Akufo-Addo must come clean on free SHS/Heritage Fund saga – Minority

The minority members in parliament have asked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to come clean on whether his government intends to use proceeds from the reserved oil revenue to finance its much touted free senior high school programme. According to the MPs, there is “total confusion” on the issue considering the conflicting statements made by two of his ministers – Senior Minister Yaw Osafo-Maafo and Finance Minister Ken Ofori Attah- regarding the same issue. Mr Osafo-Maafo this week revealed that the government intends to review the Heritage Fund component of the Act to finance the audacious free education programme of the Akufo-Addo government. He said the Petroleum Revenue Management Act which established the Heritage Fund, would be amended to use proceeds from the endowment fund to finance the proposed audacious free SHS programme of the Akufo-Addo government. The announcement triggered criticism with some questioning the legitimacy of the decision considering that per the law, proceeds accruing from the fund can only be accessed a year after the country’s oil reserves are depleted. On his part, Mr Ofori-Attah on Friday dismissed the assertion by Mr Osafo-Maafo, and allayed the fears of critics that proceeds from the Fund would not be used to finance the free SHS. But the minority in parliament on Friday said “the statements of these two top ministers clearly shows there is total confusion in the new administration as to how their campaign promises will be funded”. A statement issued by the minority and signed by Deputy Minority Leader, James Klutse Avedzi said it is not clear which of the two ministers to believe or speaking the truth on the matter. The minority members suggested the statements by the two ministers present an apparent conflict of roles between; something the minority members said they raised at the vetting of the two ministers. They have consequently urged President Akufo-Addo to “clarify the true position of his government” on the issue, adding “the minority wants him to tell Ghanaians whether his government will use or not use the Heritage Fund for the SHS education” By Stephen Kwabena Effah|3news.com|Ghana Follow @steviekgh_TV3 ]]>