The President, Nana Akufo-Addo has said that his greatest heart desire is for Ghanaians to know that he portrays truthfulness and can be believed in.
While speaking over the weekend in an interview on a local radio station, he emphasized that he wants the Ghanaian populace who placed their hopes in him to know he can be trusted. He made this known whiles he was giving a fair account on his administration over the period so far.
“I remember my competitors saying that when I come, I would not be able to perform. And that, I’m coming to deceive Ghanaians here and there. But since I came, I won’t say I’ve done it all, but for the majority, I have delivered to the people of Ghana to see that they were not just mere promises. We have done it. And the nation is also developing. Because people know there are so much lies on the side of, we politicians. People will make promises but will deliver up to expectations when voted into office.”
Also speaking on education, particularly, tertiary education, the President said his administration is looking towards implementing a loan system that will sufficiently make provision for deprived students who are unable to pay their fees to pursue academic excellence.
This comes on the back of the free Senior High School and Technical and Vocational Education and Training introduced, which was the government’s flagship programme since resuming office in 2017. Following this, there were and still, growing concerns about how students from deprived homes will be able to further their tertiary education upon completion of their SHS level.
Although the President did not give timelines, he promised that the policy will be adequately spelt out in the NPP’s 2020 manifesto.
Speaking in the Ashanti Region, the President said the initiative was geared towards developing the human resources of the country.
“The number one asset of any country is its people. If you can commit to developing the people, you are committed to the development of the country. That is why I have indicated that if I am voted into power, free senior high school will be a priority for us.
“Also, we are looking at how to make universities accessible. We don’t have funding for free tertiary education but we can organise a system where government will give loans to students and they can repay after their education. We have to move that way because we want the development of our human material as a matter of urgent priority. We are not going to give a timetable to it, but we will take steps to implement it,” the President said.
President Akufo-Addo added that his focus on education is rooted in his knowledge that all advanced countries focused largely on their education.
“This motivated me to also make education my number one priority because I have come to realize that what matters to every country determined to succeed is for them to develop the human capacity of their the people”.
