You caused our defeat in 2016 so keep quiet – NDC executive slams Seth Terkper over Free SHS comments
Abass Nurudeen (Left), Seth Terkper (Right)
The Ashanti Region Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Abass Nurudeen, has slammed former Finance Minister Seth Terkper over his recent comment on the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.
Speaking in an interview on TV3, the former Finance Minister suggested that the Free SHS policy must be limited to day students across the country, citing European countries as examples and further questioned how the incoming Mahama government would generate revenue to sustain the policy on a full scale after promising to remove certain taxes.
“Why don’t’ we follow their examples? What makes us think that we support Free SHS unfettered? In a sense that the government takes all the cost”, Mr. Terkper stated.
In his response to Terkper’s statements, Abass Nurudeen gave a strong criticism, highlighting that Seth Terkper’s comments about the plans of the incoming government concerning the Free SHS policy were premature and explained that these comments from someone within the fold could mar the party’s hard-won affection among the citizenry.
“We have noticed that some of our leaders have begun harboring negative mindsets, and one of those leaders is Seth Terkper. After all the efforts of John Dramani Mahama, including a pledge to the Asantehene to refute claims that his government will cancel the Free SHS policy, why would you make such comments about the policy when Mahama hasn’t even resumed office? Who sent you? Are you part of the Transition Team?” Mr. Abass questioned.
Abass Nurudeen further blamed the former Finance Minister for the NDC’s defeat in the 2016 General Elections and their subsequent 8-year stay in opposition, attributing the defeats to some decisions Seth Terkper made during his time as Finance Minister.
“We went into opposition in 2016 because of your decisions, you opposed calls for job recruitment while there were vacancies, you didn’t help any NDC member but rather turned around to people in other parties. If by God’s grace we have regained power despite claims from some elements in the ruling party not to hand over to us, why would you make such comments?” he said.
He added that Seth Terkper did not make any contribution towards the NDC’s emphatic victory on December 7, 2024, and issued a warning, clarifying that Terkper would be treated as an outsider if continues to make comments to sabotage or undermine the party’s efforts.
“If he acts like Koku Anyidoho and Allotey Jacobs, who were once leaders of our party and have been expelled, we will treat him like a hostile voice. We don’t want anyone to spoil the goodwill that John Mahama has received from Ghanaians”.
He concluded by urging Ghanaians to disregard the statements from the former Finance Minister because they hold no truth and entreated the nation to rally behind the incoming government as it prepares to take charge of affairs on January 7, 2025.
By Novire Kuuyizie Francis.
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