Government is not suspending any of its flagship programmes – Ken Ofori-Atta
The government at its much-anticipated forum to address Ghana’s economic woes by the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, allayed the fears of Ghanaians over the fact that its much-touted flagship programs including the Free Senior High School policy will continue to run regardless of challenges facing the economy.
This is not in tandem with the initial claim by the information minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah that the government’s 16 flagship programs including Free Senior High School policy are up for review after a recent emergency cabinet meeting to seek a solution to the country’s current woes.
But addressing the media and the whole of Ghana today, March 24 2022, the Finance Minister assured that the government has not planned to suspend any of its policies.
“Let me say that President Akufo-Addo has no absolute intention to roll back any major policy like the Free SHS. He sees education as the best and enabling force for sustainable economic growth, transformation, and social mobility, and we will do more to improve on it for it to serve more and better our children.”
The Akufo-Addo government has been facing some pressures to review the policy.
There have been several calls from the opposition NDC to the government to take another look at the Free SHS program and take expenditure cuts among others to save the country money.
Other civil society organizations have also advised that a review of the programme ought to be done including suggestions that the programme should be limited to persons who are genuinely poor and unable to fund their secondary education.
An example is the Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission, Prof. Stephen Adei. Prof. Adei explains that the GH¢7.6 billion expenditure on the programme over the past five years is taking a toll on Ghana’s economy, thus calling for its review.
