He made an instance that evacuating Ghanaians from Ukraine will depend on the E-Levy
Government is seeking to impose a 1.75% levy on Ghanaians
Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, Deputy Majority Leader, is still justifying why Ghana needs the controversial Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy).
This time, the MP is dwelling on the tension between Ukraine and Russia, as a basis for citizens to accept the E-Levy.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Afenyo-Markin, urged the Minority to support the passage of the E-Levy to ensure the government has the needed resources to run the affairs of the country, including evacuation of the many Ghanaians stranded in Ukraine.
According to him, the tension between Ukraine and Russia is having an adverse effect on developing countries, Ghana inclusive and evacuating Ghanaians will come at a cost, affecting the limited resources government has generated.
He said, the country must be able to save its nationals as no other country would evacuate them.
“The call to evacuate Ghanaian citizens from Ukraine will come at a cost. No European country will evacuate our citizens for us. America will not do that. There is going to be pressure on the limited resources that we have…Of course, Deputy Minority Leader, you have not spoken into the microphone, but if you are talking about E-levy, this is the more important reason why we even need it," Afenyo-Markin said.
“If you were talking about the E-levy, that was the next point I was going to get to. That we should congregate around it and find a way of generating revenue as a country to save the situation because we are not in normal times,” he added.
Afenyo-Markin stressed, “we must care about our own citizens in Ukraine considering what is happening there.”
He noted, the government is monitoring the situation and the appropriate steps will be taken to ensure the safety of Ghanaians, particularly those studying there.
The Deputy Majority Leader, has, however, urged Members of Parliament to do away with partisan politics to help deal with the situation at hand.
“This is the time for us as a country for a new approach to our politics….This is not the time for partisan politics. This is the time to work together because it is a whole crisis that won’t be limited to the people of Effutu but those at Elembele will go through the same crisis. There is a call on us as patrons to think of new ways.
“I have my own view on this matter I believe members will agree to. That when somebody coughs, another person sitting his somewhere catches a cold,” he said.
The Effutu MP made these comments after the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, invoked order 72 of the Standing Orders to raise a matter of urgent public importance.
That is to “call on the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Interior and Finance to work together to take urgent steps to ensure the safety of Ghanaian students in Ukraine and to work towards the immediate evacuation of Ghanaian students.”
He demanded, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, must make money readily available to the Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey.
“We do know the number of Ghanaian students in Ukraine. Quite a number studying medicine, probably some even sponsored by Members of Parliament. The situation in Ukraine is very worrying. Given the situation of a near hot war in Ukraine and Russia not yielding to the diplomatic manoeuvres of the West, particularly that led by the French President Macron and many others,” Haruna Iddrisu said.
He insisted, this must be done to ensure the students and their parents that they are Ghanaian and they deserve the support.
Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin