NPP national youth organiser, Nana B
The National Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party, Henry Nana Boakye, has cautioned former President John Dramani Mahama that the youth of the country will not be conned into bringing him and the National Democratic congress to power again in the December elections.
As the President, Mr Mahama cancelled the payment of allowances to trainee teachers and nurses, and even said he would prefer losing the 2016 election to restoring the allowance.
In a shocking U-turn, however, the former President has promised to maintain the payment of the allowance restored by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
But Mr Henry Boakye, popularly referred as Nana B, says “in as much as we find the sudden U-turn by Mr Mahama on this important national issue curious, it brings closure to the political debate on the matter and vindicates the decision by the Akufo-Addo led NPP government to restore teacher and nursing trainee allowances.”
“The youth of this country cannot forget the intransigence of the erstwhile Mahama administration on this matter and the sheer callousness that characterised the NDC’s decision to cancel the trainee allowances,” Nana B said in a statement issued yesterday.
Uncaring Mahama
He mentioned that the former President showed his insensitive nature when he took the decision to cancel the allowances at the time the country was suffering from the effects of dumsor, saying “Not even the chagrin and cries of these frustrated trainees could make the Mahama regime reconsider that terrible decision.”
“Indeed, in the face of mounting agitations on the matter, then President Mahama called the bluff of everyone and, in blazing arrogance, told the Ghanaian people publicly that ‘I will never restore the allowances to trainees even if it will cost me the elections. We’ll not reverse the decision’,” Nana B said.
He wondered what has changed in the NDC, after its own General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, had described the payment of trainee allowances as “senseless”.
“Now, what has changed? Has the NDC, per the logic of Asiedu Nketia, lost their senses to want to allow the status quo to remain? Obviously, it has taken the excruciating and humiliating defeat the NDC suffered in the 2016 elections for sound judgment to prevail on this matter and for John Mahama to reconsider the notorious decision he took on teacher and nursing trainee allowances as President of the Republic,” he said.
Machinations
Nana B reminded Mr Mahama that Ghanaians are conscious of his antics and the schemes of the NDC.
“Never again would the youth of our country be hoodwinked by empty, lofty and desperate assurances of a group of people whose main aim is to win political power and preside over the wanton dissipation of our country’s resources,” he said.
Nana B noted that the NPP government, under the sterling leadership of President Nana Akufo-Addo, has remained trustworthy, candid and faithful to trainee teachers and nurses, “through and through”.
Bare facts
According to Nana B, since the restoration of the trainee allowances in September 2017, about 200,000 trainees have benefited from the life-saving monthly stipends.
“In the 2020 fiscal year alone, GHC357 million is being paid to 48,000 teacher trainees whereas GHC336 million is being paid to over 49,000 trainee nurses as allowances. Between September 2017 and January 2020, at least, a whopping GHC1 billion has been paid to trainee nurses and teachers in the form of allowance,” he said.
Comparatively, Nana B stressed, whereas Mr Mahama, in his days as Vice-President and President “prioritised investment in dubious and corrupt schemes”, President Akufo-Addo, on the other hand, “has invested wisely and massively in educating the youth for a prosperous future”.
“Trainee teachers and nurses are well aware of John Mahama’s record in government and would vote wisely for President Akufo-Addo in the impending general elections to protect their allowances,” he concluded.
