Debates of 3 Aug 2021

Hon Members, I am sure you are aware we would receive the President of the Republic of Angola. He will arrive at exactly 2 p.m. at the Lobby of the Speaker to be received and ushered into the House. We expect that all of you would be seated before that time. Thus, what we have programmed to do is to try and finish early - the proceedings we want to embark on now, and then we can take a short suspension and prepare to receive him. Hence, we would try to go by the rules and make it as snappy as possible. It is an honour to receive His Excellency, and I am sure your Hon Leaders would give that to him when he arrives.
With this, we would go straight to Business, and take item numbered 5 which deals with the correction of the Votes and Proceedings and the Official Report.

We will start with the Correction of Votes and Proceedings of Monday, 2nd August,
2021.
Page 1.

Mr Speaker, at page 1, the item numbered 23, I thought it was only my copy of the Votes and Proceedings, but I have checked with a number of Hon Colleagues. Item numbered 23 is “Afenyo-Markin, Alexander Kwamen”. “Kwamena” is spelt without an “a”.

Clerks-at-the- Table, please, check the spelling of “Kwamena”.
Page 1 …7.

Mr Speaker, on page 7, item numbered 7, my name is indicated there as absent, but I was present yesterday.

Clerks-at-the Table, take note.
Page 8.

Mr Speaker, on page 8, the last sentence of Question 223 should read “quantities of rosewood”, not “quantities or rosewood”.

Hon Member, thanks so much. Clerks-at-the-Table, kindly take note.
Page 9 … 10.

Mr Speaker, page 10, item (b), the referral reads, “The Rt. Hon. Speaker referred the Agreement to the Committee on Defence”. I know that the Committee is “Committee on Defence and Interior” so, if that could be corrected?

Clerks-at-the- Table, please take note of the proper rendition of the Committee.
Page 11.

Mr Speaker, I need your direction on item (iv) on page 11. It reads:
“The Rt. Hon. Speaker referred the Acquisition, Requests and
the Provision to a Joint Committee on Mines and Energy and Finance for consideration and report.”
Should it be “the Joint Committee on Mines and Energy and Finance” or “a Joint Committee on Mines and Energy and Finance”?

Under the item numbered (d) (ii), it is “Report of the Joint Committee on Defence and Interior'' but this one talks about “a Joint Committee on Mines and Energy and Finance''. There should be a reconciliation - and I want to know whether it should be “a'' or the''.

There is no Joint Committee called “Defence and Interior''. It is one Committee. We have a Committee on Defence and Interior.

Mr Speaker, it is “Joint Committee on Mines and Energy and Finance''. So, they are two different Committees under item numbered (iv).

Yes, I was referring to your earlier reference but for the issue you have raised on page 11, it is correct because it is to a Joint Committee. We do not have an

existing Committee called “Joint Committee on Mines and Energy and Finance''. So, it is to “a Joint Committee''. I think the Table Office is right.

Mr Speaker, please, what about item numbered (d) (ii) which says; “Report of the Joint Committee on Defence and Interior and Foreign Affairs''.

That is wrong. It should be “Report of a Joint Committee.''

Mr Speaker, thank you for the clarification.

Hon Member, thank you so much for drawing our attention but do not lose your seat.

Mr Speaker, on page 11 with respect to item numbered (d) (ii), the Report was from a Committee that was already established by the Rt Hon Speaker, so the use of the article “the'' in the first line is correct because it was established for the purpose of the Report. Whereas the one the Hon Member referred to, the referral has been made and the Committee is yet to be set up but with item numbered (d) (ii), the Report was laid by the Committee after it had been
constituted. So, it was in existence in order for this Report to be generated.

My learning of the English Language does not support your submission. One, the Rt Hon Speaker, does not establish Joint Committees and those Joint Committees are just ad hoc Committees for the purpose of the referral, so they still remain as “a Joint Committee'' but not “the Joint Committee''. It is a Report that would come from them and it is still a Joint Committee's Report. [Pause]
Hon Members, the Table Office has drawn my attention to the issue that was raised by the Hon Member for Klottey Korle, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings and the understanding is that the Joint Committee that the matter was referred to, is the Joint Committee that would report to the House so in that case, it would be referred to as “the Joint Committee'' and not “a Joint Committee''. So, she is right for both items numbered (d) (i) and (ii). The paragraph below item numbered (c) (iv), would be “a Joint Committee''.
Thanks so much, my daughter for being learned.
Page 12 --

Mr Speaker, with regard to item numbered 10 (a) on page 12, it should be “By the Hon Majority Chief Whip, Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh on behalf of the Hon Member for Akim Swedru, Mr Kennedy Nyarko Osei''. The “of behalf'' after the “Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh'', should be “on behalf''.
Mr Speaker, with regard to item numbered (c), I expected that all the names of the eight Hon Members would appear instead of the name of only Hon Member - Mr Samuel Nartey George because yesterday, all the eight names were mentioned by the Hon Second Deputy Speaker.

Table Office, have you taken note of the issue she has raised?

Mr Speaker, with regard to the last paragraph under item numbered 9, I thought that the proper rendition should have been “concluding comments on the Statement deferred till Tuesday, 3rd August, 2021'' or “conclusion of comments on the Statements deferred till Tuesday, 3rd August 2021'' and not what has been captured as “concluding of comments''. It is not correct.

Mr Speaker, the preferable rendition of that should be “conclusion of comments''.

If we say “conclusion of comments'' and use “deferred'' -- no.

Mr Speaker, it may not be just one comment from a specified person but comments could come from the Other side.

That is why it should be “concluding comments on the Statement deferred'' but if we say “conclusion of comments deferred'' - well, there is no English master in the House so both are right and we would take either of them.
Page 13 --

Hon Members, in the absence of any further corrections, the Votes and Proceedings of the 39th Sitting of the Second Meeting of the First Session of the Eighth Parliament held on Monday, 2nd August, 2021 as corrected is hereby adopted as the true record of proceedings.

Hon Members, I do not have any copy of the Official Report and so, unless otherwise requested by

Mr Speaker, information available to me is that the Hon Minister is having to attend a very crucial meeting, so, he is not available. He has applied for us to reschedule him for Thursday. So, if that would meet your favour and acceptance, I would want to urge that we move to item numbered 10 to deal with the Statement on the Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review of the Budget Statement and the Economic Policy and to allow the Hon Minority Leader to begin.

Hon Majority Leader, item numbered 6 (f) which stands in the name of the Hon Minority Leader is to the Hon Minister for Transport. The others are to the Minister for Food and Agriculture and
your submission is to that effect which I believe the Hon Members would be willing to hold on their fire until Thursday to ask the Questions. What about item numbered 6 (f) which is to the Hon Minister for Transport?

Mr Speaker, we can do that after the comments on the Budget Review because for the same Hon Minister, there are three other ordinary Questions. So, in all, he has four Questions to answer; three ordinary Questions numbered 233, 234 and 235. So, I would plead that we go to the item listed as 10 on page 1 and on page 6 of the main Order Paper, item listed 11. We could deal with that one and when we finish, we would recline.

Hon Minority Leader, any reaction?

Mr Speaker, we can vary the order of Business to bring conclusion to the Mid-Year Review of the Budget with the understanding and assurance that the Hon Minister for Transport will be here afterwards to respond to my Urgent Question and the other Questions standing in the name of our Hon Colleagues.
That understanding is workable.

Hon Members, in view of the submissions from Leadership, I would vary the order of Business for today in accordance with our Standing Order 53 (2). The order of Business is varied accordingly.
Hon Members, we would go to item numbered 11 to conclude the comments on the Statement that was made by the Hon Minister for Finance on the Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2021 Financial Year.
We would do so by listening to the Hon Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu.
I hope the agreement is that each Hon Leader would take 30 minutes. [Interruption] - one hour? Each leader would take one hour? So, we would take two hours? We do not have the leisure of time because I had earlier mentioned to you that we have an important guest to receive today. I am prepared to up it to 35 minutes each.
Yes, Leaders, do you want 40 minutes?

Mr Speaker, respectfully, upon consultation with the Minority Leader,
he indicated to me yesterday that he would want to do 40 minutes and I think we can allow him to do that. So, let him start; plus or minus five minutes.

So, 40 minutes each. We would start now; it is 12.24 p.m.
Hon Haruna Iddrisu may start now.
Mid-Year Budget Review, 2021

Mr Speaker, let me thank you for the opportunity to contribute to what has now become a Statement and not a Motion on the Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review of the 2021 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the government and to thank the Hon Minister for Finance, at least, for his fidelity to the law; article 179 of the Constitution and section 28 of the Public Financial Management Act of 2016 (Act 921).
Mr Speaker, in doing so, let me refer you to page 96, Appendix 3C, Economic Classification of Central Government Expenditure. You would note that compensation of employees have been increased from GH¢30, 313,597,722.00 to
GH¢31,490,824,819.00.

Mr Speaker, on the same page, use of goods and services have also increased from GH¢5.9 billion to GH¢8.5 billion. Still on the same page, when we come to provision of health infrastructure, GH¢1.4 billion is now GH¢779 million, less GH¢697 million.
Mr Speaker, we are treating this as a Statement. It means that the Hon Minister for Finance, in my view, is using a Statement to amend the Appropriation Act, reference what was approved by appropriation for compensation of employees which was GH¢30 billion and GH¢1 billion more has been added on. How we are to treat it, I would go with your guidance on the matter.

But I do not think that any Minister for Finance should be given a mandate to use a Statement to amend the Appropriation Act even though I concede that he is still within Appropriation.

Mr Speaker, I raised a fundamental question - in increasing goods and services from GH¢5.9 billion to GH¢8.5 billion. Which Ministry or Department is the GH¢3 billion going to and for what is it to be used? That is why Parliament exercises oversight.

I can go on by looking at the same figure ‘provision of health infrastructure'. They said they allocated GH¢1.4 billion towards Agenda 111 and the Hon Minister has reduced it by GH¢779 million by a statement that I do not find acceptable.

Mr Speaker, we are told that our economy is doing very well. Most often than not, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its administration under former Presidents Prof Atta-Mills and John Dramani Mahama were castigated but at least for the records, the highest growth of the Ghanaian economy occurred in the year 2011 at 14.4 per cent. That record can never be contested until the economy does better. Inflation lapses into a double digit and comes back to single digit and they say we should celebrate them for keeping inflation at single digit. Consistently for two years, under former President Mills, inflation was at a single digit.

Key highlights on the real sector monetary development and the external accounts suggests that the economic indicators for these key sectors performed better. I beg to repeat that key highlights on the real sector gives me an indication that the economic indicators for the key sectors performed better during the

COVID-19 pandemic period to June 2020 and the same period in 2021.

Mr Speaker, paragraph 78 of Table 2 of the Mid-Year Budget Statement; the quarterly year-on-year GDP percentage shows that while overall GDP grew by seven per cent, and non-oil GDP by 7.9 per cent that of the first quarter of 2021 only grew by 3.1 per cent. So, they did not perform and blame it on the COVID- 19 pandemic for an overall GDP at 4.6 per cent. Paragraph 80 clearly shows that agriculture, services and industry all performed better in the COVID-19 period to June 2020 and then the COVID-19 period to June 2021. I am doing a half year comparison of the data for our purposes.

So, agriculture in the first two quarters of 2020, grew at 10.2 per cent and at 4.3 per cent in the year 2021. The services sector grew at 12.3 per cent that is the first quarter of the COVID-19 pandemic in the year 2020, it is now 1.3 per cent. Industry which was at 1.4 per cent, is still 1.3 per cent. Growth in the above sectors have declined and that remains a fact on our national economy.

Mr Speaker, we are dealing with discrepancies as to what data the

Ministry of Finance submits to Parliament in this august House and what data he gives to the Britton Wood Institutions of IMF and others. This is because the fiscal deficit, in the words of the IMF and the World Bank, is 15.3 per cent and what the Hon Minister is reporting to this House is different. He needs to come and explain the discrepancies in this particular position of his Budget Statement.

The same Hon Minister for Finance, when he came here to review the Budget for the first time, said that he was launching Ghana on to what he called ‘Obaatanpa' this I quote:

“The President's plan for the next three and half years, an unprecedented GH¢100 billion Ghana Cares”.

Where is the money? He added in the year 2020 when he appeared before us that he would ‘establish GH¢2 billion guarantee facility to support all sectors of businesses and job retention'. We would like to find out where the GH¢2 billion guarantee facility was established and who has benefited from it? That is, if it was not just meant to deceive the Ghanaian public.

Mr Speaker, he said that a GH¢100 million fund for labour and faith-based organisations for retaining

and skills development will be established. He further said he would increase the COVID-19 Alleviation Programme -- Business Support Scheme programme to GH¢150 million among others, facilitate credit of GH¢50 million to support the creative arts. This is found at page 100 of the Mid-Year Review paragraph 478. What has happened to the Hon Minister's Ghana Cares Obaatanpa programme? If he cared, this is what he must pledge to do and we are interested in knowing what his performance has been.
One of the major Government flagship programmes has been planting for food and jobs. Fertilisers that have been supplied have not been paid for, farmers are yearning and looking for support by way of fertilisers which is seasonal. I will urge the Hon Minister for Finance to work in harmony with the Hon Minister for Food and Agriculture and make fertilisers available to suppliers so that these products are made available to poor Ghanaian farmers. At least, he should extend the Ghana Cares Obaatanpa programme to Ghanaian farmers by being sincere in paying for what has been procured in the name of fertiliser.
Mr Speaker, this is what the Hon Minister for Finance had to say; “The Ministry procured and
distributed 4,600 metric tonnes of improved seeds and 120,520 metric tonnes of fertiliser to beneficiary farmers”. That has not been paid for.
So, we do not want to wait until the rainy season is over and what would the fertilisers be supplied for? Should they use it on farms in the dry season? That will clearly be causing some loss to the State if we do not know when to make fertiliser available to the poor farmers of Ghana.
Mr Speaker, we come to almighty COVID-19 pandemic. This Administration is now very good at blaming the pandemic for the non- performance of the economy and when the economy is doing well, it is profits accrued from the pandemic. It is only Ghana which has spent a whooping GH¢21 billion on COVID- 19 pandemic yet less than five per cent of its population is vaccinated. Shameful statistics - where did the money go?
They took money in the name of COVID-19 pandemic whether it was a credit facility or money from the Stabilisation Fund or other loans that they have taken, they have spent over GH¢20 billion yet only 405,000 Ghanaians can boast that they have been fully vaccinated. What did they do with the money? Yet, in many other regions of Ghana, including six
regions, they have not even established isolation or treatment centres, no emergencies and no oxygen available to them. What did they do with GH¢21 billion and yet the population cannot be vaccinated?
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit us, the medical strategy to contain the public health epidemic was to test, isolate and treat. Now, all over the world, whether it is the United Kingdom (UK) or the United States of America (USA) they have learned their lessons which is that a vaccinated population is less likely to be prone to COVID-19 infections. So, why do they take GH¢21 billion and yet cannot even boast of 1.5 million Ghanaians having access to the vaccine but say they are doing well.
Mr Speaker, we cannot hail nor praise them because we know that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a debilitating impact on the economy and there are no doubts about it.
Let me now come back to the theory of compensation and respectfully, I would like to refer you to paragraph 199, page 37 of the Mid-Year Budget Review which I quote:
“Government, employers and organised labour for the first
time, concluded negotiations on the national daily minimum wage and public sector base pay for 2 consecutive years - 2021 and 2022 early this year”.
Mr Speaker, this means that the Hon Minister for Finance is adding an additional GH¢1 billion to the compensation budget of the State. That is why, I said he is cleverly using a Statement to amend the Appropriation Act which gives him only GH¢30 billion and now he is asking for GH¢31 billion.

Mr Speaker, what that means is that the public sector workers of Ghana cannot have any smiles into 2022. With inflation at eight per cent or nine per cent, the appropriate thing to do in terms of a meaningful wage negotiation is to peg the wage increases above inflation. So, if we say that inflation is eight per cent or nine per cent then wages must be increased by just eight per cent or nine per cent. That is the best practice. Mr Speaker, to say four per cent would be a recipe for industrial conflict and industrial strikes and it is no surprise that the University Teachers Association of Ghana have already embarked on an industrial action and they are asking for improvement in their conditions of

Eiiihh!!

Mr Speaker, these are the interest
payments as a percentage of GDP yet they say that we should hail them as the superior managers of the economy.
Mr Speaker, under the NDC Administration, we did not use the term parallel numbers or reporting lightly. In our engagement with the IMF and Parliament, we gave adequate statistics. The simple question is that even with the budget deficit of 11 per cent, it is at least twice of what is permissible under the Fiscal Responsibility Act. If it was to be 15 per cent then it is three times more of what is acceptable under the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
Mr Speaker, they should go back to 2016 under the NDC Administration under former President Mahama, and it was 6.3 per cent but they said it was not good enough so they are better and superior managers of the economy. However, they have moved from 6.3 per cent to 11 per cent and to the IMF it is at 14 per cent.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister for Finance said that he did not come to Parliament to ask for more money, but as I indicated to him, one cannot drink water from an empty calabash. When revenue is not doing well it is simply not doing well. The amount of revenue
under the NDC was around 28 per cent of GDP and it has now reduced to about 20 per cent of GDP and we must be worried.
Mr Speaker, we are hearing that the economy is doing well, single digit inflation, Planting for Food and Jobs Programme and Free Senior High School, but have all these ended the sufferings as they promised in their 2016 Manifesto? Mr Speaker, they said they will end the sufferings of workers, farmers and teachers but they are still suffering and probably even living under more hardships than it was before.
Mr Speaker, as a country where do we stand with regard to the ease of doing business? Again, I came across an IMF Table and under revenue for 2019 it was about 14.3 per cent, 2020 it was 12.9 per cent and in 2021 it is 14.9 per cent. Mr Speaker, the deficit overall, as I have stated, was 7.5 per in 2019 and the overall balance was 15.3 per cent in 2020 and the IMF projects it to be 14 per cent into the end of the year. So, their trajectory of what will happen tomorrow is neither here nor there.
Mr Speaker, we need to guarantee food security in our country and we need to not just make fertiliser available but to support farmers. We are still spending over US$300 million on importation of rice and as the Hon

Deputy Ranking Member for the Committee on Agriculture observed and asked, where is the maize which is a product of the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme? Mr Speaker, may I refer you to page 85 of the Budget Statement and for someone to explain to me how the Hon Minister could argue that the cocoa sector could be contributing in their estimation?
Mr Speaker, on page 85 under Appendix 1(a) - Real GDP Growth - Crops - Cocoa. Mr Speaker, the cocoa sector in 2019 was 5.4 per cent and in 2020 it was 1.9 per cent. Mr Speaker, they are saying that because cocoa is likely to increase to one million tonnes, its contributions to GDP is likely to be 15.5 per cent.
I beg to strongly disagree - the Auditor-General has given us basis to be concerned that COCOBOD is underperforming and they are negative in their books for the last three years; 2019, 2020 and 2021. At best, if we even take a nominal GDP of 433 billion, they should be realistic enough to say that if they are able to achieve one million tonnes, the cocoa sector is likely to contribute 10 per cent to overall GDP and not 15.5 per cent. Mr Speaker, this is not realistic and it is significant in terms of getting some other numbers.
Again, under Agenda 111 we want to see an achievement to the
President's desire to expand access to healthcare. The President in his Statement which was presented by the Hon Minister for Finance talks about what the President did in Buipe where he commissioned a hospital facility. Mr Speaker, I would stay authoritatively and without fear of contradiction that former President Mahama secured funding and cut sod for those major hospitals at Buipe, Somanya, Weta and Tolon.

So, if he has commissioned it then he must recognise it and not report to this House next time.

Mr Speaker, on page 5, paragraph 32, this is what the Hon

“Mr Speaker, in fulfilment of our Completion pledge, we have completed a number of projects and activities including but not limited to:
the 85-bed Central Gonja District Hospital, located in Buipe, to improve access to quality healthcare;”.,
This hospital was a John Mahama initiative. You can check the records, which was financing facility for building hospitals in Somanya, Tolon
another project in Hon Avedzi's constituency. He then went to commission it and told Ghanaians that he is doing well with the economy. Mr Speaker, let them come again.
Mr Speaker, then they talked about vehicle assembling plants and also a four-tier interchanges in Pokuase, the first of its kind in West Africa. They should go and follow the history and chronology of how the Pokuase interchange happened. Sometimes, it is just fair to acknowledge, in consistence with article 35(7) of the 1992 Constitution, that they continued an initiative of the previous Administration. It is only constitutionally appropriate to be able to acknowledge that and do justice where they need to.
Mr Speaker, we granted the Ministry of Finance expenditure in advance of Appropriation, which is legitimate for us as a House. However, I strongly still think that our fiscal deficit of 9.5 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), we are not likely to stay within it because he has not disciplined his expenditure; he still spends as if he is not in a COVID-19 pandemic period.
As I said, in 2017, with the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), initially, they had no difficulty even raising
money. Their contribution to the employment of our country and to the export earning sector of our country remains significant, but in 2017, they recorded a loss of GH¢161.2 million; GH¢78.4 million in 2018, GH¢320 million in 2019 and what is even more worrying is that they are now biting more than they can chew. They have awarded more road contracts equivalent to what the Ministry of Roads and Highways can award. Our simple question is, is that the core function and mandate of COCOBOD? Also, many of these are sole-sourced contracts.
A while ago in opposition, they did not see anything meaningful and lawful about sole sourcing. They are reminded today that sole sourcing is lawful under the laws of Ghana, but it does not give value for money; it denies competitiveness, but a large and substantial portions of those contracts they awarded are all sole sourced. In principle, they do not have it in the morning and lose it in the evening, you keep it at all times.
Mr Speaker, we are told that smuggling accounts for the loss of about 120 million metric tonnes of fertilisers, and even as we discuss the 450 metric tonnes, I insist that we do not want to believe what we are hearing from the Ministry of Finance. They must make available to the

Mr Speaker, on unemployment, in 2015, I had the privilege to be Ghana's Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, and I declared unemployment as a national security crisis. We would on any day support the President to deal with the growing unemployment in our country, but they should be realistic. When they say they would create one million jobs, it is from which sectors of the economy? It is cheap to say they would create one million jobs. In the private sector, what has happened to their One District, One Factory project?

Mr Speaker, it has become another Greater Accra and Tema phenomenon. It is not in the Upper West Region, Upper East Region, and Northern Region. Development of irrigation has suffered. Sabare in the Zabzugu, Nasia along the Walewale Road - Mr Speaker, we expect that Government would support us so that there would be a yearly all-round farming.

Mr Speaker, I should be concluding. In the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Manifesto of 2016, they said

they would spend US$1 million each year on each constituency. They did not say they would build 10 Kumasi Ventilated Improved Pits (KVIPs) in each constituency. Is that not causing GH¢200,000 and they would say they have spent US$1 million per constituency?

Mr Speaker, for the purpose of this comment, I am using the “Dr Mahamudu Bawumia” exchange rate. When they come to this House and tell us that the cedi is doing well against the major currency, which currency is that? They inherited a cedi at GH¢4.2 to a US$1. Today, it is nearly GH¢6. So for an importer, when you say the cedi is doing well, you are telling him to go and prepare to service more cost.

So they should not come here to tell the Ghanaian public that the cedi is doing well. Which cedi? What did they inherit? They inherited GH¢4.2 to US$1, but today it is GH¢5.7 to US$1, and these are the better and superior managers of the economy. What they need to understand is that with a public debt, if we domesticate and divide it into two, like US$58 billion into US$24 billion domestic and US$25 billion external, it means that we need more cedis to service the debt. This is simple economics. They do not need anybody to tell them that if they are servicing a US$1

billion at GH¢4.2 billion, you would now need GH¢5.7 billion to service the same US$1 billion.

Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister should come again. When the Minister for Finance comes here, he quotes the Bible which leads me to the politics of building the Cathedral. He himself on a radio station said that Government was going to make US$10 million for the building of the Cathedral. At his vetting, Hon Kum said it is US$25 million, but now we are told of an informal tax where every Ghanaian should pay GH¢100 To support the building of the Cathedral. My simple advice is that, build the Cathedral with good money.

This country has benefitted religious tolerance, religious coexistence and religious harmony. We need to improve the relationship between the church and the State but not when he tells us on radio that they would make US$10 million available to the building of a Cathedral. What is the justification for it legally? However, he comes now through the informal process of a tax to get it done.

Mr Speaker, on arrears, today as we speak, Boards have not been constituted. Now the President is appointing Chief Executives (CEOs) on a one week, one CEO basis. Also,

there is a one week, one Board. He must know that the public sector Boards and institutions are at the heart of good governance of those institutions and clearly, it is not an acceptable governance practice for the President to hold months into the administration without Boards, Chief Executive Officers and District, Municipal and Metropolitan Chief Executives in place. It is an open room for individual decisions. That is why the Boards are helpful.

Mr Speaker, now he announces one CEO every week. So we are waiting for the next announcement to see which CEO is put somewhere.

Mr Speaker, probably, the good news for them and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's hope and trust, just like Hon Ken Ofori-Atta, is in debt forgiveness. That is their hope. The only way to redeem this economy is when some debt relief is enjoyed from the IMF. Thankfully, yesterday, the IMF Board met and approved the SDRs of some 750 billon, which should be shared among many other countries including Ghana.

So, Mr Speaker, that is the only hope of fiscal space. In revenue, we are not doing well; borrowing, they

“Mr Speaker, as part of the obligations of International Monetary Fund (IMF) Member countries, Ghana hosted an IMF- mission led by Carlo Sdralevich which held virtual consultations with Ghana under the IMF's Article IV con- sultations from April 28 to May 12, 2021. Following the successful completion of the mission, the Executive Board of the IMF concluded the Article IV consultation with Ghana on July 19, 2021.”
So, I am challenging the Hon Minister for Finance to come and table the article 4 decisions together with what he has presented in the Budget Statement. There is discrepancy, Mr Speaker. What he quoted as his fiscal deficit is less than what the IMF article 4 quotes. What he quoted as his total debt stock is less than what the IMF is quoting under the same article 11. So, he is not accurate and sincere with the statistics that he shared with this august House.
Mr Speaker, in livelihood empowerment and galamsey, when they say “Communication” - they have expanded. What we need to do is for the President - Again article 195 -- and we should pay particular attention to it. Under every other government, there is usually an official advertisement to fill certain public positions. In the last four years, not a single advert has appeared in respect of filling vacancies within the public services of Ghana. Yes, it is the right of the President to make a determination but we must see competitive advertisement happen as we have demanded same for recruitment into the Ghana Armed Forces and the Police Service.
Mr Speaker, rightly, anybody who drove pass El-Wak in the last two weeks -- if you saw the young men who queued to get recruited into the Ghana Armed Forces, it would wake you up to deal with the growing unemployment of our country.
Mr Speaker, again, our advice to the Minister is - for 1D1F, they are giving stimulus from National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) and they are giving loans from Ghana EXIM. I dare add that they are giving double money to same entities from the two different sources. I will leave evidence one of these days to that effect.
Mr Speaker, when you have money and a particular business person has benefited from NBSSI, why would you not give the other money from Ghana EXIM to a different Ghanaian entrepreneur but qualify the same person to benefit double? We do not find that double payment acceptable in the country.
Mr Speaker, “Industrial Parks and Special Economic Zones” -- page 42, paragraph 239, I read with permission:
“Mr Speaker, under the Ghana Economic Transformation Project, the Ministry of Trade and Industry has initiated the process of developing a policy framework, regulatory mechanism and institutional structure to support the establishment of Industrial Parks and Special Economic Zones in the country.”
Mr Speaker, it is a good initiative but what I think is that Government must extend water, electricity and ICT infrastructure to those industrial parks so that the entrepreneur only walks in as a new starter to be able to start business on his own.
So, Mr Speaker, I am strongly saying that we are not seeing the real
impact and effect of Planting for Food and Jobs and ameliorating hardship.
Mr Speaker, tomorrow, I may drive through Suame. The bread I used to buy in Suame is now GH¢6.00. It used to be GH¢4.00. Then you come here and tell us that the economy is doing well. Even bread sellers association in Kumasi have increased their prices. This is because they say the cost of their raw materials have increased.
Mr Speaker, I normally stop on that road and buy a loaf of bread and probably when I get to Techiman or Kintampo, I buy another one. Hon Suhuyini would remember the other one. Growing in Tamale, we were not encouraged to buy sweet bar. We could not pay for that one because it was expensive at the time. So they said if one ate it, he did not have money to save for the purpose of getting clothes to wear.
Mr Speaker, let me conclude now on the road sector -- [Interruption] -- Mr Speaker, I asked for 40 minutes and will stay within time.
Mr Speaker, Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) -- the Hon Minister for Finance must take immediate and urgent steps to eliminate that unnecessary bureaucracies he has created in the name called Daakye. That is why

GETFund has a Board. That is why GETFund has an administrator. Why should payment of GETFund be subjected to Daakye? To serve what purpose? What has happened to its bureaucratic subjects? We passed the law.
Mr Speaker, what is more worrying -- if we do not watch it and those claiming to be superior managers of the economy - in 2020, GETFund has out of a yield of 1.1 billion spent 666 million to service debt in 2019. In 2020, GETFund spent 850 million to service debt. The combined effect of two years of debt service is 1.5 billion - more than what GETFund itself yields. Yet, they say they are superior managers of the economy.
Mr Speaker, the Ghana EXIM Bank was established under the NDC Administration by President John Dramani Mahama, thanks to his Minister for Finance, Mr Seth Terkper.
Mr Speaker, the better managers of the economy have gone to borrow against Ghana EXIM. It just does not make any economic sense. This is because Ghana EXIM is a specialised bank which was supposed to help with our exports financing regime to be able to shove up our exports
against imports. It is the only dedicated bank which has its primary source of revenue - 0.5 per cent of the CRF value of imports. Why would they borrow against its receivables? Because they are the superior managers of the economy? We are asking what they have done with the money.
Ghana EXIM alone has disbursed more than GH¢1.54 billion and as I said, in many instances, duplication -- the very companies that earned some money from NBSSI are also gaining from it. I am told that the Ghana Export Promotion Authority has had cause to complain that some money was given for an export facility in New York of up to US$800,000 yet the Export Promotion Authority knew nothing about it.
Mr Speaker, Accra-Tema Motorway -- Public Private Partnership (P.P.P) - we support the policy because when we cannot raise revenue and cannot tax, the alternative as I said is to pray for debt forgiveness. At least, there is still some space to be able to look up to PPP. But what we are demanding is value for money for the PPP initiative that Government would be embarking on. What has happened to the Pwalugu project? What is the status? We asked. They came here overnight and said Parliament should give them approval to be able to do that.

Mr Speaker, let me now conclude by reminding them - I would turn to page 49 again of the Budget Statement, on Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF). If we go through the Budget, the hope of the Minister for Finance, Mr Ken Ofori- Atta, he allocates some GH¢361 million. What he must do is to go back and come to Parliament to do the second reading of the GIIF.

Mr Speaker, we dedicated 2.5 per cent into the Fund, so that it would help with the implementation of Government's counterpart contribution to the implementation of public-private initiative. The Minister has come to revise the law and taken away the 2.5 per cent meant for GIIF, yet he said he wants to use it as a vehicle to anchor public-private participation? How would that be done, when they have been denied the needed resources that would have provided some avenue for them?

Mr Speaker, it is my submission as I conclude that it is constitutionally and legally wrong to use a statement to seek to amend portions of the Appropriation Act as was passed. I have seen that on page 96 of the Budget, the Minister has adjusted more than five areas in terms of his

numbers. I do not intend to bore you with the numbers, but at least many of the figures which appeared in the appropriation are not the same as he reported. This means that the Minister for Finance - Statement, yes. But can Statement just add GH¢1billion to compensation? No! Can Statement just add GH¢3 billion to goods and services, when we do not know the ministries and departments to which these have been committed?

Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Statement. I hope that Government would do what is appropriate; to walk this economy through recovery and to share its opportunities through shared opportunities. Unlike the NDC Administration under former President John Dramani Mahama, we have not benefited from the Bank of Ghana's support, but they have. The Bank of Ghana has financed Government with over GH¢10 billion, but we did not have that opportunity as a Government.

Hon Members, the Hon Minority Leader has used 44 minutes and 46 secondS. It is now the turn of the Hon Majority Leader. [Hear! Hear!]

M r Speaker, thank you very much for this great opportunity to conclude the comments on the Mid-Year Review of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2021 Financial Year, which presentation was made in this House on Thursday, 29th July 2021 by the substantive Minister responsible for Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta.
Mr Speaker, on Friday 12 th March, 2021 was when the then Minister with the responsibility for Finance at the time appeared in Parliament to present the 2021 Budget Statement and Economic Policy; he related to the realities of December 31, 2016 after eight (8) years of NDC Administration and also four (4) years of the NPP Administration. The Minister in the 2020 Budget Statement did not mince words in his description of the economy that the NPP Government inherited. He said, which with your permission, I beg to quote:
“The economy that the NPP inherited was in a very bad shape
suffocating under a misweight of debts, arrears, very high cost of living, high rate of unemployment and the worst growth rate since 1994.”
Mr Speaker, it was the worst growth rate in 26 years. In 2015 and 2016, there was no COVID, yet our economy took a nosedive. There was no force majeure, but yet consistently, the growth rate under former President John Mahama -- [Laughter] -- That was the reality, but yet we registered 2.2 per cent growth rate. This is unprecedented in 36 years. [Hear! Hear!] -- And they have no shame. There was no COVID; there was no force majeure at the time.
Mr Speaker, growth in agriculture in 2016 was declining, and we all know. It could register 2.9 per cent. In 2017, under the NPP Admi- nistration, it grew to 6.1 per cent; in 2018, 4.8 per cent; 2019, 4.6 per cent; and in 2020, it was projected to grow at 5.1 per cent but for COVID-19. In 2016, crops grew at a near 2.2 per cent. In 2017, under the NPP Government, it grew at 7.2 per cent; in 2018, 5.8 per cent; in 2019, 5.3 per cent; and it was projected to grow at 5.4 per cent.
Mr Speaker, cocoa, what the Hon Minority Leader just spoke about grew in the negative under their care
in 2016. It grew at negative 7.0 per cent [Hear! Hear!] -- Under the NPP Government, it re-bounced to 9.2 per cent in 2017; in 2018, 3.7 per cent and in 2019, 5.4 per cent. [Hear! Hear!] -- When it grew in the negative, there was no COVID.
Mr Speaker, the growth of industry was abysmal under the watch of the NDC Government. In 2016, it grew at 4.3 per cent. Under the NPP Administration in 2017, it grew at 15 per cent; in 2018, 10.6 per cent; 2019, 6.4 per cent and in 2020, the projection was that it was to grow at 8.6 per cent.
Mr Speaker, mining and quarrying under their watch grew at 0.2 per cent -- [Uproar] -- but under NPP Government, it grew at 30.8 per cent, in 2018, it grew at 23.3 per cent; in 2019 it grew by 12.6 per cent. It was targeted to grow at 10.1 per cent, but for COVID.

it grew at -15.6 per cent. Under the NPP, it bounced up strongly to 80.3 per cent in 2017. Mr Speaker, then in 2018, it grew at 15.1 per cent to grow at 7.3 per cent in 2020 again, but for COVID-19.
Mr Speaker, with electricity, under the watch of the NDC, it grew at negative, -5.8 per cent. When we came, it grew at 19.4 per cent in 2017; 5.5 in 2018; 6.0 per cent in 2019 and 4.8 per cent in 2020.
For water and sewerage, again, under their watch, in 2016, it grew in the negative, -11.8 per cent. Mr Speaker, under the NPP, growth escalated to 6.1 per cent. Yes, in 2018, it contracted, -3.6 per cent; in 2019, it was -4.4 per cent, but they were nowhere near -11.8 per cent that they registered in 2016. Therefore, who are better managers of this economy?
Mr Speaker, under their watch, services grew at 2.8 per cent in 2016. The following year, it grew at 3.3 per cent. In 2018, it was 2.7 per cent; 2019, 7.6 per cent. Mr Speaker, on the average, under the NPP, crops grew at 5.9 per cent; 4.9 per cent for the cocoa sector when they grew at negative -7 per cent.
Mr Speaker, for industry, it was 10.3 per cent on the average; mining and gas - 26 per cent; mining and quarrying - 19.2 per cent; electricity - 8.9 per cent when they grew in the negative. Mr Speaker, when we talk about better managers of the economy, when Ghanaians see one, they do not see in their shadows; they see in reality.

Mr Speaker, economic growth rate hugely increased from the 2.9 per cent under their watch in 2014 and 2.2 per cent in 2015, which as I said was the worst GDP growth in 36 years - 3.2 per cent in 2016, which was the worst in 22 years to 8.1 per cent in 2017; 6.3 per cent in 2018; 6.5 per cent in 2019. The economy was targeted to grow at 6.8 per cent at the outset of 2020, but for COVID-19.

Mr Speaker, the average GDP growth rate under President Akufo- Addo was 7.0 per cent for the three years whereas the average growth rate under President Mahama for four years was 3.9 per cent. Who are better managers of the economy? Mr Speaker, this country, when the dawn of harvest enters, there is fear. The people of Ghana are discerning; they know how to sift wheat from chaff.

Mr Speaker, on inflation -- they managed inflation. In 2016, it was 15.4 per cent. The Hon Minority Leader said that we should match minimum wage with inflation. That conceptually is good, but under their watch, did the minimum wage ever cross 12 per cent? Please, be realistic. Yet, they want us to benchmark it against inflation.

Conceptually, it is good, but it never happened under the watch of the NDC, with respect to you, when the

Hon Minority Leader was the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations. He could not do that; he should not change the goal post and throw dust into the eyes of the Ghanaian public because it was never done during the Mills-Mahama era.

Mr Speaker, the banking sector was on the rise again in 2019, recording by mid-2019, after tax profit of GH¢ 1.67 billion or 36 per cent in 2019. The 91-day Treasury bill rate fell steadily from 17 per cent in December 2016 to 14.7 per cent. The cost of borrowing had declined to allow business to expand, jobs to be created and spending to rise again to lubricate the economy. Mr Speaker, fiscal deficit was contained below five per cent GDP for three consecutive years. That is unprecedented when they were there

- 2017, 2018, 2019.

Mr Speaker, on external front, trade deficit improved from the GH¢1.8 billion that we registered in 2016 to a surplus of GH¢2.6 billion. Who are better managers of this economy? But for COVID-19, Ghanaians would have seen a rapid growth of the economy. Mr Speaker, this trajectory, to all intent and purposes, steady economic growth, compared with the wishy-washy record of the NDC is clear to everybody.

Mr Speaker, by 2020, 1.2 million Ghanaian students had had access to free SHS education - the first batch, numbering 362,000 graduated in 2020. Government invested GH¢3.2 billion in implementing this which translated into GH¢2.2 billion in savings to parents, guardians and families. Mr Speaker, this is a record achievement.

Mr Speaker, 1.2 million people have directly benefited from the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) programme, and the Hon Minority Leader would know that. Mr Speaker, he asked where we have created the jobs - 1.2 million jobs in PFJ alone. Mr Speaker, 97,373 graduates had the opportunity under NABCO to prepare themselves for future jobs. Also, 83,000 citizens have been recruited under the Forest Plantation Programme in reforestation of 6.5 million hectares of forest cover which had been decimated.

Additional 138,026 Ghanaian citizens have been recruited under various programmes to support public sector delivery. Mr Speaker, 55,000 nurses, who had completed their training, but who were left to rot in their respective homes under the watch of the NDC, were employed. They asked where the job opportunities are. They should open their eyes to see where they are.

Over 1,000 sanitary facilities were at various stages of completion at the beginning of 2020, and 49,000 trainee nurses have been paid GH¢468 million in allowances when they said they could not do that. Mr Speaker, 48,000 trainee teachers had at the beginning of 2020 been paid GH¢532 million in allowances - something they said they could not afford.

Mr Speaker, 181 companies at the beginning of 2020 had benefited under the 1D1F; 19,500 start-up businesses have received training support under the Government entrepreneurship programme; 80 businesses, incubation hubs have been set up across the country to build the capacity of entrepreneurs. Twenty thousand students, had at the beginning of 2020, been trained under student entrepreneurship initiative.

Mr Speaker, pursuant to the allocation of the cedi equivalent of US$1 million to each constituency, IPEP had delivered the following: 307 ambulances to each constituency; 200 dams had been completed and 560 additional dams were under construction at the beginning of 2020; 50 pre-fabricated grain warehouses had been constructed by the end of 2019 to reduce postharvest losses.

Mr Speaker, clearly, the country was on course for even greater

achievements in 2020 predicated on one expanded domestic revenue mobilisation, business regulatory reforms, intensified drive for foreign direct investments, enhanced financial support to local enterprises, digitali- sation, accelerated infrastructural development especially roads, hospitals and educational facilities and science and technology. Then entered the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Speaker, it must be clear to all objective and neutral watchers that the management of the economy under President Akufo-Addo was in capable hands until the Coronavirus pandemic struck.

The well-structured programme got choked by the virus and Government had to review the plan of action that had been fashioned to take the country to the next level of accelerated economic development which the Hon Minister had themed “Consolidate the Gains for Growth, Jobs and Prosperity for all''.

On the sharp contrast to the NDC regime under former President Mahama, under President Akufo- Addo, the economy steadily grew as I have alluded to. Industry started reviving up again and Ghana and

Ghanaians were clearly on the road to prosperity. The effect of the pandemic as the Hon Minority Leader himself acknowledged, has been swift and extremely devastating on the people of the world with businesses and the world economy with 2.2 billion jobs having being lost.

Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister for Finance informed us that the pandemic is more than a health crisis. Restrictions were imposed on the movement of people to contain the spread and these restrictions disrupted households and businesses with very many job losses and reduced incomes for many people especially, those in the private and informal sectors.

This is what translated into the recession that we suffered as a country. Hotels and the hospitality industry are literally on their knees. As I said last year, Kempinski Hotel which was the flagship hotel in this country which employed 360 people, had to send 300 out of the 360 home. Only a skeletal staff of 60 remained. What do they expect? Many of the hotels that we know closed down and we do not expect that to translate into the economy? Certainly, if they did not do that then clearly, they do not understand economics.

Mr Speaker, the ECOWAS regions average annual GDP growth

rate in 2020 was -2.5. Ghana did not register a sub-zero growth rate. Ghana kept its head above waters. Only four countries in the sub-region did better as far as GDP growth rate is concerned than Ghana. Nigeria registered -4.3 per cent, Liberia registered -3.0 per cent, Sierra Leone registered -3.1 per cent, Gambia registered -1.8 per cent, Cape Verde registered -6.8 per cent, Togo flattened out with 0.0 per cent, Mali registered -2.0 per cent, Guinea Bissau registered -2.9 per cent, Burkina Faso registered -2.0 per cent and Senegal registered -0.7 per cent. The countries that did better than Ghana are; Cote d'Ivoire which registered 1.8 per cent, Guinea registered 1.4 per cent, Benin registered 2.0 per cent and Niger registered 0.5 per cent.

Mr Speaker, it is instructive to state that none of the countries that did better than Ghana, did what Ghana did to mitigate the effects of the virus on the economy and on the citizens. None of them gave out hot meals to the people - or at least, some of them uncooked food, providing free water and electricity. None of them did that. Providing business support as Ghana did - none of them did that. So, people should appreciate what the Government of this country did to save lives.

Mr Speaker, it is important to state that all these countries were churning out impressive GDP growth rates before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Indeed, Ghana's economy grew by 6.5 per cent in 2019, Cote d'Ivoire grew by 6.5 per cent, Senegal grew by 5.3 per cent, Guinea grew by 5.6 per cent, Burkina Faso grew by 5.7 per cent, Benin grew by 6.9 per cent, Guinea Bissau grew by 4.5 per cent, Mali grew by 5.1 per cent, Niger grew by 5.9 per cent, Togo grew by 5.3 per cent, Cape Verde grew by 5.7 per cent, Gambia grew by 6.1 per cent, Sierra Leone grew by 5.4 per cent and Nigeria grew by 2.2 per cent.

Mr Speaker, Ghana was on a good and smooth trajectory until the COVID-19 pandemic struck. So, for the Hon Member of Banda, Mr Ahmed to say that Ghana's economy collapsed under the watch of the NPP, clearly, he did not place it in context. He is oblivious to the world situation and that cannot be good and helpful.

He could not have been oblivious - he knew what happened so he must put it in the context. If he said that we could have done better that is another argument all -- together but he said that our economic management was shambolic. Clearly, he was not truthful to the facts.

Mr Speaker, the former President John Mahama's Aadministration when

MR KYEI-MENSAH-BONSU] MR KYEI-MENSAH-BONSU]

there was no COVID-19 in 2014, grew the economy by just 2.9 per cent. In 2015 the economy was grown by 2.2 per cent, in 2016 it was grown by 3.4 per cent. This tells in vivid terms the extent of incompetence. The average growth rate in the sub-region between 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 was 5.2 per cent. So, when they registered 2.9, 2.2 and 3.4 per cent under their watch, they went beneath the radar and that was where we told them their economic management is characterised by sheer incompetence.

Mr Speaker, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ghana was able to achieve four out of the six ECOWAS convergence criteria but under the Mills-Mahama Administration, the criteria were 10 and it was only in one year that they attained three out of the 10. In a particular year, they attained only one - in three years out of the eight, they attained only one. That is the mark of economic incompetence -- incompetence galore. [Hear! Hear!] [Laughter]

Mr Speaker, until the COVID-19 pandemic struck, this economy expanded under the Akufo-Addo Administration annually between 16 and 17 per cent. What it meant was that under such an environment, if one was able to grow the economy between 16 and 17 per cent, then the

revenue would certainly expand then the expenditure could also be increased. In 2020, the revenues contracted no thanks to the COVID- 19 pandemic but expenditures escalated. So, the denominator shrunk and the nominator expanded. That is the reason the debt stock has ballooned. They should understand this because it is basic economics. This is not contrivance and it is not propaganda. This is the reason the debt to GDP has increased.

Mr Speaker, notwithstanding, as the Hon Minister said it is important to explain that the debt stock now stands at 334.56 billion which represents 77.1 per cent of GDP and includes the financial and energy sector bailouts. Excluding the financial sector bailout alone, the debt to GDP ratio falls to 72.9 per cent. That is something that we had to do to strengthen and reposition the banking sector.

The good news is that the country has made steady progress in the macro economic targets that we set for the 2021 budget. In the overall GDP, we targeted to grow at 5.5 per cent, end of year inflation to be at 8 per cent, non-oil real GDP growth rate at 6.7 per cent, fiscal deficit at 9.5 per cent, primary deficit of 1.3 per cent, gross international reserves of not less than four months. At the end of the first quarter, GDP registered

3.1 per cent, non-oil GDP registered 4.6 per cent, agriculture registered 4.3 per cent, service registered 4.0 per cent and industry registered 1.3 per cent. We are climbing up by all accounts.

Mr Speaker, inflation declined further to 7.5 per cent from 10.9 per cent in December 2020. Interest rates are generally declining. At the end of June 2021, the country's gross international reserves had grown.

Mr Speaker, at the end of June 2021, the country's gross international reserve had grown astronomically to US$11.027 billion from the December 2020 position of US$8.624 billion. This provides us not with the targeted four months cover but five months of import cover. This US$11 billion in gross international reserve is unprecedented in the history of this country. You are dazed; it is not US$9 billion, US$11 billion of import cover.

Mr Speaker, Government is not shying away from responsibility of ensuring that the economy is repositioned in full recognition of the fact that COVID-19 is here to stay and hence, efforts must be made in the context to reinvigorate the economy.

The fiscal measures contained in the 2021 Budget, Mid-Year Review and the Ghana COVID-19 Alleviation and Revitalisation of Enterprises Support (Ghana CARES) or the Obaatanpa Programme constitutes the bedrock for repositioning this country.

The Hon Minister, from paragraph 151 through to 179 of the Mid-Year Review, gave a vivid description of what the phases 1 and 2 of the Ghana CARES Programme entails and the status of implementation. The protection of livelihoods, the revitalisation and transformation of the economy including the private sector in areas of fast track industrialisation, import substitution, digitalisation, export expansion and the creation of sustainable jobs, especially for the youth are all contained in the Mid-Year Budget Review. I would refer us to the paragraphs that I have quoted, in particular, paragraph 152.

The Hon Minister also updated the country on the status of some selected government interventions. Two weeks ago, the Hon Minister for Trade and Industry was in this House to inform us about the status of the 1D1F initiative. The Hon Minister for Finance came to confirm that a total number of 1D1F projects in operation as of now are 104. The number of industries under construction at the

MR KYEI-MENSAH-BONSU] [MR KYEI-MENSAH-BONSU]

Hon Majority Leader, you do not run away from translating what you said in different language. By the rules, you would have to translate it.

Mr Speaker, woannya biribi amma wase a, wonnyae mmo no kroon - literally translates, if one has nothing useful to offer your in-laws, you do not turn around to pilfer from them. [Hear! Hear!]
Mr Speaker, as I said, the combined effect of the ‘Planting for
Food and Jobs' flagship programme including the livestock development module that is ‘Rearing for Food and Jobs', the greenhouse village module, the agricultural mechanisation module, plant protection and regulation module and the ‘One District, One Warehouse' scheme does not only assure us of food security but they provide platforms for sustainable industrialisation, job creation, import substitution, export diversification and above all, stability for the local currency.
Mr Speaker, the President has declared 2021 as the second year of roads. The success of economic revitalisation programmes is hugely dependent on road infrastructure. Former President Kufuor expanded the road network of this country from 39,000kms to 69,000kms. The Mills- Mahama Administration increased the network from 69,000kms to 73,000kms. Under President Akufo- Addo, the road network in four years increased from 73,000kms to 78,000kms, an increase of 5000kms. Truth be told that many of the new roads that came out were not completed. We must admit to that and Government must be urged to complete these roads.
Mr Speaker, the number of Questions filed in the House directed
at the Hon Minister for Roads and Highways every week, indeed every Friday, attest to the fact that we need to up our game in road construction.
Ghana, indeed, is bouncing back and bouncing back in a very profound manner. We must encourage the Government not to relent but to do more.
Mr Speaker, a nation that is showing such promise would certainly attract envy and enemies and that is why I am happy that the Hon Minister has given some account on the urgent need to retool the security forces and intelligence agencies. This House is privy to potential threats to the country and we must join ranks to find resources to reposition our security forces and intelligence operatives to protect the unity, stability and, indeed the integrity of this country.

Mr Speaker, governance is not propaganda; governance is based on facts and figures. The facts and figures speak for themselves.

Hon Members, the House has had its say after listening to the Hon Minister for Finance. As I indicated in the morning, we will be taking a suspension to prepare to receive His Excellency the President of Angola.
So, without much ado, I want to suspend the House for a few minutes and we are to be back seated before 2 p.m. We have few minutes to do so. So, I will suspend proceedings for the few minutes. I have to follow the course of our programme because I will have to receive His Excellency the President in the Speaker's Lobby.
My duty is to suspend the House, and if Hon Members decide to stay on the Floor, that is their decision and not mine. So, the House is accordingly suspended, at least for the next 15 minutes.
1.45 p.m. -- Sitting suspended.
2.21 p.m. -- Sitting resumed.

Hon Members, you would recall that the Hon Majority Leader and Chairman of the Business Committee in presenting the Business of the House for this week last Friday, did indicate that the House would receive His Excellency João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola to address the House today, 3rd August, 2021.
Hon Members, His Excellency the President of Angola and his entourage are in the Chamber.

Hon Members, as I indicated, His Excellency the President is here with his delegation and, with your kind permission, I shall proceed to recognise their presence in this august Chamber.
Your Excellency, you are most welcome. Even though His Excellency is in this country with his lovely and
beautiful wife, she is not here in the Chamber but he has a very strong delegation with him in the Chamber.

H. E. Antonio H. Da Silva - President of the Private Investment Agency and Promotion of Angola Exports (AIPEX);

H. E. Augusto Da Silva Cunha - Outgoing Ambassador of Angola to Ghana;

Mr Joel Cuvuna Cumbo - Deputy Ambassador of the Embassy of Angola in Ghana;

Mr Joao Baradas Bartrazar - Counsellor of the Embassy of Angola in Ghana;

Mr Rui Livramento - Business Attache of the Embassy of Angola in Ghana;

H. E. Jorge Francisco Silveira - Assistant Director of the President's Ceremonial of the Republic of Angola;

H. E. Fernando B. Cativa - Member of the Angolan Parliament;

Mr Stelvio Richard D. S. Ferreira - Delegate; and Ambassador Antonio

Da Cruz - Legal Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Distinguished delegation, on behalf of the Parliament of Ghana and on my part, I warmly welcome you to this August House. You are most welcome.

Hon Members, it is now my singular honour and privilege to invite H. E. the President of the Republic of Angola to deliver his address to this august House.

Mr President, on behalf of the House, I sincerely thank you for such a rich address. I assure you that the interpretation was excellent. So the House has really received the full import of your address. Hon Members, it is proper I give the opportunity to your Leaders to be heard. So I shall invite the Hon Minority Leader to make some remarks.
Hon Minority Leader, it is your turn now.

Mr Speaker, I should thank you for the opportunity to speak and also thank you for the kind courtesy of hosting President João Manuel Lourenço in this august House of Parliament.
Mr Speaker, as we heard him, it is only democracies that have Parliaments. Countries can have governments. He has shared with us his trust to lead the Angolan people. We have shared-values and these values, as we heard him, in the year 1992, they started their democratic journey arising out of a war, but in Ghana, we started our journey to the Fourth Republic arising out of military intervention - a common value we share. They celebrate two decades of democracy; we now celebrate two and half decades of democracy.

Indeed, to his credit, he has got back some loot for the benefit of the Angolan State and its people from persons who desire to exploit public office for their personal benefit and gains.

Mr Speaker, as you were speaking, I looked up to our Hon Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration who is here and probably, she would jealously do what she is already doing. The credo of our foreign policy must be one where

partisanship ends at the water's edge. I should think that in the pursuit of our foreign policy, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has not departed significantly.

Mr Speaker, understandably, you are hosting President Manuel Lourenço as a reciprocal fraternal gesture. They were kind enough to host President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo when he visited Angola. We can only look up to a stronger bilateral bond between Ghana and Angola and in particular, between the Parliament of Angola and the Parliament of Ghana. We would want to learn from them as they may also want to learn from us.

Mr Speaker, I have not read what the President has done so far but I understand that Namibia conferred its highest honour on President João Manuel Lourenço, probably, our President can consider same and he has the support of the country behind him.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon Members, I shall now invite the Hon Majority Leader to make his remarks.

Mr Speaker, on behalf of the House, I wish to extend a very warm welcome
[PRESIDENT LOURENÇO] [MR HARUNA IDDRISU]

to H. E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, on his historic visit to Ghana upon the invitation of H. E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana who was also in Angola in August 2019 for a two-day official visit. We are indeed, pleased to have him visit us at the instance of Rt Hon Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin.

Ghana and Angola enjoy long standing historical cultural and economic relations which have contributed appreciably to the strengthening of political goodwill between the two countries. Ghana was among the first countries to accord recognition to the Republic of Angola in December 1975 after Angola attained independence from Portugal. Subsequently in 1976, Ghana established diplomatic relations in Rwanda and appointed its first ambassador to that country.

Following the end of the civil war in 2002 and the return to peace and stability, Angola in 2005 also established a diplomatic mission in Accra. Over the years, bilateral relations between Ghana and Angola have been characterised by the exchange of visits by a number of

senior government officials from both countries. Each bilateral relation between Ghana and Angola presents the opportunity to further strengthen the economic ties that exist between the two countries and explore other possible areas of cooperation for the mutual benefit of the people of the two countries.

Mr Speaker, the issue of good governance as a critical factor to the achievement of accelerated and sustainable economic growth and development have been a global policy agenda for some time now. It is therefore not out of place to know that African Governments have, in recent times, also initiated a number of measures in their quest to promote good governance on the continent. However, Africa continues to face many challenges including the inability to:

1. Structurally transform its economies to create needed jobs for the teeming unemployed youth;

2. Maintain sustainable and efficient public spending;

3. Combat corruption and reduce inequality;

4. Prevent and manage conflicts; and

5. Increase and deepen transparency in electoral processes and increase the participation of women in politics.

Mr Speaker, these concerns are by no means exhaustive. Obviously, citizens are becoming somewhat dissatisfied with many aspects of governance, and are therefore eager to take active part in the day-to-day governance of the countries. They want to play more active role in shaping, delivering and monitoring governance policies. These developments require an introspection of governance approach in Africa. How do we provide an environment that adequately responds to the needs and aspirations of our citizenry? How do we entrench the principles of transparency and accountability for our citizenry?

We, in the legislative arm of Government will work assiduously within our mandate to ensure good governance and development for the citizenry. We believe that this can be achieved if the Parliament of Ghana and the National Assembly of Angola works closely together. Fortunately in Ghana, we have instituted Parliamentary Friendship Associations with sister parliaments in Africa and beyond. This affords parliamentarians the opportunity to engage with their

counterpart government officials and the citizens of other countries, and thereby deepen international cooperation and relations.

Mr Speaker, I am confident that our two nations will continue to engage and deepen the political and economic cooperation, and we would be able to fashion out common aspirations that propel our countries towards the path of growth and sustainable development for the generation of today and tomorrow.

Hon Members, let me also take the opportunity to make a few remarks in honour of the President of Angola. [Hear! Hear!]
Your Excellency, once again it is my honour and prime privilege to personally welcome you to this august Chamber. I am pleased at this stage to personally express sincere gratitude to you, on behalf of the entire House and on my own behalf, for your words of wisdom which will, undoubtedly, be food for thought for us in the remaining days of the year.
Indeed, Your Excellency's commitment and dedication in

Hon Members, welcome back from the suspension. I would want to hear from the Hon Leaders as to any indication on how we would proceed with Business.

Mr Speaker, I believe we have done considerable work today, and even though the Hon Minister for Transport is here with us ready to answer the Questions that have been filed, I
would want to plead that we take an adjournment until Thursday, 5th August, 2021, at 10 o'clock in the forenoon sharp to deal with the Questions.
I recognised that Thursday is Cabinet meeting, but if we Sit at 10.00 a.m. and dedicate one hour to the Questions, it should be possible for us to deal with Questions. I could even give an indication to the President to reschedule the start point of the Cabinet meeting to 12 noon to enable us clear the Questions before it starts.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minority Leader himself has a Question, but I believe he would agree to this request that we adjourn Sitting until Thursday next at 10 o'clock in the forenoon.

Mr Speaker, I would support the Motion for adjournment on the understanding that the Hon Ministers for Food and Agriculture and Transport would be back here on Thursday, 5th August, 2021, to respond to those Questions.
With that understanding, I have no hesitation accepting that you adjourn the House to Thursday, 5th August, 2021, at 10 o'clock in the forenoon.

Hon Members, the guidance from Leadership is for the House to adjourn till Thursday, 5th August, 2021, at 10.00 a.m. prompt for
the Hon Minister for Transport to respond to the Questions on the Order Paper before proceeding to a Cabinet meeting. You all know tomorrow is a public holiday, and that is why we are adjourning till Thursday, 5th August,
2021.
The Motion has been moved, and if it is your pleasure, I will put the Question.

Mr Speaker, I just want to sound that, on the Order Paper for today, if you look at the provisional Order Paper, there are many Questions, many of them to the Hon Ministers for Education and the Interior for Thursday. We will combine all of them, and if we need to increase the time span, it would be so done to accommodate all the Hon Ministers.

Hon Members, you know we are due to adjourn sine die on Friday, 6th August, 2021. We still have a lot of work to do, and so, on Thursday and Friday, we may have to Sit for extra hours.
With that understanding, I will put the Question.