Nursing students at the Bolgatanga Nursing and Training College have spoken out against claims made by the Vice president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia that all outstanding nursing trainee allowances for the year 2024 have been settled.
The assertion, made by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in mid-May, has been met with frustration and disbelief among nursing students who say the reality on the ground tells a different story.
It would be recalled that On May 15, 2024, during the launch of International Nurses Day, Dr. Bawumia announced that the government would release a total of 177 million Ghanaian cedis to cover the overdue allowances.
He stated, “I am assuring our trainees that come this Thursday the Controller and Accountant General shall transfer funds to the Ministry of Finance for onward crediting of the trainee allowances accounts. So, hopefully, by next week the ‘Alawa’ will drop.”
However, five months after the Vice President’s announcement, students from the Bolgatanga Nursing and Training College have told RADIO GOLD journalist, Emmanuel Coffie, that they had only received allowances for five months since the beginning of their three-year programs.
“I am in my third year, but since I began schooling, I have only received an allowance for five months,” lamented one nursing student. “I am pleading with the government to pay us our allowance because we need money to pay fees.”
Another student said “They paid us five months even though, not all of us received it. They keep promising us that they will pay but I don’t believe them. I think because we are in an election year, they paid the five months just to deceive us”.
The Students expressed their concerns about the impact of the delayed payments on their education and living conditions.
Many of the students said they rely on the allowances to cover tuition and other essential expenses.
According to the students, the lack of funds has left them feeling abandoned and disillusioned regarding the government’s commitment to supporting their training.
The SRC president of Bolgatanga Nursing and Training College, Ayeebono Bright had this to say “For me, I won’t say the government has paid because the month he owes us does not add up. Out of my three years in school, I have taken an allowance of only five months”.
The Healthcare professionals are now demanding immediate payment of all their overdue allowance, else they will vote massively against the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
Story By: Emmanuel Coffie
