It is a lie for former President John Mahama to claim he started the Free Senior High School programme, President Nana Akufo-Addo has said.

The presidential candidate of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), had told supporters in the Upper East Region that he started the Free SHS programme in 2015 during his first term.

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says he is shocked at claims by former President John Mahama, that he introduced the free Senior High School in 2015.

In a response to that, President Akufo-Addo told supporters of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) at Odorkor Lorry station on Wednesday, 25 November 2020 that Mr Mahama’s claim was a shocker.

“I heard something yesterday that surprised me: the former President stated that my promise to start the free SHS policy was false and just a ploy to deceive Ghanaians.

“He was strongly against the policy and stated that if he had the money to implement that policy, he would use it for something else.

“He also said it will take Ghana years to implement it but now he is saying he started the Free SHS, and it’s surprising.”

“It is unfair for the former President to try to become President using deception and lies.

“He has seen that his campaign is collapsing in confusion and fabrications, and so he is now using outright lies to try and amass votes”, the President said.