Parliament has adjourned sitting sine die to January 18, 2022 without passing the Electronic Transaction Levy also known as e-levy.
The proceedings to continue the resolution as to whether the E-Levy Bill should be considered under a Certificate of Urgency or not ended abruptly as the First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu announced to the House he has adjourned sitting sine die.
This comes after the House reconvened Tuesday, December 21, 2021, following the abrupt suspension of sitting by the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrews Asiamah, after a fight broke out during the voting on the E-levy on Monday December 20, 2021.
The House was expected to make progress following the clash between the Minority and Majority during voting on the floor of the House when the First Deputy Speaker took leave of the Speaker’s chair for the Second Deputy Speaker to allegedly enable him to participate in voting.
The Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu after the correction of Votes and Proceedings on the floor of the House implored the First Deputy Speaker to adjourn the House in the hope to continue business on a more serene atmosphere when it reconvenes.
He prayed the sit-in Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu, to adjourn the House until on or about January 18, 2022, for cooler heads to prevail because according to him, the House was not in a serene environment to conduct business, considering the events of the previous night.
The Majority Leader recalled that the House adjourned sitting on Monday December 20 and indicated it will be reconvening at 9am Tuesday, December 21, 2021, but have been waiting for the speaker all this while and making the necessary calls which have not seen response.
He said an adjournment will allow cooler heads to come back to the House for them to continue with business in a much more serene environment and in that regard invited the Speaker to adjourn the House in the hope of them to come back on January 18 or thereabout.
The Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu seconding the motion saying the adjournment will allow for more consultations on all pertinent issues stressing that the country should not suffer as a result of some happenings in Parliament lately.
He said it is important for them to carry the country along, and that they need to demonstrate to the country that Ghana’s democracy is growing and will not suffer some unacceptable scenes and spectacles witnessed on the floor and concurred with the Majority Leader to adjourn the House sine die for some consultation on the outstanding issue.
The First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei Owusu consequently adjourned sitting sine die without the passage of the controversial Electronic Transaction Levy of 1.75% into an Act.
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu explained that the house wasn’t in a serene environment to conduct business, considering the events of the previous night.
He said “We adjourned sitting yesterday [Monday] and indicated to ourselves that the house will be reconvening at 9am today, (Tuesday, December 21, 2021, but we have been waiting for all this while making the necessary calls but thus far, nothing responsive, and I think where we are if we take an adjournment it will allow coolers to come back to this house, and then we come back to continue with business in a much more serene environment. In that regard, Mr. Speaker, I invite you to adjourn the house in the hope that we can come back on January 18.”
The prayer was seconded by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, who also said the adjournment will allow for more consultations on all pertinent issues.
According to him, the country shouldn’t suffer as a result of some happenings in Parliament recently.
“It is important that we carry the country along, and we need to demonstrate to the country that our democracy is growing and will not suffer some unacceptable scenes and spectacles we’ve witnessed on the floor.
“So I can only concur with what the leader has said, so you adjourn the house sine die for some consultation on the outstanding issue,” he said.
By Vincent Kubi