Second Deputy Minority Whip, Ibrahim Ahmed, has observed that the Majority New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Parliament had pre-determined to push the controversial E-levy through at all cost hence the brouhaha that greeted it last came to the House for debate.
He stated that the President, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo and the Majority Leader, Osei-Kyei Mensah-Bonsu had boasted that they have the Majority in Parliament at their National Delegate Conference in Kumasi over the weekend.
He pointed out that it was against this background that they (NPP) tried to muzzle the controversial Bill through, their limited numbers notwithstanding.
According to him, such things happen when a country is under dictatorship, and that is what exactly happened in Parliament recently.
Hon. Ahmed made this observation in an interview with press men in his office in Parliament shortly after the brouhaha.
NO MEETING OF BUSINESS C’TEE
The outspoken Whip, who also doubles as Member of Parliament for Banda, pointed out that normally the Business Committee of Parliament meets to discuss business in the House for the coming week. However in the case of this week the committee never met. Rather, it took the Majority Leader only to resort to phone calls to have the business statement for the work done hence this problem, indicating that had the Committee met, the difference could have been ironed out and this unfortunate thing wouldn’t have happened.
FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER TO BLAME
Hon. Ibrahim Ahmed put the blame squarely at the door steps of the First Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Joseph Osei – Owusu, who was in the chair then, for his decision to take part in the voting which he was superintending. This was because they all had 137 members each, and with the vote of the superintending Speaker the NPP’s number would be up to 138.
He argued that the substantive Speaker, A.S.K. Bagbin, with his ailing health had indicated earlier that he could not sit for 12 hours, hence leaving the Chamber after sometime. According to Hon. Ahmed instead of the House sitting at 10:00am, it sat at 4:00pm, with the ailing Speaker having sat up from the stipulated 10:00am.
COME AND SHOW YOUR MAJORITY – MUNTAKA
Later in series of mini – press conferences on the first floor of the Chamber of the House, Chief Whip of the Minority, Hon. Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, challenged the Majority to come and show their so – called majority in numbers that they had been bragging about.
SAD DAY FOR GHANA’S DEMOCRACY – ATO FORSON
In one of these series of mini press conferences, Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Hon.
Cassiel Ato Baah Forson told pressmen that, that day was a sad one for Ghana’s democracy.
He maintained that government was not ready to listen to Ghanaians and their protest against the E-levy policy. Rather, out of callousness, it was prepared to push its agenda through at all cost at the very expense of Ghanaians.
According to him, the Finance Committee had met earlier on the issue and voting on it was 12/13 in favour of the Majority, courtesy, the Chairman, who voted for the Majority.
He maintained that at that meeting, it came to light that stakeholders in the Telcos, having raised objection to the obnoxious levy, had proposed alternatives including strike threats. But the NPP, determined as it was, ignored them all and chose to go ahead with its agenda.
NO COMPROMISE, NO DIALOGUE ON E-LEVY
Hon. Ato Forson, who also doubles as Member of Parliament for Ajumako / Enyan / Essiam, pointed out that the NDC caucus in Parliament was not prepared for a compromise or dialogue on what they described as obnoxious tax. He said all that the (NDC) meant was death for that tax.
“We will not stop there. We will send the argument to the preliminaries and ensure that it (tax) dies! No compromise, no dialogue!,” he stressed.
On his part, Hon. John Abdulai Jinapor, MP for Yapei / Kusawgu and spokesperson on
Energy for the Minority was sad that the finance Minister, Ken Ofori – Attah should make a U-turn after promising his preparedness for consultation and reconciliation on the issue, shortly after presenting the Budget statement to the Nation about a month ago.
He indicated the NDC was determined and resilient to fight for Ghanaians to ensure that this killer – tax is killed.
NPP REBUTTAL – Minority Has Betrayed Us
Taking their form to address the Press, the Majority, led by their Deputy Leader, Alexander Afenyo – Mankin indicated that what the Minority did was a betrayal. According to Hon. Afenyo- Mankin, the Minority had publicly declared their support for the bill. So for them to make a U-turn was worrisome.
While describing the night as a critical one, Afenyo- Mankin maintained that the E-Levy would ensure employment, create capital and also generate enough funds for the road sector in which MPs have been asking numerous questions.
He argued that with this E-Levy government will generate enough funds to cater for the road sector and also broaden the tax net.
TIME FOR SPEAKER TO SHOW LEADERSHIP
Hon. Afenyo-Mankin also stated that the time had come for the speaker, Rt. Hon. A.S.K Bagbin to show leadership. He argued that it was the duty of the Speaker to supervise over issues.
According to him, the speaker’s conspicuous absence was a grand political plan by the Minority to frustrate government business. While calling on the speaker to ensure good governance and leadership. Hon. Afenyo-Mankin stated that the Majority cannot be cajoled into pettiness. He contended that all social interventions rolled out by the NPP had been frustrated by their NDC counterparts.
HEAVY POLICE PRESENCE IN PARLIAMENT
Possibly, following the fits- cups, scuffles and acrimony that greeted Parliament the previous night, one could palpably witness heavy police presence in the August House last Tuesday Morning, 21st December, 2021.
Starting from the Kofi Annan ICT Center to Parliament House, both outside and within, one could see heavy police presence those in uniform and those in plain clothes.
WE CAN’T BE INTIMIDATED
On his part, Hon. Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor Etse stated that MPs could not be intimated by the so called police presence. He argued that at cabinet meetings members fight over those. Yet no military or police personnel are sent there. So why parliament? He insisted that as representatives of the people, they cannot be intimated whatsoever. Meanwhile the House has been adjourned sere die till around January 18, 2022.
MPs WISH CONSTITUENT WELL
A number of members of Parliament have taken the opportunity to wish their constituents well this yuletide. Taking his turn Hon. John Bennam Jabaah, MP for Zabzugu wished his constituents Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. He prayed that God Kept them well.
By S. O. Ankamah
