Debates of 3 Mar 2021

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 1:34 p.m.
Mr Speaker 1:34 p.m.
Hon Members, before we go to item numbered 2, I want to urge all of you, that if nothing at all, when the Speaker is reading the Prayers, please do not receive
telephone calls. It is time for Prayers. When you receive telephone calls, you interrupt everything.
The person calling you is not aware, that at this time, you are communicating with our God, so please ignore that. After the prayers, you can return the call. I would be compelled to mention names when I hear or see you doing that.
Item numbered 2, Formal Communication by the Speaker. I have with me a letter from the Korle Klottey Municipal Health Directorate. It was directed to the Clerk but he has brought it to my notice and the information is important for the whole House. That is why I want to read it to you. It says:
FORMAL COMMUNICATION 1:34 p.m.
BY THE SPEAKER 1:34 p.m.
rose
Mr Speaker 1:44 p.m.
Hon Member, let us hear you?
Mr Vanderpuye 1:44 p.m.
Mr Speaker, with regard to the communication you just read, for political reasons if some of us could have the opportunity to take the vaccination in our constituencies in order to send the signal to our constituents on the need for them to participate in this national assignment. This is because if we do it in the precinct of Parliament as
leaders of our various communities, we would not inspire people to get involve in the vaccination.
Mr Speaker 1:44 p.m.
Hon Member for Odododiodioo, I lead and deal with the Legislature and you lead and deal with your constituents. It is good to show leadership and that was why yesterday, I tried to clear the doubts in the minds of everybody that I would lead you the Legislature in this exercise.
I do not stop you from also leading your constituents in this exercise but in fighting for the Legislature, I have to fight for all the constituents and Hon Members of the Legislature and that is what I have just done. The other is left with you but it is good to show leadership everywhere as an Hon Member of this august House.
Hon Members, you would recall yesterday that the Hon Minority Leader drew our attention to the fact that once we started the process of improving on consultations between the President and this House with regard to the appointment of members of the Council of State, it was important that I let Hon Members know the content of my communication to the President on your behalf. I promised to do so today, so I would proceed to fulfil that promise.
Hon Members, I did on your behalf communicate to the President on the
7th of February, 2021 and I did that in a form of a letter.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 1:44 p.m.
Mr Yves Hanson-Nortey 1:44 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I was in the House yesterday but I have been marked absent on page 6, item numbered 4, number 17.
Mr Speaker 1:44 p.m.
Table Office, number 17 under the item numbered 4 -- Hanson-Nortey Yves -- I hope the spelling is right.
Mr Hanson-Nortey 1:44 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the spelling is right.
Mr Kwadjo Asante 1:54 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
Mr Speaker 1:54 p.m.
Hon Member, you do not put on the microphone before you catch my eye.
Mr Asante 1:54 p.m.
Very well.
Mr Speaker 1:54 p.m.
All right, go ahead.
Mr Asante 1:54 p.m.
Mr Speaker, page 6, item numbered 4 with sub- numbering as “8”, I was here yesterday but my name has been captured under those absent.
Mr Speaker 1:54 p.m.
Page 7 -- Yes, Hon Ablakwa?
Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa 1:54 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I wish to draw your attention to paragraph 8 on page 7; the spelling of Hon Majority Leader -- Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu's name would have to be corrected. I believe that if he had not stepped out, he may have noticed that ‘Mensah' has not been captured accurately.
Mr Speaker 1:54 p.m.
Page 8, 9 …
Mr Ablakwa 1:54 p.m.
Mr Speaker, at page 9, item numbered 1 (ii), the Hon Minister-Designate for National Security should be ‘Mr Albert Kan Dapaah'; ‘Albert' has been omitted.
Mr Speaker, I do not know if my Hon Colleague is in the House but the
item numbered 2 (xi); the ‘Alhassan' in Mr Alhassan Tampuli Sulemana's name is not complete.
Mr Speaker 1:54 p.m.
Table Office should take note.
Page 10 --
Ms Zuwera Mohammed Ibrahimah 1:54 p.m.
Mr Speaker, page 10, item numbered (xxiv), ‘Ibrahimah' is not well spelt.
Mr Speaker 1:54 p.m.
Table Office, I am sure you got the Hon Member's concern.
Mr Suhuyini Alhassan Sayibu 1:54 p.m.
Mr Speaker, at page 8, item numbered 11, the Motion for adjournment was not moved by the Hon Deputy Majority Leader yesterday, it was moved by the Hon Majority Leader himself and seconded by Hon James Klutse Avedzi.
Mr Speaker 1:54 p.m.
Well, Table Office, kindly take note.
Page 11, 12, … 14 --
Mr Ablakwa 1:54 p.m.
Mr Speaker, at page 14, item numbered (i), the portfolio as communicated to the Appointments Committee is Communications and Digitalisation
and not ‘Digitisation'. They have different meanings and so, if our records could reflect the Communication from His Excellency the President because what we have and which we worked with --
Mr Speaker, while at that if you would permit me to say that the ‘Decentralisation' in the designation for the Hon Dan Botwe has also not been captured accurately as communicated to the House by the President.
Mr Speaker 1:54 p.m.
I hope the Hon nominees are present? Could we get the correct renditions of the titles of their Ministries? Hon nominee for the Ministry of Communications?
Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful 1:54 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is Communications and Digitalisation.
Mr Speaker 1:54 p.m.
Do we have the Hon Nominee designate for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development here? He is not yet here and so, we would go by the Communication from the President; Table Office, please take note.
Page 15?
Mr Ablakwa 1:54 p.m.
Mr Speaker, at page 15, item numbered 3, Roman numeral (v); there is the need for consistency for the name of Ms
Mr Speaker 1:54 p.m.
Which item number are you referring to?
Mr Ablakwa 1:54 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it is item 3, (v). The spelling of the last name keeps changing. If you observe, at page 13, (vi) ‘Bortey' is spelt with a ‘y' but on page 15 and other pages, it is spelt with an ‘h'. So, it is not clear what is exactly going on but it appears to be the same person.
Mr Speaker 1:54 p.m.
Can Ms Regina Bortey Tettehfio, please guide the House? It is unfortunate she is a staff of Parliament because she is considered a ‘stranger'.
Hon Member for Ho West, do you want to correct us?
Mr Benjamin K. Kpodo 1:54 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am the Hon Member for Ho Central.
Mr Speaker 1:54 p.m.
Sorry for that.
Mr Kpodo 1:54 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am looking at page 14 --
Mr Speaker 1:54 p.m.
Let me then call on the Table Office to take note of the proper spelling of the name of the member of staff.
Table Office to take note of the proper spelling of the name of the staff member.
Hon Member for Ho Central, let me hear you.
Mr Benjamin K. Kpodo 2:04 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you.
I am looking at item numbered (ii) which refers to Hon Dan Botwe. I have seen a description as “Minister- designate for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development”. I note that the “Decentralisation” is a new insertion but I do not know if there is an Executive Instrument (E.I) that establishes a new Ministry with this name here?.
Mr Speaker 2:04 p.m.
Actually, we have gone past this issue and we tried to get the Minister-designate to guide us on the correct nomenclature of the
Ministry, unfortunately, he is not available. I said that we can go by the Communication from the President --
Hon Minority Leader?
Mr Haruna Iddrisu 2:04 p.m.
Mr Speaker, just to support you, Hon Dan Botwe referred to those particular words as the description of the portfolio in the Constitution. In fact, during his vetting he took pride in telling us that this is the first time the President has captured the name of the Ministry as it is contemplated in the letter and spirit of the 1992 Constitution. So, it is the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development.
Mr Speaker, thank you.
Mr Speaker 2:04 p.m.
Table Office should kindly take note of this.
Page 16, 17 …18.
Hon Members, the Votes and Proceedings of Tuesday, 2nd March, 2021 as corrected are hereby adopted as the true record of proceedings.
Hon Members, we have the Official Report for Tuesday, 26th January, 2021. I hope Hon Members
Mr Speaker 2:04 p.m.
Hon Members, in view of the nature of business for today, I would not grant permission for Statements to be made. I propose that we suspend Sitting for the House to reconstitute itself into a joint Caucus meeting for the purpose of the briefing by the Hon Minister-designate for Health on the COVID-19 situation and the vaccination exercise.
Hon Leaders, any guidance on the duration of the suspension? Should it be one hour or two hours or should I not state any time so that when you are ready then we would resume Sitting? I want to err on the side of caution so that we do not repeat that record. I have heard an Hon Member say that we should suspend for one hour.
Hon Majority Leader, what do you say?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:04 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we are taking two briefings and I guess we should be able to finish with both in a maximum of one and a half hours.
Mr Speaker 2:04 p.m.
Hon Members, I would proceed to suspend Sitting for two hours because I know there would be question time.
2.12 p.m. -- Sitting suspended.
6.26 p.m. -- Sitting resumed.
Mr Speaker 2:04 p.m.
Hon Members, kindly resume your seats. It would be in the interest of everybody if there is an indication as to the pleasure of the House. We said we were taking a suspension of Sitting for two hours, and it has taken us more than four hours. So I would want to know the pleasure of the House from Leadership. What do we do in the circumstance?
I can see the Hon Deputy Majority Leader. Is there any indication?
Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin 2:04 p.m.
Mr Speaker, our pleasure is to proceed in accord with what has been advertised on the
Order Paper. Accordingly, if it pleases you, we might proceed with item numbered 6, the procedural motion.
Mr Speaker 2:04 p.m.
Hon Avoka?
Mr Cletus Avoka 2:04 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Without prejudice and with the greatest respect, I humbly submit that we take an adjournment now. I say so against the backdrop that many of us do not have the Report covering the motion that we are supposed to take as of now. Only a few on our Side have copies. This is a very important item, Approval of Ministers. In my view, we should be given time to interrogate this Report of the Appointments Committee so that we can undertake an informed debate of the subject.
We do not need to rush through this. It is a voluminous document. I just received my copy. It is a 144 page Report. Nobody can take 24 hours to read this, digest and interrogate it. It is a matter of not just debating it, but to interrogate it. So I would only plead on both Sides of the House to be fair to the nominees and do justice so that we can win the support of all Ghanaians rather than galvanise this and at the end of the day not being with our people.
Mr Speaker, I respectfully submit that we adjourn this one till Friday. Tomorrow is too short. [Interruption] Then we would do justice to this. Whether it is tomorrow or Friday, at least, we want an adjournment.
Mr Speaker 2:04 p.m.
Hon Members, I do not think this is a matter for debate. We have the Hon Chairman of the Appointments Committee. He is present. When the Paper was laid, I raised this issue and we were assured that immediately after it is laid, copies would be made available to Hon Members. And so I would just inquire into that and give direction. It is not a matter to be debated.
Hon Chairman of the Appointments Committee, could you guide us in this respect as to what happened after the Paper was laid?
Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu 2:04 p.m.
Mr Speaker, as of the time we laid the Report, we had sufficient copies to be distributed to Hon Members. Thank you.
Mr Speaker 6:36 p.m.
This is a matter for Leadership, and so I would want to hear from you.
Hon Members, I just ascertained from the Parliamentary Service since it is not Hon Members of Parliament who actually print and distribute copies of the Report. It is done by officers of the Parliamentary Service.
I have been informed reliably that they had a problem with the printing and distribution.

And so they did it in stages or phases -- as and when they completed a number, they distributed that number. The distribution started before the brief today by the Ministry of Health. Some copies were given out late last night and actually, I saw my copy in my office this morning. So I can attest to it that some copies were distributed immediately after the Paper was laid.

But that was not sufficient. So that is why we have some Hon Members saying that they do not have copies. But Hon Members should take note that we have to debate and approve or disapprove of all the nominees by Friday. We have the business we have scheduled for this whole month and we gave indication -- as we know, these are constitutional imperatives that some members of the Executive led by the President himself have to appear before this House on two
rose
Mr Speaker 6:36 p.m.
Yes, Hon Member for Ho Central?
Mr Kpodo 6:36 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in spite of the exigencies of what you have explained to us, we need, as a House, to thoroughly examine this Report, which is made up of 144 pages. There is abundance of evidence that some of our Colleagues did not have this Report a short while ago.
Mr Speaker 6:36 p.m.
We have gone beyond that one. So the issue is how many minutes you need to go through the Report.
Mr Kpodo 6:36 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I think we need to do a thorough job on the first Report so I think that we should not take this item today but we should go and study it, reflect upon it, and come back tomorrow to begin work on the discussion.
Mr Kobina T. Hammond 6:36 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we listened attentively to your pronouncement and I think it was spot on. I am not sure any Hon Member, our sisters and brothers on the other Side -- there is not a single one of them who can put their hands on their heart and say that they have seen and read that document -- [Interruptions] -- there is not a single one.
Mr Speaker, there are Muslims, Christians and quite a lot of them over there. Every single one of them has
read the document. Mr Speaker, if they call my bluff, I am going to mention names and tell them --
Mr Speaker 6:36 p.m.
Hon K. T. Hammond, we have gone beyond this. It has been established beyond all reasonable doubt that some Hon Members have not been given copies of the Report. So we have gone beyond that. Let us take a decision. How many minutes for them to -- ? [Interruption]
Mr Hammond 6:36 p.m.
Mr Speaker, that was the point I was building up to.
Mr Speaker 6:36 p.m.
So address that one.
Mr Hammond 6:36 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I was building up to that and to say that in reality, they do not need any time at all. The number of people you said may not have had their copies have actually read the Report. They have borrowed copies. So to give them 30 minutes or 15 minutes -- Mr Speaker, from what has fallen out of your mouth, you do not want to stand this matter down till tomorrow. It is 6 o'clock and you want to start it today.
Mr Speaker, we can all sit attentively while you give them about 10 minutes to brush through the document and then we take it on.
Mr Speaker, my submission is that we are not going to push it to tomorrow.
Mr Emmanuel A. Buah 6:36 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity and for taking your time to really find out what has happened. The Clerk just informed you that the machine has broken down. What it means is that those who do not have copies would not get copies until that machine can print those copies.
So I am humbly submitting that the Clerk should be able to indicate when all of us who do not have copies and truly, we do not have copies, can get copies so that we can get the time to read and make the decisions? This is because until we know when we would get copies, we cannot take that decision.
Mr Speaker 6:36 p.m.
As we go on with the deliberations, I am counting the minutes.
Mr Haruna Iddrisu 6:36 p.m.
Mr Speaker, it was the true copy that the Chairman of the Appointments Committee laid our first Report yesterday and you directed in accordance with our Standing Orders that copies be distributed. It is also
Mr Speaker 6:46 p.m.
Hon Members, there is a proposal and I would want to hear from the Hon Majority Leader. The proposal is that we take both the first report and second report that are to be laid today, tomorrow. After those have been taken, we will ensure that the third report is taken latest by Friday, 5th March, 2021.
Yes, Hon Majority Leader, what do you say to that?
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 6:46 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much. I was not here when you started, but then --
Mr Speaker 6:46 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader, you were ably represented, and they really put across your views, but we want to hear from you.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 6:46 p.m.
Mr Speaker, indeed, where there is a will, there is always a way.
Mr Speaker, I caught the tail-end of your own intervention -- the guidance when I was about entering the Chamber. Let us be honest with ourselves; whenever we have considered reports from the Appointments Committee, at the very inception of any Government, we have always run into such hurdles that reports are not laid early enough, and people do not have the luxury of time, but we allow ourselves to be led on by the Members of the Appointments Committee. Let anybody say that what I am saying is not true. What has changed?
Mr Speaker, you would remember that yesterday, you even wanted us to start with the consideration of the document with the laying of the document, but I insisted that no, I thought Hon Members would raise issues that they needed time to look at the Report. So, I insisted that we would not do it yesterday --
Mr Speaker 6:46 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader, I do not understand what you are talking about. That I insisted that
-- 6:46 p.m.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 6:46 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I said, “I insisted.”
Mr Speaker 6:46 p.m.
No! You referred --
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 6:46 p.m.
You gave the directive that we could upon the laying of the Report begin the consideration, and I said to you that Hon Members would say that they might not have had the opportunity to read the Report. So, I insisted that we do it today.
Mr Speaker, you agreed; you understood that we did not have enough time at our disposal. I believe Hon Colleagues in Leadership also understood. But I thought that still, Hon Members needed some time to read the Report, which is what we have done. It is the reason why I am saying that if indeed, there is a will, there must be a way.
Mr Speaker, copies have been made available to Hon Members. I understand that not everybody has a copy of the Report. I overheard somebody saying that copies have been made available to me -- It is not to me -- I was in the Chamber when they came distributing the
Mr Speaker 6:46 p.m.
Hon Members, let us first deal with item numbered 5, and then when we get to items numbered 6 and 7, I will put the Question and the House will decide on whether we should proceed with it or do so tomorrow. That is the decision of the House, and not of the Speaker.
Hon Members, we will move to -- At the Commencement of Public Business -- Item numbered 5.
PAPERS 6:46 p.m.
Mr Speaker 6:56 p.m.
The Clerk is directed to ensure that the distribution is done early enough for us to take the Report tomorrow.
Question put.
Definitely, the Speaker is not able to detect whether it is the Ayes or the Noes that had it and so, I will straightaway ask that this decision be taken by a headcount.
Now, those in favour please stand up to be counted.
Mr Speaker 6:56 p.m.
Hon Members, the Clerks-at-the-Table are having a difficulty in counting because Hon Members are not stationary at their seats. The report I have is that Hon Members are in motion. When the clerks count, they see an Hon Member move and so, they have a challenge.
You do not need to stand up to be counted. Can we now sit to be counted? Please, be at your seat so that you would be counted. Do not move. Hon Members, take your seats.
Some Hon Members 6:56 p.m.
There are no seats.
Mr Speaker 7:06 p.m.
There are no seats? [Interruption]

Hon Members, we have a serious challenge. So Leaders, what we intend to do is to make use of the list of Hon Members. We call your name, you stand up and we mark, so we move fast. That is not in the rules, but if Hon Members agree - we are masters of our rules and procedures.

Hon Members, the Table Office will proceed to read out the names of those who are --
rose
Mr Speaker 7:06 p.m.
Yes, Hon Minority Leader?
Mr Iddrisu 7:06 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I renew my call. Every elected Member of Parliament (MP) deserves equal
Mr Speaker 7:26 p.m.
Hon Minority Leader, we have gone beyond this

The Table Office is going to read out your names and those in support will stand up to be marked and those who are against would still resume their seats. Then when we put the Question on those who are against the Motion, you would also stand up when your names are mentioned.

Table Office, please, start.

Hon Members, when you hear your name, stand up and identify yourself -- you should not say “present'' or “absent''. Those who are not “for'', should sit because the symbol “—'' or “×'' is what would be used in making the mark.

Please, continue.

AYES - 137

NOES - 125

Resolved accordingly.
Mr Speaker 8:06 p.m.
Hon Members, the decision of the House is that we proceed with item numbered 6 - Motion.
Hon Chairman of the Committee?
rose
Mr Speaker 8:06 p.m.
Hon Deputy Minority Leader?
Mr Avedzi 8:06 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you for the process that we have gone through which also shows clearly that 137 Hon Members are in favour of this Motion and 125 Hon Members are against the Motion. This means that definitely the Hon Chairman of the Committee would have to move the Motion.
Mr Speaker, however, we have earlier raised an issue that Hon Members --
Mr Speaker 8:06 p.m.
Hon Member, we are dealing with Motion numbered 6 on page 4 of the Order Paper. We have not yet reached item numbered
7.
Hon Chairman of the Committee?
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu) 8:06 p.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 First Report of the Appointments Committee on the President's nominations for Ministerial appointments may be moved today.
Question put and Motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Mr Speaker 8:06 p.m.
Item numbered 7.
Hon Chairman of the Committee?
MOTIONS 8:06 p.m.
Chairman of the Committee (Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu) 8:06 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to move that this honourable House adopts the First
Mr. Kan-Dapaah has the following professional qualifications 8:06 p.m.
a) fellow of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants; UK (1978). b) Member, Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana, and c) Honorary PhD from the University of Professional Studies, Accra.
Mr Kan-Dapaah worked as the Resident Partner of Panell Kerr Foster, Chartered Accountants in Liberia (1978 - 1986). Between 1986 and 1987, he was the Head of Audit at the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT). He joined the Electricity Company of Ghana as the Director of Audit in 1987 and later held the position of Director of Finance in the same company from 1989 to 1995. He later became the Founding Member/Managing Partner of the Kan-Dapaah and Associates from 1996 to 2000.
The Nominee served as the Member of Parliament for the Afigya Sekyere West Constituency from 1997 to 2013. Between 2001 and
NOMINEE 8:06 p.m.
NOMINEES 8:06 p.m.
AU 8:06 p.m.
Ministerial Advisory Board 8:06 p.m.
Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Environment Science and Technology, Ministry of Special Initiatives and the Ministry of Zongo and Inner City. Finally, Hon Dr Adutwum was a Deputy Minister of Education from January 2017 to January 2021.
The nominee was a member of the following professional bodies: 1) Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), Nat onal Association of Black School Educa i
(NABSE)-USA, Califor- nia Charter Schools (CCSA)-USA, Chairman, Visiting Committee for Western Association of Schools and Colleges (An Accreditation Agency for Schools in California and Hawaii), New Designs for career and Technical Education Committee, and President, Ghana Association of Southern California.
Hon Dr Adutwum has attended a number of conferences and capacity building programmes. Some of these are; United Kingdom Forum for International Education and Training (UKFIET) Conference at the University of Oxford, Presentation on Inclusive Education Systems Futures, Fallacies and Finance-2019; 3rd National Conference on Curriculum Reform, Nairobi, Kenya. 16th August 2019-Presentation on Expanding Inclusion Reaching Every Child through Education Reforms-The Ghanai
n Story. Others are the Annual Confe ences on the Comparative and Inte national Education Society (CIES) San Francisco. USA-14th -18th Ap il 2019-Presentation on Ghana's colla oration with USAID to implement “T e Learning Project” and ASU GSV Summit, San Diego, California USA 2019. Others included; Glo al Dialogue on Education, London Oc ober 2018; the 2014 ASCD General C nference in March, 2014 at Los An
QUESTIONS 8:06 p.m.
QUESTIONS 8:06 p.m.
NABCO 8:06 p.m.
Mr Speaker 8:16 p.m.
At this stage, I would want to get guidance from Leadership as to how many
Mr Speaker 8:16 p.m.


contributions we should take from each Side of the House?

Hon Members, we have ten of them recommended by consensus, and we have three by majority decision. I would want to hear from Leadership how many Hon Members I should take from each Side of the House to contribute to the debate.

Yes, Hon Majority Leader?
Majority Leader (Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu) 8:16 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the indication from you is to know from us the number of contributors. I think the Motion has to be seconded before we move on. If that is not seconded, it can be seconded.
However, Mr Speaker, in that regard, I beg to second the motion.
Question proposed.
Mr Speaker 8:16 p.m.
Yes, Hon Dr Ayine?
Dr Dominic A. Ayine 8:16 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker --
Mr Speaker 8:16 p.m.
I am sorry, just a minute.
Yes, Hon Majority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 8:16 p.m.
Mr Speaker, you asked for an indication from us, Leadership, about the number of contributors and I indicated that the motion had to be seconded first, which is what I did. But now we should give you the indication on the number of contributions.
Mr Speaker, I was having some --
Mr Speaker 8:16 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader, I would come to that. The Hon Member was on his feet. So I wanted to hear from him why he was on his feet. It is not that he is starting the debate.
Yes, Hon Dominic Ayine?
Dr Ayine 8:16 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
I am rising on the basis of a preliminary issue relating to Order 172 of the Standing Orders of Parliament. In particular, Mr Speaker, I am relying on Standing Order 172(4). It is to the effect that:
“(4) The committee shall report to Parliament within three days after it has concluded its proceedings when Parliament is sitting. Parliamentary approval of persons recommended for appointments shall be secret ballot or by consensus.”
Mr Speaker, your Hon Chairman's Report says that the Committee has recommended the adoption of the Report in respect of ten ministers- designate by consensus and in respect of three of them, by secret ballot or majority decision.
Mr Speaker, on this Side of the aisle, the question of consensus is now off the table. It is off the table because from the inception of this process, there has been no consensus or cooperation in respect of the preliminary decision that we had to take. And as a result of that, this Side of the aisle does not accept the consensus-base approval of the ten ministers-designate. In that respect, Mr Speaker, once there is disagreement by necessary implications, there is no consensus.
Mr Speaker 8:16 p.m.
Hon Dominic Ayine, are you a member of the Appointments Committee?
Dr Ayine 8:16 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am not a member of the Appointments Committee, but once the Report --
Mr Speaker 8:16 p.m.
Hon Member, please, we are going by procedure. When it gets to that issue you are raising, it would be clear, and it is the House that would take the decision. But you do not get up on the Floor where a committee has deliberated on something and taken a decision at the Committee level, then without any debate, an individual Hon Member gets up to say there was no consensus because of one Side of the House.
That definitely is at the end of the debate when the issues are raised and the House is given the opportunity to take the decision, then the House could disagree with the position taken by the Committee. And so your submission has been misconceived.
Please, let us proceed. Let me know how many would be making submissions on each Side of the House.
Hon Minority Leader?
Minority Leader (Mr Haruna Iddrisu) 8:16 p.m.
Mr Speaker, first of all, I rose but could not catch your eye. Subsequently, I saw the Hon Majority Leader in his rush to second the motion even while I was whispering with him that we should take five contributions plus one because these are ten nominees.
Mr Speaker 8:26 p.m.
Yes, five Members on each side of the divide.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 8:26 p.m.
Mr Speaker, first of all, I think it is important to state that after the Motion had been moved, there was no rush on my part. The Hon Minority Leader was to second the Motion. He rose
and then indicated that he was yielding to another person and I was indicating to him that because the Motion had been moved, it must be seconded first.
Mr Speaker, that is why I said, “in the circumstance” I was seconding the Motion. But Mr Speaker, I was communicating with him on the number. I indicated to him that we could have three each plus one from Leadership to make it four.
Mr Speaker, I think that given where we are, it is a reasonable number to deal with. So I am suggesting to the Minority Leader that we deal with three each plus Leadership to make four from each Side.
Mr Speaker 8:26 p.m.
Hon Members, we are taking our time to go through laborious process because the decision we are about to take is a very important one and we are doing our best to follow the best practices in the world. At the end of the day, we are setting precedence that we would have to follow tomorrow. So I would support that we have five from each Side of the House. If it means we would sit here till 2 a.m., I am prepared to preside till that time but we would have to take the decision. So, Minority Leader, if you want to set the ball rolling, please, you may do so now.
Mr Haruna Iddrisu (NDC -- Tamale South) 8:26 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I beg to speak to the Motion ably presented by the Chairman of the Appointments Committee that this House recommends by consensus and where necessary, by majority decision, the President's nominees as captured on page 144 of our Report.
Mr Speaker, in doing so, may I just refer to three nominees to set the tone. Hon Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister- designate for National Security, Hon Dominic Nitiwul, Minister-designate for Defence and Hon Ambrose Dery. I conceive these Ministers as Ministers holding portfolios that have to do with public safety and public security. However, as captured in the Committee's Report and I refer you to page 7 of the Report and further to page 9. I would read the headings for our purposes:
Mr Speaker, these three Ministers owe Ghanaians some duty. This duty is that in the run-off of the December 7 elections, we lost a number of Ghanaian citizens in Techiman, Kasoa, Savelugu, and Ablekuma. These Ministers failed to act diligently to get the matters investigated and the perpetrators dealt with in accordance with law. Yet they are before us for
approval that we should put the responsibility of the security of the State and the security of Ghanaians in their hands.
Mr Speaker, on page 16 of the Report, paragraph q 8:26 p.m.
“The nominee admitted to packets of election-related violence in various parts of the country during the just ended general elections. Particular mention was made of incidence in Odododiodioo, Techiman South, Ablekuma Central and others.”
Mr Speaker, seven persons lost their lives. We are demanding that a thorough investigation be done into the circumstances leading to those loss of lives. Those are Ghanaian citizens and where necessary, adequate compensation be paid to their families because they are citizens who lost their lives because of excessive conduct of the military and police against the letter and spirit of the law and what their mandate requires them to do.
They failed us and I hope that as they go to the Ministries, we would not see another failure that there would be another election where the military and police are unleashed on Ghanaian citizens leading to loss of lives. The
Mr Speaker, on page 16 of the Report, paragraph q 8:46 p.m.
cast of a ballot paper should not result in loss of life. We know that their determination was to turn our majority into their majority undeservingly using the excessive force of the military.
Mr Speaker, in many of those places they lost they were not ready to concede defeat and got them. Mr Speaker, another matter that I want to hold the three Ministers accountable to Ghanaian people is the sacrilege which happened on the floor of Parliament with military invasion of this House and we were told again by various Ministers led by Hon Kan- Dapaah. Mr Speaker, this is captured in the Committee's Report when he stated that it was a Commander who issued that order. Who was the Commander-in-Chief at the time?
Mr Speaker, so the three Ministers again failed us woefully when they had to invite the military to this Chamber. It has never happened. It was more or less a coup d'état on our democracy on the floor of the House. We do not find that acceptable and we need assurances from them that this will never happen in our democracy where the Parliamentary Chamber is reduced to gallivanting soldiers excited and invading Parliament. Where has this happened before? Yet nobody is being punished for that.
Mr Speaker, when the Minister met us -- I intend to deal with some aspects of it in order that I can comment on it. So to the three Ministers that are being proposed for National Security, Defence and the Interior, we are demanding answers to those lives that were lost on December, 7. We are demanding an explanation as to what transpired on the floor of Parliament -- the sacrilege which has become a blot on the conscience of Ghana's democracy under their watch.

Mr Speaker, the matter of an Accra Intelligence Traffic Monitoring System was raised to Hon Kan- Dapaah and interestingly, he and the Minister for Roads, who appeared subsequently were speaking parallel. One said there was no work done and the other said some work was done. One said the matter was before arbitration.

We would hold them responsible in the event of any judgement debt to the public, because of their inability to allow for harmony and for diligent work in assessing this, there is a difference between traffic lights and traffic congestion management, and we should take note of that as we go on.

Mr Speaker, these are interesting times. Now that the number of people affected by COVID-19 has increased, we are not seeing heavy military presence in the Volta Region. But those days, just close to the Voters' Registration exercise, they found good excuse and they said because of COVID-19. They should send the soldiers. Why are they not there? They must learn to treat Ghanaians with respect and honour.

When they were deploying them, the essence was to frustrate the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in its stronghold. It is not for nothing that in a democracy, it is said that elections must be free and fair; free from fear and intimidation. So, when we say elections are free and fair, we cannot say that the compilation of the Voters' Register - when they chose to intimidate the strongest political opposition in its stronghold, it provides the basis for the conduct of free and fair elections.

Mr Speaker, we took objection to it. But nonetheless, we were assured by the nominee that he would deal with some matters relating to terrorism and other matters.

Mr Speaker, on that of Hon Dominic Nititwul, apart from those disappointments, I grew up with him

very well. It was not the case to see the military on the streets everyday now wielding guns and in uniforms. They have taken over the civilian function of the Ghana Police Service (GPS). If it is a mark of lack of confidence in the GPS, they should let us know.

If they have reduced the GPS and they have also reduced the military to holding bags for people in certain premises, they should let us know. He is not dignifying the respected Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) with the openness in which they have been exposed to the Ghana civilian system, as if to maintain civil order is now the primary responsibility of the GAF. In the Constitution, their obligation is territorial integrity. They can collaborate where the incidence of crime is high for our safety.

Mr Speaker, the nominee promised that he was doing some work on accommodation for soldiers. I am all in with it for him. Indeed, I further suggested that the popular Seglemi Housing Project be completed. I have heard some US$181 million was invested in it. Hon Samuel Atta Akyea would know better; or Hon Collins Dauda. I share the view that Government takes appropriate steps to complete the project and hand it over to the GAF because they are in want of accommodation..
Mr Speaker, on page 16 of the Report, paragraph q 8:46 p.m.


“As to whether assembly members should be paid monthly, the nominee indicated that the assembly members do not work full time at their assembly and many of them are already workers paid by the Government. He noted that he will support an initiative that will support assembly men.”

Mr Speaker, how he would do it and how it would be different from the proposition of the NDC, we would look into it.

Mr Speaker, he also talked about the Santrokofi-Akpafu-Lolobi-Likpe matter. This is an important matter we should look at as a House. All of a sudden, 6th December, 2020, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission issues a letter telling a particular population of the country to take part only in presidential election and not in parliamentary elections. I am mindful of the fact that the matter is before the court and I respect such matters, in relation to Order 93 of our Standing Orders.

I would not go further, but whether that was done for the political convenience of our time, time will tell. What time cannot change is that some Ghanaians were denied the right to have representation in Parliament.

Mr Speaker, I am ending. It is for those Hon Ministers responsible for security. The NPP Government can be very interesting. Act 766 was passed in 2008. In the run up to the election, police and fire officers were deceived that there were salary increases. When the Minister- designate for the Interior appeared before our House, he said it was one off allowance; it was not salary. Whether they deceived the police or fire officers or not, it is on their payslips. Whether the Government has kept faith with them or they did it for the political convenience of December 2020, time will tell.

Mr Speaker, they were smart in talking about Cap 30. Where are we with Cap 30 within Act 766? The Hon Minister for Education will manage pension. It is a recipe for confusion. What we need is pension unification scheme for all the security agencies. They should not run undercover for Cap 30 because it was politically convenient to declaring so. We would see how they proceed on it.

Mr Speaker, we will measure Dr Adutwum going to the Ministry of Education with the Free Senior High School policy. We noticed that there

were some outstanding matters. Later on, we will delve into it. It is about the acquisition of mathematical sets. We did not find the answers to it very satisfactory.

For Hon Ignatius Baffour Awuah, he knows that the foundations of the serene industrial harmony and peace he is enjoying were laid by the NDC. I even referred to it in a World Bank Report in 2015. The Minister for Health-designate wanted to take credit for the codified conditions of service, but we have progressed. We have continued with it. He is very dutiful with his job.

With regard to maternity leave for working mothers, we have to rectify and domesticate the International Labour Organisation Convention on Maternity in order that nursing mothers can be happier with him and then he should lift the ban on those matters relating to exportation of labour to other countries by registered companies.

Mr Speaker, the public was critical of us when we got to Hon Adwoa Safo. Some even wrote that every nominee must spend equal number of time. I say to the public that every portfolio comes with its weight of institutions and they come with the weight of the person going to that

Ministry. She gave me an assurance that she stands against LGBTQI+. It was heart-warming because at least, I know where she stands. There are those who still fumble and those who struggle as if they were not Ghanaians.

Mr Speaker, let me now conclude with Hon Hawa Koomson with a comment. To shoot is not ministerial or honourable. She was human when she apologised to our Committee, and went further to say that the police were investigating the matter. The investigation is inconclusive. When we asked her whether she had been charged, she said she has not been charged. To the Hon Minister for the Interior to be, how serious is our Police Service? You find an Hon MP shooting and then it takes time and charge and caution statements are not available.

Mr Speaker, we have a duty to support Government to constitute Government in accordance with law. I have perused the Constitution and article 94. I have seen Hon Members relate to other situations. The individuals involved and the matters are not the same. We will subject nominees as we do per our Hon Chairman to the litmus test of the Constitution and whether there is any proven criminal record in a matter of moral turpitude.
Mr Speaker 8:46 p.m.
Hon Members, the Hon Minority Leader has used 21 minutes and the same will be extended to the Hon Majority Leader. The rest of the Hon Members will be given 10 minutes each.
We have listened to the Hon Minority Leader. From the list I have from the Majority Side, the person to lead and have the first bite is the Hon Atta Akyea. Hon Member, you may make your submissions.
Mr Samuel Nartey George 8:46 p.m.
Mr Speaker, out of respect for your ruling and directive to the Appointments Committee when they sat, you advised that just 30 people in the Chamber should not sit for more than two hours without a break due to the exigencies of the time - COVID-19. At this point in time, we have sat in the Chamber for two hours and 25 minutes without a break as a full House. I just want to draw your attention to your direction on COVID-19 and the protocols.
Mr Speaker 8:46 p.m.
Hon Member, I thank you so much for the reminder. I have also observed that many of you have not been on your seats for more than 2 hours, but some Hon Members
have done so because I have been very observant. I know some Hon Members have been on their seats for more than even three hours, but it is not the majority. I have been glued here and so, I am affected, and I will take some few minutes to take some fresh air and then allow the Hon Second Deputy Speaker to take the Chair, but let us listen to the Hon Atta Akyea.
Mr Samuel Atta Akyea (NPP -- Abuakwa South) 8:56 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion numbered 7 on today's Order Paper -- that this honourable House adopts the first Report of the Appointments Committee on the President's nominations for ministerial appointments.
Mr Speaker, there have been a lot of conversation about the collaboration between the Executive and Parliament, and even more so when it has been said that we have a tie. When you pay due regard to the Constitution, that collaboration has been spelt out already, and I would want to refer the House to article 78(1) of the Constitution.
Mr Speaker, with your kind permission, I would like to quote 8:56 p.m.
“Ministers of State shall be appointed by the President with the prior approval of Parliament from among members of Parliament or persons qualified to be elected as members of Parliament, except that the majority of Ministers of State shall be appointed from among members of Parliament.”
Clearly, the President appoints with prior approval and that is collaboration. You can see the two arms of Government, working together to constitute the Government and it is very important. We are not at each other's throats or at loggerheads. It is very important that we understand this constitutional assignment, that the President will secure the prior approval and then the Ministers who would assist his policy would be in place.
Mr Speaker, I have always been wondering what the foundational assignment of the Appointments Committee is. If we are not careful, we would overlook the foundational assignment of the Appointments Committee and delve into issues which might be sentimental and even if we like, a fight.
What is very important for the consideration of the Appointments Committee, with the greatest of respect and with due deference to that very important Committee, is what has been spelt out in article 94. I call it,
“they should interrogate the technical knock-out position in which somebody is disqualified from becoming a Minister”.
This is because the standard of the Minister is the same as a Member of Parliament (MP), therefore, article 94 becomes very important. Therefore, there should be a proper interrogation, even about the age; and when you look at the Report here, these are not the issues.
Considering tax liabilities, does he owe allegiance to any other Government? Has he been adjudged otherwise or declared bankrupt under any law? Is the individual of unsound mind? Mercifully, if we look at the entire Report, there is nobody who is an imbecile and nobody is a lunatic.
There are no crimes, moral turpitude, among others, and they are not thieves. They are neither in the armed forces. These are the chief considerations from my perspective. The rest of the issues, as to whether
Mr Speaker 8:56 p.m.
Hon Second Deputy Speaker to take the Chair.
MR SECOND DEPUTY SPEAKER
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 9:01 a.m.
Hon Member, you can go on.
Mr Akyea 9:01 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am grateful.
I do not see any infraction on the parts of Hon Nitiwul, Hon Ambrose Dery and Hon Kan Dapaah in relation to these matters that should disqualify them. I do not agree with the Hon Minority Leader that when you have electoral violence and you cannot attribute the violence to the Nominees, that the Nominees engineered these incidents of violence, we should pay much regard to that as a way of saying that they cannot fit into their roles.
If we have any shred of evidence or if we want to move a Motion in this House that we should go and investigate these matters, they would be investigated. The culprits, however, are certainly not the Nominees and to visit the sins of others on them, with the greatest of respect, is not the right thing to do.
Mr Speaker, anybody can see that certain things have gone wrong. I do not support electoral violence and we
know the tools to engage and deploy in this august House. However, to single them out for bashing as if they have done something untoward - I do not think that these are some of the technical knockouts that the Constitution say we should use to disqualify them from becoming Minsters.
The Hon Minority Leader touched a matter which I want to comment on. The Saglemi issue is a national disaster and I do not want it to have party colours. It is a serious financial defalcation. I have said it and I always want to speak the truth. Ultimately, if we as a nation decide that we complete the structures and deliver them to soldiers to live in, we would do so.
There was however no way we could have completed the structures without what we call on-site infrastructure and also trying to do what we call an audit of the structures in order to know how much it would cost to continue. So, that project is very much at the front burner and whoever becomes the next Minister would have the assignment to continue.
Mr Speaker, I would want to comment a bit on the three Nominees who for whatever reason, it is being
said that they should be flagged and probably voted on. I beg to say, with the greatest of respect, that I do not see any constitutional infraction that they have committed which should warrant that they should be voted on. I have not seen any certificate on lunacy or that they have issues of bankruptcy.
I was thinking about Hon Hawa Koomson and her troubles. I have been educated that all those who are not bloodthirsty, shoot into the air. It is called a warning shot and that is what the lady did. So, if there is no human casualty and the lady who is not a trained police officer or even a soldier had, excuse me to say, common sense to shoot in the air, would that take from her the power to think as a Minister? I do not see it. So, with all due respect, if nothing serious happened and there was no casualty, I believe that we should give her the space to fit into the role as a Minister.
Mr Speaker, let me turn to Hon Owusu Afriyie Akoto and Hon Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah. I have perused the entire document and I spent quality time to read it very well. I was trying to find anything in the Constitution which disqualifies them but I did not find one. There was no mental disorder.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 9:06 p.m.
Hon Member, you may wind up.
Mr Akyea 9:06 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I would want to assert in no uncertain terms that the Committee exposed the nominees - it was publicised that anybody who had anything against them could put across their concerns. Furthermore, the security apparatus of the nation also gave them a clean bill of hurt that there is nothing that they have done in the background which should disqualify them.
We do not sit as a House of inquisition. Our own kind -- Hon Members of Parliament should be released to go and do the job because at the end of the day when we begin to place too “unreasonable'' standards on them, a time would come that it would be very self- defeating.
Mr Speaker, I pray that this House adopts the entire Report and all the nominees should be approved so that they could be sworn in shortly to aid the Government in the running of the State.
Mr Speaker, I thank you.
Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (NDC -- North Tongu) 9:06 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion.
Mr Speaker, the nominees appeared before the Appointments Committee and we discharged our duties to the best of our ability with good faith and conscience and ensured that the constitutional requirement imposed on us was executed without malice.
I would like to begin by speaking to the gross security challenges, the violent killings and the brutalities that occurred during the 7th December, 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary General Elections. We did not mince words at all at the Committee, when the Hon Ministers designate for the National Security, Defence and the Interior appeared before us. We presented to them the names of seven helpless, heartless, innocent and unarmed Ghanaians who were
gunned to death by trigger happy security personnel. As I speak, these seven people were; Tajudin Alhassan a 39-year old, who was killed at the Techiman South collation centre, Abdallah Arick, an 18-year old who was also killed at the Techiman South collation centre, Emmanuel Dompreh, a 36-year old who was killed at the Odododiodioo Constituency, Samira Zakariah a 14-year old who was killed in Savelugu, Abdul Abass, a 30- year old who was killed at Ablekuma Central, Rita Otoo, a 15-year old who was killed in the Odododiodioo Constituency and Fuseini Musah, a 14-year old pupil who was killed at the Savelugu Radatu Affawo primary school.
These are human beings and compatriots. If they were our children or relatives, how would we feel? Elections should not give anybody the licence to kill and when that happens, there has to be action - justice must be pursued.
It is with a heavy heart that I note that from the responses from all the nominees, it was clear that no serious investigations had been opened into these killings and indeed, as I speak, the perpetrators have not been brought to justice. That is very worrying and indeed, it puts all of us as political actors at risk. We are all
busy on elections day; we are all at collation centres and if a certain impression is created that on election day troops from wherever could just appear on the scene and gun people down and as I speak, not a single interdiction -- nobody has been held accountable -- what is even surprising is that evidence should not be hard to find.
At the Committee we presented pen drives which contained video evidence and we showed some of them on large screens -- identifiable persons in uniforms and yet no justice. This cannot be accepted. That is why the designated Hon Ministers for National Security, the Interior and Defence would really have to assure this House and this country that the agencies under them would not get away with this. As we have indicated we would pursue actions that we hope would lead to having the perpetuators brought to book.
Mr Speaker, it is also important to emphasise that we were not pleased with the steps that were taken in- between 7th December, 2020 and 7th January, 2021. The designated Hon Ministers for National Security indicated to us that they had not visited the scenes or the families, or expressed any solidarity or shown any sympathy and some of us are really shocked at that dereliction of duty. It
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 9:16 p.m.
Hon Member, wind up. Your time is almost up.
Mr Ablakwa 9:16 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the other matter that I must speak to, is the mysterious Frontiers Healthcare Services contract. Virtually all of the Hon Nominees who appeared before us had no answers and as we speak, that contract remains a mystery; we are told that it was a taskforce that worked on it and so, it was multi sectorial. One would have thought that the responses would have been
available “multi sectorially” but we did not see that.
Finally, the Hon Attah Akyea raised matters of the Constitution and how persons should be disqualified. I have here, the 2009 Hansard and it will be interesting to read when the Hon Mohammad Mumuni was brought to the floor of this House for a vote by majority decision. The Hon Fifi Kwetey -- if we read column 579 of the Hansard, even matters to do with temperament, whether Mumuni was gentleman enough to be the Hon Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration were all levelled as basis for which he should be rejected and for which our Hon Colleagues voted against the Hon Mumuni and Fifi Kwetey.
Mr Speaker, so, let us come to equity with clean hands and be consistent. If there is a principle we want to espouse, let us exhibit it and show good faith and everyone should know that we are espousing principled positions.
With these few words, I align with the thoughts and views of our Side that it is important that critical scrutiny is carried out and that these Nominees will have to address these lingering matters which we have serious reservations about.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 9:16 p.m.
Hon O. B. Amoah, please be mindful of your allotted time duration of 10 minutes.
Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah (NPP - - Akwapim South) 9:16 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I rise to support the Motion that this honourable House adopts the First Report of the Appointments Committee and the President's nomination for Ministerial Appointments.
Mr Speaker, in doing so, I refer to the voluminous Report submitted by the Committee after a very diligent work. Indeed, this is a fair and accurate Report of the proceedings of the Committee. It captures the diligent and competent work done by the Hon Members as well as the frank and insightful answers submitted by the Nominees.
Indeed, the Nominees were subjected to several hours of questioning as there were follow-ups and the responses provided showed that they are all qualified to be Hon Minsters of State in this country. We should be very proud of the Nominees and what they submitted and provided to us for us to approve their nomination.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 9:26 p.m.
Hon Emmanuel K. Bedzrah?
Mr Emmanuel K. Bedzrah (NDC -- Ho West) 9:26 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity.
I rise to also support and contribute to the Motion. Mr Speaker, my other Hon Colleagues have mentioned article 78 and article 94 of the Constitution. Mr Speaker, with your indulgence I beg to read article 94(2) and also give explanation on one of the attributes or qualification of being Hon Member of Parliament as well as Hon Minister of State. Mr Speaker, article 94(2) (c) (i) states that:
“For high crime under this Constitution or high treason or treason or for an offence involving the security of the State, fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude”.
Mr Speaker, permit me to read the meaning of moral turpitude from the worldwide web, wikipedia.
“Moral turpitude is a legal concept in the United States and prior to 1976, Canada that refers to an act or behaviour that gravely violates the sentiment or accepted standard of the community. This term appears in U.S. immigration law beginning in the 19th century”.
Mr Speaker, this is the meaning of moral turpitude -- it is an accepted standard or behaviour in a community. Mr Speaker, I find it very difficult to accept three of our Hon Friends who have been nominated by the President. The Hon Minister- designate for Defence, the Hon Minister-designate for the Interior and the Hon Minister-designate for National Security.
Mr Speaker, I say so because to have accepted behaviour -- as Hon Colleagues, they were in this House when the military invaded the House and held us hostage only for us to be told on page 9 of your Committee's Report -- which I beg to quote --
“the Minister-designate condemned the presence of armed soldiers in the Chamber of Parliament on the eve of the election of the Speaker and the swearing-in of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic. The nominee indicated that he got alarmed and wished that such incident never occurred. Responding to the question that it was on whose instruction that the security personnel entered the Chamber, the nominee indicated that his enquiry revealed that a commander who considered the
situation in the Chamber to be chaotic, authorised the operation to restore order in the House.”
Mr Speaker, what happened in Parliament on the eve of 7th January was clearly a coup d'état to our democracy and the Hon Minister- designate tells us that it was chaotic and so a Commander, whose name he could not mention -- but this nominee wants our approval for him to tell us next time that the issue would be investigated. Mr Speaker, this alone is not a standard in a community or behaviour that would be accepted by us and that is why this Side of the House have said that all the nominees should go through voting. We are prepared to vote for as many nominees by the President.
Mr Speaker, that is not all. We were in this country when the Volta Region was beseeched by military men. In my constituency, armed military personnel were in Holuta brutalising women because of registration exercise. I beg to quote what the same nominee tells us on page 15:
“The nominee disagreed with the assertion that the deployment of the military in the Volta Region was because of the voter registration. He further stated that it was not entirely true that
the military has been recalled from the borders after the election”.
Mr Speaker, I can say on authority that just after the registration, the military personnel were not in the border town of Holuta. The Volta Caucus led by my good self confronted the military personnel who were harassing men and women as a result of registration, but they told us that it was because of COVID-19. Mr Speaker, that cannot be true and this alone tells me that the moral turpitude of Hon Ministers in charge; whether designated now, in charge at that time or re-designated, did not do their work well so my conscience would not permit me to vote for them.
Mr Speaker, I beg to quote page 22 -- “Increase military involvement in internal security”. Our Hon Colleague disagreed with the assertion that the military personnel have taken over the role of the Ghana Police Service in civil protection duties in recent times. The nominee emphasised that there has actually been reduction in this regard. Mr Speaker, if there has been a reduction then I do not think that any of our Hon Colleagues would have raised this issue because we all see it.
In other jurisdictions -- civilised democracies -- we do not see
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 9:26 p.m.
Hon Tampuli Alhassan?
Hon Members, I would once again remind you that the time for contribution is 10 minutes.
Mr Tampuli S. Alhassan (NPP -- Gushegu) 9:46 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
We are considering the First Report of the Appointments Committee and earlier Hon Members have eloquently referred this House to the Constitution and other extant laws of the land on the grounds for approval of nominees as Hon Ministers of State. Mr Speaker, may I refer you to Appendix C on page 137 of the Standing Orders of this House.
On the early hours of 7th January, we were sworn in and the oath reads: “I … having been elected a Member of Parliament do (in the name of the Almighty God swear) (solemnly affirm) that I would bear true faith and allegiance.
A Member of Parliament do in the name of the Almighty God swear that I would bear true faith and allegiance to the Republic of Ghana as by law establish, that I would uphold, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.
Mr Speaker, page 2 of the Report makes reference to the documents the Committee relied on. One of them is the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana; the second is the Standing Orders of Parliament and the third is the Curriculum Vitae of the nominees.
Mr Speaker, we have already been referred to the article 93, and the last speaker again referred to article 94(2) (c). With your permission, I would like to reiterate article 94(2) (c) “A person shall not be qualified to be a Member of Parliament if he -- (c) has been convicted, then it mentioned among other things “moral turpitude”.
Mr Speaker, to the best of my knowledge, all the nominees captured in the Report when appeared before the Committee were not adjudged or otherwise declared to have been convicted for any offence or moral turpitude.
Mr Speaker, the cumulative effect of articles 78, 93 and the Standing orders of this House leads one to one and only one irresistible conclusion that for one to qualify to be a Minister of State, he must first of all qualify to be a Member of Parliament. If this House concludes that a Member of Parliament is not qualified to be a Minister of State, that would be blot
on all of us and it means each one of us does not qualify by virtue of what is stated in the Constitution, unless there is any other law to rely on to disapprove of any person who has been put before us for approval.
Mr Speaker, the powers granted the President under article 78 to appoint Ministers of State does not even state first of all the number of ministers that the President should appoint, and it does not also state that the President should make appointments and add the designations.
Indeed, by practice, as we all know, at least the 1992 Constitution of the Republic, presidents after presidents have reshuffled ministers in one way or the other. And so you see ministers start at one Ministry and end up at other Ministries. It means that even at the point of vetting, assuming without admitting, that one is not able to eloquently speak to the area that a person is being put, mostly likely, a minister could be moved to another Ministry.
In fact, Mr Speaker is an example of one of such people who have been reshuffled in one way or the other. Indeed, the Hon Minority Leader is one good example who served on three portfolios. So today, one could
Mr Tampuli S. Alhassan (NPP -- Gushegu) 9:46 p.m.


be vetted for one Ministry and he is not expected to be an expert in that field.

Mr Speaker, the principle of substantial compliance should be the guiding principle in considering nominees for approval as Ministers of State. And this hallowed Chamber must not be seen to set the precedent based on trifles or issues that might be considered as part of palpable frivolities.

Mr Speaker, to conclude, I have read the Report, Minister after Minister, from the Minister for Defence, Minister for the Interior, the Minister for National Security who in one way or the other made the allusion to the fact that there were some instances where we all cannot be proud of, chief among them is what happened on the Floor of Parliament on the 6th to 7th of January, 2021.

Mr Speaker, at page 9 of the Report, I refer to paragraph (f), the Minister-designate condemned the presence of armed soldiers in the Chamber of Parliament on the eve of the election of the Speaker and the swearing in of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic on 7th January, 2021. The Hon nominee indicated that he got alarmed and wished such incidents never occurred.

Mr Speaker, all of us are not proud of what happened on that faithful day, and it has been stated by those Ministers-designate that, indeed, those incidents were regrettable. None of us wished that such events happened again.

In conclusion, Mr Speaker, I would like to support the recommendation that all the Ministerial nominees be considered and accordingly approved by this House for the Government to be constituted for their work to begin in earnest.
Mr James Agalga (NDC -- Builsa North) 9:46 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the debate. In doing so, I would rely extensively on the Report of the Committee.
First of all, I would like to reemphasise the argument made by the Hon Minority Leader in respect of happenings in this House on the 7th day of January, 2021 when we convened to elect a Speaker for ourselves. On that occasion, this House was invaded by the Police and the Military. When the Committee
vetted the Minister responsible for National Security, he denied responsibility but in the process cited a military commander as the brain behind the invasion of this august House by the Military and the Police.
I would like to put matters beyond doubt that on that occasion, if it is indeed true that the commander in question acted on his own accord, clearly that commander was in breach of the Standing Orders of this August House. To put matters beyond doubt, Mr Speaker, I would like to refer Hon Members to Standing Order 36 which with your kind permission I read what it says:
“(1) There shall be an officer of Parliament to be called the Marshal.
(2) It shall be the duty of the Marshal --
(a) to bear the mace before Mr Speaker when entering and leaving the House;
(b) to attend upon Mr Speaker in the House; and
(c) to carry out Mr Speaker's directions for maintenance of order in the House and its precinct.”
Mr Speaker, this Order is very clear that it is the duty and responsibility of the Marshal to maintain order in the House upon the instructions of Mr Speaker. On that occasion, this House had convened to elect a Speaker for itself, and so there was no Speaker, but the Marshal's Department was under the strict instruction of the Clerk to Parliament who was the acting chairperson on that occasion. And so if it is the case, and it is indeed the case, that commander did not act upon the instructions of the Marshal, clearly, he is in breach of the Standing Orders of this House.
When we had the occasion to vet the Minister-designate for National Security, I suggested to him that the office in question be sanctioned. He agreed with us that, indeed, if found culpable, that officer be sanctioned.
Mr Speaker, we must learn to take responsibility in this country. Who is that Commander? Is it true that he acted on his own accord? If he did, should we allow him to go scot-free or there is the need for us to sanction him to serve as deterrent to like- minded officers? One of my Hon Colleagues earlier indicated that the actions of the military and police on that occasion amounted to a coup d'état.
This statement is very loaded. The conduct of the police and military
Ms Patricia Appiagyei (NPP -- Asokwa) 9:56 p.m.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak on the Motion that this honourable House adopts the First Report of the Appointments Committee of the President's nominations for 13 Ministerial appointments.
Mr Speaker, once again, I would want to applaud the efforts of His Excellency the President for nominating women to be part of this Government. I deem it necessary to commend him highly because in order to facilitate the achievement of the global goals, the agenda which is based on building the principle of leaving no one behind, girls and women have been identified as a critical match whose inclusion in every intervention of our well-being is a must. It is therefore heart-warming that the President nominated women, irrespective of their social standing and ethnicity.
Mr Speaker, I am glad that among the 13 nominees being considered in this first Report are three strong women who are achievers and are of substance. I am making reference to Hon Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Hon
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 9:56 p.m.
Thank you, Hon Member.
Hon Members, I would now invite Hon Benjamin Kpodo.
Mr Benjamin Kpodo (NDC -- Ho Central) 9:56 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to contribute to this Motion.
First of all, I would want to congratulate the Hon Members of the Appointments Committee on the brilliant work done which has received applause from all over the world. Sadly, some of the conclusions do not agree with the proceedings and the
findings which they exhibited to the entire nation; not at all.
Mr Speaker, I would want to ask Hon Atta Akyea, who quoted article 94 of the Constitution as having qualified everybody in Parliament to be capable of becoming a minister. Even after all of us qualify, there is still the need for evaluation and sieving. In fact, Hon Atta Akyea should know that he has not been re-nominated. He should find out why the President has sieved him out.
So, all of us cannot be ministers. So, when any one is nominated, the person must be evaluated before he or she can be recommended for appointment. So, what the Committee has done is nothing wrong at all. They have done what is expected in a normal society. So, in spite of the constitutional provisions, it is still expected that people must be evaluated based on their performance or anticipation of what they can do.
Mr Speaker, when we go back to the issues of security, we cannot accept people who defend the breaches of our human rights using their military and police force. Hon Bedzrah referred to the event at Honuta.
Mr Speaker, in my constituency, there are about nine border towns. They were all subjected to severe
Mr Benjamin Kpodo (NDC -- Ho Central) 9:56 p.m.


Mr Speaker, so the Minister for Defence-designate should not be defending that attitude. If he said that he did not know, I do not think it is fair. He should not be one of those not seived. In fact, when Torgbui Afede XIV complained to the military authorities, he was ignored and insulted. They used Western Togoland issues as a pretext to harass innocent citizens and to cause fear and panic among our citizenry. And we are keeping them here and ministers- designate and we want to - my constituents have told me that if there is any vote, I should vote “no”.

Mr Speaker, the Minister- designate for Agriculture was the most evasive and confrontational

interviewee during the period. I watched him live on television. For instance, when Hon Mohammed Mubarak-Muntaka asked him about why cocoa revenues were not in the Budget, he said they should go and ask the Minister for Finance.

Meanwhile, he was seated on a big pot, which is cocoa and he said he did not know how the revenue is managed. Why should he be answering questions in that manner? Cocoa is a huge source of revenue for the country and the person who superintends over the affairs of cocoa does not know where the revenue is. He does not know why it does not appear in the Budget.

Mr Speaker, I think that we should match our recommendations with the performance of the nominees. I agree perfectly with Hon Dr Ayine that we should do the approval one by one so that those that need to be sieved out, we do so.

For instance, with the Hon Majority Leader, I met him after and I told him he gave a good lecture and he should remain there. Dr Adutwum should remain at the Ministry of Education -- [Interruption].
An Hon Member 9:56 p.m.
Go on.
Mr Kpodo 10:06 p.m.
It is all right. Hon Adwoa Safo should remain there. Mr Speaker, the one by one approach is very important.
Mr Speaker, I would want to go by Order 172(4) of our Standing Orders. It is stated clearly there which I beg to quote as follows:
“The Committee shall report to Parliament within three days after it has concluded its proceedings when Parliament is sitting. Parliamentary approval of persons recommended for appointment shall be by secret ballot or by consensus.”
Is the consensus or secret ballot related to the Appointments Committee or Parliament? We need to address this issue. I normally litigate. I will be asking my lawyer to take this matter up for a clear ruling so that we can see our way.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity and I believe that your ruling should guide us to consider the nominations one by one so that we can judge who is there.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 10:06 p.m.
It is now the turn of Hon Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin (NPP -- Effutu) 10:06 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to add my voice to the Motion on the Floor. Mr Speaker, basically, my submissions are to support this Motion that the President's nominees be approved by this House to enable them assist the President to undertake government business.
Mr Speaker, we started our work in an atmosphere of cooperation, mutual respect and with the determination to serve our nation. It was so clear on both Sides that we had the zeal to get things done. Mr Speaker, these nominees are all known to us. All of them have served as Hon Members of Parliament except Hon Dr Akoto Afriyie who is no more an Hon MP. All those to be considered today are Hon Members of this august House.
Mr Speaker, we have heard Hon Colleagues make contributions on this matter, and it appears that some of the submissions are very personal, petty, and partisan and in a way aimed at holding people accountable for that which they have not done. Mr Speaker, Macbeth said something.
Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin (NPP -- Effutu) 10:06 p.m.


Power made him commit murder. Whom did he kill? His best friend.

After committing that offence, he extolled the virtues of his good friend. He knew Duncan was a good man, but then, he blamed it on his vaulting ambition. This is what he said:

“I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself And falls on the other.”

Are we in this Chamber to demand our Shylock's token? Are we here to demand our pound of flesh? Are we here to blame the exercise of our discretion on our vaulting ambition?

Mr Speaker, the constitutional imperative makes a much more reasonable demand on us. And as I heard my Hon Colleague, Hon Sam George, a moment ago before we entered this Chamber that power is transient. The many senior politicians in this House know that with this democracy, things can turn any day, hour or time. -- [Interruption] Yes.

Mr Speaker, so, if today -- [Interruption] When Hon Haruna Iddrisu was on his feet, we all kept quiet. I beg you to listen to me in silence. When Hon Haruna Iddrisu was on his feet, we listened to him in silence.

Mr Speaker, if today we want to reduce this constitutional imperative to a petty partisan interest, I beg to

say that that is not the path to pursue. I hope that there is nothing like a predetermined petty partisan intent; I hope there is no such thing like that. I hope that in the exercise of our discretion, we would go on a path that is reasonable and acceptable and that would enable governance to be in motion for the benefit of the people of Ghana.

Mr Speaker, each of the nominees has served this country. An issue that came up regarding Frontiers Healthcare Services. Prior to the vetting of nominees, this issue came up through a Statement by an Hon Member. His contention was that a company had been awarded this contract and it was not even registered in this jurisdiction.

Suddenly, that contention lost its way. Now, it was reduced to the owners who were not Ghanaians. Then it was reduced to who the directors were. Mr Speaker, we had nominees to tell us what they knew. Eventually, the nominee for Minister for Transport took time to run us through the whole contract and made available a copy to us. Mr Speaker, it is --
rose
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 10:06 p.m.
Hon Member, let me listen to your Hon Colleague.
Mr Ablakwa 10:16 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I am the only Hon MP who made a Statement on the floor of this House on the Frontiers Healthcare Services which was duly admitted by the Rt Hon Speaker and that Statement is on record. I said that the Frontiers Healthcare Services was registered in Ghana on 21st July, 2020, few weeks to the airport being opened. So, the Hon Deputy Majority Leader is totally out of order.
He is misleading this House and he is misquoting me. I said that that company was linked to another with foreign interest and which is registered in the Dominican Republic. That is the parent company, but Frontiers Healthcare Services is registered in Ghana. I have always made that point and we have raised substantive issues about procurement and breaching the Fees and Charges Act.

It was all in my Statement about violating the Health Institutions and Facilities Act. Substantive issues have been raised, which have not been responded to and that is the content of my Statement. So, I would not sit here for you to distort what I have said and what is on record in this House.

Thank you Mr Speaker.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 10:16 a.m.
Hon Member, take cue and move on.
Mr Afenyo-Markin 10:16 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I would always want to anchor my submissions on the Floor of this House on facts. The Statement made by Hon Ablakwa is a matter of record. The Hansard would only be my witness. I beg to submit that his contention was to the effect that the company was not registered in this country and was not qualified. I believe that the Hansard of the day would bear me out. In any event, when their submissions were being made, nobody stood up on a point of order. If they have disagreements, they can come back. So, I shall proceed.
Mr Speaker, all I am saying is that the documents that were needed by Members of the Committee concerning the healthcare frontier services contract with Ghana Airport Company were made available. It even became clear that prior to that decision, the company wrote to Public Procurement Authority (PPA) and PPA responded, urging the company to use its internal systems to ensure that the contract was awarded. That is a matter of record because they made it available to us.
Mr Afenyo-Markin 10:16 a.m.


So, for anybody in this House to says, that indeed, there was something irregular regarding procurement is really not based on fact but rather aimed at throwing dust into the eyes of the good people of Ghana.

Mr Speaker, my next point is on Power Distribution Services (PDS) Limited. Clearly, there were conditions precedent and the company had met those conditions precedent, except that going forward, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) was supposed to do some enhanced due diligence. It was as a result of this enhanced due diligence that brought about this issue of the questionable guarantee.

Government took steps to do the needful, so for anybody to raise any matter outside of this, would only be attempting to miscommunicate the facts to the people of Ghana.

Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleagues have raised another important point which is captured in the Report, that is the 2020 Elections and some incidents that came up. It is true and the concerns are well grounded. However, as a growing democracy, we know that this is not the first, so if there is a call for us to investigate some of these incidents, I welcome it.

Parliament must look into them but in order not for Parliament to be seen as being selective, perhaps, it is important that in dealing with this holistically, to look at all violence related issues from 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004. I do not have the luxury of time to narrate what I went through in the 2012 Elections. It only took the grace of God for me to survive that day.

Mr Speaker, I do not wish that on anybody, so when we are raising issues regarding violence in elections, these are serious matters. Therefore, let us now look at investigating all these matters and coming up with recommendations. After all, after the 2016 Elections, as a House, we were bold to pass a law to deal with vigilantism. So, it means that --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 10:16 a.m.
Hon Member, wind up.
Mr Afenyo-Markin 10:16 a.m.
Mr Speaker, Leadership was given 20 minutes each, so I am not entitled to 10 minutes.
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 10:16 a.m.
It was in respect of the Majority and Minority Leaders.
Mr Afenyo-Markin 10:26 p.m.
Mr Speaker, he has yielded to me, so I have taken his turn.
Mr Speaker, we need to look at electoral violence in this country holistically. Let us going forward, resolve to get the appropriate Committee to look into this matter, so that we can preserve our democracy.
Mr Speaker, concerning Hon Hawa Koomson, I have personally known her as a woman of substance. She started her political career as a Women's Organiser. At a point, it was difficult for us to get a candidate since all the men were afraid and thought that they could not win and be our candidate for Awutu Senya Constituency.
She came to Parliament in 2013. I remember in 2012, while I was suffering in Effutu, she was also suffering at Kasoa. People chased her and threatened her. I remember that on election night, it was not easy for her. Unfortunately, this issue came up. On record, we know that the Police is investigating this matter.
Mr Speaker, is it the case that we would look at Hon Koomson who is one of us, in the face and say that she should pay a price for a sin she has not committed? Are we alleging of something unrelated to the very happenings of that day? There are women here on the other Side. Would we want to subject any of our women to this trauma we are subjecting her
to? Is she not our sister, a mother and does she also not have children?
Mr Speaker, this is to the extent that some people would raise issues about grammar like we were conducting an aptitude test or answering objective questions in a test. What is one plus one, two plus two? Her role is to champion policy. She is going to occupy a political office, driven by policy. She would work with a team.
Concerning Hon Dr Afriyie Akoto, is it the case that there are some reasons other than that which has been stated? No. I am pleading with my Hon Colleagues that all the attempts being made to personalise issues must stop. We are in this together, we cooperated during the Committee hearings. There are 26 Members on the Committee, so I do not want some Hon Colleagues to create the impression that some Nominees have been rejected.

The Committee has not rejected anybody. If by consensus we have recommended some and by a majority decision some other three Hon Colleagues are supposed to be considered, then for those who have not really paid attention to the Report, I would want them to know --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 10:26 p.m.
Hon Member, may you wind up?
Mr Afenyo-Markin 10:26 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I want them to know that a majority decision is a majority decision.
Mr Speaker, I would conclude on the supposed impression being created by some of our Hon Colleagues about my respected learned colleague, the Hon Minister- designate for Information, Mr Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah. He who has never slipped in politics before should be the first to get a very small stone and cast at him that he is a satan or a bad boy. A question was put whether he was a director of an entity and he said no - then suddenly somebody says he has lied under oath. What is the contention? That the wife is a director and he did not answer truthfully - that is incorrect in law. In fact, was he asked whether or not his wife was a director?
Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for Ashaiman should know that when the Hon Minority Leader was on his feet, we listened to him in silence-- [Interruption] -- I am not. Let me finish.
Mr Speaker, article 296 of the Constitution talks about the exercise of discretion, that when we have that mandate to exercise under discretion, we have a duty to be fair, candid and to exercise it within due process. What is the offence of the Hon Minister-designate for Information - that he is the Government's spokesperson which portfolio somebody can occupy tomorrow?
Mr Speaker, I would conclude by saying that if there is any vaulting ambition which is over-leaping itself, it should not mislead us into hurting ourselves. We owe it a duty to mother Ghana and to our democracy to do that which is right and not through intimidation, threats and all manner of undermining each other. We have worked as a team and this is not a time to demand a pound of flesh from anyone. Governance of this country must continue. The President needs these officers to deliver, so I want to invite my Hon Colleagues to support this Motion so that we pass the nominees for them to take their oath to serve their country.
Thank you so much indeed. Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak
Muntaka (NDC -- Asawase): Mr Speaker, I would want to start my contribution by quoting from the
Standing Orders, the Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of an Hon Member of Parliament.
Mr Speaker, with your permission, I beg to quote the Oath of Allegiance which says 10:26 p.m.
“I, Muntaka Mubarak do (in the name of Almighty God swear) (solemnly affirm) that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Republic of Ghana as by law established; that I will uphold the sovereignty and integrity of Ghana; and that I will preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana. (So help me God)''.
Mr Speaker, this is an oath all of us took.
The second one is the Oath of an Hon Member of Parliament and with your permission, I beg to quote it. It says:
“I, Muntaka Mubarak having been elected a Member of Parliament do (in the name of the Almighty God swear) (solemnly affirm) that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Republic of Ghana as by law established; that I will uphold, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the
Republic of Ghana and that I will faithfully and conscientiously discharge the duties of a Member of Parliament. (So help me God)''.
Mr Speaker, someone may ask why I quoted these Standing Orders. I did so to remind all of us that as Hon Members of Parliament, we swore an oath to be responsible and to act fairly and to protect the Constitution of the Republic.
Mr Speaker, the past two weeks have been a big nightmare for many of us in this House. This is because of the excessive pressure put on us by our constituents and friends and people outside this House who ask us to do one thing or the other forgetting we swore an oath. This politics of “when I have power, let me use it to teach my opponents and show them where power lies'' - we have done that to ourselves again and again and today, we are at cross roads where God in his own wisdom has brought us neck and neck for us to learn a lesson from it and for us to put away the bad ways of yesterday.
Mr Speaker, in the defence of the Constitution, I would want to make reference to article 296 and with your permission, I beg to quote. It says:
“Where in this Constitution or in any other law discretionary
Mr Speaker, with your permission, I beg to quote the Oath of Allegiance which says 10:36 p.m.
power is vested in any person or authority --
(a) that discretionary power shall be deemed to imply a duty to be fair and candid;
(b) the exercise of the discretionary power shall not be arbitrary, capricious or biased either by resentment, prejudice or personal dislike and shall be in accordance with due process of law; and''.
Mr Speaker, the paragraphs (a) and (b), calls upon all of us to a duty. When people call on the Minority to do something, I do not fault them because -- I am happy my Hon Colleagues; the Hon Ministers- designate for the Interior and Defence are in the House. The excessive use of power and the military people in the suppression of, in many instances, the will of people, killing and hurting them, is the cause of the anger that people force the Minority to act outside their oath and discretion.
Mr Speaker, I want to encourage my Hon Colleagues that every human being can err. It is our responsibility to forgive each other but we should take into account all the things that
have happened. When we get the second opportunity.

When we have a second opportunity, we will treat each other fairly, without disdain and abuse.

Mr Speaker, I have known the two Hon Colleagues both in their capacities as Hon Deputy Leaders; first, Hon Ambrose Dery. I had the greatest privilege to be with him at the Pan-African Parliament where we travelled extensively and engaged in lengthy conversations and so on. When he had the opportunity to be designated as the Minister for the Interior, I put this issue on the state of recruitment into the security services before him when he appeared before us and the least said about it, the better.

Over the period of the years 2017 to 2020, they advertised once and claimed that the advertisement in the year 2017 was the one they kept using to recruit till the year 2020. We all know that this is not true. We are also aware that many of the vigilante groups we all knew in our communities have found themselves into the security services and yet, they claimed that they have banned these groups when theirs have been absorbed into

the security services, they want the other political parties to disband theirs. We all witnessed the inactions of these groups during this past elections.

Mr Speaker, I am not surprised that many people are asking them to be held accountable because they are responsible but we have all forgotten that in this very Chamber, we called the Election Security Taskforce to come and brief us. They told us that the head of the security taskforce is the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and in all their deployments in the regions, they have taken the political actors aside yet, because of the excesses that happened across the country, everyone thinks that it must be Hon(s) Dominic Nitiwul, Ambrose Dery and Kan Dapaah who must be held responsible. This is because of the things that have happened and I would like to appeal: enough of all the wrong things that have happened! Let us try to chart a path that will give confidence to the ordinary citizens that the political actors are not those manipulating the security agencies and where the security agencies go wrong, the political actors will be firm to make sure that the necessary actions are taken against them. That is the only way we can restore confidence in the ordinary citizen.

However, I would like to say that in an attempt to say that --
Mr Second Deputy Speaker 10:36 p.m.
Hon Member, hold on, Mr Speaker is taking back the Chair.
Alhaji Muntaka 10:36 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would like to say that in all the actions that would be taken by both Sides, we should remember our oath, article 296 of the Constitution. When the opportunity comes for us to exercise our discretionary powers, let us make sure we use it fairly but not in a capricious and arbitrary manner.
Mr Speaker, having said so, I just want to speak lastly about the Nominee for the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. There are those who think that it is out of hatred and unconstitutional -- I heard my Hon Colleague; Mr Atta Akyea -- article 296 imposes a duty to be fair, candid and not to act in a capricious and arbitrary manner.
I would like to draw the attention of Hon Atta Akyea that Dr Akoto Afriyie, upon assumption of office as the Hon Minister for Food and Agriculture, decided that his classmate who retired and was idle for four years - he recalled him to take the position of Deputy Chief Executive of COCOBOD. When this gentleman by name Mr Yaw Adu
Alhaji Muntaka 10:46 p.m.


Ampomah arrived, there were skirmishes and resistance from COCOBOD; he seconded him to work in his office and designated him as the Special Advisor to the Minister on cocoa and instructed COCOBOD to pay him the salary of that of a Deputy Chief Executive as well as render him all the courtesies as would be given a Deputy Chief Executive. That is abuse of the discretionary powers of article 296 that the Constitution imposes on him as he abused the office to the benefit of his personal friend and classmate. We cannot say that this is not against the Constitution of our country. That is not the only thing he did.

Mr Speaker, when we go to the Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC), their boss over the years will always have a formal representative; that is, the Chief Executive of COCOBOD, a representative of the workers of COCOBOD -- he became the Minister for Food and Agriculture and had COCOBOD under his authority and decided to do it in a very arbitrary manner, disregarding the laid down rules and the law that established the Board. We will not believe that until that Board was dissolved, the chief executive of COCOBOD did not sit on that Board, there was no representative of the workers on that

Board nor was there any farmer on the Board as required by law. That is an abuse of article 296; because they are laid down principles that need to be followed but he decided to disregard them.

Not only did Dr Akoto Afriyie employ his friend and classmate but so many others who had retired and were idle at home, giving them fat contracts and salaries just to please himself. Such a person is not one we should entrust the responsibility of an Hon Minister to.

Mr Speaker, upon watching the video recording of the vetting, it will interest you to note the demeanour put up by the nominee as he sat before the Committee he was one that left much to be desired. When he was asked a question, he will put the question back to the Hon Member who asked the question; perhaps, he forgot that he was seated before a Committee of Parliament.

When he was asked about the so- called creation of 2.2 million jobs in the Planting for Food and Jobs programme, he said that 94 per cent were farm based workers -- upon being cornered about the facts of the issue. He also said, four per cent were in the value chain and two per cent were extensive deliveries.

Mr Speaker, maybe, he forgot that he was talking to a Committee of Parliament. When we do a breakdown of the 94 per cent of the 2.2 million jobs, it gives us 2.1 million jobs that were for farm labourers and yet, he was fuming all across the country that with the help of the Planting for Food and Jobs programme, he had created 2.2 million jobs. The farm labourers are seasonal employers; that is, when it is time for planting maize, they are hired and after their work is done, they go home and they are called when it is time to harvest and it goes on like that. Dr Akoto Afriyie created the impression for Ghanaians that his Ministry had created 2.2 million jobs. And when it came to value addition, he was asked what he thought the four per cent comes to - it comes to

91,475.

When we further asked what kind of value addition had happened with the maize production, he could not answer. He just said “value addition” but he could not answer. When it came to the extension delivery - two per cent of the 2.2 million gave him 45,737 and I asked him the number of extension officers we have in this country. Yes, I did not expect him to have all the figures and he said that he

did not have the exact figure so I asked if they are up to 20,000 and he said they are obviously not up to 20,000. So, how come he has two per cent of the 2.2 million which was giving him over 45,000? So, on the question of where else we had extension officers he could not - Mr Speaker, you could see that he was not candid when he appeared before the Committee; he was not truthful and sincere to the Committee and that was the reason we insisted that this nominee should not occupy the office again.

Mr Speaker, I would make a plea and I just reminded the House about the oath we subscribed to so I hope that both Sides of the House would act without hate and not because we dislike people or someone is our friend, but we would live up to the Oath and make sure that those who truly qualify to be Hon Ministers would be approved and for those who do not, for the sake of our country and the national interest, we must make sure that they are not approved as Hon Ministers.

Mr Speaker, lastly, regarding three of the nominees, the Report says that their approval was by a majority decision. Mr Speaker, it was a split decision and I say “split” because it was 13 against 13. [Interruption] Whichever way it was, it would come
Mr Speaker 10:46 p.m.
Hon Members, before we proceed any further, I want to know from the Hon Chairman of the Committee whether it was a majority decision or it was a split decision? The two are not the same. What we have in the Report says that it was a majority decision and we are aware that the Committee is made up of 26 members; 13 members from each Side of the House, and the Report says majority decision. This meant that it was not a decision of one Side of the House so the conclusive part by the Hon Minority Chief Whip has brought up an issue for consideration and he also happens to be an active and senior member of the Appointments Committee. The Hon Chairman also presented the Report so I would want to know from the Hon Chairman if it was a split decision or a majority decision?
Mr J. Osei-Owusu 10:46 p.m.
Mr Speaker, at every part of the Report --
Mr Speaker 10:46 p.m.
Hon Chairman, before you land, Hon Ayariga has been on his feet for some time so if I may know his issue?
Mr Mahama Ayariga 10:46 p.m.
Mr Speaker, when the Hon Minority Chief Whip was winding up and he raised the issue of whether or not it was a majority decision, at that point I wanted to correct the records but I did not catch your eye until he resumed his seat. Mr Speaker, luckily, you brought up the issue for clarification
- 10:46 p.m.
Mr Speaker 10:46 p.m.
No, I did not bring up the issue. He stated categorically that it was a split decision and not a majority decision. I did not raise that issue.
Mr Ayariga 10:46 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I wanted to say that the majority on the Committee actually voted against the approval and 12 on the other Side voted for approval. The Hon Chairman did not cast his vote and so in effect it was a majority decision in favour of not approving. [Laughter]
Mr Speaker 10:46 p.m.
Hon Members, this is a serious matter because it is on a very critical issue of integrity. This is happening at the end of the debate so please let us get it right if it was majority decision, split decision or minority decision.
Alhaji Muntaka 10:46 p.m.
Mr Speaker, like I said at the beginning of my contribution, we swore an oath to be truthful at all times. Mr Speaker, the mistake came from us - it was not the Hon Chairman who used his own discretion to name it as “majority decision”. What truly happened at the Committee was that we did not vote and as a group, we said that the Chairman should do these as a majority decision. Mr Speaker, because we are called Minority, the thinking was that we were minority and so when we were communicating we said it should be majority. As a fact, that is what we reported to the Hon Chairman so I would not say that because I have realised that I have made a mistake I would tell lies and hide. I swore an oath and the truth is that we communicated to the Hon Chairman to record it as majority decision. At the Committee we did not vote one after the other, but as a bloc we just told the Hon Chairman that
we cannot support some nominees so it should be by majority decision.
Mr Speaker, so I would withdraw my earlier comment because the mistake came from us. Maybe, at the Committee the right thing was to insist that it was a split decision but rather we communicated to the Hon Chairman that this should be by majority decision. Therefore, the Hon Chairman reported accurately and I would not want to lie or create some confusion because the mistake came from us. I hope that if another opportunity avails itself, we would recollect that there are 13 members on both Sides so if we are not in support then it would be a split decision.
Mr Speaker, I thought that it is important for me to be truthful on this matter and report exactly what happened at the Committee.
Mr Speaker 10:46 p.m.
Hon Deputy Minority Leader?
Mr Avedzi 10:46 p.m.
Mr Speaker, with this new information that the 13 members from the Minority Side are not for the approval of the three nominees it means that the other 12 members, together with the Hon Chairman making 13 members from the
Mr Avedzi 10:56 p.m.
Majority side are for the approval of the three nominees.

Mr Speaker, by this, it is a complete split decision so if the Minority Members communicated to the Hon Chairman that he should report that it was by majority decision, with this new information, the Report should be amended by saying that it was by a split decision. Then we would be moving as a House.

This is because if we go by the majority decision, the understanding is that, majority members of the Committee who voted for their approval is more than 13 which is not the case.

Mr Speaker, the Hon Chairman should amend the Report and say it was split decision. If not, we would be communicating something which is not the fact to the public.
Mr Speaker 10:56 p.m.
Hon Members, I would want the Committee to help us. And so I would want to hear the Hon Chairman of the Committee since the issue is both constitutional and legal. Let us listen to the Hon Chairman to clarify this issue as to what happened at the Committee.
Mr J. Osei-Owusu 10:56 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
On the morning of Monday, when the Committee was to meet to take a decision, Leadership of the Minority or the Ranking Member and his Chairman asked for a meeting with me and said they do want bulk voting and so instead of calling each Member to vote, they do not want the situation where some people would vote differently from their leaders. So they would rather want us to present these ones as unanimously approved and the other three as majority.
With that, I called the leaders of the Majority, the Vice Chairman and his team and told them that was the proposal of the Minority and asked them if they are agreeable to that. And they said they are agreeable. So the Report is a true reflection of the decision of the Committee.
The Hon Deputy Minority Leader is not a Member of the Committee. So regrettably, he cannot amend our Committee's Report. None of my Committee Members said I have misrepresented the fact. And so I thank him for his goodwill, but unfortunately, we cannot use his goodwill.
Mr Speaker, the Report is a true reflection of the decision the
Committee took, and I thank Hon Members for their contribution to the debate. I urge Mr Speaker to put the Question now on the Report.
Mr Speaker 10:56 p.m.
Hon (Dr) Matthew Opoku Prempeh?
Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh 10:56 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I would want to remind the House of what happened before this Appointment Committee was set up. During the set-up of the Committee, the decision of the 13:12 is very reflecting. When the debate for the 13:12 ensued, Hon Members including my very good friend, the Hon Member of Parliament for Asawase came up to say that even though it is 13:12, in all intents and practices of the Committee and conventions of the Committee, it is 13:13 and that Chairmen, even though they are not supposed to be voting, have consistently been voting. And so the Committee was set up as not 13:12 but as 13:13.
Mr Speaker, if it is true that what has been said is what transpired, which I know is true, then Standing Order 211(5) prevails. And it is with that understanding - I would want to read Standing Order 211(5).
Mr Speaker 10:56 p.m.
Hon Member, it is when there is division. Standing Order 211(5) is when there is a division at the Committee meeting. They have not raised any issue about division. They just told us that what actually happened was that they both depended on a gentleman agreement that when the leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Side presented to him, the Chairman, that they take it as majority decision, he took their words in good faith and put it in the Report as majority decision, but there was not a vote.
This is what we are being told. Now, this is a matter on which I believe we need to consult each other. Because of the constitutional and legal issues, we have to take an adjournment and consult on this.
Hon Members, doubts have been raised on the decision of the Committee.
Some Hon Members 10:56 p.m.
No! No!
Mr Speaker 10:56 p.m.
Yes, Hon First Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Appointments Committee, I saw you were about to catch my eye.
Mr J. Osei-Owusu 10:56 p.m.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker, I am up because of the suggestion that a doubt has arisen.
Mr Speaker 11:06 p.m.
Hon Chairman, I have no problem with the term “consensus” but I have a problem with the term “majority” because of what has been stated. You are 26 in number, and so, when you say “majority”, it will have to mean there was a figure showing that one side voted for more than the other. That is
when you say “majority”. And so, if you can tell me what that “majority” meant, then there would be no doubt left in mind and then I can put the Questions.
Mr J. Osei-Owusu 11:06 p.m.
Mr Speaker, at the Committee level, we are not supposed to sit in sides. If I am wrong, I would be glad to be guided. At the Committee level, we are supposed to work as a group. Indeed, numbers did not emerge in any of them because we agreed that there are people who would not support these particular candidates and we did not want to vote so that we identify who voted for or against so we agreed that majority of us support this candidate and minority are against them.
Mr Speaker, the suggestion is the configuration that because there are 13 members each from the NDC and the NPP, then there could not have been a majority. That is a configuration being created on the floor of the House. At the meeting we held here, no such discussions were held; nobody raised the issue that we are 13 each and so, we have issue with the majority. We discussed how we were voting and we agreed that in this instance, we would not cast a vote, but we agreed that one group would be by consensus and the other by majority decision.
Mr Speaker, the Report of the Committee is what is before you. Nobody is reviling from the Committee. No member of the Committee is challenging the Report. The fact that somebody configured that there are equal numbers and therefore, we should have equal votes or that the Hon Chairman could not have voted as suggested by Hon Ayariga - It is a configuration that is coming out of here; it is not coming from the Committee.
Mr Speaker, the Report of the Committee, as was filed and spoken to and supported by Hon Members of the Committee on the Floor is what we should work to, with due deference to you.
Mr Speaker 11:06 p.m.
Hon Chairman, at the Committee level, we do not have majority and minority. You sit as a Committee of 26 members. By the Standing Orders, all the 26 members have voting rights. There is good reason the Hon First Deputy Speaker is an Hon MP, and therefore, represents a constituency and the Standing Orders recognises that you have an inalienable vote which cannot be taken away from you. That is why you have the right to vote. And so, if you have 26 members and the Report is that majority decision -- we are not looking at that majority with party
colours. We are looking at the totality of the number 26. Therefore, at the minimum, it had to be, let us say, 14 as against 12 members. If you have 13 members apiece, there is no majority. It is a split and in such a situation, there is no decision. At that time, the Committee is in division and then, the Chairman has a casting vote according to Standing Order 211(5).

Hon Members, you have every right to differ from the view of the Speaker, but there are ways of doing that. It is not by shouting, “No”. That one has no effect. Let me explain this.

Due to that election, I was left in doubt and I wanted clarification. That is why I threw it back to you as to what constituted majority in the circumstances. I saw the Hon Majority Leader has been itching to contribute so, I will give him the opportunity.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:16 p.m.
Mr Speaker, the Report from any Committee is supposed to be a true reflection of what happened at the Committee stage. The Report that has come to us reflects what the Committee decided on. Mr Speaker, it was Hon Muntaka, the Hon Minority Chief Whip, who said that aspect of the Report was incorrect.
When he finished, the Hon Ayariga joined the train and said to us that indeed, there was voting and the majority at the time indicated that the three persons should be rejected. The Hon Muntaka comes back to say that there was no voting in the first place; so what the Hon Ayariga sought to tell us was incorrect, and the Hon Muntaka has stated what transpired. Mr Speaker, you are following up to say that because the numbers were 13/13, necessarily, if there is a majority or a minority decision, as has been narrated by the Chief Whip of the Minority, it should relate to figures; but because the numbers are split there, if the Minority - and you are right in saying that at the Committee level where consensus is the order of the day, usually, we do not carry party colouration to the Committee level. We endeavour not to do that in order to build consensus. But where we cannot achieve consensus, then we may have majority decision.
Mr Speaker, regardless of the number, in Committees, the Standing Orders of the House also applies. Our Standing Orders provides that in plenary, nobody is under any obligation to vote. So the mere fact that they are 26 and mention is made of a decision does not mean that it should reflect 13:13. People, even in plenary, are not obligated to vote. That should be taken into consideration.
So, Mr Speaker, the Chair, with respect, cannot say that they are 13:13; definitely, it must relate to 13:13 and that there may be a split.

Mr Speaker, that is not the correct position of our Orders. And indeed, our Standing Orders relate to that in 113 (5): “A Member is not obliged to vote.”

So, one cannot strictly relate to the numbers and say that necessarily, there must either be a spilt decision or majority. Mr Speaker, to the extent that nobody is challenging the Chairman of the Committee and the corroboration that we have had from the Minority Chief Whip, I do not see any doubt being created anywhere as far as this matter is concerned.

Mr Speaker, I thank you very much.
Mr Speaker 11:16 p.m.
Hon Majority Leader, your contribution clearly identified an argument in logic. We are looking at the facts, what took place. We are not to be left in logic. I had no doubt when we started the debate, after I had read the Report that there was a majority of the Members at the Committee level who voted for the three nominees submitted by majority of the Members of the Committee. I had no doubt in my mind that the consensus was by the Members of the Committee. If at the end of the debate an issue is raised about that term “majority” - and the reference was “we”, now that “we” has been defined to mean the Leadership of one political group at the Committee level -- That was what the Chief Whip of the Minority stated. That “we” referred to the Members of the NDC.
Now, the Chairman of the Committee said that when the Leadership came to him and said that the “we” which means the Members of the NDC group, which is made up of 13 Members has agreed that it should be majority decision. He took it as the gospel truth and in good faith, and that was what he captured. But not numbers of voting.
Chairman of the Committee, did I get you wrong?
Mr J. Osei-Owusu 11:16 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yes. I am sorry if that is the sense I presented to you. I said after they spoke with me, I called the Leadership of this Side and they also agreed and we came here as a Committee. It was then put across and agreed before I announced that this is what we have agreed as a Committee, so it was not the Leadership, but it was the whole Committee that agreed before I put that in the Report. [Interruption]
Mr Speaker 11:16 p.m.
Hon Members, the Chairman has clarified the situation that after he was contacted by the Leadership of the NDC group, he called a second meeting where the Members were present and then he put the Question and the Committee agreed - That is his explanation and it is only Members of the Committee that would be allowed to contribute.
rose
Mr Speaker 11:16 p.m.
Yes, Hon Ablakwa?
Mr Ablakwa 11:16 p.m.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much. As has been duly acknowledged, this is a very significant matter that has far-reaching implications. And by our Oaths of office, we must be truthful and sincere to the facts. As the Minority Chief Whip has observed, we clearly
Mr Ablakwa 11:16 p.m.


Mr Speaker, the fact of the matter is that, when we met in Committee, we did not go into division properly so-called. Individual Members did vote. This is my third on the Appointments Committee. What has always transpired is that the Chairman will say that we are done vetting a nominee, so Hon Ablakwa, how do you vote? Hon Muntaka, how do you? Every Member is asked to vote, but that did not happen this time.

Our Side had met earlier in conclave and decided that we would rather want to vote as a bloc, so we analysed in our Caucus every nominee one after the other and we decided that for these three we say that a majority decision - But we are looking at the Standing Orders, Order 172

(4).

Our understanding was that we had two opinions: Consensus or majority decision. So, because of this structures of our Standing Orders, we decided that for these three, it is majority decision and for the others, we were looking at consensus. So, that is what our Leadership came to - [Interruption] - the Heavens is my witness that we did not vote as individuals. There is no division properly so-called. So, this matter that has been raised is a very important

one, especially as we know that it is a 13:13 membership.
Mr Speaker, if we advert to Order 114 (6), with your permission, I beg to quote 11:16 p.m.
“If the numbers in a division are equal the motion shall be considered lost.”
So, to the extent that there was no voting, and 13 of us came to the Committee with this decision, en bloc, and we had the understanding that the other Side was also en bloc and we did not vote individually by this provision, really there is no vote. So, I think we may have to go back to Committee and do the proper thing - [Uproar] -- and then amend our Report and then we can take a vote. If not, we risk running into serious crisis with Standing Order 114 (6). The 13 of us came with a decision and the 13 on the other Side also had their decision, and that is a split decision. A split decision cannot be said to be a majority decision. So, those are the facts and I think that we must pay attention to them.
Mr Speaker, I thank you.
Mr Speaker 11:26 p.m.
Hon Members, with your leave, I would want to go into

In the absence of any guidance from Leadership, I will proceed to suspend Sitting for 10 minutes for us to resolve this issue and then we would come back.

11.30 p.m. -- Sitting suspended.

11.46 p.m. -- Sitting resumed.
Mr Speaker 11:26 p.m.
Hon Members, Order 114 deals with procedure on division. The Committee had not gone into division, so that Order you quoted is not applicable. That is why Order 211 (6), clearly states:
“The provisions of Order 114 (Procedure on Divisions) shall apply to divisions in a Committee.”
Hon Member, the Committee had not gone into division, so those provisions are not applicable -- please --
Hon Members, with your leave, I would want to go into conclave with the Leadership.
Mr Speaker 11:56 p.m.
Hon Members --
rose
Mr Speaker 11:56 p.m.
Hon Member, are you on your feet?
Dr Ayine 11:56 p.m.
Mr Speaker, at the inception of the debate --
Mr Speaker 11:56 p.m.
I was trying to convey to you the decision of the conclave.
Dr Ayine 11:56 p.m.
Very well, Mr Speaker, I will abide by your decision.
Mr Speaker 11:56 p.m.
After that, then I will hear you.
Article 110(1) of the Constitution states:
“Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, Parliament may, by standing orders, regulate its own procedure.”
The same has been captured in the Standing Orders, and apart from that, Standing Order 2 says:
Mr Speaker 11:56 p.m.
“Except otherwise provided in these Orders or in the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, these Orders shall not restrict the mode in which Parliament exercises and upholds its powers, privileges and immunities.”
I am fortified by these provisions and I decided to hold the conclave with the Leadership of the House. We came to an agreement that what actually took place at the Committee level was the decision of the Committee that the three other nominees be taken by a majority decision to support their recommendation to the House for consideration. That was the decision of the Committee.

We will start with the three other nominees for today. Hon Member for

Bolgatanga East, Mr Dominic Ayine, I will listen to you, and then, I will direct the Clerks-at-the-Table to put the ballot box and the usual accompaniment for us to start the voting.
Mr Speaker 12:06 p.m.
Yes, Hon Members, we are ready to go but in view of the fact that since morning three of the nominees have been waiting for the members of the Appointments Committee, we would start with the members of the Appointments Committee so that they can carry on with their work and by the time they are done we would have finished counting.
So, let us start with the Hon Chairman of the Appointments Committee.
An Hon Member 12:06 p.m.
Mr Speaker, there are people who are not Hon Members of Parliament but they are inside the Chamber. I just saw Mr Gabby Octhere-Darko going out. He is not a Member of Parliament.
Mr Speaker 12:06 p.m.
All strangers, please advise yourselves.
Table Office, start with the Hon Chairman of the Appointments Committee.
12.36 a.m. -- 2.46 a.m.

Question put and the House was counted.
Mr Speaker 12:06 p.m.
Hon Members, I am compelled in the circumstance of what I have been given to invite the Leaders to approach the Speaker. [Pause]
Hon Members, at the end of the votes in respect of the three nominees that were recommended by the Committee on the basis of majority decision in the persons of Hon (Dr) Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Hon Mavis Hawa Koomson and Hon Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the votes issued were 265 per candidate which meant that all the qualified voters voted.
Hon (Dr) Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Minister-designate for Agriculture
AYES -- 143
NOS -- 121
ABSTENTIONS -- 1
Hon Members, as a result, the percentage obtained by the Hon Member is 53.96 per cent. By the Standing Order 172(8), where it says:
“(8) A candidate who fails to secure fifty per cent of the votes cast is rejected.”

In respect of Hon Mavis Hawa Koomson, of the same number of qualified voters, which is 265;

AYES -- 161

NOS -- 104

ABSTENTIONS -- 0

The percentage of votes she obtained is 60.75 per cent. In the circumstance, Hon Mavis Hawa Koomson is accordingly approved.

Last but not least is Hon Kojo Oppong Nkrumah. The same number of qualified voters and the number of ballots issued; 265. Out of that,

AYES -- 155

NOS -- 110

ABSTENTIONS -- 0
Mr Speaker 2:46 p.m.


The percentage of votes for the Hon Nominee is approximately 58.65 per cent. In the circumstance, Hon Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has also been approved by the House.

Hon Members, I would now put the Question on the remaining 10 nominees who were recommended by consensus.

Question put and Motion agreed to.

Hon Members, in the circumstance, Hon Albert Kan- Dapaah, Hon Dominic Nitiwul, Hon Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Hon Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Hon Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu, Hon Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Hon Dan Botwe, Hon Ambrose Dery, Hon Ignatius Baffour Awuah and Hon Sarah Adwoa Safo are hereby approved by the House.

On the basis of this decision, the House would proceed to communicate the decision to His Excellency the President as Parliament having given prior approval to the nominations.

Hon Members, having regard to the time, I would proceed to adjourn the House. It is about five minutes to 3 a.m.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:46 p.m.
Mr Speaker, given how far we have travelled into today, I have had some consultations with Leaders and we agreed to meet today at 4.00 p.m. and the Appointments Committee would commence sitting at 2.00 p.m.
Mr Speaker 2:46 p.m.
I want to hear from the Minority Side?
Mr Iddrisu 2:46 p.m.
Mr Speaker, we have consulted and agreed that at 2.00 p.m. the Appointments Committee can sit and after two hours, you may convene the House.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker 2:46 p.m.
Hon Members, this is information to the Appointments Committee members that you agreed to sit at 2.00 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT 2:46 p.m.
  • The House was adjourned at 2.54 a.m. till Thursday, 4th March, 2021 at 4.00 p.m.