Can Ghanaians Trust The NDC Government?

It appears the John Mahama-led administration no longer has the balls or the political will to deliver on the promises it has made to the good people of this country.

Or is it because it is thinking about scoring cheap political points to enable it retain power in the upcoming elections, hence its decision to backtrack on its promises to the people?

The Chronicle, in its Friday edition, published a story under the headline, “Mahama Beats Retreat… on trainee nurses allowances”.

According to the paper, “the government has rescinded its 'unpopular' decision to scrap the nursing trainee allowances as the November 7 polls draw closer to court some 'cheap' votes.”

In 2013, the NDC-led administration abolished allowances being offered to trainee nurses in the country, explaining that it was to ensure the removal of some restrictions on admission to the various training institutions.

The government further explained that, ending the trainee nurses' allowances regime would give more students the opportunity to gain admission into the various institutions across the country.

The government's decision was, however, met with mass protests from recognized institutions, some of which released statements to condemn the decision. Other institutions and individuals also lashed out at the government.

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Ghana Nurses and Midwives Trainees Association (GNMTA) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are some of the institutions that demonstrated their displeasure over the government's decision.

The GRNMA indicated in 2013 that the move could unleash negative implications on healthcare delivery in the country, as it would result in scarcity of nurses and midwives.

“The money for the students has been a great motivation and has also subsidized their fees. Now that the government wants to scrap it, only the rich can afford Nursing training and that would have effect on personnel adequacy,” the GRNMA argued.

The NPP on its part described the Mahama-led administration as insensitive stating that it does not deserve to be re-elected.

The story continued; “Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, in  March, this year, said the NPP saw the restoration of the allowances as non-negotiable, explaining that they're critical to the developing the quality human resource Ghana needed to blossom in the competitive global community.

Perhaps, it is the position of the NPP leadership, which is threatening the re-election of President Mahama in the upcoming polls that, has compelled the government to announce last Thursday that it has rescinded its tenacity to abolish the nursing trainee allowances.

Rescinding the decision in a statement signed by Alex Segbefia, Minister of Health, the government said a technical committee set up by the “President to review allowances for nursing trainees has recommended payment of an abated allowance with a possibility to migrate them onto the Students Loan Scheme.

“…The payment amount would serve as a bridging mechanism pending the amendment of the Students Loan Trust Act, to enable students in non-tertiary health training institutions access loans to support education.”

The statement added that, the payment would amount to about GHȼ150 a month, aimed at supporting 34,500 students currently pursuing various levels of health professional training across the country.

Clearly, the government has issued this statement just to cajole Ghanaians to vote for them, because what they are saying now is the opposite of the previous position they espoused on the issue.

During the reign of ex-president John Agyekum Kufour, he declined to reduce the price of petroleum products even when all Ghanaians were expecting him to do so, until after the first round of the 2008 election that he decided to do so, and it cost his party dearly.

The Chronicle believes that political parties must be firm in the implementation of their promises to the people, as that would go a long way to confirm to the electorate that they can be trusted to keep their promises or deliver on their assurances.