The excited nursing students taking selfies with Nana Akufo-Addo
Trainee nurses across the country have expressed appreciation to the New Patriotic Party (NPP), flagbearer Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, for pushing government to restore their allowance.
According to the group, the continuous advocacy by the two gentlemen to bring back the nursing trainee allowances and their promise to reinstate the allowances if they are given the nod to lead the country resulted in the government’s paying the trainee nurses allowances.
“It was only when Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party and his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, decided to make it an issue of concern and promised to restore the allowance when voted into power did the NDC start to take an unconcerned look at the situation,” a release signed by Josephine Kwarteng, a member of the group stated.
“Today, John Mahama in a last ditch desperate attempt to win votes of trainee nurses has begun a face saving payment of pittance to insult the intelligence of nurses,” the group said making reference to the recent payment of GH¢150 for three months to the trainee nurses.
“We are, indeed, grateful and we trust that the future government of the NPP will make the healthcare needs of Ghanaians a priority,” they said.
Ms Kwarteng said over the years, many leaders have recognised and appreciated the relevance of nursing training and have, thus, supported young people to be able to take up the challenge of healthcare in the country.
She said it was, therefore, very shocking to many well-meaning Ghanaians when a decree of the government scrapped the allowances of the young health professionals who are training to take up the daunting task of caring for the health needs of Ghanaians.
It could be recalled that the Ministry of Health (MoH) in statement last week said it has started payment of decreased nurses’ trainee allowances for the period of October to December.
The statement also said each trainee nurse will receive a one-off pay of GH¢450.
However, the nurses seem confused as to whether government is paying from July and September on table top or the rest of the months’ allowance on table top.
“We don’t even know whether we should call this an allowance because his Excellency, the President of Ghana said we are restoring your allowance, and then the spokesperson will tell you they are paying you updated monies so what is updated monies and what is allowance?” quizzed President of GNMTA, Godwin Asabire Akazeem.
“So they should tell us the truth as to whether this one is a restoration of allowance and if it is a restoration of allowance, they should bring document on paper that should guide subsequent governments as to what they are suppose to do with regards to the payment,” he disclosed.
Trainee nurses have protested the withdrawal of the allowances, forcing government to introduce a temporary allowance until the trainees are fully migrated onto the Students’ Loan Scheme.