Confusion rocks Sekondi Nursing School over allowance disbursement

 Some students of the Effia-Nkwanta nursing and midwifery training school in Sekondi, Western region are angry with authorities of the school over the disbursement of the recently reinstated allowance.

A female student who spoke to Starr FM’s Western regional Correspondent Emmanuel Ohene Gyan on condition of anonymity said several students did not receive their allowances due to insufficient funds.

She said due to the lack of funds, the vice principal of the school Mrs. Rose Addai had to ballot yes and no with those picking ‘Yes’ receiving their allowances while those who picked ‘NO’ were left with nothing.

Information gathered indicates that majority of the students who did not receive their allowance were

second year students.

“The second year students are saying that the money was not enough so if you pick YES, you will get your money but if you pick NO you will not get your allowance.

“In our class I think we are almost 150 students and only over 50 students receiving their allowance,” the female student said, adding that most of students are angry with the manner through which the money was distributed through balloting.

She added that authorities of the school have promised to ensure that every nursing student receives his/her allowance at a later date.

The NDC government scrapped the allowances to remove the restrictions on admission to the various training institutions. This was in order to give more students the opportunity to gain admissions into the various training institutions in the country.

The decision has since been criticised by stakeholders and especially from the affected students who rely on the allowance for their upkeep.

Government, however, introduced what it termed as monthly abated allowance of GHC 150 in July 2016 claiming that would cushion the students but the student who spoke to Starr News said those who received their allowance got 450 Ghana cedis.