It is instructive to note that it was John Mahama’s Progressive Free SHS model that the Akufo-Addo administration imitated when it rolled out its so-called Free SHS. In the first year the system catered for only first-year students, excluding continuing students. In the following year, they added new entrants to the first batch and excluded continuing students again. Later, they introduced the Double-Track System. All these point to a progressive implementation of Free SHS as John Mahama had earlier proposed.
It is, therefore, dishonest for Akufo-Addo, now looking for votes again, to claim that it was not Mahama who introduced Free SHS in Ghana, probably under the mistaken impression that people will not take the pain to cross-check his blatant falsehood.
With the general elections looming, Akufo-Addo has begun depicting signs of clear confusion and desperation as his administration is collapsing under monumental corruption and non-performance in the wake of complacency. Warning signs of a defeat for the man many agree is a corruption kingpin presiding over family and friends scandals and doing everything to clear them of culpability have finally gotten into Akufo-Addo’s marrows.
Understandably his last minute campaign messages are now full of falsehood and insults against former President John Mahama who is poised to topple him in the polls.
Addressing drivers at Odorkor in Accra recently, President Akufo-Addo in a loud shout attacked the former President for claiming he introduced Free SHS, and debunked that assertion. It is not clear whether Akufo-Addo was being mischievous or forgetful in making that assertion. On 6th March, 2014 Citifmonline and several news portals reported that Akufo-Addo on Oman Fm had praised Mahama’s decision to implement Free SHS in 2015 saying it was good news for Ghanaians. This is an admission by the same Akufo-Addo that Mahama introduced the Free SHS before he Akufo-Addo came to power in January, 2017.
Again on 12th August, 2020, the Akufo-Addo administration told the whole world that it came to meet and cleared GH30.1 million Free SHS debt left by the Mahama administration. The Ghana News Agency reported this as follows: “Education Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh said on Tuesday that the Progressively Free SHS policy by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) when it was in government left GHc30.1 million arrears for the 2015/16 academic year.” This was in an address the Education Minister, Dr. Prempeh made to Parliament.
By George Amoah
