Trainee Nurses Angry Over Delays in Payment of Restored Allowance

Some nursing trainees in the country say they have not received their allowances since the restoration of the stipend in September 2017.

The Akufo-Addo government in 2017 restored the allowances to the trainee nurses and midwives, which was scrapped by the previous government with an assurance that each student was to receive GHc400 each month.

But some of the trainees have told Citi News that they have not received a penny since the allowances were restored, adding that several calls to Ministry to have the grants released have proved futile.

The payment of the allowances became a major campaign issue in the 2016 elections, after it was scrapped by the Mahama government.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) party promised to restore it.

However, the National Public Relations Officer for the Ghana Nurses and Midwives Trainees Association, Akugri Gadafi, in a Citi News interview said they are getting frustrated over the delayed release of the allowances.

“It has affected us in so many ways because these allowances were restored purposely to support us financially as we undergo our training. And as it was launched by the President, all parents are aware that we now receive GHc400 as allowances. In actual fact, most of us have not received our allowances since September 2017,” Gadafi said.

According to him, they have complained to the Health Ministry on several occasions “and they keep on giving us assurances but it has gotten to a point that we no longer don’t know what to do.”

“They have given us another assurance that they have now compiled the data and we are all hoping that before this month of January ends, trainee nurses will receive their monies and when it fails, we as the national executive board will decide the next line of action,” he added.

GHc232m allocated for allowances 

President Nana Akufo-Addo while re-launching the scrapped allowance in 2017, said an amount GHc232 million had been allocated for the stipend.

“Government will be spending a total of GH¢232,000,000 for this academic year. The E-Zwich platform will be used to effect payment, as it will ensure convenience, prompt payment, and accountability,” he said.