Minority NDC Is Not Opposed To Non-existing Free SHS Bill In Parliament – Ato Forson Replies Afenyo Markin

The Minority Leader in Ghana’s Parliament, Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, has dismissed accusations by his colleague the Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin to the effect that the minority caucus is opposed to a bill on the Free Senior High School policy.

Dr. Forson indicated that it is rather the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia who has publicly expressed his opposition to a law regulating the Free SHS policy.

Addressing parliamentary reporters in Parliament House on Wednesday June 26, 2024, the minority leader emphasised that there is currently no free SHS Bill before parliament hence cannot oppose that which does not exist.

“In the last few days, my colleague, the majority leader [Alexander Afenyo-Markin] is on record to have accused the NDC minority of not supporting the Free Senior High School bill. Let me put on record that, there is no such bill before parliament. We are hearing from him for the first time that the government is considering a bill to be presented to parliament called the Free Senior High School Bill.

“But as we speak, there is no bill before parliament. It is important for us to reiterate, that we cannot oppose a bill that we have not seen, we cannot. And we have said it nowhere that we are going to oppose such a bill.”

The Minority Leader urged the NPP to rather hurry up and present the bill, stressing that they would at all times support any legislation.

“Our position is simple. The NDC minority will, at all times, support any legislation that will seek to improve and sustain the Free Senior High School policy.

“In fact, if there is anybody in this country who is on record to have said that he does not believe in a free SHS law, it is rather the Vice President. The Vice President, Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, is on record to have said that there is no need for a bill or a law to regulate the Free Senior High School and not the NDC. He’s on record, he said, all you need is commitment.

“So NDC, we are committed, we are committed to the Free Senior High School policy. We have obviously identified some lapses in the implementation.”, Dr Forson stated.

By: Christian Kpesese