God will choose the next president – Mahama

God will choose the next president for Ghana at the 7 December polls, President John Dramani Mahama has said.

Mr Mahama, who is vying for a second term, told party supporters in the Northern Region where he is campaigning that “God Himself will choose the next president of Ghana… God-willing, I know the National Democratic Congress, being a child of God, will win the elections,” Mr Mahama said.

He also said the polls will come off peacefully without mishap, adding that “we will vote in peace, God will not allow ‘all die be die’” in Ghana.

Meanwhile, Mr Mahama has said nurse trainees in the country will get more jobs to do.

Addressing durbars in the Salaga district, Mr Mahama, asked nurse trainees to reject claims that the government had put a freeze on recruitment of more nurses into the public sector.

“…It’s a lie. As many as must be put on the payroll, we will continue drafting them onto the payroll. We have had problems with ghost names; that is why we go through a verification process, a system that delays the recruitments,” Mr Mahama announced.

“We are training health professionals across the length and breadth of the country. The University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ho is training doctors, biomedical health specialists, and public health specialists. The University of Development Studies is expanding its training programme for doctors and other medical staff.

“The same is ongoing at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, the Cape Coast University, and Legon. On paramedical staff and nurses for example, we have the Midwifery Training Colleges, Health Assistants’ Training Schools and the Community Health Training Schools. Indeed, we have so far established more than 36 of these schools across the country.”

He also denied claims that the National Health Insurance Scheme had collapsed. “Our political opponents say NHIS has collapsed. NHIS in 2008 saw nine million outpatient visitations to hospitals. Last year, 2015, the NHIS has grown in outpatients visitations from nine million to 29 million. How can that be a scheme that has collapsed? In 2008, the total amount of money that was paid to facilities for providing treatments to the NHIA (the National Health Insurance Authority) patients was GHS183 million.” he said.

“Last year, 2015, the total amount of money that was paid by NHIA to facilities across the country for treatments given to NHIA cardholders was more than GHS1 billion. How can that be a scheme that has collapsed?”