Minority MPs in Ghana’s Parliament have challenged the Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to identify the MP who presented the ‘E-Levy’ designed cake for his birthday.
The minority NDC contends that failure by the minister to name the MP who sent the controversial birthday cake will portray him a liar in the eyes of the Ghanaian public.
A short video trending on social media captures the vociferous Sam Dzata George, NDC MP for Ningo Prampram challenging the minister to expose his alleged black mailer.
“Again, Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, MP for Suame, am looking you in the face through the camera.
‘’ Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and leader of Government Business, I dare you to name the NDC MP who sent you the cake.
If you can’t name him in 24 hours, the whole country will know you’re a liar,’’ Sam George challenged in the video.
Sam George threw the challenge from the studios of a private television station, Joy News as guest on political talk show PM EXPRESS last night.
The controversial birthday cake:
The New Patriotic Party parliamentary leader and Minister of President Akuffo Addo’s government was captured in a video cutting an ‘E- LEVY’ designed cake at his 65th birthday party last week
The open depiction of the controversial ‘’Electronic Transactions Levy Bill ’’ locally referred to as the E- Levy on the MP’s birthday cake incurred the displeasure of many Ghanaians including members of his own party.
The Majority Leader of the New Patriotic Party and one of the country’s longest serving MPs from the Ashanti region came under heavy attacks and criticisms following wide circulation of the video.
In attempts to justify his act, his party loyalists resorted to counter accusations directed at the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
In the heat of the counter accusations, a known party member from the camp of the MP alleged that the cake was presented to the minister by a colleague NDC MP.
The opposition have challenged the claims and dared the Minister and his allies to name the said NDC MP or be seen as making mockery of Ghanaians on matters of such national interest to the people.
What is the E-Levy about?
The Electronic Transaction Levy Bill, locally referred to as ‘’The E-Levy Bill is an electronic financial service related tax bill currently before Ghana’s Parliament pending members approval.
When approved, the bill will impose an additional 1.75 percent mandatory charges on all internal electronic financial transfers including mobile money services also known as MOMO transfers.
The E-Levy bill, a component of the country’s 2022 Budget Statement which was presented to the house late last year is yet to be approved.
Majority members on the side of government are eager to see the bill passed into law.
But minority MPs from the opposition party believe the levy will worsen the already financial predicaments of the masses. The minority MPs have openly disclosed they will not approve such bill.
Attempts by the Akuffo Addo –Bawumia led administration to get the bill approved despite public outcry against the controversial bill have not yielded any results
The inability of the siting government to push the bill through is due to the current composition of the Ghanaian Parliament.
The country’s legislative body is now a ‘’hung’’ one since neither the ruling party nor the opposition has absolute majority in terms of representation.
The 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic of Ghana has a total 275 representatives.
This comprises 137 elected MPs on the tickets of the ruling NPP, and equal 137 from the opposition NDC and one independently elected.
Interestingly, the speaker of the West African nation’s parliament for the first time in the country’s history belongs to the opposition National Democratic Congress party.
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