A Ghanaian trader at the Accra Central Business, Sammy has  expressed strong support for the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia in the upcoming December polls.

Speaking to GHOne TV, the trader highlighted the impact of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy on his family.

According to him, his two children have greatly benefited from the government's free education initiative, thus influencing his decision in the upcoming elections.

"I will vote for Dr. Bawumia because all my two children have benefited from free education," he added.

“ I will vote for Dr. Bawumia because two of my kids have benefited from Free Senior High School” — Sammy #Bawumia2024 #ItIsPossible pic.twitter.com/603rypAuX7— Gen. Buhari (@Gen_Buhari_) July 29, 2024

The Free SHS initiative, a cornerstone policy of the NPP, was launched by President Akufo-Addo in 2017, aiming to provide free secondary education to all Ghanaian students.

The policy has been a significant point of political contention, with various parties debating its feasibility and impact.

While many Ghanaians have benefited from the policy, challenges such as funding, infrastructure, and educational quality continue to be areas of concern.

Meanwhile, in a media engagement on July 7, 2024, Mahama refuted claims that he opposed the Free SHS program.

He asserted that as the originator of the progressive Free SHS initiative, he has always supported efforts to enhance its benefits.

“I support any bill that will improve our education to make it sustainable, to afford quality education for our children. So yes, any bill that would achieve this is something that I will support,” Mahama stated.

But president Akufo-Addo has dismissed former President John Dramani Mahama’s claim that he initiated the free Senior High School (SHS) policy, labeling it as “ridiculous.”

He highlighted previous criticisms from the NDC leadership regarding the policy’s feasibility.

Speaking at the official unveiling of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer’s running mate for the 2024 elections in Kumasi on July 9, 2024, Akufo-Addo asserted that the NDC is not a credible alternative for Ghanaians.

“Today, the free Senior High School, the same people that criticized it and said all sorts of things about it, are claiming that they implemented it. We will take it like that,” Akufo-Addo said.

“We will take it like that because as God is alive, He is not asleep.”

Akufo-Addo criticized Mahama for what he sees as a reversal on the policy.

“This leader criticized us when we said we were going to implement the Free SHS policy. Now that Ghanaians have accepted the policy, he is saying he is the one who introduced Free SHS. Have you ever heard such a thing?”

He continued, “He indeed said that we are forgetful people. Will we forget this too? Today, the leader of the NDC claims he is the one who introduced Free SHS.

“If he introduced the policy, why did he criticize us when we intended to introduce it? He said if he had 2 billion cedis, he would not invest it in free education.”