I was forced to go to court because NPP wanted to pass E-levy — Gyakye Quayson
The embattled Assin North Member of Parliament James Gyakye Quayson has accused the government of orchestrating to remove him from the house because the Majority in Parliament wouldn’t be enough to pass the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy).
The MP speaking to residents in his constituency said the very day he had to appear in court was the day the E-levy bill was tabled and passed in parliament.
According to him, “They took me to court on the very day we were debating the passage of the E-Levy. I was forced to go because I did not want to be charged with contempt of court.
“As soon as I went to the court, they brought the bill for the E-levy, and it was passed that very day. But God does not like wickedness, they are now not getting anything from the E-levy.
“How can you tax poor people who are sending the little money they have gotten to their children in school? You (the government) don’t even use the money judiciously.”
On Tuesday, March 29, 2022, parliament passed the bill despite a walkout by the minority group in the House.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, who was present in Parliament announced a reduction in the levy to 1.5 percent from the initial 1.75 percent proposed by the government.
Providing some details for the reduction, Ofori-Atta said telcos in the country agreed to reduce their charges by 0.25 of a percentage point to bring their part of the charge to 0.75 percent.
On December 30, 2020, a resident of Assin North, Michael Ankomah-Nimfah, filed a parliamentary election petition at the Cape Coast High Court challenging the eligibility of Quayson to be an MP.
He contended that the MP was not eligible on the basis that at the time he [Quayson] filed his nomination to contest as a parliamentary candidate, he was still a citizen of Canada.
