Govt puts GH¢336 million into the pockets of nursing trainees – Minister

The government has disclosed that GH¢336 million has been put into the pockets of nursing trainees through the restoration of the nursing allowance.

Nurses with President Nana Addo

The restoration of the allowance by the government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is to ease the financial burden on the nursing trainees and their families.

The previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, scrapped the GH¢450 per quarter allowance for trainee nurses in 2013.

It explained that it canceled the regular payments because it prevented the state from investing in infrastructure to admit more students.

Nana Addo, however after winning the December 2016 elections, gave assurances that the government would restore the allowances.

The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta presenting the 2020 budget and financial statement before Parliament on Wednesday, November 13, 2019, said: “a total of GH¢ 336 million have been put into the pockets of the Nursing trainee within the last three years in the form of an allowance.”

He also stated that “a total of GH¢357 million have been put into the pockets of teacher trainees within the last three years in the form of allowances.”

Ken Ofori-Atta in his budget presentation claimed that the “Free SHS has saved parents a total of GH¢1.8 billion within the last three years” adding that the “money in their pockets”