Akufo-Addo lacked vision in implementing Free SHS – Mahama

Former President John Dramani Mahama has lashed out at President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for not being visionary enough before rolling out the current version of the free education programme.

According to the former president, the current government should have completed the schools he started before rolling out the policy full-scale.

Speaking at Akatsi on Tuesday, August 18 as part of his Volta Region tour, Mr Mahama noted that his government began the Free SHS policy.

“We started it. It is in our constitution. We started it in 2015 and made it free for day students,” he said, adding that in 2016, the programme was scaled up to include boarding students as well.

“So it is logical that [the NPP] should continue with Free SHS but the mode of implementation has been very poor.”

He said all those who claim he would cancel the programme if he regains power should be considered liars.

“What we are going to do is to make it better,” he emphasised.

He said the double-track policy will be eliminated within a few months of his return to power as more schools will be put up.

He said he had already built 200 schools before leaving government, and with each school to take a capacity of 1,000 students, the NDC government would create room for 200,000 extra students.

This he said will banish the double-track bottleneck.

The National Democratic Congress(NDC) flag bearer was addressing the people and chiefs of the Avenor Traditional Council in the Akatsi South Constituency as part of his four-day tour of the Volta Region.

From the Region, he will proceed to adjoining Oti Region for another three days tour.