E-Levy: Minority’s decision to go to Supreme Court apt – Constitutional lawyer

An Accra-based constitutional lawyer, Mr. Twum Barima, has lauded the Minority in Parliament’s decision to seek relief from the Supreme Court to restrain President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo from assenting to the controversial E-Levy bill.

According to Mr. Barima, the Minority’s decision in this principle is apt.

He supported the Minority‘s decision that there was no quorum for the passage of the E-Levy bill.

Speaking on the midday news on Accra100.5FM, on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, he stressed that 137 MPs cannot form a quorum to make a decision or take a vote per the Supreme Court judgment that upheld the Majority’s decision that approved the 2022 budget after it was disapproved by the Minority with the Speaker, Alban Bagbin presiding.

The Supreme Court, he noted, was emphatic when it comes to the formation of a quorum of Parliament in the matter of Attorney-General and Minister of Justice versus Justice Abdulai.

He said: "Page 19, paragraph two of the Supreme Court’s ruling has it that when a bill is to be passed, or, however, when Parliament must determine a matter, the Constitution sets a higher threshold that requires half of all Members of Parliament to be present before a vote can be taken.”

He said the Majority’s approval of the 2022 budget with the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu presiding had their number as 138.

“Per this, Parliament on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, did not have the needed quorum to be able to vote on the passage of the E-Levy,” he explained.