The 2020 flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress, John Dramani Mahama, has refuted claims that the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has sought his intervention in the ongoing brouhaha on the controversial e-levy.
According to former president John Mahama, he only received a leading member of the New Patriotic Party, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, at his residence Tuesday, December 21, 2021, at Mr Otchere-Darko's request.
Giving details of the meeting between the two, the former president revealed that the discussion centred on how consensus can be built between the two political rival MPs on parliamentary issues judging from the almost equal number of MPs each faction has.
This, he says, was to avoid a repetition of chaos in Parliament's Chamber as witnessed on Monday December 20, 2021.
He said at no point was the subject of the e-levy brought up for him to intervene.
“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,” he wrote on his Facebook timeline.
The issue of the e-levy has sharply divided majority and minority MPs.
While the majority wants the levy passed to generate revenue to address unemployment challenges and construct roads, the minority maintains that it will impose hardship on Ghanaians.
Finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta at the presentation of the 2022 budget statement announced plans by government to slap a 1.75% on all electronic transactions including mobile money – a move largely criticized by financial sector players.
The government has since not found a way to broker consensus on it with the voting to determine whether or not to consider the e-levy bill should be admitted under a certificate of urgency turning into a “free for all” fight between majority and minority MPs on the floor of parliament on Monday, December 20, 2021.
Meanwhile, Parliament has adjourned sitting indefinitely following a brawl that occurred for broader consultation on e-levy.
Former president, John Dramani Mahama