President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called on John Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), to acknowledge his role in introducing the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy.
President Akufo-Addo highlighted that when he first proposed the Free SHS policy, then-President Mahama criticized the idea but now seeks to claim it as his own initiative.
This statement from President Akufo-Addo came in response to Mr. Mahama’s assertion that his government initiated the Free SHS policy in 2015.
During a media engagement on Sunday, July 7, Mr. Mahama refuted claims that he opposed the Free SHS policy, arguing that it was a program started by his administration.
Addressing the issue during the unveiling ceremony of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh as the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) running mate, President Akufo-Addo expressed his dismay at Mr. Mahama’s claims.
He urged Mr. Mahama to give him credit for the policy if he now acknowledges its value.
“This man criticized us when we said we were going to implement the Free SHS policy. Now that Ghanaians have accepted the policy, he is saying he is the one who introduced Free SHS. Have you ever heard such a thing?” President Akufo-Addo remarked.
He continued, “He indeed said that we are forgetful people. Will we forget this too? Today, the leader of the NDC claims he is the one who introduced Free SHS. If he introduced the policy, why did he criticize us when we intended to introduce it? He said if he had 2 billion cedis, he would not invest it in free education. If today he has seen the importance of the policy, he should give me my stone.”
The Free SHS policy has been a significant point of contention between the two political leaders.
The policy, which aims to provide free secondary education to all Ghanaian students, has received widespread support from the public.
However, the debate over who initiated the policy continues to be a hot topic in Ghanaian politics.
As the 2024 general elections approach, this issue is likely to remain a focal point of political discourse.
President Akufo-Addo’s call for recognition of his role in the Free SHS policy underscores the importance of this initiative in the broader context of Ghana’s educational reforms and political landscape.
