Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, Health Minister
THE GHANA Association of Health Trainee Institutions has made a passionate appeal to government to pay the allowances of students of public health training institutions, which have been in arrears for several months.
Government is alleged to owe third and second-year students an unpaid allowance of nine months while it also owes first-year students an unpaid allowance of four months – a situation that has led to a flurry of complaints from both students and officials of the institutions.
Coordinator of Programmes and Projects at the Ghana Association of Health Trainee Institutions, Otchere Daniel, lamented that the non-payment of allowances is “disturbing”, as the students depend on them to pay their fees among other expenses.
“The students are agitated. There have been a lot of complaints. Even when they vacate, some have to stay back for clinicals, and it is these allowances they depend on to fend for themselves throughout the period,” he stated.
He also indicated that failure on the part of government to meet the demands of students would come with consequences, as some students have threatened to boycott clinicals and lectures subsequently.
“Their concerns are very legitimate. Government has to respond quickly as students have warned of boycotting clinicals and lectures when school resumes. When these measures prove futile, they will be forced to speak the language the government understands,” he pointed out.
By Nii Adjei Mensahfio