ghananlpcommunity/ghana-gov-speeches-sentences huggingface dataset:
It is on the basis of this that we placed the Energy Sector Levy Bill before this august House in December 2015, and for which we received your gracious approval.
If we were to free the credit lines of the utility companies by ring-fencing and paying-off the legacy debt, we would be putting them back in a better position to provide us with reliable sustainable power.
As President, I did not take this decision lightly, knowing the implications for the budgets of many households.
It was, however, the only option available after all others had been evaluated.
Leaders sometimes are called upon to make tough decisions, decisions whose overall benefits outweigh their initial difficulties, and the Energy Sector Levy is one of those types of decisions I had to take.
It is a measure whose benefit will become apparent sooner rather than later.
I deeply regret any hardship this may have caused but if we are to fix our energy challenges permanently then this decision was absolutely imperative.
DIVERSIFYING THE ECONOMY (COFFEE) Mr.
Speaker, As part of efforts to diversify sources of national revenue as well as provide additional income to farmers, the Government, through the Ghana Cocoa Board, intends to increase Ghana’s annual coffee production from the current level of about 6,000 metric tonnes to 100,000 metric tonnes in the short to medium term.
Production of coffee in Ghana has been low, ranging from a peak of 6,700 metric tonnes in the mid-1960s to a low of 1,140 metric tonnes in 2009.
25 Government support for COCOBOD’s Pilot Coffee Rehabilitation Project instituted in 2010 resulted in a gradual increase in production to 6,000 metric tonnes by 2015.
Government is promoting coffee cultivation in areas considered as marginal for cocoa production.
Coffee thrives very well in areas with rainfall ranging between 1200-2000mm per annum but can also grow in areas with a minimum of 1000mm rainfall per annum with irrigation.
Parts of the Volta, Eastern, Central and the transitional areas of Ashanti and Brong Ahafo Regions such as Techiman, Wenchi, Bechem, Nkoranza, Atebubu, Kwame Danso, Drobo, Akomadan, Offinso, Jamasi, Mampong-Ashanti, Kete Krachi, Dambai are being targeted for aggressive promotion of the cultivation of coffee.
The Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana has developed high-yield varieties of coffee that, under good management, start bearing in 2-3 years after planting, with average yields of 2- 3 metric tons per hectare.
With a projected planted area of 100,000 hectares over the next six years, it is estimated that from 2021, about 100,000 metric tonnes of coffee can be produced annually which will subsequently increase to about 200,000 metric tonnes over the next decade.
Speaker, This year, five million improved, early maturing and high yielding coffee seedlings are being raised and supplied to farmers.
This number will be substantially increased annually to ensure that we achieve the 100,000 hectares of coffee farms in the targeted locations by 2021.
The efforts being made to increase coffee production will be backed with readily available marketing channels for farmers.
COCOA Mr.
Speaker, Let me state for the avoidance of doubt that this initiative will co-exist with the cocoa industry without sacrificing the interest of cocoa farmers.
To ensure long-term sustainability of cocoa cultivation in the country, Government through Ghana Cocoa Board has initiated a programme to motivate the youth to engage in cocoa farming.
This will reduce rural-urban migration, enhance incomes and livelihoods, and boost the rural economy.
The motivation package includes provision of effective extension support, free cocoa seedlings, free sulphate of ammonia fertilizers to boost early growth and establishment of cocoa, and enhanced access to the mass spraying inputs and fertilisers.
Since the programme was launched in 2014, over 30,000 youth have signed up in Ashanti, Central, Eastern, and Western regions.
Speaker, Government has rolled out programmes that will increase productivity of cocoa farms from an average yield of 0.5 tonnes per hectare to over 1.5 tonnes per hectare.
26 To renew the cocoa tree stock and increase productivity, Government has directed Ghana Cocoa Board to raise and distribute freely to cocoa farmers, improved hybrid cocoa seedlings.
During the 2014/15 season, 50 million cocoa seedlings were raised at 87 nursery sites and distributed free of charge to farmers.
For the 2015/16 season, the nursery sites have been increased to 331 to produce 60 million seedlings across the cocoa growing regions for free distribution to cocoa farmers.
The increase in the nursery sites is aimed at bringing the seedlings closer to the farming communities.
The seedlings production involved the engagement of 4,800 youth as casual labourers in the cocoa growing communities.
The 60 million seedlings, which is equivalent to 50,000 hectares of cocoa farms, will increase the existing cocoa plantations annually.
At the average output of 1.5 tonnes per hectare, an additional 750,000 metric tonnes will be added to Ghana’s cocoa output in the next 10 years.
To motivate cocoa farmers to boost output and encourage the youth to take up cocoa farming as a lucrative business, Government will continue to pay remunerative prices to farmers.
For the 2014/15 cocoa season farmers were paid GH¢5,600 per tonne including a bonus.
This price was increased by 21.4 percent to GH¢6,800 per tonne for the 2015/16 cocoa season, including a bonus.
During the 2013/14 season Government made it a policy to distribute fertilisers free of charge to cocoa farmers and also enhance the mass spraying programme to boost production.
As a result, for the 2015/16 cocoa season, 2.4 million bags of granular fertilizer and 1.6 million litres of foliar fertiliser have been procured for free distribution to farmers.
For the mass spraying exercise 1,500 tonnes of fungicides and 1.7 million litres of insecticides will be supplied to farmers.
Over 58,000 young persons in the cocoa farming communities have been engaged as sprayers for the programme.
Government appreciates the efforts made by Traditional Authorities and landowners by generously offering land to farmers who intend to engage in cocoa farming, especially the youth.
I would like to thank Nana Baffour Kwame Anim II, the Chief of Krodua, a town in the Eastern Region, for generously offering 500 acres of fertile land to 80 young men and women in Krodua to cultivate cocoa.
I wish to make a passionate appeal to Traditional Authorities and landowners to continue to offer land to persons interested in cocoa farming and other aspects of agriculture.
PALM Mr.
Speaker, Government intends to commence a new initiative in Palm Plantation.
Ghana is currently a net exporter of palm oil.
And yet we have the comparative advantage to produce vegetable cooking oils of all kinds for our own consumption.
We must reverse this situation.
It will 27 create countless number of jobs and provide raw material for countless number of uses.
We will consider the setting up of a Palm Development Board to supervise this project.
SHEA NUT Mr.
Speaker, The first shea nut processing plant with an initial capacity of 100 metric tonnes per day was established and commissioned in May 2012 at Buipe in the Central Gonja District of the Northern Region.
Arrangements are far advanced for the expansion of its capacity to 200 metric tonnes per day.
Government also plans to establish similar plants in the Upper East and Upper West Regions.
Since the inception of the Shea Board in regulating shea nut purchases, similar to what pertains in cocoa purchases, the price per bag of shea nut has increased from GHC28.00 in 2009 to the current price of GHC130.00 per bag, an increase of over 264%.
POULTRY Mr.
Speaker, Under the pilot phase of the Ghana Broiler Re-vitalisation Project, which was launched in July 2014, a total of 650,000 birds were raised, processed and sold by 2015.
This created 350 direct jobs and 7,800 indirect jobs for poultry farmers and the youth along the poultry value chain.
In response to my call for an increase in the local production of poultry and the reduction of high import dependency, a Project Technical Committee was set up to work closely with EDAIF to support poultry production and processing.
From 2014 to date, EDAIF has approved a total of GH¢14,972,802.92 for fourteen (14) farming companies/associations including the Greater Accra Poultry Farmers Association, Dormaa Poultry Farmers Association and Bole District Poultry Farmers Association.
Under the Ghana Commercial Agriculture Programme (GCAP), we are working to support large-scale production of maize and soya to feed the poultry industry.
When the programme is fully operational, maize and soya bean for livestock feed can be supplied at a cheaper rate to the benefit of Ghanaian poultry farmers.
40% REDUCTION IN POULTRY IMPORT Mr.
Speaker, Government’s policy of 40% poultry import reduction, which is currently underway, is creating thousands of jobs in the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions in the short term.
EDAIF is also enjoined to speed up disbursements to the poultry sector in order to boost production.
I have tasked the new Minister for Food and Agriculture to take stringent measures to ensure that the policy is strictly implemented.
28 I am once again calling upon the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to join hands with GHAPOHA and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to ensure strict compliance with rules and directives on this matter.
SHRIMP FARMING Mr.
Speaker, Government is supporting the establishment of a Shrimp Project to promote processing and production for export.
The project will start in June this year.
Production of fingerlings, laboratories, fish feed factories, production ponds, processing and marketing facilities will be located in parts of Greater Accra, Volta and Eastern Regions.
The project will create 76,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Production is projected at 30,000 metric tonnes and projected export revenue is between US$60million to US$200million.
29 EXPANDING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR GRWOTH Mr.
Speaker, This Government is implementing the biggest infrastructure development programme in our country’s recent history.
So much has been committed to delivering social and economic infrastructure in a relatively short span of time.
For decades, our people have had to cope with an unacceptably huge gap between what is required and what exists in terms of infrastructure.
Ageing, dilapidated and non-existent infrastructure has slowed down our economic progress.
The World Bank estimates that Ghana suffers an infrastructural financing gap of about US$1.5 billion per year.
Modern and expansive infrastructure lays down the building blocks for a more efficient and robust economy, spurring growth, enhancing the quality of life and living conditions of our people, optimising critical human development indicators, removing protracted sources of suffering for our people and creating jobs for the multitude of artisans and professionals whose livelihoods are guaranteed by working on such transformational projects.
The masons, carpenters, welders, steel benders, painters, plumbers, tillers, architects, draughtsmen, quantity surveyors, civil engineers, electricians, glazers, operators, drivers, labourers and others who are engaged by contractors to work on these projects, as well as, food vendors earn incomes through the work they do.
These incomes represent money that we put in their pockets to enhance their lives and those of their dependents.
The manufacturers and suppliers of building and construction materials, from whom purchases are made, earn money to sustain and expand their businesses and pay their employees.
The policy of an aggressive expansion of our infrastructure as captured in our Manifesto of 2012 cannot therefore be viewed through the narrow prism of brick and mortar provision.
It must be viewed within the wider context of the socio-economic benefits that come with it.
WATER Mr.
Speaker, In the water sector, the total water production and distribution system available in all the 52 years of our nationhood prior to 2009 was only adequate to meet the needs of approximately 52% of our people or approximately 14 million out of our current population of about 27 million.
This meant that a staggering 13 million suffered the deprivation of not having access to clean drinking water.
In the more remote parts of our country, the total lack of potable water meant that our citizens had to risk drinking water that likely carried water-borne diseases.
Some of the water sources were shared with their cattle and other livestock.
This situation had far- reaching ramifications for the general health and wellbeing of a large section of our people.
Speaker, 30 Since my last appearance before this august House, a total of 77.5 million gallons of water per day has been added to the national water production stock following the coming on stream of such water projects as the: !
Kpong Water Expansion Project Phase 1, !
Kpong Water Intake Rehabilitation Project, !
Accra-Tema Metropolitan Water Supply Project, !
Teshie Nungua Water Desalination Project, !
Nsawam, !
Essakyir Five Towns, !
Mampong, !
Barekese, and !
Other Small Town Water Projects.
The effect of this intervention is that out of the 10 million or so Ghanaians who were deprived of water, 4 million of them living in hundreds of communities currently have been given access to safe drinking water.
There are many more water projects dotted around the country, which are nearing completion.
These include the: !
Akim Oda- Akwatia- Winneba, !
Konongo-Kumawu-Kwahu, !
Wa, !
North Tongu, !
Adaklu Anyigbe, and !
Scores of urban and peri-urban Small Water Projects.
The completion of these projects will increase water coverage for our people to about 85%, which translates into 7 million out of the 10 million that were left behind as at 2009.
These are real people.
They are siblings, friends, and future leaders.
7 million Ghanaians including an entire generation that had never seen water flow through their taps at home since they were born.
And, if you can believe it, there was a time when to many people like Madam Naomi Appiah Korang, a schoolteacher at the Kyebi Islamic Primary School, it didn’t matter as much as it does today.
Naomi, who is present in Parliament today, and many others are living testimonies to the benefits being derived from the 1.5 million gallons per day Five-Towns Water Project in Kyebi, Osenase, Anyinam, Apedwa and Kwabeng.
I had the honour of joining the Okyehene Osagyefo Amoatia to commission this particular project, so I know what I am talking about.
This is a story that I am very sure the Honourable Samuel Atta Akyea will corroborate because water was a daily challenge for the people in this area.
31 Naomi lives in Kyebi with her three children and she recounts her difficulties in accessing clean drinking water prior to the inauguration of the new Water Treatment Plant.
The old treatment plant was designed to treat much less turbid water in those days when a pin dropped in the famous River Birim, could be viewed from the riverbed.
Over the years, the activities of illegal miners - a problem that is not limited to Kyebi alone - have changed the physical properties of the freshwater from the River Birim, rendering the old water treatment plant essentially useless because it was not designed to sieve the increasing quantities of mud that it has had to process with every passing year.
Fortunately, this situation has been resolved to provide the people of Kyebi, Osenase, Anyinam, Apedwa and Kwabeng potable water through the implementation of the Five- Towns Water Project, which has a superior and efficient mechanism to effectively process turbid water.
HOUSING Mr.
Speaker, For years, the national housing deficit has continued to widen without commensurate investment to bridge it.
The lack of adequate public housing has had serious effects on many families and households who have to pay exorbitant amounts in rent just to secure a place to lay their heads.
Urgent interventions were therefore required to make affordable housing available.
Through both direct investments and collaboration with the private sector, we are currently on course to deliver over 12,500 housing units, which represents the biggest investment in this sector by any government in decades.
They include the following: !
Saglemi Housing Project at Prampram in the Greater Accra Region - 5,000 housing units.
The first 1,500 units will be ready in a few months.
Nyame Dua Estates at Kpone - This project is being executed in collaboration with Sethi Realty and is designed to provide 5,000 units.
The first phase of this project is almost ready.
Keta Sea Defence Resettlement Housing Project - 618 out of 836 houses have been completed for families affected by the Keta Sea Defense Project.
SSNIT Housing Projects - Construction is currently ongoing on 608 flats at Dunkonnah near Weija in the Ga South Municipality and 240 flats at Sakumono in the Tema metropolis.
Security Services Housing Project in Tema - The first phase comprising 168 housing units under this project has been completed.
These are currently occupied by security personnel.
The second phase of 368 housing units is due for completion in a few months for occupancy by personnel of the Navy.
New Labadi Villas Housing Project - Under this scheme, decent housing units have been completed and are currently occupied by military personnel in Accra.
Adenta Regeneration Project (SHC Gardens) - 72 housing units are nearing completion for middle-income households at Adenta.
Similar projects will soon be 32 started at Laterbiokorshie, Kaneshie and Kanda in Accra, and North Effiakuma in Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis.
Tema Development Corporation (TDC) Housing Projects - The TDC is constructing a total of 148 housing units in Communities 1, 22 and 23.
Sixty-Eight units have already been completed for occupancy.
Police Housing Units at Tema Community 3 - Under a PPP arrangement, decent housing has been provided to police personnel.
Additionally, Government has handed over the 4000+ affordable housing units commenced by President John Agyekum Kufour’s Government to SSNIT and State Housing Corporation for completion.
This includes the Asokore-Mampong Housing Project.
Speaker, I have had cause to caution state institutions that look on while their land is being encroached upon only to carry out painful demolitions later on.
Ghanaians invest a lot of money to construct those houses.
It doesn’t help to watch encroachment take place over a period of 10 years and then turn around and demolish the properties.
One such demolition took place in Adjei Kojo.
Following a petition received from the MP for Tema West, Irene Naa Torshie Addo, I had a meeting convened with the Chief of Staff and the Chief Executive of TDC to address the issue of the plight of the people affected by the demolition.
ROADS Mr.
Speaker, Since 2009, we have added 3,772 kilometers to Ghana’s motorable network.
The GH¢3 billion Cocoa Roads Improvement Programme, which is being rolled out around the country, has added additional resources and impetus to the Roads Improvement Programme.
Permit me to enumerate the most significant road projects on a region-by-region basis.
GREATER ACCRA Road works in the Greater Accra Region include: !
Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, !
Awoshie- Pokuase Road, !
Giffard Road, !
Burma Camp Road, !
Spintex Road by-pass, !
Boundary Gulf House Road, !
Teshie-Nungua-Sakumono Beach Road, and !
Ashaiman Road.
Additional resurfacing works are being executed in: !
Ningo–Prampram, 33 !
Tema, !
Ashaiman, !
Nungua, !
Teshie, !
La, and !
Accra Central.
There is also ongoing, an overnight asphaltic overlay works on principal streets in Accra.
Preparatory works for the redevelopment of the Accra-Tema Motorway into a six-lane road with 4 interchanges at Adjei Kojo, Abattoir, Teshie Link, and Tema Roundabout will commence soon.
EASTERN REGION In the Eastern Region, roads completed or being worked on include: !
Suhum town roads, !
Asamankese town roads, !
Somanya town roads, !
Kyebi town roads, !
Kwafokrom-Apedwa Road, !
Nsawam-Aburi, !
Nkawkaw by-pass, !
Nkawkaw-Atibie, !
Adeiso-Asamankese, !
Nsawam-Asamankese, !
Osenase-Akwatia-Kade, !
Apedwa-Kyebi-Bunso, !
Koforidua-Bunso, !
Suhum-Asamankese, !
Anyinabrem-Amagyei, !
Railway Station-Subreso, !
Abuabo-Kofi Agyei, !
Akoase-Subriso-Ntronang, !
Larbikrom-Badukrom, !
Tweapease-Behenese Junction, !
Antaso-K.
Anumah, !
Noyem-Winso-Amuana-Praso, !
Akim Sekyere-Abekoase, !
Mangoase-Kukua, and !
Chia-Brenase-Ofoase.
The Adomi Bridge rehabilitation project has been completed and has been opened for use by motorists and the general public.
VOLTA REGION 34 In the Volta Region, the Eastern Corridor Project is progressing steadily.
The Asikuma Junction to Have, Dodi-Pepesu to Nkwanta, Nkwanta-Oti Damanko sections are under construction.
Other road projects in the Region include the following: !
Kete Krachi to Buya, !
Ho – Fume, !
Kpando town roads, !
Worawora – Dambai, !
Bame – Dzolokpuita – Kpedze, !
Ho – Adidome, !
Metrikasa – Havedzi, !
Gwolokwati – Wli – Hohoe, !
Kpando - Alavanyo, !
Kpeme – Nkonya - Gbi Wegbe, !
Aveti – Logaba, !
Alakpeti – Anfoega – Akukome – Aveti, !
Dalive – Agortage, !
Dove (Atitekpo Junction) – Mepe, !
Dove Junction – Dove – Aveyime, !
Dodi Papaase – Mensahkrom – Asuboi, !
Dapaa Jn-Pampawie – Ahamansu, !
Tadzevu – Devego - Agorve Junction, !
Shia Honuta Kpedze & Kpedze town roads, !
Have – Kpando, !
Hohoe – Jasikan, and !
Have – Hohoe.
Rehabilitation of selected roads in the Ho Municipality, including the access into the University of Health and Allied Sciences, are ongoing.
The Juapong-Fodzoku-Akuse Dam road and the Sogakofe-Battor road have been completed, while the Juapong- Abutia-Sokode road is ongoing.
WESTERN REGION In the Western Region, work is being done on the following roads: !
Kansaworodo By-Pass, !
20 km asphalt overlay of selected roads in Sekondi-Takoradi, !
Asphalt overlay of Tarkwa, Axim and Elubo town roads, !
Daboase and Sefwi Wiawso town roads, !
Prestea, Asankragua and Enchi town roads, !
110 km Agona Junction-Elubo, !
94km Tarkwa-Bogoso Ayamfuri, and !
52 km Ayamfuri-Asawinso roads.
Other roads under construction are the following: 35 !
Sefwi-Bekwai-Eshiem, !
Sewfi-Wiawso-Akontombra, !
Benchema-Oseikojokrom, !
Juabeso-Bodi-Akontombra, !
Daboase-Atieku, !
Anyinabrim-Sui-Bodi Junction, !
Prestea-Samreboi, !
Enchi-Dadieso, !
Adwofua-Oseikojokrom, !
Buako-Sankore, !
Suhyenso-Subriso-Djoboakrom, !
Kwasuo-Gyankufa, and !
Johnkrom-Attahkrom.
Work has also commenced on the 51.2 kilometre Edwenase-Atobiase, Juaboso-Dadieso, and Anto Dompen-Daboase rural roads.
The construction of the 10-kilometre Oil and Gas Enclave roads along the pipe-line including the Amazure Bridge is on-going.
CENTRAL REGION Mr.
Speaker In the Central Region, work is progressing impressively on the Kasoa Interchange.
Completion of work on this interchange will bring great relief to travelers on this road, which has been the source of severe frustration and irritation for the travelling public as a result of vehicular traffic.
Also in the Central Region, the following are underway: !
Upgrading works on roads in Cape Coast, Dunkwa-on Offin, Winneba and Agona Swedru townships.
Asphalt overlay in Cape Coast, Dunkwa, Saltpond and Mankessim.
Construction of the Kasoa by-pass, Mankessim-Abora Dunkwa, Dunkwa-Twifo Praso- Assin Foso, Amanful-Nyarkrom-Nkum and Assin Nyakomase-Senchiem Roads.
Construction of Assin-Twifo Praso , Essiam Town roads and the Breman Asikuma- Amanfopon Road.
Work is also progressing steadily on the: !
Ekwamoase-Ofabil, !
Sankor-Kweikrom-Ojobi-Akoti, !
Abowin-Nkodwo-Asempanyim, !
Duakwa-Akwakwaa (Phase 1), and !
Dominase-Subinso roads.
Work has also been completed on the following feeder roads in the Central Region: !
Bawjiase – Aponkyekura, !
Bawjiase – Ayensuako, !
Adawukwa - Adjator – Honi, 36 !
Bewuanum – Adawukwa, !
Bawjiase - Amonkrom (Congo) – Tetteykura, !
Ahentia - Busumabra Junction – Kweikrom, !
Papaase No.
1 – Odotom, !
Kwa Bondze - Larbie – Jeikrodua, and !
Bontrase – Dasum.
ASHANTI REGION Mr.
Speaker, In the Ashanti Region !
The Sofoline Interchange is almost complete.
Works are ongoing on the Bekwai and New Edubiase town roads.