The Minority Caucus in Parliament is set to challenge the passage of the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy (E-levy) at the Supreme Court.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, said the passage was unconstitutional, as Parliament did not have the required numbers to make a decision on the e-levy.
“The Majority of less than 137 conducting business only proceeded on illegal and unconstitutional business. Parliament did not have the numbers to take any decision that should be binding on Parliament and Ghanaians.”
“I think they have to come again on E-levy because as of today, I don’t think they had the numbers to say that the E-levy has been passed. We will question this decision in [the Supreme] court on the basis of the earlier ruling and on the basis of the fact that they said we can’t take a decision with 137 [members], but they can take with 137.”
The Minority could not participate in the consideration of the e-levy at the second and third reading stages due to a boycott.
However, the boycott did not hinder Parliament from passing the tax.
The levy, which was amended from 1.75 percent to 1.5 percent today, Tuesday, March 29, 2022, will be a tax on electronic transactions, which includes mobile-money payments.
The charge will apply to electronic transactions that are more than GH¢100 on a daily basis.
All the proposed amendments standing in the name of some Minority MPs were withdrawn because none of them was present to move those amendments in their name.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, said he was surprised by the Minority walkout but indicated that it would not affect the course of proceedings.
