The leader of the Minority group in Parliament, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has refuted claims made by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the Majority Leader, that the minority group is against a Bill on the Free Senior High School policy.
Addressing journalists in Parliament, Dr. Forson stated that the person who has openly voiced his opposition to a legislation governing the Free SHS program is Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the leader of the New Patriotic Party.
“In the last few days, my colleague, the Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin is on record to have accused the NDC 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.
“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.”
Dr. Ato Forson asked the NPP to move quickly to present the bill, reiterating their commitment to always support legislation.
“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.
“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.”
