Inset: Nana Akufo-Addo introducing the parliamentary candidate for Akim Swedru with the crowd going into frenzy
The flagship policy of Nana Akufo-Addo, flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to provide free senior high school education when Ghanaians vote the NPP into power seems to be catching up with rural dwellers.
People of the Eastern Region, especially those in the Akim Swedru and Oda constituencies where Nana Akufo-Addo on Tuesday commenced his eight-day tour of the region, came out in their numbers to meet him while chanting “free education”.
Major towns like Akim Achiase, Akim Swedru and Akim Oda came to a standstill when Nana Akufo-Addo, with his campaign team, reached the people with his message of hope.
From Kokoben, Anamase through to Achiase, Akenkansu, Aperade, Akortey Krom, Aduasa, Awisa and Akim Swedru in the Akim Swedru constituency, people lined up on the roads and the streets displaying placards with the inscriptions, ‘Free SHS’, ‘Free Education’ and ‘Nana We Are Waiting For The Free Secondary School Education’.
Nana Akufo-Addo’s arrival at Achiase, where the NPP parliamentary candidate comes from, threw the whole town into a frenzy. Incidentally, the parliamentary candidate of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Akyem Appea-Kubi, also comes from the same town. The town was completely awash with NPP colours.
The elderly, men, women and children poured onto the main street of the town to welcome Nana Akufo-Addo, bringing activities in the town to a standstill.
The NPP flag-bearer thanked the people for the massive support shown him and urged all of them to turn up at their polling stations on December 7 to translate their support into votes for him and the party.
He said the free senior high school policy was a strong possibility despite skepticism on the part of the NDC and its flag-bearer.
“I have come to you in person to give this promise of free secondary school education to you, which will start from next year if you vote the NPP into power,” he said to loud cheers at Presby School where he held a mini rally.
“I am not using the TV or the radio or any other media platform to give this promise. I have come to you in person to give you this promise and so everybody must take me by my words,” he stated.
He said the argument by his opponents that there was no money to finance the free secondary school education was preposterous, stressing that Ghana had enough resources to help finance the free education policy.
“We have gold, cocoa, oil and improved taxes but the NDC government can only afford to give the nation’s money to people free of charge,” he said, stressing that within the three-and-half years that the NDC had been in power, it had borrowed more money than all other governments put together had done but Ghanaians were not seeing any improvement in their lives
According to him, President Mahama benefited from free secondary school education about 40 years ago under President Nkrumah’s free education for the three northern regions; yet he was strongly opposing this “laudable policy”.
“President Mahama had the benefit to have free secondary education in the north and now he is the president of the Republic of Ghana so in the same way, we want to provide that opportunity to any other Ghanaian child, irrespective of his social, religious or political background,” Nana stated.
Nana Akufo-Addo urged all Ghanaians to embrace the free SHS to ensure that Ghana attain a respectable level of development.
At Akyem Oda, Nana Akufo-Addo gave the same message and the people received him with pride.
Nana Akufo-Addo’s tour of the Eastern Region took him to the Ofoase/Ayirebi constituency after Akim Swedru and Oda and will be in Koforidua today to continue with his hope restoration campaign and a fund-raising event.
From Thomas Fosu Jnr, Akyem Oda
