Parliament is expected to consider two other financial bills today, Tuesday, May 2, 2023.
The bills include the Excise Tax Stamp Amendment Bill 2022 and the Standard for Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information Amendment Bill, 2023.
Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo Markin made this known when he presented the Business Statement of the house when the house reconvened today for urgent parliamentary business.
“Mr. Speaker, we have the following bills which we could not consider, and we pray that same is considered. These are bills that we should have taken before we went on the Easter break. We have reprogrammed them for consideration today,” Mr. Afenyo Markin said.
Members of Parliaments reconvened after they were recalled by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin for an “urgent parliamentary business.”
Some MPs have claimed that the recall is to compel them to give government clearance to go for another loan.
The House went on break on March 31, 2023, after passing three controversial tax bills into law with the Nanton Member of Parliament involved in an accident on his way to Parliament to partake in the vote to approve the bills.
“On Statutory Funds, we have agreed that the proposed formula for the distribution to GETFund for the 2023 financial year be considered today. We have to place this on ice at a time we adjourned sine die. We believe that barring any unforeseen development, the house will stand adjourned by close of day today”, Afenyo Markin added.
Minority unhappy with MPs recall from recess
Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament is unhappy with the recall.
In a tweet, the Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, alleged that the recall is to compel MPs to approve the government’s decision to go on another borrowing spree.
He took a swipe at the government for recklessly borrowing despite the current economic challenges confronting the country.
“I have been inundated with calls asking why Parliament has been recalled for urgent business on May 2, 2023. It is difficult to comprehend why the NPP government has the courage to continue borrowing after its reckless borrowing has completely destroyed the Ghanaian economy beyond recognition for generations to come,” he slammed the government in a tweet.