FOUNDER and Leader of Ghana Union Movement (GUM) Reverend Christian Kwabena Andrews, popularly known as Osofo Kyiri Abosom has mocked the New Patriotic Party (NPP) much-touted Free Senior High School (SHS) educational policy and stated that if he elected the President of the Republic of Ghana he would make basic and secondary school education free of charge in the country.
Addressing a crowded press conference in Accra yesterday to officially unveil the newly formed Ghana Union Movement (GUM), the man of God noted that education should not be free in the senior secondary school level alone but it rather should be free from crèche, Kindergarten, primary, secondary and tertiary levels to make education accessible to all the people in the country.
“The education shall be totally free up to the entrance of tertiary institutions and tertiary education fees shall be considered by my government if Ghanains elected me in 2020 general election to become their President,” he assured.
Franked with the old pioneers of former President Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Rev. Kyiri Abosom added that the free education under the current NPP government’s fee is free but the parents are indirectly billed to buy plenty items which are more costive than the school fees itself.
He argued that If education is free it must be totally free.
“Who the NPP government wants them to pay the school fees for the children from the basic level education before the NPP would enroll them to the free senior high school education.
“We the members of Ghana Union Movement think that the basic education is expensive for the parents that is why we want to make the education free from Kindergarten to the senior secondary school level, ” the man of God noted.
He pointed out that the mere reading and writing form of education as the country’s education system has been over the years shall be changed to practical knowledge and skills building form education should he elected President.
He stressed that ordinary reading and writing shall be in the country’s education system from crèche up to primary six and Junior High School upwards to the tertiary shall have practical and technical skill education as per the course that the pupils/
students will choose to master it.
Also, he indicated that education shall be totally free up to the entrance of tertiary institutions and tertiary education fees shall be considered by his government.
He gave the assurance that the party will always ensure it due processes are followed in their operations and that their engagement with the EC was far advanced and that it is expected to complete the final certification processes shortly.
He said the movement was serious about its decision to contest the 2020 presidential race and so will speed up with all arrangements to establish District and Regional offices across the country.
He indicated that the ideology of the movement was to revisit the developmental agenda of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, which focused on massive industrialization across the country to propel national development.
The man of further promised to ensure a total free Port for Ghana within the first six months when the party is voted to take over the affairs of the country.
He said one major area by which Ghana can develop is by the Ports, hence efforts will be !are by his administration to completely abolish taxes and duties at the Ports making Port transactions free for all.
He said: “Not later than six months of Ghana Union Movement in office, Port duties shall be absolutely free for all Ghanaian.”
He explained that GUM’s formation was based on the abandoned Nkrumah’s vision which hinged on total industrialization, modernizing agriculture and consolidating Ghana’s Democracy.
He stressed the fact that the exportation of raw materials to other countries will be given major boost and efforts will also be made to produce more hence the industrialization and agriculture development.
Reverend Christian Kwabena Andrews said a duty-free Port will open Ghana to the international markets whilst creating great and enterprising avenues for Ghanaian businesses to flourish.
The GUM Leader also touched on Agriculture, where he agreed that the party when elected to power, will make food production Paramount.
He said the GUM government will revamp all abandoned state farms, establish new farms to grow crops and plants which are nature-friendly to the soil of the various localities.
He mentioned that cocoa farmers shall be supplied with free seedlings, fertilizers and insecticides whilst the government shall pay for the annual cost of clearing of the land for cocoa planting for farmers who shall be planting 5 acres of cocoa.
He said: “Fishing boats shall be supplied to the fishermen with fishing motors and special finishing nets to aide them in their fishing activities. Tractors shall also be provided to farmers who grow other crops in the country.”
On the business front, Osofo Kyiriabosom said Taxes paid by businesses shall be reduced and the government will give loans with little interest to businesses, as action will be taken to formalize the retail businesses.
According to him, retail businesses shall be a preserve for only Ghanaians and no foreigner will not be allowed in a retail business.
He changed all to join in the campaign to arise for the development of mother Ghana.
The Electoral Commission (EC) has officially given a Provisional Certificate for the newly formed Ghana Union Movement founded by the well known Reverend Kyiri Abosom.
The new party, Ghana Union Movement, has for its slogan “Arise for Development”.
The movement’s symbol has a logo that portrays a fist of a man against two hands with the name and motto of the movement boldly written around it. It has red, yellow and white as its colors.
Source: myafricatoday.com
