President John Dramani Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the government will commence payment of nursing trainee allowances with retrospective effect from January 2025.

The announcement, according to a report by 3news.com was made during a Thank You Tour at the Kintampo Nursing Training College in the Bono East Region on May 29, 2025.

Addressing students who raised concerns about the allowances, President Mahama assured them of the government’s commitment to fulfilling its promises.

“Let me assure you that the minister has made adequate provision in the budget for the payment of allowances. And the allowances will be paid from January, and so you’ll get the arrears,” he stated.

He explained that the delay in payments was due to the Ministry of Finance establishing a system to integrate allowance payments with the Controller and Accountant-General’s payroll.

“When that is done, you’ll receive your allowances every month, and they will pay you the arrears from January,” he added.

The President also highlighted other government initiatives, including economic gains and the recent appreciation of the cedi.

He expressed appreciation to the GPRTU and drivers’ unions for reducing transport fares, providing relief to Ghanaians.

On infrastructure, Mahama reaffirmed the NDC’s 2024 manifesto commitment to construct outer ring roads in major cities, including a 54-kilometer outer ring road for Techiman, a key transit point on the N10 highway.

“The Department of Urban Roads has initiated engineering surveys and design works to prepare the way for full construction,” he noted.

President Mahama emphasised the government’s focus on agricultural industrialization in the Bono East Region, particularly value addition to cashew and other tree crops.

He also addressed the accountability of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), stating that the first quarter of the District Assembly’s Common Fund would soon be released, with 80% allocated directly to the regions.

“MMDCEs, you have no excuse. You’re going to get your full money. We’re sending you the guidelines,” he said, adding that their performance would be evaluated annually based on the utilization of these funds.

“Every year we will see what you’ve done with the District Assembly’s Common Fund, and based on that, we’ll decide whether you stay or you go,” he warned.