The flagbearer of the main opposition (NDC), , has committed to cutting the presidential budget significantly if he wins the upcoming December 7 polls. Mahama says this will help his next administration finance a 'no academic fees' policy for first-year university students. The initiative, estimated to cost between GHS270 million and GHS290 million, is aimed at alleviating financial stress for students entering public tertiary institutions. Addressing a crowd in Juapong on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, Mr. Mahama criticised the current administration's spending, highlighting the wasteful expenditure that could be redirected towards education. "We approximate that for all first-year students in public tertiary institutions, it should cost anywhere between GHS270 and about GHS290 million," Mahama said.