Minority Chief Whip of the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) Caucus in Parliament, Muntaka Mubarak, says his side will rarely stage a walkout from the floor of Parliament going forward.

According to him, this decision was reached following the failure of their walkout to achieve its desired effect during the e-levy debate last year.

The e-levy bill was passed after the then-137 members from the Minority side staged a walkout on the basis that they did not want to be associated with any further proceedings on the approval of the bill which was considered under a certificate of urgency.

They had described the bill as regressive and injurious to Ghana’s quest to build a digital economy.

Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express, Muntaka Mubarak noted that the Minority MPs since that incident have learnt their lesson.

“Why am I saying that we learnt our lesson? If we had stayed and voted and lost and picked all the amendments and kept voting, maybe because of the frustration of the voting, some of the clauses could have been abandoned. Remember to take a decision in this house according to Article 102 and our Standing Orders 109 you need at least half of all members of the house.

“We with our 136 now even when Quayson was there, 137, do not have at least half of the house. Half of the house is supposed to be 137.5, so meaning that 138. If they marshal all their numbers and we are not even there, they have the minimum number to take business. So we have to be choosy in the fight and when to even fight,” he said.

He was speaking in relation to the recent vote on the motion of censure against the Finance Minister which failed after the Majority staged a walkout.

According to him, while the outcome of the vote was demoralizing and very disappointing, their decision to stay in the House was to affirm their stance against the Finance Minister and prove to Ghanaians they mean business come, what may.

He further assured Ghanaians that as the debate on the 2023 Budget carries on, they will fight tooth and nail to ensure that Ghanaians get what is due them.