Although the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has a majority following the decision of the Independent lawmaker who is the Second Deputy Speaker to do business with them, the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu, has stated that they still require the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, to take decisions and make the slim majority count.
“We go to do with the challenge of taking advantage of the one majority we have knowing that we may never be able to rely on the Speaker in these circumstances,” the Bekwai Member of Parliament said at a capacity building workshop organized for the Majority caucus in Parliament and some Ministers of State.
“There are 137 of us, plus a possible presiding officer.” In that case, how do we go about ripping the one advantage we have as a caucus, which should, in my opinion, be our main focus?
“We are a government party; in the chamber, we are known as Majority, yet it appears that if we have to make a decision, either Mr Speaker must preside or all of us must vote.”
Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, the Leader of the Majority Party in Parliament, said that Parliament had already approved the contentious E-Levy.
What remains for the E-Levy, according to the Suame Member of Parliament (MP), is for Parliament to grant it legislative support.
His remarks follow threats from the House minority that they will vote against the E-Levy, a tax policy they describe as “draconian” and “insensitive.”
The matter of authorisation for the E-Levy has long been answered, according to the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, when Parliament adopted certain acts.
“The issue for me is when individuals are kicking against the e-levy when you know that we authorized the e-levy as a policy in the motion to approve the budget, which indicates that the first step has already been mounted.” The e-levy receivables have been accounted for in the various estimates approved for all sectors. The second thing we did was to go to the library. Finally, we wrapped everything in the appropriations bill, which was overwhelmingly passed,” he explained.
For the Majority Leader, this signifies that “you have approved the E-Levy.”
