Fast, pray so Majority doesn't have all its numbers to approve E-Levy – Akandoh to Ghanaians

E-Levy yet to be re-laid in parliament

NPP MP seriously sick - Reports

Adwoa Safo wants to be Deputy Majority Leader - Reports

The Member of Parliament for Juaboso, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has called on Ghanaians to resort to fasting and praying against the Majority in Parliament so that they are unable to have all their members present in parliament to approve the controversial Electronic Transactions Levy (E-Levy) bill.

According to him, the only way the bill will be approved is when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs are able to rally together all of their 137 members, plus the Independent MP for Fomena.

He added that this would be the only way out since the Minority will never lend support to the bill.

Speaking at an engagement to solicit the views of constituents on whether to approve or reject the bill, the MP urged his people, and Ghanaians for that matter, to fast and pray so that the NPP doesn’t have the full complement of its members to pass the bill.

“You say you don’t want the E-Levy and that when the issue is raised before the house, I should vote against it. You say that even if all the 275 MPs support the levy, I as your MP should vote against it. Then you have to pray and fast against the NPP having all their numbers in the chamber. It’s the only way to kick against it. Because even if we (NDC) oppose it, the NPP will approve it with their numbers, if they’re all present,” he said.

The E-Levy seeks to impose a 1.75% levy on transactions, including Mobile money transfers done between accounts on the same Electronic Money Issuers (EMI), Mobile money transfers from accounts on one EMI to a recipient on another EMI, Transfers from bank accounts to mobile money accounts (either directly, GIP debit, bank cards or another scheme), Transfers from mobile money accounts to bank accounts (either directly, GIP debit, bank cards or another scheme) and Bank transfers originating from a bank account belonging to an individual.

But the introduction of the bill has met stiff opposition from well-meaning Ghanaians, including the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who argue it will further compound the hardships of the ordinary Ghanaian.

The government has however assured that a revised bill will be re-laid in parliament after its townhall meetings, which are aimed at explaining to the general populace the rationale behind the introduction of the levy.

The laying of the revised bill has suffered some postponements as the governing NPP has not been unable to put together all its numbers, especially with the Dome-Kwabenya MP, Sarah Adwoa Safo, still out of the country.

It has been reported too that the Dome-Kwabenya MP wants to be made the Deputy Majority Leader and for which reason she has continued to stay away from parliament.

Also, sources close to the NPP MPs have made startling revelations that one of its members is currently battling a life-threatening condition, hence unable to perform his parliamentary duties at the moment.