E-Levy Bill: Speaker Bagbin leaves for Dubai again 3rd time in a row; Kyei Mensah-Bonsu fumes

The Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Alban Bagbin, is set to leave the country again on Saturday 29th January, 2022 to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a “routine medical check up”, MyNewsGh.com has learnt.

This is the third time the Speaker is traveling to Dubai to undergo a medical review; the first was on November 27, 2021 and the second was on January 7th 2022.

During the first medical review, Mr. Bagbin was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Alice Adjua Yornas, Head of Parliamentary clinic, Dr. Prince Kofi Pambo, the Speaker’s Secretary, and his aide.

He embarked on his first medical trip a day after he presided over Parliament’s chaotic developments that saw the Members of the Majority side of Parliament staging a walkout during processes to approve the 2022 budget and the House’s subsequent rejection of same.

Majority in the dark

Whereas the Majority in parliament appeared unaware, a letter to that effect is expected to get to President Nana Akufo-Addo, where the Speaker explained that his 3rd Dubai trip is for another medical review which is due on January 29, 2022.

The Minority appears to be in the know of the the impending trip while the Majority Leader appeared to have been caught off-guard.

Kyei Mensah-Bonsu and Nsawam MP Annor Dompreh have come under attack for incompetence as caucus leadership in the NPP with NDC caucus having a field day.

The Majority who appear hell-bent on laying and possibly passing the controversial E-Levy come Tuesday 1st February will have to do with one their own as presiding speaker to level the house 137 – 137 with the NDC Minority led by Haruna Iddrisu.

The controversial debate on the 1.75% Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) has divided the House and the country and caused massive uproar amongst Ghanaians.

The E-Levy approval is expected to rake in a little above ¢6 billion in tax revenue for the country otherwise IMF bailout is the only option. This comes at a time Ghana has been downgraded.

Source: MyNewsGh.com