Debates of 15 Dec 2021

MR FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER
PRAYERS 2:27 p.m.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:27 p.m.
Hon
Members, we shall commence with
the correction of Votes and Proceedings
of the Twenty-ninth Sitting of the
Third Meeting held on Tuesday,
December 14, 2021.
Page 1-- 9 --
Dr Kingsley Nyarko 2:27 p.m.
Mr
Speaker, on page 9, item numbered 7,
there is a minor issue. If we could
change the name “Mr Dan Botwe” to “Mr Daniel Botwe”.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:27 p.m.
Is
there any item numbered 7 on page 9?
Dr Kingsley Nyarko 2:27 p.m.
Sorry?
Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:27 p.m.
There is no item numbered 7 on page
9.
Dr Kingsley Nyarko 2:27 p.m.
Really;
where we have, “The following Questions were asked of and
answered by the Hon Minister
responsible for Local Government,
Decentralisation and Rural Develop-
ment, Mr Dan Botwe”? I am suggesting that we write the full
name, Mr Daniel Botwe.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:27 p.m.
Hon
Member, hold on. Sorry, the Votes
and Proceedings before me is that of
Monday, 13th December, 2021. That
explains the confusion.
Yes, item numbered 7, “the Minister responsible for Local
Government, Decentralisation and
Rural Development, Mr Dan Botwe” and what was your complaint about
that?
Dr Kingsley Nyarko 2:27 p.m.
Mr Speaker,
if you look under the attendance, he
is Daniel Botwe but this is ‘Dan Botwe', so I am requesting that we write the “Daniel”. He is Mr Daniel Botwe.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:27 p.m.
Very well.
Page 10 -- 13
Mr Haruna Iddrisu 2:27 p.m.
Mr
Speaker, understandably, the Clerks-
at-the-Table have not captured it
because that is not our practice but
yesterday, I drew your attention to the
Budget Estimates for Parliament and
that of the Judiciary. Pursuant to
article 179 (3) of the 1992 Consti-
tution, in respect of the Judiciary, it is
a legal and constitutional requirement
that the President as an Executive
person responds to their Budget Esti-
mates as presented to him. Therefore,
in laying the Estimates, we are not
just interested in the Estimates laid
here but the accompanying corres-
pondence from the President must
also be added.
Mr Speaker, I heard you direct
the Clerks-at-the-Table on that matter
- Even though it is not captured for the records, for the Budget Estimates
for Parliament and the Judiciary, it
always must be accompanied by that
formal communication from the
President responding to what has
been so forwarded to him so that we
know the numbers that have been
agreed upon.
Mr Speaker 2:27 p.m.
Very well, the
Table Office would take note to make
sure that the Committees are
furnished with the President's comments if they have not done so.
Page 13 -- 18
rose
Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:27 p.m.
Yes, Hon Member for Kwadaso?
Dr Kinsley Nyarko 2:27 p.m.
Mr
Speaker, page 17, item numbered 3,
paragraph (xix) under Attendance,
Mr Michael — I am not sure of this name so if they could check,
“Sakponh”. I am not sure whether it is the right surname -- [Interruption] -- This name is not familiar, that is why I am asking that question -- [Interruption] --
Let them verify.
First Deputy Speaker: The
Clerks-at-the-Table would verify and
if there is an error, they would correct
it.
Page 18 -- 23
Dr Kingsley Nyarko 2:27 p.m.
Mr
Speaker, this one I know -- [Laughter] -- Yes, item numbered (xxiv) is Mr E. O. Osae. He is the
Director-General for Internal Audit
Agency (IAA) but I see Coastal
Development Authority. I believe we
have to cancel the Coastal
Development Authority.
First Deputy Speaker: Hon
Member, very well, the Clerks-at-
the-Table would confer with the

Committee and make the appropriate

corrections.

Page 24 -- 25

Yes, Hon Member for Kwadaso?
Mr Kingsley Nyarko 2:37 p.m.
Mr
Speaker, page 24 Roman numeral
(xxxiv) - Napaga Tia Sulemana is not a mister. I know she is a female but
what I do not know is whether she is
a Mrs or Ms so we have to check and
make corrections as such.
Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:37 p.m.
Very well.
Page numbered 25 … 28.
Hon Members, the Votes and
Proceedings of Tuesday, 14th
December, 2021 as presented and
corrected is hereby adopted as the
true record of proceedings.
We have one very short Official
Report of Thursday, 2nd December,
2021. Any corrections?
  • [No correction was made to the Official Report of Thursday, 2nd December, 2021.]
    • Mr Haruna Iddrisu 2:37 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, as you are aware, I would
    probably have to indulge you but
    because you are in the Chair you may
    not be able to join the Parliamentary
    Service Board meeting which should
    be ongoing.
    Mr Speaker, seeking your leave,
    we would have to go back to the
    Votes and Proceedings of Friday, 10th
    December, 2021. I beg to evoke
    Standing Order 72 to seek your leave
    for the Hon Minister for Energy, to
    probably consider coming back to
    this House to withdraw a Legislative
    Instrument (LI) which was laid
    pursuant to Article 11 of the 1992
    Constitution which is the Petroleum
    Local Content and Local Participa-
    tion Amendment Regulations, 2021.
    Mr Speaker, rightfully and
    justifiably, you referred the matter to
    the Committee on Subsidiary
    Legislation which is appropriate but
    since the 21 days cannot count until
    we go on recess and come back, it is
    my prayer that the Minister for
    Energy withdraws the L.I, engages
    the Committee on Subsidiary
    Legislation at the pre-laying stage
    together with the stakeholders in the
    industry in order to preserve the
    investment climate of our country as
    a safe haven for the attraction of
    Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). So
    that when that consultation is done,

    the Hon Minister can come back to

    lay it.

    However, I would probably

    bring some formal correspondence

    on Tuesday from one or two of the

    major stakeholders to support the

    position and application I am making.

    So that it is withdrawn to allow the

    Committee on Subsidiary Legislation

    to during the recess engage further

    with all the industry stakeholders,

    both upstream and downstream in the

    petroleum industry. This is because

    we need to preserve and protect our

    investment climate and FDI in our

    country within the downstream and

    upstream of the industry. This I pray,

    Mr Speaker.

    Thank you.
    Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh 2:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon Minority
    Leader engaged me on this and
    ordinarily, I should not have any
    objection and in principle, I do not
    have any objection to this. The Hon
    Minority Leader would concede that
    we should have something laid as the
    locus or reason for the Paper to be
    withdrawn or re-laid to pave way for
    further engagements.
    So we should not jump the gun;
    I would want us to get that. I have no doubt, and I have confidence in what the Hon Minority Leader is saying
    but let us get that on record and it could be withdrawn for further engagements with all the relevant stakeholders - pave way for the relaying to be done.
    Mr Speaker, so I support the
    Hon Minority Leader except to say that we must have evidence of some complaint for want of a better expression, from the stakeholders before we can withdraw it.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:37 p.m.
    Yes. I think we should just wait for whatever complaint they have to be brought so that the Hon Minister may be engaged to do what he requested. We will proceed.
    Hon Members, item numbered 5
    -- Urgent Question. It is to be answered by the Hon Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection. The Hon Minister may take her seat now.
    Yes, Hon Majority Chief Whip?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 2:37 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I have engaged my Hon Colleagues and we would seek your leave to vary the order of Business and go on to item numbered 7 and take —
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:37 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, do you mean item numbered 8?

    Papers
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 2:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    with your leave we should instead
    take item numbered 8 (c) on page 6.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:37 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Eric Afful?
    Mr Eric Afful 2:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    thank you for the opportunity.
    The Urgent Question you
    wanted me to ask has been hanging
    for over two months now. I do not
    know if a reason can be given why
    this Question cannot be answered.
    Thank you.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:37 p.m.
    The
    Urgent Question would be answered.
    It is only the order of Business that is
    being changed. Instead of doing the
    Urgent Question now, we would do
    something else and come back to it
    later. I can see the Hon Minister is
    here waiting with her Answer.
    Yes, item numbered 8(c) -- Presentation of Papers by the Hon
    Chairman of Committee.
    PAPERS 2:37 p.m.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:37 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Majority Chief Whip?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 2:37 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, with your leave, may we now go on to item numbered 10 on page 10?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:37 p.m.
    Yes, item numbered 10 -- Motions by the Hon Minister for Transport.
    Minister for Transport (Mr
    Kwaku Ofori Asiamah): Mr Speaker, I would like to plead that you allow my Hon Deputy Minister to take the Motion on my behalf because I am not feeling too well.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:37 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Deputy Minister for Transport?
    Mr Alhassan Tampuli Sulemana 2:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am grateful --
    Mr Frist Deputy Speaker 2:37 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, hold on. Let me listen to the
    Hon Chief Whip.
    Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak
    Muntaka: Mr Speaker, Hon Ministers
    are supposed to move their Motions
    and with the greatest of respect, if the
    Minister were not here, we would
    have insisted that he be fetched to the
    Chamber to move the Motion. So, he
    cannot be seated here and ask his
    Deputy to move the Motion on his
    behalf for the approval of his
    Ministry's Budget.
    I have great confidence in my
    Hon Colleague, the Deputy Minister
    that he can move the Motion but
    please, the substantive Minister
    should do that himself.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:47 p.m.
    Hon
    Minister, why did you want the Hon
    Deputy Minister to move the Motion
    on your behalf?
    Mr K. O Asiamah 2:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    I think that the Hon Minority Chief Whip would attest to the fact that I have always attended to my duties in this House. I do not think that I would ever create an impression or decide that I would not speak in this House. Mr Speaker, the fact of the matter is that I am not well; I have lost my voice and I that is why I want the Hon

    Mr Speaker, but when the debate

    starts, maybe I would --

    Mr Speaker, this is exactly what

    I am doing. I am not trying to run away from my responsibilities and I believe the Hon Minority Chief Whip would attest to this fact.

    Mr Speaker, thank you.
    Alhaji Muntaka 2:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    if the Hon Minister is not too well I would not insist for him to collapse in the Chamber. However, this informa- tion was not given to us so we were not aware and we could not have assumed the reason for asking his Deputy to do that. If this is the reason then we accept that the Hon Deputy Minister could do so on his behalf.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:47 p.m.
    Hon
    Deputy Minister?
    ANNUAL ESTIMATES, 2021
    MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT 2:47 p.m.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:47 p.m.
    Hon
    Chairman of the Committee?
    Chairman of the Committee
    (Mr Kennedy Nyarko Osei): Mr Speaker, I rise to support the Motion

    ably moved by the Hon Deputy Minister and in so doing, I beg to present your Committee's Report.

    1.0 Introduction

    1.1 The Hon. Minister for

    Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, in fulfilment of Article 179 of the 1992 Constitution, presented the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government for the 2022 Financial Year to Parliament on Wednesday, 17h November, 2021.

    1.2 In accordance with Standing

    Orders 140 (4) and 189 of the House, the Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Transport was referred to the Committee on Roads and Transport for consideration and report.

    1.3 The Committee on Wednesday,

    8h December, 2021 met with the Sector Minister, Hon. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, the Chief Director and officials of the Ministry of Transport, Heads of Agencies as well as officials of the Ministry of Finance.

    The Committee is grateful to the

    Hon. Minister and the officials for assisting the Committee in its deliberations.

    1.4 The programme-based budget

    for 2022 covers the Ministry of Transport Headquarters and the following Agencies:

    Maritime and Inland Water Transport

    i. Ghana Ports and Harbours

    Authority

    ii. Ghana Maritime Authority

    iii. Ghana Shippers Authority

    iv. Regional Maritime University

    (RMU)

    v. PSC Terna Shipyard

    vi. Volta Lake Transport Company Limited

    Road 'Transport Services

    i. Driver and Vehicle

    Licensing Authority

    (DVLA)

    ii. National Road Safety

    Authority (NRSA)

    iii. Metro Mass Transport

    Limited (MMT)

    iv. Inter-City STC Coaches

    Limited

    v. Government Technical Training

    Centre (GTTC)

    Aviation

    i. Ghana Civil Aviation

    Authority (GCAA)

    ii. Ghana Airports Company

    Limited (GACL)

    iii. Aircraft Accident and Incident

    Investigation and Preventive

    Bureau

    2.0 Reference Documents

    The Committee referred to the

    following documents during the

    consideration of the Estimates:

    a. The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana;

    b. The Standing Orders of Parliament;

    c. The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the

    Government of Ghana for the

    2022 Financial Year;

    d. The National Medium-Term Development Framework

    2022-2025; and

    e. The Report of the Committee on Roads and Transport on

    the 2021 Budget Estimates of

    the Ministry of Transport.

    3.0 Vision of the Ministry of

    Transport

    The Vision of the Ministry of

    Transport is to create an integrated,

    modally complementary, cost effective,

    safe, secure, sustainable and seamless

    transportation system responsive to

    the needs of society, supporting

    growth and poverty reduction and

    capable of establishing Ghana as a

    transportation hub of West Africa.

    4.0 Mission and Policy Objectives

    4.1 Mission

    The Ministry's Mission is to

    provide leadership and guidance for

    the development of the Transport

    Sector through effective policy

    formulation, market regulation, asset

    management and service provision.

    4.2 Policy Objectives

    The Policy Objectives of the

    Ministry as derived from the

    Medium-Term Development Framework

    are as follows:

    (i) Increase capacity and effi- ciency in port operations;

    (ii) Enhance the contribution of inland waterways for safe

    and efficient transportation

    of goods and people;

    (iii) Ensure effective and efficient flow of goods, services and

    related information to meet

    customer requirement;

    (iv) Improve efficiency and effect-

    tiveness of road transport infrastructure and services; and

    (v) Ensure safety and security

    for all categories of road users.

    5.0 Financial Performance for 2021

    The Ministry of Transport and

    its Agencies was allocated a total

    budgetary amount of GH¢657,839,197.00 to undertake its planned programmes and projects for year 2021. As at the end of September 2021, an amount of GH¢362,921,171.17 out of a sum of GH¢387,557,227.07 released had been expended. A Summary of the 2021 Expenditure by economic classification and sources of funding is shown in Table 1.

    Table 1

    2021 Approved Budget as Against Disbursement as at September 2021

    MoT AND ITS AGENCIES FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
    ITEMS 2:47 p.m.
    APPROVED 2:47 p.m.
    AMOUNT AMOUNT 2:47 p.m.
    PERCENTAGE 2:47 p.m.
    RELEASED 2:47 p.m.
    AS AT 2:47 p.m.
    EXPENDED AS 2:47 p.m.
    COMPENSATI 2:47 p.m.
    ON OF 2:47 p.m.
    MPLOYEES 2:47 p.m.
    SERVICES 2:47 p.m.
    - 2:47 p.m.
    OF MPLOYEES 2:47 p.m.
    SERVICES 2:47 p.m.
    COMPENSATI 2:47 p.m.
    ON 2:47 p.m.
    GOODS AND 2:47 p.m.
    SERVICES - 2:47 p.m.
    - - - - 2:47 p.m.
    CAP 2:47 p.m.
    EX 2:47 p.m.
    DONOR 2:47 p.m.
    GRAND 2:47 p.m.
    TOTAL 2:47 p.m.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:57 p.m.
    Hon
    Ranking Member?
    Ranking Member (Mr Kwame
    G. Agbodza): Mr Speaker, thank you
    for the opportunity to contribute to
    the Motion on the Floor.
    Mr Speaker, a close look at the
    Estimates would suggest that this
    Ministry is largely run on donor
    funds. If we look at Table 1, they
    could only get 11 per cent on the GoG
    component of Goods and Services. In
    the case of CAPEX, they Ministry

    had zero. Under 2022, the

    Government is attempting to double

    the allocation to the Ministry. The

    Nigerians would call this udio money

    -- this means that they mentioned the money but the Ministry would never

    receive the money to use.

    Mr Speaker, when we make

    these allocations sometimes, I am not

    sure whether it is even in the interest

    of the Ministry. On the specific issue

    of maritime programmes, I am still

    not convinced that it is prudent for

    this country for the Hon Minister to

    appoint a Director-General for the

    Keta Port because it is just like

    appointing a Hon Regional Minister

    before a new region is created. There

    is absolutely no reason - in fact, I believe that the bulk of what we are

    doing at Keta towards the

    construction of the port is being done

    by the engineers and consultants of

    the Ghana Ports and Harbour

    Authority. So, I would encourage the

    Hon Minister to liquidate the position

    of the Director-General of the Keta

    Port because it is a drain on the

    country.

    It is not necessary so we can do

    something better with that money.

    Mr Speaker, when it comes to

    road safety, we are in a season where

    we all need to take care when we are

    driving. Mr Speaker, we of this

    House, yourself included changed the

    law from the National Road Safety

    Commission to an Authority in this

    House. The hope was that we would

    give them the necessary tools for

    them to reach every district so that the

    education could go on but as we

    speak, the regulations are not here

    and their presence in the districts are

    not even available.

    So, Mr Speaker, this Budget

    Statement must be able to address

    that. With regard to aviation, I must

    say that I am happy that both Wa and

    Ho airports have finally been

    activated. One can now take a flight

    to Ho and Wa which is a good thing.

    The rest of the projects, Kumasi and

    Tamale are also progressing steadily.

    Even the ones that have been

    completed are also in use.

    Mr Speaker, with these few

    words, there is not much joy in this

    allocation to the Ministry of

    Transport. As I said, it is a repeat of

    the same thing; a fraction of that

    money would be given to them but

    for me significantly, I am happy that

    the Aviation unit has worked well but

    I am saying that the Minister can do

    better by liquidating the position of

    the Director of Keta Port. It is not

    necessary and we can save money if

    we liquidate that.

    Mr Speaker, I thank you for the

    opportunity.
    Dr Emmanuel Marfo (NPP -- Oforikrom) 2:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I rise to
    support the Motion to approve the
    indicated amount for the services of
    the Ministry of Transport for the year,
    2022.
    In supporting the Motion, I am
    excited that the Committee's Report observes that in 2021, the Ministry
    was able to perform the duties for
    which the Budget that is indicated in
    paragraph 50 was assigned to the
    Ministry. I am particularly excited
    about the progress that we observed
    in the transport sector; particularly,
    the fact that there is a financial
    closure to the Boankra Inland Port. I
    believe that the people in the north
    and in the middle part of the country;
    particularly, Kumasi would be very
    excited because this is a project that
    we have been waiting for, for quite
    some time now. So, we are happy that
    there is a financial closure to that deal
    and that hopefully we are able to start
    implementing the project in full.
    Mr Speaker, I would want to
    conclude that the programmes in the
    area of the aviation sector and the
    Road Safety (Amendment) Act that
    has been planned and the supply of
    new buses are all interventions that
    would very much help the transport
    sector.
    Thank you very much, Mr
    Speaker.
    Mr Isaac Adjei Mensah (NDC
    -- Wassa East): Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to
    contribute to the Motion.
    The Ministry of Transport, as
    has already been indicated in the
    Report has been so fortunate and the
    Government has been consistent in
    releasing the requested amount for
    performance in the Ministry and so in
    commenting on their performance, I
    am happy to also commend the
    Ministry for its performance in
    opening up the Wa and Ho Airports.
    The prayer is that it should not be a
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:57 p.m.
    Hon
    Members Order! There is too much
    noise in the Chamber, please.
    Mr Adjei Mensah 2:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    to sustain the commercial flights to
    Ho and Wa, the Ministry should
    make sure that it is viable and by
    getting it to be viable, the Ministry
    should do whatever it takes to ensure
    that private or other investors are
    encouraged to support the Wa and Ho
    Airports.

    Mr Speaker, much has been said

    about the Ministry but of concern is

    also the arbitrary charges by shipping

    lines as has already been mentioned

    by the Chairman. These have

    contributed to the cost of most of the

    products that have been imported to

    this country. Therefore, if efforts are

    made by the Ministry to ensure that

    appropriate laws are made to control

    this situation, that would be most

    appreciated.

    Mr Speaker, the Ministry has

    consistently been given the

    appropriate resources and as already

    mentioned in the Report, there is not

    much to say about it but just to

    support the Minister's request and to request that the allocated Budget be

    supported going forward.

    Thank you.

    Question put and Motion agreed

    to.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:57 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Majority Whip?
    Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh 2:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I guess we can now go
    on to item numbered 12 on page 11.

    Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak

    Muntaka -- rose --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:57 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Muntaka?
    Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka 2:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, there was an application
    to do just that Motion. I would be
    grateful if we could go back to
    Questions so that Hon Members
    could ask their Questions.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 2:57 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I am in total agreement with
    my Hon Colleague so we can now
    revert to Questions.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:57 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Minister, you may take
    your seat now.
    Hon Member for Amenfi West,
    you may ask your Question now.

    Hon Afful, should I move on to

    another person?
    URGENT QUESTIONS 2:57 p.m.
    MINISTRY OF GENDER, 2:57 p.m.
    CHILDREN AND SOCIAL 2:57 p.m.
    PROTECTION 2:57 p.m.
    Mr Eric Afful (NDC -- Amenfi West) 2:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to
    ask the Minister for Gender, Children
    and Social Protection what steps are
    being taken by the Ministry to
    remove the children who are on the

    high streets of Accra and other

    regional capitals hawking and

    begging, as these activities cause

    injuries, traffic congestion, and

    accidents to road users.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:57 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Minister?
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 2:57 p.m.
    Hon
    Minister, kindly hold on.
    Yes, Hon Leader?
    Alhaji Muntaka 3:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    the Question is for the Minister for
    Gender, Children and Social
    Protection but this this House has no
    official correspondence that the Hon
    Minister for Sanitation and Water
    Resources is temporarily holding the
    fort. So, I thought that it is only
    proper for the records for the
    Leadership to draw our attention that
    she is doing this as a holding Minister
    for the Minister for Gender, Children
    and Social Protection. Mr Speaker,
    we do not have that official
    communication, so for her to just
    move in would be ambushing us. So,
    we would be grateful if we are told
    why the —
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:07 p.m.
    She
    has actually appeared to answer
    Questions in that Ministry, and this is
    the second time, so that information
    has been in our records already.
    Earlier, she had come to answer the
    Questions last week. Hon Minister, is
    that right? Last week. So, we have
    record that she is the Minister —
    Alhaji Muntaka 3:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    that was for last week. As you may
    know, the Hon Minister's temporary occupation of that office is not a
    permanent one. So, that was for last
    week. We may not know whether she
    is still acting because, like you know,
    the President has not written to this
    House to tell us that between this
    period and that period, she would be
    holding the fort. So, it is only proper
    that we are reminded that she is the
    one to keep that office running.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:07 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Majority Chief Whip?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 3:07 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, you were spot-on when you
    rightly observed that the Hon
    Minister has been in the House a
    couple of times to answer Questions
    related to the Ministry of Gender,
    Children and Social Protection. That
    notwithstanding, let me, for the
    records, seek your leave for the Hon
    Minister for Sanitation and Water
    Resources to answer the Question on

    behalf of the Minister for Gender,

    Children and Social Protection.
    Alhaji Muntaka 3:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    we have no objection.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:07 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Minister, you may now
    answer the Question.
    Minister for Sanitation and
    Water Resources (Ms Cecilia
    Abena Dapaah) (on behalf of the
    Minister for Gender, Children and
    Social Protection): Thank you, Mr
    Speaker.
    The Ministry has put in place
    plans and strategies to address the
    problem of the children who are
    begging and hawking on the streets of
    Accra and other regional capitals. Mr
    Speaker, 275 street children have
    already been rescued. A total of
    57have reunited with their families
    and 12 have been enrolled in schools
    and vocational training institutes.
    The rescued children are sent to our
    Children's Shelter where they are screened, rehabilitated, and reinte-
    grated with their families.
    Mr Speaker, the Ministry is
    carrying out “Operation Get Off the Streets and Live a Better Life” and it is being led by the Hon Minister for
    Sanitation and Water Resources, who
    is also doubling as the Caretaker
    Minister for Gender, Children and
    Social Protection. The main objective
    of this Operation is to engage the
    street connected people, sensitise
    them on child protection laws of
    Ghana, including other laws, that
    prohibit begging such as the Destitute
    and Beggars Decree 1969, and
    dangers of hawking on our streets.
    We advise them to look for jobs to do,
    send their children to school, and
    leave the streets completely.
    The Ministry has also
    introduced Fostering Programme
    which places vulnerable children
    including children on the streets with
    foster parents. So far, 245 children
    have been placed with foster parents
    who have been trained, certified, and
    registered. We have trained a total of
    904 foster parents so far for possible
    placements.
    Mr Speaker, reunification,
    reintegration, and rehabilitation of
    children on the streets who are
    Ghanaians is also ongoing. Other
    interventions include the District
    Level Approach. Tackling the
    problem at the district levels has been
    found to be an effective strategy
    considering Section 16 of the
    Children's Act, 1998. This provision states that the District Assemblies are
    responsible for the protection of
    children who live within their
    jurisdiction.

    Mr Speaker, we shall continue

    to engage and collaborate with the

    Metropolitan, Municipal, and District

    Assemblies (MMDAs) so that

    District Assemblies will take up this

    responsibility of rescuing children

    and other vulnerable persons found in

    street situations in their jurisdiction.

    This, we believe, will help tackle the

    issue of streetism holistically.

    Mr Speaker, it is in view of this

    that the new initiative, Integrated

    Social Service (ISS) Programme, is

    being piloted in 100 districts in

    collaboration with the Office of the

    Head of Local Government Service.

    The ISS Programme serves as a

    vehicle to bring all relevant stake-

    holders together to deal with issues of

    children and families found to be at

    risk of all forms of vulnerabilities.

    Through this Programme, District

    integrated Social Service (ISS)

    TEAMS, led by Department of Social

    Welfare, have initiated activities to

    address these challenges of children

    and families in street situations.

    Mr Speaker, all the above are

    being done within the framework of

    the National Child and Family

    Welfare Policy to guide the actions of

    child protection Actors in the formal

    and informal sectors, and to ensure

    effective and efficient co-ordination

    among stakeholders.

    Furthermore, a strategic document

    on street-connected children is

    currently being developed. Stake-

    holder consultation on street

    connected people was held on 28th

    October, 2021, in Accra with inputs

    from broad stakeholders. This will be

    followed by other activities to firm up

    the plan and seek stakeholders' commitment.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:07 p.m.
    Yes, you may ask your follow-up
    questions.
    Mr Afful 3:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, let me
    thank the Hon Minister for her
    Answer to the Question. But I would
    also like to know from the Hon
    Minister if she is aware that most of
    these children under consideration
    are foreigners with their parents in
    Ghana, mostly from Chad, Niger,
    Mali, Somalia, and others. If she is
    aware, what programme is the
    Ministry designing with the Ministry
    of Foreign Affairs and Regional
    Integration to perpetuate their stay in
    the country or otherwise?
    Ms Dapaah 3:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    indeed, we have had a data collection
    made, and we have 66,000 people
    living on the streets. We are engaging
    them as I speak. We sent sections of
    the officers, and I led a section to go
    to three hotspots. What we have
    gathered is that of all the places went

    to, all of them were from Niger. So,

    we have started drafting letters

    through the Ministry of Foreign

    Affairs to the Niger Embassy to

    negotiate with them for their

    evacuation. They did, indeed, tell us

    that they are willing to go back.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:07 p.m.
    Yes?
    Mr Afful 3:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank
    you. That is all right for now.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:07 p.m.
    Very well. We move on to the
    Question numbered 253 in the name
    of the Hon Member for Klottey
    Korle, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-
    Rawlings.
    ORAL ANSWERS TO 3:07 p.m.
    QUESTIONS 3:07 p.m.
    MINISTRY OF GENDER, 3:07 p.m.
    CHILDREN AND SOCIAL 3:07 p.m.
    PROTECTION 3:07 p.m.
    Ms Dapaah 3:17 a.m.
    The Ministry of
    Gender, Children and Social Protec-
    tion held stakeholders meeting on
    street-connected people to identify
    stakeholders and share responsibilities
    within the collaborative framework.
    The Ministry is currently
    developing a strategic plan to guide
    implementation of the “Operation Get off the Streets and Live a Better
    life”.

    The Ministry is collaborating

    with MMDAs to enforce the

    Children's Act 560 (1998). Meanwhile, because of the urgent

    nature…

    The Ministry is carrying out

    “Operation Get off the Streets and Live a Better Life” and it is being led by the Hon Minister for Sanitation

    and Water Resources, who is also

    doubling as the caretaker Minister for

    Gender, Children and Social

    Protection. The main objective of this

    operation is to engage the street-

    connected people, sensitise them on

    child protection laws of Ghana,

    including other laws that prohibit

    begging such as the Destitute and

    Beggars Act, 1969 and dangers of

    hawking on our streets. We advised

    them to look for jobs to do, send their

    children to school, and leave the

    streets completely. Almost all those

    we met during the operation were

    foreigners and our next step is to get

    their Embassies involved to get those

    who are still on the streets back to

    their respective countries.

    Mr Speaker, the Ministry has

    introduced a fostering programme

    which places vulnerable children,

    including children on the streets, with

    foster parents. So far, 245 children

    have been placed with foster parents

    who have been trained, certified, and

    registered. We have trained a total of

    904 foster parents so far for possible

    placement of children. We are

    carrying out reunification, reinte-

    gration, and rehabilitation of children

    on the streets who are Ghanaians.
    Dr Agyeman-Rawlings 3:17 a.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, given the complexity of
    human trafficking and the fact that
    we are now aware of potential sleeper
    cells, what exactly is the timeline that
    the Ministry is using to repatriate
    these persons; the immediacy of
    removing them from our ceremonial
    streets, especially as a lot of motorists
    have been physically assaulted by
    some of these persons?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:17 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Minister?
    Ms Dapaah 3:17 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, if I
    heard the Hon Member right, she is
    asking about timelines. Yes, Mr
    Speaker, as I said earlier, we are
    engaging the Embassies, especially
    the Embassy of Niger through our
    Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
    Regional Integration because this is a
    diplomatic negotiation that we need
    to have with them. As a result of the
    exercise we carried out on the 10th
    December, 2021, we have realised
    that the hotspots that we visited have
    left. We are also working with the
    Metropolitan, Municipal, and District
    Assemblies (MMDAs) to make sure
    that there is a constant patrol of their
    officials to make sure they do not stay
    on the streets.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:17 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    Dr Agyeman-Rawlings 3:17 a.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, is the Hon Minister aware of
    the fact that as we speak, these people
    she is referring to as having been
    removed are still on the islands of our
    main streets? We have them at the
    Independence Avenue, the National
    Theatre, as well as near the Asylum
    Down intersection. These are just the

    names of the places in my

    constituency.

    So, who is responsible for

    making sure that they do not come

    back if, indeed, they have all been

    removed, because as we speak, these

    children with their adult guardians

    are still begging and causing mayhem

    on the streets.
    Ms Dapaah 3:17 a.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    indeed, they are all over Accra, and
    they have hotspots where they
    operate from. We have learnt that
    there are vehicles that come to drop
    them in the mornings and come to
    pick them up in the evenings. We
    have also done our groundwork to
    know that they have a place they go
    to sleep in the evenings. We are going
    to engage them at that scene as well.
    Meanwhile, as I said, Mr Speaker, the
    MMDAs are involved and we would
    continue to work with them to make
    sure they leave our streets, especially
    these children who are exposed to
    accidents, et cetera..
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:17 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Agyeman-Rawlings?
    Dr Agyeman-Rawlings 3:17 a.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, in the Hon Ministers
    Answer, she restricts her response to
    those she is collaborating with as
    mainly the MMDAs. What is the
    involvement of the Police and the
    National Security, given the threat of
    the infiltration of sleeper cells into
    our country by foreign nationals?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:17 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Minister?
    Ms Dapaah 3:17 a.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    because of the sensitive nature of the
    exercise, we wanted the civilians to
    start work in that area. When it comes
    to the crunch, we would involve the
    security personnel.
    Mr Speaker, thank you.
    Mrs Angela Oforiwa Alorwu-
    Tay -- rose --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:17 a.m.
    Very well.
    Yes, Hon Member for Afadzato
    South?
    Mrs Alorwu-Tay 3:17 a.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    thank you.
    Mr Speaker, may I know from
    the Hon Minister if she has a fair idea
    of the number of children who have
    been reintegrated, and also whether
    Ghanaian children and mothers are
    also in the capital city of Niger doing

    the same thing? I would want to

    know.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:17 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Minister?
    Ms Dapaah 3:17 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am
    not aware of any Ghanaian children
    doing same in Niger, and that is why
    we are forcing them to leave our
    streets.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:17 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Member for Afram Plains
    South? Your constituency is rather
    Afram Plains North, right?
    Ms Betty Nana Efua Krosbi
    Mensah: Mr Speaker, please my
    constituency is Afram Plains North.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:17 a.m.
    Very well.
    Ms B. N. E. K. Mensah 3:17 a.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I thank the Hon caretaker
    Minister for Gender, Children and
    Social Protection, but in her
    response, most of the strategies of the
    Ministry are geared towards
    removing foreign nationals in the
    country. We are all aware and we
    know that most of these people
    begging on the street are Ghanaians,
    especially the aged and the
    physically-challenged, who are living
    below the poverty line. I would like
    to know from the Hon Minister, the
    exact measures that are being put in
    place to train and empower them to
    leave the streets completely.
    Ms Dapaah 3:17 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, the
    very young ones cannot be trained yet. They have to be sent to school. There are some that have been reunited with their families. Some have also been placed in foster homes. For those who are older and can work, we have trained some of them in various vocational skills, and they are engaged and earning money. Some parents who are so vulnerable that they cannot even go out to work to earn money would be put on the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme. Some have already been put on the LEAP, and the rest would, by and by, be put on it. But, essentially, the young ones are sent back to school. We have put some also in a shelter to make sure that they are off the street and out of danger.
    Ms Abla Dzifa Gomashie 3:17 a.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, it is reassuring to hear the efforts that are being made, but the truth of the matter remains that the image of children running in between vehicles paints a bad image of our country. We may be touted as doing well in Ghana, but when people come to our country, what they see is what they leave with, and there are no two ways about it. So, I think that there is a way the Hon Minister can engage with her Hon Colleague Members of

    Parliament for them to come to the table to have a proper discussion on how we can get these children off the streets. It is not as if the efforts have never been made, but why are we not succeeding in getting the children permanently off our streets? We can probably learn from other countries —
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:27 p.m.
    Hon Member, can you ask the question? The commentary is getting too long. Conclude with the question, please.
    Ms Gomashie 3:27 p.m.
    Hon Minister,
    why are we not succeeding in getting
    the children off the streets
    permanently?
    Ms Dapaah 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, we
    would continue to engage as the Hon
    Member has proposed, but a
    permanent solution would depend on
    a number of factors. That is what I
    enumerated earlier. We would still
    continue to engage and make sure we
    give what we are doing a human face
    because of the children involved. We
    would want to see our big cities rid of
    these street children and women from
    foreign lands. They have no business
    being in Ghana and walking on the
    street doing nothing apart from
    begging.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:27 p.m.
    Very well. I will move on to the next
    Question numbered 254 which stands
    in the name of the Hon Member for
    Klottey Korle, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-
    Rawlings.
    Plans to Develop Efua Sutherland
    Children's Park into an Outdoor Recreational Park
    Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings
    (NDC -- Klottey Korle): Mr Speaker, I beg to ask the Minister for
    Gender, Children and Social
    Protection what plans the Ministry
    has to develop the Efua Sutherland
    Children's Park into an outdoor recreational park.
    Ms Dapaah 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the
    Ministry of Gender, Children and
    Social Protection has developed a
    proposal to transform the children's ark into a child-friendly playing
    facility with the protection of the
    environment in mind.
    A multi-sectoral technical
    committee is being constituted to
    oversee the process, and as part of
    their terms of reference, they would
    be tasked to look for resources for the
    development of the park, including
    the exploration of Public Private
    Partnership (PPP). Mr Speaker, we
    are using this platform to encourage
    Hon Members of Parliament, private

    sectors, individuals, and philan-

    thropists to come on board.

    We are also having discussions

    with the Ministry of Railways

    Development on their proposal to

    redevelop the park as part of the

    construction of a railway line

    between Accra and Adentan, which

    when developed will pass along the

    park with a station. This has just

    touch based with the Hon Minister

    for Railways Development who said

    he would have to look at it and the

    Ministry would also have a look to

    review this. We are still waiting for

    more proposals to pick the best for

    the park to be developed.
    Dr Agyeman-Rawlings 3:27 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, am I to understand from the
    Hon Minister's Answer that this park, which is probably the only public
    green zone in this part of Accra,
    would have a railway going through
    it, depriving the city of a green area?
    Ms Dapaah 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the
    proposal was made and I said that it
    is being reviewed vis-à-vis the new
    trend that we want to engage
    stakeholders on.
    Dr Agyeman-Rawlings 3:27 p.m.
    Could
    the Hon Minister kindly give
    specifics with regard to the
    guidelines or the criteria that would
    govern the development of what is to
    be an outdoor recreational area?
    Would this involve a proper green
    area or would it be transformed into
    something else?
    Ms Dapaah 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the
    eco concern would be part of any
    development that would take place.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:27 p.m.
    Hon Member, are you done? You
    have one more opportunity, so let us
    hear it.
    Dr Agyeman-Rawlings 3:27 p.m.
    No,
    Mr Speaker. I did not get the answer
    to my question with regard to the
    details of what this development
    would entail.
    Ms Dapaah 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I
    earlier stated that we are looking at a
    number of proposals, and the concern
    of keeping the greenery intact or
    making sure that we keep a lot of the
    trees and the eco-friendly
    environment would be done.
    Dr Agyeman-Rawlings 3:27 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, would the Hon Minister be
    kind enough to share the details when
    the engagement with the proposed
    stakeholders on this project are
    available in order for some kind of an
    assessment to be made on whether it
    adheres to the guideline of what a
    green zone should be when the time
    comes?
    Ms Dapaah 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, with
    due respect, standing here, I cannot
    give any details, but what I can say is
    that we are still waiting for proposals,
    so nothing is definite.
    Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza
    -- rose --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:27 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member for Adaklu?
    Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in the Answer of the
    Hon Minister, she suggested that
    there was a proposal to take a railway
    line through the park and probably,
    put up a station. Mr Speaker, that
    would be a disaster!
    Mr Speaker, could the Hon
    Minister assure this House that we
    would not put a train station under
    any condition at the children's park under any of the proposals? Could
    she assure this House?
    Ms Dapaah 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I did
    say, and I would beg of you to repeat
    that I have just conferred with the
    Hon Minister for Railways
    Development, and it is not on the
    books now.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:27 p.m.
    Very well, I would proceed to the
    next Question in the name of the Hon
    Member for Bunkpurugu, Mr Abed-
    Nego Azumah Bandim.
    Contact Details of LEAP
    Beneficiaries in the Bunkpurugu-
    Nakpaduri District
    Mr Abed-Nego Azumah Bandim
    (NDC -- Bunkpurugu): Mr Speaker, I beg to ask the Minister for
    Gender, Children and Social
    Protection the list and contact details
    of all beneficiaries on the Livelihood
    Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP)
    programme in the Bunkpurugu-
    Nakpanduri District.
    Ms Dapaah 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the
    LEAP programme, as an initiative,
    has its operations guided by the Data
    Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843) which
    seeks to protect data of the vulnerable
    and any individuals whose data have
    been collected by the programme for
    the purpose of research and providing
    intervention or safeguard to the
    vulnerable in the society.
    Mr Speaker, in view of the Act,
    we are therefore providing you a
    summary of the numbers of
    beneficiaries in each community in
    the District as provided in Table 1.

    Table 1.

    Data on LEAP Beneficiaries in the Bunkpurugu-Nyakpanduri District
    BUNKPURUGU- 3:27 p.m.
    NYAKPANDURI 3:27 p.m.
    NUMBER OF 3:27 p.m.
    HOUSEHOLDS 3:27 p.m.
    INDIVIDUAL 3:27 p.m.
    MEMBERS 3:27 p.m.
    BUNKPURUGU- 3:27 p.m.
    NYAKPANDURI 3:27 p.m.
    NUMBER OF 3:27 p.m.
    HOUSEHOLDS 3:27 p.m.
    INDIVIDUAL 3:27 p.m.
    MEMBERS 3:27 p.m.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:27 p.m.
    Hon
    Minister, kindly table it, so that the Clerks-at-the-Table - It is part of the Answer.
    Hon Member for Bunkpurugu,
    any follow-up question?
    Mr Bandim 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, in the
    Hon Minister's Answer, she made reference to the Data Protection Act that limits her to provide the information I seek. Could she be specific as to the provisions in the Act that she referenced?
    Ms Dapaah 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the
    relevant portions have been quoted. I said this Act “seeks to protect data of the vulnerable and any individuals whose data has been collected by the programme for the purposes of research and provides intervention or safeguard to the vulnerable in the society”.
    Mr Bandim 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I
    actually asked for the provision, but she has quoted something else --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:27 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, the provision is published, so kindly find it out yourself.
    Mr Bandim 3:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, it is
    not published --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:37 a.m.
    Sorry, what I mean is that the law is a
    public document. The Library of
    Parliament has it, so he can always
    find out.
    Mr Bandim 3:37 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, very
    well. Can the Hon Minister provide
    the House with the category or the
    process by which people are
    selected? What is the qualification for
    selecting people as beneficiaries?
    Ms Dapaah 3:37 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, we
    can, so we would provide it later.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:37 a.m.
    Yes, you have one more opportunity.
    Mr Bandim 3:37 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, I
    would have wished that the Hon
    Minister would have this information
    and not go and come back with the
    information I am requesting.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:37 a.m.
    Hon
    Member, I am being very generous.
    We are guided by rules. Follow-up
    questions should not introduce new
    subjects. What you are asking for is
    procedure. Early on, you asked for
    information that is provided, do she
    said she would provide the procedure
    another time. If you want to ask
    another question, please go on.
    Mr Bandim 3:37 a.m.
    Mr Speaker, that would be all.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:37 a.m.
    Very well
    .
    rose
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:37 a.m.
    Yes, Hon Member, do you want to ask her a question? Very well, Hon Minister, thank you for attending upon the House to answer Questions. You are discharged.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 3:37 a.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I would seek your kind leave for us to go back to the Presentation of Papers and take the item numbered 12 on page 11.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:37 a.m.
    Hon
    Members, the item numbered 12 is a Motion but not Presentation of Papers.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 3:37 a.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    rightly so; it is a Motion.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:37 a.m.
    Very well. The item numbered 12 — Motion by the Minister for Railways Development.
    ANNUAL ESTIMATES, 2022
    MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS 3:37 a.m.
    DEVELOPMENT 3:37 a.m.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:37 a.m.
    Yes,
    Hon Chairman of the Committee?
    Chairman of the Committee
    (Mr Kennedy O. Nyarko): Mr Speaker, I beg to support the Motion and in doing so, I present your Committee's Report:
    1.0 Introduction
    1.1 In accordance with article 1

    1.2 The Committee, consequently met with the Hon. Deputy Minister for Railway Development, Mr. Kwaku Asante-Boateng, the Chief Director, Head of Agencies and Officials of the Ministry on Wednesday, 8th December 2021, and considered the referral. Officials of the Ministry of Finance were in attendance to assist the Committee in its deliberations.

    The Committee expresses its appreciation to the Hon. Minister and his team and Officers from the Ministry of Finance for providing the needed clarification.

    2.0 Reference Documents

    The Committee made reference to the under-listed documents during its deliberations:

    The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.

    The Standing Orders of the Parliament of Ghana.

    The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Govern- ment of Ghana for the 2021 Financial Year.

    The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Govern- ment of Ghana for the 2022 Financial Year.

    The National Medium-Term Development Framework (NMTDF) for the period 2018- 2021.

    The Report of the Committee on Roads and Transport on the 2021 Annual Budget Estimates of the Ministry of Railway Development.

    3.0 Implementing Agencies

    The following Agencies under

    the Ministry are responsible for the implementation of its programmes and activities:

    Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA); and

    Ghana Railway Company Limited (GRCL).

    4.0. Mission and Policy Objectives

    4.1 Mission

    The Ministry's Mission is to

    provide leadership and guidance for the development of Ghana's railway system and associated infrastructure through effective policy formulation, investment promotion and research and development.

    4.2. Policy Objectives

    The objectives of the Ministry

    are to:

    Modernise and extend railway

    network.

    Ensure effective and efficient

    flow of goods, services and

    related information to meet

    customer needs.

    Develop associated infrastructure.

    Review and develop policies that

    will enhance well-functioning

    and self-financing regulatory

    bodies in a competitive environ-

    ment.

    5.0. Financial Performance for

    Year 2021

    The Ministry of Railway

    Development in the 2021 fiscal year

    was allocated a total amount of

    GH¢512,575,692.00 for its prog-

    rammes and activities.

    As at September 2021, a total

    amount of GH¢267,872,822.50

    representing 52.26 per cent of the

    Ministry's approved budget had been

    expended. Table 1 below gives the

    breakdown of the expenditure.

    Table 1

    Breakdown of Expenditure for Year 2021

    CLASSIFICATION 2021 RELEASES ACTUALS VARIANCE %

    GH¢ GH¢ GH¢ GH¢

    Compensation GOG 3,759,944.00 2,285,158.96 2,285,158.96 1,474,785.04 39.22

    Goods & GOG 11,879,665.00 7,702,319.47 6,738,826.51 4,177,345.53 35.16

    Services

    IGF 1,284,000.00 964,000.00 953,924.73 320,000.00 24.92

    CAPEX GOG 6,943,815.00 6,943,815.00 5,595,816.88

    ABFA 120,000.000.00 90.000,000.00 69,734,670.84 30,000,000.00 25.00

    IGF 300,000.00 300,000.00 134,456.38

    DEVT. 368,408,268.00 182,429,968.20 182,429,968.20

    185,978,299.8

    0

    50.48
    FUND 3:37 a.m.
    SOURCES OF 3:37 a.m.
    FUNDS 3:37 a.m.
    ITEMS GOG IGF ABFA DPFUND TOTAL 3:37 a.m.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:47 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Ranking Member?

    Ranking Member of the

    Committee (Mr Kwame G.

    Agbodza): Mr Speaker, I thank you

    for the opportunity to contribute to

    this Motion.

    Mr Speaker, once again, the

    bulk of the allocation given to this

    Ministry in 2021 was not released.

    The bulk of the moneys they had was

    what the development partners spent

    in relation to the Mpakadan Project

    so far.

    Mr Speaker, in 2021, the

    Ministry projected to spend Gh₵3.7 million on Compensation. As at

    September this year, they had drawn

    down less than 40 per cent. There

    must be something wrong because by

    end of September, they should be

    drawing down about 70 per cent of

    the Compensation, so it is either they

    did not recruit the people or they

    refused to pay them. I do not know

    why they would have a situation

    where their compensation budget is

    under-utilised. Yet, in 2022, they are

    projecting to spend GH₵5.2 million when they could not even utilise

    much of what they were given in

    2021. Mr Speaker, it does not add up.

    I think the Ministry must explain.

    Mr Speaker, we are aware of the

    Tema-Mpakadan Project, but

    actually, the name of the Project is

    Tema-Akosombo. It was the former

    Hon Minister for Railways Develop-

    ment that changed the alignment to

    Tema-Mpakadan, but the official

    name of the Project must still remain

    Tema-Akosombo because that is

    what the contract is. Mr Speaker, we

    are told that the Project is 90 per cent

    complete. The problem is that, if that

    project is completed next year as we

    are told, it may not inure to the

    benefit of Ghanaians as required

    because when one gets to Mpakadan,

    there is not a terminal. They said they

    are going to do a temporary terminal,

    but Mr Speaker, anybody who knows

    Mpakadan — what would be the motivation to move containers from

    Tema to Mpakadan — What is one going to do with it?

    Unless one builds — we have a situation where we can put them back

    on a barge on a Volta Lake and then

    take them to Yapei.

    So as long as we do not have an

    eminent project to build a platform

    across the River. This project would

    remain a white elephant when it is

    completed and I encourage the Hon

    Minister to do something about it.

    Mr Speaker, surprisingly, I did

    not see anything about the sky train

    as regards when it would be

    completed. While my good Friend,

    the Hon Minister is here, I would

    encourage him to make it conclusive.

    Are we going to have a sky train or

    not? If we were going to have it, I was

    expecting that something about it

    would have been in the Budget

    Statement. I am disappointed in how

    the Ministry of Roads and Highways

    utilised their own figures in terms of

    the things that are under their control

    such as the compensation. Maybe,

    the Hon Minister can explain to us

    why they are under-utilising their

    compensation.

    Mr Speaker, there is something

    that we should also be aware of. We

    are told that we are expanding our rail

    network and we should be building

    capacity in terms of maintenance for

    when the developers would finish

    and leave the shores. We would like

    the Hon Minister to continue to

    explain to us how that capacity

    building would be quicker because

    from next year, when the Mpakadan

    project, for instance, is completed

    and handed over to us, Ghanaians

    must be able to get on board and

    maintain this rail line even if it is not

    in use.

    Mr Speaker, with these few

    words, I wish we could get more from

    this but at this moment, it is a bit of

    an unfinished job. Thank you for the

    opportunity.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:47 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Vice Chairman?
    Vice Chairman of the
    Committee (Mr Alex Tetteh
    Djornobuah): Mr Speaker, thank
    you very much for the opportunity. I
    rise to support the Motion and in
    doing so, I would like to urge both
    Sides of the House to support and
    approve the Budget for the Ministry
    of Railways Development which is
    an amount GH¢575,970,000.
    Mr Speaker, railway in terms of
    transport, is the second fastest in the
    world and as a nation, we need to
    emphasise more on our railway line.
    In spite of inadequate resources
    allocated to the Ministry in 2021, it
    has done marvellous work, and as a
    nation we need to commend the
    Ministry and its Agencies. As my
    Hon Colleague said, we need to
    operationalise the Tema-Mpakadan
    project and in doing so, the Ministry
    is acquiring nine passenger
    locomotives, 45 passenger coaches,
    15 flight locomotives and others in
    order to operationalise the Tema-
    Akosombo railway line.
    Mr Speaker, one area that I
    would like to commend the Ministry
    of Railways Development on is the
    reactivation of the training college
    into a university. This year, the
    Ministry, in collaboration with the

    University of Mines and Technology,

    Tarkwa, has admitted 300 students to

    pursue the various courses in

    Bachelor of Science (BSc) Mecha-

    nical Engineering, BSc Aeronautical

    and Electronic Engineering, Computer

    Science and others.

    Mr Speaker, the Ministry has

    also emphasised in the Report that

    they are going to reactivate the

    workshop in order to maintain the

    locomotive and other coaches that

    have been imported into the country.

    Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I

    would like to urge the Ministry of

    Finance and the Government, as a

    matter of urgency, to support the

    Ministry of Railways Development

    to develop our railways in order to

    ease the traffic on our various roads.

    Thank you, very much for the
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:47 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    Mr Isaac Adjei Mensah (NDC
    -- Wassa East): Thank you Mr Speaker, for giving me the
    opportunity to contribute to the
    Motion on the Floor.
    Encroachment on railway lands
    has been one of the major problems
    confronting the smooth operation of
    the Ghana Railway Development
    Authority (GRDA). The problem, Mr
    Speaker, has been that for some time
    now, when opportunities are given
    for us to discuss railway issues, the
    issue of railway land encroachment,
    has been at the fore. The critical
    concern has been that the Authority
    has not taken steps to ensure that they
    have titles to these lands and because
    of the fact that they do not have titles
    to these lands, it encourages
    encroachment of these areas. What
    we see now is the erection of
    residential homes, buildings,
    warehouses and many more within
    the Western Railway Track. So, it is
    recommended that the Ministry
    should take the appropriate steps,
    first of all, to ensure that they have
    titles to their lands and also try to
    ensure that encroachment has been
    brought to a reasonable control.
    Mr Speaker, one other aspect of
    the issue that was a concern to the
    Committee was the issue relating to
    the monitoring of works and
    programmes. In 2021, it was
    recorded that they planned to have 10
    monitoring rounds, unfortunately, we
    were able to have only five with
    them. Because of the fact that there
    had not been appropriate monitoring,
    all these lands have been encroached
    and illegal activities, such as illegal
    mining, are springing in these areas.
    The Committee recommended that

    the Ministry should take appropriate

    steps to ensure that all these lands

    including those that have titles are not

    encroached by illegal miners.

    Mr Speaker, it came to the

    realisation of the Committee that

    staffing and office accommodation is

    also a problem for the Ministry.

    Therefore, if they can perform their

    work judiciously, then the

    appropriate support must be given to

    them, so that they can recruit

    qualified staff and also have the

    appropriate office accommodation to

    aid their work. Since some of these

    things are not happening, the

    performance of the Ministry for

    Railways Development would be a

    matter of a challenge. Therefore, the

    request that the Government gives

    the appropriate support to this

    Ministry would be appreciated.

    Mr Speaker, with these few

    words, I would like to ask that the

    Ministry should accordingly take

    steps to rectify all those areas that we

    have enumerated as being a challenge

    Question put and Motion agreed

    to.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 3:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    I guess we can now go on to
    presentation of Papers and take item
    numbered 89 (b) (iii) on page 5. Mr
    Speaker, I would like to seek your
    leave for the Deputy Minister for
    Finance to lay the Paper.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:47 p.m.
    Very well. Presentation of Papers by
    the Hon Deputy Minister for Finance.
    Item numbered 89 (b) (iii).
    PAPERS 3:47 p.m.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 3:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    we would continue with the
    Presentation of Papers and I would
    want to seek your leave for the Hon
    Deputy Majority Leader to lay these
    items. On page 6, items numbered 8
    (d), (e) and (f) then we would
    continue on page 7, items numbered
    8 (i), (j) and then we go on to page 8
    items numbered (l), (m)(i), (ii) (iii)
    and continue to item numbered 8 (n).
    Finally, on page 9, item numbered
    (q).
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:57 p.m.
    Does it include item numbered (q)
    which is on the Committee on
    Education?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 3:57 p.m.
    Yes, Mr
    Speaker.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:57 p.m.
    Very well.
    Let us start from item numbered
    8 (d)
    Yes, Hon First Deputy Minority
    Whip?
    Mr A. Ibrahim 3:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    the Hon Majority Chief Whip has
    mentioned a number of Committee
    Reports which he seeks your leave
    and that of the House for the Hon
    Deputy Majority Leader to lay them
    on behalf of the Hon Chairmen of the
    Committee. This is alien to the
    practice of the House. If Hon
    Members of those Committees are in
    the Chamber, he could seek the leave
    of the House for the Hon Members of
    the individual Committees to lay the
    Reports on behalf of the Committees
    but for the Hon Deputy Majority
    Leader to lay all these Committee
    Reports on behalf of the Hon
    Chairmen of those Committees - Even though we are hard pressed
    with time, this is alien to the practice
    of the House. If we continue to slack
    the rules and procedures of the House
    to this level, we may take very bad
    decisions. So if Hon Members are in
    the House, we would agree for the
    individuals to lay the Reports on
    behalf of the various Committees.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 3:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    we have some good understanding
    and working relationship and I know
    my Hon Colleague understands. We
    have engaged the leadership
    extensively, the Hon Chairmen and
    Ranking Members of the Committee
    and a number of the Hon Members of
    the Committee are also in the House
    so, if my Hon Colleague would
    accede, this is not a matter we should
    drag. It is just to lay the Paper. What

    is essential is that we have engaged

    the Hon Ranking Members and the

    Hon Chairman of the Committees

    and they have given their consent for

    the Papers to be laid.

    Mr Speaker, I would want to

    plead with my Hon Colleague to

    yield so that the Papers could be laid

    for us to move forward.
    Mr A. Ibrahim 3:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I
    do not want to prove difficult. For all
    we know all those Committees
    Reports that have been mentioned
    might not be ready. There may not be
    copies to presented - if he could give me copies of those Reports so that I
    would be sure of the Reports that
    would be laid. I was not at the pre-
    Sitting meeting and I am the only
    leader in the Minority Side, so if I say
    he should go ahead only for the Hon
    Chairmen or Ranking Members of
    the Committees to complain that the
    Reports are not ready, we may go
    back and forth. That is why I said that
    if the Hon Members are in the House
    - Hon Members must be in the House to lay those Reports -- [Interruption] -- we should just go by that.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 3:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    I could assure my Hon Colleague that
    we are on the same page to the extent
    that all the leadership of these
    Committees - I took time to go through them and I do not need to
    mention names of Hon Members of
    the Committee who are in the House
    to prove my case because quite a
    number of them are present but I
    agree with him that not all of them are
    in the House.
    We have spoken to the
    leadership of these Committees and
    they are only fine-tuning their
    Reports and hence, they have given
    indication that we should go ahead
    and lay the Papers. So, I want to
    humbly plead with the Hon First
    Deputy Minority Whip -I know he has been supportive in this enterprise.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:57 p.m.
    Please, let us take them one after the
    other.
    Item numbered 8 (d)
    By the Deputy Majority Leader
    (Mr Alexander K. Afenyo-Markin)
    (on behalf of the Chairman of the
    Committee) --
    Report of the Joint Committee
    on Gender & Children and
    Employment, Social Welfare &
    State Enterprises on the Annual
    Budget Estimates of the
    Ministry of Gender, Children
    and Social Protection for the
    year ending 31st December
    2022.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:57 p.m.
    Item numbered 8 (e)
    By the Deputy Majority Leader
    (Mr Alexander K. Afenyo-Markin)
    (on behalf of the Chairman of the
    Committee) --
    Report of the Committee on
    Mines and Energy on the
    Annual Budget Estimates of the
    Ministry of Energy for the year
    ending 31st December 2022.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:57 p.m.
    Item numbered 8 (f)
    By the Deputy Majority Leader
    (Mr Alexander K. Afenyo-Markin)
    (on behalf of the Chairman of the
    Committee) --
    Report of the Joint Committee
    on Trade, Industry & Tourism
    and Youth, Sports & Culture on
    the Annual Budget Estimates of
    the Ministry of Tourism, Arts
    and Culture for the year ending
    31st December 2022.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:57 p.m.
    Item numbered 8 (i)
    By the Deputy Majority Leader
    (Mr Alexander K. Afenyo-Markin)
    (on behalf of the Chairman of the
    Committee) --
    Report of the Committee on
    Foreign Affairs on the Annual
    Budget Estimates of the
    Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
    Regional Integration for the year
    ending 31st December 2022.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:57 p.m.
    Item numbered 8 (j)
    By the Deputy Majority Leader
    (Mr Alexander K. Afenyo-Markin)
    (on behalf of the Chairman of the
    Committee) --
    Report of the Committee on
    Trade, Industry and Tourism on
    the Annual Budget Estimates of
    the Ministry of Trade and
    Industry for the year ending 31st
    December 2022.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:57 p.m.
    Item numbered 8 (l)
    By the Deputy Majority Leader
    (Mr Alexander K. Afenyo-Markin)
    (on behalf of the Chairman of the
    Committee) --
    (i) Report of the Committee on Works and Housing on the
    Annual Budget Estimates of
    the Ministry of Works and
    Housing for the year ending
    31st December 2022.

    (ii) Report of the Committee on Works and Housing on the

    Annual Budget Estimates of

    the Ministry of Sanitation

    and Water Resources for the

    year ending 31st December

    2022.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 3:57 p.m.
    Item numbered 8 (m) (i)
    By the Deputy Majority Leader
    (Mr Alexander K. Afenyo-Markin)
    (on behalf of the Chairman of the
    Committee) --
    (i) Report of the Committee on Defence and Interior on the
    Annual Budget Estimates of
    the Ministry of National
    Security for the year ending
    31st December 2022.
    Mr A. Ibrahim 3:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    with deference to the Chair, the Hon
    Chairman of the Committee on
    Defence and Interior - the Hon Chairmen of the Committees on
    Works and Housing and Trade and
    Industry have approached me that the
    Reports are not ready but we have
    laid them. Let us tread with caution.
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 4:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    I am member of the Committee on
    Defence and the Interior -- [Interruption] --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:07 p.m.
    Yes, item numbered (m) (ii)
    Mr Yusif Sulemana 4:07 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I just saw my Hon Chairman
    laying the Report. At the meeting
    yesterday, we were not conclusive so
    I do not know the kind of Report he
    is laying and I would just want to
    draw your attention to it.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 4:07 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, we are not litigating this
    matter. We can go on to page 8 and
    take item numbered (n). The
    Chairman of the Committee is here.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:07 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, hold on. He raises an issue
    about the Report of the Committee
    not being ready. Which Committee
    was that?
    Mr Yusif Sulemana 4:07 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, that is the Committee on
    Trade, Industry and Tourism but the
    Report is the Annual Estimates for
    the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
    We had asked that they brought us
    some information on the basis of
    which we would take a decision. That
    information has not come and the
    Chairman is laying the Reports 4:07 p.m.
    None

    Mr Kingsley Carlos Ahenkora

    -- rose --

    First Deputy Speaker: Yes,

    Hon Chairman?
    Mr Ahenkora 4:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I
    am quite surprised about my Hon
    Colleague's outburst if I may say because we have had a discussion and
    we have asked the Ministry to supply
    us with some information which is
    supposed to be given to us by the
    close of today. That information has
    got nothing to do with the Report we
    are laying, so I see no reason my Hon
    Colleague should impugn an integrity
    defect on myself when I have
    discussed this matter with him. In
    fact, we are in concert as far as this
    matter is concerned, so, I would plead
    with my Hon Colleague to exercise
    restraint. We are not forcing anything
    on anybody; we are only trying to do
    something for the nation and that is
    what we expect him to accept.
    Thank you, Mr Speaker.
    Alhaji Muntaka 4:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I
    heard the Hon Chairman of the
    Committee himself saying that they
    have requested for information that is
    coming before the close of today. It
    clearly shows that your Report is not
    ready. If they have information that
    they are expecting by the close of the
    day, please, get that information,
    incorporate it into your Report so that
    tomorrow, it can be laid.
    Mr Speaker, if you look at our
    Standing Orders, it is very clear that
    the only time that one lays a Report is
    when one has sufficient copies. So
    since they are not done, please wait.
    We have laid a lot of them, and if the
    Reports are ready, we can take those
    Motions without necessarily wasting
    time on those that are not ready. Let
    us concentrate on those that are ready
    so that we do not waste further time.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 4:07 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, we are in total agreement.
    We can now go on to item numbered
    (n) on the same page 9. The Hon
    Chairman is here.
    First Deputy Speaker: Very
    well, Chairman on Committee on
    Lands and Forestry, item numbered
    (n).
    By the Chairman of the
    Committee —
    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.

    First Deputy Speaker: The last

    one is item numbered (q), is that

    right? Q?
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 4:07 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I would seek your leave to
    lay this Paper.
    First Deputy Speaker: Which
    one?
    Alhaji Muntaka 4:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    item numbered (q), that is for the
    Ministry of Education — As the Ranking said, that it is not ready
    so —
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:07 p.m.
    I
    have not called it, I am only asking
    whether they were ready.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 4:07 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I guess we can now go on to
    page 10 and take item numbered 11
    which is a Motion.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:07 p.m.
    Yes?
    Mr Suhuyini A. Sayibu 4:07 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, with all due respect, my
    attention has just been drawn to the
    fact that that item numbered 8(n) on
    page 8, Report On The Joint
    Committee On Lands, Forestry and
    |Mines and Energy on the Annual
    Budget Estimates of the Ministry of
    Lands and Natural Resources for the
    Year Ending 31st December 2022 was
    called and laid. Forgive me, I missed
    it when it was called.
    Mr Speaker, with all due
    respect, we are just coming from that
    joint meeting, I do not know what is
    being laid when we have not even
    seen any Report after the meeting. I
    would wish that this is stood down
    until we are given copies of even the
    outcome of the meeting before we
    can be said to be laying a report of a
    meeting that has just ended.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:07 p.m.
    Yes, Chairman of the Committee?
    Mr Francis Manu-Adabor 4:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I just discussed with the Hon Ranking Member - We have finished the report we are yet to go and have a small meeting and then we can lay the Report and present it tomorrow -- [Interruption]
    Alhaji Muntaka Ibrahim 4:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, for the avoidance of doubt, I would want to guide the Chairman. He should go to Standing Order 75. He is shooting himself in the head and he says he wants to be alive -- [Interruption] -- It is not ready and he has laid it. He could tell us that he is working to get it from the printing room-[interruption] Even the Hon Ranking Member has not seen the Report.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:07 p.m.
    Hon Members, if you want to ride the kangaroo, you must learn the kangaroo tactics -- [Laughter] --
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 4:07 p.m.
    We will
    stand that down.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:07 p.m.
    Very well, it is stood down -- [Laughter] -- Yes, let us proceed.
    Mr Annor-Dompreh 4:07 p.m.
    Clearly,
    the Minority Chief Whip has sufficiently been informed that the printing is actively going on and hence we should leave it as it is. It has been laid and then we can proceed to take item numbered 11 on page 10.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:07 p.m.
    Very well, item numbered 11 by the Minister for Roads and Highways.
    MOTIONS 4:07 p.m.
    MINISTRY OF ROADS AND 4:07 p.m.
    HIGHWAYS 4:07 p.m.
    APPROPRIA- 4:17 p.m.
    RELEASE 4:17 p.m.
    ACTUAL JAN - 4:17 p.m.
    SEPT PAYMENT 4:17 p.m.
    VARIANCE 4:17 p.m.
    VARI 4:17 p.m.
    ANCE 4:17 p.m.
    COMPENSA 4:17 p.m.
    TION 4:17 p.m.
    SERVICES 4:17 p.m.
    SUB TOTAL 4:17 p.m.
    GOG 4:17 p.m.
    DEVELOPM 4:17 p.m.
    ENT 4:17 p.m.
    PARTNER 4:17 p.m.
    IGF 4:17 p.m.
    RETAINED 4:17 p.m.
    GRAND 4:17 p.m.
    TOTAL 4:17 p.m.
    LOT DESCRIPTION UNI 4:17 p.m.
    T 4:17 p.m.
    SCOP 4:17 p.m.
    E 4:17 p.m.
    STATUS 4:17 p.m.
    OF 4:17 p.m.
    TION 4:17 p.m.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:17 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Ranking Member?
    Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza 4:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for the
    opportunity to speak in relation to the
    Motion moved by the Hon Minister
    and seconded by the Chairman.
    I would go straight by
    commenting on an issue that came up
    during the meeting. As we all know,
    some of our citizens have concerns
    about the quality of roads that we are
    constructing in the country. It turns
    out that for instance, the staff strength
    of the Ghana Highway Authority
    keeps dwindling year by year. In the
    year 2017 they had 1296, in the year
    2018, they had 1197, in the year 2019
    they had 1,168 and in 2020 they also
    had 1,005.
    Mr Speaker, how come the Hon
    Minister says that we are undertaking
    more road projects, yet we have less
    people available to do the work.
    Basically, it is because the Ministry is
    one of the Agencies that pays the
    least and it would shock you to know
    that a senior engineer in any of the
    entities just takes home GH₵3,000.00. You are not going to get any engineer

    who would be dedicated to supervise

    work properly if you pay him that

    amount.

    The Ministry must take steps to

    find ways of giving the engineers

    they employ - if someone is supervising a €150million project and his salary is GH₵3,000.00. Are we really expecting him to give off

    his best? I think we need to work on

    this.

    Secondly, there is also something

    wrong about the compensation of the

    Ministry. As at September, they

    could only draw down about 30 per

    cent of their compensation. I do not

    understand it. Is it the case that they

    are not paying their staff or some of

    them have been sacked? I do not get

    it and this is because by September,

    their compensation releases should

    be hitting about 70 per cent and so

    how come it is less than 30 per cent?

    I think the Ministry should be able to

    do something about it.

    Mr Speaker, the biggest problem

    about this Ministry is funding and

    part of the problem is self-inflicted. If

    we compute the figures from the year

    2017 till date, the Hon Minister for

    Finance has taken close to GH₵4 billion out of the Road Fund alone

    through capping. At the same time,

    Road Fund is now owing contractors

    GH₵4.5 billion, the Government of

    Ghana (GoG) is owing them another

    GH₵2.4 billion in excess of GH₵7 billion.

    If we take almost GH₵4 billion out of the Road Fund and now, out of

    that GoG's payment to some contractors sometimes gets to 40 per

    cent interest on delayed payments, in

    effect, when you pay GH₵100.00 to a contractor, GH₵40.00 of that is of no value, it is just interest that is paid

    to the bank. So, how useful is this?

    Mr Speaker, I am saying that the

    capping of the Road Fund is counter-

    productive and we should stop it

    because it is not helping anybody. On

    page 9, paragraph 7.2.7, under PPP, I

    could see the Ministry saying that the

    Accra-Tema Motorway PPP project

    financing arrangement has been

    completed. There is no contract on

    Accra-Tema Motorway.

    The Hon Minister has cancelled

    the PPP bidding process so how come

    you come to this House everyday

    telling us that there is a PPP

    agreement? He does not have a PPP

    arrangement with Mota-Engil Con-

    struction Company because he

    cancelled it in December 2020.

    Mr Speaker, so, the information

    from the Ministry is not correct. We

    do not have a legitimate contract

    under this and to say that the

    financing agreement under PPP has

    been completed - How can you complete a PPP financing agreement

    when you do not have a proper

    contract? The Hon Minister must

    take note of this and do the right

    thing. We are not against the

    construction of the motorway but we

    believe that what he claims as a

    contract with Mota-Engil Construc-

    tion Company is not a legitimate

    contract. He must come back to this

    House.

    Mr Speaker, when you look at

    the other issue raised in this Report

    related to vegetation control along the

    road, it would surprise you to know

    that when our compatriots volun-

    teered to cut vegetation by the

    roadside. Mr Speaker, this Ministry

    would owe an old lady about

    GH₵15,000 for three years. I have encountered situations where people

    would show up at my office and think

    that I would have a way to help them.

    If we consider these things, then we

    could do better.

    Mr Speaker, the potholes on our

    roads are becoming bigger. Indeed,

    the Ministry is doing something

    about our roads. In some parts of our

    country, especially the major cities,

    they are applying asphaltic overlay,

    but the road in my village is getting

    worse by the day. I do not know about

    the roads in the Hon Minister's town; perhaps his is better than mine.

    Mr Speaker, the Ministry has

    failed to make any substantive

    comments regarding the suspension

    of toll collection and the future

    programme for road tolls in this

    country. We know for sure that road

    tolls give us about GH₵78 million, but since the day the Hon Minister

    suspended the collection of the tolls

    to 31st December, we may lose about

    GH₵10 million. Mr Speaker, the Ministry is struggling to even pay

    salaries, yet when we have approved

    for them to collect about GH₵78 million, they have decided to throw

    away GH₵10 million.

    Mr Speaker, I could only

    support the Estimate of this Ministry

    if at the Appropriation stage, we

    deduct GH₵10 million out of their Estimate. Unless, we take out GH₵10 million, I would not be able to

    support because they deliberately lost

    this money out of the Road Fund. If

    we do not deduct this, then I would

    not be able to support the Ministry.

    Mr Speaker, with regard to

    issues of contractors --
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 4:27 p.m.
    On a
    point of order. Mr Speaker, I have
    been paying attention to his

    submission but it appears that his

    voice went high so I could not hear

    him well. I just want him to take it

    easy so that we can all follow his

    submission.

    Mr Speaker, Hon Agbodza

    Mr Speaker, I am calling his

    attention to something.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:27 p.m.
    Hon
    Deputy Majority Leader, what is your
    point of order?
    Mr Afenyo-Markin 4:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    he is my Hon Friend and he knows
    that I enjoy his debate, but when his
    voice goes up and I cannot hear him
    then how would I enjoy his --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:27 p.m.
    You
    are out of order.
    Hon Member, kindly continue.
    Mr Agbodza 4:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I
    told the Hon Member the other day
    that he is my former Hon Friend so he
    should stop saying he is my friend.
    We were Hon Friends but today we

    Mr Speaker, I believe we should

    give the Hon Minister the oppor-

    tunity to respond to the issue I raised

    about the road tolls. The last issue I

    want to raise is about the Sinohydro

    project because since 2018 that this

    House approved the agreement for

    the Sinohydro, I have heard some

    individuals in Government suggest

    that the House approved that we

    would start counting the 12 months as

    and when the project starts. Mr

    Speaker, what I supported on this

    Floor was to the effect that the 10

    projects would start at the same time.

    There was no clause in that

    agreement that states that “as and when they start”.

    Mr Speaker, as I speak, they

    refer to four of the projects that we

    started as “commencement delayed”. The highest completion is the Tamale

    Interchange which is 84 per cent

    complete, but that is even one of the

    smallest projects. So, I want to tell the

    Hon Minister that Sinohydro is not a

    banker in terms of delivering road

    projects so we should look for an

    alternative.

    Mr Speaker, I have made my

    point that I can only support this

    Estimate when we get to Appro-

    priation and deduct the GH₵10 million out of the allocation for

    Goods and Services because the

    Ministry deliberately decided to lose

    that money when Parliament gave

    them the opportunity to collect the

    money.

    Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:27 p.m.
    Hon Member, you want to deduct what they lost in 2021 from what they are proposing to take in 2022?
    Mr Agbodza 4:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, yes, because they have already spent for 2021 so when we get to the Appropriation for 2022, we must deduct the GH₵10 million.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:27 p.m.
    I hope you would surcharge it against me because I supported that position.
    Mr Isaac A. Mensah (NDC -- Wassa East) 4:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion on the Floor.
    Mr Speaker, I think the issue that relates to road is very critical so when we are discussing roads, we all have to participate because all of us have issues with our roads road in our constituencies. Therefore, it is important for the Committee to recognise the challenges in our maintenance regime. Mr Speaker, paragraphs 10.5 and 10.6 refer to “Vegetation Control along the Roads” and “Issues of Potholes” respectively and both relate to routine maintenance. Some of these potholes are like manholes and this means that there is a problem with maintenance.
    Mr Speaker, one would realise
    that the allocation for routine
    maintenance in the Estimate is just
    over GH₵44,000, and if we think that maintenance is a key activity, then
    with our total road network of 78,400
    kilometres, we must then devote
    attention to maintenance. Mr Speaker,
    we have a Ring-Fence Fund for road
    maintenance which is the Road Fund.
    For every litre of fuel that we
    purchase, there is about GH₵0.48 to the Road Fund. Mr Speaker, there is
    a research that states that we use
    about 5 billion litres of fuel so if we
    multiply the GH₵0.48 by the 5 billion litres per year we would get
    about GH₵2.5 billion and this is the amount that would go into the Road
    Fund. However, just as the Hon
    Ranking Member said, the challenge
    relates to capping because if we have
    about GH₵2 billion as accruals to the Road Fund and we give the Ministry
    of Roads and Highways about GH₵1 billion, then some could be used for
    the maintenance of roads.
    Mr Speaker, so the maintenance
    regime must be improved and the
    appropriate releases given to them.
    After we get these moneys and they
    are capped, the actual releases are
    also not given to them. Mr Speaker,
    in 2021, out of the accruals into the
    Road Fund, a little over GH₵600 million was released to the Ministry,
    yet we still have a total debt of about

    GH₵4.5 million. Yet we do not even know what provision has been made

    to pay the road contractors out of this

    Fund.

    It is also important to note the

    issue that relates to payment of

    arrears to road contractors. This

    section of the Road Fund amounts to

    GH₵4.5 billion and the GoG section also amounts to about GH₵2.8 billion. How would we pay this? Mr

    Speaker, we do not see any hope in

    this regard.

    Mr Speaker, just as the Hon

    Ranking Member said about the road

    toll, it is important to note that about

    GH₵78 million accrues to the Road Fund. This is a significant amount of

    the Fund that we could use to take

    care of issues like patching of

    potholes, but we have now thrown

    away all these moneys. We can only

    hope that the Ministry of Finance

    would release appropriate funds to

    the Ministry to do their work.

    Mr Speaker, the Hon Ranking Member has spoken a lot about many issues including capping, vegetation control and patching of potholes. Indeed, all these concerns the mainte- nance regime, however, of critical importance is the release of funds ultimately. It has been recommended that the Ministry should be given the

    proper allocations so that they can do their work appropriately.

    Mr Speaker, there is also an

    issue that relates to manpower which means that if the Ministry and agencies do not have people with the appropriate skills, all what has been said about routine and periodic main- tenance would become a challenge. So, we have to make sure that we recruit enough staff for the Ministry and give them the appropriate capacity training otherwise they would leave.

    Mr Speaker, it is also critical to

    note, particularly with Road Fund and the feeder roads that our engineers through the decentrali- sation system are now in the various assemblies. So, the highest level an engineer could go is to become a Coordinating Director. So, there is not enough motivation. In the past, the young engineer could rise to the level of becoming a Chief Director but what we have now is feeder roads staff rising to just the position of a Coordinating Director. It is not incentive enough for them. In addition to that, their salaries are not attractive enough so they leave. Therefore, we think that the Ministry should take steps to motivate or incentivise their staff to make sure that they stay appropriately.

    With these few words, Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity.

    Question put and Motion agreed

    to.

    Resolved:

    That this honourable House

    approves the sum of GH₵4,000,673,000.00 for the services of the Roads and Highways for the year ending 31st December, 2022.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 4:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    we can now move on to page 11 and take item numbered 16, the Motion.
    Mr Speaker 4:37 p.m.
    Hon Members,
    item numbered 16, Motion by the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation.
    Yes, Hon Minister for Environ-
    ment, Science, Technology and Innovation.
    ANNUAL ESTIMATES, 2022
    MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, 4:37 p.m.
    SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND 4:37 p.m.
    INNOVATION 4:37 p.m.
    DP 4:37 p.m.
    GRAND 4:37 p.m.
    TOTAL 4:37 p.m.
    SOURCE OF FUNDING 4:37 p.m.
    ITEM 4:37 p.m.
    ABFA IGF 4:37 p.m.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:47 p.m.
    Is
    there anybody on your Side to
    contribute here? Very well. Yes?
    Dr Hamza Adam (NDC -- Kumbungu) 4:47 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, thank you
    for the opportunity to contribute to
    the Motion. Let me mention that I got
    the report about two hours ago, and I
    do not think that that is good enough.
    It is good we do the right thing. So, in
    the future, we have to try as much as
    possible to let us have the report on
    time so that we can peruse the
    report properly and have proper
    discussions —
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:47 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, if you are not ready, I can
    give it to somebody else so that you
    can take your time and read it.
    Dr H. Adam 4:47 p.m.
    All right. Mr
    Speaker, science and technology
    definitely needs attention. Permit me
    to revisit the issue of 2021 allocation.
    In 2021, the percentage of allocation
    that was given to the Ministry was 97
    per cent even in the midst of COVID-
    19. But in this particular year, only
    about 75 per cent was released to the
    Ministry. I think it is not good
    enough.
    In 2021, CAPEX was around
    GH₵5.5 million, and only about GH₵1 million, approximately, 20 per cent was released. However, in 2020,
    CAPEX was almost GH₵ 50 million and up to 60 per cent was released
    even in the midst of COVID-19.
    What has changed that we received
    only about 20 percent in 2021? That
    is not good enough. We have to get
    serious and support science and
    technology.
    Mr Speaker, permit me to add
    that it looks like the various agencies
    have been compelled to follow some
    formalities in the sense that some of
    the agencies we met did indicate
    haven generated some Internally
    Generated Fund (IGF) but when
    asked their source of IGF, they could
    not explain how they generate the
    IGF. I think we have to let the
    agencies understand that it is not
    mandatory to fill in the column on the
    IGF if they do not have anything for
    it.
    Mr Speaker, there is so much
    pressure on me to conclude. In
    conclusion, let me indicate that we
    have to learn from COVID-19,
    because we realise that we did not
    have adequate capacity during
    COVID-19 to deal with issues. And I
    thought that we would have learnt the
    lesson as a country and empower
    science and technology and increase
    CAPEX sufficiently to support their
    infrastructure and the development of
    science and technology.
    Mr Speaker, with these few
    words, I support the Motion for the
    approval of the Budget for the
    Ministry.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:47 p.m.
    Hon
    Members, I will now put the
    Question.
    Question put and Motion agreed
    to.
    Resolved:
    That this honourable House
    approves the sum of
    GH₵574,856,000.00 for the services of the Ministry of Environment,
    Science, Technology and Innovation

    for the year ending 31st December,

    2022.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 4:47 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, we could now go on to page 10 of today's Order Paper and take item numbered 9 (b). I would seek your leave for it to be laid by the Deputy Minister for Finance.
    BILLS—FIRST READING
    Supplementary Appropriation
    Bill, 2021
    An ACT to provide for the
    withdrawal of sums of money from the Consolidated Fund for the supplementary appropriation to meet Government expenditure for the financial year ending on the 31st of December, 2021.
    Presented by the Deputy
    Minister for Finance (Mrs Abena Osei Asare) (on behalf of the Minister for Finance). Read the First time; referred to the Committee on Finance
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 4:57 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, we can now move to page 5, and with your leave, request for the Hon Deputy Minister for Finance again to do the laying of item numbered 8(b)(i).
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:57 p.m.
    Hon
    Members, we would take the Paper numbered 8(b)(i).
    PAPERS 4:57 p.m.
    Mr Annoh-Dompreh 4:57 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, we can finally go back to
    Questions. We ended on the Question
    numbered 377, so, with your leave,
    we can now begin with the Question
    numbered 232.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:57 p.m.
    Very well.
    The Hon Minister for Trade and
    Industry has been waiting. The Hon
    Member for Bole/Bamboi, Hon Yusif
    Sulemana would ask the Question
    numbered 232.
    ORAL ANSWERS TO 4:57 p.m.
    QUESTIONS 4:57 p.m.
    MINISTRY OF TRADE AND 4:57 p.m.
    INDUSTRY 4:57 p.m.
    Mr Yusif Sulemana (NDC -- Bole/Bamboi) 4:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to
    ask the Hon Minister for Trade and
    Industry what measures are in place
    to regulate standardisation of cement
    on the Ghanaian market.
    Minister for Trade and
    Industry (Mr Alan Kwadwo
    Kyerematen): Mr Speaker, the
    Ministry of Trade and Industry
    (MOTI) through the Ghana Standards
    Authority is responsible for the
    promotion and regulation of
    standards in Ghana. The legal basis
    for the development of standards is
    derived from the Ghana Standards
    (Certification Mark) Rules, 1970
    (L.I. 662 & L.I. 664 of 1970); the
    Standards Authority Act, 1973, (Act
    173) and the Weights and Measures
    Act, 1975, (Act 326). Against this
    background, GSA has specifically
    put in place standards for cement
    production in Ghana based on which
    the Authority certifies cement
    products and undertakes market
    surveillance activities to provide
    consumers with assurance of the
    quality and content of cement
    produced or traded in Ghana.
    Mr Speaker, the five main
    standards for cement products are:
    1. GS 1118:2016. The standard
    for building and construction
    materials, covering the compo-
    sition, specification and the
    conformity criteria for common
    cements.
    2. GS 156:2007. The standard
    for packaging, covering multi-
    wall paper sacks for cement.
    3. BS EN 196-1:2016. The
    standard for methods of testing

    cement to determine its

    strength.

    4. BS EN 196-2:2013. The

    standard for methods of testing

    cement to determine the

    chemical analysis.

    5. BS EN 196-3:2016. The

    standard for methods of testing

    cement to determine setting

    times and soundness.

    Mr Speaker, the above-mentioned

    standards are used by GSA to

    regulate cement production in Ghana

    as well as guide the process of

    conformity assessment through

    procedures for inspection, testing and

    certification.

    Mr Speaker, it is worth noting

    that the GSA undertakes quarterly

    surveillance of the cement market in

    Ghana. During this exercise, samples

    of products from all certified

    companies are purchased from the

    open market in the various regions of

    the country for testing to ascertain

    their quality and also to check their

    weight. This started in the last quarter

    of 2019 and continues quarterly.

    Mr Speaker, thank you.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:57 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    Mr Yusif Sulemana 4:57 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, in the Hon Minister's response, he listed main standards for
    cement products. In the last sentence,
    he talks about the fact that GSA goes
    out there to do some weight
    measurements. I would want to find
    out from him which of the five
    standards here relate to the
    measurement of weight.
    Mr Speaker, thank you.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:57 p.m.
    Sorry, Hon Member.
    I was not clear. Kindly repeat
    your question.
    Mr Yusif Sulemana 4:57 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I am saying that the Hon
    Minister listed five main standards
    for cement products. I am talking
    about the measurement of the weight
    of cement. Which of these standards
    measure the weight of cement?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:57 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, your Question was on
    standards. Did it refer to weight?
    Mr Yusif Sulemana 4:57 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I would reframe my
    question, and with your indulgence, I
    would like to quote from the Hon
    Minister's Answer. It says 4:57 p.m.


    “Mr Speaker, it is worth noting that the GSA undertakes

    quarterly surveillance of the

    cement market in Ghana.

    During this exercise, samples of

    products from all certified

    companies are purchased from

    the open market in the various

    regions of the country for testing

    to ascertain their quality and

    also to check their weight.”

    Mr Speaker, however, earlier he

    had given us the standards that they

    use in doing this. It is now left for him

    to tell us which of these standards

    relates to weighing of cements, and

    that is what I am saying.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:57 p.m.
    Very well.
    Mr Kyerematen 4:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I
    made reference to the standard for
    methods of testing cement to
    determine its strength. This is the
    standard that relates to the Question
    that the Hon Member posed.
    Mr Yusif Sulemana 4:57 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, your Committee met with
    manufacturers of cements and they
    complained that there are no
    standards when it comes to the
    weights of cements. I cannot mention
    the various branches, but I have taken
    the pains to weigh cement in my
    constituency, and I realised that there
    is a shortage in terms of the 50
    kilogram (kg) that we are all aware
    of, and that is why I asked this
    question.
    Now, the Hon Minister of Trade
    and Industry is saying that they have
    being weighing it. Would the Hon
    Minister, and for that matter the
    Ghana Standards Authority (GSA),
    be ready to share with us the
    information or the data they get
    anytime they undertake this exercise,
    so that the consumers would know
    that these are the ones that meet the
    50 kilogram that we are all aware of?
    Is the Hon Minister ready to share
    that with us, and when can we get that
    information?
    Mr Kyerematen 4:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    yes, indeed the GSA would be ready
    to share that information with the
    Committee.
    Mr Yusif Sulemana 4:57 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I humbly ask when we can
    get that information. If —
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:57 p.m.
    The
    Hon Minister said he would share
    that with the Committee on Trade and
    Industry.
    Mr Yusif Sulemana 4:57 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I thank you.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 4:57 p.m.
    Very well.

    Hon Members, I would proceed

    to the next Question, which stands in

    the name of the Hon Member for

    Builsa South, the Hon Dr Clement

    Apaak.

    Commissioning of 1D1F Project

    in Fumbisi
    Dr Clement A. Apaak (NDC - - Builsa South) 4:57 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to ask the Minister for Trade and
    Industry when the One District One
    Factory (1D1F) project in Fumbisi, in
    the Builsa South District, would be
    commissioned, and the number of
    people it is expected to employ.
    Mr Kyerematen 5:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    the establishment of the rice process-
    sing facility under the One District
    One Factory (1D1F) Initiative in the
    Builsa South District is ongoing, with
    civil works at 88 per cent completion.
    The procurement process for the
    supply and installation of the
    processing equipment which is
    currently underway was delayed due
    to the disruption in global supply
    chains arising from the COVID-19
    pandemic. It is envisioned that the
    installation, test run and the
    inauguration of the rice processing
    facility would be completed by June
    2022.
    Mr Speaker, it is worth noting
    that the Fumbisi 1D1F project is one
    of the innovative youth-owned 1D1F
    companies. Even the factory is
    expected to create about 240 direct
    and indirect employment oppor-
    tunities for the youth in Fumbisi and
    the adjoining communities. These
    would include management staff, out-
    growers, seeds and input suppliers,
    transporters and distributors.
    Dr Apaak 5:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the Hon
    Minister made reference to innova-
    tion. I guess when the project is
    finished, we would be able to speak
    to that.
    Mr Speaker, could the Hon
    Minister share with us the cost of the
    rice processing plant which is
    currently about 88 per cent complete?
    Mr Kyerematen 5:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    regrettably, the Question did not
    specifically request for that informa-
    tion, so I am not in the position to
    provide that today. It would be
    provided to the Hon Member in due
    course.
    Dr Apaak 5:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, once
    the Hon Minister has indicated that
    he would make the information
    available, I expect him to deliver on
    that claim.

    Lastly, Mr Speaker, could the

    Hon Minister tell the House the

    capacity of the facility in terms of the

    quantity of rice it is expected to

    produce per day when completed?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:07 p.m.
    Hon
    Minister, do you have that informa-
    tion readily available? He said the
    capacity of the factory in terms of the
    quantity of the rice it can mill in a day
    when completed.
    Mr Kyerematen 5:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I
    would provide that information to the
    Hon Member in due course.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:07 p.m.
    Very well, we would move on to the
    next Question. The Hon Member for
    Tamale Central, Mr Murtala
    Muhammed Ibrahim.
    Amount Spent by the State in the
    Importation of Rice and Other
    Foodstuff
    Mr Murtala Muhammed
    Ibrahim (NDC - Tamale Central): Mr Speaker, I beg to ask the Hon
    Minister for Trade and Industry how
    much the State spent in the
    importation of rice and other
    foodstuff into the country in the past
    four years.
    Mr Kyerematen 5:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    Ghana spent an estimated total of
    GH₵6.874 billion on the importation of rice from 2017 to 2020.
    Mr Speaker, in addition, Ghana
    also imported the following food
    products from 2017 to 2020:
    1. Fish GH₵3.993 billion
    2. Chicken (processed)
    GH₵1.881 billion
    2. Meat GH₵487 million
    3. Vegetables GH₵281 million
    5. Poultry (birds) GH₵184 million
    Mr M. M. Ibrahim 5:07 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I would like to find out from
    the Hon Minister, based on the
    Answer given, whether he agrees
    with me that we spent close to US$1
    billion each year on the importation
    of these food items.
    Mr Kyerematen 5:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    the Hon Member is right in terms of
    the arithmetic that I provided.
    Mr M. M. Ibrahim 5:07 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, there was a policy at the
    Ministry of Trade and Industry which
    restricted the importation of rice, by
    small rice importers, into this
    country. I would like to find out from

    the Hon Minister if that ban has been

    lifted? If it has, what has been the

    justification for the lifting of that

    ban? And whether that has had an

    impact on the amount of money we

    spend now on the importation of such

    food items.
    Mr Kyerematen 5:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    rice is a very common staple in our
    country and one has to maintain a
    very delicate balance between the
    quantity of rice that is produced
    locally at any given point in time and
    what is imported to ensure that there
    are no serious shortages. In that
    respect, we continue to monitor the
    local production of rice with all the
    support that is provided by my
    Ministry and the Ministry of Food
    and Agriculture. At the appropriate
    time, when the volumes of locally
    produced rice increases significantly,
    we would restrict - Maybe not necessarily banning, but restricting
    the importation of rice.
    Mr M. M. Ibrahim 5:07 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, unfortunately, my question
    was not answered.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:07 p.m.
    The
    Hon Minister has given you an
    answer. You have one more
    opportunity. Kindly ask and let us
    move on.
    Mr M. M. Ibrahim 5:07 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I asked a specific question
    whether the ban on the importation of
    rice into this country by small rice
    importers has been lifted. If it has,
    considering the fact that we spend
    almost a billion dollar each year, by
    the figures he provided on the
    importation of such food items, what
    has been the justification for such?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:07 p.m.
    Hon
    Minister, is there any such legal ban
    on importation of rice by small rice
    importers?
    Mr Kyerematen 5:07 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    we have not yet lifted the ban on the
    importation of rice. We have a
    management policy, as I indicated in
    my answer, to ensure that there are no
    shortages in the system. So, as and
    when there is evidence of significant
    levels of local production, we would
    determine at that point in respect of
    the ban what decision to take.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:07 p.m.
    Hon
    Member, you are done. Kindly take
    your seat.
    Mr M. M. Ibrahim 5:07 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, for the avoidance of doubt,
    I would want the answer to be
    repeated.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:07 p.m.
    I
    would move on to Question
    numbered 408 which stands in the
    name of the Hon Member for Ho
    Central.
    Amount Realised from the
    imposition of fees to Import
    Portland Cement
    Mr Benjamin Komla Kpodo
    (NDC -- Ho Central): Mr Speaker, I beg to ask the Hon Minister for
    Trade and Industry, how much the
    Ministry has realised from the
    imposition of fees for processing and
    issuance of license to import portland
    cement from 2017 to 2020 in respect
    of the following:
    (i) bulk cement at GH₵0.175 of FOB value per metric tonne;
    (ii) bagged cement at GH₵0.35 of FOB value per metric
    tonne.
    Mr Kyerematen 5:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    the Export and Import (Restrictions
    on Importation of Portland Cement)
    Regulations, L.I. 2240 became
    effective on 28th June, 2016. The L.I.
    makes provision for the levying of
    fees for import licenses of portland
    cement. The Ministry received in
    April 2017, and August 2017, a total
    amount of GH₵225,075.00 for bagged cement from two companies
    imported into the country. The
    Ministry has not levied or received
    any fees on portland cement imported
    into the country since August 2017.
    Mr Speaker, this year, the
    Ministry has submitted through the
    Ministry of Finance, proposals for
    consideration and approval to amend
    the Fees and Charges Act in respect
    of fees for imported bulk and bagged
    cement.
    Mr Kpodo 5:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I
    would like to know from the Hon
    Minister the basis for collecting the
    fees and the licences because I have
    L.I. 2240 here and I cannot find the
    levies.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:17 p.m.
    Hon
    Minister, he says what is the basis for
    the charges because he does not see
    those charges in the Fees and Charges
    Act.
    Mr Kpodo 5:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I
    believe that you have repeated my
    question.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:17 p.m.
    Yes, the Hon Minister wanted that. I
    am just repeating it for him.
    Mr Kyerematen 5:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    there is an Import Management
    Committee that has been established
    in the Ministry of Trade and Industry
    for many years, and the Committee
    takes decisions in respect of these
    matters, so it was the decision of the
    Committee.
    Mr Kpodo 5:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, does it
    mean that these fees are not
    published? Because the L.I. does not
    state the fees and as I combed through
    the big book on fees and charges, I
    could not find the rate indicated in the
    big book. What I saw was one for
    laboratory testing. That was the only
    thing I saw in the book. So, does it
    mean that when the Committee
    determines the charges and the fees,
    they do not publish it? Do they keep
    it to themselves only?
    Mr Kyerematen 5:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    the fees and charges that were
    determined by the Committee at that
    time were publicly circulated and it is
    against this background that we have
    submitted, through the Ministry of
    Finance, proposal for the considera-
    tion to amend the Fees and Charges
    Act in respect of fees of imported
    bulk and bagged cement so that it can
    be regularised.
    Mr Kpodo 5:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, the
    Hon Minister says that he only
    collected these fees in April and
    August 2017. But I have with me here
    the 2022 Budget Statement presented
    by the Hon Minister for Finance,
    including the tables. Mr Speaker, on
    page 300 of the Budget Statement,
    tables presented by the Hon Minister
    for Finance indicated that there was a
    projection of funds from that source
    to be collected, which amounts to
    GH₵14,930,000.00 and as at September, 2021, the total collection
    amounted to GH₵3,473,000.00 with a lodgement of GH₵1,632,000.00 and retained 53 per cent, which is
    GH₵1,841,000.00. Could the Hon Minister match this with what he has
    provided in the Answer to the
    Question?
    Mr Kyerematen 5:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    from the statement by the Hon
    Member, he was making reference to
    a projection. I do not have the
    document before me. And he also
    made reference to collections that
    were made which was published by
    the Ministry of Finance. We need to
    reference that same material that he
    has and then, make sure that it
    reconciles with the figures that we
    have.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:17 p.m.
    Very well, the next Question
    numbered 441 stands in the name of
    Dr Kingsley Nyarko.

    Current Number of Completed

    Factories Built Under the 1D1F

    Programme and the Estimated

    Jobs Created
    Dr Kingsley Nyarko (NPP - Kwadaso) 5:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to ask
    the Minister for Trade and Industry
    the current number of completed
    factories built under the 1D1F
    programme of Government and the
    estimated number of jobs created.
    Mr Kyerematen 5:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    to date, there are 278 1D1F projects
    at various stages of implementation.
    Out of this number, 106 companies
    are currently in operation, 148 under
    construction and 24 of them are at the
    mobilisation stage under the 1D1F
    Initiative.
    Mr Speaker, 165 out of the 278
    companies are new companies or new
    projects, representing 60 per cent
    while 113 are existing companies,
    representing 40 per cent. The 106
    companies that are currently
    operational have created a total of
    153,782 direct and indirect jobs up
    from 139,331 in December, 2020.
    Mr Speaker, it is expected that
    when the additional 148 projects
    currently under construction are
    completed, the cumulative number of
    direct and indirect jobs created would
    increase to 288,599.
    Dr Nyarko 5:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am grateful to the Hon Minister for the answer provided. However, I would also like to find out from him, how the 1DIF policy is going to cash in on the YouStart Programme captured in the Budget Statement?
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:17 p.m.
    What programme? When the Hon Minister would start the cashing on what programme?
    Dr Nyarko 5:17 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am
    talking about the 1D1F policy. How is it going to contribute to the YouStart Programme captured in the Budget Statement?
    Mr Kyerematen 5:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    the 1D1F Programme could contribute significantly to the implementation of the YouStart Programme, using the innovative model of Youth-owned 1D1F enterprises that I was referring to in respect of the project in Fumbisi. That is one entry point for the youth to become involved in mainstream industrial activity.
    Mr Speaker, thank you.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:27 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    Dr Nyarko 5:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am
    grateful.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:27 p.m.
    The
    next Question is in the name of the
    Hon Member for Offinso South, Dr
    Isaac Yaw Opoku.
    One District One Factory in
    Offinso
    Dr Isaac Yaw Opoku (NPP -- Offinso South) 5:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I beg to
    ask the Hon Minister for Trade and
    Industry if there are any arrange-
    ments in place to ensure that Offinso
    Municipality benefits from the
    Government's flagship programme of “One District One Factory.”
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:27 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Minister?
    Mr Kyerematen 5:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    the One District One Factory (1D1F)
    programme is a demand-driven
    initiative facilitated by Government
    to assist the private sector to establish
    at least one manufacturing enterprise
    in each of the 260 Districts of the
    country.
    Mr Speaker, to date, no private
    sector promoter has confirmed their
    interest in establishing a 1D1F
    project in the Offinso Municipality.
    However, Government's policy is to support such districts with seed
    capital to establish their own 1D1F
    companies.
    Mr Speaker, provision has been made in the 2022 Budget Statement to support 16 Districts currently without 1D1F projects because there are no business promoters. This will enable them benefit from direct intervention of the Government in establishing their own project.
    In this regard, Mr Speaker,
    pending approval of the 2022 Budget Estimates, the Ministry of Trade and Industry will consider providing seed funding to establish a 1D1F project in the Offinso Municipality, with the view to off-load Government's shares or interest to a private sector operator in future.
    Mr Speaker, thank you.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:27 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    Dr Opoku 5:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am
    very satisfied with the Hon Minister's response. Indeed, yesterday, the issue came up at your meeting for discussion and the Hon Minister adequately addressed the issue, so I am very satisfied and most grateful for the opportunity.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:27 p.m.
    Very well, thank you.
    The last Question is in the name
    of the Hon Member for Mpraeso, Mr Davis Ansah Opoku.

    Private Sector Harnessing the Benefits of AfCFTA

    Mr Davis Ansah Opoku (NPP

    -- Mpraeso): Mr Speaker, I beg to ask the Hon Minister for Trade and Industry what plans the Ministry has put in place to ensure that the private sector in Ghana, harnesses the benefits from the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:27 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Minister?
    Mr Kyerematen 5:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    trading under the African Continental
    Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA)
    commenced officially on 1st January,
    2021, and Ghana was the first country
    in Africa to establish their Customs
    Procedure Codes to facilitate trading
    under the AfCFTA.
    Mr Speaker, to ensure that the
    private sector in Ghana harnesses the
    benefits of the AfCFTA Agreement,
    a National AfCFTA Coordinating
    Office has been established to
    coordinate the implementation of the
    AfCFTA in collaboration with other
    relevant stakeholders.
    More importantly, a comprehensive
    National Policy and Action Plan for
    the AfCFTA has been developed, and
    is currently being operationalised.
    This includes an Enterprise Support
    Programme component designed to
    identify and assist companies in Ghana
    to directly target specific AfCFTA
    market destinations and to export to
    those markets.
    So far, Mr Speaker, about 200
    companies have been selected and the
    Ministry is currently undertaking
    enterprise-level audits to determine
    the specific types of support needed
    by these companies to enable them
    produce, enter and compete in the
    continental market.
    Mr Speaker, to facilitate trading
    under AfCFTA, the Ghana Revenue
    Authority has been designated as the
    competent authority for issuing
    Certificates of Origin to cover
    exports under the AfCFTA.
    In addition to the above, to
    ensure optimal participation by the
    private sector, the National AfCFTA
    Office has undertaken several
    consultations with stakeholders, both
    the private sector and key public
    sector agencies that have important
    roles to play to facilitate the effective
    participation of the Ghanaian private
    sector in the AfCFTA trading.
    Mr Speaker, thank you.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:27 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    Dr Opoku 5:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, I am
    satisfied with the Answer provided
    by the Hon Minister.
    Thank you.
    Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
    -- rose --
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:27 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    Mr Ablakwa 5:27 p.m.
    I am grateful, Mr
    Speaker. This is a very important
    Question and I commend my Hon
    Colleague who asked the Question.
    The Hon Minister talked about
    an enterprise support component. I
    would want to respectfully ask the
    Hon Minister to throw more light on
    this enterprise support component.
    Does it come with some financing?
    Are there some financial components,
    like a venture capital of a sort, to
    support young start-ups who may
    need some assistance from his
    Ministry? So, please, he should just
    throw light on the enterprise support
    component so that as Members of
    Parliament we can also support and
    talk to businesses in our consti-
    tuencies to take advantage of this
    component.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:27 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Minister?
    Mr Kyerematen 5:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    the enterprise support programme
    includes a variety of business develop-
    ment services, ranging from capacity
    building training to support in
    identifying markets, helping them to
    improve their production capacity
    and productivity, assisting them to
    access financing, which may include
    venture capital financing and helping
    them identify the appropriate
    machinery and equipment that will be
    suitable for their own production
    processes.
    Mr Speaker, it is worth noting
    and I indicated in my response, that
    every potential company that wants
    to export under the AfCFTA has to go
    through an enterprise-level audit.
    It is the audit that will determine
    the specific type of support that is
    required by each company, and that is
    the type of support that will be
    provided on a case-by-case basis to
    the enterprises.
    Mr Speaker, thank you.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:27 p.m.
    Very well. Hon Minister, thank you
    for attending upon the House to
    answer Questions. You are discharged.
    That brings us to the end of
    Question time for today.

    Yes, Hon Deputy Majority

    Whip?
    Mr Habib Iddrisu 5:27 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, I believe a lot has been done
    today. We are in your hands for
    adjournment, as Hon Members are
    getting ready and preparing for the
    Speaker's Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols Night.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:27 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Deputy Minority Leader?
    Mr Avedzi 5:27 p.m.
    Mr Speaker, today
    is the Festival of Nine Lessons and
    Carols Night which we usually have
    in December, so we can adjourn for
    Hon Members to prepare for the
    festival. We are in your hands.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:27 p.m.
    Yes, Hon Member?
    Mr Habib Iddrisu 5:27 p.m.
    Mr
    Speaker, even though we are in your
    hands, we would want to adjourn
    until tomorrow at 2 p.m.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:37 p.m.
    Is
    Mr Habib Iddrisu 5:37 p.m.
    Mr Speaker,
    that was the communication. It should be 2.00 p.m. because majority of the Committees need to get their reports ready, so if we Sit by 10.00 a.m., many of the reports would not be ready by then. The 2.00 p.m. would be ample time for the Committees to get their reports ready so that we could take them.
    Mr First Deputy Speaker 5:37 p.m.
    Very well.
    ADJOURNMENT 5:37 p.m.