Debates of 16 Dec 2021

Hon Members,
we would proceed to the item
numbered 3 on the Order Paper,
Formal Communication by the
Speaker.
Members, before I proceed to
address the topic of my official
communication, permit me to
take a few minutes to praise and
glorify the Almighty God, my
fortress and my Lord, for the
travelling mercies and the
regeneration and renewal of my
body and life. I am so grateful,
and I would want to say thanks
be to you, oh Lord, the Creator
and Master of the universe. I am
eternally grateful to you for your
grace and love.
I also take the opportunity,
Hon Members, to thank you for
holding the fort in my absence,
despite the fact that the conduct
of some Members raises
fundamental issues bordering on
a complete disregard of
parliamentary practice,
procedure and process of the
House. I have taken my time to
read the Order Paper, Votes and
Proceedings, and the Official
Reports of the days in issue, and
I am convinced that we should
accept the view of the
conscience of the nation that we
owe Ghanaians an apology and I
will proceed to do just that.
As the Head of Parliament,
the voice of the Legislature, who
speaks for and on behalf of
Parliament, hence the title
Speaker, I, with all humility
apologise on behalf of the House
and all the Hon Members, for the
aberrations of conduct and
behaviour of Hon Members on
those days. I have taken

responsibility for what happened

in the House and I admit the

House is neither dignified nor

exalted by those rancorous and

unruly behaviour of Hon

Members. I promise to do

everything within my power and

authority to lead the House to

chart a path of transformation,

decency, and change, a change

for the better.

The conduct of Hon Members

on those days also touches on the

legality of the decisions arrived

at in the House and how we

arrived at those decisions. It will

help for Hon Members to look at

these issues dispassionately, in

humility, devoid of egos and

partisanship. As a House of

honour, dignity, and as I often

say, measureless might and

majesty, Hon Members of

Parliament should, for a while,

allow the 1992 Constitution, the

enabling laws, precedents and

the Standing Orders of the House

to lead the way.

It is important that I

acknowledge that the Leadership

of both Sides of the House have

led in trying to create this

atmosphere I am talking about

and I would want to commend

that initiative by Leadership.

What happened belongs to the

past and we are going to turn a

new leaf of life in this House.

Hon Members, I think it is

important we all think about how

to strengthen the work of this

House and, by extension,

strengthen Ghana's democratic governance. Hon Members need

to consider the precedents we set

by every decision and action we

take in this House. Over and

above that, Hon Members must

bear in mind that as Members of

Parliament, they also represent

the people — the citizenry — not just political parties. We

represent ultimately the people

of Ghana.

Hon Members, just try to

recollect, or view a playback of

the proceedings or read the

Official Reports of those

Sittings, and you will appreciate

what I am referring to. What

happened was grave disorder

with its resultant comedy of

errors and I will not take lightly

a repeat of such disorder and

indiscipline in the House.

Hon Members, I will not bore

you or our audience with a

recount of the scenery of those

proceedings. It is, however,

incumbent on me to make a

pronouncement on these matters

and provide some direction on

the path to be taken as a House

to ensure that we are taking steps

to fulfil our sacred duty to the

people of Ghana.

To do this, it is necessary to

summarise a few proceedings

and decisions that were taken by

the House to lay a foundation for

me to propose the way forward

in these matters. The first issue I

want to consider is the issue of

quorum for the conduct of

Business and quorum for voting

in Parliament.

Hon Members, the first

matter that requires some

pronouncement is the matter of a

quorum which formed the basis

for the decision taken by the

House — first, to reject the Budget Statement, and second,

to rescind the rejection of the

Budget Statement and then to

proceed so far.

Admittedly, the 1992

Constitution prescribes the

quorum for the conduct of

Business of the House, and a

lack of it means that Business

cannot be done. A quorum of

one-third of Hon Members is

required for the commencement

of Business. A quorum of not

less than one-half of Members is

required to determine, for

example, a resolution for

approval of international loans

and a quorum of not less than

two-thirds of Members is needed

to amend some provisions of the

Constitution.

Depending on whether it is

just to legitimise its business in

terms of the conduct of

Parliamentary Business or take

an ordinary decision or make a

resolution, the Constitution is

very specific and the highest

quorum that is demanded is the

quorum dealing with the

removal of the Speaker.

Hon Members, please take

time to read Articles 69(11),

75(2), particularly 75(2)(b),

82(1), 95(2), particularly

95(2)(d), before you come to the

102, 104 and 106, particularly

paragraph 10. Do not forget to

also read Articles 113(2),

174(3), 181(1), 268(2), and

291(3). When you go through all

these articles, you would see the

range of what is referred to as

quorum of the House.

The provision that deals with

the basic components of a

quorum, which is Article 102,

that is, the quorum to transact

Business are made of two basic

components. The first is the

percentage; one-third of all Hon

Members of Parliament (MPs).

The second is the exception,

excepting the one presiding.

Those are the two important

ingredients in Article 102 and

these lay the foundation for the

issue of quorum. The others are

basically focused on decision-

taking.

Hon Members, the question

of whether or not a quorum

exists either for the conduct of

Parliamentary Business or for

taking of vote in Parliament is

therefore a question of fact. The

practice in all Parliaments since

the inception of the 4th Republic

has been to raise the issue of

quorum on the floor of

Parliament at the time the

Business or the vote is being

taken. Usually, it is a Member

who would get up and raise that

issue.

Admittedly, it is a

responsibility of the Chair to

make a determination if there is

a quorum at the beginning and at

any time during the Sitting of the

House. However, there is a

presumption of quorum to

undertake Business unless a

question is raised. The Chair

may, in the absence of an

objection to the contrary,

presume that the House is duly

constituted for its work. It is only

when such an objection has been

raised that the Speaker may then

take steps in compliance with

Order 48 of our Standing Orders

of the House. Clearly, the reason

is obvious. There is a practical

challenge of the Speaker

knowing at every time the

number of Hon Members present

in the House and Hon Members,

do not forget that our Standing

Orders define “House” to mean Parliament.

Suffice it to say, however,

that where the fact of the absence

of a quorum is notoriously

obvious to the Chair, then,

perhaps, it may be incumbent on

the Chair to raise the issue suo

moto. You do not need any Hon

Member to raise it when it is

obvious to you that there is no

quorum, particularly, at the

beginning of the Sitting. As we

are here now, I cannot tell how

many Hon Members are present

in Parliament or in the House.

Be that as it may, Hon

Members, the precedents,

practices, and conventions of

this House require that the issue

of quorum be only raised on the

Floor. When the matter is not

raised on the Floor, the only

prima facie indication of the

number of Members present is in

the record of the Votes and

Proceedings of the House. I will

just cite a number of instances

which are quite instructive on

this matter.

The first was on the 20th of

June, 2002, when the Sitting of

the House was suspended after

an objection was raised by Hon

Kwakye Addo, the MP for

Afram Plains South; for the

absence of a quorum to

commence public Business. The

Rt. Hon Peter Ala-Adjetey began

the process of adjourning the

House until his attention was

drawn to the fact that Hon

Members had begun to fill the

Chamber, so he could not

adjourn the House or even

suspend Sitting.

It is important to reiterate the

comments of the then Hon Majority

Leader, Hon Papa Owusu-

Ankomah, who cautioned that the

issue of quorum be looked at, since

Hon Members could be in

attendance at Committee sittings

and be conducting Parliamentary

Business, but not present on the

Floor of the House and thus, not

counted for the purpose of

forming a quorum. It is my belief

that Hon Papa Owusu-

Ankomah's premise is viewed on a point of law. The issue of

quorum is on Hon Members

present in Parliament and not on

the Floor or in the Chamber of

Parliament. Please, you could

refer to Articles 102, 104, et

cetera, that I referred to earlier.

Similarly, on the 22nd of

February, 2014, this House stood

adjourned when the issue of lack

of quorum was raised by Hon

Afenyo-Markin, who is now the

Deputy Majority Leader.

Again, on the 9th of

November, 2018, it was my good

Friend, Hon K.T. Hammond,

who raised the issue of lack of

quorum in the House during the

consideration of the Right to

Information (RTI) Bill.

On 20th November, 2019, the

Rt. Hon Speaker, Prof Aaron

Mike Oquaye, suspended Sitting

after Hon Mahama Ayariga

indicated that the House did not

have the numbers to continue the

debate on the 2020 Budget

Statement and Economic Policy

of Government. Again, in this

instance, the issue of quorum

was raised by an Hon Member

during the proceedings. I just

cited them for you to know that

it is Hon Members who usually

raise the issue of quorum. The

Speaker cannot on his own know

unless it is obviously clear to the

Speaker.

Hon Members, what the

precedents tell us, and they

abound in so many ways in our

Hansard, is that the issue of lack

of quorum is usually raised by an

Hon Member of the House or the

Speaker himself, having regard

to the numbers in the House,

may ask for an adjournment.

Usually, at the beginning, it is

for an adjournment but during

the course of the proceedings,

the Speaker could suspend the

Sitting due to the absence of a

quorum.

Hon Members, staging a

walk-out is a legitimate form of

protest and it is part of our

Parliamentary norms and

practices. Indeed, there have

been several walk-outs since

1997 and each Side of the aisle

has used it as a legitimate tool to

register their displeasure with

one issue or the other. As the

Hon Leader of the Minority then,

I employed it on several

occasions between 2001 and

2008.

It is important for us to note

that the staging of a walk-out,

however, does not render

Parliament incapable of

performing its functions. I can

refer to so many instances where

walk-outs and boycotts have

never succeeded in delaying or

preventing the continuation of

the Business of the House.

Hon Members, let me cite

three (3) instances where

walkouts and boycotts have been

deployed but the Business of the

House continued despite the

walkouts.

On August 22, 2003, the

Minority staged a boycott of the

House in protest against the

National Health Insurance

Authority (NHIA) Bill which

was under consideration but the

Minority was against one

provision. I led that walk-out,

but the Business of the House

continued despite the boycott.

The total number of Majority

Members used to justify a

quorum was the number 101, as

recorded on the Votes and

Proceedings of the day and not

the number on the Floor.

On the 23rd of February,

2005, the Minority, led by my

good self, staged a walkout of

the House because of the

consideration of the Customs &

Excise Petroleum Taxes Bill.

Despite the walkout,

proceedings continued and the

quorum relied upon was the

number of Hon Members

recorded on the Votes and

Proceedings as present,

including names of the Minority

Members who had all walked

out.

On 19th November, 2014, the

Minority staged another walkout

of Chamber, led by my good

friend, Hon Osei Kyei-Mensah-

Bonsu, because of the Bill on the

introduction of 17.5 per cent

Special Petroleum Tax Levy.

Again, despite the walkout,

proceedings continued and the

Votes and Proceedings recorded

274 Hon Members present

which was more than half of all

Hon Members to take decisions

of the day.

It suffices to say that the

failure to register an objection

for a lack of quorum meant any

decision to be taken in respect of

the purported absence of a

quorum should have had regard

for the numbers as enunciated in

the Votes and Proceedings of the

House on the said date. In other

words, it does not mean that the

failure to register an objection

for a lack of quorum does not

mean decision taken on that day

are invalid, wrong or legitimate.

I want to take this as we will

need to record the views in the

Official Report of Parliament.

The Official Report will be used

for research in the future. It is not

just a matter of in-camera

discussions. What happened

earlier has been recorded, so this

response must also be recorded.

The actions of the House on

brings into sharp focus the

powers of a Hon Deputy Speaker

vis-à-vis that of the Rt. Hon

Speaker.

On that day, the Hon First

Deputy Speaker of Parliament

presiding found that the vote

taken on the 26th of November,

2021, rejecting the Budget

Statement and Economic Policy

of Government, 2022, was null

and void as the requisite number

was not present in accordance

with Article 104 of the 1992

Constitution.

The decision taken on the 30th

of November, 2021, which

suggested I acted ultra vires the

1992 Constitution when I put the

question on the 2022 Budget

Statement and Economic Policy

of Government appears strange

to me. The House was duly

constituted for its work for the

purposes of Business and voting

in accordance with Articles 102

and 104, respectively, and the

public record of the Votes and

Proceedings of the House on the

26th of November lends credence

to this position.

It is persuasive to note what

Erskine May, an authority in

Parliamentary Practice, says on

this matter;

“The Speaker's rulings constitute precedents by

which subsequent Speakers,

Members, and Officers are

guided. [Hear! Hear!] Such

precedents are noted and in

the course of time may be

formulated as principles or

rules of practice. They are an

important source of

determining how the House

conducts its business.”

Hon Members, as to whether

a Vice-President can preside

over a Cabinet meeting which

had early on taken a decision on

a subject matter presided over by

the President — [Uproar!] — and without consulting the

President, get the Cabinet to

rescind the decision earlier

taken, is for your kind debate as

you have started. But who am I

to say the First Deputy Speaker,

the Hon Member for Bekwai

Constituency, Hon Joseph Osei-

Owusu, the Wise — Well, he did not join our group — the three wise men — he did not join us. [Laughter] So, he is still “Joe Wise”, not “Wise one”. Who am I to say that he might have

indulged in an act of misconduct

— [Uproar] — tantamount to insubordination? [Laughter.]

Hon Members, we are,

however, faced with a serious

challenge because of the attempt

of the country to marry the two

different systems: the

Westminster model and the

Presidential system. We did not

only do that, but we also added

our traditions, our cultures, our

beliefs, our values, and the

norms of the tribes in Ghana

which form the nation Ghana. As

a result of that, the clarity as to

the rules which deal with

quorum and decisions of the

House are blurred.

When you go through the

Presidential system, the laws

clearly state, and the rules

support one way or the other. If

you go through the Westminster

system, it is the other way round,

and you know, mostly in the

Westminster system, the

Speaker is a Member of

Parliament. It is not the same in

all other Parliaments. That is

why I said the debate is left to

Hon Members. I am not, by what

I have said, blaming the Hon

First Deputy Speaker for taking

that position. That is why I said,

if you do the comparison with

Leadership, what it would reflect

in the minds and perception of

people is that it is undermining

the authority of the Speaker, not

me.

Hon Members, we ought to be

mindful of the precedents that

exist in this House to guide our

conduct. This will ultimately

prevent an interpretation of our

rules that provides us with

problems.

As to the issue of a Deputy

Speaker being counted for the purposes of quorum — and Hon Members would recall what happened that day — without a doubt, our Standing Orders and the 1992 Constitution clearly

outline a bar on the one presiding in Parliament in respect of participating in debates or voting on any matter. Article 102 of the Constitution is to the effect that the person presiding, be it the Speaker, a Deputy Speaker, or a Member does not form part of the quorate number. Whether or not the principle applies in pari materia with Article 104 is immaterial because a different issue at law arises which, respectfully, the Hon First Deputy Speaker may not have adverted to.

A distinction must be drawn

between the temporary absence of the Speaker from the Chamber, in which case any of the Deputy Speakers may preside, and when the Speaker is unavoidably absent as provided for under Order 13(2). In fact, Order 13(2) creates two different types of instances under which the Deputy Speaker may preside in accordance with Article 101 of the Constitution.

Under Order 13(1), any of the

Deputy Speakers may be asked to take the Chair whenever Mr Speaker so requests due to his temporary absence from the Chamber. The Deputy Speaker

Hon Members, Order 13(2) is

what I just referred to. At that

time, the Hon Deputy Speaker is

not just called upon to preside

due to unavoidable absence of

the Speaker.

As I am presiding, if I decide

for some good reason to leave

the Chair and I call on the First

Deputy Speaker or Second

Deputy Speaker to preside. That

one is optional. I can call on any

of them. But when we go to

Order 13(2), it is a different

scenario, and I read:

“Whenever the House is informed by the Clerk at the

Table of the unavoidable

absence of Mr Speaker, the

First Deputy Speaker shall

perform the duties and

exercise the authority of Mr

Speaker in relation to all

proceedings of the House

until Mr Speaker resumes the

Chair, without any further

communication to the

House.”

Hon Members, Listen!

Listen! Hon Member, I do not

want to name you.

Under this Order, the

Speaker's unavoidable absence from the precincts of Parliament

means the First Deputy Speaker

assumes the authority of the

Speaker and performs all the

duties of the Speaker in relation

to the Chamber. In this role, the

First Deputy Speaker takes on

the cloak of an Acting Speaker,

and for the purposes of our rules

and the Constitution, assumes all

the powers of the Speaker in

relation to the business of the

House.

In this sense therefore, the

First Deputy Speaker for the

period of my unavoidable

absence from Parliament was the

Acting Speaker of Parliament

and thus all rules and limitations

applied to him in a manner that

applies to the substantive

Speaker of Parliament. — [Hear! Hear!] —

By and large, the reasoning of

the First Deputy Speaker

outlining the fact that he is not

the Speaker, he holds his

membership and does not lose

his privileges as a member when

he takes the Chair can be said to

be correct. However, insofar as

he takes on the role as the Acting

Speaker of Parliament, his

decision to be counted as part of

the numbers forming a quorum

raises procedural challenges.

Hon Members, although our

Standing Orders are silent on

this, many Standing Orders and

rules from several sister

Parliaments provide persuasive

rules which suggest that when

Deputy Speakers or acting

Speakers or Members are in the

Chair, whatever happens in the

House is that officer's responsibility and the Speaker

cannot be called upon to overrule

it. So, if that forms the

responsibility of the Deputy

Speaker or acting Speaker and

the substantive Speaker cannot

overrule it then, how come the

Deputy Speaker can lead the

House to rescind or change the

decision that was taken in the

presence of the Speaker? — [Hear! Hear!] — what I am simply drawing your attention to

is that, similarly, the reverse is

also the case that when a Speaker

is in the Chair, whatever happens

in the House is the Speaker's responsibility and the Deputy

Speaker or acting Speaker

cannot be called upon to overrule

it.

However, Hon Members we

are where we are today because

we need to make progress on this

matter in a manner that is

consistent with our laws, and

ensures we are allowing the

governance of our country to

thrive. And so, this is for the

record and it is for the House and

future Parliaments to deliberate

on to guide the country to be able

to come clear on this issues to

prevent the ambiguities.

Now, I move on to a very

important area before I go to

propose the way forward.

Letter presented by Minister

Responsible for Finance on

Concessions and Modifications

to the 2022 Budget Statement

Hon Members, I am aware of

a letter originating from the

Minister for Finance which

purports to make some

concessions and modifications to

the 2022 Budget Statement and

Economic Policy of

Government.

The legal basis of the laying

of such a letter and what actions

Parliament may take as a result

leaves a lot to be desired. I have

however held discussions with

the Minister himself and the

Leadership of the House to find

a path that is faithful to law,

respects our rules and processes,

and ensures the governance of

the country does not grind to a

halt.

In that vein, I made a few

proposals to both the Minister

and the Leadership of the House.

I must say I can only tell the

proposals but at the end of the

day there are still disagreements.

i. The Minister responsible for Finance comes before the

House with whether it is

modified, revised, amended

or re-enacted statement of

the Budget with the said

modifications, concessions

and amendments,

specifically, captured in the

documents unknown and

accepted by the House.

ii. Those modifications, amendments and

concessions will then be

adopted by the House and

the revised document with

the estimates will stand

committed to the various

Committees of Parliament.

iii. I am aware the Committees have begun

consideration of the

estimates. My proposal is

for that to be adopted but

for the Committees to

reconcile the revised

estimates with what they

have hitherto considered

and submit a report for the

consideration of the

House.

The letter, for example,

conveys the intention of

Government to allocate GHȻ10 million for the engineering

studies for the commencement

of the Blekusu Sea Defence

Project. That amount of GH₵10 million would definitely be

taken from another item that has

been captured in what was

presented, rejected, reinstalled,

reinstated or approved.

Again, I am aware that other

areas, including the acceptance

to capture properly the

Resolution of Parliament with

regard to the Aker Energy

proposal — but that is an indication of intent; that is what

is conveyed in the letter. That is

different from what would be

captured in the document called

revised, modified or amended

Budget. As I stated earlier, there

would be no consensus on this

matter.

The last one is on the issue of

the e-levy. As at today, there is

no consensus. But I am told that

before us is an Order Paper

Addendum where there is an

item under Presentation and First

Reading of Bills, the item

numbered 2(b), Electronic

Transfer Levy Bill, 2021. I have

been persuaded, that it is during

the Consideration of that Bill

that Hon Members would take

decisions as to whether to

approve the policy or principles

of the Bill and add to the details,

whether it is 1.75 per cent, 1 per

cent, 0.5 per cent or 0 per cent.

This meant that the House is

deciding to go beyond and

engage civil societies and the

stakeholders in the industry as to

the right decision in this matter.

[Hear! Hear!] Definitely, the

letter of the Hon Minister also

acknowledges and captures this

because the Hon Minister stated

clearly that they are in

consultation with the Minority

Caucus and other stakeholders in

the industry. So, that is exactly

what I said the House is

accepting to proceed along that

line. The Rt Hon Speaker does

not participate in debates. It is

my duty to guide you. You are

the ones who debate and take

decisions. So, I would definitely

— [Interruption] —

Chief
Justice!

Hon Member,
we are in a very decent
institution — [Pause] — If I had wanted to be Chief Justice,
I would have joined the

Hon Members, to conclude

on these matters, let me reiterate

my solemn pledge to the people

of Ghana, which I canvassed in

my first formal communication

to this House. I would not

superintend over a Parliament to

frustrate or obstruct Government

Business, and I mean that.

However, I will equally not

preside over a weak House or be

tagged as “an errand boy” of the Executive arm of Government.

[Hear! Hear!] This House is

fully focused on discharging its

mandate, and will do so without

any fear or favour, affection or

ill-will in ensuring the ultimate

best interests of the Ghanaian

people are served.

Hon Members, let us continue

to strengthen our channels of

communication, which we

usually refer to as the “usual channels of communication.” Let us continue to foster

dialogue, encourage broader

stakeholder consultation and

allow the processes we have

adopted for our burgeoning

democracy to thrive. This is the

concept on which the Parliament

of the Fourth Republic has been

captured by our laws;

consultations and compromises,

working together, and that is

why it is different from the

British system, which is

confrontational between

Government and Opposition.

We moved away from using the

terms “Government” and “Opposition” to “Majority and Minority Caucuses”. You are here on the left Side today, but

tomorrow you may be on the

right Side and vice versa. We

must learn to work together for

the interest of our people.

Hon Members, with these

said, I thank you all for your

Hon Members, we would

now move on to the item

numbered 4 — Correction of Votes and Proceeding

Votes and Proceedings and

the Official Report

Hon Members,
we have the Votes and
Proceedings of Wednesday, 15th
December, 2021 for correction.
Page 1 - 20?

Mr
Speaker, page 20, Roman
numeral (xxix), Department “of” Rural Housing, the preposition
“of” is missing.

Yes, Clerks-at-
the-Table take note, that is item
numbered (xxix), Mr Justin O.
Gyamfi, The Department of
Rural Housing.
Page 21? Yes, Hon Member?
Mr Samuel Okudzeto
Ablakwa: Mr Speaker, please
on page 20, item numbered
xxxiii, “Mr Paschal ChaayUar”, the surname appears to have
been captured wrongly so if the
Clerks-at-the-Table —

What is the
surname?

Mr Speaker, it
appears to be a combination of
two names but no space in
between them. I have checked
with Hon Colleagues with the
Committee on Finance and they
indicated that there is an error so
if it can be looked at.

So it is “Chaay
—

Mr Speaker,
“Uar”

“Uar” is different?

Mr Speaker,
there should be a space after the
“y”.

Clerks-at-the-
Table, kindly crosscheck and
make the necessary corrections.
Page 21 - 28
Dr Zanetor Agyeman-
Rawlings: Mr Speaker, on page
28, item numbered 2 (vii), it has
been spelt “Ds” instead of “Dr” so “Dr” for “Doctor” as opposed to “Ds” which is in the Votes and Proceedings.

Yes, it is “Dr”. Clerks-at-the-Table kindly take
note.
Page 29 - 32

Mr Speaker,
in item numbered 3(i), “Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu”, has been
captured as “Mensah Bonsu”, to be hyphenated.

Well, clearly,
this is a “bookable offence”. Nobody should have a doubt of
spelling the two names of the
Majority Leader and Minister for
Parliamentary Affairs. One is
Osei and the other name is
“Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu”, hyphenated.
Page 33 —

Mr
Speaker, respectfully, let me
take you back to page 28, item
numbered 3(i) under “In Attendance”, the designation of Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah is
captured as “Hon MP and Minister responsible for
National Security”. He is not a Member of Parliament so Table
Office should take note.

Hon Albert
Kan-Dapaah, is he a Minister for
National Security or Minister
responsible for National
Security?

Minister
for National Security.

So, Table
Office, it is not only the ‘Hon MP and' but also delete the ‘responsible for'. They are different things altogether. He is
a Minister for National Security
‘not responsible for'.
Page 33 - 35.

None

Bonsu — rose —

None

Bonsu: That is so Mr Speaker.

My attention has just been drawn

to what has been captured on

page 8, item listed 3, that the

following Hon Member was

absent with permission, and that

person is Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

Osei, the Member for Suame.

Mr Speaker, I was here

yesterday. I am surprised that the

Table Office elected not to have

seen me.

6. 08 p.m.

Hon Member,
actually, I did not get your
submission right. Did you say
you are an elected Hon Member?

Mr Speaker, no. I said the Table
Office elected not to have seen
me. I was indicating that the
following Hon Member was
absent with permission and I was
listed as having been absent from
the House yesterday with
permission. You have defined
the House to even include our

Table Office,
the seat of the Hon Majority
Leader is so close to you that you
could not have failed to see his
presence yesterday. Kindly take
note, he was present yesterday.
Hon Members, the Votes and
Proceedings of 13th Sitting, held
on Wednesday, 15th December,
2021 as corrected is hereby
adopted as the true record of
proceedings.
I do not have any copy of the
Official Report unless I am being
persuaded to vary the order of
Business, I would proceed to
item numbered 3 which on page
3 of the Order Paper is captured
as item 5 — Questions.
Yes, Hon Majority Leader?

Mr Speaker, with respect, I

request we step down the

Questions, given the exigencies

of the times and move straight to

item numbered 7.

Mr
Speaker, I was going to suggest
that we take Questions
numbered 509 in the name of Mr
Paul Apreku Twum-Barimah
and 510 in the name of Mr
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and
then stand down the others but
these two Questions are very
important. They are guiding our
consideration on the Budget
Estimates and so, we could have
only the Hon Minister for
National Security respond to
those Questions on presidential
travels between the years 2013,
2016 and now. We can defer the
rest to another day and move on
to do Business.
Mr Speaker, so we can take
Questions numbered 509 and
510 in order to excuse the very
busy Hon Minister for National
Security to go and concentrate
on the affairs of State. Just the
two Questions but we would not
be able to come back to do the
rest. We would persuade the
Questions slated for the Ministry
of Energy for another day.

Yes, Hon
Majority Leader?

Mr Speaker, when we entered,
the Hon Minister sounded that he
had a programmed meeting
outside the precincts of
Parliament and I prayed on him
to stay. So just let Hon Members
know that he has been here. I was
just saying that if you would
permit us to deal with the matters
at Public Business and then we
will certainly come back.

Hon Members,
well, I am persuaded to grant the
leave for us to deal with Public
Business and then plead with the
Hon Minister for National
Security to spend more time with
us. He would have to come back
to answer your Question.
Hon Members, let us move to
item numbered 7. At the
commencement of Public
Business —
Mr Frank Annoh-
Dompreh: Mr Speaker, as you
rightly observed, we are taking
item numbered 7 — Presentation
of Papers and we would begin

with all the items listed under

7(c).

Hon Members,
at the commencement of Public
Business, item numbered 7 —
Presentation of Papers. The
following Papers will be
presented by the Hon Chairman
of the Committee.

Yes, Hon
Majority Chief Whip?

Mr
Speaker, we can now take item
numbered 7(d).

Hon Members,
item numbered 7(e). Hon
Member, did you say item
numbered 7(d) or (e)?

Mr
Speaker, I said item numbered
7(d).

Hon Members,
item numbered 7(d), by the
Chairman of the Committee.
By the Chairman of the
Committee —
Report of the Committee on
Youth, Sports and Culture on
the Annual Budget Estimates
of the Ministry of Youth and
Sports for the year ending 31st
December, 2022.

Anymore
guidance?

Mr
Speaker, we can now take item
numbered 7(e) (ii).

Hon Members,
item numbered 7(e) (ii), by the
Chairman of the Committee.
By the Chairman of the
Committee —
Report of the Committee
on Communications on
the Annual Budget
Estimates of the Ministry
of Information for the
year ending 31st
December, 2022.

Mr
Speaker, item numbered 7 (f).

Hon Members,
item numbered 7(f), by the
Chairman of the Committee.
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.

Mr
Speaker, item numbered 7(i).

Hon Members,
item numbered 7(i), by the
Chairman of the Committee.
By the Chairman of the
Committee —

Report of the Committee

on Health on the Annual

Budget Estimates of the

Ministry of Health for the

year ending 31st

December, 2022.

Yes, please?

Mr
Speaker, with respect, we can
now go on to page 8 and take

I will need
some guidance on this. We are
getting into Motions and I want
to know how many people
Leadership has agreed to speak
on each Side of the divide and
for how many minutes per
person?

Mr
Speaker, Leadership has
engaged on this and we came to
some conclusion. So, it is one on
each Side.

What do you
mean? After the Minister, the
Chairman would not speak?
Sorry, after the Chairman and
Ranking Member and that would
be all?

Yes!

I thought that

Mr James Klutse Avedzi — rose —

Yes? Deputy
Minority Leader?

Mr Speaker, the
proposal is that when the Hon
Minister moves the Motion, the
Chairman would second with the
presentation of the Report. The
Ranking Member would speak,
we would take one more from
either a Hon Member or
Leadership, then we end it. So, in
effect, two each, apart from the
Minister who moved the Motion.

Mr
Speaker, in order not to drag this
matter any further, we are in total
agreement with our Hon
Colleagues. So we can make
progress.

Hon Members,
that is the understanding. The
Chairman would move the
Motion, the Minister would
speak, the Ranking Member next

and then another person from the

Minority Side. So, two apiece

and that is fair enough. So, Hon

Members, item numbered 9, on

page 8 of the Order Paper.

Mr
Speaker, we could take item
numbered 10 on page 9.

Hon Members,
item numbered 10.
Ministry of Employment
and Labour Relations
Minister for Employment
and Labour Relations (Mr
Ignatius Baffour Awuah)
(MP): Mr Speaker, I beg to
move, that this honourable
House approves the sum of
GH₵258,170,000 for the services of the Ministry of
Employment and Labour
Relations for the year ending 31st
December, 2022.

Any seconder?
Chairman of the Committee
(Mr Philip Basoah): Mr
Speaker, I beg to support the
Motion which was ably moved
by the Hon Minister.
Mr Speaker, in so doing I
present your Committee's Report
1.0 Introduction
The Budget Statement and
Economic Policy of the
Government of Ghana for the
2022 financial year was
presented to Parliament on
Thursday 17th November
2021 by the Hon. Minister for

Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori Atta,

pursuant to Article 179 of the

1992 Constitution.

In accordance with Standing

Orders 140(4) and 184 of the

House, the Rt. Hon. Speaker

referred the Annual Budget

Estimates of the Ministry of

Employment and Labour

Relations to the Committee on

Employment, Social Welfare

and State Enterprises for

consideration and report.

The Committee met on

and considered the Annual

Estimates of the Ministry.

Present at the meeting were the

Hon. Minister for Employment

and Labour Relations, Mr.

Ignatius Baffour Awuah and his

Deputy, Mr Bright Wireko-

Brobby, the Chief Director,

Heads of Agencies and Officials

from the Ministry of Finance.

The Committee is grateful to

the Hon. Minister and his team

for their co-operation and

support. The Committee also

expresses appreciation to the

scheduled officers from the

Ministry of Finance for being in

attendance to assist the

Committee consider the

Estimates.

2.0 Reference Documents

The Committee in

considering the Estimates

referred to the following

documents:

i. The 1992 Constitution of Ghana

ii. The Standing Orders of Parliament of Ghana

(2000)

iii. The 2021 Budget Statement and Economic

Policy of the Government

of Ghana

iv. The 2021 Programme Based Budget (PBB)

Estimates of the Ministry

of Employment and

Labour Relations

v. The Report of the Committee on

Employment, Social

Welfare and State

Enterprises on the 2021

Annual Budget Estimate

of the Ministry of

Employment and Labour

Relations

vi. The Public Financial Management Act, 2016

(Act 921)

3.0 Policy Objectives

The policy objectives of the

Ministry as contained in the

National Medium-Term

Development Policy Framework

(NMTDPF) are as follows:

i. .Promote harmonious industrial relations;

ii. 11. Promote job creation and decent work;

iii. Improve labour migration governance;

iv. Establish an effective occupational safety and

health management

system through review of

legislative framework;

v. Strengthen competency- based skill development in

technical and vocational

education;

vi. Ensure improved skills development for industry;

vii. Prevent and protect children from all forms of

violence, abuse, neglect

and exploitation; Promote

decent pensions;

viii. Improve cooperative development through

review of legislative

framework; and

ix. Rebrand YEA as a public service institution.

4.0 Core Functions of the

Ministry

The core functions of the

Ministry are to:

i. Initiate, formulate and coordinate sector policies

and programmes as well as

schemes to ensure

sustainable, accelerated

employment generation

and human capital

development;

ii. Develop strategies and mechanisms to ensure and

promote industrial peace

and harmony;

iii. Develop and periodically review all legal and policy

instruments for the sector

iv. Ensure the development and review of labour

market information

management systems to

facilitate the availability of

timely, relevant and

accurate national

employment and labour

statistics;

v. Coordinate all national employment initiatives

with the collaboration of

relevant stakeholders of

the economy;

vi. Ensure the monitoring and evaluation of sector

policies, programmes and

projects in relation to

enhance labour

productivity;

vii. Ensure fair and equitable wages and salaries for

employees in all sectors of

the economy;

viii. Ensure the provision of employable skills and

apprenticeship particularly

to the youth, through

vocational and technical

training at all levels to

promote decent and

sustainable jobs;

ix. Ensure occupational safety and health for all workers

in both the formal and

informal sectors;

x. Ensure that all workplaces confirm to labour laws

through labour inspection;

and

xi. Facilitate the development of vibrant cooperatives

and small scale enterprises

for employment

generation and poverty

reduction.

5.0 Departments and

Agencies under the Ministry

The Ministry executes its

functions through the following

departments and agencies

i. Ministry Headquarters.

ii. Labour Department

iii. Department of Factories

Inspectorate

iv. Department of Co-operatives

v. Ghana Co-operative College

vi. Integrated Community

Centres for Employable

Skill

vii. Ghana Co-operative

Council

viii. 111. Youth

Employment Agency

ix. National Pensions

Regulatory Authority

x. Fair Wages and Salaries

Commission

xi. National Vocational

Training Institute

xii. Management Development

and Productivity Institute

xiii. Opportunity

Industrialisation Centres

6.0 Review of 2021

Financial Performance

6.1 Total Approved Budget

for 2021

In the year under review, a

total amount of two hundred and

eight million, sixty-three

thousand, one hundred and

twenty-seven Ghana Cedis

(GH¢208,063,127.00) was

approved for the operations of

the Ministry, its Departments

and Agencies. The breakdown of

the allocation of the Ministry for

the year 2021 in terms of cost

centres, programmes and

sources of funding are provided

in Table 1.

Table I: 2021 Budgetary Allocations by Cost Centres and Sources of

Funding

6.2 Expenditure for 2021

The expenditure returns of the Ministry for the year 2021 is provided

in Table 2. Table 2: Expenditure and Releases Item Allocation Amount (Gh) Expenditure Outstandin

g

%

(Gh@) and Percentage (Amount and Allocation Varia

nce Released Percentage) (Gh@)

Compensatio

n

92,345,226.00 67,173,340.00 57,480,083.00 25,171,886.00 27

(73%) (86%)

Goods

and

54,812,694.00 35,497,373.00 24,434,269.00 19,315,321.00 35

Services (65%) (68.8%)

CAPEX 60,905,207.00 15,876,231.00 3,814,589.00 74

(26 %) (24%) 45,028,976.00

Total 208,063,127.00 118,546,943 85,728,941.00 89,516,183.00 43

(57%) (72%)

Source: Ministry's presentation

Item GoG

(GHC)

Yes, Hon
Member?

Mr Kwabena Donkor (NDC —

Pru East): Thank you, Mr Speaker.

I rise to speak on the Motion and in

doing so, I would like to reiterate

some of the issues raised by the Hon

Chairman of the Committee and add

a few more.

Mr Speaker, this House passed

the Youth Employment Agency

(YEA) law. And in passing the law,

the House was very clear about the

percentage of the District Assembly

Common Fund (DACF), the

Communication Service Tax should

go to the YEA, as well as the Ghana

Education Trust Fund (GETFund).

The Act is extremely clear and does

not leave room for ambiguity.

However, as our Report

indicates, the DACF, as at the end of

October 2021, had not released a

cedi to the YEA and this is a blatant

breach of the law. This House has a

responsibility to ensure that laws

passed by this House are respected.

Not only have they not received a

cedi for 2021, but also, the practice

has been that this House has

compromised the Act by conniving

with the DACF in shaping and

approving the formula to reduce

what the YEA Act says should go to

the YEA.

Mr Speaker, I would plead with

this House, that in approving

subsequent formulas for the DACF,

we must respect the Act and ensure

that the YEA gets what the law says

it should. Again, the GETFund has

not remitted a single cedi to the YEA

as at October 2021. The law is very

clear. It is this House that makes this

law, so I believe that there is an

obligation on this House to ensure

that the law is respected.

Mr Speaker, for lack of time, I

would just zero in on my last issue

which I would like to bring to the

attention of the House. Indeed, our

Report says that the Committee

requested the YEA to furnish us with

the financial details of the Sanitation

Module for the YEA. The YEA pays

the private sector service provider

GH₵600 a month for each person

employed. There is a constitutional

demand on this House to ensure

equity. Indeed, the directive

principles of state policy, enjoins us

to ensure economic justice for

Ghanaians.

Mr Speaker, after receiving

GH₵600 per head from the YEA,

the service provider pays the people

working on this Sanitation Module

GH¢180 a month out of the GH¢600

received. Not only that, GH₵120 is

appropriated by the service provider

as management fee on each

individual under the Youth

Employment Sanitation Module. As

if that is not enough injustice

perpetrated on the poor, GH¢300 out

of the GH¢600 is appropriated as

logistics. In all our constituencies,

when we wake up at dawn, we see

the down-trodden women who

sweep our streets under this Module.

They receive GH¢180 and the

service provider charges GH¢120 on

each head, and again takes GH¢300

as logistics on each head.

Mr Speaker, our Coat of Arms

talks about freedom and justice.

Where is the justice, where out of

GH¢600, the beneficiary is paid only

GH¢180 and the service provider

appropriates the rest in the name of

the poor? I would like this House to

take up this issue at the appropriate

time.

I thank you for the opportunity

and I would support the adoption of

the Report subject to this House

Question put and Motion agreed

to.

Resolved accordingly.

That this honourable House

approves the sum of

GH₵258,170,000 for the services of

the Ministry of Employment and

Labour Relations for the year ending

31st December, 2022.

Hon Members, I
have taken note of the contribution
of the Hon Ranking Member of the
Committee on Employment, Social
Welfare and State Enterprises and he
has raised serious issues. I would
want to direct and I hereby direct
that the Committee on Employment,
Social Welfare and State Enterprises
should take up this issue and
investigate it further not only with
regard to what the service provider
is doing but also, according to the

Hon Ranking Member, the blatant

violation of the laws by this House

itself.

The Hon Member says we have

condoned and connived on that. We

cannot be passing laws and be seen

disobeying the laws ourselves. In

approving the formula, we definitely

did not go by the dictates of the law;

that is a serious matter. The

Committee should take it up and

report to the House so that we can

have a basis for taking a decision to

guide the future implementation of

the law and to allow the

beneficiaries to at least, get the

benefit of their labour in this matter.

Hon Majority Leader, is this in

my direction or it is directed to the

Clerks-at-the-Table?

Mr Speaker, no, I was just signalling that I agree with the principle. I was just indicating that if you could give some timelines because if you do not assign any timelines, it could perhaps not see a resurrection of the matter in the Chamber. Perhaps, by four or five weeks into the next Meeting, they should have finished
their investigations and reported back to us.

I had difficulty in
fixing the time because of the recess and also, I expect that at least the report should be in the House before the presentation of the next formula so that we can work to make inputs into that one. The Hon Chairman of the Committee and the Ranking Member know the magnitude of the problem, any guidance? Where is the Chairman?
Hon Chairman, we need your
guidance. [Interruption] — Yes, how long can you take to investigate and report to this House on the issues that have been raised?

Mr Speaker,
that is why we brought this Report to this honourable House. The Hon Ranking Member and I have set a Committee among ourselves to liaise with the agency and later find out how best it would be appropriate for them to be paid.

I have directed that
you investigate the matter and report
to the House. We would just want a
time limit.

Could the investigation be done before the end of February next year?

Mr Speaker, I have
had discussions with the sector Minister — [Uproar] — I have accepted your directive. Thank you.

Hon Members, I
direct that the Committee should submit the Report on or before the 28th of February, 2022.
The Hon First Deputy Speaker to
take the Chair.

Mr
Speaker, still on page 9, item numbered 12.

Hon Members,
item numbered 12, Motion by the Hon Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development.
Ministry Of Local
Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development
Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural
Development (Mr Daniel Botwe):
Mr Speaker, I beg to move, that this
honourable House approves the sum of GH₵ 1,861,353,000.00 for the services of the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development for the year ending 31st December, 2022.
Question proposed.
Chairman of the Committee
(Mr Emmanuel Akwasi Gyamfi):
Mr Speaker, I beg to support the
Motion and I would crave your
indulgence to present the
Committee's Report.
1.0 Introduction
Pursuant to Article 179 of the
Constitution and Order 140(1) and
(2) of the Standing Orders of the
House, the Hon. Minister for
Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta on
Wednesday, 17/ November 2021,
presented to Parliament, the Budget
Statement and Economic Policy of
the Government of Ghana for the
2022 Financial Year. In accordance
with Order 140(4) and 181 of the
Standing Orders of the House, the
Rt. Hon. Speaker referred the 2022
Annual Draft Budget Estimates of
the Ministry of Local Government,

Decentralisation and Rural

Development to the Committee on

Local Government and Rural

Development for consideration and

report.

1.2 The Committee met for three

days with officials of the Ministry of

Local Government, Decentralisation

and Rural Development to consider

the Referral. Appreciation goes to

the Hon. Minister for Local

Government, Decentralisation and

Rural Development, Mr. Daniel

Botwe, Hon. Deputy Ministers of

the Sector, Mr. Augustine Collins

Ntim and Mr. Osei Bonsu Amoah

and other Officials from the

Departments and Agencies of the

Ministry for taking part in the

Committee's deliberation on the

Draft Estimates. Appreciation also

goes to the Officials from the

Ministry of Finance for their kind

assistance during the deliberations.

2.0 Referenced Documents

2.1 In considering the Estimates,

the Committee relied on the

following documents:

i. The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana;

ii. The Standing Orders of Parliament;

iii. The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the

Government of Ghana for the

2021 Fiscal Year;

iv. The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the

Government of Ghana for the

2022 Fiscal Year

v. The Medium-Term Expenditure Framework

(MTEF) for 2021-2024-

Programme Based Budget

Estimates for the Ministry of

Local Government,

Decentralisation and Rural

Development for 2021;

vi. The Medium-Term Expenditure Framework

(MTEF) for 2022-2025-

Programme Based Budget

Estimates for the Ministry of

Local Government,

Decentralisation and Rural

Development for 2022;

vii. Report of the Committee on Local

Government and Rural

Development on the 2021

Annual Budget Estimates of

the Ministry of Local

Government, Decentralisation

and Rural Development;

viii. The Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936) as amended

by Act 940;

3.0 Vision of the Ministry

3.1 The Ministry exists to ensure

good governance, equitable and

balanced development at the local

level through the promotion of good

governance of urban and rural

communities and the formulation of

policies and plans, coordination,

monitoring and evaluation of

programmes, using highly trained

and motivated staff and adoption of

appropriate technology for national

development.

4.0 Policy Objectives of the

Ministry

4.1 The policy objectives of the

Ministry as contained in the

National Medium-Term

Development Policy Framework

(NMTDPF) are as follows:

i. Ensure improved public

investment

ii. Improve population

management

iii. Promote resilient urban

development

iv. Enhance quality of life in

rural areas

v. Deepen political and

administrative decentralisation

v i . Improve decentralised

planning

vii. Strengthen fiscal

decentralisation

viii. Strengthen the coordinating

and administrative functions

of the Regions

ix. Improve popular participation at regional and

district levels

x. Enhance capacity for policy formulation and coordination

xi. Ensure responsive governance and citizen's participation in the

development dialogue.

5.0 Core Functions

5.1 The following are core

functions of the Ministry:

i. Design, monitor and evaluate policies,

programmes and projects to

reform local governments;

ii. Formulate policies for the installation of

effective decentralised

public administration system

at the Regional, District and

Sub-District levels

iii. Promote efficiency in local administration

iv. Promote participation of civil society

in administration and

development through

community actions;

v. Facilitate accelerated rural development;

vi. Facilitate the allocation of resources for

local level development;

vii. Promote orderly development of human

settlements in urban and rural

areas;

viii. Facilitate the registration of births and deaths

to provide the statistical basis

for development planning; and

ix. Advise government on matters affecting local

governance.

6.0 Performance and set targets

for 2022 Management and

Administration Programme

6.1 To improve revenue generation

and management at the local level,

the Ministry of Local Government,

Decentralisation and Rural

Development rolled out the District

Level Revenue (DLRev) Software in

114 Metropolitan, Municipal and

District Assemblies (MMDAs)

across the country. In 2022, the

Ministry will roll out the software in

the remaining MMDAs to improve

on their revenue mobilisation. In

addition, the Ministry developed and

deployed a web-based M&E

System, that is, the District Data

Development Platform (DDDP) to

all 261 MMDAs to address gaps in

data collection on all Government

interventions at the local level. It is

expected that the DOOP will be a

game-changer for informed

decision-making.

6.2 To further deepen

decentralisation, the Ministry

undertook several initiatives,

including the transfer of GHZ331.54

million to qualifying MMDAs as

incentive for their performance for

the 2018 and the 2019 fiscal years

under the District Assemblies

Performance Assessment Tool

(DPAT). This intervention was to

support the implementation of

District Assemblies Annual Action

Plans for improved service delivery.

6.3 In 2022, the Ministry will

continue to assess the performance

of MMDAs using DPAT for 26 l

Assemblies based on 2020 and 202 l

fiscal years, and transfer appropriate

amounts to qualifying MMDAs to

support the implementation of their

Annual Action Plans.

6.4 In 2022, Government will

continue with implementation of

strategies to improve IGF

mobilisation and implement the

National Decentralisation Policy.

Additionally, the Office of the Head

of Local Government Service

(OHLGS) will organise orientation

workshops for stakeholders on the

Performance Contract at the RCC

and MMDA levels and also

implement 2022 Performance

Contract Agreements with the

District Chief Executives (DCEs)

and the District Coordinating

Directors (DCDs) of the MMDAs.

6.5 In 2022, the RCCs will

organise training to build human

resource capacity to improve on

quality service delivery of MMDAs.

Regional Coordinating Directors

will sign Performance Contract

Agreements with Regional

Ministers and ensure

implementation of policies and

strategies for the overall

development of the Regions.

Local Level Development and

Management Programme

6.6 The Ministry, through the

Department of Community

Development, trained 4,601 artisans

in 25 Community Development and

Vocational Technical Institutes

across the country to sharpen the

technical and vocational skills of the

youth for employment and job

creation opportunities. In addition,

the Department trained 370

community educators at the Rural

Development College at Kwaso in

the Ashanti Region. Furthermore, l,

l 07 trainees graduated in various

trade skills and competencies at both

institutional and community levels.

The Department also procured start-

up tools and equipment which were

distributed to all trainees.

6.7 In 2022, the Department of

Community Development will

continue to train 5,000 youth in

Vocational and Technical skills

(CDVTls) and 2,600 youth in

employable skills on income

generating activities, trades and craft

to support the implementation of the

l D l F agenda within the local

communities. The Department will

also train 400 core staff and social

workers in the use of Child

Protection Toolkits and 500

Community Educators in Social

Protection and community

development at the Rural

Development College at Kwaso in

the Ashanti Region. During the

period under review, the Department

of Parks and Gardens maintained a

total of 1.53 million m2 of

landscaped sites in major cities and

towns across the country. The

Department raised and supplied

262,925 seedlings for sale and

beautification. In 2022, the

Department will continue the

landscape beautification of road

medians to l 0,000 m2 for urban and

peri-urban communities and

maintain a total landscaped area of 2

million m2.

6.8 In 2021, the Department

planted l 0,209 trees across the

country to commemorate World

Environment Day. This was done

in contribution to the President's

initiative of greening Ghana. In

2022, the Department will

propagate 400,000 seedlings for

sale and supply to institutions and

plant l 00,000 trees across the

country as part of horticultural

sensitization programmes to

combat climate change.

6.9 In 2021, a total of 32,900

tourists visited the Aburi Botanical

Gardens. In 2022, the Department

will continue with the

redevelopment of the Aburi

Botanical Gardens into an eco-

tourism site to attract more tourists.

Under the Ghana Productive Safety

Net Project (GPSNP), Government

will:

i provided jobs for 33,952

extreme poor persons in 80

MMDAs with a total wage

payout of GHZ53.43 million;

ii disbursed a total of GHZ5.82

million to 9,244 beneficiary

households from 128

communities in 41 MMDAs in

the five regions of the North to

commence businesses or

expand their trade;

iii. Undertake 348 sub-projects

made up of 63 feeder roads, 7 6

small earth dams and 209

climate change mitigation

activities (plantations). A total

of 53 of these sub- projects have

been completed and the

remaining projects are at an

average of 75 percent

completion; and distributed a

total of 7. 9 million cash crop

seedlings to farmers under the

Planting for Export and Rural

Development (PERO)

Programme.

6. l0. Government under the Ghana

Secondary Cities Support

Programme, (GSCSP) transferred an

amount of GH¢210.19 million to 10

RCCs and 25 MMAs to support the

implementation of their Annual

Action Plans.

6.11 In 2022, Government will

complete the 295 ongoing sub-

projects under GPSNP I, and

commence the implementation of

GPSNP II in 80 poor districts across

the country. It will also continue the

implementation of GSCSP in the 25

MMAs.

6.12 The Ministry, through the

Local Climate Adaptive Living

Facility (LoCAL) Project and

Boosting Green Employment and

Enterprise Opportunities (GrEEn)

Project, undertook a number of

activities, including construction of

mechanised boreholes in Ada East

and Fanteakwa North Districts and

coconut tree planting around clusters

of schools. It also transferred GH¢

1.27 million to six beneficiary

MMDAs to create economic and

employment opportunities through

the Cash for Work (CfW) initiative.

6.13 In 2022, Government will

continue to support MMDAs in the

implementation of their Annual

Action Plans and Budget under the

GrEEn project.

6.14 An amount of GH₵5.ll million

was transferred to l 00 MMD As for

social and child protection activities

to support the implementation of

Integrated Social Services (ISS).

Government will continue to support

MMDAs in the implementation of

Integrated Social Services (ISS) in

2022.

6.15 The Modernising Agriculture

in Ghana (MAG) programme will

continue the implementation of

Food Safety Guidelines for MMDAs

and ensure the operationalisation of

the District Centre for Agriculture,

Commerce and Technology

(DCACT) concept in 261 MMDAs.

The Ministry will also implement

the Resilience in Northern Ghana

(RING 11) Project in 17 MMDAs in

four regions to improve nutrition

and resilience.

6.16 The redevelopment of Kumasi

Central Market Phase II and

Takoradi Market were commenced

and will be continued in 2022.

Births and Deaths Registration

Programme

6.17 The Births and Deaths Registry

registered a total number of 361,268

births, of which 183,690 were males

and 177,578 females. In addition,

34,670 deaths were registered of

which male deaths stood at 18,929

and female deaths at 15,741.

6.18 In 2022, the Department will

register 739,133 births out of an

expected 923,916 births and 78,698

deaths out of 224,845 expected

deaths. The Department will also

sensitise the staff and public on the

new Births and Deaths Registry

(BDR) Act 2020 (Act 1027) and

Regulations.

Regional Reorganization and

Development Programme

6.19 The Ministry is pursuing

development in the newly created

Regions. In all, 30 out of 60 projects,

comprising 5 administration blocks

and 25 bungalows were completed

and commissioned. Works on the

remaining projects are progressing

steadily and are expected to be

completed in 2022.

7.0 Budgetary Allocation to the

Ministry in the Year 2021

7.1 For the implementation of its

programmes and projects in 2021,

Table 1: 2021 Budget Allocations

by Sources of Funding and

Expenditure Items

the Ministry of Local Government,

Decentralisation and Rural

Development together with its

agencies, were allocated a total

amount of one billion, five hundred

and ninety-nine million, three

hundred and twenty-two thousand

and five hundred and fifty-seven

Ghana Cedis

(GH₵1,599,322,557.00). The

breakdown of the Allocation by

sources of funding and expenditure

items, programmes and cost centres

are provided in Tables l, 2 and 3

respectively.

Source Compensation Goods &

Services Capex Total

GoG 871, 065,134.00 52,966,351.00 228,970,000.00 1,153,001,485.00

ABFA - - 20,000,000.00 20,000,000.00

DP Funds - 49, 057, 564.00 377,263,508.00 426,321,072.00

Total 871,065, 134.00 102,023,915.00 626,233,508.00 1,599,322,557.00

Source: 2021 Budget and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana

Table 2: 2021 Budget Allocations by Programmes

Source: Ministry's presentation, 2021

Table 3: 2021 Budget Classification by Cost Centres

Compensation Goods and

Services Capex Total

Headquarters 9,075,298.75 16,320,689.00 219,160,000.00 244,555,987.75

Programme Allocation (GH₵)

Management and Administration 150,109,384.00

Decentralisation 782,660,071.00

Local Level Development and Management 317,046,302.00

Environmental Sanitation Management 13,904.00

Births and Deaths Registration Services 14,197,445.00

Regional Services 104,799,827.00

Regional Re-organisation and Development 230,495,614.00

Total 1,599,322,557.00

Community Devt. 25,060,031.74 1,500,000.00 1,200,000.00 27,760,031.74

Parks and Gardens 4,525,820.92 1,500, 000.00 2,200,000.00 8,225,820.92

Births & Deaths 12,749,953.59 1,500,000.00 200,000 14,449,953.59

OHLGS/MMDAS 744,443,718.46 24,283,662.00 2,616,000.00 771,343,380.46

RCCs 75,210,310.54 7,862,000.00 3,594,000.00 86,666,310.54

ABFA 20,000,000.00 20,000,000.00

DP 49,057,564.00 377,263,508.00 426,321,072.00

Total 871,065, 134.00 102,023,915.00 626,233,508.00 1,599,322,557.00

Source: Ministry's presentation, 2021

The breakdown of the Ministry's expenditure returns as at September, 2021 is

provided in Table 4.

Table 4: Expenditure and Releases

Item Approved Budget Actual Variance (GH¢) % of

(GH₵) Expenditure Actuals

(GH₵) over

Approv ed

A. GOG Allocation 1,153,001,485.00 730,809,808.25 (422,191,676.75) 63.38

Compensation 871,065,134.00 645,121,269.55 (225,943,864.45) 74.06

Goods and Services 52,966,351.00 26,568,531.35 (26,397,819.65) 50.16

CAPEX 228,970,000.00 59,120,007.35 (169,849,992.65) 25.82

B. DP Allocation 426,321,072.00 339,815,654.47 (86,505,417.53) 79.71

Goods and Services 49,057,564.00 45,060,191.12 {3,997,372.88) 91.85

CAPEX 377,263,508.00 294,755,463.35 (82,508,044.65) 78.13

C. ABFA 20,000,000.00 20,000,000.00 0.00 0.00

CAPEX 20,000,000.00 20,000,000.00 0.00

D. Grand Total

(A+B+C)

1,599,322,557.00 1,090,625,462.72 (508,697,094.28) 68.19

Source: Ministry's presentation, 2021

Budgetary Allocation to the Ministry For 2022

7.2 For the implementation of its programmes and projects, an amount of

GH¢1,861,353,000.00 had been allocated to the Ministry for the 2022 fiscal year.

The breakdown of the expenditure in terms of sources of funding, cost centres

and programmes are provided in Tables 4 and 5 respectively.

8.0 Observations and Recommendations

Ministry of Local Government,

Decentralisation and Rural

Development - Head Quarters

8.1 The Committee observed a

huge funding gap between the

allocations under CAPTEX

(GOG) and the actual releases.

The approved amount under

CAPEX in 2021 was GH₵228, 970,000.00. Out of the allocated

amount GH¢148,403,011.52 has

been released. However due to

delays in the GIFMIX programme

only GH₵59,120,007.35 has been realised out of the released

amount, leaving a variance of

GH₵80,566, 988.48. The Committee recommends that

officials of the Ministry of Local

Government, Decentralisation and

Rural Development should liaise

with the Ministry of Finance to

ensure that the full allocation for

CAPEX is released to aid in the

completion of their projects.

8.2 The Committee also

observed that details of the

Estimates for the various MMDA's

under the Ministry were not

provided in the Medium Term

Expenditure Framework (MTEF)

for 2022-2025 for the Ministry of

Local Government,

Decentralisation and Rural

Development as always and

therefore requests that future

budget estimates should capture

the details of MMDA allocations

to ensure proper scrutiny of their

accounts.

Metropolitan, Municipal and

District Assemblies

8.3 The Committee further

observed that government has the

intention of assisting MMDA's in

their effort to mobilise revenues

for infrastructural and other

developmental needs of the people

at the local level. This issue was

captured in paragraph 303 on page

80 of the Budget Statement and

Economic Policy of the

Government of Ghana for the 2022

Financial Year with the Heading

"Review of Property Rates" which

states:

"Property rates have the

potential to increase revenue

mobilisation for MMDAs and

release resources for provision of

basic infrastructure as well as the

needs of our localities. Property

rate assessment and collection

poses a challenge to most MMDAs

and is fraught with inefficiencies.

Government, through the Ghana

Revenue Authority (GRA) will

from January 2022, assist the

MMDAs to implement a common

platform for property rate

administration to enhance

Property rate collections and its

accountability. To ensure cost

recovery by Government in

providing the infrastructure for the

collection of the Property Rate, a

sharing ratio will be agreed with

the Assemblies."

8.4 The Committee

acknowledges the challenges

confronting MMDAs in the

collection of property rates and

other levies and is of the strong

view that something must be done

about it. Members of the

Committee on the side of the

Minority however, registered their

displeasure at the proposed policy

arrangement. They argued that if

the intention of government is to

assist the MMDAs to efficiently

and effectively collect the property

rates, the collection of the revenue

should not be centralised but the

capacities of the MMDA's should

be strengthened to collect their

own revenue. They also argued

that there is no guarantee that

government after collecting the

revenues would truly transfer the

MMD As' shares to them. The

Members of the Minority were not

convinced with the intended

policy arrangement explained to

them by the Minister and therefore

opposed it.

8.5 The Hon. Minister for

Local Government,

Decentralisation and Rural

Development explained that the

sharing ratio was yet to be

determined and it will be done in

consultation with stakeholders

(Assemblies). He added that the

policy will rather help to generate

more revenue for the Assemblies

and explained further that

capacity-building was part of the

considerations because a common

technological platform will be

used for the mobilisation of the

rates. The position of the Hon.

Minister was endorsed by

Members of the Committee on the

Majority side as they were

convinced by his explanation.

Office of the Head of the Local

Government Service

8.6 The Committee observed

that total releases as at September,

2021 amounted to

GH¢649,181,145.36 and that

constituted 73% of the amount of

GH¢895,298, 135.30 approved for

the Office of the Head Local

Government Service (OHLGS) for

2021.

8.7 The Committee noted that

the Institute of Local Government

Studies (ILGS) was purposefully

established to train and provide

professional education to local

government practitioners and for

that matter closer collaboration

with OHLGS will help the

Institute to generate more IGF to

support its operations. The

Committee urged the Institute of

Local Government Studies to

collaborate with the Office of the

Head of Local Government

Service to ensure an increase in the

number of Local Government

personnel trained at the Institute of

Local Government Studies.

8.8 The Committee was

informed that the Ministry of

Finance and other institutions

write directly to invite Staff of

MMDAs for workshops and other

training programmes without

routing such letters through the

RCC and the Ministry. The

Ministry expressed worry about

the issue and informed the

Committee that from 2022, no

staff of any MMDA would be

allowed to attend such training

programmes without notifying the

Ministry.

Department for Community

Development

8.9 The Committee observed

that only 50% of the amount

estimated for Compensation of

Employees for the Department

under the Ministry had been

allocated and for that matter the

Department may not be able to pay

salaries and allowances of its

employees till the end of the year

2022. The Committee urged the

Department to liaise with the

Ministry of Finance to ensure that

the anomaly is rectified.

8.10 The Committee was also

informed that from 2022, all skills

training institutions under the

Department would be subsumed

under the Technical, Vocational

Education and Training (TVET)

Institute. In that regard, some Staff

of the Department for Community

Development will be seconded to

TVET and also draw their salaries

and allowances from there. The

Committee was further informed

that the Department will

eventually come under the

Ministry of Education as part of

the implementation of the Pre-

Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act

1049) and the Education

Regulatory Bodies Act 2020 (Act

1023).

8.11 The Committee also observed

that funds released to the

Department for Community

Development is encouraging. Out

of the amount of GH27,680,031 .7

4 approved for the Department for

2021, an amount of

GHC20,974,821.80 had been

released as at September 2021.

The Committee noted that the

Department will need additional

funds to undertake its capital

projects in 2020. The Committee

recommends that consideration

should be given to the Budget

proposals submitted by the

Department to the Ministry of

Finance, and make some funds

available in the Supplementary

Budget for 2022, to support the

Department's capital expenditure

for the year 2022.

Births and Deaths Registry

8.12 In the report of the

Committee on Local Government

and Rural Development on the

2021 Annual Budget Estimates of

the Ministry of Local Government,

Decentralisation and Rural

Development, the Committee

urged the Birth and Death Registry

to commence construction of its

new office complex to enable it

carry out its mandate effectively

under the Registration of Births

and Deaths Act, 2020 (Act l 027).

The Committee was informed that

even though an amount of GHz15

million was submitted to the

Ministry of Finance as needed

funds for the construction of the

new office complex, nothing had

been allocated for the Project

under CAPEX. The Committee is

unhappy about the development

and therefore recommends that the

Ministry of Finance should

endeavour to make funds available

for the Project to commence as

soon as practicable.

8.13 The Registry also had a

challenge with its operations in

some of the districts because it had

no office accommodation. Even

though the Officials of the

Registry explained that they were

making some effort on their own

to get the offices set up, the

Committee recommends that the

Ministry gives them the needed

assistance to enable them

decentralise their operations as

required by law.

8.14 The Committee noted that the

Registration of Births and Deaths

Act 2020 (Act 1027) has been

given legal backing to retain 50%

of its IGF. In 2020, the Registry

projects to mobilise an amount of

GHQ11,659,754.00 internally and

therefore would be allowed to

retain one-half of the projected

IGF or any amount that would be

realised. The Committee is glad to

note that the policy will enhance

the revenue generation streams of

the Births and Death Registry and

help provide funds to support their

projects. It however cautions that

the funds should be used

judiciously to ensure growth in the

process of birth and death

registration.

Institute of Local Government

Studies

8.15 The Committee was informed

that the Institute of Local

Government Studies (ILGS) was

not allocated any funds under GoG

funding for CAPEX even though it

submitted a Budget of GH¢5

million to the Ministry of Finance

for an expansion project it intends

to undertake. The Institute had

challenges including lack of funds

for core operations and

outstanding legacy debt owed to

the Social Security and National

Insurance Trust (SSNIT).

8.16 The Committee was of the

opinion that I LGS was a viable

institution with a lot of potentials

and for that matter must be

supported to enable it train staff of

the Local Government Service,

Regional Coordinating Councils

(RCCs), MMDAs, and sub-district

structures, as required under the

Institute of Local Governance

Studies Act, 2003 (Act 647). The

Committee opines that

government support was needed to

help the Institute expand and

improve teaching and learning and

also carry out its mandate as

expected to strengthen

decentralisation and the local

governance system in the Country.

The Institute was advised to come

up with more training courses in

addition to the ones on local

governance in order to attract more

people including Parliamentarians

just like the Ghana Institute of

Management and Public

Administration. The Committee

was also of the view that ILGS

could package itself in such a way

as to attract even, people from

outside Ghana who would want to

be trained on local governance

issues. The officials of the Institute

disclosed to the Committee that

some new course models have

been developed to help train staff

of the Local Government Service.

The Committee recommends that

the ILGS should be involved in all

aspects of the training of LGS staff

in all disciplines and where it has

not got the capacity, contract other

entities to do the training on its

behalf. For instance the ILGS

could contract the Public

Procurement Authority to train

LGS staff on procurement and also

contract the Audit Service to train

LGS staff on auditing.

Department of Parks and

Gardens

8.17 The Committee noted that in

2021, the Department got

considerable support from the

Ministry of Local government,

Decentralisation and Rural

Development which enabled it

purchase some vehicles and

logistics to enhance its work. The

Committee entreats the Ministry to

provide more support to the

Department to enable it

rehabilitate its regional and district

offices.

8.18 It was also noted that the

Department needed about 2,488

staff to augment its Staff strength

to enable it perform creditably.

The Committee recommends that

the Ministry of Local Government,

Decentralisation and Rural

Development should assist the

Department by recruiting the

needed staff on behalf of the

Department. Personnel of the

Nation Builders' Corps (NABCO),

National Service Scheme (NSS)

and National Youth Employment

(NYEP) could also be posted to

the Department to augment its

staff until the needed personnel are

engaged. The Committee

recommends that the Office of the

Common Fund Administrator

should invest in the activities of

the Department for the benefit of

our environment and the

community at large.

Regional Coordinating Councils

8.19 The Committee noted that in

2022, an amount of GHO million

has been allocated to the ten (l0)

Regional Coordinating Councils

as their CAPEX. The allocation

would however be inadequate to

cater for their capital expenditure

needs, considering the extent of

dilapidation of their office and

residential accommodation

facilities including bungalows

owned by the RCCs. In 2021 for

instance, an amount of

GHCC225,000.00 was allocated to

the Greater Accra Regional

Coordinating Council to be spent

on the renovation of its Bungalows

alone. As at September 2021, only

an amount of GH172,000.00 had

been released to the RCC for the

renovation of the Regional

Minister's residence. The Greater

Accra Coordinating Council

needed to renovate about 17

Bungalows in the Roman Ridge

which is one of the prime areas of

the City of Accra but lacked the

needed funds to do so.

8.20 The Western Regional

Coordinating Council also had a

problem with its Budget receipts

for 202l. Out of the Budget

allocation of GH¢225,000.00

approved for the RCC for 2021,

only an amount of GH¢174,154.37

was released to the RCC and that

was even yet to hit the account of

the RCC as at the time of the

Budget Hearing. According to the

officials of the RCC, they

projected to spent more than

GHCC 11 million under CAPEX

for 2022 for the installation of

security systems, fence wall,

renovation, vehicle and equipment

purchase but only an amount of

GHCC6 million had been

allocated.

8.21 Also with the Central

Regional Coordinating Council,

the approved Budget for the RCC

for CAPEX for 2021 was

GH¢175,000.00 and out of that,

only an amount of GHC88, 109

.87 had been released to the RCC

as at September, 2021. In 2022, the

RCC would need an amount of

GH¢25 million for CAPEX for

renovation and other capital

expenditure projects but again

only an amount of GH¢6 million

had been allocated.

8.22 The Committee was informed

that the Central Regional

Coordinating Council collected

rent from guests who lodged at the

residence of the RCC in order to

raise revenue for its operations.

The Committee is of the view that

all RCCs that have similar

facilities with rental values, should

be given the legal backing to do so,

in order to raise IGF and retain

portions of it for the maintenance

of those structures.

8.23 In the case of the new

Regions, like the Savanna, Oti and

North East Regions, the

decentralised departments did not

have offices and for that reason

operated from rented apartments.

The Savanna Regional

Coordinating Council has very

serious water problem at

Damongo. The Committee is

aware of a water project awarded

before the end of 2020, to deal

with the problem but was informed

by the officials of the Savanna

Regional Coordinating Council

that the contractor has now moved

to site and actual work was yet to

begin.

8.24 The Committee noted that the

newly created RCCs also had

staffing problems but officials of

the Local Government Service

informed the Committee that the

problem would soon be solved

because it has received clearance

to recruit about 1,000 Staff. The

officials assured the Committee

that Staff would be posted to the

Savanna and other new Regional

Coordinating Councils to beef up

their Staff strength and enable

them carry out their mandate as

expected.

8.25 For all the ten (l0) old RCCs,

Bungalows and other structures or

facilities belonging to them have

deteriorated and need to be

renovated. The Committee

recommend that approval should

be given for the MMDAs to be

allocated funds from the District

Assemblies Common Fund

(DACF) to renovate their existing

structures.

8.26 The Committee requested for

details of expenditure in respect of

Goods and Services and CAPEX

to be captured in future Annual

Budget Estimates. This in its

opinion will ensure effective

scrutiny of particularly, the

approved Budgeted amounts. This

is because the Committee was not

pleased with the manner in which

the information was presented to it

by some RCCs. The Committee

therefore recommends that the

Ministry of Local Government,

Decentralisation and Rural

Development takes the officials of

the RCCs through some training

on the Budgeting and budget

presentation to enable them

prepare adequately and provide

the needed information in their

future presentations to the

Committee.

9.0 Conclusion

9.1 The Country stands to

benefit immensely when it comes

to local governance as it is one of

the ways by which the people's

developmental needs could be met

at the local level.

9.2 The Committee therefore

recommends to the House to adopt

its report and approve the total

amount of one billion, eight

hundred and sixty-one million,

three hundred and fifty-three

thousand, Ghana Cedis

(GH¢1,861,353,000.00) for the

Ministry of Local Government,

Decentralisation and Rural

Development as well as its

Departments and Agencies for the

2022 Fiscal Year.

Respectfully submitted.

Hon Members,
the Hon First Deputy Speaker to
take the Chair
6.57 p.m. — [MR FIRST

Hon Ranking Member to
contribute now - [Interruption] - Yes, please.
Ranking Member of the
Committee (Mr Edwin Nii Lante
Vanderpuye): Mr Speaker, I
thank you very much for this
opportunity to contribute to the
Motion — [Interruption] —
Mr Speaker, the Ministry of
Local Government,
Decentralisation and Rural
Development is a very vital
institution as far as the governance
of this country is concerned and as
such, everything that is needed to
make it possible for them to
embark upon their activities
especially at the local level to
transmit Government policies and
programmes is very important.

However, most of the Agencies

under the Ministry of Local

Government Decentralisation and

Rural Development have suffered

some level of lack of resources.

We have Agencies like the

Community Development which

is paramount in providing skills

training for the under-privileged,

especially, in some of our

Districts. They have not received

the necessary attention over the

years so they have not been able to

embark on their activities. This

very important institution has

received only 20 per cent of their

projected allocation in previous

years.

If we go to the Department of

Parks and Gardens, but for the past

year which the Hon Minister made

a passionate plea for their

logistical needs to be looked at,

they have never received anything

worthy of mentioning. As such,

they are unable to embark on all

programmed activities.

The same applies to the Births

and Deaths Registry which to me,

would have facilitated all this

digitalisation agenda of the

Government. The Births and

Deaths Registry is still

accommodated in a dilapidated

structure and where to move to, is

the problem. For the past years,

moneys that they projected to get

in order to facilitate their

relocation has not been

forthcoming and as such, they

continue to grapple with huge

sums and numbers of hard copy

documents which they are unable

to transfer to computers. This is

because their facility cannot really

hold the number of computers they

would need and are not even

conducive for such things.

In this particular Budget

Statement, they are asking for just

about 25 per cent improvement

over the amount that was allocated

for them in the year 2021. It is our

hope and prayer that the Ministry

this time, will release those funds

to the Births and Deaths Registry

to enable them capture accurately

the number of births and deaths in

this country.

For example, if you look at

Table 4, they were able to capture

just about 47 and 49 births and

deaths respectively as anticipated

in the year 2001.

The vexatious issue of property

rates came up for discussion. Both

Sides at the Committee level

agreed that there has not been

enough information as to the

modalities and what sort of

regimes to be used to get another

person, hand, institution or

organisation to collect the property

rates. Even though we all agree

that property rates are very

essential to the development of our

various Metropolitan, Municipal,

Departments and Agencies

(MMDAs) and as such, anything

that has to be done to help the

Assemblies and the MMDAs to

effectively and efficiently

maximize and collect property

rates would be welcome. As far as

this particular policy is concerned,

we have not had the necessary

information as to how the

operational structure is like.

So, just as the Report captured,

we are proposing that this policy,

as far as it is concerned, is stepped

down in this particular Budget

Statement so that we can have

enough consultation and briefing

on the mechanism to be used. The

District Assemblies are the only

institutions or groups mandated by

the law to collect property rates.

Mr Speaker, if you look at the

Report, we do not have any

information at all apart from the

fact that the Assemblies will be

assisted. What sort of assistance,

we do not know. From the fact that

we all know in this country,

releasing funds that are statutorily

mandated to be given to the

Assemblies become a problem.

We do not know what sort of legal

regime we have there which forces

the hand of Government to release

the monies due them from the

property rates. As such, we are of

the opinion and I believe my Hon

Colleagues on the Other side will

agree that we look at the issue

again so that further consultations

would have to be done for Hon

Members of the Committee and

other Committees like that of the

Finance and the Subsidiary

Legislation will all look at it and

make sure that we develop a policy

that will safeguard the interest of

the MMDAs and also maximise

revenue for government and for

development.

Whatever you discuss, make sure
that monies collected at the
Assemblies do not come to Accra.
Whatever monies you collect there
should not come to Accra before
they send it back. No.

Mr Speaker,
thank you very much. This has
always been our point even at the
Committee level and let me say that
the Hon Minister and our Hon
Colleagues on the other Side agree
that we must sit down, discuss and
look at this issue further before we
accept it.
Mr Speaker, in accepting the
Motion, I believe that it is important
that we let it reflect that the
Committee and this House would
wish that this particular policy is
stepped down for further
consultation before implementation.
With these words, I second the
Motion that the Ministry of Local
Government, Decentralisation and
Rural Development is given an
amount of GH₵1,861,353,000.00 for their services for the year 2022.
Mr Speaker, thank you.

Yes,
Hon Deputy Minority Leader?

Mr
Speaker, thank you.

I would want to draw the

Chairman of the Committee's attention to page 13 of the Report.

This is going to be captured in the

Hansard which will become a

reference document for future

generations so we should not allow

this to remain there as it is now.

Mr Speaker, page 13, Table 4.

First of all, the table says

Expenditure and Releases but if

you go to the table's column, there is nothing said about ‘Releases' there so the heading is wrong. I am

saying that Table 4, the heading

says ‘Expenditure and Releases', there is nothing in Table 4 that

talks about releases so the heading

is wrong.

Secondly, if you take the

approved Budget Estimates and

deduct the expenditure from it, the

balance you have should not be

negative. All of them should be

positive figures, so they should

correct it. All the negative signs

should be removed.

Mr Speaker, I
have taken notice of it and it will
be corrected; thank you.

Hon Members, at the conclusion
of the debate, I will put the
Question.
Question put and Motion
agreed to.
Resolved Accordingly.
That this honourable House
approves the sum of
GH₵1,861,353,000 for the services of the Ministry of
Local Government,
Decentralisation and Rural
Development.

Yes, Hon Majority Chief Whip,
what next?

Mr
Speaker, we should go on to page
12 on today's Order Paper and take item numbered 26.

Very well.
Item numbered 26 — Motion. Hon Minister for Energy?

Mr
Speaker, I beg to seek your leave
for the Hon Deputy Minister to

move the Motion on behalf of the

substantive Hon Minister.

What is the reason because we
agreed yesterday that you should
give some explanation?

Mr
Speaker, it is clearly on health
grounds.

Very well.
Hon Deputy Minister?

Hon Chairman, kindly hold on.
Hon Deputy Minority Leader?

Mr Speaker, we
are to approve a total amount of
GH₵561,342,000.00 for the
Ministry of Energy. The Hon
Deputy Minister moved the
Motion without telling the House
what they want to use that money
for during the year. Mr Speaker, at
least the Hon Deputy Minister
should know what this money
would be used for especially, A, B,
C, D — [Interruption] Mr
Speaker, why is he behaving as if I
am saying something new? I am
not saying anything new.
The Hon Minister may choose
not to do so but for the fact that we
are approving such an amount, the
Hon Minister should tell us briefly
what he wants to use the money for
then we can approve of it. So, the
Hon Deputy Minister should
please tell us what they want to use
GH₵561,342,000.00 for?

Hon Deputy Minority Leader, I
thought that we all have copies of
the Report, and the breakdown is
contained in the Report. If you are
not satisfied after the Hon
Chairman presents the Report, I
would ask the Hon Deputy
Minister to provide you with
further information.
Yes, Hon Chairman?

Mr Speaker, I beg
to present your Committee's Report.
l .0 Introduction
Following the presentation of
the Budget Statement and
Economic Policy of Government
by the Minister for Finance, Hon.
Ken Ofori-Atta for the year ending
315 December, 2022 on the 17 day
of November, 2022, the Budgetary
Estimates for the Ministry of
Mines and Energy was laid in the
House and referred to the
Committee on Mines and Energy
for consideration and report in
accordance with Articles 179 and
180 of the Constitution and
pursuant to Orders 140 (4) and 88
of the Standing Orders of the
House.
1.1 Deliberations
On the 13" day of December,
2021, the Committee met with two
Deputy Ministers of Energy, Hon.
William Owuraku Aidoo and Hon.
Egyapa Mercer and the technical
team from the Ministry of Energy
and Ministry of Finance to
deliberate on the referral. The
Committee is grateful for their
inputs.
2.0 Reference Documents
The Committee referred to the
following documents in its
considerations:
1. The 1992 Constitution;
2. The Standing Orders of Parliament;
3. The Renewable Energy Act, 2011 (Act 832);
4. The Energy Commission Act, 1997 (Act 541);
5. The Petroleum Commission Act, 2011 (Act 821 );
6. The Petroleum Hub

Development Corporation

Act, 2020 (Act l 053);

7. The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission

Act, 1997 (Act 538);

8. The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the

Government of the Republic

of Ghana for the 2022

Financial Year; and

9. The Ministry of Energy Medium Term Expenditure

Framework (MTEF) for

2022-2025.

3.0 Agencies under the Ministry

The Ministry of Energy

comprises the Following

a. Headquarters

b.Power sub-sector

Energy Commission;

Volta River Authority;

Bui Power Authority;

Ghana Grid Company;

Electricity Company of Ghana;

Northern Electricity Distribution

Company;

Volta Aluminum Company;

Volta Resettlement Trust Fund;

and

Nuclear Power Ghana.

c. Petroleum sub-sector

National Petroleum Authority;

Petroleum Commission;

Ghana National Petroleum

Corporation;

Ghana National Gas Company;

Bulk Oil Storage and

Transportation Company;

Tema Oil Refinery;

Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing

Company;

Ghana Oil Company Limited;

and

Petroleum Hub Development

Corporation.

3.1 Vision and Mission of the

Ministry

The vision of the Ministry is to

develop an energy economy with

reliable supply of high quality

energy services for the Ghanaian

economy and for export.

The Mission of the Ministry is

to ensure reliable and

competitively-priced energy for

the Ghanaian economy and for

export, in an environmentally-

friendly manner.

3.2 Policy /Strategic Objectives

of the Ministry

The Ministry has adopted the

following policy objectives to be

achieved within the short to

medium term:

3.2.1 Power sub-sector

i. Ensure availability of clean, affordable and

accessible energy;

ii. Ensure efficient transmission and

distribution system;

iii. Ensure efficient utilization of energy;

iv. Enhance capacity for policy formulation and

coordination; and

v. Improve financial capacity and

sustainability of utility

companies.

3.2.2 Petroleum Sub-Sector

i. Promote petroleum exploration;

ii. Promote development and use of indigenous

capabilities for

exploitation of petroleum

resources;

iii. Leverage oil and gas industry as a catalyst for

national economic

development;

iv. Minimize potential environmental impacts of

oil and gas industry;

v. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and

vi. Make Ghana the petroleum hub for West

African sub-region.

4.0 Performance For 2021

4.1 Power sub-sector

4.1.1 Generation and Transmission

The Ministry achieved the

following under its power

generation programmes during

the year under review:

i. Completed the 200MW Amandi Power Project

and it is dispatching

power onto the national

grid;

ii. Completed 99.7% of the construction works for

the Stage l A {l 44MW

open cycle) with the

commissioning

outstanding and works

for the Stage 1 B {56MW

combined cycle) is 93%

complete. Stage l A and

Stage l B constitute

Phase 1 {200MW) of the

400MW of the Early

Power Project;

iii. Carried out an audit of the T3 Repowering

Project to determine the

value of the Plant in its

current state;

iv. Commenced preparatory works on the relocation

of the Ameri Plant to

Anwomaso in the

Ashanti Region;

v. Completed preparatory works for the Pwalugu

Multipurpose dam.

Works are due to start in

earnest; and

vi. Made sturdy progress in the renegotiation and

restructuring of the

Power Purchase

Agreements (PPAs) and

Gas Sales Agreements

(GSAs).

4.1.2 Transmission

During the year under review,

GRIDCo continued with the

Transmission System

Reinforcement Project to improve

operational reliability, security

and control among others. For the

year under review, the following

achievements were made under

the project:

i. Completed the 330kV Kumasi-Kintampo Lot of

the Kumasi-Bolgatanga

Transmission Line Project

and energized;

ii. Achieved 83% completion of the Volta -Achimota lot

of the Volta-Achimota-

Mallam Transmission

Line Upgrade Project

while the Achimota -

Mallam segment is 55%

complete;

iii. Completed and commissioned the

Pokuase BSP Project; and

iv. Achieved 85% completion of the Kasoa BSP Project

which comprises the

reconstruction of a section

of GRIDCo's 161kV

Winneba to Mallam

Transmission Lines and

tie-in-works.

4.1.3 Power distribution

During the year under review:

i. 162 communities out of

the total of 7 66

communities were

connected to the National

Grid under the National

Electrification Scheme;

ii. Over Eleven Million

(11.0M) LED bulbs (6W,

9W, and 13W) have been

received and Five Million

(5.0M) is targeted for

distribution to key

government institutions

and the Metropolitan,

Municipal and District

Assemblies;

iii. Completed the

rehabilitation and

replacement of the

damaged street lights on

the Accra-Tema

Motorway;

iv. Commenced the

construction of street

lighting infrastructure in

the newly created

Regional Capitals;

v. Achieved 80% completion

rate for the installation

works for the construction

of street lighting

infrastructure in Ho; and

vi. Procured poles to commence the installation

of street lights in seven

Municipalities and

Districts in the Upper

East, Northern, Ashanti

and Upper West Regions.

4.1.4 Renewable Energy

The Ministry achieved the

following as part of its

programme to increase renewable

energy sources in the energy mix:

i. Commenced the construction of three (3)

mini grids at Azizkpe,

Aflive and Alorkpem

Islands in the Ada District

of the Greater Accra

Region;

ii. Distributed 2,657 units of solar lanterns to rural and

peri-urban areas at

subsidized prices;

iii. Commissioned and operationalized the Bui

Power Authority 50MW

Solar Power Plant and the

VRA 13MW Kaleo Solar

Project;

iv. Continued ongoing negotiations on the

Second Phase of the

912kilowatt peak (kWp)

Jubilee Solar PV project

with the Contractor on

having successfully

completed the First Phase;

v. Completed preparatory activities for the scaling

up of the Renewable

Energy Project;

vi. Received indicative term sheet for a line of Credit

from the Government of

India towards the

implementation of the

prioritized projects; and

vii. Distributed 230,000 units of Improved Charcoal

Cook Stoves

4.1.5 Nuclear Energy

Development Programme

The Ministry commenced the

process of identifying a nuclear

vendor as a strategic partner for its

Nuclear Energy Development

Programme. Twelve (12)

prospective vendors have

responded to the Request for

Information (RIP) by Nuclear

Power Ghana and the review

process is ongoing.

4.2 Petroleum Sub-Sector

4.2.1 Upstream Activities

The Ministry recorded the

following achievements

under the petroleum

Sector:

a) Greater Jubilee Field

Total Crude Oil from the

Greater Jubilee Field as of

September, 2021 was

19,940,478 barrels

averaging 73,042 barrels

per day; and

A total of 26.55Bcf of gas

was exported to the Gas

Processing Plant at

Atuabo translating into an

average of 97.25 MMScf

per day.

b) Tweneboa-Enyera-Ntome

(TEN) Field

Total Crude Oil from the

TEN Field as of September,

2021 was 9,476,489 barrels

averaging 34,712.41 barrels per

day; and

A total of 2.50Bcf of gas was

exported to the Gas Processing

Plant at Atuabo translating into

an average of 9.17 MMScf per

day.

c) Sankofa Gye Nyame Field

Total Crude Oil from the

Sankofa Gye Nyame Field

from January to

September, 2021 was

12,110,451 barrels

averaging 44,361 barrels

per day; and

A total of 48.14 Bcf of

Non-Associated Gas was

exported to the Onshore

Receiving Facility (ORF)

at Sanzule translating into

an average of 176.35

MMScf per day.

d) With respect to works on the

Voltarian Basin Project, the

Ministry has

Completed processing and

interpretation of the

668.99km; and Acquired

2D seismic data.

e) With respect to Gas

Commercialization, the Ministry

Commenced negotiations

with N-Gas, the Supplier

of gas in the West African

Gas Pipeline (WAGP) as

part of Government's

efforts to renegotiate gas

agreements to lessen the

Take or Pay burden;

Continued with ongoing

negotiations to restructure

the OCTP gas agreement

to reduce the headline

price of gas supplied from

that field; and

Will commission the

Tema LNG project in the

fourth quarter. The project

is a strategic project which

is expected to diversify

and boost security of gas

supply to the nation.

4.2.2 Downstream Developments

The following activities were

undertaken by the Ministry and its

Agencies in the downstream

during the period under review:

Established the Petroleum Hub

Development Corporation;

Completed an Interim report on

the Strategic Environmental

Assessment (SEA) of the

Petroleum Hub Master Plan

and obtained a temporary

Environmental Permit;

Reviewed the draft Spatial

plan; and

Engaged prospective investors

at the Offshore Technology

Conference (OTC).

5.0 Financial Performance

For 2021

A total amount of

GH¢854,053,706.00 was

approved for the implementation

of the programmes and activities

for the Ministry of Energy for the

2021 financial year. As at the end

of September, a total amount of

GH¢226,620,055.96 of approved

budget was utilised as

Expenditure. The details are

presented in the table below:

Table 1 Financial Performance for 2021

2021

Approved Actual

Expenditur

e Item

budget (A) Release

(B)

Expenditur

e (c)

Variance %

Compensati

on

GOG 4,410,616.00 3,433,114.44 3,433,1 14.44 977,501.56 78%

IGF 18,295,780.00 11,487,421.00 11,487,421.00 6,808,359.00 63%

Goods and

Services

GOG 6,268,048.00 4,696,005.00 4,297,525.24 1,970,522.76 69%

IGF 40,109,979.00 9,075,721.00 9,075,721.00 31,034,258.00 23%

Hon
Ranking Member?
Ranking Member of the
Committee (Mr John A. Jinapor):
Mr Speaker, let me commend our
indefatigable Hon Chairman who
has demonstrated that he is not only
punctual at the Committee meetings,
but he is one of the senior Hon
Members who is always punctual in
this House. This is a fact so I believe
that some leading Hon Members
should learn from him as well as
from the Rt Hon Speaker who is also

Mr Speaker, page 3 of the Report

mentions some projects that the

Ministry claimed to be achievements

including the Amandi Power

Project, the Eni Power Project and

that they even commenced efforts to

relocate the Ameri Plant to

Anomaso in the Ashanti Region. Mr

Speaker, on this note, it is only

proper and fair that we commend the

venerable Dr Kwabena Donkor

whose efforts culminated in all these

power plants.

Mr Speaker, when it comes to

Rural Electrification — I refer to

page 4 where only 162 communities

out of 766 communities received

electricity and this is woefully

inadequate. Of the 766 communities,

only 162 communities received

electricity and if we want to know

why it happened so, then we have to

refer to the 2021 outturns where out

of a budgeted amount of GH₵854

million, the Ministry has so far been

given only GH₵266 million

representing 26 per cent.

Mr Speaker, as a House, we ought

to be interested in some of these

things because how can a Ministry

have a budget portfolio of GH₵854

million, but as we speak, the amount

released to that Ministry is GH₵266

million. Sometimes we turn to blame

sector Ministers for non-

performance but the truth is that if

the Ministry of Finance does not

release the funds, then the sector

Minister is as ineffective as anything

because we run a programme-based

budget. This programme-based

budget would require some funding

in order to attain those objectives or

expectations.

Mr Speaker, so I think that this is

something we all have to take note

because it cuts across so many other

ministries.

Mr Speaker, if you turn to page 6

of the Report, the Ministry intends to

operationalise the Tema L&G

Project. It states and I quote:

“We would commission the Tema L&G Project in the fourth

quarter.”

Mr Speaker, the Tema Oil and

Gas Project is a strategic project, but

as we speak the contract document,

the guarantees and all the laws have

not been presented to this House. I

believe that it is only proper that the

Ministry of Energy ensures that the

Tema Oil and Gas Project is brought

to this House for scrutiny so that

Parliament would be seized with all

the information.

Mr Speaker, finally, on page 12

of the Report, the Ministry wants to

engage in what they call the

Cylinder Recirculation Module.

They would want to charge some

fees, so that the cylinders would be

redistributed freely. It is our

contention that if they want to

charge any amount, the legislation

and the authority ought to come

before Parliament. The Act where

Ministers suo moto grants the

National Petroleum Authority

(NPA) the authority to either

increase levies, increase charges or

implement new charges must not be

encouraged. Parliament is a

repository of the people, and when

they want to charge such levies, it is

only proper that they come to

Parliament for approval.

Mr Speaker, on that note, let

me thank the Members of the

Committee for a yeoman's job and to say that we associate ourselves

with the work of the Hon Chairman

- [Laughter].

Question put and Motion agreed

to.

Resolved accordingly.

That this honourable House

approves the sum of

GH¢561,342,000 for the services of

the Ministry of Energy for the year

ending 31st December, 2022.

Mr
Speaker, we can go on to the Order
Paper Addendum and take item 2 (a),
and with you leave the Hon Deputy
Minister for Education will take it.
BILLS — FIRST READING
Student Loan Trust Fund
(Amendment) Bill, 2021
An ACT to amend the Student
Loan Trust Fund, 2011 (Act 820) to
reduce section 19 of Act 820 to
dispense with the requirement of the
guarantor and to provide for related
matters.
Presented by the Deputy Minister
for Education (Rev John Ntim
Fordjour) on behalf of (the Minister
for Education). Read the First time;
referred to the Committee on
Education.

Mr
Speaker, we can now take item
numbered 2 (b) on the Order Paper

Addendum by the Deputy

Minister for Finance.

Electronic Transfer Levy Bill,

2021

An ACT to impose a levy to be

known as the Electronic Transfer

Levy on electronic transfers to

enhance revenue mobilisation by

broadening the tax base and to

provide for related matters.

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
Speaker, now on Addendum Order
Paper 2 — Presentation of Papers,
items numbered 1 (i), (ii) and (iii).

Very
well, Hon Members, item numbered
13 — Motion by Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture.
Yes, Hon Minister?
ANNUAL ESTIMATES, 2022
Ministry of Fisheries and
Aquaculture Development
Minister for Fisheries and
Aquaculture Development (Mrs
Mavis Hawa Koomson) (MP): Mr
Speaker, I beg to move, that this
honourable House approves the sum
of GH¢80,122,000.00 for the
services of the Ministry of Fisheries
and Aquaculture Development for
the year ending 31st December,
2022.

Chairman of the Committee

(Mr John Osei Frimpong): Mr

Speaker, I rise to second the Motion

ably moved by the Hon Minister.

Mr Speaker, I would represent the

Committee's Report.

1.0 Introduction

The Budget Statement and

Economic Policy of the Government

of Ghana for the 2022 Financial year

was presented to Parliament on

by Hon. Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister

for Finance in accordance with

Article 179 and 180 of the 1992

Constitution of Ghana.

Pursuant to Standing

Orders 104(4) and 176, Rt.

Hon Speaker referred the

Estimates which relates to

the Ministry of Fisheries and

Aquaculture Development

(MoFAD) to the Committee

on Food, Agriculture and

Cocoa Affairs for

consideration and report to

the House.

2.0 Deliberations

The Committee met on 9th and

10th December, 2021 with the

Minister for Fisheries and

Aquaculture Development, Hon.

Mavis Hawa Koomson and officials

of the Ministry of Fisheries and

Aquaculture Development and

examined the 2022 Budget

Estimates of the Ministry.

The Committee is grateful to the

Hon. Minister and the Deputy

Minister for Finance, Hon. Abena

Osei-Asare and the Officials of the

Ministry of Fisheries and

Aquaculture Development for their

insightful inputs and clarifications

during the consideration of the 2022

Annual Budget Estimates.

3.0 Reference Materials

The Committee made reference

to the following documents during

the consideration of the Budget

Estimates:

i. The 1992 Constitution

ii. The Standing Orders of Parliament

iii. The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of

the Government for

2022 Financial Year

iv. The Medium-Term Expenditure Framework

for 2022-2025 and

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

4.0 Policy Objectives of the Ministry

The policy objectives of the 2018-2021 National Medium Term

Development Policy Framework (NMTDPF) core to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development are to;

i. Conserve marine areas;

ii. Enhance the application of Science, Technology and Innovation;

iii. Ensure sustainable

development and management of aquaculture;

iv. Ensure sustainable

development and management of Fisheries Resources for National Benefits

v. Enhance capacity for policy

formulation and coordination.

4.1 Goal

The goal of the Ministry of Fisheries

and Aquaculture Development is to

“Transform the Fisheries and

Aquaculture Sector into a viable

economic segment to contribute to

national development.”

4.2 Core Functions

The core functions of MoFAD are

to;

i. formulate and implement

sector development policies

and strategies in line with

National Development

Policy Frameworks;

ii. facilitate the development of

Aquaculture sub-sector to

increase domestic fish

production;

iii. enforce fisheries Laws and

Regulations to protect

fisheries resources;

iv. promote sustainable

management of fisheries

resources for national

benefits;

v. develop sector medium-term

development plans

consistent with National

Development Policy

Frameworks;

vi. conduct periodic socio- economic studies/ research

on “Topical” Fisheries related development issues

for policy formulation and

planning;

vii. coordinate all development interventions

to accelerate the

transformation of the

Fisheries and Aquaculture

sector; and

viii. have oversight responsibility of all Agencies in the sector,

including the Fisheries

Commission.

5.0 2021 Performance

5.1 Financial Performance

The Ministry of Fisheries and

Aquaculture Development was

allocated an amount of three

hundred and seventy-four million,

five hundred and ninety-two

thousand, two hundred and three

Ghana cedis (GH¢374,592,203.00)

for implementation of the Ministry's activities. However, the DP

allocation of GH¢292,464,735.00

(representing 78.1%) of the 2021

Appropriation which was meant for

the construction of Fish Landing

Sites was handled by the Ministry of

Transport. Forty million, five

hundred and fifty-three thousand,

six hundred and seventeen Ghana

cedis, Twenty-Nine Pesewas

(GH¢40,553,617.29) was released,

representing 49.4% of the funds

available to the Ministry.

Table 1: 2021 Financial Performance by Economic Classification &

Funding Source

Item Approved

Budget (A)

Actual

Release(B)

Actual

Payment (C)

Variance

=(A-C)

%

Relea

sed

Comp.

Employee

of 11,380,135.00 7,320,886.31 7,320,886.31 4,059,248.69 64.3

Goods

Services

& 45,470,147.00 26,168,846.45 18,940,773.66 26,529,373.34 7.6

Capital

Expenditure

317,741,921.0

0

7,063,884.53 5,029,981.09 312,711,939.91 2.2

Total 374,592,203.0 40,553,617.29 31,291,641.06

343,300,561.94

10.8

Source: 2021 Programme Based Budget Estimates of MoFAD

5.2 Programme Performance for

2021

The Ministry of Fisheries and

Aquaculture Development

committed its 2021 budgetary

allocations to the following

activities and had the following

outcomes.

5.2.1 Management and Administration

The Ministry through the

infrastructural development

programme completed civil works

on the administration, Classrooms,

Hostel and Laboratory Blocks of the

Anomabo Fisheries College which

are key for the operationalization of

the college. The construction of

0.63km internal and 4km access

road from the Nsanfo Junction

(Accra-Cape Coast Highway) are at

25% level of completion. The

Ministry has also initiated the

necessary actions towards

furnishing of the blocks as well as

equipping the laboratory.

In order to bridge the gap in staff

numbers and technical skills, the

Ministry recruited 170 new fisheries

personnel for the Fisheries

Commission after the Public

Services Commission and the

Ministry of Finance granted

Technical and Financial Clearance

respectively for recruitment.

5.2.2 Fisheries Resource Management

The Ministry during the Closed

Season, distributed some relief items

which were 15,000 bags of rice and

6,250 cartons of oil to the fishers.

Under the implementation

programs and operations in 2021,

there was a total marine fish

production of 362,292mt, with a

total value of GH¢3,246,941,807.99

as against end of the year production

target of 373,571.72mt, representing

97%. The total inland fish

production also stood at

86,353.33mt, with a total value of

GH¢1,338,476,687.14 as against

end of year target of 85,007.71mt,

representing 101.6%.

A total of 69,009,000 litres (5,114

trucks) of subsidized Premix Fuel

were distributed to fishers in 308

Landing Beach Committees

nationwide for fishing expedition

under the Fisheries Input Support

Scheme. Again, 6,000 pieces of

outboard motors and 6,000 pieces of

fishing nets were distributed to

fishers to support their business.

5.2.3 Aquaculture Development

The Ministry continued with

the implementation of the

Aquaculture for Food and Jobs

initiative. During the year under

review, a total of thirty-two (32)

earthen ponds (300m2 each) were

constructed,10 each at the Ve-

Golokwati and Akpafu

Mempeasem in the Volta region,

4 at Osei-Tutu Senior High

School in the Ashanti region and

8 in the Bono East region. It is

worth noting that so far, a total of

180 aquaculture holding facilities

have been provided under the

Initiative to 35 beneficiary

institutions and groups

comprising six(6) Senior High

Schools, one(1) Training

College, four(4) Prison Camps,

twenty-three(23) Youth Groups

and one(1) Fish Farmers' Association.

The Ministry also procured a

total of 17,440 bags of assorted

fish feed to be distributed to fish

farmers, particularly the youth in

aquaculture and distressed fish

farmers across the country.

The Ministry has completed

civil works on two (2) Public

Hatcheries at Sefwi Wiawso and

Dormaa Ahenkro. In addition,

existing public hatcheries at

Kona Odumase in the Ashanti

region and Ashaiman in the

Greater Accra Region were

upgraded.

Fisheries Extension

Officers were distributed

to 2,420 fish farms as

against end of year target

of 2,200.

With these interventions,

aquaculture production as

at September 2021 stood

at 98,884.83mt as against

an end of the year target

of 83,150.00mt.

5.2.4 Fisheries Law Enforcement

The Ministry intensified sea and

land patrols from forty (40) patrols

in 2020 to fifty-two (52) patrols in

2021. Quayside inspections also

increased marginally from 868 in

operations resulted in 77 infraction

cases, which are at various stages

of prosecutions. The total number

of Observer Missions carried out

on board industrial vessels to

monitor and report compliance

with fisheries legislations at sea

increased by 6 per cent from 519 in

The Ministry carried out

sensitization on Fisheries Laws

and Regulations in 84 fishing

communities including Sedorm,

Akosombo, Jomoro, Ellembelle,

Kpong, Akwidaa, Akateng,

Dixcove, and Dzemeni among

others, to promote voluntary

compliance by fishers.

It is worth noting that the

Ministry has drafted a

Fisheries and Aquaculture

Policy. The new Act is

expected to ensure flexibility

in responding to emerging

technical fisheries issues in a

timely manner and improve

the capacity of management

to adapt to changes with the

requisite legal authority to

undertake its mandate.

5.2.5 Aquatic Animal Health and Post-

harvest Management

The Ministry through the fish

health unit trained thirty (30)

stakeholders in biosecurity, disease

detection and reporting to enhance

the Implementation of Aquatic

Animal Biosecurity. Also, Sixty-

five (65) Aquaculture

establishments in the Central,

Western, Eastern and Ashanti

Regions were inspected for

biosecurity compliance.

To ensure the hygienic and safe

consumption of fish, the Ministry

procured and distributed fifty (50)

pieces of Torrymeters to detect the

use of chemicals across the various

beaches. It is worth noting that forty-

six (46) fisheries officers and thirty

(30) stakeholders have been trained

on the use of the device.

A total of 360 fish processors and

traders have been trained on the use

of improved fish processing

technologies, hygienic handling of

fish and group dynamics in the

Upper East and West Regions. This

is to ensure compliance with health

and sanitary processes.

Twenty (20) Fish Disease

Surveillance Exercises were

conducted and sixteen (16) Fisher

Based Organizations were trained in

basic business management skills to

build the capacity of Fisheries

Officers on Aquatic Animal Health.

6.0 Outlook for 2022

6.1 Financial Requirement

The budget ceiling for the

Ministry of Fisheries

Aquaculture Development for

the year 2022 stands at

GH¢80,121,000.00 of which

compensation of employees is

GH¢15,818,000.00 (19.7%),

Goods and Services

GH¢32,035,000.00 (40%) and

Capital Expenditure is

GH32,268,000 (40.3%). The

detailed breakdown is shown

in the Tables 2 and 3 below.

Table 2: 2022 Budget Ceilings by Economic Classification and Funding

Source

ITEM 2022 budget

Ceilings (GH¢)

GoG ABFA IGF DP TOTAL

Compensation

of Employee

15,818,000 - - - 15,818,000

Goods &

Services

1,499,000 - 30,536,000 - 32,035,000

Capital

Expenditure

3,500,000 2,000,000 20,282,000 6,486,000 32,268,000

Total 20,817,000 2,000,000 50,818,000 6,486,000 80,121,000

Source: 2022 Programme Based Budget Statement of MoFAD

Table 3: 2022 Budget Allocation by Programme and Funding Source

Programme GoG (GH¢) IGF (GH¢) ABFA

(GH¢)