We shall sleep in front of Parliament House until the E-levy is rejected – Bernard Mornah
Despite Police insistence on the Justice 4 Ghana group not to picket in front of Parliament House, convener for the group who happens to be a former Chairman of the Peoples National Convention insists that the demonstration is set to end at Ghana’ Parliament House though reports making rounds suggest that Police has actually secured a court injunction to that effect.
He defended his stance insisting that they pose no security risk to Ghana’s legislature. He, therefore, added that his outfit had given them adequate information about their demonstration and been guaranteed the necessary protection, and so he is now surprised to learn about the said injunction restricting their movement.
“That [injunction] is an imagination. On Tuesday morning, I spoke to the Accra Regional Police Commander. This [Tuesday] evening, I spoke to the head of the Police in Parliament, Freeman Tettey… We have not been served any attempt by the Police that they were going to court, and you cannot go to court on ex-parte motion and stop a protest,” he argued.”
Giving the itinerary of the demonstration, he revealed that they had planned to go through the Central Business District but upon some deliberations, with the Police, they resolved to finally meet at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park and then move to Parliament till the controversial E-levy is rejected.
“We have notified the Police of what we want to do…. We don’t pose security risks, we don’t carry weapons. We have our mats and student mattresses, and we will be there until the government becomes responsive and withdraws the E-levy.”
Commenting on the E-levy issue Mr. Mornah called out the government saying that, the post-Covid-19 era requires that the government supports businesses to grow rather than burden them with new taxes.
“The times we are in should tell you that there should not be taxation at all because businesses are suffocating and when they are suffocating, you give them a reprieve, not taxes. How do you expect them to survive?” he quizzed, adding that the suggestions that the E-levy will help to significantly transform the country are false since the leveraging of the country’s natural resources has not had a major effect on the country’s development.
“E-levy is rather a minus on the contributions and rise of entrepreneurship…The government cannot say it needs the E-levy as the only means of surviving before it can ensure development,” he added.
Bernard Mornah seized the opportunity to call on the public to join the group to demonstrate and impress on the government to withdraw the E-levy.
“Tomorrow [Wednesday], we should see as many people showing up their interest that we will march together to the Parliament House and stay at the forecourt and pile the pressure,” he said.
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
