Debates of 12 Jun 2020

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 11:01 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 11:01 a.m.
Mr Speaker 11:01 a.m.
Hon Members, Correction of the Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, 11th June,
2020.
Page 1…13
Mr Ras Mubarak 11:01 a.m.
Mr Speaker, on page 9, the narration in the item numbered 9 is a bit cluttered. If we could delete “who was pinned to the ground”, it would provide more clarity.
Mr Speaker 11:01 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Member.
Page 12…34
Hon Members, the Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, 11th June, 2020, as corrected, is hereby admitted as the true record of proceedings.
Hon Members, we have the Official Report of Tuesday, 12th March, 2020. Any corrections please?
Mr Ras Mubarak 11:01 a.m.
Mr Speaker, in line 5 on column 014, the word “Answer” should be deleted and the word “Question” inserted.
Then in line 5 paragraph 3 on column 017, it should read “individuals or” and not “individuals of”.
Mr Speaker 11:01 a.m.
Hon Members, in the absence of any further corrections, the Official Report of Tuesday, 12th March, 2020, as corrected, is hereby admitted as the true record of proceedings.
Business Statement -- Hon Majority Leader?
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 11:01 a.m.
Majority Leader/Chairman of the Business Committee (Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu) 11:01 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Committee met yesterday, Thursday, 11th June, 2020 and arranged Business of the House for the Fifth Week ending Friday, 19th June, 2020.
Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its Report as follows 11:01 a.m.
Arrangement of Business
Formal Communications by the Speaker
Mr Speaker, you may read any available communication to the House.
Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its Report as follows 11:11 a.m.
and Highways to attend upon the House and respond to some of the Questions today, Friday 12th June,
2020.
Mr Speaker, the Minister for Roads and Highways has however written to inform Parliament of his inability to attend upon the House to respond to the Questions due to a national assignment that he is undertaking in the northern regions of the country. Mr Speaker, the Business Committee has accordingly repro- grammed the Minister to respond to the Questions on Tuesday, 16th June,
2020.

Statements

Mr Speaker, pursuant to Order 70(2), Ministers of State may be permitted to make Statements of Government policy. Statements duly admitted by Mr Speaker may be made in the House by Hon Members in accordance with Order 72.

Bills, Papers and Reports

Mr Speaker, Bills may be presented to the House for First Reading in accordance with Order

120. However, those of urgent nature may be taken through the various stages in one day in accordance with Order 119.

Pursuant to Order 75, Papers for presentation to the House may be placed on the Order Paper for laying. Committee reports may also be presented to the House for consideration.

Motions and Resolutions

Mr Speaker, Motions may be debated and their consequential Resolutions, if any, taken during the week.

New Patriotic Party 2020 Parliamentary Primaries

Mr Speaker, next week, in view of the conduct of the parliamentary primaries of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) slated for Saturday, 20th June, 2020, business, especially Govern- ment Business, would be light to enable Members of the ruling party to participate in the party's internal parliamentary candidates' elections, just as was done for the Members who belonged to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) when they had to do their primaries.

Mr Speaker, on behalf of the Business Committee and, indeed, of the House and on my own part, I wish

the best for the majority party's Members of Parliament contestants and hope to God that as many of us as possible, if not everybody, would pass the litmus test to continue with their generally good works.

Conclusion

Mr Speaker, in accordance with Standing Order 160(2) and subject to Standing Order 53, the Committee submits to this honourable House the order in which the Business of the House shall be taken during the week under consideration.

Questions --

707. Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh (Nsawam-Adoagyiri): To ask the Minister for Railways Development when works on the Achimota -- Nsawam railway line will be completed.

*727. Ms Helen Adjoa Ntoso (Krachi West)To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways the status of the road from Dambia to Krachi and Krachi town roads.

*728.Mr Samuel Nartey George (Ningo-Prampram) To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways when speed ramps would be constructed in the Dawa Tsopoli Townships on the Accra-Aflao road and in the Afienya Township on the Accra- Akosombo road.

*729.Mr Mathias Ntow (Aowin)To ask the Hon Minister of Roads and Highways when work on the Enchi-Elubo road would commence.

*732.Mr Andrew Kofi Egyapa Mercer (Sekondi)To ask the Minister of Roads and Highways when the arterial and collector roads in Kweikuma, Adiembra, Pariscoa, Baka Ekyir Townships within Sekondi in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis will be constructed.

*733.Mr Kobena Mensah Woyome (South Tongu)To ask the Minister for Roads and Highways what steps are being taken to continue the construction of the road from Akalove through Gamenu to Hawiie.
Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its Report as follows 11:11 a.m.
Statements
Presentation of Paper --
(i) Report of the Auditor- General on the Management of Petroleum Funds for the Financial Year ended 31st December, 2018.
(ii) Report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Budget Performance Report in Respect of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration for the period January to December, 2019.
Motions --
Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Bilateral Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the Government of the Federation of Saint Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis on the Waiver of Visa Requirements for Holders of Diplomatic and Service Passports.
(Consequential Resolution)
Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Bilateral Agreement
between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the Government of the Republic of Surinam on the Waiver of Visa Requirements for Holders of Diplomatic and Service Passports.
(Consequential Resolution)
Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Bilateral Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the Government of the Republic of Malta on the Waiver of Visa Requirements for Holders of Diplomatic and Service/Official Passports.
(Consequential Resolution)
Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Bilateral Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on the Waiver of Visa Requirements for Holders of Diplomatic and Service Passports.
(Consequential Resolution)
Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Bilateral Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the Government of the Republic of Guyana on the Waiver of Visa Requirements for Holders of Diplomatic, Service/Official and Ordinary Passports.
(Consequential Resolution)
Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Bilateral Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the Government of Saint Vincent and Grenadines on the Waiver of Visa Requirements for Holders of Diplomatic, Service/ Official and Ordinary Passports.
(Consequential Resolution)
Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Bilateral Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the Government of the State of Qatar on the Waiver of Visa Requirements for Holders of Ghanaian Diplomatic Passports
and Holders of Qatar Diplomatic and Special passports.
(Consequential Resolution)
Consideration Stage of Bills --
Land Bill, 2019. (Continuation of debate)
Committee sittings.

Urgent Question
Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh (Juaboso) 11:11 a.m.
To ask the Minister for Health what emergency preparedness and response plan the Ministry has put in place to help contain the spread of COVID 19 Virus and the details of how the US$100m announced by the President will be spent.
Questions --
721.Mr Frank Annoh- Dompreh (Nsawam- Adoagyiri): To ask the Minister for Works and Housing why the Ministry abandoned the ‘CONTI Project' and what alternative solutions if any, the Ministry proposes.
Statements
Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh (Juaboso) 11:11 a.m.
Presentation of Papers --
Report of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs on the Conduct of Public Officers Bill, 2018.
Report of the Finance Committee on the Request for waiver of Import Duty, Import VAT, GETFund Levy, Import NHIL, EXIM Levy, Special Import Levy and other approved imposts amounting to the Ghana cedi equivalent of four million, nine hundred and seven thousand five hundred and fifty-five ZAR (ZAR 4,907,555.00) cedi equivalent [US$289,445.07] on equipment, tools and hardware in respect of the Ghana Radio Astronomy Project and Colocation of the Satellite Earth Observation Ground Receiving Station at Kuntunse for Ghana Space Science &Technology Institute.
Consideration Stage of Bills --
Land Bill, 2019 (Continuation of consideration)
Committee sittings.

Statements --

Motions --

Adoption of the Report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Budget Performance Report in respect of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration for the period January to December, 2019.

Consideration Stage of Bills --

Land Bill, 2019. (Continuation of consideration)

Committee sittings.

Statements

Consideration Stage of Bills --

Land Bill, 2019. (Continuation of consideration)

Committee sittings.

Mr Speaker, having said so, I think it is important to remind all of us, Hon Members of Parliament, staff and journalists that we need to be protective of one another.

Mr Speaker, you and Leadership arranged for all of us to be tested for the Coronavirus disease that

unfortunately has engulfed this country. The arrangement was that, anybody who unfortunately tested positive would not be openly identified but that, the testing team would have an arrangement to contact them behind the curtains and have the situation managed.

Mr Speaker, unfortunately, some people have elected, after contact is made with them, to ignore the appeal from the testing team and they visit Parliament. They endanger the lives of all of us. The issue is, if somebody submitted himself or herself and tested negative, as some of us have tested negative;on two occasions, I submitted myself and I have tested negative, it does not mean that he or she is out of the woods. If anybody tests positive and comes close to me, chances are that I may contract the disease. And it goes for everybody.

Mr Speaker, so we would want to appeal to Hon Members, staff and journalists who have been contacted behind the curtains yet are not submitting themselves to the testing team to do so. They are imperilling the lives of all of us. I think the team is getting frustrated, and we would want to appeal once again to Hon Members, staff and journalists that, if they are contacted, not to come and imperil the lives of others.

Mr Speaker, yesterday it was observed that one person who had been spoken to, had gotten close to some Hon Members of Parliament, and he engaged them. So please, let us be on the watch out for one another.

We do not need to do that. Hon Colleagues, staff and journalists, please let us all comply. Otherwise, perhaps, the medical team may be forced to unveil the identity of those people, and it is not good. They do not intend to do that, but those persons know themselves and they should comply.

Mr Speaker intends, in accordance with that, to have an arrangement with the team such that those Hon Members of Parliament, staff, journalists, including the security personnel with us to submit themselves. They would have the last opportunity to do so , such that we know that all of us are secure to operate in this environment.

Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
rose
Mr Speaker 11:11 a.m.
Yes, Hon Mubarak?
Mr Ras Mubarak 11:11 a.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
Mr Samuel O. Ablakwa 11:21 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am most grateful. I thank the Hon Majority Leader and the Hon Minister for Parliamentary Affairs for the presentation of the Business Statement. Mr Speaker, on the first of the attachment, there are a few corrections to point to. Question numbered 727, it should be “Dambai”, and not “Dambia”.Mr Speaker, Question 733, the Hon Woyome's constituency is South Tongu. “South” has not been captured accurately.
On page three, COVID-19 should also be captured correctly. These are by way of corrections. Mr Speaker, I would also want to add my voice to that of the Hon Majority Leader in wishing all our Hon Colleagues on the Majority side well in the up-coming primaries slated for the 20th of June, 2020. We hope that they would all be successful and return to join us to
continue with the good works under your Leadership.
Mr Speaker, there are three issues that I would want to quickly run through. The first one relates to the announcement that the Securities and Exchange Commission has just made. I would want to find out from the Hon Majority Leader if we can have a meeting with them, probably, either as a House or at the Finance Committee meeting.
They announced that about an amount of GH¢8 to GH¢12 billion has been lost because of the mistakes that they made in the revocation of licenses. We can therefore take interest in this matter, which is a matter of national interest.
Mr Speaker, secondly, for some time now, consistently, we have been asking that the Electoral Commission appears before us. They are doing their piloting, but Hon Members of Parliament have not been apprised. The Hon Majority Leader indicated last week that there would be some positive indication that we would meet them, but it did not feature in the Business Statement that was read, even though I thought it would.
Therefore I would want to know if we could receive an update on the status of the meeting with the Electoral Commission which has been pending for a while.
Mr Speaker, finally, Standing Order 65(2) reads 11:21 a.m.
“Not more than three Questions for oral answers shall be asked by a Member at any one Sitting.” The spirit of Standing Order 65(2) clearly is that there should be some equity and general opportunity given to as many Hon Members of Parliament as possible to ask Questions.
However, consistently, I see from the Business Statement that a few people appear to have a special place. Their Questions feature every week, and I refer to my own good friend and Hon Chairman, the Hon Annoh- Dompreh, who is always loaded with so many Questions, meanwhile, some of us are in the queue waiting and waiting.
I believe that the framers of Standing Order 65(2) made this provision so that Questions can go round for all of us to have a fair shot at it. Mr Speaker, I thank you.
Mr Speaker 11:21 a.m.
Yes, Hon Minority Leader?
Mr Speaker 11:21 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Minority Leader. Hon Majority Leader, you may please take the Floor, and you may address the issue of the Electoral Commission first.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:21 a.m.
Mr Speaker, it is very important. Mr Speaker, the Order Paper is an official publication. If a matter appears in an official publication, Hon Members are debarred from asking questions on that. This is an official publication.
They should look at the Order Paper for today. The questions that they are asking --
Mr Speaker 11:21 a.m.
Hon Majority Leader, I do not get you. I am saying that the issue of the invitation of the Electoral Commission has been raised a number of times. Business that have been published and Business which others expect to be published which have not been published can all be subject matter of discussion during your respectable presentation on the Business of the House. So, please, we are all curious. What is happening?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:21 a.m.
Mr Speaker, respectfully, what is happening is what has appeared on page 33 of today's Order Paper.
Mr Speaker 11:21 a.m.
Page 33?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:21 a.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, if Hon Members had apprised themselves, they would not have been asking this question.
Mr Speaker 11:21 a.m.
Hon Majority Leader, for that matter, you should please read for us.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:21 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the information is provided there that the Special Budget Committee is meeting the EC on
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:31 a.m.
Tuesday, the 16th of June, 2020. That was a request from the Hon Minority Leader, and we agreed on this at the Business Committee. The Hon Governs Agbodza was not the first to raise it. This matter was raised about three weeks ago by the Hon Minority Leader at the Business Committee.

Subsequently, when we came the Friday, following after the meeting of the Business Committee, he raised it on the Floor, and we have been in contact with them. Mr Speaker, they are therefore coming on Tuesday, the 16th of June. It has been advertised here that it would take place at 11.00 a.m., but it is not so, it is rather 9.00 a. m. in the morning of Tuesday, where they would meet the Special Budget Committee.

Mr Speaker, the matter raised by the Hon Ras Mubarak in respect of the personnel who are not delivering essential services still holds. Last week we repeated it that the ban has still not been lifted, so research officers are not supposed to be here.

Mr Speaker re-echoed and indeed, re-emphasised the point and said that they should be operating from their various residencies and to establishment contacts with the Members of Parliament.

Mr Speaker, on the matter relating to the Securities and Exchange Commission's announcement, I just said that and I believe it would be under the charge of the Finance Committee to pride into that and then report to us. Unfortunately, as you do know, the Hon Chairman has a battle to contend with in his own backyard so; I do not know whether he would be able to do that into next week. But that is a matter that should concern all of us in this House.

Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for North Tongu, Mr Okudzeto relates to Questions that have been filed by the Hon Member for Nsawam- Adoagyiri, Mr Annoh-Dompreh and admitted by Yourself. I believe that Mr Okudzeto was really operating in the lighter vein because he would know that of the Questions that have been asked over the past three years, about 95 per cent have been asked by the Members from the Minority group. I am surprised that he says that some preference is been given to the Majority Members of Parliament. That cannot be the truth, and that is not the truth -[Interruption]-
Mr Speaker 11:31 a.m.
Hon Members, Order!
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:31 a.m.
Mr Speaker, that was the obvious implication and I know the Hon
Member for North Tongu, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa when I see one. Wherever I see a Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa whether in darkness or in sunshine; whether in Keta or Zualungu, I know a Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
Mr Speaker, I thank you very much.
Mr Speaker 11:31 a.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Majority Leader. The Business Statement as presented, is hereby admitted accordingly.
Some Minority Members -- rose --
Mr Speaker 11:31 a.m.
The Hon Minority Leader has spoken, I trust that you should have consulted your Leader before he got up.
The Research personnel should please note that if they step here on Monday, the Marshal's Office will deal with them. That is clear; I have the duty to confirm that it is a directive that every person who operates from here as an MP; as an official or as an invitee such as a media person, must heed our directive to do a test; it is not a request now. We are arranging for another time for the relevant personnel to come to your doorstep,
after that, those who do not want to test do not want to enter our premises. And that is also a directive. If the person wants to endanger his or her life, they have no right, as a human right issue, to extend it to other people. And that is very clear!
Hon Members, we will proceed accordingly. Question Time - the Hon Minister for Works and Housing would take the appropriate chair.
ORAL ANSWERS TO 11:31 a.m.
QUESTIONS 11:31 a.m.
MINISTRY OF WORKS AND 11:31 a.m.
HOUSING 11:31 a.m.
Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh (Nsawam-Adoagyiri) 11:31 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to ask the Hon Minister for Works and Housing what the Ministry is doing about the uncompleted housing projects started by ex- President Kufuor at Koforidua, Wa and Tamale.
Minister for Works and Housing (Mr Samuel Atta Akyea) 11:31 a.m.
Background
Rt Hon Speaker, and Jesus said to him “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the son of man
Mr Speaker, article 35(7) of the 1992 Constitution provides 11:31 a.m.
“As far as practicable, a government shall continue and execute projects and pro- grammes commenced by the previous Government”.
Mr Speaker, this is eminently sensible, in that when the succeeding Government fails to roll out the uncompleted infrastructure of the previous Government, the attendant problem is cost overruns and the denial of the citizenry of the benefits of such infrastructure.
Indeed, both President John Atta Mills, may his soul rest in peace, and President John Dramani Mahama failed, refused and/or neglected to complete the Affordable Housing Programme of President Kufuor and the workers of Ghana are worse off for it. However, the programme, through some funding initiatives has been able --[Interruption]--
rose
Mr Speaker 11:31 a.m.
Hon Members, Order! Hon Minister, one moment.
Mr Akyea 11:31 a.m.
Thank you Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker 11:31 a.m.
Hon Minister, you will continue to stand there.
Mr Agbodza 11:41 a.m.
Mr Speaker, you have always guided us to be very Parliamentary in our language. Last week, our Hon Colleague came and used words such as “I am not sure whether the Minister was bewitched”.
Mr Speaker, you would not allow any Member of this House to use those words. Today, he is here saying emphatically that other Governments refused, failed to do things.
Mr Speaker, I could even accept “failed” but “refused”? Our Hon Colleague, the Hon Minister, has developed an attitude of using un- parliamentary language in official documents and must be guided. He cannot be allowed to continue with this ; he must be guided.
Mr Speaker 11:41 a.m.
For the sake of adopting a neutral posture, Hon Minister, just be more factual. Use “did not” instead of “refused” which may sometimes not be acceptable to others. [Interruption]
Hon Members, order!
Mr Akyea 11:41 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I find it weird, to say the least, that somebody who -- [Interruption]
Mr Speaker 11:41 a.m.
Hon Minister --
Mr Akyea 11:41 a.m.
Mr Speaker, how can somebody tell me what to write? I find it very offensive. Is he going to teach me how to write? What kind of behaviour is this? In the first instance, I have barely started giving my answer.This is my Answer. Is he going to teach me how to write?
What is offensive about this? That is the fact. They failed, refused and neglected to do it and it is a fact. [Interruption] What is the meaning of this? [Interruption] People will not listen to facts and in the name of whatever -- [Interruption]
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:41 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister is answering a Question that has been filed. If after the Question has been fully answered, a Member thinks that he may have a problem with a portion of it, he may raise issue at the appropriate time. However, to inject himself midstream and try to arrest the delivery of the Question cannot be supported by our rules.
Mr Buah 11:41 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I think that the Hon Minister who is a very experienced member of this House understands clearly that whatever it is, you intervened and made a ruling, basically giving him a direction. I believe we can make progress if we take the guidance of Mr Speaker and then move forward.
Mr Akyea 11:41 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I lost the direction you gave me. What should be the fitting replacement and I would put it down?
Mr Speaker 11:41 a.m.
Hon Minister, if you lost my direction, let me repeat it. [Interruption] Hon Members, please, let there be order.
Hon Minister, you used the word “refused” which you may be entitled to. Hon Members from one end
believed that it may connote something. If others take objection to that, I suggest that the positive way of presentation is that “did not” be used. If they did not, whether it was a matter of refusal or whatever else, it is something different and the neutral presentation can sometimes just allow you to make progress. Hon Minister, I hope that I have made myself clear and you may want to follow that and let there be progress.
Mr Akyea 11:41 a.m.
Mr Speaker, let me rephrase.
Indeed, both President John Atta Mills, may his soul rest in peace, and President John Dramani Mahama did not complete the Affordable Housing Programme of President Kufuor, and the workers of Ghana are worse off for it.
However, the programme through some funding initiatives has been able to deliver approximately 3,300 housing units which is woefully inadequate against the backdrop of the mocking housing deficit of 2,000,000 dwelling homes.
2.0 Status of Koforidua, Wa and Tamale Affordable Housing Projects
The Ministry of Works and Housing (MWH) in the 2016 handing over notes indicated that work at the
Koforidua, Tamale and the Wa sites are still stalled as no concrete funding has been secured yet. Consequently, the NPP Government under H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo upon assuming office and seeing the situation at hand, coupled with the escalating housing deficit, made frantic efforts to engage the private sector to explore means of securing funding to complete the projects.
However, considering the period of suspension and the possible issues of variations, the Ministry deployed the services of Architectural and Engineering Services Limited (AESL) to conduct a comprehensive inventory of the project sites to determine the outstanding works and prepare the cost estimates for the completion of the abandoned housing projects at Wa, Tamale and Koforidua.
3.0 Ministry of Works and Housing‘s Arrangements for Financing of the Project
Subsequent to this, the MWH started engaging the private sector to raise the needed capital to complete the project. This is in line with the Ministry's Housing Policy objective of creating the enabling environment for the private sector to take the lead role in housing delivery in the country.
It is on this basis that the Ministry received an indicative financial term sheet from the Republic Bank in the sum of US$51 million for the completion of the affordable housing units aforesaid.
The amortisation of the US$51 million was tied to the yearly capital expenditure of the Ministry and this was subsequently forwarded to the Ministry of Finance for consideration and approval.
On 18th July, 2019, I received a letter from the Ministry of Finance making reference to Section 4 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921) directing the MWH to assign all interest in the uncompleted buildings under the Affordable Housing Project in Wa, Tamale and Koforidua to the State Housing Company Limited to enable the Ministry of Finance negotiate with funding institutions to lend directly to State Housing Company Limited.
Indeed, Mr Speaker, I have duly assigned the properties to State Housing Company Limited who have given a commitment, that construction works will begin in mid-July 2020. The completion time is this year. State Housing Company Limited will deliver 686 dwelling homes with the following constituents:
Mr Annoh-Dompreh 11:51 a.m.
Mr Speaker, part of the Hon Minister's answers indicated that the projects stalled because of no concrete funding
and I find it very interesting because it was from the year 2008 to 2016. So I want to find out from the Hon Minister what could be the tangible reasons for the Government's inability to find the needed funding for that long period of time to complete such an important national project.
Mr Akyea 11:51 a.m.
Mr Speaker, no tangible reason was proffered for the previous regime's inability to complete the housing projects. What was very sad about the situation was that former President Kufuor's projects were ceded to SSNIT and it used its moneys to complete them.
As I speak now, it ceases to be affordable because of SSNIT's commercial orientation. So per the records they could not give any tangible reason for that and it has become very expensive to the extent that we need to raise US$51 million to have them completed.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh 11:51 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the concluding part of the Hon Minister's answer indicated that the State Housing Company gave commitment that construction works would begin in mid-July 2020. I wish to find out from the Hon Minister if he could apprise this House the nature of the commitment as was given by the State Housing Company to his outfit and the implications thereof?
Mr Akyea 11:51 a.m.
Mr Speaker, as I said earlier, the interest of the Ministry in the properties were transferred to the State Housing Company for using same to secure good money to do the project. So the financial and technical arrangements are intact because the US$51 million was premised on an audit analysis by the architectural and engineering services under my Ministry and with these arrangements in place they would proceed to start the actual completion of the works by mid-July, 2020.
The commitments are twins -- one, the money has been found and two, the critical ground work has been examined and with these two, they would be able to do the job and deliver the housing projects to our people by the end of the year.
Mr Speaker 11:51 a.m.
Hon Member, your last supplementary question.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh 11:51 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I have respectfully exhausted all the follow up questions.
Mr Agbodza 11:51 a.m.
Mr Speaker, in the Hon Minister's answer, he said the Affordable Housing Project that was started in 2006 had a certain number of units. I would want to ask him what the sources of funding was in 2006 when the project commenced and if the funding was secured why did the project not go on?
Mr Akyea 11:51 a.m.
Mr Speaker, some of the moneys came from the HIPC Fund and also from Government of Ghana (GoG) sources. There is also sometimes the commitment to raise the requisite loans to be paid over time and the loans then would be used to roll out the housing scheme. So it could be a mix of everything but what I have read was that some of the moneys came from the HIPC Fund as well as GoG sources.
Mr Speaker 11:51 a.m.
Hon Members, nothing allows an Hon Member to be ruled. When an Hon Minister has answered a question, that Hon Member sits in that Hon Member's chair and shouts -- that is not a tangible answer. I cannot pinpoint the person now though I heard the voice. The person should not be proud of himself.
Any other questions?
Mr Suhuyini A. Sayibu 11:51 a.m.
Mr Speaker, in view of the Hon Minister's Answer in paragraph 8, where he stated that both President John Atta Mills, may his soul rest in peace, and President John Dramani Mahama, did not, as amended, complete the Affordable Housing programme of President Kufuor and the workers of Ghana are worse off for it, I would want to find out from him which President handed over as he indicated
Mr Akyea 11:51 a.m.
Mr Speaker, by reason of the fact that the Government did not want to use the resources like the GoG sources and did not want to spend money, they ceded these projects to SSNIT and as a direct result of that they have ceased to be affordable housing -- [Interruption] -- the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of course.
Yes, that was what the NDC did because their government did not want to fund the Affordable Housing Projects and therefore gave it to a commercial entity like SSNIT and I could assert positively that they have ceased to be affordable housing because SSNIT now sells to the general public on commercial basis.
Mr Sampson Ahi 11:51 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I want to know from the Hon Minister, whether he is aware that during the construction of these houses US$40 million was borrowed by the then government under President Kufuor from SSNIT and that it is factually incorrect to say that former Presidents
John Atta Mills and Mahama neglected the projects because those two sites that he mentioned were handed over to SSNIT in 2015 under the leadership of former President Mahama. So for him to say that they did not do anything about those projects is inaccurate.
Mr Akyea 12:01 p.m.
Mr Speaker, what they did by ceding a project which is intended as affordable housing to SSNIT, has created a big problem. They said the projects would have no cost value for the Ministry of Works and Housing and they called it a “sinking cost''.
That is the memorandum they signed with SSNIT and we are challenging how it could be a sinking cost when from sources of Government of Ghana, we have raised the structures to some levels and the government was not ready to invest anything in it again and gave it to
SSNIT.
Mr Speaker, what is worse is that instead of it becoming affordable, by the sheer decision to cede these structures to SSNIT, at the moment the prices are exorbitant and I do not know which of the workers or even sitting Ministers could afford the prices of these units being rolled out by SSNIT.
Mr Speaker 12:01 p.m.
Next Question 722 by Hon Annoh-Dompreh?
Mr Annoh-Dompreh 12:01 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity. I rise to ask the Minister for Works and Housing the coastal -- [Interruption] --
Mr Speaker 12:01 p.m.
Hon Second Deputy Speaker?
Mr Bagbin 12:01 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for indulging me.
Mr Speaker, you all recall that I was a Minister at the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing and at least I have a lot of knowledge about these issues that have been raised by my Hon Colleague, the Minister for Works and Housing.
Mr Speaker, I would just want to ask him whether he has read the audited report on this affordable housing scheme by the Auditor- General?
Mr Speaker 12:01 p.m.
The Auditor- General's Report on the affordable housing -- ?
Mr Bagbin 12:01 p.m.
Mr Speaker, that is so, that of 2010. [Interruption] -- Yes, I took over at the Ministry in 2010 and there was an audited report --
Mr Speaker 12:01 p.m.
Hon Members, you cannot sit and be asking the Hon Member on his feet questions.
Mr Akyea 12:01 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I have read the Report of the Auditor- General as well as the handing-over notes when I assumed the office of the Minister for Works and Housing. I have read both.
Mr Speaker 12:01 p.m.
Hon Member, if you continue, I would mention you out with all its parliamentary consequences -- [Laughter] -- and I moderating it with regard to both Sides of the House. I want order in the House. [Hear! Hear!]
Hon Second Deputy Speaker?
Mr Bagbin 12:01 p.m.
Mr Speaker, would the Hon Minister be kind enough to tell the House what the Report said about the award and execution of that project before 2010?
Mr Speaker 12:01 p.m.
Hon Minister, did you get the question clear?
Mr Akyea 12:01 p.m.
Mr Speaker, what I know as very central to the report was the fact that now, as we speak, the houses are no longer affordable. As to the details of the report, well, I
Mr Speaker 12:01 p.m.
Hon Second Deputy Speaker, in view of your position, I would indulge you on the last question.
Mr Bagbin 12:01 p.m.
Mr Speaker, this is a House of record and that is why I would want him to be clear. Is the Hon Minister saying that the report said that the houses are no longer affordable houses?
Mr Akyea 12:01 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am asserting strongly that what is so clear is that the handing-over of the project to SSNIT has made the housing units no longer affordable -- [Uproar] -- They have become commercial.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:01 p.m.
Mr Speaker, if a project is started and not finished in due time, certainly there would be cost escalation.
Mr Speaker, as of now, are the houses affordable?
Mr Speaker 12:01 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader, as of now, are the houses affordable?
Hon Majority Leader, is it that you would want to know whether as of now the houses are affordable or not?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:01 p.m.
Mr Speaker, that is so because if we look at the third paragraph, it says and I beg to quote:
“The Government of Ghana Affordable Housing Project was initiated in 2006…”
At that time, they were described as affordable housing. Fourteen years down the line, I am asking the Hon Minister whether the houses are affordable.
Mr Akyea 12:01 p.m.
Mr Speaker, by every reckoning, the projects of President Kufuor can no longer be affordable because of the obvious cost overruns. What is worse, by ceding the projects to a commercial entity like SSNIT, they could not deliver them as affordable houses any longer. They have made it commercial.
Mr Speaker 12:01 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader, are you still on your feet?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:01 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yes, just one more.
The initial project was to provide 100,000 housing units over a five year period. I would want to enquire from
the Hon Minister if the parcels of land that were acquired for the project were secured and if they were, whether they still could be utilised for the project?
Mr Akyea 12:01 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yes indeed, the parcels of land for the affordable housing projects were secured and when we invest in such projects, we would be able to do a lot on those lands.
Mr Speaker, it is very important that we do that because anytime we refuse to subsidise the rolling out of houses for our people, then they become very commercial. That is why we are even improving land banks. It is imperative that these lands are secured so that all governments continue to roll out these houses. That is where we talk about affordability and much so where we have a credible mortgage regime.
Mr Speaker 12:01 p.m.
Hon Avedzi, the last question.
Mr Avedzi 12:01 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you. I would want to find out from the Hon Minister if he is aware that there was an agreement between government and SSNIT for government to take 20 per cent of the cost of the houses to make the housing affordable?
Mr Akyea 12:11 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am aware of the fact that government was to provide the off site infrastructure. What is worse is that the rest of the investment by the government were ignored. They called it sinking cost.
The government has spent so much money and virtually gave the structures to SSNIT. So I thought by just that arrangement they should rather be affordable.
If government gave all the projects to SSNIT as sinking cost as they said, then the outcome is that it should be very affordable. However, we are in a situation where the entire project has been given to SSNIT to complete and the cost that was sunk into it is free and the outcome is that it has not become affordable.
Mr Speaker, it is a terrible waste.
Mr Speaker 12:11 p.m.
Hon Minister, thank you very much.
Hon Annoh-Dompreh, your next Question.
Cost of Coastal Protection undertaken by the Ministry
Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh (NPP -- Nsawam-Adoagyiri) Mr Speaker, I beg to ask the Minister for
Minister for Works and Housing (Mr Samuel Atta Akyea) 12:11 p.m.
Mr Speaker, Ghana has a coastline of 550 kilometres in length.
Two thirds of this length of coastline is under serious threat of erosion. The main cause of this erosion is due to wave action. The erosion of Ghana's coastline poses a great threat to life, livelihood and properties. This situation has great negative consequences on Ghana's economy.
The Ministry of Works and Housing has the mandate to protect Ghana's coastline against the ferocious forces of the sea to avert erosion. Besides, we can reclaim the sea for tourism development and infrastructure. Thus, our Ministry has over the years implemented various sea defence projects in an effort to control the erosion along Ghana's coastline so as to contribute towards the development of Ghana to improve our economy.
Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Works and Housing is currently undertaking 10 sea defence projects. These projects are the:
1. Dansoman Sea Defence Project being undertaken by Messrs Sidalco Limited at a contract sum of US$31, 210,000 to protect a coastline of length two kilometres. The commence- ment date of the contract is the 1st day of April 2015.
2. Anomabo Coastal Protection Project being undertaken by Messrs Q3 Company Limited at a contract sum of GH¢427,465,500 to protect a coastline of length five kilometres. The project started on 15th day of May
2019.
3. Cape Coast Coastal Protection Project being undertaken by Messrs Vuluxx Company Limited at a contract sum of GH¢416, 685,675 to protect a coastline of length five (5) kilometres. The project commenced on 9 th November, 2018.
4. New Takoradi Coastal Protection Project (Phase III) being undertaken by Messrs Vuluxx Company Limited at a contract sum of GH¢396, 219,600 to protect a coastline
of length five kilometres. The project took off on the 22nd day of May 2019.
5. Komenda Coastal Protection Project being undertaken by Messrs Amandi Holding Limited at a contract sum of US$46,286,682 to protect a coastline of length two kilometres. The commence- ment date is 16th November,
2018.
6. Amanful Kumah Coastal Protection Project being undertaken by Messrs Mawums Limited at a contract sum of GH¢80, 960,000 to protect a coastline of length two kilometres. The project started on the 31st day of January, 2018.
7. Axim Coastal Protection Project being undertaken by Messrs Makam Plant Hire (MPH) Company Limited at a contract sum of GH¢396, 085,972.50 to protect a coastline of length five kilometres. The project started on the 7th day of September, 2018.
8. Dixcove Coastal Protection Project being undertaken by Messrs Rajga Company Limited at a contract sum of GH¢134,796,761.25 to protect a coastline of length two (2) kilometres. The project started on the 1st day of November 2019.
9. Aboadze Coastal Protection Project being undertaken by Messrs Xara Limited at a contract sum of GH¢397, 430,250 to protect a coastline of length five kilometres. The project started on the 1st day of November, 2019.
10.Ningo Prampram Coastal Protection project being undertaken by Messrs Bridge Global Consolidated Limited at a contract of GH¢393, 966,300 to protect a coastline of length five kilometres. The project started on the 1st day of November 2019.
Other inherited coastal protection works from the NDC Government are Nkontompo in the Western Region, Aboadze in the Western Region, Adjoa in the Western Region, Blekusu in the Volta Region, New Takoradi in the Western Region, New Takoradi
Mr Speaker 12:11 p.m.
Hon Minister, thank you very much.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh 12:11 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the last paragraph of the Answer by the Hon Minister speaks to the fact that amour rock could be mined locally. A careful look at the cost of the project tells me that the cost is huge. Is the Ministry considering effectively falling on the local resource; in terms of using the armour rock that could be mined locally, as a significant input to reduce the cost of the project?
Mr Akyea 12:11 p.m.
Mr Speaker, because we have the armour rock as our natural resource, obviously, it reduces the cost. However, the main problem that we face is that these projects are capital intensive and what is serious is that we need the financial space to do more of that because of the stretch. But it is automatic that when we mine these quarries, we would be able to lift boulders and serious rocks to do the job.
It is very helpful in both ways because jobs are created at the quarry sites and jobs are also created when we are constructing the coastal
Mr Annoh-Dompreh 12:21 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the second paragraph of the Hon Minister's Answer talks about reclamation as one of the important functionalities that could be used which also leads to tourism and development. I see that reclamation is conspicuously missing in all the Answers he gave, as a protective measure. Are there any plans by the Ministry in enforcing reclamation as part of the protective measures?
Mr Akyea 12:21 p.m.
Mr Speaker, this is a very important dimension of coastal protection. Recently, we were able to reclaim land in Keta because of the coastal protection works that were carried out. However, what is very significant about the reclamation of the land through coastal protection works is the fact that we would erect a hotel on the reclaimed land overshadowing the sea. If you go to Tel Aviv, you would see a world-class hotel overshadowing the sea. One would just leave his hotel room and walk to
the beach. This is an arrangement which is very important that we carry out. It would boost a lot of tourism if we reclaim land through coastal protection.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh 12:21 p.m.
Mr Speaker, does the Hon Minister consider educating citizens on the health hazards and risks associated in living very close to the sea as a function that his Ministry has to perform? If he does, is he undertaking some actions to educate our citizens who live so close to the sea?
Mr Akyea 12:21 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is an integral part of starting coastal works. We need to do stakeholder engagements. Obviously, all the communities along the coastal stretch where the undertaking would start need to be engaged. We need to educate them about the necessity to even give them the space to do the job and when it is properly done, they could do better fishing. So that is an integral part of the programme for coastal protection.
Mr Speaker 12:21 p.m.
I would allow one question.
Mr Agbodza 12:21 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank the Hon Minister for providing the Answers. I agree with the Hon Minister. If we could do reclamation, we could do a lot. In fact, the whole
Mr Akyea 12:21 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I cannot say offhand the levels of allocation, but what happens is that they are always going into other sources to pay the arrears. Obviously, what is allocated for coastal protection is less than what is to be paid for. Always, there is a funding gap, and I think he stated it critically that there is funding gap all the time hence the arrears and the slow pace in completing the jobs.
Mr Speaker 12:21 p.m.
Finally, I would take Hon Member for Ho West?
Mr Emmanuel K. Bedzrah 12:21 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in the Hon Minister's Answer, in paragraph 2 of item numbered 10, he stated that the project inherited from the National
Democratic Congress (NDC) Government, including Blekusu in the Volta Region has been completed. I would want to find out from the Minister whether the Blekusu phase 2 Project was supposed to start this year and was provided for in this year's Budget? When would the Blekusu phase 2 Project start?
Mr Akyea 12:21 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I have been educated by the Hon Minister for Finance that it is very uppermost on the programme. Very soon, the contractor would commence. They have gone through the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) and the rest of them. They would just want to give the commencement, and the Blekusu phase 2 project would commence. It was a very life- threatening area, and we need to solve the problem there.
Mr Rockson-Nelson E. K. Dafeamekpor 12:21 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I need your guidance. Mine is not a question. It is about some typographical errors.
Mr Speaker, may I refer the House to item numbered 7 on page 38 of today's Order Paper, line 3, the use of “coastline of length of” should read “coastline length of”.
Then, in page 39, item numbered 10, paragraph 4, I believe the placement of the word “coastal” in
the expression “coastal the amount of” should not be there at all. It should read “From 2017 to date, the amount of money settled on”.
Finally, in the final paragraph of the Answer, line 3, I believe he intended to say “capital intensive infrastructure” instead of “capital infrastructure”.
Mr Akyea 12:21 p.m.
Mr Speaker, apart from the two corrections the Hon Member wanted to effect, the rest are a term of art for the engineers. It is the language of the engineers “a coastline of length”. I can see that we should effect correction on capital intensive and the last one he said, but the rest of them are all engineering language.
Mr Speaker 12:21 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much for attending to the House and answering our Questions. You are respectfully discharged.
An Hon Minister would want to make a Statement, but I would make a little variation to the order of Business to take item numbered 6 and come back to item numbered 5.
At the Commencement of Public Business -- Presentation of Papers.
PAPERS 12:31 p.m.
Mr Speaker 12:31 p.m.
Item numbered 7 -- Motion. Chairman of the Committee?
Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah 12:31 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Chairman of the Finance Committee is not immediately available so, we may step that item down and if possible, take the Statement before we go back to it.
Mr Speaker 12:31 p.m.
Can we not take the item numbered 7 or is there someone else to move the Motion?
Mr Awuah 12:31 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I believe all of them are not immediately available, so we may.
Mr Speaker 12:31 p.m.
Very well, I am advised that we cannot take the items listed 7, 8, 9 and 10.
That being so, then we would move the item numbered 11 -- Motion. In place of the Hon Minister for Education, I am advised that the Hon Minister for Employment and Labour Relations may move that Motion.
BILLS -- THIRD READING 12:31 p.m.
Mr Speaker 12:31 p.m.
Now, we come back to Statements.
The Hon First Deputy Speaker would please take the Chair at this moment.
The Hon Minister for Employment and Labour Relations will make a commemorative Statement on the
2020 World Day against Child Labour, and the first response will come from Hon Mumuni Alhassan who has also filed a Statement but who would give the first response.
STATEMENTS 12:31 p.m.
Minister for Employment and Labour Relations (Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah) (MP) 12:31 p.m.
Mr Speaker, today, 12th June, 2020, is a day set aside to commemorate the world day against child labour. The aim is to draw attention to the plight of children in various forms of work that is not acceptable the world over.
This year's celebration is under the theme, “COVID-19: Protect Children from Child Labour now more than ever”. Mr Speaker, this is important because childhood is expected to be one of the most enjoyable periods of human existence during which people have the opportunity to play, interact with nature, and attend school in preparation for adulthood.
Indeed, it is at this stage of development that people need special care and protection as enshrined in article 28 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.
Mr Speaker, the underlining cause of child labour include 12:41 p.m.
poverty, limited access to decent work opportunities for families, ignorance, lack of access to quality education, irresponsible parenting and many others.
Mr Speaker, successive governments and stakeholders have not relented in their efforts at combating child labour in Ghana. These efforts are evident in the numerous legislations, policies, programmes and projects as well as strong institutional arrangements that seek to protect children's rights, promote their development and prevent them from getting trapped in child labour.
Effective collaboration between government agencies, tripartite constituents, civil society organisations, non-governmental
organisations, private sector, international organisations and many others which has been the strategy is a step in the right direction
Mr Speaker, my Ministry, in collaboration with the National Steering Committee on Child Labour and other stakeholders secured the approval of Cabinet for the implementation of the Second National Plan of Action for the Elimination of Worse Forms of Child Labour (MPA 2). The plan has four broad strategic objectives.
Mr Speaker, the first is to reinforce public awareness of child labour and its impact. Secondly, it is to improve collaboration and coordination for resource mobilisation. Thirdly, it will provide effective monitoring of social services and economic empowerment programmes of local government units. Fourthly, to promote community empowerment and sustainable action against child labour.

Mr Speaker, it is instructive that, just before restrictions were imposed to curtail the spread of COVID-19, the Ministry together with its stakeholders developed and launched

protocols and guidelines for declaring Child Labour Free Zones in Ghana (CFLZ). The idea of CLFZ is to ensure that Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) put in place measures, structures and systems to monitor, prevent and withdraw children from child labour in their areas of jurisdiction.

Mr Speaker, despite all our laudable interventions and their contribution to reductions in child labour, there is a perception out there that child labour is not declining.

As I speak to you, Ghana and La Cote d'Ivoire are currently contesting the conclusions of a study funded by the United States Department of Labour (USDOL) and undertaken by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) of the University of Chicago to determine the prevalence of child labour in the two countries, especially in the cocoa growing areas.

The inaccuracies and mis- conceptions contained in the draft report could have severe consequences for our cocoa sector if not corrected. We have initiated processes aimed at remedying the situation but this would take some effort and the honest co-operation of

USDOL.

Mr Speaker, while the Ministry and its partners are preparing to assess the full impact of various interventions on child labour through a nationally representative survey, there is an urgent need to take new and pragmatic measures to sustain the gains made so far in the fight against child labour.

Mr Speaker, COVID-19 has also predisposed children to risk factors of child labour. If immediate action is not taken, the impact of measures being taken to contain the spread of the virus will have negative consequences on children.

According to estimates from the International Labour Organization (ILO), children will be the hardest hit because 42 to 66 million could fall into extreme poverty in 2020. This will be in addition to the estimated 386 million children who were already in extreme poverty in 2019.

Mr Speaker, the continuous stay of children at home could also further expose them to all kinds of abuses. Girls may be burdened with domestic chores and be predisposed to sexual abuse.

Mr Speaker, in situations of limited savings and inadequate access to social protection services, vulnerable households may have lost their livelihoods and such households will
MR FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:46 p.m.
Thank you.
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:46 p.m.
Yes, Hon Mumuni Alhassan?
Hon Member, you are not to read your Statement; you are to contribute.
Mr Mumuni Alhassan (NDC -- Salaga North) 12:46 p.m.
Thank you very much Mr Speaker for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to the Statement ably made by the Hon Minister for Employment and Labour Relations.
Indeed, today is International Day against Child Labour. This day, as we are all aware, was instituted by the ILO. In celebrating its 100 years, the ILO is focused on tackling child labour in the world. So it is important that as Ghanaians, we endeavour to support our stakeholders to ensure that our children have decent lives, and are brought up in a manner that would ensure that they become better citizens and more importantly citizens who would have the country at heart.
Mr Speaker, indeed, once a person becomes an adult, he or she prays that he brings up children. It is important to note that biblically, one day our Maker would indeed want to find out from us how we were able to nurture our children in the world. So it is important to note that if a person is not prepared to bring forth children, that person should not just make an attempt to bring them forth and to leave them to their fate.
Mr Speaker, I would want to use this opportunity to urge all parents who are lucky to have children, to ensure that they are able to nurture them, probably, by giving them some high level education and skills that would indeed keep them in society and also contribute their quota to national development.
Mr Speaker, I would want to think that what we need as a nation is to be able to resource our agencies and institutions that ensure that rules are made to protect our children. We would find out in most cases, we have very good laws, but we put institutions in place and we do not fund them to execute what they are expected to do.
So as much as we are all aware that tomorrow's Ghana would be in the hands of our children, there is the need for us to give them the necessary support, so that at least, when we are no more, we would rest knowing that we have nurtured children who would take this country to better heights.
Mr Speaker, I would want to emphasise that in all this, children with disabilities would have serious impact on us, if we want to neglect our children.
I would want to urge the Ministry to collaborate with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection for us to be able to identify some of these children who have disabilities in order for us to give them the necessary attention to ensure that they also live decent lives when they grow up.
Once again, I would want to thank the Hon Minister for Employment and Labour Relations for making this
Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:51 p.m.
Yes, Hon Deputy Minister?
Mr Bright Wireko-Brobby (NPP -- Hemang Lower Denkyira) 12:51 p.m.
Thank you Mr Speaker for the opportunity to also contribute to the Statement ably made by the Hon Minister on this day, 12th June, 2020, set up by the international community to celebrate the world's day against child labour.
Mr Speaker, it is very important for us to appreciate child labour and also try to even get the difference between child work and child labour. Many a time, there is a bit of a confusion, and culturally, people would normally transmit what they do as a career to their children. So if
Ms Laadi Ayii Ayamba (NDC -- Pusiga) 12:51 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Statement ably made by the Hon Minister.
Mr Speaker, the theme for this year's celebration is 1:01 p.m.
“COVID-19, protect children from child labour now more than ever.”
Mr Speaker, this theme is very enlightening, and it is worth talking about because of the situation or the times in which we are. Again, once it is meant for the protection of our children, I think that it is worth discussing and looking at very seriously.
Mr Speaker, let me say that the issue of child labour has come to stay. It has come to stay because even the Hon Deputy Minister mentioned that if we look at our cultural dimensions, only about 20 per cent of children are the ones who can actually work to earn money to support themselves.
We also realised that the remaining 80 per cent are many a time from our villages or they are in the rural areas. Mostly, they are the ones who practise our cultures, and they are also the ones who do not have any means of making money unless they work for it.
Mr Speaker, in the practice of their activities, whether on the farms, in the markets, in the rivers or on the seas, children many a time are drawn into it, and that is a very big problem.

This is because a child of up to especially 10 or 11 years, definitely, from our cultural perspectives, from our parents and from the situation that has driven us into those activities, normally are drawn into the work of the parents or relatives or the guardians whom they may be living with.

Mr Speaker, we actually need to ensure that the international communities understand the differences between our cultural practices; our extended family system, our poverty level and why they may or they will think that Ghana has high levels of child labour.
Ms Betty Krosbi Nana Efua Mensah (NDC -- Afram Plains North) 1:11 a.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity given me. I
would like to use the opportunity to appreciate the Hon Minister for a Statement well made.
Mr Speaker, while the Hon Minister took the opportunity to highlight the many forms of child labour that affect the country, I was actually waiting anxiously for us to look at the fundamental cause of child labour in our society.

Mr Speaker, researchers have proven that there is about 74 per cent of child poverty among our children in Ghana. I can make the references on google right now. It is about 74 per cent of child poverty.

And I believe that if, as a people, leaders, and as a Ministry, we take our time to address these fundamental causes of child poverty, then, we have a long way in addressing or eradicating issues of child labour.

Mr Speaker, I feel that while we are condemning issues of child labour, these are children who are sometimes not necessarily being forced to work. This is because when you go into the international world, you would realise that it is alright, for example, a white man would not take his child to his industry or workplace with the belief that they are impacting the knowledge
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:11 a.m.
Hon Member, I want to be clear. What in particular is criminalising issues of poverty?
Ms Mensah 1:11 a.m.
Mr Speaker, you would come to realise that most often, just as I stated earlier, these parents who are trying to impart knowledge
to their children are arrested and prosecuted. As I speak to you, I have nine members of my constituency who have been detained and are being prosecuted because they tried very hard to impart their knowledge to their children.
In effect, I feel that it is a means of criminalising poverty because these are people who if under normal circumstances, had other means -- even if they had schools within their communities to take their children to, I do not think that they would gladly send their children on to the lake to fish.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:11 a.m.
Yes, Leadership?
Mr Mahama Ayariga (NDC -- Bawku Central) 1:11 a.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
The theme for remembering this day could not have been better. In the context of COVID-19, children are definitely facing special challenges. I think that the Hon Minister has outlined those challenges, therefore I would not belabour the point. Also, I have listened to Hon Colleagues on the matter but then we need to be cautious. I do not think that the international human rights regime that
Mr Mahama Ayariga (NDC -- Bawku Central) 1:21 p.m.
prohibits child labour also prohibits the proper training and upbringing of children. Everything has to be put in proper perspective. If you are training a child and the environment is appropriate, I do not think that anybody would challenge that.
Recently, the Cable News Network (CNN) aired issues of child labour in Ghana on the lake, involving fishing communities and fishing practices. Clearly, the ordeal that the children went through cannot be simply classified as training in fishing. This is very life-threating and I think that these are the issues that the international human rights regime against child labour is seeking to protect.
Mr Speaker, a woman providing certain types of services cannot drag her daughter into the trade on the basis that there are economic challenges, therefore the children are to help out. It is the danger that the child is exposed to and not the training. So, I think that we have to bear this in mind.
Mr Speaker, let me come back to the issue of COVID-19 and the situation of children. I believe that when you or any of us in the Chamber get into our vehicles and leave this Parliament, at 37 traffic light, we would be accosted by children who
would either want to clean our windshields, or if we resist their cleaning of our windshield they would gesture to ask for money and all sorts of things. Clearly, in the context of COVID-19, this should not be acceptable.
Sometimes you would see that there is a police officer standing and directing traffic, yet he or she does not appreciate the fact that these children at the traffic light are being exposed to all sorts of hazards such as crossing the road when the traffic light turns green and when people have to drive off, the children have to run helter-skelter as their lives are being threatened.
Sometimes people try to sack them not because they do not want to be nice to them by giving them some money, but the whole interaction of rolling down your window and handing over money to the child could actually expose the child to some infection.
Sometimes the children touching your door could also endanger the driver because when you open your door and come out, you would touch the door handle to close it. All these things do not augur well in our fight against COVID-19 and the protection of our children.
Sometimes when driving at night, you would find the children lying there. If you go to airport traffic light, the story is the same, yet there is police station nearby. I am saying this in the context of COVID-19 and the threat to the lives of these children.

I would want to urge the Hon Minister to take a look at this, engage his colleagues at the Ministry of the Interior and the law enforcement agencies to pay particular attention to the plight of children at the various traffic lights in the city.

Mr Speaker, on that note, I would want to commend the Hon Minister who made the Statement, for drawing our attention to the situation of children in the context of COVID-19 and child labour.

Mr Speaker, I thank you.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:21 p.m.
Yes, Hon Minister for Defence?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:21 p.m.
This front bench reminds me of 2016 [Laughter] --
Minister for Defence (Mr Dominic Bingab Aduna Nitiwul) (MP) 1:21 p.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker, it reminds us really of 2016 just that we were at the other Side. We miss it, though.
Mr Speaker, I thank the Hon Minister for Employment and Labour Relations for making this Statement on this very important day where the world remembers child labour.
Mr Speaker, the employment of children in any industry or business, especially, when it is illegal or considered exploitative is child labour. In Ghana, nobody has been arrested because parents might ask their children to assist them. This could be a moral issue but when authorities have evidence that the children are sold, engaged in slavery, forced labour or being trafficked, the person engaged in that business would be arrested and people have been arrested and prosecuted because that is a crime.
Mr Speaker, child labour especially, in most parts of Africa, and of course in Ghana, is a moral issue. For example, if a man who is a blacksmith engages and trains his child to become a blacksmith from early childhood, would that be considered as the child being engaged in child labour? If a person moves from the north, west or east to a cocoa farming
Minister for Defence (Mr Dominic Bingab Aduna Nitiwul) (MP) 1:31 p.m.
area and the child accompanies the parent to the farm to pick cocoa beans and somebody finds that child within that cocoa environment, would that be considered as child labour or not? That is why in Ghana, a lot of organisations argue that it is a moral issue and people have not been arrested because of that.
However, when people sell their children, particularly, around the coast to either the Afram Plains or to Yeji and they are forced to work to pay for the debts of their parents, that is child labour and forced labour and the person would be arrested. It should be made very clear. If the person is caught, he or she would be arrested and prosecuted by the authorities.
It does not matter who the person is because that is slavery. When a person is caught trafficking children without the knowledge of the parents -- maybe, the father owes the person money and the person would want to sell that child to another person to force the child to work, that is child labour and trafficking of children and the person would be punished when he or she is caught.
We are against child labour -- the world is against child labour. It is estimated that 152 million children are engaged in child labour currently
around the world -- about 64 million girls and 88 million boys. These children should be in school because they have no choice and do not benefit from being forced to work.
It is not their choice -- they are not part of the reason they are forced to work because they have been sold and the effects on their lives is that they mature prematurely, they are malnourished or they are depressed depending on the person they work with. Sometimes, if they work in environments where there is the use of drug, they become drug dependants.
Mr Speaker, the effects of child labour are great and mostly negative. Of course, there could be one or two situations where a child could be lucky enough to have positive effects and that is very negligible.
People always attribute the causes to poverty, lack of decent opportunities, jobs, migrations; or because of emergencies where children are forced to engage in child labour.
There should not be any excuse to allow children to be engaged in child labour. We should not give the opportunity to anybody to have an excuse why a child should be engaged in child labour.
It is also true and we should be frank to say that because of the society we find ourselves in, it is very convenient and easy to say that because of the norms in our society, it is easy to conclude that child labour is not in Ghana. I used to accompany my father to the farm at a very young age. From school, I went back to the farm and helped him.
Even when school closed at 2.00 p.m., I walked another 10 kilometres to the farm to help him and today, I am where I am. It might have been good or bad but when that child is forced to work against all established norms, when that child is trafficked or sold to pay for debt, then it is child labour. Even when for some reason the child is brought to Accra and is forced to work against his or her will, it is child labour.
We should speak against it, condemn it and aspire to ensure that it stops. This is because children are the future of every country and every child should be given that opportunity. If I were not given the opportunity to go to school and learn, I would not have been here.
Every child should be given that opportunity because we do not know what that child would become in the future. when I was growing up, there
was no electricity or even good roads in my community. We did not even know what television was -- but here am I today. So I believe that if we give opportunities to children, they could also become prominent people someday.
Mr Speaker, I support the Hon Minister when he said that we should have a fair debate in Ghana vis-a-vis tradition and child labour. We should take what he said seriously. We work with people who purchase our goods like cocoa and they see child labour as a very serious thing.
If tomorrow, for some reason they begin to tag us as people who allow our children to engage in child labour and so they decide not to purchase our cocoa any longer, we would be in trouble. When they bring that narrative that Ghana and La Cote d'Ivoire allow children to be trafficked, they might not purchase our cocoa and we could be in big trouble and the economy would be hit.
Mr Speaker, I support the Hon Minister that we should make it an issue and distinguish between when children legitimately would want to learn a trade and child labour and make sure that if there is child labour, we take it off from our society, shame and punish those engaged in it. We

should not in any case be seen in this House as supporting people who allow children to engage in child labour especially when the children are sold, trafficked and engaged in forced labour. That we should not accept.

However, when it is about our traditional people in their traditional settings and what they do, it becomes a moral issue and that is where we have to debate and come to a consensus as a nation on where to go; but child labour is cruel.

Once one forces kids; allows kids to engage in business or an industry and it is considered illegal or exploitative, it is child labour. So I would support the Hon Minister to bring reforms and to find out what those reforms would lead to till a day that we can say that we have abolished child labour in Ghana.

Mr Speaker, with these few words, I would want to thank the Hon Minister and your good self for giving us the opportunity to express ourselves. The number of people who have contributed shows the interest

in this topic and the concern of the representatives of the people on this particular issue.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:31 p.m.
Hon Members, that brings us to the end of Statement time.
Yes, Hon Minister?
Mr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah 1:31 p.m.
Mr Speaker, looking at the time, it is 1.30 p.m. and given the fact that today is a Friday, and most of us are going to our constituencies to continue with our works there, I would want to move, that we bring the proceedings of the day to an end and re-assemble on Tuesday.
Mr Mahama Ayariga 1:31 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion that we bring proceedings to an end, given the time and the day.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
ADJOURNMENT 1:31 p.m.
  • The House was accordingly adjourned at 1.33 p.m. till Tuesday, 16th June, 2020 at 10.00 a.m.