Flagbearer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) John Dramani Mahama has explained why he cancelled the nursing training allowances.
According to him, his government wanted to use the money to build more health infrastructure.
Speaking to students of Sefwi Wiaso Nurses Training College, John Dramani Mahama said he would have replace the allowances with loans.
He says his government realized it had to take several years for nurses who graduate to be posted to their various stations.
However, if more infrastructure was built, there would be more spaces to be occupied by nurses and more jobs created.
“When we tried to explain the reason why we were replacing your allowances with student loans, people did not understand us. What we wanted to do was build more CHPS compounds, more hospitals, and more health facilities, more health centres so that when you come out you can get work to do that was our intention.
“But some people took political advantage of it and said they would continue to pay the allowances because they could.
“Today I’m told that those in their 2nd year have never seen their allowances. My younger sisters and younger brothers, I’m standing on your behalf here to remind Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia that the students of Sefwi Wiaso Nursing Training College say that they are waiting for their allowances because you promised you could pay,” he said while addressing the students.