In the lead-up to the 2024 presidential elections, observers are at a loss as to why the presidential candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) John Dramani Mahama has consistently been picking the Free Education policy for his shadowboxing.

In his almost failed attempt to be voted back to lead Ghana as a president after the Ghanaian voters rejected him for his incompetence in the 2016 polls, the former president is now the living example of the proverbial drowning man who will hold on to any straw available to survive the sweeping currents.

We write as beneficiaries of the Free Senior High Education Programme under the umbrella of the Nana and Bawumia Free SHS Graduates Association (NBGA). We are a strong force comprising over 800,000 active registered members bent on defending to the hilt this all-important education policy by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

NBGA notes with mortifying angst why former president Mahama will at the least chance discredit our efforts to achieve success in our graduation exams.

Recently, he is reported to have said that the massive passes chalked by the 2023 graduands of SHS were due to exam malpractice in the various schools.

These unsubstantiated allegations by the former president, who should know better, come amidst reports that some students who were caught cheating, using AI (Artificial Intelligence) devices to aid them had their results withheld, and others had their results cancelled.

Must one always trend only for negative reasons?

Can't President Mahama talk about the Free SHS graduates who got admissions into top-notch universities abroad and excelled, hoisting Ghana's flag high?

When the mind is at ease, it becomes the fertile ground for studies, and that best explains why the Free SHS graduates continuously come out with flying colours.

No one goes to school and is sacked home for fees as was the case when NDC led by Mr. Mahama aka Mr. Incompetent, aka Mr. Review, was at the helm.

All that said, knowing very well that Ghanaians will not make the mistake of bringing back the man who at a time compared Ghana to meat that he had eaten all its flesh, and left with the bone; we give three weeks ultimatum for HE. John Mahama to retract his disgusting and appalling statement made to tarnish the good image of Free SHS, or he will regret it, opening his mouth so wide.

Ghanaians forgave him when players in his lackluster government insulted teachers for asking for chalk to teach students who are the future leaders of this country. We forgave him when he cancelled all allowances due students during his brutal reign.

But no more, not this time.

He should prepare to show us evidence of candidates cheating in the WASSCE exams, goaded on by their teachers.

We cannot sit aloof for one's inordinate ambition to recapture power and drag all good people in the mud before we rise to take action.

Free SHS is here to stay.