Minister of Health, Dr Benard Okoye Boye, said government has not paid allowances to some nursing trainees despite the release of GHC177 million to clear arrears for about 100,000 people.
The Minister of Health, speaking on the sidelines of a working visit to LEKMA Hospital and the Ghana University Medical Centre (UGMC), pleaded with the nursing trainees to have confidence in government as it is working assiduously to clear the remaining arrears.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia said last week that the Ministry of Finance had approved disbursing a total of GHC177 million to apprentice nurses across Ghana. This money is part payment for outstanding debts owed by trainees for many months.
The Minister commented on nurses-in-training’s concerns about delays in providing benefits promised by the government, and said they should be grateful for the government’s efforts to resolve the issue. Stated.
He said he acknowledged the delays and the number of people who had not yet received their money.
“I have come across many communiqués through the Ministry of Finance that show that we have disbursed about GHC177 million to over 100,000 nurses covering about four months of payments. There are thousands of nurses who are being paid benefits by this government.
It is also true that some people are behind on their payments. We are determined to work hard to retain and pay our residents in this area. I have to choose between someone who says I’ll pay, who pays, and sometimes who borrows money. And the other person says, “I just can’t afford that,”” Dr. Okoye-Boye said.
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The minister also issued a challenge to the trainee nurses on which of the two governments has the best plan of action.
“So, if we had had another government led by John Mahama for the past eight years, every nurse in Ghana would have been paid zero. But at this very moment, hundreds of thousands of nurses We are receiving support from the Akufo-Addo government, and it is also true that hundreds of thousands of nurses have requested support. We are working to ensure that everyone receives what they deserve. I will try hard.”
This kind of government must be supported. The one who says I will carry this burden. I’ll continue to do my best, which is much better than people who say it’s a big burden. I can’t carry it. The choice is yours,” he said.
During his visit to the two facilities, Dr. Okoye-Boye interacted with the management and donated an ambulance to facilitate better health service delivery.
He was accompanied by several officials from the Ministry of Health and the Minister for Greater Accra Region, Titus Glover.
Written by Sarah Appenclaw