Odekro | What has your MP done for you?

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Members, we will move straight to the
item numbered 4 - Correction of Votes and Proceedings and the Official Report.
We have the Votes and Proceedings of
Friday, 18th March, 2022 for correction.
Page 1…10 -

Dr Kingsley Nyarko

Mr
Speaker, on page 10, item numbered 13,
the sentence is grammatically correct, but
I do not know whether it is procedurally
right. It says “Question put and agreed
to”, but previously, I had been seeing
“Question put and Motion agreed to.” I
do not know whether procedurally, the
word “Motion” should be captured or it
can be left out.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

The Table
Office will look at it again and do the
needful.
Page 11 -

Dr Nyarko

Mr Speaker, on page 11,
there is a minor punctuation issue. In the
last sentence under “Opening”, there should be a comma after “Chairman” so that it reads,
“The Hon Chairman, Mr Francis Manu-Adabor presided.”

Mr Charles Acheampong

Mr
Speaker, on page 12, the meeting of the
Public Accounts Committee was on
Friday, 18th March, 2022, but it has been
stated to have taken place on Wednesday,
16th March, 2022.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

This is the
report on the meeting held on
Wednesday, 16th March, 2022; it is not
the one held on Friday, 18th March, 2022,
so it is correct.
Any more corrections?
Page 14…23.
Hon Members, subject to the
corrections effected, the Votes and
Proceedings of Friday, 18th March, 2022,
is hereby adopted as the true record of
proceedings.
We have the Official Report of
Wednesday, 2nd March, 2022, for
correction.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

I am not
clear. Are you saying you want to go on
to the item numbered 6 or 7?

Mr Annoh-Dompreh

Mr Speaker,
we should go on to item numbered 6.
Deputy Minority Leader (Mr James
Klutse Avedzi): Mr Speaker, my
understanding is that the Hon Minister to
make the Statement is not here, so her
Deputy would make the commemorative
Statement. It has been agreed so we could
go ahead.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Very well;
the order of Business is varied. We would
move on to the item numbered 6 -
Statements. We will start with the
commemorative Statement by the Hon
Deputy Minister for Sanitation and Water
Resources.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Yes, Hon
Member for Madina?
Mr Francis-Xavier Kojo Sosu (NDC
- Madina): Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity given me to
contribute to this very important and
timely Statement ably delivered by my
Hon Colleague.
Mr Speaker, water indeed is tied to the
right to life and anytime we talk about
fundamental human rights: right to life,
right to good health, and right to
sanitation, water plays a very important
component for the enjoyment of these
rights and that is why I find it really
necessary that as a nation, we need to pay
closer attention to this resource that we
have highly under-utilised.
Mr Speaker, statistics published by the
Agro-African Grand Water 2020 project
indicates that 95 per cent of ground water
is used in Ghana for domestic water
supply. It means that there is the potential
available for industry in Ghana to
consider the use of ground water. I
believe that if we could put in the
appropriate technologies that allows
some of the heavy utilisers of water in
Ghana to resort to ground water, we
would be able to reduce the perennial
shortage of water in the country for the
purposes of domestic use.
Mr Speaker, I have also realised that
even though this resource is readily
available, there is the lack of direct
commitment from policy-makers; for
example, the Government and Ghana
Education Service (GES) to directly
harness these potentials for the benefit of
specific sectors. For example, when you
come to Madina, one of the things I
realised recently is the fact that a lot of
public basic schools have toilet facilities
but could not use them because they do
not have water. I then ask myself why we
cannot have a direct policy for example,
where all basic schools across the country
partner with development partners to drill
mechanised boreholes that would pipe
every toilet facility in these schools. So, it
is on this that I really commend the Hon
Member who made the Statement. He
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called on Hon Members to partner.

People like us are really willing to

partner.

One of the things we recently started

in Madina is Water for all Public Schools

Project and we already have some Non-

Governmental Organisations (NGO) on

board to ensure that we can drill

mechanised boreholes in every public

school that has toilet without water. So, I

am also calling on Government to partner

people like us who are willing to come up

with projects like that in our

communities, so that they commit to it,

and we can make water available. This is

because water, indeed is life.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for

the opportunity to contribute to this very

important Statement.

Mr Kennedy Nyarko Osei (NPP - Akim Swedru)

Mr Speaker, thank you
for the opportunity to add my voice to the
Statement that has been read by the
Deputy Minister for Sanitation and Water
Resources.
Water is life as they say, and it is one's right to have water. It is not a privilege,
so at every point in our lives, we should
ensure that every Ghanaian has access to
potable water to drink. It is not enough
that a certain class would have access to
enough water while others struggle to get
good water to drink. I am happy that
today being a commemorative day to
celebrate World Water Day, 2022, we are
drawing the attention of the authorities,
including ourselves as Members of
Parliament (MP) because Government
alone cannot provide water for all but in
our little way, we would also be able to
support our constituents by providing
them with good water sources, so that
they can also have access.
We know the consequences of not
providing potable water to our people.
We know the health implications and the
cost it brings to the nation, so we have to
do everything possible to provide potable
water to every Ghanaian. They should
have access and it should not be difficult
for any Ghanaian to have access to
potable water; we can only do it by
commitment. We need to make all efforts
and commit to providing potable water,
or in our own means -
Mr Speaker, sometimes it hurts when
you see certain groups of people, some in
vehicles struggling to get potable water to
drink, not to think of what they would
even use to wash their clothes. Even what
to drink becomes a problem for them and
these are issues we see every day. We
watch it on television and social media
and even witness it with our own eyes.
This is something that as a country, we do
not have to let it continue; therefore, we
have to use today to demonstrate to the
world and to Ghanaians that irrespective
of how expensive it would be, we have
resolved to ensure that every Ghanaian
would have access to potable water. That
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demonstration would come from you and

I.

I would also call upon Ghana Water

Company Limited. Sometimes, you go to

some places and you might see some

burst pipes with water gushing out for a

long time. This is water that could have

been saved to support other people but it

all goes waste. So, it is about time we

knew that if it is a right and not a privilege

for every Ghanaian to have access to

potable water, then we have to do

everything to make sure that they have

access to it.

Mr Speaker, on that note, I would want

to thank the Hon Member who made the

Statement for bringing this important

Statement to the House. I believe my Hon

Colleagues would also heed to the call to

do the little they can to support their

various constituencies and the villages

under them, so that they can also have

access to potable water.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Is the Hon
Member for Kpandai in the House?
[Pause] He had a Statement on the same
issue to read but I wanted - Hon Member,
I am not asking you to read your
Statement, it has just been brought to me.
But you may comment, picking
information from your Statement, so we
do not have two Statements. So please,
proceed to make your comments.

Mr Daniel Nsala Wakpal (NDC - Kpandai)

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for
the opportunity to add my voice to the
Statement made by my Hon Colleague.
As we all know, water is life, and not
a privilege as Hon Members who spoke
earlier said.
Mr Speaker, this is a challenge for
the Hon Members from the rural areas,
and it must be addressed. In my
constituency, the Kpandai Constituency
women struggle each day to get water for
use. In the Northern Region, the women
are forced to share the little water
available or water from the pond with the
cattle - As today marks World Water Day, I would want to call on the Hon
Minister for Sanitation and Water
Resources to do the needful. Last year,
the Hon Minister was in the House to
answer some Questions with regard to the
problems the people of Kpandai face and
she said that no budgetary allocation was
made for the construction of boreholes or
dams or for one.
Mr Speaker, it was stated in the NPP
Manifesto that there would be a One
Village One Dam Project and we thought
that it would be a solution to our water
crisis but what do we see today? In the
constituency, all the dams that have been
constructed —I visited one of the communities called Kamawule and the
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dam had dried up. This is a challenge and

so, I would want to call on the Hon

Minister to do the needful. As of today,

more than 100 boreholes are not in use, so

the Ministry should have a way to deal

with the Assembly so that the boreholes

would be repaired every year in order to

achieve these Sustainable Development

Goals (SDGs). As we all know, by 2030,

all the 17 Goals must be achieved but

when we look at the crisis in our

constituencies in the country, I do not

think that we have even achieved one.

Mr Speaker, this Statement is a wake-

up call for everybody and for all

parliamentarians to do what we could to

be able to solve this crisis because it is

alarming. I would also want to call on our

Vice President, the economic wizard, to

do the needful to help the Ministry get

some of the funds. This time, it is not

about the E-Levy. We have noted that

when the E-Levy is passed, our roads

would be fixed but in this case, with

regard to water issues, the Hon Minister,

together with the Government, should do

the needful and make sure that we solve

this perennial shortage of water in our

country and for that matter, in my

constituency, Kpandai.

Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for

giving me the opportunity to contribute to

the Statement.

Mr George K. O. Takyi (NPP — Manso-Nkwanta)

Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to contribute to
this all-important Statement to
commemorate “World Water Day, 2022”.
Mr Speaker, we say water is life but in
these recent times, water is indeed, not
life because it threatens life. For some
time now, all children under the age of six
months are not given water; they are
breastfed because research has shown
that most infant mortalities are caused by
water-borne diseases and therefore, to
prevent infant mortality, children under
six months are breastfed instead.
Mr Speaker, in the past, we depended
on water from the stream and how it was
managed made it potable and healthy for
consumption. All streams were managed
well and there were traditional rules
which governed their use and how to
manage their resources.
Nobody was allowed to wash in water
bodies because they would be
contaminated by chemicals. Water was
covered by the forests, and the forests
around the water bodies were not allowed
to be cultivated or cleared for farming. At
the same time, the duty of all the people
— Anybody who contravened the laws which governed the stream was called to
the palace and punished. Also, one could
not go to the farm and use any chemical
that would pollute the water resources.
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That meant that in those days that we did

not have pipe-borne water and did not

harvest ground water, people knew how

to manage water resources to prevent

certain diseases and that was indeed,

water for life. Today, we have most of our

forest resources cultivated into farms; we

have cleared forest resources for

residential areas and we have polluted our

water bodies with chemicals in mining.

We have polluted our water bodies in so

many ways that today, the source of water

has become a source of worry and death.

Mr Speaker, it is important to consider

that it is not just the abundance of water,

but the quality of it that could protect life.

So, when we talk of water being life, it

means that we have to look at its quality

and not the quantity. Today, some people

import water into the country because of

the quality of water we consume in this

country. Ground water has been

threatened because chemicals seep into

the water bodies underground.

Last week, a Statement was read on

this Floor where pesticides and chemicals

used in farming have been a source of

worry because our water bodies and

underground water, if care is not taken,

are all going to be contaminated, and that

will be a source of worry for our lives.

Mr Speaker, it is important for all of us

to get involved in the management of our

water resources to make sure that we

control and manage what we have now so

that it does not become a source of threat

to lives. We should also manage the water

resources and not only the abundance of

it, but its quality. Yesterday, there was a

news item on the television where people

carried gallons in search of water. Why is

this so? The water bodies that were in our

cities before we converted them into

residential areas were all a source of

drinking water to our people. It was a

source of household use. Today, most of

our waste have been diverted into these

water bodies such that they are not

potable. So, people have to troop and

travel miles and kilometres to fetch water

from other places because all the streams

have been polluted, and this could create

problems for us.

Mr Speaker, it is therefore important

that as we commemorate World Water

Day, 2022 today, Hon Members of this

House, through our communities, have to

do proper education to make sure that our

water resources and the streams are

managed and protected very well to

ensure that we do not import water and

blame anybody in the future. We may

have to blame ourselves if we do not

manage our resources well but to allow

the water bodies to be polluted and then

end up having to import water into this

country before we get potable water to

drink.

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Mr Speaker, I thank you for the

opportunity to contribute to this all-

Dr Clement A. Apaak (NDC -

Builsa South): Mr Speaker, I thank you

for giving me the opportunity to

contribute to the very timely and well-

researched Statement made by the Hon

Deputy Minister for Sanitation and Water

Resources on this special day.

Mr Speaker, various experts have

indicated that the next major global

conflict, otherwise, war would be fought

over water and not any other resource.

Hon Members who earlier made

comments to this Statement have all

alluded to the importance of water.

Indeed, ground water is a very important

and reliable source of water but our own

conduct in terms of behaviour and

attitude is affecting the water table.

As we speak, those of us from rural

communities and constituencies, where

hitherto, were easy to hit water when

drills penetrated the ground — these days

we do not get water because of the

destruction of our forest cover. When the

trees are destroyed, it exposes the land

area to all the extreme aspects of the

weather and this affects the levels of the

water bed.

Mr Speaker, if we are to make a

difference, in this enterprise, we ought to

commit to protect our forest and to stop

the destructive behaviour that is not only

just polluting surface water, but is even

polluting underground water.

So, yes, as we celebrate this day, let us

all make a conscious effort to protect our

forest and to desist from conducts that

would pollute groundwater for our own

survival and safety. Indeed, water is life

and we ought to protect our water

resources.

Mr Speaker, thank you for giving me

the opportunity to add my voice on this

auspicious day.

Minister for Communications and

Digitalisation (Mrs Ursula Owusu-

Ekuful) (MP): Mr Speaker, thank you

for this opportunity to contribute to the

Statement so ably made by the Hon

Deputy Minister for Sanitation and Water

Resources on World Water Day. The

theme is also apt - Ground Water, Making the Invisible Visible.

Mr Speaker, I find this so important

because since the year 2020, I have been

using ground water through a borehole in

my house, so when we look at the

challenges that human activities may

cause in terms of pollution and climate

change to the restoration of ground water

resources to enable us have a continuous

use of it, I think it is important that we

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focus on what we can all do as individuals

to preserve this valuable resource.

As many Hon Members' comments on the Statement have already indicated,

without water, we are all down and so, it

is incumbent on all of us to do what we

can to preserve this valuable resource. So,

when we are acting at variance with what

we know would protect the environment,

we need to be mindful of it - [Hear! Hear!] - When we are indiscriminately throwing refuse into our water sources, as

well as pouring chemicals and other

things on the ground, we should be

mindful of the fact that it would seep into

the ground water and affect the quality of

the water that we all depend on to live.

Mr Speaker, when we are acting to

affect the climate in our environment, we

should also be mindful of that. So, with

rising temperatures as the Statement

indicated, dramatic changes in rain

patterns, more water is evaporating over

land and this limits the amount of water

to refill the used or lost ground water.

We should also be mindful of building

in wetlands and other natural water

storage systems that the good Lord

Himself has provided for us. We may

think that we have bought land that we are

building on, but we are reducing the

amount of water being absorbed by the

earth which would seep into the wetlands

for our own eventual usage. So, we

should know that we all have a part to

play in making sure that this valuable

resource is protected for us and

generations yet unborn.

Mr Speaker, it is also gratifying to note

the efforts made by the current

Government to provide water to

populations which for many years have

been without potable water. The

Statement enumerated a number of them;

the Upper East Water Supply is serving

347,000 people in Navrongo, Bolgatanga,

Paga, Bongo and their surrounding areas.

Under the Ghana-Spain Debt Swat

Development Programme (DSDP),

69,000 people in 35 communities in the

Adaklu, Agortime-Ziope, Ho Municipal

and Ho West Districts of the Volta

Region are benefiting from potable water

provided by this Government. A number

of 254,411 people in 424 communities in

five Districts in Central and North Tongu,

Adaklu, Agortime-Ziope again and Ho

West are also being catered for. The

Damongo Water Project is also ongoing

and for 80,000 people in that catchment

area for the first time to also get potable

water, I think it is very commendable and

we need to commend the Government for

its efforts in this area.

Mr Speaker, there is a lot more

including the Yendi Water Supply Project

as well. I think that these and all other

efforts that have been made by previous

Governments to ensure that our people

enjoy potable water is commendable. We

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should all do what we can to assist the

Government to provide water for

vulnerable populations across the

country.

Mr Sampson Ahi (NDC - Bodi)

Mr
Speaker, thank you very much for the
opportunity to contribute to the Statement
on World Water Day.
Mr Speaker, we all know that
water is life and that all efforts must be
made to ensure that we provide potable
and quality water to our people. As we
celebrate World Water Day today, we
want to encourage Government to ensure
that as a country, we have not been able
to cover all the needs of our people in
terms of achieving a 100 per cent water
supply, this means that there are some
people in Ghana who do not have access
to quality water. It is the work of
Government to ensure that everybody in
Ghana has access to quality and potable
water.

That is why under the Leadership of

His Excellency John Dramani Mahama in

the previous Government, several

programmes were put in place to ensure

that access to potable water was increased

up to 75 per cent rural water and 76 per

cent urban water - this is just to mention a few. Mr Speaker, we added 40 million

gallons to the Kpone Water System to

move it from 40 million gallons to 80

million gallons before we left Office.

Mr Speaker, if the Hon Deputy

Majority Leader were to be here, he

would have corroborated what I am

saying. The previous Government

expanded the water project in Winneba - Mr Speaker, the Hon Deputy Majority

Leader has just entered the Chamber. At

a point the Hon Deputy Majority Leader

had to commend former President

Mahama for listening to the cries of the

Winneba people. Mr Speaker, the

Konongo-Kumawu Water Systems were

expanded. We also added to the capacity

of rural water from about 60 per cent to

75 per cent before we left office.

Mr Speaker, when I was entering the

Chamber, I heard the Hon Minister for

Communications and Digitalisation

talking about the difficulties in getting

raw water as a result of the activities of

illegal mining. Mr Speaker, because of

illegal mining activities, access to raw

water has been reduced and we are unable

to treat some for the distribution to our

people. Therefore, I call on the

Government to ensure that water bodies

would be protected so that we would have

access to raw water for treatment and

distribution to our people.

Mr Speaker, when one moves around

the country, one would see that lots of

water ways in the rural areas have dried

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up because people are building houses as

close as 50 metres into water bodies and

this also destroys our vegetative cover

and has consequences on the water

bodies. So, the Water Resources

Commission should as a matter of

urgency tackle this issue so that our river

bodies would be protected for us to have

water for our people.

Mr Speaker, the Hon Majority Chief

Whip is asking me to conclude but he is

also an Hon Member who has to

commend the previous Government for

extending water to the people of

Nsawam-Adoagyiri. I remember he came

to my office one day and told me that we

have done very well, we also want to say

same about His Excellency President

Akufo-Addo because the people in Bodi

are struggling for water. Mr Speaker, the

people of Bodi are struggling for water,

therefore I urge the Government to extend

water to the people of Bodi so that we can

also commend the President.

Mr Speaker, this is an important

Statement so all of us must celebrate the

day and pray that the Government would

get enough resources to not only expand

water distribution but to provide quality

water for our people. In conclusion,

because of the activities of illegal mining,

treatment of water has become too

expensive and this is as a result of foreign

materials that have to be segregated from

the water. As Ghanaians, we should all

help to protect our water bodies to ensure

that meaning is given to the term “water is life” because without water we could not have even been here today.

Mr Speaker, the Hon Deputy Majority

Leader is a former Board Chairman of the

Ghana Water Company so I want to

believe that during his tenure, he added to

water production and I believe that the

new Board Chairman would do his best

for posterity.

Mr Speaker, thank you very much for

the opportunity.

Mr Patrick Y. Boamah (NPP - Okaikwei Central)

Mr Speaker, thank
you very much for the opportunity to
contribute to this very important
Statement ably made by the Hon Deputy
Minister on behalf of the Hon Minister.
Mr Speaker, I beg to refer you to page
5 of the Statement where a number of
projects have been mentioned as being
part of the Government's overall programme of providing potable water to
Ghanaians. This Government has been
very fair to every part of this country in
terms of water delivery; if we look at the
table that has been provided on page 5. As
a matter of fact, the first water project
under this administration started in the
Upper East under the former Hon
Minister, Hon Kofi Adda - May his soul rest in peace. Mr Speaker, it was a €38
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million loan that was taken to provide

water to the good people of the Upper

East Region and the Government would

continue to support regions to have access

to potable water.

Mr Speaker, if we quantify the projects

that have been mentioned on page 5 and

other investments that have so far been

made by this Government in terms of the

supply of water, it totals to about US$700

million. Mr Speaker, as the Board

Chairman, we would be bringing to the

House loan facilities for Tarkwa, Begoro

and Techiman. But I would want to

admonish Ghanaians who are asking for

more projects to change our attitudes

regarding the issues of illegal mining,

usage of chemicals and other such

activities. The GWCL is undertaking a lot

of metering programmes to ensure that

we get value for the water that we

produce.

Mr Speaker, this is a very important

Statement so I do not want to belabour the

point raised by the Hon Member who

made the Statement as well as the

contributors before me. However, I

would commend the Government for the

investments that have been made so far

and I would also ask that we support the

programmes of Government to raise

money and this include tax programmes

like the E-Levy so that we generate

enough money to supply water resources

for the country.

Mr Speaker, thank you very much.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Very well.
Hon Members that was the last
contribution to the Statement.
Hon Majority Chief Whip?

Mr Annoh-Dompreh

Mr Speaker, I
beg to seek your leave to once again vary
the order of business for us to take the
item numbered 11 on page 4 of the Order
Paper.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

But there
are still Statements that we have already
agreed to take.

Mr Annoh-Dompreh

Mr Speaker,
yes, we have a couple of Statements to be
read but we had agreed to do some public
business after which we would revert. So,
we can take item numbered 11 on page 4.

Dr Cassiel A. B. Forson

Mr Speaker,
we do not have a problem if we have to
take the item numbered 11 provided we
have adequate number of people in the
Chamber for us to take it. Mr Speaker, it
is clear that we need a quorum before we
can take that Motion and that is the clear
instruction I have.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

The
Clerks-at-the-Table would assist me
while -
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Mr Alexander K. Afenyo-Markin

Mr Speaker, I agree with him but there
being no application, we beg that the
Question be put.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Members, I would take the next
Statement while the Clerks-at-the-Table
confirm for me whether I have sufficient
numbers to take a decision.
The next Statement is by the Hon
Member for Agona East, Hon Queenstar
Maame Pokua Sawyerr.
Centralisation of Property Rates:
An Affront to MMDAs in Ghana
Mrs Queenstar Pokua Sawyerr
(NDC -- Agona East): Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to make this
Statement.
Mr Speaker, property rates are one of
the most promising sources of income to
accelerate the socio-economic
transformation in our urban areas in
Ghana. Levies on the possession of
immovable assets are one of the most
viable avenues for raising revenue and are
critical to achieving local financial
stability and growth. This avenue has
however not been much explored to
harness the development of the country.
Property rate performance in Ghana
remains very poor.
Research by Biitir and Assiamah
published in 2015, found that property
rates contribute less than 0.5 per cent of
the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It accounted for 14 per cent of the
total revenue of local government
authorities. This poor performance is also
a statement to the great potential of
property rates for revenue generation for
development.
Mr Speaker, the Government of Ghana
in its 2022 Government Financial Policy
has proposed for the centralisation of the
collection of property rates. To achieve
this, a common platform would be
designed for the collection of property
rates on behalf of the Metropolitan,
Municipal and District Assemblies
(MMDAs). It must be noted, however,
that section 152 of the Local Governance
Act, 2016 (Act 936) provides for a
decentralised system of local governance
for this country. This Act grants the
MMDAs the autonomy to plan and
generate revenue as well as superintend
development in their administrative
authorities.
The decision to centralise the
collection of property rates and the
creation of a common platform would
come with significant challenges. It runs
counter to efforts made to date by
successive Governments to decentralise
governance to the local government level.
It is likely to result in potential revenue
being transferred from the MMDAs to the
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Central Government. There is little

evidence that the subsequent

disbursement of this revenue back to the

MMDAs would avoid the problems

associated with existing Central

Government disbursements. The example

of the District Assemblies Common Fund

(DACF) and its associated challenges are

clear for all to see. These include

excessive delays in disbursements and the

politicisation of the usage of the revenue

generated. One can cite the direction by

the Akufo-Addo-led Administration to

re-route DACF transfers to fund the “One Village One Dam” project.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Member hold on; kindly resume your
seat.
Yes Hon Minister?

Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful

Mr
Speaker, Statements made by Members
should not generate debate as provided
under our Standing Orders.
By this assertion by the Hon Member
that the District Assemblies Common
Fund disbursement challenges include the
politicisation of the usage of the revenues
generated - That is a very controversial Statement which is bound to generate
debate, and I would urge the Hon
Member to withdraw that part of her
Statement and continue with the rest.
Thank you Mr Speaker.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Yes, Hon
Member?

Mrs Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe

Mr
Speaker, before an Hon Member presents
a Statement, the Hon Member would give
it to Leadership and Leadership would
give it to the Speaker to look through
before a Statement is admitted. So once it
had been admitted, the Hon Member
should finish his or her Statement.
Whatever she knows about any other
paragraph, she can then do those
corrections in her contribution.
Mr Speaker, you admitted the
Statement; you went through it and
realised everything was fine before you
admitted it.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Member, let me hear you.

Mr Bernard Ahiafor

Mr Speaker,
thank you very much for the opportunity.
Mr Speaker, I need your direction - Hon Members make Statements under Order
72, which reads:
“By the indulgence of the House and leave of Mr Speaker, a
Member may, at the time
appointed for Statements under
Standing Order 53 (Order of
Statements

Business) explain a matter of

personal nature or make a

Statement on a matter of urgent

public importance. Any

Statement other than a personal

Statement may be commented

upon by other Members for a

limited duration of time not

exceeding one hour. The terms of

any such proposed Statement

shall first be submitted to Mr

Speaker.”

Mr Speaker, we always confuse this

Standing Order with a Statement made

under Standing Order 70 (2), which

reads:

“A Minister of State may make an announcement or Statement of

government policy. Any such

announcement or Statement

should be limited to facts which it

is deemed necessary to make

known to the House and should

not be designed to provoke debate

at this stage. Any Member may

comment briefly, subject to the

same limitation.”

So Mr Speaker, clearly in terms of

Statements provoking debate, there is a

clear distinction between Statements

made by a Member under Standing Order

72 and one made by a Minister under

Standing Order 70 (2). So we should not

be confusing the two. It is in this vein that

I am inviting your direction based on the

objection raised by the Hon Minister for

Communications and Digitalisation.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Very
well, the Statement has been admitted by
Mr Speaker and the Hon Member should
continue to read the Statement.

Mrs Sawyerr

Thank you, Mr
Speaker.
Mr Speaker, yet, another difficulty
with the centralisation of property rate
collection is that if and when the country
chooses to elect its Metropolitan,
Municipal and District Chief Executive
Officers (MMDCEs), they would be left
virtually impotent as almost all major
sources of revenue generation would
have been removed from them. Their
performance would still be dictated by
Central Government.
Mr Speaker, there are inherent
problems with the collection of property
rates at the local level that need to be
resolved. There is the need to ensure that
property rates commensurate with the
value of existing properties. The methods
of valuation must be transparent to all.
There must be justification for increases
in the rates. There are instances where in
successive years the rate has doubled
without any clear explanation. Resolving
these issues would gain the ‘buy-in' of businesses and citizens and thus lead to
the successful collection of rates at the
local level.
Statements

Mr Speaker, there is no question that the MMDAs need to have their capacities significantly enhanced to undertake rate collections at the local level. This could be done through the re-organisation of the local structures to bring in more qualified or competent personnel or where necessary entering into partnerships with the private sector to enable them meet and even exceed collection targets.

Mr Speaker, a decentralised collection of property rates by the MMDAs is the way forward. When we create the enabling environment and provide the right leadership for MMDAs to thrive, they would be deemed as accountable and legitimate. This means that citizens can rely on them to provide services of value. They would be willing to pay rather than evade the property tax. The MMDAs on the other hand must be willing to prosecute defaulters and avoid exercising discretion in the tax liabilities of property owners. The future of MMDA governance depends on a tax policy that is workable, equitable, that which improves local service delivery and also encourages cooperation between the taxpayers and the State for development.

Mr Speaker, thank you once again for the opportunity given me to make this Statement.

Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah (NPP - Akwapim South)

Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Statement made by the Hon Member regarding property rates.
Mr Speaker, as the Hon Member has stated, property rates are supposed to contribute to the generation of revenue. Over the years, it has been obvious that we can do better in the collection of property rates than what we are doing. Indeed, if the statistics quoted are to be believed, we end up collecting less than 1 per cent of what we are capable of collecting. It is in this direction that the Government in this policy decided that the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) should assist the assemblies in the collection of property rates; it is not to take over the collection of property rates.
The Minister for Finance, in the Budget Statement, was very clear that indeed, the GRA is to assist the Assemblies in the collection of property rates. For that matter, the collection has not been centralised. There were three policy statements in the Budget:
one, the need to have a uniform platform to assist in the collection of property rates;
two, to continue with what the
Ministry of Local Government,
Decentralisation and Rural
Development and German
Agency for International
Cooperation (GIZ) have been
doing regarding what we call
Disaster Risk Finance (DRF) to
provide software for the
Assemblies for them to enhance
collection of rates and taxes
including business permits; and
Statements

the third, for the GRA to assist in

the collection of property rates

and for a certain ratio to be agreed

to be shared.

Mr Speaker, as we speak, the Ministry

has had several meetings with GRA. A

technical committee has been formed,

modalities have been agreed upon and

there is a major meeting tomorrow for us

to agree on some of these decisions. All

things being equal, by 1st April, 2022, we

should pilot this arrangement. It is the

belief of Government that if we are able

to carry this through, it would go very far

in achieving what we need to do as far as

property rate collection is concerned.

Mr Speaker, as the Hon Member who

made the Statement has conceded, there

is the need for the problems associated

with property rates at the local level to be

resolved. There is also the need to ensure

that property rates commensurate the

system values of properties. Indeed, if we

identify some of these properties in major

cities and towns, the fact that the values

on them are so low, owners of properties

complain that the kind of rates imposed

on these properties are unrealistic.

In fact, if we go to affluent

communities, the kind of properties in

these communities and rates the

Assemblies impose on these

communities, and the difficulties they

encounter in the collection of these rates.

One would find a big mansion, like the

mansion of the Hon Member who made

the Statement, and one would realise that

the assemblies would have imposed about

GHȻ100.00 for a whole year. Sometimes, GHȻ500.00 - [Interruption] - Hon Ursula Owusu-Ekuful says that even

GHȻ10 a month, which would mean that for the whole year, a person would be

fined GHȻ120.00 for big properties. Mr Speaker, that is most unacceptable.

Beyond that, even the collection is an

issue. The software to be able to identify

these properties for us to impose the right

rates needs to be upgraded.

Number two, beyond the assessment,

we should be able to pursue collection to

the extent of even prosecuting those who

default in payment; all these things are

lacking. In collaboration with GRA and

other institutions in the private sector, we

believe that we can go very far in

addressing this issue, but the major issue

is that it is all centralisation of the

collection. The Assemblies will still play

a key role in the collection of these

property rates. We are just enhancing

their ability to collect and to also enforce

the collection to the extent of even

prosecuting to ensure that we get the right

revenue to enable us develop this country.

Mr Speaker, we thank the Hon

Member for her Statement, except that a

few areas are a bit controversial and

inaccurate. On the whole, I believe she

has drawn our attention to the fact that

this is an area we should focus on. As a

Ministry, we have gone very far in

Statements

addressing this issue, and complying with

the Cabinet decision that this is the way

to go.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

I will call
the former District Chief Executive
(DCE).
Mr Thomas Nyarko Ampem (NDC
- Asuogyaman): Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to
contribute to this wonderful Statement
made by the Member of Parliament who
represents the people of Agona East.

Mr Speaker, this Statement is also

timely, because the issue of property rate

is one that we all need to pay attention to

because of the intentions of this

Government.

Mr Speaker, in the Seventh

Parliament, the Committee on Local

Government and Rural Development

embarked on monitoring tour to many of

the MMDAs. A key issue that came up

was that of their Internally Generated

Fund (IGF). We saw a huge challenge in

the collection of property rates. It is

important to note that whereas in most of

the urban assemblies, the metropolitan

and a few of the municipal assemblies,

property rate is the most important source

of their IGF, but the story is different

when one moves to many of the rural

assemblies; they are not able to collect

their property rates.

11. 54 a.m.

Mr Speaker, one key issue that we

realised is that they are unable to collect

the property rates because of the

difficulty of the valuation of the

properties. It is very expensive to value

the properties, and so most of these

assemblies use “the unassessed rates”. They just determine some arbitrary

figure, and they charge the property

owners. Aside that, they are also unable

to actually collect most of them so it was

a welcoming news to hear that

Government would want to “assist” the assemblies in the collection of property

rates. That is how the Minister for

Finance puts it. However, if you look at

the Government's actions and all the issues that are coming up, you clearly see

that they do not intend to assist the

assemblies in the collection of the

property rates, but to take over its

collection. When we engaged officials of

the Ministry of Local Government,

Decentralisation and Rural Development,

they could not even tell us what the

sharing ratio would be.

However, at a meeting with the

Finance Committee and the Ghana

Revenue Authority (GRA), they

indicated that so far, the discussions are

that the central Government would take

60 per cent and 40 per cent would be sent

to the assemblies even though they

Statements

concluded that those discussions are not

conclusive. Mr Speaker, up to date —

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Member hold on.
Hon Deputy Minister, do you want to
take 60 per cent of the money?

Mrs Abena Osei-Asare

Mr Speaker,
that is not true. We have not concluded on
that.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

It better be
not because as for that one, I would join
in the fight.

Mrs Osei-Asare

Mr Speaker, I know
that.

Mr Ampem

Mr Speaker, is the Hon
Deputy Minster telling us that it was not
true that the GRA told us that at the
Finance Committee meeting or it is not
true that that is the position of —?

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Member, she said that was not the
position of the Ministry.

Mr Ampem

All right, then I am very
happy to hear from the Hon Deputy
Minister for Finance that that is not the
position of Government. That is
refreshing news, and it must be on record.
Mr Speaker, the GIZ has supported a
number of assemblies in developing their
capacities and softwares to help them in

—

Mr Ampem

Mr Speaker, my Hon
good Friend Mrs Osei-Asare does not
want me to flow.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Member, continue.

Mr Ampem

Mr Speaker, the GIZ
has actually pumped in a lot of money to
support a number of assemblies to
develop their capacities, and to get
softwares that would help them in the
collection of property rates. As we speak
now, we do not know when this would
start.
Mr Speaker, what is even worrying is
that Government's intention to take over the collection of property rates was
communicated too late. All the
assemblies had already prepared their
budgets, and had made projections of
their Internally Generated Funds (IGFS)
including amounts that they expected to
collect from property rates. So, it was
disturbing to see Government come out
with this announcement after the
assemblies had started with the collection
of property rates. The Ministry of Local
Government, Decentralisation and Rural
Development then had to send directives
Statements

to the assemblies to cease the collection

of property rates because of these

intentions by Government. In my view, if

Government has certain intentions, they

must make it clear, and make sure that the

processes are followed through. Any

attempt to take over the collection of

property rates would be fiercely resisted

by those of us on the Minority side. If

Government wants to assist the

assemblies, then it should be pure

assistance.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Member, if you want to resist, make your
own Statement; now, contribute to this
Statement.

Mr Ampem

Mr Speaker, I am
concluding and serving notice.
Mr Speaker, we would want to
encourage Government to assist the
assemblies in the areas of valuation of the
properties, and also in any technical
support that the assemblies would require
for the collection of these property rates.
Also, if Government intends to collect
these property rates, and put them in a
centralised account before disbursing to
the various assemblies what is due them,
it would be problematic because of what
we have witnessed with the issue of the
District Assemblies Common Fund
(DACF). They delay, so if the important
source of revenue to the assemblies
would also come to the centre, and
Government, at its own convenience,
would then decide when it is sent to the
assemblies, it would starve the assemblies
of development, and that would be a
serious problem.
Deputy Minister for Finance (Mrs
Abena Osei-Asare) (MP): Mr Speaker,
I would want to thank you for the
opportunity to contribute to the Statement
on the Floor.
Mr Speaker, in the year 2022, as part
of the measures to help Government raise
more revenue, Government sought to
bring efficient measures into the
collection of property rates, and as part of
that, Government said they would, among
other things, partner GRA to raise the
needed revenue. Currently, our tax to
GDP ratio is around 13.4 per cent, and we
hope that with some of these efficient
measures, we would be able to improve it
to almost 20 per cent by the year 2024.
Mr Speaker, as part of that,
Government sought to collaborate with
GRA, the Ministry of Local Government,
Decentralisation and Rural Development
as well as the districts to bring in efficient
measures to collect these revenues. What
Government intends to do will increase
the amount of property rates that we
collect every year by more than four
folds. Sometimes, we forget that whether
it is property rates or public funds, they
are all public funds, and are subject to the
rules of the Public Financial Management
Act (PFMA). So, what Government is
doing is to ensure the efficient use of the
revenues that are collected, and that is
Statements

clearly what it is supposed to be. Mr

Speaker, IGF is also part of public funds,

and so, we should take note of that and

not always see property rates as different

financing from public financing. IGF is

part of public financing, and Government

would subject it to PFMA or the way

public finances are used.

Mr Speaker, it is just a way of

introducing efficient measures in the

collection of IGF, which is part of public

funds, and this would be channelled to the

assemblies to use it to bring about

development. So, we should not confuse

ourselves with the fact that IGF is not part

of public funds. It is part of public funds,

and it is subject to the dictates of how we

manage them.

Mr Speaker, with these few words, I

would want to assure my Brothers and

Sisters on the other Side that Government

is looking at efficient ways of raising

more revenue to enable all of us benefit

from developments that we always talk

about.

Mr Benjamin Komla Kpodo (NDC - Ho Central)

Mr Speaker, I would want
to let our Hon Deputy Minister for
Finance know clearly that by her
contribution to the Statement, she has
exposed the intention of Government. In
the 2022 Budget Statement, the
Government budgeted an amount of
GH₵680 million as revenue for the centre. So, there is no doubt about
Government's intention to take the
revenue from property rates from the
assemblies to the centre; it is another way
of capping. The thing is in the 2022
Budget Statement that they want to raise
an amount of GH₵680 million for the central Government.
Mr Speaker, I would want to quote the
provisions in the Constitution regarding
the property rates for the Assemblies. Mr
Speaker, for clarity, I plead with you to
allow me to read the entire article 245. It
says, and I quote:
12. 04 p.m.
“Parliament shall, by law, prescribe the functions of the
District Assemblies which shall
include -
(a)the formulation and the
execution of plans,
programmes and
strategies for the
effective mobilization of
the resources necessary
for the overall
development of the
district;
(b)the levying and
collection of taxes, rates, duties and fees.”
The Constitution is very clear that the
collection of rates, levies and taxes is the responsibility of the district assemblies. So, if the Government comes in and says
Statements

that they can assist to collect the revenue, and they put it in the annual Budget Statement that they are going to earn GH₵680 million from that source, then, what are they telling Ghanaians?

Even the word ‘assist' is deceptive. Government wants to collect the money

but they say that would assist the district

assemblies to collect it and then they take

it away. Where comes the formula for

distributing something which should not

be yours in the first place? Government

should not put its hands in it.

I think that if the Central Government

is curious about how property rates are

collected, they should let GRA train the

revenue officers in the districts to do it so

that they would not have any hand in

taking the money.

Mr Speaker, the problem is that once

money gets to the centre, getting it to the

various districts becomes a problem. It is

gone. If one just looks at the DACF,

which we have been fighting over, the

Constitution is very clear in article 252(2)

that when Government collects revenue

that must go to the district assemblies,

they should take five per cent, and give

out to districts, but they have failed to do

that. The whole of 2021, they never

released one pesewa and they are forcing

the DACF to the borrow money in order

to disburse to the district assemblies.

Now, they want to take the rates on

properties in the districts also to the

centre and that they are going to develop

a formula for sharing it after it has been

collected.

Mr Speaker, please, let nobody have

any doubt about the intention of Central

Government; it just wants to take the

property rates, bring it to the centre, and

spend it as it wishes. We would not

support that. When we met as the

Committee on Local Government, and

Rural Development to consider the

Budget Statement, we told the Minister

that this would not be acceptable to the

districts. Civil and Local Government

Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG)

told us that they would not allow the

Central Government to come and collect

the property rates. So, we should not enter

the arena of constitutional conflicts any

longer because if the Central Government

wishes to take property rates from the

assemblies, we would have to resort to the

courts to get the money back to the

assemblies.

Deputy Minister for Local

Government, Decentralisation and

Rural Development (Mr Augustine

Collins Ntim) (MP): Thank you, Mr

Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to

contribute to the Statement ably made by

the Hon Member of Parliament for Agona

East trying to draw the attention of the

Ministry on what we are doing to address

Statements

the issues of property rates. I think that it

has come at the right time.

Mr Speaker, Governments over the

years try to develop systems and

strategies to develop the facets of every

community in Ghana through the

decentralised system.

We do that through a series of

arrangements that would raise moneys to

implement those programmes. One of the

strategies of raising moneys for the

assemblies include levies, taxes and rates,

and that aspect has been ceded to the local

government system which has been

working over the years.

Mr Speaker, but one of the heritable

sources of revenue has been the property

rates, and over the years, research by the

Ministry has indicated that the potential is

huge, but they are not able to raise even

0.5 per cent of it., and even those

assemblies that are able to achieve that

are within urban settings. Essentially, it is

because of the capacity in terms of getting

the resources to value - the valuation of those properties and then even identifying

those properties.

Government, through the Budget

Statement, wants to develop the capacity

of the assemblies using instruments and

logistics of GRA to train the assemblies

and get involved so that they would be

able to digitise and also address the

challenges of property rating. At the end

of the day, the system that would be

established would address the property

rate challenge gap. This system would

identify those properties, and also

develop the capacities of the assemblies

to rake in all the rateable items so that

they have a huge amount of money. They

can also have a system that would not

only capture the huge properties within

the municipalities, but having collected

revenues in the municipalities, they may

also have to think about those less-

endowed districts which would not even

be able to generate revenue of GH₵100 or GH₵1,000 per year. So we seek a formula that would ensure there is parity

in the sharing formula so that --

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Deputy Minister, let me understand you.
For example, when property rate is
collected in Offinso South, but the rate
which is collected at Offinso North is not
sufficient, you merge them and share it
equally? Is that the suggestion?

Mr Ntim

Rightly so, Mr Speaker. It
is just the same way as we share revenues
from oil, cocoa, and shea butter. These
are some of the things that we are
discussing - the formula to generate the resources, and how we would share to
bring equity within the system.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Well,
there is no policy before us, but I would
Statements

want to encourage you to re-think that

because the more developed a community

is, the more expensive it is to be managed

- the more population; the more filth and the more frequent breakdown of facilities.

So, if you collect revenue at Bekwai, keep

it at Bekwai. What you collect at Offinso

North, keep it there. Do not bring this

equity matter in this one at all. [Hear!

Mr Ntim

Mr Speaker, that is one of
the proposals the Ministry is also
considering, but beyond that, we think
that the less-endowed districts should
also be considered in the generation of the
revenue and the sharing formula. As we
speak, there is a meeting being held at the
Ministry involving the GRA, Land Use
and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA),
and all the necessary stakeholders
including the district assemblies
themselves to consider how we would be
able to optimise the collection.
Mr Speaker, the emphasis now is
about how we would come up with the
systems and instruments to optimise the
collection because over the years, the
properties have been there, yet we have
not been collecting the rates. Do we
continue on that tangent as we do not
have money to develop? We need the
money to develop our communities. What
is the gap? What are the strategies? The
strategies are that we need to identify,
digitise and evaluate the properties. We
also need to develop the capacities of the
district assemblies, and partner with the
Government instrument, GRA, so that as
they develop a new system and capacities
to rake in more money, then, the
assemblies' capacities would have been developed after years of practice, and
they would be able to stay on their own.

So, it would bring more money and

efficiency into the system, and develop

the capacity in a much more sustainable

manner so that they may not have to bring

in any additional institution to come in to

train.

Mr Speaker, it is not an issue of the

Central Government taking over the

collection of property rate, but it is a

question of bringing innovative

principles, digitalisation and capacity

building through the GRA to help the

Assemblies equip themselves and sustain

the intervention so that we would have

more resources. Hon Queenstar Pokua

Sawyerr, the things that we need in

Agona East and Offinso North Assembly

- they are sitting on the money and are unable to tap it. We need to develop their

capacities. Government is coming out

with new innovations such as the E-Levy

and others. These are new interventions

and so, I find it difficult to accept

comments like “over centralisation” and for that matter, you would resist. Would

you resist instruments, systems and

Statements

technologies that will generate money so

that the District Assemblies, including

your Assembly, would have more

resources? Regarding the kind of things

that we need in our Assemblies,

governments, over the years, have been

unable to collect the resources through

the Assemblies. We are generating

systems, instruments and embarking on

digitalisation to generate more resources,

so that we can have more to give to the

people and you would want to resist that?

Is that what you are saying? Hon Kpodo,

is that what you are saying? We need

more money.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Deputy Minister, please conclude?

Mr Ntim

Mr Speaker, in concluding,
it is a good thing. It is a novelty and
constitutional and it would generate more
money. Therefore, I would want to urge
my Hon Colleagues on the Other side to
support it.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Kwabena Donkor, I am giving you the
last word. Hon Members of the
Committee on Local Government and
Rural Development, you all have had one

Mr Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye

Mr Speaker, Hon Kwabena Donkor has
yielded to me.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Vanderpuye, I have not recognised you.
Why is it that only members from the
Committee on Local Government and
Rural Development want to talk on this
matter?

Mr Vanderpuye

Mr Speaker, Hon
Kwabena Donkor has yielded to me.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Members of the Committee on Local
Government and Rural Development you
have discussed all the issues. Are you the
only people who want to contribute?

Mr Vanderpuye

Mr Speaker, I am
not only on the Committee on Local
Government and Rural Development; I
am also coming in as a former Deputy
Minister for Local Government and Rural
Development.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

It
emphasises what you already know.

Mr Vanderpuye

I would want to
help with the issue raised. I would want
to assist in a better way.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

All right,
let me hear you.
Mr Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye
(NDC - Odododiodioo): Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity
to contribute to the Statement ably made
by the Hon Member of Parliament (MP)
for Agona East.
Mr Speaker, this issue of property rate
collection is also another step towards a
ditch because just as we have seen in this
Statements

House with the controversial issue of the

E-Levy, proper consultations were not

made, and as such, after the debacle, the

Ministry of Finance had to go round the

country and conduct town hall meetings.

It is the same with the property rate issue.

All the stakeholders in the property rate

administration - Chamber for LOCAL Governance (ChaLog), District

Assemblies, National Association of

Local Government Authorities of Ghana

(NALAG) and Civil Society

Organisations - have issued statements about the attempt of Government to

centralise an activity of the District

Assemblies within a decentralised

system.

Under our 1992 Constitution, we have

accepted to practise decentralisation. We

do not know why this Government would

want to go back to centralization? We

have lamented severely about the issue of

dissolving responsibilities without

physical responsibility. Today, the only

physical space that the Assemblies have

through which they generate revenue in

order to embark on their developmental

activities is also being taken over by the

central administration.

Mr Speaker, what we have seen over

the period is that -

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Member, kindly hold on. Yes, Hon
Deputy Minister for Local Government,
Decentralisation and Rural Development,
please point me to what is wrong -

Mr Ntim

Mr Speaker, thank you for
indulging me. The Hon MP for
Odododiodioo and the Ranking Member
for the Committee on Local Government
and Rural Development is seriously
misleading the House by saying that
CSOs and NALAG have issued a
statement to the effect that Government is
attempting to centralise the Assemblies,
and it is something they do not want. That
is a palpably false statement. On the
contrary, NALAG has issued a statement
in favour of the intentions of
Government, and we have copies; it is
here. So, you are misleading the House.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Member, be guided.

Mr Vanderpuye

Mr Speaker, when
we met the Ministry of Local
Government, Decentralisation and Rural
Development, they did not have any idea
about the policy. They said they would
consult and come back to inform us. The
reference is the Report of the Committee
on Local Government and Rural
Development on the Budget and
Financial Statement of the Ministry of
Local Government, Decentralisation and
Rural Development. We came to the
conclusion that the issue of property rate
should be suspended for further
consultation because the Ministry was
unaware of the mechanisms and the
strategies to be used for this collection. It
Statements

is in the Report; it is in the Hansard, we

can all check it.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Vanderpuye, are you contributing to the
debate or you are engaging with -?

Mr Vanderpuye

Yes, I am
contributing to the Statement.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Can you
contribute to the Statement?

Mr Vanderpuye

Mr Speaker, in the
Report of the Committee on Local
Government and Rural Development on
the 2022 Budget Statement and of the
Government Economic Policy, which is
also in the Hansard and the House can
refer to it, as far back as 1994, successive
governments have decided that in order to
maximise the gains of property rate
collection, we must go back to street
naming and property addressing.
This work started and continued over
the period, and has got to where we have
only the issue of the Unique Plug
Numbering (UPN), and that exercise has
begun in the Assemblies. With the new
digitalised system we have in the country,
every property today is almost captured.
The few ones that have not been captured
are those that are now being developed
and it is incumbent on Assemblies to have
the systems to be able to capture them.
Assisting the Assemblies to capture
them is not about taking over the
responsibility; it is about human capacity
building and provision of logistics. We
should provide them with the logistics
they need, build the capacity of the people
who are already employed there, and not
take over collection from the local system
and hand it over to GRA.
Secondly, GRA as it stands today, is
not decentralised in every part of the
country, but the Assemblies have the
system to reach every hamlet, house and
town. Why do we not build the capacities
of the Assemblies to make them more
efficient in the collection?
Finally, the issue about property
collection amounts to what Hon Nyarko
Ampem said. When I was an Assembly
Member in the Accra Metropolitan
Assembly (AMA) in 1994, in order to
maximise our property rate, the Assembly
had to take a loan and revalue all
properties within its jurisdiction. Today,
the various Assemblies have not got the
capacity to have that money to do the
revaluation. If Government wants to
make money out of the property rate
system, Government should assist the
Assemblies to have the money to revalue.
The Land Valuation Division is a
government institution, but it charges
huge amount of money that Assemblies
cannot afford. Why would Government
not come in and negotiate with the Land
Valuation Division in order to reduce the
amount of money they are charging the
Assemblies so that the Assemblies can
have the capacity to pay for the services
Statements

they are rendering in the revaluation of

properties?

From the World Bank, the Tema

Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) revalued

all properties, and their revenue upflow

increased by 300 per cent without GRA

doing the collection.

With assistance from GIZ, the

Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Assembly

had the opportunity to revalue all

properties within their jurisdiction. Their

the property rate collection increased by

500 per cent without the GRA and the

Central Government's involvement.

Mr Speaker, if the Central

Government really means well, and not to

use another avenue for capping, they

should empower the local Assemblies

through logistical support and capacity

building, and also revalue properties so

that they can collect more and be able to

embark upon the needed developmental

projects in the Districts.

Mr Speaker, it is not for Government

and GRA to collect property rates and

take 60 per cent of the already

impoverished revenue outflows of the

various District Assemblies. This is

disingenuous, and it is not right. As a

House, we should not support this

initiative, and should rather ask

Government to help the Assemblies to

revalue all the properties within their

jurisdiction within a timeframe.

Government should take over the

expenditure of the revaluation and later

deduct it from whatever revenue that

would be generated by the Assemblies.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Does
Leadership wish to comment on this
Statement?

Dr Cassiel A. B. Forson (NDC - Ajumako/Enyan/Esiam)

Mr Speaker,
thank you very much for the opportunity
given me to also comment on the
Statement that was brought to the
attention of Hon Members by the Hon
Member for Agona East.
Mr Speaker, it is a fact that the issue
regarding revenues from the District
Assemblies is important to all of us as
Hon MPs. If our Assemblies perform
well, it is to our advantage and so, a
matter of this nature needs to be discussed
by us in a way that does not politicises it,
but rather discusse it issue of policy.
Mr Speaker, the issue we are
discussing has a constitutional obligation,
and I would refer you to article 245(b) of
the 1992 Constitution which provides as
follows :
“Parliament shall, by law, prescribe the functions of the
Statements

District Assemblies which shall

include - b. the levying and

collection of taxes, rates,

duties and fees.”

Mr Speaker, clearly, it is only the

District Assemblies that can collect

property rate, and use it for the purpose of

developing the Districts. In my view, the

issue of Government getting involved is

good, but my concern is, at what cost to

the Assemblies? Would the Government

take a lot of the revenue from the District

Assemblies or the money would stay with

the Assemblies?

Mr Speaker, these are what we should

be interested in. It will sadden you to note

that in Appendix 3B on page 225 of the

2022 Budget Statement, this Government

has decided to take an amount of GH₵468 million out of the property rate that would

be collected at the Assembly level for the

centre. Mr Speaker, this is the Budget

Statement, and I am making reference to

Appendix 3B, so one cannot just shake the

head and say no without making

referencing to the Budget Statement. I am

making reference to the Budget

Statement.

Mr Speaker, it states that property rate

collection as part of non-tax revenue for

the year 2022, would accrue an amount of

GH₵468 million to the Central Government. We need to see the District

Assemblies' Common Fund (DACF) formula for us to indicate clearly that that

amount should not be part of Central

Government's activities. I believe that the rates that the District Assemblies collect

should stay at the Assemblies. I know

Government wants to involve GRA, but at

what cost? I know a private company is

coming in but at what cost? We should be

interested in the cost, and not just the

policy of collecting the revenue.

Mr Speaker, I believe there is the need

for this Government to assist the District

Assemblies in collecting the revenue, but

I do not believe that in helping them to

collect the revenue, that amount must go

to the Central Government. It should

indeed stay at the Assemblies for the

purposes of development which I believe

all of us, the 275 MPs care that our

Assemblies in particular, should be

empowered in a way that they can perform

the functions that sometimes, MPs are

called upon to use their meagre DACF to

do.

Mr Speaker, to conclude on this matter,

I strongly believe that the Hon Minister

for Local Government, Decentralisation

and Rural Development, who luckily is

also our Hon Colleague, should be given

the opportunity to appear before us to give

a policy brief on this matter. Mr Speaker,

this is an important matter so I urge you

to use your good Office to invite the Hon

Minister to appear before us, and give us

Statements

a policy brief. This, I believe, would go a

long way to educate us as MPs in line with

what the Government intends to do.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Does the
Majority bench wish to comment?
Very well, I think it is important at this
point that we invite the Hon Minister for
Local Government, Decentralisation and
Rural Development to come and brief the
House on the implementation of this
policy so that all issues concerning the
issue would be put to rest. I so direct the
Table Office to inform the Hon Minister
and programme him to appear before the
House and brief us on this matter.

Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh

Mr
Speaker, with your indulgence, I guess we
can now go back to the item numbered 11
on page 4?

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Very well,
at the Commencement of Public Business,
we shall take the item numbered 11,
Motion - a Question to be put.

Mr Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor

Mr Speaker, I rise on a very important
matter of quorum, and I do so pursuant to
—

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Member, kindly hold on. I will put the
Question. After the vote, you can ask for
a recount. I am guided by what I asked to
be done. It has been done.

Mr Dafeamekpor

Mr Speaker, with
all due respect, even before the decision is
taken - [Interruption] [Some Hon Members: Sit down!] I am raising a very
important matter.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Member, I am guided by Standing Order
109(1) which states that no Question shall
be put unless at least one-half of all MPs
are present, so I asked the Table Office to
verify for me, and I am satisfied with it
that the number is half. Permit me to put
the Question.

Mr Dafeamekpor

Mr Speaker, with
all due respect, Standing Order 109 has
been struck out of our Standing Orders
pursuant to the Supreme Court decision in
the undecided case of Justice Abdulai v
Attorney-General. We cannot, as a House
—

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Member, you are a lawyer. Speak to facts.
Standing Order 109(3) was struck out not
Standing Order 109.

Mr Dafeamekpor

Mr Speaker—

Mr First Deputy Speaker

You are
out of order.
Statements

Mr Annoh-Dompreh

Mr Speaker,
with your leave, we should go on to page
15 on the Order Paper, and take item
numbered 23.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Members -

Mr Annoh-Dompreh

Mr Speaker,
we should take item numbered 12 on page
4 instead. I seek your leave for the Hon
Deputy Minister for Finance to move the
Motion.

Mr Annoh-Dompreh

Mr Speaker,
we should go to page 15.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Yes, the
Hon available Leader?

Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson

Mr
Speaker, it is important for us to keep the
sanctity of the House and most
importantly, to ensure that the decision
that we are taking is in line with the 1992
Constitution and our Standing Orders.
Mr Speaker, my Colleague, the Hon
Member for South Dayi has been on his
feet for some time. I urged that if
possible, you listen to him, so that the
issues he is raising are discussed. So that
if indeed, we have the numbers to take the
decision, we take the decision adequately,
but if we do not have the numbers to take
the decision, then we would advise
ourselves. Mr Speaker, it is important that
you make that determination.
Thank you.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
available Leader, I gave the Hon Member
for South Dayi the opportunity, he raised
the issues and I drew his attention to it.
You were all in the Chamber when I
asked the Table Office to count for me.
Before I put the Question, I deferred the
issue and allowed the debate. It was when
I was informed that I have the numbers to
take a decision that I put the Question. So,
if he has any other matter, I would listen
to him. That is why I deferred to you as
the available Leader.

Dr Forson

Mr Speaker, your
instruction to him was for him to sit for
you to put the Question, and if he has any
other consideration, he would put it
before you. After you put the Question,
he stood up, and I am only saying that it
is only fair that you listen to him. If he has
something, he can come back to you
again.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

After I
asked him to sit, at no point did he sit
down, so it did not appear to me that he
was raising a new matter. It was the same
matter that he was repeating, a matter on
which I had given a ruling, so please let
us proceed.
Yes?

Mr Annoh-Dompreh

Mr Speaker,
we should go to page 15 of today's Order Paper and take item numbered 23.
GoG-KfW Loan Agreement

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Yes, Hon
Member for South Dayi, what issue do
you wish to raise?

Mr Dafeamekpor

Mr Speaker, the
House has just been moved under Motion
numbered 11 for a decision to be taken
and the House has just taken a decision. I
am raising an issue of legality pursuant to
article 104 of the 1992 Constitution. I am
further fortified in the recent decision of
the Supreme Court in the matter of
Justice Abdulai v Attorney-General.
May I refer the House to page 19 of the
said judgment, and particularly from
paragraph 2. The Supreme Court had this
to say about quorum and with your leave,
it says:
“The rationale for having two separate quorum provisions is
simple. The business of
Parliament is diverse. Parliament
is, first and foremost, a
deliberative Chamber, where
Members meet to debate and
discuss various matters of public
moment. For that deliberative
function, when Members are not
yet called upon to vote to decide
or determine a matter (e.g.,
approve a proposed contract or a
bill) but merely to discuss or
debate it, the Constitution, per
Article 102, sets a lower quorum
threshold, that is, one-third of the
full membership of Parliament - not counting any member (Deputy
Speaker) who may be presiding at
the time. However, where
Parliament must exercise its
legislative power to decide or
determine a matter before it, the
Constitution sets a higher quorum
threshold, requiring, in that
instance, at least half of all the
members of Parliament to be
present before a vote can be
taken.”
Mr Speaker, I submit that at the time that the Question was put and a voice vote was carried, we were 98 Members in this Chamber. Pursuant to this, I move that the decision that we recently took is invalid on the grounds that there was a lack of decision-making quorum. I am therefore challenging the ruling that the Ayes had the vote pursuant to Motion numbered 11. I am further praying the House for a headcount on the matter.
Thank you.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Yes, do you want to respond? This is an application to me and I do not know what - Yes, Hon Member for Akatsi South?

Mr Bernard Ahiafor

Mr Speaker, thank you very much for giving me the opportunity.
We have all been in this House for some time and when a Member is on his feet, with all due respect, you allow that Member to make his or her submission and the law lies in your bosom to give a ruling. I however realised that when I was on my feet and Hon Rockson-Nelson
GoG-KfW Loan Agreement

Dafeamekpor was also on his feet, we were not recognised.

Mr Speaker saw me and made a signal

which I am not in favour of. The issue of

article 104 is a matter of fact. If we are

more than half of the number as required

by law, this is a matter of fact and any

time the issue crops up, the Clerks-at-the-

Table would help us and announce to

everybody that this is the number that we

have in the House. Then everybody is

seized with the fact that we have the

number to do business and as such, we are

doing business. The issue of somebody

counting 98 and somebody counting

more than 138 would not have been there.

Mr Speaker, even where a vote is put,

a Member can challenge the vote and call

for a division. It is a procedural

requirement under the rules. However, to

shut the door completely, I must indicate

that I am not happy.

Mrs Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe

Ghansah: Mr Speaker, thank you for the

opportunity to add my voice to the issue

on the Floor.

Ever since we had the Supreme Court

ruling, we have never had our peace in

this House. There would be some

underlying factors that would bring all

these issues. This House would need a

Committee of the Whole, so that we can

discuss whatever we think would work

Mr Speaker, without doubt, if a baby

cries every day, it means that baby needs

attention and if there is an issue and we

do not address it, the problem would still

continue. So I would urge you to suspend

the House so that we could have a

Committee of the Whole to address this

issue and then we would come back and

continue.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

An Hon Member - rose -

Mr Speaker

Hon Member, if you
would like to speak, be on your feet. You
have to be recognised.

Mr Afenyo-Markin

Mr Speaker, the
Hon Second Deputy Minority Whip, Mrs
Ghansah, who is in Leadership, and for
the time being, the available Hon Leader
has made an application. It is a case that
there are matters of blessed assurance that
would require deliberations at the
Committee of the Whole, and I agree. She
thinks that these matters would be best
resolved when we meet as a Committee
of the Whole. She is a woman with a lot
of experience in this House and this
wisdom in her submission cannot be
taken for granted. I therefore, feel
inclined to go by that and I believe the
necessary arrangements would be made
so that the application made by her would
be so considered.
GoG-KfW Loan Agreement

Mr Speaker, meanwhile, we may

proceed with item numbered 23 on page

15, unless my respected Hon Colleague is

of the view that we need to suspend

Sitting to pursue the matter she has raised

and I agree with her. So, if you would be

pleased, may you suspend Sitting for 30

minutes to enable us have a Committee of

the Whole to discuss the matters -

Mr First Deputy Speaker

A
Committee of the Whole or a Committee
of Leaders, which is the proposal?

Mr Afenyo-Markin

Mr Speaker,
Leadership would confer and
communicate to Hon Members. We could
suspend Sitting for 30 minutes.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Very well.
That is the proposal which has been
communicated.

Mr Afenyo-Markin

Exactly so, Mr
Speaker.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Very well,
I would defer to what the Hon Leaders
have suggested but Hon Member for
Akatsi South, your chance to speak - no, could you resume your seat? You
suggested that you were on your feet and
I did not recognise you or? You know,
one of the things I learnt much earlier
sitting at where you were sitting or behind
you was that it is not every time that you
are on your feet that Mr Speaker would
recognise you. You do not always catch
the Speaker's eye but that does not mean that your right has been - Standing Order 86 (1) says:
“A Member desiring to speak shall rise in his place, and address
the Chair only after catching Mr.
Speaker's eye”.
So, yes, sometimes, you may be on
your feet but you may not catch Mr
Speaker's eye; just accept that it is not always that you would catch Mr
Speaker's eye.

Mr Ahiafor

Mr Speaker, I
recognised that particular aspect of the
rule but I maintained and the cameras can
bear me out that I caught your eye and
you made signs - [Laughter] -Instead of inviting me to speak, you were seated
making hand gestures and sign language.
So, to say that it is not always that one
would catch the eye of Mr Speaker, then
the correct position is that in this case, the
Speaker has seen me but has decided not
to invite me. As for that one, I would
agree but to say that you have not seen me
on my feet, I would not agree on it today
or tomorrow because that cannot be the
factual situation.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

That is
exactly what it means. It is not always
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when Mr Speaker sees you that he would

give you the opportunity for you to speak.

Hon Members, I would defer to the

Leadership and suspend Sitting. Let the

Leadership confer and invite us in.

12.50 p.m. — Sitting suspended.

1:40 p.m. — Sitting resumed.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Members, the House is called back to
order.
Yes, Leadership of the House, I await
your guidance. Yes, Hon available
Leader?

Dr Cassiel A. B. Forson

Mr Speaker,
in line with the decisions that we took at
the conclave meeting, the agreement was
that we could go ahead with the Business
of the day upon the information that we
had from the Clerk-at-the-Table that we
had up to more than half of Hon Members
of Parliament representing 138. We have
no problem if, indeed, that is the case and
the evidence was shown to us. So, we can
go ahead and do Business -
Mr Speaker, however, on a serious
note, I think it is a lesson to all of us as
Hon Members of Parliament to take
attendance seriously. We would like to
reiterate that at any point in time that we
feel that this House does not constitute a
quorum to take a decision, we would raise
a concern. We would want to encourage
Members to be serious with the Business
of the day to ensure that, at least we have
to be present and to take Government
Business seriously.
Mr Speaker, we can guarantee that
Hon Members of Parliament from our
Side would be coming to work at any
point in time. So, we urge the
Government Side to also ensure that they
appear before us anytime we are called
upon to do Government Business so that
together, we can prosecute Government
agenda.

Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin

Mr
Speaker, as rightly expressed by my
respected Colleague, we have no doubt
on our mind that the count done by the
Table Office is correct and we will
proceed on that premise. Also, to
encourage ourselves to be punctual in the
Chamber to do Government Business and
Private Business - that is why we are here. I am happy that we have been able
to jaw-jaw. I mean that is why we are here
as Parliament to resolve matters that
nearly led to some unnecessary tension.
So I would like to thank my Hon
Colleagues for their cooperation, be assured that we will continue in this spirit of engagement.
Mr Speaker, we also thank you for
indulging us and for your wisdom in
GoG-KfW Loan Agreement

guiding us in reaching certain agreement on how to proceed on today's work. Having said this, I would want to thank you once again.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Very well.

Mr Afenyo- Markin

Mr Speaker, we
therefore pray you to proceed with item
numbered 23 on page 15 of the Order
Paper.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Member, what page?

Mr Afenyo-Markin

Mr Speaker,
Motion numbered 23 on page 15 of the
Order Paper.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Very well.
Item numbered 23 - Motion, by the Hon Chairman of the Committee.

Nana Ayew Afriye)

Mr Speaker, I beg
to move, that this honourable House
adopts the Report of the Committee on
Health on the Engineering, Procurement
and Construction Agreement between the
Government of the Republic of Ghana
(represented by the Ministry of Health)
and Golden Mainland Ghana Limited for
an amount of thirty-eight million euros
(€38,000,000.00) for the construction and equipping of 40-Bed District Hospitals at
Ayensuano, Effiduase and Offinso, and
the completion and equipping of the Old
Tafo Maternity and the Kumasi South
Maternity Blocks.
Mr Speaker, in so doing, I beg to
present your Committee's Report.
1. Introduction
In accordance with Article 181 of the
1992 Constitution, the request for the
approval of the Engineering,
Procurement and Construction
Commercial Contract between the
Government of the Republic of Ghana
(represented by the Ministry of Health)
and Golden Mainland Ghana Limited for
an amount of thirty-eight million Euros
(€38,000,000.00) for the Construction
and Equipping of 40-Bed District
Hospitals at Ayensuano, Effiduase and
Offinso and the Completion and
Equipping of the Old Tafo Maternity and
Kumasi South Maternity Blocks was
presented to the House on Monday, 20th

December, 2021, by the Hon. Minister

for Health, Mr. Kwaku Agyeman-Manu.

The Commercial Agreement was

subsequently referred to the Committee

on Health for consideration and report in

accordance with Article 103(3) of the

Constitution and Order 178 of the

Standing Orders of the House.

2.0 Deliberation

The Hon. Deputy Minister for Health,

Alhaji Mahama A. Seini and other

Officials of the Ministry of Health

participated in the deliberations. The

Committee appreciates their assistance.

3.0 Reference Documents

In addition to the referred document,

the Committee was guided by the

following documents during its

deliberations:

i. The 1992 Constitution of Ghana;

ii. The Standing Orders of

Parliament;

iii. Public Financial Management Act, 2016

(Act 921)

iv. Engineering,

Procurement and

Construction Agreement

between the Government

of the Republic of Ghana

(represented by the

Ministry of Health) and

the MZ Liberec, a.s. of

the Czech Republic for an

amount of Thirty-Eight

Million Euros

(€38,000,000.00) for the Construction and

Equipping of 40-Bed

District Hospitals at

Ayensuano, Effiduase

and Offinso and the

Completion and

Equipping of Old Tafo

Maternity and Kumasi

South Maternity Blocks.

4.0 Background

The Government is desirous of

embarking on sustainable and integrated

infrastructural development programme

in the Health Sector as part of its

commitment towards enhancing the

quality of health service delivery and

also promoting universal access to

healthcare.

There is a continuous increase in Out

Patient visits to the various hospitals in

all the regions but the development of

health infrastructure has not kept pace

with it. Presently, there are two hundred

GoG/Golden Mainland Ghanan Limited Engineering, Procurement and Contruction Agrmt.

and fifty-six (256) administrative

districts, of which only one hundred and

nine (109) have district hospitals and the

limited capacity has led to congestion

and pressure on the utilisation of most of

the health facilities in Ghana, as they

operate above their established

thresholds. This situation affects patients

satisfaction, as there is a long waiting

that time at OPD and also poses a

challenge in providing quality health

care services by over stressed health

workers.

Managerial strategies for improving

quality assurance should be matched

with corresponding expansion and

improvement in health infrastructure and

it is for this and other reasons that the

Ministries of Health and Finance had

discussions with Czech Export Bank to

structure a credit facility for Ghana.

In July 2021, MZ Liberec gave an

indication to discontinue the project. The

local partner Golden Mainland Ghana

Limited expressed interest to continue as

the main turnkey provider. Golden

Mainland has submitted the project

documents to meet the financing

arrangement from Deutsche Bank (the

Arranger and the Original Lender).

This project covers the construction

and equipping of 40-Bed District

Hospitals at Ayensuano, Effiduase and

Offinso and the completion and

equipping of the Old Tafo Maternity

and the Kumasi South Maternity

Blocks. The project is expected to

improve healthcare infrastructure in

selected health facilities in Ghana

through the execution of construction,

upgrade/rehabilitation (civil works) and

retooling (Medical and Non-Medical

Equipment Supply and Installation) of

selected beneficiary facilities. The

purpose of the retooling, revamping and

supply of equipment to selected existing

hospitals is to address the shortfall in the

provision of infrastructural facilities

and biomedical equipment. This is part

of the efforts by government to enhance

the quality of health care delivery and

also bring equity in the distribution of

health care infrastructure in the country.

5.0 Objective of the Contract

The objective of the contract is to

have a healthy and productive population

that reproduces itself safely to achieve

the following objectives:

i. Bridge the equity gaps in

geographical access to health

services;

ii. Ensure sustainable financing for health care delivery and

financial protection for

the poor.

iii. Improve efficiency in

GoG/Golden Mainland Ghanan Limited Engineering, Procurement and Contruction Agrmt.

governance and management

of the health system.

iv. Improve quality of health service delivery including

mental health services

v. Enhance national capacity for the attainment of the

health related MDGs and

sustain the gains; and

vi. Intensify prevention and control of non-

communicable and other

communicable

diseases.

6.0 Implementation Plan

The project which comprises the

construction, equipment supply and

installation will be completed within 36

months upon approval of the

Memorandum, detailed design and

equipment schedules. The projects will

be executed by Messrs Golden Mainland

Ghana Limited.

The project is made up of two key

components. These are:

i. Expansion works and equipment supply for the

Hospitals which will

comprise the following

activities:

j. Construction mobilisation: 2 months from the

approval of the detailed

design

k. Procurement and installation of medical

equipment and accessories

l. Commissioning: 1 month after practical completion

and handing over

ii. Revamping, retooling and equipment supply for the

selected Hospitals.

a. Renovation and revamping of existing

structures;

b. Procurement and installation of medical

equipment and other

accessories.

7 .0 Scope of Works

The Committee observed that the

detailed scope of works of the 40 bed

capacity hospitals include:

i. Design, Construction and Equipping of lno. fully

functional 45-bed District level

facility of approximately

3,900sqmme with all

GoG/Golden Mainland Ghanan Limited Engineering, Procurement and Contruction Agrmt.

departments as defined in the

Ministry's space program for

Ayensuano, Effiduase and

Offinso South.

ii. Completion and equipping of existing 1 no 40-bed Maternity

block at Kumasi south Hospital

with floor area of 2200sqms.

iii. Completion and furnishing of existing associated residential

accommodation at Abrepo

with floor area of 1300sqm.

iv. Completion and equipping of existing 1 no 40-bed Maternity

block at Tafo Hospital with a

floor area of 3000sqms.

v. Supply and installation of all associated electromechanical

systems for the hospitals.

vi. Installation of ICT Equipment, CCTV and the relevant software

for a paperless operation of the

hospital.

vii. Supply and installation of all

medical equipment as detailed out in the equipment list and specifications.

viii. Supply and installation of all Fixed Furniture and Equipment (FFE) including medical and non-medical furniture in every facility or space provided to

make it fully functional.

ix. External Works to include roads, pavements, covered walkways, canopies, covered drains, parking and landscaping Works all within the site boundaries.

x. Provision of external lighting for

illuminating the area (car parks, courtyards, streets, walkways and other partially covered or uncovered areas- all within the Site boundaries)

xi. Post Construction Maintenance & Training.

8.0 Observations and Recommendations

8.1 Change of Contractor

The Committee observed that the facility agreement and commercial contract was previously laid in the 7th Parliament and had to be withdrawn due to some changes in the financial and technical arrangements.

The Committee was informed that

MZ Liberec a.s. in partnership with Golden Mainland Ghana were mandated to execute the project under an EPC turnkey contract but realized that Golden Mainland Ghana Limited is now the main turnkey provider.

Unfortunately, MZ Liberec withdrew

from the contract because they were not prepared to finance any preliminary cost

GoG/Golden Mainland Ghanan Limited Engineering, Procurement and Contruction Agrmt.

regarding the site surveys, ESIA, Geotechnical investigation, value for money fees until advance payment is affected by the Ministry of Health. Messrs, Golden Mainland Ghana Limited, the local partners expressed interest and has demonstrated a lot of commitment and capacity to deliver on the project. They have proceeded to finance and completed all preparatory works, carrying out all the studies and surveys, ESIA and all documentations required for value for money assessment.

Also, these challenges had been

addressed without government suffering any financial costs in the contract. The Committee was informed that barring any hitches in the approval process, the project would take off by May 2022.

8.2 Expansion of Bed Capacity

The Committee also noted that the project was a laudable one and would improve the health infrastructure in the communities. However, considering the population of the beneficiary communities such as Effiduase, it was the considered view of the committee that the 40-bed capacity was too small to facilitate effective health service delivery in the area. It was explained that as a result of changes in the design, the 40-bed capacity district hospital has been expanded to 45 at no additional cost to the contract sum.

The Committee noted that this was still not enough for the size of the population in the communities involved, but the Committee was informed that the

project was expandable and that more beds could be added to meet the growing needs of the population. The Ministry further added that other factors such as existing nearby hospital facilities were taken into account in determining the size of the hospitals.

The Committee wish to recommend to the Ministry of Health to consider expanding the hospital bed capacity to meet the growing needs of the population.

8.3 Value for Money Audit

The Committee requested for the Value for Money audit (VFM) as it noted that the commercial agreement was an old one and as such, a VFM audit was supposed to have been conducted. The Ministry informed the Committee that due to the change of the financiers and contractors of the previous contract, the VFM was done and is currently before the Ministry of Finance and therefore assured the Committee that it would ensure that a copy is made available to the Committee as soon as it is completed.

8.4 Staff Training for the

Maintenance of Medical Equipment

The Committee having regard to the

poor maintenance culture of such

facilities called for the training of staff

who will operate the medical equipment

to build their capacity and also ensure

that they are in a better position to

GoG/Golden Mainland Ghanan Limited Engineering, Procurement and Contruction Agrmt.

undertake the maintenance of the

equipment after the project has been

handed over to the authorities.

The Committee therefore

recommended that the Ministry should

ensure that the training of such staff

would be effectively done to achieve

the intended purpose so that there

would be no need to sign and approve

any service agreement with the

contractor/supplier for that matter.

9.0 Conclusion

The Committee after careful

deliberation and taking cognisance of the

benefits to be derived from the project

recommends to the House to adopt its

report and approve by resolution, the

Engineering, Procurement and Construction

Commercial Contract between the Government

of the Republic of Ghana (represented by the

Ministry of Health) and Golden Mainland

Ghana Limited for an amount of thirty-eight

million euros (€38,000,000.00) for the Construction and Equipping of 40-Bed District

Hospitals at Ayensuano, Effiduase and Offinso

and the Completion and Equipping of Old Tafo

Maternity and Kumasi South Maternity

Blocks.

Respectfully submitted.

Mr Mohammed Adamu Ramadan

Mr Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.
Mr Speaker, this facility agreement
was previously laid in the Seventh
Parliament; however, it had to be
withdrawn due to some changes in the
financial and technical agreements.
Mr Speaker, in the initial agreement,
MZ Liberec, a.s. in partnership with
Golden Mainland Ghana Limited were
mandated to execute the project under an
EPC Turnkey contract.
Mr Speaker, however, MZ Liberec
withdrew from the contract and in the
Report on page 5, it says that MZ Liberec
was not prepared to finance any
preliminary cost regarding the site
service, environmental and social impact
assessment, geotechnical investigation,
value-for-money fees until advance
payment is effected to the Ministry of
Health.
As part of the contract, they were
supposed to have undertaken these items
before they would receive any advance
payment. It is important to note that
presently, out of the 256 administrative
districts we have, only 109 have district
hospitals. Therefore it is important to
support any project that would help get
more district hospitals to improve on
quality health care.
Mr Speaker, the scope of work would
not be affected negatively with the
GoG/Golden Mainland Ghanan Limited Engineering, Procurement and Contruction Agrmt.

change of MZ Liberec because Golden

Mainland Ghana Limited has committed

to do exactly everything and the scope of

work as captured in page 4 of the Report

among others, has to do with the design,

construction and equipping of one fully

functional 45 district level space.

Currently, we have a 40-bed capacity;

however, Golden Mainland Ghana

Limited has agreed to alter it to 45-bed

capacity, so it does not affect the scope of

work. This project is expected to take off

in May 2022 barring any hitches for it to

be completed within 36 months of

commencement.

Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I urge this

House to adopt the Report and approve by

Resolution, the EPC Contract between

GoG (represented by the Ministry of

Health) and Golden Mainland Ghana

Limited for the construction and

equipping of the 40-bed district hospital

at Ayensuano, Effiduase and Offinso and

the completion of the maternity blocks in

Kumasi.

Mr Speaker, I am most grateful for this

opportunity to second the Motion.

Question proposed.

Mr Teddy Safori Addi (NDC - Ayensuano)

Mr Speaker, thank you very
much.
First and foremost, I would like to
thank the House for even considering this
very Motion. Over the weekend I was in
my constituency and the chiefs and
people of Ayensuano pleaded with me
that I should do whatever I can to get this
hospital for the constituency. I humbly
want to plead with this House that we
need it in my constituency because it
would aid and help the people of
Ayensuano Constituency. Mr Speaker,
with this few words I thank you for the
opportunity.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Member for Offinso North?

Mr Collins Augustine Ntim (NPP - Offinso North)

Mr Speaker, thank you
for the opportunity.
First of all, I would like to thank the
Hon Minister, the entire Ministry of
Health and indeed, the Hon Chairman of
the Health Committee for considering
Offinso North as part of the
Government's agenda for providing health care services to the entire region.
Indeed, the decision to provide health
facility to Offinso is germane because
when you look at the whole trans-
international highway from Kumasi right
down to Techiman, Offinso, Kintampo
GoG/Golden Mainland Ghanan Limited Engineering, Procurement and Contruction Agrmt.

and up to the north, there is no

Government hospital to take care of the

volumes of cases of road accidents that

have been coming to this old health rural

centre which was provided in 1969 by the

then Busia Administration.

Mr Speaker, this facility has been

helping us to address the critical

challenges of the issues of accidents and

so on. So it came as a great relief when

the Ministry of Health considered it as

part of the Ministry's plans to provide access to hospitals by considering

Offinso North. I am so happy, because it

is going to address most of the critical

challenges pertaining to health service

delivery.

Mr Speaker, I want to thank the Hon

Minister and the Hon Chairman for

considering my constituency.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Member from Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam
Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson (NDC -
Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam): Mr Speaker,
I would need some clarity from the Hon
Chairman of the Committee or maybe the
Hon Minister responsible for Health. Mr
Speaker, I recalled this agreement pretty
well. Sometime in November 2020, we
were called upon to first approve a loan
agreement of €36 million and its corresponding commercial agreement. I
recalled that the Finance Committee at
the time recommended to the plenary to
approve it, which we obviously did as a
House. Mr Speaker, for some reason, the
loan that was supposed to come from the
Czech Republic fell through and for some
other reason, the Government has decided
to go back to Deutsche Bank for a new
agreement and the loan agreement that
was supposed to be €36 million has been increased to €38.9million.
Mr Speaker, that is why the Finance
Committee decided to recommend to the
House to rescind the earlier Resolution.
What I am not too sure about is whether
the Ministry of Health has indeed
approved and signed the initial
commercial agreement? If they have, then
if Parliament approves the official
agreement it would then mean that we
would have to rescind our decision before
we are called upon to approve this loan.
That is very imperative and it is important
that the Hon Minister and the Hon
Chairman gives us that information
because I do not believe that it should be
sorted out after we have approved this. If
Parliament approves by consensus or for
whatever reason if Parliament has a
Resolution for the approval of the original
commercial agreement, I do not believe
that we should go ahead and approve of
this until we have rescinded our decision
on the earlier one.
GoG/Golden Mainland Ghanan Limited Engineering, Procurement and Contruction Agrmt.

So the Hon Chairman should kindly

give us some information on that before

we proceed.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

I thought
the Hon Minister would respond to that.
Minister for Health (Mr Kwaku
Agyeman-Manu): Mr Speaker, I thank
my Hon Colleague for using “if”. For instance, he said that ‘if this has happened then this would happen'. We have not signed the commercial agreement yet and
that is why we brought it to Parliament
and when we finish with it here, I do not
think there would be any rescission. Yes,
we got the approval but we have not
signed the commercial agreement. That is
why the finance aspect came in.

Dr Forson

Mr Speaker, Parliament
has a Resolution for a contract by another
contractor for a lower amount. Today, we
are being called upon to approve another
commercial agreement with another
company, for the same contract which is
a higher amount. Mr Speaker, before we
can approve this, let us rescind our
decision on the earlier one before we can
go ahead in approving another
commercial agreement. If not, we would
have two commercial agreements with
different amounts and in that case which
one are we going to execute?
Mr Speaker, we cannot rely on the Hon
Minister for Health to take that decision
on behalf of the State. Mr Speaker, this is
the work of Parliament and that is why
before we called on you to put the
Question, the Finance Committee asked
that we rescind the earlier decision before
the adoption of the Committees Report
and the Motion. I think it is only right that
we do what is right.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

I have just
been advised that we have already
rescinded that decision by a Motion
moved by the Hon Member for Ejisu.
Hon Member for Obuasi West?

Mr Kwaku Agyeman Kwarteng

Mr
Speaker, there is no need for a rescission
of the commercial agreement because the
commercial agreement that this House
approved has not changed. It is the
financing for that project that did not
materialise. Therefore, this House was
called upon to approve a new facility and
we recommended to this House that we
do not want to give approval for two
different facilities for the same project so
this House should rescind its decision on
the approval of the commercial facility so
that we can approve the new one; both of
which we did under your guidance and so
there is no need for the approval of any
commercial facility as far as I am
concerned.

Dr Forson

I am only guiding you so
that we can collectively do what is right.
GoG/Golden Mainland Ghanan Limited Engineering, Procurement and Contruction Agrmt.

Mr Speaker let no one create the

impression that I am against the

agreement before us. Parliament

rescinded the decision on the loan

agreement and not the commercial

agreement. So we did not rescind the

commercial agreement decision.

Mr Speaker, the amount has changed

from €36 million to €38 million so if the commercial agreement is not being

affected, why the change in values? Why

is it being increased by €2 million? In fact if nothing has happened, why is it that

they are calling on us to approve a new

commercial agreement? Something may

have happened. There is certainly a

change and that is why they are calling on

us to approve something new. So I am

only asking him to do what is right which

is to rescind the earlier decision and then

we would approve the new one. Mr

Speaker, this is not rocket science, it is

logical.

Mr Annoh-Dompreh

Mr Speaker,
with respect, the Leadership would confer on this. I think my Hon Colleague has a point so the necessary consultation would be done immediately.
But before then, if we can take -

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Then to that extent, we would defer further consideration of this Motion so that we can reconcile whether they are the same.
So, consideration of item numbered 23 is deferred.

Mr Annoh-Dompreh

Mr Speaker, shall we vary order of business and take item numbered 5, Questions?

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Very well.
Hon Members, we would now return
to private business, item numbered 5,
Questions. There is only one Question
outstanding to be answered by the
Minister of State at the Office of the
President.
The Question is to be asked by the Hon
Member for North Tongu, Mr Samuel
Okudzeto Ablakwa.
It will be asked on his behalf by the
Hon Member for -

Mr Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor

Mr Speaker I have the permission of the
Hon Member to seek your leave to ask the
Question on his behalf.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Hon
Members, having regard to the state of the
Business of the House, I direct that the
House Sits outside the regular Sitting
hours.
The Second Deputy Speaker to take
the chair.
You may now ask your Question.
GoG/Golden Mainland Ghanan Limited Engineering, Procurement and Contruction Agrmt.

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Yes Hon
Minister?
2.08 p.m. - [MR SECOND DEPUTY

Minister of State at the Office of the

President (Ms Freda Akosua

Prempeh): To ask the Minister of

State at the Office of the President

what is Government's policy on the

status of (NABCO) Trainees after the

expiration of their threeyear

engagement which lapsed at the end of

October 2021, and plans for more

sustainable job creation.

Introduction:

Mr Speaker, The Nation Builder's Corps (NAB CO) is a flagship project initiative by the NPP government led by His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the President of the Republic of Ghana.

The NABCO Scheme started

with a direct recruitment of

100,000 tertiary graduates, some

of whom had been unemployed

for nearly a decade following the

completion of their academic

studies.

The objectives of the NAB CO

programme are as follows:

• Provide temporary employment to

unemployed graduates.

• Improve skills and employability for

transition from

programme to

permanent

employment.

• Improve public service delivery.

• Improve on government revenue mobilisation.

Structure

In terms of its structure,

the 36-month programme

has 3 key phases: 6-

month probation, 24-

month work placement

and 6 months exit

preparation.

All enrolled trainees

applied via the 7-module

vehicle of the scheme.

The scheme currently

operates through seven

modules:

Educate Ghana, Heal

Ghana, Feed Ghana,

Revenue Ghana, Digitize

Ghana, Civic Ghana and

Enterprise Ghana.

Enrolment by trainees

was based on self-

selection on the basis of

applicable qualifications

for each of the modules.

In general, however, the

programme is voluntary,

and trainees are free to

leave to pursue their

careers whenever the

opportunity comes up, by

giving a month's notice.

Mr Speaker, the first batch of NABCO Trainees' three-year engagement lapsed at the end of October 2021. NABCO as a well- structured voluntary programme has provided Work and Learning experiences for those who voluntarily signed onto the scheme in 2018. The work option is meant for trainees to put their foundational education background to use, build and acquire additional skills within the work environment.

The scheme therefore expects

trainees to consider different

pathways during their stay on the

scheme leading to their exit. NABCO

trainees are broadly expected to

pursue distinct career pathways as

follows:

i. Gain retention in current role or employment elsewhere;

ii. Self-employment and

entrepreneurship or;

iii. Career-focused further

learning including vocational training.

Oral Answers to Questions

On the current roll of the NABCO

Scheme are 67,657 trainees from the

initial 100,000 enrolled tertiary

graduates.

In line with the pathways set above,

as an exit arrangement, some of the

trainees were offered permanent

employment by the lead agencies

before the expiration of their three

year tenure. Therefore, as part of the

exit plan, management of NAB CO

has continued its engagement with the

lead Module Implementation Partners

(MIPs) to complete their talent needs

assessments and offer available

vacancies to qualified and deserving

trainees. These should lead to further

employment into some of the

institutions with the trainees namely;

the Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana

Education Service, Ministry of Health

and the Ghana Health Service,

Ministry of communications, and the

Ministry of Food and Agriculture

among others.

NABCO would continue to

collaborate with other agencies and

programmes to provide

entrepreneurship support to those

trainees, among the 67,657 with viable

and innovative business ideas to

become entrepreneurs. Collaboration

is currently ongoing with the National

Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Programme (NEIP) and the Ghana

Enterprise Agency (GEA) under the

YouStart.

All other trainees are being

prepared through the transition into

sustainable employment opportunities

or their chosen career pathways as

outlined earlier.

Mr Speaker, Within the 2022 Budget, Government has consolidated its approach to employment hinged to entrepreneurship under the YouStart Programme. The YouStart will enable young people to seek and be supported both technically and financially, to start and set up their enterprises.

This consolidated approach, and

the major drive towards

Oral Answers to Questions

entrepreneurship under the YouStart,

will affect the business-minded ones

among the 67, 657 trainees currently

at the exit phase of the NABCO

Scheme.

Clearly, the status of the remaining

trainees on the NABCO scheme are

tied to their elected career pathways;

Permanent employment,

Entrepreneurship and further learning.

Mr Speaker, Government's current

policy direction on mass entrepreneurship under the YouStart will lead to more sustainable jobs, and hence offer a solution to the unemployment problem among the youth.

Debates of 22 Mar 2022

PRAYERS 10:34 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 10:34 a.m.

Dr Kingsley Nyarko 10:34 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 10:34 a.m.

Dr Nyarko 10:34 a.m.

Mr Charles Acheampong 10:34 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 10:34 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 10:34 a.m.

Mr Annoh-Dompreh 10:34 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 10:34 a.m.

STATEMENTS 10:44 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 10:54 a.m.

Mr Kennedy Nyarko Osei (NPP - Akim Swedru) 10:54 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 10:54 a.m.

Mr Daniel Nsala Wakpal (NDC - Kpandai) 11:04 a.m.

Mr George K. O. Takyi (NPP — Manso-Nkwanta) 11:14 a.m.

Mr Sampson Ahi (NDC - Bodi) 11:24 a.m.

Mr Patrick Y. Boamah (NPP - Okaikwei Central) 11:24 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:24 a.m.

Mr Annoh-Dompreh 11:24 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:24 a.m.

Mr Annoh-Dompreh 11:24 a.m.

Dr Cassiel A. B. Forson 11:24 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:24 a.m.

Mr Alexander K. Afenyo-Markin 11:24 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:34 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:34 a.m.

Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful 11:34 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:34 a.m.

Mrs Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe 11:34 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:34 a.m.

Mr Bernard Ahiafor 11:34 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:34 a.m.

Mrs Sawyerr 11:34 a.m.

Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah (NPP - Akwapim South) 11:44 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:44 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:44 a.m.

Mrs Abena Osei-Asare 11:44 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:44 a.m.

Mrs Osei-Asare 11:44 a.m.

Mr Ampem 11:44 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:44 a.m.

Mr Ampem 11:44 a.m.

Mr Ampem 11:44 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:44 a.m.

Mr Ampem 11:44 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:44 a.m.

Mr Ampem 11:44 a.m.

Mr Benjamin Komla Kpodo (NDC - Ho Central) 11:44 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:44 a.m.

Mr Ntim 11:44 a.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 11:44 a.m.

Mr Ntim 12:14 p.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:14 p.m.

Mr Ntim 12:14 p.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:14 p.m.

- 12:14 p.m.

Mr Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye 12:14 p.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:14 p.m.

Mr Vanderpuye 12:14 p.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:14 p.m.

Mr Vanderpuye 12:14 p.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:14 p.m.

Mr Vanderpuye 12:14 p.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:14 p.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:14 p.m.

Mr Ntim 12:14 p.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:14 p.m.

Mr Vanderpuye 12:14 p.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:14 p.m.

Mr Vanderpuye 12:14 p.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:14 p.m.

Mr Vanderpuye 12:24 p.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:24 p.m.

Dr Cassiel A. B. Forson (NDC - Ajumako/Enyan/Esiam) 12:24 p.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:24 p.m.

Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh 12:24 p.m.

Mr First Deputy Speaker 12:24 p.m.

Mr Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor 12:24 p.m.

PRAYERS

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Dr Kingsley Nyarko

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Dr Nyarko

Mr Charles Acheampong

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Annoh-Dompreh

Mr First Deputy Speaker

STATEMENTS

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Kennedy Nyarko Osei (NPP - Akim Swedru)

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Daniel Nsala Wakpal (NDC - Kpandai)

Mr George K. O. Takyi (NPP — Manso-Nkwanta)

Mr Sampson Ahi (NDC - Bodi)

Mr Patrick Y. Boamah (NPP - Okaikwei Central)

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Annoh-Dompreh

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Annoh-Dompreh

Dr Cassiel A. B. Forson

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Alexander K. Afenyo-Markin

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mrs Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Bernard Ahiafor

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mrs Sawyerr

Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah (NPP - Akwapim South)

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mrs Abena Osei-Asare

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mrs Osei-Asare

Mr Ampem

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Ampem

Mr Ampem

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Ampem

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Ampem

Mr Benjamin Komla Kpodo (NDC - Ho Central)

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Ntim

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Ntim

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Ntim

Mr First Deputy Speaker

-

Mr Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Vanderpuye

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Vanderpuye

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Vanderpuye

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Ntim

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Vanderpuye

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Vanderpuye

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Vanderpuye

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Dr Cassiel A. B. Forson (NDC - Ajumako/Enyan/Esiam)

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh

Mr First Deputy Speaker

Mr Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor

Mr First Deputy Speaker