The immediate past Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Sekondi, Rt Rev, Col John Otoo(rtd) has indicated that the socio-economic benefits of the current government’s free SHS policy to the country cannot be over-emphasised.

According to him, the programme will serve as an avenue which will financially empower parents to take up other equally important initiatives which will later lead to employment of the youth.

He could therefore not fathom why some Ghanaians kept on criticizing the policy instead of offering suggestions which could help sustain the programme which had been implemented to benefit all Ghanaians irrespective of political affiliation.

“The government has sacrificed a lot with this free SHS education policy, yet when you listen to radio sometimes, some of us cannot stand some of the comments, God should forgive us”.

He continued “If a government running a nation of about 30 million people takes a chunk of its financial resources into one area to make sure that all children are educated, it means this government has sacrificed a lot and all Ghanaians must appreciate this”.

Bishop Otoo made the statement when he delivered a sermon at the 27th Ghana Navy Memorial Day celebration held at the Sekondi Naval Base.

The event was in remembrance of naval personnel who lost their lives in Liberia during the civil war in that country about 27 years ago.

Bishop Otoo called on the beneficiary students of the free SHS policy not to downplay the sacrifices of the government, stressing that it was an opportunity for them to be resourced in order to become responsible leaders in the future.

He encouraged Ghanaians to be more patriotic and offer selfless services in their respective endeavours towards national development.

He pointed out that some people had sacrificed their lives to build this nation as we see it today and that it was the turn of the current generation to sacrifice for the future generation.

He stressed the need for the youth to emulate the sacrifices of the fallen heroes adding “the deceased naval officers sacrificed their lives and so it is in order to celebrate their selfless devotion and sacrifice”.