“The GHC117 Million Released by Government to Cover Nursing Training Allowances is not Enough” – Coalition of Concerned Nurses and Midwives Trainees

The Coalition of Concerned Nurses and Midwives Trainees has raised concerns over the recent government release of GHC117 million for the payment of trainee allowances, deeming it grossly inadequate to clear the substantial arrears owed.

According to the Coalition, the least populated nursing and midwifery school has approximately 700 trainees, and there are about 73 public Nurses and Midwives Training Institutions out of 107 nationwide. Each trainee is entitled to a monthly allowance of GHC400. Based on these figures, the Coalition estimates the total number of trainees to be 51,100, with monthly allowances totaling GHC20,440,000.

The Coalition calculated the total months in arrears to be 75, leading to a minimum total arrears of approximately GHC1.533 billion. This calculation does not include the 30% of trainees who have never received any allowances, which amounts to an additional GHC209,160,000. Thus, the total minimum arrears required is GHC1.742 billion.

The recently released GHC117 million covers only 11.5% of the total arrears, which the Coalition describes as woefully inadequate. Furthermore, 30% of the trainees, approximately 17,430 students, have never received any allowances, with their arrears alone amounting to GHC209.16 million—surpassing the amount recently released.

The Coalition emphasized the severe impact of these unpaid allowances on the academic performance and mental health of trainees. Despite a prior announcement by the Vice President over nineteen months ago, no concrete actions have been taken, nor has information on the disbursement been provided.

The Coalition urged the government to fulfill its promises and ensure that all arrears are cleared promptly, stating that the education and well-being of nurses and midwives should never be compromised.