Should he win the election, John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has vowed to redirect funds from President Nana Akufo-Addo’s substantial budget.
This shift, in stark contrast to the current allocation, would be in support of a ‘no academic fees’ policy for first-year university students, a move that underscores the urgent need for change.
Addressing supporters in Juapong on Tuesday, Mahama outlined that the initiative would require between GH₵270 million and GH₵290 million, a fraction of the current presidential budget of GH₵2 billion.
He criticized the existing expenditure, pointing to past allocations such as GH₵69 million spent on presidential travel over nine months and nearly GH₵5 million for a single cabinet retreat.
“There is significant waste in the current budget. Even a reduction in the presidential budget alone could fund the entire academic fee initiative for first-year students,” Mahama asserted.
He emphasized that the budget for the presidency, which has recently been reduced to GH₵2 billion from a previous GH₵3 billion, is excessive and could be streamlined to support educational needs.
Mahama explained that the ‘no academic fees’ policy, also known as the ‘no fee stress policy,’ aims to alleviate financial pressures on students entering public tertiary institutions.
He assured that this initiative would not affect government subventions to universities, which he plans to increase and ensure are disbursed on time to support institutional budgets.
“We want to ensure that first-year students do not face financial stress as they begin their higher education journey,” Mahama said, reiterating his unwavering commitment to making education more accessible without compromising institutional support, a stance that should instil confidence in our educational system.
