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NPP claiming ownership of free SHS is unscrupulous

Fri, 7 Mar 2014 Source: Sambo, Vitus Badii

....and sheer pettiness

I must admit that the current position of NPP as the sole brain that cooked the idea of free SHS and hence claiming patency is meaningless and unscrupulous. It is again one of the pettiness’s that have engulfed the political system of our nation.

In as much as I share the view that the NPP as a party trumpeted the idea in the 2012 elections, it however doesn’t make them the rightful owners of the so popular constitutional provision. It can’t be contested that during the 2012 electioneering year, the NPP and their then flag bearer Nana Addo championed the free SHS campaign as their catchy ticket to winning power over the then ruling government. It is true also the NPP had the voice in selling the message to ears of the populace and most good people of Ghana can go to sleep priding their hearts that NPP conceived and nurtured the idea. The story as to which party popularized the ‘free SHS’ agenda can’t be contested and I duly give the NPP credit of vigorous campaign.

The truth is, a progressive free education is in the first place a legal constitutional provision which the NPP only capitalized on aimed at fulfilling the legal entrenchment of our beloved nation. I must also emphasize emphatically that the NPP isn’t the originators of the free SHS concept. Long before the NPP came into existence individuals and political parties have promise it before and even more free luxuries were equally promised. The facts still goes on, in the hectic political year of 2000, the CPP in their manifesto had a lay down master plan to roll out a progressive free SHS for Ghanaians when giving the mandate. In the same vain, the PPP in their manifesto in the just ended elections equally had same as a top of their priorities. But the truth remains that these parties including the PPP and the CPP didn’t have the political vocals to get their message across to the populace. NPP should rather be charge for plagiarism for stealing the PPP campaign message in the 2012 elections and selling it as if they were the first to bring the golden policy as they see it. Their claim is simply unscrupulous and scandalous.

The big questions is if the NPP as a party believed the good people of Ghana deserve an accessible and progressive Free SHS, why are they so aggrieved upon the president’s announcement of his government intention to roll out the a free and progressive SHS that the NPP so dearly wished to implement against all odds. The fact is the CPP, PPP and others never complained when the NPP shouldered it as their star policy. If so why are they so unease and seems that president Mahama had pronounced death on the NPP.

In a candid opinion I simply believe the NPP as a party still has intentions of lavishing their campaigns on the free SHS in the coming 2016 presidential elections. It is therefore clear from this light if PRESIDENT MAHAMA should have it implemented, the NPP may not have a catchy message to preach in 2016 and hence their parochial sentiments over its implementation. Is indeed appalling an epitome of political gimmickry the NPP have exemplified in their current stands and it will be in the interest of the good people of Ghana for them to safe shame by ceasing the fire and allow the policy which many parties even before them had dreamt about be actualized in the life of the ordinary Ghanaian.

Signed by ………. VITUS BADII SAMBO

Columnist: Sambo, Vitus Badii