Debates of 1 Feb 2022

Hon
Members, item numbered 4 - Correction of Votes and Proceedings and the Official
Report.
We would begin with the Votes and
Proceedings of Friday, 25th February,
2022.
Page 1, 2 … 7 -

Mr
Speaker, I have been captured as being
absent on page 7 but I was on an official
trip and I duly completed the leave of
absence form. Mr Speaker, I attended the
Extraordinary Meeting of the Pan-
African Parliament together with Hon
Muntaka, and I recalled that I duly
completed the leave of absence form so
the correction should be made.

The Table Office should kindly take note of that; he was absent but with permission.
Page 8, 9 -

Mr Speaker, on page 9, the last word at item numbered 8 should read ‘Question' and not “Questions” because the Hon Ashanti Regional Minister answered only one Question.

Hon Member, what about the follow-up questions that he answered?

Mr Speaker, item numbered 8 reads: “The following Question was asked of …” so the supplementary questions are not embedded in the Question.

Hon Member, I understand you but -
Very well. Hon Member for Kwadaso,
I am told that you are right.
Page 10, 11 -

Mr Speaker, I was
conferring with my good Hon Friend, Ms
Dzifa Gomashie, about the title before her
name whether it should read as ‘Ms' or “Mrs”.

Hon Member for Ketu South, you are present

Mr Speaker,
it is good to have a younger Hon Brother who looks out for me.
Mr Speaker, I am a widow so the
“Mrs” is truly unnecessary; so it can be changed. The Hon Member is right.

Very
well.
Page 11, 12 -

Mr Speaker, I
want your direction on item numbered 2 on page 12. The Committee that has been captured on page 12 is the Joint Committee on Education and Foreign Affairs, but under Attendance, it has been stated that: “The Hon Chairman, Mr Bryan Acheampong presided”.
Mr Speaker, this was a Joint
Committee so Mr Bryan Acheampong is the Hon Chairman of the Committees? We may know but if another person picks the Votes and Proceedings, the person may not know which of the Committees he chairs so I am of the view that -

The Table Office should correct it to read the Hon Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr Speaker, also at
page 10, I do not know whether your
direction was properly captured? Item numbered 9:

“The Hon Second Deputy Speaker directed Leadership to consider the matter and advise the House appropriately. He further directed media houses, especially Joy FM to take note of the concern and take the necessary remedial action.”

Mr Speaker, I thought you indicated

Joy FM if they consider the publication to be out of place to take the remedial action and not directing them to take remedial action.

Your concern is, “if there is the need”.

Yes, Mr Speaker. There was an “if” clause there but it has been taken out as if you just directed them.

Well noted. So, Clerks-at-the-Table, just put the “if” clause there. I think he is right. If there is no need, then there is no invitation to them to do the needful.
Page 11…16?
Hon Members, in the absence of any
further corrections, the Votes and
Proceedings of Friday, 25th February,
2022 is hereby adopted as the true record
of proceedings.
Hon Members, we have the Official
Report of 4th February, 2022.

Mr Speaker, the
front page of the Official Report, Papers,
after “40-Bed and Offinso” there is “and he completion”. I do not think that has been properly captured. What I remember
it should be is “Equipping of 40-bed district hospital at Ayensuano, Efigyase
and Offinso and the completion and
equipping of Old Tafo Maternity and
Kumasi South Maternity Blocks.”
So they must insert “the” after “40-bed district hospital at Ayensuano, Efigyase” before “and Offinso”.

Clerks-
at-the-Table, have you got what he is
trying to put across?
“Construction Agreement between the GoG (Represented by the Ministry of
Health) and Golden Mainland
Ghana Limited for the construction
and equipping of 40-bed district
hospital…” -

So after the 40-bed,
it should be “district hospital at Ayensuano, Effigyase and Offinso and
the completion...” So the “he” there should be “the”.

Very
well. Clerks-at-the-Table, take note of
that.
Any other corrections?
Hon Members, in the absence of any
further corrections, the Official Report of
4th February, 2022, as corrected is hereby
adopted as the true record of
proceedings.
Hon Members, again, I have the
Official Report of 11th February, 2022.

Hon Members, do you not have the

Official Report of 11th February, 2022?

Mr Speaker, in the
Votes and Proceedings of 25th February,
2022, page 9, it is captured:
“The Official Report of the Twelfth Sitting held on Friday, 11th February,
2022, as corrected was also
adopted as the true record of
proceedings.”

So it
means that it has already been taken?

Yes, Mr Speaker.

Thank
you very much, Hon Member for Buem.
Hon Members, before we proceed, I
would like to mention to you that we have
some visitors among us - the Commissioner of the Parliamentary
Service Board of the Parliament of the
Republic of Sierra Leone. They are here
from 1st to 3rd March, 2022 on a study
visit to Parliament and other institutions
in Ghana. So, I would like to introduce
them to the House. They are led by Hon
Hassan Abdoul Sesay. He is here among
other things to interact with his
counterparts, learn best practice and
exchange ideas, as far as Parliamentary

Hon
Minister, you are ever ready to answer the
questions. Take your seat first, and you
can take your water.

Mr Speaker, I thank
the Hon Minister for this detailed Answer
that he has provided. With all the
information the Hon Minister has shared,
the data we have shows that road
accidents continues to increase, even
though the intention was to reduce the
number of accidents and deaths, but we
continue to record even higher and more
accidents than the previous years all the
time.
Mr Speaker, over-speeding as the
Minister indicated is a main cause of road
accidents. What is the Ministry doing
especially in some of the areas the
Minister said have been identified as
accident-prone zones on our highways
beyond assigning some men on the
streets?

Mr Speaker, as I
said, road safety is a shared
responsibility. It is not about what we as
a Ministry is doing alone that would help
reduce over-speeding. It should be a
collaboration between those agencies

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which are responsible in dealing with - That was why I said that for the first time

in our history the Police would introduce

traffic technology as part of the measures

to deal with over-speeding. We are also

bringing tethogram and speed limiters

which we would enforce fixing them in

vehicles during registration at the Driver

and Vehicle Licencing Authority

(DVLA).

Mr Speaker, we cannot do it alone.

The Police is a major player when it

comes to enforcing these road safety

measures on our roads. Like I said, the

Ministry of Roads and Highways has also

started making some of these roads dual

carriageways. We need to put all these

efforts together to reduce some of these

issues of over-speeding. We may do our

part in terms of the education, that people

should not speed on the roads and that

when they drink they should not drive.

However, if we do not have these other

agencies who are responsible to

collaborate with us, we would not be able

to achieve our aims.

So, these are some of the measures that

are being introduced because we need to

continue to educate our people. Like the

Hon Member said, the numbers are going

up, but we do not need to throw our hands

in the air and say that because of that we

are giving up. In addition to this, we are

also bringing in new measures like the

traffic-tech and also trying to make our

roads dual carriageways, which would

also help us reduce these road accidents.

Thank you.

Mr Speaker, I would
want to find this out from the Hon
Minister. Over-aged or worn-out tyres
and sometimes over-loading beyond the
gross weight of the vehicle have been a
key contributing factor to tyre bursts,
which leads to accidents. Is the Ministry
considering the matter of importation of
some of these tyres that sometimes arrive
in our country when they have already
expired? In the local parlance it is said
that they have “good teeth”, but the tyres are already expired before they even got
them into our shops. Is the Ministry
considering weeding out completely the
importation of these tyres that result in
tyre bursts that lead to accidents?

Mr Speaker, as
part of the measures to deal with some of
the issues, the National Road Safety
Authority today is becoming a regulator
in the transport industry. When the
Legislative Instrument (L. I.) is passed, as
part of the measures, the National Road
Safety Authority is bringing out
standardisation when it comes to the use
of tyres and the use of second hand tyres,
and some of these concerns that the Hon
Member is talking about would be dealt
with in the L. I. that we would bring out.

Mr Speaker, bad
roads have been associated or presented
as the cause of accidents, but good roads

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have also caused even more fatal

accidents in our part of the world,

including dual carriage roads. I have

heard the Hon Minister talk about the

dualisation of the Accra-Kumasi, the

Accra-Takoradi, Accra-Aflao and

possibly the Accra-Jasikan Roads being

dualised. However, my question is that

sometimes there are some rules which

govern the use of these dual roads; inner

lane and outer lane. If we take the Tema

Motorway as an example, we may find a

very slow moving truck in the inner lane,

and then when it encounters an obstacle

ahead, it would want to veer off to the

outer lane, and that has resulted in a

number of accidents. I know the Hon

Minister would tell me that it is about

education - that is educating the drivers. What would the Hon Minister put on the

roads, for example - all right, the Hon Minister for Roads and Highways has

taken away the toll booths; I was going to

suggest something about it. What would

the Hon Minister do to educate these

drivers on the use of dual carriageways

such that they would not use the wrong

lane, which would lead to accidents?

Mr Speaker, I
thank the Hon Member for making such a
good observation.
Like the Hon Member said, we need to
embark on a continuous education. But I
can tell him that in terms of designing
roads we have what we call two-plus-one,
one-plus-two, and two-plus-three, all in
an attempt to get the drivers to reduce
their speed because at times a driver
would need to go on a two way, then
reduce to one way, go on a three way and
come back to one way. However, we need
to encourage them and do more education
in that area. So, I am happy about the
comment and observation that the Hon
Member has made. We would continue to
educate them more on the use of the
roads.

Mr Speaker, I find
it very hard to believe that on the Tema
Motorway, the potholes on the concrete
road are filled with asphalt. When these
two materials are merged and expansion
takes place, we find out that they detach
from each other. This causes the tyres of
vehicles or articulated trucks to burst. Is
there any way the Hon Minister could
advise the Ghana Highways Authority to
desist from using asphalt to fill cement or
concrete roads?

Hon
Minister, is that your job? I thought that
one is for the Ministry of Roads and
Highways?

Mr Speaker, the
Hon Member has made a good
observation once again. I would convey
his message to the Hon Minister for
Roads and Highways.

Mr Speaker, this is just to sanitise our
records. It is not required for one Hon
Minister to pass on an information to
another Minister. It is an observation, but

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if the question did not sit within the

confines of the rule, then so be it! I would

humbly pray that the answer just given by

the Minister be expunged from the

records. It is very important because

Standing Order 69 is clear on what

constitutes a supplementary question. I

rest my case. Mr Speaker, the decision is

yours.

That is
the reason I had not wanted to allow him
to respond to it. The Hon Member who
asked that supplementary question should
be minded that the issue he raised could
be filed as a separate question to the
Minister for Roads and Highways.

Mr Speaker, that is
correct; I would take note.

Mr
Speaker, I would want to find out from
the Hon Minister, the measures that are
being taken to reduce human errors in
relation to road accidents. This is because
in the Hon Minister's Answer, he stated
that human errors accounted for most of
the accidents on our roads. In terms of
training or the building of the capacity of
drivers, what is the Ministry doing? Also,
with regard to okada, tricycle drivers and
all that, can the Hon Minister elaborate on
what the Ministry is doing about them?

Hon
Minister, the Hon Member wants you to
tell us something about the human error
aspect?

Mr Speaker, I
have said that in the cause of road
accidents in this country, the human error
factor is abou 95 per cent. So, if he
listened carefully, all the measures that
have been put in place are to deal with the
education on human errors. For instance,
there is a nationwide road safety
campaign that we call “Arrive-Alive- Campaign”, and we are doing a lot of mandatory refresher training for
commercial drivers and riders of
motorcycles.
The new measures that we are putting
in place as the National Road Safety
Authority is to train these drivers twice
every year on the use of these new
vehicles to deal with speed radar guns,
alcohol-metres and high gauges. These
are all part of the system that we are
putting in place because supposing that
somebody is drunk, these modern
alcohol-metres would be able to check the
new level of expected alcohol intake.
First, we were implementing 0.8 alcohol
metres, but according to the United
Nations' measures that are being put in place, we need to acquire alcohol metres
of 0.5 per cent. So, these are the factors
that are being put in place to deal with the
human error situation.

Mr
Speaker, we thank the Hon Minister for
his answers. We encourage him to do
more to reduce road carnage. Data from
the Motor Traffic and Transport

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Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police

Service suggests that sadly, in January

2022, marginally, lesser number of

people died on our roads. In January

2021, 244 people died through road

crashes, but in January 2022, the number

was 232. It is marginal, but every life is

important so we must do whatever we can

do to reduce it.

Mr Speaker, in the Hon Minister's

Answer, he talked about a number of

things that they do to educate the public.

However, I have never heard of any

advertisement about road safety in my

constituency before though we have radio

stations. Mr Speaker, I would want to ask

the Hon Minister, if it is the case that they

concentrate their advertisement on only

the big radio and television stations based

in Accra and Kumasi and ignore the rest

of the country when vehicles are not only

in Accra, Kumasi and Tema? Do they

take time to select media houses beyond

the cities and place adverts? The driver

who might cause an accident on the

motorway might be coming from Adaklu

or Kwadaso. I would want to find out

from the Hon Minister how they select

media houses to benefit from the adverts

they want the entire country to hear on

road safety?

Mr Speaker, the
adverts that we run comprise radio,
newspapers, and television. Regarding
print, we advertise no national
newspapers - The Daily Graphic and the
Ghanaian Times. My understanding is
that these newspapers go to almost every
corner of this country. Apart from them,
we advertise on the national television.
People in almost every village watch
Ghana Television and other television
stations, and I am sure they hear our
advertisements.
Mr Speaker, for the radio stations, we
do not concentrate in Accra but perhaps,
like the Hon Member said, we need to
expand and do more. I will take it on
board, and see how we can incorporate
other radio stations in our adverts.
Mr Speaker, before I take my seat, I
hope that your directive that the previous
answer I gave be expunged from the
record has been done?

We
would now move to Question numbered
394 which stands in the name of the Hon
Member for Keta, Hon Kwame Dzudzorli
Gakpey.
Status of the Keta Landing Beach
Mr Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey
(NDC - Keta): Mr Speaker, I rise to ask the Minister for Transport the status of
the Keta Landing Beach.

Mr Speaker, the
landing beach at Keta is part of the 14
coastal fish landing sites project being
constructed along the coast. However, the
initiation of the Keta Seaport Project
necessitated the re-design of the Keta

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landing site due to its proximity to the

Keta seaport site and other coastal and

environmental considerations.

Mr Speaker, the new design has

therefore made available additional

onshore facilities such as pavement of the

Keta market, drainage systems, a school

block and a new health centre in

Asadame in the Keta municipality among

other associated infrastructural projects.

Mr Speaker, the construction of a new

health centre at Asadame has been

completed while construction of the

onshore toilet facility and the

rehabilitation of the Keta market are

currently ongoing. Mr Speaker, the Hon

Member even joined us to visit some of

these facilities, and he is aware of what

we are doing as far as the Keta seaport is

concerned.

Hon
Member, any supplementary question?

Mr Speaker, as the Hon
Minister mentioned, it is true that I
visited the place. In his Answer, he said:
“Mr Speaker, the new design has
therefore made available additional
onshore facilities such as pavement of
the Keta market, drainage systems, a
school block and a new health centre
in Asadame …”
I would want to find out from the Hon
Minister if the entire Keta market or just
a portion would be paved?

Mr Speaker, the
consultant and the contractors are on site,
and they advise us on the level of work
we should do. My understanding of
paving a market is the entire place, not a
portion. So far as I am concerned, if we
are paving a market, we need to pave the
whole place, and that is exactly what we
are doing on site.

Mr Speaker, I would
also like to find out the location of the
school block that the Hon Minister
mentioned in his Answer?

Mr Speaker, the
school block is within the municipality,
but I cannot mention the exact town. I
will find out the name of the town, and
make it available to the Hon Member.

Hon
Member, you may ask your final
supplementary question?

Mr Speaker, I would be
waiting for the Hon Minister to provide
the location of the school.
Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister
mentioned drainage system in his
Answer. I would want to know if it is for
the market? Also, when would they
inaugurate the newly completed health
centre at Asadame?

Mr Speaker, the
health centre is completed, but it is left
with some fittings to be done. When we
are done with that, I would duly inform

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the Hon Member to join us on the day of

inauguration for the use of the people.

Hon
Members, we would move to Question
numbered 550 which stands in the name
of Dr Kwabena Donkor, Hon Member for
Pru East. He has sought permission for
Hon Kwame Agbodza to ask it on his
behalf.
Hon Member, you may ask the
Question?
Measures to Develop Volta Lake to
Cart Bulk Cargo
Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza on
behalf of (Dr Kwabena Donkor): Mr
Speaker, I rise to ask the Minister for
Transport the measures the Ministry has
put in place to develop the Volta Lake as
a preferred mode of transport for carting
bulk cargo from southern Ghana to
northern Ghana.

Mr Speaker, as
part of Government's efforts to develop
the Volta Lake as a preferred mode of
transport, a number of interventions are
being implemented by the Ministry,
including the removal of tree stumps on
the navigable routes to reduce frequent
boat accidents on the lake and improve
safety. So far, tree stumps have been
removed at Dambai to Dambai over bank,
Yeji to Makango, Dambai to Njare, Yeji
to Aworjakope crossings among others.
Additionally, a feasibility study for a proposed Volta Lake Improvement
Project has been completed with support from the Korean Exim Bank. Facilities to be provided under the Project include the supply of five vessels, Integrated Management System (IMS), construction of a slipway and a total of 10 ferry landing sites with reception facilities at Yeji, Makango, Kojokrom, Kete- Krachi, Dambai, Dodoikope, Kpando Tokor, Agordeke, Akateng and Kwame Dwamena.
Mr Speaker, the Ministry under the Transport Sector Improvement Project (TSIP) is currently undertaking a feasibility study for the overall development of the Volta Lake Transport System. The objective of the study is to develop the Volta Lake as a viable and competitive transport link, while facilitating the development of railway links and connecting missing road links (bridges) along this corridor and hinterlands.
11. 49 a. m.
Mr Speaker, so far, this is the measure
the Government is putting in place—
The Korean Exim Bank has approved
the facility for us, and I would be coming to the House with the Hon Minister for Finance for the loan agreement. Mr Speaker, when I come, I am indulging the Hon Members of the House to support us so that we could acquire the loan in time to develop the—
Thank you very much.

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Hon
Minister, I have requested water for you,
you may take it.

Mr Speaker, I thank the
Hon Minister for his Answer. May I ask
the Minister -[Interruption]- Mr Speaker,
the Hon Deputy Majority Leader is
harassing me, if you could protect me a
bit?

I hope
he wanted to know whether the Hon
Member asked you to take supplementary
questions?

And I said yes to him
that my permission covers three
additional supplementary questions.
Mr Speaker, if you look at the Hon
Minister's Answer, it appears the concentration so far is about crossing
from bank to bank over the Lake. Could
the Hon Minister share with us the
strategies he is putting in place to actually
improve the lateral travels which is along
the Lake?

Mr Speaker, I
said that feasibility study has been done
to assess the whole Volta Lake and see
the social intervention programmes and
commercial activities that we need to put
in place.
Mr Speaker, without the feasibility
studies, we would not have enough
information to do the project preparation
work. And that is exactly what the Bank
would help us to do. So, for now, we have
done complete assessment for what we
call the North-South operations. And we
know the level of infrastructure— for instance, between Buipe and Yapei, there
are a lot of rocks that if we do not break
them, traveling from North-South during
the lean season becomes difficulty.
Once we got the information, we are
now going to do our project preparation.
And within the project preparation, all
these infrastructural needs would be in
there to enable us find the requisite
funding to make sure that we have all-
year lake transport activities on the
North-South operations.

Mr Speaker, in the Hon
Minister's answer, he mentioned Buipe to
Yapei but my next question would be,
what about the whole length from
Akosombo, all the way to Buipe; what is
the strategy to make all that channel
navigable?

Mr Speaker, I just
used Buipe to Yapei as an example, and I
am saying that the feasibility studies are
now giving us the clear picture of the
level of infrastructure we need on the lake
but we need to go ahead and do the
project preparation to prepare the project
stage by stage. That is going to help us
because, without going through the
system, we would not be able to fund the
needed infrastructure on the lake.

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Hon
Member, are you all right?

Mr Speaker, I have a
final one.
Mr Speaker, may I ask the Hon
Minister if he would consider having to
set up a coordination desk to holistically
consider the development of the channel
that includes the River Volta, River Pra
and River Oti comprehensively? This is
because it would be more comprehensive
if we do that; so that we do not do one
section and leave the other.

Mr Speaker, like
the Hon Member said, anything that we
need to do to improve lake transport
activities in this country, we would do it.
So, this is one of the suggestions that we
need. We would put it as part of our
measures to make sure that we have an
all-round lake transport system in our
country. So it is a very good suggestion,
and we are going to add it as part of our
measures.

Hon
Members, is it not a constituency-specific
Question? Anyway, let me give a chance
to the Hon Member for South Dayi.
Mr Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwame
Dafeamekpor: Mr Speaker, I am certain
that the Hon Minister for Transport
knows that there is a whole economy on
the Volta Lake. The Volta Lake has its
own economy. And I am happy to hear
that he has plans to crack the rocks that
are embedded in the lake between Buipe
and Yapei but that is coming to me as a
surprise because, the Tema-Mpakadan
Railway project is almost completed. And
the essence of that project is to haul goods
on the lake to Buipe so that our friends
from Burkina Faso and the Northern
sector can cart them away. So, that Buipe
and Yapei section of the lake is so critical
to the commercial viability of this project
which is terminating at Mpakadan.
What is the Hon Minister's approach to liaising with the Ministry of Railways
Development to ensure that that is done
quickly so that when the Tema-
Mpakadan is inaugurated, the
commercial viability of that leg of the
project can be accessed by our people?

Hon
Minister, are you minded to answer the
question or you did not get the question
well?

Mr Speaker, my
understanding about what he said was to
give an advice and he asked us to speed
up the process which we are working on.
And I think it is a viable point that he has
made and we would work on it.

Mr Speaker, I thank
you very much. In the Minister' Answer, he talked about the removal of tree

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stumps from some of the areas. May I find

out from the Hon Minister what these tree

stumps which were removed have been

used for or what has happened to them?

Mr Speaker, I
think as part of an arrangement with the
local communities, as he said, the whole
Volta Lake is an economic zone for the
people who live along the lake. So, I think
there was an arrangement between my
Ministry and the local people and the
chiefs that when these tree stumps were
removed, at least we should hand them
over to the local communities for them to
make use of them. Mr Speaker, it is so
because when we took over, we would
realise that— I think between 2008 to 2012, the whole concession was given to
a Canadian company, and this company
removed what we call the economic trees
and left the rest; the rest cannot be used
for the purpose so, we had no option than
to hand them over to the local community
to use either as charcoal or something else
for themselves. So, the ones that we
removed were not economically viable to
be used for the other uses.
Mr Speaker, that is what it is. We were
charitable to the local communities along
the Volta Lake. [Laughter] -

Hon
Members, we now move to the Question
numbered 551 which stands in the name
of the Hon Member for Lawra, Mr Bede
Anwataazumo Ziedeng. Hon Member,
the Minister is here to listen to your
Questions.

Mr Speaker, I plead with you to make
some observations before I ask my main
Question. This Question was filed
sometime between October and
November last year and I did not receive
any Answer at the time. The situation
which compelled me to ask the Question
has changed.
Today, the circumstances have
changed. I just want to make the point that
I do not want to appear ignorant of the
changes that have taken place because
this is a House of records and the records
would show that when the situation had
even changed, the Hon Member was still
asking questions as if he did not know
what he was about.
Mr Speaker, in spite of the changed
circumstance, I would still proceed to ask
my Question and then the supplementary
questions would now receive the
appropriate answers.

Hon
Member, if I am getting you right, your
Question is moot now?

No, Mr Speaker, not
quite. I would proceed to ask the
Question. I was just explaining why the
question has to be answered differently.

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Patronage of Wa Airport by

Commercial Airlines

Mr Bede Anwataazumo Ziedeng

(NDC - Lawra): Mr Speaker, I beg to ask the Hon Minister for Transport why

the Wa Airport is no longer being

patronised by commercial airlines as we

have with the Kumasi and Tamale

Airports.

Mr Speaker, the
Wa Airport today is viable and
commercial planes are flying there.

I
believe that is why the Hon Member said
the Question is - So, you are answered now?

Mr Speaker, I have
supplementary questions.

Let us
hear you.

Mr Speaker, I would like
to commend the Hon Minister for the
work that he has done so far in respect of
the Wa Airport. I actually went to his
office to meet him and he explained to me
that he was working on it and indeed, he
has worked on it.
Mr Speaker, we are happy that we now
have flights to Wa. Indeed, I returned
from Wa yesterday by Passion Air. My
first supplementary question is; we have
flights for only three days in a week, so
when would we have daily flights to Wa?
This is because my experience when I
went to Wa was that the flights were fully
booked and therefore inadequate. This
means, that we need to have daily flights.
When would we have daily flights to Wa?

Are you
sure the Hon Minister is capable of
answering this question because the
airlines are not Government airlines but
private ones? It depends on the number of
passengers available.

Mr Speaker, I have just
explained to you that the flights are fully
booked. I came from Wa yesterday and
had to pay a higher fare because it was
difficult to get my booking. When would
we have daily flights to Wa?

Anyway, I am happy that you
commended the Minister, so Hon
Minister, let us hear you?

Mr Speaker, I
hope that when the flight was full and the
Hon Member navigated his way, he did
not pass anything under the carpet for him
to get the ticket but indeed bought it at the
right price.
Basically, that is the challenge in this
country; because it is not a national
airline but operated by private people,
they base their activities specifically on
profits. When we had discussion with
them, they promised that they would fly
to Wa. Now, they have started three times
a week. I would have a discussion with
them and see if they can improve the
number of times they would fly to Wa.

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The Hon Member should, however,

know that it is not a national airline and

we do not have total control over them.

We are, however, trying to put in place

some national airline. When I come, I

hope that the Hon Member would support

me for us to have a national airline, so that

they can go six or seven times a week to

Wa.

Mr Speaker, I thank the
Hon Minister again for his answer. I
would like to find out from him what
arrangements are in place for other
airlines to also fly to Wa? This is because
we want to have other airlines, so that just
in case there is a problem with one airline,
we would have an alternative. We started
with Antrak Air which broke down.

Mr Speaker, as I
said, the Hon Member knows that we do
not have a national airline and we are
working around to have one.
Nevertheless, I would still talk to Africa
World Airlines and other privately owned
airlines and see because the Hon Member
is very concerned about Wa. He wants to
go there twice a week and come back, so
I would make sure that he would get -

I would
give the opportunity to Members from the
Upper West Region because the Question
is on Wa Airport. Hon Member, you are
from Adenta. All right, let us hear you.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
From the answer the Hon Minister gave, you would find that Africa World started flying to Wa but stopped, and now Passion Air flies there. It is due to the aircraft that Passion Air operates. Passion Air flies the Dash-8 300 Series which is a turboprop aircraft that is very slow and has a capacity of 50 seats. So, it is able to do a return journey from Accra to Wa and has an endurance of about five hours.
Africa World Airlines operates the Embraer 145 which is a jet engine aircraft, so it burns more fuel and it is faster. Currently, the situation in Wa is that we have no fuel facility. African World therefore used to do an Accra- Tamale to Wa transit and then back from Wa to Tamale and Accra. So, I would want to find out from the Hon Minister what they are doing, so that fuel would be available in Wa which would enable aircrafts like the Embraer or bigger airplanes to fly directly from Accra to Wa?

Mr Speaker, I do not know if the Hon Member wants to go back to his profession, that is why he is elucidating all the problems we have at the Wa Airport? [Laughter] Indeed, if it is so, I have a programme that I am working on together with the Minister for Energy. It is not only about the Wa Airport itself.
If you look at Tamale and Kumasi, we are building new facilities. These are some of the challenges that we are facing because we do not have adequate storage facilities for these airlines. So, it is

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something that together with the Hon Minister for Energy we are working on and he would hear from us. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I also want to commend the Hon Minister for the swift intervention that has restored flights to the Upper West Region. I would like to know if penetration was the only challenge that prevented the airlines from plying that route? I ask this because my engagement with some of the airlines indicated that when an aircraft lands, it finally stops on the runway because there are no aprons where it could park. So, the airport is virtually shut when one aircraft is on the runway. I would want to know whether there are plans to construct aprons so that the airport could take more than one aircraft at a time?

Mr Speaker,
indeed, it is so that we do not have enough facility in terms of parking space, but I could assure the Hon Member that we are working on the facility and the Wa Airport would go through some form of rehabilitation process and all these issues would be taken care of. However, the facilities there are now enough to accommodate Passion Airline and other airlines that may decide to go to Wa.

We
would move to Question numbered 553 which stands in the name of the Hon Member for Dormaa West, Mr Vincent Oppong Asamoah.
Plans to Regulate Flow of Traffic on
Major Highways in Ghana
Mr Vincent Oppong Asamoah
(NDC - Dormaa West): Mr Speaker, I beg to ask the Minister for Transport what
immediate plans the Ministry has to
regulate the flow of traffic on major
highways in Ghana, especially the Accra
- Kumasi Highway, to reduce traffic congestion which is becoming a crisis
situation.

Mr Speaker, with
respect to the road transport sector, the
Ministry of Transport's mandate relates to
the Road Transport Services. However,
we do collaborate with the Ministry of
Roads and Highways in the management
of congestion within urban areas.
Mr Speaker, worldwide mass
transportation systems coupled with
robust traffic management systems have
proven to be workable solutions in
reducing congestion in urban areas. Our
focus has therefore been to promote
sustainable mass transportation system
and for this reason, both the Metro Mass
Transit Limited (MMTL) and the
Intercity STC Coaches Limited have been
playing a key role.
Mr Speaker, as you may already know,
the Road Transport Services sector is
largely private sector driven and
controlled by Unions and Associations.
At present, public transport services are
provided almost exclusively with low

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occupancy vehicles. The vehicles are old

and unmaintained. These vehicles are

often not attractive and therefore the first

option for most people is to own a car.

Mr Speaker, one of the key

interventions of Government has been to

assist public and private transport

operators to renew their fleet to improve

on the safety and comfort of passengers.

Transport operators in most cases find it

difficult to provide the needed collateral

necessary for the acquisition of new

buses. Already, the MMTL and the STC

have both been supported with new fleet.

We are also pursuing other arrangements

to bring .0in 300 buses from Korea to

support the private sector operators.

Mr Speaker, these are some of the

measures we have put in place to improve

high and quality buses and if we do so, it

would reduce - people would pack their vehicles and use the public transport

system.

Mr Speaker, my
Question was not much appreciated by
the Hon Minister. I recognised the fact
that we have challenges with our roads
but I want to know if there is a way to
regulate the existing roads? This is
because I had a very bad experience about
seven months ago when this Question
was filed. It took me 13 hours to travel
from Accra to Sunyani on a public
transport and the congestion was as a
result of the trailers. So, I want to know
whether we could regulate the movement
of these trailers and not necessarily the
construction of roads - if there is a way they could be restricted so that they could
operate either in the night so that
commuters could also move freely,
especially during the day time?

Mr Speaker, I am
surprised the Hon Member said that I did
not answer his Question but at the end, he
rephrased the question. My
understanding of his Question is that if
we are able to remove the smaller
vehicles on the road and bring in high
quality buses, the number of vehicles on
the road would reduce and congestion
would also reduce but if he is talking
about the control of trailers from working
during the night, I would collaborate with
the Ministry of Interior to see how best
his suggestion could be taken on board.

We
would move to Question numbered 555
which stands in the name of the Hon
Member for Adaklu, Mr Kwame Governs
Agbodza.
Buses procured for Metro Mass
Transit since 2017
Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza (NDC
- Adaklu): Mr Speaker, I beg to ask the
Minister for Transport how many buses
have been procured for Metro Mass
Transit since 2017, how much the buses
cost, and how it was funded.

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Mr Speaker, the
MMTL as we all know, was established
with an objective to provide intra-city,
inter-urban and rural-urban bus services
in the country. The policy framework for
the financing and operations of the
MMTL was that Government will
provide support for the acquisition of
buses to enable the MMT provide
relatively cheaper and affordable mass
transportation services to the public as a
necessary social service.
Mr Speaker, a total of 100 new
intercity buses have so far been supplied
to the MMTL at a total cost of
US$17.5million. This was financed by
Government in 2017 and 2018.
Mr Speaker, we have also signed a
contract with VDL Bus Roeselare for the
supply of 100 intercity buses, spare parts,
and training services. Under the same
contract, a total of 50 broken down VDL
buses at MMTL would be repaired to
augment the fleet. This project is also
being financed with a €25.49 million mixed credit facility from the
Government of Belgium and Belfius
Bank SA/NV. As I speak, the first batch
of 45 buses are in production and
expected to be delivered by the second
quarter of this year.
Mr Speaker, we are also pursuing
other avenues to bring in more buses to
revamp the operations of the MMTL.
Currently, value-for-money assessment is
being undertaken for the supply of 300
Hyundai Buses from Korea and an
additional 200 buses from China. We
expect to add a total of 600 new buses
within the short-medium term period.

Mr Speaker, I thank the
Hon Minister for providing the Answer.
However, for the sake of clarity, in the
2021 Budget Statement -

[Gavels] - Hon Members, please, there
are so many meetings going on here.
Yes, Hon Agbodza, let us hear you.

Mr Speaker, in
paragraph 898 of the 2021 Budget
Statement, the Hon Minister talked about
procuring 50 buses, and paragraph 923 of
the 2022 Budget Statement also talks
about procuring 45 buses, but in his
Answer, the Hon Minister said that 100
new buses have already been delivered.
So my question is, how many buses do
they currently have?

Mr Speaker, I
think that I need to bring clarity to what
the Hon Agbodza asked. He asked about
how many buses we have supplied to the
MMTL and I said that in the year 2017,
we supplied the MMTL with 100 new
buses. In addition, and just as he said, in
the years 2021 and 2022, the facility was

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a mixed facility and the Committee

approved it for us. We were hoping that

the first 50 of the 100 buses could have

been given to us in the year 2021.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the

buses could not be provided as planned,

so, a combination of 50 plus 45 as well as

the addition of another 5 would make 100

buses. However, these 100 buses have not

yet been supplied and that is why I am

saying that the first 50 buses are yet to be

supplied and the rest of the 50 would be

supplied later. That arrangement has been

done and is secured.

In the year 2017, we gave the MMTL

100 buses. In addition to that, they have

approved the facility of another 100

buses, which should have arrived in the

year 2021 but due to the pandemic, they

could not complete the manufacturing of

these buses and now, those buses are

ready and would be shipped next month.

The first 50 are arriving next month and

the next 45 or 50 would arrive later.

Mr Speaker, I see two
figures here and my question was for the
year 2017. I assumed the Hon Minister is
saying that since the year 2017, they have
spent or about to spend US$17.5 million
and then €25.49 million.
Mr Speaker, the question I ask is, one of those facilities was approved in this House, that is, the one that the Hon Minister said was provided by
Government; we did not see an amount of US$17 million or €25 million in the Budget line-up, so how did Government fund these 100 buses since it was not approved in the House and was not part of the Budget?

Mr Speaker, the Hon Agbodza's proposition may not completely be true or be the issue. The US$17.5 million was out of Government of Ghana's (GoG) Budget that the Hon Minister for Finance provided but with the €25.9 million, the facility was approved in this House and the buses were supposed to be supplied in two batches.
So, I came before you with the MMTL
and we approved the Budget in respect of the Belgium facility - €25.9 million and it was supposed to be in two batches; first 50 buses and the second batch of 45 buses.

Hon Member, your final question?

Mr Speaker, I have already acknowledged the fact that one of those facilities was approved in this House. My question was about the buses that were procured through the GoG because so far, in the interactions we had with the Ministry , we only know they bought buses but the question as to how GoG managed to procure the US$17.5million is still unanswered at the Committee level.

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Mr Speaker, so I am asking how they

procured the 100 buses? Was it through

GoG or sole sourcing? The question is

quite clear. When it comes to this House,

we know that we can go through that and

do value for money (VFM) audting.

Mr Speaker, I
would like to make sure I perfectly
understood what the Hon Agbodza asked.
Is he referring to the method of
procurement or the financing of the
buses?
Mr Speaker, I have said that -
Some Hon Members — [Interruption] -

Yes - [Laughter] -
Mr Speaker, in terms of the
procurement method, we went through
the selective tendering process and the
Ministry for Finance paid for those buses.

Yes,
Hon Member for Odododiodioo?

Mr Speaker, thank you very much. I
would like to commend the Hon Minister
for trying to procure buses. However, I
would like to ask the Hon Minister where
the buses being procured would be parked
for passengers to board when we sit and
allow our bus terminals to be taken over
by shops? The bus terminals at the Opera
Square, Kantamanto, and the Kwame
Nkrumah Circle are gone and all the bus
terminals are now being taken over by
shop developers in Accra.

Mr Speaker, I
think that is a good observation by the
Hon Member. This is an issue we have
and we are having further discussions
with the Ministry of Local Government,
Decentralisation and Rural Development.
We think that it is of concern to us as well
to go for these bus terminals because the
buses do not have enough spaces to park.
We are in serious discussion with the
Ministry of Local Government,
Decentralisation and Rural Development
to see how we can deal with some of these
issues.

Mr Speaker, I beg to
refer the Hon Minister to the second
paragraph of his Answer which I quote as
follows:
“Mr Speaker, a total of 100 new
intercity buses have so far been
supplied to MMTL at a total cost of
US$17.5 million.”
Mr Speaker, when we do the
quantification, we would realise that the
average cost per bus is US$175,000 and
when we even peg it at GH₵6 per dollar,
it would give us GH₵1,050,000. My question to the Hon Minister is, what is
the specification of these buses and how
are they different from what has been
supplied previously?

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Mr Speaker, the
buses come with spare parts and, as I
speak, I would not be able to speak to the
specifications because I do not have
technical report before me. This is a
House of records, and I would not want to
talk about specifications when I do not
have those specifications before me.
However, I can assure the Hon Member
that all the specifications for the technical
report and the spare parts are all available.

Hon
Majority Leader, let us hear you?

Mr Speaker,
I just want to add to the follow-up question
to the issue raised by the Hon Member for
Odododiodioo.
I think that the issue that the Hon
Member raised in respect of the bus
terminals being taken over by shops is a
major matter that the Hon Minister must
concern himself with because it is not
only in Accra. For instance, we do know
that from Kumasi to Accra, we get to
Ejisu on Sundays in particular, we have to
spend, sometimes, more than one hour in
traffic because of the closeness of those
stalls to the main highway, and if we need
to expand the road, it is going to pose a
problem.

Mr Speaker, I have a similar scenario

in my constituency at Kronum, so would

the Hon Minister consider, as it is done in

other jurisdictions, to really fence off

those markets by providing a wall so that

the activity can take place behind the wall

and we would have a free flow of traffic?

Mr Speaker, would the Hon Member

consider this?

Hon
Minister, this issue cuts across so many
areas and, for instance, some shops have
been built around Sofoline to Kwadaso
causing delays before one is able to cross
that area.

Mr Speaker, it is
not just that place alone because there is a
similar situation on the Santasi to Obuasi
road. I think that the Hon Majority Leader
knows that I do not have a jurisdiction
over this, but I would act with the Hon
Minister for Local Government,
Decentralisation and Rural Development
to make sure that this problem is resolved.
Mr Vanderpuye — rose —

Hon
Member for Odododiodioo, can you file a
Question for the Hon Minister for Local
Government, Decentralisation and Rural
Development to answer?

Mr Speaker, I am
the Hon Ranking Member for the
Committee on Local Government and
Rural Development so I would be very
happy to file a Question. However, I am
so happy that the Greater Accra Regional

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Minister is in the Chamber because I want

to commend him for the work he did to

protect the Opera Square Bus Terminal.

Mr Speaker, we allowing these things

to happen - I am very happy that the Hon Majority Leader has also commented on

it because it is happening everywhere in

the country. Many open spaces are being

taken over by shops, so buses do not even

get spaces to park for passengers to

board; as a result, passengers are forced

to board on the main roads and this causes

traffic congestion. Mr Speaker,

yesterday, I encountered the same

problem in Takoradi and I see that the

Western Regional Minister is also in the

Chamber.

I think that the Regional Ministers

should assist the various District

Assemblies to clear the roads of all these

shops that are springing up everywhere.

Mr Speaker, people have built shops on

the median of roads and this is very

unruly. Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister for

Local Government, Decentralisation and

Rural Development have just entered the

Chamber. The truth of the matter is that

the District Assemblies are reneging on

their responsibilities to make sure that the

spatial planning law is adhered to and this

is causing people to build anywhere

including building shops at bus terminals.

This is wrong and cannot be allowed to

continue.

This is
not a follow-up question.
I would give the opportunity to the
Greater Accra Regional Minister.
Minster for the Greater Accra
Region (Mr Henry Quartey) [MP]: Mr
Speaker, thank you very much for the
opportunity.
Mr Speaker, my good Hon Brother,
Mr Vanderpuye, is the Chairman of the
Greater Accra Parliamentary Caucus just
like my good self. I should rather be
thanking him and the Caucus for their
immense support given me in the
relocation of the onion sellers from
Agbogbloshie to Adjen Kotoku, and as he
rightly stated, under the “Let's Make Greater Accra Work Again Agenda:
“Operation Clean Your Frontage”, we have begun an exercise where, among
other things, we are moving people off
the high streets, the principal streets, and
in some cases, off the pavements. Mr
Speaker, yesterday, I was in a market
called Bohye in Madina and an
information to my Hon Brother, over the
last eight years or so, the traders have
flanked the stretch from one end of the
footbridge to the other. However, today, I
can report on authority in this august
House that we have managed to move all
of them voluntarily to the market.
So, under the able leadership of the
Hon Minister for Local Government,
Decentralisation and Rural Development
who has been supporting me in the
Greater-Accra Region as well as the Hon
Member, the Operation Clean Your

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Frontage is on course and, by the grace of

God, Accra will work again.

Mr Speaker, thank you very much.

Hon
Regional Minister, thank you very much.
Hon Minister for Local Government,
Decentralisation and Rural Development,
there is an issue of people developing
shops at our lorry stations and the Hon
Minister in answering a Question referred
it to the Hon Minister for Local
Government, Decentralisation and Rural
Development. So, I asked the Hon
Member who asked the question to file
another Question directed to your
Ministry, but since you are in the
Chamber now, can you tell us something
because it is an ongoing issue that you
have to address?
Minister for Local Government,
Decentralisation and Rural Development
(Mr Daniel Botwe) [MP]: Mr Speaker, the
Local Governance Act; of 2016 (Act 936)
as amended, places the responsibility on
the local authorities. We all know that
before any development takes place, an
application must be made to the
Assemblies for permits to be given before
works begin. So, the issue now is whether
whatever is being done is within the
development framework of the
Assemblies.
Mr Speaker, we have issues with these
happenings so I am sure if the Question is
filed, I would answer it appropriately.
Also, we have to seek the support of Hon
Members because all of us are members
of the District Assemblies, so we have to
use our positions to leverage on the
activities of the District Assemblies so
that we can all achieve what we want for
our people.
Mr Speaker, thank you.

Thank
you.
Hon Members, we would now take the
Question numbered 745 which stands in
the name of the Hon Member for Afram
Plains North, Ms Betty N. E. Krosbi
Mensah.
Mr Rockson-Nelson E. K.
Dafeamekpor - rose -

Hon
Member, are you Hon Krosbi Mensah?

Mr Speaker,
definitely not.

Hon
Members, Dr Kwabena Donkor knew he
would be away from the jurisdiction so he
sought my permission for an Hon
Member to ask the Question on his
behalf. I do not think -

Mr Speaker, I
have the authority of the owner of the

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Question to seek your leave to ask the

Question on her behalf.

Completion of the Agordeke

Landing Beach

Mr Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami

Dafeamekpor on behalf of (Ms Betty

Nana Efua Krosbi Mensah) (NDC -

Afram Plains North):Mr Speaker, I beg

to ask the Minister for Transport when

works on Agordeke Landing Beach in the

Afram Plains North Constituency, will be

completed to enable safe landing of

ferries.

Mr Speaker, the
Ministry commenced the rehabilitation of
ferry landing sites and facilities along the
Volta Lake, namely; Yeji and Makango,
Overbank, and Agordeke in 2019. Work
is currently about 46 per cent complete.
Mr Speaker, this project is a multi-year
transaction. Unlike the Yeji and the
Makango sites which are concrete ramps,
the Agordeke site is an earthen ramp.
Unfortunately, a number of factors
including the rising lake level and
incessant rainfall have adversely affected
the construction of the concrete ramp at
Agordeke. The works will resume at the
site when the weather condition is
favourable.
Mr Speaker, in addition to that, as part
of the Korean EXIM Bank Project, this is
also part of the new concrete landing site
that we would build. So, together we
would be able to provide the facility to
finish this particular project.

Mr Speaker, I am
an adjoining beneficiary of this project so
I have so much interest in it.

Mr Speaker, the Hon Minister has told

the House that the rate of work is about

46 per cent complete. I do not want to

dispute his assessment, but I have been

there recently and it is practically a bare

land. So we would be grateful if he can

tell us what constitutes the 46 per cent for

the record?

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

So,
what was the Question?

Mr Speaker, the
Question was: what, in the estimation of
the Hon Minister, constitutes the 46 per
cent work rate on the site? I even have
photographs of the site. It is still bare
land.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, I
told the Hon Member that this is a multi-
year transaction project; it is not
completed within a year. I also said that
weather and rainfall pattern also impacts
on the site. At landing sites, the fact that

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one goes there and do not see anything -

the work is done underground.

Mr Speaker, it is not something that he

would go and see, or that he would want

to see a structure there before —We are

working. Unless he doubts the 46 per cent

work rate. It is true. We are going to do a

concrete block on the site.

Mr Speaker, it is
precisely for some of the reasons the Hon
Minister cited that when sites are scouted
for projects like this, they take some
geomorphological features and some
human factors into consideration. The site
in question is like a small bay and when
the lake is in full flood, it looks suited for
the project, but during the dry season
when the level of the lake goes down, it
recedes far away. So, would they consider
moving the site from Agordeke to
Bruben? I know the geography of the area
very well. Bruben looks like a straight
shore line and it is not affected by the
annual recession of the lakes volume.

Hon
Member, so have you asked your
question?

Mr Speaker,
would the Hon Minister consider taking a
look at the physical location of the project
and advise?

Hon
Minister, would you consider taking a
look at it?

Mr Speaker, I
know that the Hon Member is a very good
lawyer. I did not know that today he has
another qualification in engineering. I
would take the advice he has given me on
board and seek the advice of the
engineers from VRA, the Ministry of
Transport, and the consultant and see
what happens. I know that my Hon
Brother has acquired another
qualification. His advice is well-taken.

Very
well.
We now take the last Question — Question numbered 759 in the name of
the Hon Member for Krachi West, Ms
Helen Adjoa Ntoso.
Hon Member, you may ask your
Question.
Expansion of Krachi Airstrip

Mr Speaker, I rise to ask
the Hon Minister for Transport whether
his Ministry has plans to expand the
Krachi Airstrip.

Mr Speaker,
Government's policy is to develop an
Airport/ Aerodrome in all the Regional
Capitals of Ghana. This is to, among
other objectives, open up the country for
trade and tourism.
Mr Speaker, there are currently five
(5) Civil Airports in Kumasi, Tamale,
Sunyani, Wa, and Accra. The Ministry
has also commissioned a feasibility study

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which is currently ongoing to identify a

suitable location for an airport in the

Central Region, Western Region, or

between the two (2) Regions.

Mr Speaker, as mentioned earlier, the

policy of Government is to develop an

airport/airstrip in all the Regional

Capitals and this includes the newly-

created six (6) Regions. Accordingly, per

the policy, Dambai being the Capital of

the Oti Region would be considered for

an airport in due course after the relevant

technical feasibility studies have been

explored.

Mr Speaker, the above

notwithstanding, the Ghana Airports

Company Limited (GACL) aims to

collaborate with the District and

Municipal Assemblies on locations where

airstrips are located together with

relevant stakeholders to attract the private

sector to invest in the rehabilitation of the

airstrips to support local tourism, crop

spraying, medical evacuation, among

others.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, in the Hon
Minister's Answer, on paragraph 3, he
says it is Government's policy to develop
airstrips in all the Regional Capitals and
this includes the newly-created six
Regions. Mr Speaker, I would want the
Hon Minister to know that Krachi is not a
regional capital. Dambai is the regional
capital but it is Krachi that has the airstrip.
That is why I am asking whether there are
plans to expand it? Krachi is a very
important and central place; that is why
we have the airstrip and when there are
emergencies, the military land there to
refuel. That is why I am asking this
Question. Can the Hon Minister tell me
that because Krachi is not the Regional
capital and we are talking about the
Regional capital, apart from developing
the Regional capital, they have plans to
develop the Krachi airstrip?

Mr Speaker, it is
so. If the Hon Member had gone to the
fourth paragraph, she would have seen
the next leg of my Answer where I said
that the Ghana Airport Company Limited
(GACL) acts with other municipal
assemblies to develop such facilities
when they think that it is profitable for the
development of the local economy.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon
Member, are you satisfied?

Mr Speaker, I am not
satisfied with this Answer. He is talking
about the GACL aiming to collaborate
with the district and municipal assemblies
on locations of airstrips, together with
relevant stakeholders, to attract the
private sector to invest. So, he is talking
about private sector investment and I am
talking about his Ministry. I am saying
that the military lands in Krachi to re-fuel,
so it is a very important airstrip but the
Hon Minister is now talking about

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Private-Public Partnership (PPP)

arrangements.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, I
have said that when it is necessary for
some economic, medical, or other
reasons, the GACL collaborates with
other agencies to develop some of these
airstrips, or they do the airstrips
themselves. If we have potential investors
who would want to collaborate with
Government to develop the Kete Krachi
Airstrip, we would do so.
Apart from the master plan to develop
these regional airports, there is also
another master plan that we have to
develop some of these airstrips based on
reasons; it may be economical or even
medical. So, the GACL collaborates with
other municipal authorities or people in
the private sector to develop some of
these facilities.
So, Hon Member, I understand your
concern. I would work with you to ensure
that the Kete Krachi Airstrip, be it
economical or medical, would be
developed either by the Government, the
assembly, or together with the private
sector.

Hon
Members, this is a constituency-specific
Question, so I would not admit any other
question.
Hon Member, have you finished with
your questions?

Mr Speaker, my people are
listening. I would want the Hon Minister
to assure this House that he would help to
get the investors he spoke about to
expand the Kete Krachi Airstrip.

Mr Speaker, I am
happy that people would want to have
belief in me. It means that I can convince
people to form a church. I would want to
assure the Hon Member that she has no
reason to doubt me.

Hon
Members, we have brought Question time
to a close -
There is no Question on Ho Airport.

Hon
Kofi Adams, you have spoken a lot today.
I would give Hon Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare
the opportunity.
Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare (NDC
- Techiman North): Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to ask a follow-up
question. With reference to paragraph 3
of the Minister's Answer, I would want to find out whether there are plans for a new
airstrip or new airport in the Bono East
capital, Techiman.

Urgent Questions

Mr Speaker, let
me wish my dear wife—her husband is my friend—a happy birthday. [Interruption] Mr Speaker, I do not know
the Hon Member for Tamale North,
Alhaji Suhuyini Sayibu's problem - [Laughter] - Where I come from, a person's brother's wife is his wife - [Laughter].
Mr Speaker, we are almost done with
the Phase I of the Sunyani Airport. By
next week, I would go for inspection and
the airport would be open for commercial
flight. If we look at the distance between
Sunyani and Techiman, it is quite far. I
would sit with the Regional Minister and
the GACL, and see if we can develop
such a facility.
An Hon Member - rose -

Mr Speaker, in view of the fact that the
Ministry has plans to expand the Kete
Krachi Airstrip, would the Hon Minister
consider the construction of an airport at
Sefwi Wiawso, the capital of the Western
North Region? [Laughter].

No,
Hon Member, we are not going to build
an airport at Sefwi. [Laughter].

Mr Speaker, now
that I know that Hon Members want
airports or airstrips in their Regions, I
would form a committee to consider and
assess it, and I would come back to the
House.

Hon Minister, on behalf of the House, I thank you for attending upon the House to answer eight separate Questions. We are grateful to you. You are hereby discharged.
Hon Members, we would turn to the item numbered 7 - Statements. The first Statement is by the Hon Member for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, the Majority Chief Whip. He wants to tell us the Untold Story of Ghana Gas.
Hon Member, you have the Floor.

Mr Speaker, thank you for the space granted.
Mr Speaker, the Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) is a strategic gas midstream company, which was incorporated in July 2011 during the tenure of our former President, John Dramani Mahama. The company is mandated to build, own and operate infrastructure required for gathering, processing, transporting and marketing natural gas resources in Ghana and internationally.
Mr Speaker, Ghana Gas was born with the vision to be a trusted and reliable gas service company. In the pursuit of this dream, the company identified three pillars of growth which include business development, capacity building, and community development as critical to its existence and relevance.

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The company completed the early phase of the Gas Infrastructural System or the phase 1 of the Western Corridor Gas

[Gavels] - Hon Members, let us give the Hon Member our attention. He is reading, but it appears nobody is listening to him.
Yes, Hon Member?

Mr Speaker, I am grateful.
The company completed the Early Phase Gas Infrastructural System or the phase 1 of the Western Corridor Gas Infrastructural Development Project in November 2014 to enable the processing and transportation of dense phase raw gas from the Jubilee field to VRA for power generation. This phase comprised the folLowing:
a. The Atuabo Gas Processing Plant.
b. 12-inch 58km Offshore Gathering
Pipeline System.
c. 20-inch 110km Atuabo-Takoradi Gas Transmission Pipeline System.
d. 20-inch 75km Esiama-Prestea
Gas Transmission Pipeline System .
e. Takoradi Distribution Station.
f. Esiama Regulating and Metering
Station.
g. Prestea Regulating and Metering Station.
h. Block Valve Stations.
Mr Speaker, The commercial
operations of the gas infrastructure system commenced in April 2015 to enable the uninterrupted supply of lean gas to VRA. Other useful products from the processing of the raw gas include Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Condensates and Pentanes.
For many who are familiar with
science, gas processes and transmission operations are complex activities requiring various shades of knowledge in engineering including Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical, Civil and other engineering disciplines. Owing to the nature of the business, the engagement of expatriates' personnel was justified to construct, operate and manage these facilities 'in this nascent industry. In line with this, the services of SINOPEC, a Chinese company, was procured under an EPCC arrangement to construct the above-mentioned gas infrastructure. After construction, SINOPEC was engaged to operate and maintain these infrastructures.
Mr Speaker, upon assumption of
office as the Chief Executive Officer of
Ghana Gas, Dr Ben Asante, with the
support of management, embarked on an

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intensified training and capacity building

programme in the company. The

knowledge and skills of the engineers

and technicians were enhanced and

improved through inhouse training

sessions and on-the-job experiences

obtained from the direct understudying

of the expatriates.

Mr Speaker, in March 2017, GNGC

took a bold decision to indigenise the

operations and maintenance of the

Atuabo Gas Processing Plant and its

associated Pipelines. Unlike other

processing plants in Trinidad & Tobago

and Nigeria, which were indigenised

after 50 and 40 years respectively, Ghana

Gas was able to accomplish this

commendable feat under 2 years and 3

months. This milestone has been

described by experts as unprecedented.

The indigenization of the Atuabo Gas

Processing Plant has yielded national

benefits which include the following:

a. The indigenisation which has saved the tax-payer and the

Government of Ghana a monthly bill

of US$3,000,000 (culminating into

US$36,000,000 annually) as cost for

engaging the services of the

expatriates.

b. Increase in employment of young Ghanaian graduates with

engineering, administrative

skills and supporting services,

adding to the aspirations

highlighted by the local content

and the local participation policy

of the country's oil and gas

industry. The company has

increased its local workforce by

about 300 per cent from 2017 to

2021. With future addition to its

business portfolio, the company

hopes to attract more qualified

local graduates into its field of

operations.

c. Due to the continuous and

enhanced capacities of the young

and local engineers, the company

has successfully undertaken

some major works after the

which takeover, include:

i. Three (3) planned

maintenance shutdowns

of the GPP and related

pipeline and stations to

maintain their integrity

and ensure their continual

and optimal functioning.

ii. Several pigging exercises

of both the onshore and

offshore gas pipeline

systems for cleaning,

inspection and other

remedial works.

Mr Speaker, as an engine of

industrialisation, Ghana Gas provides

lean gas to power producers for the

production of electricity, aiding in the

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stoppage of intermittent supply of

electricity (dumsor) which plagued the

nation and businesses alike. This has

also ensured an uninterrupted flow of

lean gas to VRA for power production.

Currently, Wangkang, Keda (Twyford)

and Jintao are ceramic companies that

receive sales gas at a moderate industrial

rate for industrial heating purposes.

Mr Speaker, There has been a

remarkable increment in gas flow from

90 million standard cubic feet per day

(mmscfd) to 300 mmscfd since the

indigenisation, with future plans to

increase to 450 mmscfd when the

proposed GPP Train 2 project is

completed. Prior to the increase in gas

flow, GNGC championed the

interconnection of the Atuabo Takoradi

pipeline and the West Africa Gas pipeline

to ensure reverse gas flow from the

western to the eastern enclaves. Again,

the KARPOWER barge was relocated to

Takoradi to ensure close proximity to gas

supply.

With an increase in inflow and

expansion of the gas network, after taking

over from SINOPEC, it was imperative to

ensure that the network operates at the

required pressures. Hence, the need to

construct a compressor station to meet

pressure demands within the pipeline

network. Pursuant to this, the Anokye

Main Compressor Station (AMCS) was

built by GNGC and it is under the

operatorship of Ghanaian engineers.

Mr. Speaker, also, the company has

supported the SDG 7 (affordable and

clean energy) and Government's policy

on the utilisation of LPG, by meeting 60

per cent of the LPG requirement of the

country. This percentage is anticipated to

increase upon the completion of the GPP

Train 2, which will be configured to

produce more pure products.

Under the directive of Government,

the company is in the process of

partnering other entities to use gas as

feedstock for fertilizer production. This

venture shall among other benefits,

provide a boost for the local agricultural

industry, save the Government millions

of dollars from the importation of

fertilizer and help reduce the nation's

foreign exchange losses from such

imports.

Mr Speaker, GNGC as a socially

responsible company always strives to

give back to the community in which it

operates and by extension to the whole

country. The company has therefore,

rolled out several CSR programmes

across the nation including the recent

lRlM. Through this programme, Ghana

Gas has executed several projects geared

towards improving the livelihood of

Ghanaian communities. The company

has completed about 150 projects across

the nation covering areas such as

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education and health, constructed

boreholes and roads; supported security

agencies: and constructed Astro Turfs

for sports and social development. The

Company has also provided and still

provides scholarships to qualifying

Ghanaian students at all the levels of

education.

With reference to the Gas Master

Plan, GNGC plans to expand its

infrastructure by extending the Esiama

Prestea Pipeline to Burkina Faso through

Kumasi, which will serve the AMERI

plants being relocated to Kumasi. The

Company also has plans to create some

redundancy by constructing its own

Takoradi .- Tema pipeline to link the

western and eastern corridors as

safeguard measures against mishaps in

normal operations. There are plans to

also link the pipeline into the hinterlands

through Atiwa to Kumasi. The Company

has also commenced the construction of

an LPG bottling plant, which is located in

Axim. These projects are expected to be

constructed and operated by Ghanaian

engineers, going a long way to reduce

unemployment and to promote the

indigenization drive.

Mr Speaker, it is without doubt that

the stories told give a vivid clear

indication of the successful activities of

Ghana Gas and they must be applauded,

encouraged, and positioned to do more.

Hon Speaker, I thank you for the

opportunity

Hon
Members, I would invite the Western
Regional Minister.
Minister for the Western Region
(Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah
(MP): Mr Speaker, I thank you for the
special opportunity you grant me to
contribute anytime I come to Accra.
Mr Speaker, I believe that the Hon
Member who made the Statement is very
right in asking us to continue to support
the GNGC to do more. We all know the
genesis and the beautiful story of the
GNGC, especially, its local content and
indigenisation drive. As we speak today,
all the engineers there are Ghanaians. The
GNDC can be compared with the Volta
Aluminium Company Limited
(VALCO), the Volta River Authority
(VRA) and the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR)
within a short period of time. Clearly, it
shows that they have done something that
others have not been able to do.

Mr Speaker, the Ghana Gas Company,

like the Hon Member who made the

Statement said, plans to have its own

onshore pipeline that would connect the

west to the east and then the hinterlands.

The essence of this connection is to

industrialise the country, and with One

District, One Factory (IDIF) coming up

strongly in this country, we know that the

energy that would be produced by that

pipeline onshore is key in growing our

industries. It would therefore be

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appropriate that when they bring their

agreements and requests for financial

support to Parliament, we would stand

behind them and Ghana National

Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) to

deliver that project.

In my view, that project is long

overdue because the discussions started

way back in 2007 and still, they have not

been able to bring it here. I would want to

use this opportunity to encourage Ghana

Gas to bring it to Parliament for us to

approve it so that the opportunities for

jobs for our young ones would be

enlarged.

Mr Speaker, the Hon Member who

made the Statement also made mention of

the LPG bottling plant at Nzema East.

Recently, I had the opportunity of

speaking with the Chief Executive of

GNGC about this particular project which

is supposed to generate about 3,000 jobs.

Recently, a lot of young people have

complained that they do not get

opportunities at GNGC. I believe that this

is one of the solutions.

Furthermore, GNGC is key to the

development of the Western Region. Mr

Speaker, if GNGC can have all of its

operations managed by Ghanaians in

Nzema, what stops them from moving

their headquarters to the Western

Region? If they can run this system, what

stops them from moving their

headquarters to the Western Region? In

the same way that GNPC has started

moving their operational headquarters to

Takoradi, and we want to make the

Western Region the back office of the oil

and gas industry; nothing should stop

GNGC from moving theirs because if

they can manage this huge facility on

their own, what stops them from moving

houses, hospitals, schools - secondary schools and universities -- to the Western

Region?

Last but not least, what I would want

everybody to understand is that GNGC

has shown that Ghanaian companies can

perform excellently. However, we know

that GNGC has challenges with not being

paid the gas that is used by Independent

power producers and the Electricity

Company of Ghana (ECG). We should

help them to recover those moneys so that

they can reinvest them in a company that

is doing well to do more for all of us as a

country.

If we go across the length and breadth

of this country, they are doing a lot of

social good. When you talk of the

construction of AstroTurf pitches, one

each has been constructed at Asokwa,

Suame, Axim, and Nsawam. Currently,

mine is being done. I know Asawase has

also got one or would soon get one - [Interruption] -

Mr Speaker, I just would want to correct the fact.
There is even no plan to construct one in
Asawase so, if the Hon Member would lobby
for me to get one, I would be grateful -

Statements

[Laughter]. I heard Suame and Nsawam,

but Asawase has not been considered, but

I would be very happy if the Hon Member

can lobby for me to get one.

Hon
Minister, you would please conclude for
us.

Mr Speaker, the
Hon Minority Chief Whip is aware. The
former Hon Chairman for the Committee
on Mines and Energy says that there are
plans in the pipeline for other
constituencies. Hence, I know that very
soon, Hon Minority Chief Whip, Alhaji
Muntaka might be lucky to get one for his
constituents.
We all know that GNGC is a national
company and has assisted everywhere in
this country. Therefore, it is proper that
we support them especially to recover
their bills from the likes of independent
power producers and ECG so that they
continue to grow well and so they can
serve the Western Region and the rest of
the country.
Thank you very much, and may God
bless us all.

Thank
you very, Mr Speaker -

Hon

Mr Speaker,
telepathy exists between us so, even when
I look into your eyes, I can tell that you

All
right, you may go on.

Mr Speaker, I would
want to thank the Hon Majority Chief
Whip for this insightful and important
Statement he has made.
Today, we are talking about GNGC. I
do recall as spokesperson to H. E. Vice
President John Dramani Mahama then --
he chaired series of meetings when we
assumed Office that even if we cannot do
anything, as for our domestic gas, there
should be value addition, and that we
should take full advantage of our
indigenous gas.
Mr Speaker, in 2011, under President
Mills, the National Democratic Congress
(NDC) Administration conceived and
began the process of constructing this all-
important facility. In fact, the company
was incorporated in July 2011. The
project financing, which was about US$1
billion, was part of the US$3 billion
facility from the Chinese Development
Bank. Government of Ghana itself
contributed 15 per cent of that amount.
Like my good Friend stated, it had to do
with a 45 kilometre offshore natural gas
pipeline, 111 kilometre onshore natural
gas pipeline, and 75 kilometre lateral
pipeline.
Our gas is called methane (CH₄) which is like pure gas. Today, the gas processing

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plant has the capacity to produce about 50

per cent of domestic LPG. That gas

processing plant produces about 98 per

cent of what is sent to the electricity

subsector. Hitherto, we used to import

about 12 parcels of light crude oil. Today,

we import virtually no light crude oil, and

that gives us an annual savings of over

US$300 million aside the employment

that it creates.

Mr Speaker, it is also important to note

that despite all these benefits we get from

this gas processing plant, the debt of

Ghana Gas is about US$1 billion. That is

unacceptable, and as a House, we must

work with all the stakeholders to deal

with the debt overhang. Now, there are

even plans to extend the pipeline. For

those who do not know, there is a

company called Menergy Group. They

were initially doing private pipelines for

the mines. Very soon, if we can work very

hard, Ghana can become like ‘cushions in Oklahoma' where we would be the centre and hub for the gas industry such that we

would not just supply for our domestic

use, but supply to other West African

countries.

Mr Speaker, gas pricing is not like

crude; crude oil price is standard and

international. When it comes to the

pricing of gas, even though it can be

indexed to crude, it is normally not the

case. Therefore, Ghana can become a

centre where like Henry Hubs, this

becomes the place for gas pricing and its

determination.

Mr Speaker, so, beyond that too, it

should send us to the petroleum sector

properly in terms of our crude oil. If we

can process our indigenous gas and get all

these benefits from it, why can we not do

so for our crude?

Mr Speaker, I recall during our time,

we procured two million barrels of

TENoil for TOR. The TOR at peak

capacity can process 65, 000 barrels of

crude. And there is a ratio, that is 3:2:1

which means that out of every barrel, you

can get two barrels of gasoline and one

barrel of heating oil.

Mr Speaker, so, I think that

Government should look at the TOR. I

believe that when you look at the

petroleum economics, once you hit

around 65,000 to 70,000 barrels, you

become profitable. And the TOR meets

all the requirements of a refinery; the

location; the necessary complexity; the

work force; the refinery's strength and all that. So, I would plead with Government

to look at where we left off especially,

when we started giving our own

indigenous crude oil to the TOR so we

can process our own crude and also make

some revenues out of it.

Mr Speaker, having said this, -

[Interruption]- let me pay homage to the

Former President Mills for that vision,

and particularly for His Excellency, John

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Dramani Mahama because in 2014,

President John Dramani Mahama

personally went there, and commissioned

that facility and it started producing gas.

Mr Speaker, like the Majority Leader

always says, na wonpe wei, na wo pe den?

To wit, if you do not like this, what else

do you like?

Mr Speaker, on that note, I thank you

for indulging me. - [Hear! Hear!]-

Thank
you very much.

Hon
Member hold on for me, from Hon John
Jinapor, let me go to Hon Samuel Jinapor.
I will come to you.
Minister for Lands and Natural
Resources (Mr Samuel Abdullah
Jinapor)(MP): Mr Speaker, I thank you
very much for the opportunity. And
listening to my Hon Friend -- Mr Speaker,
I was very eager to hear from him—

Hon
Member, who is your Hon Friend?

Mr Speaker, the
Hon Member for Yapei-Kawsaugu, my
brother -[Laughter]- Mr Speaker, I was very eager to hear from him on some of
the concrete measures they introduced,
and interventions in the energy sector
particularly, in the gas infrastructure
development of our country, and most
especially, the matters of dumsor, which
he, as Hon Deputy Minister
superintended over for four years.
Mr Speaker, but the observation I have
made is that quite clearly, my Hon Friend
has had some considerable time for the
past five years and done some reading
and I think he is giving us quite a lecture
on theories on energy principles and
taking us through a classroom. Mr
Speaker, we can only hope that he would
have an opportunity some day beyond
2024 to implement these principles that
he so learnt since he has been in
Opposition.
Mr Speaker, but clearly, and on a
serious note, dumsor alone is a clear
testimony of the verdict of President
Mahama's Government. He should have spoken about it.
Mr Speaker, I thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for
the opportunity to add my voice to the
Statement ably made by the Hon Chief
Whip of the Majority Side.
Mr Speaker, indeed, I hear from this
House the resolution of dumsor. If my
good Friend and Hon Colleague from the
other Side wants evidence, he could seek

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it from the Vice President of the Republic

when he, himself admitted that we should

not be congratulated or thanked for

solving dumsor. It means they admitted

that we solved it.

Mr Speaker, I agree with the Hon

Member who made the Statement that the

Ghana Gas Company has largely

contributed to the complete eradication of

dumsor over a period because of able and

proper supply of gas to run the gas plant

that generates energy. What it means is

that those who had the foresight; the

vision to establish the GNGC from its

infancy all the way through to this point,

need commendation. In doing so

however, I would also commend the

current leadership of the GNGC that they

have continued with the existing

protocols that have led to the

indigenisation, within the shortest

possible time.

Mr Speaker, for them to have achieved

that, what it meant was that the

foundation stone should create that

opportunity for quicker and easier

indigenisation without which that feat

would not have been chalked. So, when

many thought that Ghana Gas was going

to be like any other company that may not

succeed; that would not do well; that

would not progress, today, the late

President Mills and former President

John Dramani Mahama who saw through

and birthed it and pushed it through all of

us, have been vindicated that the Hon

Member who made the Statement, from

the Government Side, admits that the

GNGC has largely helped to stabilise the

energy that is produced in this country.

Mr Speaker, like it has been said by

others, and also, the Hon Member who

made the Statement, we knew, at the time

of the formation of this company that this

country has the capacity to be able to take

us through all the processes, and that was

why, then President, John Evans Atta

Mills and the Vice President indicated

that there was a need to invest that

amount of money in establishing our own

gas processing company because we

knew that within the shortest possible

time, we would have Ghanaians running

that company and running it effectively as

has been admitted by the Hon Member

who made the Statement.

Mr Speaker, what we can only add is

that we must not allow this great initiative

to be burdened with debt. Government

policy on energy; pricing must be such

that they would be able to pay this

company so that they would not collapse

under huge debt. It is wrong for Ghana

Gas, which is helping us to sustain energy

supply to be burdened with more than

US$1 billion debt today when they are

regularly supplying gas. We must not

allow what has happened to many other

energy or gas generation companies to

happen to GNGC. This is our baby, and

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we would help them to make sure that the

debt owed GNGC is settled so they can be

on their feet to do their primary objective,

and also, engage in other corporate social

responsibilities as they are doing.

Mr Speaker, in listening to my Hon

Colleague from the other Side who talked

about some corporate social

responsibility, I would want to urge that

they extend their hand to cover many

other areas, and not just limit it to the

zone in which they are operating.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for

the opportunity.

Yes, let
me now come to the Hon Member for
Odotobri
Mr Speaker, Ghana discovered gas and
oil in commercial quantities in 2007.
Right away, efforts were put in place to
make sure that this resource is
development, produced and starting from
2007.

Mr Emmanuel A. Gyamfi (NPP -

Odotobri): Thank you very much, Mr

Speaker, for the opportunity to make a

few comments on the Statement delivered

by the Hon Majority Whip, Mr Annoh-

Dompreh.

Mr Speaker, for the processing of the gas, there was even an advertisement by the then Government and President, H. E. John Agyekum Kufuor, for companies to bid for the processing plant. That was in 2008. I am happy that the Government of H. E. Prof. John Evans Atta Mills did not abandon the project but continued from 2011 by establishing the Ghana Gas Company.

When you have discovered oil and gas

in commercial quantities and you have

associated gas for the oil, you cannot say

that you would not develop the

processing plant to process the gas. So, it

was part of the initial work that was done

by the Government. While I commend

them for the continuity of the project, we

need to put the facts right for everybody

to understand.

Mr Speaker, I am happy about the

story of Ghana Gas. We are all aware of

the importance and benefits of gas in our

economy. It is cheaper and

environmentally friendly and for me, that

is the way to go in these modern times.

Also, the Ghana Gas Company has been

able to stay on course and worked to

make sure that this dream of Ghanaians

comes through.

If you look at the complex nature of

gas processing, it is very risky but if the

Ghana Gas Company, as of now, from

2015 to 2017 has been able to indigenise

the company - From top to bottom, all the engineers working in the company are

Ghanaians. Some other countries as

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stated in the Statement took about 30 to

40 years before they were able to do this.

If Ghana has been able to do it, it means

that we have the capacity and the people

to deliver. Therefore, we should be proud

of ourselves and make sure to replicate

this in other areas, most especially in the

upstream industries.

Mr Speaker, we have passed the Local

Content Law. As Ghanaians, we need to

give priority to Ghanaians in terms of the

supply of goods, finance and engineering,

among other services needed mostly in

the upstream industry. Can we however

say that we have been able to do what is

expected of us as has been done at Ghana

Gas?

Mr Speaker, as a former Chairman of

the Committee on Mines and Energy, we

used to engage a lot, the CEO of Ghana

Gas, Dr Ben Asante. He is a Ghanaian

and that is why I am happy. The man is

very apt, experienced and hardworking

and there is no doubt that Ghana Gas is

now being managed well for us to tell the

story to Ghanaians as we speak.

Mr Speaker, for me, as the other

speakers have said, this is a very capital

intensive project. From 90 million, 100

cubic feet capacity level to about 300

means that they have invested so much

from 2017 till date. So much money has

been sunk into the operations of Ghana

Gas, so we cannot have any excuse for

using the gas and not paying. How do

they pay back the funds that they have

utilised to bring the facility to this level?

So, we are all asking Government, most

especially, the users of the Ghana Gas

products such as the VRA, ECG and other

institutions to be up and doing and make

payments to the Company for them to

have that efficient and effective running

of the facility.

Mr Speaker, I would end my

comments and commend the Hon

Member who made the Statement for

coming up with such an important

Statement which should give every

Ghanaian hope that we can do it when we

give the opportunity to the right people to

deliver.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.

Ms Zuwera Mohammed Ibrahimah

(NDC - Salaga South): Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute

to the Statement made by the Hon

Majority Chief Whip. Clearly, the Hon

Member invested a lot of time in bringing

us to speed in terms of the Ghana Gas

Company and what is going on there.

Most of the information in the

Statement is quite refreshing and I note

that the 300 per cent increase in local

employment, youth employment,

employment for our graduates - Although the Hon Member who made the

Statement did not tell us from what

numbers he calculated the 300 per cent,

we would want to assume that any

Government enterprise that is able to

generate a 300 per cent workforce

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availability within the space of four years

is quite instructive and refreshing. I think

we need to applaud that.

Mr Speaker, the Hon Member who

made the Statement indicated that Ghana

Gas has, for now, managed to attain a 60

per cent LPG production to serve the

local market and is hoping to do more. I

think such efforts need to be commended

highly because it relates directly to the

United Nations (UN) Sustainable

Development Goal (SDG) 15B which

with your permission, I would read:

“Promote the implementation of sustainability management of all types

of forest, halt deforestation, restore

degraded forests and substantially

increase afforestation and

reforestation globally.”

Mr Speaker, within the context of the

provisions of this SDG target, we

immediately bring our minds back to our

environment. In Ghana today, as at last

month, the cost of a cylinder full of

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), moved

from GH₵120 to GH₵135. These days, when you go to the filling points, you

would find ordinary Ghanaian with

cylinders, negotiating rates of purchase.

They are not able to purchase the full

cylinder and ask to be served in bits of

GH₵20, GH₵30 and GH₵10 of LPG.

Mr Speaker, this development only

has the potential to derail whatever

achievement Ghana would have made in

terms of attaining SDG15(2). When one

is returning to Accra from the north, right

from Yapei on the Damongo junction,

there are overloaded mummy trucks of

charcoal which head southwards. This

indicates that we have a lot of work to do

in terms of the promotion of the use of

LPG and the added responsibility to make

it affordable so that we could preserve the

little forest cover that we have.

Mr Speaker, one might wonder how

many trees we cut to burn charcoal but if

it is one tree, it is a tree too many. So, we

applaud the Ghana Gas Company for all

the good work. We hope that steps would

be taken to reach the full complement of

the 100 per cent LPG local production

and something should be done about the

cost so that the ordinary Ghanaian could

afford it in order that we could save our

forest and environment.

Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for

the opportunity.

I would
move to leadership.
Mr Alhassan Suhuyini Sayibu (NDC
- Tamale North) (on behalf of Minority
Leadership): Mr Speaker, I thank you
very much for the opportunity to
contribute to the Statement ably made by
the Hon Majority Chief Whip, on Ghana
Gas.

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Mr Speaker, I am disappointed that my very good friend, the Hon Minister for Lands and Natural Resources has stepped out after he contributed but I am excited, however, that his brother, Mr John Jinapor, the former Hon Deputy Minister for Energy took us through the history of the Ghana Gas project.

Mr Speaker, I would add a few

memories of my own especially, with my experience in the media field where it was an annual thing to do whenever the West Africa Gas Pipeline had problems. We made sure that in the editorial rooms, of that particular issue would dominate in every news bulletin that we carried. Today, many new reporters and journalists would not appreciate what it meant in those days every time the West Africa Gas Pipeline was down as a result of its inability to supply Ghana with gas and how that consequently affected power generation and electricity in the country.

Mr Speaker, I said I am disappointed

that the Hon Minister for Lands and

Natural Resources stepped out because he

highlighted the issue of dumsor. As I

listened to the Statement and the

contributions, Ghana Gas clearly

represents the way we should go as a

country to solve our problems in a lasting

manner. I say this because as a result of

that single investment in the construction

of the Ghana Gas Plant, that investment

led to a situation where sustainable jobs

were created and not the kind that would

go off after a regime or in some cases,

after three or, four years. That one

investment also ensured that as a country,

we now save US$300 million. That may

not mean much but if we put it in the

context of the depreciation of the cedi

today, we would understand how many of

such investments could, in the long run

strengthen our cedi and make it

competitive on the international market.

That single investment has also ensured

that as a country, today, LPG that we used

to import 100 per cent, has been cut down

by 50 per cent. This indicates that when

solutions are well thought through and

implemented, they go a long way to solve

other problems we are faced with as a

country. The Ghana Gas project

represents the way to go in solving our

many challenges as a country. That

singular investment has contributed to the

solution of making our cedi strong,

reduced unemployment and ensured that

the LPG imports are cut by 50 per cent.

However, what we need to do moving

forward, is to look at how we could make

similar investments to utilise the gas

resource that we have as a country. Many

analysts have said that one of the

blessings of crude discovery in this

country is not even with the crude but

with the gas that we have. We are so

blessed with gas that if we complemented

Ghana Gas and other such industries with

investments, that would enable us to, for

example, produce our own fertilizer - because we are an agrarian economy and

as I speak today, because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it is clear that this

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year, farmers would have a tough time to

find fertilizers for their farms. If we

complemented the investment to put up

the Ghana Gas with other such

investments that would lead to production

of fertilizer just as we now produce LPG,

I am sure that we would cut down on

import, make our cedi strong and we

would also make fertilizer cheaper for our

farmers.

Mr Speaker, finally, that is why it is

sad that indeed, as I speak, according to

the Public Interest and Accountability

Committee's (PIAC) report, Ghana Gas is

indebted to the tune of about US$1

billion. That is unacceptable and sad and

it only goes to support the stories of

people who say the State never manages

anything well. This is because an

infrastructure such as Ghana Gas should

not run at a loss. If it were in the hands of

a private person, I am sure that it would

have done better. However, let us not run

it down and, perhaps, in the future, as we

have done to many other industries of

State, decide that we want to privatise it

and put it in private hands. The

Management should up their game and

the people who have had the opportunity

to secure jobs must justify the confidence

that the State has put in them and those

partners they work with like Volta River

Authority (VRA), Ghana Grid Company

(GRIDCo) and others together with the

Government, must make good the debts

that they owe so that it could continue to

serve us well.

Mr Speaker, I thank you for the

opportunity.

Majority Leader (Mr Osei Kyei-

Mensah-Bonsu): Mr Speaker, I thank

you very much for the opportunity to

contribute to this Statement well

researched and very informative to us.

However, I would want to begin by

making some corrections. The second

paragraph of the Statement indicates that

the Ghana National Gas Company is a

strategic midstream company which was

incorporated in July 2011 at the tenure of

the former president, John Dramani

Mahama but that indeed, is a historical

inexactitude. It happened under President

Mills. The company was incorporated in

July 2011 at the time of President Mills

and not President Mahama because at that

time he was the Vice President.

Mr Speaker, the history of Ghana Gas

did not begin in 2011. It began when we

discovered oil in commercial quantities in

2007 and not 2011.

The flaring of gas that started when we

started exploiting petroleum was what

occasioned this and indeed, in 2008, if we

look at the studies conducted, it was an

integral part of it to develop the

associated gas that had been discovered.

However, it be came mainstreamed in the

year 2010 under former President Mills,

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immediately when we started the

exploitation of crude oil.

Mr Speaker, we are told and indeed, if

that is true, that 50 per cent of gas that is

used domestically in Ghana now, is from

Ghana Gas Company Limited (GGCL).

The savings that go with it as we have

been told - saving about US$300 million every year, is colossal. In 10 years, we

would have saved US$3 billion and in

these times when we need every cent, that

is certainly a blessing to us, as a country.

Before it got mainstreamed, we had to

depend on gas supplied by ENI and it

happened to be the most expensive gas

supply for us in Ghana and GGCL has

come in with a real rescue plan for us, as

a country. It is the reason why we should

commend the GGCL for what they are

doing for us as a country.

Mr Speaker, the indigenisation that is

taking place just as what happened with

hydropower generation at Akosombo,

which was manned by Europeans, but

then over a period of eight years, got

transferred into the hands of Ghanaians

and this one has taken less than two years.

We should commend Ghanaians for what

we have been able to achieve thus far. Of

course, the number of increment in the

number of Ghanaian employees that has

happened to us as a country.

Whiles we are at this, I believe we

need to hugely commend the role played

by the Chief Executive Officer of the

GGCL - Dr Ben Asante. There are many chief executives in some State

organisations who are not industry

players. Dr Ben Asante is a hands-on

person who has the technical and

professional competences and I believe

that he was the best person to have been

chosen at the time to handle the

development of GGCL.

Mr Speaker, indeed, by his fruits, we

have known that we have a good person

handling the affairs of GGCL. Two years

ago, this House passed the Petroleum

Hub Authority Bill and we must situate

this within the context of what is

happening in the West African sub-

region. I am happy that the Hon John

Jinapor related to what is happening at the

Tema Oil Refinery (TOR).

At the moment, we are capable of

processing 65,000 barrels of crude per

day. I believe that the time has come for

us to have a second look at it and revamp

it and indeed, expand the capacity of

TOR. The reason is that today, the Bulk

Distribution Companies (BDC) and Oil

Marketing Companies (OMC) are telling

us that the daily consumption of oil is in

the region of 80,000 barrels per day.

Mr Speaker, the experts tell us that on

a daily basis, we are using about 120,000

barrels per day. So, there is a shortfall of

about 40,000 barrels every day. What

does it mean? It means that some people

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are not paying taxes and that is about

40,000 barrels of oil every day. That is

dangerous for us. I know the Hon

Ministers for Energy and Transport are

having some discussions about the

expansion of the TOR and they are

talking about expanding it to produce

between 80 and 100,000 barrels. I believe

they should be encouraged to look much

beyond that because given where we are

as a country and the fact that we want to

develop the country into a petroleum hub,

if we should produce 100,000 or 120,000

barrels, we would be utilising the produce

ourselves.

How do we become an oil hub if we

use all that we produce? We can only be

an oil hub if - now that we are utilising about 120,000 barrels per day, the TOR is

producing between 300 and 400,000

barrels per day. We should not forget

Ghana's own utilisation is growing exponentially. It was just five years ago

when we talked about 80,000 barrels of

oil. Today, it is 120,000. What this means

is that five years from now, all things

being equal, we would be in the region of

about 150 to 160 barrels per day.

Mr Speaker, that means that if we are

setting up a refinery to produce 150,000

barrels of oil, we would be utilising it in

five years' time. So, we need to build a refinery that would be able to generate at

least, 400 to 500,000 barrels of oil per day

to serve our purposes and also to serve the

neighbouring countries in the sub-region.

Electricity is the lifeblood of industry

and today, we are talking about 1D1F. If

we reach the full potential of this

programme, it would provide an

additional filling for the utilisation of gas.

This is because it is the gas that is now

bringing our energy cost and if we are

able to do that effectively, we would be

satisfying the constitutional imperative in

Article 36(2)(d) of the 1992 Constitution

which provides that; ‘physical development in this country should be

spread to all regions, districts and areas

within the districts'

Mr Speaker, an Hon Member has

raised issues about bringing down the

cost of power generation. We cannot look

further afield. We should look within

ourselves because whereas we produce

power at very high costs, unfortunately

today, even when we have been able to

improve the systems somehow, about 25

per cent of power generated in this

country at a high cost ends up as

unaccounted for. What it means is that we

do not pay for the power that is generated

at such a high cost. We lose some through

transmission, and more critically, we lose

some through illegal connections; people

connect the power and do not pay. So, the

high indebtedness of GGCL is

attributable to ourselves.

Mr Speaker, of course, I must say that

VRA also contracts for the supply of

GGCL and they are not able to pay. This

is because VRA also supplies through the

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Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to

individuals and they do not pay. So, who

are we holding responsible? It is not

Government, but basically, ourselves.

So, we should be paying the power that

we consume in order to keep GGCL and

the ECG in place. If we do not resolve to

do that we cannot blame Government.

The good news is that today, we are

placing premium on the Assemblies to

resort to proper street naming systems in

order for us to be able to identify the

number of houses in this country that

collect and utilise electricity, then we

would be able to identify those who do

not pay and apply the appropriate

sanctions and once that is done,

Ghanaians would live up to their

responsibilities. Mr Speaker, once we live

up to our responsibilities, the electricity

company would be kept stable to operate

effectively and efficiently and be able to

sustain industrialisation, and offer

employment to the teeming unemployed

such that our society and country would

enjoy high living standards and grow the

economy.

Mr Speaker, thank you for the space

granted and I would once again thank the

Hon Majority Chief for the Statement.

Thank
you very much.
We would now take the last Statement
from Hon Alhassan Abdallah Iddi and the
Statement is on Strengthening Justice
Delivery Systems in Ghana.
Hon Members, the time is 2.00 p.m. so
I direct that Sitting be extended beyond
the prescribed Sitting hours.
Strengthening Justice Delivery
Systems in Ghana
Mr Alhassan A. Iddi (NPP -
Salaga North): I thank you, Mr
Speaker, for the opportunity to make
this Statement on the floor of this house
and for that matter, bring before this
house an important matter of how to
strengthen the justice delivery system in
Ghana.
Mr Speaker, justice is a key concern
of people in fragile states.
Unfortunately, deficiencies have been
found in our justice delivery systems
over the years. It is important to note
that progress and services provided are
delayed without strength in our justice
systems.
Mr Speaker, The World Justice
Project (WJP) defines the rule of law as
a durable system of laws, institutions,
norms, and community commitment
that delivers accountability, just laws,
open government, and accessible and
impartial dispute resolution.
Mr Speaker, the World Justice Project

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(WJP) measures whether the basic rights

of criminal suspects are respected. This

includes the presumption of innocence

and the freedom from arbitrary arrest

and unreasonable pre-trial detention.

This also involves the availability of

access to all evidence used and whether

criminal suspects are allowed to

challenge evidence used against them,

whether they are subject to abusive

treatment, and whether they are provided

with adequate legal assistance. In

addition, it measures whether the basic

rights of prisoners are respected once

they have been convicted of a crime.

The WJP also measures whether

perpetrators of crimes are effectively

apprehended and charged. It goes on

further to measure whether force

workers, investigators, and prosecutors

have adequate resources, are free of

corruption, and perform their duties

competently. Whether the police inflict

physical harm upon criminal suspects

during arrest and interrogation, and

whether political dissidents or members

of the media are subjected to

unreasonable searches, arrest, detention,

imprisonment, threats, abusive

treatment, or violence.

Furthermore, this statement goes on to

measure whether basic laws and

information on legal rights are publicly

available, presented in plain language,

and made accessible in all languages.

This ensures that whoever is in doubt has

access to all information necessary. It

also measures the quality and

accessibility of information published by

the government in print or online, and

whether administrative regulations,

drafts of legislation, and decisions of the

court are made accessible to the public

promptly. It goes on further to measure

the accessibility and affordability of civil

courts, including whether people are

aware of available remedies; can access

and afford legal advice and

representation; and can access the court

system without incurring unreasonable

fees, encountering unreasonable

procedural hurdles, or experiencing

physical or linguistic barriers.

Mr Speaker, European standards

require that judicial independence is

effectively protected in the justice system

through legal safeguards. For example, to

avoid undue pressure on a judge, judges

should not be transferred to another

judicial office without their consent, save

for cases of disciplinary sanctions or the

reform of the organisation of the judicial

system.

Mr Speaker, Afro-pessimists argue that Africa is unable to effectively bring about the changes that are required for upholding the rule of law. This, they believe is as a result of the fact that African governments cannot change the legacy of colonialism. Alternatively, they bring about the conditions under

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which the British, French, Belgian, and Portuguese colonizers abused the people of Africa through colonial justice systems. As a result, the effective administration of justice in Africa remains elusive to African governments. Though the trials are huge, traditional approaches to justice through restorative practices and the integration of such practices in the formal justice system have become such a challenge.

In contrast to the USA and some

European countries where the arrest of a

suspect is the culmination of an

investigation, this is seldom true of some

African countries, including Ghana.

Among the reasons, are poor training

techniques and facilities; lack of

adequate training of police personnel in

the investigation; and poor methods of

detection of crime. As a result of these

inadequate human and material

resources, confessions are often forced

out of suspects, who are routinely

interrogated and tortured as a means of

extracting confessions. Although courts

also provide bail to accused persons,

underprivileged defendants are often

forced into imprisonment before trial

because they are unable to provide a

monetary bond. It is also, however

interesting to note, that many of those

accused do not know their rights as far as

bail is concerned. Bail also has similar

provisions when it comes to offenses

punishable by death. Access to justice is

similarly a major problem facing the

legal fraternity in most African countries,

and Ghana is no exception. Mr Speaker,

these points raised are issues of major

concern and must be addressed

accordingly. I would like to use this

platform to impress upon the heads of our

Judicial systems that to strengthen our

justice delivery system in this country,

we will have to take measures that will

make accessible, all kinds of information

regarding our judicial networks available

to all citizens in the country .

Mr Speaker, for our justice systems to

be strengthened, we need to make a lot of

changes in our existing system. We

understand that there are continual

challenges plaguing our justice systems.

However, the system is not broken, it just

needs some improvements. More to the

point, these changes can only be made if

we all work collectively towards it and

make it a priority. We must also be daring

enough not to gloss over but to call out

any person of high repute, for any

wrongdoing. The government also needs

to publicly address and inspect laws and

policies that thrive on any form of

discrimination. Every one of us will

benefit from a strong justice system.

For instance, we have to put checks in

place to ensure that law enforcement

agencies are transparent and are held

accountable for their actions. We also

have to make sure that measures are put

in place to make the police and other law

enforcers accountable to the people of the

community.

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Mr Speaker, it is worth mentioning

that, without proper tools at their

disposal, law enforcers cannot do their

jobs diligently. That being said, law

enforcers must always make sure to act

with rapid response, regardless of race,

social standing, or ethnicity. We need to

invest in proper education for our law

enforcers to prevent them from using

unnecessary force and punitive

enforcement. Otherwise, citizens will

lose trust in the justice system and

continue to disrespect and undermine the

authority of law enforcers.

Mr Speaker, we can also invest in reforms to improve our pre-trial support services like policing, bail, prosecution, public defence, among others. We need to ensure that anyone that requires the needed support must be given that support and equal treatment, without bias, under the law. Policies that protect and advocate for constitutional rights must be supported and implemented. It is very well known, that most people locked up in prisons have not had their convictions for crimes committed taken through proper channels because they cannot afford bail or a lawyer. The public defence systems in the country must also be properly structured to prevent public defenders from being so overburdened that they cannot offer clients the ardent representation that they need.

Mr Speaker, we can also help

strengthen our justice system by offering support to help reintegrate ex-convicts

into society. Having a criminal record should not be a life sentence to poverty or be a stumbling block to one being sufficient and a caregiver. We must support policies that will enable ex- convicts to clear their records to enable them successfully be reintegrated into society. This will significantly reduce and eliminate the long-lasting damage and stigma a criminal conviction causes. In doing this, ex-convicts can go on to find jobs that will enable them to support themselves and their families. This will go a long way to reduce crime rates, reduce recidivism and strengthen our justice system. Job training, education, and therapy can also be offered in our prisons so that people are not set out for failure after serving prison terms.

Mr. Speak er, there is also a pressing

need to work on decongesting our prisons

in the country. Our prisons are so full to

overflowing that, there is little to no

breathing space for inmates. For our

prisons to be decongested properly, some

changes must be made. We can start the

process by building more prisons or

expanding the already existing ones. I

also want to use this opportunity to

suggest that old cases of the inmates

should be revised. Some of these convicts

were probably given overly long

sentences for minor crimes because of an

unfair hearing. We can also consider

using certain systems like supervised

community service, parole, or probation

for some minor crimes. Amendments can

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be made to the penalty units' scheme. I

suggest that there should be some

increments to the amount of every

penalty count. This will deter people

from committing crimes and will also

generate revenue for the development of

the country. This will go a long way to

strengthen our justice systems and

decongest our prisons.

Mr Speaker, the future of our society

is inherent in our ability to develop a very

basic universal philosophical ideology

that should be competent enough to

discharge everybody's function in

strengthening our justice delivery system.

I, therefore, invite my esteemed

colleagues to this important drive as it is

very obvious that there is a glitch in our

judicial system that needs strengthening.

I thank you, Mr Speaker, for this

opportunity.

Mr Speaker, this is a very huge
topic, when we talk about strengthening
the judicial system or strengthening the
justice system. Justice delayed is justice
denied and when justice is not dispensed
well, the country runs the risk of
encountering crises and conflicts.
Mr Speaker, let me thank the acting
Chairman of the Judiciary Committee for
this thought-provoking Statement. I wish
we all had ample time to look at it and to
contribute. Suffice it to say that this
Statement is very timely.
Mr Speaker, it is the Judiciary that is
basically in charge of justice delivery in
the system. The Judiciary is also the third
arm of Government and therefore, there is
a spotlight on it. However, there are other
stakeholders associated with justice
delivery system in the country - the judges, the prosecutors, who are
basically, policemen, and the lawyers
who go to court to ensure that justice is
done to their clients and to the citizens at
large. So, it is a combination of the efforts
of these people that at the end of the day
will ensure that justice is delivered
systematically and efficiently in the
country.
Mr Speaker, it is also the legal system
that we have in the country that would
have to be looked at when we talk about
justice delivery system in the country. It
is trite knowledge that some of the laws
that we have, as far as justice delivery is
concerned are very archaic and therefore,
there is the need to reform some of our
laws if we want to ensure that justice
delivery system in the country is
appropriate and is efficient and effective.
Mr Speaker, there is a Bill in the offing
that talks about plea bargaining. There is
also the Justice for All Programme that

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goes from region to region and from

prison to prison, trying to interview

prisoners and trying to grant some of

them bail and trying to even do the cases

at the prisons so that some of them can be

out.

Mr Speaker, I think that it is the

combined effect of these at the end of the

day, that would ensure that there is justice

delivery system in the country. I know

that when we talk about justice delivery

in the country, we are going to encounter

the issue of corruption. Corruption is not

only in the justice system but it is

pervasive. But the Judiciary is the arbiter

of justice in the country when there is

conflict between two citizens, two

institutions, et cetera. At the end of the

day, it is the Judiciary that is the arbiter

that would bring justice to all of us. So it

is important for us to ensure that the

Judiciary is well taken care of.

Mr Speaker, it is important that the

infrastructure and the personnel that we

need must be available to ensure an

efficient justice delivery system. In some

of our regions, like the newly created

regions, we do not have high courts so

people have to travel long distances to be

able to get justice and that is a challenge.

In some of the districts, there are no

magistrate courts so people are arrested

and kept in police cells for more than the

48 hours as stipulated by the laws or the

Constitution and that is a big challenge.

Mr Speaker, the current practice of

allowing district assemblies to be in

charge of building court houses and

police stations and others does not help.

This is because the funds allocated to the

district assemblies is not adequate enough

for their basic functioning not to talk

about building court houses, police

stations, et cetera.

Mr Speaker, when the personnel of the

court houses are not there, then we cannot

talk about efficient justice delivery

system in the country. So, we have to

review this aspect of making justice

accessible to people. We must make sure

that we provide the infrastructure and

personnel.

Mr Speaker, in many of the regions in

the country, it is difficult to get State

Attorney for them to ensure justice

delivery because they are not happy with

the recruitment or the conditions of

service. That is an area that we have to

look at. We need to improve the

conditions of service so that we can

attract some professional lawyers to

become district magistrates and judges.

That is an area that is very grey. We

still have many districts that do not have

magistrates; therefore, people would have

to travel for several miles before they can

seek justice in their areas.

Mr Speaker, even though Ghana is

credited for human rights, and human

right association with the justice delivery

system, I think there is still a lot to be

done if we want to ensure that justice

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delivery system in the country is

adequate. Many of the prisons are

congested and that is why there is a

clarion call that we should try to review

our laws, so that misdemeanours and

minor offences would no more attract

custodial sentences. They should rather

attract communal labour. People should

be made to sweep the street and do

communal labour somewhere, so that

they will be seen by people. Many

Ghanaians do not want to be shamed and

embarrassed. So, that is an area that we

should look at rather than if a person

steals a finger or bunch of plantain

because he or she is hungry, then that

person is sentenced to six months

imprisonment, and a bag of maize is used

to feed that person; it does not make any

sense.

Mr Speaker, I think that it is important we

review so many systems that we have in

the country: the Custodial Sentencing

System must be reviewed and the Justice

for All Programme must be intensified, so

that they visit many places and then

reduce the congestion in the prisons. The

Alternative Dispute Resolution must be

intensified and expanded, so that many

cases can be resolved before they end in

court and then people are sentenced to

prisons. The plea bargaining must be

encouraged, so that many people can

commit themselves to alternative

punishment, and even pay retribution to

the country and to the people they offend

instead of going the prison.

Mr Speaker, it is true that when one is

poor, he or she may not get justice. That

is why some years ago, the Legal Aid

System was introduced. You and I, as

practitioners, know that the Legal Aid

System is more in speech than in practice.

It is becoming another legal office for

people to go and engage lawyers, and

then pay something. Some of them do not

have money for them to file documents

on their behalf. So, if the Legal Aid

Offices can be strengthened, expanded,

and resourced, it can go a long way to

help the justice delivery system in the

country.

Mr Speaker, on this note, I support this

Statement, and I pray that Ghana and this

Parliament would try to review our laws

on the judicial system. That would bring

some solace to the citizens of this

country.

Mr Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi

(NPP - Asante Akim North): Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to

contribute to this important Statement

made by the Hon Member.

Mr Speaker, I would like to start with

the ineffectiveness of non-custodial

sentence in our criminal jurisprudence.

Very often, we find people appear in

court on matters that qualify for

misdemeanour, and for such people,

because of the nature of the prosecution

and the absence of the defence, such

people are given custodial sentences.

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Mr Speaker, in any case, as my Hon

Senior just alluded, we need to re-

emphasise the use of non-custodial

sentencing, so that minor offenders would

not also go and populate the prisons

which are already over populated.

Mr Speaker, some Magistrate Courts

are not well staffed. You would find non-

lawyers being Magistrates who,

sometimes, do not understand the effect

of the law, the procedure, and the accused

persons are sometimes unduly punished,

and their human rights unduly taken away

from them. That is an area where we

would need to focus our attention no, to

try and attract qualified persons into

positions as Magistrates, so that they

would not undermine people's freedom by taking their freedoms away from them

unnecessarily.

Mr Speaker, we have talked about

actors in the judicial system. My Hon

Senior has alluded to the fact that some of

us as lawyers are guilty of not showing

interest in cases, not going to court in

good time, and also not assisting the

courts as officers of the courts. Some of

us go to court and we think that we need

to oppose the system, or we need to deny

people's rights just because we are in an official position to do so, particularly,

some of the prosecutors.

Personally, my frustration in criminal

justice was because people thought that

the more convicts that one secured, the

more a person becomes a good policeman

or woman. Therefore, the police system

that comes to court comes with the

purpose to seek conviction, not assisting

the court in expending justice to accused

persons. In most cases, a lawyer who is

trying to rely on the law to secure the

release of even accused persons who are

so entitled, would be frustrated by a

prosecutor who thinks that person must

be denied bail by all means. In most

cases, when such persons are conniving

with people who are supposed to

administer justice, then we can imagine

the consequences that would befall the

accused persons. We forget that accused

persons are not guilty until proven so. But

sometimes, the way they are treated in the

police stations before they are hauled into

the courts - They are condemned in the police stations before they are brought

before the courts. We must be careful

about how we affect people's human rights. In most of the jurisdictions, before

a person is even arrested, investigations

are carried out to ascertain what

constitutes the elements of the charge,

and whether or not they can situate the

charge in the particular case.

However, in our jurisdiction, once

somebody makes a complaint to the

Police, the first thing they do is to arrest

the person without any investigation.

Sometimes, the accused person is put into

custody while they say that investigations

are ongoing. In most cases, people are left

there to rot and the people who are

supposed to be undertaking the

investigations do not do it after all. I know

of similar situations where people have

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stayed in custody for four or five years

when they have not even been brought to

a court for them to be charged and

prosecuted, all because a prosecutor may

have been transferred or an investigator

may have been transferred and the person

is left to his or her fate.

Mr Speaker, there are people who fake

complaints: They go to the Police and

report for people to be arrested not

because those people have committed

offences. When such people who are

arrested are brought before the courts,

sometimes, after the prosecution is done

and the lawyer files submission of no

case, people are discharged without any

reliefs, because the civil remedy of

malicious prosecution is difficult to

establish and it is situated on the Police

System and not on the complainant. I

would suggest that we look at that civil

remedy carefully, so that it would be a

deterrent for people who would

unjustifiably report other people for arrest

because of criminal charges levelled

against them, and they go to prosecution

unwarranted.

Mr Speaker, there are cases where the

accused persons themselves try to invade

service of writs. It is not the case that

when a person is charged with any

offence, that person is guilty thereof. So,

in a particular case when the police called

me to show presence in a police station a

few weeks ago, I went there only to be

told that I was an administrator to an

estate, and there is a problem because the

people at the division were challenging,

so I had to be there to give my statement,

which I did and I was out of the police

station. So, it is not all invitations that

constitute arrest or an allegation of

commission of a crime. So, as accused

persons or suspects, let us avail ourselves

so that the judicial system can also bring

us the relief that we want.

Mr Speaker, in most cases, there is

also difficulty accessing to lawyers. As

my Hon Senior said, we do not have

enough lawyers to support the judicial

system.

2. 29 p.m.

Nevertheless, those of us who are

private lawyers go to court and we are

always mindful of taking care of our

clients, forgetting the fact that the

accused person standing trial, who cannot

afford the services of a private lawyer, is

also at your mercy because your call

requires that you give pro bono services

to people who cannot afford. So, when we

put all these together, we think that we

must also try and support the system that

we are trying to attack.

Mr Speaker, in any case, people of the

press are most of the time guilty. When

they come to court and they do not

understand the proceedings of the court,

they do not seek knowledge; they only

just go out and report as they understand,

and some of the time, they are wrong in

their reportage. In most cases, they flout

Statements

the law of contempt of the courts, except

that the judges are sometimes very

magnanimous and do not apply the law

properly. When a person is in court, one

needs to understand the proceedings and

rulings of the court so as to be able to

report correctly. So, there is so much

confusion in the public space because of

wrongful reportage. Therefore, we need

to train our journalists in the criminal

procedures so that they would understand

what is happening and report correctly.

Mr Speaker, with these few words, I

thank you very much, and I commend the

Hon Member who made the Statement for

the thorough work he has done for us.

Mr Francis-Xavier Kojo Sosu (NDC

- Madina): Mr Speaker, I would want to say a very big thank you to my Hon

Colleague from Salaga for this very

insightful Statement, particularly

throwing the spotlight on criminal justice

in our country.

Mr Speaker, the criminal justice

jurisdiction in our country today is

fraught with a lot of problems, and as a

people, we should be truthful to

ourselves. Until we are very candid,

truthful to ourselves, and admit our

failures, we cannot rise above those

failures and begin to move forward with

reforms.

Mr Speaker, in the first place, when we

look at the constitutional provision in

article 19 of our 1992 Constitution, it says

clearly that a person charged with a

criminal offense shall be given a fair

hearing within a reasonable time by a

court. Also, if we read article 19(2)(c), it

says clearly that a person charged with a

criminal offense shall be presumed to be

innocent until proven guilty. Today, the

practice is that when a person is accused

of an offense, the person is presumed

guilty until one proves himself or herself

innocent, but it must not be the case. We

have turned the Constitution upside down

and are perpetrating all forms of injustice

against our people. However, let us not

forget that article 125(1) of the 1992

Constitution says that justice emanates

from the people. Every individual in

Ghana has a sense of justice. When we

talk about justice, we are talking about

fairness, equal treatment of people

without discrimination, and treatment of

people without personal sentiments or

any form of consideration, whether

political, creed, religious or any form of

consideration. That is what we call

justice, and this justice is supposed to be

administered on behalf of the people by

the Judiciary.

Mr Speaker, when it comes to criminal

justice, the truth is that the Judiciary alone

cannot administer this justice. What we

see most often is that due to bad

investigations and the sense of secure

conviction at all cost, people are left at the

mercy of the system. So, we have

situations where in a lot of our police

stations today, many police officers have

become debt collection agents. In

completely civil matters, people go to the

Statements

police station, make complaints and the

Police would come and arrest an accused

person, detain him or her and tell the

person, “tua no nkakrankakra”, to wit, the person should be paying the money in

bits. There are clear cases of civil

contracts where we see the Police heavily

involved, and this must change.

Mr Speaker, when we look at the

caution by Lord Chief Justice Hewart

way back in the year 1924, in the case of

“R v Sussex Justices, ex parte McCarthy”, he made it clear that justice must not only be done, but must be seen

to be done. In other words, people must

feel that they are being treated well.

When people are arrested, they must

know that they are being treated well.

Today, the criminal procedure requires

that the Police only arrest people upon

reasonable suspicion of a crime because

the position of the law is that multitude of

suspicion cannot lead to conviction. So, it

is not any suspicion or complaint that

must warrant a Police arrest, but today,

any complaint without any iota of

investigation, the Police would go and

make an arrest. More often than not, they

would get to court and request the court

to give them a remand warrant to remand

the person, and still say that investigation

still continues. If they would still

continue investigation, then why would

they charge a person and put him or her

before court? So, I think that our justice

system needs a serious reform, and it

must start from the Police, to prosecution,

and indeed, to the Judiciary.

Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for

Mr Peter Lanchene Toobu (NDC -

Wa West): Mr Speaker, I thank you for

the opportunity to contribute a little to

support the Statement that was ably made

by an Hon Colleague of mine.

Mr Speaker, when we talk about a

system, it is a set of units that must work

together with the common bigger picture

in mind. When we talk about the judicial

system, in an emerging democracy like

Ghana, it is of much importance, and we

would have to look at it if our democracy

can actually grow to the level that we

want.

Mr Speaker, looking at the criminal

justice system, all of us would agree that

it is the Police that activates the criminal

justice system. The components in the

criminal justice system are the Police, the

courts, and the correction centres or the

prisons. What is the bigger picture, the

purpose, or the objective of the criminal

justice system? It is to ensure that justice

is dispensed fairly, to ensure that

criminals are put behind bars, and to

ensure that these criminals are reformed

and brought back to society to make it a

better place.

Mr Speaker, with the criminal justice

system in Ghana, we all do know that

over the many years, we have got so many

prison ambassadors; ambassadors from

police cells who, when they get out from

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the police cells, come to preach a message

that says that the police cell is for every

human being or Ghanaian. They say that

every human being or Ghanaian is a

potential criminal, so we should do as

much as we can to make the police cells

habitable for human beings. When we

convicted people to go into prisons and

they go there for four to five years and

come out, are we correcting or

corrupting? When we jail a common

criminal, probably somebody who has

stolen just a bunch of banana, to go into

prison for two years in hard labour, after

two years, the person comes back more

hardened, well-polished, and is ready to

graduate to the level of armed robbery, is

the system correcting or corrupting?

Mr Speaker, looking at the criminal

justice system, if the Police are

empowered to do what they know how to

do best: preventing crime, instead of

waiting for it to happen before they detect

and investigate, I am very sure that many

of our courts, relating to criminal cases,

would be found empty because without a

crime, the court would not have a

criminal case to try. Of course, we all

know that no country has a zero crime

rate, but we are talking about that

minimum acceptable rate by all.

Mr Speaker, as a country, we need to

embolden the individual agencies that

constitute the justice system, and let them

interact well. How on earth would the

Police be prosecuting cases in Ghana?

The job of the Police is to investigate,

detect, and prevent crime. When the

Police veers into the job of the Attorney-

General and Minster for Justice, where

they would have to prosecute the cases

they investigated themselves, where

would the checks and balances be?

I am sure in the past, it was necessary because the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice did not have enough personnel to represent the State at various levels. Today, we have a lot of law students who are even being prevented from going to the law school. It is time for the country to look at the possibility of having State Attorneys in all districts to represent the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, and let the Police go back to do what they know best - preventing crime and ensuring that all of us can live in peace.

Mr Speaker, with these few words, I thank you for the opportunity. I would want to thank the Hon Member who made the Statement. It was timely and necessary.

Leadership, any indication?

Mr Speaker, I thought that we would be able to deal with the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2021, and the Student Loan Trust Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2021 today. They are still outstanding. Let me give an indication to the Committee on

Statements

Education to assist us tomorrow to deal with this. We really needed to have dealt with this Bill at the very beginning of this Meeting and it is still outstanding. We also have to put the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2021, behind us. If we are not able to do anything tomorrow, we should be able to deal with these two Bills.

Fortunately, the Hon Ranking Member

for the Committee on Education is here.

Let him inform the Hon Chairman of the

Committee so that we would be able to

deal with the Student Loan Trust Fund

(Amendment) Bill, 2021, tomorrow.

Ranking Member of Committee on

Education (Mr Peter K. Nortsu-

Kotoe): Mr Speaker, members of the

Committee have also been worried since

this Bill was referred to us under a

certificate of urgency in December last

year. We worked on it with the speed that

was required. Once Leadership has given

indication that they are ready for it

tomorrow, we would also inform the

other Committee members so that we can

assemble in the Chamber tomorrow to

take it. I am sure it would not take so

much time for us to work on this.

Hon
Members, on that note, we would bring
the curtains down on proceedings.