Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, has stated that the Minority Caucus in Parliament remains resolute and determined to fight the introduction of the e-Levy Bill to its logical conclusion.
According to him, the Minority is prepared to go the long haul in its battle against the e-levy.
“The E-levy is no longer a matter to be discussed anywhere,” he said.
Mr Iddrisu made the observation when he addressed a press conference in Parliament House after the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Asiamah Amoako, who supervised proceedings in the House, abruptly suspended sitting for one hour.
The suspension of the House followed a demand by Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, Minority Chief Whip who called for a division (vote) when he challenged the voice vote conducted by the Speaker during deliberation on the e-levy Bill.
Mr Iddrisu also stated that the introduction of the e-levy is a demonstration that the Akufo-Addo led government is insensitive to the plight of suffering Ghanaians and legitimate public opinion.
He said instead of the government consulting with relevant stakeholders on the matter to reach a consensus, it has resorted to doing otherwise.
He explained that Article 104 (3) of the Constitution is clear on the proceedings of the House that if there is a split in the voting between the Minority and Majority sides with 137 each, the vote would be deemed lost and the E-levy would have been rejected outrightly by the Parliament of Ghana.
Meanwhile, Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has stated that the Majority side had no idea about the whereabouts of the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin.
According to him, the Speaker’s absence from the House was a deliberate ploy to frustrate the consideration of the report from the Finance Committee regarding the e-levy Bill.
Mr Afenyo-Markin made the claim when he spoke to the media in Parliament when the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Asiamah Amoako suspended sitting abruptly following a request by Mr Muntaka, for a division (vote) after he had challenged the voice vote conducted by the Acting Speaker.
Mr Afenyo-Markin also said the House could not proceed with the sitting without Speaker Bagbin in the chair and that nobody knows the whereabouts of the Speaker.
“I see Mr Speaker’s absence as a big surprise…For now, we do not know the whereabouts of Mr Speaker,” he added.