IN THE THIRD SESSION OF THE SEVENTH PARLIAMENT
OF THE FOURTH REPUBLIC OF GHANA
ORDER PAPER
FOR THE THIRD SITTING OF THE FIRST
MEETING OF PARLIAMENT
Friday 15th Febraury, 2019
BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT OF PUBLIC BUSINESS
1. PRAYERS
2. CORRECTION OF VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND OFFICIAL REPORT
3. BUSINESS STATEMENT FOR THE FOURTH WEEK
(Chairman, Business Committee)
4. QUESTIONS
*495. Mr. Simon Acheampong Tampi (Tatale/Sanguli): To ask the Minister for Health why the N.H.I.S. Office in Zabzugu District, which is serving the two districts of Zabzugu and Tatale/Sanguli, is not registering new entrants of the Scheme for the past four (4) months.
*496. Mr. Alexander Roosevelt Hottordze (Central Tongu): To ask the Minister for Health when the Mafi-Kumase Health Centre, which has a very large catchment area, will be upgraded to a polyclinic.
*497. Dr. Sebastian Ngmenenso Sandaare (Daffiama/Bussie/Issa): To ask the Minister for Health how ready the public health system is to prevent Ebola epidemic in the country.
*531. Mr. Mohammed Abdul-Aziz (Mion): To ask the Minister for Health when the Ministry will open the University of Ghana Medical Centre to the public.
5. STATEMENTS
AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF PUBLIC BUSINESS
6. MOTION
That this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Committee of the Whole on the Proposed Formula for Distributing the District Assemblies’ Common Fund (DACF) for the Year 2019.
(Chairman of the Committee)
7. MOTION
That this Honourable House adopts the Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Performance Audit Report of the Auditor-General on the Disposal of Government Vehicles by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Ghana Health Service.
(Moved on Thursday, 25th January, 2018 by the Hon. Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Mr. James Klutse Avedzi and seconded by the Hon. Member for Fanteakwa South, Mr. Kofi Okyere Agyekum)
8. MOTION
That the Right to Information Bill, 2018 be now read the third time.
(Attorney-General and Minister for Justice)
9. PAYMENT SYSTEMS AND SERVICES BILL, 2018
- At the Consideration Stage
i. Clause 23 – Amendment proposed – Add the following new
paragraph:
“(b) the person is authorised to conduct electronic transactions under the Electronic Transactions Act, 2008 (Act, 772)”
(Mrs. Ursula G. Owusu-Ekuful)
Debate to continue
ii. Clause 24 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (2), add
the following new paragraphs:
“(h) a valid authorisation or license obtained from the National Information Technology Agency or any entity authorised by law to authorise electronic transactions;
(i) a valid authorisation or license obtained from the National Communications Authority or any entity authorised by law to authorise electronic communications service.”
(Mrs. Ursula G. Owusu-Ekuful)
iii. Clause 24 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (4),
paragraph (a), sub-paragraph (ii), delete and insert the following:
“the applicant or any of its significant shareholders has been convicted of a crime involving a financial transaction in any jurisdiction within the past ten years;”
(Chairman of the Committee)
iv. Clause 24 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (4),
paragraph (c), line 2, delete “ten” and insert “thirty”
(Chairman of the Committee)
v. Clause 24 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (4),
paragraph (e), delete and insert the following:
“the Bank of Ghana on reasonable grounds is convinced that the applicant is incapable of performing the functions under this Act”
(Chairman of the Committee)
vi. Clause 25 – Amendment proposed – Add the following new
Sub-clause:
“(2) The Bank of Ghana may close down the electronic money business of a person who engages in electronic money business without a license”
(Chairman of the Committee)
vii. Clause 28 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (8), line 2,
delete “Court of Appeal” and insert “High Court”
(Chairman of the Committee)
viii. Clause 29 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (2),
paragraph (c), line 1, delete “eighty” and insert “ninety”
(Chairman of the Committee)
ix. Clause 32 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (2), line 2,
after “stipulated” insert “by the Bank of Ghana”
(Chairman of the Committee)
x. Clause 34 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1), line 1,
delete “where applicable”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xi. Clause 34 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (2),
paragraph (g), line 2, delete “irregular” and insert “suspicious”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xii. Clause 34 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (9), delete
and insert the following:
“A network service provider shall notify the Bank of Ghana and electronic money issuers on the network of that service provider, seven days before the network service provider engages in an activity that may result in the unavailability of electronic money service delivery by the network service provider.”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xiii. Clause 35 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (6), line 1,
delete “in all instances” and in line 2, delete “where necessary”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xiv. Clause 37 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
paragraph (a), line 1, delete “mixed” and insert “comingled”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xv. Clause 37 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (4), lines 2
and 3, delete “ninety-one day Government Treasury Bills” and insert “short term Government Instruments determined by the Bank of Ghana”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xvi. Clause 38 – Amendment proposed – Add the following new
sub-clause:
“(5) No technology platform shall be outsourced without the prior written approval of the National Information Technology Agency.”
(Mrs. Ursula G. Owusu-Ekuful)
xvii. Clause 40 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1), line 2,
at end, add “in conjunction with the authorised national agencies responsible for electronic transactions and electronic communications.”
(Mrs. Ursula G. Owusu-Ekuful)
xviii. Clause 41 – Amendment proposed – Head note, before
“Information” add “Submission of”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xix. Clause 41 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
paragraph (d), delete “where applicable” and insert “approved and certified by the National Cyber Security Centre”
(Mrs. Ursula G. Owusu-Ekuful)
xx. Clause 41 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clauses (6) and
(7), delete and provide as the following new Clause:
“Requirement for Material Change
42. (1) An electronic money issuer or payment service provider who intends to introduce a material change or enhancement in the electronic money issuance or provision of payment service shall
(a) seek approval of the Bank of Ghana, and
(b) give notice in writing to the Bank of Ghana thirty days before the proposed implementation of the change or enhancement.
(2) An electronic money issuer or payment service provider shall seek the prior approval of the Bank of Ghana where the electronic money issuer or payment service provider intends to
(a) transfer more than fifteen per cent of the shares in the electronic money or payment service business; or
(b) introduce material changes in the payment service that alters the scope of the service, including new service capabilities or change in technology service provider.”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxi. Clause 42 – Amendment proposed – Paragraph (e), line 1,
delete “authorised”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxii. Clause 42 – Amendment proposed – Add the following new
paragraph:
“(h) consumer satisfaction surveys”
(Mrs. Ursula G. Owusu-Ekuful)
xxiii. Clause 43 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1), line 3,
at end, add “which shall be certified by the National Communications Authority”
(Mrs. Ursula G. Owusu-Ekuful)
xxiv. Clause 44 – Amendment proposed – Head note, delete
“account”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxv. Clause 44 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1), line 1,
delete “account”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxvi. Clause 44 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (2), line 1,
delete “account”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxvii. Clause 44 – Amendment proposed – Add the following new
sub-clauses:
“(3) Any data generated via their usage of any Payment System will be owned solely by the account holder of the data generated by his or her usage.
(4) Electronic money account holders will have the right to provide consent to any government institution which is collecting usage data for the purpose of compliance. The format of the processed data must be clearly identified to the account holder at the time of consent.
(5) Electronic Payment Operators shall not make use of the usage data of account holders for any purpose other than that provided by the payment system without having received prior consent as stated in subsection (4).”
(Mrs. Ursula G. Owusu-Ekuful)
xxviii. Clause 45 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (2),
paragraph (d), line 2, delete “working”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxix. Clause 45 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (3), line 2,
delete “calendar”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxx. Clause 45 – Amendment proposed – Add the following new
sub-clause:
“(10) The Bank of Ghana shall within three days, resolve the complaint”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxxi. Clause 47 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (4), line 1,
delete “Subject to subsection (1)”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxxii. Clause 48 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
paragraph (b), line 3, after “information” insert “in conjunction with the legally authorized public institution under the Electronic Transactions Act, 2008 (Act, 772).”
(Mrs. Ursula G. Owusu-Ekuful)
xxxiii. Clause 48 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
paragraph (c), line 2, after “operated” insert “in conjunction with the legally authorized public institution under the Electronic Transactions Act, 2008 (Act, 772).”
(Mrs. Ursula G. Owusu-Ekuful)
xxxiv. Clause 49 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (2),
opening phrase, line 1, delete “systemic” and insert “system”
(Mr. Haruna Iddrisu)
xxxv. Clause 49 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
paragraph (a), line 3, at end, delete “or” and insert “and”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxxvi. Clause 49 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (3), line 1,
delete “may” and insert “shall”
(Mr. Haruna Iddrisu)
xxxvii. Clause 65 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
paragraph (a), at end, add “by a court”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxxviii. Clause 65 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
paragraph (b), at end, add “by a court”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxxix. Clause 65 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
paragraph (c), at end, add “by a court or a regulatory body”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xl. Clause 65 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
closing phrase after paragraph (c), line 1, delete “by a court”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xli. Clause 69 – Amendment proposed – Opening phrase,
delete “are to” and insert “include”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xlii. Clause 69 – Amendment proposed – Paragraph (a), at
beginning, delete “facilitate” and insert “facilitating”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xliii. Clause 69 – Amendment proposed – Paragraph (b), at
beginning, delete “provide” and insert “providing”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xliv. Clause 69 – Amendment proposed – Paragraph (c), at
beginning, delete “retain” and insert “retaining”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xlv. Clause 69 – Amendment proposed – Paragraph (d), at
beginning, delete “perform” and insert “performing”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xlvi. Clause 74 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1), line 2,
delete “at least twenty-one days”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xlvii. Clause 74 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (3), line 2,
delete “fourteen days before the effective date of the suspension”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xlviii. Clause 74 – Amendment proposed – Add the following new
sub-clause:
“(6) Despite subsection (1) and (3) the Bank of Ghana may suspend a participant from participating in the clearing house where it is in the public interest.”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xlix. Clause 75 – Amendment proposed – Head note, at end, add
“in clearing house”
(Chairman of the Committee)
l. Clause 79 – Amendment proposed – Closing phrase, delete
and insert “which is the subject of proceedings shall be admissible in evidence”
(Chairman of the Committee)
li. Clause 82 – Amendment proposed – Head note, at end,
delete “payment instrument” and insert “cheque”
(Chairman of the Committee)
lii. Clause 82 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (3),
paragraph (a), delete “high value” and insert “high-value”
(Chairman of the Committee)
liii. Clause 82 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (3),
paragraph (b), delete “limit based” and insert “limit-based”
(Chairman of the Committee)
liv. Clause 83 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (2), line 3,
after “Ghana” insert “in conjunction with the legally authorised public institution under the Electronic Transactions Act, 2008 (Act, 772).”
(Mrs. Ursula G. Owusu-Ekuful)
lv. Clause 83 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (4), line 2,
after “infrastructure” insert “in conjunction with the legally authorised public institution under the Electronic Transactions Act, 2008 (Act, 772).”
(Mrs. Ursula G. Owusu-Ekuful)
lvi. Clause 88 – Amendment proposed – Opening phrase, line
1, delete “(1)”
(Chairman of the Committee)
lvii. Clause 88 – Amendment proposed – Paragraph (d), delete
“bank mail to bank” and insert “mail to”
(Chairman of the Committee)
lviii. Clause 98 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1), delete
“in consultation with” and insert “acting on the advise of”
(Chairman of the Committee)
lix. Clause 99 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
opening phrase, after “Ghana” insert “in conjunction with the legally authorised public institution under the Electronic Transactions Act, 2008 (Act, 772).”
(Mrs. Ursula G. Owusu-Ekuful)
lx. Clause 99 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (2),
opening phrase, after “Ghana” insert “in conjunction with the legally authorised public institution under the Electronic Transactions Act, 2008 (Act, 772).”
(Mrs. Ursula G. Owusu-Ekuful)
lxi. Clause 99 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (2), add
the following new paragraphs:
“(h) participation in the clearing system;
(i) electronic financial services; and
(j) generally for the effective implementation of this Act”
(Chairman of the Committee)
lxii. Clause 100 – Amendment proposed – Interpretation of
“agency agreement” delete and insert the following:
“‘agency agreement’ means the contractual arrangement between
“(a) a principal and an agent,
(i) a master-agent and an agent,
(j) a principal and a master-agent
for providing banking or electronic money, payment services to end-users on behalf of the principal”
(Chairman of the Committee)
lxiii. Clause 100 – Amendment proposed – Interpretation of
“Bank of Ghana” delete
(Chairman of the Committee)
lxiv. Clause 100 – Amendment proposed – Interpretation of
“biometrics” delete and insert the following:
“‘biometrics’ means an art of identifying an individual based on some physical traits of that individual”
(Chairman of the Committee)
lxv. Clause 100 – Amendment proposed – Interpretation of
“designation” delete and insert the following:
“‘designation’ means the identification of a system that can pose systemic risk which the Bank of Ghana intends to supervise”
(Chairman of the Committee)
lxvi. Clause 100 – Amendment proposed – Add the following new
interpretation:
“‘Electronic Financial Service’ includes a medium of expanding financial assess through technological innovation”
(Chairman of the Committee)
lxvii. Clause 100 – Amendment proposed – Add the following new
interpretation:
“‘Ghanaian Company’ means a company which is incorporated under the Company’s Act, 1970 (Act 179) and which is wholly owned by a citizen of Ghana”
(Chairman of the Committee)
lxviii. New Clause – Amendment proposed – Add the following new
clause:
“Intra-agency cooperation
101. (1) The Bank of Ghana shall maximise efficiency for
the Government and to prevent duplication and waste, shall consult the Ministry of Communications and the National Information Technology Agency to utilise any existing electronic monitoring tools to perform any of the functions mandated by this Act.
(2) The Ministry of Finance, in exercising its responsibility for Financial Intelligence, may request information required from any Payment System and Service from the Bank of Ghana and the Ministry of Finance, and in consultation with the Ministry of Communications, may establish any monitoring tool deemed necessary for this function.”
(Mrs. Ursula G. Owusu-Ekuful)
lxix. New Clause – Amendment proposed – Add the following new
clause:
“Data collection and processing
102. (1) The Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Ghana are
authorised to gather data and process them in such a manner as will ensure proper supervision and compliance with this Act.
(2) Any Government institution which is collecting and processing such data currently or in the future must make such data available to the Bank of Ghana for the purposes of compliance with this Act.
(3) Any Government institution which is gathering or collecting data will be authorised to process the data in such manner as to ensure proper supervision and compliance with the requirements of this Act.
(4) Government institutions managing data collection platforms, for financial inclusion, with the prior consent of account holders under clause 44(4) of this Act, may make this information available to financial service providers.”
(Mrs. Ursula G. Owusu-Ekuful)
lxx. New Clause – Amendment proposed – Add the following new
clause:
“Systems Monitoring and Measurements
103. (1) The Bank of Ghana may establish a monitoring
system and interconnect this system with the payment system of an authorised institution for the purposes of monitoring and measuring the volumes of transactions processed by the payment system.
(2) The monitoring system to be established under subsection (1) shall not have any common usage or interconnect with any other system outside the banking sector except as may be necessary for the proper functioning and maintenance of the monitoring system.
(3) For the purposes of revenue assurance measurements, the Bank of Ghana shall provide relevant transaction records from its monitoring system to the Ghana Revenue Authority upon request.”
(Mr. Frederick Opare-Ansah)
lxxi. Long Title – Amendment proposed – Delete and insert the
following:
“An Act to amend and consolidate the laws relating to payment systems, payment services, and electronic money business, and to regulate institutions which carry on payment service and electronic money business and to provide for related matters”
(Chairman of the Committee)
10. CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF BANKERS (GHANA) BILL, 2018
- At the Consideration Stage
i. Clause 1 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (3), line 1,
delete “immovable”
(Chairman of the Committee)
ii. Clause 3 – Amendment proposed – Paragraph (a), delete
and insert the following:
“determine the standard of knowledge and skills to be attained by persons seeking to practice banking in the country”
(Chairman of the Committee)
iii. Clause 3 – Amendment proposed – Paragraph (d), redraft
as follows:
“(d) set standards and ensure the observance of the standards;
(e) maintain professional conduct among members of the banking profession in the country”
(Chairman of the Committee)
iv. Clause 3 – Amendment proposed – Paragraph (e), delete
and insert the following:
“evaluate and approve the curricula and certificates of other professional organisations considered by the Institute to be of equivalent status with the Institute”
(Chairman of the Committee)
v. Clause 3 – Amendment proposed – Add the following new
paragraph:
“(h) organise continuing professional development courses for members of the Institute as a condition precedent for the renewal of the practising certificate of members of the Institute”
(Chairman of the Committee)
vi. Clause 4 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
paragraph (a), line 1, after “Institute” delete all the words up to the end of the paragraph.
(Chairman of the Committee)
vii. Clause 4 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
paragraph (b), line 1, after “Institute” delete all the words up to the end of the paragraph.
(Chairman of the Committee)
viii. Clause 4 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
paragraph (c), delete and insert the following:
“one representative of the Bank of Ghana not below the rank of a Director”
(Chairman of the Committee)
ix. Clause 4 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
paragraph (d), delete
(Chairman of the Committee)
x. Clause 4 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
paragraph (g), delete “an” and insert “the”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xi. Clause 4 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
paragraph (h), delete
(Chairman of the Committee)
xii. Clause 4 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
paragraph (j), line 2, after “Institute”, add “at least two of whom are women”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xiii. Clause 4 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (3), delete
and insert the following:
“(a) exercise general oversight responsibility for the strategic direction of the Institute;
(b) consider proposals submitted by the Chief Executive Officer for review of the terms and condition of service of staff of the Institute; and
(c) ensure the proper and effective performance of the functions of the Institute.”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xiv. Clause 5 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (7),
closing phrase after paragraph (c), line 2, delete all the words after “appoint” and insert “another person for the unexpired term in accordance with this Act”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xv. Clause 6 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (3), delete
“seven” and insert “six”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xvi. Clause 8 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1), line 2,
delete “and” and insert “or”, and after “non-members” insert “or both”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xvii. Clause 9 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (2), delete
and insert the following:
“The composition of, procedures for the conduct of inquiries by, and the powers of the Disciplinary Committee shall be set out in the First Schedule”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xviii. Clause 10 – Amendment proposed – Delete
(Chairman of the Committee)
xix. Clause 15 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
paragraph (b), line 2, delete “determine” and insert “prescribe”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xx. Clause 15 – Amendment proposed – Add the following new
sub-clause:
“A body corporate is qualified to be enrolled as a Corporate member of the Institute if that body Corporate is the Central Bank or a financial Institution recognised under the Banks and Specialised Deposit-Taking Institutions Act, 2016 (Act 930)”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxi. Clause 18 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
opening phrase, line 2, after “is” add “qualified to be registered as”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxii. Clause 18 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1), delete
“(a) qualified to be registered”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxiii. Clause 18 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
paragraph (a), sub-paragraph (v), delete “honary” and insert “honorary”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxiv. Clause 20 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (2), delete
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxv. Clause 21 – Amendment proposed – Add the following new
paragraphs:
“(e) the member is not in good standing for a period exceeding three years;
(d) the member fails to pay the prescribed fees for a period not exceeding three years.”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxvi. Clause 22 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (2), delete
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxvii. Clause 22 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (3), delete
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxviii. Clause 22 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (5), delete
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxix. Clause 23 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1), line 1,
delete “keep”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxx. Clause 23 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (7), line 2,
delete “two daily newspapers” and insert “one daily newspaper” and in line 3, at end, add “and on the website of the Institute”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxxi. Clause 24 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1), line 1,
delete “may” and insert “shall”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxxii. Clause 24 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
paragraph (a), delete and insert the following:
“has been found guilty of professional misconduct as specified in the Fourth Schedule”
(Chairman of the Committee)
xxxiii. Clause 24 – Amendment proposed – Sub-clause (1),
paragraph (b), lines 1 and 2, delete “a period determined by the Council” and insert “a consecutive period of five years”
(Chairman of the Committee)
11. COMMITTEE SITTINGS
NOTICE OF COMMITTEE SITTINGS
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Date: Tuesday, 19th February 2019
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Venue: Committee Room 7W (West Wing, 7th Floor, Job 600)
Agenda: To consider the Additional Loan Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) for an amount of Seventy-Five Million Saudi Riyals (SR75,000,000.00) [equivalent to US$20.00 million) to finance the construction of additional facilities, supply and installation of medical equipment to the adjunct Clinical Block at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital in the Upper East Region.
COMMITTEE ON YOUTH, SPORTS AND CULTURE
Date: Tuesday, 19th February 2019
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Venue: Committee Room 7E (East Wing, 7th Floor, Job 600)
Agenda: To hold discussions with officials of the FIFA Normalisation Committee.
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Date: Wednesday, 20th February 2019
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Venue: Committee Room 7W (West Wing, 7th Floor, Job 600)
Agenda: To hold discussions with officials of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
SUPPLEMENT
ANSWERS TO PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS
*495. Mr. Speaker, the registration was down in June and August due to shortages of consumables. The National Health Insurance Authority had hoped to ride on the back of the NIA card and reduce its expenditure on consumables. However, it was realized that the shortages were affecting NHIA operations and quickly made a procurement to fill in the gap.
Currently the NHIS registrations are comprised of 80% renewals and 20% new registrations on average. We have an active membership of 10.45 million. With the launch of the new mobile money renewal innovation, we expect to considerably boost our numbers as the offices will be de-congested.
Please find attached the registration of new entrants of the Scheme over the last four (4) months in the Zabzugu/Tatale NHIS District Office.
Please find attached the registration of new entrants of the Scheme over the last four (4) months in the Zabzugu/Talale NHIS District Office.
*496. The Ministry of Health is aware that the population of Mafi-Kumasi and its catchment area has grown to approximately 6,000 persons and as part of our policy it will require a much wider service package than it has currently.
This means that the Health Centre need to be upgraded to a polyclinic so as to attract the required facilities and staff.
The Ministry has received proposals from a number of interested groups to develop health facilities. Mafi-Kumasi would be considered as soon as these proposals are concretized for implementation.
*497. Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Health/Ghana Health Service have been following very closely the Ebola virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which started in May this year and has resulted in 412 cases in including 236 deaths as of 26th November, 2018. Consequently, the Health Sector has been taking steps to strengthen systems and enhance capacity to prevent, protect against, early detect and adequately respond to any possible emergence of the condition or importation into the country.
We continue to build on the legacy of the capacity and systems developed during the massive and most widespread outbreak of Ebola virus disease in history, causing major loss of life and severe socioeconomic disruption in the West Africa sub-region.
Since the re-emergence of the Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo, we have specifically undertaken the following actions among others, as a Health Sector:
1. We have updated our preparedness and response plans with the following pillars:
- Enhanced surveillance (Epidemiologic and Laboratory Surveillance including contact management, quarantine procedures and Points of Entry Surveillance).
- Case Management including Case Isolation, Supportive therapy and Infection Prevention and Control practices.
- Social mobilization and risk communication
- Logistics and Finance Mobilization
- Coordination (At all levels – National, Regional and Districts)
2. We have sent alert to all the regions and districts with the aim to:
- Strengthen surveillance within the country and across the borders and all points of entry.
- Sensitize the health staff and create awareness in the general public with the caution not to create fear and panic.
3. All districts have the capacity to use the case definition to detect suspected Ebola virus disease and take the sample to the Reference Laboratory at Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research for confirmation.
4. There are trained teams in all the regions to handle Ebola virus disease.
5. The Treatment Centre at Tema is available for the management of confirmed case(s).
6. All Regional Hospitals and Teaching Hospitals had earlier been provided with support to have holding Isolation Units for suspected and probable cases.
7. District Hospitals have been given directive to reserve holding rooms for cases of suspected Ebola virus disease and other highly infectious diseases.
8. Surveillance at the Points of Entry has been enhanced Screening is routinely performed at these Points of Entry using walk-through and non-touch thermometers. Holding areas have been earmarked at the nearest health facility for case isolation and quarantine purposes.
9. Rapid Response Team (RRT) for Ebola, and other dangerous infections and hazards are available at the National level and to a large extent at the regions. We have a plan to roll-out the training of the RRT to zonal and all regions next year. We are doing these with the collaboration of CDC, WHO and other partners.
Trained Teams for safe and dignified burial are available at National level and all the regions have the capacity to conduct safe and dignified burial.
We have subjected our Public Health Emergency System to independent review using the World Health Organization (WHO) Joint External Evaluation (JEE) Assessment Tool. The results have been published at the WHO Website.
We have identified areas of strength and gaps and have initiated processes to use the recommendations to develop a National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) as part of core capacity development for the implementation of the International Health Regulation.
The plan has the following characteristics:
- One Health Plan (human, animal, environment)
- All hazard (biologic, chemical, radio-nuclear)
- Whole of government (all sector & agencies whose activities impact on Public Health) and Development Partners
- Completed narrative report of NAPHS process, costed Matrix and the Monitoring and Evaluation Plan.
- We have planned for higher level inter-Ministerial Advocacy meetings, sensitization of Parliamentary Select committee for Health and other Higher-Level-stakeholders
Mr. Speaker, as I conclude, I wish to indicate that, we continue to monitor the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo very closely, including the clinical trials on Ebola Vaccines and other medicines being used in the management of outbreaks. We will take advantage of these when need be.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to indicate that we are prepared as a country to a large extent, to respond to Ebola virus disease, and other public Health Emergencies.
*531. Mr. Speaker, the UGMC was opened to the public on 18th July 2018 for Specialized Out Patient services. Per the operationalization programme, the Centre was planned to be opened in various stages as follows;
- Setting up operational platforms for administrative/supporting logistical services and setting up of protocols including training – 5 months (July to December)
- Running of Outpatient Clinics – 4 months (January to April 2019)
- Commencement of In-patient services – April 2019 onwards
Further to the programme outlined above, the Ministry has been engaging in various activities towards fully opening the hospital without any major challenges.
The Ministry is engaging medical specialists for the various categories of services. Specialists already engaged as far back as 2015 were also employed with Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and other medical facilities which meant that their absorption directly to the UGMC could collapse these institutions. The Ministry therefore had to go through a process of seeking financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance to secure the services of medical persons not affiliated to any Government Institution.
Financial clearance for engaging medical and non-medical staff for the hospital has now been obtained from the Ministry of Finance to roll out the first batch of recruitments. The Financial Clearance received so far authorizes the UGMC to engage 130 medical and non-medical staff for the Centre. An additional 270 health professionals would be engaged in 2019.
Mr. Speaker, the initial financial clearance obtained in 2015 was domiciled with the University of Ghana under the Ministry of Education. This required that special arrangements needed to be made to transfer the financial clearance from the Ministry of Education to the Ministry of Health. This process also took a considerable amount of time but thankfully it has been resolved and the centre has started recruiting their own staff.
The procurement processes for outsourcing the laundry, kitchen ad cleaning services are ongoing. The Ministry of Health wrote to the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) to engage in a single-source contract for 6months due to the exigencies of the time and the need to operationalize the entire facility. However, PPA by a letter dated 13th September, 2018 declined the request and recommended the Ministry goes through bidding since the programme for operationalization was flexible to allow for competitive bidding. The Ministry’s Procurement directorate is in the process of completing the bidding documents to engage qualified firms to take up these services.
The Ministry is also finalizing the contractual arrangements for the completion of the phase II of the Centre. The hospital will become fully operational with the completion of this second phase. All documentation on phase II have been submitted to the Ministry of finance for the Value-for-Money Audit further to which the commercial contract can be signed for works to commence.
BEN ABDALLAH BANDA 
Business Statement for the 4th Week (19th - 22nd February, 2019)
PROCEEDINGS - PLENARY