E-Levy has been passed
Assin North MP prevented from performing Parliamentary duties
Supreme Court ruled in a 5-2 majority decision
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, North Tongu MP, has indicated that, per the Supreme Court's 5-2 ruling that barred the Assin North
Read full articleMP, James Gyakye Qayson, from performing parliamentary duties, Ghanaians now appreciate why the NDC caucus denied the NPP caucus a quorum during the passage of the Electronic Transfer Levy, E-Levy.
According to him, the move by the minority was very strategic because the game plan of the majority was to bring in 'indisposed' Ebenezar Kojo Kum, Ahanta West MP, to get a 137-136 majority, which would have favoured the E-Levy passage.
In a post on his Facebook timeline, Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Parliament said, even if the NDC had insisted on Hon. Quayson voting, the Supreme Court would have declared Hon. Quayson’s vote illegality.
"That would then have marked the death of the five-month-long E-Levy resistance," he said.
To him, the NDC MPs went into the E-Levy fight to win, and not to be pretentious or give up with treacherous ease.
"I sincerely hope that after yesterday’s [Wednesday] Assin North Supreme Court decision, many more Ghanaians do now better appreciate the strategic manoeuvre of the NDC Caucus in Parliament to stage our famous walkout and deny the NPP a decision-making quorum to pass the obnoxious E-Levy.
"The NPP’s game plan was to have brought in Hon. Kojo Kum who as has been confirmed was waiting in Parliament’s clinic to assist the NPP secure a 137-136 majority decision in favour of the obnoxious E-Levy because even if we had insisted on Hon. Quayson voting, the Supreme Court would have declared Hon. Quayson’s vote an illegality consistent with their reasoning which they boldly expressed yesterday.
"That would then have marked the death of the five-month-long E-Levy resistance. It should be clear to all by now that we went into this nationalistic fight to win, and not to be pretentious or give up with treacherous ease," Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa stated.
He noted, "today, the war against the killer E-Levy is alive and formidable, albeit in a different forum — the apex court of Ghana — simply because of our superior strategy and unwavering resolve to stand by the Ghanaian people."
"I have no doubt that when all is said and done; patriotism, integrity and solidarity with the people shall triumph over betrayal, chicanery and gross insensitivity," he concluded.
The Supreme Court by a majority decision of 5-2 on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, ordered Mr Gyekye Quayson to stop holding himself as a lawmaker.
This is until the determination of the substantive case filed against him at the Supreme Court.
Justices Agnes Dordzie and Nene Amegatcher dissented while Prof. Henrietta Mensah Bonsu, Mariama Owusu, Gertrude Torkornoo, and Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi voted in favour.
The ruling by the apex court has generated mixed reactions, with some members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) describing it as an aberration of justice.
Godfred Dame, described the ruling as the enforcement of the long-standing position of the constitution.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice think the embattled Assin North MP, James Gyakye Quayson, should be made to face the same fate as the former New Patriotic Party’s Adamu Sakende.
The late Adamu Dramani Sakende was sentenced to two years imprisonment for owing allegiance to Ghana and Burkina Faso when he contested the election to be Bawku Central MP, which he subsequently won.
To Dame, the cases are the same hence similar principles must be applied, and the law ought to be equally applied in the case of James Gyakye Quayson.
”I think that there ought to be an even application of the law, the same fate that befell Adamu Sakande, who was not qualified at the time that nominations were opened, and we all know what happened to him.
“Adamu Dramani Sakande found himself in a similar situation. As a result, he was not qualified by the time nominations were opened and was subsequently declared ineligible, and, for that matter, his seat was taken away.
“So there has to be an even application of the law. If it happened to Adamu Sakande of the NPP, it should happen to a gentleman of the NDC who finds himself in the same situation.”
But Mahama Ayariga, Member of Parliament for Bawku Central Constituency, indicated that the Supreme Court should have ruled to allow Gyakye Quayson, to continue discharging his duties as a substantive MP until a final determination of the case.
Ayariga said the current situation has dealt some blow to the numbers of the minority in parliament as there presently wouldn’t be any representative for Assin North in Parliament.
View his Timepath below;
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
