr Speaker 12:55 p.m.
    Hon Minister, I saw you standing earlier. Did you rise on a point of correction?
    Mr Oppong-Nkrumah 12:55 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, On a point of order. I am

    The Hon Member on his feet has just described this Project which has a name and a company that is leading it, as an Akufo-Addo Hotel. This is a House of Record. My prayer to you is that that be expunged from the Records because we cannot allow that to stand under the name of an Akufo-Addo Hotel because it is not so. This is a project by a private entity that has come to this House and which we are considering as such.

    I thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker 12:55 p.m.
    Hon Members, when a Member -- All those who are talking may finish and then we continue -- [Pause] -- Let me say without an iota of doubt that, one, an Hon Member does not have only one right to contribute to anything. Let us get it clear. Two, when it is obvious a person rises on a point of correction, I have the absolute discretion to correct any fact in this House; and a point of order must be distinguished from a point of correction.
    The expression, “so, so and so Hotel”, because I do not want to repeat it, is unacceptable -- [Laughter] -- Hon Members, let us
    Alhaji Muntaka 12:55 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would do just that.
    My Hon Colleague drew my attention that he wanted to use the washroom but he will come back.
    Equally, I have always insisted that it is a bad practice that after one finishes speaking, he leaves the floor of the House, even though it is not in our rules.
    So when I saw the attempt that he was rushing out, I drew his attention to come back and he said he wanted to use the washroom. [Uproar] -- I am going to get him to be back soon.
    Mr Speaker 12:55 p.m.
    Hon Minority Chief Whip, the debate would stand down.
    Hon Majority Leader, do we have any other business before us?
    Mr Nyindam 12:55 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the House is expected to go into a joint caucus meeting for the Hon Ministers for Sanitation and Water Resources and Local Government and Rural Development to brief the House on matters of sanitation.
    So could we break into a joint caucus meeting?
    Mr Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    Alhaji Muntaka 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in your Lobby, the understanding was that we were going to get this done. I did not get this signal from my Hon Colleague why we wanted to stand it
    Mr Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    Before we conclude the Business, I order that all references of any name whatsoever for this hotel, other than that which has been well and truly advertised before this honourable House, should be expunged from the records. [Hear! Hear!]
    Yes, Hon First Deputy Majority Chief Whip, what is before us? Debate to continue or?
    Mr Nyindam 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we will break into -- [Uproar] --
    Mr Speaker, I wish to suggest that we break into a Committee of the Whole for the Hon Minister for Local Government and Rural Development,
    and the Hon Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources to brief the House.
    Alhaji Muntaka 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you.
    First of all, my Hon Colleague, Mr John Jinapor has entered the Chamber. With the greatest of respect, I am very much aware of Standing Order 93(4). However, I have heard you make this ruling a number of times where you say that an expression be expunged from our records.
    Our records are neither left to the whims and caprices of the Speaker to determine what should be expunged or not nor does it give you the power to do so. You can get the power to withdraw but to say that an expression be expunged -- you asked for the expunction of an expression that the Hon Minority Leader spoke about and also, I have just heard you in similar fashion.
    Mr Speaker, with the greatest of respect, our Rules are very clear. I would be very happy if you can educate us; under which Rule are you asking a statement made by an Hon Member to be expunged from our records? The records are to capture all the things that are said in this House; you may disagree with what the Hon Member says and get the Hon
    Mr Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, just to elucidate. When a person will not even make himself or herself available for withdrawal regarding which, if -- [Interruption.] Hon Minority Leader, you are still speaking when I am speaking, how will you hear me? I listened to you patiently and I am ruling. Let us be cool and not unmindful of the Speaker's discretionary power under Standing Order 6. I was to go the other way but let me stand on Standing Order 6;
    “In all cases not provided for (specifically), in these Orders, Mr Speaker, shall make provision as he deems fit.”
    [Interruption] -
    Unless we do not want to learn, if you say a person must be asked to withdraw, as per the Hon Minority Leader himself, the person must be asked to withdraw.
    The person is not present for you to ask him to withdraw but by the person's own choice, by walking out on the Mace, the moment that person makes his contribution, the Speaker is well within his powers to apply Standing Order 6 in order to let there be business efficacy in this honourable House. [Hear! Hear!] For the records, that is my ruling.
    Now, Hon Majority Chief Whip, I will have your take on further Business.
    Mr Nyindam 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker --
    Mr Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    Are you talking about a closed Sitting?
    Mr Nyindam 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we are not closing. We will suspend and go into a Committee of the Whole and after that we will resume Sitting. That is the indication.
    Mr Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    The Hon Second Deputy Speaker will take the Chair as we go into Committee of the Whole. Proceedings will continue by
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    Hon Members, the House will resume Sitting and I will defer to leadership for guidance on what to do now; which item to take or we call it a day.
    Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:05 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, tragically, even before the invitation could be extended to me, I heard a chorus of yes, yes! So it does mean that I cannot swim against the tide.
    Mr Speaker, sincerely, I thought we would have some space to continue with the consideration of the Narcotics Control Commission Bill, 2019, which we are minded to conclude tomorrow because space would be constricted on Thursday. But my attention has also been drawn to the fact that the staff would require some space to do some rehearsals and that they had programmed to even start at 3.00 p.m.
    It is now 4.30 p.m., so it may appear that we may have to adjourn now and try to Sit tomorrow at 10.00
    a.m. prompt to do the Consideration of the Bill and free some space because the military would also be here to do their final rehearsal.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to plead with Colleague Hon Members that tomorrow, at 10.00 a.m. prompt, we should be in the Chamber to start the Business of the House.
    Mr Speaker, I would also want to plead with Hon Colleagues who have been assisting in the Winnowing Committee to recline to my office from here so that we would be able to finish with the Narcotics Control Commission Bill, 2019 in order for us to smoothly transact Business on the Bill tomorrow and the days after. I am praying the House that, latest by Friday, we should conclude that Bill.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:05 p.m.
    Hon Members, I can only urge you to show interest in the work of the Winnowing Committee because when you finally agree at that Committee, it becomes easier for us to transact Business.
    Consideration Stage is not just any open debate. There are rules, practices, conventions and some languages that have been established. It is something that requires finesse,
    ADJOURNMENT 1:05 p.m.
  • The House was adjourned at 4.33 p.m. till Wednesday, 19th February, 2020, at 10.00 a.m.