Parliament passes Appropriation Bill without E-Levy

Parliament has on Saturday, December 18, 2021 dawn passed the appropriation bill amidst disagreements.

The vexed matter of the E-Levy which the Finance Committee failed to consider over disagreements compelled the house to adjourn sitting to next week Monday.

This is contrary to the plan for the house to rise for the Christmas break after sitting.

The Majority side led by its leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu wanted both the Appropriation Bill and the E-Levy bill to be considered by the Finance Minister before sitting ended.

The Minority side led by its leader Haruna Iddrisu, however, rejected such a move arguing his side could only partake in the passage of the Appropriation Bill.

The Tamale South MP demanded the E-Levy be deferred. The matter was then left to the Finance Committee to decide.

Disagreements at the committee eventually led to the shelving of the E-Levy bill with the house passing only the appropriation bill to enable the president to spend from the consolidated fund after the expiration of the 2021 appropriation Act which expires December 31.

The house will however return on Monday to take the controversial E-Levy bill which the minority insists it’ll demand clause by clause consideration if its demand for broader stakeholder consultation are not heeded to.