President John Mahama, John Mahama
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) appears to be on a collision course with the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) over which political administration has completed more of the 124 Community Day Senior High School building projects, christened E-Blocks.
According to the NDC, the government is in a “futile effort to distort” the record of the Mahama government by “deceptively reclassifying” some completed E-Block projects as uncompleted, thereby reducing the total number to 29.
In a statement, the opposition party said the handing-over notes of the former Minister of Education under the Mahama government, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang, bears out that the NDC completed and commissioned 46 out of the 124 Community Day Senior High Schools it initiated.
“This was widely reported by the media. The internet never forgets,” the NDC stated, rekindling the infrastructure-obsessed debate that gripped the nation during the 2020 general election due to an extraordinary move for political opportunism.
The NDC claimed that each of the Community Day Senior High Schools had an ultra-modern library, furnished classrooms, ICT laboratory, Biology laboratory, Physics laboratory, Chemistry laboratory, General Science laboratory, a school bus for students and a pick-up vehicle for office staff among others.
“Interestingly, the first Minister of Education of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government, Mathew Opoku Prempeh, is on public record to have said in 2017 that the NDC/Mahama government completed 46 Community Day Senior High Schools,” it stressed.
The party said a so-called reclassification by the government was largely done on the “contrived and flimsy grounds” that some of the 46 completed E-Blocks had no furniture, even though the physical structures had been fully completed.
“The attached document (stamped fake) being circulated by hired NPP apologists on social media is a product of this warped thinking and should be treated with utmost contempt,” the NDC said.
It listed the Community Day Senior High Schools (CDSHS) that were completed and/or commissioned by former President John Mahama before exiting office, and named them as Seventh Day CDSHS at Abease in Pru West, Dermaa CDSHS- Dermaa at Tano South, Lambusie CDSHS in the Lambussie District, and Nchumuru CDSHS at Krachi Nchumuru.
The rest are Maame Krobo CDSHS at Kwahu in the Afram Plains South, Kwabenya CDSHS in the Ga East District, Atta Mills CDSHS at Ekumfi Otuam, Nkwanta CDSHS at Nkwanta, Nyanoakwaboah CDSHS at Adeiso in the Upper West Akyim, Adobewora CDSHS at Atwima Mponua, Adugyama CDSHS in the Ahafo-Ano South, Bamiankor CDSHS at Bamiankor in the Nzema East District, Nsawora Adumafa CDSHS at Sefwi Akontonbra, Takorase CDSHS at Akwatia, Frafraha CDSHS at Madina in Accra, Katamanso CDSHS at Kpone Katamanso, Volo Community Day in North Tongu, and Loggu CDSHS in Wa East.
Others are Zulugu CDSHS at Binduri, Daboya CDSHS at Daboya, Wapuli CDSHS at Saboba in New Longoro-Kintampo, Asuosu CDSHS in the Offinso North, Agric Nzema CDSHS in Kumasi, Kwamekrom CDSHS at Oti, Diaso CDSHS in the Upper Denkyira West, Kyekyewere CDSHS in the Upper Denkyira East, Moree CDSHS at Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese, Namanwora CDSHS at Agona East, Sankor CDSHS in Ahanta West, Awutu Bawjiase CDSHS in Awutu Senya West, Awutu Ofaakor CDSHS- Awutu Senya East, and Anum Apapam CDSHS at Ayensuano.
The remaining ones are Avenorfeme CDSHS at Akatsi South, Fodoa Nkwanta CDSHS in Kwahu West, Mem Chemfre CDSHS at Kwahu in the Afram Plains North, Yabram CDSHS at Dambai, Krobo CDSHS in Techiman North, Agona Fankobaa CDSHS in Agona West, Gyaman CDSHS at Gomoa Gyaman, Enyanmaim CDSHS at Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam, Kanjaga CDSHS in Builsa South, Pakoso CDSHS at Asokore Mampong, Gambigo CDSHS at Zuarungu in Bolga East, New Longoro CDSHS in Kintampo North, and Kwamekrom CDSHS in Biakoye District.
By Ernest Kofi Adu