Akufo-Addo has completed more E-Block schools than Mahama - NPP Group
'Fixing The Country Movement', a political group with an affiliation with the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) argues that President Akufo-Addo has completed more E-Block schools than former President John Dramani Mahama.
According to the group, even though former President Mahama started the E-Block school initiative, he could only complete 29 before leaving office.
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Former President Mahama in the NDC's manifesto for election 2012 promised to build 200 Day Schools across the country.
Abandoned projects
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Sunday afternoon, October 31, 2021, the Convener for the group, Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah, said it is regrettable to say that President Akufo-Addo has abandoned projects initiated by Mr Mahama’s administration, including the E-Block schools.
"The claim that the E-block projects started by the Mahama administration have been abandoned by the Akufo-Addo-led government is a farcical claim and it ought to be dismissed with absolute contempt," he said.
For him, whereas former President Mahama only completed 29 of the E-Block schools, President Akufo-Addo has completed 31 of them, since assuming office in 2017.
"According the 2021 Budget statement, President Akufo-Addo has completed 31 of the E-blocks under the Secondary Education Improvement Programme and as part of increased efforts to provide infrastructure in the implementation of the Free Senior High School Programme, Mr Owusu Bempah stated.
He explained that even though former President Mahama's government awarded a GH¢ 900 million contract to the construction companies to establish the E-block schools, his government failed to pay the contractors.
"It took the Akufo-Addo administration to pay off the debt to ensure none of the schools are abandoned but completed for all school children to benefit from the government's free SHS programme," he noted.
In addition, he said, "President Akufo-Addo after clearing Mahama's debt has now initiated steps to continue the E-block project."
For Mr Owusu Bempah, President Akufo-Addo has shown commitment towards the completion of the E-block schools that former President Mahama started.
"So between Akufo-Addo and John Mahama, who has invested heavily in education to increase access and improve quality?" He quizzed, adding "Clearly President Akufo-Addo has been committed to completing these projects against claims that he has abandoned them."
He said "if the one who initiated the E-Block projects was able to complete a total of 29 schools within the 4 years that he was in government whilst the one who inherited it has also completed 31 of the E-Blocks within the same 4 years and handed over for use, which of the two is committed in making sure all these projects are completed?"
Volta Region
Mr Owusu Bempah also expressed concern about claims that President Akufo-Addo's government has abandoned Volta region in terms of development.
"In little over four years, the Nana Addo government has initiated over 17,000 infrastructure projects in the Volta region," he explained.
Currently, he said, President Akufo-Addo-led administration has completed 8,746 of the projects started in Volta Region with 8,588 projects ongoing.
"It is therefore misleading and very disingenuous for anyone to claim that the Akufo-Addo led government has abandoned the Volta Region in terms of development," Mr Owusu Bempah explained.