The flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo has criticized government over what he calls the pick and choose tactics in selecting polytechnics to convert into technical universities.

According to him, the approach shows clearly the failure of government in solving the challenges in polytechnic education.

The NPP flag bearer was addressing the tertiary students confederacy of the NPP at the Cape Coast Polytechnic in the Central region. 

Nana Akufo-Addo has been preaching his transformational agenda to the chiefs and people of Twifo Hemang, Twifo Praso, Twifo Ati-Mokwaa and the various constituencies on the second day of his tour in the Central region.

Nana Akufo-Addo pleaded with the people to help work for the victory of the party because Ghana continues to go down among its peers like Ivory Coast that is growing at 9-10 percent.

Addressing the TESCON Cape Coast branch, Akufo-Addo criticised what he described as the piecemeal approach in upgrading polytechnics into technical universities. He argues that where other universities are picked and others are left behind are a recipe for disaster.

“Like so many things in the Mahama era, the implementation of this policy is fraught with a lot of dangers. Let us make sure that all the polytechnic in our country, in each of the region have the same infrastructure and the same development,” Akufo-Addo said.   

He added that, then all the polytechnics can be converted but as it stands now, where some are picked and others neglected “is disadvantaging and destabilising the ones left”.

“Everything that John Mahama does, there is no proper preparation and there is no proper follow through of the idea”, he said, assuring the students of Cape Coast polytechnic that “when we get the chance (in 2017), we are going to make sure we do all together as one”. 

According to him, his administration is “going to make sure that the infrastructures of the polytechnics are fully developed, and that the collaboration between the polytechnics and industry is strong. That is what is going to make technical education the future of our country….. We are not in favour of the piecemeal approach to the conversion. We want all the polytechnics to be considered as one. That is the proper way to go ahead with this policy.” 

“It is important that I speak out, because our President likes to copy ideas that I have. So let me put this out.” Nana Addo said his government will also focus on building the industrial sector and enhancing Ghana’s agriculture when voted into power.  

The Nana Akufo-Addo government will “give companies tax incentives, such as tax credits, so that we can encourage companies to employ fresh graduates, instead of having graduates sitting in the house for 4, 5 years and doing nothing,” he promised.