E-Levy Bill calls for compromise from Minority & Majority MPs

By Charles Neequaye, a Journalist

Gradually, our August Parliament is descending into the abyss, a situation in which the Chamber is being turned into a boxing arena with our parliamentarians showing their strength in boxing and wrestling.

Some of the members from both the NPP and NDC caucuses often come to the Chamber with a clear mindset of engaging in physical battle. The irony of the situation is that the Speaker and his two Deputies remain helpless while the fist of fury continues.

When such situation occurs, the Marshals are nowhere to be found. The physical battle that transpired between the Majority and Minority members in the Chamber on 20th was indeed, regretful and despicable. It showed that our dear country is still wallowing when it comes to democratic practice. We are yet to mature in parliamentary procedures and processes and that will eventually affect us as a nation. It is unfortunate people we have elected and entrusted the laws of this country into their hands to shape them and guide us, are themselves misleading us through their actions and inactions as well as selfish agenda.

For the past few months, our House of accountability and law-making has not been doing things in a manner that would encourage the majority of Ghanaians to build confidence in those assigned to do business there on behalf of the people. The House has been a convergent ground for the Majority and Minority to fight over common and irrelevant issues that can be resolved through dialogue and consensus building. It will interest Ghanaians to note that when it comes to matters, especially on emoluments, car loans among other allowances of members, you will not find them in any sort of disagreement. Those issues are kept secret from public view. However, issues that affect the larger society, are characterized with chaos and confusion. From what we saw at Monday’s sittings in which members were throwing blows, shouting and insulting each other over the determination of the E-Levy as contained in the 2022 Budget Statement, it looks like a childhood play.

How come within a twinkle of an eye, the occupancy of the Speaker’s chair changed three times just because of a single vote to approve a levy to be imposed on Ghanaians. It seems we are making a mockery of ourselves on the international arena. The E-Levy which has been a subject for debate and a bone of contention that has generated a lot of fury and controversy in the House, was pushed to the House of the Whole Monday morning under a bizarre circumstance. We are told the Finance Committee had earlier in the day met to decide whether the E-Levy taxation as contained in the Budget should be considered under a Certificate of Urgency by the House.

While the Minority Caucus of the Committee opposed that process, the Majority agreed to it. It was then put to a vote count and there was a tie and the Committee Chairman made a casting vote and that gave the NPP a one vote advantage over the NDC. The NDC swore that it would use all the legitimate means at its disposal to ensure that the E-Levy is not passed when it gets to the floor of the House later in the day. True to their pledge, the frustration started and that generated an uproar in the House.

The NDC’s argument was that the stakeholders in the E-Levy transaction need to be consulted first for an amicable agreement on the taxation since it will greatly affect their operations but the NPP, said they will go ahead with the passage of the levy irrespective of the concerns raised by the NDC. The stakes are high and there should be some amount of dialogue and consensus in this regard to determine the way forward.

Indeed, the majority of Ghanaians are crying and complaining bitterly about this particular levy because most of them rely heavily on mobile money transfer for either their businesses, school fees or remittance to family members, friends and relatives alike and the E-Levy will impose an enormous hardship on them. The intransigent posture of the NPP Caucus by using what can be described as takashi, in Hausa parlance to bulldoze its way through to approve this particular levy is not healthy for the advancement of democracy in our dear country.

As a listening government, the NPP should be a bit flexible and sympathetic to the cause of majority of Ghanaians and soften its stance on this matter. The NDC Caucus has warned that every decision in the House concerning the passage of bills and other important issues will henceforth be subjected to voting by members present in the House.

Besides, the tedious nature of this practice, there are times when some members of the Majority Caucus who may be Ministers of State will be performing assignments outside the jurisdiction of Parliament and this will gravely affect them when it comes to voting on important issues. The E levy Bill calls for compromise from both sides of the House for peace to prevail.