Politics

Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to John Dramani Mahama: It is about Competence, not Free SHS

The vice president of the Republic of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has strongly debunked the assertion of former President John Dramani Mahama on Free SHS. The former president claimed that a nationwide rollout of the government’s Free SHS is leading to hardship.

Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia thinks otherwise. He has indicated that Ghanaian suffered more under former president Mahama even without the Free SHS policy. He accused the former president of cancelling allowances for teachers and nurses under training as well as import duty waivers for health professionals.

He added that former President John Dramani Mahama also increased taxes which even affected bicycles, condoms and the like. He further added that the National Health Insurance (NHIS) was messed up under the leadership of former President John Dramani Mahama’. This led to the cash and carry system and the failure of his government to employ thousands of graduates worsened the hardship of Ghanaians.

Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia made these known during a rally organized by the youth win of the ruling NPP in the Eastern Region at Obo Kwahu on Saturday.

Government apart from rolling out the Free SHS policy has also implemented other social intervention programmes which the NDC government did not deliver while in power he added.

Under the Nana Addo lead government, polices that have been rolled out and improved upon including the expansion of the LEAP and school feeding programme.

Government has also reduced 17 taxes paid in Ghana and has provided more than 350,000 jobs to graduates in the public sector whiles 100,00 more jobs have been created under the Nation Builders Corps.

Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia said,

We have been able to implement all of these policies and programmes and still implement Free SHS because we have managed the economy better.

He jested former President John Dramani Mahama saying, the issue is about competence and not Free SHS.

Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on his twitter handle tweeted that

I also addressed a rally at Obo, during which I emphasized the importance of the many policies and programmes being implemented by the government of President @NAkufoAddo, especially the Free Senior High School programme.

The rally was attended by high profiled National and regional executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) including the National Organiser of the NPP, Sammy Awuku; Eastern Region Minister and MP for Nkawkaw; National Youth Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye; Minister of State at the Ministry of National Security and MP for Abetifi, Hon Brian Acheampong among others.