Malik Basintale, the Deputy National Communication Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has sharply criticized the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government for what he calls the sidelining of nursing trainees in Ghana.
According to Basintale, many nursing trainees have been forced to abandon their professional training, with many resorting to selling products such as wigs, bags, slippers, and Sobolo online instead of practicing in healthcare facilities.
Speaking at a campaign event ahead of the upcoming elections, Basintale assured nursing trainees of better prospects under an NDC government. He pledged that, if elected, the NDC would ensure all nursing trainees are posted to hospitals to work in their professional capacity.
“Today, many nursing trainees have become online marketers. You are either selling wigs, bags, slippers, or even Sobolo. That is not your portion. Your portion is to work in hospitals. Next year, the NDC government will post all nursing trainees,” Basintale declared.
His comments come in the wake of rising dissatisfaction among the Union of Trainee Nurses and Midwives, Ghana (UTNMG), which has recently threatened to vote against the NPP in the upcoming elections due to the government’s neglect. The group expressed frustration over the government’s failure to pay their allowances for 19 months, describing it as economic injustice.
In a statement issued by the UTNMG President, Agbeti Robert Immortal, the trainees accused the government of betraying their trust by failing to fulfill promises of allowance payments and other support. “The government has consistently failed to deliver on its promises to pay our allowances, and this won’t be tolerated anymore,” Agbeti said. “Trainees will hold politicians accountable, and the outcome of this year’s election will reflect the government’s neglect of our welfare.”
The unresolved issues surrounding the welfare of nursing trainees have become a significant topic in the lead-up to the elections, with both Basintale’s assurances and the UTNMG’s grievances gaining political prominence.
