Bed-bugs claims: Speak to the facts - Government to Mahama

Government has described as untrue, claims by former President Mahama that public High Schools have not been fumigated since the introduction of the Free SHS Programme.

Mr. Mahama who is seeking re-election for the flagbearer slot of the Opposition Party criticised the Akufo-Addo administration for not fumigating the Public senior high schools which has led to students complaining of bites from bed bugs.

But the Minister for Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah at a Press Briefing in Accra said the claims by the Former President are not factual.

“It is worthy of note that Former President Mahama has never supported the Free SHS idea and has always attempted to demonise it at every opportunity. This is not the first comment aimed at undermining the programme that he has made and so we are not surprised. But for the avoidance of doubt, we want to state for the records that 678 senior high schools have been fumigated,” said Oppong Nkrumah.

He said the fumigation exercise was completed last week.

In a breakdown to the Press, the Minister disclosed that the fumigation exercise took place in 120 schools in the Ashanti Region, 80 in the Bono-Ahafo Region, 70 in the Central Region and 97 schools in the Eastern Region. The rest are 50 schools in the Greater Accra region, 52 in the Northern Region, 34 in the Upper East, 21 in the Upper West, 100 in the Volta Region and 54 schools in the Western Region.

Oppong Nkrumah said there are no records available of the last time all senior high schools in Ghana were fumigated comprehensively even under the tenure of Former President Mahama like it has been done today.

He urged the Former President to stop undermining the laudable programme.

“This administration thereby encourages the former President that when it comes to state and national matters, it will be best if he speaks in the national interest, and speaks to facts," he told the Press.

Oppong Nkrumah said “The Akufo-Addo administration remains committed to seeing that the Free SHS program succeeds. We will not leave any stone unturned in achieving this objective”.