The Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr has described as a ‘sensible idea’ proposals to use percentages of the Heritage Fund to fund the free Senior High School (SHS) concept.
According to him, he has always been against the idea of reserving some monies for future generation when the monies could have been invested now for maximum benefits in the future.
“I fully agree that education not just at the SHS but at all levels must be made free, the basic one must be compulsory and all who fail to take advantage must be punished… I am of the opinion that rather than pack monies for future generation, we should invest in things that would be profitable to them, there is more sense in that.
“I don’t have any trouble with the government if it seeks to use the Heritage Fund to take care of children in school and that is what I believe in…,” he said on Adom FM’s Morning Show, ‘Dwaso Nsem’ on Thursday.
Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo Maafo, revealed Wednesday that government would review the Heritage Fund component in the Petroleum Management Act in order to use the proceeds to finance President Nana Akufo-Addo’s Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.
According to the senior minister, the decision has become necessary because the government wants to invest significant revenue generated from the oil industry to fund major sectors like education since it has the potential of building a good foundation for the country.
This view has been widely criticized by several persons including some civil society groups.
A policy analyst at the Integrated Social Development Center (ISODEC), Dr. Steve Manteaw described as unwise to spend the Heritage Fund on recurrent expenditure and that “won’t yield the benefits that we want.”
“I get scared because we risk returning to the era of Gold mining where we spent everything. In fact we even sold our gold share in the AngloGold Ashanti to use it to pay salary. One may say that well, but in this case we are using it to finance education which is a good thing. Yes, it is. But it is a recurring expenditure item. We are going to spend the Heritage Fund on recurring expenditure and I don’t think that will yield the kind of results that one wants to see in the economy, in a way that benefits future generations,” Dr. Manteaw said on Joy FM.
But Kwesi Pratt speaking on Adom FM Thursday said he fully supports the decision to make education free at the SHS level and agreed to decision to use a percentage from the fund for the programme.
According to him, the whole idea of making education free at all levels is something he supports as it started from Nkrumah’s regime.
To him, it was very possible to make education free because a country with less resources like Cuba was doing same.
His only problem, he said was with the inconsistency in the debates by proponents of the use of portions of the Heritage Fund to support education as the same people kicked against the argument when it cropped up during the administration of former President John Mahama.”
“When Mahama was in power and the issue of Heritage Fund cropped up, I said it was never a good idea because money doesn’t have a constant value and depreciates by time, if we want a good future for children and grandchildren, it is about investing in education, if we do not build infrastructure, our future is very bleak…the people kicking against the use of the Heritage Fund did not start today, it’s from NDC time, they are being consistent and only repeating what they said during NDC government reign.
“It’s good the NPP are now seeing the sense in what some of us proposed during the time of NDC…they have to tell us what was wrong with them when they opposed us then,” he argued.
He further called on the government to come clear on the actual sources of money to fund the free SHS apart from the Heritage Fund since the money in the fund is not enough.
To Kwesi Pratt, it would not be in the best interest of the country to rely on donor support as the economies of major foreign donors are now on their knees.
Watch video below-
Source: adomonline.com
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Good One there Kwesi.
I think Kwesi Pratt has been consistent on this issue, kudos!
Let's support the govt on this laudable policy which is overdue.Many Ghanaians are poor because of no or proper education.Imagine the relief this will have on parents.Single parents are rejoicing.
@GG u see your sstupid face...you and who will not allow nana to touch the fund....aimless mammal from a pathetic clueless family.
WE WILL NOT ALLOW CLUELESS, VISIONLESS AND INCAPABLE NANA AND HIS GOVT TO TOUCH THE HERITAGE FUND, MARK IT!
I have only one question for Dr. Steve, tell when in Ghana any funds has ever being used for its purpose, I can name a few PNDC ACCOUNTS 48, PETROL LEVIES, AND MANY MORE ARE WASTED BY POLITICIANS, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME A FUND WILL be use in the interest of the nation. I will keep money for my children but educate them and they will be successful, have ever see any doctor, lawyer,judge, bank manager etc crying for necessity of life? keep the money for children of no sense of their own?.
Brilliant submission by Kewsi Pratt
THE NPP ARE VERY WISE. THEY OPPOSE THE HIRIYAGE FUND DURING THE NDC ERA BECAUSE IF THEY SHOULD ALLOW THE NDC THEY WOULD HAVE FINISH EVERYTHING AND THEY(NPP) WON'T GET ANYTHING TO FULFIL THEIR FREE SHS POLICY.AND SO IT WAS A WISE MOVE AT THAT TIME.NPP KUDOS FOR BEING SMART.HAHAHAAHAAHAAHAHAHA I LOUGH NDC ENTER MY BOREHOLE.
I have read the Dr Manteaw's analysis and I totally disagree with his analysis. Using Heritage Fund to pay for free SHS is a wise decision and should be supported. It is a wise investment in people which will bring benefits that cannot be quantified. The point that it is recurrent expenditure as argued by Dr Manteaw does not mean that it is not investment worth undertaking. Education and knowledge are more permanent than the physical infrastructure Dr Manteaw is talking about. I hope if Dr Manteaw has come from a poor family who do petty trading to pay school fees, he would have appreciated this wise policy. Why should so many children be left out? It is a shame. Anyway, the president vision should not be supported by all hence some voted again him. However, the President has a majority backing hence should use our resources to fund this noble idea.
This time around u have said something human...but we Will bash u if u mess with npp