Mahama defends removal of nursing allowances, vows to complete Agenda 111 Projects

Former President and flagbearer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) John Dramani Mahama, during a campaign stop ahead of the December 7th elections, defended his administration’s decision to replace nursing trainee allowances with student loans.

He elucidated that this policy was designed to focus on creating long-term job opportunities for graduates, rather than offering short-term financial aid.

Mahama

Read full articleemphasized that the reallocation of funds from allowances to student loans was a strategic move to ensure the government could better support job creation, particularly in the healthcare sector. He argued that the ultimate goal was to secure employment for nursing graduates after their training, rather than merely providing stipends during their studies.

Speaking to trainee nurses as part of his campaign tour, Mahama stated “What is crucial for you is not just the allowances but securing employment after graduation.”

Mahama also criticized the current administration's unfulfilled promises to reinstate the allowances, referring to them as "419"—a term synonymous with deceptive schemes. He cited the case of a nursing student in Techiman who, despite promises, had not received any allowances during her three years of training, reflecting the frustration among many trainees.

Looking forward, Mahama pledged that an NDC government would prioritize completing unfinished hospital projects and advancing the current administration’s "Agenda 111" initiative.

"I'll make you a promise, when I come the hospital we were building that have been abandoned by this government, we will continue them. When I come, the agenda 111 hospitals they are building, I'll continue and finish them so that we can create more space to able to absorb all of you when you finish school,"  Mahama stated.