The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has announced that the controversial E-levy Bill, will not be discussed in Parliament, next week.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Friday, the NPP lawmaker disclosed that government is still making consultations on the Bill, therefore it will not be ripe for deliberations next week.
According to him, his outfit will announce the agreed date for the discussion of the E-levy Bill within the course of next week.
“Mr. Speaker, having said so, I think what is significant, should also be the date which unfortunately, has not found expression on the business page for next week. [It is] the issue at hand, which we may have to attend to, at one time or the other. Be assured that, Mr. Speaker, next week, the House, will not consider it”, he stated.
Meanwhile, the Minority has taken strong exception to a verdict delivered over the ability of a Deputy Speaker to vote in Parliament while presiding and its linkage to the controversial E-Levy.
The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu told, anchor, Ernest Manu on Mid-Day News that, “this ruling of the Supreme Court can as best be described as judicial support for e-levy…to set aside Parliament standing orders, is a serious travesty of parliamentary justice. Be assured that we will fight e-levy with our numbers that the Ghanaian people gave us in the 2020 election,” he said.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court ruled that a Deputy Speaker of Parliament can be counted during the formation of a quorum for Parliamentary decision-making and participate in voting.
The Court presided over by Justice Jones Dotse, therefore, affirmed the approval of the 2022 Budget without the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs’ participation.
Since the introduction of the e-levy in November last year, public opinion has been divided on the issue.
While some people, including the Minority in Parliament, have opposed the initiative, a section of the populace have applauded the revenue measure.
Source: myjoyonline.com