Akufo-Addo prepared to help gov’t with free SHS

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says the party is willing to share its 2012 free Senior High School (SHS) proposal with the government if it is consulted.

“A lot of work by experts was done on our free SHS during the 2012 elections. They will be happy to share their knowledge with government if they are asked,” he said.

Nana Akufo-Addo disclosed this when he delivered a lecture themed: “One Ghana, Securing our Nation’s Future” during the 2nd Alhaji Aliu Mahama Memorial Lectures held in Accra on Tuesday.

He spoke on five thematic areas: Good Governance, Education, the Economy, Industrialisation, Private Sector Growth and Regional Integration in the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS).

Nana Akufo-Addo said the party is happy a National Democratic Congress (NDC) government is going to implement a free SHS next year, stressing that, “We all agree now that free SHS is doable and feasible” and reiterated the party’s commitment to assist government implement the policy.

He said there is no shortcut to development unless through education, stressing that, “securing a one Ghana should be based on sound education for all Ghana’s children”.

“Every child must go to school and stay at school till SHS. Our secured future must place focus on Mathematics, Science, Engineering and ICT,” he added.

Nana Akufo-Addo challenged the President to secure the public purse, and institute measures to reduce corruption in the country.

According to him, corruption was undermining the governance process in the country, and urged government and public officials in public institutions to give Ghanaians firm assurances of their commitment to fighting corruption in the country.

He appealed to the President to take a second look at the figures for the construction of the proposed Kasoa Interchange and if possible, the inflated cost could be slashed down as a measure to reduce the perception of corruption in the country.

Nana Akufo-Addo expressed worry about the worsening economic conditions in the country saying, “In 2009, the NDC inherited the best economy any new government ever inherited since the 1960s”.

“Ghanaians are all suffering from the reckless spending of the NDC in the 2012 elections” he noted, and urged government to be bold to face the reality that all is not well in the country.

On Energy, the NPP Flagbearer said the current energy crises which has led to load shedding was avoidable, and promised a future NPP government would avoid such crises since reliable power was the sure way to development.

He called for diversification of the country’s agriculture if the country’s future is to be secured, and urged the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and its extension officers to help the farmers modernise their agriculture.

He also called on West African leaders to wake up and create a huge market out of ECOWAS for the sub-region’s goods and services, and also wage a relentless war against poverty in the sub-region.

The occasion was graced by the former President John Agyekum Kufuor, the former Second Lady and wife of Aliu Mahama, Hajia Ramatu Mahama, a host of staunch NPP big wigs, traditional leaders and the diplomatic corps.