Leading members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Aides close to Nana Akufo-Addo, the party’s 2012 Flagbearer have accused President John Dramani Mahama of stealing the former’s campaign promise after he (Mahama) has announced to Parliament that his government will progressively introduce free Senior High School (SHS) education from the 2015/2016 academic year in fulfillment of the 1992 Constitution.
The 2012 Presidential Candidate of the opposition NPP made the promise of free SHS the central team of his campaign for the presidency. The governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and President Mahama constantly fought the idea and described it as a vote-buying strategy.
President Mahama however after announcing his intention to embark on the free SHS education policy says his government is only seeking to comply with the Constitution which provides that education be made progressively free.
But a member of the government communication machinery, Gordon Ako Gunn on Okay Fm’s “Ghana Decides” programme posited that Nana Akufo-Addo’s free education campaign promise made to Ghanaians was not enough to have won the 2012 election since all the political parties were campaigning on education policies. He however added it is high time the opposition New Patriotic Party realize that the ruling NDC won the 2012 elections based on trust Ghanaians have in the incumbent government.
“It was not free education alone which can make someone win elections; NDC won the 2012 elections based on trust. Look, our President would have beaten Nana Akufo-Addo if the 2012 elections was soley on free education. People voted based on the trust they have in us to deliver on our promises,” he asserted.