Trainee nurses thank Akufo-Addo over allowance restoration

A group calling itself Patients First, made up of trainee nurses and concerned health workers, has expressed gratitude to the flag bearer of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo and his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, for their advocacy, which, in their view, forced President John Mahama and his government to restore their scrapped allowance payments.

The payments resumed on Thursday, 17 November.

Trainee nurses across the country were given GHS150 per month for three months totaling GHS450.

In a statement co-signed by Josephine Kwarteng and Suraka Zainah, Patients First said its members, especially trainee nurses were grateful to Mr Akufo-Addo and Dr Bawumia since, according to them, Mr Mahama and the NDC would not have restored the allowance had the opposition politicians not campaigned against its cancellation.

“It was only when Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party and his running mate, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia decided to make it an issue of concern and promised to restore the allowance when voted into power that the NDC started to take an unconcerned look at the situation.

“Today, John Mahama in a last ditch desperate attempt to win votes of trainee nurses has begun a face saving payment of pittance to insult the intelligence of nurses. The government has seen the need to pay us our allowances,” the group said.

The group said Mr Akufo-Addo and Dr Bawumia’s “continuous advocacy to bring back the nursing trainee allowances..." resulted in the government paying the trainee nurses allowances.” “We are indeed grateful and we trust that the future government of the NPP will make the healthcare needs of Ghanaians a priority.”