Debate in Parliament nearly marred

Page 15, Dec 18, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE debate on the 2010 budget estimates for the Ministry of Roads and Highways was nearly marred when the sector Minister, Mr Joe Gidisu, and his predecessor, Dr Richard Anane, engaged in heated arguments on the floor of Parliament on a $83 million loan contracted by the former government to pay what was owed to road contractors.
The loan was contracted from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) by the Ghana Road Fund (GRF).
But the sector minister questioned what his predecessor had used the money for and that did not go down well with Dr Anane, who sprang to his feet and challenged the basis of the minister’s assertion.
“Mr Speaker, I challenge the minister to produce documents to indicate whether the loan was not used for the purpose for which it was contracted,” he said, and called for the withdrawal of the allegation if the minister had no documents to support his claim.
He maintained that the loan had been used for the purpose for which it was contracted and called on the minister to properly check his records before making such an assertion in public.
Mr Gidisu’s assertion was in reaction to a statement made by the Ranking Member on the Roads and Highways Committee, Mr Samuel Obodai, who called on the government to take measures to pay arrears owed contractors.
In his reply, Mr Gidisu wondered why Mr Obodai should blame the government for the non-payment of the arrears when he knew that a sizeable portion of the debt had been inherited from the previous administration, during which he (Obodai) was the Chairman of the Roads and Transport Committee of Parliament.
Although the First Deputy Speaker, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, who was in the chair, ruled that Mr Gidisu should withdraw his comment which questioned what the loan had been used for, the minister maintained his assertion and refused to withdraw.
He, however, explained that as a result of the servicing of the loan, it had become difficult for the ministry to use proceeds from the GRF to pay debts owed contractors as expected.
But when Mr Adjaho told him that he would not change his ruling, Mr Gidisu softened his stance and withdrew his comment.
The report of the Parliamentary Committee on Roads and Transport, signed by its chairman, Mr Michael Boampong, indicated that the ministry had planned to rehabilitate the Buipe-Tamale section.
The ministry would also expand the electronic tolling of roads, intensify the implementation of the law on axle load limit and also explore the public-private partnership scheme in financing, constructing and managing road infrastructure.
An amount of GH¢352,129,718 was finally approved by the House for the services of the ministry for 2010.