The National Democratic Congress National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi Esq. has vehemently defended the party’s track record in education, particularly concerning the elimination of schools under trees.

Mr Gyamfi in a scathing rebuttal, disputed claims made by the Director of Social Media for the Vice President’s Campaign Team, Krobea Kwabena Asante challenging the National Democratic Congress perceived elimination of over 3,000 schools under tress while in office between 2009 and 2016.

“My attention has been drawn to two Facebook posts, made by one NPP propagandist by name, Krobea Kwabena Asante purporting to dispute my factual assertion that, the erstwhile NDC government, eliminated over 3,000 schools under trees between the year 2009 to 2016”
Sammy Gyamfi Esq., NDC’s National Communications Officer

The opposition party’s National Communications Officer began by stating that the budget statement, cited by Mr Asante in his argument was presented to Parliament on November 13th, 2015.

He thus argued that a budget statement from 2015 cannot provide a comprehensive account of actions taken by the National Democratic Congress administration from 2009 until the end of 2016.

Furthermore, Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi highlighted a specific section of the 2016 budget statement, which he noted indicates that the figures presented by the Director of Social Media for the Vice President’s Campaign relate to the National Democratic Congress performance in 2015 and outlook for 2016.

In view of the above, Mr Gyamfi argued that Mr Asante’s reliance on the 2015 Budget Statement to dispute the National Democratic Congress records in education particularly the elimination of 3000 schools under trees is not factual.

He also stated that the figure of 1,714 schools under trees being eliminated by the National Democratic Congress administration, as quoted by Mr Asante from the budget, does not cover the entire period of the party’s tenure in office from 2009 to 2016.

“The 2016 budget statement was presented to Parliament on 13th November, 2015. This date is apparent on the front page of the 2016 budget statement.
“It should therefore be obvious even to the uninitiated, that a budget statement presented in the year 2015, could not have given a comprehensive account of the total number of schools under trees eliminated by the erstwhile NDC government by the end of 2016”.
Sammy Gyamfi Esq., NDC’s National Communications Officer

Call for Attention to Detail

Moreover, Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi criticized the governing New Patriotic Party, particularly the Director of Social Media for the Vice President’s Campaign, Krobea Kwabena Asante for what he described as a lack of diligence and attention to detail.

He argued that a closer examination of the 2016 Budget Statement and the party’s green book on the Education sector published by the Ministry of Education in the year 2016 by members of the ruling party would have helped them to appreciate the number of schools under trees that were eliminated by the Mills and Mahama administration.

In addition, the National Democratic Congress National Communications Officer reiterated the party’s assertion of eliminating 3,000 schools under trees while in office which according to him is supported by the 2013 State of the Nation Address (SONA) speech by former President John Dramani Mahama and the Ministry of Education’s green book published in 2016.

He concluded his assertion by questioning the governing New Patriotic Party’s focus on debating the exact number of schools eliminated by the opposition National Democratic Congress administration, rather than providing information on their own achievements in addressing the issue since assuming office in 2017.