Majority Leader's comment on E-Levy doesn't promote consensus building - Former MP

Parliament to resume sitting tomorrow

Parliament rejects E-Levy

NDC MP calls out comments of Majority Leader

The comments made by the Majority Leader in parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, to the effect that the House has already approved the 1.75% Electronic Levy bill has been described as an arrogant statement.

According to a former Member of Parliament for Upper West Akyim, Derek Ohene Bekoe, this posture by the leader of the House is not progressive.

“It’s a posture of arrogance, he knows definitely that we are not done with the bill but he went to that workshop and made such a statement,” he said.

The former National Democratic Congress MP further stated that if such comments keep coming from people like him, it defeats the purpose of building consensus in the House.

“Without legislation can the e-levy work, without the legislation can they implement the e-levy? If he thinks the E-Levy has been passed, he should implement it,” he added.

It will be recalled that Osei Okyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated at a recent workshop that Parliament has already approved the 1.75% levy on all electronic transactions, making it difficult for him to appreciate the claims by members of the Minority side that they will reject it again.

“It is a difficulty for me when people are kicking against the e-levy when you know that in the adoption of the motion to approve the budget, we approved of that. So, it means that the first step has already been surmounted,” he said earlier.

Parliament is expected to resume sitting on Tuesday, January 24, 2022, and among the things to be considered would be the controversial E-Levy.