News:
Minority Leader
February 15, 2022
Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has set the record straight that he is not aware that any part of official records of the House has it that they have agreed to one percent on the much talked about Electronic Transfer Bill 2021, and can only be the imagination of some people with the Majority side of the House.
According to him at the appropriate time he would school the Majority side of the House on E-Levy as a former Communication Minister. He asserts that the charge on the E-levy rather 3.5 percent. “Rather the charge on E-Levy is 3.5 percent and not the one point seven five percent (1.75) being talked about”.
“What we call the back to back charges of the Telcos of one percent in and one percent cash out; it was within that narrative I was speaking to; but for the record nobody at our caucus has said one percent. I would explain myself when we come to the debate on the second reading” he told the House.
Responding to the Business presented by the Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin the Minority Leader expressed his disquiet about some ongoing developments with regard to the E-Levy where Finance Minister is engaging in town hall meetings to explain the E-Levy Bill 2021.
He explained that under Order 169, the committee of Finance shall be composed of 25 members to which bills and enquires would be referred to them, other matters relating to finance and the economy generally the Electronic Transfer Bill was introduce in this House so far as they are concern, a referral has been made to the finance committee. “My strong view is that search for views and input should not fall within the domain of Ken Ofori Atta but rather the finance Committee”.
And what the Finance Minister should do is under Article 106 in his explanatory memoranda which should accompany the Bill would explain, and he is not parliament or its committee, “if the bill had gone through a certificate of urgency, “would he be doing what he is doing now?”
“We should get things right, our rules put that authority on the committee of finance”, and urged the minister not to be usurping the authority of the House. “When you bring e-levy, we would wait for you, you are struggling and you would not let Ghanaians know you are struggling?” he queried.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com