2022 Budget: Only E-levy issue has not been addressed - MP

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Nkoranza South, Mr Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum says four items out of the five raised by the Minority in parliament with respect to the 2022 budget has been addressed.

According to him, the only pending issue is the E-levy, saying it is not true that nothing has been done about the issues raised by the Minority as being portrayed in the public space.

There was Chaos in parliament on Wednesday, December 1, 2021 after First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Wusu ruled in favour of the NPP following Minority’s motion to set aside Tuesday’s 2022 budget approval.

The 2022 budget statement was on Friday rejected by the country’s Parliament after a heated debate.

The rejection was made possible after all 137 Minority Members of Parliament (MPs) voted against the motion on Friday while members of the Majority Caucus had abandoned their seats in protest against alleged bias on the part of the Speaker of Parliament Prior to the crucial voting, the Speaker had called for a head count to establish if the House had form a quorum in order to proceed.

A quorum was formed per the Speaker’s judgement even though members of the Majority caucus had staged a walkout.

But on Tuesday, the budget was approved by the Majority in the absence of the Minority.

While in parliament to make further deliberations on the budget, the Minority suggested that the budget’s approval be reversed.

But the First Deputy Speaker overruled the motion by the Minority Leader to reverse the approval of the budget leading to attempts by some Minority MPs to snatch the Mace, which is the symbol of authority in Parliament.

This caused chaos with some MPs confronting each other.

Speaking on Atinka TV’s morning show, Ghana Nie with Ekourba Gyasi Simpremu, Mr Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum said, “If anybody says nothing has been done about the issues raised then it is not true, something has happened, Agyapa has been addressed, the sea defence has been addressed, and there are some other issues that have been addressed.”

He said the leadership will meet and dialogue, reiterating that the only issue left is the E-levy.

“What Ghanaians are saying is that even if you want to do E-levy, look at the numbers, this is what we are trying to say. The way to go is not fighting, the way to go is to dialogue, the way to go is to negotiate,” he added.

Meanwhile, he said as far as Parliament, considering Majority and Minority, the 2022 budget has not been approved, adding that the Majority is just trying to please their grassroots by approving it.