Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Youth Authority, Akosua Manu says opposition flagbearer, John Mahama’s claims to have initiated the Free SHS programme is in a bid to feed his ego.

Speaking on Joy News’ Majority Caucus, the former Deputy Director of Communications at the office of the First Lady accused Mr. Mahama of being “a horrible copycat”.

“At worst, most people believe he lacks a conscience, he has no empathy or respect for Ghanaians. And on face value, he’s looking to settle a score – having been kicked out when he least expected it.

“He’s not consistent, he has no vision, he’s not committed, he’s only chasing this dream because people are fueling his ego and if he had spoken to young people around him, they’d have advised him not to talk about free SHS,” she added.

Her comments follow rising controversies concerning who pioneered the Free Senior High School programme, which both flagbearers of the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NPP) have laid claims.

Former President Mahama stated in Tuobong during a three-day campaign tour of the Upper East Region that he launched the programme in 2015.

"We started the programme and the NPP came and continued it. Unfortunately, the implementation has been very poor, and so it ended us in double track," he is reported to have said.

But Mrs. Akosua Manu debunked this claim, on the basis of inconsistencies on the part of the NDC Presidential candidate.

"We need to realise that what he even believed as Vice President as his mission for the youth is different from what he believed in 2012, different from what he believed in 2016, and is even different from what he even believed two weeks before the launch of their own manifesto".