Enough of assurances…pay nursing students immediately – GRNA tells govt

The Ghana Registered Nurses Association (GRNA) has urged government to move beyond just assuring to pay nursing students their old allowances and begin to pay them immediately.

According to the President of the Association, Kwaku Asante Krobea, the trainees have had enough of assurances from government and as a result want to see government fulfilling its promise by ensuring that the students receive their allowance as soon as possible.

Government on Thursday disclosed that an “abated allowance” will be paid to aggrieved nursing students in the country.

Minister of Health, Alex Segbefia in a release stated that the payment of the allowance is to support the students.

“The payment which will amount to about GHC 150 a month is aimed at supporting 34,500 students who are currently pursuing various levels of health professional training across the country.”

Government announced a scrapping of the allowances in order to remove the restrictions on admission to the various training institutions due to the huge amounts it had to pay in the form of allowances.

This was in order to give more students the opportunity to gain admissions into these institutions. However, the scrapping was met with much resistance from some students who rely on the allowances to support themselves in school.

This led to the setting up of a committee to advise on a more favorable resolution for the trainee nurses. Per the committee’s recommendation, 34,500 students who are currently pursuing various levels of health professional training across the country will receive a payment of GHc 150 a month.

But speaking to Accra FM, Kwaku Asante Krobea though welcomed the move by government after several advice by the Association previously, however stated that the amount to be paid the students is woefully inadequate.

“Initially the students were receiving GHC 400.00, why is that now that you’ve decided to restore the payment you are giving them a paltry GHC 150.00. This is rather the time that there should have been increment because times are hard for the students due to the high clinical and consumables fees they are paying currently.”

Mr Kwaku Asante Krobea noted that the Committee set up by government over the issue never consulted GRNA for its input while it was deliberating on the matter but added that the association will engage government for a possible increment of the allowance.