‘I’m Shocked’ - Akuffo-Addo

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE of the National Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says he is utterly surprised by the unbending resistance that the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) government has taken about his free SHS programme, saying, “I am shocked.”

Addressing a mini rally at Aboffuor in Offinso South Constituency in Ashanti Region, the NPP guru said he was still finding it extremely difficult to understand the NDCs rigid stance that free SHS education was not possible in Ghana now.

Nana Akufo-Addo, who frowned on corruption, said if the NDC government could freely distribute staggering GH¢830 million to their party loyalists and financiers in the name of judgment debts, then the country could take care of the free SHS policy which would be more beneficial to the people.

According to him, the ruling government’s statements that free education could only be possible in the country in 20 years time was a hoax, insisting that free SHS was possible now, and that “the NDC had shocked me.” He noted the ruling administration did not have the interest of the youth at heart.

The NPP presidential candidate insisted that anybody that would say free SHS education was not feasible must be strongly condemned by the populace. He added that in this computer era any country that wanted to improve significantly should invest in its education system.

Mahama’s Free Education Benefit

Nana Akufo-Addo disclosed that President John Dramani Mahama as a youth, benefited from free education when he schooled in the northern part of the country: “I am surprised he is now opposing to free education.”

According to him, having benefited from free SHS, President Mahama, ideally, should have been championing the free SHS education which helped him to become president today.

Nana Akufo-Addo pledged that as president, he would implement his free SHS programme so that more youth of the country would benefit from free education as President Mahama did.

He said just as President Mahama benefitted from free education, so would he ensure as president, that the youth of today are educated freely in order to follow the footsteps of President Mahama.

Zongo Fund

Nana Akufo-Addo flatly debunked speculations being peddled by his detractors to the effect that he did not like the Zongo people in the country, stating there was no iota of truth in the rumour.

In the history of the country, he said, his administration would, for the first time, include Zongo Development Fund in the country’s budget when he became president in 2013.

Still debunking speculations that he hated Zongo people, the NPP leader noted that he was bred at Nima in Accra which is a Zongo community and that he still resided at Nima.

Nana Akufo-Addo said the Zongo communities in the country which had been retarded in development, would experience massive development when he became the president. He therefore appealed to the Zongo communities to vote massively for him, and assured them that their quandaries would be over with him as the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana in 2013.

He pointed out that contrary to NDCs lies that they were the party for the Zongo people, the NDC has done nothing for the Zongo’s, stressing that it was the NPP which had been supporting the advancement of the Zongo communities.

Nana Akufo-Addo said the fact that the NPP had continually selected a Muslim as their running mate, gave credence to the fact that the NPP respected the Zongo’s and also had their progress at heart.

He defended his decision to select Dr. Bawumia, a Muslim, as a running mate, stressing that the combination of a Christian president and a Muslim Veep had the potential of deepening the bond of unity among the two faiths in the country.

Real Promises

The NPP leader said his promises, including the free SHS policy, were not just political statements to woo voters into casting their ballot for the NPP, stating that his promises were real and achievable.

He expressed worry over adverse hardship that had gripped the populace due to the bad policies of the NDC administration, and assured that his incoming administration would transform the country and save the people from their woes.

Nana Akufo-Addo particularly expressed concern over the NHIS programme introduced by former President Kufuor, which was now on the brink of collapse, and guaranteed that his government would revive the NHIS in order to bring smiles back on the faces of the people.