The 2024 flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has defended his party's decision to cover the cost of academic fees for first-year university students should he win the election.

This was after some personalities and institutions questioned the feasibility of his promise, arguing that it could strain the country’s limited resources.

In an earlier interview with JoyNews, the Director of Academic Quality Assurance at the University of Ghana, Professor Daniel Kwabena Twerefou, urged presidential aspirants to tone down on the numerous promises being made to Ghanaians.

"I have a little problem with the free this and free that and sometimes we even say free without knowing how we are going to get money to pay for it. Generally, what is happening is that we do have an overproduction of graduates who are not getting jobs to do, and they are all loitering in the house doing nothing and becoming a burden to their parents? So I will rather suggest that the government focuses more on putting resources in areas that will generate employment for students and for the parents".

But speaking at a Youth Town Hall Meeting at Ho Technical University, Mr Mahama responded to these concerns pointing out that wasteful government expenditures would be redirected to fund this initiative.

"At the presidency, one cabinet retreat costs almost 5 million Ghana cedis. There is so much waste in the system. The office of the President's budget alone can be cut to raise enough money for all Level 100 students.

"The budget for the Presidency is 2 billion Ghana cedis every year. It is even now that IMF has come in that they have cut it down. At a point, it used to be over 3 billion Ghana cedis every year and you say we cannot find 270 million Ghana cedis to ease the fee stress of our students who are coming to their first year in university."

Meanwhile, some students doubt the policy can be implemented. Students from the University of Ghana who spoke to JoyNews insist the latest pledge by the NDC flagbearer is only to secure votes in the December polls.

"For university education, some courses like Pharmacy, I learnt they pay about 9,000 Ghana cedis or more. I mean when you check the mathematics and you want to pay for these people, it is so expensive. So I think that personally, it is just something to lure the people and get their votes.

A female student added, "He [Mahama] is targeting the whole first-year student population and I don't really believe it is going to be sustainable. I don't think the country is in a state to support that system".

Another final-year student noted, "Generally, I think that Mahama's plan is just a step to feed into the desperation of Ghanaians because we feel that free SHS has been very instrumental."