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Debate on Presidential Palace stalls
for lack of quorum
Accra, July 25, GNA - Ghana's legislature on Wednesday
revisited the loan agreement on the construction and
rehabilitation of the Flag Staff House, which was to house
the Presidency but lack of quorum stalled a final vote on
the motion.
The motion is seeking an additional funding of 15 million
dollars to be agreed upon by the Government of Ghana and the
Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited, for the construction and
rehabilitation of the Flag Staff House.
It was moved by Nii Adu Darku Mante, Chairman of the Finance
Committee and seconded by Mr. Paul Collins Appiah-Ofori,
NPP-Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa who called for the support of
members for the approval of the loan agreement.
Mr. Appiah-Ofori argued that if Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's
first President had bowed to criticism not to take a loan,
which was considered colossal in the 1960's to put up the
State House the nation would be spending higher sums of
money today to construct such an edifice.
However, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, NDC-Tamale South vehemently
opposed the motion arguing that nobody knew the actual cost
of the contract sum for the project for which an additional
funding was being sought.
"Nobody including the Minister of Presidential Affairs knows
the actual cost of the project," he said and rejected the
explanation by the Minister, Mr. Kwadwo Mpiani that the cost
of the construction and rehabilitation could not be known
until the project was completed.
Mr. Mpiani however, maintained that he had told the House
when he appeared before it that the cost of the project at
its initial stage was 36.9 million dollars but the total
cost could only be known after completion.
Mr Iddrisu however, said the full cost of other construction
projects like works on the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in
Kumasi, the Tamale Water Project and other markets had never
been shrouded in secrecy.
When it became apparent that the House had to vote on the
agreement, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, Deputy Minority Leader
invoked Standing Order 48(1) and (2) and reminded the House
that a quorum was needed before a vote could be taken.
Mr. Adjaho said he had counted the number of members present
and they were 70.
Total membership of the House is 230 but Standing Order
48(1) states: "The presence of at least one-third of all the
members of Parliament besides the person presiding shall be
necessary to constitute a quorum of the House."
The House consequently suspended proceedings for 10 minutes
but there was still no quorum and therefore adjourned
sitting for the following day.
The House had earlier approved a loan agreement of 15
million dollars between Ghana and the International
Development Association to finance the National Health
Insurance Scheme.
The project has three components, namely enabling
environment for implementation, financial and operational
management tool and financial and operational management
training.
It has a grace period of 10 years and repayment period of 40
years, and would be used to strengthen policy adaptation and
implementation capacity of the National Health Insurance
Scheme; improve purchasing function of the scheme as well as
the billing function by the service provider through moving
the billing and claims process from paper base to an
electronic base system.
The House also approved 123.44 million dollar loan agreement
amongst the Bulk Oil Storage and Transport Company Limited (BOST),
Citi Bank, NA and Export-Import Bank of the United State of
America with Ghana as guarantor for the purchase and
construction expand the storage capacity of BOST.
Despite the approval there was an earlier tussle mainly from
the largest Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) on
the legal formality of the agreement and requested that all
documents were completed before the agreement was approved.
Mr Adjaho, Mr Afred Kwame Agbesi, NDC-Ashiaman and Mr Mahama
Ayariga, NDC-Bawku Central suggested that all document
should be completed and the House agreed to take the
agreement as provisional.
GNA
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