John Mahama hits back at Akufo-Addo: “Stop sleeping” and you’ll hear my position on Free SHS

During his tour of the Greater Accra Region on Thursday, October 17, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential Candidate John Dramani Mahama delivered a sharp critique of President Akufo-Addo, suggesting the president may be “sleeping” or absent from key national discussions.

Addressing supporters in the Ningo Prampram Constituency, Mahama responded to Akufo-Addo’s recent comments challenging him to clarify his position on the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy. Mahama insinuated that the president might not be paying attention, saying, “When you stop sleeping, you’ll hear clearly my position on Free SHS.”

John Mahama reaffirmed that his stance on Free SHS had been consistent, emphasizing that his next government would fix the programme’s implementation issues, including the lack of dedicated funding, the unpopular double track system, and concerns over the quality of food provided to students.

“I have made it clear that there are implementation problems with the Free SHS because there is no dedicated source of funding, parents are also not happy with the double track system, also the quality of food the children are being given is not good, and so I have said that the NDC is coming to power and fix these three things,” he added.

This exchange between the two leaders highlights the ongoing debate surrounding Free SHS, a pivotal issue in the run-up to the December election.

John Mahama’s remarks suggest that he believes the president is disconnected from the public’s concerns, further escalating the political rivalry.