Vice President challenges Mahama to suggest alternatives to double track system
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has thrown a challenge to former President John Mahama, to suggest a better alternative to the government’s education policy for the double track system, under the free Senior High School (SHS) policy.
Dr Bawumia explained that former President Mahama was among the naysayers, who criticised the free SHS policy and was surprised that the former President now claimed he was committed to the policy.
Dr Bawumia took a swipe at former President Mahama, when he commissioned an ultra-modern fertilizer blending factory at Asuboi in the Ayensuano District of the Eastern Region.
Dr Bawumia said government introduced the double track system to maximise the existing educational facilities and ensure all qualified candidates got admission, while efforts are being sought to build new ones.
“It takes leadership, vision and courage to implement the free SHS policy and President Akufo-Addo has demonstrated leadership and courage to implement the policy in his first term in government,” he said.
He said double track system had ensured 180,000 students who would have stayed at home got admission in the first year of implementation and, thus, assured that by September this year, all the three streams of senior high school students would enjoy the free SHS policy.
The Vice President earlier commissioned a $4.5 million fertilizer blending plant with a capacity of 840,000 metric tonnes per annum.
Glofert Limited is a wholly-owned Ghanaian company located at Asuboi in the Ayensuano District of the Eastern Region, and says it has become the largest fertilizer blending factory, established in the West African sub-region.
The factory, which is integrated into the One-District,One-Factory (1D1F) programme, produces all kinds of fertilizers, including; NPK 15-15-15, Urea and Ammonium Sulphate, in their solid, granular and liquid states.
It currently employs 220 employees,(both direct and indirect jobs) of which 80 per cent are from the communities of its operational area.
Vice President Bawumia expressed happiness that Glofert Limited was entering the fertilizer production space at an opportune time to supply fertilizers, that meet the specific soil and crop needs of farmers to increase yield, geared towards achieving the Ghana beyond aid agenda.
He assured of government’s resolve to create an enabling environment for private sector investors to thrive and create jobs for the youth.
He also made reference to the recent parliamentary approval of tax exemptions for companies wishing to operate 1D1F, including a five-year tax holiday, waiver of taxes on equipment and machinery and raw materials, as some measures government instituted to create a favourable environment for private sector investments.
Dr Bawumia added that 181 factories under the 1D1F are being implemented. 57 of them are operating, 22 are under construction and 33 projects are being financed by local banks and ready for implementation by the end of the year.
Source: GNA