Facts of what Transpired in Parliament on E-levy

1. Government introduced the E. Levy bill in Parliament.
2. The Bill was read the first time and referred to the finance committee for consideration and report.
3. Yesterday (Monday), the Committee met to discuss the Bill.
4. At the meeting, the finance minister proposed that the bill be considered under a certificate of urgency.
5. The minority MPs on the committee argued that there was nothing urgent about the Bill.
6. The majority disagreed with the minority.
7. The Committee eventually had to vote on the urgency of the Bill.
8. All 12 minority MPs voted No, and all 12 majority MPs voted Yes. ( There was a tie – Committee chairman did not vote)
9. Since there was a tie, the chairman of the committee exercised his casting vote right, and voted Yes to break the tie.
10. That was at the Committee level.
11. On the floor, the Speaker Alban Bagbin was in the Chair.
12. Yesterday’s sitting was basically to consider the E. levy bill.
13. The Speaker for several occasions asked for the report of the finance committee on the Bill be brought so that the House could consider it.
14. The majority kept delaying in bringing the report, with the excuse that it was not ready.
15. At a point, the speaker got tired and got up for the first deputy Speaker to take over.
16. Point must be made that the majority was delaying the report, probably because they did not have all their MPs present.

1. Even when first deputy Speaker was presiding, at a point, he also got up for the second deputy speaker to preside.
2. All this while, the report was still not presented.
3. The majority leader explained that the reports were then being printed.
4. The second deputy Speaker eventually suspended sitting for 30 minutes.
5. Sitting resumed after about one hour, with the reports distributed to members.
6. The minority raised an issue with the finance committee decision to recommend the consideration of the Bill under a certificate of urgency.
7. The minority had argued that, the terms of reference given to the committee did not include determination of the urgency of the bill.
8. The minority also argued that the letter and memorandum that accompanied the Bill did request its consideration under a certificate of urgency.
9. The majority however argued that it was within the mandate of the committee to make such a recommendation.
10. The second deputy speaker who was presiding upheld the position of the majority, and overruled the minority, paving the way for the bill to be considered under a certificate of urgency.
11. It is worthy of note that, when a bill is to be considered under a certificate of urgency, it means, the waving of the 14 days gazette notification.
12. In other words, before a bill could be introduced in parliament, that bill must have been published in the gazette for a minimum of 14 days. ( This requirement was therefore waved by the grant of the certificate of urgency)
13. However, every business in parliament is introduced by a motion ( procedural and substantive)
14. By the standing orders of the house, every motion must be moved and seconded and then voted on, to either reject or adopt it.
15. When the second deputy speaker put the question, the majority MPs said Yes and the minority MPs said No.
16. The second deputy speaker rules that the Yes won.
17. The minority challenged that, and minority chief Whip Muntaka called for a division in line with the standing orders.
18. Deputy majority leader described the call as an attempt to frustrate government business and urged the speaker to ignore it.
19. The minority argued vehemently that the second deputy speaker had no choice than to proceed with the division.
20. The second deputy speaker agreed but however suspended sitting for one hour.
21. During the break, minority leader expressed surprised at the suspension, believing that it was because the majority did not have the numbers and was thus buying time.
22. The majority on the other side, accused the speaker of conniving with the minority to frustrate government business. Deputy majority leader said, they would not proceed with the sitting until the Speaker returns.
23. He admitted that, in the absence of the speaker, when any of the deputies are presiding, they cannot vote. He therefore saw the absence of the speaker as an attempt to reduce the majority side by one, which will bring the numbers on both sides to 137 : 137
24. He also admitted that, when the votes are equal, it would mean a defeat for the motion.
25. Back to the chamber, sitting resumed with the first deputy Speaker taking the Chair.
26. He first attempted to discontinue with the voting by division, by suggesting that the second deputy speaker erred in the route he took.
27. The minority disagreed and urged on him to continue with the pending division.
28. The first deputy speaker then agreed to the division, but indicated that in the course of the voting he will also vote. That he will ask the second deputy speaker to take the chair after he had voted, so that he could also vote.
29. This drew boos from the minority side and cheers from the majority side.
30. Lawyers from both sides argued for and against the first deputy speaker’s comment.
31. Voting eventually started. Majority MPs who voted Yes were asked to go out of the Chamber.
32. All majority MPs including secnd deputy Speaker moved out, with first deputy Speaker remaining in the speaker’s Chair.
33. One after the other, they were called to come in and be counted as they sit down.
34. It got to the turn of the second deputy speaker and he came in and sat in his Chair.
35. The first deputy Speaker then asked the second deputy to come and take the chair (true to his earlier indication)
36. Minority MPs got infuriated at started massing up around the speaker’s table.
37. Majority MPs also started massing up at the other end of the speaker’s table.
38. Both sides appeared ready to battle over the speaker’s chair when the first deputy Speaker gets up.
39. The second deputy speaker appeared on the stage, robbed.
40. First deputy speaker got up, and they bowed to each other in a move indicative of a change over.
41. Minority MPs rushed onto the stage apparently to take aware the speaker’s Chair.
42. Majority MPs also moved onto the stage apparently to push back the minority MPs in order to allow the second deputy speaker to sit on the chair.
43. The result was a physical confrontation, with exchange of blows.
44. Second deputy speaker could not sit, voting could not continue. Total chaos ensued.
45. Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu demonstrated leadership and was able to call MPs of both sides to order.
46. Calm returned to the Chamber.
47. Leaders of both sides had a short engagement.
48. Second deputy speaker returned to the chamber and adjourned sitting to the following morning 9am.

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