National Youth Organizer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), George Opare Addo has said the fuss about the ruling New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Free SHS policy will not save them from defeat in the 2020 general elections.
According to him, the government is desperately seeking ways and means to divert attention from the pressure they’re facing including the job losses, corruption and the create loot and share disgracing the Akufo-Addo-led government.
The National Youth Wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has asked Ghanaians to disregard former President John Mahama’s statement that he had no intention to cancel the implementation of the free Senior High School (SHS).
According to the party’s youth wing, Mr Mahama’s “sudden U-turn on free SHS shows that he cannot be trusted one bit.”
“Former President Mahama has been heard countless times on various platforms describing the implementation of the free SHS by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as a wrong move. He even said it would collapse Ghana’s economy if it is implemented, and now he comes back to say the programme has come to stay.
How do you trust such a person?” the National Youth Organiser of NPP, Mr Henry Nana Boakye, asked at the second edition of its ‘Youth Must Know’ series in Accra yesterday.
But reacting to this on Kasapa 102.5 Fm, Mr Opare Addo reiterated that the whole matter about the Free SHS policy has become moot following the constitutional provision that guarantees the policy implementation.
“We don’t need to resurrect the argument about Free SHS anymore” the opposition NDC Youth Organizer noted, adding “the argument about Free SHS is enshrined in Chapter 5 of the 1992 Constitution on Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms, Clause 25. So no President can cancel Free SHS. ” he emphasized in an interview with sit-in host Akwasi Nsiah on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 FM.
Constitutional provisions
Chapter 5 of the 1992 Constitution on Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms, Clause 25 (1) states that all persons shall have the right to equal educational opportunities and facilities and with a view to achieving the full realisation of that right.
Clause 1 (a) states that basic education shall be free, compulsory and available to all, while clause (b) also states that secondary education in its different forms, including technical and vocational education, shall be made generally available and accessible to all by every appropriate means, and in particular, by the progressive introduction of free education.
He added: ”The elections will not just be about Free SHS; Free SHS has come to stay. President Mahama has made it clear. There is no single platform that the NDC has ever been against Free SHS. What the NDC was against is the way the policy was being implemented and the hardships the students are going through,”
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