John Dramani Mahama deserves commendation for calling out Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia (DMB)on the pressing issue of the acute furniture deficit in our public basic schools.
During his campaign as running mate to NADAA in the 2016 election, DMB visited Kperisi Primary School in the Upper West Region, where students were forced to sit on the floor to learn. News clips and photos from his visit showed DMB, dressed in white, squatting to speak with pupils sitting on the classroom floor.
In subsequent media interviews, DMB pledged to donate furniture to Kperisi Primary School and asserted that the situation was widespread. He took the opportunity to criticize the then NDC government for failing to address the plight of marginalized students.
Fast forward eight years: despite DMB now serving as Vice President and Flagbearer, the furniture crisis in our public basic schools has worsened—indeed, it has been exacerbated. According to Africa Education Watch, over 1.3 million pupils in our public basic school system lack access to proper furniture.
Unlike DMB, who has no plans to address this critical deficit—evident by the absence of solutions in the 2024 NPP manifesto—JDM has a concrete plan as outlined in the 2024 NDC manifesto. JDM will launch a ‘Furniture for All Initiative’ to tackle the furniture shortage at the basic level, partnering with local carpentry and furniture industries.
Vote for change. Vote for JDM/NDC. The alternative is not an option. Let’s rescue and reset Ghana by supporting JDM/NDC.
Dr. Clement Apaak
MP/PC, Builsa South and Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Education Committee
