E-Levy: Absolute ‘lack of principle’; I thought you wouldn’t run to Supreme Court – Pratt ‘fires’ NDC

Editor-in-Chief of Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt, has fired salvoes at the Minority for filing a law suit at the Supreme Court against the passage of the E-Levy Bill.

After the Majority in Parliament passed the E-levy Bill, the Minority, who staged a walkout during the proceedings, have dragged the Attorney General to the Supreme Court contending that Parliament did not have the required number of at least half of its members present when the controversial tax policy was approved.

The Minority is seeking from the Apex Court reliefs that “a. A declaration that on the authority of the Supreme Court case of Justice Abdulai v. Attorney-General, Writ No. J1/07/2022 dated 9th March 2022, the constitutional quorum number for decision-making and voting within the meaning of Article 104(1) of the 1992 Constitution is 138 Members of Parliament out of the 275 Members of Parliament and not 137 Members of Parliament.

“b. A declaration that on a true and proper interpretation of articles 2(1)(b) and 104(1) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, there was no quorum to enable the 137 Members of Parliament of the Majority Caucus present in Parliament on 29th March 2022 to pass the Electronic Transactions Levy (‘’E-Levy’’).’’

They also are pleading with the court for a declaration that, “on a true and proper interpretation of Article 104(1) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the passing of the Electronic Transactions Levy (‘’E-Levy’’) by the 137 Members of Parliament of the Majority Caucus present in Parliament on the 29th March 2022 without the requisite quorum number of 138 Members of Parliament present in Parliament is null and void and of no legal effect”.

They further asks for an “order of the Honourable Court setting aside the passing of the Electronic Transactions Levy (‘’E-Levy’’) by the 137 Members of Parliament of the Majority Caucus present in Parliament on the 29th March 2022 as a nullity”.

Speaking on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’, the seasoned Journalist wondered why the Minority has resorted to the Supreme Court when they once bastardized the same court when it ruled that a “Deputy Speaker is entitled to be counted as a member of Parliament for quorum” and can “vote and take part in the decision of parliament.”

“I thought, with those things they said, they wouldn’t send anything to the Supreme Court because the things they said showed a complete lack of confidence in the Supreme Court. So, what has happened that, all of sudden, the Minority is running to the Supreme Court?”, he questioned.

He further questioned “if the Supreme Court is a supporter of the E-levy, then what is the outcome you are expecting?”

To Kwesi Pratt, the Minority’s action is purely a “lack of principle”.