Debates of 19 Jan 2021

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 2:09 p.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 2:09 p.m.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:09 p.m.
Hon Members, Correction of the Votes and Proceedings of Friday, 15th January, 2021. I am informed that the Official Report is not ready yet and so, we would correct only the Votes and Proceedings.
Page 1 … 2
Mr Ahmed Ibrahim 2:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we are proceeding with the correction of the Votes and Proceedings, but we do not have copies on our Side. I can see that they are now being distributed on the other Side. So, if you could slow down for copies to be distributed before we can proceed with the correction, else some of us might have been marked absent yet, we were here last week.
Mr Speaker 2:09 p.m.
Hon Member for Banda and Hon Deputy Minority Whip, we will not slow proceedings down because Hon Members are not ready. We will move on. Hon Members are at liberty to contact the Clerks-at-the-Table if after the correction they find out that they have some problem with the Votes and Proceedings.
Page 2.
rose
Mr Speaker 2:09 p.m.
Hon Member, your name first and your constituency.
Mr Kofi Amankwa-Manu 2:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am Kofi Amankwa-Manu, Atwima - Kwanwoma. My name is captured in item 52, and “Amankwa” is without the letter “h”.
Mr Speaker 2:09 p.m.
Clerks-at-the- Table, take note, his “Amankwa” is without the letter “h”.
Mr Speaker 2:09 p.m.
Page 3 …4
Hon Members, we have so many of you on your feet and so I cannot identify those who want to correct the Votes and Proceedings. Please, may you be seated.
Page 4 … 5
Mr Benjamin Narteh Ayiku 2:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I refer to item numbered 187, “Nartey Benjamin Ayiku” on page 5 of the Votes and Proceedings. The other day, I indicated that my surname is “Ayiku” and not “Nartey”, and my middle name is wrongly spelt. It should be “Narteh”.
Mr Speaker 2:09 p.m.
The clerks-at-the- Table should take note. His surname is “Ayiku” and the middle name is spelt “Narteh” and not “Nartey”
Mr Kwaku Ampratwum- Sarpong 2:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I have been captured in item number 229. My surname is “Ampratwum-Sarpong” and not “Sarpong”.
Mr Speaker 2:09 p.m.
Clerks-at-the- Table, kindly take note. The surname is “Ampratwum-Sarpong”, not “Sarpong“.
Page 7?
Mr Ziedeng Bede Anwataazumo 2:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, my name is “Anwahtaazumo”. They are not two names as put there, it is one name.
Mr Speaker 2:19 p.m.
I am sure the Table Office has got the spelling of his name as he indicated.
Page 8 --
Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa 2:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, page 8, the item numbered 7, the second paragraph; your ruling was very clear but the way it has been captured here totally runs at variance with the ruling you gave. The second paragraph here states:
“The Rt Hon Speaker accordingly declared the New Patriotic Party as the Majority Group in the House”
That is not what Mr Speaker said,
Mr Speaker, said 2:19 p.m.
“The Fomena MP, in addition to the NPP wing then becomes the Majority Group in the House”
So, Mr Speaker's words which he carefully chose should be captured accurately because with 137 Hon Members each, how does one become the Majority Group? This rendition is misleading.
Mr Speaker, I thank you.
Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin 2:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Votes and Proceedings reflects the summary of the day's events. The preceding paragraph which is paragraph 7, answers the concerns of my Hon Colleague. The net effect of Mr Speaker's position regarding the communication from the Independent
Mr Speaker 2:19 p.m.
Hon Member, this is talking about a declaration I made. And that declaration has been captured properly by the Official Report. The Table Office just drew my attention to it, and I would like to quote what I said which has been misrepresented, not only by some of you, but also by the Public Affairs Department of Parliament. Please, anytime you are in doubt, ask; a-s-k. I did declare and stated that:
“The Members of the New Patriotic Party together with the Independent Member of Parliament constitute the Majority Parliamentary Group in the House”
That was what I stated; exactly what I said, and I stand by that. So the Votes and Proceedings should be corrected accordingly. Maybe, many of you do not know that this
declaration has a lot of implications. When you read the Standing Orders, you would see the import and essence of the declaration.
Page 9 -- 10?
Mr Ablakwa 2:19 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am most grateful. On page 10, on the name “Nana Otuo Sirebuor II“, the “Sirebuor“ is spelt with an ‘I'. I tried to correct it last Friday. It should be ‘S-e-r-e-b-u-o-r'.
Mr Speaker 2:19 p.m.
Hon Member, are you sure? I have also seen it spelt this way before.
Mr Ablakwa 2:19 p.m.
Yes, I checked the Official Report.
Mr Speaker 2:19 p.m.
If you think that is the right rendition, then Table Office, kindly take note.
Page 11 -- 13.
Hon Members, in the absence of any further corrections, the Votes and Proceedings of the First Sitting of the Second Meeting of the First Session held on Friday, 15th January, 2021 as corrected, are adopted as the true records of proceedings.
Hon Members, as stated earlier, the Official Report of Friday, 15th January, 2021 proceedings is not yet
ready, and so, we will move to the item listed as 4 on the Order Paper -- Statements. I have admitted two Statements but I want the second Statement to be taken tomorrow.
There is a Statement standing in the name of Hon Paul Apraku Twum- Barimah and then also, a Motion on a very urgent matter of public interest. I however, want that one to be taken tomorrow and not today. So, I would call on the Hon Member to make his Statement now.
Yes, Hon Member?
STATEMENTS 2:29 p.m.
Mr Paul Apraku Twum- Barimah (NPP -- Dormaa East) 2:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, barely 48 hours ago, many of my Hon Colleagues in this House and I heard of the sad news of the passing of one of our nation's finest personalities in the sphere of State security and intelligence. He contributed immensely to Ghana's commendable maintenance and protocol and I believe that I do not speak only for myself when I say that
we are deeply saddened, that Mr Joshua Kyeremeh has departed at a time like this.
This occurrence, though sombre, is worthy of compelling recognition by this esteemed House for many reasons, a few being the significance of security in our democracy, his numerous contributions to the effective management of National Security as well as the fond interactions that some of my Hon Colleagues shared with this distinguished personality whom I eulogise.
Mr Speaker, as an administrator, politician and security expert par excellence, Mr Kyeremeh was dedicated and committed to the security of Ghana and focused on his efforts towards ensuring that Ghanaians and indeed, all persons among civil society, enjoyed security as a basic provision within the State. This is a devotion he exhibited, in some cases, at the peril of his own life. His commitment and dedication to the security of the State was exhibited throughout his career trajectory.
As a true son of the soil, Mr Kyeremeh assumed special responsibility towards the general peace and stability of the country. He therefore put the security of the country first above everything else,
Mr Speaker 2:29 p.m.
Thank you Hon Member.
Hon Members, please, this Statement was admitted under the letter and spirit of Standing Order 71. It is a Statement to eulogise the loss of one of our illustrious sons and so contributions and remarks should be in that spirit.
Mr James Agalga (NDC -- Builsa North) 2:29 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Statement ably made by the Hon Member for Dormaa East, Mr Paul Apreku Twum-Barimah, on the sad demise of Mr Joshua Kyeremeh, the National Security Coordinator.
Mr Speaker, I share in the grief of the entire country, particularly, the government of President Nana Akufo- Addo, who appointed Mr Joshua Kyeremeh to the enviable position of the National Security Coordinator, in
2017.
I worked very closely with him in the capacity as the immediate past Hon Ranking Member for the Select Committee on Defence and Interior, which has oversight responsibility of the Ministry of National Security of which, he was a part. The few times we engaged at the level of the Committee, I could bear testimony to his humility. He was very quiet and unassuming but to a large extent, very principled. These are the genuine testimonies I could give in respect of his character.
Mr Speaker, we are told that he died of the COVID-19 virus and it is sad to know that as a person who worked at the Ministry of National
Security, which also had responsibility to devise strategies for the country's fight against the pandemic, would himself fall victim to the virus. His demise indeed, shows that the virus is no respecter of persons regardless of a person's status in the society. It therefore behoves us to take the protocols of the COVID-19 pandemic very seriously for the security and safety of our country.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Member who made the Statement, alluded to some of the accomplishments of Mr Joshua Kyeremeh and I would want to add that apart from his contribution towards the adoption of the National Integrated Maritime Strategy, public security and cyber security strategies, he also played a pivotal role in the formulation of the counter terrorism strategy for our country.
We are all aware that terrorism has become an existential threat to our country, so when we started making calls for a strategy to be formulated, he and the Hon Minister for National Security, Mr Kan Dapaah, were very forceful in that regard. So, today, if we have the Counter Terrorism Strategy in place, we need to commend highly the efforts put in place by the Hon Minister for National Security and of course, the late Mr Joshua Kyeremeh.
Mr Speaker, I need to make mention of the fact that the two, also played very important role in the revision and the re-enactment of the National Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, into law in 2020.
Mr Joshua Kyeremeh, has played his part. He served as an intelligence officer for 20 solid years and he rose to become the Director of the former Bureau for National Investigation (BNI), which is now the National Intelligence Bureau and eventually became the National Security Coordinator. The country has indeed, lost a great son and we must all join hands to console his family and the Government of our Republic.
Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I would like to indicate that my relationship with Mr Joshua Kyeremeh and the Hon Minister for National Security, from time to time went fusty especially, with respect to issues that cropped up in the wake of the Ayawaso West Wuogun by-elections and the issues that arose therefrom. However, having said that today, Mr Joshua Kyeremeh, has been called by our Maker and it is my prayer that the good Lord would receive him in his bosom until we meet again. With those few words, I say damirifa due.
Mr Dominic Bingab Aduna Nitiwul (NPP -- Bimbilla) 2:49 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to, on a rather sad note, contribute to the Statement made by the Hon Member for Dormaa East, Mr Paul Apreku Twum-Barimah, on the demise of my friend, my working colleague and a very good confidant in the security matters of Ghana.
Mr Speaker, I came to know Mr Joshua Kyeremeh, when both of us became appointees of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in January, 2017. I must say that I enjoyed working with this fine, humble and very intelligent gentleman when it came to issues of security.
He was a preeminent individual when it came to issues of security because he worked and learned through the ropes from the beginning of his career to the pinnacle of it. He was an embodiment of knowledge of security matters. Difficult as it may have seemed in the management of security over the past four years, he discharged his duties extremely well as the National Security Coordinator.
Mr Speaker, as the two Hon Colleagues stated, about eight years ago, issues of terrorism in Ghana, were no issues because no Hon
Mr Speaker 2:49 p.m.
Hon Members, I thought the Leadership was going to forgo their privilege but if they insist, definitely, then we will take one from each Side of the House.
Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka 2:49 p.m.
(NDC -- Asawase) Mr Speaker, I would be very brief. I beg to support the Statement eulogising our fallen hero; the National Security Coordinator, Mr Joshua Kyeremeh.
Mr Speaker, it is said that when you have peace, you sometimes take it for granted. You would not know what you will be visited with, in its

absence. For our fallen hero to have served as the Director of the then Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), which today, is the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) between the years 2005 and 2009, and from the year 2017 to date as the National Security Coordinator, clearly shows how much he has contributed to the maintenance of security within our country.

It is just sad that we had to lose him under unclear circumstances that we hear being talked about on radio and television; something he had contributed to fighting so well during the lockdown to ensure that Ghanaians stayed safe. Unfortunately, he had to lose his life in the way and manner that it happened.

Mr Speaker, as someone who had served in the security services or intelligence fraternity for 22 years, it clearly shows that he has really contributed his quota to the development of our country. It is only right that as Parliament, we eulogise Mr Kyeremeh and it is our prayer that the family stays strong.

We extend our condolences to the intelligence fraternity and to ask each of us what we would be remembered

for when we are gone. Serving one's country is a great privilege; just like all of us in this Chamber are getting the opportunity to do but serving very well is even more pleasing. It is our hope that all of us will continue to give our very best to the development of our country.

I would like to add that the COVID-19 pandemic is very real and we need to take the protocols very seriously; the tendency is that since we are serving our communities, sometimes, we go to a community and find virtually no one wearing a nose mask neither are they following the protocols. However, these people are the ones who ask why we have our faces covered.

Mr Speaker, I believe that we need to intensify measures to ensure that all of us continue to stay safe.

Mr Speaker, with these few comments, I pray that our fallen brother and comrade who was a security expert would rest well. Damrifa due.

Mr Speaker, thank you.
Mr Speaker 2:49 p.m.
Majority side?
Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh (NPP -- Nsawam Adoagyiri) 2:59 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you for your kindness, but on a sad note, I beg to support the Statement and to share in the grief that Hon Members have spoken of.
Mr Speaker, for the fleeting period that I had known Mr Kyeremeh, he was very calm, intelligent and a man who had shown that he understood the job he was doing. I was struck when this news got to me and I would use this opportunity to express our deepest condolence to his family, His Excellency the President and all his loved ones.
Mr Speaker, I recall vividly on a few occasions when I had issues in my constituency, and any time I approached him, his sense of control and comportment was something that you could admire. More often than not, his professional advice had come forth on a regular basis. I recall his effective coordination of security and matters bordering on security during the 2020 elections.
Mr Speaker, he also facilitated the signing of an MOU among our security agencies which has proven to be a challenge for some time to our country. I am aware of the role he also played in the Inter-Agency Taskforce which was mandated to control,
support and facilitate the gold exportation and repatriation. Clearly, he was a man who distinguished himself; he was not somebody whom we knew so much of, but he had indeed distinguished himself in the execution of his official duties.
Mr Speaker, by extension, we would also extend a hand of condolence to many of our compatriots who have fallen due to COVID-19. We are confident that this would also pass and Ghana would scale over this wall. I am aware of a technical group that had been put together by His Excellency the President and there are good preparations and plans that are underway to ensure that there is good acquisition and distribution of the vaccines that have been discovered. It is only a matter of time that these vaccines would be rolled out appropriately.
Mr Speaker, I would conclude by urging all of us here that as opinion leaders, pastors, imams, group leaders, and church leaders, we should probably take a cue from what His Excellency the President has been doing. We have to regularly carry the legs of Ghanaians along and educate them on the danger associated with COVID-19. I am sure that if we all play our roles as a clarion call and do
Mr Speaker 2:59 p.m.
Hon Members, COVID-19 is real and it is deadly and so as leaders, let us lead by example. This is all that I can add to the Statement.
On behalf of the House and Parliament as a whole, I would want to extend our deepest condolences to the immediate family, particularly, the widow and children and to all Ghanaians for such a painful loss. I would want to grant the request by the Hon Member who made the Statement by craving the indulgence of all Hon Members to rise up and observe a minute of silence in memory of this great man.
Mr Speaker 2:59 p.m.
May his soul and the souls of all departed rest in perfect peace. Amen.
Hon Members: Amen.
Mr Speaker 3:09 p.m.
Hon Members, as stated earlier on, I also admitted a Motion on a very urgent matter of public interest, but I have decided that it should be taken tomorrow. It has to do with the payment of fees by entrants into public educational institutions and the continuing students of those institutions for the 2021 academic year as part of our national effort to get COVID-19 relief.
The Motion would be taken tomorrow and I would urge Hon Members to let us have a very commendable debate on this Motion.
We would now move to the commencement of public business. Item numbered 5 - Presentation of Papers. Hon Chairman of the Committee?
Mr Afenyo-Markin 3:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, respectfully, the Report is not ready and so we would crave your indulgence for Leadership to confer on some issues and revert for the appropriate steps to be taken.
Mr Speaker 3:09 p.m.
Hon Minority Leader?
Mr Haruna Iddrisu 3:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am surprised that we are deferring this matter further. Arguably,
under the Standing Orders of this House, you are the Hon Chairman of the Committee on Selection and the selection, as you may recall in one of your very first meetings with Leadership from both Sides of the aisle, was to deal with the urgent matters of the Appointments Committee which is a requirement of Order 172 of our Standing Orders. It reads, and with your indulgence, I quote:
“172. (1) There shall be a Committee to be known as the Appointments Committee --”
Mr Speaker 3:09 p.m.
Hon Minority Leader, let us wait until we get the Report.
Hon Members, we are constrained by the Standing Orders. So, until we pass the new Standing Orders, there are some gap areas in the current Standing Orders.
I would want to plead with Leadership that we cannot stand and stare. I would soon suspend Sitting of the House. We have to resolve this issue and come back with the Report for us to take the decision as a House. I plead with you not to go into the details of why the Report is not ready so that we can try to resolve those issues in conclave.
Yes, Hon Minority Leader, do you still want to say something?
Mr Iddrisu 3:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I take a cue from you, but until the new Standing Order is adopted, we are enjoined and bound by the existing Standing Orders. I thank you.
Mr Speaker 3:09 p.m.
Surely; exactly what I stated. I said we are constrained by the Standing Orders. There are dark areas, but if we sit together and dialogue, we could resolve this issue. My attention was drawn to it by the Table Office.
I would soon suspend Sitting for us to look at it and come back to try and set up those committees.
What about item numbered 5(b)? Is it also not ready?
Mr Alexander K. Afenyo- Markin 3:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yes. Obviously, these are consequential items.
Mr Speaker 3:09 p.m.
So which item is ready or I should proceed to suspend the House for 30 minutes?
Mr Afenyo-Markin 3:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, an hour's suspension of Sitting would be alright.
Mr Speaker 3:09 p.m.
Yes, Hon Member?
Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka 3:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, one hour is too much. The Committee on Selection met, and you chaired it. I do not think there is much to talk about. So a maximum of 30 minutes would be alright.
Mr Speaker 3:09 p.m.
And so we are suspending for how many minutes?
Alhaji Muntaka 3:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am suggesting a maximum of 30 minutes.
Mr Speaker 3:09 p.m.
I believe we could resolve this issue in less than 30 minutes. So I am inviting the Leadership of the House to meet me now in my Lobby to resolve this issue.
With that, the House stands suspended for 30 minutes, the time being 3.17 p. m. Therefore, we have to be back in 30 minutes' time. Hon Members, please take note. Time is of essence in these matters.
3.17 pm -- Sitting suspended.
5.38 p.m. -- Sitting resumed.
Mr Speaker 3:09 p.m.
Hon Members, welcome back from the suspension of Sitting. We rather took a lengthy time in conferring with Leadership of the House. I believe that we have charted a path and we would be taking item numbered 5(a) today.
Let us deal with item numbered 5(a) by the Hon Chairman of the Committee.
Hon Members, because I am the Chairman of the Committee and I am presiding, I would not be able to lay the Paper. So the Hon Member for Tamale South, the Leader of the Minority group would lay the Report on my behalf and with the understanding of the conferment, move the Report on behalf of the Chairman of the Committee, myself.
PAPERS 3:09 p.m.
Mr Speaker 3:09 p.m.
Hon Members, I am reliably informed that the Report has been distributed. I propose that we give ourselves five minutes. It is a short Report. Then, we proceed to the procedural Motion on item 6.

Hon Members, the Leader of the Minority Caucus would take the Motion.
Mr Speaker 3:09 p.m.
Hon Members, we now move to item numbered 7.
The same Leader to move the Motion.
MOTIONS 5:48 p.m.
Mr Speaker 5:48 p.m.
Hon Members, any seconder?
Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin (NPP -- Effutu) 5:48 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion, and in doing so, I am guided by the conclusion of your Committee's Report, which refers to an approved ratio of
138:137.
Mr Speaker, I shall invite you to determine a preliminary matter I have in respect of page 4, Table 2 of your Committee's Report. In my own preliminary matter which invitation I make for your consideration, it is anchored on the combined effect of Orders 109 (3), 154 and 172.
Mr Speaker, for the avoidance of doubt and with your leave, I beg to first read Order 154 of our Standing Orders which reads as follows:
“The composition of the Committee shall as much as possible reflect the different shades of opinion in Parliament.”
And Order 172 of our rules also provides:
“172 (1) There shall be a Committee to be known as the Appointments Committee composed of the First Deputy Speaker as Chairman and not more than twenty-five other Members.”
Mr Speaker, Order 109 (3) provides 5:48 p.m.
“A Deputy Speaker or any other Member presiding shall not retain his original vote while presiding.”
Mr Speaker, my position is that having regard to the membership of the Appointments Committee, vis-à- vis the conclusion of your Committee's Report and the ratio there too, I would invite you to hold that the Deputy Speaker who chairs the Committee, per the language of our Standing Orders, is not a member by virtue of him not having a voting right?
Mr Speaker, if you hold this to be the correct position of the language of the Standing Orders, that would
Mr Speaker, Order 109 (3) provides 5:58 p.m.
leave us with a membership of 25, which therefore would mean that having held that the membership tentatively is 25, the Committee can therefore be composed of 13:12 in accordance with the provisions stated in the conclusion of the Report.
Mr Speaker, I am particularly distinguishing the language used in Order 172 and against the other provisions on the composition of committees, which is categorical that membership shall be, for example 18:20 and in that order.

Mr Speaker, I would repeat my argument for the sake of those who were not paying attention. I said that although the provision in our Standing Orders, which I have quoted supra makes reference to a Deputy Speaker and 25 others, I further quoted

Standing Order 109 (3), which talks about voting, and that distinguished the positions and said that when one is a Deputy Speaker presiding, he does not have voting rights.

All I am saying is that, that distinction is clear, but the position again in terms of practice and convention -- I would want to underscore this point that this Report in arriving at the 26-member Committee composition shared on the Appointments Committee. It is also fortifying itself by practice and convention, which I have no problem with at all.

I am only drawing the attention of Mr Speaker -- [Interruption] -- I am only drawing the attention of Mr Speaker to the fact that in view of the express provisions that I have quoted supra, is it the pleasure of this august House to rely on our practise and conventions, and place this express provisions on Acts? That is a question, which I would want to invite Mr Speaker to consider.

Mr Speaker, to conclude, I must state that our Side is in that mood and spirit of consensus building, and are guided by Mr Speaker's admonishing and that of His Excellency the President. If Hon Members would pay attention to the preliminary matter that I raised, I had no problem at all with Table 1 on page 3 of the

Committee's Report. [Interruption] -- The Hon Oti Bless should rise and speak into the microphone if he has any problem. He must not shout across. [Interruption]

Mr Speaker, when the Hon Minority Leader was on his feet, our Side respected your direction. This reckless loud voice must stop. If anybody would want to raise an objection, I would sit for them, but they should not do that.

Mr Speaker, what we are saying is that --
Mr Speaker 5:58 p.m.
Hon Member for Effutu, you are addressing the Chair. The language that you have used so far are not words meant for the Chair, so, you should kindly withdraw that and proceed.
Mr Afenyo-Markin 5:58 p.m.
Mr Speaker, without any hesitation, I comply with your order by withdrawing the aspect of my submission to the effect that my Hon Colleague, the Hon Oti Bless, was recklessly heckling me. Having withdrawn, I would want to draw your attention to the fact that he must do everything humanly possible to comply with the admonishing that we must listen to each other in silence. Our Side did that for the Hon Minority Leader, the Hon Haruna Iddrisu. He
is not to shout across the aisle, and I would want to draw your attention to that.
Mr Speaker, I may want to conclude by saying that in bringing this matter to your attention, we do so in good faith, and within the spirit of consensus building as agreed to by both Sides of the House. Therefore, your pleasure in the very matter that I have raised, if it is considered, then mutatis mutandis, Table 2 on page four shall reflect the tables 12 and 13 for the Majority Caucus.
Mr Speaker, having said all of these, I conclude by saying that I second the Motion ably moved by my respected Hon Colleague, the Hon Haruna Iddrisu.
Question proposed.
Mr Speaker 5:58 p.m.
Leadership, how many people are you expecting to contribute, so that we could programme the debate?
Some Hon Members -- Ten, ten!
Mr Speaker 5:58 p.m.
Are you saying ten from each Side of the House? What is the position? Is it not three from each Side of the House? [Interruption]
Yes, Hon Chief Whip for the Minority Caucus?
Mr Speaker 5:58 p.m.
Kindly also correct the spelling of the name on the item numbered 19, which is on the same page one.
Alhaji Muntaka 6:08 p.m.
The correct spelling of the name over there is “Zanetor”, not “Zenator”. So, that should also be corrected. I would want to believe that we might have probably misspelt some others too, so, the Hansard, since they have the full names of Hon Members, may capture them appropriately.
Mr Speaker, I would want to try to take us through what my Hon Colleague, the Hon Deputy Leader of Government Business was talking
about. I would start with Standing Order 109, where he talked about Order 109 (3). With your indulgence, I would quote it, and it reads as follows:
“A Deputy Speaker or any other Member presiding shall not retain his original vote while presiding.”
Mr Speaker, if the Hon Member overstretches this explanation, what it would mean is that in every Committee of this House, we would have to discount the Hon Chairman of the Committee.

Mr Speaker, when we do that, we have approximately, in the current Standing Orders averagely 33 Committees, meaning that from the word go, we would exclude 33 Hon Members of this House from being part of the formula of which their numbers have been added, and that is why the practice of this House has always been that these Hon Chairmen have always voted.

Mr Speaker, it is in respect of Standing Order 200, to help my Hon Colleague. It thus reads:

“In Committees, the Standing Orders of the House shall be

observed so far as may be applicable.”

It did not say that the rule in Standing Order 109 must apply in Committee. It is “so far as may be applicable”.

Mr Speaker, I would want to remind my Hon Colleague that in the application of the Standing Orders of this House, we have said it time without number that we are masters of our own rules. A number of times, we vary, like we just did. We stand down Orders and amend some of them.

Mr Speaker, with specific example of the Appointments Committee, with all humility, I have had the greatest privilege of having served on this Committee for 16 years. I was on this Committee when the then Hon Deputy Speaker, Hon Freddie Blay, was the Hon Chairman. I remember very well you led us as the Hon Minority Leader. He voted every single time.

It came to Rt Hon Doe Adjaho, as the Chair and being the Hon First Deputy Speaker, each time it became necessary for voting, he did. It then came to Hon Barton-Odro as the Hon First Deputy Speaker. I was there. Each time it became necessary for voting he voted. Lastly, my good

Friend, Hon Joseph Osei-Owusu, the Hon Member for Bekwai, in the Seventh Parliament voted each time it became necessary.

Mr Speaker, in all of them, each time we needed quorum, they counted themselves to obtain it. I would want to also remind my Hon Colleague of the various Standing Orders he quoted. Mr Speaker, with your indulgence, I would want to quote Standing Order 172:

“There shall be a Committee to be known as the Appointments Committee composed of the First Deputy Speaker as Chairman and not more than twenty-five other Members.”

Mr Speaker, I did not get the privilege to go to the best of schools. I started at Aboabo Local Authority School, but when the Order says “and not more than twenty-five other Members”, it means that the Hon Chairman is a Member. The Chairman being a member, in applying the formula, how do we exclude him? If we do, we automatically would distort the formula.

Mr Speaker, I have in my hand the Report of this House on the Composition of Committee -- Report

of the Committee of Selection on the Recomposition of Committees of the House. This Report is from 2017.

Mr Speaker, then the number of Hon Members was 169 and 106 for the NPP and NDC respectively. Mr Speaker, when you calculate it in percentage, the 169 gave us 61 per cent, and the 106 gave us 39 per cent. When we applied to the 26 membership of the Appointments Committee, it gave our Hon Colleagues 16 Members and gave us 10 Members then, not excluding the Hon Chairman.
rose
Mr Speaker 6:08 p.m.
Hon Muntaka, just a minute.
Mr Afenyo-Markin 6:08 p.m.
Mr Speaker, ordinarily, my Hon Colleague has his liberties in advancing his arguments, but I thought that to the extent that he misquoted you under Standing Order 172, it is important that the record is set straight. If he disagreed, then that was not a problem, but once he misquoted --
Mr Speaker, Standing Order 172 is a mandatory provision, and if you read Standing Order 109 (3), which he misquoted, it reads:
“A Deputy Speaker or any other Member presiding shall not retain his original vote while presiding.”
That is the language which I referred to -- [Interruption].
Mr Speaker, with respect, I only said that the Hon Member can disagree, but he should not misquote the position I have stated. I did not say that it was not mandatory; I conjoined it, and gave it a conjunctive meaning. I did not separate it the way he did, and he should not attribute that to me. That is all I want to do. It is that simple. I just want him to do the needful; he should argue, but he should not misquote my position.
Mr Speaker 6:08 p.m.
Hon Member for Asawase, continue.
Alhaji Muntaka 6:08 p.m.
Mr Speaker, when you quoted Standing Order 109, it applied to this Chamber, but I was leading the Hon Member to where it could be applied in a Committee, and that is why I took him to Standing Order 200. Order 200 of this House says:
“In Committees, the Standing Orders of the House shall be observed so far as may be applicable.”
Mr Speaker, Standing Order 200 says that in Committees, we should try as much as possible to let the rules that are applied in the Chamber be applied there, and so, when it made this reference, it used the word “may”. It means that it is not every single thing that is applied in the Chamber that can be applicable in Committee. That is why it said “so far as may be applicable”.
Mr Speaker, three things guide this House -- the 1992 Constitution, the Standing Orders of this House and our practices. It is what has come to be an established rule that we all use in application. Mr Speaker, with your indulgence, I would like to read article 104(2) of the 1992 Constitution which states:
“The Speaker shall have neither an original nor casting vote.”
It means that our Constitution recognises that apart from the Rt Hon Speaker, every single one of us must have a vote, and that is why when we go to your Committee, our practice has always been consistent with this Constitution where the Hon Chairmen have always voted. That is why I cited the example of all our preceding Hon Chairmen of the Appointments Committee.
Mr Speaker, if today, we find ourselves with 137 Hon Members for both the NPP and the NDC, with one independent Hon Member who has vowed to do business with our Hon Colleagues from the NPP, when you even add for the application of Committee numbers, it gives you 138 and 137. Mr Speaker, when you reduce it to what we have always done in this House, the percentages it gives 50.1 for our Hon Colleagues in the NPP and 49.89.
I remember in the Sixth Parliament, the ratio was 55:45; in the Seventh Parliament, it was 60:40. We always run the percentages to the nearest whole number. If we run 50.1 per cent to the nearest whole number, it would take us to 50 per cent, and if we run 49.89 to the nearest whole number, it takes you to 50. That is why the 26 member Committee was agreed at the Selection Committee to be 13 Members from both Sides of the House, and for the Business Committee to be 10 Hon Members apiece.
Mr Speaker, let me state that it is part of this reason that all of us in Leadership agreed that we should expedite action on the new Standing Orders.
Alhaji Muntaka 6:18 p.m.


If I remember very well, we agreed that we should give ourselves by the close of this week or not exceeding next week to take care of the challenges that we find ourselves in.

Mr Speaker, my plea with our Hon Colleagues opposite especially the Leadership is that the difficulty we have is when we go into a meeting and we agree, then, it later becomes like an afterthought; it becomes a problem because in the Committee of Selection, as held on Friday, 15th January, 2021 in Mr Speaker's Conference Room, my Hon Colleague, the Deputy Majority Leader was there, the Leader of Government business was there and we agreed on the 13:13 ratio.

What I say in this Chamber is that agreeing to a thing at the Committee does not take away one's right to disagree when we come to the plenary. I believe that we need to start well; we start well by trying to get our basics and fundamentals right so that as we proceed -- there would be many more Committees that would be coming where we would have odd numbers, and I believe that it would be a very firm position that if we have four twenty-five member Committees, two of them should have thirteen for
rose
Mr Speaker 6:18 p.m.
The two of you, who is the senior? Are you saying that you were born on the same day? Hon K. T. Hammond, by virtue of age, not in the House, by virtue of age by birth, would get the first bite.
Mr Kobina Tahir Hammond (NPP -- Adansi-Asokwa) 6:18 p.m.
Mr Speaker, there was a matter that I intended to have drawn your attention to or indeed to bring to your attention
the last time but it escaped my mind. So while at it, I may as well, mention it to you.
Mr Speaker, you did indicate that the ability of Members of this House, going forward, to catch your eye would be predicated on good behaviour. And that you are also going to make sure that—
Mr Speaker 6:18 p.m.
Hon Member, I used the word, “includes”, not “predicated”.
Mr Hammond 6:18 p.m.
Very well, “includes good behaviour”. And then, you also put it beyond argument that you would insist on the Hon Members behaving properly in this House. I was wondering if you would give some serious consideration toward appointing me as the class captain to look after them so that I would give you constant update on them. Mr Speaker, you would agree; I am the class captain, it is concluded, Mr Speaker.
Henceforth, as the class captain, I would report to you about the unruly boys, not the girls. The girls may be looking for their class prefect and whether from there or from here, you
Mr Mahama Ayariga (NDC -- Bawku Central) 6:18 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much. I beg to support the Motion to adopt your Committee's Report and to add that the issues that have been raised by the Deputy Leader of the Majority Group as causing fear, do not arise at all. They do not arise because as indicated by Hon Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, the Constitution is clear on the voting right or otherwise of the Speaker. The Speaker has no original or casting vote.
Mr Speaker, but the question is, what is the situation in relation to the Chairperson of a Committee? And again, that is also in issue because the Standing Orders are very clear on that one also. Standing Order 211(5) says:
“The Chairman shall not have an original vote but in the event of an equality of vote, he shall give a casting vote”.
So, the Chairman shall not have an original vote but when there is a tie, the Chairman has a casting vote. So the issue is clearly resolved. And if he
has been voting, I believe he has been voting within the context of when there is a tie and then, he exercises his casting vote. Therefore, we have not been doing the wrong thing.
I thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker 6:18 p.m.
Hon Ken Agyapong?
Mr Kennedy Agyapong (NPP -- Assin Central) 6:28 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to speak on the issue at stake here. I have a fundamental problem with the composition of the Committee. The conclusion of the Report reads as follows:
“The Committee respectfully recommends to the House to adopt this Report and approve the membership of the Business and Appointments Committees as composed, based on the approved ratio of 138:137, and subject to the recommendations made.”
Mr Speaker, what is the ratio of 138 6:28 p.m.
137? The Report here clearly indicates that there is no importance of the independent candidate working with the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Case closed. That is what is here --
[Interruption] My mathematics is 50.11:49.89. [Interruption] This is simple Assin Dompen mathematics.
Mr Speaker, if it were not important, why would you have to say that an independent candidate has opted to work with a particular party to make up the Majority? First of all, with all due respect, I think that the number should be odd. Hon Members should let us listen carefully. If we have a ratio of 13:13, and there is an issue on the Floor, the NDC would have 13 votes and the NPP would have 13 votes. [Interruption] Hold on please.
Mr Speaker, there would be a stalemate before consensus is built. Why would we want to arrive at a stalemate before we build consensus? So, I think that we have to be careful in dealing with this issue because 50.1 is not -- [Interruption] If it is 50:50, why would we then say a ratio of 138:137. This would not give us 50:50.
The ratio of 138:137 is not 50:50. If it were 50:50, Hon Muntaka would not have used the word “ratio”. He would have said 50/50, but because he knows that there would be a decimal point, that is why he used the word “ratio”. If we use ratio, then instead of making the fundamental
Mr Speaker, what is the ratio of 138 6:28 p.m.


Mr Speaker, I rest my case.
Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah (NDC -- Ho West) 6:28 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I beg to support the Motion and also add my voice to the debate.
This is a House of record and we always have people at the gallery who take note of what we do in this House. Every mathematician would tell you that when you round up 50.1, it becomes 50 and when you round up 49.87, it becomes 50. Therefore, today, we are being told in this House that 50.1 should be 50 plus 1. That is exactly what our Hon Colleagues are telling us and as a House of record, we must all admit that 50.1 per cent would always be 50.1 per cent.
Mr Speaker, having said that, I have noticed something on Table 2 on page 4 of your Committee's Report, that my Hon Colleagues on the other Side, with respect to gender, have only two ladies on the list. I can, however, notice more than two ladies on their Side. When it comes to our Side, we
have three ladies. I was expecting that as gender sensitive as they are, they would argue that one male should be taken out and another female added to bring the number to three each.
In addition, over the years, this House has said that we want to give opportunity to the new ones, so that they can learn from us. I have noticed that the first timers from the other Side are only two and the first timers from our Side are three. This alone shows that the Caucus on your left side has regard for first timers and gender, while our Colleagues on the other Side, do not have respect for gender and first timers. Mr Speaker, I want to plead with my Hon Colleagues to take the list back and replace one of the males with a female.
Mr Joseph Cudjoe (NPP -- Effia) 6:28 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity.
I would like to draw the attention of the House to the use of statistics which involves the rounding up of decimals when human beings are involved. A common example is when you are entering a lift, and it says that the weight of persons should not exceed 160 kilos. If somebody weighs 160.1 kilos, would the person go in? No, because it would bring down the lift.
Mr Speaker, there are several practical examples that have given -- [Interruption] -- an approach to round off decimals when dealing with human beings. In our particular case, the underpinning theory is that we should look at the situation. In our particular case, the NDC has 137, the NPP has 137, there is one independent candidate and we are composing Committees.
The situation calls on us to reflect the presence of the independent candidate in this House. How would we have dealt with the same situation if there were 40 independent MPs in the House and an equal number of NPP and NDC Members? Would we have just looked at the NPP and NDC persons and composed the Committees? That is the question I want to ask the House.
Mr Speaker, I must say that when you drill the composition as we have it now, the 49.81 leaves a clear statistical interpretation, that we are talking about less than 50 per cent if we are counting human beings. The 50.1 clearly says that we are talking about more than 50 per cent when we are counting human beings. This is because we cannot deal with human
beings in fractions. I want to draw the attention of the House to this as we compose all Committees and not only the Appointments Committee.
Mr Speaker, I thank you.
Mr Speaker 6:38 p.m.
Hon Members, I have gone beyond the number of Hon Members who are supposed to contribute to this Motion but it looks like you want to continue. That is the only item left on the Order Paper but -- when your leaders are on their feet, it is difficult to deny them the opportunity and because an issue of statistics was raised, I would allow the Hon Deputy Minority Leader to submit his understanding of the data, statistics and the percentages.
Mr James Klutse Avedzi (NDC -- Ketu North) 6:38 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to contribute to the Motion.
Mr Speaker, there is the argument of whether the Hon First Deputy Speaker, who is also the Hon Chairman of the Appointments Committee should be counted in the application of the ratio. That is the issue of contention. The Hon Deputy Majority Leader, made reference to Order 109 (3), which reads as follows:

“A Deputy Speaker or any other Member presiding shall not retain his original vote while presiding''.

He also went further to say that he has no problem with Table 1, which is in respect of the Business Committee. However, if we apply the reason he quoted Order 109 (3), that because the Hon First Deputy Speaker would preside so he should not be counted in the application of the formula, it means that the same must apply to the Business Committee because the “any other'' in the Order 109 (3), refers to the Hon Chairman of that Committee as well. So, one member would also not be counted in the application of the formula and that is what the Hon Minority Chief Whip spoke against.

Mr Speaker, if he has no problem with Table 1, let us apply the formula and take out one member then it would be left with 19 members so we could apply the formula. Would the ratio of 138 to 137 give us 11 or 10 -- for that matter their Side would have 11 Hon Members from that Committee?

He has no problem with that one because if we apply the formula on the 19 members, they would have 9.543 on their Side and for our Side, we would have 9.465 and because

we cannot divide human beings, it means that out of the 19 members, they should have 10 members and we would have 9 members then the Hon Chairman of the Committee, who is from their Side would be added to their number to make it 11 members. He does not have a problem with that one but he has a problem with the composition of the Appointments Committee.

With respect to the Appointments Committee, he should take out the Hon Chairman, so that it would be left with 25 members. If we apply a ratio for the Appointments Committee, they would have 12.545 from their Side and our Side would be 12.434. which means that they also have to run up their Side to 13 members and we would run our Side down to 12 members, in addition to the Hon Chairman.

It means that they would have 14 members and we would have 12 members. He has a problem with that but in the case of the Business Committee, where they would have 11 members and we would have 9 members, he does not have any problem. He shoved himself with the points he raised and so the relevance of Order 109 (3), does not count.

Mr Speaker, the issue is about application of the ratio on the total number of the membership of the Committee and for that matter, for the Business Committee. If we apply the ratio, they would have 10 members from their Side and we would also have 10 members from our Side. In the same way, if we apply the ratio of 138 over 275 and then 137 over 275, for the Appointments Committee, they would have 13 members from their Side and we would also have 13 members from our Side.

Mr Speaker, the Committee, did a perfect job by coming out with a ratio, so we should apply the ratio to the appropriate number and for that matter the Report and the recommendation of the Committee, is what we should approve. The issue the Hon Deputy Majority raised is something we should not consider.
Mr Speaker 6:38 p.m.
Hon Members, there must be an end to litigation. We have listened to you and I did indicate earlier on that we have a problem with the Standing Orders that there were some dark areas. The debate so far has indicated that there are dark areas and that is why the Committee took the trouble to conclude that we
Mr K. T. Hammond 6:48 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I realised that you are about to make your ruling but I was just wondering whether before you do so, you could kindly look at Standing
Order 211(5) that our Hon Colleague from Bawku Central constituency drew your attention to?
Mr Speaker, I think this resolves quite a few of the issues that you are
Mr Speaker 6:48 p.m.
I am aware of it as we have discussed it at the meeting. So please, I will proceed to put the Question.
Hon Members, if it is your pleasure, we will stand to be counted. This is because by the voice votes, I am not sure whether it is for the ayes or the noes. [Interruption] -- [Pause]
-- 6:48 p.m.
Mr Afenyo-Markin 6:48 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think that some Hon Members on both Sides did not really pay attention to the Question and I think that there was a misunderstanding as to the Question you put.
We have had proceedings where in the wake of some misunderstanding, you have put the Question again for the sake of clarity. In view of the
ensuing misunderstanding, I crave your indulgence to put the Question so that we can make progress.
Mr Speaker 6:48 p.m.
Hon Members --
[Interruption] --
[Pause] --
Mr Speaker 6:48 p.m.
All of you should read Standing Order 97.
[Interruption] --
Mr Speaker 6:48 p.m.
Hon Member for Effutu, I am very clear in my mind that there was no misunderstanding. It is within my discretion to either put the Question again or proceed to say that by the voice vote, I could decide whether the ayes or noes have it and so, we should go by a headcount. If, after a second thought, you want to urge upon me to re-consider and then put the Question again, I am prepared to do so. I am going to put the Question again.
Hon Member for Asawase, do you not want me to put the Question?
[Interruption] --
Alhaji Muntaka 6:48 p.m.
Mr Speaker -- [Interruption] --
Mr Speaker 6:58 p.m.
Hon Members -- [Interruption] -- I am going to put the Question again.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Mr Speaker 6:58 p.m.
Hon Members, surely the “ayes” have it.
The Committees as proposed by the Report would remain until the new Standing Orders come into effect.
Hon Members, I am told that there is no other business to consider for today but I have one announcement to make before I adjourn the House. Hon Members would recall that the House discussed the issue of medical screening for all Hon Members of Parliament and a notice to that effect has been issued.
All Hon Members are accordingly requested to avail themselves for this important medical screening exercise as scheduled and the date is Wednesday, 20th January to Friday, 22nd January, 2021. The time is 12.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. each day and the venue is the Parliament Medical Centre.
Hon Members, are kindly requested to refer to the list that has been attached to the notice and your
Mr Afenyo-Markin 6:58 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I was wondering whether the Motion by my Hon Colleague that you served notice that it would be debated tomorrow has been served on Hon Members for --
Mr Speaker, I just want to be sure whether the Clerks-at-the-Table have made copies of the Motion available for Hon Colleagues to make inputs and contribute when the Motion is moved tomorrow. I wanted to bring this to your attention so that --
Mr Speaker 6:58 p.m.
Yes, it would definitely be put on the Order Paper and copies would be made available to Hon Members. It is a very important Motion and I believe that Hon Members should prepare for it tomorrow and that was why I gave notice.
I hope it is not your intention to arrest the adjournment of the House.
ADJOURNMENT 6:58 p.m.
  • The House was adjourned at 7.07 p.m. till Wednesday, 20th January, 2021 at 2.00 p.m.