The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations Haruna Iddrisu is questioning the intellectual honesty of vice presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on a promise he made on behalf of his party to build 600 new Senior High Schools (SHSs).
He indicate that the promise which was disclosed during a public lecture by the economist a fortnight ago, does not state the period within which these schools will be constructed and the sources of funding for the supposed schools.
Mr Iddrisu questioned the honesty of Dr Bawumia considering the fact he was the first to criticize a proposition by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) led by John Dramani Mahama to construct 200 new SHSs indicating it was unachievable.
“When you say building 200 schools is impossible and promised in page 41 of this document to build 600 schools within which period you are achieving that promise”, he quizzed.
He stated that he disagrees with some of his conclusions and assumptions which raise credibility issues indicating that he agrees and respects Dr Bawumia as a proud son of the north but is averse to some of his findings.
On statistics from the World Bank revealing that unemployment rate of the country stood at 48%, the minister discounted the claim stating that there is no such figure as being bandied around.
“I am doubtful of statistics especially when most of them are still acquiring skills and in educational institutions. How can you have half of your youthful population unemployed? He asked
He however admitted that the country under the current government has borrowed more but indicated that the amount has been used to build robust and solid infrastructure to stimulate the economy in order to create jobs.
The employment minister also admitted an increase in taxes under the current administration but said the resources have all been channeled into various developmental projects to inure to the benefit of citizenry
‘Yes we borrowed to build robust and solid infrastructure to stimulate the economy in order to create jobs. We also borrowed to service the NPP’s Eurobond of 2007 which is due. It is therefore untrue the NDC government has a credibility problem to raise a Eurobond of $1 billion dollars. The finance minister raised the amount a couple of weeks ago and that will be used to service the debt they contracted”, he concluded.
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