The Minority Caucus in Parliament has issued a terse warning to Majority leader and leader of government business, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, against any attempt to spring a surprise on the side with the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-levy)
The Caucus is demanding the leader to clarify to members when the E-levy Bill will be presented to the House and whether it will be taken under a certificate of urgency.
Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu who made the call on Wednesday noted there should be no uncertainty about when the Bill would be presented to plenary for debate.
“We need to know, Mr. Speaker, because on this matter as we have publicly said, we want to stand with the public in opposition and rejection of this Bill. We don’t want any surprises.”
“So let the leader of government business indicate to us when the bill will come to Parliament, and in what form should we anticipate or expect it.”
He observed that per the business statement adopted the previous week, the E-levy Bill should have been introduced today Wednesday.
He argued there were, however, frantic efforts to present it last Friday and yet the Bill was missing in the order of business for Tuesday.
Hon Haruna drew attention of the Majority leader to the provisions of Standing Order 53 and 160 (2) which require the business for each sitting day to be set out in the order they will be taken.
He said, “I do not see anything relating to the E-levy. We cannot continue with this uncertainty; Friday, Tuesday, Wednesday? When will we subject the E-levy to a thorough debate of its principles and walk it through consideration and stand for its rejection; as we have already made up our mind,” he quizzed?
Source: MyPublisher24.com