🔴LIVE ▪️ Parliament — 2nd Sitting of the 2nd Meeting of the 2nd Session of the 9th Parliament

Added: 2026-05-23

[00:00:00]to also follow up to know the status of their question.

[00:00:06]Yes, honorable.

[00:00:12]>> Yes. Are you yielding because of the practice?

[00:00:19]>> I thank for the opportunity to >> Yes, >> Mr. Speaker. I'm grateful for the opportunity. Mr. Speaker, I've perused and listened to the majority leader. I perused the statement. Listen to the majority leader. I've paid particular attention to the papers to be presented next week, which is the final week of May.

[00:00:39]And Mr. Speaker, I have a concern that I'm hoping he can address in his final comments. Leader, section 58 of Act 612, the Bank of Ghana act requires that when the annual audited account of the bank are completed within 3 months, they should be presented to the finance minister.

[00:00:57]engagement on this matter and that is not to cast doubt on what you have said but speaker I to do that now 912 is saying a minister of state may make a statement of government policy and the statement shall not then A and B has come now if you come to standing order 93 by the indulgence of the House and leave of the speaker. A member may explain a matter of personal nature or make a statement on a matter of urgent public importance at the time appointed four statement under order 67. So having read the relevant orders, which one will enable me to summon a minister who is not desirous of coming to brief the house?

[00:01:57]>> Mr. Speaker, there is no way with the weight of the chair that you sit on that you will summon a minister of state >> and you refuse it. I I don't foresee it happening in this. want to operate within >> with the inherent powers of your church >> inherent powers of the church >> and you having the power to interpret our house rules and we being the representatives of the people we are urging on you >> honorable members >> we are urging on you >> I think let's take it that if you are desirous in getting a minister to come to the house and make a statement or do something.

[00:02:46]You know the tools available for you.

[00:02:51]You can file an agent or an oral question.

[00:02:59]That is the understanding I am gathering from the rules available for us.

[00:03:06]Yes, >> speaker. I I don't intend to challenge you and I I'll show the difference to you because you had engaged us this morning on same matter. You you walk through 91 the provisions of 91 and 93.

[00:03:25]We are with respect to you we are not limited by our practice and convention in this house. We are not only limited to the provisions of our standing orders.

[00:03:35]There are conventions and practices and speaker you have benefited and I remember your seat was here.

[00:03:41]>> You sat here speaker you used it to the latter >> and especially where is a matter that that that is concerned about the governance of our country. We cannot be limited by form of the provision of the order.

[00:03:56]>> You could show by one handard.

[00:03:59]Well, >> speaker that depicts speaker >> that I use it speaker. I >> I will come back with better particulars on this >> very well, >> but I would rather call uh for the exigencies of time that we probably have to have a better engagement on this matter and that is not to cast doubt on what you have said. Mad Speaker, I I want to submit strongly that per our practice in this house, calling the minister to come and brief us on a matter we consider of national character is within the ambit of our functionality as a representative of the people and I beg you that we should consider this matter and get to the conclusion of it.

[00:04:39]But to say that per the provision of 91 and 93, therefore we are bad. So I beg to differ. Well, I will want to be guided by the rules.

[00:04:52]Yes, honorable professor.

[00:04:57]Yes, please. Mr. Speaker, uh item three talks about referrals at committees and I think that the numbers are huge and it's a step in the right direction to ask committees to expedite uh work on them. However, also important is about questions we filed, Mr. Speaker.

[00:05:24]There are a lot of them questions that I've have asked over a year ago to the education minister, finance, communication, all that have not been um scheduled for me to ask those questions and I want to plead with uh the leader of the house to uh do his best to table as many as many of the questions otherwise there will be no incentive to even ask uh uh uh uh new questions because the ones that you filed have not been attended to. And lastly, regarding our sitting time on Friday, I think it makes sense that we sit on Thursday uh uh at 2 p.m. because of the uh holiday and all that. But on Friday, I want to plead with the leader business committee. on Friday if you can do uh midday because 2:00 p.m. some of us will be going back to our constituencies some will go by some will go by road but if you make it 12 noon I think we have ample time to deal with some of the businesses before uh uh before we aend so I'm I'm I'm on all pleading that let us reconsider uh the 2 p.m. on Friday. If we can bring it to uh uh midday, I think it will help the house and the business of the house.

[00:06:49]Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

[00:06:50]>> Thank you.

[00:06:52]By way of advice, the business statement is just saying that questions will be programmed.

[00:07:04]Sometimes questions are admitted, sometimes admission are declined. But I realize mostly after filing the question we don't follow up. So I will urge the questioners to also follow up to know the status of their question.

[00:07:23]Yes honorable.

[00:07:29]>> Yes. Are you yielding because of the practice convention that has been referred to?

[00:07:40]Yes, Mr. Speaker, I'm grateful for the opportunity, Mr. Speaker. I've perused and listened to the majority leader.

[00:07:45]I've perused the statement, listened to the majority leader. I've paid particular attention to the papers to be presented next week, which is the final week of May.

[00:07:56]And Mr. Speaker, I have a concern that I'm hoping he can address in his final comments. Leader section 58 of act 612 the bank of Ghana act requires that when the annual audited account of the bank are completed within 3 months they should be presented to the finance minister which should cause it to be gazetted commented upon and laid before the house we are finished with April that is the fourth month next week is the final week of the month of May and in the business for the week in presentation of papers I don't see it there. I want to inquire from the leader if it is something within their contemplation and caution that if we don't comply we'll be in breach of section 58 and maybe he can address that when he makes his remarks. I thank you Mr. Speaker.

[00:08:46]Yes, you are making reference to D item numbered D the second paragraph which says person one to 97 papers may be laid during the week and reports from committees may also be presented to the house for consideration is that what you are referring to >> additionally Mr. Speaker, you'll find that there are indicative papers uh that have been annexed to it and I don't find it in there. That's the basis of my question.

[00:09:26]Well, honorable majority leader, I will call on you to respond and uh you draw the attention to the indicative papers that you have annexed.

[00:09:53]>> Yeah, Mr. Speaker, The agenda for the meeting is uh in the works. It's being prepared.

[00:10:08]This is uh a draft that the table office has just given to me to look at and in it all those who have outstanding questions um the questions have been captured.

[00:10:26]So I know that honorable Kingsley Ajiman of uh Abu Bakqua South, you have 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 think about eight questions actually more than eight >> standing in your name.

[00:10:52]Yes. So >> Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. But there's a place where I saw your questions.

[00:11:02]Uh >> education >> advertised for education. I think just to give you an indication that the questions have been captured in the draft agenda. So when they finalize it, we'll then start uh inviting the ministers to come and then answer the questions. So just to give you that assurance that your question is captured here and on the issue of the situation in South Africa indeed I believe that if the on the situation in South Africa and the statement from the foreign ministry I know as a fact that the minister is not in town. Uh he is in Geneva as we speak.

[00:11:49]So that is why he hasn't come to brief us. I believe that when he comes uh it will be easy to get him to come and then brief us on the efforts being made. And I also want to assure you that anytime you raise these issues definitely will draw the attention of the ministers so that they come and then uh brief the house. Um I think those are the issues. The Bank of Ghana, thank you for drawing our attention. I will check the timelines but this afternoon I will draw the attention of the finance minister and then the the governor of the central bank to make sure that they do not default in terms of the timelines. What I know is that duro recess I had a discussion with the governor. He uh told me that he will be able to meet the timelines and bring the report. I know you are very interested in debating the report and of course why not uh it is a very important report and uh given all the good indicators that we see in the management of the finances of the country uh the report will be an interesting you know document to debate.

[00:13:11]and and and uh the stability of the city, the currency, you know, even gaining strength in relation to other major you know uh currencies.

[00:13:24]As for the cost involved in achieving the stability, we we will discuss it.

[00:13:34]So, Mr. Speaker, uh I think those are the issues that have been raised. Is there something I've left out? I don't have I left out something.

[00:13:48]>> Yeah, the question of sitting on Friday at um 12 midday, we can consider that.

[00:13:56]We can discuss that on Tuesday um and then with the speaker if because the time for sitting is normally a decision of the speaker. So we'll discuss with speaker on Tuesday and if he grants us permission we can start sitting at 12 midday on Friday so that we can adjurnn early and people can travel to their various constences. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

[00:14:23]Yes. Minority Ju >> Speaker, I intend to be extremely friendly to the leader of the house this morning, this this afternoon. Actually, I intend to be friendly now and I don't want a response such as you were at the business committee. I don't want that response.

[00:14:47]>> He you don't need Roxin G. and and and the honorable Roxy should leave the majority leader alone. You should leave the majority leader alone.

[00:14:57]>> Yes, >> he wants to walk alone.

[00:15:02]>> Speaker, I I commend leader uh for taking time to speak to us. Uh just few observations.

[00:15:12]I I find it difficult to accept that we are doing 20 questions for the whole week. I concede Wednesday is a public holiday.

[00:15:25]Wednesday is a public holiday. Yes. But the whole week and we are doing just 20 questions. Leader, let's let's pry into the availability of the minister and see. No, on the average we've been doing 70 lead. I'm very old in this house.

[00:15:41]It's two days.

[00:15:42]>> No, this is Friday for the ensuing week.

[00:15:47]>> Tuesday.

[00:15:49]>> No, we have Tuesday. We have Thursday, we have Friday, >> leader, let's consider it. And then that would be my first observation. Second one, you have advertised the plethora of referrals >> and I um I don't envy you but I sympathize with you. However, leader when I was almost concluding that you should we should you should chief web or the whips should navigate and get the committee leaders to meet with you. Then I heard you mention that budget has been made available. I I commend you for that. But I also want to hazard a guest that I don't think it's just about budget. We should engage the committee leaders.

[00:16:38]Leader, I don't recall. I commend you the you now parliament is live. You've done very well. I've already told you I want to be friendly to you this morning.

[00:16:48]But I'm not sure the constraint is limited to only funding. So let's engage the committee leaders because we have 290 referrals.

[00:17:01]It's on the high side and there should be we should be concerned about it. Um leader before we rose chief web if I have your attention house committee report had been on the order paper only god knows the number of times. I am your vice chairman. I am ready to support you. House Committee report was never taken. I've seen I'm saying this in the context of the ensuing weeks businesses that we have shadow and the house committee report was completed long ago.

[00:17:37]It was programmed severally in the order paper. It was never taken. Yes. So let's put it there. I beg you let's put it there >> because you see there there's mamming among colleagues and I don't want to rehash this matter. Then the report Collins Da's report was also ready.

[00:17:54]Collins Dada was ready to take it. Let's find a way to slot that one in.

[00:18:00]Yes. But we also agreed leader unfortunately was not at the meeting. I don't know if he just came from China, but he was not.

[00:18:13]So, so there was an agreement. Have you properly briefed your boss that we're supposed to have committee of the whole?

[00:18:23]You have to brief him. Committee of the whole. No show. We can't find it. It's conspicuously missing. In fact, I should rather be blaming the deputy leader. You chair the meeting. You should blame the you should brief leader that we had agreed that we have committee of the whole. Look your back. Mora at your back is not is weak. Look at your back.

[00:18:42]>> Your mor is weak.

[00:18:45]>> You just came. You just came.

[00:18:48]So leader should be apprised appropriately.

[00:18:52]Leader let me conclude on this matter. I don't know how you would take it but you had earlier given some modalities on statement and I agree perfectly with you that we cannot have a teases being presented on the house floor. We've visited other parliament across the world. So we need to improve and get efficient. But leader we cannot improve at our expense and ministers will come and read a synopsis a whole 10page statement they will just read it and members are told to come and present just two page statement that is not fair. So let's leverage on that and get the modalities smoothen so that they affect both members of parliament and ministers and ministers must be told in plain words when you are coming you come either it's three page two page you stick to work just as we gave modalities to colleagues members of parliament so these will be these will be and I commend the table office and of course the majority leader Yeah, he's been able to clear most of the statement that I've been outstanding. You see when you're commending him, you'll be blinking his eyes because when you're commending a majority leader, he'll be blinking his eyes and he's happy. When you give him a strong criticis, small criticism, then he say ah, you have to learn the practice. We have to go and learn the practice. So leader, we commend you and but let's see how we can uh you have done well to dispense of these statements. I'm sure in the same vein we can find a way to to dispense of the the the questions as well and mind you most of these questions they are time bound and and many of them are also issue bound. If we allow them to relapse and delay unnecessarily it may it may be mute speaker I I thank you for the opportunity leader. Thank you.

[00:20:47]>> Yes leadership in the absence. Yes, leader, you may respond.

[00:20:55]>> Yeah. Um, >> yeah, the referrals are an issue that we insist uh chairpersons must bring their reports for us to consider.

[00:21:11]Um repeating that I know that during the recess many of those committees met and worked on their referrals, public accounts, local government, uh lands, trade, education, roads, energy, they all met and so I expect the reports to start flowing in so that we will consider them. and the House Committee report I think the last time it was advertised but uh tactically there was a decision not to take it because some aspects disclose certain things that uh we thought uh were not appropriate but I think there's now a decision to rather take the report in a committee of the whole meeting so we will expedite action on that one and the statements by ministers on policy issues definitely will caution them uh to ensure that there's brevity and focus on the key issues that they are briefing us on same way that we caution MPs that statement should be relatively short so that we can take as many statements as possible and you know comment on as many of them as possible. So those are the issues. I thank you very much.

[00:22:46]Members, the business statement as presented is accordingly adopted.

[00:22:53]Yes, Majority Leader.

[00:22:58]>> Yeah, Mr. Speaker, I want to crave your indulgence for us to amend the order of business and take item number eight and then come back to item number seven >> so that we can commence public business and take item number 8. A >> yes, deputy minority leader.

[00:23:27]Speaker, the majority leader is calling for variation of order of business.

[00:23:37]But order 67 because of what he had mentioned to us at Conclave. I want to respect that that the minister is here to make a policy So, and the minister is here. He's one of our own. I I will wish that we listen to the minister's policy statement and then afterwards we can attend to the business the majority leader is calling us to do.

[00:24:18]Well, I was at conclave with you and I believe the majority leader is within what he told us at conclave that we will lay the papers and thereafter take the statement and probably call it a day.

[00:24:37]>> Sweet. There will be no objection then.

[00:24:40]>> Very well. We vary the order of business at commencement of public business. Item numbered 8, presentation of papers.

[00:24:52]Item numbered 8A by the Minister of State in charge of government business, government communication.

[00:25:00]>> Yeah, Mr. Speaker, um the minister of state in charge of government communication is actually I think uh in the northern region.

[00:25:13]>> Yes, >> in the northern region with his excellency the president and so he's unable to to be here to lay the paper. So we have the minister of state in charge of public sector reform.

[00:25:33]>> Yes, deputy minority leader.

[00:25:36]That's the application before us.

[00:25:41]>> But the the speaker the the speaker cannot mention a particular person on our front bench. So he can only say that the minority front bench. Uh-huh. Well, honorable, I'm your in the front. So, learn learn from me. Sitting in the front bench.

[00:26:02]>> I completely disagreed with you. Whilst the minority leader is there, I cannot be referring to a whip. Whilst the deputy minority leader is there, I cannot be calling on a whip. So, it is the leader that I will have to call per our rules. If she has decided to yield to you, that one is different. So if you would agree that whilst you are there as the available leader, I should refer to your back then tell me that is the practice.

[00:26:40]So I don't have a problem if she decides to yield to any of you.

[00:26:50]Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I I'm in agreement with the proposal.

[00:26:57]>> Very well.

[00:26:58]>> Thank you.

[00:26:58]>> Yes.

[00:27:01]>> Item numbered 8 A. We take it together. No, let's take it one after the other. 8 A I.

[00:27:13]Budget performance report of the office of government machinery for the year 2025.

[00:27:21]Honor members report has been duly presented. It is referred to the committee on public administration and state interest for consideration and reports.

[00:27:33]8 I I >> annual report on the staffing position of the office of the president for the period January to December 2025.

[00:27:49]Honor members, reports duly presented and it is referred to the committee on public administration and state interest for consideration and reports item numbered 8B.

[00:28:08]So chairman of finance committee, member of the committee is here and will lay the report on behalf of the committee.

[00:28:18]>> Yes.

[00:28:20]Speaker, honorable Champo is one of our own and um but to lay this paper you are all in this house. No, I'm not opposed but you have to engage in this house. You want to lay this paper the earlier ones you were engaged.

[00:28:39]You not engaged speaker I will not oppose >> the laying of this paper but I'm cautioning the honorable champ. He's old in this house to know that he cannot just come and lay papers and the majority leader will respect him. You can't just come and lay the paper and go. You know what to do.

[00:29:06]Yes. Item numbered 8B, >> report of the finance committee on the basic documents of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, EBRD, to facilitate Ghana subscription to 522 shares of the capital stock of the EBR.

[00:29:29]All members, the report has been duly presented and it is for the distribution to honorable members.

[00:29:37]Item numbered 8 C Yeah. Um, Mr. Mr. Speaker, >> the virus >> reports are not yet ready.

[00:30:20]>> Majority leader, you mean to say HC is not ready?

[00:30:25]Okay. So, >> so Mr. Speaker, let's lay the various reports.

[00:30:40]>> So, are we taking 8 C or not?

[00:30:43]>> Yeah, we're taking 8 C.

[00:30:45]>> No, no. Chairman, >> chairman of the committee.

[00:30:48]>> Okay, we'll do D. We'll do D series.

[00:30:52]>> Let's do the D series. We leave the >> let's do the C will come to the D series. Is the chairman of the committee available?

[00:30:59]>> No.

[00:31:00]>> No. The chairman by a member of the committee is available to lay the report on behalf of the chairman.

[00:31:05]>> Very well. Make the necessary application.

[00:31:09]>> Majority leader make the necessary application.

[00:31:16]>> What's the name?

[00:31:19]a member for >> so we request that the member for >> should lay the report 8C on behalf of the chairman of the committee >> yes that's the application >> no C >> deputy minority leader >> C is the report of the committee on roads and transportation on the maritime and related offenses bill 2026 and it will be for distribution of the house distribution to the house.

[00:32:03]So Mr. Speaker, she will lay the reports in D uh nan Roman numeral 1 2 3 4 5 6 on behalf of the chairman of the roads and transport committee.

[00:32:26]So are we deferring C.

[00:32:32]Okay.

[00:32:34]So item numbered 8 D we take Roman numeral 1 2 3 4 5 6 together.

[00:32:50]Report of the committee on roads and transportation on the bilateral air service agreement between the government of the republic of Ghana represented by the ministry of transport and the government of the republic of Benin relating to the establishment of air services.

[00:33:08]report of the committee on roads and transportation on the bilateral air service agreement between the government of the republic of Ghana represented by the ministry of transport and the Ghana and the government of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia relating to the establishment of air services.

[00:33:30]report of the committee on roots and transportation on the bilateral air service agreement between the government of the republic of Ghana represented by the ministry of transport and the government of the republic of Mauritius relating to the establishment of air services.

[00:33:51]Report of the committee on roads and transportation on the bilateral air service agreement between the government of the republic republic of Ghana represented by the ministry of transport and the government of the cooperative republic of Guyana relating to the establishment of air services.

[00:34:14]report of the committee on roads and transportation on the bilateral air service air services agreement between the government of the republic of Ghana represented by the ministry of transport and the government of the grand duchy of lombbe relating to the establishment of air services.

[00:34:38]report of the committee on roads and transportation on the bilateral air services agreement between the government of the Republic of Ghana represented by the ministry of transport and the government of the state of kata relating to the establishment of air services.

[00:34:58]Honorable members, the report numbered item number 8 D 1 to six have been duly presented and they are for distribution to honorable members.

[00:35:19]Yes, majority leader.

[00:35:25]>> So, Mr. Mr. Speaker, we can now uh take item number seven.

[00:35:32]Uh a statement by the honorable lady Akamarba and honorable Emmanuel Beer. A joint statement, Mr. Speaker.

[00:35:43]>> Very well minority. Yes, >> speaker. We had agreed.

[00:35:50]>> Very well. Item number seven is a joint statement standing in the name of honorable leader Alami Akamarba MP for Timani and honorable Emmanuel Qui Bedra MP for whole west honorable member you have the floor.

[00:36:13]>> Thank you Mr. Speaker.

[00:36:16]Mr. Speaker, I rise to make a joint statement with my colleague on the implementation of the open government partnership in Ghana and the commemoration of the OGP week which falls on the 18th to the 22nd of May annually.

[00:36:36]Ghana has Ghana has been a member of the open government partnership since its inception in September 2011.

[00:36:46]Mr. Speaker, in line with the globally accepted standards, Ghana's OGP operates through a co-creation process involving government, civil society and other stakeholders.

[00:37:01]The public sector reform secretariat under the office of the president serve at its national secretariat.

[00:37:11]A 20 member steering committee with equal representation from government and civil society co-chair by my good self and a representative from civil society oversees the development and monitoring of the national action plans.

[00:37:29]This national act, this national steering committee includes two members of parliament from both sides of the house. Mr. Speaker, since joining the open government partnership, Ghana has achieved notable results through the open government partnership platforms.

[00:37:49]This include the passage and operationalization of the right to information act 2019 act 989, the establishment of a public beneficial ownership register, reforms in the public financial management driven by the public accounts committee and audit report commitments and the strengthening of open data initiative in sectors. such as health, education, and the extractives.

[00:38:24]Around half of the commitments in Ghana's last concluded action plan achieve moderately early results with progress particularly evident in access to information sorry access to information and corporate transparency.

[00:38:43]This parliament of Ghana has also been a significant player in the country's OGP efforts following the launch of an open parliament action plan the establishment and of an open government partnership caucus in parliament an open parliament steering committee co-chared by Mr. speaker himself and a representative from civil society as well as an open parliament working group that comprises of senior staff of parliament and working in consent with collaborators from civil society organizations right honorable speaker Ghana's participation in the open government partnership has also gained continental and global recognition at the 2023 open Government Partnership Award held during the Open Government Partnership Global Summit in Talen, Estonia. Ghana won the African regional award in the national category for its commitment on public accounts committee and audit report cited as the inspirational reforms for enhancing accountability and transparency.

[00:40:01]Additionally, Tawwan Municipal Assembly and OGP local member was recognized in the local category for its youth entrepreneurship and women empowerment program. In 2021, Ghana's open data initiative implemented in 2013 received the OGP impact award for innovation such as I quote where my money day unquote and the online blood bank of Ghana.

[00:40:38]Recently at the African Open Government Partnership Conference held in Rabbat, Morocco, Ghana was touted for its open parliament tenants and and as a country working to mainstream open government partnership across the state. Ghana is building an ecosystem that connect national reforms with parliamentary openness, local innovation, civil society engagement and citizen participation.

[00:41:09]Mr. Speaker, while these achievements are commendable, sustained progress requires renewed commitment. I therefore call on this August house and the executive on this occasion of open government week to one provide adequate financial and political support for the full implementation midpoint refresh of the fifth national action plan and OGP in its entirety in Ghana. Two, strengthen parliament institutional role in the open government partnership process through open government parliamentary caucus.

[00:41:53]The open parliament action plan and the open parliament steering committee which under the opices of Mr. Speaker is working towards providing an extensive briefing of committee of the whole on OGP in the coming days.

[00:42:12]Three, deepen multistakeholder engagement to ensure consultations extend beyond ACRA and reflect the voices of citizens of all the regions.

[00:42:25]Four, prioritize the passage and implementation of impending legislative commitments such as the community service bill 2026, legislative instrument to operationalize the following act, the right to information act 2019, act 989 and the fisheries and aquaculture act 2025 act 1146 to concentrate the gains in transparency and accountability.

[00:42:53]Mr. Speaker, the open government partnership remains a valuable platform for Ghana to deepen democratic governance and restore public trust. It is imperative that we treat this implementation not as a donor-driven project but as a national reform agenda owned by the by parliament, the executive and the people of Ghana.

[00:43:19]Right honorable speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity.

[00:43:29]>> Members statement made and now to the leadership. How many contributions are we taking from each side?

[00:43:39]>> Speaker, we pray that we do two including leadership.

[00:43:45]>> Very well. The floor is now open.

[00:43:49]Yes, Honorable Bama, you have the floor.

[00:43:54]>> Thank you very much, Right Honorable Speaker, um for the opportunity to contribute to this statement a made by our minister.

[00:44:05]Mr. Mr. Speaker, ordinarily um open government partnership is a very important concept in terms of how governance is supposed to play its role in the socioeconomic development of the country.

[00:44:23]Um the history behind the open government partnership dates back to about 15 years ago when nations um took that position that there should be a form of inclusiveness, transparency and accountability between the state and its citizenry.

[00:44:44]It is refreshing for the purposes of record that Ghana has signed on to this open government partnership. But it is not about rhetoric. It is about whether truly in its intent and purposes we are experiencing, practicalizing and seeing the benefit of an open government initiative. We sit here in parliament, Mr. Speaker, issues happen on a daily basis on regular basis. When you ask for members and for ministers of state to come and brief this parliament of issues that concerns the people of Ghana, what do we say? Go and file your question, go and make a statement.

[00:45:30]Whilst for purposes of inclusiveness, accountability, the government on its own sleoto should be able to come to the house the august house of its people of its citizenry and give them information and brief them as to the happenings around the globe concerning the interest of its people.

[00:45:51]How many days and weeks and months have we been talking about the xenophobic attack in South Africa?

[00:45:57]Why should we be the ones calling on the minister to come and brief us?

[00:46:01]Doesn't the minister know that this is a matter of national importance that has to come and brief this house?

[00:46:08]So it is not just for purposes of saying open government partnership. We want to feel and see open governance in this country.

[00:46:16]We want to see government show accountability to its people.

[00:46:21]We want to see a situation where governance is not just a matter of what but we see it in action on a daily basis.

[00:46:30]Government should not pick and choose what it want to feed it citizens.

[00:46:35]Government should get a listening ear to know what it citizens want to also know from them. And this is what this house we have to stand up and be counted for.

[00:46:45]As a responsible opposition, ours is to call government attention to the concerns of the people of Ghana.

[00:46:53]As a people, our interest is to make sure that government stands up and make sure that it tells its people everything that happens. And that is why ministers of state are appointed.

[00:47:05]And so we cannot and this is a signal to leadership that the call for the minister of foreign affairs to come and brief this house on a xenophobic attack.

[00:47:15]It is late but it's better late than never.

[00:47:20]And so this house in conjunction with the statement that has been read, we agree that open government partnership Ghana have signed on to the honorable Bedra and the minister are doing well.

[00:47:33]But we should feel it. Government should know that it citizens want to hear them on what happens in this country. It citizens want to know on a regular basis the economies of this country. We talk about we talk about good macroeconomic indices. The people of Ghana are saying we don't feel it in our pocket. The minister of finance to come here and tell the people of Ghana something.

[00:47:57]The minister of finance has to meet the people, meet the citizenry and tell them and give them hope. The doomsaw issue.

[00:48:05]People want to hear something. Open governance is people coming to tell us, government telling us what you need to hear.

[00:48:12]>> Be reminded of the necessary order.

[00:48:18]>> Mr. Mr. Speaker, I'm guided. Mr. Speaker, I'm guided. But what I'm saying basically is that the concept of open government partnership. It's a government citizenry agreement.

[00:48:31]It is a government citizenry agreement.

[00:48:34]And so we expect government to engage the citizenry and make sure that at the end of the day the people of Ghana are briefed, are informed so that together we can build a better governance. With these few words, Mr. Speaker, let me thank you for the opportunity.

[00:48:52]>> Yes, Honorable Hamza.

[00:48:55]>> Thank you so much, Mr. Speaker, for granting me the opportunity to contribute uh to this very important statement. Mr. Speaker, the submission of my honorable colleague, honorable Yaama clearly shows that is not very conversant with the thinness of the OG caucus.

[00:49:22]The OP caucus was inaugurated by right honorable speaker uh in the last parliament. he wasn't here >> and the since then the right honorable speaker has provided strong support to the caucus to undertake a lot of activities.

[00:49:49]The caucus focuses on transparency, accountability, civil participation.

[00:50:00]And so the purpose since starting or hitting the ground has engaged a number of agencies, ministries and institutions to verify the extent to which they ensure or they enforce the tenets of this very uh important OGP and I must say that during the visitations by the caucus to the agencies a lot came up because we identified pitfalls within the agencies and institutions and what ought to be done to ensure that they enforce the tenets of the OGP.

[00:50:54]The some of the agencies didn't know that there's an important arm of government which is supposed to provide oversight uh responsibilities so far as uh transparency, accountability and citizen participation is concerned in the running of their activities and so uh OGP has been very instrumental uh in ensuring that ministries, agencies, institutions ensure that they take into account uh these very important um concepts. Mr. Speaker, I want to conclude by saying that the OGP since its inception has provided an interface for civil society organization in their participation in governance particularly in parliamentary uh discussions. uh hither to there wasn't an opportunity for civil society if they want to table uh issues important issues on the floor of parliament uh there wasn't an opportunity but since the establishment of the caucus the OGP caucus I mean has been engaging the civil society organizations and given them the opportunity to express their views we have given them the opportunity to uh reach out to us anytime they have very important uh issues that they want uh to pass to parliament and so since then the OGP has been working very closely with this civil society organization. So OGP has come to stay. I urge colleagues to all support so that we can continue to ensure that uh we have uh people institutions remain accountable. They allow citizens to participate and they ensure transparency in all that they do.

[00:53:01]I thank you, Mr. Speaker, for an opportunity.

[00:53:06]>> Minority leadership, >> speaker, I was just speaker, thank you very much for this opportunity and let me commend the makers of this statement uh this joint statement, especially the honorable minister, honorable leader Lami. Speaker, I've just been perusing the statement and I I see that there is a constitution of a body or a committee that is made up of a 20 member is is a membership of 20 and the minister happens to chair the committee. Speaker, I think the government or the basis of this OGP is to as it were involve the civil society and other public uh units or stakeholders in government activities and to virtually provide the necessary reforms or serve as a feedback for government on issues that matter. Speaker, but in recent times we have been confronted with the culture of silence to the to the extent that people are not even given opportunities to talk freely.

[00:54:26]Every time you get the opportunity to talk, you are gagged, you are intimidated, you are harassed, you are arrested, >> you are detained, you are there there's a massive unwarranted arrest within this country called Ghana as if we are reversing the criminal liel law which has been virtually amended. Speaker, as we speak, the last but one arrest that I remember and if that comes under uh sections 207 and 208 of the criminal offenses act.

[00:55:04]>> Honorable minority deputy minority people, are you speaking to commenting on the statement on the floor?

[00:55:12]>> Yes, speaker. Yes, sir.

[00:55:13]>> Guided accordingly, >> speaker. ment on the statement must not generate debate that is the guiding principle >> speaker I am talking about open governance and I'm making the point that as we speak now that is being derailed citizens are unable to comment the way they are supposed to because they are gagged and therefore I am now advising the chair of the committee that if she is mandated to push an agenda of open governance. One of the first things she has to consider is to push for free speech. Speaker, this is not a departure from this statement.

[00:55:57]All I'm asking for is that let us push for free speech. Let there not be culture of silence. Let government and a committee be a platform for feedback that when a citizen finds the need to cons >> who has been arrested and what was the basis of the arrest? I came in to say be mindful of the order I can give you an example you use.

[00:56:19]>> Speaker I can give you an example.

[00:56:21]>> It's because of that that's why I am adventing your mind to the rules.

[00:56:25]>> Speaker I am within the rules respectfully I am only >> and that clearly will generate debate >> or don't you agree with me >> speaker? No I don't respectfully speaker. All I'm trying to say that this is my comment as much as possible. This is a very important platform to get feedback for government.

[00:56:52]That is why you are involving CSOS. That is why you are involving all manner of stakeholders and that when you get the feedback don't let it be a basis for people to be arrested that we should encourage free speech speaker that to the extent if a citizen should be free to appear before this committee to say that madame madame honorable minister Dumsaw is back and there's judicial notice of Dumso being back that should be heard without any any form of arrest to the extent of even being incarcerated. Speaker, with all this said, I would urge you and your committee that governance is an inflow and outflow and both sides. Governance is an is a pipeline for things you do not have to hear. When you hear them, what you can do is to ensure that whatever the problems are, if it is a matter of galam say, if is a matter of dooms, let it get back to the president and fix him and that we can have our country in a very peaceful atmosphere. Speaker, with this I thank you for the attention.

[00:58:02]>> Yes, majority leadership.

[00:58:07]Speaker, may I yield the place of the majority bench to the honorable Bachmann.

[00:58:13]>> Very well.

[00:58:14]>> Thank you. You have the floor.

[00:58:15]>> Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, may I first commend the makers of the statement and also commend the right honorable speaker for putting together this caucus for this special project which we believe would help cement our democracy and make sure that we continue to be a beacon of democracy in Ghana. I heard the deputy minority whip talking about some people being arrested etc. But Mr. Speaker as a lawyer he knows that if you are a citizen of a state the constitution enjoins you to be disciplined. The constitution enjoins you to also act in a manner that is not detrimental to the peace of the state. We should act within the confines of the law and that every man is free but some wherever that person finds himself is to abide by the law. So you can't just go about haywire saying anything you want.

[00:59:30]>> Restrict yourself to the comment.

[00:59:31]>> Yes, Mr. Speaker. I'm trying to doveetail it within the the the confines of the statement that's what that was made. The statement is in line with ensuring that effective participation of the people in the state in governance is done.

[00:59:52]>> And that Mr. Speaker, every good policy, every good decision is that which all component units contribute to it. and that which if all component units are contributing to it, it means that our diverse ideologies, our diverse opinions are brought together for our mutual bene benefit. And Mr. Speaker, if that is done, if we allow people, we open up democracy, we open up governance for people to participate in it, these people can help in effectively implementing policies and decisions that we make. Otherwise they will see government as far away from them. But this is meant to bring government governance to the doorstep of the people. This is why I stand to commend the committee for the yman's job that they are doing and I encourage them that they should continue so that Ghana Ghana would continue to enjoy the mutual a concerted effort of all of us in building our state but not to condone irresponsibility not to condone people who just sit and open their mouth and think that they will have some politicians support them.

[01:01:11]We believe in democracy and we must support democracy. We must support good governance. We must support joint. We must support everybody participating in the betterment of our state. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker for the opportunity.

[01:01:30]>> Honorable members that brings us to the end.

[01:01:35]>> Speaker that >> humbly speaker humbly we >> statement. Yes speaker humbly we earlier prayed that there's another statement admitted but not advertised and it's a it's a commemorative one and incidentally the day is today so >> well majority chief whip >> yes yes >> you know my difficulty in these matters >> I know >> at conclave there has been some agreement >> yes Mr. And unless the two sides engage to vary that particular agreement, I'm unable to do so.

[01:02:12]>> Possibly.

[01:02:17]>> Mr. Speaker, I I so let me defer to my brother so that we take it to the 8.

[01:02:24]Let's take it and then we we'll brief you.

[01:02:38]M speaker um you know myself and the majority chief whip we are all wearing white today I don't know for what reason we don't actually and normally agree we don't but on this matter professor beo is the deputy minister who never was so I like listening to him and for that matter we will object to it if it is okay with you Mr. Speaker normally the uh process of >> are you are you in charge of appointment of deputy ministers >> but Mr. Speaker I said he is the deputy minister whoever was but Mr. If we want to go into this gray area, there are a lot of positions that have been lying idle for the past getting to a year. No substantive defense minister, no substantive environment minister.

[01:03:32]Meanwhile, you have other people more than 100 of your MPs are not. That's why they don't come to parliament because they will see that positioning that >> you have respect for our constitution.

[01:03:44]>> Mr. Speaker, >> I believe you have respect for our constitution.

[01:03:47]>> Mr. speaker without much I'm saying that >> what did article 58 says >> Mr. Speaker whatever the article 58 uh is telling us what I do know is that I'm a Ghanaian and we don't have a substantive defense minister that is what is on record >> within the meaning of article 58 you cannot complain >> Mr. Speaker >> executive power is vested in the presidents >> yes but Mr. And it is exercise the function that function in article 581 by 583 is performed either directly by the president or indirectly by a subordinate officer.

[01:04:32]So if that is what the constitution is saying does it lie in your mouth to say what you are saying?

[01:04:39]>> But Mr. What I do know is that we don't have a substantive defense minister and that is on record.

[01:04:46]>> So the president can choose to perform that function directly. That's what the constitution is saying.

[01:04:52]>> A care take minister is not a substantive minister of that portfolio.

[01:04:56]>> That is what the constitution is saying you to the >> Mr. Speaker this house vetted >> so finance minister for that position but not as defense minister. Let me let me read it for your understanding.

[01:05:35]Well, it says 1581, the executive authority of Ghana shall vest in the president and shall be exercised in accordance with the provisions of this constitution.

[01:05:49]itution.

[01:05:50]Two, the executive authority of Ghana shall extend to the execution and maintenance of the constitution and all laws made under or continued in force by the constitution.

[01:06:09]Three, particularly three, subject to the provisions of this constitution, the functions conferred on the president by clause one of this article may be exercised by him either directly or through officer subordinate to him. So what are we complaining about?

[01:06:35]Is the president operating outside the ambit of the provisions of the constitution?

[01:06:42]>> Mr. Speaker, what I do know is that the president of the republic of Ghana who we elected, he has that executive authority because we we voted for him to be the president of the republic. So in exercising that uh authority vested in him is by the people and for and for that madam Mr. Speaker, as a Ghanaian, I have the right to call on the president to appoint a substantive defense minister.

[01:07:11]>> So whether whether a caretaker minister or not, the president owe us a duty to also appoint a substantive minister.

[01:07:19]Sanjay is interested is interested and yet they are not been given the opportunity. H Vanderpur is there. He's interested.

[01:07:29]He's interested. Mr. Mr. Speaker, when I started speaking this, he was showing me his face, >> an indication that he really really want to be the defense minister.

[01:07:38]>> Mr. Speaker, we have a problem with this statement. I can go ahead and make the statement.

[01:07:44]Honorable members, before taking the statement, let me acknowledge the presence of student from our God is good school led by Mr. Daniel, a teacher. They are from any number 68.

[01:08:02]Then we have Danqua Methodist Basic School led by JL Christopher also a teacher and they are from Upper Dentura East. They numbered 64.

[01:08:19]Then we have Mana Kro Senior High School led by Dougbe Prince Lordson a teacher they are from Lower Mana constituency the number 65.

[01:08:32]We have brilliant consult led by Lord Bea coordinator.

[01:08:41]They are from Chrome the numbered 35.

[01:08:45]And finally Kindi care school led by Nana DOR supervisor from Ablum West the numbered 67. Honor members on your behalf I welcome all of them.

[01:09:02]to Parliament of Republic of Ghana and urge them to have a fruitful visit to Parliament.

[01:09:09]Yes, honorable may you you have the floor.

[01:09:21]Mr. Mr. Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to make a statement on the floor of this August House on a very important medical condition, preeacclampsia.

[01:09:34]Mr. Speaker, today the 22nd of May is marked globally as World Preeclampsia Day. The theme for this year is know her symptoms. Know her symptoms.

[01:09:50]This team calls on the entire society to be aware of the disease entity called preeacclampsia and be familiar with the symptoms so that we can protect our mothers, wives, sisters, daughters and indeed all women in the run up to this day and in recognition of the contribution of preeacclampsia to preventable able maternal debts. The World Health Organization, the WHO, convenia summit in Kegali, Rwanda from the 5th to the 8th of May 2026 under the theme aligning to end preventable deaths from preeacclampsia.

[01:10:42]I was invited as one of the 140 experts in this area of medicine globally and I wish to express my profound gratitude to the WHO for the recognition and the invitation and to the right honorable speaker and the parliamentary service for facilitating my participation in this important summit that sought to develop a road map to reduce preventable deaths from preeacclampsia.

[01:11:12]What is preeacclampsia and why does the medical community call on us to be aware of it today?

[01:11:21]Preeacclampsia is a hypertensive disorder in pregnancy that is associated with elevated blood pressure, protein in the urine and sometimes diseases in other organs in the body such as the liver, the kidneys, brain and more.

[01:11:42]It can proceed to a complication known as eclampsia when the woman develops convulsions and this often signals an immediate end to the pregnancy irrespective of the age of that pregnancy.

[01:12:00]This may result in the delivery of premature babies with reduced chance of survival.

[01:12:06]Mr. Speaker, according to the WHO, globally preeacclampsia affect 10 million pregnancies yearly with 50,000 to 76,000 deaths annually.

[01:12:21]Unfortunately, the burden of this is disproportionately high in low middle income countries including Ghana.

[01:12:33]These countries bear about 70% of the global burden. Mr. Speaker, this terrible condition is the second leading direct cause of maternal death worldwide and in Ghana. It is only second to bleeding conditions otherwise known as hemorrhage.

[01:12:55]in teaching hospitals in Ghana. In fact, preeacclampsia has overtaken hemorrhage as a leading reason why mothers die.

[01:13:05]The WHO estimates that a woman is affected by preeacclampsia every 6 seconds and every 13 minutes a woman dies from preeacclampsia somewhere on this earth.

[01:13:20]In fact, since I started addressing this August house, a number of women might have already died from this condition in some part of the world and their only crime is that they sought to give life to another human being. In other words, they were only trying to sustain the human race.

[01:13:43]Mr. Speaker, prayerclamsa occurs only in relation to pregnancy or rarely in a few days after pregnancy.

[01:13:54]Its exact cause is shrouded in theories and myths.

[01:14:00]It is generally believed in the scientific world that it results from abnormal placenta formation and the placenta is the afterbirth.

[01:14:11]Some risk factors include developing pre cancer in a previous pregnancy, maternal obesity, getting pregnant at the extremes of the reproductive age, that is if the woman is too young or too old at their first pregnancy, having concurrent renal disease while pregnant, diabetes and other co-orbidities in pregnancy. Mr. Speaker, like many medical conditions that steal life from their victims and from the hands of caregivers silently, which we call silent killers, preeacclampsia in early stages has no symptoms.

[01:14:58]It may only be diagnosed at that stage by elevated BP and protein in the urine.

[01:15:06]If undetected however and allowed to progress to severe disease, it may be associated with headache, pain in the upper abdomen, blood vision, convulsions and liver disease among others. Mr. Speaker, preeacclampsia is better prevented than treated. Regular antiatal care and complying with advice of the caregiver is one of the shest way to prevent preeacclampsia.

[01:15:37]And where prevention is not possible, we must ensure early diagnosis and management to prevent the complications and optimize outcomes of pregnancy for both mother and baby.

[01:15:51]Depending on the risk category of a woman, she may be prescribed some antiatal medications to help prevent preeacclampsia.

[01:16:01]In women with preeacclampsia with severe features, the medications with available at all times and in all is estimated at 234 maternal deaths per life beds and preeacclampsia is a significant contributor to stem the tide. The Ministry of Health and its agencies must ensure availability of medical equipment such as blood pressure monitoring machines, essential medical commodities and other diagnostics at all facilities.

[01:16:54]I want to commend highly the government for the recent retooling of health facilities as part of the free primary healthcare program.

[01:17:06]Health workers must also comply with national protocols and guidelines on hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.

[01:17:13]I call on the Minister of Health and implementing agencies to use the free primary health care program as a vehicle to improve maternal health especially preclampsia.

[01:17:28]Implementing districts should improve maternal. Implementing districts should identify women who develop hypertension in pregnancy and monitor them more frequently in the postpartum period because they stand a higher chance of developing chronic hypertension.

[01:17:48]Mr. Speaker, as one who previously trained doctors and healthcare workers, I can attest that our healthcare workers in this country are well trained to diagnose and manage this condition. We just have to encourage women who are pregnant to seek care. Mr. Speaker, let me inform the male partners that their involvement in antal care by visiting the clinic with their partners, reminding and encouraging them to take their medications have been proven to yield better pregnancy outcomes compared to unsupported women.

[01:18:32]Please men, let's get involved.

[01:18:37]And to my colleagues here and all men in the country, I say don't be a sperm donor, be a real dad by committing to the entire process. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

[01:18:53]>> Yes, statemently made.

[01:18:57]Deputy Majority Leader, >> what is the speaker? We have agreed to comment on the state. We have agreed to take two two if if there are people willing to comment >> very well the same thing including leadership or excluding leadership >> Mr. Speaker I think including leadership >> leadership okay >> very well honorable Koko Asanti you have the floor >> thank you Mr. speaker for the opportunity. I must commend uh my honorable colleague, the maker of the statement for raising this awareness about the clamsia. It's a very serious condition uh for pregnant women.

[01:19:43]If preeacclamsia is not treated as he indicated then it progresses to a clamsia which can be fatal.

[01:19:51]Not long ago, um, a few months ago, I gave a statement on maternal mortality, which is an alarming phenomenon that we're seeing in Ghana.

[01:20:03]Maternal mortality is the death of pregnant women either right before um, childirth or immediately after childirth.

[01:20:13]There was a three-year study from Kolibu Teaching Hospital back in 2020 in March 2025 which provided some data and the data was that out of 800 out of 100,000 live births 81 of them um concluded in the death of the mother or mother to be which is alarming if you compare it to the world the global other data from the other countries Germany for example it's four in a 100,000 live births and Ghana is 801 which is unacceptable.

[01:20:48]Hypertensive disorders accounted for over 40% of those maternal deaths followed by hemorrhage bleeding. Now these causes are well known. That's the sad part about it. Hypertension is well known from I don't know how many years we know my great-grandmother my grandmother they had hypertension. They lived to like 90 years old. So, these are well-known causes and yet we're still losing these young ladies and mothers from these causes that are totally preventable.

[01:21:23]That is a national tragedy.

[01:21:26]Eclamsia, preeclamsia, hemorrhage are all well known and can be preventable.

[01:21:34]We have hypertensive drugs we call maintenance drugs that are available and yet we're still losing mothers to maternal debt. Mr. Speaker, I think we need what we need is to strengthen our maternal health system, particularly our emergency obstetric care to prevent the avoidable deaths and safeguard the mothers, the lives of the mothers. No woman should lose their life in giving life. No woman should lose their life in giving life. And yet even if you look um even on social media, it's devastating.

[01:22:14]You see all these flyers of women dying from these uh from maternal death and most of it is preventable. We also have negligence by the way, but that's another story that I'll come up. I'll make a statement on that uh at some other time but these are preventable. So Mr. uh speaker I think that um we do need to strengthen um maternal health system particularly in the rural areas where reaching a hospital may be a little difficult. We need to strengthen that and make sure that we safeguard the lives of our mothers. This is not a woman's issue alone. It is a national tragedy and is the failure of our governance and it's the failure of our health system going on. We have the agenda 111 hospitals that are languishing in the woods. If we complete them, it would also go to help alleviate and prevent these maternal deaths. For example, in my hometown, Alabushu in the Atwa West, we have an agenda one one hospital that is 95 or more complete.

[01:23:22]I remember uh when the minister of health was here last year, I raised it and he didn't object. He didn't object.

[01:23:28]He said that yes, they were going to look at those hospitals that were at least 90% complete and would put funds aside to complete them. I have not heard anything yet, but uh I will put a question on that. I know uh Mr. Speaker is probably going to say that's not uh what we're talking about today, but it is related to this because the agenda 111 hospitals are supposed to to take care to be regional hospitals and to to basically help care for millions and millions of Ghanaians. And yet we have them uncompleted. I am witness to one in Abomusu WHERE IT'S ALMOST COMPLETE. The only thing that was left was the internal doors. Internal doors. And when I and when I when I got the data on what was left, it was about 1 million Ghana cities. 1 million Ghana cities. If I take a plate and go around the house, I'm sure that I'll get 1 million Ghana cities from members here. So is the NDC government telling me that they cannot put together 1 million Ghana cities to complete the Abomosu agenda 11 one HOSPITAL THAT IS SAD. We should not politicize certain things especially health education should not be polit.

[01:24:55]>> Thank you very much Mr. speaker and I commend our brother, Professor Beo Highly for the statement this afternoon.

[01:25:08]Mr. Speaker, it is sad to see a fellow woman lose her life because she want to give life. It's very, very sad. And this is a situation that we all must rise up as even members of parliament, the state, everybody to come on board to encourage our pregnant women to seek antiatal care when they are pregnant.

[01:25:37]Mr. Speaker, we all know that when a woman is pregnant, sometimes that woman is not hypertensive, but she develops it during the pregnancy. And this is something that um one might not be expecting.

[01:25:55]So when they seek health care, I think our regular checkups will help them be able to be diagnosed and then early treatments be given to such situations.

[01:26:10]Mr. Speaker, I am happy with the current government the current government efforts to make sure health care is accessible to the people. As we speak, cheap compounds are being built everywhere in the country so that health care will be accessible to our people. That is what we are all praying for. Mahama care has come to stay. Mr. Speaker, I'm also using this opportunity to plead with health caregivers, our doctors, our nurses who are refusing postings to rural areas.

[01:26:54]Mr. Speaker, it is sad and I'm using this opportunity to let the whole Ghana know that OT region about 23 25 doctors were posted to the OT region. only two single two accepted postings to the OT region.

[01:27:13]So our health caregivers both nurses and doctors I'm using this medium to plead with you our midwives when you before you enter into the the system you know that we have health care in every corner of the nation. It's not only cities that we have hospitals and clinics. So when you are posted to the rural areas, please accept postings.

[01:27:39]Everybody needs health care. We are pleading that you accept postings to these rural areas so that you'll be able to assist our women, not only women, all sick people. Mr. Speaker, it is time for us to give more education like our MPs.

[01:27:59]I'm pleading with my colleagues here present and all listening to me. Let's collaborate with the health workers to give more education on the importance of attending clinic regularly. Some women feel very healthy when they are pregnant. So they think all is okay.

[01:28:20]Until they go to the hospital to get checked, they wouldn't know that there is a problem. So I'm using this opportunity to plead with everybody to come on board NOS's foundations stakeholders everybody let's get in touch with our health workers to educate give our women our mothers regular education on the need to go to the hospital when you are pregnant so that the mortality rates will if not completely taken away it will be reduced Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier on, uh, in my constituency constituency, we lost a very hardworking, strong lady called Josephine Oay two weeks ago.

[01:29:14]>> Two weeks ago also um, she lost her life because of preclampsia condition.

[01:29:23]I use this opportunity to wish the family and the people good people of Baku uh condolences. May Josephine soul rest in perfect peace. I wouldn't like to hear any woman dying because of this condition. That is why I am appealing to everybody to come on board for us to work together to see how we can elimate eliminate this condition. Thank you very much, Mr. speaker for giving me the opportunity. Thank you.

[01:29:56]>> Yes, honor member. You have the floor.

[01:29:58]>> Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to comment on the statement. Mr. Speaker, this statement rightly points to a critical intersection which is the primary healthcare system of this country. Um, I'm referring to the chips compound system. Mr. Speaker, if you are paying more attention to the chip compound system, it will solve this problem problem of preeacclampsia because most women especially those in the rural areas do not get access to antiatal care and antiatal services and quite interestingly by the time they even move from where they stay to the healthc care center whatever would have happened would have happen.

[01:30:45]Mr. Speaker, we need to invest more in our health system, especially in our communities by making sure that we train community health um service providers so that they can check some of these things. For instance, a woman, a pregnant woman going for antiatal, the least she can have is at least get her BP, her her BP monitored, her urine protein checked and all these things so that at least we know that we are safeguarding our women. We are putting up a defense mechan mechanism as a first step to checking prey eclamsia. Quite recently, I had the opportunity to visit most of the chip compounds in my constituency. Mr. Speaker, I will interest you to know that in Faruruk room where we would say is quite urbanized, we have only four chip compounds serving 300,000 uh populates.

[01:31:39]We have an agenda 111 situated in the constituency to serve the constituency which is at 95% complete but as now has not been operationalized. During my visitation to these chip compounds, one of the key issues that came up, Mr. Africa is that most women who are pregnant come to the chip component sometimes they are lacking basic things for instance blood moni um pressure monitors um digital skills and all these things because they are lacking it the women come they see that these things are not there and then they move to other private hospitals which are quite expensive and sometimes because of the cost they even decide not to visit these hospitals for incidental care for that matter there are times they will even visit the chip compounds the nurses will start with them and at a point because there are no devices to check some of these things the women decide to stay home and not continue and these are the things that contribute to prayer clamsia because it's a silent killer Mr. Speaker a woman may be pregnant and might not even know that her blood pressure is high and by the time she's getting close to delivery things will get out of hand and she's rushed to the hospital and the doctors cannot even save her save her life. So the issue is about re being intentional about healthcare. I side with my sister honorable Koko for saying that as a country we do not need to politicize healthcare. Whenever I speak about these things I become passionate and emotional. It is about time that we invest in health care so that we know that some of these issues like prayer that is a a killer dis a killer for women our pregnant women will be solved and lived in the bad and then we will have a safe a a healthy um community a healthy people and um to to help develop this nation Mr. Speaker on that note I'd like to end here. Thank you very much.

[01:33:38]Yes, >> I'll give you the floor.

[01:33:43]>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to this statement. Let me also add my voice to commend my brother Prof. Beu uh for making this statement. I am not surprised uh he's been a leader in this area in this country and one of the outstanding healthcare professionals.

[01:34:03]uh that is why I'm not surprised you invited to the conference and out of it you have made this statement. Uh this is a a major problem affecting our healthare system in this country but uh we'll take a practical approach to it.

[01:34:18]I have have some time with the healthare system at least over a decade working around hospitals in the upper west region. So I have a practical and firsthand understanding of what is happening within that area of healthcare.

[01:34:35]Foremost we all agree that bleeding and preeacclampsia are the key causes of maternal mortality. So if you are able to deal with preeacclampsia alone, we dealing with a greater part of the problem. So we can keep doing all the interventions we want to do to deal with maternal mortality. But if we don't come back, sit back and look at these key causes, we will not achieve the results we want to achieve.

[01:35:02]Dealing with preeacclampsia, the challenge is that usually there are no symptoms in the early stages. And once there are no symptoms in the early stages, there's no way some action can be taken. So the best approach is what?

[01:35:16]Prevention.

[01:35:17]And the only way prevention can work is when people have access to the healthcare. So we talking about healthare to the facil access to healthcare facilities availability of the equipment capacity of the health care providers to provide this particular service and then we talk on the other side that is the demand part of the community to healthcare services.

[01:35:42]My brother said something wonderful. To deal with this problem, we must go back to deal with the chips system and the health centers that we have in rural Ghana because to prevent the only way is early detection and early detection can only be done when people assess the health care. So you don't assess healthare we can't do early detection and there's data to show that over a third of pregnant women do not assess health care in the first trimester that is within the first 12 weeks or put it first 3 months and that is the best time for the healthcare providers to do an intervention if there's likely or the potential of preeacclampsia and there are several reasons one the healthcare facilities may not be available We may have challenges with equipment but there are also cultural issues. We know in some communities women who are pregnant will not avail themselves to healthcare facilities until the pregnancy is visible.

[01:36:47]They may even have to go through some cultural practice before they can access a healthcare facility.

[01:36:52]So when you edge into the second and some of them they only assess the facility probably when they delivering and if there are challenges like this you will not detect them. I have been associated with this matter.

[01:37:08]Family members have lost uh babies because of preeacclampsia and it's a serious matter but I think that our focus should be on access and early access to healthcare and we cannot do that without emphasizing on the chief system. You know there's a provision for every community health nurse or officer to do home visits and do outreach services. So even when the health facility is not so close to the people but the community health officer is supposed to go into the community spend 3 days of a time doing home visits and then outreach services and by doing that we're able to bridge the gap of the access but we also need to what build the capacity of the community health officer to be able to do this provide the nursing logistics the motorbikes the fuel the BP apparatus the uh skills for them to provide this particular service. So we need to look at both sides of it. The access point of it such that people should know and be educated to know that the best way to have a healthy pregnancy is for you to visit the health facility or assess antal care in the first trimester. If you are lucky to know that in the first 3 4 weeks you are pregnant you must assess service and if there's a potential of preeacclampsia it can be detected by the healthare providers but if you go in the later stages of the pregnancy is unfortunate and at that time you will be at a stage where they may not be able to manage the condition and then it will turn to ecleia and then we may lose the the the mother and the child as well. So there are several factors.

[01:38:58]Your time is up. Yes. Minority leadership.

[01:39:09]>> Please. Let's do the right thing.

[01:39:13]Speaker, thank you very much for calling my attention. Speaker, I I yield to my colleague very well.

[01:39:18]>> Thank you so much.

[01:39:21]Thank you very much right honorable speaker for the opportunity to comment on the statement a made by professor titles beayu Mr. Speaker, very timely information for us as a country because we are all product of women.

[01:39:46]Any of us could have fallen casualty of what is being discussed pre-climsia if care was not taken or we were not able to assess a medical facility that could cure the challenges and the issues that comes with preeacclampsia.

[01:40:05]The cause is very much known if you read the statement. This is more of a pregnancy related issue and once a woman gets pregnant and some of them develop this disease because of hypertension matters that comes with it.

[01:40:25]And so I wouldn't want to go much into the cause because you can't help it. It comes as an issue.

[01:40:34]The question is how prepared have we been as a country to set the necessary health facility infrastructure to provide some safety and comfort for the Ghanaian people including unfortunately the loss that we've encountered at Bakua.

[01:40:56]Can you imagine if Madame Joyce, if I got it right, lives today to take care of herself and her children and the impact that this death has caused to the family.

[01:41:10]Mr. Speaker, we've talked about provision of chips compound. Yes, included in the government directive for the district assemblies is for them to use some portion of the common fund to build chips compound. But what do you get out of building a chips's compound when you don't have the medical officers, the nurses to run it for you?

[01:41:35]Mr. Speaker, we are throwing figures around that currently the unemployed nurses stood around 30,000.

[01:41:43]But the minister for health made a very revealing disclosure that we have over 70,000 nurses who remain unemployed in this country.

[01:41:55]We are spreading chips compound across the country but we have not looked about the provision of nurses to run these chips compounds.

[01:42:06]A government started agenda 111 to also bring every district every district to speed with at least one medical facility.

[01:42:18]Government is a continuum.

[01:42:21]What is the priority of government in making sure that these health facilities are completed and manned?

[01:42:32]So we are having a very important conversation about health provision but our commitment is not there.

[01:42:41]You put your eggs where it matters most.

[01:42:45]Check the budget of the Ministry of Health in 2025 and how much was released for goods and services. Mr. Speaker, less than 35%.

[01:42:58]This year we increased the ministry of health's um budget to almost 11% of the total revenue.

[01:43:08]We are yet to hear from the minister as at the end of quarter 1 how much has gone in there.

[01:43:14]I visited my constituency in Quim that's hospital which sits in I met the medical practitioners the the director of health releases for them releases to the ministries under the NHIS it has not gone for 2026 my colleagues are here ask them the hospitals that are in their communities and districts whether releases to take care of these things are THERE MR. SPEAKER THEY ARE not and so wager the wager gawi specialist children's hospital fully completed yet not operationalized so we plead this is a clarion call the government should make sure that we move away from the talk and deliver to the good people of Ghana because if you don't complete them the next MPP government under his excellency Dr. Muhammad Ba will complete the agenda 111 for you >> and will make sure that HE WILL PROVIDE BETTER QUALITY BECAUSE WE'VE done it before. President Kufur gave us the free maternal health and people delivered all the people in their 30s and 40s. Mr. speaker.

[01:44:35]>> Yes, majority chie Ben. But honorable members, if we keep on making the point that comment on statement must not generate debate and you are in the habit of doing that, don't be surprised when you get on your feet and you are ignored.

[01:44:55]If you fail persistently to listen to a guidance within the rules, that is what is likely to happen to you.

[01:45:06]You may not catch the eye of the speaker. Yes.

[01:45:11]>> Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, um leadership will yield to honorable Baba Jamaal who has been eager to make a contribution to this. Thank you.

[01:45:20]>> Yes, Honorable Baba Jamaal. You have the floor.

[01:45:24]Mr. Mr. Speaker, thank you very much for this opportunity and I also thank Professor Titus for this statement and I'm I'm very happy this statement is made by a man.

[01:45:41]It also have the team know her symptoms.

[01:45:48]This tells us that men must get involved with their wives, their daughters in terms of their pregnancy and delivery process.

[01:46:01]I think that it is very important that we men we should know how our wives develop in terms of their pregnancy because they need men psychologically to protect them and encourage them in situations like that. And I'm that's why I'm happy a man made that statement because when we talk of mortality h rate or when we talk of if you look at the number that professor has given us 2 3 4 in 100,000 that is unacceptably high and we as a country we need to do something about it. But sometimes some of this mortality that happens also depends on the type of care the woman receives at home both psychological and physical. As a lawyer, I have witnessed some cases where women who gets those who enter into those situations are as a result of abuse from the home.

[01:47:09]We must say it clear and encourage men to take more care about their wives and in the house especially when they are they are pregnant. You should be able to tell her when she's supposed to go to e hospital. You should be able to tell her when you have seen some symptoms that are good. Encourage her.

[01:47:34]You should be able to let her feel at home when she is pregnant. I am saying this because I feel God created the two of us male and female and gave that responsibility to a woman to ensure the continuous existence of all of us on this planet earth and it is our responsibility as other side because we donate the sperm and for that matter we must ensure that the sperm is properly taken care of until it becomes life and comes to this So I am very very happy that a man made this statement and all of us as men I'm not saying that the woman don't have their responsibility some women also tend to be a bit careless when they are pregnant feeling that they are okay they won't go to anta even when the man pushes her head to go she won't go but I think that we men have to do more to ensure that when a woman is pregnant and she's under your care you give her all the necessary attention, all the necessary love and care so that in her spirit she knows somebody is with her. In her spirit when she even going to the hospital to deliver, you will see that she goes in high spirits and she will come out with that a life we all want to see. Let me also say that in in my concern when we talking about this chip centers and whatever my concern for example look at the whole of Eastawasu we don't have even one chip center let me make it clear even one and that's why I commend the e the the nurses and the midwives and the doctors at Nemo public this year we have only witnessed one mortality e death pregnancy death one from January to now you know the rate of birth in my constituency so it's very commendable and I commend the people in the Nema poly clinic for what they have done so far because that's the only hospital in my in in in my one part of my conu but I want to indicate that we must all commend the government for the little that is doing to improve health services here we must all be Because this talk about agenda 111 or whatever some will testify that agenda one even the project it is only this government that in sending money 80% of the district assembly fund to the district has directed that 20% of it or more should go into legacy projects and it includes health projects and it which must all at a point if it's commendable let's commend the government so that we encourage it to do more and I think I want to encourage just recently look at the number of health workers that the government has >> members that brings us to the end of his statement and deputy majority leader >> thank you Mr. Speaker Mr. Speaker, I think uh we have uh finished the business uh for today, but we've been here for less than 5 hours. So, I will want to move a motion that uh we bring proceedings to an end and agend for today until Tuesday midday.

[01:51:13]Thank you.

[01:51:15]>> Yes. Motion move for agendment. Any second?

[01:51:19]I second the motion.

[01:51:22]We pray we pray that we come back on Tuesday at 12.

[01:51:28]>> Yes. Motion move and seconded because Wednesday is a holiday and people are likely to travel. The proposal by the business committee is for us to see it at 10:00.

[01:51:58]However, if it is a sense of the house, I be varied to 12:00.

[01:52:08]Speaker, respectfully >> 12 is 12.

[01:52:12]>> Let it be 12.

[01:52:13]>> 12. We have been confronted especially in leadership when we are given time and we come we wait and wait and wait and then you will tell us that the other paper is not ready. The big problem >> yes >> is that the business the statement the business statement has been adopted by the house and clearly the 10:00 has been indicated so to now say what has been adopted by the house should be varied in seconding a motion for agendment honor members I think will not be fair to ourselves Motion moved and seconded.

[01:52:59]And there be no further issue. I'll put a question. As many as are in favor of the agendment say I. I.

[01:53:07]>> Those against say no.

[01:53:09]>> The eyes have it.

[01:53:12]The house is accordingly agend Tuesday 26th of May 2026 at 10:00 in the afternoon.