Stakes are high, both sides of Parliament are vigilant, the heat is building up, and with it comes big risks to garner all their numbers and ensure they push their various courses.
This is all
Read full articleon the back of the E-Levy Bill which is currently before parliament for consideration and consequent passage or rejection.
Majority, Minority fight over E-Levy:
For the Majority, it is an essential part of revenue generation to change the current economic outlook of the country but the Minority disagrees and their stance is straightforward and unflinching – they will resist all attempts to pass the E-Levy Bill. This, they say, is because Ghanaians will be more burdened than they already are.
Whilst this has been the situation since the 2022 budget was presented by finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta in parliament, many developments have emerged that have made the ‘fight’ for or against the E-Levy a fiercer one now.
Bagbin’s absence and the numbers:
After returning from Dubai where he went for medical checks, Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin returned on January 29, 2022, for another medical review.
This left his First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu, with the mandate of seeing over proceedings in parliament as interim Speaker of Parliament.
In this position, he is not allowed to participate in voting in his capacity as a Member of Parliament for Bekwai.
This leaves both sides in the house with 137 members each who can vote on any decision presented before the house that requires same.
Adwoa Safo and James Gyakye link:
So far, a date is still yet to be announced for the presentation of the E-Levy by the finance minister before parliament after the initial withdrawal but amidst all of this, two MPs have been in the headlines and appear to somewhat have some influence on the outcome of voting if the E-Levy is finally presented before the house.
With the numbers being equal now, it appears if any side of the house loses a member during the voting process, the other side will automatically win over the other. What this means is that if Majority has fewer numbers and Minority votes against the E-Levy, it will be rejected and the reverse of the situation will mean Majority will have the E-Levy Bill approved.
This is where the quest for numbers comes in.
NDC fights to retain Assin North MP:
Minority Members appear to be fighting against what they say are political attempts by their opponents, the NPP, to rip the Assin North MP, Gyekye Quayson of his parliamentary position.
The MP is currently in court for civil and criminal charges in the High Court and the Supreme Court. Whilst his position as MP is being contested, he has also been charged by the Attorney General’s office for "deceit of public officer", contrary to section 251(b) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29); forgery of passport or travel certificate, contrary to section 15(1)(b) of the Passports and Travel Certificates Act, 1967 (NLCD 155); knowingly making a false statutory declaration, contrary to section 5 of the Statutory Declarations Act, 1971 (Act 389) among others.
But some members of parliament including minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu have so far described the situation as a tactical attempt by the Majority side and government to sabotage Minority members to their advantage.
“The Attorney General’s office and the police administration are acting in bad faith to get an unfair advantage in parliament for the Nana Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government, in its unbridled quest to pass the unpopular insensitive E-Levy,” he said during a press conference.
Deputy minority leader, James Klutse Avedzi has also said the move is targeted at reducing the Minority’s numbers to 136 to forcefully pass the controversial E-Levy Bill. He however maintains that till the MP is served he is eligible to vote if the E-Levy is presented and he cannot be stopped.
“He has not been served so there is nothing like that. He is a Member of Parliament and he is entitled to vote. So if the bill is tabled today and he happens to be around, he will vote,” he said in an interview with JoyNews.
NPP angry about Adwoa Safo's absence in parliament:
Majority Members of Parliament have been unhappy with the continued absence of their colleague, Sarah Adwoa Safo in the house.
A number of these MPs have alleged that the Dome Kwabenya MP is trying to sabotage the party by staying away from the August House despite her knowledge about the implications of her actions.
The NPP needs 137 MPs to vote on the E-Levy when it is presented by the finance minister and there are fears the absence of Adwoa Safo will ruin these plans.
Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong for instance has said Adwoa Safo’s conduct is drawing the government back and is tantamount to holding the government to ransom.
“Adwoa Sarfo is holding the whole NPP to ransom. It is the truth I’m saying.
"What is going on in NPP is very annoying. We have pampered some people to the extent that they have become tin gods,” he said in an Oman FM interview.
New Juabeng South MP, Michael Okyere Baafi on his part noted how detrimental his colleague MP’s actions are to the entire Majority Caucus and government.
“All 136 NPP MPs are always in Parliament except for Adwoa Safo. One person cannot hold the party to ransom,” he stated in an interview on Kumasi-based Hello FM.
Deputy Majority Whip, Habib Iddrisu has meanwhile said that the E-Levy will be passed with or without Adwoa Safo.
“It’s not cast in stone that without the presence of Adwoa Safo the E-Levy will not be passed,” he said.
Whilst the aide of the Dome Kwabenya Member of Parliament, Nana Dubin Kwapong has insisted his boss is a victim of the parochial interests of some NPP elements, he maintained Adwoa Safo has the E-Levy at heart and will be in the country next week to support government where need be.
“As far as I’m speaking to the E-levy, it is something Honorable [Sarah Adwoa Safo] supports and when she comes to town, she will definitely be in Parliament to support its passage,” he noted in an interview with TV3.
