Deputy Majority leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has denied media reports that claim he said the government would need the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-levy) to evacuate Ghanaians currently stranded in Ukraine.
The reports, according to the Effutu MP, are false and amount to the publication of fake news and a mark of unethical journalism.
Hon. Afenyo-Markin on Friday 25th February, 2022 launched a spirited defence against what he said are attempts to soil his reputation and demanded a directive from the Speaker for Myjoyonline to pull down the erroneous publication.
Armed with transcripts of his comments of Thursday 24th February, 2022, he argued his only reference to the E-levy was a remark to what Deputy Minority leader, James Klutse Avedzi said off-mike.
He said, “I never said, and the transcripts will bear me out, that we need E-levy to evacuate Ghanaians from Ukraine.”
“Mr. Speaker let me read the transcript. ‘…As a nation, Ghanaian businesses that are supposed to do well to pay taxes will suffer. Businesses will not do well as expected and their projections will be affected. That is the reality and I must bring this to the attention of all of us. So that any policy that will be introduced will be seen in that light.”
“Then Hon. Avedzi passed a comment, which was not into the mike and I responded and said, ‘the Hon Minority leader did not speak into the microphone but if he is talking about the E-levy, this is the more important reason why we need it.”
“He did not speak into the microphone but if he is talking about the E-levy that was the next point I was going to make that we should congregate around it and find a way of generating revenue as a country to save the situation. This is because we are not in normal times. Hon Haruna Iddrisu could not have raised this matter at a better time…”
“Haruna Iddrisu, a patriot and a Ghanaian who is looking at the reality has brought to our attention this important international issue. We do not live in isolation by living within the ECOWAS and AU blocks.”
“This is not NDC or NPP. This is about an international catastrophe that is affecting mother Ghana and the need for us to take away the politics and have a new way of thinking to support the government…”
Mr. Afenyo-Markin took issue with comments by Minority Chief Whip Munkaka Mohammed-Mubarak who claimed there is evidence he (Deputy Majority leader) made the statement.
He expressed shock the Asawase legislator chose to side with the media report when he was not in the Chamber at the time the statement was said to have been made.
According to him, as someone who has suffered from false media publications, the Minority Whip should be backing the reportage.
He said, “It is very rich to hear you advocating in this manner. I will subject all your comments to posterity and pray that we don’t end our politics all too soon.”
Source: Mypublisher24.com