E-Levy cake was a surprise from Minority caucus – NPP MP

Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu celebrated his 65th birthday

He was presented with an E-Levy cake

The NDC MPs have been accused of presenting the cake to the Majority Leader

Kennedy Nyarko Osei, MP, Akim Swedru, has stated that the viral E-Levy birthday cake presented to the Majority Leader during his birthday party, was a surprise from

Read full articlethe Minority caucus in Parliament.

According to him, the Minority during the presentation of the E-Levy cake at the tail end of the party took pictures and videos of it and later decided to release them a day before their ‘yentua’ demonstration.

He said in a series of Facebook posts that, the intention of the Minority is to set the Majority Leader and the government up against the people of Ghanaian.

“So, your intention of surprising your own colleague at the tail end of the party with such a cake in your party colour was to set him up and government against the Ghanaian people. Politics is deviant so never trust anyone, not even the one you are with in the same party,” Kennedy Nyarko Osei’s post read.

Sharing a Starr FM Twitter post to buttress his point, the MP added, “just because they are embarking on their yentua demonstration [today] so they decided to put this picture out to anger the people when they themselves led by the caucus brought this surprise cake. Hmmm!
“If anybody doubts who brought the surprised cake and later took pictures (sic) should read it from Starr FM.”

The MP insisted further that, “they took these pictures last Saturday [February 5] when they presented the cake to the Majority Leader at the tail end of his party on behalf of their caucus and kept the pictures all this while and decided to release them ahead of the planned “Yentua Demonstration’’ to ruffle the feathers of Ghanaians to get them more angry at the Government to join their demonstration. Politics, a very deviant vocation.”

Kennedy Nyarko Osei, then, called on Ghanaians to ignore the E-Lev cake being circulated because the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who was the birthday celebrant, together with his wife and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia cut a different cake at the party.

He later stressed that the Majority Leader should not be blamed for the viral E-Levy birthday cake.

“Ignore any E-Levy cake being circulated. This was the original cake that was cut by the celebrant supported by his wife and the Veep as well. If someone else surprised him with another cake which is designed that way then why should he be blamed. Even if you hate the Government that much and wants to see its back you don’t put out things like this just to create hate for the Government,” Kennedy Nyarko Osei said.

Background

A special cake dubbed E-levy was prepared to mark the 65th birthday celebration of the Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah- Bonsu.

The event was held in Kumasi.

scores of officials of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) including the Vice President and his wife were in attendance.

It is unclear the thinking that went into the decision to design the cake in this manner at a time the government is encountering difficulty in getting the E-levy passed by Parliament.

About the E-Levy

On November 17, 2021, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, announced the introduction of a 1.75% tax on all electronic transactions during the 2022 budget presentation before parliament.

According to him, this new directive forms part of strategies to widen the country’s tax net.

He added that the 1.75% tax is also to enhance financial inclusion and protect the vulnerable in the country.

The E-levy since its announcement by the Finance Minister has received public backlash from some Ghanaians especially Members of Parliament from the Minority Caucus.

At a recent press conference, the Minister outlined a number of modifications to the Bill and announced that the government continued to engage stakeholders on the bill ahead of resubmission before MPs.