The Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, has intimated that the adjournment of the sitting on the e-levy will afford the government more time to do further consultations on the proposal.
Speaking after the adjournment, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu stated that it will also allow the Parliamentarians sometime to have further consultations among themselves as well.
“It is the reason why the First Deputy Speaker had to adjourn the House sine die. As you know, the budget has been passed , there was an attempt to portray that there is no budget, there is a budget. The appropriations bill has been passed”.
Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu
First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu announced on Tuesday December 21 that Parliament has adjourned sitting sine die.
Parliament adjourned sitting sine die to January 18, 2022, without passing the controversial Electronic Transaction Levy of 1.75%. This comes after the house reconvened today, Tuesday, December 21, 2021, following the abrupt suspension of sittings by the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrews Asiamah, after a fight broke out during the voting on the e-levy.
The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, prayed the sit-in Speaker, First Deputy Speaker, Joe Osei Owusu, to adjourn the house until January 18, 2022, for cooler heads to prevail. According to him, the house was not in a serene environment to conduct business, considering the events of the previous night.
“We adjourned sitting yesterday [Monday] and indicated to ourselves that the house will be reconvening at 9:00 am today, (Tuesday, December 21, 2021), but we have been waiting for all this while making the necessary calls but thus far, nothing responsive, and I think where we are if we take an adjournment it will allow coolers to come back to this house, and then we come back to continue with business in a much more serene environment. In that regard, Mr. Speaker, I invite you to adjourn the house in the hope that we can come back on January 18”.
Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu
The country shouldn’t suffer
The prayer was seconded by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, who also said the adjournment will allow for more consultations on all pertinent issues. According to him, the country shouldn’t suffer as a result of some happenings in Parliament recently.
Haruna Iddrisu mentioned that it is important that the law makers carry the country along and also demonstrate to the country that the democracy we have is growing. He averred that the democracy should not suffer due to some unacceptable scenes and and acts that has been witnessed on the floor of Parliament.
“So I can only concur with what the leader has said. So you adjourn the house sine die for some consultation on the outstanding issue.”
Haruna Iddrisu
Last night’s proceeding was brought to a halt following fisticuffs on the floor of Parliament after the First Deputy Speaker had allegedly tried to vacate his seat for the Second Deputy Speaker in order to partake in the voting and proceedings.
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