Speaker recalls Parliament to resume Thursday, April 30

The Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye has recalled the house to regroup Thursday, April 30, 2020, at 10am to resume the First Meeting of the Fourth Session.

A statement announcing the decision and signed by the Speaker himself, says the recall is in keeping with Order 6 of the Standing Orders of Parliament.

The Director of Public Affairs of Parliament, Ms Kate Addo, explains that the sitting will consider among other things, waiving of VAT on donations of stock of equipment and goods for fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, permitting the deduction of contributions and donations towards Covid-19 as allowable expense for tax purposes, and extending the due date for filing of taxes from four months to six months after the end of the basis year.

The Speaker last suspended Parliament on Saturday, April 4, leading to criticisms particularly from the Minority that he was stepping out of bounds and exhibiting autocratic tendencies.
They had wished he adjourned sittings with a definite resumption date rather than suspend it indefinitely.

The Speaker however defended his action as lawful, also underpinned by the uncertainty of the times as engendered by the coronavirus pandemic, Covid-19.

Among matters before the house was the Electoral Commission’s submission for the passage of legislation to enable citizens to use the Ghana Card and Ghana passport as proper identities for registration as voters.