The Minority in Parliament on Friday walked out from the chamber during deliberations on the Value Added Tax Amendment Bill, our reporter says.
TV3's Evelyn Tengmaa stated as reason of
the walkout a claim by the Minority - mostly made up of members of the
New Patriotic Party (NPP) - that there were procedurial errors by the
Majority in passing the VAT Bill.
"The Bill does not talk about increasing
the threshold of VAT," said Minority Leader Osei-Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, who
was visibly furious with an attempt by a Deputy Minister of Finance,
Cassiel Ato Forson, who is also Member of Parliament (MP) for
Ajumako/Enyan/Essiam Constituency, to introduce a 2.5 per cent increase
on the threshold.
"...You should talk to us the policy underpinning what you want to introduce," the Suame Constituency MP stated.
Describing Mr Ato Forson's attempts as
surreptitious, the Minority Leader said given the "massive" corruption
in the country, this could be a means for members of the incumbent
National Democratic Congress (NDC) to perpetuate the canker.
"We all know that there are massive leakages and corruption in the system," he said.
"The Parliament of Ghana is not a
Parliament of the NDC," he addressed the First Deputy Speaker, Ebo
Barton Oduro, who was chairing proceedings.
The Majority led by its leader, Dr
Benjamin Kumbuor, was unfazed by the action of the Minority MPs, saying
they failed to notice the distinction in what is supposed to be a
government policy and issues of the Bill that is directly hinged on
activities within the country.
"People must get this distinction clear," Dr Kumbuor stressed.
Meanwhile, the Bill has been passed by Parliament despite the walkout by the Minority.
Source: TV3 News|Ghana
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