President John Dramani Mahama has accused the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) of double-standards concerning their stance on his government’s removal of training allowances for teachers and nurses.
“The duplicity of the NPP is so appalling. History is a very important subject and you must always remember your past so that it guides you to the future,” Mr Mahama said in an interview with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation’s Sunrise FM in Koforidua as part of his tour of the Eastern Region.
Government replaced the allowances with student loans. Officialdom also said the allowances were scrapped, in the case of teachers, as a way of circumventing the quota system which put a cap on admissions.
The NPP has always accused the Mahama administration of not having the interest of nurses and teachers at heart thus the removal of the allowances.
But Mr Mahama insists that the NPP is being deceitful and dishonest. According to him, a document dated 9th June 2008 concerning guidelines and preparations for the 2009 budget signed by then Deputy Minister of Health, under the erstwhile Agyekum Kufour administration suggested that: “The management of the wage component has been a major challenge and to face the challenge… trainee allowance to the new entrants for the Diploma Programmes in the various training institutions will be abolished. Allowances to the continuing students will also be phased out. All students will be encouraged to seek funding under the student loan scheme”.
“Today, the same NPP party turns around and says that we are wicked to remove trainee allowances”.
He added that in 2008 under then Minister of Education, Dr Baah Wiredu, a document indicated that “they had budgeted for 245,000 teachers and they said that: ‘Do not employ any teacher above the 245,000 teachers’ and that if you employ, they will not pay”. “It seems the NPP has forgotten its past and because of opportunism of trying to win political power, you [NPP] just come and make criticisms,” he added.
Mr Mahama stressed that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has employed an unprecedented number of teachers and nurses in the country.
According to him, “from 2009 till date, this government has employed 78, 000 teachers – unprecedented – the highest number in the history of the country. From 2013, when I became president, we have employed 23,000 nurses – unprecedented – the highest number ever in the history of this country”.
For him, the facts do not support criticisms that his government has failed to provide jobs for teachers and nurses.
Source: Classfmonline
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Did Ghanians really vote for this man. In fact, he makes no sense with the explanation that the NPP Tried Removing Trainee Allowance. My goodness With people like this as president Ghana has a long long way to go.
Is President Mahama taking us for ***barred word*** or what? You wanted to cancel it and you did, thats it.Defend your rationale other than trying to rope in the NPP on your infamous decision. We are simply tired of these corruption and national aimlessness development agenda. Ghanaian demand change and we need it now!We will send that strong message on december 7.
If I had my way, I wuold say all is not well with the president; I think its a high time his loved ones called him to order in terms of his rhetorics. Its gradually getting out of hands and I feel the worse will soon come .....
They tried but didn't because they realized it will cause mayhem and you stupidly removed it without analysing the negative effects on the students and the country as a whole. You should have had some contingency plan as to how best to help the students without the allowance. Next time try to strategize well before making a decision and acting on that decision. Gross incompetence
This man is not a true representative of Ghana. I feel ashamed to call him my president. The best way to make a comparison about employment is to check the total number of people who graduated before his administration and during his administration. Calculate the percentage of those that got jobs and then compare. Proper comparison is done in percentage not in numbers JM.
A leader who waver in his decision is not worth a leader. Prez mahama has never implemented one decision. Today , this is not possible, tomorrow dat same thing is possible. Haha what a leader.
Desperation be what? Mahama is clutching unto straw oo. Guess it's terrible to see defeat starring you in the face, huh? You won't even provide the basic care needs of mental hospitals and you're hopping around in helicopters. Surprisingly,his roads are "allergic" to him so he flies from district to district
this is really pathetic of a president.trying to remove is not the same as removing.
Mr. President, removing it and trying to remove it are not the same. Why don't you focus on what you can do and stop attacking your opponent. Because your opponent this time round campaign on issues look at the way you are struggling. You now sound as a defeated man. Infact I am really fed up with your governance. From the look of things given you additional 20 years you cannot deliver, so please pave way for a fresh limbs to continue from where you left off.
He added that in 2008 under then Minister of Education, Dr Baah Wiredu,Baah Wiredu wasn't the education minister in 2008. HE was at the education ministry between 2003-2005. Another gargantuan lie.