Debates of 8 Oct 2020

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 11:03 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 11:03 a.m.
Mr Speaker 11:03 a.m.
Hon Members, Correction of the Votes and Proceedings of Wednesday, 7th October, 2020.
Mr Speaker 11:03 a.m.
Hon Members, at the Commencement of Public Business.
Item listed 4; Presentation of Papers. Hon Minister for Finance, item 4 (a)(ii).
Mr Moses Anim 11:03 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I humbly seek your leave and crave the indulgence of the House to allow the Hon Deputy Minister for Sanitation
and Water Resources to lay the Papers on behalf of the Hon Minister for Finance.
The Hon Minister for Finance is unavoidably absent, and the other colleagues are also in their constituencies filing their nominations, so if the House could allow the Hon Deputy Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources to lay the Papers on behalf of the Hon Minister for Finance, it would be appreciated .
Mr Speaker 11:03 a.m.
In the light of the discussions we had yesterday, we would not fray in this matter.
PAPERS 11:03 a.m.
Mr Speaker 11:03 a.m.
Item listed 4(b) -- Hon Deputy Minister for Sanitation and Water Resource?.
Mr Speaker 11:03 a.m.


By the Deputy Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources (Mr Patrick Yaw Boamah) on behalf of the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources --

Contract Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources [Ghana Water Company Limited]) and STRABAG AG of Austria for an amount of up to seventy million euros (€70,000,000.00) to finance the Sekondi-Takoradi Water Supply Rehabilitation and Expansion Project.

Referred to the Committee on Works and Housing.
Mr Speaker 11:13 a.m.
Item numbered 5 -- Motion.
Mr Moses Anim 11:13 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I seek your leave to vary the order of Business so that we could take the item numbered 8.
Mr Speaker 11:13 a.m.
Item listed 8?
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye) 11:13 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Committee on Roads and Transport on the Supply Contract Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Railways Development) and Messrs. Dongfang Electric International Corporation for an amount of two hundred and forty- three million, six hundred thousand United States dollars (US$243,600,000.00) for the procurement of standard gauge rolling stock.
Mr Speaker, in doing so, I take your leave to present the Report of the Committee.
1.0 Introduction
On Monday, 3rd August 2020, the Supply Contract Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Railways Development) and
Messrs Donfang Electric International Corporation for an amount of Two Hundred and Forty-Three Million, Six Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$243,600,000.00) for the procurement of standard gauge rolling stock was presented to Parliament by the Minister for Defence, Hon. Dominic Bingab Aduna Nitiwul on behalf of the Minister for Railways Development, Hon. Joe Ghartey.
The Rt. Hon. Speaker referred the Agreement to the Committee on Roads and Transport for consideration and report in accordance with Article 181(5) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 189 of the Standing Orders of Parliament.
The Committee is grateful to the Minister for Railways Development, Hon. Joe Ghartey, the Chief Director and other Officers of the Sector Ministry for attending upon the Committee.
2.0 Reference Documents
i. The 1992 Constitution of Ghana;
ii. The Standing Orders of Parliament;
iii. The Supply Contract Agreement between the Government of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Railways Development) and Messrs Donfang Electric International Corporation for an amount of two hundred and forty-three Million, six hundred thousand United States Dollars (US$243,600,000.00) for the procurement of Standard Gauge Rolling Stock.
3.0 Background
The Government of Ghana, desirous to develop a modern standard gauge railway network is currently engaged the construction of a number of standard gauge railway lines. These include the construction of the 97kms standard gauge Tema- Mpakadan railway line and the development of sections of the standard gauge Western railway line from Kojokrom-Eshiem (5kms) and Eshiem-Manso (17kms).
In addition, the Government has signed a Commercial Contract for the continuation of the Standard Gauge Western railway line from Manso to Huni Valley. This include a new standard gauge line connecting to the
Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza (NDC -- Adaklu) 11:13 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion ably moved by the Hon Chairman and to make these few comments.
Mr Speaker, we dealt with the facility agreement yesterday. In this Commercial Agreement, we took the Report of the Committee before going on break. I just would want to make a few observations.
On the number of items we are buying, the locomotives, the passenger and freight wagons, we suggest that we would have a lot of rolling stock without the real rail lines to use them. I am happy our colleague, the Deputy Minister for Railways Development is here. It means that we have to do a lot of work to complete a lot on the ongoing works and even add to the rail lines. Otherwise, we would spend US$240 million to buy rolling stock and would not have enough rail lines to use them. So we have a long way to go to achieve that.
Mr Speaker, secondly, railway operations are capital intensive and of higher scale in the world. It is a good way of creating sustainable jobs. So while I see some allowance for technical training, we need to build our own capacity. For instance, it appears that, every day, somebody needs to walk the lines and make sure that it is still safe before other people use it the next morning. So it would be good to have a strategy to improve
Mr Mahama Ayariga (NDC -- Bawku Central) 11:23 a.m.
Mr Speaker, there is no doubt that our country is lagging behind in terms of railway infrastructure. Therefore, every effort to develop the railway infrastructure of this country needs to be supported, and that is why I believe that we would want to support any effort to acquire infrastructure for the development of our rail sector.
Mr Speaker, like many of the sectors of this country, we have not taken advantage of the process of innovating and building local content into the development of the infrastructure with a long term
objective of building local capabilities. That is why I would want to recommend to the Ministry of Railways Development that as we make this big push towards the development of the railway sector, we also look at how alongside that, we would develop local capability in terms of the building of the infrastructure.
Mr Speaker, there are more complex components of the technology, and there are simpler components of the technology. For instance, with respect to the coaches, they are not too technical in terms of the construction. So, while we may not be able to construct the machines for the lines here, with some components of the coaches, we could structure the Agreement in such a way that those parts could be done locally. Once we build that capability, we could expand the service to the sub- region, and like it is done in the automobile industry, Ghana could begin to build local capability in terms of the railway sector, and that perhaps can be the motivation to further expand the sector.
Mr Speaker, secondly, I also think that we should be innovative in financing the infrastructure. A railway line is like a highway; the roads that we have constructed. Once we construct the roads, it may not be the
best to buy the buses, the trucks etcetera. We may also want to consider constructing the lines, and then leasing out the use of the lines to the private sector, so that they would invest their moneys in the construction of the coaches as well as the purchase of the locomotives, and then use the lines based on some licensing regime.
Very often, the private sector is more franchising, efficient and capable in managing. In the past, we had seen instances where we had approved huge loans, purchased such facilities, and in a few years, we go there only to realise that the machines and the lines are lying there not maintained. The lines are not Maintained, yet, the public is burdened with the payment of these facilities and loans. Therefore, we must be a little more innovative in financing some of these infrastructure.
Mr Speaker, your Committee, I believe in recommending to us that we approve these facilities, must also do some level of due diligence in terms of costing. I know that it is subject to the procurement going through the Public Procurement Authority. But then also, as a House, sometimes it would be good to, at least, have a sense of the cost of a wagon or locomotive. However, nothing like that happens to be done by our Committees. We only approve and
Mr Speaker 11:23 a.m.
Thank you very much.Yes, Hon Deputy Minister?
Mr Speaker 11:23 a.m.
Hon Members, we would move on to the Resolution to be moved by the Hon Minister.
RESOLUTION 11:23 a.m.
THIS HONOURABLE 11:23 a.m.
HOUSE HEREBY RESOLVE 11:23 a.m.
Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza (NDC -- Adaklu) 11:23 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr Speaker 11:23 a.m.
Hon Deputy Majority, Whip?
Mr Anim 11:23 a.m.
Mr Speaker, we may take the item listed as 10; the Procedural Motion.
Mr Speaker 11:23 a.m.
Hon Members, the item listed as 10, Motion?
Chairman of the Committee (Nana Amoako) 11:23 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 80(1) which requires that no Motion shall be debated until at least forty-eight hours have elapsed between the date on which notice of the Motion is given and the date on which the Motion is
moved, the Motion for the adoption of the Report of the Committee on Works and Housing on the Commercial Contract Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources [Ghana Water Company Limited]) and LR Group for an amount of one hundred and thirty- three million, three hundred and thirty- two thousand five hundred euros (€133,332,500.00) for the Sunyani Water Supply Expansion Project (Phase I) may be moved today.
Mr Anthony Effah (NPP -- Asikuma/Odoben/Brakwa) 11:23 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr Speaker 11:23 a.m.
Yes, Hon Chairman?
MOTION 11:23 a.m.
Chairman of the Committee (Nana Amoakoh) 11:23 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this Honourable House adopts the Report of the
Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza (NDC -- Adaklu) 11:23 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion ably moved
by the Chairman of the Works and Housing Committee, and also to make some comments.
Mr Speaker, yesterday, when we were taking the Facility Agreement, we were made aware that this is just money for Phase I, which is the €133 million. The Hon Chairman talked about the advanced payment guarantee which has been paid at 20 per cent but the €133 million is still a budget so far because we have not even done the design yet. So all these figures would only be firmed up when the design is fully done and then, value for money and negotiations are completed. The 20 per cent is in line with what normally happens.
Mr Speaker, the Report actually captures all the processes that would be followed, including the performance security to make sure that the contractor would do the right thing. The need for this project has already been clear and we believe the current population of Sunyani is beyond the capacity of the water that is being supplied currently.
Mr Speaker, but on page 9 of the Report, we are told that a detailed BOQ would be would be developed after we give the approval. It is always argued in this House that sometimes, maybe, we need to see whether they
could be another way of developers coming to the House with a bit more information because it appears it has become a culture --[Interruption] -- It is a turn-key project. Most of the times, we just come to the House with the budget .So there is not much to interrogate at this stage. We all hope that other people at the relevant Ministry and the Ministry of Finance would do the needful by engaging the relevant people to do the scrutiny on our behalf.
Mr Speaker, but once again, I would make the call that we give these approvals in good faith believing the entities would do what is needful, including due diligence and value for money, but I am yet to see a copy of any entity coming back to the House and say that at the conclusion of their designs, approval and negotiation, this is it. Perhaps, they may be doing less or more than the figures we have been approving.
So, it would be good if entities would come back to the House with the summary of what has taken place after the value for money, not only for us to know what happened on that project, but to guide the House in the future. When we see a similar project, it gives the Hon Members of the House an idea of what we think it should be when we are looking at them.
Mr Ahmed Ibrahim (NDC -- Banda) 11:43 a.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion on the Floor.
Mr Speaker, I think this is very simple. But coming from the Region and the communities that are going to benefit from this Facility, some are wondering why the population in Sunyani increased from 100,000 to 180,000 from the year 2000 to the year 2010. Mr Speaker, Sunyani is one of the most peaceful cities in this country, however, water shortage has been one of the reasons for Sunyani's underdevelopment. Therefore, approving a facility and going ahead to approve the commercial contract to work on the Sunyani Water Project, is a very good and laudable move.
Mr Speaker, however, I have looked at the terms and the contract agreement before us is for Phase I and the duration would be three years, that
is 36 months. The entire project would cost about US$289 million and this one before us would cost US$133 million which would take us three years.
My worry is that if we use this US$133 million for phase I which would take three years, then the remaining US$156 million would be for phase II. Going through the terms of the contract before us, this phase I includes feasibility studies, environmental impact assessment among others. The actual improvement in the dam, that it the Tano River is going to be under phase
II.
I would want to use this opportunity to ask the Hon Ministry that while we are spending 36 months working on phase I, some work must be started in looking for the other US$156 million to be able to continue so that we do not work on phase I, spending US$133 million and then when we get to phase II, due to lack of funds, it would become a hindrance to this Project. Much of the work would be done in phase II.
Mr Speaker, beyond that, while we approve this contract agreement, there must be a team to go and talk to those in the catchment areas,
especially around the Tano River. I am saying this because there are some illegal activities going on along the Tano River.
rose
Mr Speaker 11:43 a.m.
Yes, Hon Member, do you have any difficulty?
Mr Boamah 11:43 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would like to correct my Hon Colleague. Could he address his mind to page 3 of the Report on the scope of work for phase I?. It is not as if we would abandon or leave the whole system unattended to. It would be attended to, so if he looks at page 4 (ii), it says:
“A new 55,000 cubic metre pay day water treatment plant construction at Abesim”
That is part of the expanding part of the old system to take care of the catchment area, while we look at Phase II which would include the construction of the Tano one. So, the existing system would be expanded and phase II would take care of the Tano River. So, we would not leave it ajar and stifle it.
Mr A. Ibrahim 11:43 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I was talking in reference to the
catchment area as there are some activities going on along the Tano River. The Tano River is what would be used in the implementation of this project, so we have to sensitise the people against activities such as the illegal felling of trees, galamsey, charcoal burning among others happening along that catchment area.
We would be spending US$289 million on such a facility and they must also supplement this by making sure that they complement Government's efforts by making sure that such activities are done away with. Yesterday, when we were approving the loan facility, people mentioned that Techiman and Goaso have now been carved out of the old Brong Ahafo Region, therefore the Committee must do other work to be sure of the people who would benefit.
Mr Speaker, when you look at the beneficiary communities, none of them is outside the Region. Chira, Nsuatre, Dumasua, Wowoso and all those areas are within the Bono Region, so it comprises both Sunyani East and Sunyani West. These are the communities that would benefit from this.
Sunyani alone can boast of the Sunyani Technical University and the University of Energy and Natural Resources. We know that the Sunyani
Mr Speaker 11:43 a.m.
Any concluding words? Hon Deputy Minister, you are done?
Question put and Motion agreed to.
RESOLUTIONS 11:43 a.m.
THIS HONOURABLE 11:43 a.m.
HOUSE HEREBY RESOLVE 11:43 a.m.
Mr Kwame G. Agbodza 11:43 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr Speaker 11:43 a.m.
Yes, do we go to the Hon learned Attorney-General?
Mr Anim 11:43 a.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker. That is item numbered 13.
MOTIONS 11:43 a.m.
Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation (Dr Anthony A. Osei) 11:43 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Mr Speaker 11:43 a.m.
Hon Members, we would move now to item numbered 14, Ghana Cocoa Board
BILLS -- CONSIDERATION 11:53 a.m.
STAGE 11:53 a.m.
Mr I. Ahmed 11:53 a.m.
Mr Speaker, you have put the Question but there is nothing on the Order Paper and we do not have copies of the Bill.
Mr Speaker 11:53 a.m.
Hon Member, incidentally, there is no proposed amendment.
Mr I. Ahmed 11:53 a.m.
Mr Speaker, when we had the debate yesterday, they said the object of the Bill was to redefine the word “Minister'' and I thought that if there is no advertised amendment, we should be given the paper you have been given, so that we know what is going on.
Mr Speaker 11:53 a.m.
If that which is originally stated would continue, then it is part of the Bill and that is why the Question was put that way.
Mr Dafeamekpor 11:53 a.m.
Mr Speaker, once we are at the Consideration Stage, it means that there is a proposed amendment in respect of who a “Minister'' means. Otherwise, we have no business with the Consideration Stage.
Mr Speaker 11:53 a.m.
Hon Member, what is on the Order Paper, is what has come before us -- “Section 39 of PNDCL 81 amended. Ghana Cocoa Board (Act 1984) PNDC Law 81 is amended and section 39 by the submission where the Minister of -- “Minister” means Minister responsible for Agriculture''.
That is all that is before us. The “Minister'', now means, “Minister for Agriculture''.
Mr Agbodza 11:53 a.m.
Mr Speaker, so could we speak to that now?
Mr Speaker 11:53 a.m.
The Question was that, that stands part of the Bill and all those in favour said “yes'' and that is it.
Mr Agbodza 11:53 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I wanted to speak in favour of it and give my reasons but I did not know that --
Mr Speaker 11:53 a.m.
You wanted to speak in favour and give your reasons?
Mr Agbodza 11:53 a.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker 11:53 a.m.
It has actually been taken for granted but you may. There is nothing wrong with speaking for it and giving your reasons notwithstanding the fact that it would remain part of the Bill. However, you may do so now.
Mr Agbodza 11:53 a.m.
Mr Speaker, yesterday, the principles were discussed. I have been in this House for more than eight years and I feel we over concentrate so much power in the hands of the Hon Minister for Finance to our own detriment, which includes the detriment of this House sometimes.
Mr Speaker, cocoa, is a factor of agriculture --
rose
Mr Speaker 11:53 a.m.
Yes, Hon Member for Old Tafo, Dr A. A. Osei?
Dr A. A. Osei 11:53 a.m.
Mr Speaker, yesterday, we went through the Second Reading, a Question was put and the Report of the Committee was adopted. Now, my good Friend wants to take us back to the Second
Reading to revisit the principles. We cannot do that. He wants to hold us back. The Report of the Committee was adopted by this plenary, which included that amendment so I do not know why he wants to go back to yesterday's Report?. We had a long debate and the Report was approved. That is why we are at the Consideration Stage and Mr Speaker has put the Question. So, let us make progress.
Mr Agbodza 11:53 a.m.
Mr Speaker, what I said was not invidious at all.
Mr Speaker 11:53 a.m.
Hon Member I want to make it clearly. This is not the time to go into any principles again because we are at the mere Consideration Stage.
Mr Agbodza 11:53 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I concede.
Mr Speaker 11:53 a.m.
Thank you very much.
Long Title ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Mr Speaker 11:53 a.m.
Hon Members, that brings us to the end of the Consideration Stage of the Ghana Cocoa Board (Amendment) Bill,
2017.
Item numbered 15.
Dr A. A. Osei 11:53 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Question put and Motion agreed to
Resolved accordingly
BILLS -- THIRD READING 11:53 a.m.
Mr Speaker 11:53 a.m.
Hon Second Deputy Majority Whip?
Mr Anim 11:53 a.m.
Mr Speaker, we may take item numbered 7.
Mr Speaker 11:53 a.m.
Item numbered 7 -- Motion.
MOTIONS 12:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker 12:03 p.m.
Hon Member, at this stage, you request. Let us put you to order a bit; you request and not direct.
So, please go on and make your request.
Nana Amoakoh 12:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move that this honourable House adopts the Report of the Committee on Works and Housing on the Budget Performance Report in respect of the Ministry of Works and Housing for the period January to December, 2019.
I so move.
Mr Speaker 12:03 p.m.
Hon Member, you would present your Report but I am only saying that in doing so --
Nana Amoakoh 12:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in doing so, I present your Committee's Report.
1.0 Introduction
The 2019 Budget Implementation/ Performance Report in respect of the Ministry of Works and Housing was presented to the House in accordance with Article 103 (3) of the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, 1992, and Clause 27 (1) of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016, (Act 921). By Order 180 of the Standing Orders of Parliament, the Report was subsequently referred to the Committee on Works and Housing for consideration and report.
2.0 Deliberations
Discussions of the report concentrated on the 2019 Policy Objectives of the Ministry's planned programmes and activities, and their targets as well as budgetary allocations and releases for the period under review. The Committee was assisted in its deliberation by the Hon. Minister for Works and Housing Mr. Samuel Atta-Akyea, the Hon. Deputy Minister, Mr. Eugene Boakye Antwi, the Chief Director, Mr. Solomon Asolla, and other technical teams from the Ministry.
The Committee is grateful to the Hon. Minister, Deputy Minister, Chief Director, and the technical team for their cooperation and assistance.
3.0 Reference
The Committee was guided by the following documents during its deliberations:
a) The 1992 Constitution of Ghana;
b) The Standing Orders of the Parliament of Ghana;
c) The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2019 Financial Year;
Minister for Works and Housing (Mr Samuel Atta Akyea) 12:13 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion and by way of contribution to the Motion, I have these comments.
Mr Speaker, the Ministry that by the grace of God I happen to be the Minister is an infrastructural one and the capital outlay for infrastructural roll out is not cheap anywhere in the world. It requires that we find innovative ways to find good money to roll out the infrastructure. With the greatest of respect, I do not see how the Ministry can even do 30 per cent
of its planned programme if we rely on the Government of Ghana funding sources and by reason of the limited financial space, we are postponing the prosperity that would inure to the benefit of this country by way of infrastructural roll out.
Mr Speaker, I am educated that any nation that does not roll out massive infrastructure cannot expand its economy. That is a fact that all the economists of the world converge on. My real challenge is finding the innovative ways to find good money for the purposes of rolling out infrastructure outside the ritual of waiting for revenue targets to be met by the Ministry of Finance and then, like the village situation, during Christmas we find a household of 30 occupants sharing one piece of chicken. This is the situation and the challenge that we are facing.
Mr Speaker, I have posited that if, for instance, cocoa matters to this country and because of that we go to the bonds market and secure about US$1.2 billion just for one year bailout in the issues of cocoa, it would make some good sense also to look at how you tackle the mocking state of our drainage systems in the entire realm. Some of these drainages that we see, with the greatest of respect,
are so antiquated and since President Nkrumah's time in 1957 that we had our independence, some of these drainage situations have been tackled at all.
Mr Speaker, if we do not take a quality decision that infrastructure matters as cocoa matters and raise the requisite capital for infrastructural roll out, we would be going at a tortoise pace and it is expensive to neglect infrastructure.
Mr Speaker, so, these are my initial comments and let me just touch on a few matters and resume my seat.
Mr Speaker, the Committee has rightly stated that we are doing some serious coastal protection exercise and if you pay regard to the page numbered 3 that is true. The coastal protection exercise is imperative because the coastline of this country is 550 kilometres and the sea is our land.
It is estimated that for a five kilometre stretch of coastal protection undertaken, it will cost this nation, US$70million but if we are afraid to spend that infrastructure that we could have -- for instance, reclaiming the sea and erecting world class hotels so that people will fly all the way from other countries to have the benefit of
the naturalness of the sea and so on, would not have it. We would need to spend money on what matters.
Mr Speaker, we are doing some good work there. For instance, when it comes to the drainage challenges, we had a very reduced budget measured against what was necessary -- just tackling a few. The rehabilitation exercise -- the President was gracious enough to do the sod cutting for the Elmina Fishing Port I am optimistic that, that project will be completed in good time to help improve the livelihoods of our people in Elmina. This is because essentially, fishing is at the heart of their livelihoods.
We were supposed to complete 686 affordable housing units at Koforidua, Wa and Tamale. These were the affordable housing roll-outs of former President John Agyekum- Kufuor and it is sad commentary to make in this august House that what he started was neglected when the Mills Government had the space to govern Ghana, they violated article 35(7) of the Constitution. I beg to find it and quote it for emphasis, it is under the “Directive Principles of State Policy”
Mr Speaker, with your permission, I would like to read 12:13 p.m.
Mr Speaker 12:13 p.m.
Thank you very much, Hon Minister for your concluding remarks.
Mr Bedzrah (NDC -- Ho West) 12:13 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to support
Mr Akyea 12:23 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order to correct an apparent misinformation - he is not asking me issues concerning Saglemi Housing Project. The reason Saglemi Housing Project has not been completed is because there is a criminal investigation ongoing. We have just secured the audit report of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors and now that the coast is clear, we have surrendered the report to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and it is clear that the defalcation is very huge. It is in the neighbourhood of about US$114 million and after this we would take steps to complete it. I am tempted to surmise that the President is very interested in continuing this project.
It does not serve any purpose not to continue with what former President Mahama did because after all, Ghanaians would be the
beneficiaries of whatever we continue. So, it is not the case that we have neglected it but because of the criminal investigations, we needed to proceed gingerly and we now have a good time to complete it. Mr Speaker, thank you.
Mr Bedzrah 12:23 p.m.
Mr Speaker, as I was saying, the Ministry has not been able to complete one affordable housing project because the Ministry of Finance has not released funds to the Ministry. In 2018 I called for this Ministry to be scrapped off because I do not see why the Ministry would just develop policies without performing actual duties such as making sure that decent houses have been constructed for Ghanaians to reduce the housing deficit in this country.
Mr Speaker, it is a shame that for three years; 2017 to 2019, when going through the performance audit, the Ministry cannot account for just one completed house under the affordable housing project. Mr Speaker, as I conclude -
Mr Akyea 12:23 p.m.
On a point of order. Mr Speaker, it is not true that for that past three years and 10 months we have not constructed any structure by way of affordable housing unit. If my respected Hon Colleague pays regard to the Report of the Committee, on
page 4 there is phase 3 of the Security Agency Housing Project comprising 320 housing units for the Ghana Police Service. This was commenced in 2018 during our tenure and it is continuing. So, it not that we are zero rated as he want to portray.
Mr Speaker, thank you but my Hon Colleague should speak to the issues.
Mr Bedzrah 12:23 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would move to the works sector. The works sector includes the Hydrological Department and the Coastal Protection Department. The Hydrological Department is supposed to supervise drainage works in our cities and metropolis, unfortunately, because of late release of funds in 2019, the works sector also suffered and lives were lost. As we progress into
2021, I wish that whoever would take over the Ministry should fight for the early release of funds to complete affordable housing and the works sector so that we can alleviate the suffering of people who suffer perennial flooding.
Mr Speaker, with these few words, thank you for the opportunity.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Mr Anim 12:23 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we could take presentation of Papers on the Order Paper Addendum.
Mr Speaker 12:23 p.m.
Hon Members, presentation of Papers. Hon Minister for Finance?
Mr Anim 12:23 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation would lay the Paper on behalf of the Hon Minister for Finance.
Mr Speaker 12:23 p.m.
Very well.
PAPERS 12:23 p.m.
Mr Speaker 12:23 p.m.
Hon Members, we would move to the Consideration Stage -- Complementary Education Agency Bill, 2019, item numbered 17.
BILLS -- CONSIDERATION 12:23 p.m.
STAGE 12:23 p.m.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr William A. Quaittoo) 12:23 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move Clause 1 subclause (1), delete and insert the following:
“There is established by this Act the Complementary Education Agency as a body Corporate.”
Mr Haruna Iddrisu 12:23 p.m.
Mr Speaker, may I inquire from the Hon Chairman what is wrong with the original rendition which reads “There is established by this Act a body corporate with perpetual succession to be named as the Complementary Education Agency”.
Mr Speaker, this has consistently been our practice, but if we have departed from this then he should give us an explanation because perpetual succession has meaning and it is to cloth a body corporate with a mandate to sue and be sued. So, is it sufficient when we just say “a body corporate”? I just need further clarification.
Mr Quaittoo 12:33 p.m.
Mr Speaker, this new rendition has been adopted over the last four or five Bills that we have enacted and the Hon Minority Leader may have forgotten. It is the lawyers who said that once it is a body corporate it has perpetual succession plan.
So, that is the reason, Mr Speaker.
Mr Iddrisu 12:33 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am guided by the Interpretation Act that “body corporate” would mean that it has the capacity to sue and be sued.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker 12:33 p.m.
Hon Chairman, should I put the Question?
Mr Peter Nortsu-Kotoe 12:33 p.m.
Mr Speaker, something on the amendment -- “There is established
by this Act the Complementary Education Agency as a body Corporate”.
Mr Speaker, the word “Corporate” should be deleted, it should start with a lower case.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker 12:33 p.m.
Hon Chairman, do you agree?
Mr Quaittoo 12:33 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I agree and the new rendition would be:
“There is established by this Act, the Complementary Education Agency as a body corporate”.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Mr Quaittoo 12:33 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, subclause (2), line 1, delete “its” and insert “the” and in line 2, delete movable and immovable”.
Mr Speaker, the new rendition reads 12:33 p.m.
“The Agency may, for the performance of the functions, acquire and hold property, dispose of property and enter into a contract or any other related transaction”.
Mr Iddrisu 12:33 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I support the Hon Chairman's amendment.
Thank you.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Mr Quaittoo 12:33 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, subclause (3), lines 1 and 2, delete “immovable property, the immovable property” and insert “land, the land”.
Mr Speaker, the rendition would read 12:33 p.m.
“Where there is a hindrance to the acquisition of land, the land may be acquired for the Agency under the State Lands Act, 1962 (Act 125) and the cost shall be borne by the Agency”.
Mr Speaker, here, we have to be careful when the new Land Act is signed or not.
Mr Iddrisu 12:33 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would support the Hon Chairman's amendment but I do not have my copy of the State Lands Act, 1962 (Act 125) but we better be guided by the words used in the State Lands Act. If we are deleting words, which are used in the State Lands Act which we are referring to in the third line, that would be problematic but I will
Mr Speaker 12:33 p.m.
Hon Member, we are not concluding this today. You may conclude your exercise and come back. If there is anything else, we have time to consider it at the Consideration Stage.
Mr Banda 12:33 p.m.
Mr Speaker, under the State Lands Act as the Hon Minority Leader referred to, the correct word used in that Act is “land” and not “immovable property”.
Mr Speaker 12:33 p.m.
Thank you very much.
Hon Chairman, the Hon Minority Leader is with you.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Clause 1 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 2 -- Objects of the Agency
Mr Speaker 12:33 p.m.
There is no listed amendment but is there any?
Mr Iddrisu 12:33 p.m.
Mr Speaker, with your leave, even though there is no advertised amendment, it would be a matter of policy but as I read clause 2(a) and (b), we are being repetitive. (a) says: “provide complementary education” and (b) says: “promote quality complementary education.”
We are just playing with words there. When talking about the object of the Bill, an Agency is being established to supervise educational programmes outside formal education. That should be summarised in clause 2 but to say, “provide complementary education and promote quality complementary education” -- in providing complementary education, there is a duty to provide quality complementary education.
Mr Speaker, may I refer you to a memorandum which accompanies this Bill and it states in the very first paragraph:
“The object of the Bill is to establish the Complementary Education Agency to provide for educational programmes outside the formal education system.”
Mr Speaker, that should be the object. We want to provide for educational programmes outside
formal education. That should be a summary of the object but to just use “provide” and “promote”, indeed, then one of them should be deleted and if we want, combine the words to read: “provide and promote quality complementary education”. I will further amend. We cannot have (a) and (b). We just have 1(a), which would read:
“The object of the Agency is to provide and promote quality complementary education.”
Mr Speaker, the second part of my amendment, with your leave, is policy. What is Government seeking to do with the creation of this Agency? It is to provide for educational programmes outside formal education, popularly known in Ghana as non-formal education.
So let us find a way to express it in an additional clause of (b) but to have (a) and (b) -- Mr Speaker, with your leave, (a) should read: “The objects of the Agency are to provide and promote quality complementary education” -- [Interruption] -- It is just going to be one; we do not need (a) and (b) but I am proposing that if the policy promoters for this Bill are here --
Mr Speaker 12:33 p.m.
Hon Member, may I ask: we do not need (a) and (b) because “provide” is coterminous with “promote”.
Mr Iddrisu 12:33 p.m.
Absolutely, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker 12:43 p.m.
Hon Member, sometimes you may promote something without providing for it. You promote it in such a way that others would come and provide.
Mr Iddrisu 12:43 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker. Maybe the Hon Chairman would be guided.
Mr Speaker 12:43 p.m.
So we can use both “promote” and “provide”.
Mr Quaittoo 12:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I disagree with the Hon Minority Leader in the sense that to provide is different from to promote. They are two distinct objectives. We provide and promote it. So I would stand by what we have in the Bill.
Mr Speaker 12:43 p.m.
To provide, you actually put your hand in your pocket but to promote, you market.
So, let us make progress.
Mr Speaker 12:43 p.m.
Hon Members, so are we keeping “provide” and “promote”? -- Very well.
Hon Minority, if it is agreeable to you now, you may keep “provide and promote”. So, formulate in a holistic manner, the same.
Mr Quaittoo 12:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I guess we can stand it down and come up with a better rendition. [Interruption]
Mr Speaker 12:43 p.m.
Hon Chairman, no.
Hon Minority Leader, can you help with a better formulation?
Mr Quaittoo 12:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, if I look at the Long Title, too, there is also “administration”.
Mr Speaker 12:43 p.m.
Hon Leader, please help to provide --
Mr Iddrisu 12:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I know that in these times, we would want to deal with these issues expeditiously. I said that “provide and promote quality complementary education”; a merger of paragraphs (a) and (b) into clause 1 (a) for elegance purposes. Other than that, if he wants us to --
Mr Speaker 12:43 p.m.
Hon Member, we are not looking for the formulation now; we understand. Otherwise, we will go back into -- I hope the Hon Chairman appreciates that.
Mr Quaittoo 12:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yes. We should stand it down and then come with a better --
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Clause 2 as amended ordered stand part of the Bill.
Clause 3 -- Functions of the Agency
Mr Quaittoo 12:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3, paragraph (b), delete and insert the following:
“provide complementary education pathways or opportunities in the formal education system from primary
to tertiary levels for persons including out-of-school children”.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Mr Quaittoo 12:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3, line 1, delete “the orientation of”.
So the new rendition would read:
“…advice the Minister on complementary education in accordance with national development plans”
Mr Avedzi 12:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Chairman of the Committee should be kind enough to give us the rationale behind the amendment proposed, because we were not at the meeting with him. So, if he proposes an amendment, he should give us the rationale behind the amendment and then we can follow. If he just reads it without any explanation and he wants us to accept it, then we are at a loss.
Mr Speaker 12:43 p.m.
Hon Chairman, yes, your justification, please?
Mr Quaittoo 12:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think the Hon Deputy Minority Leader does not have the Bill, and so --
Mr Speaker 12:43 p.m.
Hon Member, whatever you propose, you must justify it. You said something must be deleted; give us the reason for the deletion. And then you are talking about those who do not have the Bill and so on. That is an undue indictment.
Mr Quaittoo 12:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you.
If you look at the rendition, “…the orientation of complementary”. What is orientation? It is simply complementary education. So, if we say that “…advise the Minister on the orientation of complementary education…” we thought that “the orientation” is not important. So, we would say:
“…advise the Minister on complementary education in accordance with national development plans.”
Mr Iddrisu 12:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I support the Hon Chairman, but as the Hon Deputy Minority Leader observed, there is a reason the word “orientation” is used. Probably, if he does not like “orientation”, he could use “rationale”, because within our national development plans, there are persons defined in the clause 3(a), who did not benefit from basic education to tertiary education. So, the Hon Chairman means that, they
Mr Quaittoo 12:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, there is no need for us to go back to explain to the Ghanaian public why we need non-formal or complementary education.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Mr Quaittoo 12:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 3, paragraph (o), delete.
Mr Speaker, we are deleting it because we are bringing a new paragraph to replace that and it conflicts with one of the paragraphs above.
Mr Peter Nortsu-Kotoe 12:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, at the Committee, we agreed to delete paragraph (o), but the rationale behind the deletion is that, it is not for the Agency to determine application, qualification and standard levels; but I support it.
Mr Speaker 12:43 p.m.
Hon Members, so shall we continue with clause 3?
Mr Quaittoo 12:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, paragraph (o) is deleted.
Mr Speaker 12:43 p.m.
Hon Members, shall I put the Question on clause 3 as a whole?
Mr Iddrisu 12:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, with your leave, clause 3 (a) reads:
“…provide functional basic literacy…”
Mr Speaker, I would insert the word “education” to read 12:43 p.m.
“…provide functional basic literacy education to disadvantaged groups”.
Mr Speaker, we are talking of non- formal education, for instance, finance literacy, the Makola Market woman needs it, and that is education. So, I am just strengthening it.
Mr Quaittoo 12:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I agree.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
//Mr Quaittoo: Mr Speaker, I have an amendment which is not captured on the Order Paper. We are adding a new sub-paragraph and it reads:
“create opportunities in the formal education system for continuous education of learners
especially out of school children”.
Mr Speaker, what this seeks to do is that if someone is disadvantaged, and is in the complementary education system, and wants to come to the formal system, there should be that opportunity for that person to migrate, and there should be an agreed class that he can move into.
Maybe, a person was out of school so he is part of the complementary education system. If somebody sponsors such a learner and so he is able to go back to school, there should be that ease for that out-of- school child to move from the complementary education to the formal education system. That is why we have proposed to add this subclause which reads:
“create opportunities in the formal education system for continuous education of learners especially out of school children”.
Mr Avedzi 12:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, is it this Agency that would create that opportunity at the formal education system? This is Complementary Education Agency. How would it create that opportunity in the formal sector? It is rather the formal sector
Mr Quaittoo 12:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is the responsibility of the Complementary Education Agency in the sense that, they teach the child and they know their standard or situation. They must link up with the formal system to tell them that they have a group of children at this level and they have this funding or sponsors so they would want the learners to join the formal education system. The students would be tested and then absorbed into the formal system.
So, the Complementary Education Agency must create that opportunity, and not the formal system because the formal system may not know the performance of learners in the complementary system. That is why the Complementary Education Agency would have to create that linkage.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Clause 3 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 4 -- Governing body of the Agency
Mr Quaittoo 12:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, subclause (1), paragraph (b), delete and insert the following:
“two retired senior staff of the Ministry of Education not below the rank of a Deputy Director with considerable experience in Non-Formal Education nominated by the Minister, one of whom is a woman;”
Mr Speaker, this rendition captures the import of the person we would want to bring on the Board. It is better than the old rendition which says:
“two retired senior staff of the Non-Formal Education Division of the Ministry responsible for Education nominated by the Minister;”
We would want to bring in the gender issue here, and that is why we have captured it this way.
Mr Nortsu-Kotoe 12:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I agree with the Hon Chairman on the proposed amendment, but I would want to propose a further amendment. If you go to line 3 of the proposed amendment, we have “considerable experience in Non- Formal Education”. I would want to
propose that we delete “Non-Formal Education” and put “Complementary Education” in its place because the Bill talks about complementary education.
Mr Quaittoo 12:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it does not cause any harm because we are talking about complementary education so, I agree. In place of “Non-Formal”, we would put “Complementary”.
Mr Anyimadu-Antwi 12:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, looking at the original rendition, a reference was made to non-formal education, and I would want to find out why we would want to depart from it. Right now, that is what we have in the system, and if we talk about somebody with experience, we are now reverting to the Ministry of Education when we have a sector as Non-Formal Education. I would want to find out why the Hon Chairman wants to depart from non-formal education?.
Mr Quaittoo 12:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the reason here is that this Bill is not made for today; it would be there for years to come. If in 10 years, we still have “Non-Formal” maintained, it means that probably, somebody would think that that experienced person should have been in the old system which was the non-formal education system.
In the status quo now, non-formal education is still under the Ministry of Education which is the formal education system and so, we have people criss-crossing to non-formal education as well as the formal education. When the Bill is passed into an Act, we would have that agency being exclusive; it would not be part of the formal educational system.
In future, a Board member would have to be selected from the system from this agency -- somebody who would have worked there before -- to go on the Board. And so, it is important that we change the word “Non-Formal” to “Complementary” so that it caters for the future. If we leave it as it is, after 10 years, someone may say that a person was not in the non-formal education system and so does not qualify.
Mr Speaker 12:53 p.m.
Please go by what the Hon Chairman --
Mr Quaittoo 12:53 p.m.
Mr Chairman, he has agreed to the argument so, you can put the Question.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Mr Speaker 12:53 p.m.
The Hon Second Deputy Speaker will take the Chair.
MR SECOND DEPUTY
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:53 p.m.
Hon Chairman.
Mr Quaittoo 12:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we are on item numbered 17 (viii).
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, subclause (1), paragraph (c), line 1, delete “Chief Executive Officer of the Council” and insert “Director- General of the Commission”.
Mr Speaker, in the new law that has been passed by this House, the Education Regulatory Bodies Act -- that Council is now a Commission -- and the head is called Director- General.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Mr Quaittoo 12:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, subclause (1), paragraph (d), subparagraph (ii), delete.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 12:53 p.m.
Any reason for your proposed amendment for us to delete?
Mr Quaittoo 12:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we would want to delete that because the Committee thought that there was no
need to bring somebody from the Ministry of Finance. There are ministerial representatives on the Board, but we thought that it was not important to have one from the Ministry of Finance …
Mr Anyimadu-Antwi 1:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker, mine was on clause 4(1). I perused the definitions, hoping to find “Commission”, but I did not see it at the interpretation section. Could the Hon Chairman help me out here?
It is on the amendment he moved just before this one on clause 4(1). He said that the “Chief Executive Officer” must be deleted for “Director- General of the Commission” to be inserted.
I was trying to find the definition of “Commission” which he referred to. It is not given in the interpretation section.
Mr Quaittoo 1:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is in the old rendition, at clause 4(1) (c); the Chief Executive Officer of the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training. So it was the Council, but in the Regulatory Body's Bill, the Council has now been
changed into a Commission. It was passed during our last Meeting. And the Head is now a Director-General and not a Chief Executive Officer.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:03 p.m.
Hon Member, did you get the explanation?
Hon Chairman, do not belabour the point. He was looking at the Bill, but you are referring to a position that had earlier been created by a law passed by this House establishing the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training and the head there being a Director- General and not a Chief Executive Officer. That is what he sought to amend which was agreed on by the House.
So we are now considering item 17 (ix). Yes, Hon Ranking Member?
Mr Nortsu-Kotoe 1:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker, as the Hon Chairman said, we passed the Education Regulatory Bodies Bill, 2019. In that Bill, there was the establishment of the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training. So the amendment is to make sure that the position of the head of that Commission is the Director- General.
The proposed amendment was to be “ … Director-General of the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training.” That is what the Hon Chairman was driving at.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:03 p.m.
Yes, I agree with the Hon Chairman because this is just to conform to the provision of an earlier Act that we had passed. So that is right.
Now, let us consider what he has proposed; the deletion of subclause (1), paragraph (d), subparagraph (ii).
Yes, Hon Ranking Member?
Mr Nortsu-Kotoe 1:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker, at the Committee level, we looked at the role each member was going to play. We did not see that of the Ministry of Finance and that is very important over here.
Some argued that, probably, the Ministry is to talk on behalf of the Agency for financial support. But we felt that once there is the Ministry of Education that prepares a budget to present for approval by the Ministry of Finance before it comes to Parliament, we did not need a representative of the Ministry of Finance on the Agency. So at the Committee level, we agreed to delete it.

is not for me to decide, but I thought there was a good reason to locate a member of the body at the Ministry of Finance for strategic reasons. However, if the Committee feels otherwise, we would debate and see.

In such matters, it is always safe to have somebody located at the house of power, which is the Ministry of Finance, to facilitate a lot of the things that the Agency would be dealing with, but I would listen to the wisdom of the House.

Yes, Hon Chairman?
Mr Quaittoo 1:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Education has several Agencies, and in all their governing boards, hardly would we find a representative of the Ministry of Finance since all their budgets form part of the budget of the entire Ministry.
That is why we thought that if other agencies which are probably bigger than this agency do not have representatives from the Ministry of Finance on their governing boards, it was not needed to put a representative of the Ministry of Finance on this Board as well. This is the reason we deleted that.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:03 p.m.
As I said earlier, it is not for me to decide. I just raised it for the consideration of the House since what we are dealing with is the Complementary Education Agency Bill. It is not the mainstream Bill which deals with the formal as this, as you said, deals with non-formal education which deals with the lifelong learning.
So such a Bill would take care of all other areas; it is complementary and not the mainstream. I do not think that there should be somebody located at that level to handle the Ministry of Finance; the Minister and his bureaucracy should be able to cater for the Agency.
It is something you should think careful about, but I am prepared to put the Question.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Mr Quaittoo 1:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 4, subclause (1), add the following new paragraph:
“one representative of Civil Society Organisations involved in complementary education, on a rotational basis;”
Mr Speaker, we are doing this because, if you consider the non- formal education system now, much of this is provided by non- governmental organisations who are not given any position on the Board here. Even if we turn it into complementary education system, there are other clauses that say that the Agency would have to collaborate with them to continue providing the non-formal or complementary education they are doing.
We thought they should have a space on the Board, and they are more than three. They would come on rotational basis. They have an association, and that is why they are included here by saying “one representative of Civil Society Organisations involved in complementary education, on a rotational basis”.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:03 p.m.
Yes, Hon available Leader of the Majority?
Mr Moses Anim 1:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I support the proposed amendment.
Mr Speaker, previous reports of budget hearing on education has even indicated that civil society are engaging our children who do not partake in formal education in
complementary education. In fact, complementary education has been in existence. It is just the sustainability that was becoming an issue because most of those supporting complementary education had their funds getting exhausted.
I believe that we would even have others who are already into supporting complementary education and have the experience. So it is a very relevant amendment to make.
Mr Richard M. Quarshigah 1:13 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think the amendment is in place. However, I am wondering how the representatives from the civil society organisations would be selected.
We have a lose umbrella of civil society organisations, but are they strong enough to appoint a representative? Or who actually would be determining who represents civil society organisation of this Agency?
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:13 p.m.
Hon Chairman, the issue I would add to what he had said for your consideration is that, you just opened it up -- “Civil Society Organisations”. We are not dealing with identified ones or whatever. Should they not have
An Hon Member 1:13 p.m.
Mr Speaker, they have coalition of CSOs in informal education, and they are registered.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:13 p.m.
So, we should just refer to that group. If you say: “One representative of the coalition of Civil Society Organisation involved in complementary education…”, you are now specifically looking at a group that has been identified by the Ministry or sector itself as offering that type of education. However, this one is too open.
Mr Quaittoo 1:13 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think that we can continue by saying “nomination by a registered coalition of CSOs.” In the education sector, before one can provide any form of education, one must be registered with the Ministry. So, these Civil Society
Organisations are registered with the Ministry, and they are mainly into non- formal education.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:13 p.m.
So, what was the new rendition that you gave?
Mr Quaittoo 1:13 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in ending it, we could capture it as: “One representative of Civil Society Organisations involved in complementary education, on rotational basis, nominated by the registered coalition of CSOs in education.” [Interruption]
Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 1:13 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the idea was to create a platform for Civil Society Organisations involved in the provision of complementary education to be part of the governing board. The idea was to leave the nomination of the member to the organisations themselves. The coalition is not a registered entity. It is just a formulation or the association of all Civil Society Organisations within the complementary education sector just like the coalition of Civil Society Organisations on the Right to Information (RTI). The coalition is not registered, but individual members are. [Interruption]
With the way it is formulated, it looks like the coalition would be registered, but it would not be
registered, except that the Civil Society Organisations are registered and they would have come together to form a coalition. We could probably just capture it as: “One representative of Civil Society Organisations involved in complementary education, nominated by the coalition of Civil Society Organisations involved in complementary education, on a rotational basis.” [Interruption].
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:13 p.m.
That is quite a clumsy one. You are repeating the phrase “involved in complementary education” --
Alhaji I.A.B. Fuseini 1:13 p.m.
So, if we are going to say that there is one - I repeated it because if we say “the” then it means the Civil Society Organisation involved in complementary education. So, if we think that it is a repetition, then we could re-formulate it this way: “One representative of Civil Society Organisations involved in complementary education, nominated by the coalition of Civil Society Organisations, on a rotational basis.” [Interruption] The phrase “on a rotational basis” should come because the idea was not to allow one Civil Society Organisation member to dominate.
Mr Richard M. K. Quashigah 1:13 p.m.
Mr Speaker, if we are saying that this is a coalition that ought to nominate a representative, then I do not see the need for stating the phrase “on rotational basis” again. This is because it is a number of organisations that make up the coalition. Therefore, from time to time, they would determine whether to maintain somebody or to replace some other person.
After all, when we take a look at the other ones, like the one on local government, we did not talk about “on rotational basis”. When it becomes a coalition, it becomes a unit. This is because we are making reference to a coalition, except to say that we are inferring that one particular CSO would dominate the coalition and dictate to the coalition.
If that is what we are saying, then it is a different matter, but if we say a coalition, then it means that they all would have equal rights within the coalition, and therefore, if it comes to determining who represents them on a particular entity, then the various members of the coalition would be able to decide that. So, for us to again state “on rotational basis”, I see it as needless.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
Mr Peter Nortsu-Kotoe 1:13 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I disagree with the Hon Quashigah. I would just want to bring his mind back to some of the Acts that we passed recently, like that of the universities. We have various teacher unions, so, we put in the law or in the Act that “on rotational basis”.
We do not want any major CSO in that coalition using its number to always get their member represented or put on the agency's governing board. So, we have done that several times on education Bills, and we feel that such would be proper, so that we could curtail the powers of some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in a particular area from dominating the others.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:13 p.m.
I would want to propose a new rendition for your consideration. We could capture it as: “One representative nominated by the coalition of Civil Society Organisations involved in complementary education on a rotational basis”. What do you say to that?
Hon Chairman of the Committee, should I go over it again? That makes it flow better than the earlier ones. Hon Chairman, are you with me?
Mr Quaittoo 1:13 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yes, but I think that it is a bit hanging. If you say: “One representative…” then it must be one representative of something before that nomination can come in.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:13 p.m.
It goes through the sentence. It says: “One representative nominated by the coalition of Civil Society Organisations…”
Mr Banda 1:23 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we get your idea but it seems to me that if we say “one representative nominated …”, that representative must belong to an association before that person can be nominated so; I thought that it could read: “one representative of civil society organisations nominated by the coalition involved in the complementary education on rotational basis”.
Otherwise, your rendition is alright but if we were to leave it the way it is; “one representative of …”, something might be missing so; we have to add “one representative of civil society organisations nominated by the coalition involved in complementary education on a rotational basis”. That would make it complete.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:23 p.m.
I was trying to avoid the repetition of “civil society organisations” twice because when you say “one presentative of civil society organisations nominated by the coalition”, you would have to say “of civil society organisations”. But if you prefer that repetition, I have no problem; we can say it -- “one representative of civil society organisations nominated by the coalition of civil society organisations involved in complementary education on a rotational basis”. Is that the rendition you prefer?
I will put the Question.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Mr Quaittoo 1:23 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in my notes, I think that - it is not captured on the Order Paper, but we deleted paragraph (d)(iv) because it looks like it is almost the same as paragraph (e). It says:
“Employment and labour relations not below the rank of Director, nominated by the Minister responsible for Employment and Labour Relations”.
And we also have paragraph (e):
“A representative of Ghana Employers' Association, nominated by the Ghana Employers' Association”.
So, in my notes, when we were considering this, I think that we deleted paragraph (iv).
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:23 p.m.
Are you proposing an amendment which is not on the Order Paper? Hon Chairman, the proposal you are making is not captured on the Order Paper.
Mr Quaittoo 1:23 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yes, it is not captured.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:23 p.m.
But let me listen to your Ranking Member, then, we decide whether we should allow it.
Mr Nortsu Kotoe 1:23 p.m.
Mr Speaker, as the Hon Chairman said, by my notes, we attempted to delete it but later on, we rescinded the decision. So, in my notes here, I have it as deleted but I cancelled it later so; we ask that that portion should remain in the Bill. We finally did not delete it.
Mr Quaittoo 1:23 p.m.
Mr Speaker, then, I agree to that. We have exhausted our amendments on clause 4; you could put the Question.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:23 p.m.
Clause 5?
Clause 5 -- Tenure of office of the members of the Board
Mr Quaittoo 1:23 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 5 subclause (1), delete and insert the following:
“A member of the Board shall hold office for a period of four years and is eligible for re- appointment for another term only.”
Mr Speaker, the reason is that while we are changing the number of years from three to four, we are also, of course, improving on the grammar and adopting the current rendition in the clause 5(1).
Question put and amendment agree to.
Mr Quaittoo 1:23 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 5 subclause (7), closing phrase, line 2, at end, add “for the unexpired term”
Mr Speaker, of course, if somebody takes the place of a former Board member, he only serves for the unexpired term.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Clause 5 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:23 p.m.
Clause 6?
Clause 6 -- Meetings of the Board
Mr Quaittoo 1:23 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 6, subclause (1), line 2, before “time”, delete “the” and insert “a”.
Mr Speaker, it runs through for subclauses (1) and (2) so, the second line of subclause (1) would read:
“Dispatch a business at a time and place determined by the Chairperson”
And if you would allow, we could go on to subclause (2); the same thing is repeated in the third line as follows:
“Meeting of the Board at a time and place determined by the Chairperson”.
Question put and amendment agree to.
Mr Quaittoo 1:23 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 6, subclause (6), line (2), delete “on a matter for decision at the meeting”.
Mr Speaker, the new rendition would read 1:23 p.m.
“Subject to this subsection, the Board may co-opt a person to attend a meeting of the Board but that person shall not vote”.
Question put and amendment agree to.
Mr Quaittoo 1:23 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 6, subclause (8), line 2, delete “its meetings” and insert “the meetings of the Board”.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:23 p.m.
Hon Chairman, you would have to look at your proposed amendment; what you want us to put is, “subject to this section, the Board may determine the procedure for the meeting of the Board”.
Mr Quaittoo 1:33 a.m.
Mr Speaker, “the meetings”; I have added ‘s'. It should be “the meetings”, so I have added the letter “s”. In other words, I have amended what is in the Order Paper.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:33 a.m.
You did not draw our attention that you were adding “s” to what is in the Order Paper. I did not hear the “s” in “meetings”.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Mr Nortsu Kotoe 1:33 a.m.
Mr Speaker, kindly permit me to take you back a little on the same clause 6(3) which says:
“The quorum at a meeting of the Board is seven members of the Board.”
I am of the view that seven may be too high. Could we reduce it to six because the agency's Board is made up of 11 members, so that at least, it would be 60 per cent plus one, so that they can easily transact business?.
Mr Quaittoo 1:33 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I agree with him. I also have six here and I do not know why it was not captured on the Order Paper. I kept quiet because it is not --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:33 a.m.
The Committee decided it should be reduced to six instead of seven?
Mr Quaittoo 1:33 a.m.
Yes, Mr Speaker, I have it in my notes as six but it has not been captured on the Order Paper.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:33 a.m.
All right. So, I would have to put the Question on the newly proposed amendment.
Mr Quashigah 1:33 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the issue he raised on clause (3) is to replace seven with six but that is not my challenge. My challenge is the repetition. It should be: “The quorum at a meeting of the Board is seven.”
So, we could delete “members of the Board”. That is my thinking because there are too many words expressing a very simple idea.
Mr Ahiafor 1:33 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I belong to school of thought on brevity but in this case, I would disagree with Hon Quashigah because if you say that “The quorum at a meeting of the Board is seven members”, seven members of what? It should be “seven members of the Board”. This is how we have been crafting it and for the sake of consistency, I believe it is very clear, neat, unambiguous and would certainly mean a meeting of the members of the Board with a quorum of seven members of the Board.
Mr Chireh 1:33 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I think that with the argument the Hon Member is making, the headnote says, “Meetings of the Board”, so anything said is about the Board. So, if we say, “The quorum at a meeting of the Board is seven”, then we do not even need to mention “members” again.
The usual saying that that is how we have been doing it is sometimes dangerous. Brevity is also important but I again want to raise the issue that he is talking about. If there are 11 members on the Board, the quorum must either be five or six and not seven which is too high. I think that sometimes, forming a quorum is the most important thing in holding meetings. If you do not form a quorum, you do not meet.
As we see the representation, it might be difficult to get people all at once. Sometimes, for you to even start the meeting, you need to have a quorum, so let us reduce the quorum to six or five but I would go for six.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:33 a.m.
The issue now to be settled is not on the number but on the formulation. I think that there is the need to go the whole hog to add “members of the Board” because if we end at “members”, is it talking about members of the Board at the meeting or of the whole Board?.
That is why I usually want to go the whole hog. As the Hon Member said, it is important that there should be no ambiguity in the formulation. So, I am tempted to agree with that school of thought but I can see that you want to fortify your position.
Mr Ahiafor 1:33 a.m.
Mr Speaker, my position is further buttressed if you look at clause 6(6) which says:
“The Board may co-opt a person to attend a meeting of the Board but that person shall not vote on a matter for decision at the meeting.”
So, we are not talking about any member but a member of the Board and that is why it is important to bring in a member of the Board but not leave at “member”.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:33 a.m.
What you just said talks about co- opting a person and not about a co- opted member. So, that one would not apply because it is not a member of the Board. However, I think that we should accept the rendition that, “The quorum at a meeting of the Board is six members of the Board.”
That makes it clearer and easier to understand and makes no room for ambiguity. So, please I would put the question on that one. The amendment is to delete “seven” and insert “six”.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Clause 6 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 7 -- Disclosure of interest
Mr Quaittoo 1:33 a.m.
Mr Speaker, even though there is no amendment proposed to clause 7, I identify a word here that I do not think should be here. Subclause 3 line 3 says:
“Without limiting any further cause of action that may be instituted against the member, the Board shall recover the benefit derived by a member”
I think that it should read “by the member” instead of “by a member”. It has already referred to the member who is getting some benefits. It is on disclosure of interest and if you read subclauses 1 and 2, they talk about somebody who did not disclose interest. So, when it comes to subclause 3, I do not think that we should say --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:33 a.m.
Yes, Hon Chairman, you are right. I have seen that.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Clause 7 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 8 -- Establishment of committees
Mr Quaittoo 1:33 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 8, subclause (2), delete and insert the following:
Mr Quaittoo 1:43 p.m.
“A committee composed of members and non-members of the Board shall be chaired by a member of the Board.”

Question put and amendment agreed to

Clause 8 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 9 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 10 -- Policy directives
Mr Quaittoo 1:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 10, line 2, at end, add “and the Board shall comply''.
The new rendition would be:
“The Minister may issue directives in writing on matters of policy to the Board and the Board shall comply''.
Question put and amendment agreed to
Clause 10 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clauses 11 to 13 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 14 -- Functions of a Deputy Executive Director
Mr Quaittoo 1:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, before I move the proposed advertised amendment to clause 14 to add the new subclause, I would want to propose an amendment to subclause 2.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 14, subclause 2, line 2, before “functions'', insert “the''.
The new rendition would be:
“A Deputy Executive Director is answerable to the Executive Director in the performance of the functions''.
Question put and amendment agreed to
Mr Quaittoo 1:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 14, add the following new subclause:
“The more senior Deputy Executive Director shall act in the absence of the Executive Director.”
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:43 p.m.
Hon Chairman of the Committee, what does “the more senior'' mean?
Mr Quaittoo 1:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is a standard clause because there are two deputy directors.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:43 p.m.
Is that it? They are only two deputy directors and one is the senior, so I do not understand when you say “the more senior''.
Mr Quaittoo 1:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, you are right. The words “more senior'', should be deleted.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:43 p.m.
Yes! You know there is a way to determine who is senior in the public service even when two people are appointed the same day.
Question put and amendment agreed to
Clause 14 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill
Clause 15 ordered to stand part of the Bill
Clause 16 -- Secretariat of the Agency
Mr Quaittoo 1:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 16, subclause 1, line 1, after “effective'', insert “and efficient''.
The new rendition would be:
“The Agency shall have a Secretariat for the effective and efficient performance of the functions of the Agency''.
Question put and amendment agreed to
Clause 16 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 17 -- Divisions and units of the Agency
Mr Quaittoo 1:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 17, line 2, after “effective'', insert “and efficient''.
Clause 17 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clauses 18 and 19 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 20 -- Bank account of the Agency
Mr Quaittoo 1:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 20, line 2, delete “Board'' and insert “Agency''.
Mr Quashigah 1:43 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thought we could start that sentence rather with “moneys for the Agency shall be paid into a bank account opened for that purpose by the Board
Mr Quaittoo 1:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we started the sentence with “the moneys'' because “moneys” has been stated up there in clause 19 --
“The funds of the Agency include
(a)moneys approved by Parliament;”
(b)So, now, we are referring to the “moneys”.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:53 p.m.
Hon Member, yes, have you got the point? “Moneys” has been mentioned in the number of categories from paragraphs (a) to (d). So, it is referring to those moneys and that is why they used the definite article “the” in “the moneys”.
Mr Quashigah 1:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, even in that vein, it is implied because if we have already defined the sources of funding, in subsequent narrations, we can avoid it. I think it is tidier if we say “moneys for the Agency shall be paid --”It is still implied whether we take the definite article “the” out or maintain it but to make it tidier and
for the sweetness of language, it is most appropriate to delete the definite article “the”.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:53 p.m.
Well, I will put the Question. It is the House that would determine it.
Mr Quaittoo 1:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, this is the standard rendition in almost all the Bills we have been passing into laws now. We have defined “sources of funding” all classified as moneys and so when we go on, “The moneys” must be put in a certain bank account opened by the Agency.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:53 p.m.
I am putting the Question on the proposal that the Chairman has raised. When it is rejected, then we would listen to him because his is not on the Order Paper. He just thought that it is neater for us to do what he is proposing. So, if people support his position, they would not accept what the Chairman has proposed, then we go over it again.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Clause 20 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 21 -- Accounts and audit.
Mr Quaittoo 1:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 21, subclause (1), delete and insert the following:
“The Board shall ensure that the Agency keeps books, records, returns and other documents relevant to the accounts in the form approved by the Auditor-General.”
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Clause 21 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 22 -- Annual report and other reports.
Mr Quaittoo 1:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 22, subclause (1), lines 1 and 2, delete “audit report” and insert “audited accounts”.
It would read:
“The Board shall, within thirty days after receipt of the audited account, submit an annual report to the Minister covering the activities and the operations of the Agency for the year to which the annual report relates.”
Mr Speaker, it is “audited accounts” because the Board normally prepares a report based on
the “audited accounts” and not “audit report”.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Clause 22 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 23 -- Complementary education
Mr Quaittoo 1:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 23, subclause (3), paragraph (a), delete “the”. So, we would have:
“The Agency shall, in the organisation and conduct of all forms of complementary education, take into account the following: (a) access to complementary basic education;”
We are taking away the word “the”.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Mr Quaittoo 1:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, clause 23, subclause (3), paragraph (e), line 2, delete “drop outs” and insert “out-of-school children”.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:53 p.m.
Hon Chairman, but you know “out- of-school children” are not the same as “drop outs”, so you are not talking about “drop outs” but only “out-of- school children” because they are not the same.
Mr Quaittoo 1:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, but it looks like “out-of-school children” is broader than “drop outs” because there are some people who did not get the opportunity of going to school at all and so they did not drop out. If we say “out-of-school children”, they were going to school and dropped out.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 1:53 p.m.
Hon Chairman, “out-of-school children” do not capture those who were in school but could not continue.
Mr Quaittoo 1:53 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yes, so they are drop outs but they are still out of school.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:03 p.m.
The drop outs are a special group. Now, if you read what you are proposing to the end, you would see a repetition of “out-of-school children”.
Mr Quaittoo 2:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in my notes, I think I have indicated a redraft of the clause because what is in the Order Paper is not clean. So, let us look at it.
“the development of programmes for specific groups including out-of-school children at various educational levels, non-literate youths and adults and out-of-school children;”
Alright, it appears again.
Mr Speaker, So, maybe, we could cancel “out-of-school children” or the “drop outs”
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:03 p.m.
Hon Chairman, what is the reason for deleting the “drop outs”? Is it because it is distasteful to say “drop outs” or you do not like the terminology?
Mr Quaittoo 2:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yes. When we were considering this Bill, there was a strong representation from the civil society organisations (CSOs)
on the field. So, they advised us on the use of certain words and that is why we even made a case to bring them on to the Board. So, they are always on the field interacting with the community and they said they do not want the word; ‘drop outs'.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:03 p.m.
We would need a new rendition.
Mr Peter Nortsu-Kotoe 2:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we agreed that we will delete “drop outs”. The new rendition should be;
‘the development of programmes for specific groups at various educational levels, non-literate youths and adults and out-of-school children.'
Mr Quaittoo 2:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it should rather read:
‘the development of programmes for specific groups including --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:03 p.m.
Hon Chairman, the word “including” should come after “educational levels”.
Mr Quaittoo 2:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it will read; The development of programmes for specific groups at
various educational levels, including non-literate youth, adults and out-of- school children”.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:03 p.m.
There is another proposed amendment which stands in the name of the Hon Chairman to clause 23.
Mr Quaittoo 2:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move that subclause (3), add the following new paragraph: “access to formal education;”
Mr Speaker, we are adding this because I have already explained it that someone undergoing complementary education may become so good that he or she may want to migrate to the formal education system. So, there should be programmes to facilitate this transition from the complementary to formal education level.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Mr Nortsu-Kotoe 2:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker, let us kindly go back to clause 23 (3) (a). We deleted “the” preceding “access” but we did not do same to that in 23 (3) (b). So, I propose that we do same to clause 23 (3) (b).
Mr Richard Quashigah 2:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I have a concern with clause 23 (3) (f) which reads: “the enhancement of disadvantaged groups;”
If in clause 23 (3) (e) we are talking about “developing programmes for specific groups”does sub clause (e) then become necessary? I even find it a bit incomplete. I believe that sub clause (e) would have largely captured that because we are referring to the word “including”. So, if there are other disadvantaged groups as far as “educational level” is concerned, I am sure they would have been taken care of, by sub clause (e).
Mr Nortsu-Kotoe 2:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think that sub clause (f) should remain because if we look at sub clause (e), the expression is: “the development of programmes for specific groups … at various levels”. However, this has to do with “the enhancement of disadvantaged groups”.
Some of the disadvantaged groups could include people with disabilities
among others. That is the brain behind it and so, I feel strongly that it should remain as it is in the Bill.
Mr Quaittoo 2:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker, besides that “disadvantaged groups`` is defined and it means ` `groups of persons that experience a higher risk of poverty, social exclusion, discrimination and violence than the general population, and may be in the nature of ethnic minorities, migrants…”
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:03 p.m.
So, how do we enhance “disadvantaged groups”? Do we have a problem with the use of the word “enhance”?
Mr Quashigah 2:03 p.m.
Mr Speaker, if I may offer my thoughts. In sub clause (e), we are developing programmes for these specific groups, the intention of the programmes being developed are to enhance who are indeed, disadvantaged. This is because if we talk about people out-of-school and non-literate youth, they are disadvantaged and fall within this category of people and this is the reason for which programmes are being drawn for them.
Mr Speaker, we also used the word “including” which is to imply this group of people amongst others and
‘others' not specified and which widens the net to capture people with disabilities and so on.
So, I seriously think that paragraph (f) is embedded in paragraph (e) and has no leg to stand on in this document. Mr Speaker, thank you.
Mr Quaittoo 2:13 p.m.
Mr Speaker, if you look at the definition of “disadvantaged group“, I do not think that they would be in the same class as what we have in paragraph (e) because paragraph (e) is talking about specific groups at various educational levels and non-literate youths and adults including out of school children.
Maybe an adult or non-literate including youth may not be as disadvantaged as somebody who is socially excluded. Looking at the definition of “disadvantaged group” means they experience high risk of poverty and are socially excluded and discriminated against.
The other groups are the ordinary people who by some means decided to concentrate on their farms and after growing to a point they realised that it was bad that they did not get educated and so they decide to go to
school. Normally, they would have food to eat and attend classes in the evening. However, the disadvantaged groups do not have any of these things. We are differentiating between the two groups and so we have a specific definition for the disadvantaged group.
Mr Speaker, this has to do with development programmes and the programmes that would be developed for a person who ordinarily did not attend school but now want to be educated would be different from a person who is socially excluded and facing akin poverty and would not be thinking about education at all. So, such a person needs to be conscientised on the need for education.
So, the programmes would be different. [Interruption] Yes, subclause (3) is talking about the development of programmes and it explains that these factors must be in mind to development programmes. So, the programmes to be developed for a socially- excluded person would not be the same as a youth who did not attend school but is now about 20 years of age and wants to attend school. The programmes would not be the same.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:13 p.m.
Hon Chairman, I understand your point but my only worry is the use of
Mr Anim 2:13 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we had planned to end Sitting at exactly 2.00 p.m. so we can conclude with clause
23.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:13 p.m.
Very well. Can we get a better term for the “enhanced”? However, if you think that it is alright then I would put the Question.
Mr Quaittoo 2:13 p.m.
Mr Speaker, clause 23 is on Complementary education and subclause (3) talks about the development of the programmes. It is the programmes that would be developed that would enhance the disadvantaged groups.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:13 p.m.
Paragraph (e) is not covering paragraph (f) because paragraph (f) stands alone. Unless you want to take paragraph (e) to paragraph (f).
Mr Quaittoo 2:13 p.m.
Mr Speaker, paragraph (f) is flowing from subclause (3) and subclause (3) is giving a number of things to consider when developing a programme. So, paragraphs (a) to (g) stands alone but it reflects on subclause (3) which reads “The Agency shall, in the organisation and conduct of all forms of complementary education, take into account the following; …”
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:13 p.m.
How to enhance is what I want to understand.
Mr Quaittoo 2:13 p.m.
Mr Speaker, maybe programmes should be developed or teaching must be done in such a way that it would build their confidence. Some of them would be socially excluded such that they cannot even come into the midst of people so they must be taught in such a way that they would have some confidence to come into the public.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:13 p.m.
Then that would be “enhancement of the capacity of disadvantaged
groups'”. When we just say “enhancement of disadvantaged groups”, I think that something else is missing and that is why I have been drawing your attention.
Mr Quaittoo 2:13 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I get your point.
Mr Anim 2:13 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I agree with you on this course. I think that we cannot just let “enhancement” stand alone without supporting it with something that the Agency is supposed to do. Other than, do we want to promote the disadvantaged groups` involvement or something else? If we are enhancing their capacity, then I think that it is in tune.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:13 p.m.
Hon Members, so the proposed amendment to paragraph (f) is ‘the
enhancement of the capacity of disadvantaged groups'.
Question put and amendment agreed to.
Clause 23 as amended ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 2:13 p.m.
Hon Members, at this point, I have the authority to bring to an end the Consideration Stage of the Complementary Education Agency Bill, 2019, for today.
I would now proceed to adjourn the House.
ADJOURNMENT 2:13 p.m.
  • The House was adjourned at 2.22 p.m. till Friday, 9th October, 2020 at 10.00 a.m.