We can’t entrust Free SHS to credibility-lacking Mahama – Akufo-Addo
President Nana Akufo-Addo has told Ghanaians to reject the opposition NDC and its flagbearer, former President John Mahama, because they will collapse what the NPP has built.
President Akufo-Addo is convinced that Mr Mahama would scrap the Free Senior High School (SHS) despite a U-turn because of his “zero” credibility.
Additionally, Mr Akufo-Addo does not see Mr Mahama keeping up with the NPP’s Free TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training).
Speaking at the launch of the NPP’s 2020 Manifesto, Mr Akufo-Addo stated: “Your credibility on this one is zero. Free SHS and Free TVET cannot be trusted in your hands,” he said.
He reason was that “he [Mr Mahama] couldn’t even implement the NDC’s ‘so-called’ free progressive free education and for that matter, he cannot be trusted on the Free SHS policy”.
Mr Akufo-Addo continued: “We [NPP] have no reason to believe NDC’s presidential candidate’s newly proclaimed convention to Free TVET and Free SHS”.
According to Akufo-Addo, who is seeking another four-year mandate, Mr Mahama and the NDC had no confidence in Free SHS and Free TVET discredited the policy.
“They did not like the idea, they rubbished it at every opportunity and they proclaimed that it will destroy Ghana’s educational system,” he stressed.
Mr Mahama had indicated that contrary to the assertions of him scrapping Free SHS, the policy would be maintained.
“Free Senior High School education has come to stay. If anybody tells you that I, John Dramani Mahama, son of E.A Mahama will abolish Free SHS when I come, tell the person he is a bloody liar,” he said during a courtesy call on the Overlord of Dagbon, Yaa-Naa Abukari II, in August 2020.
But Mr Akufo-Addo is not convinced.
NPP offers a better opportunity
In canvassing support for the NPP in 2020, President Akufo-Addo maintained that his government has done everything to fulfil its promises with all parts of the country benefiting from various policies.
This was done while ensuring value for money, he observed.
Besides education, he pointed out that the NDC under former President Mahama failed to introduce interventions to revamp businesses.
He stressed that the COVID-19 pandemic would not derail the path of progress that the NPP has placed Ghana.
He assured that the NPP has dedicated competent people to implement the 2020 manifesto.
For him, Mahama’s presidency was a “disaster” and Ghanaians should maintain the NPP.