Former President, John Dramani Mahama has said President Akufo-Addo has not sought his intervention on the E-Levy impasse as reported by section of the public.
In a statement posted on his social media platforms, the Former President said he received Mr. Gabby Otchere Darko, at his request, at his residence on Tuesday 21st December, 2021 and discussed how the two major political parties can work together for the interest of the nation.
According to Mr. Mahama they also talked about how dialogue can be deployed to ensure Parliamentary issues are agreed consensually before coming on the floor to avoid what happened recently in the House.
“At no time was there any discussion specifically about the President requiring my intervention in the impasse on the E-levy.” Mahama noted
Read the FULL statement below.
Mr John Dramani Mahama Writes;
President Akufo-Addo did not seek my intervention on the E-Levy impasse.
I received Mr. Gabby Otchere Darko, at his request, at my residence on Tuesday 21st December, 2021
Among issues we discussed was the desire of Ghanaians to see the two major political parties working together for the interest of the nation
We discussed, also, how dialogue can be deployed to ensure Parliamentary issues are agreed consensually before coming on the floor to avoid what happened recently in the House.
We further discussed opening channels of communication between the leaders of the two parties including a possible meeting with the President at a future date.
At no time was there any discussion specifically about the President requiring my intervention in the impasse on the E-levy.
Fight in Parliament
Parliament on Tuesday December 21 adjourned sitting to January 18 next year without concluding on the e-levy proposal which has sharply divided the House.
The Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, expressed disappointment in the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin over the way and manner he conducted himself in Parliament on Monday December 20.
According to him, the Speaker left Parliament to his home without communicating to the Second Deputy Speaker whom he handed over to.
He described this as unfortunate.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday December 21, the Suame lawmaker said “He said he will come here at 11: 30 , subsequently another message came to say that he can only be here at 12 . I mean, the house cannot be held to ransom by one person. It is most unfortunate.
“Yesterday leaving the seat he told the First the First Deputy that he was handing over to, that he will come back pretty soon and all that we heard was that he had left to his house, that is mots unfortunate without any further communication to the Second deputy Speaker or to me because I have been having some discussions with him and I am told today, that he didn’t even have any discussion with the Minority as well so where are we going from where. It is most unfortunate development.”
The Majority Leader further said the adjournment of the sitting on the e-levy would afford the Majority and government more time to do further consultations on the proposal.
“I think that this will also allow us sometime to have further consultations among ourselves, it is the reason why the First Deputy Speaker had to adjourn the House sine die. As you know, the budget has been passed , there was an attempt to portray that that there is no budget, there is a budget , the appropriations bill passed.”
He added “I think that this will also allow us sometime to have further consultations among ourselves ,it is the reason why the First Deputy Speaker had to adjourn the House sine die . As you know, the budget has been passed , there was an attempt to portray that that there is no budget, there is a budget , the appropriations bill passed.”
On Monday December 20 Members of Ghana’s Parliament could not hold their emotions as some exchanged brawls in the House just before the final vote on the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy Bill, also known as e-levy.
The sit-in Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu, had announced that a division would be followed to approve the Bill, presented under a certificate of urgency, and he was going to vote as well in his capacity as a Member of Parliament.
That appeared to have provoked the National Democratic Congress (NDC) members, who questioned his decision to vote after presiding over the night’s proceedings.
They moved to the front of the dais, issuing threats at the Bekwai MP.
This got the Majority MPs to also start agitations and immediately Mr Osei-Owusu handed the presiding role to the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, the fight broke out.
