The Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has accused the Minority caucus of opposing the proposed Free Senior High School policy bill.
The bill seeks to regulate the Free SHS intervention by making it mandatory for future governments to sustain the policy.
The Leader of the Majority group had earlier disclosed that the bill has received executive approval for it to be laid before the house by the Education Minister.
Speaking to journalists in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin said the minority must provide reasons for its opposition to the bill.
“We have heard the ranking member on education, MP for Akatsi North, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, strongly opposing the SHS bill. Clearly, the NDC minority does not want to commit itself to free SHS, and we want to enact a law to make it mandatory. We have stated time and time again that those provisional constitutions that talk about free speech are very aspirational provisions. So, the way to go is to enact a law to regulate the free SHS policy, which is currently in operation.
“The NDC is opposed to this, and they have spoken through their ranking members. We want them to tell Ghanaians whether free SHS is not their priority as a responsible opposition, and the Ministry of Education is going to ferry the bill through to parliament, we are ready.
“We engaged them, but they are adamant. The NDC is not ready for the free SHS bill. It is clear, and their spokesperson on education has been very loud. The last time I tried to tease the matter out on the floor, he avoided a response. He was clear about it and was not ready to commit himself.
“So, we know that in parliament, the caucus speaks through its spokespeople, and he is the ranking member on education, and he says he is opposed to the free SHS bill because there is some provision in the constitution. They should tell us why they are opposed to the bill,” he stated.
