Central Regional Propaganda Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Allotey Jacobs, has averred that all New Patriotic Party (NPP) members claiming ownership of the “Free SHS” are either suffering from andropause or menopause.

To him, it is unfortunate for the NPP and its 2012 flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to claim ownership of a policy which is constitutionally mandated by all governments including the sitting president to pursue if the opportunity arises.

He adds that the people of Ghana elected John Mahama as the president and he is pursing the letter of the constitution, and "the constitution has enjoined every government and president to pursue free education progressively".

“Now they (NPP) claim free education is their baby,” he screamed.

“Where is their copyright, where did they register it and where did they patent it?” Allotey Jacobs sought to know.

The Mahama-led government renewed its commitment to abolish fees for both day and boarding students of Senior High schools in the 2015/2016 academic year.

During the presentation of the State of the Nation address to Parliament last Tuesday, February 25 2014, President John Dramani Mahama declared that his administration would from the 2015/2016 academic year implement what he termed as ‘progressively free SHS education’.

His declaration attracted criticisms, mainly from the elephant fraternity citing President Mahama for ‘theft’.

However, the incumbent government has dismissed the accusations saying it is an already enshrined provision in the constitution which every government is mandated to implement, thus the NPP cannot claim intellectual property of the policy.

But speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo programme, Allotey Jacobs posited that he thinks the NPP is suffering from "andropause" and "menopause", as they keep "talking unnecessarily, ranting about and claiming ownership of Free SHS”.