Dr. Clement Apaak Demands Answers Over Free SHS Beneficiary Figures Error
The Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Apaak, has called on the former Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, to provide a detailed explanation regarding the inconsistencies in the reported number of beneficiaries under the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy.
His demand follows a recent admission by Dr. Adutwum that the actual number of beneficiaries of the policy since its inception is 3.5 million, contrary to the earlier 5.7 million figure that had been widely publicized by the government.
In an interview on Joy News, the former Education Minister clarified that the 5.7 million figure was an accounting error and that it took some time for officials to realize the mistake.
“It was some accounting error that happened. Unfortunately, it took us some time to discover that in education, we shouldn’t be using the numbers as so articulated by the finance ministry. There was an error in the figures previously mentioned, and I take full responsibility for that. The correct number of beneficiaries stands at 3.5 million,” Dr. Adutwum explained.
Reacting to the revelation, Dr. Apaak questioned why the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, led by President Nana Akufo-Addo and its flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, continued to promote the inflated figures, even during the 2024 election campaign and State of the Nation Address (SONA).
“Error? When did you become aware of this error? If it was an error, why did your government, your President, and your Flagbearer continue pushing an error on various media platforms, at campaign events, in campaign adverts on TV/Radio, and at SONA 2024 in the face of our rejection of these inflated figures?” he questioned.
Dr. Apaak insisted that a mere admission of error was not enough and demanded a comprehensive breakdown of how the miscalculation occurred.
“You must demonstrate to us how the error came to be, with evidence,” he stated.
The revelation has sparked debates over transparency in government data reporting and has raised questions about whether the error was deliberate or a genuine mistake. Many Ghanaians are demanding further explanations, particularly regarding how such a significant misrepresentation of numbers went unchecked for so long.
As the controversy unfolds, calls for greater accountability in the handling of Free SHS data continue to grow, with opposition figures and education stakeholders urging the government to ensure accurate reporting moving forward.