NPP has failed Ghanaians beyond an apology – former statesman
Adnan Adams Mohammed
A former statesman has taking on the New Patriotic Party
(NPP) and President Nana Akuffo Addo led government on their failed promises to
the Ghanaians after they made huge unrealistic promises to deceive Ghanaians
for power in run up to the 2016 elections.
“We all heard, 1 District 1 Factory, 1 Village 1 Dam, US$1
million per constituency per a year, Free SHS, reduction of cost of electricity
etc”, Alex Mould, former boss of Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC)
has reechoed when addressing a section of TEIN members at University of Cape
Coast (UCC) campus on Saturday.
All these pipe dreams were to deceive Ghanaians in order to
gain power. Yet, how many of them have they been able to achieve? All we see
now is: ‘One Week One Fraud, One Week One Scandal, One Week One Thief, One Week
One Deception’ according to Mr Mould.
“Ghanaians owes H.E John Dramani Mahama (former president
and 2020 flagbearer of the NDC party) a depth of gratitude for reshaping the
destiny of Ghana under his tenure”, the energy and finance expert noted.
“This brings to mind the theme: “The Ailing Ghana and the
Antidotical JM 2020”. Of course Ghanaians agree John Mahama is the antidote and
still the best alternative to the ailing economy judging from recent corrupt
activities of this NADAA- led inept government”, he elucidated.
However, addressing issues on the education, he said, when
you ask them to show their achievements in the past three years, they mention
Free SHS.
Giving a brief history and programs and policies which led
to the free SHS, he asked, “Did you know that Progressive Free SHS is enshrined
in Ghana's 1992 constitution?”
So, contrary to the
NPP’s claims it is NOT a new policy created by them. Let me give you a history
lesson on the Free SHS program. In 1995 the government introduced Free
Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) for a 10 year period, which ended
in 2005. In the year 2000 government adopted the Millennium Development Goals
(MDG) which ended in 2015. The second goal of the MDG was to achieve universal
primary education. Successive governments implemented many programs to achieve
this goal, and by the year 2015 the gross enrolment rate at the basic education
level was more than 100%.
The next step was the Universal Secondary Education or Free
access.
In 2014, the John Mahama led government procured a loan of
US$156 million to support the Secondary Education Improvement Programme (SEIP)
to increase space at the secondary education level. Ghana was supposed to
achieve Universal Secondary Education by the year 2030 under the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), which was launched in 2015.
John Mahama’s government then launched the Progressive Free
SHS and started its implementation and for that matter, the JM government in
2021 will not abolish a policy he spearheaded because we are bound under the
SGD to achieve universal Secondary education and also ensure quality, he
emphasized.
“My problem with Free SHS as implemented by this government
is equity. One cardinal ingredient of any social intervention policy is to
bridge the gap between the lowest quintiles and the highest quintiles in the
society. This FSHS is rather widening the gap because the non-poor too are
benefiting. So the richer is getting richer by not paying what he/she could
afford to pay.
Latest Gross Income Index (that’s a tool to measure income
inequality) puts Ghana at 43% which in our part of the world is significantly
high, the lower the percentage the better. So, targeting is very important when
a government introduces such policies.
If one look at the World Bank impact assessment report in
2015, apart from Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), Ghana performed
below 50% in all the goals under MDG. And the only reason Ghana succeeded in
LEAP was because of targeting.
“Now let’s talk about the funding. Have any of you seen a
document of consolidated financial framework to ensure the sustainability of
the FSHS policy? How is the FSHS really being financed? It is prudent we
discuss the source of revenue for the policy.
“And keep in mind the "inter-generational burden"
i.e. the legacy of burden we pass on to the next generation”, he stressed.
Additionally, Mr Mould registered his displeasure at the
attempt by the government to introduce the Comprehensive Sexuality Education
(CSE) into our school curriculum.
“Even more scandalous than the fiasco which has become the
implementation of free SHS, is the recent spotlight on the attempt by the gov’t
to introduce Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) into our school
curriculum. Is this really a priority? Granted, our educational curriculum
needs to be updated to equip the next generation to compete globally with their
peers.
“So I believe the focus should be on improving quality
education overall to our children. Yet, in this fast-paced, technological age
of Artificial Intelligence one may wonder what effort we are making to bridge
the educational gap between our children and children across the globe.
“And to borrow the words of our Honorable Members in
Parliament “We are deeply concerned that at a time many countries are
prioritizing the teaching of Math, Science, Coding, Artificial Intelligence and
Climate Change; our Government’s focus is on Comprehensive Sexuality Education
in the service of an evil LGBT agenda.”
Meanwhile, he noted that, the NDC party's position on the
CSE as stipulated by our leader H.E. JM will be to scrap all forms of it; and
revert to our good old sex education curriculum, modernized and improved in consultation
with major stakeholders.
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