Parliament on Tuesday passed the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-levy Bill) despite a walkout from the Chamber by the Minority Members of Parliament (MPs).

The Minority MPs walked out of the Chamber after the Second Reading, avoiding the Consideration Stage where the draft language of the bill is subjected to scrutiny.

The Minority had complained that it had been taken by surprise by the unexpected consideration of the E levy.

“Mr Speaker, the E-levy was not listed in Parliament’s business statement for this week,” Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader said on the floor of Parliament.

“Mr Speaker, the Minority led by me will not be associated with any further proceedings of the E-levy,” he said.

All the proposed amendments standing in the name of some Minority MPs were withdrawn because none of them was present to move those amendments in their name.

Mr Alban Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament, in his submission, said he was surprised by the Minority walkout but indicated that it would not affect the course of proceedings.

The Levy, which was amended from 1.75 per cent to 1.5 per cent on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, would be a tax on electronic transactions, which includes mobile-money payments.

The charge would apply to electronic transactions that are more than GHS100 daily.

Critics of the proposal have warned that the levy would negatively impact the financial technology space, as well as hurt low-income people and those outside the formal banking sector.

The Government has, however, argued that the levy would widen the tax net and raise an extra GHS6.9 billion in 2022.

The levy has been the source of tension in Parliament since it was introduced in the 2022 budget.

The tensions culminated in a scuffle between lawmakers in Parliament in December 2021.