Minority walked out of Parliament over 17.5% petroleum tax

Minority in Parliament have staged a walk out over Majority's insistence to pass a proposed bill by the Finance Minister Seth Terkper seeking imposition of 17.5 percent on petroleum products .

Efforts by the First Deputy Speaker, Ebo Barton Odro to get the Minority to rescind their decision yielded not result.

Minority strongly argued the tax will impose hardship on Ghanaians who are already suffering the brunt of the economic challenges.

NPP Member of Parliament for Sekondi Paapa Owusu Ankomah told Joy News they had to stage the walk out because no matter how good their argument is, it wound persuade government to take a second look at the decision.

“This is not the time to impose this kind of hardship when workers are complaining,” he said.

Deputy Minority Leader Domini Nitiwul stated categorically that the Minority “will go to the streets to ensure that the people of Ghana support us…to ensure that this tax is rejected”.

Majority Leader who described the decision as “appalling” he said the budget which is supposed to be anti-poor has rather proven that government “doesn't care about the poor”. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com| Isaac Essel | [email protected] | twitter @isaacessel