Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Majority leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has denied claims he deliberately ordered a cake designed as the word ‘E-levy’ to celebrate his 65th birthday in order to spite opponents of the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-levy).
The cake, he said, was a gift from a well-wisher who just looked at the fun side of the E-levy debate.
He stated, however, that some people escalated the entire episode and exaggerated the situation to unimaginable proportions that led to the hue and cry.
Speaking in an interview on Angel FM in Kumasi, the Majority leader who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Suame Constituency disclosed that over the past many years, he never celebrated his birthday.
According to him, his wife decided to surprise him with a birthday party this year at his residence in Accra, which was the genesis of the entire controversy.
The Majority leader indicated that another party was organized in Kumasi, his home region that was also attended by the Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia and a number of close friends.
“However, many people turned up for the party in Kumasi but since my wife brought a cake for the party in Accra, I did not even know she has bought another cake for the event.”
“It was only when friends brought the cake for me to cut that I became aware because the one we cut in Accra was enough,” he stated.
According to him, it was almost at the tail end of the programme that he was informed a well-wisher had brought him a gift, which incidentally turned out to be a ‘green E-levy cake.’
Hon. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu indicated the Director of Event informed him the person who brought the cake said he (the Majority leader) has been thinking too much about E-levy hence the E-levy cake.
“So I don’t know anything about the cake and how it was delivered at the party.”
“Those at the party even poked fun at me after the cake was unwrapped stating these days I don’t sleep because I am always thinking about the E-levy so the cake was an appropriate gift.”
“That was the fun side of the E-levy,” he stated.
Hon. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu noted, however, that if he had prior information about the cake he would have advised the person against the design or even the colour.
“But the person did not inform me because it was intended to be a surprise and I could not ask them to take it back because it had already been unwrapped,” he added.
Speaking on the E-levy and the controversy it has generated in Parliament, Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated he is indeed a member of the NPP and the Majority leader in Parliament but he is not personally introducing the Bill and stressed it is a government policy.
According to him, he firmly believes, however, that the E-levy will help the state in terms of generating government revenue to carry out development projects.
He said, “I believe it will help us but others claim it is not good but if you ask them what is bad about it, they say they heard others say it is not good.”
“But I believe firmly and I have confidence in the fact that the E-levy will help this country if it is approved,” he said.
Source: MyPublisher24.com