Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South, Dr. Kingsley Agyeman, has expressed concern over the substantial reduction in the government’s nursing trainee allowance budget for 2026, which he says has been slashed by nearly Ghc300 million.
In an interview on Abusua Nkommo with Kojo Marfo at Abusua 96.5 FM monitored by Kumasimail, Dr. Agyeman highlighted the sharp budget cut.
“Last year, the nursing trainee allowance stood at about Ghc770 million, but it has now dropped to just over Ghc400 million. That’s a reduction of almost Ghc300 million,” he stated.
He questioned the rationale behind reducing the budget allocated to health education, urging the government to clarify the decision.
“The question we are asking is: why is the health education budget being reduced so drastically?” he queried.
On whether the government should continue paying allowances to nursing trainees, Dr. Agyeman defended the practice, underscoring the essential role these trainees play.
“Nursing trainees are critical workers in Ghana. What is wrong with motivating them through an allowance?” he argued.
Additionally, Dr. Agyeman raised concerns about the apparent lack of progress on a project initiated under the 2025 budget, which allocated Ghc40 million for the construction of two nursing colleges.
“Despite the allocation, there is no visible sign that construction has started on these facilities,” he reported.
Verifying Dr. Kingsley Agyeman’s Claims on Allowance Reductions
In paragraph 1159 of the 2026 Budget Statement, it is stated that “Ghc474 million is allocated for Nursing Trainee Allowances to shore up frontline capacity.”
This means that Ghc474 million has been earmarked specifically for the payment of nursing trainee allowances.
It is also accurate that the government allocated Ghc770 million in the 2025 budget for the payment of nursing trainee allowances.
Furthermore, the construction of two Nursing Training Colleges was included in the 2025 budget, as presented by the Finance Minister.
Verdict: The claims made by Dr. Kingsley Agyeman are true. The reduction in the nursing trainee allowance amounts to Ghc296 million, which is approximately Ghc300 million as suggested by the Member of Parliament.
Source: www.Kumasimail.com
