This Gov’t Is Owing GETFUND Contractors, Teachers…How Does It Intend To Fund Free SHS?

A former National Youth Organizer of the Convention People's Party (CPP), James Kwabena Bomfeh has downplayed government's initiative to construct 200 new Day Community Senior High Schools in the country. Speaking on Oman FM, James Kwabena Bomfeh, also called Kabila, wondered if the government would be able to complete the school construction project. This is because, in his view, the government has so far not exhibited any particular ability to turn around the country’s economic fortunes and has failed to even address challenges confronting the nation. Inferring from the declaration by the Deputy Education Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Kabila said sourcing of funds under the Mahama administration has always been problematic. Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa disclosed on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" on Monday that the government has estimated not less than 5 million cedis to construct the first batch of the new Community Day Senior High Schools. He said the construction of the fifty (50) new Community Day Senior High Schools will range between "5 and 6.5 million new Ghana cedis" per school and further added that the 50 SHS will comprise modern facilities and also be upgraded progressively to boarding schools. He also revealed that government has sourced funds from GETFUND and the World Bank has promised the government "not less than 150 million dollars" to build the schools to help the Ghanaian citizenry. But contributing to a panel discussion programme on Oman FM, the CPP activist opined that if not less than 5 million cedis is to be pumped into the project (per school), then constructing all the 200 schools will cost a whopping 1.5 billion cedis. “All the fifty schools, after completion, will also amount to a tune of 275 million cedis while hundred (100) schools out of the 200 will also cost the nation 550 million cedis,” he surmised. He stressed that even though the initiative is laudable, government has so far been unable to remunerate some contractors who undertook certain educational projects on behalf of the state, nor settle the arrears it owes teachers. He thus wondered how government intends to see to the successful implementation of the project. “Less than 16000 Ghana cedis from the office of Parliament in the name of Bank of Ghana was bounced when it reached Fidelity Bank. Several cheques issued by the government have been returned. Contractors working under GETFUND Scheme have not been paid for two years now. “This government has not exhibited any interest or attitude or sacrifice to prove that it loves the nation and therefore is managing our finances well to accomplish such a project," Kabila said.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana