NPP Political analyst Dr. Ishaq Brobbey has alleged that the Ashanti Region is often used as a testing ground for what he describes as ineffective policies introduced by the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to him, it is only bad and controversial policies that are first piloted in the region.
“Policies like capitation were tested here for over two years, and when it was seen not to be helping, it was cancelled.”
Speaking during a media discussion on Angel FM, Kumasi, he also argued that the NDC frequently claims credit for initiatives originally introduced by other administrations.
“All the NDC policies that are bad start right here in the Ashanti Region.”
He drew distinctions between past and current social interventions, particularly in the education and health sectors.
“Mutual health insurance is not the same as National Health Insurance, and this NHIS was brought by the NPP.”
Referencing historical programmes, he added:
“The Northern scholarship introduced by Kwame Nkrumah cannot be classified as Free SHS; Free SHS is solely an initiative of the NPP.”
Dr. Brobbey also argued that earlier interventions such as the GETFund and Cocoa Board scholarships differed significantly from current policies.
“Those earlier programmes were funding support systems, but making secondary education free, including STEM and TVET, was done under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.”
He further accused the NDC of repackaging existing ideas.
“The NDC are noted for taking old initiatives and launching them as their flagship projects.”
Citing major policies, he credited former President John Agyekum Kufuor with key healthcare reforms.
“The NHIS and free maternal healthcare system were groundbreaking projects under President J.A. Kufuor.”
He added that enhancements to the NHIS were made under subsequent administrations.
“Under the NHIS, former President Akufo-Addo added four different mental health conditions to the scheme.”
He also raised concerns about what he described as unequal distribution of government projects, particularly coding centres.
“The disparity in the sharing of projects like the current coding centres, especially in the Ashanti Region, is alarming.”
Despite the region’s political significance, he suggested it is not receiving adequate attention.
“Even though the NDC got the second-highest votes from the Ashanti Region in the 2024 elections, it seems they still do not value the region.”
He concluded by criticizing changes to infrastructure designs, using the Sofoline Interchange as an example.
“The original Sofoline Interchange design was highly innovative; its design looked like an octopus, but the new structure now looks like a smoked dried fish with wings.”
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