Bernard Allotey Jacobs, Former Central Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress

Former Central Regional Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Bernard Allotey Jacobs, has taken the Minority to the cleaners for being a “stumbling block to Ghana’s progress”.

He claimed the intransigent position taken by the NDC Members of Parliament about the 2022 Budget is to please the whims and caprices of some ‘big people’ in the party.

“We sit down and joke because we are being controlled by our political leaders. You have become a remote control like zombies,” he said on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme, Wednesday.

The Minority has raised concerns about the 2022 budget presented by Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta on Wednesday, November 17, 2021.

They cited, among other things, government’s proposed Electronic Transaction Levy (E-levy) as a killer tax which will deepen the woes of Ghanaians.

Former NDC, Bernard Allotey Jacobs
Allotey Jacobs, Former Central Regional Chairman of the NDC

They voted to reject it and has vowed not to accept the 2022 budget until the E-levy is expunged from the government’s financial estimates.

This position by the Minority, Mr Jacobs stated is borne out of political expediency.

He indicated that, the claim that they are fighting for the masses is just a smokescreen to “score cheap political points”.

The former NDC Regional Chairman could not fathom why legislators worth their salt will allow themselves to be manipulated by party people.

Mr Jacobs added that, the Minority by their conduct, has missed the opportunity to genuinely hold the government accountable.