Minority to challenge approval of E-Levy at Supreme Court

The Minority in Parliament has served notice that they will head to the Supreme Court to challenge the approval of the Electronic Levy Bill because the Majority lacked the required quorum of one half of members to take a decision on the bill.

The Minority say the jubilation of the majority will be “short-lived” because the Supreme Court in its latest ruling in the case of Justice Abdullah vs Attorney General has clearly explained that all decisions in the House will be taken with half of the members of the House present.

The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu speaking after the passage of the bill said his side staged a walkout because they did not have the required numbers to shoot down the motion.

“During the consideration stage, you (Majority caucus) did not have half of members of Parliament present per the Supreme Court ruling. And during the third reading, you did not have more than half of the members of parliament present and voting. Therefore, those of you who are celebrating with them that E-Levy has been passed, your excitement will be short-lived.

“…Immediately after this press briefing, we intend to file to question the legitimacy of the decision of less than one half of members of parliament taking a decision to approve E-Levy at second reading following our [minority] walk-out and at third reading which is required,” he said.

Parliament passes E-Levy after Minority walkout
Earlier, Parliament passed the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) by a vote of MPs from the Majority Caucus of the House after the Minority staged a walkout.

The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, said his side still opposes the E-Levy, hence the walkout.

Iddrisu urged President Akufo-Addo to withdraw the E-Levy Bill from the House because, he said, the Minority will not have anything to do with the controversial tariff.

Earlier, Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister for Finance, had said the government has decided to reduce the basic E-Levy charge from 1.75% of the value of the transaction to 1.5%.

He said the government had reached this decision following engagements with various stakeholders undertaken by the government.

Moving for the E-Levy Bill to be read for the second time in Parliament today (Tuesday 29 March), Ofori-Atta announced: “… The government has also decided to reduce the rate of the levy from 1.75% of the transfer to 1.5% of the transfer.”