The hung nature of the current Parliament has led to some chaotic outcomes and in some cases surprising actions on both sides of the House in a bid to push and or thwart an agenda.
The ruling New Patriotic Party and the opposition National Democratic Congress have 137 Members of Parliament apiece, with the main difference being the independent MP, whose decision to work with the NPP gave them the Majority Group label.
Whenever it is time for a crucial vote, Chief Whips become very busy in their bids to marshal all members by all means possible. From those that are asked to fly in from overseas to those who are asked to ditch family engagements and or constituency engagements etc.
Nanton MP ferried from accident site to vote on taxes?
A recent case of getting a member in Parliament by all means possible played out on Friday, March 31, 2023 when an NPP MP was reportedly brought in from an accident scene to vote before being taken back to the hospital for emergency care.
The MP in question was the representative of Nanton, Mohammed Hardi Tufeiru, who was involved in a gory accident on his way to parliament for a vote on three new taxes.
Photos shared on social media platforms showed a badly mangled saloon car he was purportedly riding in at the time of the accident.
The Nanton MP was, however, taken to Parliament to help the NPP successfully approve three new taxes before he was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.
The three new taxes are: Excise Duty Amendment Bill 2022, the Growth and Sustainability Levy Bill, 2022, and the Income Tax Amendment Bill 2022.
Even though he was not physically available in the Chamber at the time of voting, Speaker Alban Bagbin justified the reason for allowing his vote to be counted stating that he only followed procedures.
”Members who are incapacitated shall upon reporting their incapacity to the Speaker through the Clerk shall be recorded. We have some of our members that are incapacitated and what I did was to ask the Whips to go and physically see them to assess their incapacitation and whether they are of sound mind.”
“I did not do anything untoward. I only followed the rules.”
Ebenezer Kojo Kum brought in ambulance for E-Levy vote
A little over a year ago, a similar incident played out when an ambulance was used to ferry in an MP Ebenezer Kojo Kum to allow him to vote on the controversial Electronic Transactions Levy (E-Levy).
The then bedridden Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs and MP for Ahanta West, was eventually able to cast his ballot to help the passage of the E-Levy, which tax measure proved unpopular and failed to achieve its revenue mobilization goal.
Ambulance in Parliament raises suspicions that bedridden Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs and MP for Ahanta West, Ebenezer Kojo Kum may have been brought in to help the Majority pass the E-Levy.#3NewGH
— Ernest Arhinful (@khaptain4real) March 29, 2022
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Importance of three new taxes
The bills were presented to Parliament as part of government's plans to raise about 4 billion Ghana Cedis annually in domestic revenue mobilisation.
They are also crucial to help secure Board Approval for the US$3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) Programme after a staff-level agreement was reached late last year.
