Former Tamale Central MP and a private legal practitioner, Inusah Fuseini, has intimated that the stay of execution by the Minority against the passage of the E-levy might not make a difference.
According to the former MP, the court is very hesitant in preventing one from performing an official duty just like what was done in Parliament yesterday leading to the passage of the E-levy. The former MP stated that so far as a decision is taken in the House, the options for challenging that decision is limited. He was of the view that the Minority should have stayed to prevent the House from taking the decision. “It is better to prevent the taking of that decision than to let that decision be taken.”
“The stay of execution may not make a difference. The constitution says bills passed by Parliament must be assented to by the President. We are yet to see a court that will say, Mr. President we are injuncting you for assenting to this Bill.”
Inusah Fuseini
Inusah Fuseini explained that any debate in the House must have an end and the end to that debate is voting. As such, when a decision is to be taken, the opposition to the decision should be manifested and counted as a vote. “That’s the consensus we have arrived at and that is democracy.”
Members of Parliament debate policies
The Legal Practitioner further explained that Members of Parliament do not introduce or initiate but debate policies and if there is any opposition, the Minority will point out the shortcomings in the implementation of the policy and the challenges that government might face in implementing these policies. He added that Minority also suggests other options that government must consider. “That is what we say the Minority will have their say and Majority will have their way.”
Commenting on the E-levy not being part of the business of the day in Parliament, he noted that he could not confirm that. He, however, explained that, before the meeting at the Parliament for the week is scheduled, the business committee meets and schedules the programme for the coming week.
According to him, in that programme, they indicate what could happen, that is, matters that are known to Members which are continuing, especially bills which are before Members of Parliament at various stages and what will happen to them. He disclosed that statements that are made by Members of Parliament, statements even made by the President and all others are also considered.
The Former MP stated that his understanding on what ensued yesterday was that, there was no provision in the statement to the effect that the E-levy bill was part of the bills to be admitted. However, the Majority stated that it was part of the bills presented in the business statement of Parliament and so E-levy was on the agenda for deliberation.
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