I Never Attacked Free Shs – Dr Kwame Amoako Tuffuor

A news item attributed to me and published on Ghanaweb (see Ghanaweb General News, Monday 20^th November,2017, “I wept after visiting free SHS students”) and currently circulating on other media portals is a fabrication from the pit of hell. The story comes as a shock to me.

Firstly, from someone like Adomako Barfi, that I have considered as a friend and therefore expected him to call me at least to know the truth before responding or reacting is unfortunate. There are several avenues he could have used to reach me.

Secondly, the interpretation and the lies added to the story give me the impression of a young man who wants to achieve stardom by attacking the elderly of the society.

I have not visited any SHS in the last five or so years. I had no business there. Therefore the reference of “licking the egg” and “the plate” have no linkage with SHS.

I visited a small primary school where I saw a small girl having lunch (rice, stew and one boiled egg). I had gone to the school to monitor the programme as part of the Ghana School Feeding Programme to evaluate its successes and challenges. The girl ate her rice, licked the plate, put the egg in her mouth, licked the sauce, and then put the egg in her pocket.

I walked to the girl and asked her, “why did you not eat your egg?”, “that’s for dinner”, she replied. I stood there for a few seconds and my eyes were filled with tears, thinking how hungry children can get. This is the story about tears. It is about the Ghana School Feeding Programme and not the Free SHS. This event took place over ten years ago and not this year as has been attributed to me.

You see why our communicators have to be careful. The insults and the lies. I treasure the NPP and will not attempt to wash our dirty linen in public. I hope the young man (Lawyer Adomako Barfi) will learn a new lesson in life: verify the truth before you send your founding fathers to the cleaners, because NDC is at it again with their lies and propaganda.