President John Mahama has denied stealing his 2012 arch political rival’s free Senior High School campaign promise.

Mr Mahama told people in the Central region that “nobody owns the copyright” to free SHS education.

According to him, the idea of free SHS has not been copyrighted at the Registrar General’s Department by any one individual.

The 2012 Presidential Candidate of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, made the promise of free SHS the central team of his campaign for the presidency.

The governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and President Mahama constantly fought the idea and described it as a vote-buying strategy.

President Mahama’s recent announcement to Parliament that his government will progressively introduce free SHS education from the 2015/2016 academic year therefore sparked a wave of criticism against his government.

The NPP and Aides close to Nana Akufo-Addo have accused the president of stealing his arch rival’s campaign promise.

Mr Mahama however says his government is only seeking to comply with the Constitution which provides that education be made progressively free.