The Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Apaak, has reiterated the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) commitment to implementing its free first-year university tuition policy, while clarifying that participation in the programme will be optional.
In an interview, Dr. Apaak addressed concerns about the policy, stating, “That is an opinion. In any case, it is not going to be by compulsion. If there are persons who feel that they don’t need it and would not want to be beneficiaries of this arrangement, they are free to opt-out. But as far as this is a manifesto promise made by John Mahama and the NDC to the people of Ghana, based on which we are now in government, we intend to carry it through.”
He emphasised that the NDC has no intention of reneging on its campaign promises, citing the party’s strong performance in the election as validation of its policy proposals.
“John Dramani Mahama and the NDC campaigned vehemently, and if for nothing at all, the magnitude of the NDC’s victory in terms of parliamentary seats and the gap between our candidate, now President, and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the former Vice President, should be a testament that this, among many other worthy and accepted policies, accounted for the overwhelming support we have received,” Dr. Apaak said.
He reaffirmed the NDC’s commitment to making higher education more accessible.
“We intend to proceed with the promise made by John Dramani Mahama and the NDC to support students in tertiary institutions with their fees,” he added.
President Mahama initially announced the policy during the launch of the NDC’s Youth Manifesto ahead of the 2024 elections.
He explained that the initiative aims to increase access to tertiary education, especially for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Although some Ghanaians have raised questions about the sustainability and funding of the policy, the NDC has assured the public that it has conducted thorough research to ensure smooth implementation.
