Communication Minister Haruna Iddrisu
In an apparent response to the NPP’s promise of free senior high school education which may be threatening the re-election bid of the governing NDC, Communication Minister Haruna Iddrisu says education will made progressively free under the NDC.
Mr Iddrisu said the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (F-CUBE), provided for in the 1992 Constitution will be given its true meaning if the National Democratic Congress (NDC), is retained in power.
Whilst promising Ghanaians a progressively free education, the articulate Tamale South Member of Parliament described as “doubtful, unrealistic and unattainable,” the signature pledge of the opposition New Patriotic Party to make SHS education free when voted into power.
Mr. Iddrisu told Joy FM’s Super Morning Show Friday the NPP’s promise was a deceptive, politically convenient pledge.
“For the NDC,” he said, “the immediate consideration will be making education opportunities available to every Ghanaian at all levels and building capacity at the basic level because that is where children learn literacy and numeracy .”
The NDC at its campaign launch Thursday made strenuous efforts to answer the question of free SHS, with leaders taking turns to tout the party’s credentials as regards the provision of educational infrastructure and making a flurry of promises.
Mr. Iddrisu insisted the NDC was not responding to the NPP but “the president focused on education because you need to build a skilled manpower which will support the sustainable development of our country.”
Touching on the issue of corruption, he said President Mahama – who has recently come under a barrage of criticisms from the NPP regarding his track-record in fighting corruption – “is committed to run a transparent and accountable government…[but] when people try to link the president to his brother’s business, that is definitely not justifiable.”
Equally unacceptable, he said, are the baseless allegations of corruption being leveled against the president.
The Communications Minister is convinced the NDC will win the December polls on its record of unparalleled achievements.
“The late President Mills laid a solid, solid foundation; you are talking of a $3 billion investment in infrastructure which has never happened in our country’s history; we will build a petrochemical industry in the Western Region; the gas infrastructure is being undertaken, several landing sites worth over $200 million will be built for the fishing belt of the country, supporting the fisher folk who need them very badly for storage purposes…” he regurgitated.