Bawumia is against Legislating Free SHS, Not the NDC – Ato Forson to Afenyo-Markin
“But as we speak, there is no bill before parliament. It is important for us to reiterate, that we cannot oppose a bill that we have not seen, we cannot. And we have said it nowhere that we are going to oppose such a bill.”
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Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minority Leader in Parliament, has strongly dismissed accusations that the Minority Group is opposing a proposed bill on the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy.
These accusations were brought forth by the Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who questioned the National Democratic Congress (NDC) group’s stance on the flagship Free SHS bill they intend to present to Parliament.
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Dr Ato Forson addressed the allegations during a press briefing in Parliament on June 26, 2024, stating that no such bill is currently before the House.
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“In the last few days, my colleague, the Majority Leader [Alexander Afenyo-Markin] is on record to have accused the Minority of not supporting the Free Senior High School bill. Let me put on record that, there is no such bill before Parliament. We are hearing from him for the first time that the government is considering a bill to be presented to Parliament called the Free Senior High School Bill.”
He emphasized that the Minority cannot oppose a bill that has not been presented or seen.
“But as we speak, there is no bill before parliament. It is important for us to reiterate, that we cannot oppose a bill that we have not seen, we cannot. And we have said it nowhere that we are going to oppose such a bill.”
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Dr. Forson urged the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to expedite the submission of the bill, assuring that the Minority would support any legislation aimed at improving and sustaining the Free SHS policy.
“Our position is simple. The NDC Minority will, at all times, support any legislation that will seek to improve and sustain the Free Senior High School policy.”
He further pointed out that the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has publicly expressed opposition to a law regulating the Free SHS policy.
“In fact, if there is anybody in this country who is on record to have said that he does not believe in a free SHS law, it is rather the Vice President. The Vice President, Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, is on record to have said that there is no need for a bill or a law to regulate the Free Senior High School and not the NDC. He’s on record, he said, all you need is commitment.”
“So NDC, we are committed, we are committed to the Free Senior High School policy. We have obviously identified some lapses in the implementation,” he said.
Source: Ekow Annan || newsalertgh.com
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