The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta has justified the huge cost of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) flagship Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy.
He laid out his defence of the Ghs 2.2 billion spent on Free SHS during the reading of the 2020 budget on the floor of parliament.
‘’1.2 million Ghanaian students would have had access to secondary education by 2020, justifying the spending of Ghs2.2billion. It is gratifying to note that the first cohort of students under the programme numbering about 362,000 are due to graduate in 2020’’ he stated.
Present in parliament during the budget presentation was not only the members of parliament but the former Finance Minister, Seth Terkper; Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo; Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Senior Minister, Osafo-Marfo.
Also present were New Patriotic Party (NPP) sympathisers like Gabby Otchere Darko, members of the general public including school pupils who had gone there to witness parliamentary proceedings as well as the media.
Ken Ofori-Atta was garbed in his usual all-white frock, which has in three years become his signature budget presentation look.
By: Bridget Mensah
