Government has started paying trainee nurses some form of allowances with barely three weeks to the December 7 elections.
The Ministry of Health in July 2016, announced it was going to pay trainees nurses a decreased allowance as a stopgap measure, preceding the introduction of the Students Loan Scheme in the various Nursing Training Colleges.
[contextly_sidebar id=”T224iYUZEk8Hym6Q6fO0niKF7CIsLcN2″]A statement from the Ministry of Health outlined that “the untaxed amount is One Hundred and Fifty Ghana Cedis (GHC150.00) per student for three months, making a total amount of Four Hundred and Fifty Ghana Cedis (GHC450.00) per student.”
The Ministry also indicated that, the payment of these allowances is to “serve as a bridging mechanism pending the amendment of the Students Loan Trust Act, to enable Students in Non tertiary Health Training Institutions access Loans.”
The initial announcement to scrap the allowances, led to agitations against the government despite its explanation that the decision was to ensure more funds for improving nursing education, and to remove the restrictions on admission to the various training institutions.
Government’s decision to pay the current allowances has largely been viewed as a ploy to woo voters ahead of the elections.
But speaking at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation’s presidential encounter series on, President Mahama refuted claims of a contradiction, explaining that while the government worked towards the law to allow the migration of trainee nurses onto the Students’ Loan Trust Fund, there was a need to keep paying the allowance.
Find below the full statement
GOVERNMENT HAS STARTED PAYMENT OF THE ABATED NURSES TRAINEE ALLOWANCES
The Ministry of Health on July 21, 2016 announced government’s decision to pay an abated Nurses Trainee Allowance as a stopgap measure to the introduction of Students Loan Scheme in the various Nursing Training Colleges.
The Nursing Colleges have begun payment of these allowances through the School’s Finance Offices due to the locations of the schools and the amount involved.
The untaxed amount is One Hundred and Fifty Ghana Cedis (GHC150.00) per student for three months making a total amount of Four Hundred and Fifty Ghana Cedis (GHC450.00) per student.
This was a recommendation by the Technical Committee set up by the HE President to review the Nursing Trainee Allowance Policy. The payment as mentioned earlier is to serve as a bridging mechanism pending the amendment of the Students Loan Trust Act, to enable Students in Non tertiary Health Training Institutions access Loans.
All accountants are advised to pay the amount in full without any deductions. Any person found doing otherwise will be dealt with.
The Ministry of Health will continue to seek the outmost interest of our trainee nurses.
TONY GOODMAN, HEAD, PUBLIC RELATIONS
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana