Debates of 5 Mar 2020

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 11:04 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 11:04 a.m.
Mr Speaker 11:04 a.m.
Hon Members, we have the Votes and Proceedings of 4th February, 2020 for correction.
Pages 1 - 9
rose
Mr Speaker 11:04 a.m.
Yes, Hon Okudzeto Ablakwa?
Mr Ablakwa 11:04 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am most grateful. I tried to catch your eye at page 9 on the item numbered 7; the Ministry has been wrongly captured. The Paper laid by the Hon Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu on behalf of the
Minister for Local Government and Rural Development has been captured as “Minister for Local Government and Local Government”. It should be Minister for Local Government and Rural Development. So if that could be corrected accordingly.
Mr Speaker 11:04 a.m.
Thank you very much. It would be done.
Pages 10 - 13
rose
Mr Speaker 11:04 a.m.
Yes, Hon Majority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:04 a.m.
Mr Speaker, if I recollect correctly, I think the referral of the Instrument was made to the Subsidiary Legislation Committee and the Leadership of the Committee on Local Government and Rural Development.
Mr Speaker 11:04 a.m.
Hon Osei Bonsu Amoah, do you want to intervene?
Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah 11:04 a.m.
Mr Speaker, if what is here is what you ordered, then that is the right thing. For the Legislative Instruments (L. Is.), they go to the Committee on
Subsidiary Legislation; they do not go to any other Committee.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:04 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Votes and Proceedings captures what transpired in the House and I am suggesting to my Hon Colleague that the referral was made to the Subsidiary Legislation Committee and the Leadership of the Committee on Local Government and Rural Development. If he wants to say anything to the contrary, he must say so.
He was not here in the Chamber when the referral was made, and he cannot contradict your directives.
Mr Speaker 11:04 a.m.
This was the proceeding?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:04 a.m.
Mr Speaker, indeed, that was what happened.
Mr Speaker 11:04 a.m.
That is so.
Pages 14 - 29.
Any further corrections? Hon Members, in the absence of any further corrections, the Votes and Proceedings of 4th March, 2020 as corrected, is hereby adopted as the true record of proceedings.
Hon Members, we also have the Official Report of 13th February, 2020. Any correction therein?
  • [No corrections were made to the Official Report of 13th February, 2020].
    • Mr Speaker 11:04 a.m.
    Hon Members, the item listed 3; Business Statement for the Seventh Week. Chairman of the Business Committee and Leader of the House?
    BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 11:14 a.m.
    Chairman of the Business Committee/Majority Leader (Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu) 11:14 a.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    Introduction
    Mr Speaker, the Committee met yesterday, Wednesday, 4th March 2020 and arranged Business of the House for the Seventh Week ending Friday, 13th March, 2020.
    Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 11:14 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 11:14 a.m.


    Arrangement of Business

    Formal Communications by the Speaker

    Mr Speaker, you may read any available communication to the House.

    Question(s)

    Mr Speaker, the Business Committee has scheduled the following Ministers to respond to Questions asked of them during the week:

    No. of Question(s)

    i. Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection -- 2

    ii. Minister for Transport -- 1

    iii. Minister for Lands and Natural Resources -- 1

    iv. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration -- 1

    v. Minister for Information -- 1

    vi. Minister for Finance -- 2

    vii. Minister for Communications -- 2

    viii. Minister for Trade and Industry -- 2

    ix. Minister for Works and Housing -- 3

    x. Minister for Energy -- 3

    xi. Minister for Health -- 2

    Total Number of Questions -- 20

    Mr Speaker, in all, 11 Ministers are expected to attend upon the House

    to respond to 20 Questions during the week.

    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 Standing 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 Standing Order 119.

    Pursuant to Standing 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.
    Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 11:14 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Business Committee expects the following formulae to be presented to Parliament in due course:
    (i) Proposed Formula for Distributing the District Assemblies' Common Fund (DACF) for the Year 2020;
    (ii) Proposed Formula for the Distribution of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) for the Year 2020; and
    (iii) Proposed Formula for the Disbursement of the National Health Insurance Fund for the year 2020.
    Contingent upon their presenta- tion, the Committee of the Whole would consider them and present the reports for debate at the plenary.
    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.

    Questions --

    *655. Mr Yusif Sulemana (Bole/Bamboi): To ask the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection which Queenmothers from the Bole District benefited from the 30 per cent School Feeding Caterer's Protocol Allocation for Queenmothers.

    *656. Mr Alexander Roosevelt Hottordze (Central Tongu): To ask the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection what steps the Ministry is taking to educate the people along the Volta Lake on child trafficking.

    *659. Mr Richard Mawuli Kwaku Quashigah (Keta): To ask the Minister for Transport what plans government has to build a sea port in the Keta Municipality.

    *667. Dr Clement A. Apaak (Builsa South): To ask the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources what action the Ministry has taken to enforce the renewed ban on the harvesting, transportation and export of

    rosewood which was announced in March 2019.

    *669. Mr Mahama Ayariga (Bawku Central): To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration when she will present the African Union Protocol on Free Movement of Persons to Parliament for consideration.

    Statements --

    Presentation and First Reading of Bills --

    University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development Bill, 2020

    Motions --

    (a) Third Reading of Bills

    Narcotics Control Commission Bill, 2019

    (b) Adoption of the Report of the Representatives from the Parliament of Ghana to the Pan-African Parliament on the Third Ordinary Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Pan-African Parliament held from 7th to 17th October,

    2019.

    Consideration Stage of Bills

    Corporate Insolvency Bill, 2019. (Continuation)

    Committee sittings.

    Questions --

    *670.Mr Ras Mubarak Kum- bungu): To ask the Minister for Information whether the BBC, VOA, and DW pay for the use of GBC's facilities at Adjangote and Secondi, and if they do, how much was paid for colocation by the aforementioned media houses in 2017 and 2018.

    *671. Mr Edward Kaale-Ewola Dery (Lambussie): To ask the Minister for Finance how much it cost the State to print the new GH¢100 and GH¢200 notes.

    *672. Mr Isaac Adongo Bolga- tanga Central): To ask the Minister for Finance how much of the excess funds after capping the Stabilisation Fund has been transferred to the Sinking Fund for 2017 and 2018 fiscal years.

    *673. Mr Christian Corletey Otuteye (Sege): To ask the Minister for Communications what plans the Ministry has to improve communication network in the following communities: (i) Tehe (ii) Amuyao Korpe (iii) Afiadenyigba (iv) Dorgobom (v) Talibanya.

    *674. Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza (Adaklu): To ask the Minister for Communications the extent of coverage of fourth generation (4G) cellular network in the country, taking into account regional and district coverage.

    Statements

    Presentation of Papers --

    (a) Proposed Formula for Distributing the District Assemblies' Common Fund (DACF) for the Year 2020.

    (b) Proposed Formula for the Distribution of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) for the Year

    2020.

    (c) Proposed Formula for the disbursement of the National Health Insurance Fund for the year 2020.
    Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 11:14 a.m.


    Motions --

    (a) Adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee on the Request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, GETFund Levy, NHIL Levy, ECOWAS Levy, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy, AU Levy and other taxes amounting to twenty-five million, one hundred and forty-four thousand, nine hundred and eighty-nine Ghana cedis twenty seven pesewas (GH¢25,144, 989.27) on vehicles to be procured for the Inter-City STC Company Limited.

    Consequential Resolution

    (b) Adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee on the Request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, GETFund Levy, NHIL Levy, ECOWAS Levy, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy, AU Levy and other taxes amounting to seven hundred and eight thousand, six hundred and fifty-two Ghana cedis ninety-two Pesewas (GH¢708,652.92) on vehicles to be procured for the Ministry of Regional

    Reorganisation and Develop- ment.

    - Consequential Resolution

    (c) Adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee on the Request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, GETFund Levy, NHIL Levy, ECOWAS Levy, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy, AU Levy and other taxes amounting to fourteen million, seven hundred and eighty-five thousand, six hundred and fifty-eight Ghana cedis seventy-seven pesewas (GH¢14,785,658.77) on vehicles to be procured for the Metro Mass Transit Limited.

    Consequential Resolution

    (d) Adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee on the Request for waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, GETFund Levy, NHIL Levy, ECOWAS Levy, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy, AU Levy and other taxes amounting to eight hundred and forty-one thousand, six hundred and forty-five Ghana

    cedis twenty pesewas (GH¢841,645.20) on weapons donated to the Ghana Immigration Service.

    - Consequential Resolution

    Consideration Stage of Bills

    Corporate Insolvency Bill, 2019. (Continuation)

    Committee sittings.

    Questions --

    *675. Mr Ras Mubarak Kum- bungu): To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry whether any funds have been disbursed to individuals or companies interested in the 1D1F Programme, and if funds have been released and disbursed, who are the beneficiaries.

    *676. Dr Clement A. Apaak (Builsa South): To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry when a factory will be established in the Builsa South District as part of the One District, One Factory programme.

    *691. Mr Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwame Dafeamekpor (South Dayi): To ask the Minister for Works and Housing when Government's proposed low-cost housing project will commence in South Dayi.

    *692. Mr Christian Corletey Otuteye (Sege): To ask the Minister for Works and Housing when the construction of Ada West Sea Defence would commence and be completed.

    *693. Mr Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwame Dafeamekpor (South Dayi): To ask the Minister for Works and Housing what steps the Ministry has taken to commence low-cost housing project in the Volta Region.

    Statements --

    Consideration Stage of Bills --

    Corporate Insolvency Bill, 2019. (Continuation)

    Committee sittings.

    Committee of the Whole to consider the Formulae relating to DACF, GETFund and NHIS.
    Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 11:14 a.m.


    Questions --

    *694. Ms Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo (Shai- Osudoku): To ask the Minister for Energy when work will resume on electrification projects in the following communities: (i) Narhkope (ii) Manya Jorpanya (iii) Dedenya (iv) Asebi.

    *695. Ms Helen Adjoa Ntoso (Krachi West): To ask the Minister for Energy when the following communities will be connected to the national grid: (i) Yaborae (ii) Ankaase (iii) Polo (iv) Sabaja (v) Mamata (vi) Pechie Akura (vii) Old Wunotor (viii) Old Nanasewe (ix) Sablakope (x) Matan-Malam and mini grids in the island communities.

    *696. Mr Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwame Dafeamekpor (South Dayi): To ask the Minister for Energy how many communities in the Volta Region are yet to be paid monetary compensations since the completion of the Akosombo Dam.

    *697. Mr Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwame Dafeamekpor (South Dayi): To ask the Minister for Health what concrete steps the Ministry has taken to build an accident centre at the Peki Government Hospital in South Dayi.

    *698. Mr Kwasi Etu-Bonde (Kintampo North): To ask the Minister for Health what is stalling the accreditation of Kintampo College of Health degree programmes.

    Statements

    Presentation of Papers --

    (a) Report of the Committee of the Whole on the Proposed Formula for Distributing the District Assemblies' Common Fund (DACF) for the Year

    2020.

    (b) Report of the Committee of the Whole on the Proposed Formula for the Distribution of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) for the Year

    2020.

    (c) Report of the Committee of the Whole on the Proposed Formula for the disbursement of the National Health

    Insurance Fund for the year

    2020.

    Consideration Stage of Bills

    Corporate Insolvency Bill, 2019. (Continuation)

    Committee sittings.
    Mr Speaker 11:14 a.m.
    Thank you very much, Hon Majority Leader.
    Yes, Hon Ablakwa?
    Mr Ablakwa 11:14 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank the Hon Majority Leader, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Chairman of the Business Committee for the presentation.
    I noticed that there are quite a number of Questions that were slated for this week which have been carried forward to next week. They are Question numbered 655, by Hon Yusif Sulemana for the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection and then Hon Mahama Ayariga's Question numbered 669 for the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
    Is there any particular reason these Questions have been carried
    forward? Because when this continues, it encumbers the space for us to have more Questions. We are told that there are a lot of Questions in the pipeline, so if Questions are programmed for a particular week, could there be some commitment to have them addressed, so that we do not keep carrying them forward and then encumbering the space for other Questions in the pipeline? Some of us have been waiting for our Questions to be programmed and if this practice continues, we shudder to think when they would finally feature.
    Mr Speaker, the second and final matter I would want to raise relates to a matter of global concern which the Minister for Health was in the House to brief us on -- it is about the coronavirus or COVID-19 which has engaged the attention of the international community. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared it a public health emergency of international concern.
    Yesterday, the Hon Minister for Health admonished the larger society of Ghanaians to reconsider non- essential travels. I want to find out from the Hon Majority Leader if Parliament is going to follow suit and regulate travels --
    Mr Speaker 11:14 a.m.
    Hon Member, that is calling for debate. Please, this is not
    Mr Ablakwa 11:14 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would follow your direction.
    Mr Mahama Ayariga 11:14 a.m.
    Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
    I would like to follow on the issue of the coronavirus and find out what measures are being put in place in this House --
    Mr Speaker 11:14 a.m.
    Hon Member, you may ask a substantive Question on that. There would be no more discussion on the coronavirus because it was exhaustively dealt with yesterday. We should not turn this into a further debate because maybe, those who did not have an opportunity to contribute what they wanted, may want to do so, by coming through the backdoor.
    Mr Ayariga 11:14 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would move away from that and go to the Business Statement. Article 184 of our Constitution says that:
    “The Committee of Parliament responsible for financial
    measures shall monitor the foreign exchange receipts and payments or transfers of the Bank of Ghana in and outside Ghana and shall report on them to Parliament once in every six months.”
    I would like to find out from the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Leader of Government Business when he would schedule the Committee to brief us on foreign exchange transfers and receipts, according to article 184 of our Constitution.
    Mr Ras Mubarak 11:14 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, last week, during the Consideration of the Business Statement, the Hon Majority Leader indicated that we may have an instance where we would have a Committee of the Whole to look at the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) Formulae. I have not seen it captured and I would want to know when that would be.
    Finally, Parliament as an institution --
    Mr Speaker 11:24 a.m.
    The Hon Member who has engaged the Hon Majority
    Leader, if you would disengage him for a moment, so that he can give attention --
    Mr Ras Mubarak 11:24 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, with Parliament as an institution, could we from the various vantage points put some hand sanitisers as our way of assisting Hon Members of Parliament, staff and visitors who come to Parliament to avoid what has been known as the deadly pandemic?
    Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 11:24 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, with your permission, I beg to quote item numbered 3 in the Business Statement which says:
    “Mr Speaker, the Business Committee expects the following formulae to be presented to Parliament in due course”.
    Mr Speaker, we are in the Seventh Week and the third month and with this expectation from the Business Committee, I would want to know from the Hon Majority Leader, when exactly the Hon Ministers for Health, Local Government and Rural Development then that of Education would allow the agencies under them to present their formulas for the House to take specific actions on?
    This is because the House would adjourn sine die very soon.
    The Hon Minister for Local Government and Rural Development is in the House, so when she takes the cue, the other Hon Ministers could do same.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:24 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I shall begin with the Hon First Deputy Minority Whip's question, since he is a Member of the Business Committee and he has decided to attempt to cause some “internal bleeding” even though he ought to have raised this at the appropriate place. If he listened to me, I said they would be in the House next week. So clearly, he did not listen to what I said and yet he relented to cause “internal bleeding”.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for North Tongu, Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa, who asked a question but is now on his mobile phone and not listening to me --
    Mr Speaker, a day before yesterday, a popular television station related to how Hon Members fidget with their mobile phones when serious Business is transacted in the House. The House must make a determination on this. I would want to emphasise

    that this is the reason it has been proposed that in the next Parliament, when we accept and adopt the reviewed Standing Orders, no Hon Member would be allowed to bring a mobile phone into the Chamber. We need to demonstrate seriousness in this House.

    When the President of the Republic came to deliver the Message on the State of the Nation, Hon Members fidgeted with their mobile phones. When the Hon Minister for Finance comes to the House to present the Budget Statement, Hon Members fidget with their phones. When Questions are asked and Hon Ministers come to the House to provide Answers, Hon Members fidget with their mobile phones. This does not tell a good story about us; we should be very honest with ourselves.

    Mr Speaker, the Parliament of Ghana is not the only Parliament in the world. There are established Parliaments in the world, who do not allow Hon Members to go to the Chamber with their mobile phones. That should be the order. We shall apply this religiously once we adopt the new Standing Orders.

    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for North Tongu, Mr Ablakwa, asked questions about why we have shifted Questions and not programmed them in the ensuing week. When we debated the Message on the State of the Nation, we decided to allow space for the debate and also to be able to complete the Narcotics Control Commission Bill, 2019, which is why we decided then that we would free space for the previous week in order for us to be able to do that.

    Into next week, certainly we would programme as many as possible so that the Hon Members would have their Questions answered.

    Mr Speaker, this part of the oversight responsibilities of Hon Members, and in particular, when it comes to the delivery of infrastructure, Hon Members would go home after the 3rd of April, 2020 and I believe that questions would be asked of us by our constituents and we need to have these questions answered. So the right thing would be done.

    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for North Tongu, Mr Ablakwa, attempted to ask a question on the coronavirus. Yesterday he made a spirited attempt to catch your eye to be able to make a contribution on the Statement but he did not succeed and
    Mr Speaker 11:24 a.m.
    He tried to come by the window? [Laughter]
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:24 a.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker. He opened the window for himself but appropriately, you shut it, so I do not intend to go on, on that.
    Again, he attempted to ask a question on non-essential travels but you shut the window firmly at him, so I would leave it at that.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for Bawku Central, Mr Ayariga, also wanted to go on the same trajectory on the coronavirus issue and again, you showed him the right path to follow, if indeed he wanted to pursue that matter.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member related to article 148 of the Constitution and asked the Business Committee to programme for the Committee on Finance to submit their Report to Parliament. I would enquire from the Committee, the status of their engagement with the Bank of Ghana,
    and the appropriate response would be given at the appropriate time.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for Kumbungu, Mr Ras Mubarak, again wanted to use some unorthodox means to ask a question. I do not see the mask that he wore. Typical of him, he rides a bicycle to Parliament but cannot ride it back to his residence. One day, he came to the House with a nose mask and within 30 minutes, the mask was gone.
    Mr Speaker, the formulae would be responded to by the Hon Minister next week and we would determine how to treat them. I believe that when we put the three of them together in a day, it would not be helpful to us. We need to be able to interrogate all of them variously and do what is right.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker 11:24 a.m.
    Thank you very much, Hon Majority Leader.
    Hon Members, the Business Statement is accordingly adopted for further considerations to be worked on.
    Hon Members, at the Commencement of Public Business, item numbered 6 -- Presentation of Papers.
    Mr Speaker 11:24 a.m.


    Item numbered 6(i), by the Hon Chairman of the Committee?
    PAPERS 11:34 a.m.
    Mr Speaker 11:34 a.m.
    Hon Members, item numbered 7, Motion.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:34 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I believe you varied the order of business for a good cause by calling for the Presentation of Papers. If we could go back to item numbered 4, because the Questions have been slated for --
    Mr Speaker 11:34 a.m.
    Item listed 4? [Interruption] -- Thank you very much.
    Hon Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, if you would please take the appropriate chair --
    Question number 662 standing in the name of the Hon Member for Hohoe?
    Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza 11:34 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, my Colleague, Hon (Dr) Heloo is indisposed and has given me her permission to ask the Question on her behalf.
    ORAL ANSWERS TO 11:34 a.m.
    QUESTIONS 11:34 a.m.
    MINISTRY OF LOCAL 11:34 a.m.
    GOVERNMENT AND RURAL 11:34 a.m.
    DEVELOPMENT 11:34 a.m.
    Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza (on behalf of Dr (Mrs) Bernice Adiku Heloo) (NDC-Hohoe) 11:34 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I rise to ask the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development the status of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi and Likpe Traditional Areas with regard to Ghana's administrative sub-divisions.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:34 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member submitted an application to you and even before you could pronounce on same, he seized the opportunity and started asking the Question.
    Mr Speaker, when women transmogrify into men, they are ominous and we should be careful. You must grant the permission before the Hon Member seizes the opportunity and creates a platform for himself to ask the Question.
    Mr Speaker 11:34 a.m.
    Hon Members, to make progress, what I have heard, I have heard -- [Laughter] -- and the Hon Minister would please answer the Question.
    Minister for Local Government and Rural Development (Hajia Alima Mahama) (MP) 11:34 a.m.
    I thank you, Mr Speaker.
    The Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi and Likpe (SALL), areas were part of the Hohoe Municipal Assembly as provided in the District Electoral Areas and Designation of Units Instrument, 2014 (C.I. 85).
    The Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Creation of New Regions identified the SALL Traditional Areas as part of the places for the Referenda.
    The President upon receipt of the Report and recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry into the Creation of New Regions and the subsequent Referendum results from
    the Electoral Commission, the Oti Region was created to include the SALL areas under Constitutional Instrument (C.I. 112) of 1st February,
    2019.
    Mr Speaker, from the above and for the purpose of effective and efficient administration of the country, the SALL areas are now part of the Jasikan District Assembly within the Oti Region.
    Mr Speaker, the District Electoral Areas and Designation of Units Regulations, 2019, (C.I 119) made by the Electoral Commission on 3rd July, 2019 also located the SALL areas within the Jasikan District in the Oti Region in line with C.I. 112 of February, 2019.
    Mr Speaker, data provided by the Electoral Commission on the SALL areas as far as the electoral areas polling stations and number of registered voters are concerned is attached.
    Mr Speaker, steps have also been taken to develop new Legislative Instruments (L.Is) for both Jasikan District Assembly and the Hohoe Municipal Assembly to reflect the current status of the two Assemblies.
    I thank you.
    Mr Speaker 11:34 a.m.
    Thank you very much, Hon Minister.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    Mr Agbodza 11:34 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have no further questions with regard to this.
    Mr Speaker 11:34 a.m.
    Thank you.

    Hon Members, Question number 665 for which we would want the Hon Minister for Special Development Initiatives to please take the appropriate chair.

    Hon Member for Adaklu, your Question.
    MINISTRY OF SPECIAL 11:34 a.m.
    DEVELOPMENT 11:34 a.m.
    INITIATIVES 11:34 a.m.
    Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza (NDC-Adaklu) 11:34 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to ask the
    Minister for Special Development Initiatives how much of the one million dollars per Constituency has been disbursed in Adaklu so far.
    Minister for Special Development Initiatives (Mrs Mavis Hawa Koomson) (MP) 11:34 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, over the past three years, the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives has been providing oversight and policy direction for the effective implementation of Governments' priority initiatives and constituency specific projects under the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP) across the three development zones.
    Accordingly, the Adaklu Consti- tuency has been allocated the under listed projects. These projects are at various stages of completion except the ambulance, which has been duly delivered.
    1. Three (3) No. 10-Seater water closet Institutional Toilets with mechanised boreholes located at Adaklu Anfoe, Adaklu Waya and Adaklu Ahunda communities;
    2. Three (3) No. Community- based mechanised solar powered water systems located at Amuzudeve, Dananu and in the Akpakope communities;
    Mr Speaker 11:44 a.m.
    Thank you, Hon Minister. Yes, Hon Member?
    Mr Agbodza 11:44 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, may I ask the Hon Minister what went into the selection of the various projects at the various sites? As an Hon Member of Parliament --
    Mr Speaker 11:44 a.m.
    Hon Member, when you say at “various sites”, where do you mean?
    Mr Agbodza 11:44 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, within the projects the Hon Minister listed. The Hon Minister should listen carefully, as she would understand why I ask her this question.
    Mr Speaker, firstly, she said 11:44 a.m.
    “Three (3) No. 10-Seater Water Closet Institutional Toilets with Mechanised Boreholes …”
    When we move to the tenth item in the Answer, it reads: “Construction of 2 No.” ---
    Mr Speaker 11:44 a.m.
    Hon Member, your Question was simply; “how much of the one million dollars per constituency has been disbursed in Adaklu”? It did not talk about the kind of details that you now seek. It is just to ask how much? The Hon Minister has given us a detail thereof and a detailed report on the specific projects. If you want any more answers, file another Question.
    Mr Agbodza 11:44 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I appreciate the point you just made. However, as the representative of the people of Adaklu --
    Mr Speaker 11:44 a.m.
    Hon Member, I did not say that you are not. All I said was that, that is not what your Question said. Kindly read your Question yourself. And please, those who have not acquainted themselves with that should not make comments and allow the Hon Member to read the Question.
    Mr Agbodza 11:44 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, my Question is this: “To ask the Minister for Special Development Initiatives how much of the one million dollars per constituency has been disbursed in Adaklu…”
    Mr Speaker, in the Hon Minister's Answer, she listed --
    Mr Agbodza 11:44 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, she gave a global figure --
    Mr Speaker 11:44 a.m.
    Hon Member, have you not been given how much?
    Mr Agbodza 11:44 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, no. The reason for saying no --
    Mr Speaker 11:44 a.m.
    In my view, the “how much” has been expressly --
    Mr Agbodza 11:44 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, they did not spend GH¢6 million in Adaklu because some of the projects do not even exist. That is the point I am trying to make.
    Mr Speaker 11:44 a.m.
    Hon Member, that is not the Question that you have just asked. Hon Member, I want us to examine these things critically. If you approach this with faces of doubt - now, you want to ask something else and if you want to ask that, do so.
    Mr Agbodza 11:44 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, in the Hon Minister's Answer, for instance, she mentioned a water closet --
    Mr Speaker 11:44 a.m.
    Hon Member, do you suggest to the Hon Minister, which you would be entitled to do that,
    Mr Agbodza 11:44 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thought that my Hon Colleague --
    Mr Speaker 11:44 a.m.
    Hon Member, please do not think, ask the question.
    Mr Agbodza 11:44 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am not here to accuse the Hon Minister of anything.
    Mr Speaker 11:44 a.m.
    Hon Member, you are entitled to, if that is what you believe in. Honestly, if you have facts to make a suggestion that this is not correct, since you are not talking about any malfeasance -- but you would say that something is not correct. If you have reason to believe that ask specifically.
    Mr Agbodza 11:44 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the first question I have for the Hon Minister is what I just asked which was: “how the projects were selected”, but you said that was not the main Question I asked.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister gave 10 different projects on which they spent the money. However, she just gave a global figure, perhaps she computed the GH¢6.7million based
    on the individual items. Now that she has the global figure, can she give us the breakdown of how much was spent on each of the projects?
    Mr Speaker 11:44 a.m.
    Hon Member, you have now asked a question. Hon Minister, give us that.
    Mrs Koomson 11:44 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, with the cost of each project, I would beg to bring it later because it is not available at the moment. If not, in a few minutes, I could quickly make it available to the Hon Member.
    Mr Speaker 11:44 a.m.
    Any further questions?
    Mr Agbodza 11:44 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to make it clear to the Hon Minister that apart from the ambulance that she mentioned, which we all know that Adaklu Constituency is a beneficiary and one (1) three unit classroom block which has been started, none of the projects is evident in Adaklu.
    So, when she says that they spent GH¢6.7 million, the people of Adaklu expect me to tell her that this is what has been done. My question is --
    Mr Speaker 11:44 a.m.
    Hon Member, none of those projects listed -- apart from what?
    Mr Agbodza 11:44 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, apart from the ambulance that is on the ground --
    Mr Speaker 11:44 a.m.
    Hon Member, hold on. Hon Minister, answer the question.
    Mrs Koomson 11:44 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleague's reference to the issue of there being no projects --
    Mr Speaker 11:44 a.m.
    Apart from ambulance --
    Mr Speaker 11:44 a.m.
    Hon Minister, please answer.
    Mrs Koomson 11:44 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I was trying to get pictorial evidence to the existence of the projects, but I have one in my hand here that I can tender which is on the toilet facility as well as the names of the towns where the projects exist.
    Mr Speaker, the others are all ongoing and that is why I said they are at various stages of completion. [Hear! Hear!] --
    Mr Speaker 11:54 a.m.
    Hon Minister, you would kindly lay your picture.

    Hon Member, you may ask any further question.
    Mr Agbodza 11:54 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, kindly indulge me because this is a very important project --
    Mr Speaker 11:54 a.m.
    Hon Member, please ask your question.
    Mr Agbodza 11:54 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister in her Answer mentioned a 10-seater water closet project at Adaklu Waya and another of such project at Adaklu Waya Senior High School.
    Mr Speaker, these two projects appear to be out of nowhere. And part of the Hon Minister answer reads:
    “Construction of eight (8) No. mechanised Boreholes across Adaklu Constituency”.
    Also, item numbered 4 in her Answer -- Hon Minister, refer to your Answer so that you can follow me --
    Mr Speaker 11:54 a.m.
    Hon Member, you do not tell the Hon Minister what to do. Ask your question.
    Mr Speaker 11:54 a.m.
    Hon Minister, you would provide the entire details in due course because this was not the original Question asked of you.
    Hon Member, your last supplementary question.
    Mr Agbodza 11:54 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, she just provided the details --
    Mr Speaker 11:54 a.m.
    Hon Member, do not say “she just provided” rather “the Hon Minister provided”.
    Mr Agbodza 11:54 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister provided Answers which suggest that the Hon Minister has spent GH¢6.7 million so far, but we were promised US$1 million since
    2017. I want to know when the rest of the moneys would be disbursed to Adaklu Constituency as we are now in 2020.
    Mr Speaker 11:54 a.m.
    Hon Minister, the Hon Member of Parliament for Adaklu Constituency expects US$1 million, but you have given an account of a little above GH¢6.7 million. What about the rest of the money?
    Mrs Koomson 11:54 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, sometime ago, I was in the House to explain how the disbursement of the US$1 million for each constituency would start. We had to put up the structures in place in 2017 and 2018, so I would not go back to those details since I have been in this House before to answer these issues.
    Mr Speaker 11:54 a.m.
    Hon Members, the Hon Minister said that she has been asked to answer on how much of the US$1 million has been spent and she has told the House the amount that has been spent.
    This is a constituency-specific Answer, so Hon Minister, thank you very much for attending upon the House and answering our Questions.
    We would take the Question numbered 666 - Hon Minister for Sanitation and Water Resource? Hon
    Members, please take note that this Question is specifically on Accra.
    Yes, Hon Chiwitey?
    MINISTRY OF SANITATION 11:54 a.m.
    AND WATER RESOURCES 11:54 a.m.
    Mr Andrew Dari Chiwitey (NDC -- Sawla/Tuna/Kalba) 11:54 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to ask the Hon Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources what urgent steps are being taken to clear Accra of filth.
    Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources (Ms Cecilia Abena Dapaah) 11:54 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you. I crave your indulgence to say that I have had the honour and privilege to brief the Committee of the Whole on the extensive interventions that have been put in place. I am not sure whether the Hon Member was present, but since Mr Speaker has admitted the Question, I would proceed to read an Answer.
    Mr Speaker, I consider it prudent to place in context what filth is. In a broader sense, fifth is any material unused and rejected as worthless or
    unwanted. It is also the state of being covered with unclean materials characterised by foul or disgusting dirt and refuse.
    The City of Accra, which is made up of 24 Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies (MMAs) within the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) currently generates 5,000 metric tonnes of solid waste daily, out of which 80 per cent is adequately collected and disposed of by private waste service providers. The collection rate has increased steadily over the last few years. The various Assemblies are expected to have an in-house capacity to manage the remaining 20 per cent.
    Mr Speaker, the Ministry strongly collaborates with the MMDAs and the Environmental Service Providers to improve and maintain good sanitary conditions in the GAMA. Although, the daily management of waste is a key function of the MMDAs and this is executed in conjunction with the Environmental Service Providers through their respective contract agreements.
    Mr Speaker, in Ghana, our Municipal waste consists of 65 per cent organic, 10.8 per cent inert, 10 per cent plastics, 6 per cent paper,
    Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources (Ms Cecilia Abena Dapaah) 12:04 p.m.
    3.5 per cent metals, 3 per cent glass and 1.75 per cent textiles. Mr Speaker, I am aware that the volume of medical waste is increasing by day and we need to focus more attention in this area. I must also add that most of our medical facilities have their own auto claves to take care of these wastes.
    Three transfer stations located at Kokomlemle, Achimota and Teshie have been constructed to support collection and disposal of waste in the GAMA area.
    Currently, the GAMA has landfill sites at Kpone, Adepa and Nsumia. Three Integrated Recycling and Compost Plants at Adzen Kotoku, Korle-Bu Mortuary Road owned by Zoomlion Ghana Limited and Nungua Farms owned by Jekora Ventures. Majority of these facilities were provided by the private sector in collaboration with the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources.
    Mr Speaker, there is a challenge of open defaecation in the GAMA, and to address this issue, over 27,000 household toilets have been constructed to benefit about 300,000 people living in low income communities in the GAMA area within the last three years.
    Some of the beneficiary communities are Glife, Mamprobi, Jamestown, Osu, Kaneshie, Teshie Tebibianor, Teshie Tsuibleoo, Adjei Kojo, Jericho, Lebanon, Kpone, Zenu, Weija, Ashalaja, Ashaley Botwe, Ashiyie, Teiman, Danfa, Dome, Ashongman, Abokobi, Sowutuom and five hundred and twenty two other communities.
    Additionally, 406 institutional toilets have been constructed in 260 basic and second cycle schools in the GAMA project areas. Some of the beneficiary institutions are: La Anglican Cluster of Schools, Armed Forces Basic Schools, Osu Children's Home, Baba Yara Junior High School (JHS), Nungua Presbyterian Senior High, Merciful Islamic Basic School Amasaman; Odorgonno Secondary School; Manhean Primary School; Kotoku Senior High School; St. John's Grammer SHS; Amasaman Secondary Technical School; Foamwag Islamic Basic School; Tetteh Ocloo School for the Deaf; Usaman Bun Affa Islamic Basic School; Amasaman Municipal Education Office and Mmaampehia M/A Basic School. This was facilitated by the Government of Ghana (GoG), World Bank and beneficiaries under the GAMA Sanitation and Water Project.
    To support the Ministry of Works and Housing which has the mandate to manage perennial flooding, comprehensive drainage construction was embarked upon at Mallam Junction, Kaneshie First Light and Gbawe and this has drastically helped to reduce the usual flooding and its negative impact on lives and properties.

    As part of efforts to improve sanitation in the GAMA, in the short to medium-term, the following interventions have been earmarked under the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) and the Greater-Accra Sustainable Sanitation and Livelihoods Improve- ment (GASSLIP) Projects. They include the following:

    New Transfer Stations at Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) and Adentan Munici- pality

    New Sanitary Landfill facility at Ayidan in Ga South Munici- Municipality.

    Capping of two major dumpsites located at Abloragyei in the Ga East Municipal Assembly and Old Fadama in the Ablekuma Central Municipal.

    Community - based Solid waste collection in low income communities within the Odaw basin;

    Extension of condominium sewer networks to connect 1,000 Households;

    Construction of 5,000 Household Toilets to benefit about 40,000 people;

    Provision of 30No. Skip containers; and

    Provision of 24No. Mini waste collection vehicles.

    As part of renewed efforts to attain the Clean Ghana Agenda, the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources has recently inaugurated an Inter- Ministerial Taskforce on Environ- mental Sanitation to coordinate all efforts by relevant Ministries, Departments, Agencies, and other stakeholders to facilitate collaboration and accelerate delivery of a clean Ghana.

    The Ministry has also launched a “Street Litter Bin” Programme of deploying 20,000 litter bins nationwide. The Ministry procured and distributed 5,100 street litter bins with Accra benefitting from 2,100 of them. It is therefore expected of the
  • [MR SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER IN THE CHAIR.]
    • Mr Chiwitey 12:04 p.m.
    I am most grateful, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:04 p.m.
    Hon Member, please, you have three supplementary questions. This Question is not a constituency specific Question. The Hon Member of Parliament (MP) who has asked the Question is from Sawla/Tuna/Kalba and the Question is on the whole of Accra. Accra is not a constituency, and so you have three supplementary questions. Others might come in, subject to my direction.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    Mr Chiwitey 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the second sentence of the second paragraph of the Hon Minister's Answer says, “that the collection rate has increased steadily over the last few years”. Is the Hon Member able to tell us the rate of increase in the collection of the refuse in Accra?
    Ms Dapaah 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I did not hear the Hon Member well. If he could repeat it?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:04 p.m.
    Hon Member, repeat your question.
    Mr Chiwitey 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would certainly do that. My question was, the second sentence of her second paragraph says that the collection rate has increased steadily over the last few years. Could she tell us the percentage increase in the collection?
    Ms Dapaah 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I do not have the actual figures, but we could work the figures out and submit to the House later.
    Mr Chiwitey 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it reads very well on paper, however, if you get outside there, it is not the case as it is reported.
    Just last week Friday, there was a 15 minute rain. There was a lot of rubbish around the Paloma Hotel. Are there any challenges as far as keeping Accra clean is concerned; could she share those challenges with us?
    Ms Dapaah 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, yes, there would always be challenges as population grows and as people migrate. I extensively brought to the fore some of these challenges when I briefed the House.
    For instance, the Hon Member talked about last week's rainfall. I have told you about the measures being put in place to recycle the plastics around. This is handled by the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation. The dredging of the drains is under the ambit of the Ministry of Works and Housing, as we all know.
    Mr Chiwitey 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, my final question is to ask the Hon Minister whether we are meeting our target of making Accra the cleanest city in Africa. If no, would she admit that the Presidentwas too ambitious when he announced that he would make Accra the cleanest city in Africa?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:04 p.m.
    Hon Minister, this is not a supplementary question. I do not think you have to answer. A supplementary question should really be under the main Question. The main Question was to ask the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources what the urgent steps were being taken to clear Accra of filth. I am even surprised the Hon Minister gave this copious rendition in her Answer. The question was very specific; urgent steps that were being taken, and she gave us a whole programme of Government's intention of trying to clear filth in Accra. So this

    one is not a supplementary question. It is a major Question.

    Yes, Hon Member?
    Mr Ebenezer O. Terlabi 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister in --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:04 p.m.
    Did people allow MPs from Accra to ask the questions? It is a plea so that --
    Mr Terlabi 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I live in Accra. Whatever happens in Accra -- [Interruption]
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:04 p.m.
    I recognise you, and so go on.
    Mr Terlabi 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister enumerated a lot of what they intend to do and what they are doing.
    12. 14 p.m.
    Could she tell us the impact of all that she has done so far? Per her own assessment, what has been the impact so far?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:04 p.m.
    Hon Minister, are you in a position to tell us the impact of the urgent steps?
    Ms Dapaah 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in my Answer, I stated that 27,000 household toilets have been provided.
    This has given dignity to some of our people living in vulnerable areas, if I might cite that as a typical example. Added to that, 250 kilometres of piping has been constructed into homes. I have the list, which I could supply to the House. If this has not impacted on the lives of our people, then what else can?
    I therefore crave your indulgence to reiterate that indeed, a lot of impact has been made, especially when water and toilets are provided in homes. These give us a lot of dignity. Our children and the aged in the society are to have access to these essential projects.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:04 p.m.
    I just recollect that some of you were trotro mates, so you know the refrain: “Accra, Accra!”
    Yes, former Mayor?
    Dr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I met with my sanitation staff in Ablekuma South on Monday, and they brought to my attention that they are not able to cope with the challenges on sanitation?
    They do not have the necessary equipment, and secondly, that they had not been paid for over six months now. I would want to know whether the Hon Minister is aware of this situation.
    Ms Dapaah 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am not aware of this particular report, so I would cross-check with the Assembly.
    Mr Iddrisu 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in the Hon Minister's Answer, she related to a collaborative effort with the Hon Minister for Works and Housing. Mr Speaker, only this morning, Joy FM reported a case on the residents of Asylum Down protesting over filth. I would want to ask the Hon Minister: “Is Accra free from filth?”
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:04 p.m.
    I have realised that the Hon Minister is eager to answer the question; so she may go ahead.
    Ms Dapaah 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am aware that the Hon Minister for Works and Housing went around yesterday, and he did visit the Asylum Down area. I also know that he has given contracts for draining, dredging and desilting. So their complaints might be well placed, but the Hon Minister is capable of finding solutions to their problems.
    Mr Samuel Atta-Mills 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in the Hon Minister's Answer, on paragraph 5, she says: that, “three transfer stations located at Kokomlemle, Achimota and Teshie
    have been constructed to support collection and the disposal of waste in the GAMA area”.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to know from the Hon Minister, whether these transfer stations are newly constructed ones or they were the ones constructed by the former Mayor; Dr Okoe Vanderpuije.
    Ms Dapaah 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the history of the sites, when told would be clear to give the facts. If indeed, it was the former Mayor, then kudos; so be it. Ghana is a continuum in governance.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:04 p.m.
    Former Mayors do not construct - So I think he means during his tenure of office. It looks like Hon Members are interested in asking more supplementary questions.
    Luckily, this is the last question on the Order Paper, so I would recognise the Hon Member for Tamale Central. After that, I would allow three more short questions, then we would move on.
    Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister in her Answer identified plastics as a worrisome source of the waste in Accra. Is it not about time that her
    Ms Dapaah 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in my Answer, I have stated that the whole gamut of everything to do with plastics has to do with the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation.The Hon Member seems to suggest that I should lead. However, I could only collaborate, and offer ideas and suggestions, and invite investors to come in to help. The one to lead is the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation.
    Mr Richard M. K. Quashigah 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in the Hon Minister's response, she touched on a number of interventions that have been earmarked to clear the filth in Accra. I would want to find out from her whether these interventions are based on some indepth research informing us that when these things are done, then indeed, Accra would be cleared of filth?
    Ms Dapaah 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I gave the definition of filth right at the beginning of my Answer. I would crave the indulgence of the Hon Member to take a second look at it.
    Accra, I must say, is a beautiful city. We have beautiful people in this beautiful capital city. If we talk about filth, they can be found in places where waste has been neglected and not collected. Generally, I can say that Accra is clean.
    Alhaji (Dr) Abdul-Rashid H. Pelpuo 12:04 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker, from the Hon Minister's Answer, we acknowledge the efforts that she is making. However, the last rains created a sea of waste. I sent a picture of it to her via WhatsApp. It was so terrible, so legendary and embarrassing.
    I would want to find out from the Hon Minister, whether it is not an indication of failure of sanitation?
    I would also want to know whether she would consider going to study what is happening in Rwanda? Half of our sanitation problems has nothing to do with her Ministry, but it has to do with the attitude of our people. I would want to know whether she would consider going to learn from them to impose some kind of restrictions in the way we treat our environment as individuals?
    12. 24 p. m.
    Ms Dapaah 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, that post has been found to be fake.
    People went there and the situation was not like that. Indeed, we all saw plastics moving, and that is debatable because I was outside so I sent my officers to check. Hon Minister for Works and Housing, Mr Samuel Atta Akyea was also at the same scene yesterday. That is debatable.
    At the end of the day, attitudinal change can also be effected by - Mr Speaker, I would crave your indulgence to say this; by Hon Members, to also lead in our Constituencies. I would like to put it on record that there are Hon Members who have collaborated with the World Bank/GoG Project to provide as many as three hundred household toilets in their constituencies here in Accra. Some have provided fifty; some have also collaborated with the environmental officers in their various constituencies to sensitise the people.
    Mr Speaker, the Ministry alone cannot, and I would humbly say it cannot, it rests on all of us to --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:04 p.m.
    Hon Minister, the question is on floating plastics, not toilets and what you are referring to now.
    Ms Dapaah 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I went on to make that statement because people mistakenly -- [Interruption.]
    I humbly also put it this way, thinking that sanitation is about solid waste. Sanitation is not only about solid waste, it is about liquid waste as well; it is about medical waste and it is about all wastes. But the plastics issue, I have said is under the ambit of the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation.
    Mr Speaker, banning of plastics and others have been looked at and the Plastic Policy was launched last year. So maybe, I would get copies for Hon Members who are interested to go through to proffer some advice.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:04 p.m.
    Hon Members, I think we have come to the end of Question Time. And on your behalf, I want to thank the Hon Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources for attending upon the House to respond to the Questions.
    Hon Members, I do not have any Statement before me so I think we would move to the commencement of Public Business -- we went there and came back to private business.
    Hon Majority Leader, where are we now?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if we could deal with the item listed as 7, Motion.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:04 p.m.
    Hon Members, the item numbered 7 on the Order Paper, Hon Chairman of the Hon Committee on Works and Housing?
    MOTIONS 12:04 p.m.
    Chairman of the Committee (Nana Amoakoh) 12:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this honourable House adopts the Report of the Committee on Works and Housing on the Commercial Contract Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources/Ghana Water Company Limited [GWCL]) and Lesico Infrastructures S.r.l. (Società a responsabilità limitata) for an amount of eighty-five million, one hundred and twelve thousand, eight hundred and fifty-four euros (€85,112,854.00) for the design and execution of the Expansion and Rehabilitation of the Keta Water Supply System.
    And in so doing, I present your Committee's Report:
    1.0 Introduction
    In accordance with article 181(5) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the request for approval of the Commercial Contract Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana represented by the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources and Lesico Infrastructures S.R.I (Soicieta a Responsibilita Limitata) Italy in the amount of eighty- five million, one hundred and twelve thousand, eight hundred and fifty- four euros (€85,112, 854.00) for the expansion and rehabilitation of the Keta Water Supply system was presented by the Hon. Minister responsible for Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu on behalf of the Hon Minister responsible for Sanitation and Water Resources on Friday, 14th February, 2020.
    The Hon First Deputy Speaker referred the Agreement to the Committee on Works and Housing for consideration and report in accordance with Order 180 of the Standing Orders of the House.
    2.0 Deliberations
    The Hon Deputy Minister responsible for Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR), Mr Patrick Yaw Boamah, the Chief Director of
    the MSWR, Mr Noah Tumfo assisted the Committee in its deliberations. Other officials from Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and the Ministry were in attendance.
    The Committee is grateful to the Hon Deputy Minister, Chief Director and the officials for their co-operation and assistance.
    3.0 Reference
    In addition to the referred document, the Committee also made reference to the following documents during its deliberations:
    The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana; and
    The Standing Orders of the Parliament of Ghana.
    4.0 Background
    The Agordome-Sogakope Water supply system supplies water to Sogakope, Keta and other surrounding towns and villages. The water supply system takes its raw water from the Lake Volta, which flows through a water treatment facility, built in 1998.
    There are five main components in the existing Agordome-Sogakope Water System
    i. Intake facility to abstract raw water from the Lake Volta;
    ii. Water treatment facilities with a nominal capacity of 7,200m3/day;
    iii. Conveyance and Distribution Systems -- 160km of pipes of various sizes;
    iv. Three (3) elevated water tanks (EWTs) and two grand level reservoirs (GLRs);
    v. Two booster pumping stations (BPSs).
    As a result of population and economic growth in the Southern part of the Region, it has become necessary to expand the existing water supply systems to meet the water demands of the beneficiary towns which have increased considerably over the past years. The current water situation compels majority of the inhabitants to resort to groundwater and private water tankers for their water needs. These options are more expensive and sometimes have negative health effects, if not handled properly.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:04 p.m.
    Hon Members, any seconder?
    Yes, Hon Minority Leader?
    Minority Leader (Mr Haruna Iddrisu) 12:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion and with your indulgence, to make a few remarks, that it is important that water is extended to every part of the country, and more especially, to the people of Keta. Communities such Whuti, Blemazado and others can benefit from this extension of water which undoubtedly, would contribute to improving the quality of life in these areas.
    Mr Speaker, but beyond this approval, this House approved the Tamale Water Project; I got back from my Constituency last week, work has since not commenced on it so it is important that as we approve this, we also follow through to ensure that Ghana Water Company Limited is delivering on that.
    Mr Speaker, as we speak this morning, there is acute water shortage in the Greater Accra Region. I think yesterday, around the Trade Fair and the communities at the back of the Trade Fair area, I saw queues of young people -- [Interruption] -- but all the same, some of it may not be necessarily maintenance.
    We are approving the Contract -- and Mr Speaker, may I refer you to page 3 of the Committee's Report and by extension, I would extend it to page
    4.

    Just for the Hon Minister to be guided, I do not have documents on the Tamale Water Project and other water projects to juxtapose. I am doing it because if you look at item 2 of the table, which is construction of a 35,000m3/day, it has an amount of €23,839,726.51. Then when you come to item 3, it says, “construction of transmission and distribution

    pipeline of length approximately 62km and 80km respectively”.

    If the Hon Majority Leader could correct me, in English, when you say “62km and 80km respectively”, what are you saying? It is either 62km or 80km. If the purpose of extending pipelines is for 62km, they should say so and if it is 80km, they should say so. However, when they say, “62km and 80km respectively”, I do not know which respectively they are talking about in item 3. What does “respectively” stand for?

    The cost of rehabilitation of the existing water treatment plant is €1,880,831.28. I see a loss in this. Where is the provision for contingency? Many of the agreements that have come before us normally have five per cent to 10 per cent contingency funds allocated. I see the total of €85,112,854.00 but no reference or provision has been made for contingency.

    Then on item 6 on the rehabilitation of the existing water treatment plants, is the water treatment plant to be rehabilitated or built for an amount of €1,880,831.28? What is the essence of this loan facility?

    Back on page 2 of the Committee's Report, the last paragraph says and I beg to quote:

    “An assessment carried out on the systems by Messrs Lesico Infrastructures S.r.L. indicated the poor state of the plant and recommended major rehabilitation and expansion works on the existing plant to restore the supply system to its installed capacity of 7,200m3/ day and to also construct a new water treatment facility of a 35,000m3/day capacity.”

    Emphasis is on “new” but when I come to the Table, I see “rehabilitation of existing water treatment plant”. Are they rehabilitating or providing a new water treatment facility? We need to know. As for the benefits, Ghana as a country needs to do better on its access to water. We deserve to see it spread in other parts.

    Mr Speaker, as I have said, Hon Inusah Fuseini and I are very familiar with our friends in Blamezedu and Oti through Keta, including Srogboe. So we strongly think that this is a beneficial initiative which would improve the lives of the people in that particular area.

    I note that we are relying on article 181(5) of the Constitution under economic considerations. The Constitution in article 181(5) provides that Parliament would do something about it. All these years, we have not done it. Are we sleeping on it, because Parliament with the necessary modifications as provided by the Constitution -- I think that it is about time that we had a major policy blueprint as to what must guide us, based on the Supreme Court ruling on what must be done in this matter.
    Mr Speaker, finally on page 6, paragraph 8.5, I beg to quote 12:34 p.m.
    “The Committee agreed to the contract period of 30 calendar months considering the scope of works to be undertaken. The Committee accordingly urges all parties to the contract to work within the work schedule to ensure timely completion of the project.”
    We have taken note of it and they should let us know when work commences, so that we can police through to the thirtieth month. However, we expect that when work is 30 per cent to 50 per cent complete, the House would be accordingly apprised. The Committee on Works and Housing must be
    interested in even visiting the site to appreciate that which is done in the exercise of our oversight duties.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity.
    Question proposed.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:34 p.m.
    I would like to recognise the Hon Member for that constituency first.
    Mr Richard Mawuli Kwaku Quashigah (NDC -- Keta) 12:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity.
    Indeed, water is life and every effort of Government to ensure that the people get potable water is commendable. When the Finance Committee presented its Report last week, I had the opportunity to highly commend the President and assured that I would be in all white for the sod- cutting of this project which is an expansion but not a new project. Again, I indicated that the Hon Minister would not be available to inaugurate it because he would have been out of office by January 2021.
    Mr Speaker, although the project has been named Keta Water Project, I think that it is a bit misleading because only six communities out of the many beneficiary communities are
    within the Keta Municipality. Out of the communities, 27 are part of the Anlo District.
    I have many times talked about the Anyako Water Project and I contacted the Hon Deputy Minister for Water Resources who assured me that Anyako was on the list. Last week, they did not provide the full list but today, it has been provided and it is clear that Anyako is not part of the beneficiary communities and I find that news unfortunate. How I wish I could take back all the commendations I poured out on the President last week.
    Mr Speaker, on page 5, paragraph 8.2, it is stated, and with your permission I quote:
    “This would increase water production and supply in the Keta Municipality and its environs...”
    This cannot be correct and is a bit misleading because the assembly that would benefit more is the Anlo District Assembly. So if reference were made to the Anlo District, it would have been more appropriate. In future however, people would pick this up and assume that it is the Keta Municipality that is the greater beneficiary of this expansion work.
    There are only six communities from the Keta Municipality that are beneficiaries and the areas where there are major water challenges have not been captured.
    There are areas that I have talked about for the last seven years, that is the Anyako area where the salinity is so high. It is also a well-populated area within the Keta Municipality. I would therefore crave the indulgence of the Ministry and Government to, as it were, take a close look at the Anyako water problem and devise strategies and approaches to deal with the challenge that we have in Anyako and its environs.
    Alhaji (Dr) Abdul-Rashid H. Pelpuo (NDC -- Wa Central) 12:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am happy to contribute to the Motion.
    Mr Speaker, we all understand the role of water in our lives and the big challenge of providing enough water facilities for the rest of the country. I am happy that the Report hinged on a general policy of ensuring that the total population of Ghana is provided potable water by the year 2030, according to the Report.
    More often than not, the challenge we have with the approval of such loan agreements is the fact that we are overwhelmed mostly by the fact that
    Alhaji (Dr) Abdul-Rashid H. Pelpuo (NDC -- Wa Central) 12:44 p.m.


    we are taking a loan which is processed and brought to Parliament for us so as to know to give assent to.

    And often, we do not see the due diligence done on it. In the Report, I found the cost break down and I am tempted to ask some questions. For example, there is a Table on page 4 of the Report and under item numbered 8 on the Table, there is “Preliminaries and Client's Facilities'', which would cost US$5.3 million.

    Under item numbered 6 on the same table, there is “Rehabilitation of existing water treatment plant'', which would cost US$1.8 million. The preliminaries that would be conducted would cost US$5 million but the real import of the loan to support the water would cost just US$1.8 million. How come loans are taken and so much money goes into areas that are other than the hard core reason for the loans taken.

    Mr Speaker, it is important that when such loan Agreements come before us, Committees should be empowered to do more diligent work or the Hon Ministers - I remember some time ago, a ruling was given that when Hon Ministers come with such Agreements, they should always attach the due diligence process so

    that value for money can be done, for Hon Members to appreciate the fact that so much money -- US$85.1 million would go into the expansion of the Keta Water Project so as to know what is involved in it and how come such an amount of money would be spent to expand an existing water structure? If it were to be constructed from the scratch, how much then would it have cost? So that we understand and appreciate the fact that this money would not go into private hands but a lot of it would go into the construction of the project.

    Mr Speaker, I would want to crave your indulgence to repeat the ruling that when such loan Agreements are attached to projects that come to the House, the Hon Ministers should always bring to us due diligence and value for money report so that we could appreciate it more.

    Nobody would be against this because it is a water project but beneath it is the fact that sometimes, under the canopy of bringing water, there could be some private interest and waste could go into it and so much money would flow into private pockets.

    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity.
    Mr Moses Anim (NPP -- Trobu) 12:44 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, with your
    permission, I beg to quote article 36(2)(e), of the 1992 Constitution. It says:
    “the recognition that the most secure democracy is the one that assures the basic necessities of life for its people as a fundamental duty''.
    Mr Speaker, safe water is a fundamental human need which is one of the basic necessities of life that every Government or the State must work hard and ensure that it is provided. Contaminated water has negative impact on both the physical and social wellbeing of the individual and therefore, when we want to have a facility to ensure that the people of Keta and its environs are provided with safe drinking water and domestic water, it is a good effort by the Government.
    Mr Speaker, in the scope of work, it would be realised that extensively, this facility would cover the entire area for which this loan would be taken. My caution is how actual supervision would be done in terms of laying of the pipes. The challenge these days is that, most of these pipelines are laid in the right of way. In the construction of roads, contractors are confronted with pipelines that are in the right of
    way and there is always no collaboration, so it becomes difficult and it gives the contractors opportunity to say that they cannot continue with the construction because there should be relocation of the pipelines or other utilities.
    Mr Speaker, the other challenges are that pipelines are laid very shallow, so with the little erosion, they are exposed. While they are exposed, it becomes a source of leakage and breakages.
    My advice is that while we take this facility to go into the actual laying of the pipe, there should be strict supervision to make sure that the necessary depth is taken and also the pipelines are not laid in the right of way. Some of the pipelines that have been laid are later destroyed during construction and it becomes double payment for the Government because relocation of the pipelines come at a cost.
    Mr Speaker, my humble appeal to the Ministry, the constructors and the engineers is that they should supervise the work well and make sure that the pipelines are laid in the right way and the depths are also right, so that they would live the test of time that we want.
    Mr Speaker, we should all support this facility for the people of Keta and its environs to have safe water.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:44 p.m.
    I am sure that the Hon Second Deputy Majority Whip took into consideration the duration of the project when he talked about next year.
    Yes, Hon Majority Leader?
    Majority Leader (Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu) 12:54 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for the opportunity to also make few comments in respect of the Report on the Expansion and Rehabilitation of the Keta Water Supply System.
    Mr Speaker, it is important to clarify that indeed, the scope of works of this facility is not a mere rehabilitation of the existing system. The existing system is capable of generating 7,200 cubic metres of
    water, which is in the region of about 1.6 million gallons of water every day. However, the expansion would increase it by 7.7 million gallons of water which is colossal. So the Hon Member for Keta should know that it is not just a rehabilitation of the old system. The old system would be rehabilitated to restore the capacity to 1.6 million gallons.
    Today, as I speak, the generating capacity is less than 800,000 - it is less than one-half of the original capacity. The original capacity would be restored to .6 million and in addition, there is another expansion work that would be translated to harvest 7.7 million gallons of water every day.

    When we put all together we are talking about something in the region of more than 9.3 million gallons every day. That is colossal.

    Mr Speaker, as I said the other time, my thinking is that the stream of water in the downstream of the Volta entering into the sea, we could still do better works than we are doing to harvest more in order to service the entirety of the population down south. I think that ultimately, we should be working towards that. The 9.3 million is colossal but indeed it represents

    less than half of the water that is going into the sea free and unutilised. I think that going forward, even though this is a very good facility that is being done, we can further improve on it once this comes on-stream to harvest much more than we are doing rather than allowing the otherwise probably clean water to enter the sea unutilised.

    Mr Speaker, the scope of works as I have already spoken to involves the construction and intake facility of 42,000 cubic metres, altogether adding up to 9.3 million. The Hon Minority Leader was not very clear about the involvement -- I think he got himself confused a bit when he said that it is just the construction of the transmission and distribution pipeline of the length of 62 kilometres and 80 kilometres which is item numbered 3 on page 4.

    Mr Speaker, the transmission line is 62 kilometres, then we have the ulterior distribution which amounts to more than 80 kilometres. So altogether, we are talking about pipelines in the region of over 160 kilometres. Again that is quite humongous. It is monumental and it is something that Government must be commended for.

    Mr Speaker, in addition to that, we are going to construct booster stations

    and rehabilitate the existing water treatment plants and provide 8,000 water metering devices and spare parts.

    Mr Speaker, again, we are going to abstract well water from the Volta Lake and treat same.

    Mr Speaker, that part of the country suffers from great salinity. It is the reason why the old system which is capable of generating 1.6 million gallons of water has scaled down its operations to just about half -- that is about 800,000. Because of the extreme salinity, there is massive corrosion on the system. What we must be looking out for is that, this new facility do not suffer the same fate. Otherwise, if it does, even though it is being projected to produce about 1.3 million gallons a day, we would not be able to attain that.

    Mr Speaker, even what obtains now was rehabilitated just about six years or so ago. To bring the capacity at that time to about 1.3 million, within three years, it has gone back to 800,000. So the prime concern of the Government should be, putting in place a good maintenance culture, otherwise, over a very short period, we would go back to square one.

    Mr Speaker, I think this is a very good project which will help the
    Majority Leader (Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu) 12:54 p.m.


    people conquer water borne diseases and also help them to access potable water and allow for some irrigation facilities. But I think the irrigation facility should be distinguished from the water because nobody uses treated water for irrigation purposes. If we do that, the cost of production of the food items would become very expensive. So let us have a new facility that would just take the well water for the irrigation purposes, otherwise, as far as I am concerned, it will make the production of agricultural produce very expensive.

    Mr Speaker, having said so, and as has become traditional in the House, with these very few words, I would want to support the Motion and to call for the adoption of the Report of the Committee.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:54 p.m.
    Well, Hon Members, may be the Hon Minister for Water and Sanitation would want to have a word before I bring a closure to this whole debate. [Interruption]
    Yes, please?
    Ms Dapaah 12:54 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to thank Hon Members
    for their inputs. We have taken them on board.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to touch on the transmission and distribution lines as my Hon Leader has put out. Yes, indeed, we have different pipelines for transmission and distribution and we also need to rehabilitate the existing water system to provide water in transition, so that when the new system is being built, people would not be denied their supply of water.
    Mr Speaker, I would also want to crave your indulgence to tell the Hon Member to let us know his concern in writing as the Hon Minority Leader did when we had the debate on the Tamale Water Project so that we could take his concerns into consideration.
    Mr Speaker, as he said, water is life and I would qualify it as, good water is life. If one drinks bad water, one could die.

    Mr Speaker, value for money is always done on these projects. So I will entreat the Hon Member not to have any concerns but to support the project to come on board.

    Mr Speaker, I would want to thank Hon Members again for their inputs.

    Mr Speaker, I thank you.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:54 p.m.
    At the conclusion of the debate, I will put the Question.
    Question put and Motion agreed to.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:54 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, any more items to take before we go on? I am sure after this we suspend Sitting.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:54 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we will take the consequential Resolution.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:54 p.m.
    Do you want us to go straight to the Consideration of the Bill?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:54 p.m.
    No, Mr Speaker, consequential Resolution. [Pause]
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:54 p.m.
    Hon Members, item numbered 8;
    RESOLUTIONS 12:54 p.m.
    Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources (Ms Cecilia Dapaah) 12:54 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that
    WHEREAS by the provisions of article 181(5) of the Constitution the terms and conditions of any international business or economic transaction to which the Government of Ghana is a party shall not come into operation unless the said terms and conditions have been laid before Parliament and approved by Parliament by a Resolution supported by the votes of a majority of all Members of Parliament;
    PURSUANT to the provisions of the said article
    THIS HONOURABLE 12:54 p.m.
    HOUSE HEREBY RE- 12:54 p.m.
    Majority Leader (Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu) 12:54 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion for the adoption of the Resolution.
    Question put and Motion agreed to.
    Resolved accordingly.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we can now go to item numbered 12.
    [Pause] --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:04 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, do you want us to deal with the Consideration Stage of the Narcotics Control Commission Bill on item numbered
    12?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, yes, item numbered 12.
    BILLS -- CONSIDERATION 1:04 p.m.
    STAGE 1:04 p.m.
  • [Resumption of debates from 04.03.2020]
    • Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we met the draftpersons and we have re-crafted clause 87 at the subsequent winnowing that we did last night. So if you may allow us to do that I think we can go very fast in these matters.
    Mr Speaker, the new formulation is on the Order Paper Addendum.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:04 p.m.
    Well, I have now been given the Order Paper Addendum and I have seen the new formulation. Since we started the debate on this matter, I think we are just to continue with it
    and those who have some views to express on it, this is the time to do so before I put the Question.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if we can do some engineering on the headnote?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:04 p.m.
    There is no indication yet that is why I was moving on.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, this is because we closed very late yesterday and it finding space on the Order Paper Addendum became a difficulty. However, we will appropriately amend the headnote to read: “Information about a person, body or place”.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:04 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, can you say that again?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if you like, it could be; “Information in respect of person, body or place”.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:04 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, is it: “Information in respect of persons, bodies or place”?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if you can say it this way; “person, body, place”.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:04 p.m.
    We will now move to clause 105 and I think we are using the Order Paper Addendum and not the original Order Paper.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, with the Interpretation, I think that we will deal with the original Order Paper. There is one that features on the Order Paper Addendum that will be included as well as the Schedules listed.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 1:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move clause 105 - add the following new interpretation:
    “addiction' means a chronic, relapsing brain disease characterised by compulsive drug seeking and use despite the harmful consequences of the use of drug;”
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:04 p.m.
    Which is defining “addiction”?
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 1:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, yes.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:14 p.m.
    All right. You may go on.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 1:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move clause 105, add the following new interpretation:
    “addiction means a chronic, relapsing brain disease characterised by compulsive drug seeking and use despite the harmful consequences of the use of drug;”
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 1:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move clause 105, Interpretation of “courier”, line 2, before “other” insert “the”.
    The final rendition would read:
    “Courier” includes a person who carries illicit goods from one place to the other within the
    same or different jurisdictions for other persons either for profit or not;”
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:14 p.m.
    Hon Members, I would put the Question.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:14 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, you may move the next proposed amendment to clause
    105.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 1:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I crave your indulgence to skip the next amendment while I do further consultations on it. So I would move the proposed amendment numbered (v).
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:14 p.m.
    Hon Members, Consideration of the proposed amendment numbered (iv) is accordingly deferred.
    Hon Chairman, you may now move item numbered (v).
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 1:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the proposed amendment stands in the name Hon Kwasi Etu- Bonde.
    Mr Kwasi Etu-Bonde 1:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move clause - 105
    Interpretation of “illicit narcotic plant”, line 1, after “has” insert “more than 0.3 per cent dry weight”.
    Mr Speaker, the reason for this amendment is on a three-pronged approach as an agriculturist, a certified Global Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) auditor and as someone who has spent nine years of my working life in the tobacco industry where I worked as an agronomist with the British American Tobacco Company.
    Mr Speaker, in our practice, when a crop is being certified especially for Global GAP certification, there is something called Minimum Residual Level. Under this level, a sample is brought to the Ghana Standards Authority to test whether it is synthetic or an organic substance and there is no way we would allow zero.
    Mr Speaker, I have in my hand a document that I want the Clerks-at- the-Table to give to you. Ghana being a cocoa growing country, there is a plant which is a potential economic plant and we ordinarily call it Kenaf, but agriculturist call it Habiscus Cannabinus --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:14 p.m.
    Clerks-at-the-Table, the document is

    supposed to be given to me, not to be --

    Hon Member, continue.
    Mr Etu-Bonde 1:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is commonly called Kenaf but scientifically it is called Habiscus Cannabinus. Mr Speaker, the habiscus is derived from the flowery shape and the cannabinus tells us the active ingredients in the plant just like we have in Nicotiana Tabacum - nicotine is in tobacco. Mr Speaker, if this definition stands then the Kenaf that we use for jute sacks in this country have some of the psychotropic substances that we have listed in the old Schedule 2 which is now Schedule 6. From the third to the seventh items, we can find all these substances in java jute or java herb.
    That is why I am proposing that we should introduce the accepted caveat “the minimum residual level”. Other than that, if we leave it this way - I know there is a Jute Factory at Adeiso that wants these java herbs from Kintampo to feed the factory, but the java herb contains a psychotropic substance which is less than 0.3 per cent and this is accepted.
    Mr Speaker, so I would want us to insert the caveat, other than that if
    a farmer cultivates Kenaf, then he could be taken on.
    In addition to this, there is leafy vegetable in this country which is mostly consumed by people in the Volta Region and the northern regions. Mr Speaker, those in the Volta Region call it Ademe and those in the north call it Ayoyo. Mr Speaker, the fruits of this vegetable is like cashew and can be smoked when it is dry. A person can become psychoactive when he or she smokes it, but when we take the total dry mass of the plant, it is less than 0.3 per cent. That is why it is permissible for it to be cultivated as a vegetable.
    Mr Speaker, so, if we do not insert the “minimum residual level” then we would disqualify or classify a lot of commercial vegetables in the country as illicit. However, for the lack of time I would stop here and not give further examples.
    Mr Speaker, thank you.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:14 p.m.
    The Hon Member has given a very technical base for his proposed amendment.
    I can see that the Hon Members who are lawyers are on their feet. I would listen to the Hon Member for Daboya Mankarigu.
    Mr Shaibu Mahama 1:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am very grateful to wage into this technical matter. When I saw the proposed amendment, I made a few calls to find out the content and meaning of what has been proposed. I was told that our very favourite soups in the north called bito, ayoyo and other leaves that are used for soups are all classified as illicit if they go beyond a certain level of 0.3 per cent.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:14 p.m.
    So, what is the level of what we eat?
    Mr S. Mahama 1:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, your favourite soup --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:24 p.m.
    It is a favourite soup. I just want to know the level so that I decide whether to continue - [Laughter]
    Mr S. Mahama 1:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I understand it should not go beyond 0.29 per cent. So with that technical explanation, I have consulted and understand that it is not fatal to leave that one to pass the amendment. I therefore support the proposed amendment.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:24 p.m.
    Any disagreement, or you would want to continue to firm up?
    Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 1:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, there is no disagreement with what he has said, but this is a very technical matter, and it is a definition. Until today, I did not know that spinach could potentially be a narcotic drug.
    However, the experts of narcotic control are here. I was thinking that a neater way to do it is to engage them because we do not know the quantities. I for instance do not know the quantities. If we amend these, we do not know what we are doing. We should leave it to them to do it for us because it could be dangerous.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:24 p.m.
    We should leave it to who? Should we leave our work for other people to do?
    Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 1:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would not suggest in the least that we leave our work to anybody.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:24 p.m.
    We can do this in consultation with them. I thought they were available at the Committee level? What we have here are the draftspersons. The technical people themselves are not available here. That is why we usually refer these matters to Committees to engage with civil society with the various professions and technical expertise in the subject to be consulted. So I thought that has been done.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:24 p.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker. Whereas I consider that my Hon Colleague's, amendment seeks to improve on what we would want to do, I am not too sure that more than maybe five per cent of Hon Members herein gathered understand what is being put forward.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:24 p.m.
    I think you have been too generous. It is not even up to one per cent.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, whereas the principle might enhance what we are doing, I would plead with the Hon Member and indeed with the House to accept the principle and leave it to the experts in this regard. If they advise that that is the way to go, having adopted the principles, we could go on. And they could then insert it. However, if they advise that this is too technical and it is not the path to go with, then we could drop it.
    Mr Speaker, at this stage, I am not too sure that we can adopt this.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:24 p.m.
    Let me listen to the two who are --
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:24 p.m.
    Has that also been part of the amendment proposed to him to have engaged our minds? I just came to see this. I do not know what to do with this. If it had been on the Order Paper, we would have engaged further, but all through, it has not been there and we just woke up today to see it.
    Mr Speaker, it would be the wrong thing to do. That is why I am saying that I am not discounting altogether. Let us engage the experts. If they advise us that that is the way to go, we can incorporate it. Otherwise, we can leave it.
    Mr Rockson-Nelson E. K. Dafeamekpor 1:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, inasmuch as I agree with the position taken by the Hon Majority Leader in this matter, I also wish to remind the House that it is our duty at all times to look at every matter whether it is technical or simplistic. And we all know in practice, how law enforcement officers enforce the law. If the House takes the decision that the amendment be carried, they leave out the critical issue he is raising which we all agree that if the phraseology goes the way he is advocating for, it is not fatal. However, we leave that technical decision to the Board which is not yet commissioned.
    If we leave it to the technical people and they come back to disagree, it means they would torpedo the decision of the House and this particular would not reflect in the law. Where the law is being implemented, they would tell you that this is the law you made.
    So I would rather suggest that we carry the amendment in the manner my Colleague, the Hon Member is proposing. If in the course of implementation in the future there are any difficulties, they could always come back with a proposed amendment. It would rather be fatal for us to say that we agree to the principles, but the very technical point he is making to include 0.3 per cent is not carried and is a big worry for me.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:24 p.m.
    We are not discounting it. I do not think the Hon Majority Leader said we should discount it. He said we should do further consultation with the technical people. He is a technical man. In fact, I have the document which he sent to me here. It is explanatory, but very technical in nature. And so there is nothing wrong with consulting before finalising the decision.
    So I definitely would listen to Hon James Agalga, and then if possible we
    defer it for further consultations, and finally take a decision on it.
    Yes, Hon Agalga?
    Mr James Agalga 1:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is important that we are forthright with some vital information. This matter was brought to the attention of the Committee. The Hon Chairman of the Committee is here, and he would bear me out. Officers of the Narcotic Control Board are here who sat through the proceedings when experts who are civil society groups appeared before the Committee to assist us to understand the nature of the Bill. So issues bordering on Tetrahydrocannibiols (THC) levels et cetera were discussed in detail. So this amendment is not new at all.
    In fact, members of the Committee cannot and should not be allowed to say this matter is new. The Hon Chairman is here and he would bear me out and officers of the Narcotics Control Board are also here. This was a matter that was thoroughly discussed.
    Mr Speaker, if we allow the definition of illicit narcotic plants in the interpretation section to be the way it is, some forms of vegetables that are consumed by all of us would be criminalised. This is the import of the amendment. So lovers of the THC -
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:24 p.m.
    When you finish I would definitely add to it.
    Mr Agalga 1:34 p.m.
    It is not fair for the Hon Chairman to remain seated and quiet when he knows too well that this matter came up, and people debated on it with so much vigour.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 1:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, rightly so, at the legislative process when we started the roadmap, we sat with all manner of people who had knowledge and concern in relation to this particular Bill that is before us. All these explanations were offered to us at the Committee, but we must all appreciate and understand that we have travelled very far with this Bill.
    I am not in any way saying that the expressions of my Hon Colleagues are not well founded. They are founded per the knowledge within
    which they are coming from. However, we, at this present moment, want to move further from where we are into completing this Bill.
    Mr Speaker, at the end of the day, I am not a chemist or a narcotic practitioner, but in the hearings of the Committee at the stakeholder engagement, the technical people from the Narcotics Control Commission did not agree with the propositions from the various people who came to speak. Some of them also came further with more details and particulars to back up what they had presented before us. We still sat through with the Narcotics Control Commission and engaged them - on these matters.
    Mr Speaker, as you said, they are very technical in nature, and I cannot stand on my feet here to provide an answer for them. It would be on my head because I would do a great disservice to my own personality.
    Mr Speaker, if you may indulge me, per the practice of this House, I certainly know that we might go in for a Second Consideration of this Bill. [Interruption] -- I do not anticipate a Second Consideration. The Hon Member has not been here with me all the days, but there are matters hanging, which we have to go back and iron out. People are expressing
    these concerns; so if I am fortunately piloting this particular Business, then it is good that I give fair hearing to all who are concerned.
    Mr Speaker, however, at this material moment, I crave your indulgence to defer this matter.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I think that in the crafting of Bills, we need to end somewhere. As he said, the principle in the issue raised by my Hon Colleague is appreciated. The sponsors of the Bill have given the indication that, that is not the way to go. However, as Parliament, we still reserve the right to do further consultation on this. That is why I say that we should close the chapter on this and move on.
    If we engage in further consultations and we are convinced and persuaded that it should be part of it, then we can take it under a Second Consideration. We would not close the chapter today. Once we finish with the Consideration Stage, we should allow ourselves some time into next week to do further consultations and engagements. After that, if we come to the conclusion that we need to include some of them, we certainly would do what is right.
    However, as we are being told by the sponsors, if it would be helpful to the Bill, then we would do what is appropriate. I therefore believe that we can move on.
    As the Hon Chairman said, we appreciate his principle. He wants us to further enrich the Bill, and I really understand it. I must commend him for his own enterprise. I would not want to say that it is ill-founded. I commend him for that, even though it is coming very late in the day. But if it would further enrich the Bill, then why not incorporate it? We should however move on and assure him that we would do further consultations on this and include it if it becomes necessary for it to be included at the Second Consideration Stage.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:34 p.m.
    Hon Members, I am persuaded for us to do further consultations. I have two documents here that recommends different levels. The document from the Hon Member who moved the Motion is recommending the 0.3 per cent.
    There is also another document from the World Health Organisation, which also recommends 0.2 per cent. The technical people also hold a different view. So it is better that we do consultations. I definitely would prefer the professional research documents that are available, but they
    Mr Kwasi Etu-Bonde 1:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I provided those documents. I think that the 0.2 per cent is from the 41st Expert Committee on Narcotic Drug Act; World Health Organisation. The 0.2 per cent has to do with when we extract something from the plant. Some would remain in the biomass, but the 0.3 per cent has to do with the total plant. When we dry the total plant and do the analysis of the total plant, it gives us the 0.3 per cent.
    For instance, if we extract oil from the plant, the permissible level is the 0.2 per cent, which is the extract from the plant, but the total plant is 0.3 per cent. That is why those two levels are being proposed. The derivative is the 0.2 per cent because no matter what we do, we cannot extract 100 per cent. Some would be left in the biomass; so, the derivation would be 0.3 per cent.
    Some of the amendments have proposed those. So in consequential ones we would see the 0.2 per cent on the Order Paper. Therefore this accounts for the differentiation. When
    we are talking about total plant, we peg it at 0.3 per cent. When it has to do with derivatives from the plant --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:34 p.m.
    Well, I think the further consultation is still needed. This is because, as I said, the technical people also hold a different view. They sent me a note here; so we would want the Committee together with you to do further consultations on this matter.
    I treasure my vegetables, and I do not want them to be classified as - [Laughter] - anything illegal or illicit. So please, I would accordingly defer the further Consideration of this proposed amendment.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, respectfully, I would want us to move on, but not to defer this. As you said, we would certainly do the consultations. The Hon Member is aware of a new school of thought that is even raising the level. Those of us who believe in medical marijuana, it even talks about one per cent.
    Mr Speaker, we therefore need to further engage on this and not decide that it should be part of our Consideration. I am saying that we should close the chapter on this. We should move on, but if it becomes necessary, we would come by a Second Consideration.
    Mr Speaker, at this level, for us to say that it is 0.2 or 0.3 per cent may prove very futile to us, especially when we are doing a Bill against the use of narcotics. Let us close the chapter, but assure ourselves that we would do further consultations and come by a Second Consideration. Otherwise we would not be able to finish the Bill today.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:34 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, the situation we are in now - a Motion for an amendment has been moved; it had actually been advertised on the Order Paper.
    1. 44 p. m.
    I am not against the proposition; we are only calling for caution and the need for us to do further consultation. So the only thing I can do is to defer it. If not, then I would call on him to withdraw the Motion. And the stance he has taken so far, he would withdraw it. So I would defer it then, we could move on to the other aspects of clause 105, for the Committee to do further consultation, come back and maybe, next week, we would finish it up, unless you could prevail on your Hon Colleague to withdraw the amendment.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, that was the import of my application. There are two things that we have to do now. Either you put the Question or maybe he withdraws for a time being. I felt that if he withdrew for the time being, it would save us. I do not want you to put the Question and then, maybe, he loses out. It is a very important opposition that has come from him and that is why the appeal is that, he could for the time being withdraw and then, we conclude it and he comes back at a Second Consideration Stage so that we are sure.
    Mr Speaker, if you put that Question and he loses out, it would mean that he does not have to engage the House's attention anymore for any Second Consideration Stage and I do not think that is the way to go.
    The way to go is to create space to further engage, and if we have to do so, it would be on him to withdraw temporarily and then, we close the chapter today, so that we come back to it on a Second Consideration Stage. Otherwise, if the Question is put and he loses out and it is discovered that indeed, the point he made was very germane, it would be most unhelpful to the House.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:34 p.m.
    Hon Member, the Hon Majority Leader is doing everything to
    Mr Etu-Bonde 1:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I think it is not for any reason why in this House all sorts of professionals have emerged. As I submitted, I said I came on three prongs; as Agriculturist, as Global Gap Certified Auditor and as somebody who has worked in the nicotine business for nine years.
    Mr Speaker, if we study agriculture and when we talk of drug plants, tobacco is one of them. And when it comes to expertise -- maybe, I would want this to be deferred. I need to consult with an expert, so we explain or we share expert knowledge on this.
    Mr Speaker, I also plead with the Hon Majority Leader who was my senior at St. Peter's Senior Secondary School to bear with me that we should defer it, so I would have further consultation with the experts.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:34 p.m.
    It is a difficult situation. I will urge the Hon Majority Leader to let us defer it and then I would give up to the next Sitting -- I do not know whether we would be Sitting on Monday; this
    should have been resolved for us to go over it.
    Hon Members, we have deferred the consideration of the interpretation of “currency”. I am told they are preparing for us to take it today. So I do not know whether this would be the only outstanding matter and if it is, it means, that is what would hold us back in the completion of the Consideration Stage of the Bill. That is the hitch that I am not privy to; whether the proposers want us to complete the ConsiderationStage today. And we cannot allow this small matter to be the issue holding us.
    I also did not want to get the law against my vegetables -- that one -- Yes, Hon Minister for the Interior?
    Mr A. Dery 1:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to assure you that if [Inaudible] is fallen foul of the law, I might be ahead of you in committing the offence. Having said that, this Bill has a special history; the last Parliament struggled but did not get it passed. And I think that we have got commitments out there at the United Nations (UN) Office of Drugs and Crime and we have been given the timetable which is out.
    Mr Speaker, I would plead that he withdraws and if we work together, we could bring it back. But to hold us
    on that one alone, I believe it would be unfortunate. So I would plead with him that we could get it done and by Tuesday, he would get the information and if he wants to come again, it would not be because we have not completed the consideration. I wish we could complete the consideration of this Bill today.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:34 p.m.
    Hon Member, there is a strong opinion that you should withdraw the proposed amendment and not hold us back to offend a lot of other partners or go against the national programme. When we come back and if you feel strongly about it, after your discussion with your technical colleagues and they sieve it for us, we can always come back to do an amendment because I would not want to be part of those who would be offending the laws that we have passed --
    Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 1:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, could you even suspend to meet the technical persons and close the case today, but once the technical people are not here — ?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:34 p.m.
    The technical people have sent me their opinion on it.
    Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 1:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, does it mean they are here?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:34 p.m.
    I think we have one technical person here.
    Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 1:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, exactly; they are here and they have sent their technical opinion to you, but they do not have audience on the Floor. So, if it would be possible for us to suspend for three minutes, then the Hon Member would even engage them and make --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:34 p.m.
    We have the technical people here; they have sent me a note and they said they are not in support.
    Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 1:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in that case, for us to make progress, I would appeal to my Hon Colleague bearing in mind that the Hansard even captured that he made those assertions when we were considering the Bill, and we also promised that there would be opportunities for us to move into a Second Consideration Stage. Once that window exist, then, I would call on Hon Etu-Bonde to withdraw the amendment for us to make progress.
    After this, Mr Speaker would entreat the technical people to engage the Hon Member, so that we would be able to make it neater and on Tuesday, we close the whole docket.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:34 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    Mr Etu-Bonde 1:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, upon the intervention of the Hon Majority Leader and as he said, I withdraw so that I can meet the technical people and then, look at it at the Second Consideration Stage as he promised.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:34 p.m.
    Thank you so much, Hon Member. I congratulate you for bringing your technical expertise to bear on this matter. I was really taken aback with that submission; I had no knowledge that you had that kind of background. We would be consulting you further.
    Thank you so much.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I believe we could go on.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:34 p.m.
    Yes, the proposed amendment has accordingly been withdrawn.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:54 a.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker; the remarks
    made by my Hon Colleague is worth pondering on.
    Mr Speaker, issues about race is about the same thing which were re- echoed by the Hon Deputy Minority Whip and you are, in a way trying to urge him to do that.
    The Hon Minister who is a sponsor was also trying to do the same to him and he said that he is only trying to in a way, urge him to do that.

    The Minister who is a sponsor tried to do the same thing to him and he said that he is only listening to what the Hon Majority Leader said. [Laughter] I would take note.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:54 a.m.
    You can take note of that, but I cannot question where his loyalty lies. Let us move to the next proposed amendment to clause 105, which stands in the name of the Hon Chairman of the Committee.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 1:54 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, before we do that, if you would indulge me, I just want us to do the item numbered 12 (iv).
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:54 a.m.
    The issue on the currency?
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 1:54 a.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:54 a.m.
    All right.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 1:54 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 105, interpretation of “currency”, line 1, delete “or “after coins and insert “or cryptocurrency” after “notes”.
    Today, cryptocurrency is part of mediums of transaction for trading and it has been captured in all new international - The new rendition would read:
    “currency” means
    (a) coins, notes or cryptocurrency of the Republic or of another country that is designated as legal tender and that circulates as and is customarily used and accepted as a medium of exchange in the country of issue”.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:54 a.m.
    Hon Members, I invoke the provisions of Standing Order 40 (3) to extend Sitting time beyond the prescribed period.
    Mr A. Ibrahim 1:54 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am not well convinced about the cryptocurrency the Hon Member added. I remember there was a Statement on this Floor concerning that, and I am not sure as to whether there is a legal backing regarding cryptocurrency. Considering things that happened outside the law, somebody cannot do something illegal and then we pass through the backdoor and give it a legal backing.
    If we take Menzgold Ghana Limited and others into consideration, it would be dangerous if we go that way. So I would want to make an application to my Hon Colleague to drop the “cryptocurrency”. If as a nation, it comes to a point that we want to enact a law to give it a thorough legal backing, we could do so. However, for now, it is illegal.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 1:54 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, currency is very universal. Furtherance to that, if you look at clause 85 to clause 100, we talk about collaboration with other international agencies and foreign governments who already have this cryptocurrency in circulation and use. It is traded on stock markets and has international legislation.
    We borrow most of the things we do now from best practices elsewhere. We just situate it within our
    Mr Shaibu Mahama 1:54 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I want to support the inclusion of cryptocurrency. If you look at the expanded meaning of “currency” as provided for on page 53 of the Bill, it says:
    “coins, or notes of the Republic or of another country”
    Even if we have not accepted it here, it is used in other countries. So, it may not just cover notes, but it could
    be an investment, cryptocurrency in the form of an investment or coins. Therefore, adding it is for elucidation and an expansion of what is in there. It could be electronic, an investment of a sort, currency or whatever. Once it is recognised as a means of transaction, I think that we should include it here, whether we have it as part of our laws or not. This is because it is either of another country or of the Republic.
    Dr Assibey-Yeboah 1:54 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to clarify that cryptocurrency is not an accepted medium of exchange of any country. It is a digital asset, so there are people in Ghana who hold cryptocurrencies in the digital world. It is not as though in the United States of America (USA), it is an accepted form of currency and neither is it so in Nigeria. So it is a medium of exchange and a digital asset. I have a few cryptos. -- [Interruption] -- This is just to clarify
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:54 a.m.
    I did not hear the last part of what you said. [Laughter] You said you were a part of it?
    Initially, the Hon Chairman wanted to delete the entire definition of “currency” but now, he has withdrawn that and instead called on us to add “cryptocurrency”. So, we are called
    to delete “or” after “coins” and insert “or cryptocurrency” after notes”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:54 a.m.
    We would now move to the proposed amendment at item numbered 12 (vi), clause 105.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 1:54 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, before we move to that, there is a consequential amendment to the interpretation of “currency” for paragraph (c). We just amended (a).
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:54 a.m.
    There is no indication?
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 1:54 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, delete “or” after “coins” and insert “or cryptocurrency” after notes”. It would then read:
    “(c) any right to receive coins, notes or cryptocurrency in respect of a credit or balance with a financial institution or a non-resident”
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:04 p.m.
    Hon Members, it is a consequential amendment, so I direct that the
    draftspersons repeat the “or cryptocurrency'' in paragraph (c).
    Hon Members; item numbered (vi) on the Order Paper.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 2:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 105, add the following new interpretation: “premises include any house, building, structure, tent, caravan, ship, boat, aircraft and mechanically propelled vehicle;''
    Mr Shaibu Mahama 2:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in the last sentence of the proposed amendment, “the mechanically propelled vehicle'' excluded “bicycle'', which could also be used for a criminal offence because it is not mechanically propelled. We should make it more expansive to include “bicycle''.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:04 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, what do you say to his proposal?
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 2:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the legal consultants have advised me to delete “mechanically propelled'' and leave it at “vehicle''.
    Mr Speaker, in order not for us to spend so much time, I want to do some consultation on it. Just as you
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:04 p.m.
    I thought we could finish clause 105 before going on suspension, but you have asked for more time.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, before the Hon Chairman comes with his amendment, I want to propose an amendment to read:
    “premises', includes a house, building, structure, tent, caravan, ship, boat, canon …”
    Mr Speaker, I want us to include “canon'' and “bicycle'', as the Hon Member proposed, because it could also be used in these unhallowed enterprises.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:04 p.m.
    Hon Members, the proposal from the Hon Majority Leader is to delete “any'' and insert “a'' and then to include “canon'' and “bicycle''.
    Proposers of the Bill, I think that solves the problem?
    Question put and amendment agree to.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:04 p.m.
    Item numbered (vii) on the Order Paper?
    Who would move it on behalf of the Hon Chairman?
    Yes, Hon Chairman for the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.
    Mr Banda 2:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would stand in temporarily for the Hon Chairman of the Committee.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:04 p.m.
    You may go on.
    Mr Ben Abdallah Banda on behalf of the (Chairman of the Committee) 2:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 105, delete, Interpretation of “purchaser in good faith for valuable consideration''
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I want an explanation to that because I was not there and so I do not know why they have proposed to delete it.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:04 p.m.
    Why? Was it not discussed at winnowing?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:04 p.m.
    No, Mr Speaker. They should inform us why they want to delete it.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:04 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Minister for the Interior?
    Mr A. Dery 2:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the deletion “purchase good faith for valuable consideration” - therefore, it is value without notice.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:04 p.m.
    The “value without notice'' is a legal terminology but with this, it is “purchaser in good faith for valuable consideration''. In law, we talk about “A purchaser for value without notice'' which is when you are not aware that the property that you have purchased has been criminally acquired.
    Mr A. Dery Mr Speaker, the basic principle of contract is that consideration is valued. So, I do not know what this concept is.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:04 p.m.
    That may be the reason the Hon Chairman has moved for its deletion.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 2:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I want to withdraw the amendment. The original rendition should stay.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:04 p.m.
    The “purchaser in good faith for valuable consideration''? That is quite new to me.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in the body of the Bill, that construction appears several times. So, if the issue is that phraseology is incorrectly rendered, then we must look at that. [Interruption] Is there a solution?
    Mr A. Dery 2:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, at the end of it, “for…our money or money's worth, without notice”. It is at the end of where we are trying to amend. It actually adds the last two words, “without notice”, and that is the critical part that was missing.
    Mr Speaker, so if we leave it at that, I do not think there would be any problem.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:14 p.m.
    Hon Minister, what do we call “valuable consideration” in law?
    Mr A. Dery 2:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have already told you that is against the principles but it is not fatal once “without notice” is there.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:14 p.m.
    Well, I think definitely, we would have
    Mr A. Dery 2:14 p.m.
    Yes, and it is there. So we should not amend it, especially because as the Hon Majority Leader has said, that construction has recurred severally. So we leave it there but with the definition as with “without notice” which is the critical part of it. I think that solves it.
    Mr Dafeamekpor 2:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I think the correct rendition of this expression is bona fide purchaser “of value without notice”. It is not “purchaser of value without notice”. It always carries “bona fide purchaser of value without notice”.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:14 p.m.
    That is why they said “purchaser in good faith without notice”. Bona fide means good faith.
    Mr Dafeamekpor 2:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, yes, but that is not how we know it.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:14 p.m.
    They do not want to use the word, “bona fide” which is Latin and they are changing it to the English expression, “in good faith”. What is wrong with that?
    Mr Dafeamekpor 2:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, there are certain expressions in law --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:14 p.m.
    I thought you were of today's generation.
    Mr Dafeamekpor 2:14 p.m.
    Yes, I agree; but you know then that this is a conservative profession. If we seek to borrow some of these expressions, there are lots of statutes passed by this House that contain Latinity.
    Bona fide purchaser is an expression in law which has a technical meaning. Any time we raise this matter, it means we are raising it as a defence in a matter; one is pleading that he is a bona fide purchaser of value without notice. A whole trial within trial is conducted on the matter particularly in interpleader proceedings. So I find it difficult that we would want to redraft it and let it sound differently. I am struggling to appreciate that. We can craft it in the law as it is used generally in matters such as this.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:14 p.m.
    Well, the attempt here is to make it easily understandable by everybody. That is the intention. So “purchaser in good faith for value without notice”. I have a problem with the term, “valuable consideration” and even
    further they said, “adequate valuable consideration”. I think that is not correct.What does “adequate valuable consideration” mean?
    Yes, Hon Chairman for the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs?
    Mr Banda 2:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I think that the rendition as captured on the Order Paper is not the legal terminology that is known and accepted in common law jurisdiction. It is “purchaser in good faith for value without notice”; that is the legal expression.
    Mr Speaker, I submit that this should be deleted because it is a terminology that is known in court. We should not try to define this expression, so as to give a meaning which may depart from the meaning that already exists in every common law jurisdiction.
    Mr Speaker, so on the basis of this, I think it should be deleted; the correct terminology is not “purchaser in good faith for valuable consideration”. I think that is a wrong terminology.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:14 p.m.
    Hon Members, I direct the draftpersons to put throughout the
    Bill, the right rendition of that expression as, “purchaser in good faith for value without notice”. So it would be captured throughout the body of the Bill and so defined. Are we together?
    Yes, the draftpersons are here, so they would capture it. Our concerns would be taken on board, including the deletion of “adequate valuable consideration”.
    With that I will put the Question.
    Mr Dafeamekpor 2:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thought that the Hon Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs rather proposed that the whole thing be taken out because we cannot be legislating over what is a principle in common law.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:14 p.m.
    We know and I have directed that the appropriate terminology be used; “purchaser in good faith for value without notice” and that should be captured in the other clauses that are in the Bill.
    The draftspersons have taken note of that.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.

    Speaker, I beg to move, interpretation of “sell”, delete “or to exchange it”.

    The new rendition would be:

    “sell means to offer, advertise, possess or expose a narcotic drug for sale, to dispose of it, whether for consideration or otherwise”.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:14 p.m.
    Hon Members, I will put the Question.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, he said we should delete the last words, “or to exchange it”. My question to my Hon Colleague, the Chairman of the Committee is whether there is a quantity of narcotic drug and it is exchanged for a valuable property, it would not amount to selling?
    If there is a barter arrangement, does it not amount to selling?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:24 p.m.
    I cannot envisage what you are talking about. Exchange the narcotics drug for what?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it could be exchanged for
    some valuable property. We can exchange it for a house, vehicle and I do not understand why they are saying that we should delete it in the circumstance.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:24 p.m.
    It is possible.
    Mr A. Dery 2:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in the sense of goods, we do know that sometimes, aspects of barter come in by our law and so, we should leave it.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 2:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, being persuaded by the good counsel of the Hon Majority Leader and my Hon Colleagues, I withdraw my amendment.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:24 p.m.
    All right. Amendment accordingly withdrawn.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 2:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 105 -- add the following new interpretations:
    “substance use disorders' mean a range of problems associated with substance use including the use of illicit drugs, misuse of
    prescribed medications, substance abuse, substance dependence and addiction;”
    Mr Speaker, the reason for this amendment is that in clause 3 and other subsequent clauses, we used the phrase; “substance use disorders”. So we called for a new definition in the Interpretation. That is why we have it advertised here.
    Mr Banda 2:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am only proposing that we add the letter “s” to “mean” to read “means”.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:24 p.m.
    This is actually a difficult one.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is not difficult because the “substance use disorders” in this context, is just a descriptive phrase. So that phrase means --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:24 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, do you not also have the phrase; “substance use disorder”? Which is singular but when we say: “substance use disorders”, that is plural and so, if it is plural, it will be “mean” and ‘means'
    Mr Banda 2:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we are defining a group of words --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:24 p.m.
    The Hon Chairman is right because it is the phrase which “means” and the letter “s” is necessary. We are defining the phrase and so he is right.
    Question put and amendment agreed to
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 2:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 105 -- Interpretation of “unlawful activity”, line 3, after “destruction” insert “small arms and light weapons”.
    Mr Speaker, the new rendition will be 2:24 p.m.
    “unlawful activity includes money laundering, financing of terrorism, financing of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, small arms and light weapons or other transnational crime or a contravention in the country or elsewhere of any law regarding any of these matters;”
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:24 p.m.
    This one has a big problem.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, rather, the amendment should come after “proliferation” in line (2) so that it will read:
    “unlawful activity includes money laundering, financing of
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:24 p.m.
    Yes, it is the financing of the proliferation that makes it an unlawful activity but small arms and light weapons by themselves, we cannot say that they are an unlawful activity.
    I think that it is lawfully transacted by the Police Service under the Ministry for the Interior. So I urge that you go by the proposed amendment by the Hon Majority Leader.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:24 p.m.
    Hon Member, do you have any further proposed amendment?
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 2:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, yes. Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 105 -- add the following new interpretation:
    “property” means assets of any kind situated in the country or elsewhere whether movable or
    immovable, tangible or intangible, legal documents and instruments evidencing title of interest in the assets,”
    Mr Speaker, this will appear on page 54 of the Bill. It will come in between the definitions for “prohibited narcotic drug” and “psychotropic substance”…
    [Pause] --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    I will put the Question --
    rose
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, you would remember that earlier in the body, we changed “this country” to “Ghana”. So I think it should read “… situated in Ghana” because we are dealing with Ghana and other foreign countries.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, so we would delete “the” and insert “this”.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 2:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in clause 89(3), we deleted
    “this country” and inserted “Ghana” for emphasis. So in furtherance of that, since we are stated in lines (1) and (2), “the country”, we want to replace it with “in Ghana”.
    So the new rendition would read: “Property” means assets of any kind situated in Ghana or elsewhere whether movable or immovable, tangible or intangible, legal documents and instruments, evidencing title of interest in the assets”.
    Mr Banda 2:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I do not have a problem with the rendition, except to say that there cannot be a title of interest. There could be a title, which is a legal ownership or an interest in a property. So it is wrong to read “evidencing title of interest”. It should rather read “evidencing title or interest in the asset”.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    Yes, the Hon Chairman for the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs is right.
    We should replace “of” with “or”.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 2:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, a further amendment. After specifying and emphasising “Ghana”, I propose to delete “elsewhere” and insert “foreign country”.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    So in all the other parts of the Bill, is it just “Ghana or foreign country”? There are other places that are no man's land like the high seas. What do you say to that?
    Mr A. Dery 2:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it should be “elsewhere” because the property could be a ship on the high seas.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    The Law of the Sea would come in but it would say that it is high seas.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 2:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to withdraw the further amendment for consistency.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we are doing this law for Ghana and our jurisdiction does not extend to the high seas. It is Ghana and the territorial waters of Ghana. We may cooperate with other countries but can we extend our tentacles to the high seas?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    No, and the other countries cannot also extend their tentacles to the high seas.
    Do you mean a crime being committed on the high seas cannot be handled? It can be handled.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    Hon Members, “elsewhere” is comprehensive enough.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    Hon Members, we would take the Schedules --
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 2:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, you have to put the Question on the entire clause 105.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    Very well.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 2:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, before you do that, I have a few proposed amendments that have not been advertised on the Order Paper. We closed very late yesterday so I think it was not captured on the Order Paper.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    Hon Members, can we suspend Sitting for a while?
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 2:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the proposed amendments are not fatal. They are very straightforward so if you would --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    Fatal to my health?
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 2:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, no.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    How many proposed amendments?
    Hon Majority Leader, can we suspend for an hour? The pleasure of the House is for one hour's suspension.
    2.42 p.m. -- Sitting suspended.
    5.13 p.m. -- Sitting resumed.
    MR SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Majority Leader, I think we are at clause 105. I was told that we are left with about three items to interpret under that clause.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:34 p.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker. They have to do with liable person, narcotics, and narcotic- related offence.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, move them.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 2:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, as advertised, I beg to move that the rendition reads:
    “Liable' includes a person who
    (a) is convicted for a narcotic offence committed in Ghana or for a similar offence committed in a foreign country;
    (b) holds or conceals stated property; and
    (c) obtains tainted property unless the person holds the tainted property as a purchaser in good faith for value without notice
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, should paragraph (b) end with “or” or “and”?
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 2:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it should read “or” instead.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    Exactly.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, is this what you have in connection with this same “liable”?
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 2:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, no. Mr Speaker, it is with the next which is “narcotics”.
    “‘Narcotic' means narcotic drug or narcotic plant”.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    Thank you so much. Throughout the Bill, we have referred to it as narcotics and so there is the need to define it.
    Yes, Hon Member for Akatsi South?
    Mr Ahiafor 2:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I seek your leave to take you back to the definition of “liable” person.
    Mr Speaker, the word “committed” used in the second line of paragraph (a) is actually not needed.
    It reads:
    “Liable person' includes a person who is convicted for a narcotic offence committed in Ghana or for a similar offence in a foreign country.”
    So we can do away with the use of the word “committed” in the second line.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    The sense in which it is put is that the “… convicted for a narcotic offence committed in Ghana or convicted for a similar offence committed in a foreign country”. This is the sense
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 2:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if my consultant would permit me, I would allow the amendment to stand as it is.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    Who do you refer to as your consultant?
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 2:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, my Colleague, the Hon Member for Akatsi South is my consultant in a different sphere. Here, he is the Hon Member for Akatsi South.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    All right. So we leave it as it is. So we are now at narcotics, and I would put the Question.
    rose
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    Are you taking us back to “liable person”?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:34 p.m.
    No, Mr Speaker, I am taking you to “narcotics”.
    Mr Speaker, I believe the full complement of it should really read “illicit narcotic drug or narcotic plant”. However, from the object of the Commission, item (ii) and (ii), we have always qualified them as illicit.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, do you have any point on the issue raised by the Hon Majority Leader?
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 2:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, so it would read: “‘Narcotic' means illicit narcotic drug or narcotic plant”. Thus, in the draft before us, before the word “narcotic” we insert “illicit”.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    I paused because of the definition of narcotic drug which is already captured there. We have narcotic drug which is defined to include psychotropic substance and so on. Now, you are saying “narcotics” means illicit narcotic drug or narcotic plant.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thought the illicit would qualify the two; drug and the plant.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    If you say “illicit narcotic drug and illicit narcotic plant” and when you go to the same clause 105, there is the
    definition for “narcotic drug”, but they did not add illicit narcotic drug. It is there as narcotic drug.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in the body, we have either prohibited narcotic drugs or illicit narcotic drugs. For instance, if you go to clause 3 --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    Yes, I have seen it at the objects in clasue 2 of the Bill.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:34 p.m.
    Yes, and also in the functions which is clause 3.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
    So do we have to now delete the definition on narcotic drugs?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 5:23 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, that is why I said it is the full complement because in so many places in the Bill, we have omitted the word “illicit” which qualifies the drug.

    So it just stands alone as “narcotic drug”. However, in many places, especially at the very beginning, we have captured it as “illicit narcotic drug”. It is the same thing, but maybe for consistency sake, we could just say that in the context, “narcotic

    drugs” as used in it means “illicit narcotic drugs”.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:23 p.m.
    The difficulty that we would have there is -- so, when we say “narcotic offence”, do we have to say “illicit narcotic offence?”
    Mr Ahiafor 5:23 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the definition of narcotics says that narcotics means “narcotic drug or narcotic plant.” If we look at the interpretation at page 54, a narcotic drug includes a psychotropic substance and a chemical precursor specified in the First to Fifth Schedule, which are used illicitly.
    So the word “illicit” is there to qualify what a narcotic drug is. Over here, when we said “narcotics” means “narcotic drug or narcotic plant. The phrase “narcotic drug”, by the interpretation has the “illicit” in it; so, we cannot introduce the “illicit” here again.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 5:23 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, as my Hon Colleague is aware, along the line, a narcotic drug was defined to include “a plant”. So it is now a “narcotic drug or a narcotic plant”. This is because the two should be conjoined.
    Travelling further, we then decided that it was becoming too verbose so,
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 5:23 p.m.


    in the place of “narcotic drug or narcotic plant”, we then just captured it as “narcotics”, which then makes it important to come to the interpretation clause to define “narcotics”.

    Mr Speaker, I think with this understanding, we can leave it to the draftpersons to do the mark-ups for us. This is because as I said, at the very outset, we had the use of “illicit narcotic drugs”. Then when we went further, we dropped the “illicit” and used the phrase “narcotic drugs”. It also applies to the illicit narcotic plants. Along the line, we dropped the “illicit” and captured it as “narcotic plants”. So for consistency sake, now that we understand this, I believe the draftpersons could be charged with the responsibility of cleaning the whole thing up for us.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:23 p.m.
    Well, we would leave it to the draftpersons, and I would direct that the draftpersons clean it up and ensure that there is consistency by taking into consideration the fact that the Bill itself is called “Narcotics Control Commission Bill.” The word “illicit does not premise it, so we would go on. We would take it as it is now. Narcotics means “narcotic drug or narcotic plant.”
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:23 p.m.
    Hon Members, we have the last proposed amendment to clause 105.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 5:23 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, “narcotic related offence” means an offence relating to narcotic drug or narcotic plant.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:23 p.m.
    It means that we now have to do something about the definition of narcotic offence, which is already captured under clause 105. This is because we are now talking about narcotic related offence, but already we have in the Bill, “narcotic offence.”
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 5:23 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we also have “narcotic related offence” in a few places.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:23 p.m.
    That is why I am saying that at the definition section - clause 105 - already, we have defined narcotic offence there, and we say it means “a serious offence”. Did we delete it?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 5:23 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, that is what we are now deleting.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:23 p.m.
    What I have here is a proposal to define “narcotic related offence”. There is no request for us to delete “narcotic offence” and insert “narcotic related offence”. If that were so, then we would have taken it as having replaced that one.
    Hon Chairman, are you with me?
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 5:23 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, rightly so.
    I am just trying to get the exact location where we deleted it, so that I would reference it for us. I want to go through my Bill to get exactly where we deleted it, but I remember that we deleted “serious offence.”
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:23 p.m.
    Yes, we deleted “serious”, not “serious offence”. The offence was left alone to stand. We did this around clause 67 (1) (d). We deleted “serious”. So the Motion should be to delete the definition of “narcotic Offence” and insert “narcotic related offence”.
    If they are different and we would want to take the two, then we would have to only delete the “serious” from the construction; “serious narcotic offence, and it would be a new addition -- “narcotic related offence”.
    Mr A. Dery 5:23 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the use of “related” makes it wider. If we say “narcotic offence”, it does not give much room, but it should be anything that can be linked, which is also an offence.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:23 p.m.
    So, we should delete the “narcotic offence” and insert “narcotic related offence”. Are they the same?
    Mr Banda 5:23 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is just a matter of semantics. Narcotic offence - and it depends on how we would define “narcotic offence”. A narcotic related offence only means offences that have a bearing on narcotics. So the two are a distinction without difference.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:23 p.m.
    So it is not one and the same thing. There is a difference. Narcotic offence deals with the narcotics, but narcotics related might be something that deals with the other inchoate offences.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:33 a.m.


    So we see that the narcotic related offence is wider; it is all embracing.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 5:33 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would take your counsel and delete “narcotic offence” and insert “narcotic related offence” and offer the meaning you have already proffered here.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 5:33 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I believe we should have some distinction because the use of the phrase may differ from place to place. And you have also given an indication that it may not even fit into some of the amendments that we want to proffer. For instance, if we look at clause 68, it says:
    “Where an application is made for a freezing order, a Court shall issue the order if it is satisfied that the respondent is being investigated for a serious offence”.
    There, we delete and insert “an offence under this Act”. But there are places where, like subclause (c):
    “There are reasonable grounds to believe that the property is a
    tainted property related to a narcotic offence”.
    So we cannot barely say that it is related to a narcotic related offence. There are various places that the import of it may be the same, but the application of the phrase may not fit in as we would want it fit at various places but the value really is the same.
    Mr A. Dery 5:33 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, nothing is an offence except what has been defined and created by law to be an offence; it is not like morals; that is fluid. So at the end of the day, what we are dealing with is one that we would prefer, fine, but I think that we could use either of them.
    Mr Speaker, but it gives me the impression that “a narcotic related offence” might be a wider scope than “a narcotic offence” it is ‘six and half dozens as far as I am concerned. This is because nothing is an offence except what is created by law; so we do not create an offence by just defining the narcotic related offence.
    Merely by defining that, we have not created an offence - [Interruption]- No, what I am saying is that it is six and a half dozens.
    Mr Speaker, “narcotic related” for me is a wider scope. --
    [Interruption] -- Hon Member, you are relating to the other parts of the Bill that I cannot say I have fully read; so if there is something like that, I would not listen. What I am saying is that what we are saying is ‘six and a half dozens -- [Laughter]-- but “narcotic related offence” might be broader.
    [Pause]--
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:33 a.m.
    Hon Members, could we restrict ourselves to just “narcotic offence”? Let us just leave it as “narcotic offence”.
    “Narcotic offence means an offence committed under this Act”.
    Hon Chairman, have you got the rendition?
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 5:33 a.m.
    Rightly so, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:33 a.m.
    So you would withdraw your proposed amendment -- ?
    Mr K. S. Acheampng 5:33 a.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker. I take a cue from you.
    Mr Speaker, with your leave, I beg to withdraw my amendment and I
    would rather amend what is in the original Bill.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:33 a.m.
    Hon Members, the Hon Chairman is moving an amendment to the definition of “narcotic offence” which is stated to mean “a serious offence”. So it will be:
    “Narcotic offence means an offence committed under this Act.”
    rose
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 5:33 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I was just going to indicate to the Hon Member that anytime you want to offer any directive, any person who is on his feet, must immediately resume his seat. The Hon Kpodo is fond of defying this basic rule in this House. -[Laughter]-
    Mr Kpodo 5:33 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Majority Leader has spoken a fallacy; he cannot attribute that to me. When I rise, I expect Mr Speaker to acknowledge me; if he does not, then, I would sit down. And on several occasions - even this morning when I rose on a number of occasions and Mr Speaker did not recognise me, I sat down. So what the Hon Majority
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 5:33 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, clearly, my Hon Colleague did not even listen to me. And even if he listened, he did not understand me. The point I made was and still is that whenever Mr Speaker is talking and giving a directive, even when one is standing, one must sit down.
    Mr Speaker, you recognised that when you were talking, he was standing. And Mr Speaker cannot bear false witness. He was standing when Mr Speaker was talking so I was urging him to resume his seat and he did not do that except to say that what I spoke about is farcical.
    Mr Speaker, if anything must be expunged, it is what he said because either he did not listen to me or if he listened, he did not understand me.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:33 a.m.
    Hon Members, I am allowing this because I think it would enhance your
    spirits so that we can continue with the Consideration of the Bill. So I give two minutes for that exchange.
    Yes, Hon Kpodo?
    Mr Kpodo 5:43 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have been in this House for quite a long time and I know that when the Speaker is making his remarks or giving some directive, we normally wait until he finishes. What I am asking the Hon Majority Leader to withdraw is what he said, that I am fond of doing it. [Interruption] I am not fond of doing it.
    Alhaji B. F. Alhassan 5:43 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I was saying that sometimes it is difficult when you are sitting on the proof and looking for it. [Laughter] I just wanted to say in defence of my Hon Colleague, that in the middle of a storm, you can mistake a window for a door. I am sure that maybe, in the process, having been an experienced member of this House, it might have escaped him that when Mr Speaker is explaining something, he ought to resume his seat like he said himself.
    So Mr Speaker, I am sure you can pardon him. I want to appeal to the Hon Majority Leader, that no matter how angry a mother dog is, it does
    not bite the puppy to the bone. [Laughter] So he should consider the Hon Member's situation and let sleeping dogs lie.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:43 a.m.
    That is exactly what I expected from you, so we would now get back to the Bill.
    Hon Chairman, I think that you have finished with your proposed amendment.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 5:43 a.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker, so we can now put the Question on clause 105 as variously amended.
    Clause 105 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Clause 106 -- Repeal and revocation
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:43 a.m.
    The first proposed amendment in the Order Paper stands in the name of Hon Joseph Yieleh Chireh.
    Mr Ahiafor 5:43 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have the authority to move the amendment for Hon Chireh. I have the instruction to amend his first amendment which says, clause 106, head note, delete “revocation” and insert “savings”. So,
    the amendment is accordingly withdrawn.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:43 a.m.
    You have to tell us what has been saved.
    Mr Ahiafor 5:43 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am withdrawing the amendment.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:43 a.m.
    Have you withdrawn it?
    Mr Ahiafor 5:43 a.m.
    That is it.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:43 a.m.
    All right, sorry.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:43 a.m.
    There are two other proposed amendments to clause 106, one in the name of the Chairman and the other in the name of Hon Chireh, so the Chairman first.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 5:43 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 106, subclause (2), delete and insert the following:
    “Despite the repeal of the enactment in subsection (1), the Regulations, orders, rules and instructions made or done under the repealed enactment and in

    force immediately before the coming into force of this Act shall continue to have effect as if made or done under this Act with the necessary modifications until the Regulations, orders, rules and instructions are revoked, reviewed, cancelled or terminated by Regulations, orders, rules or instructions made under this Act.”
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:43 a.m.
    Hon Chairman, your proposed amendment is bringing in “savings”. It means that the first proposed amendment by Hon Chireh is relevant.
    Mr Ahiafor 5:43 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, if the Hon Chairman's amendment is accepted by the House, then we would have to move Hon Chireh's amendment to bring in “savings”. This is because the Hon Chairman's amendment introduces “savings”.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:43 a.m.
    Exactly, so it is not withdrawn. Let us finish with the amendments, then we go to the headnote and then you can move that amendment.
    Hon Members, the Hon Chairman has moved an amendment to subclause (2).
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:43 a.m.
    Now, we have a proposed amendment in Hon Chireh's name.
    Mr Ahiafor 5:43 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the amendment also seeks to amend subclause (2), that the Hon Chairman just amended. I believe Hon Chireh's amendment is neater.
    I beg to move, clause 106, subclause (2), delete and insert the following:
    “Despite the repeal of PNDCL 236, the Regulations, notices, orders, directions, appointment or other act lawfully made or done under the repealed enactment to this Act shall be considered to have been made or done under this Act and shall continue to have effect until revoked, reviewed, cancelled or terminated.”
    Mr Speaker, I strongly believe that this amendment is neater and more straightforward as compared to the amendment moved by the Chairman of the Committee.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 5:43 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, there are just two things that are different in the Hon Chairman's
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:53 p.m.
    Well, the two of you should have put your heads together to give us a better rendition because Hon Chireh's amendment covers things like notices and directions which are not captured under the Hon Chairman's proposed amendment.

    The Hon Chairman's proposed amendment added things like “rules'' and “instructions''. So we need to marry the two in a better rendition, so that we would take one.
    Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 5:53 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for Wa West, Mr Chireh's amendment is more expanded than the Hon Chairman's amendment but they could be married by the use of the words “or any act'' after “instructions'' because he talked about “directions'', “appointments'' and “notices'' and he even added “or any other act lawfully''.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 5:53 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we could leave it with the draftpersons because in the Hon Member for Wa West, Mr Yieleh Chireh's amendment, there was no “orders'' and “instructions'', so we could marry the two. Also, “under the repealed enactment to this Act''
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:53 p.m.
    We would hold on to this clause to get a better rendition, so that I would put the Question. Let us move on to clause 107.
    Clause 107 -- Consequential amendment
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 5:53 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 107, add the following new subclause:
    “(2) The Economic and Orga- nised Crime Office Act, 2010 (Act 804) is amended by the repeal of section 75 and the Schedule.”
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:53 p.m.
    Is there only one Schedule in that clause?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:53 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, do you have a copy of the Economic and Organised Crime Office Act, 2010 (Act 804)?
    Hon Members, who has a copy of the Economic and Organised Crime Office Act, 2010 (Act 804)? We want to know whether there is only one Schedule.
    [Pause] --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:53 p.m.
    Yes, there is only one Schedule and it refers to section 75 which has been sought to be repealed under this Act.
    Question put and amendment agreed to
    Clause 107 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Clause 108 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:53 p.m.
    We would go to the Schedules which are in the Order Paper Addendum. Hon Chairman, is that not the case?
    First Schedule - Opium, Coca and Amphetamine
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 5:53 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we want to offer the new rendition for clause 106(2).
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:53 p.m.
    Do you now have the new rendition?
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 5:53 p.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 5:53 p.m.
    Hon Members, we have been urged to go back to clause 106 to take the new rendition of subclause (2).
    Yes, Hon Majority Leader?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 5:53 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the new rendition would read:
    “Despite the repeal of the enactment in subsection (1), the Regulations, notices, orders, directions, rules, instructions, appointments or any other act made or done under the repealed enactment and enforced immediately before the coming into force of this Act, shall be considered to have been made or done under this Act and shall continue to have effect as if made or done under this Act, until revoked, reviewed, cancelled or terminated''.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:03 p.m.
    Hon Members, I hope you got the text. The only thing I have to say is that we do not need to say; “despite the repeal of the enactment in subsection (1) but rather; “despite the repeal of subsection (1) --
    Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 6:03 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is not a repeal of subsection (1).
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:03 p.m.
    It is in subsection (1).
    Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 6:03 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is not the repeal in
    subsection (1), it is: “the repeal of the enactment in subsection (1)”. So it is: “despite the repeal of the enactment”.
    Mr Speaker, or one could say 6:03 p.m.
    “despite subsection (1)”.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:03 p.m.
    Subsection (1) of clause 106 says that: “The Narcotic Drugs (Control, Enforcement and Sanctions) Act, 1990 (PNDCL 236) is repealed”.
    So we are now referring to that subsection which reads: “Despite the repeal in subsection (1) of this Act”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Ahiafor 6:03 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, before you put the Question on the entire clause, we need to carry out the amendment in the headnote now. This is because the existing rendition is: “Repeal and revocation” but we are actually saving.
    So the amendment proposed is to delete revocation and insert savings. It will then read; “Repeal and savings”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Clause 106 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:03 p.m.
    So we will go back to the section (39) of the First Schedule.
    First Schedule -- Opium, Coca and Amphetamine
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 6:03 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want us to adopt the Schedules as advertised because we have already gone through them at winnowing and with support from the technical people, we were all satisfied with it and so there are no issues on the Schedules as advertised.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:03 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, you would have to move that we delete and insert so and so because we are going according to the provisions of the Bill. We are now at the First Schedule and we want the whole of the First Schedule and the other Schedules to be replaced with these new ones you have agreed on which are advertised on the Order Paper.
    So you would have to move for the deletion of these Schedules and the insertion of new Schedules.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 6:03 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, delete and insert the advertised Schedules as captured from pages 12 to 27 of today's Order Paper on the following pages as mentioned.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:03 p.m.
    So, are we abandoning what is on the Order Paper Addendum? I thought there was a difference.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 6:03 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, there is not much difference but I would plead with the draftpersons to assist me in reconciling the two advertisements on pages 2 and 3 of today's Order Paper Addendum as well as pages 12 and 13 of today's original Order Paper.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:03 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, you would have to move the amendments Schedule by Schedule and I think that what is on the Order Paper Addendum is the same as what is on the original Order Paper with respect to the First Schedule except that you added a category ‘b' which is not on the original Order Paper.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 6:03 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I need your indulgence to amend what I said early on.
    Mr Speaker, the First Schedule of the Schedules is as advertised on pages 2 and 3 of today's Order Paper Addendum. That takes care of the First Schedule.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:13 p.m.
    Hon Members, the Question is for us to delete the First Schedule and insert a New Schedule as captured on pages 2 and 3 of the Order Paper Addendum.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:13 p.m.
    We would now move to --
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 6:13 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move the Second Schedule --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:13 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, we have to be careful with what we are doing because we are using the Bill. With regard to the previous amendment, the First Schedule in the Bill deals with section 39, but the amendment that you moved was for us to delete it and insert a New First Schedule. However, the New First Schedule deals with “Ranks” which is different from what is in the Bill because that one deals with Opium, Coca and Amphetamine which includes a long list of seeds, preparations and so on in the drug business.
    So would we delete all that and in its place insert the Schedule on the Ranks?
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 6:13 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if you would indulge me, clause 18 of the Bill relates to staff matters and what was already published in the Bill as the First Schedule did not relate to clause 18. As a matter of precedence, in sequencing the Schedules, the advertised Schedule on the Order Paper Addendum relates to that clause and it comes first because it precedes all the other Schedules.
    Hence, it did not necessarily replace what was published in the Bill, so we sought to do a new establishment. Mr Speaker, beyond that, when the Bill came and we met with the sponsors, we realised that the Schedules that had already been published for us had some changes and we did a lot of changes as we were considering the Bill. Cross- referencing is now a major issue and we are trying to properly situate them. So the First Schedule is not what we necessarily amended here. This is an entirely new Schedule which did not feature in the Bill when it was laid before us.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:13 p.m.
    Does this current First Schedule find place in the proposals that you are making? Would you give it a different Schedule number because we would not delete all that? So, under which Schedule number would it be?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 6:13 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, as the Hon Chairman has said, this is supposed to be a New Schedule to respond to sections (18) and (19). Now, in terms of chronology that should have been the First Schedule, but it is not part of the original Bill at all. So it now responds to sections (18) and with regard to chronology, it should appropriately be described as the First Schedule, but it is not there. So maybe what the Hon Chairman ought to say is that he is moving a New Schedule and then the draftpersons would find the appropriate place for it.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:13 p.m.
    What we have to do first is that, if the First Schedule in the original Bill must still be retained under a different Schedule number, then what we could do is to move for the amendment of the First Schedule to a different Schedule number that you have given this current list under the First Schedule. So we would give that number, then when we get to the rest we would just move that a New Schedule should be added and that
    would be properly captured by the draftperson.
    So I want to know the Schedule number which this long list has captured. Is it under any Schedule number or not yet?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 6:13 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the long list is in the Bill as the Sixth Schedule.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:13 p.m.
    Has it been captured under any schedule of the New Schedules?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 6:13 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, yes.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:13 p.m.
    What is the schedule number?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 6:13 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the schedule number as it has been advertised in the Order Paper is the Second Schedule but, in the original Bill, it is the Sixth Schedule.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:13 p.m.
    When I announced the First Schedule, the Hon Chairman should have drawn our attention with a proposed amendment to the headnote to delete “First” and insert “Second”, so that it would take care of what has been captured. This is because I have not called the amendment that I am to put
    a Question on. This is the difficulty because we have to take the Schedules one after the other.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 6:13 p.m.
    The First Schedule in the original Bill is now the Fifth Schedule on the Order Paper.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:23 p.m.
    So, we would now take the First Schedule again. Hon Chairman, move it now as, “delete “First” and insert “Fifth””. So it becomes the “Fifth Schedule”.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 6:23 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we would delete “First Schedule” as in the original Bill and insert “the Fifth Schedule” in the original Bill as the First Schedule.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:23 p.m.
    Unless the proposed new schedule you have talked about is different from the Schedule we have in the Billp -- If there is no difference and you have captured the same thing, there is no need to delete “the Schedule”. What we need to delete is the number; instead of one being first, now, it would be the fifth.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 6:23 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is not that alone. If you
    read it, the section for the First Schedule in the original Bill is section (39), and now it has come to section (105). Then the heading just opens with “Opium, Coca and Amphe- tamine”. Now, we have “Narcotic Drug -- Opium, Coca and Amphetamine”. So there is some variation. It is not just a “cut and paste”.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:23 p.m.
    Well, if it is not the same, then we would have to delete it. However, if they are the same, then there was no need. So you are right to say that we should delete the whole of the First Schedule and insert the new First Schedule which deals with section
    (18).
    Hon Members, we are called upon to delete the whole of the First Schedule of the Bill and insert a new First Schedule which deals with section (18) as captured on the Order Paper Addendum.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    The First Schedule as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Second Schedule -- Cannabis
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 6:23 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, Second Schedule, delete, and insert the following new Second Schedule.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 6:23 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, respectfully, we must get it sorted out rightly. While the Second Schedule is being deleted and in its place,-- we now have the Schedule as contained in the Sixth Schedule as advertised on the Order Paper.
    If we do it the way we are doing now, we would get the whole asymmetry wrong because we have made references in the body of the Bill to the Second Schedule. The Second Schedule now is referred to the Sixth Schedule. If we do not get it and it is like we have replaced the Second Schedule with another Second Schedule, we would get it wrong.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:23 p.m.
    We would take note of that because the Second Schedule as it is now is captured under a new Schedule. So when we get there, the same thing would be moved and it would be captured.
    Hon Member for Ho Central?
    Mr Benjamin K. Kpodo 6:23 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, there is a small issue I have noticed in the Second Schedule, on page 17 of the Order Paper under a column for sections. There, we have 97(2). Now, the offence is listed all right and so is the fine and the custodian sentence, but the default sentence column is blank unlike the
    others where, if they are not available, we have not applicable (N/A).
    Mr Speaker, I would want to find out whether that column should be blank. It is on page 17 of the Order Paper. If it is not applicable, it should be indicated clearly as N/A.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:23 p.m.
    That one has not a default sentence. That is why it is empty. It is the same for clause 69 (2) where we do not have a default sentence and the place is left blank.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 6:33 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleague, the Hon Kpodo, if I understood him well, said that if there is no default sentence, then perhaps we would need to write “not applicable” as we have done in other sections instead of leaving it blank. I think we should have written --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:33 p.m.
    Yes, there should be “Not Applicable” (N.A).
    Hon Member, thanks for bringing it to our attention. So the Second Schedule is further amended at column 97 (2). At the default sentence column, we should insert “N.A.”, which means “Not Applicable”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    The Second Schedule as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:33 p.m.
    Hon Members, we would now move on to the Third Schedule.
    Third Schedule - Psychotropic Substances and Chemical Precursors.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 6:33 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move that we delete the Third Schedule as published in the Bill on section 39, and insert:
    “THIRD SCHEDULE
    (Section 31 (7))
    Controlled Equipment
    1. Encapsulating machines
    2. Tabletting machines
    3. Rotary evaporators
    4. Laboratory equipment with a capacity of 25 litres or above and related
    5. Condensers, separating funnels and heating apparatus.”
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    The Third Schedule as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:33 p.m.
    Hon Members, we would now move on to the Fourth Schedule.
    Fourth Schedule -- Psychotropic Substances and Chemical Precursors.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 6:33 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, chronology is becoming a problem for me, even with my amendments, but I would still move it. I would indulge the draftpersons to help me align them orderly.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the Fourth Schedule as published in the Bill on section 39, which is on “psychotropic substances and chemical precursors” be deleted and insert:
    “FOURTH SCHEDULE
    (Section 32)
    OATH OF SECRECY 6:33 p.m.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:33 p.m.
    Hon Members, we would move on to the Fifth Schedule.
    Fifth Schedule -- Chemical Precursors
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 6:33 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move the Fifth Schedule which is on section 35 (5) of the Bill to be deleted and in its place insert:
    “FIFTH SCHEDULE
    (Section 105)
    Narcotic Drug - Opium, Coca and Amphetamine
    A. Opium Poppy (Papaver somniferum), poppy seed, its preparations, derivatives, alkaloids and salts, including:
    1. Opium
    2. Codeine (methylmorphine)
    3. Morphine (7,8-didehydro- 4,5-epoxy-17- methylmorphinan-3,6-diol)
    4. The baine (paramorphine) and the salts, derivatives and salts of derivatives of the substances set out in subitems (1) to (4), including:
    5. Acetorphine (acetyletorphine)
    6. Acetyldihydrocodeine (4,5- epoxy-3-methoxy-l7- methylmorphinan-6-ol acetate)
    7. Benzylmorphine (7,8-didehy- dro-4,5-epoxy-l 7-methyl-3- (phenylmethoxy) morphi- nan-6-ol) Codoxime
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 6:33 p.m.


    D. Amidones, their intermediates, salts, derivatives and salts of intermediatesand derivatives including:

    1. Dimethylamino diphenylbutanonitrile (4-cyano-2-dimethy- lamino-4,4- diphenylbutane)

    2. Dipipanone (4,4-diphenyl- 6-piperidino-3-heptanone)

    3. Isomethadone (6-dimethy- lamino-5-methyl-4,4- diphenyl-3-hexanone)

    4. Methadone (6- dimethylamino-4,4- diphenyl-3-heptanone)

    5. Normethadone (6- dimethylamino-4,4- diphenyl-3-hexanone)

    6. Norpipanone (4.4— diphenyl-6-piperidino-3- hexanone)

    7.Phenadoxone (6- morpholino-4,4— diphenyl- 3-heptanone)

    E. Methadols, their salts, derivatives and salts of derivatives including:

    1.Acetylmethadol (6- dimethylamino-4,4- diphenyl-3-heptanol acetate)

    2.Alphacetylmethadol (α-6- dimethylamino— 4,4— diphenyl - 3 - heptanol acetate)

    3.Alphamethadol (ß-6- dimethylamino-4,4— diphenyl-3-heptanol)

    4.Betacetylmethadol (â-6- dimethylaniino-4,4- diphenyl-3-heptanol acetate)

    5.Betamethadol (6-6- dimethylamino-4.4— diphenyl-3-heptanol)

    6.Dimepheptanol (6- dimethylamino-4,4- diphenyl-3-heptanol)

    7.Noracymethadol (α-6- ncthylamino-4,4-diphenyi- 3-heptanol acetate)

    F. Phenalkoxams, tlieirsalts, derivatives and salts of derivatives including:

    1.Dimenoxadol (dimethylaminoethyl - 1 - ethoxy-l.l- diphenylacetate)

    2.Dioxaphetylbutyrate (ethyl 2,2 - diphenyl -4- morpholinobutyrate)

    3.Dextropropoxyphene ([S-

    (R*, S*)]-…. -[2-

    (dimethylamino)-l- methylethyl] - …. - phenylbenzeneethanol, propanoate ester)

    G. Thiambutenes, their salts, derivatives and salts of derivatives including:

    1. Diethylthiambutene (N, N-di-ethyl-l-methyl- 3,3-di-2-thienylallylamine)

    2. Dimethylthiambutene (N.N, I— trimethyl— 3.,3— di— 2— thienylallylamine)

    3. Ethylmethylthiambutene (N-ethyl-N, l-dimethyl- 3,3-di-2 thienylallylamine)

    H. Moramides. the i r in t er - mediates, salts, derivatives and sa l t s of i n t e r m ed i a t e s a n d derivatives including:

    1.Dextromoramide (d-l-(3- methyl -4- morpholino-2,2- diphenylbutyryl) pyrrolidine)

    2.Dlphenylmorpholinois- ovalericacid (2-methyl-3- morpholino-l, l- diphenylpropionic acid)

    3. Levomoramidc (/-l-(3- methyl^f— morpholino- 2,2- diphenylbutyryl) pyrrolidine)

    4.Racemoramide (d,l-l-(3- methyl-4-morpholino- 2,2-diphcnylbutyryl) pyrrolidine)

    I. Morphinans, their salts, derivatives and salts of derivatives including:

    1. Buprenorphine(17- (cyclopropylmethyl)- á-(1,1-dimethylethyl)- 4,5-epoxy-18,19- dihydro-3-hydroxy-6- methoxy-á-methyl-

    6,14-
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 6:33 p.m.


    ethenomorphinan-7- methanol)

    2. Drotebanol (6ß,14-dihy- droxy-3,4-dimethoxy- 17-methylmorphinan)

    3. Levomethorphan (l-3- methoxy-17- methylmorphinan)

    4. Levorphanol (l-3-hydroxy- 17-methylmorphinan)

    5. Levophenacylmorphan (l- 3-hydroxy-17- phenacylmorphInan)

    6. Norlevorphanol (l-3- hydroxymorphinan)

    7. Phenomorphan (3- hydroxy-17-(2- phenylethyl) morphinan)

    8. Racemethorphan (d,1-3- methoxy-17- methylmorphinan)

    9. Racemorphan (d,l-3- hydroxy-N- methylmorphinan)

    J. Benzazocines, their salts, derivatives and salts of derivatives including:

    1. Phenazocine (1,2,3,4,5,6- hexahydro-6,11-dimethyl- 3-phenethyl-2,6-methano- 3-benza-zocin-8-ol)

    2. Metazocin (1,2,3,4,5,6- hexahydro-3,6,11- trimethyl-2,6-methano-3- benzazocin-8-ol)

    3. Pentazocin (1,2,3,4,5,6- hexahydro-6,11-dimethyl- 3-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)- 2,6-metham o-3- benzazocin-8-ol)

    K. Ampromides, their salts, derivatives and salts of derivatives including:

    1. Diampromide (N-[2- (methylphenethylamino) propyl] propionanilide)

    2. Phenampromide (N-(1- methyl-2-piperidino) ethyl) propi-onanilide)

    3. Propiram (N-{l-methyl-2- piperidinoethyl)-N-2- pyridylpropionamide)

    L. Benzimidazoles, their salts, derivatives and salts of derivative including:

    1. Clonitazene (2-(p- chlorobenzyl)-l- diethylaminoethyl-5- nitrobenzimidazole)

    2. Etonitazene (2-(p- ethoxybenzyl)-l- diethylaminoethyl-5- nitrobenzimidazole)

    3. Bezitramide (l-(3-cyano- 3,3-diphenylpropyl)—4- (2-oxo-3-propionyl-l- benzimidazolinyl)- piperidine)

    M. Piritramide (l-(3-cyano-3.3- diphenylpropyl)-4—(1-piperidino) piperidine-4-carboxylic acid amide), its salts, derivatives and salts of derivatives

    N. Fentanyls, their salts, derivatives, and analogues and salts of derivatives and analogues, including:

    1. Acetyl-tt-methylfentanyl (N-[l-(a-methylphenethyI)- 4-piperidyl] acetanilide)

    2. Alfentanil (N- [l- [2-(4- ethyl-4.5-dihy-dro-5- oxo-i H-tetrazol-l-yl) ethyl] ^ t-(iTiethoxymethyl)- 4-piperidyl] propio- nanilide)

    3. Carfentanil (methyl 4—[(l- oxopropyl) phenylamino]-l-

    (2-phenethyl)-4- piperidinecarboxylate)

    4. p-Fluorofentanyl (4'fluoro- N-( 1-phenethy 1—4- piperidyl) (propionanilide)

    5. Fentanyl (N-(l-phenethyl-4- piperidyl) propionanilide)

    6. ß-Hydroxyfentanyl(N-[l-(6- hydroxyphenethyl)-4— piperidyl] propionanilide)

    7. ß-Hydroxy-3-methylfentanyl (N-[l-(â-hydroxyphenethyl)- 3-methyl-4—piperidyl] propionanilide)

    8. α-Methylfentanyl(N-[l-(á- methylphenethyl)-4-piperidyl] propionanilide)

    9. α-Methylthiofentanyl (N-[l- [l-methyl-2-(2-thienyl) ethyl]-4-piperidyl] propionanilide)

    10. 3-Methylfentanyl (N-(3- methyl-1-phenethyl-4- piperidyl) (propionanilide)
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 6:33 p.m.


    11. 3-Methylthiofentanyl (N- [3-methyl-l-[2-(2-thienyl) ethyl]-4-piperidyl] propionanilide)

    12. Remifentanil (dimethyl 4-carboxy-4-(N- phenylpropionamido)-l- piperidinepropionate)

    13. Sufentanil(N-[4- {methoxymethyl)-l-[2-(2- thicnyl) ethyl]-4- piperidyl] propionanilide)

    14. Thiofentanyl (N-[1-[2-(2- thienyl) ethyl]-4-piperidyl] propionanilide).

    15. Acetylfentanyl

    O.Tilidine (ethyl2-(dimethyla- mino)-1-phenyl-3-cyclohex-ene- 1-carboxylate), its salts, derivatives and salts of derivatives.

    P. Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), its salts, derivatives, isomers and analogues and salts of derivatives, isomers and analogues.

    Q. Methamphetamine (N, α- dimethylbenzeneethanamine), its salts,
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 6:33 p.m.
    R. Amphetamines, their salts, derivatives, isomers and analogues and salts of derivatives, isomers and analogues including:
    1. amphetamine (α- methylbenzene-ethanamine)
    2. N-ethylamphetamine (N-ethyl-α- methylbenzeneethanamine)
    3. 4-methyl-2,5- dimethoxyamphetamine (STP) dimethoxy-4, α- dimethylbenzeneethanamine)
    4. 3,4-
    methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) (á-methyl-1,3- benzodioxole-5- ethanamine)
    5. 2,5-dimethoxyamphetamine (2,5-dimethoxy-α- methylbenzene-ethanamine)
    6. 4-methoxyamphetamine ethanamine)
    7. 2,4,5
    trimethoxyamphetamine
    (2,4,5-trimethoxy-α- methyl-benzeneethanamine)
    8. N-methyl-3,4- methylenedioxy- amphetamine (N, α- dimethyl-1,3- benzodioxole-5- ethanamine)
    9. 4-ethoxy-2,5- dimethoxyamphetamine (4- ethoxy-2,5- dimethoxy-α- methylbenzeneethanamine)
    10. 5-methoxy-3,4- methylenedioxy- amphetamine (7-methoxy- α-methyl-1,3- benzodioxole-5- ethanamine)
    11. N, N-dimethyl-3,4- methylenedioxyamphetamine (N, N, α- trimethyl-1,3- benzodioxole-5- ethanamine)
    12. N-ethyl-3,4- methylenedioxyamphetamine (N-ethyl-α-methyl-1,3- benzodioxole-5- ethanamine)
    13. 4-ethyl-2,5- dimethoxyamphetamine (DOET) (4-ethyl-2,5- dimethoxy-α- methylbenzeneethanamine)
    14. 4-bromo-2,5- dimethoxyamphetamine (4- bromo-2,5-dimethoxy-α- methylbenzeneethanamine)
    15. 4-chloro-2,5- dimethoxyamphetamine (4- chloro-2,5-dimethoxy-α- methyl- benzeneethanamine)
    16. 4-ethoxyamphetamine (4- ethoxy-α-methylbenzene- ethanamine)
    17. Benzphetamine (N-benzyl- N, α-dimethylbenzene- ethanamine)
    18. N-Propyl-3,4- methylenedioxy- amphetamine (α-methyl-N- propyl-1,3-benzodioxole- 5-ethanamine)
    19. N-(2-Hydroxyethyl)-α- methyl-benzeneethanamine
    20. N-hydroxy-3,4- methylenedioxy- amphetamine (N- [α-

    methyl-3,4 methylenedioxy) phenethyl] hydroxylamine)

    21. 3,4,5-

    trimethoxyamphetamine (3,4,5-trimethoxy-á-methyl- benzeneethanamine)

    22. Para Methoxymethylam- phetamine (PMMA)

    S. Flunitrazepam (5-(o- fluorophenyl)-1,3-dihydro-1-methyl- 7-ni-tro-2H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2- one) and any of its salts or derivatives

    T. á- Pyrrolidinovalerophenone (á

    - PVP)

    U. Para - Methyl - 4 - methylaminorex (4,4'- DMAR)

    V. Methoxetamine (MXE)

    The isomers, unless specifically excepted, of the drugs in this Schedule whenever the existence of the isomers is possible within the specific substance designation;

    “The esters and ethers of the drugs in this Schedule whenever

    the existence of the esters or ethers is possible;

    The salts of the drugs listed in this Schedule, including the salts of the isomers as provided above whenever the existence of the salts is possible.”

    Question put and amendment agreed to.

    The Fifth Schedule as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:33 p.m.
    Hon Members, we would now move on to the Sixth Schedule.
    Sixth Schedule -- Table of Offences and Penalties
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:33 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, we delete the Sixth Schedule as published in the Bill and insert;
    “SIXTH SCHEDULE
    (Section 105)
    Narcotic Drug -- Cannabis
    A. Cannabis, its preparations, derivatives and similar synthetic preparations, including:
    1. Cannabis resin
    2. Cannabis (marihuana)
    3. Cannabidiol (2-[3-methyl- 6-(l-methylethenyl)-2- cyclohex-en-l-y l]-5-pentyl- l ,3—benzenediol)
    4. Cannabinol (3-n—amyl- 6 , 6 , 9 - t r i m e t h y l - 6 - dibenzopyran-I-ol)
    5. Nabilone ((±)-trans-3-(l, l- d i m e t h y l h e p t y l ) - 6,6a,7,8,10,10a-hexahydro- I-hydroxy-6,6 dimethyl-9H- dibenzo[b,d]pyran-9-one)
    6. Pyrahexyl (3-n-hexyl-<j,6,9- trimethyl-7,8,9, 10- tetrahydro-6-dibenzopyran- l-ol)
    7. Tetrahydrocannabinol ( t e t r a h y d r o - 6 , 6 , 9 — trimethyl-3-pentyl-6H- dibenzo [b,d] pyran-l-ol)
    8. 3-(1,2-dimethylheptyl)- 7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-6,6,9- trimethyl-6H-dibenzo [b,d] pyran-1 -ol (DMHP)
    9. Mature Cannabis stalks that do not include leaves, flowers, seeds or branches; and fiber derived from such stalks.
    The isomers, unless specifically excepted, of the drugs in this Schedule whenever the existence of the isomers is possible within the specific substance designation;
    “The esters and ethers of the drugs in this Schedule whenever the existence of the esters or ethers is possible; The salts of the drugs listed in this Schedule, including the salts of the isomers as provided above whenever the existence of the salts is possible.”
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    The Sixth Schedule as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:33 p.m.
    Hon Members, we would now move on to the Seventh Schedule.
    Seventh Schedule -- Controlled Equipment
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 6:33 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, we delete the Seventh Schedule as captured in the Bill, and insert:
    “SEVENTH SCHEDULE
    (Section 105)
    Psychotropic Substances
    PART 1
    Psychotropic Substances of natural origin
    Catha edulis Forsk., its preparations, derivatives, alkaloids and salts, including:
    1. Cathine (d-threo-2-amino- 1 - h y d r o x y - 1 - phenylpropane).
    2. Cathinones and their derivatives.
    The isomers, unless specifically excepted, of the drugs in this Schedule whenever the existence of the isomers is possible within the specific substance designation;
    PART 2
    Synthetic Psychotropic Substances
    1.Methylphenidate (n-phenyl 2-piperidineacetic acid methyl ester) and any salt thereof.
    2. Methaqualone (2-methyl-3- (2-methylphenyl)-4(3H)- quinazolinone) and any salt thereof.
    3. Mecloqualone (2-methyl-3-(2- ch lorophenyl ) -4(3H)- quinazoliand any salt thereof.
    4.Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)(N.N- diethyllyser- gamide) and any salt thereof.
    5. N, N-Dicthyltryptamine (DET) ( 3 - [ ( 2 - d i e t h yl a mi n o ) ethyljindoleand any salt thereof.
    6. N, N - Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) (3- [2-dimethylamino ethyl] indole and any salt thereof.
    7. N-Mcthyl-3-piperidyl benzilate (LBJ)(3- [(hydroxydipheny- l a c e t y l ) o x y ] - l - methylpiperidine) and any salt thereof.
    8. Harmaline (dihydro-4,9 methoxy-7 methyl-1 3H- pyrido(3,4-b) 4,9-dihydro-7- methoxy-l- methyl-3H- pyrido (3.4-b) indole) and any salt thereof.
    9.Harmalol (4,9-dihydro-l- methyl-3H-pyrido(3,4-b) indol-7-ol) and any salt thereof.
    10.Psilocin (3-[2-(dimethylamino) ethyll-4-hydroxyindole) and any salt thereof.
    1 1 . P s i l o c y b i n ( 3 - [ 2 - (dimethylamino) ethylV4- phosphoryloxyindole) and any salt thereof.
    12. N-(l-phenylcyclohexyl) ethylamine (PCE) and any salt thereof
    1 3 . l - [ l - ( 2 - T h i e n y l ) cyclohexyljpiperidine (TCP) and any salt thereof
    1 4 . 1 - P h e n y l - N - propylcyclohexanamine and any salt thereof
    15. Rolicyclidine (l-(l- phenylcy- clohexyl) pyrrolidine) and any salt thereof.
    16. Mescaline (3.4.5- trimethoxybenzeneethanamine) and any salt thereof, but not peyote (lophophora).
    17.
    4-Methylaminorex (4,5- dihydro-4-methyl-5-phenyl- 2-oxazolamine) and any salt thereof.
    18. Calhinone (-)-…. - aminopropiophenone) and any salt thereof.
    19. Fenetyllinedihydro-1,3- dimethyl-7-(2- [(l-methyl- 2-phenethyl) amino] ethyl)- l-H-purine-2, 6-dionc) and any salt thereof.
    20. 2-Metliylamino-l-phenyl-l- propanone and any salt thereof.
    21.1-[1 (Phenylmethyl) cyclohexyl] piperidine and any salt thereof.
    22.1-[1-(4-Methylphenyl) cyclohexyl] piperidine and any salt thereof.
    23.4-bromo-2,5- dimethoxybenzeneethanamine and any salt, isomer or salt of isomer thereof
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 6:33 p.m.


    24. Aminorex (4,5-dihydro-5- phenyl-2-oxazolamine) and any salt thereof

    2 5 . E t r y p t a m i n e ( 3 - ( 2 - aminobutyl) indole) and any salt thereof

    26. Lefetamine ((-)-N, N- d i m e t h y l - á - phenylbenzeneethanamine) and any salt thereof

    2 7 . M e s o c a r b ( 3 - ( á - m e th yl p h en e t h yl ) - N - ( p h e n y l c a r b a m o y l ) sydnoneimine) and any salt thereof

    28. Zipeprol (4-(2-methoxy-2- p h e n y l e t h y l ) - á - (methoxyphenylmethyl)- 1- piperazineethanol) and any salt thereof

    29. Amineptine (7- [(10,11- dihydro-5H-dibenzo [a, d] cyclohepten-5-yl) amino] heptanoic acid) and any salt thereof

    30. Benzylpiperazine [BZP], namely 1-benzylpiperazine and its salts, isomers and salts of isomers

    31.Trifluoromethylphenyl- piperaz ine [TFMPP], namely 1-(3- trifluoromethylphenyl) piperazine and its salts, isomers and salts of isomers

    32.4-hydroxybutanoic acid (GHB) and any of its salts

    The isomers, unless specifically excepted, of the drugs in this Schedule whenever the existence of the isomers is possible within the specific substance designation;

    “The esters and ethers of the drugs in this Schedule whenever the existence of the esters or ethers is possible; The salts of the drugs listed in this Schedule, including the salts of the isomers as provided above whenever the existence of the salts is possible.

    Question put and amendment agreed to.

    The Seventh Schedule as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:33 p.m.
    Hon Members, on the Bill, we have the Eighth Schedule.
    Eight Schedule -- OATH OF
    SECRECY.
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 6:33 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that we delete the Eight Schedule as published in the Bill and insert:
    “EIGHTH SCHEDULE
    (Section 105)
    Chemical Precursors
    PART 1
    CLASS A PRECURSORS 6:33 p.m.
    CLASS B PRECURSORS 6:33 p.m.
    PREPARATIONS AND 6:33 p.m.
    MIXTURES 6:33 p.m.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 6:43 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, just a minor amendment, which I believe the draftspersons could take on board, that is for the Eighth Schedule, the last line, “Each Class A precursor includes synthetic and natural forms”. I think the better expression would be, “Each precursor includes the synthetic and natural form of the precursor”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 6:43 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, respectfully, the Class A precursor is Part 1. We would do same for Part 2, so it would read, “Each Class B precursor includes the synthetic form of the particular precursor”.
    Mr Kpodo 6:43 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I think that the concluding part of these lines makes the whole thing a little more verbose. I do not know whether it would be acceptable to the Hon
    Chairman to make it 6:43 p.m.
    “Each Class A precursor includes its synthetic and
    natural forms”, then we would remove “of the precursors”.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 6:43 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if my Hon Colleague had been with us in drafting, he would know that the use of the possessive pronoun is frowned upon. So, he wanting to introduce the possessive pronoun in this is totally out of order. [Laughter]
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:43 p.m.
    By that valiant effort, he is recommended for training as a draftsperson. [Laughter] You are not a lawyer? But what you are doing is drafting.
    So I would put the Question.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    The Eighth Schedule as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:43 p.m.
    We would now move to the Long Title of the Bill.
    Long Title -- An Act to establish the Narcotics Control Commission, to provide for offences related to narcotic drugs and for related matters.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 6:43 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, yesterday, we proffered some amendments. [Interruption]
    Mr K. S. Acheampong 6:43 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would take over from the Hon Majority Leader. The new rendition would read:
    “An Act to establish the Narcotics Control Commission, to provide for offences related to narcotic drugs and plants cultivated for narcotic purposes and for related matters.”
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:43 p.m.
    I got your rendition down, save to say that once we have used the word “narcotics” to cover “narcotic drug and narcotic plants”, why can we not use it here? We have used it throughout.
    Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 6:43 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, furthermore, we have used “narcotic related offences” in this Act, so it should read, “and to provide for narcotic related offences and for related matters”.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:43 p.m.
    At the interpretation clause, we moved away from it.
    Alhaji I.A.B. Fusein 6:43 p.m.
    All right.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:43 p.m.
    We had some definition problems, so we moved away from it. So the proposed amendment is to delete “narcotic drugs and insert “narcotics cultivated for narcotic purposes”.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 6:43 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Long Title would usually want to be a bit more elaborate, so that when a person reads it, they would know what the entire Bill is about. So respectfully, could we associate ourselves with what the Hon Chairman proposed, by way of further elaborating on the Long Title?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:53 p.m.
    What the Hon Chairman proposed, the difference here is just to say “narcotic drugs and plants cultivated for narcotic purposes”. Then why do you amend it only in the body but not in the Long Title?
    In the body of the Bill, wherever we saw “narcotic drugs and plants”, we amended it to “narcotics”. [Interruption] In some places you retained them? All right, so we are to take the full sentence, “narcotic drugs and plants cultivated for narcotic purposes and for related matters”.

    Question put and amendment agreed to.

    Long title ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 6:53 p.m.
    Hon Members, this brings us to the end of the Consideration Stage of the Narcotics Control Commission Bill,
    2019.
    Yes, Hon Majority Leader?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 6:53 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, having come to the end of the Consideration Stage of this very tortuous Bill, let me cease this moment to express my profound gratitude to the House but in particular, to some notable faces who have helped in the smithing of this Bill; I think it is important for me to single out the Hon Member for Wa West, Mr Yieleh Chireh, who unfortunately, is not in the Chamber today, the Hon Member for Tamale Central, Ahaji Inusah Fuseini, the Hon Member for Akatsi South, Mr Bernard Ahiafor and the Hon Member for Doboya/Mankarigu, Mr Shaibu Mahama all from the Minority.
    On the side of the Majority who happened to be in the minority, as far as the crafting of this Bill is concerned, the Hon Member for Offinso South, Mr Ben Abdallah Banda, the Hon Member for Asante Akim Central, Mr Anyimadu-Antwi. On occasions we had the Hon Member for Ahanta
    West, Mr Kojo Kum and the Hon Chairman of the Committee on Defence and Interior, Mr Seth Acheampong. Of course, this is his Committee's Bill that was why he was with us. I would encourage him to be with us in other areas when it comes to the crafting of other Bills as well.
    Mr Speaker, I cannot finish without acknowledging your only forbearance with this effort and that of the Hon First Deputy Speaker as well and of course, the Clerks-at-the-Table especially, Mr Ahumah Djietror and his associated band which include Madam Edith Adjei. There is a face that is looking very plaintively at me to be recognised -- I recognise her. The draftspersons have also been of tremendous benefit to us -- Madam Sena. The young lawyers from the Narcotics Control Board have been of profound assistance to us and I must recognise them even though it is their Bill but because of the demonstrable competence that they exhibited, I want to appeal to them to join us in other areas of endeavour and not limit it to their own activities.
    However, it has been wonderful working with them on this Bill. But for them, it would have been most difficult for us as a House to smith this Bill the way we have been able to do it. It was amazing from the way we brained stormed; going forward and
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 6:53 p.m.


    backward but at the end of the day, we came to rest on useful conclusions after serious observations from all of us gathered therein.

    It has been a joy working with them. However, I would appeal to all of us, who have been in this endeavour that they should not abandon the ship but continue to be with us, so that we would work together. There is a lot on our table that we need to finish up before the House adjourns sine die on 3rd April,

    2020.

    Mr Speaker, once again, I would want to thank these group of “conspirators”, so to put it. They have conspired and done tremendously well. Someone has asked me to recognise my secretarial staff of which he is part of it. They have also offered valuable assistance to us because when we close at 10.00 p.m. or 11.00 p.m. in the night, they also close the same time. Let us move together in this effort to improve the business of legislation in this House.

    Mr Speaker, I believe everyone would recognise that this Parliament, in the business of crafting laws, has been very generous and consultative. It has not happened like this before. Let us carry on like this as one body and as one Parliament because in the business of law making, there is no Opposition or Majority - we are all together in the same ship.

    Mr Speaker, I thank you all, including your very good self for your guidance and directions in many ways which really contributed to get a very clean Bill, thus far.

    We would meet on Tuesday to continue from where we would leave off this evening.

    I thank everybody once again.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:03 p.m.
    Hon Members, let me add my voice to thank all of you for the tenacity of purpose for the teamwork and to put it on record that this has not been an easy job because we are not in normal times and the whole world is crafting laws to be able catch up with the criminals in this sector. So, it has not been easy crafting the provisions of the Bill and I really admire the zeal, passion and commitment that you have shown in getting this through.
    I hope that the courts will recognise the difficulty we have gone through and try to understand that this is a complete threat to our democracy and democracies all over the world are under threat anyway. So we would have some time to craft legislations that people have to look at between what we often know as the
    fundamental human rights and freedoms and the threats that it has to the whole society.
    So it has not been easy navigating these rather fragile areas but I think that we have done our best and the good Lord Himself will bless us. For those who are committed, this recognition from the Hon Majority Leader, I know that it is not for nothing but one that will find expression in other areas.
    I thank all of you for staying up so late in the night and I hope that you will continue with that spirit of working as a House, team and family in other areas.
    Yes, Hon Majority Leader, your last word.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 7:03 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I almost forgot to recognise the officers of the Hansard Department staying very late and they have always been religiously with us. I think that we should also recognise their efforts.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:03 p.m.
    Yes, that is the lot on the chef. The chef is always not recognised even though -- Well, the public gallery is -- they also have to be recognised. [Laughter] --
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 7:03 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we have our friends in the public gallery and ever since we came to crafting this law, they have religiously been with us and have been following what we have been doing. On occasions, I am told that they have even gone on air to --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:03 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, who are those friends?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 7:03 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, Ghanaian friends. [Laughter] --
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:03 p.m.
    Gallery friends [Laughter] --
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 7:03 p.m.
    They are local rastafarians and they have been following this Bill that we have been crafting. I think that for their endurance, -- we have the general populace keenly following the Bills that we have been making as they have been doing and I believe that Ghanaians will understand that Hon Members of Parliament do not merely exist for their personal comfort and gratuities but we really work assiduously to improve the lot of the Ghanaians that we represent in this House.
    So for having the tenacity which they have demonstrated thus far, to
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 7:03 p.m.


    follow the passing of this Bill and on one occasion, one of them approached me and made a useful suggestion to me with respect to a particular clause in the Bill.

    We should also express our gratitude to them for the keenness with which they have followed this Bill and we urge that Ghanaians will follow their example.

    Mr Speaker, thank you.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 7:03 p.m.
    Thank you so much.
    They are definitely going to be worthy ambassadors of the House
    and I hope that in the new Standing Orders, this issue about the time would have to be considered where Sitting may have to commence in the afternoon so that we can create more room for others to join us at the public gallery not just to observe but to go beyond that to sometimes input into the work of the House.
    You are all congratulated including our friends in the media.
    Thank you so much.
    ADJOURNMENT 7:03 p.m.
  • The House was adjourned at 7.09 p.m. till Tuesday, 10th March, 2020, at 10.00 a.m.