The Founder of Imani Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, suggested that the government trim the e-levy rate to 0.75 percent.
In a Facebook post, he said the budget that is meant to redeem the masses is itself striving to be redeemed.
He proposed that the government reduce the levy to 0.75 percent.
“The 2022 budget christened “Agyenkwa”( “Saviour” in English) is itself struggling to survive. How about 0.75% E-levy instead of 1.75%, and a $3bn value for 49% royalties in Agyapa instead of govt’s projected $1bn (based on present value calculation of gold prices)?” he proposed.
The House of Parliament approved the budget statement for 2022 in the absence of the Minority caucus on Tuesday, December 1, 2021.
Even though the budget was already rejected on Friday, November 26 by the Minority Caucus after the Majority Caucus had staged a walk-out, it was approved by the Majority.
The First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei Owusu, who presided over the meeting said the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, erred when he rejected the budget in favour of the Minority.
On Friday, November 26, the Minority Caucus, in a parliamentary meeting presided over by the Speaker, rejected the budget.
The Minority wanted the Agyapa deals and the e-levy policy in the budget retracted. They also wanted the budget to address the predicament of the victims of the tidal wave.
However, the Majority Caucus, in the absence of the Minority, overturned the previous judgement on the budget and approved it.
These two developments have rendered Ghanaians confused as they wonder if Parliament has adopted a double-track system.
On Wednesday, December 1, the Leaser of the NDC caucus, Inusah Iddrisu, moved a motion to reverse the approval of the budget.
According to him, the First Deputy Speaker while presiding over the sitting on Tuesday did not have a voting right and so the ruling was a "constitutional nullity."
In an attempt to justify the approval of the 2022 budget statement, the First Deputy Speaker, Joe Wise said a Deputy Speaker is not a Speaker.
According to him the argument on the number of Parliamentarians present during the budget's approval on Tuesday, November 30 is not convincing because he has a voting right.
“I am a member of Parliament, the Second Deputy Speaker is a Member of Parliament
Our work is to assist the Speaker. Any attempt to read and interpret the constitution to include Deputy Speakers is a misreading of the constitution, he said.
He explained that Deputy Speakers have voting right in Parliament during decision-taking and so he had the right to vote while presiding over the house yesterday.
“When the Speaker is not around either of us can preside so like any other member. That member does not lose his right of being a member of the House.”
The Deputy Speaker overruled the motion and this sparked an outburst between the two caucuses.
The Minority caucus is of the view that the First Deputy Speaker cannot make a judgment in the Chamber since he said he is not a Speaker.
However, the Deputy Speaker said despite the controversies, democracy is still the best and that military rule is not an option.
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