Debates of 28 May 2021

MR SPEAKER
PRAYERS 12:47 p.m.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Hon Members, item numbered 3 - Correction of the Votes and Proceedings and the Official Report. Correction of Votes and Proceedings of Thursday 27th May,
2021.
Page 1, 2 --
Mr Richard Acheampong 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yesterday, I was present and I even attended several meetings but I have been marked absent.
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Hon Member, did you say page 1?
Mr R. Acheampong 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, yes.
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Which number is it on page 1?
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Hon Member, please we have not yet reached there. We are now at page 1 going on to page 2. When we get to the page where you have been marked absent then you can draw our attention.
Page 2…7 --
Yes, Hon Acheampong?
Mr Richard Acheampong 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am back again. My name is not supposed to be at page 7 item numbered 2 but at page 1.
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Hon Member, you do not determine which page your name should feature - [Laughter]- You simply have to draw our attention to the fact that you were present but your name has appeared at page 7 as being absent and then we will do the proper thing. Where your name appears as present, is not for you to determine. Table Office should kindly take note.
Page 8 --
Dr Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, at item numbered 58, I have been marked
as absent with permission but I was present.
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Hon Member, are you referring to page 8?
Dr Pelpuo 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, page 8, item numbered 58.
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Hon Member, you have been marked as “absent without permission” and “not with permission”.
Dr Pelpuo 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I am sorry about that.
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Hon Member, so you are drawing our attention that you were present but you have been marked absent. Those marked “absent with permission” is at page 6. Table Office, kindly take note.
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, I was going to speak for the Hon (Dr) Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo that I saw him here in the Chamber yesterday but he has been marked absent. The Hon(s) Kwaku Agyeman Kwarteng and Dr Emmanuel Marfo, Hon Member for Oforikrom were equally here but have been marked absent.
Mr Speaker, I also noticed that Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin
and Frank Annoh-Dompreh; Hon Members of Parliament for Effutu and Nsawam-Adoagyiri and Deputy Majority Leader and the Majority Chief Whip respectively, have been marked absent. They have travelled on various missions for us and have submitted their leave of absence forms which are translated to your Office. I took it for granted that you have granted the permission for them to travel but their names are listed as being absent without permission.
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Table Office, kindly take note.
Mr Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, in my case, my name cannot be found as present or absent.
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Hon Member, you mean your name is not captured on the Votes and Proceedings?
Mr Terlabi 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, no.
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
So, what is your position? Were you present or absent?
Mr Terlabi 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, none of the above. I was present but I was not captured anywhere.
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Table Office, please capture the name of the Hon Member as present for yesterday.
Mr Thomas Nyarko Ampem 12:47 p.m.
Mr Speaker, respectfully, I just realised that I have also been listed under those who were absent as item number 17 on page 7, but I was present yesterday.
Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
Table Office should kindly take note.
Page 10, 11, 12 … 16.
The Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, 27 th May, 2021 as corrected are hereby adopted as the true record of proceedings.
  • [No correction was made to the Official Report of Friday, 5th March, 2021.]
    • Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
    Hon Members, item numbered 4 -- Business Statement for the Second Week ending Friday, 4th June, 2021.
    Hon Chairman of the Business Committee?
    BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 12:47 p.m.
    Majority Leader/Chairman of the Business Committee (Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu) 12:47 p.m.
    Introduction
    Mr Speaker, the Committee met yesterday, Thursday, 27th May 2021 and arranged Business of the House for the Second Week ending Friday, 4th June, 2021.
    Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 12:47 p.m.
    Arrangement of Business
    Formal Communications by Mr Speaker
    Mr Speaker, you may read any available communication to the House.
    Question(s)
    Mr Speaker, the Business Committee has scheduled the following Ministers to respond to Questions asked of them during the week:
    No. of Question(s)
    i. Minister for Health -- 5
    ii. Minister for Energy -- 2
    iii. Minister for Education -- 2
    iv. Minister for Roads and Highways -- 11
    Total Number of Questions 20
    Mr Speaker, in all, four (4) Ministers are expected to attend upon the House to respond to twenty (20) Questions during the week.
    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.
    Private Members' Motions
    Mr Speaker, Hon Members may note that a number of Private Members' Motions have been admitted by you pending debate by the House. Having regard to the similarity of the nature of the Motions, Leadership is in consultation with the Hon Members in whose names the Motions stand, to consolidate the Motions for a more focused debate
    Mr Speaker, the Committee accordingly submits its report as follows 12:47 p.m.
    towards a unanimous and well- structured recommendation for government action.
    In the interim, the Business Committee has programmed the Motions as appearing on the Business Statement pending the consent of the proponents for consolidation as recommended.
    Statutory Funds
    Mr Speaker, the Business Committee is liaising with the relevant agencies to enable the presentation of the proposed formulae for the distribution of the relevant statutory Funds by Friday, 4th June 2021, i.e.:
    (i) Proposed Formula for Distributing the District Assemblies' Common Fund (DACF) for the Year 2021;
    (ii)Proposed Formula for the Distribution of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) for the Year 2021; and
    (iii) Proposed Formula for the Disbursement of the National Health Insurance Fund for the year 2021.
    Thereafter, the Committee of the Whole would consider the formulae and present reports for debate at plenary.
    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.

    Questions --

    *18. Ms Rita Naa Odoley Sowah (Dadekotopon): To ask the Minister for Health when the actual construction work on the La General Hospital will begin.

    *19.Mr Adam Mohammed Sukparu (Sissala West): To ask the Minister for Health when construction of the Gwollu District Hospital will commence.

    *20. Mr Daniel Nsala Wakpal (Kpandai): To ask the Minister for Health if there are plans to build CHPS Compounds in the

    following communities in the Kpandai Constituency to provide access to healthcare: (i) Digangum (ii) Bignali (iii) Bola (iv) Kabeso (v) Kakpeni (vi) Samboli (vii) Chakori (viii) Balai (ix) Konjado (x) Takinado (xi) Lesseni (xii) Kpalung (xiii) Sika Kura (xiv) Eyadima Kura (xv) Mfigmado.

    *36. Mr Philip Basoah (Amenfi West): To ask the Minister for Health the status of the Kumawu District Hospital being constructed by MNSI Company.

    *41. Mr Yusif Sulemana (Bole/ Bamboi): To ask the Minister for Health when the completed Bamboi Polyclinic will be commissioned.

    Statements

    Presentation of Papers --

    Budget Performance Report in respect of the Ministry of Information for the period January to March, 2021.

    Motions --

    (a) PRIVATE MEMBERS'
    MOTION 12:47 p.m.
    MOTION 12:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker 12:47 p.m.
    Hon Members, any comments?
    Mr Haruna Iddrisu 1:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
    I also thank the Hon Leader of Government Business for presenting the Business Statement, except to add that if we peruse page 3 where the Hon Majority Leader brought a proposal to the Business Committee to be raised as a matter of procedure, there is a Private Member's Motion which reads: “That Parliament amends article 97(1)(b) of the 1992 Constitution to enable an incumbent Member of Parliament to be elected as Speaker of Parliament without having to vacate his or her seat.”
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Majority Leader is introducing this and I deem its appearance in the Business Statement as an introduction of the matter to Parliament. Mr Speaker, I have asked the Hon Majority Leader that we should do further consultation with you on the 1992 Constitution and best practices. Respectfully, I beg to refer you to article 291 of the 1992 Constitution which reads:
    “A bill to amend a provision of this Constitution which is not an entrenched provision shall not be introduced in Parliament unless …”

    Mr Speaker, narrowly, his argument is that this is not a Bill, but to initiate a debate on an important constitutional matter which borders the authority of the Rt Hon Speaker, the neutrality and impartiality of the Rt Hon Speaker as the head of the Legislative Organ of State, I think that procedurally, we are in breach of article 291, and I shared it with the Hon Member. That is if we were to assume that article 97 is a non- entrenched provision, it is even more onerous if article 97 was to be understood as an entrenched provision.

    Mr Speaker, the Hon Member's argument may be viewed against article 290, and with your permission, I beg to read:

    “(1) This article applies to the amendment of the following provisions of the 1992 Constitution, which are, in this Constitution referred to as “entrenched provisions” -

    (g) The Legislature: articles 93 and 106.”

    Mr Speaker, article 97 is not mentioned here. So, narrow construction of it still means that article 97 will belong to the non-entrenched provisions. Even by the Business

    Committee merely introducing this subject, whether we are not in breach of what the 1992 Constitution imposes on us as a people. In introducing it, ultimately, even if a bill comes to this Parliament, we are now going to take a decision on whether the presiding person of this Parliament should exercise a voting right, and that borders on another important issue. I thought that my Colleague, the Hon Majority Leader, should allow for more consultation on this matter. I am worried that we are even introducing it. By it appearing in the Business Statement, I understand that it means we are introducing a matter in Parliament for debate on constitutional amendment, yet the 1992 Constitution has elaborate provisions on how to walk the process if we want to amend any provision of the 1992 Constitution.

    Mr Speaker, but you know that the Hon Majority Leader is as old as you in this House. Cleverly, he is saying that it is not a bill. What is it? It is a Motion. So tomorrow, anybody will rise up in this House and introduce a Motion to want to amend something in this Constitution. Mr Speaker, I worry and I am expressing it.

    Mr Speaker, my second observation -- that one came to me very late. After the meeting with the

    Business Committee, I read media reports of the President's pronouncement on excavators and burning of excavators in his style. We would want to summon the Attorney- General and Ministry of Justice to this House in accordance with article 88 of the Constitution as the principal advisor to Government. Why the President should not be held in check for breaching the laws, and the Constitution of Ghana? Some evidence must be provided that burning of excavators is sanctioned by the laws of Ghana, and I wait to see that. We will accept he leading -- [Laughter].

    Mr Speaker, I would like to quote the exact words of the President -- [Interruption] -- Alright, the mantra is “Go to court” -- [Laughter] -- That reminds me of quoting Professor Asare, that ex ante, excess judicial power is never vested in the President. Ex ante is extra judicial power.

    Mr Speaker, so where is his comfort? Is he comfortable that people should go to court? We will question that. The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice should be brought before this House because we would want him to lead the lawful republic of Ghana in accordance with his oath to uphold the Constitution and the laws of Ghana, and to hold himself accountable to the laws of Ghana.
    Mr Haruna Iddrisu 1:07 p.m.


    There is no law in Ghana today which permits the burning of excavators.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minority Leader has raised a matter in respect of the item listed for Thursday, numbered (iv) (b), which is the Private Member's Motion standing in my name and also in the name of Hon Frank Annoh-Dompreh.
    Mr Speaker, I had some discussions with the Hon Minority Leader on it, and I am told that we would want to be very consensual about it. He said that if he agrees with the principle that we want to establish, we would want him to be a part of it.
    Mr Speaker, in fact, initially, I wanted the Motion to be in the names of the two of us: I and the Hon Minority Leader, but I could not get him; apparently, he had gone underground and it was difficult to discover him. His mobile phones were unresponsive, which explains why when I gave it to Hon Annoh- Dompreh, he elected to have two names under the Motion and he submitted them to Mr Speaker.
    Mr Speaker, you in your wisdom have admitted the Motion. I do not
    know what the Hon Minority Leader seeks to do. If the Rt Hon Speaker has admitted the Motion, I would want to believe that he carried it in a balance and came to a determination that this Motion should be in the House, which is why he submitted it to the Business Committee for programming. If the intent of this requisition and submission by the Hon Minority Leader is to question the decision of the Rt Hon Speaker, he should say so to him. [Laughter] --
    Mr Speaker, I do not know the import of this, but having said so, the Hon Minority Leader drew our attention to article 290. I had the occasion to discuss this matter with him, but it seems to me that he disagrees with me.
    Mr Speaker, article 290 (1) reads and with your permission I beg to quote 1:17 a.m.
    “(1) This article applies to the amendment of the following provisions of the Con- stitution, which are, in this Constitution referred as “entrenched provisions” --
    (g) The Legislature: articles 93 and 106.”
    It is not article 93 to 106, so the Hon Minority Leader cannot by any
    imagination include the article that he referred to: article 97.
    Mr Speaker, I respect the Hon Minority Leader as a lawyer of considerable standard, and for him to fail to understand this simple provision, I really cannot understand. But we would leave it. I think we can discuss it further.
    Mr Speaker, having said so, the relevant articles that he also dwelt on were articles 93 and 106. The purpose of this Motion is to have us - as a Parliament of Ghana - being headed by a Speaker, who could be one of our own. If he is one of our own, he may not have to vacate his seat as obtains in serious jurisdictions. In 99 per cent of parliaments, that is what obtains, and I thought that if we allow for that, perhaps, we could not have a situation where a certain Hon Bernard Ahiafor will be in Parliament.
    The Rt Hon Doe Adjaho would have been in Parliament, and Hon Bernard Ahiafor would not have been in Parliament. I see that he is itching to get up -- [Laughter] -- So, that is the issue that I raised. As I said, I believe we can have further consultations on that and come to some determination on even the language to use.

    Mr Speaker, as for the other issue that he raised in respect of the burning of excavators, I do not want to comment on that, save to say that the law provides when a discovery is made of an excavator being operated by an operator, to have the operator arrested. An excavator is found in a water body, which is not supposed to be there, and the operator vamooses and disables it by removing the vital cog, so that it cannot be moved. So, what happens to it? One would further cause a further demobilisation, such that it cannot be used to further that misdeed [Laughter]. If anybody disagrees, then there are avenues opened for the person to litigate the matter.

    Mr Speaker, I thank you.
    rose
    Mr Speaker 1:17 a.m.
    Hon Member, do you want to make comments on the Business Statement that has been presented by the Hon Chairman of the Business Committee?
    Mr Ahiafor 1:17 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to particularly talk about the issue that relates to the amendment of the 1992 Constitution.
    Mr Speaker 1:17 a.m.
    We have not reached there, so, I do not know why you would want to start the litigation earlier than the appropriate time.
    Mr Ahiafor 1:17 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I reserve my comments.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 1:17 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I think that there is something that I forgot to add. This is a Motion, and the Hon Minority Leader referred us to article 29 (1), which provides:
    “A bill to amend a provision of this Constitution which is not an entrenched provision shall not be introduced into Parliament unless…”
    Mr Speaker, a motion is not a bill, and I thought that the Hon Minority Leader should understand it that way. This is just to set the stage for the introduction of a bill, that is if we agree. This is not a bill, so, I cannot understand how a motion can be construed as a bill. It cannot be so under any circumstances, but that is what the Hon Minority Leader said, if we heard him right. He could repeat what he said because this is by necessary implication. [Laughter] We are not there yet, so, let us get there, and if we do not agree, then
    we would see what to do. Meanwhile, I would want to stress that a motion is not a bill.
    Mr Speaker 1:17 a.m.
    Hon Members, the Business Statement as presented by the Hon Chairman of the Business Committee is adopted.
    Hon Members, let me just add that I intend to come before the House with a more comprehensive Statement on the practice, procedure and processes that Hon Members would have to pass through in submitting Questions, Statements and Motions. It looks like it is not too clear to a lot of you, and therefore, there are some hiccups here and there. I have drawn the attention of your Hon Leaders to this, but I am encouraged to rather come with a Statement to explain it to all, so that it would not be like your Leaders would want to take up some powers or responsibilities that they are not entitled to. I would do that soon, so, please, when you submit those to me, until after admission, you are not by any stretch of practice or law anywhere to start giving the impression that those matters are before the House. That discretion that you have given me cannot be taken away surreptitiously. It is a discretion that is backed by constitutional provisions, and it is exercised with due care. I do not just take it for granted as the Hon
    Speaker. So, please, this is just a notice to you that I would come with a Statement to explain it further, and I am sure that you would all be guided.
    Hon Members, we would first take the item numbered 5 -- Questions, before we go on to the item numbered 6 - Statements. There is one Question on today's Order Paper, which stands in the name of the Hon Member for Akatsi North, the Hon Peter Nortsu- Kotoe, to ask a Question of the Minister for Energy.
    Hon Member, you may do so now.
    ORAL ANSWERS TO 1:17 a.m.
    QUESTIONS 1:17 a.m.
    MINISTRY OF ENERGY 1:17 a.m.
    Mr Peter Nortsu-Kotoe (NPP - Akatsi North) 1:17 a.m.
    Asked the Minister for Energy what steps the Ministry was taking to restore the following communities in the Akatsi North Constituency, which were deleted from the China Water Electrification Agreement of 2016 by the Ministry of Energy in 2017, but which were directed by the Speaker of Parliament
    on the 20th of November, 2019 to be restored: Glime, Nyitawuta, Buvikope, Sodokokope, Hukportsikope, Kamiakope, Asikortor, Zemu- Etrorkope, Zemuga, Boekpe, Tonkor, Adanukope/Buolan, Hordagbakope/ Agblonu, Normenyokope/Lomnava, Ekpekope, Kudzeagbakope, and Adadevokope.
    Minister for Energy (Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh) 1:17 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the implementation of the electrification project in the Ashanti, Central, Eastern, Volta and Brong Ahafo Regions had to be phased out in line with the financing arrangement by the Ministry of Finance. The Phase-I which eventually covered a total of 507 no. communities was completed in 2019. Phase II is currently ongoing and is expected to be completed by the end of 2022.
    The Ministry of Energy has requested the contractor, Messrs China International Water and Electric Corporation (CWE) to carry out engineering survey in the communities in the Akatsi North District, namely: Glime, Nyitawuta, Buvikope, Sodokpokope, Hukportsikope, Kamiakope, Asikortor, Zemu- Etrokope, Zemuga, Boekpe, Tonkor, Adanukope/Buolan, Hordagbakope/ Agblonu, Normenyokope/Lomnava, Ekpekope, Kadzeagbakope and
    Mr Speaker 1:27 p.m.
    Hon Member, you may ask your supplementary question.
    Mr Nortsu-Kotoe 1:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the Hon Minister for his quick response to the Question. However, I would like to find out from him the eight communities for which installation works would be done, and whether it would be done by the China International Water and Electric Company or a different contractor all together?
    Dr Prempeh 1:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the whole contract was approved by this House for China International Water and Electric and they may subcontract as appropriate.
    Mr Nortsu-Kotoe 1:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the Hon
    Minister how soon work would commence on these projects.
    Dr Prempeh 1:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the plan is for the project to be completed by 2022 as I said. We know that there are challenges in the way but we would communicate them appropriately.
    Mr Nortsu-Kotoe 1:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in the last sentence of the Hon Minister's answer he said that “the remaining communities would be considered when engineering assessment has been done in line with the implementation schedule''.
    So, I would like to find out from the Hon Minister how soon the engineering assessment would be completed.
    Dr Prempeh 1:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to assure my Hon Colleague that as has been the practice, after Parliament approves the loan and after the disbursement has been done with both the Ministry of Finance and the funding agency, before few committees are added, we have to specifically ensure how many poles, wires or transformers are needed and the topography of the lie of the area. It is because of these I said that it should be completed by 2022. As engineering works are being done in the Ashanti Region, the same
    would be done in the Volta Region and we would make sure that everything is completed by 2022. Hopefully those communities that I cannot pronounce their names, would all be completed in 2022 for the benefit of my Hon Colleague.
    Mr Speaker 1:27 p.m.
    Hon Minister, thank you for attending upon the House to respond to the Question. You are discharged.
    Item numbered 6, Statements.
    [Pause]--
    Mr Speaker 1:27 p.m.
    Hon Members, there are two Statements that are commemorative and one stands in the name of the Hon Member for Salaga South, Ms Zuwera Ibrahim Mohammed, to mark Menstrual Hygiene Day which falls on today, 28th May, 2021.
    Hon Member, you may make your Statement.
    STATEMENTS 1:27 p.m.
    Ms Zuwera Ibrahimah Mohammed (NDC -- Salaga South) 1:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, today, 28th May, 2021 marks the World
    Menstrual Health and Hygiene Day. Menstrual health and hygiene have proven to impact significantly on gender equality, empowerment and several other aspects of the lives of girls and women. This includes their health, well-being and education. The availability of accurate and timely information, affordable menstrual materials, peer associations be it professional or otherwise are essential to ameliorate the negative effects of menstruation on girls and women. Just as important as sanitation, referrals and access to health services including Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities as well as positive sociocultural norms.
    Mr Speaker, it is not for nothing that this year's observation is under the theme “Action and Investment Under Menstrual Hygiene and Health''. According to the World Bank, “Every day, some 800 women and girls menstruate. Being able to manage their menstruation safely, hygienically and with confidence and dignity is critical not just for their health and education but also for economic development and overall gender equality''.
    Mr Speaker, as we mark Menstrual Hygiene Day today, it is important to remind ourselves of the socioeconomic cost of menstrual problems in our country. Globally, girls
    Ms Zuwera Ibrahimah Mohammed (NDC -- Salaga South) 1:37 p.m.
    and women frequently lack access to water, wash facilities and knowledge on menstruation and disposal mechanisms to manage their menstruation at school, home, work place and other public institutions. In some cases, this has been a barrier to school attendance and academic performance.
    In Ghana, 95 per cent of girls sometimes, miss school due to menstruation. This completely natural phenomenon has become a major barrier to girls' attendants at School due to a lack of facilities, limited access to sanitary pads, misconceptions about menstruation, discomfort and pain as well as the risk of being teased and this is from a 2016 UNICEF report.
    Mr Speaker, unfortunately, Ghana, considers sanitary pads as luxury products and because of this classification, there is currently a 20 per cent luxury tax on necessities. This situation contributes to the high price of sanitary pads and makes it difficult for many girls and women in low income households to afford these items. It has also forced many young girls into sexual relationships for financial assistance. Some young girls in rural areas in Ghana, are reportedly exchanging sex for sanitary pads. Many parents have failed to provide
    sanitary pads to their wards and this is according to a Daily Mail report in December, 2019.
    Mr Speaker, access to safe and dignified menstruation is a fundamental need for women and girls. It is therefore important to ensure that every girl can learn, play and safeguard her own health without experiencing stress, shame or unnecessary barriers to information or supplies during menstruation.

    Meeting the hygiene needs of all adolescent girls and women in all settings enable human rights, [inaudible] and public health. Fortunately, the current government in August 2020 in a Citinews report heeded the national call to scrap the luxury tax on imported menstruation material and responded with a promise to eliminate import duties on sanitary pads to improve health conditions, particularly for girls.

    Mr Speaker, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection has added her voice to the push for the scrapping of import duties on parts as published in today's edition of the Publisher newspaper. I would want to strongly urge the Government to take immediate action

    to help empower adolescent girls to secure their health and wellbeing.
    Mr Speaker 1:37 p.m.
    Hon Members, this is a Statement under Order 72, so, the comments should be guided by this Order.
    Mr Joseph Kwame Kumah (NDC -- Kintampo North) 1:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to comment on the Statement made by the Hon Hajia Zuwera on World Menstrual Day.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to comment on the issue of sanitary pads; its importance to the extent that government must not wait; we must not continue to comment on this before they waive taxes immediately. It is long overdue.
    Mr Speaker, the importance of sanitary pads cannot be overemphasised. The issues of sanitary pad started as early as 2012. It came into the limelight when a pilot study was conducted by Paul Montgomery, Caitlin R. Ryus, Catherine S. Dolan, Sue Dopson and Linda M Scott on few schools in Ghana and realised that the absence of sanitary pads made girls drop out
    of school because it was so dehumanising to have girls menstruate at a time they did not expect in classes. So, most of them went home and never turned back to school. They also realised that within the period of five months when they took up the aspect of the provision of sanitary pads, school attendance improved by nine per cent. Based on this, we realised as a nation between 2015 and 2016 the then NDC Government under H.E. John Dramani Mahama, saw the need to provide free sanitary pads to youngsters in schools in this country.
    What did we see at that time? The argument was such that many did not support it. The Government of John Dramani Mahama was lambasted at that time. If today, we are talking about waiving taxes on sanitary pads, then we have to bite it and bite it harder. It is time we take such issues as serious as a nation and build consensus on them and not always politicise such things.
    Mrs Agnes Naa Momo Lartey (NDC-Krowor) 1:37 p.m.
    I thank you very much Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the Statement read by Hon Zuwera Ibrahimah
    Mr Speaker 1:37 p.m.
    The last comment; yes?
    Mr Andrew Dari Chiwitey (NDC--Sawla/Tuna/Kalba) 1:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you for this opportunity to add my voice to the Statement made by the Hon Hajia Zuwera.
    Mr Speaker, menstrual health issues should not be for women only. Some are likely to think that it is a problem for women but every man has something to do with a woman or a girl because we all have mothers,
    wives, sisters and daughters. So their issues should be our concern as well.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to commend my Hon Colleagues for the positive comments they made and also to state that aside from even asking Government to waive taxes on sanitary pads, I think the Government should be encouraged to support factories locally to produce sanitary pads. We should also be encouraged to add that as a package for girls in the free Senior High School system. This would help the very poor to be able to stay in school while they are in their menstrual period.
    Mr Speaker, going forward, I would want to use this opportunity to also suggest that the GETFund projects should come with WASH facilities. From now onwards, we should see it as mandatory so that every GETFund project no matter the community that it is sited, should at least, come with a borehole and other facilities that can encourage girls to stay in school while they are in their menstrual period.
    Mr Speaker, I think enough is enough on some of these things because we have repeated this several times but we do not take action.
    Let us have the action taken now!

    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity.
    Mr Speaker 1:47 p.m.
    Hon Members, being a Leader, I am compelled to vary my initial statement.
    Mr Habib Iddrisu (NPP -- Tolon) 1:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the Hon Member who made the Statement on Menstrual Hygiene.
    It is long overdue that governments and other organisations made it a duty - Even though this Government is committed to waiving import duties on menstrual pads, enough education however needs to be done in this regard as many young women from ages 10 to 19 are still struggling to understand how to prepare themselves hygienically during their menstrual periods.
    Mr Speaker, other religious beliefs among Muslims for instance acknowledge the fact that when women undergoing their menstrual period which lasts from 1 to 5 days, they are actually not clean and are exempted from other religious duties such as praying and fasting. After such, they need to have a spiritual bath in order to be able to fast.
    Mr Speaker 1:47 p.m.
    Thank you Hon Member, I am reliably informed that the second commemorative Statement is rather to be made on the 5th of June; that is next month. So, I will replace that with a Statement in the name of Hon Alexander Roosevelt Hottordze on the Need to Improve National Health Insurance Authority Reimbursement of Public Health Services at the Primary Health Care Level to Accelerate Ghana's Progress at Achieving Universal Health Coverage by the Year --
    Reimbursement of Public Health Services by NHIA at the
    Primary Health Care (PHC) Level
    Mr Alexander Roosevelt Hottordze (NDC -- Central Tongu) 1:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for
    the opportunity to make this Statement on the floor of the House.
    Mr Speaker, an effective primary healthcare system is key to a well- functioning health system and is the foundation of universal health coverage. Ghana was an early adopter of the 1978 Alma Ata Declaration. Our National Health Insurance Policy Document; “Creating Wealth through Health” (September, 2007) acknowledges PHC as the basis of our health development which is implemented through our national strategy for “Community-based Health Planning and Services) (CHPS).
    In 2000, Ghana adopted CHPS which is a home-grown initiative as its major primary healthcare strategy. CHPS therefore, is a wellness strategy that emphasises prevention, health promotion, education, referral and management of minor ailments. And in terms of access, it is accessible to about 60 per cent of the Ghanaian population.
    Mr Speaker, in the year 2003, Ghana introduced a National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) with the establishment of a NHIA under the National Health Insurance Act of
    2003 (Act 650). This Act, was however replaced with Act 852 in October 2012 with the sole aim of providing financial risk protection to Ghanaians by removing financial barrier to health services in order to achieve universal health coverage.
    In the year 2005, the World Health Assembly (WHA) of the World Health Organisation (WHO) urged member states to aim at achieving affordable universal coverage and access to key promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health interventions for all their citizens based on equity and solidarity.
    Mr Speaker, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) means that all people and communities can use promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services they need and of sufficient quality whiles also ensuring that the use of these services does not expose them to financial hardships.
    Indeed, UHC requires that all people obtain the health services they need without the risk of severe financial problems linked to paying for them at the point of access. At the same time, the health services rendered to people need to be of good quality. This was later followed by
    what is as the “Astana 2018 Declaration UHC Agenda 2030”.
    Mr Speaker, as a country, Ghana needs to align with such prominent global health policies for our movement towards UHC. It is for this reason that for the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 3), all UN member states including Ghana have agreed to achieve UHC by the year 2030.
    With the implementation of the CHPS and NHIS, Ghana is in a unique position to achieve the global agenda of the UHC. We admit that even though UHC is not something that we can achieve overnight, it is important that we take action to move rapidly towards it.
    Mr Speaker, it is in the light of this situation that there is great concern that the current NHIS as is being implemented, is largely focused on reimbursement of curative services and very little on public health services namely; preventive and promotive services at the CHPS or Primary Health Care level.
    Frankly, this situation is negatively affecting work of community health nurses and officers who are to provide public health services in the over 6000 zones across the country. This situation also derails the role of CHPS
    Mr Alexander Roosevelt Hottordze (NDC -- Central Tongu) 1:57 p.m.
    in our country where less preventive and promotive services are being provided against curative services and where more CHPS zones have become curative clinic centers. It is equally against our Primary Health Care strategy where our CHPS zones and facilities are positioned to provide regular contact with clients while applying the principles of health promotion and prevention at the household level.
    Mr Speaker, with the current burden of diseases Ghana finds itself in where non-communicable diseases including hypertension and diabetes constitute a large proportion of morbidity and mortality rate, about 42 per cent of all-age causes of death, it is important that this is addressed as a matter of urgency. If allowed to continue, this situation is likely to derail our march towards the achievement of UHC Agenda 2030 which was recently adopted in Astana.

    These concerns have been raised by many in the country, in our communities, health workers including civil society organisations. We need to avoid situations where CHPS facilities are being restricted in the type of services they provide simply because these services are not

    being reimbursed by the NHIA, yet the major services they render are preventive and promotive.

    In conclusion, I highly recommend that the National Health Insurance Act (Act 852) be amended to include preventive and promotive services which should be part of the package of services reimbursed by the NHIA. Undoubtedly, therefore, when the above is implemented, it will accelerate our progress as a country towards the achievement of a Universal Health Coverage Agenda.

    Mr Speaker, I thank you.
    Mr Speaker 1:57 p.m.
    Hon Members, any comments?
    Mr David T. D. Vondee (NDC -- Atti Morkwa) 1:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you and I would thank my Brother Hon Member for this Statement.
    The National Health Insurance Scheme and the health service in general is very important in our rural areas. For example, in my Twifo Atti Morkwa Constituency, the CHPs Compounds lack basic facilities like water. So, one would realise that inasmuch as the health workers are trying their best to deliver health service, basic things like the unavailability of water hinder their efforts.
    Another issue is the availability of drugs and common medicines.
    Also, the road networks to our health facilities are very appalling and some of the contractors abandon the roads they are to construct and the people in those areas find it really difficult to access these health facilities. Mr Speaker, you can imagine a pregnant woman being carried by a motorbike on a very appalling road. It is important to improve our health facilities and make sure that we give very good meaning to our health.
    Mr Speaker, one of the things that is also killing us is the fact that the nurses that are posted to these rural areas do not even have accommodation. I have made a Statement in this House before that it is important to invest in building materials that are affordable in our districts, villages and rural areas in order to have accommodation for health workers and other workers in general. It is my prayer that as we look at health in general, we would invest in some infrastructure in the rural areas to improve health conditions.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to contribute to this very important matter and I hope that it
    would be taken very seriously. Mr Speaker, God bless you.
    Mr Rockson-Nelson E. K. Dafeamekpor (NDC -- South Dayi) 1:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to make some comments on the Statement on the Floor.
    I would want to focus on my district, South Dayi, and the phenomenon that I have observed is that we spend moneys to build health centres but we are unable to equip the facilities with the requisite medical equipment to enable the facilities to function for the purpose for which they were built. For instance, in South Dayi, we have CHPS Compounds built in places such as Sanga, Adjeibui, Tsita, Abui, Todome but the difficulty is that we are now looking for funds to furnish the facilities after which we have to look for moneys to drill merchandised boreholes so that water would be supplied to enable them to operate.
    So, I agree that when we cry for full universal coverage in access to health; in implementing the interventions that would let us achieve this, we have to be wholesome in the approach. So, a lot of health centres and CHPs Compounds have been nicely built and painted, yet they do not function in the communities. As my Hon Brother hinted, when the
    Mr Rockson-Nelson E. K. Dafeamekpor (NDC -- South Dayi) 2:07 p.m.
    personnel are posted to man the facilities then there would be issues of accommodation. Mr Speaker, in South Dayi, the Kpongbolikorpe or Adjeibui health facility is about 45 kilometres from the district capital. Sometimes there are personnel who stay about 30 kilometres away just because of the issues of accommodation. In addition to this is the issue of transport.
    Going forward, I would like to urge the House that where Government wants to make interventions, we should ensure that the interventions are such that the facilities are built just as we build our schools where after building the classroom block, furniture and others are supplied so that when the pupils enter their classroom, they only sit down to be taught by a teacher. So, when clinics or health centres are built, we should be able to make provision for the supply of at least the necessary requisite medical equipment to enable the facility to function; to be able to build one or two accommodation as part of the infrastructure so that when the nurse in charge takes over the facility, there would be basic accommodation for the nurse to inhabit.
    Mr Speaker, one other key issue is when patients access some of these facilities and are supposed to be
    transferred to a major medical facility. Ambulances have recently been supplied to each constituency to beef up the existing ones, yet one would be surprised -- our Hon Brother made a Statement in respect of the timeliness or response of ambulances in emergency situations. One would call an ambulance and it would take five hours or sometimes not even reach the operators of the ambulance so one would have to resort to any means available to take the patient to the referred hospital. It appears we have allowed the ambulances to operate without any monitoring. These days, the ambulances are used to carry dead bodies; when one attends funerals, we see that the ambulances are used for some other purposes.
    Mr Speaker, we need to monitor the operations of the ambulances. Mr Speaker, I was very happy when you hinted the other day that in addition to what the Government recently supplied, as a former Hon Minister, you also supplied in excess of 150 ambulances but you do not see the old ones in operation. So, the issue is that if we do not maintain the new ones then very soon we would find them on stones.
    I was hoping that in addition to the new ones we would still see the old
    ones in operation, but we do not see those ones anymore.

    So with these words, I thank my brother for bringing this matter to the attention of the House. We need to monitor how Government inter- ventions in ensuring universal coverage in access healthcare would be met. Thank you.
    Mr Speaker 2:07 p.m.
    Hon Members, time allotted per comment is not more than five minutes. So, always take that on board. I have another engagement at 2.30 p.m. I intend to adjourn before that time, so that I attend to some important personalities who are paying a courtesy visit - both deputies are not available, so we would have to adjourn.
    Hon Members, how many people are prepared to make comments? - [Some Hon Members -- rose --] -- Five. I would give two minutes each.
    Mrs Angela Alorwu-Tay (NDC -- Afadzato South) 2:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Statement.
    Mr Speaker, on page 2, paragraph 5 of the Statement, the Hon Member
    drew our attention to the plight of our community health nurses who bring healthcare to us in our homes. He said, they are unable to move around because of lack of facilities that will enable them go to various communities. In my Constituency their motor bicycles have been down for some time. They do not have money to buy fuel for the motor bicycles to enable them go round to vaccinate our children, or provide for family planning services. Worst of it is that, family planning is not even catered for by our NHIS, so most often when they get to the community, the women are unable to pay for the services of healthcare provided because of lack of money.
    Mr Speaker, another serious issue is about the anti-snake venom. There was an issue in my constituency where the community healthcare personnel got to a village where a child had been bitten by a snake. They did not have the anti-snake venom, and they were helpless. Meanwhile, the people in the community felt that health workers had arrived, so the child would be alright.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to appeal to you that there is the need for us to advocate that anti-snake venoms are also catered for under the NHIS. Today, anti- snake venom is GH¢400.00. If one is unable to pay
    Mr Speaker 2:07 p.m.
    Hon Members, reminder again; two minutes.
    Mr Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi (NPP -- Asante Akim Central) 2:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to comment on this Statement. I thank the Hon Member who made the Statement. It is an important one. I would like to refer the House to the last paragraph, which is the recommendation by the Hon Member who made the Statement.
    Mr Speaker, with your permission, I beg to quote 2:07 p.m.
    “I highly recommend that the National Health Insurance Act, (Act 852) be amended to
    include preventive and pro- motive services which should be part of the package of services reimburses by the NHIA. Undoubtedly, when the above is implemented, it will accelerate our progress as a country towards the achievement of Universal Health Coverage.”
    Mr Speaker, this is the recommendation that the Hon Member who made the Statement made. He goes on to outline the problems that we have. Yes, we have made an impact since 2003, with the passage of the National Health Insurance Act, there should be improvement. We have practised this, and I think we have to improve upon the act that we have. Therefore, I would urge the Committee on Health to look into it, and come out with the necessary recommendations that would lead to amending the Act for the betterment of the nation, that is the improvement of universal health coverage.
    Mr Speaker, the issue of the administration of the ambulances must be done within the regions so that if an ambulance is called from a district, the administrator can call the nearest district that is available to avail the ambulance when there is the need. I am of the view that it is a nice
    arrangement, so far as the administration is concerned, and we must ensure that we improve upon it.
    Mr Speaker, ambulances have been provided for almost all the districts. One of the Hon Members who contributed earlier said that, we would have to maintain these ambulances in order that we do not park them. There are drones that provide emergency drugs in the system. I have witnessed one of the facilities within the district when drones were administering drugs. I think this falls in line with what my Hon Colleague said about anti-snake venoms.
    Mr Speaker, it is true that if these medications are kept for a long time, they may go waste, and that is why it is centralised, so that we use drones to administer them when it is necessary.
    Mr Speaker 2:07 p.m.
    Hon Member, I gave you two minutes, now, you have taken four.
    Mr Anyimadu-Antwi 2:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I would say that we have improved on our healthcare, but we would have to do more in order that we would all benefit. The primary health care and the NHIS cover some drugs, for
    example, paracetamol et cetera. Someone who was working with a district administration has a terminal disease, but the NHIS could not cater for his ailment. Therefore, we would need to improve upon these facilities. That is why I strongly support the Hon Member who made this Statement that we would need to look into it.
    Mr Speaker 2:07 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    Mr Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey (NDC-Keta) 2:17 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker, for giving me the opportunity. I would like to use the opportunity to thank the Hon MP for Central Tongu for this laudable Statement.
    Mr Speaker, I would like to state here that the Health Insurance Act, (Act 650), should be amended to include health promotion and prevention, and also to recommend to the Health Committee to include “Health in All Policy”. That is the only way that we can actually achieve universal coverage.
    Mr Speaker, it may interest you to know at this point that even at the district level, the Ghana Ambulance Service has to demand money from patients before they are transferred from one health facility to another.
    Mr Speaker 2:17 p.m.
    Two more people are standing up.
    Hon Member, I would give you two minutes, after which the Hon Comfort Doyoe would take the Floor.
    Mr James Gyakye Quayson (NDC -- Assin North) 2:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the Statement made by my Hon Colleague. I know that our time is limited, but I have to put in a word because during the break that we had, I was fortunate to tour 20 health care centres in my community, and I realised the same challenges that my other Hon Colleagues have outlined.
    Mr Speaker, I would also want to appeal to your good self that --
    Mr Speaker 2:17 p.m.
    Hon Member, you are entitled to make a comment on it. So, you could submit a comprehensive Statement on the issue. Two minutes might not be sufficient to make the comments that you would want to submit to the House.
    Mr Quayson 2:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I would not be lengthy. I would stick to the two minutes. I wanted to bring just one thing to the attention of the House. This is because the Hon Member here did mention the Health Committee getting together to look at the essentials of these health care centres. I would want to add that with the district assemblies, what I have noticed is that all of us should work as a unit. They are partisan with these projects, but this has to do with people's health.
    So, we have health centres that are very much under-furnished and lack medication. Nothing basically exists there. There is no water, and nothing else is there, but subsequently, Hon Members go to these communities and start to build a whole new facility, just to gain points. I think that we should all as a House focus on making sure that the ones that do exist are well furnished and are well maintained. At least, we can take care and make use of what we have before we add on any additional facilities. So, this is something that should be a consensus amongst us, as well as the local district assemblies, to work hand in hand to make sure that the people that live in these communities are taken care of.
    Mr Speaker 2:17 p.m.
    I would take the last comment.
    Mrs Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe Ghansah (NDC -- Ada) 2:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to add my voice to the Statement made by my Hon Colleague.
    Mr Speaker, I am glad that he made this Statement on the floor of this House. If we look through the districts, regions and the whole country, we can see that we have a lot of CHPS compounds to support the rural communities especially, but as Hon Members of Parliament, we ourselves are not doing any monitoring. We are not helping the course for rural communities to benefit from health care.
    Mr Speaker, recently, I had a stakeholder's meeting with the Ghana Water Company, and the Health Director in my district was invited, who is in the person of Dr Boakye, who came to report on CHPS compounds in the districts. It would shock you to know that a lot of the CHPS compounds are empty. They do not have first aid, paracetamol, water and nothing else, all because we are not monitoring to support them. A lot of the district heads do not even know that we as Hon Members of
    Mr Habib Iddrisu (NPP -- Tolon) 2:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank you, and I thank the Hon Member who made the Statement. In fact, access to health care and health care delivery is a matter of national interest, and if we look at the commitment of this Government in the delivery of health care, it has been very exceptional.

    Mr Speaker, as we rightly indicated yesterday on ambulances, before you resumed your office of being the former Health Minister, we had about 34 to 35 ambulances in the country, and it was through your tenure at the Ministry of Health that we were able to get between 150 and 160 ambulances to add up to what we had. This Government is very committed in health care delivery. The Government is able to bring about 300 ambulances. Every constituency at the moment has an ambulance which could help the constituents so that when there is an emergency situation, they could have access to health facilities.

    Mr Speaker, if the Government's Agenda 111 is completed, it would be one of the biggest initiatives in terms of health care facility in the country that has never been done by any other government. As my Hon Colleague said, the drones are for emergency purposes for medicines to be transported. I do agree that a lot has to be done in the area of health care delivery and this Government is committed to do so. We need to encourage the Government and participate and show interest in some of the policies that it has rolled out to reach a good health service.

    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity and also thank the Hon Member who made the Statement.
    Mr Speaker 2:27 p.m.
    Hon Members, the Statement actually was on the need to improve National Health Insurance Authority's reimbursement of public health services at the primary health care level. That was the focus of the Statement. However, contributions have been on so many things without the mention of the national health insurance and reimbursement. I have to start regulating it and when you are nonsila, I would stop you in your tracts.
    I hope that the Committees would get in touch with the Ministries, particularly the Committees on Education and Health, for us to complete the decentralisation of these essential sectors. We always talk about the district assemblies -- what oversight responsibilities they do have over education and health. We have not yet completed that aspect of decentralisation. Again, even with the monitoring - members themselves are still hang and you do not have offices in your constituencies. You as individual members do not have that capacity to go and monitor and evaluate projects in your constituencies. You need to have technical support and have offices, tools and the resources to do that.
    Mr Speaker 2:27 p.m.


    That is why Parliament should stop being the father of the nation and also look at itself. Parliament should be strengthened and resourced to be effective and efficient in the performance of its responsibilities.

    Committees, would be directed to budget and budget properly for the 2020 Budget Estimate so that at the end of it all, you would have enough to perform your duties. Do not once again, give the money to other institutions of State and then go and beg them to fund your activities, when you are the approving authority. That would be a thing of the past.

    I want to ask for guidance from leadership so that we could call it a day.
    Mr Habib Iddrisu 2:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we are in your hands and without any other item on the Order Paper, I move for the adjournment of the House till 2nd June, 2021.
    Mr Speaker 2:27 p.m.
    Would the House not sit on 1st June, 2021? Why did you say “2nd June''? Tuesday, is 1st June, 2021.
    Mr Habib Iddrisu 2:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am sorry, it should be “Tuesday, 1st June, 2021''.
    Mr Avedzi 2:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am not sure we are supposed to move a Motion once it is past 2.00 p.m.
    Mr Speaker 2:27 p.m.
    It depends. We did not start Sitting early and that is why I did not even ask for extension.
    Mr Avedzi 2:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, but it is assumed that we started Sitting at 10 a.m. so once it is past 2.00 p.m. there is no need for a Motion to be moved.
    Mr Speaker 2:27 p.m.
    Hon Deputy Minority Leader, we had two funerals this morning taking place in our precincts and we were compelled to attend both of them before commencing proceedings and that is why Sitting did not start early today. One involved the late National Security Coordinator and the other, the late Editor of Debates. Please, take that on board and second the Motion so that we could call it a day.
    Mr Avedzi 2:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I second the Motion.
    ADJOURNMENT 2:27 p.m.
  • The House was accordingly adjourned at 2.33 p.m. till Tuesday, 1st June, 2021 at 10.00 a.m.