The
Minority
in
Parliament
has
disclosed
that
the
government
is
indebted
to
the
tune
of
over
six
billion
Ghana
Cedis
to
companies,
individuals
and
organisations
in
relation
to
the
Free
Senior
High
School
policy.
The
caucus
reveals
that
the
government
has
failed
to
reimburse
over
GHC300
million
funds
used
in
the
procurement
of
the
GHC1.3
million
tablets
for
the
‘One
Student
One
laptop
initiative’.
Addressing
journalists
in
Accra,
on
July
17,
2024,
the
Ranking
Member
on
the
Education
Committee
of
Parliament,
Peter
Nortsu
Kotoe,
said,
“Free
SHS
is
a
very
laudable
programme,
it
has
provided
access
to
secondary
education
for
quite
a
large
number
of
people
who
wouldn’t
have
had
the
opportunity,
looking
at
the
cost
involved
at
that
time.
“However,
the
programme
is
facing
a
lot
of
challenges
and
one
of
them
has
to
do
with
Finance.
As
we
speak
now,
the
financial
challenges
are
becoming
too
much
and
it’s
going
through
the
roof.
I
can
say
that
the
information
available
to
me
indicates
that
over
GHC6
billion
is
being
owed
to
companies,
individuals
and
organisations
in
relation
to
Free
SHS.
“This
year,
they
launched
the
tablets
for
SHSs,
because
this
is
going
to
reduce
the
burden
on
the
printing
of
textbooks.
So,
the
idea
is
fine,
we
support
it,
when
you
look
at
the
NDC
2020
manifesto,
it’s
there,
we
even
added
tertiary
institutions.
“You
have
asked
somebody
to
supply
GHC1.3
million
tablets,
to
cover
all
students
and
you’re
not
paying
for
it.
The
man
has
gone
for
a
loan
which
is
at
the
cost
of
37
million
and
you’re
not
paying…
You
have
paid
him
less
than
10%;
how
will
the
person
pay
the
loan?
As
a
minority,
we’re
concerned.
If
we
do
this,
we’re
killing
businesses
of
individuals
and
companies
in
the
country.
So,
there’s
a
need
for
us
to
intervene.”
The
Minority
adds
that
the
government
owes
the
West
African
Examinations
Council
(WAEC)
a
total
amount
of
GHC224
million,
frustrating
plans
towards
the
conduct
of
WASSCE.
“Government
still
owes
WAEC,
exams
will
start
in
August
[but]
government
has
not
released
any
money
to
WAEC,
they
owe
them
a
total
of
GHC224
million,
so
WAEC
is
unable
to
talk
again,
we
shouldn’t
be
going
on
that
tangent.”
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