President wins 90,000 votes with Free SHS – Aidoo

A leading member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Tema Central, Lawyer Aubrey Aidooh, says any quest by President Akufo-Addo to be re-elected in 2020 has started on a winsome foot already.

According to him, over 90,000 children that gained admission into the Free Senior High School’s programme, will naturally have their sympathies with the President. 

“These children who would have otherwise never gone to school because of poverty but thanks to Free SHS, they are in school. In 2020, when most of them would have graduated and ready to go to the university, who do you think they will vote for?” Lawyer Aidooh asked in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Tema.

He added that it was not only the 90,000 children who had been potentially won over by the good policies of President Akufo-Addo but their parents, siblings and even their friends and well-wishers.

Lawyer Aidooh said the 90,000 students were just among the first batch of children that were benefiting from Free SHS, and that in the remainder of the four years of the Akufo-Addo government, more children would be enrolled in school for free.

“From generation to generation, the NPP will win hearts and minds with the Free SHS,” Lawyer Aidooh said.

The Free SHS policy began rolling out on the September 12, 2017 and within just nine days, admission to SHSs around the country had increased by over 90, 000 students.

President Akufo-Addo told the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, the September 21, that the 90,000 would have missed on the opportunity to have secondary education if it had not been for Free SHS.

The NPP government has made it clear that in spite of foreseeable challenges with the implementation of the Free SHS, it was prepared to brave it for the sake of the Ghanaian child and the nation’s future.

President Akufo-Addo had said funding for the programme would be sourced from the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA) which is part of funds from Ghana’s petroleum rent and proceeds.

“The NDC’s incessant requests for sources of funding have been shown to them; they should calm down and remain in opposition while the NPP build this country for all of us,” Lawyer Aidooh said.

Source: GNA