New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, stated that the transformative benefits of the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme in the Northern region and throughout Ghana would not have been realized if former President John Mahama had stayed in power.
During a large rally in Jirapa, part of his campaign tour in the Upper West Region, Dr. Bawumia highlighted the substantial advantages the Free SHS initiative has provided to many households in the North since its launch in 2017.
He criticized former President Mahama for opposing the policy, despite its positive impact on the region and the country as a whole.
“Former President Mahama said that if he had the money, he wouldn’t use it for free SHS education. He said it was not a priority. But we have brought it, and the people of the North and Ghanaians are benefiting,” Dr Bawumia declared to loud cheers from the crowd.
Highlighting the increase in enrollment, he continued, “We knew, and I knew, that where we had the poorest people in the North, we needed Free SHS education. We brought Free SHS to the North and Ghana, and our children are attending in their numbers.
The total enrollment for senior high school has increased from 800,000 to 1.4 million in seven years. It tells you that our people were yearning for Free SHS education.”
Dr. Bawumia noted that the five northern regions now boast the highest enrollment rates in senior high school education. “But this is what John Mahama said we should not do. He said if he had the money, he would not do it,” he reiterated.
The Vice President also criticized former President Mahama for allegedly misusing funds in the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) project.
“He set up SADA, and we all saw what happened. He claimed he invested millions of dollars, but we all know what happened. There is no single SADA project to show, and I have challenged him to show us one, and he has not.”
Dr Bawumia contrasted his record with Mahama’s, highlighting the policies and development projects he has facilitated as Vice President, benefiting both the North and Ghana.