The Builsa South Member of Parliament (MP), Dr. Clement Apaak, has reiterated the National Democratic Congress' (NDC) commitment to providing free first-year university tuition.

He further clarified that the initiative will be voluntary, allowing parents who wish to opt out the freedom to do so.

In an interview with Accra-based Citi FM Dr. Apaak clarified "That is an opinion. In any case, it is not going to be by compulsion. If there are persons who feel that they don’t need it and would not want to be beneficiaries of this arrangement, they are free to opt out. But as far as this is a manifesto promise made by John Mahama and the NDC to the people of Ghana, based on which we are now in government, we intend to carry it through”.

The former Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Education Committee emphasized that the NDC is fully committed to its campaign pledges, pointing to the significant electoral support they garnered as a mandate to uphold those promises.

“John Dramani Mahama and the NDC campaigned vehemently, and if for nothing at all, the magnitude of the NDC’s victory in terms of parliamentary seats and the gap between our candidate, now President, and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the former Vice President, should be a testament that this, among many other worthy and accepted policies, accounted for the overwhelming support we have received.

“So, we intend to proceed with the promise made by John Dramani Mahama and the NDC to support students in tertiary institutions with their fees,” he said.

At the unveiling of the Youth Manifesto ahead of the 2024 election, President Mahama pledged to implement a tuition-free policy for first-year students in public universities.

He highlighted that the initiative aims to broaden access to higher education, particularly for students from underprivileged backgrounds.

In response, some Ghanaians have expressed doubts about the policy’s long-term viability and the funding sources. Nonetheless, the NDC maintains that thorough research and planning have been carried out to ensure the successful execution of the program.