The failure of Majority in Parliament, New Patriotic Party (NPP), to pass the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-levy) is attributable to the unavailability of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Dome-Kwabenya Constituency, Sarah Adwoa Safo.
This became known when the Deputy Minority Leader, James Klustse Avedzi spoke to journalists pertaining to the adjournment of House to Tuesday February 1, 2022 when they will reconvene.
The bill was initially scheduled to be considered by Parliament on Tuesday but was listed among the items to be discussed on Friday, January 28, 2022.
However, after sitting from 5pm to 7pm on the Friday, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, proposed for its deferral to Tuesday following complaints by the Minority caucus about fatigue.
But the MP of Ketu North Constituency said the Suame MP called it off due to their deficient number in the chamber at the time.
According to him, Adwoa Safo who was Deputy Majority Leader in the 7th Parliament was not present in the chamber, hence the move by Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu to delay the process until the caucus finds a solution.
“It is known that at least one of them which is a known face, Adwoa Safo is not available. If you take 1 from 138 definitely it is left with 137. If we also have our 137 then it means there is going to be a tie in the voting, assuming we vote on the bill.
“[Based on article 104 of the Constitution] it means the motion is lost and that is the end, unless they reintroduce it. That’s what they are trying to avoid” said Mr. Avedzi.
It is not the first time the supposed absence of the MP for Dome-Kwabenya has caused eyebrows to raise. It would be recalled that the long absence of the Minister for Gender Children and Social Protection from the country in the last quarter of the year 2021 raised suspicions of impersonation when Parliament needed to decide on the controversial 2022 “Agyenkwa” budget.
The allegations about her impersonations grew the more when pictures and videos of a woman believed not to be Sarah Adwoa Safo went viral on social media.
Meanwhile it has been reported by other media platforms that her return to Ghana and showing up on the floor on Wednesday December 1, 2021−a day after the passing of the bill without the Minority caucus−was on the intervention of the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Opare, who implored her to return from the United States.
Currently not available, there are concerns that the process would continue to delay until she returns or the party takes matters into its hands.
On the other hand, the Minority are determined not to concert to the passing of the bill. According to caucus until the government engages in extensive consultation over the bill they remain resolute on their position.
