The Minority Leader in Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu says his side of the House will remain resolute against the passing of the obnoxious Electronic Transaction Levy (E-levy).

Addressing a press conference in Parliament on Thursday, he explained that their stance is because the e-levy is “regressive, and punitive.”

He added that the E-levy “will not advance the interest and welfare of our people, especially at this time when Ghanaians are already overburdened with draconian taxes left, right and center, amidst growing economic hardships.”

"President Akufo-Addo and his sidekick, the untruthful Alhaji Bawumia should not think that Ghanaians can be forever cowed by the imposition of an atmosphere of fear and high handedness on the nation. Tyrants do not last forever. Ultimately, the good people of Ghana will have the last laugh,” he said.

Touching on the brouhaha surrounding the Assin North MP, James Gyakye Quayson, the Minority leader stated that the suit against the legislator is part of a scheme by government to reduce the Minority’s number in the discussions over the controversial E-levy Bill.

According to him, his outfit will fight the move and maintain its stance against the “insensitive” E-levy Bill.

Mr Iddrisu on this account assured that the NDC MPs “are unfazed and will not be browbeaten by these cowardly acts of intimidation by a government that is on borrowed time; a government whose only interest is creating new opportunities to loot and share the meager resources of Ghana even as Ghanaians groan under the yoke of hardships.”

“We shall continue with all our might to resist the despotic Akufo-Addo/Bawumia regime and their use of crude Machiavellian tactics to reduce our numbers in Parliament in order to pass the obnoxious E-levy,” he added.

NPP in court over Assin North MP

The governing NPP is praying the Supreme Court to stop the NDC MP for Assin North, James Gyekye Quayson, from holding himself as a Parliamentarian.

This demand comes amidst discussions on government’s Electronic Transaction Levy (E-levy). The House is expected to debate on the approval of the E-levy Bill soon.

According to the NPP’s Director of Elections, Evans Nimako, the party will employ the judicial process to stop the MP from attending Parliament.

He also wants the Supreme Court to interpret Article 94 (2A) of the 1992 Constitution.

He argued that a Cape Coast High Court in July 2021, annulled the Assin North Parliamentary elections saying that Mr Quayson was not eligible to contest the polls.

“We are here for an interpretation of Article 94 (2a) because we have realized that going to court, at the High Court in Cape Coast and the Court of Appeal, the lawyer for the NDC MP for Assin North, has been raising the issue of interpretation of the article. We think that this has to be settled, and so today, we are at the Supreme Court to seek interpretation of Article 94 (2a).

In addition to this, we are also asking the court to injunct the gentleman not to hold himself as such. As we are aware, the High Court in Cape Coast has already given judgement and has given orders to the Electoral Commission to conduct fresh elections in view of the fact that the gentleman was not qualified when he applied to contest on the ticket of the NDC in the said constituency”, he told JoyNews.

An appeal has since been lodged at the Court of Appeal and remains outstanding. A resident of the constituency, Michael Ankomah Nimfah who initiated the action against the MP, is seeking the intervention of the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, the Assin North MP, James Gyakye Quayson, has been slapped with charges including forgery and perjury by the Attorney- General’s Office. He is also accused of deceiving a public officer and knowingly making a false declaration.