Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has said the Minority’s war against the e-levy is not over, insisting the Caucus has not given up the fight.
According to Mr Ablakwa, the Minority Caucus did not come this far to be induced or play mind games with their constituents who sent them to Parliament, or the larger Ghanaian populace who are depending on them to rescue the nation from the Akufo-Addo-led government “that has gained notoriety for imposing excruciating economic hardships.”
In a Facebook post, Mr Ablakwa noted that it is obvious trust in Ghanaian politicians is at an all-time low, mainly due to gross deception and failed promises but that should not make Ghanaians paint all politicians with the same brush.
“At least, it’s important to bear in mind that it is not NDC politicians who conceived of the e-levy, neither are we the ones forcing it down the throats of the suffering masses despite overwhelming public agitation,” he said.
He further reminded Ghanaians that the NDC has also made it clear that in the unlikely event of an eventual passage of the e-levy, “We shall abolish the regressive and obnoxious tax immediately we assume power in 2025.”
Mr Ablakwa, together with Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu and MP for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, has filed a suit at the Supreme Court to challenge the passage of the e-levy bill by a one-sided parliament.
They claim the number of legislators in the chamber when the bill was passed did not form a quorum as declared by the Supreme Court.
The opposition MPs want the Supreme Court to set aside the passage of the e-levy bill by the 136 Members of Parliament of the Majority Caucus present in the chamber of parliament on 29 March 2022 as unconstitutional, null and void.
Read Mr Ablakwa’s full post below:
For 5 good months, we have stood by the Ghanaian people in fiercely resisting the e-levy and standing up to a government desperately determined to do everything by hook or crook to impose the most unpopular tax policy of the Fourth Republic.
It takes grit, strategy and integrity to sustain a hung parliament resistance of this kind for this long.
If anyone doubted the stubborn insensitivity of this government, just look at the extent they went to violating the dignity of their own extremely sick colleague MP by dragging him to the precincts of Parliament in an ambulance. That is not a superior political tactic, it is heartless politics without regard for human life. Politics must not be this ugly and barbaric.
Let’s not forget that but for the resistance of NDC MPs since November last year, Ghanaians would have been paying the E-Levy as far back as January 2022.
To us, the war against the E-Levy isn’t over and we are not about to give up. Indeed, we are only warming up. This is the battle of our lives.
Many didn’t give us credit to mount such a formidable and long-drawn campaign against the oppressor’s rule.
One day, we shall tell the full story about the machinations we have endured and overcome in this epic war to defeat E-Levy.
We have not come this far to be induced or play mind games with the people who sent us to Parliament or the larger Ghanaian populace who are depending on us for collective salvation from a government that has gained notoriety for imposing excruciating economic hardships.
Let those who think they can break our resolve by peddling blatant falsehoods and dabbling in devious character assassination revise their strategy.
It is obvious trust in Ghanaian politicians is at an all-time low mainly due to gross deception and failed promises but that should not make us paint all politicians with the same brush. At least, it’s important to bear in mind that it is not NDC politicians who conceived of the e-levy nor are we the ones forcing it down the throats of the suffering masses despite overwhelming public agitation.
The NDC has also made clear that in the unlikely event of an eventual passage of the E-Levy, we shall abolish the regressive and obnoxious tax immediately we assume power in 2025.
May our clear conscience, purity of heart and unflinching resolve not to betray the Ghanaian people vindicate us in the final analysis.
