MOFA to pay 2-year arrears allowance of five Agric colleges

Barring any hitches, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture will pay allowances of students from all the five agriculture colleges across the country.

The allowances have been in arrears over the last two years, prompting nationwide dissatisfaction of students.

But thanks to a clearance and approval from the Finance Ministry and subsequent capturing in the 2013 budget, the students will smile to the banks soon.

Deputy Director in charge of Human Resources at the Ministry of Agriculture, Richard Annobil who revealed this to Joynews TV said the two year delay is set to end soon.

Though he could not say exactly when payment would be made, Mr. Annobil says the clearance paves way for the release and payment of the allowances.

“The payment of the allowances hitches on the release of the financial clearance. So the financial clearance is released from the Ministry of Finance then they will get it”. Mr. Annobil said.

Allowances provide supplementary income to cushion for students as they climb the education ladder.

For two years however, first and second year students of Ghana's agricultural colleges have had to wait amid uncertainty over when their money will come.

Students at the Ejura Agricultural College for instance, have had to go through tough times without hope of when the allowances would be paid.

One of the affected students whose identity is being withheld tells JoyNews “life on campus without the allowance has been like fire” as students struggle to pay tuition fees.

“Life has been so unbearable as far as the allowances are concerned. As at last semester and this semester, so many students have not paid their fees which have compelled most students to leave the school to search for money.”

For him and others who have been waiting anxiously without any hope, this news brings a lot of excitement.

Story by Ghana/Joynews/Mahmud Mohammed-Nurudeen