Debates of 14 Dec 2021

MR FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER
PRAYERS 2:34 p.m.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
Hon
Members, Correction of Votes and
Proceedings and the Official Report.
We would commence with the
correction of Votes and Proceedings
of Monday, 13th December, 2021.
Page 1 … 9 --
Mr Gakpey 2:34 p.m.
Mr Speaker, my
name has been captured as absent
under item numbered 35 on page 7,
but I was in Parliament yesterday and
I participated in the Committee
meeting.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
Very
well.
Page 8 … 33 --
Mr Ramadan 2:34 p.m.
Mr Speaker, on
page 33, item numbered (xvii), my
surname has been spelt wrongly. My
surname is spelt as “Ramadan” but the “n” has been omitted.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
Very
well.
The Table Office would take note.
Page 34, 35, 36 --
Mr Ramadan 2:34 p.m.
Mr Speaker, on
page 36, item numbered (xvii), my
surname has once again has been
spelt wrongly. Also, under the
heading “In Attendance” the correct rendition of “Mrs A. A. Danko” advertised as item numbered (iv)
should read: ‘Mrs A. A. Darko'.
Mr Speaker, I serve on the Health
Committee, and I sat through the
consideration of the Estimates. The
name of the Director in charge of
Policy Planning, Dr Odame Ankrah,
is conspicuously missing from the
list. However, he was in attendance
throughout the meeting. Mr Speaker,
thank you. .
Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
Very
well.
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 2:34 p.m.
Mr Samuel O. Ablakwa 2:34 p.m.
-- rose
-- 2:34 p.m.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
Hon
Member for North Tongu?
Mr Ablakwa 2:34 p.m.
Mr Speaker, on
Page 38, item numbered 38 (xxxiv),
the name “Samuel” has been rendered incorrect with the insertion
of “;” between the “e” and “l”.
Also, under item numbered (xlix),
the correct spelling of the name of the
representative from the Ho Teaching
Hospital should read ‘Mr Simon ‘Dzokoto' and not “Dzodkojo”. Mr Speaker, I know the gentleman very
well and ‘Dzokoto' is his name so it must be corrected.
Also, the correct spelling of the
name of the Director General of the
Ghana AIDS Commission is ‘Mr Steve Atuahene Gyeremeh' and not “Mr Steve Afuahene Kyeremeh” so it must be corrected.
Mr Speaker, thank you.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:34 p.m.
Very
well.
The Table Office should kindly
take note of these corrections.
Page 39 … 41.
Hon Members, the Votes and
Proceedings of Monday, 13th
December, 2021, as corrected are
hereby adopted as the true record of
proceedings.
Mr Haruna Iddrisu 2:44 p.m.
I just
opened to page 26 and 27 and with
your indulgence, I have seen “in attendance, Mr Emmanuel Anhwere
Agyei and Mr Adam Mohammed
Sukparu” listed there. I should think that it is a mix-up. This is because
those are Members of Parliament in
attendance. Is that right? I just want
Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:44 p.m.
Are
you all right? Very well.
Hon Members, the Votes and
Proceedings of Monday 13th
December, 2021, is hereby adopted
as true record of Proceedings.
Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh 2:44 p.m.
Mr
Speaker, I seek your leave for the
order of Business to be varied for us
to take item numbered 7 on today's Order Paper --
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 2:44 p.m.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:44 p.m.
I have
one Official Report; kindly let us
finish with the Official Report and
then vary the order of business.
Hon Members, I have the Official
Report of Friday 12th November,
2021.
Any corrections?
  • [No corrections was made to the Official Report of Friday, 12th November, 2021]
    • Mr Annoh-Dompreh 2:44 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I seek your leave to vary the
    order of business for us to take items
    numbered 7, Presentation of Papers.
    These are the items ready to be laid
    and I seek your leave to lay items
    numbered 7 (e) on page 6, 7(e) (ii) on
    page 6, 7(j) (ii) on page 8, 7(p) on
    page 9, 7(q) also on page 9, 7(r) on
    page 9, 7(w) (i)(ii)(iii)(iv) leaving out
    (v) and (vii).
    Mr Speaker, with your leave for
    me to lay --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:44 p.m.
    Not
    (vii)?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 2:44 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, (vi), excluding (vii).
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:44 p.m.
    Very
    well.
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:44 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Minority Leader?
    Mr Haruna Iddrisu 2:44 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, there should be no problem
    provided the Chairmen of the
    Committees are here to do what is
    needful and procedurally appropriate
    to lay those Papers.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:44 p.m.
    Yes.
    So, we would move to item numbered
    7, Presentation of Papers. The first
    one is item numbered 7 (e) (ii), is that
    right?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 2:44 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, the first is actually (e) (i)
    and I sought your leave with the
    support of the Minority Leader to lay
    the Papers.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:44 p.m.
    Very well.
    PAPERS 2:44 p.m.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:44 p.m.
    Item
    numbered 7(j) (i).
    By the Majority Chief Whip (Mr
    Frank Annoh-Dompreh) (on behalf
    of the Chairman) —
    (i) Report of the Committee on Youth, Sports and Culture on the
    Annual Budget Estimates of the
    Ministry of Chieftaincy and
    Religious Affairs for the year ending
    31st December, 2022.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:44 p.m.
    Item
    (p).
    By the Majority Chief Whip (Mr
    Frank Annoh-Dompreh) (on behalf of
    the Chairman) —
    Report of the Committee on
    Environment, Science and
    Technology on the Annual Budget
    Estimates of the Ministry of
    Environment, Science, Technology
    and Innovation for the year ending
    31st December, 2022.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:44 p.m.
    Item
    numbered 7(q).
    By the Majority Chief Whip (Mr
    Frank Annoh-Dompreh) (on behalf of
    the Chairman) —
    Report of the Joint Committee on
    Lands & Forestry and Mines &
    Energy on the Annual Budget
    Estimates of the Ministry of Lands
    and Natural Resources for the year
    ending 31st December, 2022.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:44 p.m.
    Item
    numbered 7(r).
    By the Majority Chief Whip (Mr
    Frank Annoh-Dompreh) (on behalf of
    the Chairman)
    Report of the Committee on Local
    Government and Rural Development
    on the Annual Budget Estimates of
    the Ministry of Local Government,
    Decentralisation and Rural
    Development for the year ending 31st
    December, 2022.

    Papers
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:44 p.m.
    Item
    w (i).
    By the Majority Chief Whip (Mr
    Frank Annoh-Dompreh) (on behalf of
    the Chairman)
    i) Report of the Special Budget Committee on the
    Annual Budget Estimates of
    the Public Services
    Commission for the year
    ending 31st December, 2022.
    ii) Report of the Special Budget Committee on the
    Annual Budget Estimates of
    the National Media
    Commission for the year
    ending 31st December, 2022.
    iii) Report of the Special Budget Committee on the
    Annual Budget Estimates of
    the Commission on Human
    Rights and Administrative
    Justice for the year ending
    31st December, 2022.
    iv) Report of the Special Budget Committee on the
    Annual Budget Estimates of
    the Audit Service for the year
    ending 31st December, 2022.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:44 p.m.
    Item
    numbered (vi).
    Mr Haruna Iddrisu — rose —
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:44 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Minority Leader?
    Mr Haruna Iddrisu 2:44 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I am the Vice Chairman of
    this Committee so you are right on
    (vi), National Commission on Civic
    Education. This is because with the
    Electoral Commission, the Chair-
    person was not available herself and
    we insisted that we would only take
    the Budget if she came in personally
    and officially as Chair-person of the
    Electoral Commission to defend her
    own Budget so that was deferred until
    Thursday before our Committee
    would report. The Deputy Directors
    of the Commission were there but not
    the Chairperson, Mrs Jean Mensa.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker; I noticed,
    you called item numbered 7(w) (vi).
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:44 p.m.
    Very
    well. That Report appears not to be
    ready so we move to item numbered
    7(w) (vi).
    By the Majority Chief Whip (Mr
    Frank Annoh-Dompreh) (on behalf of
    the Chairman) —
    (i) Report of the Special Budget Committee on the Annual Budget
    Estimates of the National Commis-

    Papers

    sion on Civic Education for the year

    ending 31st December, 2022.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:44 p.m.
    What
    next, Hon Majority Chief Whip?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 2:44 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, we can now go on to take
    item numbered 12 on page 12, which
    is a Motion.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:44 p.m.
    Let us
    finish with the Questions. The Hon
    Minister for Local Government,
    Decentralisation and Rural Develop-
    ment is here to answer Questions. Is
    that right?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 2:54 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, the agreement is that we
    stand down all Questions for now -- [Interruption] -- So, we could come back to the Questions -- [Interruption] -- My Hon Colleague should just understand. We should
    just finish laying the Papers and
    Reports. We agreed that we lay some
    Papers and then we would take
    Motion item numbered 12, after
    which we will come and do other
    items listed. There should be no
    argument about this.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:54 p.m.
    Hon
    Majority Chief Whip, so further
    declare. Would we continue to lay
    Papers or do Motions? Which Paper
    is to be laid?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 2:54 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, we will continue to lay
    Papers, after which we would take
    item numbered 12.
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:54 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Minority Leader?
    Mr Haruna Iddrisu 2:54 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, truth be told, I could not join
    my Hon Colleague at conclave.
    Therefore, whether there was agree-
    ment or no agreement, I cannot be
    party to it. But once there is the
    Minister for Local Government and
    Rural Development here to respond
    to Questions, it is appropriate that we
    lay a few more Papers, and then we
    revert to Questions, and then we
    would come back to take the Report
    on the Pan African Parliament -- [Interruption] -- Yes, we should take Questions before it.
    It was only when I got here this
    morning; I was with the Minister for
    Employment and Labour Relations,
    that my Hon Colleague said that it
    may be that we cannot take them, but
    the Minister is here. So, let us take
    Questions and as and when any report
    is ready, it can be laid. I can see the
    Hon Minister for Defence wants to

    Papers

    lay a Paper; I hope it is not a report

    because he cannot be Chairman of a

    Committee. He would lay a Paper, so

    he should confer with the Hon

    Majority Whip, so he can seek Mr

    Speaker's indulgence.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 2:54 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    I agree with the Hon Minority
    Leader.
    As indicated, we would lay item
    numbered 7(d) on page 6, and then
    we would take Questions.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:54 p.m.
    Very
    well, item numbered 7(d), by the
    Minister for Defence.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 2:54 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, we would need to take the
    facility agreement first, which is item
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:54 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, what did you say?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 2:54 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I said item numbered 7(c)
    (v) and 7(d)
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:54 p.m.
    Yes,
    that was what I called.
    Hon Members, item numbered
    7(c) (v), by the Minister for Finance.
    Mr Haruna Iddrisu 2:54 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, just for our Hon Majority
    Chief Whip to take note. The
    Committee on Lands and Forestry is
    arguing strongly that they have not
    even met with the Committee on
    Mines and Energy, let alone to lay a
    report. We have to guide against those
    developments, because arguably, I
    serve on a number of Committees.
    When the Reports were being laid for
    the Special Budget Committee, I
    followed through. For those Com-
    mittees that have met, there should be
    no difficulty sub-mitting the Report,
    even though I know for some of
    them, we are still reviewing the draft
    to get the business of Government
    going. But where the Committee has
    not met, it will not be acceptable to
    proceed to lay a report.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:54 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, which particular one?
    Mr Haruna Iddrisu 2:54 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, the Report of the Joint
    Committee on Lands and Forestry
    and Mines and Energy on page 9,
    item numbered (q) -- [Interruption] -- No, he laid it. So, that has to be stood down.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 2:54 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, under the circumstance, we
    would stand down, item numbered
    7(q), which has already been laid.
    This was because of earlier commu-

    Papers

    nication I received, but I would

    accede to the Hon Minority Leader

    and stand it down. We would go on to

    take --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:54 p.m.
    Very
    well, the order that the Report be
    distributed is hereby revoked.
    Hon Members, item numbered
    7(c) (v) -- Yes, Hon Minister for --
    ?
    Mr Emmanuel Bedzrah -- rose
    -- 2:54 p.m.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:54 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, is it in respect of this item?
    Mr Bedzrah 2:54 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, yes it
    is about the laying of Papers. It is
    about the one —
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:54 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, can be finish with what is
    being laid, after that I would revert to
    you.
    Yes, Hon Minister for Defence?
    PAPERS 2:54 p.m.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 2:54 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, we would take item
    numbered 7 (s) on page 9. I would
    seek your leave to lay the Reports.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:54 p.m.
    Very
    well. Hon Member, there are two
    Reports under item numbered (s),
    which one of them? It is item
    numbered (i) or (ii)?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 2:54 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, both of them.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:54 p.m.
    Very
    well.

    Papers

    Hon Members, item numbered 7

    (s) (i) and (ii)

    By the Majority Chief Whip (Mr

    Frank Annoh-Dompreh) (on behalf of

    the Chairman of the Committee --

    (i) Report of the Committee on Food,

    Agriculture and Cocoa

    Affairs on the Annual Budget

    Estimates of the Ministry of

    Fisheries and Aquaculture

    Development for the year

    ending 31st December, 2022.

    (ii) Report of the Committee on Food,

    Agriculture and Cocoa

    Affairs on the Annual Budget

    Estimates of the Ministry of

    Food and Agriculture for the

    year ending 31st December,

    2022.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:54 p.m.
    I can
    see the Chairman of the Committee
    on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa
    Affairs.
    Yes, Hon Majority Chief Whip?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 2:54 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, we can now take item
    numbered 7(d) on page 6.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:04 p.m.
    Very
    well, item numbered 7(d), by the
    Minister for Defence.
    By the Minister for Defence —
    Performance Sales and Purchase
    Agreement between the Government
    of the Republic of Ghana (repre-
    sented by the Ministry of Defence)
    AERO Vodochody AIROSPACE a.s.
    of the Czech Republic for an amount
    of one hundred and eleven million,
    three hundred and ninety-three
    thousand, four hundred Euros
    (€111,393,400.00) for the supply of six (6) L-39 Next Generation (L-
    39NG) Aircrafts and the provision of
    support in terms of Products, Services,
    and Ground Based Training System
    associated with the Aircraft operation
    for the Ghana Armed Forces.

    Referred to the Committee on

    Defence and the Interior.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:04 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Majority Chief Whip?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 3:04 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I think we are ready to take
    the Questions now.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:04 p.m.
    Very
    well

    Hon Members, we would take the

    item numbered 5, Questions. The

    Question numbered 356 is in the

    name of the Hon Member for Tempane,

    Miss Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba.
    ORAL ANSWERS TO 3:04 p.m.
    QUESTIONS 3:04 p.m.
    MINISTRY OF LOCAL 3:04 p.m.
    GOVERNMENT, 3:04 p.m.
    DECENTRALISATION 3:04 p.m.
    AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT 3:04 p.m.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:04 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Minister for Local Govern-
    ment, Decentralisation and Rural
    Development.
    Minister for Local Govern-
    ment, Decentralisation and Rural
    Development (Mr Dan Botwe): Mr
    Speaker, section 93(1) of the Land
    Use and Spatial Planning Act, 2016
    (Act 925) states and I quote;
    “Where a person seeks to change the zoning of the whole or part of the
    piece of land, that person shall apply
    in writing to the District Spatial
    Planning Committee of the District to
    which the change relates in the form
    prescribed in the Zoning Regulations
    and Planning Standards.”
    The above legal provision indi-
    cates that the responsibility of zoning
    lies in the ambit of the Land Use and
    Spatial Planning Authority, which is
    under the Ministry of Environment,
    Science, Technology, and Innovation
    (MESTI). The question may therefore
    be referred to the Minister respon-
    sible for the Ministry of Environ-
    ment, Science, Technology and
    Innovation.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:04 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Member?
    Ms Akanvariba 3:04 p.m.
    Thank you Mr
    Speaker.
    Mr Speaker, I am most grateful to
    the Hon Minister for the Answer. It is
    well noted, and I would revert to the
    appropriate Ministry to get the
    appropriate Answe

    Oral Answers to Questions
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:04 p.m.
    Hon Members, we would move on to
    the Question numbered 528, by the
    Hon Member for Evalue Ajomoro
    Gwira, the Hon Kofi Arko Nokoe.
    Ministry's Plan to Provide Logistic Support to Axim
    COMVOTECH 3:04 p.m.
    Mr Kofi Arko Nokoe (NDC -- Evalue Ajomoro Gwira) 3:04 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I beg to ask the Minister for
    Local Government, Decentralisation
    and Rural Development what plans
    the Ministry has towards providing
    the Community Vocational and
    Technical Institute (COMVOTECH)
    in Axim with (i) Technical Workshop
    (ii) Boys Dormitory and (iii) pick-up
    truck.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:04 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Minister.
    Mr Botwe 3:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in 1957,
    the Department of Community
    Development (DoCD) started voca-
    tional skills training for only females
    in the erstwhile Women's Training Institutes across the country. In 2000,
    the DoCD introduced technical skills
    training and started admitting male
    students into the Institutes. The ultimate
    aim being to empower illiterates,
    semi-literates, school drop-outs, teenage
    mothers, unemployed youths and
    other vulnerable groups in the dis-
    advantaged rural urban poor commu-
    nities to acquire skills and practical
    trade for sustainable livelihoods. The
    Department currently has 25 Com-
    munity Development Vocational and
    Technical Institutions (CDVTIs) across
    the country.
    The introduction of both voca-
    tional and technical skills training led
    to increased intake by some of the
    schools as well as Community, Voca-
    tional and Technical Institutes
    (COMVOTECH) in Axim. However,
    most of the schools are facing serious
    challenges including inadequate
    dormitories, technical workshops,
    vehicles, tools and equipment, due to
    inadequate budgetary allocation.
    Mr Speaker, the Ministry has over
    the years supported these training
    institutions by retooling and
    upgrading their infrastructure to
    address their critical needs. In 2021,
    with the promulgation of the Pre-
    tertiary Act, 2020 (Act 1049), all
    Technical and Vocational Institutions
    (TVIs) under various Ministries and
    Departments are to be realigned
    under the Ministry of Education.
    These TVIs will be managed by the
    Technical and Vocational Training
    (TVET) Service. Consequently, the
    25 CDVTIs, its assets and staff will
    eventually be absorbed into TVET
    Service under the Ministry of
    Education.

    Oral Answers to Questions

    The Ministry of Education has

    written to the Ministry of Local

    Government, Decentralisation and

    Rural Development indicating its

    intention to visit selected technical

    and vocational institutes under the

    Ministry to assess the infrastructure,

    human resource capacity, curriculum

    and instructional delivery. As a

    result, the Ministry is no longer

    pursuing the retooling of the CDTVIs

    and is holding itself in readiness for a

    smooth transition.

    Mr Speaker, I may want to add

    that I would want to believe that

    when the Ministry of Education takes

    over, the concerns of the Hon Member

    for Axim would be adequately

    addressed.

    Thank you.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:04 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Member?
    Mr Nokoe 3:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I thank
    the Hon Minister for being so kind.
    This COMVOTECH Institute happens
    to be the only vocational and
    technical institute in the whole of
    Evalue Ajomoro Gwira. It was
    established in 1962 and rebranded in
    1973, making it 48 years old. I was
    there this weekend and its state of
    infrastructure was terrible. I would
    not probe further, but appeal to the
    Hon Minister to do all within his
    means to ensure that this school gets
    its fair share of retooling, upgrading
    and whatever that it would take to put
    it to good use.
    Mr Speaker 3:04 p.m.
    Very well.
    Hon Members, we would move on
    to the Question numbered 529 in the
    name of Hon Member for Akatsi
    North, Mr Peter Nortsu-Kotoe.
    Steps to Decentralise Issuance
    of Birth Certificates
    Mr Peter Nortsu 3:04 p.m.
    None

    Akatsi North): Mr Speaker, I beg to

    ask the Minister for Local Govern-

    ment, Decentralisation and Rural

    Development what steps the Ministry

    is taking to decentralise the issuance

    of birth certificates to reduce the

    frustrations applicants go through at

    the Births and Deaths Registry Head

    Office in Accra.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:04 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Minister.
    Mr Botwe 3:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, civil
    registration records of births and
    deaths are necessary for the compilation
    of accurate, complete and timely vital
    statistics, which, along with popu-
    lation censuses, are central to estimating
    population size for planning and
    socio-economic development.

    Oral Answers to Questions

    Mr Speaker, the practice of births

    and deaths registration in the country

    dates back to 1888 when the earliest

    known vital registration law, the

    Cemeteries Ordinance, was passed.

    However, the foundations of a

    modern registration system, which

    provides important characteristics of

    the present day conventional vital

    registration system was laid in 1912

    when the Births, Deaths and Burials

    Ordinance was enacted and sub-

    sequently replaced in 1926 with the

    responsibility for registering births

    and deaths placed under the Depart-

    ment of Medical Services.

    In 1965, the Births and Deaths

    Registry (BDR) was established by

    the Registration of Births and Deaths

    Act, 1965 (Act 301) to take up the

    responsibility of registering births

    and deaths in the country. The new

    Registration of Births and Deaths

    Act, 2020 (Act 1027) is expected to

    guide and regulate the conduct of the

    registration system in Ghana.

    The importance attached to birth

    and death certificates as a vital and

    legal document requires that the

    Registrar or an officer designated by

    the Registrar to be responsible for

    signing a certificate issued under the

    Act. This is to ensure that only

    genuine and authentic certificates are

    issued to the public.

    The registration of birth and death

    events is done where the event

    occurred. Consequently, once an

    event occurs at the sub district level,

    certification of the registration is

    done at the same level and the

    transmitted to the Head Office for

    signature at the Central Registry.

    It is only applications for certified

    copies of entries in the births and

    deaths Registers and verification of

    such documents that are brought to

    the Head Office through the regis-

    tration structures for processing.

    Applicants who follow up to the

    Head office to check on the status of

    birth registration request do so

    without knowing that such services

    could be accessed at the sub district

    and district levels.

    The passage the Registration of

    Births and Deaths Act, 2020 (Act

    1027), is in itself the first step

    towards the devolution of the

    registration of births and deaths to the

    regions, districts and sub-districts.

    The Act 1027 reinforces the

    establishment of Births and Deaths

    Registry at all levels as detailed

    below:

    i. A National Office located in Accra;

    Oral Answers to Questions

    ii. Regional offices located in all the regional

    capitals;

    iii. District offices located in all district capitals;

    and

    iv. Sub-district offices located within each district.

    In so doing, registration activities

    within the local administration setup

    will enhance registration services to

    the populace with pronounced func-

    tionality at the community level.

    The Act recognises

    the Births and Deaths Registry as one

    of the Departments of the District

    Assembly and as such must be

    adequately staffed and resourced to

    undertake its mandate. In this respect,

    the Ministry has initiated steps

    towards transferring staff of the

    Births and Deaths Registry from the

    Civil Service to the Local Govern-

    ment Service at the District and Sub

    District levels.

    In addition, the Registry has

    embarked on the digitalisation of the

    regis-tration system to enhance

    opera-tional efficiency, including the

    easy access and retrieval of records.

    With respect to other ongoing

    initiatives, plans are underway, to

    include the Births and Deaths Registry

    as one of the government depart-

    ments going through the onboarding

    process where its services will be

    migrated onto a digital platform for

    easy access to clients irrespective of

    their geographical location Ghana.

    In addition, to operationalise the

    notification system the Registry will

    leverage on technology to capture

    births and deaths events as and when

    they occur. All these initiatives will

    in the long run reduce frustrations

    citizens experience in registration of

    vital events such as births and deaths

    and its certification.

    Mr Speaker, to address the Hon

    Member's Question, the detailed briefing I got this morning is that the

    functions of the Births and Deaths

    Registry have been decentralised,

    and it is decentralised. The Hon

    Member is asking how to reduce the

    frustration applicants go through at

    the Birth and Deaths Registry Head

    Office in Accra. Meanwhile, the issue

    is that Birth and Death Certificates

    are issued in the districts. They have

    registration of infants up to the age of

    one.

    They are given a certificate. It is

    only when one wants a certified true

    copy that one applies to the Head

    Office. So, one does not go the Head

    Office for a birth certificate.

    Oral Answers to Questions

    If for some reason, a parent did

    not register a child up to age one, then

    that child falls into the category of

    late registration. The person can then

    apply to the head office, and he will

    be referred to where he was born to

    get an entry number to be registered

    by the Births and Deaths Registry. It

    is different from applying for a

    certified true copy of one's birth certificate. That is what people may

    want to apply for at the headquarters

    in Accra, but one does not go there

    for a normal birth certificate.

    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr Nortsu-Kotoe 3:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I
    appreciate the explanatory answer
    given by the Hon Minister on pages
    28, 29 and 30 on the Order Paper for
    today, 14th December, 2021.
    Mr Speaker, I am very sure that if
    one goes to the Births and Deaths
    Registry today, he would find a
    crowd of people, and if they were
    interviewed, you would realise that
    they are looking for the ordinary birth
    certificate. The situation there is what
    I have seen, and that is why I have
    asked this question. If one wants a
    birth certificate, not a certified one,
    the person will have to go to that
    office and the challenge there is very
    great.
    Therefore, I would want to find
    out from the Hon Minister, what
    assurances he can give the nation and
    this House that issuance of birth
    certificates would be easy at the
    district level so that people do not
    have to travel to Accra to acquire
    one?
    Mr Botwe 3:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, there are
    two things. This House passed
    Registration of Births and Deaths
    Act, 2020 (Act 1027). Mr Speaker,
    only last week we laid the Regu-
    lations, which is the Registration of
    Births and Deaths Regulations 2021,
    in the House. Mr Speaker, the Regu-
    lations coming in force plus the Act
    which we passed last year would
    make it easier for people to get their
    birth certificates at the decentralised
    levels. It is leveraging on technology
    and also introducing more points
    where people can inform the Births
    and Deaths Registry at the district
    level so that many of the births can be
    captured.
    Mr Speaker, I may want to inform
    the House that the Registrar of Births
    and Deaths as it exists now has 400
    sub-district and district regis-tration
    centres throughout the country, and all
    the 260 districts too have Births and
    Deaths Registry. By the Act that we
    passed, Births and Deaths Registry is
    a decentralised depart-ment now and
    arrangements are being made, based

    Oral Answers to Questions

    on the Act that is in force now, to

    transfer the staff that were in the

    Office of the Head of Civil Service

    (OHCS) into Local Government

    Service (LGS) so they now become

    staff of the Local Government in the

    district assemblies to increase the

    numbers and also to increase service

    delivery.

    Mr Speaker, based on the detailed

    briefing I had this morning, the issue

    would have to be more of education. I

    can assure Hon Members, that we

    would get the Registrar and the staff

    of Births and Deaths Registry to use

    the various mass media platforms to

    educate people. From what I was

    told, once a parent did not get a birth

    certificate for a child under the age of

    one, then that child becomes a late

    registrant.

    If a person was born in Akatsi, but

    he now lives in Accra, he can go to

    the head office of the Births and

    Deaths Registry that he wants a birth

    certificate. Since he could not produce

    the one that was supposed to have

    been issued to him under age one,

    then it means he is applying for a

    birth certificate; his name has not

    been entered into any record of the

    Births and Deaths Registry. They

    would send the application back to

    his region and district to be first given

    a number of entry, and that means

    that he has now been registered as a

    Ghanaian having been given birth in

    that area where he was born.

    After that, he can then apply for a

    certified true copy. It is a certified

    true copy like a passport which is

    only signed at the headquarters, not

    necessarily issued there. When it is

    signed at the headquarters, it can be

    sent to the district the applicant first

    had the entry and he can collect it

    from there. He does not need to travel

    to Accra to collect a certified true

    copy of his birth certificate.

    Mr Speaker, I can assure the Hon

    Member and the House on that

    matter. I believe that we will also get

    the Registrar of Births and Deaths to

    do more education so that people

    would really understand the difference

    between infant and late registration,

    and an ordinary birth certificate and a

    certified true copy of one's birth certificate.

    Thank you.
    Mr Nortsu-Kotoe 3:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I
    appreciate the answers given by the
    Hon Minister.
    I just would want to find out from
    him if the Ministry of Local
    Government, Decentralisation and
    Rural Development is doing anything
    about the office facilities of the Births
    and Deaths Registry or if they have

    Oral Answers to Questions

    got any plans to provide them with a

    good office accommodation?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:14 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, this is not a follow up
    question -- Well, I am sure if you meet them at the Committee level,
    you can get all the information.
    Hon Member, are you done?

    Hon Minister, the real challenge

    you have to deal with is mis-infor-

    mation and the attitude of people

    working in the Births and Deaths

    Registry. Those are the biggest

    challenges that generate the frustration.

    We now will proceed to Question

    *732 which stands in the name of the

    Hon Member for Bole Bamboi, Mr

    Yusif Sulemana.

    Elevation of Bole District to

    Municipal status
    Mr Yusif Sulemana (NDC -- Bole/Bamboi) 3:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to
    ask the Minister for Local Govern-
    ment, Decentralisation and Rural
    Development when the Bole District
    would be elevated to a municipal
    assembly.
    Mr Botwe 3:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, section 1
    (2)(a) of the Local Governance Act,
    2016 (Act 936) states that the
    President may by Executive Instru-
    ment declare any area within the
    country to be a district. Section 3
    further indicates that, the President,
    shall in the exercise of this power,
    direct the Electoral Commission to
    make appropriate recommendations.
    Mr Speaker, Section 1 (4)(a) and
    (b) provide for the conditions under
    which the Electoral Commission
    shall make these recommendations to
    the President. It reads:
    “The Electoral Commission shall, before making recommend-dations to
    the President under sub-section (3),
    consider the following factors
    including
    (a) in the case of
    (i) a district, that there is a minimum
    population of seventy-
    five thousand people;
    (ii) a municipality, that there
    is a minimum of ninety-
    five thousand people;
    (iii) a metropolis, that there is a
    minimum of two hun-
    dred and fifty thousand
    people; and

    Oral Answers to Questions

    (b) The geographical contiguity and economic

    viability of the area, namely, the

    ability of an area to provide the

    basic infrastructural and any

    other developmental needs from

    the monetary and any other

    resources generated in the area.”

    The above legal provision outlines

    clearly the criteria which an area is

    expected to satisfy before it is

    considered for the creation of a new

    district or upgraded to a new status.
    Mr Y. Sulemana 3:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    provisional data from the Ghana
    Statistical Service indicates that the
    Bole District has about 115,800
    people; the males are 59,903 and the
    females are 55,897. Making reference
    to the Hon Minister's response (a)(ii), where he was talking about the
    number of people or the population
    required for a municipality, with this
    information available to him, I am
    very sure that the Bole District is
    qualified and has met this criterion.
    Would he consider recommending to
    the President since he is the Minister
    responsible for Local Government,
    Decentralisaton and Rural Develop-
    ment to consider elevating the Bole
    District into a Municipal status?
    Mr Botwe 3:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, from the
    answer of our Hon Colleague, one of
    the places where we have higher male
    population than females' is Bole. And in the Answer, I quoted Act 926
    Section 1(2) and it reads:
    “The President may by an Executive Instrument…”
    Mr Speaker, so, it lies with The
    President. I am not aware that Bole
    District has applied for the status to
    be upgraded to a municipality. Act
    926 clearly states that the President
    would refer it to the Electoral Com-
    mission to go through the exercise,
    but I can assure the Hon Member that
    when such application is received,
    the necessary representations would
    be made to the President for
    consideration.
    Mr Y. Sulemana 3:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I
    am grateful to the Hon Minister. But
    I would also want to add that point (b)
    of his Answer spoke about the
    economic viability of the area. I
    would like to put on record that the
    Bole District has a very fertile land
    for Farming. We have rivers for
    fishing purposes, gold deposits, cash
    crops such as shea trees as well as
    cashew. We have a lot of markets in
    that area that generate revenue. With
    this, I would want to believe that the
    Bole District meets the point B. And
    I would want to find out once again,

    Oral Answers to Questions

    if he would give us a guideline as the

    Minister responsible for Local Govern-

    ment, Decentralisation and Rural

    Development, the procedure that the

    District would have to go through to

    become a Municipal Assembly.
    Mr Botwe 3:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I know
    that many Districts and those who
    want to have Districts have applied to
    the Office of the President and others
    have gone through the Ministry of
    Local Government, Decentralisation
    and Rural Development. And when
    such applications are received, as I
    said earlier, we also do send our
    recommendations. I can assure the
    Hon Member that when we see such
    application -- If he writes the application through the Ministry, we
    shall certainly make the appropriate
    recommendations to the Office of the
    President.
    Mr Y. Sulemana 3:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    the Hon Minister is making me happy
    this afternoon, and I can assure him
    that the Chief of Bole and all the
    chiefs in that traditional area would
    very soon knock at his door with our
    applications.
    Mr Speaker, you would realise
    that when you drove through that
    district on your way to Wa, you made
    a comment that that district is very
    vast. I was thinking that you would
    add your voice to my request so that
    as soon as the application is sub-
    mitted, the Hon Minister responsible
    for Local Government, Decentrali-
    sation and Rural Development, who
    happens to be part of my traditional
    area -- he is a Guan -- would fast- track that and the people of Bole
    would be happy with him. Can he
    give us that assurance that once the
    application is submitted, he would
    diligently fast-track this for us?
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:24 p.m.
    Hon Member, I think you are asking
    him to give a comment on Mr
    President's power but what he has assured you is that if you bring the
    application, he would assist you.
    Maybe, when you are going to knock
    at his door with your application, you
    would add some of what you gave to
    me when I passed through Bole -- [Laughter] --
    Hon Minister, thank you for
    attending upon the House to answer
    Questions. You are discharged.
    The next set of Questions would
    be answered by the Hon Minister for

    Hon Minister, we now move on to

    Question numbered 382, standing in

    the name of the Hon Member for

    Ashaiman, Mr Ernest Henry Norgbey.

    Oral Answers to Questions

    Very well, I will move on. If he

    comes, I will give it to him but in the

    meantime —
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:24 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Chief Whip?
    Alhaji Muntaka 3:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    once you have given the caveat that
    once he walks in, you would give him
    the opportunity, you could continue
    while we get -- [Interruption] -- No, I would call him in.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:24 p.m.
    Yes,
    that is why I said I would move on, if
    he comes in and proceedings are still
    going on —
    Alhaji Muntaka 3:24 p.m.
    Yes, once you
    have given the caveat that the
    opportunity would not be lost.
    Mr Second Deputy Speaker 3:24 p.m.
    All
    right.
    I will move to the next Question,
    which stands in the name of the Hon
    Member for Tema East.
    Hon Isaac Ashai Odamtten,
    kindly ask your Question.
    MINISTRY OF DEFENCE 3:24 p.m.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:34 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Member?
    Mr Odamtten 3:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I
    would like to thank the Hon Minister

    Oral Answers to Questions

    for indulging me and giving this

    response.

    Mr Speaker, I would want to find

    out how soon or what timelines we

    have for the project, especially the

    Accra Project?
    Mr Nitiwul 3:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the
    architectural drawings have been
    done. The land is actually for the
    VAG Administration. We are in
    consultation with the Ministry of the
    Interior to move the GIS Head-
    quarters, which will be built for them
    for free as part of the Project. The
    project approval has just passed
    through my table and it has been
    approved. I am hoping that by the
    middle of next year, we should begin
    to see real work on this particular
    project which is very dear to the heart
    of the veterans. If everything goes
    according to plan, by the middle of
    next year, we should begin to see
    some bit of work on the project.
    Mr Speaker, thank you.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:34 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Member?
    Mr Odamtten 3:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, as a
    follow up question, I take the
    assurance from the Hon Minister for
    Defence that by the middle of next
    year, something practical would be
    on the ground as an assuring response.
    While affirming that the GIS is sitting
    on VAG land, if that is so, why do we
    have to compensate them with a 20-
    acre land and also do some infra-
    structural work for them in a bid to
    advance the course of VAG?
    Thank you.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:34 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Minister?
    Mr Nitiwul 3:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, these
    are two State institutions and it is
    important that when you are dealing
    with them, you deal with them with
    mutual respect. If you know the
    history of how VAG, GIS and the
    Ghana Armed Forces came into
    contact, you would realise that most
    of the assets of the defunct border
    guard were transferred to GIS because
    the border guards were actually
    supposed to be at the borders. When
    GIS was created, we transferred some
    assets to them. It is the reason GIS got
    into the VAG land in the first place
    and moving them just by a fiat, we
    believe, is not the way we should
    handle the situation.
    That is why I said we are in
    consultation with the Ministry of the
    Interior to ensure that the GIS is
    given a 20-acre land at Amasaman,

    Oral Answers to Questions

    which is for the VAG. It is just by the

    road on the way to Kumasi -- a little before the Nsawam Barrier. There

    they can build a proper headquarters

    befitting a security service of the

    Republic of Ghana. So, we are in

    consultations with them, and it is

    because of mutual respect that the

    VAG is not throwing them out but

    ensuring that they capture them as

    part of this special project.

    Mr Speaker, I thank you.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:34 p.m.
    Yes,
    your last follow up question?
    Mr Odamtten 3:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    thank you.
    In the Hon Minister's response, on the third paragraph, he highlighted
    the effectiveness of the VAG lottery
    since 2018. May I find out from the
    Hon Minister how much has been
    accrued from the VAG lottery and
    channelled toward the VAG
    Administration?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:34 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Minister?
    Mr Nitiwul 3:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, if you
    would remember lotteries like Asare
    Original Pay All and VAG lotto
    among others, they were operating
    their lotto on the back of the VAG
    lotto. We have three types of lotteries,
    namely: the National Lotteries
    Authority (NLA), the Sports Lotto
    and the VAG Lotto. Any other person
    is doing what we call Banker to
    Banker or illegal lotto operations.
    The VAG lotto was sublet until
    2018 when I changed the system to
    individuals. The individuals were
    expected to pay some money to VAG
    and they never did. So, when we
    came, we decided that it was
    important for us to rather give the
    lotto operations to the NLA. From the
    first two years, the NLA was to give
    them a minimum of GH¢200,000 a
    year as income and then as we rolled
    into the fifth year, it would become
    GH¢1 million every year.
    So, it changes according to the
    agreement that we signed. That is
    why I said that from 2023 to 2024,
    VAG would begin to see real
    substantial income coming to them.
    However, as regards the actual
    amount accruing to the lotto, it is
    NLA that would have the information
    and not me because we have given
    them the operations and then they
    give VAG a monetary reward since
    they use VAG's platform to do that work.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.

    Oral Answers to Questions
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:34 p.m.
    The
    next Question is in the name of the
    same Hon Member for Tema East.
    Hon Member, you may ask
    Question numbered 520.
    Admission Requirement into
    VAG 3:34 p.m.
    Mr Nitiwul 3:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, all
    soldiers, irrespective of their ranks on
    retirement, qualify to become members
    of the Veterans Administration, Ghana
    provided they were ‘honourably released' from the military. This requirement serves as a check on the
    conduct of serving soldiers. By so
    doing, soldiers would have to exhibit
    good character and discipline at all
    times to qualify to be admitted into
    the club of Veterans.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:34 p.m.
    Yes?
    Mr Odamtten 3:44 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    again I would like to thank the Hon
    Minister for his response.

    Mr Speaker, this question is

    important to me because in Tema

    East, we have the Eastern Naval

    Base. We also have Tema, in many

    respects as a region when we consider

    the security architecture of the

    country. So, the security personnel in

    the country as a whole and specific

    for Tema, their conduct must

    engender that future expectations

    from the VAG Administration for

    which reason they would want to give

    the selfless service.

    The Navy, for example, would say

    they defend at sea at the peril of their

    lives and so, my follow up question is

    what would we do by way of

    advocacy or education for service

    personnel to look up to the benefits of

    VAG Administration in the future so

    they could exhibit good conduct?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:44 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Minister?
    Mr Nitiwul 3:44 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, his
    question was very specific that what
    qualifies one to be a member of VAG
    and I just said that one needs to be of
    good behaviour and to be released
    honourably from the Armed Forces
    before one could qualify to become a
    member of VAG. If one is a criminal,
    for example, or one committed a
    crime and was removed from the

    Oral Answers to Questions

    Armed Forces for that, the VAG

    would not qualify the person as a

    member. Part of the reason this is

    done is to serve as a check because

    the Armed Forces is governed by

    discipline, and for a soldier, discipline is

    the catchword. So, it is important that

    soldiers are disciplined, are of good

    conduct, and serve the nation to the

    best of their ability. That is why we

    say that it is “no retreat, no surrender' and that they would rather die than

    surrender, or that they would serve

    the nation to the peril of their lives.

    Every soldier looks up to that because

    they are expected to defend the nation

    whether the bullet comes towards

    them or moves from them, their job is

    to defend the nation. For a person to

    qualify to be a member of the VAG,

    that person must be of good conduct

    and must have been released honou-

    rably. If a person is not released

    honourably, that person would not be

    accepted. Ghana must ensure that

    members of VAG are given that due

    recognition and respect just as it is

    done everywhere. Even though they

    have their identification cards, we

    expect to give them a unique one that

    would qualify them to certain

    facilities that when some people like

    us retire, we would not have those

    facilities.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:44 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Member?
    Mr Odamtten 3:44 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I
    would want to thank you for the
    opportunity to ask these questions
    and to thank the Hon Minister for his
    responses.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:44 p.m.
    Hon
    Members, Question numbered 731,
    which stands in the name of the Hon
    Member for North Tongu, Mr
    Okudzeto Ablakwa.
    Purchase of New Presidential
    Jet
    Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
    (NDC -- North Tongu): Mr Speaker, I beg to ask the Minister for Defence
    the nature of the steps the Ministry
    has initiated to purchase a new
    presidential jet as announced by
    Director of Communications at the
    Presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin on 27th
    September, 2021, and what is the
    policy justification for the purchase
    of a new presidential jet.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:44 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Minister?
    Mr Nitiwul 3:44 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the
    Ghana Air Force (GHF) has, indeed,
    written to the Hon Minister for
    Defence to procure for the use of
    Government business, the main aircraft
    for the Communication Squadron of
    the Ghana Air Force. The policy and
    strategy of the Ghana Air Force has

    Oral Answers to Questions

    been to maintain a minimum of two

    (2) Fixed Wing Aircraft, which

    consist of a main (wide body aircraft)

    and supporting aircraft that are

    required to undertake thorough and

    effective Government business.

    Mr Speaker, hitherto, the Ghana

    Air Force operated ‘Folker' 28 Executive Jet as the main aircraft and

    ‘Folker' 27 as the supporting aircraft until in the year 2010 when both

    aircraft were decommissioned.

    Currently, the Ghana Air Force has

    the supporting aircraft which is the

    Falcon 900 Executive Jet, but lacks

    the main wide body aircraft which it

    needs for all Government business.

    Mr Speaker, in the absence of the

    main wide body aircraft, the Ghana

    Air Force has been temporarily using

    the CASA 295 to fill in for the

    shortfalls and gaps created by non-

    availability of the specific aircraft

    designed for this task. It must be

    noted that the CASA 295 is not

    suitable for Government business in

    view of its design and features,

    making it a pure military aircraft.

    Until the Government acquires a

    wide body aircraft for the Ghana Air

    Force, the task assigned to Ghana Air

    Force will continue to face major

    challenges and difficulties, because

    of the limitations enumerated above.

    Mr Speaker, consultations are

    ongoing with Government, Parlia-

    ment, Religious Bodies and Trade

    Unions on the purchase of a new

    aircraft for the Ghana Air Force and

    Ghana Navy ships to enable the

    Ghana Armed Forces efficiently

    defend our nation and carry out their

    duties as expected.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:44 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Member?
    Mr Ablakwa 3:44 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, since
    this is a House of records, I would
    want to draw attention and I believe
    the Hon Minister would agree with
    me that in the second paragraph of his
    response, the way “Folker 28'' has been captured should be “Fokker”. The Dutch company is “Fokker'' so if our records could reflect the
    accurate rendition.
    Mr Speaker, my first supple-
    mentary question would be from the
    first paragraph of the Hon Minister's response. He indicated that they have
    received a letter from the Ghana Air
    Force and that is what has triggered
    this whole process. I would want to
    find out from the Hon Minister when
    this letter was received, and what the
    cost estimates contained in that letter
    from the Ghana Air Force are?
    Mr Nitiwul 3:44 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I have
    had discussions with the Ghana Air

    Oral Answers to Questions

    Force for the past year, and I asked

    them to submit a formal letter in

    September this year, and in October a

    formal letter was submitted to my

    office.

    Mr Speaker, the Ghana Air Force

    does not determine the cost of the

    aircraft. The cost is determined when

    Government has made the decision to

    purchase the aircraft and selected the

    vendor. The vendor would then bring

    the cost to us. All they have asked for

    is a wide body aircraft to do

    Government business because they

    are being suffocated. When I

    contacted both Boeing and Airbus,

    they told me that it would take about

    three years for them to be able to

    deliver a new aircraft to Ghana. What

    it simply means is that if I were to

    make a decision today and the

    Government of Ghana were to have

    money for the Ministry of Defence to

    purchase an aircraft, the lead time for

    an aircraft to arrive would be the first

    quarter of 2025. This current

    President would not sit in that aircraft

    as President but as an ex-President.

    So, that is where we are today.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:44 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Member?
    Mr Ablakwa 3:54 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, my
    second supplementary question is
    from the last paragraph of the Hon
    Minister's response and with your permission, I beg to quote. He said 3:54 p.m.
    “Mr Speaker, consultations are ongoing with Government, Parlia-
    ment, Religious Bodies and Trade
    Unions on the purchase of the …”
    Government appears to be
    consulting among itself. Consu-
    ltations are ongoing, but if we come
    to consider the statement issued by
    the Director of Communications at
    the Presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin, he
    said categorically that, and I quote:
    “Government is in the process of acquiring a bigger aircraft for presi-
    dential travels. Government is already
    in the process of acquiring a bigger
    jet for use. Mr Arhin was answering
    a question on whether the Govern-
    ment intended buying a bigger
    aircraft to accommodate the Presi-
    dent and his entourage on official
    foreign trips as the current Presi-
    dential Jet has proved inadequate for
    the purpose. He explained that the
    move to get a bigger fit-for-purpose
    aircraft was part of a cost saving
    measure on the travels of the
    President and other key State
    functionaries. Mr Arhin did not give
    the specifics of the aircraft deal but
    said the Defence Minister would shed
    light on the development at the
    appropriate time.”

    Oral Answers to Questions

    So, the Director of Commu-

    nications was categorical that they

    are in the process of acquiring -- meaning that the decision has been

    made. Now, the Hon Minister is

    telling us that they are now doing

    consultations. Could he reconcile the

    two positions? [Interruption] -- They are not the same and they

    cannot be the same.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:54 p.m.
    Hon
    Members, order! Yes, Hon Majority
    Leader?
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 3:54 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, our Colleague, the Hon
    Okudzeto Ablakwa, knows the rules
    of this House. His task is to ask
    questions but he goes into arguments,
    saying consultations and this one are
    not the same. The Hon Minister
    knows that they are not the same. The
    Hon Ablakwa knows that he is entering
    into the arena of argumentation.
    Mr Speaker, I would request that
    you ask him to formulate the question
    appropriately, otherwise, I would
    invite you to rule this question out of
    order for breach of the terms
    established by the Standing Orders
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:54 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, kindly frame your question
    such that the Hon Minister can
    answer from his personal or official
    knowledge.
    Mr Ablakwa 3:54 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I hope
    you would protect Hon Members
    from the intimidation tactics of the
    Hon Majority Leader. He should
    allow Members to do their work.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:54 p.m.
    Who
    is talking about intimidation here?
    Mr Ablakwa 3:54 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the
    question is simple: how does the Hon
    Minister for Defence reconcile his
    Answer with the statement put out by
    the Director of Communications at
    the Presidency? He says that the
    processes have begun to acquire the
    aircraft and the Hon Minister is
    telling the House that he is now doing
    consultations, so could he please
    reconcile the two?
    Mr Nitiwul 3:54 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, when
    one begins to acquire assets for the
    Ghana Armed Forces, including the
    Air Force, one consults. He is aware
    that the Ghana Armed Forces had
    made consultations with Parliament
    which we are continuing with.
    Mr Speaker, he is also aware that
    the Ghana Armed Forces is making
    consultations with both Government
    and civil society organisations
    outside the Government.
    Consultations are part of the processes

    Oral Answers to Questions

    of acquiring the aircraft. When the

    Director of Communications says

    that we have begun the processes, he

    is correct. The process has been

    triggered by the Military and that jet

    is owned by the Military on behalf of

    Ghana. It is for Government business

    and the consultations would continue

    until such a time that the Hon

    Minister for Defence is satisfied that

    the people of Ghana, whether through

    Parliament or the Executive, have

    convinced themselves that buying a

    ship to defend us or an aircraft to do

    Government business is something

    that we could afford and we, indeed,

    need it.

    Mr Speaker, the indication I get

    from all the consultations is that it is

    paramount, especially because we do

    not have Ghana Airways, to have an

    aircraft that can do Government

    business.

    Mr Speaker, the log book of the

    CASA C-295, which is a pure

    Military aircraft, is so full that it is not

    safe for us to continue to rely on the

    Military to be using a pure Military

    aircraft to be ferrying government

    officials. Government officials include

    Members of Parliament. In fact, one

    of the bodies that use the military

    aircraft is MPs. If we check the

    records, MPs use the military aircraft

    more than any other single organisation.

    Mr Speaker, when he says

    presidential jet, I have said it and I

    would continue to say that there is

    nothing called presidential jet. There

    are only two countries in the world

    that have presidential jets. One is the

    United States of America where only

    the President uses that jet. The

    decision that was made in 2005 to

    take an aircraft that could take a

    maximum of 11 people and then, 15

    for all short journeys is the one that

    has limited that aircraft to the use of

    only the President.

    If we have an aircraft that could

    carry 50 people and the Black Stars

    are going to play football in South

    Africa, they would use that aircraft.

    Today, the Black Stars are spending

    millions of dollars chartering aircrafts

    when countries that have such

    aircrafts like Senegal are using their

    executive aircraft to ferry their

    footballers around.

    Mr Speaker, let me give an

    example. The Ghana Armed Forces,

    today, carry more than 1000 soldiers

    to Lebanon. If we have an aircraft

    that is owned by the Military and

    could carry close to 70 people, that is

    the aircraft that we would use today.

    We pay in excess of GH₵4 million to GH₵5 million every year just to ferry soldiers across only Lebanon. I think

    that we should relook at it. So

    consultations are ongoing and when

    Oral Answers to Questions

    the time is right, I would come, as I

    said to this House, and bring the

    documents that I would need to bring

    for us to take a decision.

    I thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:54 p.m.
    Yes,
    your last follow up question.
    Mr Ablakwa 3:54 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, before
    my final supplementary question, I
    just thought that this being a House of
    records, the records in this House
    would show that Ghana has had four
    presidential jets - the Falcon is our fourth presidential jet, so the Hon
    Minister cannot be right when he says
    that we do not have presidential jets.
    The first presidential jet is the DH-
    125 under former President
    Nkrumah; Fokker F-28 was the
    second; Gulf Stream GII was the
    third; and this, the Falcon 900-EXE is
    the fourth presidential jet.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:54 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, kindly ask your question.
    Mr Ablakwa 4:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, my
    final question is what I would call the
    Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
    doctrine on purchasing presidential
    jets and if you would permit me, I
    intend to read from the records of this
    House, the Hansard dated 15th
    February, 2000, column 1653,
    paragraph 3, and I quote:
    “Nana Akufo-Addo (NPP -- Abuakwa): Thank you very much,
    Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to
    contribute to this debate. It is good to
    see that the Minister and his spin
    doctor, the Minister for Commu-
    nications are both here to listen to us
    on this matter.

    Mr Speaker, I intend to limit my

    interventions to two main issues.

    Already, my Hon Colleague, the

    Member for Offinso North, Dr K. K.

    Apraku has in his usual powerful

    presentation alerted us to the

    sensitivity of this transaction that at a

    time when there is a crying need for

    greater public investment in our

    social services, in our health system

    and when students are crying for an

    increase in public expenditure on

    tertiary education, they are met with

    a cry that there is no money but the

    President is entitled to have spent for

    himself US$19million over the next

    five years on this aircraft.

    Mr Speaker, if anything demon-

    strates the need that has been

    consistently etched from this Side of

    the House for us to review and

    prioritise public expenditure, this

    case justifies that call. I have no

    doubt that if the priorities are spelt

    out properly, the purchase of an

    Oral Answers to Questions

    Executive jet would come very low,

    down on the scale of priorities.”

    This is President Akufo-Addo's doctrine which is the record of this

    House. Could the Hon Minister for

    Defence tell us that in the case of

    current challenges, in the midst of a

    pandemic and the economic crisis we

    face, should they be having consul-

    tations on purchasing a new presi-

    dential jet in the light of President

    Nana Akufo-Addo's doctrine which I have just read out?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:04 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Minister?
    Mr Nitiwul 4:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, as I
    said, Ghana does not have a
    presidential jet; we have an Executive
    jet. That is why when you were
    reading, the current President at that
    time used the word “Executive” jet. Executive jet does not mean it is for
    the sole use of the President. In
    America, no other person can use the
    Air Force One apart from the
    President and the Vice President — even the Vice President does not use
    it. So, we have an Executive jet and I
    am saying that the Executive jet is
    used to do Government business and
    that is the clarification. There are five
    categories of Government businesses;
    one is GH001 for the President,
    GH002 for the Vice President,
    GH003 for the Speaker of Parliament
    and Senior Hon Members of Parlia-
    ment, and GH005 for other members
    of the Executive, including Chief
    Directors, among others. So, as I am
    saying, this is an Executive aircraft,
    not a Presidential one.
    Mr Speaker, as I said, this current
    President would not use this jet if we
    were to purchase it. That is the first
    thing I want you to know. Secondly,
    I would also want you to know that
    consultations are ongoing including
    that with Hon Members of
    Parliament. When these consultations
    are completed, I would come back to
    this House to let you know whether
    those consultations have arrived at a
    positive answer or a negative one.
    They should not conclude for me. I
    am the one who is taking these
    decisions in consultation with the
    Government. If they are reading
    someone else's statement who did not make it in this House, that is their
    own headache. As far as I am
    concerned in my capacity as the Hon
    Minister for Defence, I am saying
    that consultations are ongoing and
    when they are positive, I would come
    to this House with the agreement and,
    if not, I would not come. It is as
    simple as that.
    Mr Speaker, thank you.
    Mr Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi 4:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you. From the

    Oral Answers to Questions

    response of the Hon Minister, I just

    want to ask whether this means that

    the decision to buy the aircraft is

    coming from him or the Government.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:04 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Minister?
    Mr Nitiwul 4:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the
    procedure is very simple. The Ghana
    Air Force would write to the Hon
    Minister and the Minister would
    consult others, including the
    Government. When that decision is
    made — [Interruption] — ultimately before it comes to this House, it
    would be made by Cabinet, but it is
    the Hon Minister for Defence who
    would take it to Cabinet and justify
    why there is the need for it.
    That is why I am saying that the
    initial decision to take it to Cabinet is
    mine and not that of the Director of
    Communications at the Presidency. I
    have said that I am making consul-
    tations and if they are right, you
    would see me again in this House, but
    as I stand today, I am making the
    consultations.
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:04 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Member?
    Mr Samuel Nartey George 4:04 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, thank you very much. I
    would want to find out that as
    Ghana's Hon Minister for Defence with oversight responsibility over the
    Ghana Armed Forces and with all the
    security challenges that we have,
    whether, in his consideration, the
    purchase of another wide body
    Executive jet is the priority purchase
    of an aircraft for our Air Force.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:04 p.m.
    It is
    all right. You have answered that
    question already.
    Very well.
    Hon Members, the last Question
    which is numbered 382 stands in the
    name of the Hon Member for
    Ashaiman.
    Outcome of the Investigation
    into the Killing of Mr Eric Ofotsu
    Mr Ernest Henry Norgbey
    (NDC -- Ashaiman): Mr Speaker, I beg to ask the Minister for Defence
    the outcome so far of the investi-
    gation into the killing of one Mr Eric
    Ofotsu by a military officer in March
    2020 during lockdown in the Ashaiman
    Constituency.
    Mr Nitiwul 4:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in
    March 2020, the Ghana Armed
    Forces, together with its sister

    Oral Answers to Questions

    security services, were tasked to

    enforce a lockdown when COVID-19

    broke out in this country. During this

    exercise, an individual called Mr Eric

    Ofotsu was killed during a struggle

    with a military officer. The initial

    investigation by the Military Police

    confirmed that the individual called

    Mr Eric Ofotsu attempted to wrestle

    a weapon from a soldier and died in

    the process. Since the case is a

    homicide case, the Civil Police has

    the duty to investigate same and has

    since been investigating the incident.

    Mr Speaker, currently, a

    comprehensive investigation is being

    conducted by the Ghana Police on the

    criminal aspect of the case. The

    Ministry of Defence and the Ghana

    Armed Forces are still awaiting the

    report from the Ghana Police to

    enable us take the necessary action if

    so be.

    Mr Speaker, thank you.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:04 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Member?
    Mr Norgbey 4:04 p.m.
    In paragraph 2 of
    the Hon Minister's Answer, he suggested that the death occurred
    during the struggle for a weapon. I
    would want to ask the Hon Minister
    how an attempt to rescue a weapon
    from a soldier necessarily leads to
    death as provided in that paragraph.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:04 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Minister?
    Mr Nitiwul 4:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I said
    that the investigation by the Ghana
    Military Police concluded that the
    individual attempted to wrestle the
    weapon from the military officer and
    in the process, the gun went off and
    killed the person. The Civil Police is
    investigating the entire matter and we
    do not yet have the report, but their
    investigation said that the person
    attempted to wrestle a weapon from
    the soldier and the gun went off. It is
    very possible so I am not surprised.
    Mr Norgbey 4:04 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, as the
    Hon Minister is suggesting that there
    is a report, can that report be made
    public and what are the recom-
    mendations in that report?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:04 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Minister? He is asking that from
    your Answer, there appears to be a
    report so what are the recom-
    mendations and would you like to
    make it public?
    Mr Nitiwul 4:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the
    report of the Ghana Police Service
    supersedes that of the Military Police.
    It is not in the interest of the Military,
    in particular, of any country to do
    internal investigations for their own
    sake and share it with the public. It
    has never been done anywhere.

    Oral Answers to Questions

    So, let the Ghana Police Service

    report come out and if it contradicts

    that, then the Military would use their

    report to defend themselves because

    the military officer has the right to

    defend himself.

    Mr Speaker, in Ghana, you are

    innocent until proven guilty, so it is a

    homicide case. Let the Police do the

    investigation and come out with their

    report. However, their initial report

    was for themselves and they con-

    cluded that the gentleman attempted

    taking the weapon from the soldier

    and in the process, the trigger went

    off and he died.
    Mr Norgbey 4:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I want
    to ask the Hon Minister whether he
    based his Answer on the report or the
    investigation from the Military Police
    or is he waiting for the Ghana Police
    Service to conclude the investigation
    before any action would be taken?
    Mr Nitiwul 4:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I do not
    want to disappoint my Hon
    Colleague. I could have told him that
    it is the Ghana Police Service that is
    investigating it, so the Hon Minister
    for the Interior would answer his
    Question. However, I am saying to
    him and it would be in his interest if
    he listens. The initial report from the
    Military said that this is what happened:
    the victim attempted taking a gun and
    in the process the trigger went off.
    The Police are investigating this and
    until they complete their investigation, I
    would have very little to say. So, I did
    not base my Answer on that, but I am
    basing it on the fact that the Military
    have done their investigation, concluded
    in a certain way and the Police are
    also doing their investigation.
    These are the facts and I am not
    basing my report on anything but the
    facts as they have been presented to
    me and same is being presented to
    you.
    Mr Speaker, thank you.
    Mr Bawa 4:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank
    you.
    I want to know from the Hon
    Minister whether the officer who was
    involved in this incident is currently
    at post or he is being interdicted while
    investigations are ongoing at the civil
    level.
    Mr Nitiwul 4:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, once
    the Military has concluded that he
    acted in line with their Service
    Regulations, he would be, unless the
    Police charge him, so he is working.
    If the Police were to find something
    different and charge him with that,
    then that is a different matter.
    However, with regard to the Military,

    Oral Answers to Questions

    once the Military Police conclude

    that in line with their own investi-

    gation one has done nothing wrong,

    one will continue to work.

    Mr Alhassan Sayibu Suyihini — rose —
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:14 p.m.
    Hon
    Member for Tamale North?
    Mr Suyihini 4:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank
    you.
    I would like to find out from the
    Hon Minister whether I am right,
    based on his Answer, that there seem
    not to be clear protocols of the Police
    and Military working together to
    provide security, to the extent that an
    incident like this happened and the
    Military Police have done an
    investigation, yet they are keeping
    the report to defend themselves after
    the Police's investigation although they are supposed to be working
    together to provide security on the
    street leaves me confused.
    What are the protocols for
    working together to provide security
    on the streets such that when an
    incident like that happens, the
    military would first have to conduct a
    report that they would keep and use
    to defend themselves in case the
    police investigation indicts them?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:14 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, you are making an
    argument. Can you restrict yourself
    to a question?
    Hon Minister, did you get the
    question?
    Mr Nitiwul 4:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, as I
    said, the Military officer is an
    individual. If he is charged by the
    Police, then he has to defend himself.
    Mr Speaker, I did not say the Military
    is defending themselves. I said the
    individual officer has to defend
    himself and this is a different thing.
    Mr Speaker, also, the Hon
    Member wanted to know if he is
    right. He is not right, because that is
    not what I said, so the rest of the
    question does not follow. The Police
    and the Military have always worked
    together to defend this nation, but if
    one is alleged to have committed a
    crime, it does not absolve them from
    investigation and the only body,
    rightly so, that can investigate and
    prosecute at the court is the Ghana
    Police Service.
    The Attorney General's Depart- ment could also ask the police to do
    so on their behalf. Today, we have the
    Office of the Special Prosecutor that
    could also do that; however, in this
    case, the Military did their own
    investigation and that is the normal

    Oral Answers to Questions

    routine. When a military officer is

    alleged to have committed a crime,

    the military would first do an initial

    investigation to take immediate

    action before they hand him over to

    the Civil Police if they so deem that

    the person has committed a crime. It

    is a normal process that the Military

    go through. If a Military officer

    commits a crime, the Military,

    through the Military Police, would

    immediately investigate the officer

    and determine what it is before they

    move on and then the Police would

    carry on. However, this does not

    mean that the Police are not doing

    their work concurrently.

    The police were there and

    together with the Military, they

    picked the remains to the 37 Military

    Hospital, after which they started

    their investigation. One must not

    think that the military and the police

    do not work together because they

    would continue to work together and

    give us security. They work together

    to give us the best security that we

    have seen in years.

    Mr Speaker, thank you.
    Dr Augustine Tawiah 4:14 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, thank you,
    Mr Speaker, weapons are
    supposed to be held in safety
    position, so I want to know from the
    Hon Minister whether at the time the
    struggle was going on the weapon
    was in -
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:14 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, kindly ask your own
    Question because this is different
    from the Question that was asked. It
    is not a follow-up question.
    Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten 4:14 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, in light of the honourable
    service expected of our Armed
    Forces, I want to know from the Hon
    Minister why there is still no finality
    to the investigations of an event that
    occurred in March 2020, almost two
    years ago.
    My worry is how do we bridge the
    civilian trust in the Military if the
    Military is not taking steps to assure
    the people after this incident occurred
    as far back as March 2020.
    Mr Nitiwul 4:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, some
    homicide cases can take up to 30
    years to complete while some can
    take as short as five days to come to
    a finality. I think that we should give
    the police the due respect and allow
    them carry out their investigation.
    The Military is a body just like any
    other body in Ghana; they are not
    above the law. So, if the Military
    officer is alleged to have committed a
    crime, the Police would investigate it
    and come out with their report. So, I

    Oral Answers to Questions

    do not know what we want the

    Military to do again because they

    submitted themselves to the investi-

    gation and that is the best they can do.

    When the Police come out with their

    facts, they would either charge the

    person or not. However, as for civil-

    military relationship, there is a whole

    unit of the armed forces that deals

    with that and they do their best to

    ensure that that civil-military relation-

    ship is there.

    Mr Speaker, at the end of the day

    they defend us. When there is a fight

    or somebody is attacking this country, it

    is the Military that would face the

    bullet for you and me. That is why in

    the United States of America (USA),

    the Military is held in high esteem

    and I believe that the Hon Member

    also holds the Ghana Armed Forces

    in high esteem because they would

    die for him and shed their blood both

    at sea and in the air. When there is a

    conflict, we would call the military

    and some of them may die in the

    process though they have families

    just like us. Also, they would not do

    anything to the disadvantage of

    anybody in Ghana. Mr Speaker, the

    Military would submit themselves to

    investigation just like any other

    person and that is what has been done

    in this case.

    Mr Speaker, as I said, they have

    said they would do an internal

    investigation quickly to ascertain the

    facts of the case. As for the criminal

    aspect of it, it is the police who would

    conclude their investigation so we are

    waiting for them to do that. As I said,

    sometimes, it can take five, six, seven

    or eight years but once they are able

    to complete their investigation, they

    would come out with the facts as they

    are.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:14 p.m.
    Yes?
    Mr Edwin N. L. Vanderpuye 4:14 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I want to know from the
    Hon Minister the current situation of
    the said officer. Is he still in service?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:24 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, that question has already
    been answered.
    Hon Minister, thank you for
    attending upon the House to answer
    Questions.

    You are discharged.

    Mr Mustapha Ussif — rose —
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:24 p.m.
    Hon
    Minister, is there a Question for the
    Ministry of Youth and Sports?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 4:24 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, a Statement.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:24 p.m.
    Very
    well. A Statement towards the United
    National Support for Black Stars
    2022 African Cup of Nations
    (AFCON) Campaign in Cameroon.
    Yes, Hon Minister for Youth and
    Sports?
    STATEMENTS 4:24 p.m.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:24 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, hold on.
    Yes, Hon Minister?
    Mr Henry Quartey 4:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    my Hon Colleague on the other Side
    said that the only thing that can unite
    Ghanaians is sports and I wonder
    whether same is true.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:24 p.m.
    Well,
    that is an opinion.
    Mr Quartey 4:24 p.m.
    Is it one or only?
    [Interruption].
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:24 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, that is his opinion. He is
    entitled to it.
    Mr E. N. L. Vanderpuye 4:24 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I think I said, “I have always maintained that the only thing” — So, it is my personal opinion. The
    partisan politics has always -
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:24 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, you do not think Ga kenkey
    Mr E. N. L. Vanderpuye 4:24 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, since you do not like kenkey
    too much, I do not think it — [Laughter].

    Statements
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:24 p.m.
    How
    do you know I do not like kenkey?
    [Laughter].
    Mr E. N. L. Vanderpuye 4:34 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, Hon Bawa says since the
    Hon Minister for Finance decided to
    introduce kenkey into his loan
    portfolio, he has stopped eating
    kenkey — [Laughter] — Mr Speaker, the truth of the matter is that one of
    the key things — if we look at 2006 and 2010 World Cup qualifiers and
    the World Cup itself, there was a
    conscious effort to depoliticise the
    support for the national team and this
    worked good. However, over the
    period, we have seen elements of
    political intrigues in even the organi-
    sation of the support base for the
    national team and these always affect
    us. This is because when one
    particular side of the country or the
    support of the national team feels that
    they are being left out, it becomes
    difficult for them to support.
    Mr Speaker, from my experience in
    football, one of the key things is the
    fact that when a team feels that all are
    behind them, it tends to lift them
    spiritually.

    But when they have the sense that

    a particular section of the society

    does not like them, spiritually, they

    go down. I would like to say that this

    Statement coming from the Hon

    Minister at this time is opportune,

    timeous and I think it is important

    that we look at it from that

    perspective.

    But as we do that, I would like to

    call on the managers of the team that

    as we prepare towards the Cup of

    Nations in February, 2022, they must

    give the whole country a sense of

    nationalism towards the national

    team. If it should happen that we are

    organising supporters to go and cheer

    them on, partisanship must not be the

    basis. We must organise ourselves in

    such a way that the whole nation will

    rally behind the team.

    Mr Speaker, realistically, we must

    tell the handlers of our national team

    that it is not about having a team

    called Black Stars; it is about

    genuinely picking the people who

    will do well for this country. The Hon

    Minister and I have worked together

    for some time now. We always go to

    Cape Coast to support the national

    team whenever they are playing. But

    right there, he would agree with me

    that sometimes, the way and manner

    the team is handled is not the best. So,

    I would like to appeal to him on this

    nationalistic call to make sure that he

    further enhances his consultation

    with all manner of people who love

    Statements

    the game, irrespective of their

    political affiliation, their religious

    and social backgrounds, so that

    together, we can organise the sort of

    support that the Black Stars would

    need in order to make the impact and

    break the 40 and not the eight -- [Laughter] --

    Mr Speaker, it is important - for

    Ghana to have been without a trophy

    -- and as the Hon Minister enumerated, we have come close on

    several occasions. There is a little that

    we need to enable us go through, and

    I am sure when we do the right things,

    we will be able to achieve what we

    have been dreaming about for the

    national team and all other national

    teams just as our Hasaacas Ladies

    Football Club did recently, making us

    proud at the African Club Champion-

    ship. It is important that if the

    Hasaacas Ladies Football Club had

    been Hearts of Oak Ladies Football

    Club or Kotoko Ladies Football

    Club, we would have seen the

    factionalism, but because it was

    Hasaacas ladies, we did not see it. So,

    I hope that the supporters who will go

    to support the National team will not

    be selected based on their political

    affiliation or whether their flags are

    Dutch or Palestinian flags. But then

    they will hold the flag with the

    colours red, gold, green, and the

    black star.
    Mr Yves Hanson-Nortey (NPP - - Tema Central) 4:34 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for this opportunity to contribute
    to the Statement made by the Hon
    Minister for Youths, Sports and
    Culture.
    Mr Speaker, in his Statement, he
    mentioned corporate bodies which
    support sports in Ghana. Corporate
    bodies are profit-oriented organi-
    sations, and supporting sports in
    Ghana, especially sports develop-
    ment takes something out of their
    kitty. It is important that as a House
    or as Ghanaians, we look at the
    option of giving incentives to
    companies that support sports, which
    would encourage them to do more, so
    that others would also learn from
    them.
    Mr Speaker, that notwith-
    standing, the World Cup and the
    African Cup have eluded Ghana for
    the past 30 years. It is not because we
    do not have the raw talents, but it is
    because we have not been able to
    develop the talents properly. We have
    not invested over the years in our
    junior sports, in our colts' football and in our school sports.
    Mr Speaker, the host for the 2022
    World Cup, which is Qatar, has
    invested heavily in the game of
    football in the last 20 years with an
    academy called Aspire. The Aspire

    Statements

    Academy has trained competent

    sportsmen and Qatar in 2022 as host

    nation aims to host and win. It is up

    to us as Ghana, especially through

    our Youth and Sport Ministry to also

    do the same.

    Mr Speaker, going forward, sports

    development and sports infra-

    structure development cannot be

    done by Government alone. There is

    the need for a Public-Private Partner-

    ship (PPP) form of arrangement

    between corporate bodies, companies,

    business people, so that sports would

    develop. But that notwithstanding,

    the Government led by His

    Excellency, the President of the

    Republic in the last four years has

    developed about ten youth centres,

    and AstroTurf pitches all over the

    country to help in this regard by

    increasing the amount of infra-

    structure that we have for sports in

    Ghana. But, it is not just football;

    there are lesser known sports that

    need attention: table tennis, cricket,

    and basketball. For some of them, the

    cost for infrastructure development is

    not as high as football, and thus, we

    would urge the Minister to also seek

    investment for these lesser known

    sports.

    Mr Speaker, with these few

    words, thank you for the opportunity.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:44 p.m.
    Hon
    Rashid Pelpuo.
    Dr Abdul-Rashid Hassan
    Pelpuo (NDC -- Wa Central): Mr Speaker, thank you for the oppor-
    tunity to contribute to the Statement
    ably made by the Minister for Youth
    and Sports.
    Mr Speaker, football has always
    been the pulse for this nation. It has
    always been the unifying factor and
    has propelled the nation very far in
    the recognition of who we are
    throughout the world. And for the
    Black Stars making Ghanaians
    proud, there is a historical docu-
    mentation about it. We won the
    African cups in 1963, 1965, and we
    won it again in 1982. On many
    occasions we got to the finals, and we
    have not been able to get to the
    pinnacle of it.
    But in all these situations,
    Ghanaians are unified behind the
    Black Stars hoping and praying that
    we would always go far and lead
    Africa. Unfortunately, we cannot
    always get it as it is, but I believe with
    commitment and hard work, with
    determination and good leadership,
    Mr Speaker, we can always make it. I
    am happy that today, the Minister has
    come forward to make this State-
    ment, and from his body posture and
    his pronouncements, I have the

    Statements

    impression that he is committed

    enough to take us to a very far level

    maybe to win the next Cup of

    Nations.

    Mr Speaker, the painful thing is

    that many people think that because

    of the Blacks Stars and because of

    football the Ministry of Youth and

    Sports is a very rich Ministry. I have

    been there before, and I have seen the

    pain and misery when a person is a

    Minister of Youth and Sports with

    little resources and inadequate

    allocations. Even how to extract the

    small allocations to the Ministry from

    the Ministry of Finance has always

    been a battle field.

    Mr Speaker, I would want to call

    on the Ministry of Finance to take this

    project as a very important one,

    because football as my good friend

    Hon Vanderpuye has said is a uniting

    factor and he thinks that it is the only

    factor that can unite Ghanaians. If

    this is true, it is good that we should

    work towards it.

    I think it is important that for the

    Minister to achieve the maximum in

    this enterprise, he would have to

    work closely with the sports manage-

    ment body -- the Black Stars.

    The Black Stars is an independent

    body; it does not belong to the

    Ministry, it is elected representation,

    but it has direct contact in how to win

    the cup and how to manage Manage-

    ment to ensure that there are positive

    results at the end of it all.

    Therefore, whether we like it or

    not, this is a group we would need to

    work with, and my advice to the Hon

    Minister is that, he should find a way

    of working with them very closely

    that they can have a clear under-

    standing of exactly what is happening,

    so that we can all be happy when we

    see the Black Stars streaming and

    working towards the process to

    become winners of the African Cup

    this year.

    Very soon, we are going to see

    them play, and we have the good will.

    The Hon Minister has the good will

    of the nation, but apart from having

    the good will of the nation, one has to

    get his reporters and media to work

    towards achieving the maximum for

    him. I had a situation where, in

    working with the Black Satellites, I

    got to the point where I had to get the

    press to understand that the players

    are not perfect, and being imperfect,

    they have their faults and so, those

    faults cannot be reported at the time

    they are critically working hard

    towards victory. Therefore, one may

    also need to work with the press to

    ensure there is positive reportage and

    Statements

    encouragement of the team in order

    for them to always look forward to

    victory.

    Mr Speaker, I also believe that

    Cooperate Ghana, like the Hon

    Minister said, must be contacted in a

    way that would enable them to have

    confidence that the monies they are

    putting in there, would yield results,

    and that, there is not going to be any

    bad report about money going in and

    passing the other way round, and not

    being utilised for the purpose for

    which people are contributing their

    money. That confidence must be

    shown regarding how one relates to

    them so that in the end, we can have

    people coming out to give money,

    believing that the money is going to

    be used for the purpose for which

    they are giving it, and that hopefully,

    we can win as a result.

    Mr Speaker, I think that we would

    all need to support the Ministry of

    Youth and Sports at this time. It is

    something that we cannot avoid

    because we know that this is a very

    critical period for Ghana. We are

    sharply divided, and the people of

    Ghana have done it so. Therefore, for

    every single situation that arises as a

    result of a debate on this Floor, there

    is a division that normally, the Rt

    Hon Speaker himself, would find it

    difficult to resolve. However, when it

    comes to football, I believe we can all

    rise and say that we are Ghanaians

    and we are moving towards achieving

    unity of purpose and winning a cup.

    Therefore, this is a very important

    initiative, but it all would depend on

    the leadership of the Ministry and

    that is why I am asking the Hon

    Minister through the Hon Majority

    Leader in Parliament. He can work

    with him and ensure the Minister for

    Finance would release money for

    him. I am not saying that he should

    behave in the same way as the Hon

    Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu would behave

    on the Floor because as an Hon

    Minister for Youth and Sports, rather,

    he must be tolerant and allow people

    to speak, and when he does so, he

    should not try to fight and secure any

    victory. He should allow people to

    talk and absorb it without attacking

    them or without defending so

    aggressively that he would be

    identified —
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 4:44 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, the Hon Dr Rashid Pelpuo is
    talking to issues of sports, but he is
    dragging my name into his own
    contribution by inferring that I am
    intolerant of other people's ideas. It is an obvious inference that I do not
    allow people to speak their minds in
    the House, but I do not have that
    charge at all. Therefore, Mr Speaker,
    let him continue to make his sub-
    missions without making these
    tangential references to me in such

    Statements

    unhallowed manner. My name should

    be protected.

    Mr Speaker, thank you.
    Dr Pelpuo 4:44 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I do not
    intend to portray him in any bad
    manner, but I know he was a very
    aggressive Opposition Leader, and
    now, even as an Hon Majority
    Leader, he still shows the same level
    of aggression. That is just what I am
    saying. If one is like that as an Hon
    Minister for Youth and Sports, he
    would be in trouble. Because -- [Interruption] — [Laughter]—
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:44 p.m.
    I have
    not recognised him, but you have sat
    down. I hope you would conclude so
    that —
    Dr Pelpuo 4:44 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, there-
    fore, I would want to conclude that
    even though I admire the level of
    aggression, I am just advising the
    Hon Minister for Youth and Sports to
    be accommodating. He should not to
    be an aggressive Leader like an
    Opposition Leader, but to just allow
    space so that we can have a lot of
    inputs in advising him.
    Mr Speaker, Thank you.
    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 4:44 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I was struggling to catch
    your eyes. However, with respect to
    my Hon Colleague, I take a strong
    exception to his description of me as
    being aggressive. People who know
    me, are aware that I am far from that.
    If he had said that I am assertive, then
    I am indeed assertive. I do not allow
    pedestrianism to infiltrate the debate
    in Parliament. He should say that I
    am assertive, not aggressive. Mr
    Speaker, he must make that distinction
    between a person being assertive and
    being aggressive. I am not aggressive.
    With all respect to the Hon Member,
    I would want to say that people who
    know me, are aware that I am not
    aggressive.
    Mr Speaker, that is the point I
    wanted to make to my Hon Colleague.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:44 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Member, would you like to
    make a substitution? After all, he has
    not taken the Hon Speaker's Chair.
    Dr Pelpuo 4:44 p.m.
    Yes, Mr Speaker, that
    is actually the word. People can be
    aggressively assertive, and that is
    what I mean — [Laughter] —
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:44 p.m.
    He
    said you are aggressively assertive,
    and that is acceptable. I said you have
    not taken the Hon Speaker's Chair, so you have not reached that level of
    aggression.
    Mrs Angela Oforiwa Alorwu-
    Tay: — rose —

    Statements
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:44 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Majority Leader, I would come
    to you, but I have an Hon Female
    contributor that I would like to hear
    from.
    Mrs Angela Oforiwa Alorwu-
    Tay (NDC -- Afadzato South): Mr Speaker, thank you.
    Mr Speaker, in paragraph 20 of
    the Hon Minister's Statement, he appealed to Ghanaians to pray
    ceaselessly for the national team to
    win the favour of the Almighty God.
    Yes, we would pray fervently for the
    team to bring us the trophy, but I also
    have an advice for him and his
    coaches. I advise that he does not go
    into the tournament with an injured
    player. Also, he should not go into the
    tournament with players that are not
    disciplined. When we pray and they
    also do what they are supposed to do:
    training hard, being disciplined, not
    challenging the referees, et cetera, it
    is only then that the Almighty God
    would listen and make our prayers
    come true.
    Mr Speaker, on that note, we wish
    them the very best. We are eager for
    them to come back home with the
    trophy.
    Mr Paul Apreku Twum-
    Barimah: -- rose —
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:54 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Member?
    You were on your feet first.
    Mr Paul Apreku Twum-
    Barimah (NPP -- Dormaa East): Mr Speaker, I thank you very much,
    for giving me the opportunity to
    support the Statement given by the
    able Hon Minister for Youth and
    Sports.
    Indeed, football is the passion of
    the nation. In the years 2010 and
    2014, Ghana was the star of Africa,
    and in all these stages, the Ghana
    Black Stars performed very well.
    They showed the whole world that,
    indeed, they were the beacon of Africa. It is, therefore, in place that today, the
    Hon Minister for Youth and Sports
    calls on all of us to back the Black
    Stars, ahead of their Africa Cup of
    Nations (AFCON) competition.

    Mr Speaker, therefore, I would

    want to associate myself with

    paragraph 18 of the Hon Minister's Statement where he congratulates the

    Black Stars and the GFA for a good

    job done. Yes, there have been issues

    as they said, the players must train

    and do what is right, but above all, we

    must also show commitment to the

    Statements

    Black Stars. That is why we are here

    today. As stated by the Hon Minister,

    we are ready to break the 40-year

    AFCON draught, and we can only do

    that if all of us come together as a

    nation to support the Black Stars to

    win it in 2022.

    The Hon Minister went ahead to

    call on corporate entities to come to

    the aid of the Black Stars. I will also

    appeal to my Hon Colleagues here to

    support this cause. Indeed, each and

    every Hon Member of this House has

    some influence, and has some

    corporate entities they can talk to that

    can come to the aid of the Black

    Stars. I therefore wish that we all

    would put aside our political colours,

    race and religion and put on the

    Ghana flag to support the Ghana

    Black Stars in this quest.

    Mr Speaker, I would want to

    thank the Hon Minister for this

    Statement, and once again call on all

    Hon Members of Parliament to

    support this clarion call.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:54 p.m.
    Where is the Hon Minority Leader? I
    was going to give him the final word.
    He said he wanted to contribute, but
    he has left.
    Hon Kobena Mensah Woyome,
    you are the Hon Ranking Member of
    Youth, Sports and Culture, so I would
    give you the final word.
    Mr Kobena Mensah Woyome
    (NDC -- South Tongu): Mr Speaker, I would want to add my voice in
    congratulating the Hon Minister for
    bringing this to the fore and at a very
    good time. There is the need for all of
    us to appreciate sports as one tool
    which when utilised would bring
    everybody together. It was not out of
    place when somewhere in 2005 the
    United Nations accepted and adopted
    sports as a tool for development,
    particularly to encourage peace
    building, and allow people to bury
    differences and so on.
    Mr Speaker, I believe in Ghana,
    over the years, our sports men and
    women have really raised the flag of
    this country across the world, and
    have played a significant role in
    marketing this country free of charge,
    and not necessarily asking the
    Ministry to budget for advertisement
    in those foreign journals. Anytime
    they participate in such international
    events, the various cameras obviously
    provide the opportunity for Ghana to
    be located geographically, and also
    attract the needed investments. That
    is why all of us must appreciate the
    position of sports, because it goes
    beyond the political, religious and
    ethnic divides among others.

    Statements

    It is also worth looking at how it

    all started in this country where we

    appear to be divided somewhat

    anytime our gallant men and women

    are out there to defend the flag -- not the flag of any particular political

    party, but the Ghana flag: the red,

    gold, green with the black star

    embedded in it.

    Mr Speaker, I can identify a few

    politicians. I would not single out a

    particular one; all of us stand to be

    blamed, and we need to begin to work

    within ourselves and see how this

    thing can be kept and nipped in the

    bud. We have been to Brazil, where

    through no fault of any politician -- the problems over there ought to be

    looked at without necessarily looking

    into the issue with political lens.

    However, we blamed others. We

    must be able to overcome that. It is

    important for commentators, journalists

    and all those who run commentaries

    to begin to situate the issues where

    they belong, and as much as possible

    not to divide Ghanaians along

    political lines and give credit to all

    persons with the intention of trying to

    demean the contribution of others.

    In fact, this is important, and the

    Hon Minister in some portions of the

    Statement made mention of what is

    ahead of us next year. It is our wish

    that probably, we can adopt this to be

    maybe the turning curve and see how

    we go.

    Mr Speaker, so much depends on

    him being the driver in the seat. His

    demeanour, utterances and the way

    he carries himself about and take us

    along, depends on him and his

    followers. Sometimes, when it

    becomes very necessary for us to do

    some rebuttals and then to situate

    maybe facts, we would have to do so

    when we know that it is because

    somewhat, some statements have not

    been situated properly.

    So much depends on him. He

    heads a very sensitive sector; a sector

    that must bring all of us together. Mr

    Speaker, he has started and struck a

    good cord and so, we would play

    along, but then, we would watch him

    and all his followers. Clearly, when

    he tries it, we will also give him a

    dose of his failures. However, I want

    to congratulate him for a good

    Statement.

    Mr Speaker, I would also want to

    add my voice in congratulating the

    Ghana Black Stars for the qualify-

    cation first and foremost to the

    AFCON, and also hopefully, to the

    FIFA World Cup tournament in

    Qatar and also the female football

    team. We thank him and I associate

    myself with the Statement.

    Statements

    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:04 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Minority Leader?
    Minority Leader (Mr Haruna
    Iddrisu): Mr Speaker, I should thank
    you for tolerating me. The Hon
    Majority Leader was engaging me on
    how we could work to ensure that we
    are able to, at best, rise on Friday, 17th
    December, 2021, or working through
    the dawn of Saturday, 18th December,
    2021, so forgive me for that.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to
    thank the Minister for Youth and
    Sports, the Hon Mustapha, for the
    Statement which seeks to build a
    united Ghana and a united support
    base for the Black Stars as we get
    ready to support them for AFCON
    2022.
    Mr Speaker, historically, Ghana
    has won the AFCON four times, and
    has been runner up five times -- 1968, 1970, 1992, 2010 and 2015. Mr
    Speaker, I am told one of the saddest
    moments was in 1978. I am not as old
    as you. I was too young to appreciate
    what the Black Stars would do. Mr
    Speaker, while commending the Hon
    Minister for Youth and Sports, there
    is a challenge: to seek to revolu-
    tionarise football once again in
    Ghana to make it an attractive
    activity and vocation for many young
    people. Indeed, Mr Speaker, today,
    the game is a very profitable venture
    and undertaking if one is successful
    in it.

    Mr Speaker, sometimes, it is our

    body language, and the way we

    communicate that sends the wrong

    signal which ends up dividing the

    country against what ordinarily has

    always united us. You can trust

    football. When we were playing with

    South Africa, the whole country was

    yearning for nothing but victory, and

    that Ghana is able to make it to the

    last ten to be able to participate in

    Qatar 2022. So, kudos for that but

    you know the problem.

    Mr Speaker, a team -- we would provide the political leadership but

    our technical bench is not good and

    strong enough, and we must work on

    the technical bench. And the use of

    old Black Stars players -- do not appreciate it -- there are many experienced Black Stars players who

    would like to play a role in supporting

    our technical bench to be successful.

    Regardless of where they come from

    or who they are, seek to engage them

    to be able to support your technical

    bench.

    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister

    knows what I am talking about. There

    Statements

    have been instances where they need

    to make critical changes, even the

    supporting public would know that

    we have to change our format but we

    get disappointed when he fails to do

    it and then, we have to be sad when

    we get defeated.

    Mr Speaker, apart from AFCON,

    we have to prepare the Black Stars for

    Qatar 2022. It is a must-go journey

    for the Black Stars, and I would like

    to assure my Hon Colleague, the Hon

    Minister and Member of Parliament

    that the country would stand very

    united with the Black Stars to make

    Ghana proud.

    Mr Speaker, secondly, he has

    raised a very significant issue.

    Thankfully, the Hon Minister for

    Communications and Digitisation is

    here; she may hear us, but she has to

    work with other Ministers, parti-

    cularly the Hon Minister for Trade

    and Industry.

    Mr Speaker, let me paraphrase

    from the Hon Minister's Statement when he says that His Excellency, the

    President, Nana Addo Dankwa

    Akufo-Addo, invited corporate Ghana

    to a breakfast meeting in order to

    raise about US$25 million to support

    the Black Stars by way of funding.

    Mr Speaker, truth is, Govern-ment

    alone cannot adequately fund the

    Black Stars. The worst of it is when

    the Ministry needs money and they

    have to wait for the Hon Minister for

    Finance whose response to any

    demand is, ‘there is no money'; ‘there is no budget'; ‘it is not available'. At the time, the match is only twenty-

    four or forty-eight hours away. When

    the players do not hear that you are

    carrying bonuses along, and that you

    are carrying your empty bag with the

    promise that when they win and you

    get to Accra, you would pay them

    bonuses, it has not been helpful.

    Mr Speaker, but I am coming back

    to what I wholeheartedly support, and

    indeed, it is my position that

    corporate Ghana must finance

    football. I think that a Bill in that

    direction -- Corporate Social Respon- sibility Bill must emanate from the

    Hon Minister for Trade and Industry,

    working in tandem with the Hon

    Minister for Communications and

    Digitisation, so that corporate entities

    -- I know the Hon Annoh-Dompreh has come on the floor of Parliament

    as a specialist on Statements to raise

    the bar on Corporate Social Respon-

    sibility, and what we should direct it

    for. And I do agree with him that the

    corporate world must finance football

    and sports generally but it would

    come with what we call ‘tax rebate' for them for that particular service to

    the Republic of Ghana.

    Statements

    Mr Speaker, but in Ghana, we all

    enjoy corporate entities doing funeral

    donations and wedding donations -- that is none of their business. They

    must focus on the real things, and the

    real things is for them to be able to

    support football.

    Mr Speaker, again, the Hon

    Minister has our support but juvenile

    football is at its lowest ebb of

    development. I am not referring to

    you, but successive Ministers and

    Administrations -- both political and non-political, have failed juveniles in

    this country. And truth be told, it has

    nothing to do with the NPP or NDC.

    Juvenile football in the last two

    decades -- even those who have endeavoured to set up football

    academies cannot finance them, yet,

    talent can only emanate from those

    juveniles with potential to develop

    them into becoming professional,

    valuable football players.

    Mr Speaker, while commending

    the Hon Minister, in March, I had the

    joy of my life when the Hon Minister

    walked to my office with one of the

    players who is now a shining

    example in the Black Stars, Abdul

    Fatawu Issahaku, who plays for my

    team -- I do football and soccer as an additional vocation. The Hon Minister

    walked in when Issahaku won the

    best Under 20 Satellite Player overall

    in Africa. What is significant is that

    since his invitation to the Black Stars,

    his value has gone up. I am now

    negotiating very well with those

    other teams that are interested in him.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:04 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, wo so woka no aye kεse, to wit, your value has gone up, has it
    not?
    Mr Haruna Iddrisu 5:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I
    would share the spoils of it when the
    deal is finally sealed. I am only
    waiting for the boy to be 18 years,
    then I can have a formal contractual
    relationship. To be fair to the Hon
    Minister, just the invitation to be a
    member of the Black Stars made his
    value soar, and he is a brilliant, gifted
    player -- So, we owe it to support you to succeed.
    Mr Speaker, finally as I conclude,
    the Division One and Premier League
    -- my Hon Colleague, the Hon Minister for Employment and Labour
    Relations, Hon Baffour Awuah's team, beat my team two weeks ago in
    the Brong Ahafo area. He has two of
    those clubs at Division One level.
    Mr Speaker, to finance a football
    match, just one weekend, we go
    borrowing because nothing comes
    from the Ghana Football Association
    (GFA) and nothing comes from
    anywhere. So, how are you seeking to
    make football attractive? I had to

    Statements

    transport, at least, 14 to 18 players.

    You have to feed them; you have to

    pay their allowances, and you have to

    pay their monthly stipends. How

    many can afford to do that? Our only

    hope is that when you do spare and

    you are lucky for one major sale, you

    would have recovered the 10 or 20

    years' loss investment in the area. However, if you are unlucky, what

    happens to you? So, Hon Minister,

    juvenile football across the country --

    Mr Speaker, then, the pitches- that is why I said one of my vocations

    at the weekends is to play football.

    Sometimes we come to the Accra

    Sports Stadium. It is not in a good

    state; you easily can develop a knee

    injury just running and falling off a

    pothole with a boot can cause you a

    knee injury, and that is the state of it.

    Mr Speaker, for Tamale Stadium, I

    helped him, and thanks to his

    generosity in maintaining the stadium.

    Grassing and other issues are still a

    problem in the Tamale Stadium. So, I

    am sure in future, the Hon Minister

    has to come back. The Upper East

    Region, and his own corner there, we

    would need a sports stadium in that

    area. If you look at the stadia in the

    Upper West Region and the Volta

    Region, they are not up to scratch.

    You have to plan ahead, but these are

    all matters corporate Ghana should be

    able to work with you in order that

    they can build it and then lease it out.

    Mr Speaker, tolerate me for taking

    too much time. Finally, in Ghana -- with this one, I do not know how the

    Hon Minister would want to work it

    out. In the United Kingdom, they

    have branded football very well and

    so, when you are entering Downing

    Street 10, football is Great Britain,

    innovation is Great Britain. Every

    Ghanaian this weekend is interested in

    the Chelsea vs Manchester United

    scores, not Medeama SC vs Real

    Tamale United (RTU) scores or

    Accra Hearts of Oak vs Kotoko

    scores.

    Mr Speaker, growing up we also

    enjoyed wokum apem a, apem bεba to wit, if you kill a thousand a

    thousand comes. It is lost in our

    vocabulary; the pride with which we

    supported local football particularly

    when you heard - Wey, Wey Una, and

    Sekondi Show Boys. And then, at the

    time the Hon Murtala and others were

    poor like me, they used to scale the

    wall -- [Laughter] --

    Mr Speaker, at the time, Hon

    Murtala was poor like me and we

    used to scale the Kaladan Sports

    Stadium just to catch a glimpse of

    football because we could not afford

    Statements

    to pay. So, we would go holding the

    bricks on the wall or we would plan

    to push the gatekeeper.

    Mr Speaker, on my point, how

    come today, every Ghanaian during

    the weekend is interested in the

    English Premier League, La Liga and

    probably what goes on in France but

    is not interested in what goes on in

    Ghana? So, the Hon Minister has the

    responsibility to rebrand football in

    Ghana, make it competitively attractive

    to Ghanaians and take advantage --

    Mr Speaker, Ghana has lots of

    talent in football and if we provide

    them with better opportunities today,

    they would be the Abedi Peles and

    the Asamoah Gyans of tomorrow.

    However, they need an opportunity

    and as I said, we only take the

    juvenile football seriously when

    foreign scouts come into a region. We

    are then told to get children between

    ages 14 and 17 to come and display.

    We have never heard from Govern-

    ment or Ghana Football Association

    (GFA) sources that they want to

    undertake scouting or a football

    competition to know our talents at

    that level.

    So Mr Speaker, once again, let me

    thank the Hon Minister and assure

    him that we would stand strong with

    him. What the Hon Minister says and

    does are what may divide the support

    behind him, so he must keep the

    solidarity and momentum high and

    we would support him to succeed.

    Hon Dr Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo,

    Hon Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka

    and Hon Mahama Ayariga have been

    there as Ministers. They had some

    modicum of success but we are not

    there yet. The state of football

    development in Ghana, today, is

    abysmal and nothing more. It is

    nothing to be proud of, but the Hon

    Minister can make us proud by

    ensuring that we do not just

    participate in the African Cup of

    Nations (AFCON) but win our fifth

    trophy, and get represented in Qatar

    for the World Cup.

    So Mr Speaker, let me once again

    thank you for the opportunity and

    assure the Hon Minister that the

    country will stand firm and strong

    with him in supporting the Black

    Stars. We expect corporate Ghana to

    be generous with resources to support

    the Hon Minister as he does it. As I

    said earlier, he can quietly engage the

    Hon Minister for Communications

    and Digitalisation. Some of these

    require tact and diplomacy and they

    would be able to find a way to assist

    the Hon Minister by way of sponsor-

    ship, so that the Black Stars can make

    us proud. As for our history, it is one

    of 1960 and 1982. We want to make

    history today so we can say that in the

    Statements

    2020s, this was how the Black Stars

    fared.

    First Deputy Speaker: Yes, Hon

    Majority Chief Whip?

    Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh

    (NPP -- Nsawam-Adoagyiri): Mr Speaker, I thank you for the oppor-

    tunity. I am not a football person but

    I think that the Hon Minority Leader

    has dealt exhaustively with the issues,

    except to say that we need to stop

    being overly dependent on past

    glories. Oftentimes, we hear Ghanaians

    say we have won it four times. I think

    this is enough because many more

    countries have caught up with us,

    hence, we do not have to be overly

    dependent on that past glory.

    I am reliably informed that next

    year, it would be forty years since the

    last time we won the AFCON. Fact

    be told, all other nations in Africa

    have an equal stake in the trophy. We

    should not think that we have some

    special stake in the AFCON. We have

    to train, subject ourselves to the rules,

    and do what we have to do and the

    Hon Minister has set the tone. If you

    listened to the Hon Minority Leader,

    he went round and talked about all the

    sports prescriptions and what they

    should do and ended with the Hon

    Minister for Youth and Sports.

    I dare say that the Hon Minister

    for Youth and Sports cannot do it

    alone. The variables involved in

    sports development since the 1980s

    have changed but we have failed to

    change accordingly. Our best players

    are being attracted outside the

    jurisdiction and that, in itself, weakens

    the local competition we have in our

    country. Why are they leaving? What

    are the measures we have put in place

    to, at least, put some control in, since

    they just leave the shores and we do

    not get that needed quality? The same

    people say that our football is not up

    to standard but we are all out there

    desiring to watch football from other

    jurisdictions such as the English

    Premier League, the Bundesliga, La

    Liga, et cetera. It is all because we

    have not employed and impacted a

    conscious policy to guide it.

    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister

    talks about prayer. Yes, we would

    pray for the team but let us not overly

    depend on spirituality. Let us train,

    employ the right tactics, get the right

    scouts and let the team be ready.

    Currently, I know there are particular

    departments of our Senior National

    Team that have a challenge. I am sure

    that is also not lost on the Hon

    Minister. Can we focus on ensuring

    that the critical departments of our

    Senior National Team are enhanced?

    That is important.

    Statements

    Recently, I was reading the news

    portal of some Ghanaian footballers

    who are strikers in Italy and other

    parts of the world who are doing very

    well. Is it the case that we have shut

    our doors and do not open them wide

    enough to allow all these Ghanaian

    players to come and show what they

    can show as a team? That is a matter

    that we need to look at if, indeed, we

    want to perform and put up one of the

    spirited performances at AFCON.

    The Hon Minority Leader,

    touching on this Corporate Social

    Responsibility (CSR) law, is some-

    thing that maybe, we would leave for

    another day for it to be exhausted. I

    think that it was unfortunate this

    House could not delve into it but I

    pray that we have an appropriate

    opportunity where we can deal with

    that. So, we have nothing to tell you.

    Our spirits and prayers are with you

    but the buck would stop with you. At

    the end of the day, God forbid or

    perish the thought that you do not

    succeed, people would say that it is

    the fault of the Hon Minister for

    Youth and Sports.

    Unfortunately, Hon Ministers for

    Youth and Sports are judged by how

    successfully the national team

    performs. People fail to appreciate

    that the development of our colts and

    juvenile football impacts and has a

    direct bearing on how our national

    team performs. It is when the national

    team performs that you are judged to

    have performed. Unfortunately, that

    is strange and it is something we

    would have to look at.

    So, our prayers are with you but

    we want to see fairness in the

    selection of players who partake and

    represent the country. We want the

    best and must put our best foot

    forward. Also, in the face of the fact

    that next year would be 40 years since

    we last won the trophy, we must

    leave no stone unturned. Let us train

    well, come at the appropriate place

    with the rightful altitude, get our

    tactics and our team management

    right. I am sure that when Ghanaians

    see that there is fairness in the

    selection of players, the support

    which is already there would come.

    Ghanaians support the national team

    but when we begin to sense that there

    is no fairness in the selection of

    players, bonuses are not paid at the

    right time and there are issues coming

    up, that would demoralise the support

    that the Hon Minister is so desirous

    of seeing.

    Mr Speaker, this would be my

    concluding contribution. We want

    you to pay particular attention to

    these areas. We must distinguish

    departments of our national team

    where there are challenges. As I sit

    here, as a lay man who is not a

    Statements

    technical person, there is a challenge

    in the midfield and the striking

    departments of our senior national

    team. I just hope that we would be

    able to crystallise efforts and ensure

    that we develop that.

    Again, the Hon Minority Leader

    said that we should not politicise this

    beautiful sport. When the national

    team succeeds, it is corporate Ghana

    that has succeeded. The tendency for

    people to say we are not in power so

    they should fail, would not help

    anybody. That is an aspect that we all

    need to be weary of, rally around the

    national team, the Hon Minister and

    Corporate Ghana so that at least, the

    next edition to all intent and purposes

    we could bring the trophy home to the

    glory of Mother Ghana and also to the

    glory of the Hon Minister.

    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the

    opportunity.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:24 p.m.
    Very
    well.
    Hon Minister, you have managed to
    bring us together for some time now;
    that is very commendable. On
    another day, I would join in the
    discussion of the youth teams and the
    national teams. As you said, When I
    was growing up, on a day Kotoko
    Football Club and Heart of Oak
    Football Club were playing, the
    whole country was running towards
    the particular stadium. I remember
    Suhum Circle 13; they were very
    popular. They came in their trucks in
    Kumasi. Later at Bekwai, we had the
    Oseei Neoplan team. I was the one-
    man-lead supporter at Koforidua. I
    practiced in Koforidua and when they
    came, I would stop everything I was
    doing to go and support them.
    Hon Leader, we probably sell the
    players too early. The hatchery -- you are taking the eggs before they hatch
    and you give them away. So, getting
    quality players to play for the
    national team is a challenge. When
    we used to run after players, follow
    and cheer them up -- they were really good quality players -- probably, we should reconsider how and when the
    young players can leave the --
    On that note, I wish to assure you
    that the whole House and indeed, the
    whole country will be with you and
    we would support the national team.
    All we can do is pray and cheer them
    up so they can go and perform for us.
    Thank you very much.
    Yes, Hon Majority Chief Whip
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 5:24 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, may I seek your leave to lay
    item numbered 7(a) (i) on behalf of
    the Hon Majority Leader?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:24 p.m.
    On
    what page is item numbered 7(a)(i)?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 5:24 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, it is on page 4.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:24 p.m.
    All
    right. You may proceed.
    PAPERS 5:24 p.m.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 5:24 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I am reliably informed that
    we may have to lay the other Papers
    as well so with your leave if I could
    do that. They are items numbered
    7(a)(ii) and (iii)
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:24 p.m.
    Very
    well, you could proceed with items
    numbered 7(a) (ii) and (iii).
    By the Majority Chief Whip
    (Frank Annoh-Dompreh) (on behalf
    of the Hon Majority Leader) --
    Annual Budget Estimates of
    Parliament and the Parliamentary
    Service for the year 2022
    Referred to the Special Budget
    Committee.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:24 p.m.
    Item
    numbered 7(a)(iii).
    By Majority Chief Whip (Frank
    Annoh-Dompreh) (on behalf of the
    Hon Majority Leader) --
    Annual Budget Estimates of the
    Judiciary and the Judicial Service for
    the year 2022.
    Referred to the Judiciary
    Committee.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:24 p.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Minority Leader?
    Mr Haruna Iddrisu 5:24 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I have just one observation
    so that you could further direct. In
    respect of the Budget Estimates for
    Parliament and the Judiciary, it
    ordinarily should be accompanied by
    a formal letter from the President.
    Many at times we go and ask for it.
    So, if you could further direct that to
    commence proceedings, we always

    Papers

    need to be guided that this is the President's formal communication to the Budget of

    Parliament and the Judiciary.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:24 p.m.
    Very well, I
    so direct.
    Yes, Hon Majority Chief Whip?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 5:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, on
    page 9, we laid the Report for the Committee
    on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs but
    inadvertently left out the one related to the
    Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture
    Development; that is item numbered (s)(i) on
    page 9. We laid item numbered (s)(ii) --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:24 p.m.
    We did both
    and I have marked them.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 5:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I
    take a cue accordingly. I have engaged
    extensively with my respected Hon Minority
    Leader and we have come to an agreement
    that we should Sit at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow. So,
    with your pleasure --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:24 p.m.
    You mean
    we will not have any Reports to debate when
    we come in the morning?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 5:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the
    sense we got from the Committees is that they
    would round up the Reports and there is a
    demand for various correspondence from
    various Ministries and Departments and
    Agencies, and they are almost done with that.
    So for tomorrow, the morning hours would
    afford them ample time to be able to come atop
    the situation. When we Sit at 2 p.m., then all
    these Reports would have crystallised and then
    we could have alacrity and take these Reports.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:24 p.m.
    Very well.
    Yes, Hon Minority Leader?
    Mr Haruna Iddrisu 5:24 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we are
    in your hands; we expect that a number of the
    sectorial Reports could be taken and decisions
    taken on them tomorrow. Whether it is 2 p.m.
    or 12 noon, as you may direct we would
    comply. However, I want to encourage Hon
    Members that this is when we should have real
    attendance and participation in the Business of
    the House and not these numbers, and then to
    remind the Hon Whips that quorum would be
    important going forward.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:24 p.m.
    Very Well.
    Please make sure that there is a lot
    of Business to transact even late into
    the evening.
    ADJOURNMENT 5:24 p.m.