58 against 126: Majority wins vote on Special Import Levy Amendment Bill

A motion by the Minority Caucus to have the Special Import Levy Amendment Bill 2025 reconsidered for a second reading has been defeated.

During proceedings on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, the Finance Committee’s report on the bill, being considered under a Certificate of Urgency, was presented before the House.

While presenting the report, the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Isaac Adongo, stated that the committee had approved the bill by a majority vote, as members of the Minority Caucus on the committee voted against its approval.

The chairman further proposed that the sunset period for the bill be set in perpetuity but later withdrew his proposal.

Following the approval of the bill's second reading, the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, accused the First Deputy Speaker, Bernard Ahiafor, of denying him his right to speak. He subsequently moved for the bill's second reading to be retaken.

When put to a voice vote, the motion was declared lost by the First Deputy Speaker. This prompted Patrick Yaw Boamah, Member of Parliament for Okaikwei Central and a member of the Minority Caucus, to call for a division.

Following a head count, the Second Deputy Speaker declared the results as 58 against 126 in favor of the Majority Caucus.

"Accordingly, the vote is lost; the noes have it," he declared.

The House ultimately approved the Special Import Levy Amendment Bill 2025 through a voice vote, which was declared in favor of the Majority side at the completion of the third reading.



GA