Debates of 27 Mar 2021

MR FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER
PRAYERS 11:11 a.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 11:11 a.m.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:11 a.m.
Hon Members, Corrections of Votes and Proceedings of Friday, 26th March,
2021.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:11 a.m.
Item numbered 4 - Business Statement for the Eleventh Week.
Hon Majority Leader?
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 11:11 a.m.
Majority Leader/Chairman of the Committee (Mr Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu) 11:11 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Committee met on Thursday, 25th
March, 2021, and arranged Business of the House for the Eleventh Week ending Tuesday, 30th March, 2021.
Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 11:11 a.m.
Arrangement of Business
Formal Communications by the Speaker
Mr Speaker, you may read any available communication to the House.
Question(s)
Mr Speaker, the Business Committee has rescheduled the Minister for Health to respond to one Question asked of him. The Minister was unavailable to answer the Question as earlier scheduled, due to the 2021 budget-related engagements.
Statements
Mr Speaker, pursuant to Order 70(2), Ministers of State may be permitted to make Statements of Government policy. Statements duly admitted by the Rt. Hon. Speaker may be made in the House by Hon Members, in accordance with Order
72.
Bills, Papers and Reports
Mr Speaker, Bills may be presented to the House for First Reading in accordance with Order 120. However, those of urgent nature may be taken through the various stages in one day in accordance with Order 119.
Pursuant to Order 75, Papers for presentation to the House may be placed on the Order Paper for laying. Committee reports may also be presented to the House for consideration.
Motions and Resolutions
Mr Speaker, Motions may be debated and their consequential Resolutions, if any, taken during the week.
Outstanding Reports on Estimates of MDAs and other
Institutions and Related Motions
Mr Speaker, the Business Committee entreats all Committees, which are yet to present reports on the Budget Estimates of their respective sector MDAs, to expedite work on their consideration and report on same for the attention of the
House to enable the presentation of the Appropriation Bill for 2021 to be done by Monday, 29th March, 2021.
Besides the Appropriation Bill, for 2021, other financial bills are expected to be presented, on or before Saturday, 27th March, 2021, for the attention of the House. The Business Committee appeals to all Hon Members to assist in taking these Bills through the various stages before adjournment sine die.
Sitting on Monday and Extended Sittings
Mr Speaker, the House is scheduled to Sit on Monday, 29th March, 2021. Sittings of the House may also be extended to ensure that business scheduled for the week under consideration is completed.
Adjournment of the House
Mr. Speaker, the House is expected to adjourn sine die on Tuesday, 30th March, 2021. In this regard, the Business Committee entreats all Hon Members to continue to devote themselves to the scheduled business for the week under consideration to enable the House adjourn on the proposed Tuesday, 30th March, 2021.
Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 11:11 a.m.
The Business Committee takes this opportunity to sincerely commend your good self, your deputies, and all Hon Members for the self-sacrifice and devotion to business of the House during this First Meeting. Worthy of note is the willingness to Sit for long hours and even on Mondays and Saturdays. The Business Committee urges all Hon Members to continue with this commitment until adjournment sine die.
The Business Committee wishes all Hon Members a restful Easter recess, hoping that we all return in the best of health for the business of the Second Meeting.
Parliamentary Calendar
Mr Speaker, a proposed Parliamentary Calendar for the year 2021 has been prepared. The said calendar is attached to the Business Statement for perusal by Hon Members.
Conclusion
Mr Speaker, in accordance with Standing Order 160(2) and subject to Standing Order 53, the Committee submits to this honourable House the order in which the Business of the House shall be taken during the week.
Mr Speaker, I do not intend to go through the business for the two remaining days as set out because I believe Hon Members would apply themselves to it. Whatever is left outstanding today would be pushed to Monday, but having said so, we have attached three proposals for the 2021 Calendar.
Having considered this, we will leave it to the House for their consideration and adoption, but the Committee is of the firm belief that the third scenario; adjourning on Tuesday for a six weeks recess and returning on 18th May, 2021 would be more appropriate. The reason being that the Eid would most probably end on 13th May, and if it should happen so, the 14th of May would become a public holiday.
Even though we have programmed earlier to be here on 11th May, it would mean that coming here we would Sit on 11th and have 13th and 14th declared as holidays, meaning we would be here for just two days in that week. In the event, we are of the considered opinion that it would serve the House better if we allow for additional week rest period and come back on 18th to then possibly adjourn on 6th August.
Mr Speaker, I so submit.

Questions

1. Mr Alex Tetteh Djornobuah (Sefwi Akontombra): To ask the Minister for Health the type of health facility programmed to be constructed in Sefwi Akontombra, when it will be completed and handed over.

Statements

Presentation of Papers --

(a)Fourth Report of the Appointments Committee on the President's nominee for appointment as Minister for Finance.

(b)Interim Trade Partnership Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana, of one Part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and the Northern Ireland, of the other part.

(c)Annual Report of the National Road Safety Authority for the year 2019.

(d)Budget Performance Report in Respect of the Ministry of

Planning for the Period January to December, 2020.

(e)Budget Performance Report in Respect of the Ministry of National Security for the Period January to December,

2020.

(f)Budget Performance Report in Respect of the Ministry of Roads and Highways for the Period January to December,

2019.

(g)Annual Statement by the Audit Committee of the Techiman North District Assembly for the Year 2019.

(h)Annual Statement by the Audit Committee of the Anloga District Assembly for the Year 2020.

(i) Annual Statement by the Audit Committee of the Economic and Organised Crime Office for the Year

2018.

(j)Annual Statement by the Audit Committee of the Economic and Organised Crime Office for the Year

2019.
Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 11:11 a.m.
(k)Annual Statement by the Audit Committee of the Registrar General's Department for the Year
2017.
(l) Annual Statement by the Audit Committee of the Registrar General's Department for the Year
2018.
(m)Annual Statement by the Audit Committee of the Registrar General's Department for the Year
2019.
(n)Annual Statement by the Audit Committee of the General Legal Council for the Year 2019.
(o)Annual Statement by the Audit Committee of the Council for Law Reporting for the Year 2019.
(p)Annual Statement by the Audit Committee of the Office of the Attorney- General and Ministry of Justice for the Year 2019.
(q)Report of the Finance Committee on all Financial Bills.
Presentation and First Reading of Bills
Appropriation Bill, 2021.
Motions
(a)Second Reading of Bills
Financial Bills.
(b)Third Reading of Bills
Financial Bills.
Consideration Stage of Bills --
Financial Bills.
Committee sittings.

Statements

Presentation of Papers --

Report of the Finance Committee on the Appropriation Bill, 2021.

Motions

(a) Adoption of the Fourth Report of the Appointments Committee on the President's nominee for appointment as Minister for Finance.

(b)Second Reading of Bills

Appropriation Bill, 2021.

(c)Third Reading of Bills

Appropriation Bill, 2021.

Consideration Stage of Bills --

Appropriation Bill, 2021

Committee sittings.

i.The House expected to Ajourn Sine Die.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:21 a.m.
Hon Members, any comment on the Business Statement for next week?
Yes, Hon Leader?
Alhaji (Dr) Abdul-Rashid H. Pelpuo 11:21 a.m.
Mr Speaker, the Statement as read is well understood. I really do not have comments on it, but would want to find out how we are responding to Standing Order 14(2) and (3) which happens in the absence of Mr Speaker. It looks like the whole of last week, the Standing Order has been misinterpreted differently
because we have not been communicated to. Yesterday, the Second Deputy Speaker came and when Speaker comes --
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:21 a.m.
There appears to be no further comment.
Hon Majority Leader, do you want to say something?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:21 a.m.
Mr Speaker, as the Hon Member rightly observed, that indeed is the duty of the Clerks-at-the-Table, and it really does not form part of the Business Statement at all.
Mr Speaker, in that regard, I would plead with you to rule the Hon Member out of order. It has nothing to do with the Business of this House as submitted by the Business Committee.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:21 a.m.
Very well. Hon Members, the Business Statement for the ensuing week is hereby adopted.
Mr Samuel Atta-Mills 11:21 a.m.
Mr Speaker, looking at the Business Statement, we have three scenarios on the calendar. Which one are we using?

Hon Majority Leader, do you wish to share any information on which of the three scenarios we are using?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:21 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I only spoke to it, but Hon Samuel Atta-Mills whom I do not normally see in African wear -- Mr Speaker, I am saying I do not normally see him in African wear, and so I was not recognising the person who was there. He is very aristocratic and most often in suit so I was not seeing him.
However, I spoke to it that I was recommending Scenario C in view of the calendar for our Colleagues, the Muslims.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:21 a.m.
Very well.
Hon Members, the Business Statement for the ensuing week is hereby adopted as the work programme of the House for the week commencing Monday.
Mr Speaker admitted two Statements, but Hon Members have requested that we defer the Statements. So we would go straight to item numbered 6 - Presentation of Papers.
Yes, Hon Majority Leader?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:21 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I guess we can do the presentation of Papers and take item numbered 6(a) (i). Item numbered 6(a) (ii) is not ready, and so we would take (i).
PAPERS 11:21 a.m.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:21 a.m.
Hon Majority Leader, are we ready to take item numbered 6 (b)? I am advised that item numbered 6(a) (ii) is not ready.
Hon Chairman of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, are you ready?
I was advised item numbered 6(a) (ii) is not ready, but if it is ready, you can lay it now.
By the Chairman of the Committee --
Report of the Special Budget Committee on the Annual Budget Estimates of Parliament
and the Parliamentary Service for the year ending 31st December 2021.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:21 a.m.
Item numbered 6(b), Hon Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs?
Yes, Hon Member?
Mr Annoh-Dompreh 11:21 a.m.
Mr Speaker, I was rather calling for item numbered 6(c)?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:21 a.m.
Very well.
By the Chairman of the Committee --
Estimates of the Judiciary and the Judicial Service for the year ending 31st December 2021.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh 11:21 a.m.
Mr Speaker, item numbered 6(b).
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:21 a.m.
Item numbered 6(b) is what you said was not ready?
Yes, Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs?
By the Chairman of the Committee --
Report of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs on the Annual Budget Estimates of the Right of Information Commission for the year ending 31st December 2021.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:21 a.m.
Item numbered 6(d), are you ready?
Mr Annoh-Dompreh 11:31 a.m.
Mr Speaker, may we now take item numbered 14, on page 5 of the Order Paper?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:31 a.m.
Let me first confirm whether the Report in respect of Government Machinery and Government Obligations will be laid now. Hon Majority Leader, item numbered (d)?
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:31 a.m.
Mr Speaker, items numbered (d) (i) and (ii) are not ready yet, and that is the reason we are going to item numbered
14.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:31 a.m.
But I was expecting that the Order Paper will have a place for the Third Report of the Appointments Committee.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:37 a.m.
All right; Table Office is to take note of that.
Item numbered 14 — Motions by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice.

ANNUAL ESTIMATES, 2021
ATTORNEY-GENERAL AND 11:37 a.m.
MINSTRY OF JUSTICE 11:37 a.m.
  • [Resumption of debate from 26/03/2021]
    • Chairman of the Committee (Mr Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi) 11:37 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to support the Motion and in so doing, I present your Committee's Report.
    1.0 Introduction
    1.1 The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2021 Financial Year was presented to Parliament on Friday, 12th March, 2021 by the Hon. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah- Bonsu in accordance with article 179 of the 1992 Constitution.
    1.2 The Annual Budget Estimates of the office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice (OAGMOJ) were referred to the Committee on Constitutional, Legal & Parliamentary Affairs for consideration and report pursuant to Orders 140(4) and 179 of the Standing Orders of the House.
    2.0 Deliberations
    The Committee met with the Hon. Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Mr. Godfred Odame and Officials of the OAGMOJ. The heads of the Departments and Agencies under the Ministry of Justice were in attendance to assist the Committee in the deliberations on the Estimates of the Ministry. Budget Officers from the Ministry of Finance were also in attendance.

    MR ANYIMADU-ANTWI][MR ANYIMADU-ANTWI]

    3.0 Reference Documents

    The Committee referred to the following documents during deliberations:

    i. The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana;

    ii. The Standing Orders of the Parliament of Ghana;

    iii. Legal Aid Commission Act, 2018 (Act 977);

    iv. Companies Act, 2019 (Act

    992);

    v. The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government for the 2020 Financial Year; and

    vi. The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government for the 2021 Financial Year.

    4.0 Goal of the OAGMOJ

    The goal of the office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice within the Medium Term is to provide quality advice and legal services to the Government and the people of Ghana.

    5.0 Core functions of the
    OAGMOJ 11:37 a.m.
    Mr Bernard Ahiafor (NDC -- Akatsi South) 11:37 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for giving me the opportunity to support the Motion.
    Mr Speaker, it is agreeable that the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice plays a very important role in this country when it comes to the rule of law. The Attorney-General's Department is the Government's advisor, and it renders a lot of services to Ghanaians. Their goals and functions are set out in paragraphs 4.0 and 5.0 of the Committee's Report and I do not intend to go over that.
    Mr Speaker, it is observed that in the year under review, the Ministry's expenditure was GH¢146,952, 272.91. That was the total expenditure for the Ministry in the year 2020. In the year 2021, the allocation to the Ministry is GH¢133,640,427.00. We were told by the Ministry of Finance that it is the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice that is to make priority allocation for all the agencies under it.
    Mr Speaker, if in the year under review, their expenditure was GH¢147 million and this year, they are
    given GH¢133,640,427.00 and given the opportunity to go and prioritise the allocation to all the agencies under them, what are they going to do? Clearly, this allocation is woefully inadequate and it would not enable it to function well, because they would be under financial constraints.
    Mr Speaker, some of the agencies under the Office of the Attorney- General and Ministry of Justice are performing very important roles. One of these agencies is the Law Reform Commission.
    Mr Speaker, law is a communicative action; it is an instrument for social engineering and it is supposed to be an aid to development. We have a lot of over aging and obsolete laws in our records, which need to be reformed. But for the year 2021, the Law Reform Commission is being given less that GH¢2 million inclusive of compensation for employees, Goods and Services and Capital Expenditure.
    They cannot even employ a lawyer to assist them in performing their services. How can we blame the Law Reform Commission (LRC) for non- performance, if for a whole year, their budgetary allocation is less than GH¢2
    Mr Bernard Ahiafor (NDC -- Akatsi South) 11:47 p.m.
    million? They cannot perform their functions. As indicated, the law should be an aid to development, as an instrument of social engineering.

    Mr Speaker, I do not know what we would do in the year 2021 to enable the Law Reform Commission perform creditably.

    Incontestably, the allocation to the Law Reform Commission on what we urged upon the Office of the Attorney- General and Ministry of Justice to go and prioritise on right from the onset is woefully inadequate. We are just tightening the hands of the Attorney- General and Minister for Justice at the back that yes, this is the allocation, GH¢1.8 million, go and prioritise it for them. He cannot do anything.

    Mr Speaker, another important agency under the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice is the General Legal Council (GLC). Mr Speaker, as indicated by the Hon Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, in the year under review, 271,000 people wrote the entrance examination out of which they admitted 1,045. However, in the budget, the allocation they are expecting of 2,200 to write the

    entrance examination and out of that, 550 would be admitted and out of that, 450 would be called to the Bar.

    Mr Speaker, when we met with the Ghana School of Law (GSL), the indication was that they generate revenue of about GH¢7 million. The Government takes the GH¢7 million, and give them about GH¢3 million or GH¢4 million. As a result, they cannot expand. They want to even build a law school village, but it is crawling.

    They generate money and the Government takes it and gives them a small amount of money and that in the year 2021, if given adequate allocation, they can admit more than the projection of the 550. They would be able to admit 800 students. That is the only way they can begin to clear the backlog of the students yearning to enter GSL.

    My prayer is that the GLC should be given enough allocation so that they would be able to pass it on to GSL and the 800 students that they are promising, if given the resources, they can admit, they would be able to do that instead of the 550 being projected in the budget.

    Mr Speaker, the caretaker Minister for Finance is here, and if he is listening to me, I plead with him that if the Attorney-General, in the year

    2021, cannot be given resources at all, it should not be less than their expenditure for the year under review. We would surely expect expenditure in excess of appropriation if what was spent last year would not be given this year because surely, they would have to spend the money. They cannot reduce the number of employees they have. I believe they even need more, and instead of being given more allocation, it is now being reduced.

    Mr Speaker, if care is not taken, it would get to a point that the Hon Minister would not even have money to pay salary for the people who work under him. Even if you have not been able to employ more people, he would not be able to meet the compensation of the existing staff for the year 2021.

    Mr Speaker, as we approve the amount of GH¢133,640,427 for the services of the Office of the Attorney- General and Ministry of Justice, we plead that they should find a way of upping this particular amount for them to function well.

    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity.

    Minority Leader (Mr Haruna Iddrisu) Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion that this House approves the sum of GH¢133,640,427 for the activities of the Office of the Attorney- General and Ministry of Justice.

    Mr Speaker, I refer to paragraph 8.7 on page 8 of the Report. In line 1, I am sure they wanted to say “in 2021” but I see “in 2012” so it should be corrected to read:

    “In 2021, EOCO intends to continue the fight against crime and cover proceeds from economic crimes.”

    Mr Speaker, is it cyber and economic crimes? When the Committee reports, they should report well on the mandate of the EOCO.

    Mr Speaker, EOCO plays a very important role both preventive and helping to combat corruption. Mr Speaker, in paragraph 10.6 on page 11 it reads:

    “Office is appealing to the Ministry of Finance to increase its budgetary allocation for goods and services from GH¢1,377,979 to GH¢2 million.”
    Mr Bernard Ahiafor (NDC -- Akatsi South) 11:57 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have a difficulty with the Ministry of Finance having a difficulty in approving this. This is an anti-corruption body, a very important criminal investigative body and -- juxtapose it with the first paragraph on page 10. The same EOCO helped the Government to recover some money. I would want to quote the exact paragraph. They have asked for just GH¢2 million, and we are not able to provide for it. Mr Speaker, we should make a strong observation to the Minister for Finance to increase the goods and services allocation for
    EOCO.
    Mr Speaker, that leads me to paragraph 8.4 -- GSL. It raises a fundamental question: what is Parliament doing to support the GLC and the Office of the Attorney- General to expand access to legal education?
    We have received petitions upon petitions and it is about starting an infrastructural project that expands access to legal education. Parliament would be failing the GLC and the Attorney-General if we do not recommend that additional resources be made available to them. Then it means we are paying lip service to those young people who came here demonstrating that they could not have access to legal education.
    Mr Speaker, if we just say that an appeal was made for GSL, the problem has been running in the last two or three years. Young people cannot access legal education. What do we do? This is when Parliament should act. I am disappointed that the Ministry of Finance has not made enough provision for this, and that the Committee has not made a strong recommendation for the resources to be made available for expansion of access to legal education, in particular the GSL.

    Mr Speaker, I have listened to both Chief Justices, Justice Sophia Akufo as she then was and Justice Anin- Yeboah. All of them, the argument is that we should not compromise quality; we all agree with that but in this Budget, what is Parliament doing to satisfy the protest and the petitions that we received from young people who wanted to have access to legal education?

    Mr Speaker, the Law School project, when the Acting Minister for Finance comes back here should he -- and he does not have enough resources for the Law School Village project, we would not be supportive of you even if you want to read the Budget. That day, I would protest on

    behalf of young people who want to have access to legal education because you must take it much more seriously.

    Mr Speaker, the Registrar- General's Department is one of the institutions that is doing very well. Let us not take it for granted; when we say we are fighting corruption, it is not only the police and the Attorney- General that help us fight corruption, the Registrar-General's Department provides some of the systems that can allow for adequate checks for people who abuse their offices and people likely to be corrupt.

    Especially, with the Tax Identification Number (TIN) with Ghana Revenue Authority and registration of companies and lifting the veil, one can understand why in 2020, because of the extraordinary circumstance of COVID-19, the Registrar-General did not live up to expectation.

    Mr Speaker, my view is that the Registrar-General would have to decentralise its operation. Do we need to travel from Hamile to Accra to register a company or we should be able to do it wherever we are? Even if one is coming from Kumawu,

    must the person come to Accra to register a company? How are we getting that done?

    Mr Speaker, then, in paragraph 10.2; the Law House Project. Mr Speaker, yourself a good lawyer, you drive by it every day. When you pass the new infrastructure provided for the Justices, you see the building. Why? We must bring closure; why only GH¢400,000? What can GH¢400,000 do to that edifice of an infrastructure? It makes the project more costly and more expensive. I support it.

    Mr Speaker, finally, judgement debt. This same Attorney-General that we are not giving resources to, yet, we want him to go and represent the State and fight to recover and avoid judgement debt. They must be adequately resourced. And my advice to the new young Minister for Justice and the Attorney-General is that he has to work closely with the Minister for Finance.

    Many Ministers walk to Cabinet and to Parliament without your concurrent approval of what they want to do, and that normally occasions these judgement debts. By the time it comes to Parliament, the Attorney-General's opinion is not sought; so the concurrent approval of the Minister for Finance and the
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:57 a.m.
    Majority Leadership?
    Hon Member for Ejisu?
    Mr John Ampontuah Kumah (NPP -- Ejisu) 11:57 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you very much. I would like to thank the Majority Leader for the opportunity given to me to support the Motion for the Annual Estimates for the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney-General.
    Mr Speaker, the core functions of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice is specified under article 88 (1) of the Constitution and they provide legal advice and legal services to the Government. They also have oversight responsibility on several departments and agencies including the Registrar-General's Department; the General Legal Council; the Ghana School of Law; the Council for Law Reporting; the Copyright Office and the Economic and Organised Crime Office.
    Mr Speaker, in 2020, the Attorney-General's office did a lot in terms of its activities in protecting the public purse. If we look at paragraph 7.1, in the second line, one of the notable civil cases on judgement debt
    that the Attorney-General had to save this country was an amount of GH¢592,092,705,048. This is very significant because the entire 2021 projected revenue as captured in the 2021 was GH¢74 billion for the whole year. And if only one judgement was going to cost the country GH¢592 billion, that would have been very detrimental to the development of this country. And one Ministry is working so hard to protect the purse of this country, and we must support their financial request as captured in their estimates so that we can do more for this country.
    Mr Speaker, as captured in the Report, conditions of lawyers at the Attorney-General's Department has to be looked at. To the extent that some of the lawyers at the Attorney- General's Department operate from containers, even at the Head Office. And this makes it very unattractive for competent lawyers to work with the Attorney-General.
    Mr Speaker, I think that I would like to join voices with the Hon Ranking Member and the Hon Minority Leader in calling on the Minister for Finance especially, in the Mid-Year Review to look at how best we could increase the allocations that have been made to the Attorney-
    General' s Department. One thing that is significant is that in last year's expenditures, the office of the Attorney-General got a release of GH¢146 million. And this year, we are only approving GH¢133,640,428. This is woefully inadequate considering the impact of their work and what they do.
    Mr Speaker, finally, I would like to talk about the Ghana School of Law and the need for a bigger campus. We were told at the Committee level that steps are already being taken to have an extended campus around the University of Ghana, Legon area. This requires extra resources from the Ministry of Finance and we want to take this opportunity to call on the Ministry to look at this project with the Ghana School of Law so that in the Mid-Year Review, some extra allocations could be made for them.
    Mr Speaker, on this note, I support the Motion.
    I thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Odame 11:57 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you very much. Indeed, I am delighted by the contributions of all the Hon Members of this House, particularly I am delighted by the contribution of my good friend, the Hon Bernard
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:57 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Majority Chief Whip?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 11:57 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, may we take item numbered 10 on page 4?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:57 a.m.
    Item numbered 10, Motion, by the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation.
    MINISTRY OF 12:07 p.m.
    COMMUNICATIONS AND 12:07 p.m.
    DIGITALISATION 12:07 p.m.
    Minister for Communications and Digitalisation (Mrs Ursula Gifty Owusu-Ekuful) 12:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this honourable House approves the sum of GH¢351,216,756 for the services of the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation for the year ending 31st December 2021.
    Mr Speaker, the Pandemic that the entire world is going through, has made digital technology even more critical globally as it provides the means for remote working, learning, communication and transactions. That has rapidly become the norm and it is helping the world recover from the negative effects of the Pandemic.
    This has made the work of the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation even more critical. In the past year, the e-Government network infrastructure was improved, more Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) and Metropolitan, Municipal
    and District Assemblies (MMDA) and others were and would enroll unto the e-Government platform to provide a more secure, robust and scalable means of improving and extending the provision of services.
    The Ministry has also provided a virtual working tool for all public servants. Three hundred and fifty were enrolled onto the system and 100 more would be enrolled onto the Smart Workplace this year. That is to enable public servants work remotely, even at the height of the Pandemic and to enable Government to continue functioning.
    Mr Speaker, the Rural Telephony Project is also being undertaken by the Ministry. With its expanded mandate, even more resources would be required to enable us facilitate the digital transformation of the Public Service and make Government to citizen engagement more efficient. It would facilitate faster interactions, create and promote transparency and reduce corruption in the Public Service.
    So, many of the initiatives that have been done such as digitalisation of public records, the e-Applications in various sectors from Parliament, the Office of the Attorney-General, the
    Judicial Service, the Births and Deaths Registry, the Registrar General's Department, e-Education, e-Health and telemedicine are all being facilitated.
    A major project being undertaken by the Ministry with the assistance of the World Bank has seen additional funding of US$105 million which is even more than the original funding of the project, in view of the critical nature of the services the Ministry is providing for the Public Service and facilitating in the private sector.
    As always, we have challenges with ceilings allocated to the Ministry by the Ministry of Finance. We are however working with them to ensure that under the Ghana Cares Programme, sufficient funding would be provided for the digitalisation of the Public Service and to facilitate more technology uptake in the Public Service. Also, aid in revenue generation for the exchequer.
    We are looking forward to working even more closely with all sector agencies, Ministries and Departments to facilitate their work, as we would enable them utilise technology in the performance of their duties.
    Mr Samuel Nartey George (NDC -- Ningo Prampram) 12:17 p.m.
    Thank you Mr Speaker.
    In contributing to the Motion, I want to draw the attention of the House and the Hansard Department to Table 3 on page 7 of the Report. There is an error in there that emanates from the Budget Statement. When you look at the internally generated funds (IGF) under Sources of Funding, the total amount there is GH¢37,777,418 and this is from the Budget.
    However, when we do the calculation of all the figures under the various classifications, it should amount to GH¢37,777,419 and not GH¢37,777,418. We had drawn the attention of the Ministry of Finance to this and they have indicated that during the Appropriation, they would effect the correction. So, our Report had to report exactly what was in the Budget Statement.
    Mr Speaker, on the issue of the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, on the advice of one of my seniors in Parliament, I would have said there is nothing more to say and then resume my seat. This is because what else can I say? The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation
    went to the Government and asked for GH¢1.3 billion which includes GH¢250 million from donor partners. So, it expects an excess of GH¢1 billion to execute its new mandate of digitalisation, which is the key yardstick for Government over the next four years. The Hon Minister for Finance designate at his vetting kept on talking about digitalisation.
    Mr Speaker, when the Ministry made a request for an excess of GH¢1 billion -- I do not know whether it was the former or temporal Hon Finance Minister, but the approved amount was GH¢37 million out of a request of GH¢1 billion. What miracle do we expect the Hon Minister for Communications and Digitalisation to perform? It is simply sloganeering. We should put our money where our mouth is.
    If an Hon Minister asks the Government for GH¢1 billion and asks for GH¢US$ 250 million from donor partners and the donor partners have given her that amount but the Government gave GH¢37 million -- not even GH¢100 million out of the GH¢1 billion that was asked for. If Government were a church, it would not have even qualify for tithe -- [Laughter] --
    What miracle do we expect the Ministry to perform? This was why I said I would have just resumed my seat and said there is nothing more to say but that would be a disservice to the people of this country, so I would say more.
    Mr Speaker, the Ministry in 2020, in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic took critical steps to ensure that because of the expanded use of technology, they allocated additional spectrum to MTN and Vodafone so that the children in Bekwai and Ningo-Prampram who needed to use the internet to study could get access to it and proper bandwidth. That is one thing I would want to commend the Ministry for and hope that going forward, a definite position would be taken on that spectrum matter whether they would give additional spectrum because we need to know at what price that would be given.
    Mr Speaker, this House approved the Cyber Security Act of 2020 (Act 1038) last year and in that Act, we inserted section 31 which was sources of funds for the Cyber Security Fund. It would be important that we understood the steps that would be taken to actualise the formation of the Cyber Security Fund. This is because we cannot talk about digitalisation and all the various ICT policies we want to roll out without having a solid shield
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:17 p.m.
    Hon Member, once you have talked about owing, you must also confirm that we were not satisfied with the services they provided.
    Mr George 12:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if we do not pay them how do they provide good services?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:17 p.m.
    We get the service before we pay - if we do not get good service, we would not pay.
    Mr George 12:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, respectfully, NITA provides what our payment allows them to provide. Most of the Government Agencies take redundancy services from other MNOs and they pay in full and that is why those MNOs are able to provide the level of services that are good enough. We should pay NITA and they would provide us better service but if we do not pay them and it owe its service providers, the service that they would provide to us would be questionable. So, we need to support our own and support NITA so that it could provide services.
    Mr Speaker, I want to know from the Ministry of Finance when this capping policy would come to an end. Apart from the Data Protection Commission, every other Agency under the Ministry is capped and I told the Agencies that they should not complain. Even the revenue for the National Blood Bank is capped by the Ministry of Finance, the revenue for the Abibigromma Dance Theatre is capped and even the revenue for
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:27 p.m.
    Leadership?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 12:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, leadership would yield to the Hon Member for Gushegu, Mr Tampuli.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:27 p.m.
    Very well.
    Mr Alhassan Tampuli Sulemana 12:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am most grateful for the opportunity for the approval of the 2021Annual Estimates for the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation.
    I believe that a lot has been said about the Report except to add that the Ministry was allocated a budget of GH¢151,840,492.00 on page 3. In due course, during the Mid-Year Review, GH¢99,239,866.09 was added to the Ministry's budget bringing it to a total of
    GH¢251,080,358.19.
    Mr Speaker, the allocation for this year which is GH¢351,216,756 and we believe that though it is woefully inadequate as compared to the request from the Ministry, it is quite significant.
    The Ministry of Finance, in the course of the hearing, indicated that it is strongly considering the possibility of allocating additional funds under the Ghana Cares Programme in the Budget Statement to support the Ministry's expanded mandate. For me, this is very heart-warming and I believe that the shortfalls that my very good Friend Hon Samuel N. George mentioned, will be adequately catered for in the course of the year.
    Mr Speaker, notwithstanding the fact that some of the sector agencies were unable to meet their targets, it is quite significant that others were able to do so and I think that they
    deserve commendation. I believe that the Hon Minister will be in a good position to single them out and give the necessary commendation.
    With the specific issue of GMet -- the Act establishing the Ghana Meteorological Agency provides for a certain mechanism for payments of the services rendered by GMet to the Ghana Civil Aviation and the Ghana Airport Company Limited based on the traffic and volume of passengers.
    Mr Speaker, I believe that this inter-agency arrangement has to be strongly encouraged but from what we did, just at the meeting, we were able to do our own calculations which gave us not less than U$43.1 million that the two agencies owe GMet.
    I believe that these issues have to be strongly considered at the inter- ministerial level so that financing can be made available to GMet in view of the fact that we need to have some predictability in terms of the weather forecast and I believe that everyone here will be able to attest to the fact that GMet has been doing well lately.
    In the past when they tell us it is going to be sunny, one needs to get an umbrella and prepare for rain. These days that has changed as they give adequate, accurate and timely
    predictions because if they tell you it will rain at 6 a.m., chances are that there will be showers if nothing at all.
    Mr Speaker, with these few words, I add my support to the approval of the Motion on the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:27 p.m.
    Yes, is that the Hon nominee of the Leadership side? Very well.
    Mr Abed-nego Bandim Azumah 12:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity. I rise to support the Motion for the sum of GH¢351,216,756 for the services of the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation for the year ending 31st December, 2021.
    However, I have a few observations to make. First, is the rural telephony project that the Ministry initiated -- in the Budget Estimates, the Government through the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation secured some funding for the development of about 2,016 cell sites to cover at least, 25 per cent of the population.
    Mr Speaker, as at December 2020, only about 410 out of the 2,016 sites were built across the country. The Report indicates that the
    Mr Abed-nego Bandim Azumah 12:37 p.m.
    remaining 1,606 sites will be completed by the year 2022. However, if we look at the state at which the project is progressing, it is not encouraging and we do not think that the Ministry will meet this target.
    We are told that the Ministry piloted about 46 sites using the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) pylons but started the pylons only in the Western Region and we think that there are more rural communities that need the services of rural connectivity. So, we urge the Ministry to ensure that this is done expeditiously so that a lot more communities can be covered particularly, in the Northern part of the country.
    Mr Speaker, if we consider the North East Region where I hail from, there are a lot of communities that are without connectivity and we would like this done immediately.
    With the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT), in the year 2006, the Geneva Agreement indicated that Africa was to migrate from analogue to digital by June, 2015. Another deadline was set and we have met that deadline as well. In the year 2020, the Hon Minister indicated to stakeholders that by July 2020, the Ministry will commence the migration process. As we speak, nothing has
    been done and again, we urge the Ministry to expedite action. In fact, the Hon Minister should tell us when this project will be completed?
    Mr Speaker, I wish to add my voice to the issue of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA). With our interactions with the CSA, we realised that even though the Act 1038 was passed last year, the CSA is yet to be fully established. We know and cannot underestimate the importance of this CSA because it serves as a police on our cyber space, protects our children, businesses, individuals as well as the Government. We would want to indicate that the moneys budgeted for the CSA should be released without delay.
    Mr Speaker, just as my Senior Hon Colleague said, the CSA does not have vehicles to operate with coupled with a low staff rate and therefore, if that is done, they will be unable to work to meet their expectations.

    The issue of capping is a concern to the Committee and we realised that the Postal and Courier Service, for example, was able to meet their IGF for 2020 and they paid it into Government chest, yet, less than half of the money was released to them.

    When they came before the Committee, we realised that they did not even have vehicles for operations. Mr Speaker, during this COVID-19 period, their services have become more important so we urge the Ministry of Finance to ensure that the capping on these agencies should be removed to allow them to be self- sufficient in their operations for the betterment of this country.

    Mr Speaker, allow me to also indicate that the Kofi Annan ICT Training Centre had its compensation budget reduced by about 42.8 per cent. This is unacceptable because the workers have to be motivated enough to be able to achieve their targets and results. So, we would urge that their moneys should be restored and not reduced so that they can function.

    Again, for the past four years, the Data Protection Commission, has been operating from a rented office and they pay so much rent, meanwhile the moneys allocated to them in 2020 was not released fully. So, we urge the Hon Minister to assist them to get a government accommodation so that they would be able to reduce the cost of the rent. Mr Speaker, Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) can be self-sufficient if they are allowed

    to raise funds that are required of them by the law they operate with. We realised that GMet offers services to the aviation industry but there is no cooperation between the GMet and the aviation industry to allow them to access the funding that is required of them.

    So, we also call on the Hon Minister to form an inter-ministerial committee between the Ministry of Communications and Digitilisation, the Ministry of Aviation and the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture to work together and get moneys that are required of GMet.

    Mr Speaker, on this note, I support the approval of the Estimates for the Ministry.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:37 p.m.
    Hon Minister?
    Mrs Owusu-Ekuful 12:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to make a small correction.
    The Rural Telephony Project was launched on 4th November, 2020 and by the end of December, 2020, 400 sites had been rolled out. So, if we continue at this pace, it is likely that we would complete this project ahead of schedule. So, it is not correct that it is being done at a snail pace.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:37 p.m.
    I would put the Question?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 12:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, with the greatest respect, before you put the Question, I heard Hon George in his contributions make some statements, but I have taken time to go through the Budget Statement and there were some inaccuracies and I seek your leave to correct these inaccuracies.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member should take a copy of the Budget Statement and refer to page 258 Appendix 11(B) - Non-Tax Revenue Actuals 2021 Projections. Under item numbered 4 - Blood Bank - 2020 Retention and Projection, we would see 100 per cent. Also, if we refer to 2021, it has recorded absolute figures and if we do the arithmetic, it is also 100 per cent retention.
    Also, when we refer to Pantang Hospital, under 2020 it is 100 per cent retention and 2021 also has absolute
    figures recorded and if we do the arithmetic, it is also 100 per cent retention and same for Ankaful Hospital.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member sought to create the impression that there has been capping and drastic reduction of these figures, however, this is the Budget Statement and it does not reflect same. Mr Speaker, I think these were inaccurate in his contributions and I seek to correct same with the evidence I have provided.
    Mr George 12:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is not in dispute what the situation was in 2020, however, capping was introduced in 2017 so if he wants us to take the records, then we can do so for the 2017, 2018 and 2019 Budget Statements. In all those Budget Statements, we would see that all the institutions that I spoke about were capped. Mr Speaker, I can provide them to the House that in 2017, 2018 and 2019, Ankaful Hospital, National Blood Bank and Abibigroma Theatre were all capped.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:37 p.m.
    Hon Members, I would put the Question.
    Question put and Motion agreed to.
    Resolved Accordingly.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 12:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we can take item numbered 9 on page 4 of the Order Paper.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:47 p.m.
    Hon Members, item numbered 9 - Motion. Hon Majority Leader?
    ANNUAL ESTIMATES 12:47 p.m.
    ELECTORAL COMMISSION 12:47 p.m.
    Chairman of the Committee (Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu) 12:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this honourable House approves the sum of GH¢165,915,048 for the services of the Electoral Commission for the year ending 31st December, 2021.
    Mr Speaker, the Electoral Commission has core responsibilities captured under article 45 of the 1992 Constitution and they include the following;
    compile the register of voters and revise it as such periods as may be determined by law;
    demarcate electoral boundaries for both national and local government elections;
    conduct and supervise elections or public elections and referenda, educate the people on the electoral process and the purposes to
    undertake programmes for the expansion of the registration of voters and also perform such other functions as may be prescribed by law.
    The Electoral Commission in 2020, as we all know conducted the Presidential and General Elections successfully, and for this year, Mr Speaker, they have to continue Business as usual. It is for that reason that an allocation of GH¢165,915,048 has been made to the Electoral Commission for the discharge of their functions for the 2021 financial year.
    Mr Speaker, it is in this regard that we are seeking for the approval of Parliament for this allocation to be made to the Commission.
    Mr Speaker, in doing so, I present the Report of the Committee.
    1.0 Introduction
    The Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs , Hon Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu presented the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government for the 2021 financial year to Parliament on Friday, 12th March, 2021 in accordance with article 179 of the 1992 Constitution and Section 21(3) of the Public Financial Management Act of 2016 (Act 921).
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:47 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Minority Leader?
    Minority Leader (Mr Haruna Iddrisu) 12:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion ably moved by the Majority Leader that this sum of money of GH¢165,915,048 be approved for the activities of the Electoral Commission.
    They conducted the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections; our democracy is evolving. The European Union has observed that the coalition of results this time round was not done in a manner which is transparent, and therefore, would be calling for some electoral reforms that would allow for more openness and transparency in the declaration of results.
    We saw the excesses of the security agencies at some of the coalition centres and we need to resolve what to do to improve it.
    Mr Speaker, what is important is that the Electoral Commission, currently as we speak, has not been able to pay some electoral officers. With respect, may I refer you to page 9 running into page 10 of the Report and make a strong recommendation that the Ministry of Finance, as a matter of urgency releases the sum of GH¢216,029,347.98 for the Electoral Commission to be able to pay allowances to election officials which is in the region of GH¢120,699,650? There was also some contract printing of GH¢25.9 million and GH¢15 million for Election Materials.
    Mr Speaker, while we are approving their budget for 2021, there is an outstanding obligation.
    Mr Ahmed Ibrahim (NDC -- Banda) 12:47 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity.
    I beg to support the Motion. In supporting it, I would make few comments about the Report. On page 8, paragraph 9.3, shortfall in budget allocation, the Committee noted that the Electoral Commission requires an amount of GH¢396,594,864.98 to meet the cost of its operational activities for 2021 and to also settle outstanding obligations arising out of the conduct of the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections and other operational expenses in 2020.
    The amount is made up of GH¢180,565,517 for 2020 operational activities and GH¢216,029,347.98 for the settlement of outstanding arrears.
    Mr Speaker, this amount was supposed to be given to the Electoral Commission in 2019. It was not given. It was supposed to be released in 2020. When you pile up the cost of outstanding activities in the Electoral Commission in years like this and get to the election year, it brings a very difficult challenge.
    It is on this note that when we were passing the 2020 Budget, the Electoral Commission was asking for an amount which we thought was too huge. Then the Ministry of Finance said it was too much for them to release that amount in that year.
    We are starting with the same process. In 2024, there would be election. If in 2021, they are asking for GH¢396 million and you are giving them GH¢165 million, it means there is arrears. In 2022, they would come and it would be the process meanwhile in 2022 or 2023, there would be a district level elections.
    So we are pleading with the Ministry of Finance, instead of the GH¢165 million, they should give the GH¢396 million to the Electoral Commission to be able to pay the outstanding arrears of GH¢216 million so that it does not become an accumulated arrears so that going forward, they would be able to keep up with time.
    If they do not do this and we come to the district level elections which is more difficult and expensive to organise, where would we get the money to organise the district level elections that is ahead of us?
    Mr Speaker, why should we be carrying 2020 Parliamentary and Presidential Election's debt into 2021 and 2022? Whatever it is, God being so good, the Hon Chairman of the Special Budget Committee and the Leader of the House has responsibility on the Ministry of Finance now.
    So this is the time to bail out the Electoral Commission so that their outstanding arrears does not keep on appearing in our report. It has been our Report since 2019 when we could not pay and even in 2020 and is still in our Report in 2021. It does not augur well for a democratic country like Ghana.
    Mr Speaker, it is therefore my humble submission that whatever it is, the Hon Minister in charge of Finance -- the Electoral Commission is not even asking for GH¢400 million. They are asking for only GH¢396,594,864.98 for 2021.
    Mr Speaker, when the asked for over GH¢1 billion in 2020 because of emergencies, they were able to give them. And so why do they not give them this GH¢396,594,864.98 to make way and clear all outstanding arrears so that they would be on a sound feet?
    Mr Ahmed Ibrahim (NDC -- Banda) 12:57 p.m.
    This is my humble submission, and I hope the Minister for Finance would hear it in good faith and help us bail out the Electoral Commission by paying the outstanding arrears. We are all products of the election that was organised.

    Therefore if there is an outstanding arrears, there must be a collective effort to clear it and that is my submission.

    Mr Speaker, with these few words, I thank you for the opportunity.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Deputy Whip for the Minority certainly must not over exaggerate the strength of the Minister with temporary responsibility for Finance when he implores me to cause the release of the outstanding arrears to the Electoral Commission. When the man with full responsibility arrives, he would be so charged but the man with temporary responsibility -- Mr Speaker, I would pray and entreat him not to lead me into temptation. Having said so, the Hon Minority Leader also made a point about the recruitment into the Electoral Commission, which must be transparent and above partisan considerations.
    Mr Speaker, our Constitution, in article 42 provides as follows 12:57 p.m.
    “Every citizen of Ghana of 18 years of age or above and of sound mind has the right to vote and is entitled to be registered as a voter for the purposes of public elections and referenda.”
    Mr Speaker, the officials of the Electoral Commission qualify to vote and they have registered to vote to the extent that they cast their votes. They belong to one party or the other. What is required of them is to demonstrate absolute neutrality and impartiality in the conduct of their affairs and we must insist on that.
    Mr Speaker, in my own Constituency, I have people who belong to the other side of the political divide. I know them and I work with them and I tolerate them. All that I implore my people to look out for is to ensure that they do not double in any matters that would undermine my own integrity and my strength in the Constituency. But I am friends with them. We sit together and talk together. Officers of the Commission at whatever level must demonstrate absolute impartiality in the conduct of their business and we must insist on that.
    Mr Speaker, having said so, I am thankful that all of us agree that the outstanding amount that should go to the Electoral Commission - we should all come together and press that they are reimbursed to avoid cost escalation so that people who are even threatening to take them to court would be put at bay. Mr Speaker, other than that, I believe the outcome would not be good for us as a country.
    Mr Speaker, I thank Hon Colleagues for their contributions and I invite you to put the Question accordingly.
    Thank you very much.
    Question put and Motion agreed to.
    Resolved Accordingly:
    That this honourable House approves the sum of GH¢165,915,048 for the services of the Electoral Commission for the year ending 31st December, 2021.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we can now take item numbered 12 on page 4. I also seek your leave for the Hon Majority Leader to move the Motion. Leadership has come to an agreement on this.
    Mr A. Ibrahim 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in fact, yesterday, we resisted that Motion not being taken on the grounds that the Minister should come and account to us on how he used the allocation we made to him in 2020 and justify why we should give him another one for 2021 but the Leader of the House explained to us that we are actually not in normal times and that there are no Deputy Ministers in place and the Minister himself is indisposed. We do not have control over nature so we may give in for the Minister responsible for Finance and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs to move the Motion on behalf of the Minister.
    Mr Speaker, we wish him well. That notwithstanding, we want to protect the image of this House and to let Ministers know that when they are to appear before us, they must prioritise Parliament over any other activity so that in subsequent days, we would not be passing budgets in absentia.
    With these few words, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minister responsible for Finance can move the Motion for the House to progress.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you and I thank Hon Colleagues for the understanding. Hon Colleagues would know that I am one
    MINISTRY OF FOOD AND 12:57 p.m.
    AGRICULTURE 12:57 p.m.
    Chairman of the Committee (Mr John F. Osei) 12:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion that this honourable House approves an amount of GH¢1,183,592,230 for the services of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture for the financial year ending 31st December, 2021. In doing so, I present the Committee's Report.
    1.0 Introduction
    The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the year ending 31st December, 2021 was presented to Parliament by the Minister for
    Parliamentary Affairs, responsible for Finance on Friday, 12th March, 2021 in accordance with article 103 of the 1992 Constitution.
    Pursuant to Orders 140 and 176 of the Standing Orders of Parliament, the Rt Hon Speaker referred the Programme Based Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs for consideration and report to the House.
    1.1 Deliberations
    The Committee met on 23rd and 24th March, 2021 and considered the Programme Based Budget Estimates of the Ministry. Present at the meetings were the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto and Mr Robert Ankobiah, the Ag. Chief Director. Other Directors and Project coordinator of the Directorates under the Ministry also present were;
    i. Human Resource Development and Management Directorate,
    ii. Crop Services Directorate,
    iii. Ghana Irrigation Development Authority,
    iv. Grains and Legumes Development Board,
    v. Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate,
    vi. Women in Agricultural Development,
    vii.Animal Production Directorate,
    viii.Agricultural Extension Services Directorate,
    ix. Agricultural Engineering Services Directorate,
    x. National Buffer Stock Company and
    xi. Tree Crops Authority.
    The Committee also met with the Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board, Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo and his officials on the 24th March, 2021 to discuss programmes and activities for the management of the Cocoa Sector for the 2021 fiscal year by the Ghana Cocoa Board.
    The Committee is grateful to the Minister for Food and Agriculture, the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Cocoa Board and all other Officials of the Ministry for their insightful input and clarification.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:07 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Ranking Member?
    Mr Eric Opoku (NDC -- Asunafo South) 1:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I rise to support the Motion. In doing so, I would like to make some few comments.
    Mr Speaker, on page 3 of the Report, table 1, you would realise that the Ministry was given an initial Budget approval of GH¢965,131,568.00, but it was revised upwards to GH¢1.3 billion to enable the Ministry pay for its arrears.
    Mr Speaker, at the end of the year, it has been reported that actual expenditure was GH¢1.1 billion. This year, the Ministry projects to increase
    farmer participation in the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme to around 1.7 million. The Ministry intends to increase the fertilizer inputs by almost 30 per cent and improved seeds by over 20 per cent.
    Unfortunately, allocation to the entire sector is around the same GH¢1.1 billion. If they intend to increase their input, then one would expect that expenditure will also go up, but the total allocation to the sector is almost the same as actual expenditure for 2020. Therefore, it appears that it would be difficult for the Ministry to meet its projections.
    Mr Speaker, another important point is on irrigation in paragraph 5.5 of the Report and there is also another paragraph 7.2 on Ghana Irrigation Development Authority. Contract was awarded for the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam almost two years ago. In fact, if that project is executed, it would be a game changer in the agricultural sector.
    It will create jobs, ensure food security among many other advantages. Unfortunately, almost two years now, Government is unable to provide for mobilisation for the project to start. Per the contract, Government is supposed to pay US$56 million as mobilisation fee to enable the contractor move to the field.
    Last year, Government paid just US$11million out of the US$56 milllion. This year, allocation to the project is around GH¢42 million. It means that even if we add this year's allocation to what was paid last year, it would not be able to pay for the full amount of money for mobilisation to enable the contractor start work on the project. Even as we speak, nothing is being done on site; Pwalugu Dam has not taken off, just because Government of Ghana is unable to pay for mobilisation under the contract.
    Mr Speaker, I believe that agriculture has the potential to provide food for us, generate jobs for the teeming youth, increase our incomes, and to restore some stability to their exchange rate, therefore, Government must provide the need ejection to use agriculture to transform the economy of Ghana.
    Mr Speaker, another point is on paragraph 7.3, Agricultural Extension Service Directorate. Agricultural extension is very important for the transformation of agriculture in our country. Unfortunately, our extension officers are seriously under- resourced. The Committee on Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs moved to some of the agricultural districts.
    In fact, when we got to Adwira in the Ashanti Region, we interacted with some of the extension officers. For some of them, in their attempt to educate farmers, they did not have money to pay for the use of information centres.
    This is unfortunate. They have the technical know-how and would want to impact this knowledge to our farmers, but unfortunately, they do not have the means to reach our farmers. It is an area that requires a lot of resources. We expect the Ministry to look at how we can make extension useful and close to the farmers.
    Mr Speaker, another important point is on agricultural mechanisation. We have been using the cutlasses and the hoes for a long time and the impact has been insignificant. It is time for us to mechanise agriculture to enhance productivity. For this reason, Government is subsidising agricultural machinery for our farmers. Unfortunately, the subsidy that was placed on agricultural machinery, which was 60 per cent during the time of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has been reduced to 40 per cent.
    This, coupled with the exchange rate will obviously make agricultural machinery very expensive for our farmers. That will feed into the cost
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:07 p.m.
    Yes, Leadership nominee, Hon Member for Sefwi-Wiawso?
    Dr Kwaku Afriyie (NPP -- Sefwi-Wiawso) 1:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity. I rise to support the Motion. I would want to make some few remarks.
    Mr Speaker, first of all, the Ministry has done well when we compare it to the previous years in terms of grain production and in the introduction of technology to the agricultural sector. But obviously, a lot remains to be done. That is why the application of simple tools has to be made. In this wise, I would urge the Ministry to liaise with the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) because they have several agencies which are also operating in this area. I suspect that if share a silo mentality and a
    collaboration is deepened, Ghana would need indeed to apply technology for the benefit of this sector.
    Mr Speaker, I would also want to dwell on efficiency of production. I noticed that there is a lot of drudgery in farming, especially in the forest belt. In this wise, I urge the Ministry, together with the Ministry of Roads and Highways to go beyond feeder roads and tackle the issue of farm tracks, which were tracks between farms.
    For example, when you take the cocoa sector, a lot of the farmers have to carry loads of cocoa on their heads. This drudgery must stop, and now, if you give farm trucks and a couple them with aboboyaa technology, and we purchase the correct machinery, I am sure the carriage of cocoa and other produce on the heads of farmers would be reduced to the minimum.
    Again, I believe that the time has come for even more serious inter- sectorial collaboration. For example, in the area of marketing, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and its agencies have a lot of research which can also be commercialised. Unfortunately, we tend to look outside our shores. A case in point is in paragraph 4.4 on page 5 of the Report where with agricultural mechanisation, it looks
    like a foreign dominated equipment is what was brought in. I suspect that if the Ministry of Food and Agriculture engages with the CSIR and GRATIS Foundation, a lot of these equipment could be manufactured locally.
    Mr Speaker, before I take my seat, I believe that the time too has come for us to, and even in the same vein, intensify collaboration on marketing. We need to commercialise some of the government denominated agencies because their marketing wing is weak. I would want to see the Minister for Food and Agriculture give lots of contracts albeit based on market principles so that the IGF of these government agencies would be raised and the budgetary allocation to them would then be complemented. With this set up, I am sure that some of these agencies could even be weaned off Government budget.
    With these few remarks, I believe that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has done very well, and I support the Motion for the approval of their budget for the year ending 31st December, 2021.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, Hon Colleagues have made useful contributions, and I would want
    to express my gratitude, and that of the Hon Minister and the Ministry to them for the contributions made.
    I would like to relate one or two issues. One is about the producer price of cocoa. I believe there is a typographical error, so it should read “GH¢660” instead of the “GH¢600” that is captured. The other one that Hon Colleagues related to, in respect of the resourcing of the Directorate of Agriculture Extension Service, I believe it is most appropriate.
    Until recently, the Extension Service was more or less neglected. The new Administration has recruited new people into the service, however, what is left to be done is appropriate resourcing of the recruits. If we recruit them and do not provide the adequate resourcing, all that they have would be kept in their head, and extending the knowledge to the farmers becomes a difficulty. I agree with the Hon Ranking Member that we should find ways of properly resourcing them in order for them to be beneficial to the farmers.
    Mr Speaker, agriculture mechanisation is also something that should concern all of us. Ghana used to be the largest producer and exporter of cocoa, but la Cote
    Ms Lydia Seyram Alhassan 1:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we can take the item numbered 13 on page 4 of the Order Paper. Mr Speaker, we have engaged Hon Colleague Leaders, and it has been agreed that the Leader of Government Business represents the Hon Minister. [Pause]
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if ladies talk about engagements, we should be concerned about the consequential resolutions.
    Mr Speaker, may I request the Hon Minister for Employment and Labour Relations to move the Motion listed as item numbered 13 on behalf of the Minister for Trade and Industry.
    MINISTRY OF TRADE AND 1:17 p.m.
    INDUSTRY 1:17 p.m.
    Chairman of the Committee (Mr Carlos Kingley Ahenkorah) 1:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I rise to second the Motion, and I thank you for giving me the opportunity to add my voice to the approval of the Estimates for the Ministry of Trade and Industry for the year ending 31st December, 2021. And in so doing, I present your Committee's Report:
    1.0 Introduction
    The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2021 Financial Year was presented to the House on Friday 12th March, 2021 by Hon Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Majority Leader & Leader of Government Business.
    Pursuant to Orders 140 (4) and 159 of the Standing Orders of the House, the Rt. Hon Speaker referred the 2021 Annual Budget Estimates of
    the Ministry of Trade and Industry to the Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism for consideration and report.
    In considering the Annual Budget Estimates, the Committee met with the Hon. Minister, Mr Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten, Chief Director of the Ministry and his Technical Team from the Ministry, Departments and Agencies. The Committee appreciate their valuable assistance.
    2.0 Reference Documents
    The following documents served as a reference guide during the
    Committee's deliberations:
    i. 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana;
    ii. Standing Orders of the Parliament of Ghana;
    iii.Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2021 Financial Year;
    iv.Programme-Based Budget Estimates for 2021 for the Ministry of Trade and Industry; and
    v.The Public Financial Management Act of 2016 Act 921.
    Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah (NDC -- Elembelle) 1:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I rise to support the Motion for the approval of the 2021 Annual Estimates for the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
    I have the following observations: In the 2020 Budget, the allocated amount was GH¢475,344,936,086 and the amount that was released was GH¢386 million with some change. It meant that almost GH¢89 million was not released. Across the agencies, this very point was raised that it was part of the challenges they faced in the shortfall of the releases which affected a lot of the planned activities of the Ministries and their agencies.

    Mr Speaker, the Ghana Enterprise Agency formerly, NBSSI, as part of COVID-19 relief efforts, in the middle of the year, was allocated an amount of GH¢750 million. The actual expenditure was GH¢450 million. That is a huge amount that was meant for good intention.

    In the peak of the pandemic, small businesses and traders were in hardship, and the intention was that this amount was supposed to be sent out to support Ghanaian businesses especially, women traders across the country. We were told that 277,511 beneficiaries got this money which ranged from GH¢300 to

    GH¢300,000.

    Mr Speaker, as I said, good intention; if we remember, this money,

    GH¢450 million was disbursed in the peak of election and it is important. This Committee had a real interest to make sure that the right things were done.

    Happily, the NBSSI informed us that they may engage the services of an audit firm. We demanded to have a complete report of that audit to understand the regional and district spread of how that money was distributed. We wanted to know who got what in each district by name.

    Mr Speaker, remember that this GH¢450 million was sent mostly by phone on mobile money. It is important that the people's money is well accounted for and this is something that the Committee is taking keen interest in.

    Mr Speaker, one of the main focuses of the Ministry of Trade and Industry was the flagship One District, One Factory (1D1F) programme. It is important we know how much money is being sank into this very important programme?

    We were told that 232 projects were at various stages of completion and 107 were under construction. It is important to note the amount of money that is being expended. We were told that 603 million worth of import duty exemptions on capital

    goods and raw materials were approved by this House for 37 1D1F companies. This House has always been concerned about that.

    We were told that GH¢2 billion was mobilised from participative financial institutions to support these businesses. We were also told that GH¢213 million in interest subsidy was also paid. We asked where the factories were located and we were given a regional spread -- four here and 10 here. We are still waiting to have the comprehensive list of names from the Ministry of Trade and Industry on each of these factories.

    It is however important that the question is asked and this is the question we asked the Minister for Trade and Industry. The key to creating jobs which is the focus of 1D1F is basically to support the private sector. Right now, what the private sector needs is lower taxes and low interest rates. That is the bottom line because that is how they can create jobs and hire more people. I think it is important that we state here that Government must focus its attention in that area.

    Mr Speaker, there was also a discussion on the strategic anchor industries. The Ministry drummed up automobile companies like Kantanka Automobile doubling its production.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:37 p.m.
    Leadership nominee?
    Mr Bright Wireko-Brobby (NPP -- Heman Lower Denkyira) 1:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to support the Motion.
    Mr Speaker, the sector Ministry has an overall vision to establish Ghana as a globally competitive
    manufacturing and trade hub in Africa. Given this vision, it is important that we all support them to be able to have this Budget carry out the mandate that they need to carry.
    Let me zoom in to 1D1F which came up strongly when the Committee met the Minister. The Minister and his team informed us, that a total of 232 projects were under construction and that 76 of them were currently in operation. The interesting thing about this is that jobs have been created in all of these areas that we have these factories running.
    We probed further and got to know from the Minister that 139,331 direct and indirect jobs have been created by the 76 factories that were in operation at the moment. Additionally, he told us that 285,915 jobs were also created by those under construction. Indeed, all 16 Regions have some sort of factories underway.
    The Ashanti Region which had the highest has 44; Oti and North East Regions have five each. So, contrary to what my Hon Colleague on the other Side said that we cannot find the factories, it is not so. We have them and all 16 Regions were identified as having some of these factories there.

    Mr Speaker, the Ghana Enterprises Agency which was formally called the National Board for Small-Scale Industries, also had done a very good job and we also need to commend them.

    Mr Speaker, the Ghana Enterprises Agency had been the anchor for transmitting some of these small amounts during the COVID-19 pandemic era to the small medium industries, which they did very well. They used technology and we should encourage them. So, the approval of this budget for them would do them very good.

    Mr Speaker, the capping which all other contributors have talked about, was one issue that threatened some of the Agencies in the Ministry, so we have to consider that as well.

    Mr Speaker, on this note, I would urge the House to approve the sum of GH¢529,517,997 for the services of the Ministry.

    Mr Speaker, I thank you.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:47 p.m.
    Minority leadership nominee?
    Mr Avedzi 1:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member for Tamale Central, Mr Murtala would speak for leadership.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:47 p.m.
    Very well.
    Mr Murtala Muhammed Ibrahim (NDC -- Tamale Central) 1:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the Motion.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to make certain issues clear and having listened to my Hon Colleague, he indicated that the Hon Minister for Trade and Industry provided us with evidences of the 1D1F but what we were provided with was the regional breakdown of the 1D1F and remember we insisted that we wanted the detailed locations. However, interestingly, the Hon Deputy Ranking Member for this Committee insisted that he wanted to know in Bole, the 1D1F that is purportedly provided for his district. The last time I checked we have not been --
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:47 p.m.
    Hon Member, hold on.
    Hon Member, what is your point of order?
    Mr Ahenkorah 1:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, my Hon Colleague on the other Side, is probably, not aware that when this request came to the Hon Minister, they have sent the response --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:47 p.m.
    Which request?
    Mr Ahenkorah 1:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, when the Hon Minister brought the regional distribution of the 1D1F, they wanted the very indication of the districts and the names of the factories but the Hon Minister promised to provide the information and he has since done so. If the Hon Member has not received the information, he cannot make a pronouncement on it in the House.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:47 p.m.
    Very well, your point has been noted.
    Hon Member, please, proceed.
    Mr Buah 1:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am the Hon Ranking Member of the Committee. The Hon Chairman --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:47 p.m.
    Hon Member, I have not given you the Floor. Do you want to raise a point of order against him?
    Mr M. M. Ibrahim Mr Speaker, even though my Hon Friend succeeded to take away the time,
    what he has demonstrated and with this information he has purportedly provided for this House, it is a clear dereliction of his responsibility as the Hon Chairman of the Committee. The Ranking Member is in the House -- we are all Hon Members of the Committee and we have not been provided with the information.
    It would be a justifiable ground for us to demand that this budget should not be approved. We ought to be provided with the information and this is clear admission that, that information was provided and that information is left in his bag, I doubt even whether our Hon Colleagues have access to it. We would be justified to insist that this budget should not be approved.
    Mr Speaker, I could bet my last penny that if that information was provided, my Hon Friend, who is also known as “Ussain Bolt'' would have made that information available to us. -- [Laughter] --
    Mr M. M. Ibrahim 1:47 p.m.
    You need to learn the process. You cannot just get up and start to talk.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:47 p.m.
    Hon Member, can you withdraw the reference to “Ussain Bolt'' because it is unparliamentarily?.
    Mr M. M. Ibrahim 1:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, he is my friend.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:47 p.m.
    When you are out of the House, you could play that friendship game.
    Mr M. M. Ibrahim Mr Speaker, the alias “Ussian Bolt'', would be addressed after my contribution.
    Mr Speaker, my Hon Friend needs to learn the process very fast. He should not just get up to speak -- an Hon Member has to be given the opportunity to speak before he could do that. He is very slow to learn -- he should not do that.
    Mr Speaker, it is very clear that the Hon Chairman of this Committee has not done well and we insist that before we approve this budget, he should provide us with that evidence. The reason it was not only necessary but essential for us to make the demand was that the Hon Deputy Ranking Member whose constituency he was informed that there was 1D1F, wanted to know and that information was never provided.
    Mr Speaker, what also came to the attention of the Committee, was the African Continental Free Trade Area. Inasmuch as everybody is happy that the secretariat is in Ghana, having the secretariat alone is not enough. What
    is important is harnessing the potentials and the opportunities therein, in the secretariat. In the budget, not much was provided in the realisation of the dreams of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
    Mr Speaker, the fear that was expressed by many Hon Members of the Committee, is the fact that we may be at disadvantage if we do not take the necessary steps to harness that potential and in any case the budget of the Ministry ought to be provided. I thought that having had the jamboree to celebrate the Office in Ghana, the budget would have captured serious focus given to it so that we could take advantage of the opportunities in it.
    Mr Speaker, for example, if we take the pharmaceutical companies which are also captured in the Report, the biggest pharmaceutical companies in Africa, are not found in Ghana but in Nigeria, South Africa, Algeria and Morocco. If there is a proper appreciation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, we would be at a disadvantage. What prevented those pharmaceutical companies to operate in Ghana, was the fact that there were direct tax obligations for which reason they may not be willing to operate in this country.
    With this African Continental Free Trade Area, those taxes or tariffs on them are virtually taken off -- they could now operate in Ghana with carte blanche. What steps would we take as a Government to build the capacity of our pharmaceutical companies so that they could compete and operate in this country and in other African countries. In the budget, not much has been given to that particular sector and that is why genuinely, some of us are worried.
    Mr Speaker, with regard to the importation of rice in this country, the Hon Minister himself admitted that the ban on the importation of rice into this country by small rice importers has been lifted and that explains why last year alone, we spent US$1.1 billion in the importation of rice into this country. The Hon Minister for Finance stated last year, that we spent US$2.4 billion in the importation of food in this country and out of the US$2.4 billion, rice alone took US$1.1 billion, which is almost 50 per cent of the amount we spent in the importation of food into the country -- [Interruption] --
    The source is from the website of the Ministry of Finance. In fact, the US$1.1 billion that was spent in the importation of rice curtesy the former Hon Deputy Minister for Trade, Mr
    Ahomka Lindsay -- when he met Thailand businessmen in this country, stated with alacrity that yes, we spent US$1.1 billion in the importation of rice into this country. If they need the source, the distance between Parliament and the Ministry of Trade is not far, so they could easily get the information.
    Mr Speaker, if we spend almost half of the amount of money we spend in the importation of rice in this country, we could see a direct correlation. The ban yielded positive results and this Government must take the necessary steps to ensure that, that decision to lift the ban is reversed. It does not only increase the money we spend but also exerts pressure on our domestic currency and its relation with other foreign currencies and that is why the dollar and the cedi relation is like that of Ussain Bolt and my two-year son.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:57 p.m.
    Hon Member, hold on.
    Hon Members, in pursuant of Standing Order 40 (3), I direct that the House Sits outside the regular Sitting hours.
    Hon Member, you may conclude.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:57 p.m.
    At the conclusion of the debate-- Hon Minority Leader, you said that it was on your leadership nominee.
    Mr Avedzi 1:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, hear me first. I am not coming to debate.
    There is an error in the Report which needs to be corrected.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:57 p.m.
    Very well.
    Mr Avedzi 1:57 p.m.
    Hon Rickets-Hagan, correct the report.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:57 p.m.
    Hon Minority Leader, I granted you leave. If you were going to ask another Hon Member to read, you should tell me
    Mr Avedzi 1:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member who is an Hon Member of the Committee identified some errors in the figures. He is not prepared to contribute but just to correct the figures and so, I cannot give the slot for correction of only figures.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:57 p.m.
    Hon Leader, so, you will tell me and then I will grant him the opportunity but you are appointing.
    Mr Avedzi 1:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, that is what I am doing.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:57 p.m.
    No, you did not tell me at all. You just appointed the Hon Member.
    Mr Avedzi 1:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I said that there is an error in the Report that needs to be corrected.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:57 p.m.
    By who?
    Mr Avedzi 1:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I mentioned his name that he should go ahead and correct it. I did not say I was going to correct it.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:57 p.m.
    All right. Now, I will grant him leave to correct it.
    Mr Rickets-Hagan 1:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion on the Floor by way of making corrections to the Committee's Report.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:57 p.m.
    Hon -- I was going to mention our names but I will not mention that one. The leave granted you is to make a correction. Kindly point the page where the correction is to me and do so. You are granted leave to contribute to the debate, please.
    Mr Rickets-Hagan 1:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, there are some errors in the Committee Report and that is Table 1 of page 4 -- Budget Allocation and Total Releases as at December 2020.
    Mr Speaker, since this is a House of facts and records, I would like to point out that the IGF that is at column 1 is incorrect. The correct figure is GH¢66,914,159 and not GH¢75,693,357.86. That will mean that the total figure in the same column should be GH¢466,575,738 and not GH¢475,344,936.86 and so, that means when we come to column 3,
    the total variance figure there should be GH¢79,819,754.43 and not
    G H ¢ 8 8 , 5 9 8 , 9 5 7 . 2 9 .
    Consequentially, the variance in percentage terms should be 17 per cent and not 19.
    Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 1:57 p.m.
    Thank you very much. Hon Chairman, what is your response to these corrections?
    Mr Ahenkorah 1:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am sure that my Hon Colleague did not raise any such anomaly during our meeting or else, I would have remembered.
    However, the fact is that what we have here is what the Committee sat to adopt. That notwithstanding, we later called in the Director of Budget at the Ministry of Finance for us to go through these figures for a position to be reached. Thereon, they stated that if there are any variances which have not been captured, he promised to handle that by the Mid-Year Review.
    So, as it stands, the Ministry of Finance is aware and has been accepted and adopted by the Committee.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:07 p.m.
    Very well.
    I will put the Question subject to the Committee reconciling these figures with the Ministry of Finance for any correction to be effected.
    Question put and Motion agreed to.
    Resolved accordingly.
    Mrs Lydia S. Alhassan 2:07 p.m.
    We would take item numbered 1 -- Presentation of Papers on the Order Paper Addendum.
    Mr Speaker, the Paper is supposed to be presented by your good self but since you are presiding, I seek your leave to request the Hon Member for Ejisu, Mr John A. Kumah, a member of the Appointments Committee, to lay the Paper on your behalf.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:07 p.m.
    Very well.
    Item numbered 1 on the Order Paper Addendum -- Presentation of Papers.
    Hon John Kumah.
    PAPERS 2:07 p.m.
    -- 2:07 p.m.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:07 p.m.
    Hon Majority Leader, what next?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 2:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am told the Report for the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs is currently being printed and they thought that they would be able to distribute them for consideration by the House. However, it appears it is not yet ready and since today is Saturday, I am not sure we can suspend Sitting and resume later. So with this situation, we may have to adjourn till Monday.
    Mr Speaker, what this means is that we have nine Motions outstanding for Monday so I would plead with the remaining Hon Chairpersons to speed up the presentation of their Reports so that we can take them early in the morning on Monday, when the Committee on Finance would deal with the taxes that have been submitted to the House.
    Mr Speaker, I would entreat you to accordingly adjourn till Monday at
    Mr Avedzi 10 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the time is past 2.00 p.m. so we are in your hands.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 10 a.m.
    Very well.
    ADJOURNMENT 10 a.m.
  • The House was adjourned at 2.11 p.m. till Monday, 29th March, 2021 at 10.00 a.m.