Eight (8) Members of Parliament on the side of the Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) were reportedly absent from Parliament on Tuesday even before the Minority walkout on the E-Levy vote.

MyNewsGh.com has confirmed from records of Parliament that in addition to MP for Dome Kwabenya (NPP) and Assin North MP (NDC) who were both absent for stated reasons, 7 other NDC MPs were absent from Parliament leading to the Minority walkout.

Records show the following NDC MPs and one NPP MP were absent on March 29:

Abdul-Latif Dan (Ablekuma Central)

Abdul-Salam Adams (New Edubiase)

Amankwa Nicholas (Amenfi East)

Avoka Cletus Apul (Zebilla)

Boateng Joseph Appiah (Afram Plains South)

Ofosu-Adjare Elizabeth (Techiman North)

Quayson James Gyakye (Assin North)

Safo Sarah Adwoa (Dome/Kwabenya)

Sukparu, Adam Mohammed (Sissala West)

With these 9 absentees, Parliament with the Majority side alone sitting, passed the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) after all the stages of reading.

The Minority claimed they were taken by surprise by the unexpected tabling of the controversial levy because it was not listed in Parliament’s business statement for this week.

The Minority MPs later walked out of Parliament before the second reading of the Bill after debating it. But we now know 8 of their MPs were absent.

All the proposed amendments standing in the name of some Minority MPs were withdrawn because none of them was present to move those amendments.

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, 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 percent to 1.5 percent before passage will be a tax on electronic transactions, which includes mobile-money payments.