Politics of Sunday, 23 August 2020

Source: 3news.com

Free SHS a smart economic investment – Deputy Minister jabs Mahama

Abena Osei Asare, Deputy Finance Minister Abena Osei Asare, Deputy Finance Minister

Deputy Finance Minister Abena Osei Asare has argued that with the successful implementation of the Free Senior High School policy, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his government has secured the future of over 1.2 million Ghanaian children after just three years in office.

“Three years on 1.2 million students have been captured under the Free Senior High School policy. Three years on 1.2 million students, three years 1.2 million future leaders have been secured with Free SHS.”

Speaking on ‘The Economy; Sound, Stable and Strong’ at the launch of the New Patriotic Party’s 2020 manifesto, the Deputy Minister said the NPP has made the smartest economic investment in the history of Ghana.

“Recently I heard Mr. Mahama advise that we should stop talking about social investment and discuss real investment. Well, Free SHS is the smart economic investment and so we need four more years to do more.”

According to her, “under the term of President Mahama, the dignity and self-respect of our youth were so undermined by incompetent leadership that some graduates formed the unemployed graduates association”.

But she boasted that through the Nation’s Builders Corps (NABCO), “we have created the opportunity for 100,000 graduates to prepare them now for the future to make them resourceful and to create value for themselves and for the well being of Ghana”.

Abena Osei Asare stated that even though the world is battling a pandemic, the NPP government has been able to ensure that every Ghanaian is cushioned against its ravages.

“We will continue to execute policies that will catalyze economic activities and spur growth. Already, we have given lots of taxes in tax relief to health workers, free water and electricity and other stimulus facilities that have benefitted all citizens including businesses”.

The Deputy Minister said the NPP government has demonstrated that it has the wherewithal to transform Ghana for the better.

“We have demonstrated that in good and bad times, the NPP has the best policies and character to keep our economy stable and growing. We have demonstrated that we care about Ghanaians and their well being. We have demonstrated that with focused and firm leadership, clear thinking, patriotism, Ghana can be a global economic star. We have picked up the Ghanaian economy, let’s work together for round two.”

She assured that “we want to even make the future better and that is, why we announced the Ghana Care Programme ‘Obaatanpa’ which will invest GH¢100 billion strategically within three years to make Ghana a wealthier nation. A nation with the confidence to dream, think, innovate and take on the world. Our fundamentals are strong, resilient, firmer and better.”