The Akufo-Addo government in 2017 restored the allowances to the trainee nurses and midwives, which was scrapped by the previous government with an assurance that each student was to receive GHc400 each month.

But some of the trainees have told Citi News that they have not received a penny since the allowances were restored, adding that several calls to Ministry to have the grants released have proved futile.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Q5SSFXfnxxPF3S0T2uh4CGitrsA3f2ii”]The payment of the allowances became a major campaign issue in the 2016 elections, after it was scrapped by the Mahama government.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) party promised to restore it.

However, the National Public Relations Officer for the Ghana Nurses and Midwives Trainees Association, Akugri Gadafi, in a Citi News interview said they are getting frustrated over the delayed release of the allowances.

“It has affected us in so many ways because these allowances were restored purposely to support us financially as we undergo our training. And as it was launched by the President, all parents are aware that we now receive GHc400 as allowances. In actual fact, most of us have not received our allowances since September 2017,” Gadafi said.

According to him, they have complained to the Health Ministry on several occasions “and they keep on giving us assurances but it has gotten to a point that we no longer don’t know what to do.”

“They have given us another assurance that they have now compiled the data and we are all hoping that before this month of January ends, trainee nurses will receive their monies and when it fails, we as the national executive board will decide the next line of action,” he added.

GHc232m allocated for allowances 

President Nana Akufo-Addo while re-launching the scrapped allowance in 2017, said an amount GHc232 million had been allocated for the stipend.

“Government will be spending a total of GH¢232,000,000 for this academic year. The E-Zwich platform will be used to effect payment, as it will ensure convenience, prompt payment, and accountability,” he said.

–

By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Trainee nurses angry over delays in payment of restored allowance appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

They have thus chased the Principal out of the school compound resulting in the police being dispatched to the premises of the institution to calm the situation.

The trainees have since rejected meals prepared for them at the school’s canteen.

They accused the College Principal of negligence and incompetence, and demanded his removal from office.

Some of the trainees, in a Citi News interview, demanded their inclusion as beneficiaries of the trainee allowances.

According to them, the Principal had earlier assured them that they would be paid the allowances, but later changed his stance when the student leadership pressurized him to address their grievances.

Meanwhile, the Yendi Divisional Police Command has deployed personnel to the College to avert any untoward situation there.

The NPP Government, in fulfillment of the campaign promises it made ahead of the 2016 elections, restored teacher and nursing trainee allowances.

Continuing students of public teacher trainee colleges have since been receiving the monthly stipends.

But students of the St. Vincent College of Education in Yendi, say they have been neglected, hence their protest.

–

By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah & Mohammed Alabira/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Yendi trainee teachers lock out Principal, reject meals over allowances appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Hundreds of the trainees held a procession on some principal streets of Bolgatanga with placards conveying their gratitude.

Speaking to Citi News, the trainee nurses said the restoration of their allowances is helping them to pay their schools fees and purchase learning materials for their studies.

One of the nursing students said “We nursing trainees in the Upper East Region are saying thank you to President Akufo-Addo for wiping our tears. We have been crying for this allowance because our school fees is very huge and this allowance will help us a lot.”

“The restoration of our allowance is very helpful because it wasn’t easy coping in school without the allowances, but now that the allowance has been restored, it is going to help us in our academics because we will use it to buy handouts and pay fees ” another student also stated.

“There is so much expenses in the nursing training colleges and the restoration of the allowance will help us pay practical apparatus, pay fees and handout”.

Mr. Filson Awankua, a potential contestant of the NPP Upper East Regional chairman position who joined the trainee nurses throughout the exercise, said the restoration of the allowances by President Nana Addo was apt.

Mr. Awankua explained that, the restoration has significantly reduced the burden of trainees and their parents particularly in the tree regions of the North in the payments of high fees charged at the nursing institutions.

“I am happy to join these trainee nurses to thank President Nana Addo for the restoration of their allowance. For those who said it wasn’t possible to restore these allowances, today they have been exposed because the president kept to his words and restoration of nursing and teacher training allowances have become a reality.”

–

By: Frederick Awuni.citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post ‘Thank you for wiping our tears’ – Nursing trainees laud Nana Addo appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Leadership of the Northern Regional Chapter in a statement copied Citi News, expressed their displeasure about the non-payment of members allowances since their recruitment on May 2, 2017.

[contextly_sidebar id=”4PZ8fio7lU7MwGCe8DvFUF5lidbhBMJm”]According to the leader, Niendow Jimah N’nyeyem, they were recruited and posted across the country to serve as auxiliary agric extension officers, and tasked to monitor and supervise the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme.

“We are serving as promoters of the planting for food and jobs programme, and our membership is 822 nationwide. We have diligently discharged our duties so far without our allowances for the past seven months, hence our protest.”

Niendow Jimah stated that, “Attempts to have the regional YEA Coordinators to address our problem have proven futile for which reason we are raising this alarm.”
He appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo to assuage their plight.

“We are therefore appealing to H.E the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo to come to our aid.”

YEA suspends allowances over ‘fraudulent’ payments

The Youth Employment Agency (YEA), in April 2017 suspended payment of allowances to over sixty thousand beneficiaries.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of YEA, Justin Kodua Frimpong, the new management detected fraudulent activities, including allowances to thousands of people who do not work for the agency.

There are about ten separate modules under the YEA programme, with over six hundred thousand beneficiaries according to their website.

The CEO, Justin Kodua Frimpong, told Citi News that the payment was suspended for three weeks, to investigate the irregularity.

–
By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post YEA Agric extension officers demand unpaid allowances appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The students of Kwadaso Agric College, Ejura Agric College, Ohawu Agric College Damongo Agric College and Animal Health and Production College, Pong-Tamale had deserted their classrooms earlier in October, in protest of the failure by government to restore their allowances.

[contextly_sidebar id=”hhHvwkwYMnC9vZf2JX8htBB3NIcPq76w”]Prior to that, they had besieged the premises of the Agric Ministry in Accra over their grievances.

The Ministry of Agriculture had earlier announced that, it had tabled the request from the students for the restoration of the allowances before Cabinet.

But the students had expressed discontent with the Ministry after there were no further updates of a possible restoration of the allowances, forcing the students to ditch their classes in an attempt to compel the government to act.

It appears their move has been successful, after they received assurances from the Agric Ministry that talks had been held with the Ministry of Finance on the restoration of the allowances.

According to the President of the Agricultural Colleges Students Union, Samson Chimbur Sanika, officials of the Ministry had informed them about the latest developments and assured them that an announcement would be made after the students return to their classrooms.

“We the five agricultural colleges have been engaging the Ministry of Agric to come clear to address the issues because academics is very important to the students. We were saying that it’s wrong for students to stay at home. We had meetings with them and they’ve shown us that they are coming to pay the allowances. They’ve had meetings with the Ministry of Finance and shown us the documents. He has agreed clearly to pay us,” he told Citi News.

“We can’t be at home to take the money so we must report back and they’ll start the due process as soon as possible, so we should get the students back to the campus and then they’ll come clear. I know that they must pay us and they will, based on what they are telling me.”

‘Agric students being disregarded’

The President of the Kwadaso Agric College’s Students Representative Council (SRC), Stanley Mensah, stated at the time of the boycott that, the action had become necessary because of the apparent disregard for Agric students across the country by the government.

He insisted that, despite the negative implications of their boycott, they were justified in their demands, as unlike the nurses and teachers, they weren’t guaranteed jobs and needed the allowances to survive.

“We think that either somebody is not being fair or something is wrong somewhere. That is why we believe that all the students have to come together, leave the premises of the school until the Ministry is done with the processes to get our allowances for us. We are not being treated fairly, and are not being regarded in the country, so there’s no need for us to be on campus. We took our books and our items, and vacated the premises of the school. As we speak, if you go to Damongo, Kwadaso or any college in Tamale, the schools are virtually empty and nobody’s there,” he told Citi News.

–

By: Edwin Kwakofi & Michael Ogbodu /citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Agric students back to class after assurances over allowance payment appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The students in a number of Agric Colleges deserted their classrooms earlier in October in protest of the failure by government to restore their allowances.

[contextly_sidebar id=”roDB06FPZOfwqAVAM3RFpAJWof2j6qvF”]Prior to that, they had besieged the premises of the Agric Ministry in Accra over their grievances.

The Ministry of Agriculture had announced that, it had tabled the request from the students for the restoration of the allowances before Cabinet.

However, since Cabinet convened, there have been no updates of a possible restoration of the allowances, forcing the students to ditch their classes in an attempt to force the government to act.

Speaking to Citi News, the National President of the Agriculture College Students Union, Sampson Chimbur Sananka, stated that despite attempts to get their concerns addressed, culminating in the boycott of classes, the Agric Ministry had turned a blind eye to them.

“It’s been three weeks [since the boycott] and we’re going into the fourth week, but they seem not to mind. We are waiting to see what will happen. I’ve sent them letters that the students have locked the campus, and have told them the situation, and the students’ concerns. But they seem not to know that something is going on,” he said.

The President of the Kwadaso Agric College’s Students Representative Council (SRC), Stanley Mensah, stated at the time of the boycott that, the action had become necessary because of the apparent disregard for Agric students across the country by the government.

He insisted that, despite the negative implications of their boycott, they were justified in their demands, as unlike the nurses and teachers, they weren’t guaranteed jobs and needed the allowances to survive.

“We think that either somebody is not being fair or something is wrong somewhere. That is why we believe that all the students have to come together, leave the premises of the school until the Ministry is done with the processes to get our allowances for us. We are not being treated fairly, and are not being regarded in the country, so there’s no need for us to be on campus. We took our books and our items, and vacated the premises of the school. As we speak, if you go to Damongo, Kwadaso or any college in Tamale, the schools are virtually empty and nobody’s there,” he told Citi News.

Sampson Chimbur Sananka backed this argument, stating that the lack of response from the government indicated an apparent disregard for Agric students in the country.

“The students continue to stay at home. It means that what the students are crying for is something that has been ignored for a very long time. We’re all not happy about the silence of the Ministry so far,” he lamented.

–

By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Gov’t ignoring our demands for allowances – Agric students appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Ministry of Agriculture had announced earlier in October, that it had tabled the requests from the students for the restoration of their allowances before Cabinet.

[contextly_sidebar id=”kYXuwm1nmKrPv73WBsqACCAH7j60Zsmn”]That announcement was made following agitations from students of five of the colleges, who besieged the premises of the Agric Ministry in Accra last Wednesday, demanding the immediate release of their allowances.

However, since Cabinet convened last Thursday, there has been no updates of a possible restoration of the allowances, forcing the students to ditch their classes in an attempt to force the government to act.

Citi News checks at the school revealed that, red bands had been tied at the dormitories and lecture halls, a traditional sign of protest.

The President of the school’s Students Representative Council (SRC), Stanley Mensah, stated that, the action had become necessary because of the apparent disregard for Agric students across the country by the government.

In an interview with Citi News, he insisted that despite the negative implications their boycott will create, they were justified in their demands, as unlike the nurses and teachers, they weren’t guaranteed jobs and needed the allowances to survive.

“We think that either somebody is not being fair or something is wrong somewhere. That is why we believe that all the students have to come together, leave the premises of the school until the Ministry is done with the processes to get our allowances for us. We are not being treated fairly, and are not being regarded in the country, so there’s no need for us to be on campus. We took our books and our things and vacated the premises of the school. As we speak, if you go to Damongo, Kwadaso or any college in Tamale, the schools are virtually empty and nobody’s there,” he said.

“Nobody will say that if you do this, it won’t affect anyone because it will. We’ve left the time for learning and we’re concentrating on the [allowances]. We are not getting direct employment like the teachers and the nurses. We feel that we’ve been neglected and devastated, and nobody’s speaking on our behalf. Management of the school don’t do anything to help us because they feel they are public servants and how can they talk about allowances when they receive their pay. They aren’t ready to do anything for us.”

4, 000 graduates to be employed

The Agric Minister, Owusu Afriyie Akoto, addressed the crowd that had besieged the Ministry, stating at the time that “cabinet has its own procedure for considering such demands, and I can assure you that your demand is seriously being considered.”

In an interview on Eyewitness News later that day, the Minister’s Press Secretary, Issah Alhassan, stated that, they had been cleared by Parliament to employ over 4, 000 graduates from the colleges who had been without jobs since 2011.

“For the past six years, no student from the Agric College has ever been employed into the public service. Now the Minister has told them emphatically that cabinet has agreed that from next year, almost 4, 000 students would be automatically employed into the public service,” he said.

The complaints of the Agric students were sparked by the restoration of allowances of trainee nurses by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

The students, whose allowances were scrapped along with the nursing trainees under the Mahama administration, argue that they are being discriminated against by the government despite the assurances.

The President of the Agricultural College Students Union, Chimbu Sampson Sanika, said: “We are not satisfied with that information. We want our allowances restored so that we can go through our tenures successfully.”

–

By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Kwadaso Agric students boycott classes over allowances appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Final year students of the various Junior High Schools in the country are set to sit for the BECE on Monday, June 5.

But invigilators in the Agortime-Ziope District are threatening not to supervise the examinations because the GES has failed to pay them outstanding allowances dating back to two years ago.

The invigilators, numbering about 28, said several attempts have been made since 2015 to get the GES to pay the accrued allowances.

Godwin Keku told Citi News he and his colleagues in the district have resolved to boycott the exams which starts on Monday.

He added that, the situation is not peculiar to only their district, and thus called on all affected invigilators across the country to join in the protest and drum home their demands.

–

By: King Nobert Akpabli/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Agortime-Ziope: Invigilators threaten to boycott BECE appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of YEA, Justin Kodua Frimpong, the new management has detected fraudulent activities, including allowances to thousands of people who do not work for the agency.

There are about ten separate modules under the YEA programme, with over six hundred thousand beneficiaries according to their website.

The CEO, Justin Kodua Frimpong, told Citi News that the payment has been suspended for three weeks, to investigate the irregularity.

“The payment of beneficiary allowances for the Youth Employment Agency has been suspended and the reason being that a common excel verification exposed certain things to us. We realized that YEA pays beneficiaries through e-zwich then it became suspicious and abnormal finding out that there were about three people with different names using the same e-zwich number. We also realized that there are about 2,999 people on the beneficiary payroll who do not work, but at every month they withdraw allowances and also another anomaly we found was that, some  people are also working, but as far as May 2016 have not been paid.”

The CEO added that, others also do not have appointment letters or assumption of duty letters.

“So looking at all these and in the interim, we realized that if we should proceed to pay the allowances, we are going to face serious challenges. What we are interested in now is how we are going to save the public purse.”

In a separate statement signed by Acting Deputy CEO, Bashiru Ibrahim, he said the suspension will save the agency “and the Ghanaian taxpayer GHc1, 067,700 per month.”

The statement further noted that, based on the findings, management of YEA has commissioned the Internal Audit Agency to conduct a special audit into the operations of the Agency.

“This has become necessary in order to provide a platform for the new administration to take measures to prevent the scandals that rocked the Agency in the past. By this communication, management appeals to beneficiaries to remain calm as we work to complete the validation process. We apologize for the inconvenience caused,” he added.

–

By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post YEA suspends allowances over ‘fraudulent’ payments appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

A letter addressed to the accountant and signed by the Minister of Health, said he gave the students GHc360 instead of GHc450.

“The Ministry of Health has lent with dismay how you have gone contrary to the directive regarding the untaxed payments of the abated Nurses Training Allowance of One hundred and fifty Ghana cedis (150.00) per student of three months making a total amount of Four hundred and Fifty Ghana cedis (GHc450.00) per student.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”oWPR6hehjUwazp3Tk1WSYDzW2YKjy5yq”]“Information reaching us is that, you have flaunted our directive and decided to pay the students in your school Three Hundred and sixty Ghana cedis (GHc 360) per student. In view of the above, you are directed to hand over the management of the accounts unit to your assistant so as to enable us carry full investigations into the allegation,” the letter stated.

Gov’t begins paying allowances

The Ministry of Health started paying the temporary allowances on Thursday.

A statement announcing the payments signed by Tony Goodman, Head of Public Relations at the Ministry, warned the various colleges to give the students the full amount or face sanctions.

“All accountants are advised to pay the amount in full without any deductions. Any person found doing otherwise will be dealt with,” the statement stated.

The untaxed amount according to the Ministry was to cover three months of allowances for each student.

Cancelation of allowance and U-turn

The Mahama-led government earlier stripped the nursing trainees of allowances explaining it was to allow the various training colleges to admit more students; a decision which was met with wide condemnation.

But government says it has agreed to pay a reduced allowance for the trainees temporarily, until such a time that they are finally moved onto the students’ loan scheme.

The Ghana Nurses and Midwives Trainees’ Association (GNMTA), says government is attempting to throw dust into their eyes by current payment arrangement.

Speaking to Citi News, the President of the Ghana Nurses and Midwives Trainees Association, Godwin Asabire Akazeem, said government is only playing politics with the matter since the terms of payment is still unclear.

Gov’t U-turn on allowances election gimmick – Nana Addo

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), which has promised to restore the allowances to both trainee teachers and nurses, says government’s U-turn is merely a trick for votes ahead of the elections.

By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Accountant hot for slashing ‘temporary’ trainee nurses allowance appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.