By Evans Worlanyo Ameamu
Keta (VR), June 19, GNA-The Leadership of Union of Trainee Nurses and Midwives, Ghana (UTNMG), has appealed to the government through the Ministry of Health, to reconsider the validation date for trainee nurses’ allowance.
They said the recent directive which requires students to provide SSNIT and bank account numbers, and Ghana card details within short timeframe between June 16 to 18 posed a significant challenge for the members.
Mr. Immortal Agbeti, the President of the UTNMG, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said that the new directive from government was posed a lot of challenges since the old system only required E-zwich accounts with many other students lacked the recent required documents which include Ghana card, SSNIT number and Bank account numbers for the exercise.
“The directives and the timeframe for us to produce these documents is insufficient for compliance and we appealed to government to extend the date to at least two weeks,” he said.
Mr. Agbeti explained that the association has also noticed and expressed concern about the exclusion of the 2024 batch of students from the verification exercise which left many without hope for payment of staggering 15-months arrears.
He said the 2024 batch of students were currently undertaking their mandatory national service on empty stomach till the end of the 52 weeks of service to the nation which needed urgent attention from the government.
“You know the condition of service is not negotiable, and the amount government is owing them is colossal.”
He said the short notice exercise from government could have severe consequences on the members particularly to those who were currently on vacation and could have more consequences that would exacerbate the financial hardship they faced already.
Mr. Agbeti further urged the government to also reconsider the January 2026 declaration on trainee allowances payment to alleviate pressing challenges which include rising cost of living by many members across the country.
He said the association believed that with empathy and understanding, the government would find a lasting solution that could support the members to work for the development and progress of the country.
GNA
Edited by: Maxwell Awumah/Kenneth Odeng Adade