Claim: Social media users claim that the National Democratic Congress National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah has stated that the party would cancel the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy if it wins the 2024 election.
Verdict: False. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah did not say that the NDC would cancel Free SHS if the party wins the upcoming elections.
BODY
On November 10, 2024, a viral video circulated on Facebook and TikTok allegedly showed Johnson Asiedu Nketiah telling a gathering that the NDC would cancel the controversial Free SHS programme if it won the December elections. The viral video has been shared by several users including platforms like Big Scout Media and on TikTok via NPP TV.
As of press time, the video had accumulated over 4,000 shares and 900 comments across both platforms and has since sparked a debate, with some viewers believing the claim, while others questioned its authenticity.
A publication by Daily Guide Network on November 11, headlined “NDC to Abolish Free SHS?”, added to the speculation as it reported that Johnson Asiedu Nketiah made the comments while addressing constituents in Sekyeredumasi in the Ashanti region.
Johnson Asiedu Nketiah has since refuted the claims and labelled it as a plot by the New Patriotic Party to score cheap points. With the 2024 election just weeks away, the Free SHS policy has become a topical issue for debate and discussion, prompting CitiVerify to fact-check the video. Did Johnson Asiedu Nketiah really say NDC will cancel the free SHS?
VERIFICATION
Various news reports from Citinewsroom and Myjoyonline confirm that Nketiah was indeed in Sekyeredumasi as part of his tour of the Ashanti region.
The news articles from these media platforms confirmed that the NDC National Chairman announced the abolition of the double-track system and not the Free SHS programme. CitiVerify further investigated and found that on November 8, 2024, Ghone TV posted a longer, 42-minute-35-second video.
Using InVid Video Verification and Google Lens, CitiVerify performed reverse image searches on the viral video, which led to finding additional videos and an extended version of 8 minutes from the same event posted by NDC member Yayra Koku.
CitiVerify assessed the 8-minute video and transcribed Asiedu Nketia’s Free SHS comment below: “The second thing is, chiefs, anything labelled “free” often comes at a hidden cost. For instance, the meals provided to Free SHS students today. Under the previous NDC administration, funds for food were directly allocated to headteachers and bursars, empowering them to provide quality food. However, under the NPP government, there are concerns of ongoing embezzlement, leaving headteachers without the autonomy to make even basic decisions, like purchasing food for students.”
We did not find any evidence in the viral clip that suggests that Asiedu Nketiah announced that the NDC will cancel the Free SHs policy if it wins the 2024 elections. His comments about the cancellation of the double-track system are also not new as it has consistently been spoken about by different members of the party.
CONCLUSION
Based on the above, CitiVerify concludes that the viral video alleging that Johnson Asiedu Nketia announced that the NDC will cancel the Free SHS policy if it wins the 2024 election is misleading and False.
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