Flag bearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has clapped back at President Akufo-Addo for his comments regarding Mahama’s stance on free SHS.
John Mahama says he has spelt out the challenges with the Free Senior High School policy specifically on lack of dedicated funding and the double track system which parents are not content with.
Those challenges, according to the former President, are what he seeks to address if elected in December to make the free SHS policy better.
He says he therefore cannot understand why the President is deceiving Ghanaians that he will collapse the policy if elected President.
Mahama’s comments come on the back of Akufo-Addo’s call on Ghanaians to vote against him to safeguard the free SHS policy since the former President cannot be trusted with it.
During a recent address in the Northern Region, President Akufo-Addo accused Mahama of expressing contradictory views on the initiative, which aims to provide free education to Ghanaian students at the senior high school level.
He emphasised that Ghanaians deserve clarity on Mahama’s stance regarding the Free SHS policy, as it plays a vital role in the nation’s educational framework.
He expressed concern that Mahama’s inconsistent statements may confuse voters about his true position on this important issue, particularly as the country approaches the 2024 elections.
The President added that any presidential candidate who cannot provide a straightforward response to the question of whether Free SHS is safe should not be considered for the office.
“Mr Mahama, which is which? What should the Ghanaian people take from you as your position on the Free SHS policy? Is it safe with you and are you going to continue with it or are you going to cancel it? Nobody should be allowed to be president if he can’t answer this question straightforwardly,” he stated.
Speaking at Old Ningo during the fourth leg of his Greater Accra campaign tour Thursday, October 17, 2024, John Mahama said if the President was not sleeping, he wouldn’t be saying he (Mahama) has been inconsistent on free SHS.
“Again, he is not in this country or he has been sleeping because I’ve made it clear that there are implementational problems with the free SHS. One, there is no dedicated funding, two, parents are not happy with the double track system,” he stated.
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