It has been observed that the Presidential candidate of' the opposition National Democratic Congress, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, is a man of no faith at all when it comes to how a government can fulfill its electioneering promises.
During the campaign launch of the NDC at Wa, the Upper East Regional capital, on October 8, 2000, Mills - then Vice President under Jerry Rawlings' Presidency, and NDC Presidential candidate - had this to say to party supporters at a rally, " ... be wary of politicians who promise free education and health since it is not possible". (Daily Graphic, October 9, 2000).
However, the Communications Director of the Campaign of the ruling New Patriotic Party, Dr. Arthur Kobina Kennedy, countered Atta Mills' claim in an interview with The Statesman, holding a press cutting of the Daily Graphic publication to buttress his point.
He referred to the Capitation Grant which the NPP Government had introduced to enable children in the public schools to have free education to buttress his point. "Almost eight years ago Professor Mills said such a policy was not achievable. But what are we witnessing today? There is free education at the basic level", he stated.
The Communication Director said the School Feeding Programme and the National Health Insurance Scheme were some other programmes Mills thought could never be implemented.
"If some one who is aspiring for the highest office of the land does not have a wider vision for the nation, then I wonder where he wants to take this country to; take us back? God save us", he prayed.
According to Arthur Kennedy, "every good leader of a country or any group of people must have a broader vision and plan towards achieving it so as to better the lot of those he is leading."
Dr. Kennedy made the observation at a forum organized by the National Union of Ghana Students for the Presidential candidates for the December 2008 elections at the Great Hall, University of Ghana, Legon, to present their programmes and policies on the nation's educational system.
Those who honoured the invitation were the Convention People's Party flagbearer, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom and Edward Mahama of the People's National Convention, whilst the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party were represented by Hannah Tetteh, Communications Director of the NDC Campaign and Arthur Kobina Kennedy respectively.
In spite of the expected oil revenue, Hannah Tetteh, on behalf of NDC flagbearer, Evans Atta Mills, told the students at Legon that the NDC could not make any commitment to free education to Senior High School level within the first term of office if the party was voted into power.
"We are mindful of the promises politicians make. We want to make promises we can keep," she stressed.
The NDC said it would re-introduce the Ministry of Youth and Sports if elected in December polls.
Taking his turn, Arthur Kennedy, who represented the NPP flag-bearer Nana Akufo-Addo, reechoed Nana Addo's resolve to make education his top priority if elected to lead the nation in January next year.
His programme would include free education at Senior High School level, increased resources for Science and Technical Education, establishment of public universities in each region, construction of research and technological parks attached to the universities and the review of the GETFund.
It is also the vision of the NPP flag-bearer to place the teacher at the centre of the New Educational Reforms by paying them better salaries, paid in-service-training, provide more resources for the Distance Learning programme, build teachers' hostels and quarters in rural districts and to pay allowances to teachers in the deprived districts.
Again, he promised to extend the on-going School Feeding Programme nationwide.
Besides this, Arthur Kennedy indicated that due to the superb management of the nation's economy by the current government, it had the ability to borrow on the international market.
"As some here can attest to, when we tried to raise $750 million on the bond market, it was over-subscribed to the tune of $3.2 billion. We can therefore raise money that way", he stressed.
Dr Nduom of the CPP gave credit to the NDC for the establishment of the GETFund which Madam Tetteh Kpodah graciously accepted.
He maintained that education from kindergarten to Senior High School would be made free and compulsory, adding that he build standardised school complexes and teachers accommodation across the country among other things.
But in a sharp reaction, Dr Mahama, the leader of the PNC, debunked the long-held view that GETFund was NDC's own initiative when it was in government.
Setting the records straight, the PNC leader maintained that in 1998 he had proposed the establishment of an educational fund as a means funding tertiary institutions in the country.
According to him, he made the proposal following demonstration embarked upon by the students of the University of Ghana, to the Castle, the Seat of government, in February 1998 to press for infrastructural improvement of tertiary institutions.
He said the NDC government then decided to heed his call and set up the fund but did not get the opportunity to implement the GETFund. The NPP government is now implementing it.
PNC also promised to build a university in each region, make education free for Senior High School and improve upon the school feeding programme and the capitation rant.
