Trainee nurses were lined up to say thank you to the President, Nana Akufo-Addo for restoring their allowances scrapped by the previous government.
The “thank you’s” was supervised by the Health Minister, Kwaku Agyemang Manu at the launch of the restoration of the Nurses and Midwife Trainee Allowances at the Brong Ahafo Regional capital, Sunyani
The restoration puts more than ₵23.2million monthly bill over 10 months on government with each of the about 58,000 trainees expected to receive ₵400 per month. The total annual bill is ₵232million.
The restoration took effect from September 2017. The last time the trainees received the allowance was in 2014.
Students from nearby training colleges also joined. Health Minister and his Deputy, Information Minister Mustapha Hamid and his Deputy Perry Okudzeto and Council of State member from the Brong Ahafo Region were present to witness the ‘celebration’.
Nonetheless, the Health Minister described the restoration as having the potential to “change the course of national history”. He credited this to the “good judgment” of the President’s “visionary” and “selfless leadership” and paused for applause to follow.
Just before the President arrives, some excitement tore through the gathering. Students rushed out, screaming about the alert.
Some students had just received text messages confirming receipt of their ‘alawa’ in what appeared a perfectly synchronised ‘coincidence’.
“We are getting indications that some of the allowances have hit their respective accounts”, the Health Minister confirmed it during his speech.
Joy News Brong Ahafo Regional correspondent, Precious Semevor reported that about five students were lined up to express their gratitude to the president.
The Health Minister paused his speech to conduct interviews with some of the students.
“Have you gotten yours? And what do you tell the president,” he asked one of them.
Taking the hint with gladness, she responded, “His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, thank you very much. God bless.”
he nurses say the ₵400 will keep them off the backs of their parents in requesting for ‘chop money’. Already, free Senior High School policy rolled out by the government is also keeping headteachers off the backs of parents in demanding school fees.
Trainee nurses pay about ₵2000 per semester as tuition. This makes at least ₵4,000 a year. The government is paying ₵400 to cover 10 months of each year. This makes it ₵4,000 in allowance.
In essence, the government is paying back the students after they pay their tuition. It is a somewhat zero-sum game for, in reality, it means nursing trainee education is free – almost.
