Debates of 28 May 2020

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:49 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:49 a.m.
Mr Speaker 10:49 a.m.
Hon Members, Correction of Votes and Proceedings of Wednesday, 27th May, 2020.
Page 1 -- 10?
Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa 10:49 a.m.
Mr Speaker, please, on page 10, the item numbered (vii); the name of the country should be St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The “the” has been omitted; if it could be inserted accordingly?
Mr Speaker 10:49 a.m.
Thank you very much.
Page 11?
Mr Ablakwa 10:49 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the last but one paragraph on page 11, the budget performance report in
respect of the Electoral Commission for the period of January to December, 2019; instead of “for”, it has been made “or”. I think it should be corrected.
Mr Speaker 10:49 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member.
Page 11 -- 35
Hon Members, the Votes and Proceedings of 27th May, 2020 as corrected, is hereby admitted as the true record of proceedings.
Hon Members, we have the Official Report of 19th May, 2020; any corrections?
Mr Ablakwa 10:49 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am most grateful. At the very first page, the list of Ministers of State, I believe that if the Hon Catherine Afeku were here, she would have corrected her name “Abelema” which has been written as “Abeleman”. That is not her name, so if that could be corrected accordingly?
Mr Speaker, then at column 004, on your Address to the House, you referred to the Physical Infrastructure and Enhancement Project. “Infrastructure” has been captured wrongly, so if it could be corrected accordingly?
Mr Speaker, still on your address, the last paragraph on column 005, you stated that “there is no scientifically approved cure or any vaccine”. One does not get the sense the way it has been couched in this paragraph. So, if it could be amended accordingly?
I thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker 10:49 a.m.
Thank you, Hon Member.
Any further corrections?
Mr Benito Owusu Bio 10:49 a.m.
Mr Speaker, on page (i), my name has been omitted from the list of the Deputy Ministers. [Interruption]
Yes, Official Report; that is what we are dealing with.
Mr Speaker 10:49 a.m.
Hon Deputy Minister, please, address me.
Hon Members, the Official Report of 19th May, 2020 as corrected is hereby admitted as the true record of proceedings.
Hon Members, item numbered 3; Questions.
If the Hon Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture could please take the chair?
Question numbered 712, which stands in the name of Hon Okudzeto Ablakwa.
ORAL ANSWERS TO 10:59 a.m.
QUESTIONS 10:59 a.m.
MINISTRY OF TOURISM, ARTS 10:59 a.m.
AND CULTURE 10:59 a.m.
Mr Samuel O. Ablakwa (NDC -- North Tongu) 10:59 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to ask the Hon Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture the volume of visitors associated with the Year of Return Initiative and the estimated economic gains to Ghana for the 2019 fiscal year.
Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture (Ms Barbara Oteng- Gyasi) (MP) 10:59 a.m.
Mr Speaker, in August 2018, when H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo officially launched the Year of Return, Ghana 2019, it was unimaginable how much of an impact the Year of Return would make on the local and global scale.
Many heeded the call and made the journey to Ghana to experience the country's culture, heritage, people and history. An integral part of
Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture (Ms Barbara Oteng- Gyasi) (MP) 10:59 a.m.
commemorating the year and celebrating African resilience was in having events that would not only encourage people to visit, but to also provide spaces where the local community could connect with the African diaspora who came into the country.
At the conclusion of the Year of Return, there were over 150 endorsed events, press conferences, airport welcomes, and Master classes. Some activities were on a smaller scale, while others were grand with thousands of attendees. The objectives of the Year of Return were to:
1) Increase the number of international arrivals to 1 million visitors;
2) Cement Ghana's Pan African legacy by building on the previous success of PANAFEST and efforts like the Joseph Project instituted by the late Hon Jake Okanta Obetsebi Lamptey; and
3) Brand Ghana as the gateway to Africa.
Mr Speaker, by the end of the year, international arrivals reached 1.13million, from 956,372 in 2018, a 27 per cent growth which was above
the global average of five per cent. The average expenditure per tourist increased from US$2,708 in 2018 to US$2,931 in 2019. The receipts attributed to tourism is therefore US$3,312 billion. The increased number of travellers to Ghana positively impacted private sector industries such as airlines, hotels, tour operators, restaurants, and art and crafts dealers -- to name a few.
For example, several hotels announced 100 per cent capacity for the month of December. The Art Centre merchants also reported doubling their sales in 2019 as compared to 2018. In terms of expenditure areas, accommodation was at 41 per cent which was the highest area of expenditure, followed by food and beverages (21 per cent), shopping (14 per cent), local transport (eight per cent), entertainment (five per cent) and other spendings (11 per cent).
Ghana became the beacon of the “New African Narrative” and was hailed by many as showing leadership. The President, H.E Nana Akufo- Addo was honoured by African Union (AU) for this initiative. One hundred and twenty-six (126) African diasporans were granted citizenship at a ceremony at the Jubilee House, the seat of Government. This was the highest ever group of African diasporans to receive citizenship in one instance.
In addition to the economic impact, social projects such as schools in Akosombo, Chorkor, Botianor, boreholes in Akropong, and an ICT centre in Nyamebekyere have become legacies of the Year of Return.
Mr Speaker, the media mileage is estimated into millions of dollars with all leading local and international media houses such as the Cable News Network (CNN), British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Aljazeera, South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) et cetera dedicating editorial spaces to the Year of Return.
The Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE) which measures the cost of equivalent amount of advertising space, if paid for, is estimated at US$3.5 million. Social Media Reach increased substantial global media attention on Ghana and is valued at US $1.9 million. The coverage on the Year of Return has changed the narrative about Africa and branded Ghana as the gateway to Africa and one of the top tourism, investment, and repatriation destinations in the world.
Mr Speaker, the Year of Return also benefited from a lot of celebrity endorsements with leading
personalities like the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi and the congressional black caucus, Steve Harvey, Samuel L. Jackson, Derrick Johnson of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP), Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, Bozoma St. John, Kofi Kingston, Boris Kudjoe, A. J. Johnson amongst other leading figures visiting the country.
After visiting Ghana, major celebrities, influencers, and visitors have posted on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter over 100,000 times about Year of Return.
Social media posts about the Year of Return from top celebrities such as Steve Harvey, Boris Kudjoe, Sarkodie, Deborah Cox, Bozoma, and media companies and many more have reached more than 20 million people. Steve Harvey, as a follow- up to the Year of Return, has started recording his world renowned programme “Family Feud” in Ghana.
Mr Speaker, in conclusion, the Year of Return impacted the economy of Ghana through increasing international arrivals, branding Ghana as the gateway to Africa and a top diasporan repatriation destination, and increasing the amount of tourism dollars spent. To build further on the success of the Year of Return, a ten-

year project dubbed “BEYOND THE RETURN” a “Decade of African Renaissance 2020 -- 2030” has been initiated to grow Ghana's Tourism Industry, showcase its investment potential and consolidate its Diasporan engagement.
Mr Speaker 10:59 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Minister, for the Answer. Yes, Hon Okudzeto Ablakwa?
Mr Ablakwa 10:59 a.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much as well as the Hon Minister for her response. I wish to commend her for leading the President's vision in this regard. It is really regrettable that COVID-19 has undermined the gains; there was a certain momentum that we would all have benefitted from --
Mr Speaker 10:59 a.m.
Hon Member, ask your question, please.
Mr Ablakwa 10:59 a.m.
Mr Speaker, my first supplementary question is for the Hon Minister to help us understand how the average expenditure per tourist is computed? She says it is US$2,931; can she help us understand how she comes to that computation?
Ms Oteng-Gyasi 10:59 a.m.
Mr Speaker, on arrival in Ghana, tourists are expected to complete certain forms
Mr Ablakwa 11:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am hearing about this form for the first time.
My second supplementary question is about international arrivals which the Hon Minister has stated as 1.13 million. The website of the Ghana Airports Company Limited reports that for 2019, the number of international arrivals was 1,055,071 which is way below the 1.13 million. Mr Speaker, can the Hon Minister reconcile this or tell us the source of her figure because the Ghana Airport Company Limited is reporting a different figure?
Mr Speaker 11:09 a.m.
The Hon Minister is not responsible for that data you are referring to. Please ask your next supplementary question. The Hon Minister cannot answer a question which is beyond her own jurisdiction.
Mr Ablakwa 11:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, so can we know how the -- ?
Mr Speaker 11:09 a.m.
Hon Member, you asked the Hon Minister about the volume of visitors associated with the Year of Return Initiative and the estimated economic gains to Ghana, which she has told us.
Now, you are seeking clarification of a certain number that has been published elsewhere. So give notice if you want that question to be answered so that the Hon Minister can do her research and compare the figures.
Mr Ablakwa 11:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to know the basis for --
Mr Speaker 11:09 a.m.
Hon Member, if you want that analytical approach then you have to file a specific Question then the Hon Minister would access other documents and address the Question.
Kindly ask your final supplementary question.
Mr Ablakwa 11:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would be guided and move to another question.
On 16th December, 2019, the Hon Minister granted an interview to the Daily Graphic and said that the economic gains was US$1.9 billion, but today she has told Parliament that it is US$3.312 billion. Can the Hon Minister reconcile the two figures?
Ms Oteng-Gyasi 11:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the figure he has quoted was before the end of the year, subsequently further analysis was done to arrive at this figure.
Mr Speaker 11:09 a.m.
Hon Member, your final supplementary question.
Mr Ablakwa 11:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, my final question relates to sustainability. With regard to the gains and interest that have been generated, how does the Hon Minister intend to sustain the interest in the Year of Return Initiative?
Ms Oteng-Gyasi 11:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, we all acknowledge the impact of the Year of Return and we needed to leverage on it for the future and it is for this reason that we initiated the Beyond the Return Programme. Admittedly, the Beyond the Return Programme has been affected by the novel COVID-19; however, as we are easing up on the imposition of restrictions, we have started to initiate projects for the second half of the year.
Mr Speaker, we anticipate that most of the activities would be virtual programmes that the people in the diaspora could participate in and to sustain their interest until 2021 when we can hold larger physical public gatherings in Ghana which they could travel here to participate.
Mr Kwame G. Agbodza 11:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity and I also thank the Hon Minister for attending to answer the Question.
Mr Speaker, the most authentic figure for aircraft and passenger movements is a public information on the website of the Ghana Airports Company Limited. It is a very authentic information.
In 2015, 833,657 people arrived in the country as international passengers. In 2016 the figure was 862,426 people; in 2017 it was 895,012 people; in 2019 it was 1,055,071 people so there has been a consistent growth of international passengers into the country yearly.
The Hon Minister told us that due to the Year of Return initiative the numbers have increased. However, the figures, as I have quoted, suggested that the trajectory of the numbers has been the case already. It is exactly --
Mr Speaker 11:09 a.m.
Hon Member, that is an opinion and the Hon Minister can come to her conclusion with the figures. One may say that this is a trend that follows all the time. Please ask a next Question.
Hon Members, our rules state that we are barred from statements or questions that elicit opinion, but you are giving your own opinion that there is already a gradual growth. This is your own opinion, because somebody else can come to a different conclusion from those figures.
I would take a next question because we have got a lot to do.
Mr Rockson-Nelson E. K. Dafeamekpor 11:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, per paragraph 3 of the Hon Minister's Answer, she indicates that US$3.312 billion accrued to the country as a result of the moneys spent by international tourists in the country. When the question was asked on the source of the data regarding how much was spent per tourist, the Hon Minister said that they indicated that in the forms that were filled at the arrival hall.
Mr Speaker, this would be misleading because in tourism, there is a clear cut formula for calculating the multiplier effect of moneys spent by tourists in the economy. My question is this; is the Hon Minister basing the per tourist expenditure on the figures that were obtained from the Ghana Immigration Service or from the Ghana Tourism Authority?
Ms Oteng-Gyasi 11:09 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I indicated that the Ghana Tourism Authority has staff at the airport and they engage tourists who visit Ghana. They obtain an estimation of how much tourist spent while in the country. Mr Speaker, this estimation led to these figures and this estimation is from the work done by the Ghana Tourism Authority at the airports through interactions with tourists who visit the country.
Mr Kwame Asafu-Adjei 11:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would like to recommend Atwea Mountains in my constituency to the Hon Minister. Would she advise visitors to visit Atwea Mountains in future?
Mr Speaker 11:19 a.m.
Hon Member, who should advise the visitors? That is overruled.
Ms Angela O. Alorwu-Tay 11:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, could the Hon Minister segregate the gains made during that period in ecotourism? This is because, in Afadjato, we have a lot of such. My question seeks the Hon Minister to segregate for this House the gains made specifically in ecotourism during the Year of Return.
Mr Speaker 11:19 a.m.
Yes, Hon Minister, ecotourism activities during the period.
Ms Oteng-Gyasi 11:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I was asked to present on the numbers and the impact on the economy. If she desires this information, she could file a Question, and I would provide the Answer.
Mr Speaker 11:19 a.m.
Yes, Hon Member for Ajumako/Enyan/Essiam, ask the last question.
Mr Cassiel A. B. Forson 11:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, in the Hon Minister's Answer, she said that the passengers for the year 2019 were 1.13 million. She said if we are to multiply that with the total expenditure, each person spent an average of US$2,931.00. If we are to multiply that, it gives the US$3.3 billion.
Mr Speaker, could the Hon Minister confirm that this 1.13 million passengers include passengers who travelled other than for the Year of Return and give us the actual passengers for the Year of Return? She said that in the year 2018, the passengers were 956,372, an increase of 27 per cent.
So I would want to know, of these numbers, which one could be attributed to the Year of Return alone, considering the fact that the other international travels included citizens who actually travelled to the country?.
Ms Oteng-Gyasi 11:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Year of Return, 2019, was an entire year project. Everybody who travelled into the country during the period of 2019 is captured under this report. We do not capture returning residents in our data.
Mr Speaker 11:19 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Minister, for attending upon the House and answering our Questions. You are respectfully discharged.
Item numbered 4 - Statements.
Today is the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Day.
Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka 11:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, on today's Order Paper, we have two Questions to be answered. Nothing is said about the second Question which is supposed to be answered by the Hon Minister for Finance.
Mr Speaker 11:19 a.m.
Hon Deputy Majority Chief Whip, please, is the Hon Minister for Finance available?
Alhaji Muntaka 11:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Deputy Majority Whip says he did not hear the Question I asked.
I said that, on the Order Paper, we have two Questions which were supposed to be answered today. The first one has been answered by the Hon Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, and the second one is supposed to be answered by the Hon Minister for Finance as advertised.
You have not told us anything but has moved on. I am asking where the Hon Minister for Finance is to answer this Question.
Mr Moses Anim 11:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister for Finance has given an indication to be here by 1.00 p.m. When he comes, we would accommodate him, with your permission.
Mr Speaker 11:19 a.m.
Hon Nkansah- Boadu, owner of the Question, I saw you standing. What is the issue?
Ms Mavis Nkansa-Boadu 11:19 a.m.
Mr Speaker, this Question was asked somewhere last year. I come under Standing Order 67(c) to withdraw the Question because it has since been answered. [Hear! Hear!]
Mr Speaker 11:19 a.m.
Item numbered 4 -- a brief Statement on ECOWAS Day by Hon Fuseini Issah.
STATEMENTS 11:29 a.m.
Mr Fuseini Issah (NPP -- Okaikoi North) 11:29 a.m.
Mr Speaker, today marks the 45th Anniversary Day of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). It is therefore important for us to look back and reflect on the goals and objectives of ECOWAS and to ask ourselves how far we have come.
Mr Speaker, the aspiration for integration in Africa dates back to the late 1950s when Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first President, together with other emerging leaders lit the torch for the independence of African nations.
Today's globalised world as well as Africa's risk of further marginalisation in a multipolar world dominated by trading blocs in North America, Europe, South East Asia, and China has made the African regional economic integration even more imperative.
In West Africa, the resolve to integrate led to the creation of ECOWAS on 28th May, 1975 to promote economic cooperation and sub-regional integration.
The aspiration for greater economic development and by necessary implication of the political integration of the West African Sub-Region was actualised at the signing of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Treaty in Lagos, on 28th May, 1975 by 15 states of the sub-region.
This agenda for regional integration was pushed forward significantly after signing the Treaty of Abuja in 1991, which created the African Economic Community. The treaty authorised member states in 2002 to set up national units in order to facilitate the ECOWAS integration process.
Mr Speaker, over the years, the Community has undertaken a number of steps to enhance the progress of economic and political integration of member states, including the ECOWAS Convergence Criteria, ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS), the Implementation of ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET), and the ECOWAS Single Currency Programme.
Mr Speaker, after 45 years of implementation of the agenda for integration among member states of the ECOWAS, can it be said that we have attained the full integration of ECOWAS envisaged at the time of establishing the Community?
Mr Fuseini Issah (NPP -- Okaikoi North) 11:39 a.m.
particularly, in the areas of transport and free movement of goods, and lack of functioning preferred trade schemes.
Mr Speaker, it has been reported that the package of trade facilitation measures introduced at the 1982 Inter-State Road Transport Convention which relates to the establishment of a common road transit regime among ECOWAS member states to facilitate the movement of goods, includes the customs bond and logbook system which does not speed up the flow of trade in the way that it should.
Mr Speaker, it has also been noted under free movement of goods, that both tariffs and non-tariff barriers to trade between member states still persist. While some progress have been made in the reduction of tariff, they have not been fully eliminated.
Progress towards the removal of non-tariff barriers such as seasonal import and export bans has been slower. It is also reported that domestic industries that benefit from the protection that trade barriers provide and the custom agencies that generate revenues from tariffs and fees are likely obstacles to change.
Mr Speaker, clearly, lack of trade facilitation is a major problem to the low levels of regional trade and its integration into the global systems in the sub-region.
Trade between countries in the region is typically hampered by supply and demand factors such as import quotas, anti-dumping regulations, countervailing duties and border tax adjustments and subsidies.
Mr Speaker, according to the 15th Report of the Improved Road Transport Governance Initiative (IRTAG), there is between 1.8 and 3.2 checkpoints per 100kms along the corridors in West Africa.
Furthermore, the bribes collected by customs, police, gendarmeries, and other uniformed services range from US$3 to US$23 per 100kms.
The Abidjan-Bamako Corridor has been particularly cited, where a consignment of goods moving along the West African Corridors can expect significant delays, which ranges from 10 to 29 minutes per 100kms, mainly due to lengthy checking of goods and vehicles by uniformed services.
Mr Speaker, the Ouagadougou- Tema Corridor, between Burkina Faso and Ghana, and the
Ouagadougou-Lome Corridor, between Burkina Faso and Togo, also experiences a high number of customs controls, although the level of bribes paid to customs is very low as compared to the Bamako- Ouagadougou Corridor.

Mr Speaker, if the Region wants to speed its goal of integration, it must facilitate intra-regional trade amongst ECOWAS countries. This calls for efforts that would unlock the potentials for intra-regional in the Region through a number of measures.

Firstly, governments in ECOWAS should redouble their efforts to improve both hard and soft infrastructure. Hard infrastructure improvement includes construction and/or rehabilitation of transport networks to ensure a reliable and affordable source of power, and building robust ICT systems and services.
Mr Speaker, measures on the soft infrastructure include 11:39 a.m.
to simplify and harmonise customs and border procedures;
to encourage the use of new technology by custom agencies; and
to eliminate corruption and illegal payment at borders and check- points.Tackling these issues will not
Mr Mahama Ayariga (NDC -- Bawku Central) 11:39 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would like to commend the Hon Member who made the Statement for commemorating this very important day in the life of the sub-region. We took a conscious decision to come together to take advantage of our numbers and the fact that we live contiguous to one another to build a customs union and improve our economies for the benefit of our people.
Mr Speaker, after all these years, ECOWAS as a body has indeed made great strides even though there is still a lot of work to be done. The Member who made the Statement has already highlighted significant achievements in the area of the effort towards economic integration. I would therefore not bore this House
by repeating those ones, except to admit that there are still enormous challenges in this regard.
As the countries democratise, and as they seek to satisfy the demands of their populations, there still appears to be a lot of competition amongst the countries, which often leads to various nations undermining the commitments that they made to sub-regional integration.
A recent example is the situation in Nigeria, where they had to close their boarders to the rest of the sub-region because of domestic economic considerations. Such conducts by nations must be rejected by the sub- region, and they must be made to account for the commitments that they have made to us as a common region.
Mr Speaker, in terms of sub- regional integration, a lot more has been achieved by just developing infrastructure. Based on the agreements that the countries have had, we would observe that the various countries have developed road infrastructure that leads to the borders of neighbouring countries, so that we can move more comfortably and freely with goods and persons to one another.
Mr Speaker, recently, airport infrastructure across the sub-region, if one travels, has been developed, and there are more frequent flights in the sub-region than many years ago. That has made it very easy for people in the sub-region to move about freely.
Mr Speaker, recently, we did agree on developing common tariffs when it comes to mobile network telecommunication. That is a major boost where citizens who move across the sub-region would not be compelled to pay differential tariffs just because they have moved from one country to the other. This is a very important development that many of us who travel frequently in the sub- region see as a major milestone that we have achieved.
Mr Speaker, the maker of the Statement has left out an important area of achievement by the ECOWAS, which is in the area of governance. Through the effort of the leadership of the sub-region, almost all countries are now living and operating democratic systems of governance. The leadership of the sub-region would come together to ensure that every country complies with the values of democracy, especially, the upholding of human rights. This is not a small achievement.
Recently, the sub-region had to move in to compel a democratic transition in The Gambia. I do not believe that we may be able to do that for a country like Nigeria, but at least, the principle has been established that we would not tolerate any retrogression in the area of democratic governance.
Mr Speaker, the sub-region has also made great strides in promoting peace and stability in many countries that hitherto have witnessed civil conflicts. Liberia, Sierra Leone and Mali are living examples of the efforts and investments that the sub-region has made, and we can say that relatively, we would enjoy peace and stability through the effort of the sub- region and the investments of the citizens of the sub-region.
Mr Speaker, there is one thorny issue that remains, which we must work towards, which is the progress towards establishing an ECOWAS citizenship, which is pursuant to the programme of free movement and the right to establishment.
As a country, in recent times, we have been challenged enormously by some citizens trying very hard to restrain others from other countries in the sub-region from establishing themselves economically. It is not just in Ghana, we have colleagues in Ivory
Mr Speaker 11:39 a.m.
Hon Member, you are now going beyond the maker of the Statement. This is what we have all been --
Mr Ayariga 11:49 a.m.
Mr Speaker, in concluding, I would want to urge ECOWAS as a sub-region to approach our response to the pandemic and to the programme of opening up our sub-region together so that there can be some coherence, and then we can relate to one another's efforts towards opening up.

Mr Speaker, on that note, I would like to commend the Hon Member who made the Statement and urge all to continue to support the efforts towards regional integration --
Mr Speaker 11:49 a.m.
Thank you very much.
Yes, Hon Minister?
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey) [MP]: Mr Speaker, thank you. I rise to support the Statement made by the Hon Member for Okaikwei North
Constituency. His Statement takes us through the progress the ECOWAS has made 45 years on, and also the challenges that we face as a region.
Mr Speaker, when ECOWAS was founded some 45 years ago, it was envisaged that the creation of this regional bloc would foster cooperation and integration, which would move us towards socio-economic ` develop- ment. And the idea was to create a borderless region so that we could put together the abundant resources that we have for our development and for peace and security.
Mr Speaker, we need to look at where we have come from since 45 years on, and to see whether there is the need for us to revise the vision that the founders had. First of all, we are to look at vision 2020, which is aimed at raising the standards of living of the citizens of ECOWAS which would guarantee a bright future for our region.
Mr Speaker, we also need to reflect and look at the need to evaluate whatever progress we have made thus far. Also, to reaffirm our commitment to the vision that was set for us. And also, to acknowledge the challenges
that confront us as fifteen nations that have come together to pursue prosperity for their citizens.
Mr Speaker, we have made a lot of progress and immediately, we could see the enhanced efficiency in dealing with conflict, which the Hon Members have already spoken about: preventing crises and also, resolving crises.
Mr Speaker, we are also in the process of harmonising our macroeconomic policies and working towards trade globalisation. Mr Speaker, we have also made some progress in terms of infrastructure; whether it is air infrastructure; whether it is road or other infrastructure.
And already, the Hon Member who contributed for the other Side, the Hon Ayariga has mentioned the Abidjan-Lagos Highway, which runs through Ghana, especially, 55 per cent of that stretch runs through Ghana and would run through the whole trans- African Highway through to about twelve countries of the ECOWAS.
Mr Speaker, we have also made a lot of strides in the area of agriculture and, environmental development.

Mr Speaker, ECOWAS has also, in response to the threats of terrorism and conflicts come up with a US$2.3 billion Priority Action Plan. And this, we believe between 2020 and 2024, would commit us to eradicating terrorism and armed conflicts. And fortunately, ECOWAS Heads of States have committed to provide US$1billion out of the US$2.3 billion from our own resources. This is something which is very welcomed because we are not looking to get these resources from outside.

Mr Speaker, also, like I said earlier, mediation and conflict prevention is something that has been enhanced and we are applying local solutions to our problems. And this crop of leaders in authority and some Heads of States have decided that they are going to solve problems from within, and not wait for outsiders to come and solve our problems for us.

Mr Speaker, on the issue of free movement, it is true that since 2014, Heads of States have amended the free movement of persons, protocol and as a result of that amendment, citizens of the Fifteen-Member States could move freely without any hindrance, even to the point of being able to access employment without having to go through getting a work
Mr Speaker 11:49 a.m.
Hon Minister, if you would kindly wind up.
Ms Botchwey 11:59 a.m.
Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I would like to say that even though COVID-19 has made a lot of negative impact in the development of our region, we remain resolute to achieve the aspirations of our forefathers who set up this very laudable group that we are part of.
And we know that yes, it has made an impact negatively but, surely, we would overcome. And we are happy
to note that West Africa Health Organisation is helping all of our countries to overcome this pandemic so that it does not create too much havoc in our economies.

Thank you Mr Speaker for giving me the opportunity and I hope that ECOWAS will continue to build an ECOWAS of people, where over 300 million of our citizens will believe in the dream and vision of ECOWAS, so that it is a community of the people and for the people. It is only then that we can say that we have achieved the vision of our founders.
Mr Speaker 11:59 a.m.
Thank you very much Hon Minister for your rich contribution.
Hon Jabanyite, your Statement on an assessment of the state of preparedness of Ghana on food security in the COVID-19 era.
State of Preparedness of Ghana in Food Security in the
COVID-19 Era
Mr Samuel Abdulai Jabanyite (NDC -- Chereponi) 11:59 a.m.
Thank you Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to make a Statement on the floor of this august House on the state of preparedness of Ghana in food
Mr Samuel Abdulai Jabanyite (NDC -- Chereponi) 11:59 a.m.


security in this era of COVID-19. This Statement seeks to assess the extent to which the COVID-19 virus has prompted food insecurity fears in Ghana, resulting in panic buying and giving rise to price hikes in food related items.

Mr Speaker, an in-depth assessment of the food security situation in Ghana for now and post COVID-19 would require a review of the pillars of food security and the performance of the agricultural sector over the last three years to provide the parameters for realistic and measurable grounds to critically assess the repercussions as may be posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This would also afford Members of this House and Ghanaians the opportunity to appreciate the gravity of the situation and finally conclude by making proposals to Government for consideration.

Mr Speaker, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (UNFAO) in 1996 defined food security as this which with your permission I quote:

“…when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that

meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”

Mr Speaker, this definition hinges on four dimensions as opined by Lavendal and Macro, 2005.

Lavendal and Macro are authorities in Agricultural Economics and whoever is concerned with the study of Agriculture would have identified them as authorities in this field. They have considered the pillars of food security as availability, accessibility, utilisation and stability. For the purpose of this Statement, I would like to do a little elucidation.

Mr Speaker, availability is having enough food as opined by Bared, 2001. Total available food is given by the summation of domestic production, holding of strategic buffer stocks and imports. Again, for food production to become available from local production, it needs to move through the various production phases defined as the supply chain.

The inability of one sector to perform properly would consequently lead to the entire chain not functioning properly, further reducing the quantity of food available. Reports by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and the World Bank, prior to COVID-19, indicates that in

2018, five per cent of the Ghanaian populace, translating into 1.7 million people are food insecure.

Ghana's food imports expressed in percentage to merchandised export stood at 20.8, rising from 14.6 in 2016 and this is obtained from Trading Economics, 2020 which is a wing of the World Bank that tracks imports and exports of food related items over the globe.

The share of food imports is increasing, therefore suggesting that local production is falling in percentagewise and this is confirmed by the Minister for Finance, Hon Ken Ofori-Atta. He reported that US$2.4 billion which translated to GH¢10.8 billion at the time, was used to import rice, sorghum, sugar, frozen chicken and other food products and this can be obtained from the 2018 and 2019 Budget Statements.

Mr Speaker, production is said to be complete only when the product reaches the final consumer. Producing enough food does not mean there is food security until food reaches all people. Accessibility comes in two dimensions; we have physical accessibility which is the number of people who have sufficient, safe and nutritious food within a geographical proximity. Economic accessibility on

the other hand relates to the economic capacity of people to acquire food after it has been made available and physically accessible.

Mr Speaker, in the wake of COVID-19, increased prices mean that more people would not be able to afford food, given the inelastic demand for food commodities which has an impact on the poor. It is one thing to make food accessible and it is another to enhance utilisation, especially for specific groups of people such as children, the aged and pregnant women.

The objective of making food available and accessible is that people would have their dietary requirements met for an active and healthy life. Price hikes in the midst of COVID- 19 will deny the poor in this category of nutritious food.

Mr Speaker, stability as a pillar is concerned with availability, accessibility and utilisation of food over a time. In the context of COVID-19, food stability is said to be the availability, accessibility and utility of food during and after the COVID-19 period.

China, Brazil, Nigeria, Belgium and Argentina who provide about 50 per cent of the Ghanaian food imports are terribly hit by the pandemic. This calls
Mr Samuel Abdulai Jabanyite (NDC -- Chereponi) 12:09 p.m.
for massive investments in the agricultural sector as the surest way of making food available, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Speaker, Ghanaians expect that Government would present a COVID-19 emergency food preparedness plan that outlines strategies to release food into the system based on need, and ensure that prices are not spiralled to avoid hoarding.
Again, there is the need for a clear blueprint policy document that is aimed at developing and implementing a long-term strategy to increase investment in local agriculture, commercial farming and greenhouse setups and operations for increased production, marketing and storage as well as a clear policy directiveand major agricultural innovations.

Mr Speaker, food insecurity fears as stated earlier, has led to panic buying giving rise to price hypes and import and export disruptions. Again, COVID-19 has negatively impacted on cashew. Prices have dropped by 63 per cent from January, 2020 to date because major buyers such as China, India and Vietnam have also been hit by the pandemic. According
Mr Speaker 12:09 p.m.
Thank you very much Hon Member for Chereponi for your well - researched Statement. Your wish is granted. The Hon Minister is in the House. Hon Minister for Agriculture, you have the Floor. The Hon First Deputy Speaker would take the Chair.
Minister for Agriculture (Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto) 12:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to respond to the Statement made by the Hon Member for Chereponi.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Member has invited me to come to the House, to give Government's response to the COVID-19 policy response to the negative impact of the pandemic on Ghana's agriculture. Before I do that there are a lot of statistics which have
MR FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:18 p.m.
Hon Minister, just a minute.
Yes, Hon Minority Chief Whip?
Alhaji Muntaka 12:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Statement by my Colleague, Hon Jabanyite was duly admitted by Hon Speaker and per the rules, one does not debate it but rather contribute to
it. So if he has a contrary view, he could come with his Statement as the Hon Minister for Agriculture. He cannot be inviting the Hon Member to a debate on the Statement that the Hon Speaker has duly admitted, when the rules do not allow him to debate the figures.
Mr Speaker, I hope that his attention would be drawn to this.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, a Statement has been made on the Floor. The Hon Speaker admits it but the Hon Member is responsible for the facts that he submits to this House. If it turns out to be untrue, the Hon Minister commenting could set the records straight, and that, indeed, is what the Hon Minister is doing and he has the competence to do that.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:19 p.m.
Hon Leaders, debates may be interrupted by a point of order being raised by a matter of privilege suddenly arising, by attention being called to the absence of quorum; and by attention being called to the presence of strangers, which is in Standing Order 91. These are the only ones I would entertain.
So far, I have not heard any point of order which is sustainable. Hon
Dr O. A. Akoto 12:19 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker. The weight of what I am saying is very simple: this is a House of record. If anybody stands up to make a Statement which is misleading the people of this country, I have a right to correct and this is exactly what I am doing.
Mr Speaker, I was saying all these in accepting the invitation of the Hon Member to come to this House with a comprehensive policy for agriculture, post-COVID-19. That policy is being carried out through “Planting for Food and Jobs”.
Mr Speaker, his constituency, Chereponi, is one of the biggest beneficiaries of “Planting for Food and Jobs”, yet he does not even mention it. The policy dubbed``Planting for Food and Jobs`` is now a household name in Ghana and the rest of Africa. It has been so successful in changing agriculture in this country.
Mr Speaker, so, I would want to thank you for giving me this opportunity. I will be back here to give a few lessons to the Hon Member.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yes, I would do the presentation in item numbered 5 (a) on behalf of the Minister responsible for National Security.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:19 p.m.
Very well.
PAPERS 12:19 p.m.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:19 p.m.
Item numbered 5 (b) by the Minister for Finance?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the item numbered 5 (b) would be stood down for a short while. The Minister for Finance would be here. We had earlier programmed that he should come at 12.00 p.m. unfortunately, it happens to coincide with the programme that the Rt Hon Speaker is presiding over. So we are rescheduling it to 1.15 p.m., and we have told him to be here at 1.00 p.m. I believe we can do that at 1.15 p.m.
Mr Speaker, if the Hon Chairman of the Committee is here, we could lay item numbered 5 (c) and thereafter, I would apply to you for us to suspend Sitting for about 45 minutes and then we come back.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:19 p.m.
Very well, item numbered 5 (c) by the Chairman of the Committee?
By the Second Deputy Majority Whip (Mr Moses Anim on behalf of the Chairman of the Committee)
-- 12:19 p.m.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, as I indicated, let me apply for us to Suspend Sitting until 1.15 p.m. today in order for the Rt Hon Speaker to do what is needful. Mr Speaker, I believe you are required to be at that event yourself. So let us migrate to the place and come back at 1.15 p.m. to continue.
Dr Pelpuo 12:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we have no objection to that.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:19 p.m.
Very well, Hon Members, the Sitting of the House is Suspended until 1.15 p.m.
12.27 p.m. -- Sitting Suspended
1.41 p.m. -- Sitting Resumed
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:19 p.m.
Hon Members, welcome back.
Hon Majority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we Suspended Sitting to enable us transact some other business which involved all of us including the Speakership and Leadership.
Mr Speaker, we are back here and I think that the item we have to attend to, is the presentation of a Paper which I announced yesterday to be done by the Hon Minister for Finance. So, if you may indulge me, the Hon Minister is around and just to let him know that we are ready for him.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:19 p.m.
Very well.
[Pause] --
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister for Finance is here with us. So I think we can begin. What is there is that, the Hon Minister would present his Report to us and if he wants to make a brief remark on the Paper that he is presenting to us, he could do so and then we will take it from there.
So first of all, we will invite the Hon Minister to submit the Paper to us and I guess he will do so by laying it on the Table and if he wants to make some brief remarks, he could do so.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:19 p.m.
Yes, Hon Minority Leader, any comment on that?
Mr Iddrisu 12:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in these extraordinary times, it will only be heart-warming to hear from the Hon Minister for Finance, what it is that
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minority Leader is saying that; “we would want to hear him”. However, Standing Order 75(2) provides that in presenting this Paper, if the Hon Minister so desires, he may offer a short explanatory statement.
Mr Speaker, so I am saying that the onus is on him. Once he lays the Paper, he may want to make a short explanatory statement. I believe that given the circumstance, he may want to do that but it cannot be extracted as a matter of right. That is the point I want to make.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:19 p.m.
Leadership, it is getting to 2 o'clock. Let us move quickly.
Mr Iddrisu 12:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I will speak Twi and translate it; “eyaa, me dwene see wu pe ntokwa mame dabiaa” to wit he always finds a means to engage in conflict with me everyday.
Mr Speaker, he has now invoked the Standing Orders and so, let the Hon Minister for Finance walk the Standing Order whether he chooses to make a brief statement, which is now before you. However, the Hon
Majority Leader is fond of that and I have reported him repeatedly to Prof Gyan-Baffour -- ‘eyaa mennto ntokwa emma me' to wit, he should not find means to engage in conflict with me. [Laughter] --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:19 p.m.
Hon Minister, you may please present your Paper.
PAPERS 12:19 p.m.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:19 p.m.
Before I refer the Paper to any Committee, if the Hon Minister wishes to make a statement, I will hear him.
Minister for Finance (Mr Ken Ofori-Atta) 12:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
Mr Speaker, on 8th April, 2020, I came before this House to present the details of a Coronavirus Alleviation Programme, which encompassed support to households & businesses, with the overarching ambition of ensuring that economic activities are sustained across Ghana and
livelihoods are protected. I am pleased to announce that since then, Government has rolled out tax reliefs, provided food and water for households, provided reliefs for health sector workers and successfully launched the GHC 600 million National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) Coronavirus Alleviation Programme for Business Support Scheme (popularly referred to as CAP BUSS).
Mr Speaker, unfortunately, since we last met, we have seen an increase in the number of recorded COVID- 19 cases rising from 313 on 8th April to 7,117 as of yesterday. Our sincere condolences to the 34 families who have unfortunately lost their lives.
Encouragingly, the number of recoveries has followed a similar trend over the same period, rising from 34 to 2,317. I would however like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere condolences to the family members of the 34 souls who unfortunately lost their lives whilst battling this unprecedented pandemic.
Mr Speaker, the pandemic has wreaked havoc not only on people's lives but also on livelihoods, health systems and our macroeconomic stability. As it stands, preliminary assessments point to a slowdown in
Real GDP growth for 2020 from the projected 6.8 per cent to 1.5 per cent with lingering effects on economic activity into 2021 and beyond. Ongoing work by the Ministry of Finance on Ghana's macro-fiscal position, points to a fiscal gap of about GH¢21.42 billion (i.e. Revenue shortfall impact of GH¢15.85 billion + COVID-19 related expenses of GH¢5.57 billion).
Mr Speaker, the uncertainty underlying this pandemic creates significant risks to sustaining Ghana's macroeconomic stability. In this regard, we remain committed to ensuring that the foundations of Ghana's economic recovery, revitalisation and structural transformation are maintained.
Mr Speaker, given these exceptional circumstances and the challenges highlighted above, the Minister for Finance, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, and the Controller and Accountant General, as required under Section 30 of the Bank of Ghana Act of 2002 (Act 612), as amended, have agreed to trigger the emergency financing provisions under the law, which permits increasing the limit on the purchase of Government securities by Bank of Ghana in the event of an emergency, to help financial residual expenditures.
Minister for Finance (Mr Ken Ofori-Atta) 1:51 p.m.
Mr Speaker, Government therefore, decided to launch a special COVID-19 Relief Bond programme with a size of GH¢10.0 billion. The coupon rate is pegged to the prevailing monetary policy rate with a 10-year tenor and 2-year moratorium on both principal and interest payments. I am pleased to announce that the Bank of Ghana released the first tranche of the facility amounting to GH¢5.5 billion to the Ministry of Finance on Friday, 15th May 2020.
Mr Speaker, as I stated earlier, the economic impact of COVID-19 could be as long as three years. To address this, the President has directed the Ministry of Finance to come up with a stabilisation and revitalisation plan for the country. In this regard, the Ministry of Finance is developing a 3-year COVID-19 Alleviation and Revitalisation of Enterprise Support Programme (the Ghana CARES Programme) to help stabilise and revitalise the economy.
We are confident that this programme will lead us to the journey of achieving a Ghana Beyond Aid. Government remains unwavering in its commitment to protecting lives and sustaining livelihoods and rebuilding an industrious sector and positioning Ghana as a regional hub.
Mr Speaker, these are special times and a test of our own built humanity and how to be our brother's keeper.

Mr Speaker, even as Government develops the Ghana Cares Programme, it is also a time for burden sharing. Germany was able to stay off unemployment during the war by their system of cursavite; more people sharing full time responsibilities of one worker. Mr Speaker, we intend to do whatever stimulus package would enable us to prep up our five per cent of GDP that we have lost. It is a period of sacrifice and a period of burden- sharing and we would have to avoid any spiritual stupor by ensuring that everyone is taken care of.

Mr Speaker, in this vein, we would like to live on some of Ghandi's principles; a period of three years of politics with principle, wealth that comes from work, commerce that is through morality, pleasure that is conscionable, education of character, science that has a human face, and work that has sacrifice attached to it.

Mr Speaker, we are confident that we would come out of this much stronger and much greater. So we shall arise and shine for the light has come, even though there is darkness

across the earth, and this darkness is for other people but the Lord rises for us. Mr Speaker, we remain more hopeful and in the long run we would uphold prosperity and we would leave no one behind as we build a greater society.

Mr Speaker, thank you.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:51 p.m.
Hon Members, the Paper is duly presented and it is referred to the Finance Committee to consider and report to the House for our information.
Hon Minority Leader?
Mr Haruna Iddrisu 1:51 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I have heard your referral to the Finance Committee, but probably it would be important if you would give the Committee definite timelines to report to the House. However, as I heard the Hon Minister in his brief remarks, he was still talking about Ghana Beyond Aid, but I wish that he would talk about Ghana Beyond Borrowing.
Mr Speaker, because he is escalating the domestic debt and he is relying on Section 30(6) of the Bank of Ghana Act (Act 612), but may he be reminded that when we interrogate the numbers we would be guided by article 181(2) and (3) of the
Constitution. Mr Speaker, I am not able to quote it now but for our purposes, borrowing from the Central Bank is borrowing and it is a loan within the meaning of article 181 of the Constitution.
Mr Speaker, I know that beyond the IMF we were not supposed to even do a five per cent domestic borrowing even though our law permitted up to 10 per cent of total tax revenue of the previous year. Since we have not seen the document, the Hon Minister must be guided by the comprehensive provision of Section 30(1), (2), (3), (4), (5) and (6) and article 181 of the Constitution.
Mr Speaker, so we would wait till the Finance Committee reports back to the House but Ghana Beyond Borrowing must be the primary objective now and not Ghana Beyond Aid. Mr Speaker, we have to position Ghana beyond borrowing, particularly, escalating domestic debt.
Thank you.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:51 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader?
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:51 p.m.
Mr Speaker, exactly what you have done is a recourse to Standing Order 75(1) which provides that:
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:51 p.m.
Hon Members, the Paper has been laid and it has been referred to the Committee. The Committee would bring a Report for the information of Parliament. We would be guided by the Bank of Ghana Act and I would encourage Hon Members to read it so that we would not generate any needless controversy on a matter which is properly provided for in the existing laws.
Hon Majority Leader, by my wrist watch it is one minute past two o'clock.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:51 p.m.
Mr Speaker, respectfully, if I may urge Hon Colleagues to assist the House to continue with the Consideration Stage of the Education Regulatory Bodies Bill, 2019. I believe that we would be able to finish the outstanding business today so that tomorrow, Friday, we shall have space to ourselves. I am respectfully urging Hon Colleagues to make time so that we deal with this.
Mr Iddrisu 1:51 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I have repeatedly urged the Hon Leader of Government Business to appreciate that in these times of COVID-19, I do not want to continuously wear a nose mask, sit for long and be considering Bills for which urgency has not been justified. The Education Regulatory Bodies Bill, 2019 could be taken tomorrow.
Mr Speaker, if I were the Hon Majority Leader and having heard the Hon Minister for Finance, we should adjourn the House and continue tomorrow because we can work on the clauses that are left between 11.00 a.m. and 12.00 noon.
Mr Speaker, in all honestly, I have a difficulty with wearing these nose masks and he wants us to extend Sittings and I have repeatedly informed him that this House must identify itself with critically urgent business like what the Hon Minister for Finance has done. But with other ordinary businesses he should not compel us to consider them while we suffocate under some respiratory difficulties because we are not used to these nose masks.
Mr Speaker, we are in your hands beyond two o'clock.

Majority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:01 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we suspended Sitting, but I believe if we had not suspend Sitting to do the business that sent us outside the Chamber, we would have finished with the consideration of the Bill by now.
As we all know, Fridays are not very good days for consideration of Bills. This is why I am pleading that we have time to deal with it. The usual Hon Members would be available to assist in dealing with the outstanding matters. I believe in about 30 to 45 minutes we should be able to finish with the outstanding matters.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:01 p.m.
I am always constrained when you do not have agreement on a matter like this. I wish you have consensus, which would make it easier for me. This is because, unfortunately, I do not want to exercise my discretion in this circumstance. I wish you have consensus.
Have we agreed that we do one hour?
Mr Kyei-Mnensah-Bonsu 2:01 p.m.
Mr Speaker, judging on the demeanour of the Hon Minority Leader, I take it that he has now agreed.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:01 p.m.
Very well. In that circumstance and having regard to the state of Business of the House, I direct that the House shall Sit outside the regular Sitting hours.
Education Regulation Bodies Bill, 2019 at the Consideration Stage.
BILLS -- CONSIDERATION 2:01 p.m.
STAGE 2:01 p.m.
  • [Continuation of Debate from 27/05/2020]
    • Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:01 p.m.
    Hon Members, we are continuing with the consideration of the Education Regulation Bodies Bill, 2019. The Order Paper Addendum contains the new clause and the suggested changes which were made. I would want Hon Members to consider it if the changes have been made to our satisfaction.
    However, we adopted that one, and so we do not have to vote on it again.
    Order Paper Addendum, the new clause.
    Chairman of the Committee (Mr William A. Quaittoo) 2:01 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, new clause, add the following new clause:
    “Offences and penalties
    98.(1) A pre-tertiary education institution that fails to comply with a disciplinary measure imposed by the Authority commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than one thousand penalty units and not more than five thousand penalty units.
    (2) A pre-tertiary education institution established after the coming into force of this Act shall, within six months of its establishment, register with the Authority.
    (3) A pre-tertiary education institution that contravenes subsection (2) commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than one thousand penalty units and not more than five thousand penalty units.
    (4) A pre-tertiary education institution that is closed down under paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
    89 shall not operate unless authorised in writing by the Authority.
    (5) A pre-tertiary education institution that contravenes subsection (4) commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than one thousand penalty units and not more than five thousand penalty units.
    (6) Where a pre-tertiary education institution commits an offence under this section and is convicted, the director, general manager, secretary and any other senior officer of the pre-tertiary education institution shall be considered to have committed the offence.
    (7) A person shall not, pursuant to subsection (6),
    (a) be charged of an offence except with the prior written consent of the Attorney-General; and
    (b)be convicted of an offence where it is proved to the satisfaction of the Court that
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:01 p.m.
    Hon Members, we are taking the entire new clause. It is for the consideration of the House. [Pause]
    I would put the Question.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    The new clause ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Clause 100 -- Transitional Provision
    Mr Rockson-Nelson E. K. Dafeamekpor 2:01 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to proffer further amendment to subclause (1) of the new clause 100.
    Mr Speaker, this is because, the effect of subclause (1) of clause 100 is that if within six months upon the enactment of this law and its coming into effect, all existing pre-tertiary educational institutions are unable to register with the Authority, they are in breach. The reality is that we have
    over 3,000 of these schools since the high schools alone are over 1,000 and the basic ones; both private and public are also over 2,000. If we are limiting them, there would be pandemonium.
    I am therefore suggesting that, instead of saying “within six months”, we should say “within twelve months” or “within a year” so that they could put their houses in order and regularise their status with the new Authority that would be created under this law. This is my position on the matter.
    Mr Quaittoo 2:01 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I do not think we can allow various schools to lie fallow for over a year before we go to the schools to inspect what they are doing. As it is now, all public schools are registered with the current Board which becomes an Authority with the coming into force of this Act.
    Some private schools are also registered with them. Coming into effect of this Act, we expect that every private school would also be registered so that the needed inspection could be done.
    If we are giving private schools six months to register, I think it is a fair time for them to register. Besides, I guess this registration would be done online. It would not take much time and effort to do.
    Mr Dafeamekpor 2:11 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, with all due respect, if you read the provision as it is, it suggests that the registration process would be afresh. It says, and with your permission I quote:
    “A pre-tertiary education institution established before the coming into force of this Act shall, within six months of the coming into force of this Act, register with the Authority”.
    It does not suggest that those who are already in existence and are registered with the Board would have their registration regularised by the coming into effect of this law -- [Mr Yieleh Chireh: That is the meaning] -- It does not say so. It suggests that registration before the new authority would be anew. That is why I think that the share numbers will overwhelm them.
    But if there is a provision that would suggest that the status of the existing schools would be regularised upon the promulgation of this law, then we would need to state that clearly, so that the provision will only affect
    those who have not registered at all. But it does not clearly come out from the provision in the way it has been couched.
    Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh 2:11 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have a different view. Whether the school was there before then and was registered, there was no law which required them to do so.
    Now, there is a law which requires them to do so. Six months is sufficient time particularly for those schools which already have their institutions recognised, should not have a difficulty in registering. I do not think that they would be overwhelmed. It is a six-month period within which they can do it.
    But it is required that by the sixth month after the passage of this Bill, or even as we talk about it, the interested stakeholder would prepare, and once we pass the Bill, the processes of registration will take some time. But it is required that they should be given at least six months to do so.
    If after six months, others have difficulty in registering, it is a different thing. I do not think it would be a difficult thing for them -- [Mr Dafeamekpor: There is a penalty] -- Yes, the penalty is to make sure that people comply. So do you want
    one year? -- [Mr Dafeamekpor: Yes!] -- No, one year is too long. If we change it to one year, it will not work.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:11 p.m.
    Hon Members, as at today, there is no law that requires that any of them registers. Is that the position? Does the existing law require the pre-tertiary institutions to register with anybody?
    Mr Quaittoo 2:11 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, no. But we are imposing some offences and penalties in the Bill, and therefore we would have to make provision for that.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:11 p.m.
    All right, so it is a new provision that whatever happens they must register. They are only asking whether six months is enough and the Hon Member said that one year is enough. It is a question of time.
    So what is the position? I will put the Question.
    Mr Dafeamekpor 2:11 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the reason I am advocating for the extension of the time is that we would penalise non-compliance after six months. If they are unable to comply within six months, they have breached the law and there are penal consequences. That is why my humble
    possible is that, because it would be a new scenario, I do not think it is bad if we extend the time for them to regularise.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:11 p.m.
    Hon Member, I cannot see why an operating school cannot register within six months. They have all their things in operation already; they are not starting afresh.
    Before we move on, I think there is a correction in subclause (4):
    “(4) A person shall not, pursuant to subsection (3),
    (a) be charged of an offence…”
    So subclause (4)(a), delete “of” and insert “with”. Hon Chairman, is that acceptable? -- Very well.
    Mr Dafeamekpor 2:11 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I also think that clause 100 (2), with your permission I beg to read:
    “A pre-tertiary education institution that contravenes subsection (2)…”
    Mr Speaker, I think the law that will be contravened is in subsection (1), because subsection (2) is what we are now dealing with. I stand corrected -- [Interruption] -- No, I am referring to the Order Paper Addendum.

    Member, it is clause 100(1) that is creating the offence and if that requirement is contravened --
    Mr Dafeamekpor 2:11 p.m.
    So it has to be subsection (1) of clause 100.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:11 p.m.
    Is that right? -- Hon Chairman, we are looking at clause 100; the proposed new clause on the Order Paper Addendum. Very well, we will make that correction also.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Clause 100 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:11 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, item 3 on the Order Paper Addendum.
    Mr Quaittoo 2:11 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, new clause, add the following new clause as follows:
    “The Authority shall, in the performance of functions under paragraph (d) of subsection (2), keep and maintain a register of pre-tertiary education schools.”
    Mr Speaker, we would add this new subclause to clause 89.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Quaittoo 2:11 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, all along, we used the word “institutions” but not “schools”. So it should be “pre-tertiary education institutions”. So the last word in the amendment should change to “institutions.”
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:11 p.m.
    Very well.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Clause 89 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:11 p.m.
    Hon Members, now, we will return to the main Order Paper, on page 3, clause
    113.
    Clause 113 -- Tenure of office of the members of the Board.
    Mr Quaittoo 2:21 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, headnote, delete “the members of the” and insert “members of a”. The new rendition would read: “Tenure of office of members of a Board.”
    Mr Speaker, the reason is that we have several Boards being discussed in this Bill. For all the parts, we have
    “Boards” established there; so we use the word “a” to represent all of them -- it is an omnibus provision.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:21 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, we would move on to the item numbered (ii).
    Mr Quaittoo 2:21 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, subclause (1), line 1, delete “the Board” and insert “a Board.”
    Mr Speaker, the new rendition would be captured as 2:21 p.m.
    “A member of a Board shall hold office for a term of four years and is eligible for re- appointment for another term only.”
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:21 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, before we move on to clause 113, I think that we would also need to do another one for line 2 of subsection (2).
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:21 p.m.
    I did not get you.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:21 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I said that clause 113(2) has not been advertised, but we would need to change the definite article in line 2 to the indefinite article “a”. So it reads: “Subsection (1) does not apply to a person who is a member of a Board by reason of office.”
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:21 p.m.
    Very well.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:21 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, we would move on to the item numbered (iii).
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:21 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, clause 113(3) is consequential; “a member of a Board…” So in line 1, we would delete the definite article “the” and insert the indefinite article “a”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:21 p.m.
    Hon Members, we would move on to the item numbered (iv).
    Mr Quaittoo 2:21 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, subclause (4), line 1, delete “the” and insert “a” and in line 3, delete “the” and insert “that.” [Interruption]
    Mr Speaker, the new rendition would read 2:21 p.m.
    “A member of a Board who is absent from three consecutive meetings of the Board without sufficient cause ceases to be a member of that Board.”
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:21 p.m.
    Hon Members, we would move on to the item numbered v.
    Mr Quaittoo 2:21 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, subclause (5), line 2, delete “that” and insert “the.”
    Mr Speaker, the new rendition would read 2:21 p.m.
    “The President may by a letter addressed to a member revoke the appointment of the member.”
    Mr Ahiafor 2:21 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in the previous amendment of the Hon Chairman, he changed the definite article “the” to “that”. In this context, following his earlier reasoning, it should be captured as “that member.” So we should not replace “that” with the definite article “the.” We should allow the rendition to stay as it is.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:21 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for Akatsi South, Mr Ahiafor is referring to subclause (3). In that subclause, there are three instances. In line 1, we have “a member of a Board.” In line 2, we have “the Board”, and then in line 3, we have “that Board.” That is the chronology of it, but here, we have “a member” and “the member”.
    I would however agree with him that for subclause (5), for better clarity, we would still need to use “that” instead of “the”. Therefore, I agree with him, but I am saying that -- [Interruption] -- That amendment should be dropped because it makes it clearer even though the “that” follows the application of the indefinite article “a”. I think that the “that” in that context is not appropriate.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Chairman should drop that amendment with respect to subsection (5).
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:21 p.m.
    Hon Chairman, would you withdraw your proposed amendment on the item numbered (v)?
    Mr Quaittoo 2:21 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would drop that one.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:21 p.m.
    Very well.
    Hon Members, we would therefore move on to the item numbered (vi).
    Mr Quaittoo 2:21 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, subclause (6), line 1, delete “the” and insert “a.”
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:21 p.m.
    Hon Members, we would move on to the item numbered (vii).
    Mr Quaittoo 2:21 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, subclause (7), closing phrase, line 2, after “shall” insert “in accordance with this Act.”
    Mr Speaker, the new rendition would read 2:21 p.m.
    “The Minister shall notify the President of the vacancy and the President shall in accordance with this Act appoint a person to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term.”
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Clause 113 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Clause 114 -- Meetings of the Board.
    Mr Quaittoo 2:31 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 114, subclause 1, line 1, delete “The Board” and insert “A Board” and in line 2, delete “dispatch” and insert “despatch”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:31 p.m.
    Hon Members, the item listed (x)?
    Mr Quaittoo 2:31 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 114, subclause 2, line 1, delete “the” and insert “A” and line 2, delete “the Board” and insert “a Board”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:31 p.m.
    Hon Members, the item listed (xi)?
    Mr Quaittoo 2:31 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 114, subclause (3), line 1, before “meeting”, delete “the” and insert “a” and also delete “the Board” and insert “a Board”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:31 p.m.
    Hon Members, the item listed (xii)?
    Mr Quaittoo 2:31 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, subclause (4), line 1, delete “the” and insert “a”.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:31 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thought the Hon Chairman would rather delete subclause (4). On the account of the fact that -- it should be deleted because it finds expression in clause 113(4). It is a repetition so delete subclause (4).
    Mr Chireh 2:31 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we agree that because of the repetition in the earlier one, this subclause be deleted. So the Chairman should ask for a deletion, not an amendment.
    Mr Quaittoo 2:31 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I think it is so because initially, that was what I did but some bold handwriting right here says it cannot be deleted. Anyway, Mr Speaker, we agree to delete it because it is in clause 113(4).
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:31 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, one of them would have to be deleted. If we are saying that this would lead to meetings and for that reason, it must be at the column of meetings, it could be there, in which case, we then, we would have to go up to delete clause 113(4). But then, the other one relates to membership; it is about the same thing so regardless
    of wherever it is. If it is in clause 113(4), then we delete clause 114(4); if we want to maintain it in clause 114(4), then we have to delete clause
    113(4).
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:31 p.m.
    Hon Members, clause 114(4) deleted.
    Hon Members, the item listed (xiii)?
    Mr Quittoo 2:31 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 114, subclause (5), line 1, delete “The chairperson” and insert “A chairman” and also, delete “the Board” and in line 3, delete “members'” and insert “members”.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:31 p.m.
    Hon Members, before then, I think I should return to the item listed as (xii.) We did not put the Question on clause 114, subclause (4).
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:31 p.m.
    Hon Members, we now take the Question on the item listed (xiii); clause 114(5).
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:31 p.m.
    Hon Members, the item listed (xiv)?
    Mr Quaittoo 2:31 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 114, subclause (6), line 1, delete “the” and insert “a”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:31 p.m.
    Hon Members, the item listed (xv)?
    Mr Quaittoo 2:31 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 114, subclause (7), line 1, delete “The Board” and insert “The Board” and in line 2, before “meeting”, delete “the” and insert “a”. And in the same line, delete “that” and insert “the”.
    Mr Speaker, the new rendition would read 2:31 p.m.
    “A Board may co-opt a person to act as an advisor on a specific matter for decision at the meeting of the Board, but the person shall not vote on a matter for a decision at the meeting”.
    Mr Dafeamekpor 2:31 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, given the context in which the new rendition is, I think the second -- I think it should be:
    “A Board may co-opt a person to act as an advisor on a specific matter for decision at the meeting of that Board, but the
    person shall not vote on a matter for a decision at the meeting”.
    Mr Speaker, this is because we are referencing a Board --[Pause]-- Mr Speaker, I am guided.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:31 p.m.
    Hon Members, the item listed (xvi)?
    Mr Quaittoo 2:31 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 114, subclause (8), line 1, delete “the” and insert “a”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:31 p.m.
    Hon Members, the item listed (xvii)?
    Mr Quaittoo 2:31 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 114, subclause (9), line 1, delete “the” and insert “a”.
    Mr Ahiafor 2:31 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if I may take us back to subclause (8) where we said that the proceedings of a Board shall not be validated by a reason of vacancy among the members or a defect in the appointment or qualification of a member. My position is that we should then not be referencing “the members” -- [Interruption]-- Mr Speaker, I am guided.
    Mr Ahiafor 2:41 p.m.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Clause 114 as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

    Clause 115 -- Disclosure of interest
    Mr Quaittoo 2:41 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 115, subclause (1), line 1, delete “the” and insert “a” and in line 3, delete “the” and insert “that”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:41 p.m.
    Item numbered (xix)?
    Mr Quaittoo 2:41 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 115, subclause (2), line 3, delete “that” and insert “the”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:41 p.m.
    Item numbered (xx)?
    Mr Quaittoo 2:41 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 115, subclause (3), line 3, delete “a” and insert “the” and on the same line 3, delete all the words after “subsection (1)” to the end.
    The new rendition would read:
    “Without limiting any further cause of action that may be instituted against the member, the Board shall recover the benefits derived from the member who contravenes subsection (1).”
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:41 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, clause 115 (3) says: “Without limiting any further cause of action…” Should the word “cause” not be “course”? [Interruption] No, if we do something without sufficient cause, that is C-A-U-S-E.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:41 p.m.
    It is the same thing, “without cause” or “cause of action”, that is the reason for which the action is being taken against you. The word “course” is the process. That is it.
    Mr Ahiafor 2:41 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am looking at clause 115 (3) and I think that we should maintain, “in addition
    to the revocation of the appointment of the member”, so that they would not use the principles of double jeopardy, that the benefits that I have derived have been taken away from me and I have been punished. Therefore do not go further to revoke my appointment. So it should be there for the person to know that in addition to taking the benefits they have derived, their appointment will also be revoked.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:41 p.m.
    I think that a policy decision is a policy decision. Do you want the two or do you want one?
    Mr Quaittoo 2:41 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am deleting it because it is in subclause (2) already.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:41 p.m.
    It took the benefits and no further action, is that right? If you want the two, then we should retain, “in addition to the revocation of the appointment of the member”.
    Mr Ahiafor 2:41 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in the circumstances, we want the two to apply, that is one would forfeit the benefits and in addition to that, one's appointment would be revoked.
    Mr Quaittoo 2:41 p.m.
    The sentence starts with; “Without limiting any further
    cause of action”, so how do we repeat this? I am learning from him.
    Clause 115 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Clause 116 - Allowances
    Mr Quaittoo 2:41 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 116, line 1, delete “the first and second occurrence of the “the” and insert “a”.
    The new rendition would read: “The members of a Board or a committee of a Board”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Clause 116 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Clause 117 -- Policy directives
    Mr Quaittoo 2:41 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 117, line 1, delete “the” and insert “a”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Clause 117 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Clause 118 -- Regional and district offices of the regulatory bodies
    Mr Quaittoo 2:41 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 118, line 1, delete “The Board” and insert “A Board”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:41 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, clause 118 provides for the Board to establish regional and district offices in the regions and districts. First we are saying that those offices shall be in the regional capitals and I think that consequentially, the establishment of the offices in the districts should also be in the district capitals, unless we do not want to have them necessarily established in district capitals.
    Mr Quaittoo 2:41 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, at the district level, not all the district capitals may have the space to have this, so this was intentional. [Interruption]
    Mr Dafeamekpor 2:41 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I agree with the Hon Majority Leader, regarding the fact that we should indicate that the district offices should be cited in the district capitals. Further to that, the meaning that the present state of the clause immediately conveys, is as though it is the authority that would determine the district.
    We need to redraft it because it says “and in the districts determined by the Board'' but the districts are
    already established. We need to redraft that portion of the clause so that the intendment of this House would be properly convened.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:51 p.m.
    If I understand correctly, what you suggested is that the Board would determine how many of the already existing Boards that they would establish offices. So, it means they may not establish it at all the districts but the choice is for them to determine which ones.
    Mr Chireh 2:51 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, exactly, what you said but in addition to the argument that has been proffered, there are some districts which are split between two towns. So, if some facilities are not available in the district capital but there should be an office in the district -- The suggestion by the Hon Majority Leader that it should be “the district capital'', should not bother us because there are real situations like that.
    For instance, in the Ashanti Region, there are two towns in Asokore, so we should just leave it like that and wherever the facility is, they should open an office there for the district.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:51 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the same principle then would extend if we are to listen to the reasoning by the Hon Member fromWa West and also from the Hon Chairman of the Committee. The same reason would have to affect mentioning the capitals of regions.
    We would remember that in the new regions that were created, deliberately, to satisfy some balancing act and chieftaincy issues, it was decided that some offices deliberately would be located at certain places and others at other locations - other communities in the same regions. In that regard, we may not then even have to state regional capitals. It should just be “region''.
    Mr Dafeamekpor 2:51 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, flowing from the Hon Majority Leader's position I propose that we then delete the “capital'' which is associated with the “regions'', so that they do not qualify the regions. We should just indicate that they would have offices established in the regions and the districts to be determined.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:51 p.m.
    If I understand, the rendition is intended that each region must have an office but it is only in the districts that the discretion is left to the Board. However, you have suggested that even in the region we should not say
    “regional capitals''. If that is an accepted policy, then we should create the rendition that would capture our intention.
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 2:51 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the point really is, in our regional capitals, there are regional education directorates. In district or municipal capitals, there are municipal or district education directorates. We should not enact a law that would create further confusion or give too much discretion.
    We know as a matter of fact that when we establish some of these offices, at the end of the day the municipal assembly or the regional coordinating directorate, when there is the need for them get some such institutions an office, it is their mandate to assist. So if we say that “in the district'', where somebody may have to exercise a discretion to take it somewhere, we would create some confusion.
    Mr Speaker, we should go by the status quo and act in accordance with that. Therefore the provision “regional and district offices'', should imply the regional capital and the district or municipal capital. That should be the intent so that anybody who would interpret would refer to this for the purpose of implementation.
    Dr Bambangi 2:51 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I support the view of the Hon Majority Leader. For instance, in the North East Region, even though the regional capital is Nalerigu, the regional education office is sited in Walewale. So if we tie up the hands of the Board, then in the future we could run into some difficulties because they might want to site such an office where the regional education office is. So we should go by the view of the Hon Majority Leader and the Hon Member on the other Side.
    Mr Chireh 2:51 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for Effutu talked about the existing regional directorates of education in the regional capitals. However, we want to create several regulatory bodies and it is their branches that we have talked about.
    As explained by the Hon Member who just spoke, giving the arguments about developments, it is better to just say “in the region'' and which motion he has moved already, so that when it gets there, wherever the facility is and for fairness in terms of distribution of offices, it is put somewhere else. That was the argument. It is not that because the regional directorate of education already exists in the regional capital, we should confine them to the regional or district capitals.
    The second issue he raised is about resources. They may not be able to within a period open offices in all the districts and that is where the Board would determine at any point when to open an office. This is because an office that is created could cater for some other places until they are in a position to establish offices in those districts that have not been given -- that explains the issue.
    Mr Quaittoo 3:01 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I support what the Hon Member for Wa West said by allowing us to go by the Hon Member for South Dayi, Mr Dafeamekpor's contribution. As the Hon Member for Walewale, Dr Bambangi said, even at the regional capital of the North East Region, the regional education office is not established there at the regional capital, not to talk about the district.
    We could count a number of district education offices that are not established at the district levels. Besides, not all the regulatory bodies would have to establish regional and district capitals.

    For example, National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA). They only do it here in Accra. That is why the word, “may” is there, so it is not all the regulatory bodies that would be establishing regional and district offices. Because NTC is dealing with so many teachers, it will be fine.

    Then, if we come to tertiary education, the Commission on Tertiary Education, I do not think they would have to establish regional and district offices. So the word “may” here is a bit selective; it is not the one which also means “shall”.
    Mr Ahiafor 3:01 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have listened to the arguments. We would need to take a second look at the language in clause 118 (1):
    “A Board may establish regional and district offices in each region and district.”
    Mr Speaker, if we are using “in each” then there is discretion to decide that I would do it in region A or B is not there. We are supposed to do it at each region and each district. Then what the Board would be determining is, in the region, should it be in community A or B?
    In the district, should it be in community A or B because the operative word here is “in each region and district”. But if we are saying that because of availability of funds the Board would not be able to establish its offices in every region and district, then we should be careful using the word “each region and district”.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:01 p.m.
    Hon Members, let us come to a conclusion of a sort. We want to each region and each district. But location is what we want to leave to the discretion of the Board. Is that right or we want the Board to determine whether we would put it in each regional capital or not? Which one is our policy decision?
    Mr Quaittoo 3:01 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I think it is an important point that he has raised. We cannot have it in each region or district. It would definitely be selective; it would be based on where it is needed.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:01 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I was just going to suggest that:
    “A Board may establish regional and district offices in a region and district as may be determined by the Board.”
    So, it cuts off the regional capitals to avoid controversy and subsequent litigation. [Interruption] -- “as may be necessary” is the same as “as may be determined by the Board”.
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 3:01 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I think the intendment here must be clear. Do we intend proper decentralisation of the activities of this body? If so, we should say it in clear terms. Now, from what the Hon Chairman of the Committee put across, I got the impression that it is not a necessity or mandatory to have regional or district offices across the country and that it may establish some.
    Mr Speaker, early on, the Hon Yieleh Chireh in his submission also talked about resources. Resources to
    do something is different from the mandatory requirement of the law to get the act done. First of all, the law must enable the body to do the act. When it comes to the resources, that is a matter of time but if we in enacting this law, we are not clear and leave so much discretion, then, we would be defeating the purpose of the so called decentralisation we want to establish.
    Mr Speaker, let me give an example. Perhaps it may fit into the point I am trying to make. Our education policy, if we look at the Constitution, that is progressively free. There is a provision that until such a time that a leader or government is able to take steps to do it, this would not avail to the citizenry but there is a provision there.
    Mr Speaker, we also have the free compulsory education at the basic level where up to a certain point, the Constitution said we must do this after a certain number of years. So with that, whether we have resources or not, there is that mandatory provision for us to act.
    Mr Speaker, to conclude, I am saying that if really, per clause 118, we want to decentralise and make sure that the body operates at the districts, let us put it there in clear
    terms. When we come to the implementation and resources are an obstacle, that one is a different matter.
    I rest my case.
    Mr Quaittoo 3:01 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we are talking about the regulatory bodies established in this Act. NaCCA could never have the need to establish a district office. National Council for Technical and Vocation Education and Training (NCTVET) would not need to have a district office; they may have a regional office. It is a regulatory body and they are established in Accra and they regulate the system. For NTC, yes, they would have because they have several teachers at the districts level.
    If we come to the National Commission on Tertiary Education (NCTE), I do not think they would ever have a need to establish district offices because it is a regulatory body. They are not implementers; they sit, assess and of course issue us the guidelines and instructions.
    Mr Speaker, so if we say, “A Board” it means if it is necessary for any of those five regulatory bodies that we are establishing to establish regional and district offices, then they would. So we do not have to make it mandatory here.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:01 p.m.
    Your point is well made. Let us capture it the way we want it to serve the purpose.
    Mr Dafeamekpor 3:01 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am tempted to be persuaded by the second argument of my brother, the Hon Afenyo-Markin because if you read the memorandum, the Bill seeks to cure a present problem and that is the difficulties and inefficiencies especially in the inspectorate division.
    So his point is that, if that is the problem we are using this Bill to remedy and we are still leaving a lot of discretions in the hands of people on how we would operate effectively at the district levels, then we would still not be remedying the situation. So I see wisdom in the point he is making.
    Mr Speaker, I do not think we would hurt the Act in anyway if we are very specific on the regulatory bodies that would have to operate necessarily at the regional and district levels. This would make it clear.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:01 p.m.
    Hon Members, I think the matter is well settled. It is not all the agencies under this Bill who need to set up district offices; not all of them need to set up regional offices. Let us couch it --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:11 p.m.
    “A Board shall where necessary establish a regional or district office in a region or district.”
    Question put and amendment agreed to.

    Clause 118 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:11 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, we have exceeded the time allowed by another 15 minutes. It is now a quarter past three.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:11 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, may I plead that we are on clause 118 and if we can do up to clause 120, that will bring us to the end of one section, respectfully.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:11 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, clause 119 alone has three proposed amendments. Even though clause 120 has not been advertised -- Very well. Let us take clause 119.
    Clause 119 - Appointment of other staff
    Mr Quaittoo 3:11 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 119 subclause (1),
    line 3, before “regulatory” delete “the” and on the same line delete “body” insert “bodies”.
    Mr Speaker, I underlined it but that was not my intention. So, if we delete “the”, I do not think it makes the sentence right.
    I underlined the “the” to either change it to “a regulatory body” or if we use “the”, then it should be “bodies”.
    Mr Speaker, so the Order Paper did not capture the sense of what I really wanted to put across. So we should have either “the” changed to ‘a' and then we will have regulatory body. That will be correct or if we maintain “the”, then the “body” should be changed to ‘bodies'.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:11 p.m.
    Advise me on what you want.
    Mr Quaittoo 3:11 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it should be; ‘of a regulatory body'.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Quaittoo 3:11 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 119 subclause (2), line 1, at end delete “the” and line 2, delete “body” insert “bodies” and on the same line also delete “the” and in line 3 delete “body” and insert “bodies”.
    Mr Speaker, the subclause (2) is also the same. The new rendition reads 3:11 p.m.
    “Other public officers may be transferred or seconded to a regulatory body or may otherwise give assistance to the regulatory body”.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:11 p.m.
    Very well.
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 3:11 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, would the expression: “may otherwise give assistance”, would it be upon appointment or they would just be engaged as consultants? This is because the secondment would mean that they are continuing with their regular public service in another unit like the Police at the Special Prosecutor's Office as they are continuing with their work and so on.
    Mr Speaker, if we say ‘other assistance', let us determine it properly. Do we anticipate some consultant being engaged? If so, let us be specific. If we are talking about permanent staff being seconded or appointed to assist in the efficient and effective performance of functions, it is enough.
    However, the use of “otherwise give assistance” -- maybe, there could be a better elegant approach.
    I have seen Hon Chireh walked in, perhaps I could tap into his wisdom on this occasion as well.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:11 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we are in Parliament and at the outset, public officers were either transferred or seconded to Parliament as an Arm of Government.
    Mr Speaker, today, we do know that Parliament is having to conduct some interviews and there are some public officers from the Public Service Commission that we draw to come and assist us in the conduct of interviews for the appointment into Parliament as an institution. This is ‘otherwise offering assistance'.
    I know that the Hon Member has been a private practitioner and so with these things -- some elimination have to be implied but I believe that he appreciates the point.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr Quaittoo 3:11 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move that clause 119 subclause (3), at end add “of the regulatory body”.
    Mr Speaker, the rendition becomes 3:11 p.m.
    “A regulatory body specified under this Act may engage
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:11 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, though you have put the Question, it is just for the avoidance of doubt that we add what the Hon Chairman proposed at the end of clause 119 (3).
    It reads: “an internal auditor appointed in accordance with the Internal Audit Agency Act of 2003 (Act 658) and shall head the Internal Audit Unit of that regulatory body”.
    Mr Speaker, just as the Hon Chairman proposed for clause 119 (3), it is just for the avoidance of doubt.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:11 p.m.
    Very well.
    Hon Member for Efutu?
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 3:21 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I need your guidance. You know that we have put the Quesiton on clause 120 and are done with clause 119. I recalled last week that the Hon Majority Leader advised that when we want to come back, we need to wait for the Second Consideration and he quoted the rule.
    Mr Speaker, I just want to know whether that is being waived or we are going by this? This is because we have actually crossed those clauses and he wants an amendment on clause 119 but since he is our Leader, and the rules are in his bosom in terms of interpretation, I do not know -- the last time, he made reference to Standing Order 128 -- we had passed a particular clause and I was going back and the Hon Majority Leader said no and that the rules do not permit that. So I am trying to --
    [Interruption] --
    Mr Speaker, he says, I am not the Leader of Government Business and so, the law is not applicable to me.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:21 p.m.
    You know that this morning, the Rt Hon Speaker observed that somebody is
    just visiting us -- because yesterday was your birthday, I am not making that observation that you are just passing through by visiting us.
    Yes, we are still on clause 120 (2). The amendment is to add “of that regulatory body”.
    Question put and amendment agreed to.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:21 p.m.
    Hon Members, that brings us to the end of Consideration Stage of the Education Regulatory Bodies Bill, 2019 for today.
    ADJOURNMENT 3:21 p.m.
  • The House was adjourned at 2.22 p.m. till Friday, 29th May, 2020 at 10.00 a.m. in the forenoon.