Nkabomhene of Kokofu Traditional area, Nana Kwadwo Ateffah, has called on the government to consider cancelling the allowances paid to the nursing trainees in the country.
Speaking at the 3rd matriculation ceremony of the Midwifery and Health Assistant Training School at Afosu in the Eastern Region, the chief said the cancellation is necessary especially as it amounted to a form of bias against trainees in private nursing schools.
“We are appealing to the government to abolish the nursing training allowances if he cannot pay it to all nursing training schools including those in the private nursing schools…the reason is that it is not fair that students undergo same training but one would be given training allowance and the other would not…,” he said.
According to him, nursing schools are now many in the country and hence it is just not fair that people would now be enticed to attend the schools through the payment of allowances.
The chief further argued that trainee nurses would be interested in getting jobs after school instead.
“I sincerely believe that trainees would rather prefer getting jobs to do to being paid allowances without a job after their training so we therefore ask government to either pay the private trainees allowances or stop being bias and give them a job posting guarantee after their training because they all write exams from the nursing and midwife council and therefore must be treated equally,” he argued.
The allowances, which were scrapped by the outgoing National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, was met with strong resistance from the teacher trainees, and nursing trainees who complained bitterly about the difficulties it had brought upon them.
The NDC government insisted the continuous payment of the allowances would threaten the future of Ghana’s economy.
The former Vice President, Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur once told students of the Nalerigu Nursing and Midwifery College in the Northern Region, to disregard promises by the then opposition NPP to restore the allowances, citing that it would not be in the interest of the state.
But prior to the 2016 elections, the then opposition NPP assured students of the various teacher and nursing training institutions of the party’s commitment to bring back the allowances, to ensure they had smooth training to serve the country.
Barely a week after assuming office, the Akufo-Addo led NPP administration gave indication of its plan to capture the allowances of both trainee institutions in the Budget.
And the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta during the presentation of the budget said the government has allocated GH¢252.2 million in the 2017 Budget to take care of reinstituted allowances for teacher and trainee nurses.
Mr. Ofori-Atta said in all 49,032 Teacher Trainees across 43 Public Colleges of Education will benefit. An estimated number of 69,707 Trainee Nurses will also enjoy from the new programme.
But this, the chief said is never in the best of tastes arguing that it would only be fair for the government to pay the allowances to all persons.
Nana Kwadwo Ateffah urged students of Afosu Midwifery and Health Assistants Training School, to see the nursing profession as a call to serve humanity.
He, therefore, reminded the matriculating students of the school that dedication and discipline must be their guide, in order to become professional nurses.
Hon. John Osei Frimpong, Member of Parliament for Birim North constituency acknowledged the contributions of health assistants and midwives, in enhancing health status, especially in the rural areas.
Obrempong Akwasi amoah Kyeretwei I, acting kotoku Gyasehene and chief of Akyem Abreim called on politicians to be truthful in their activities to help maintain peace in the country.
He urged the matriculating students to show love, affection and respect and professionalism in their work to ensure success.