Parliament will meet later today, Tuesday, December 21, 2021, to decide whether or not the Electronic Transaction Levy should be examined under a certificate of urgency.
Following the turmoil that characterized voting on the floor of the house, the proceedings were adjourned in the early hours of Tuesday.
The Minority objected to the First Deputy Speaker’s decision to leave the Speaker’s chair for the Second Deputy Speaker to assume command in order for him to participate in voting, and a tussle over the Speaker’s sitting area ensued.
During the incident, hundreds of opposition politicians engaged in fisticuffs with their majority party colleagues, while some parliament personnel attempted to safeguard the Speaker’s seat and the mace of parliament from attack.
However, calm returned moments after, before the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Asiamah, adjourned the sitting.
The Majority Leader in a Citi News interview after the chaos said the leadership of both Caucuses are engaging to resolve the issues.
He was, however, hopeful that the House will be able to deal with the e-levy before it rises for recess.
“We have been engaging the leadership of the Minority Caucus after what happened in the Chamber. So I believe by tomorrow [Tuesday] this storm will subside, and we will be able to work and deal with the substance of the matter.”