Vice National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Chief Sofo Azorka, has assured Ghanaians former President John Dramani Mahama will restore allowance for trainee nurses and ensure unemployed nurses are posted to health facilities if he is returned to power at the 2020 polls.
He gave the assurance when he, together with some executives of the party, led scores of tertiary students from three institutions in a health walk through the main streets of the Navrongo Central Constituency at the weekend.
“When former President Mahama was in charge, anytime trainee nurses finished school, they were posted. This NPP government came and told them that they would do everything. They over-promised Ghanaians when we all knew they would under-deliver. The NPP came and told them lies that they would give them posting, they would give them allowance!
“Today, graduate nurses have sat in the house for 2 years and three months. They are fed up in the house. They don’t know where to go. They are crying for change. If they want change, Insha’Allah (if Allah wills) 2020 we’ll normalise things. We’ll give them posting. We’ll give them the allowance. Although the nurses are crying more for posting than allowance, we will give them posting and we’ll give them allowance,” the Vice National Chairman told Starr News on the sidelines of the event.
Party supporters wearing NDC-branded outfits and some students from the three tertiary institutions in the municipality— the University for Development Studies (UDS), the St. John Bosco College of Education and the Community Health Nurse’s Training College— carried placards during the walk. Vuvuzelas blared at full volume across the core of the constituency and women and men danced vigorously in public to some anti-NPP songs and pro-NDC tunes.
Some of the placards read: “Nana and Bawumia, which of the tracks do your children belong to? Gold or Green?”; “One District, One Factory. Where are our factories?”; “Mr. President, teachers are suffering.”; “Nana Addo, stop galamsey fraud in your government.”; “Galamsey fraud. Mr. President, why?”; “The cedi is running faster than Usain Bolt.”; “Bring JM back”; “Boot for Boot”; “2020, we go show Nana.” and “Change the Change.”.
Bawumia has Abandoned Core Duty, Chasing Drones— NDC Youth Wing
The street float, dubbed by some party devotees as a “boot-for-boot walk”, was focused at promoting unity within the party in the region.
It was also aimed at whipping up some enthusiasm among the youth ahead of the 2020 general elections, according to the NDC’s Upper East Regional Youth Organiser, Abraham Azumah Lambon.
Addressing students and party supporters at a mini rally held on the premises of the St. John Bosco College of Education, Lambon slammed Ghana’s Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, saying he had ditched his own main responsibility as the country’s number-two citizen and taken up the job of the Minister for Health.
“It was at the Central University College that Bawumia, during his lecture, said if the economic fundamentals are weak, the exchange rate would expose you. Today, the exchange rate is exposing them. At that time, a dollar to a cedi was 3.8. As we speak today, it’s 5.85 Ghana cedis to a dollar. That is the achievement of Bawumia government.
“Bawumia has left his core duty as an economic guru and he’s chasing drones. How can you leave your work as an economist and go and be doing the work of a health minister. When the Health Minister is supposed to negotiate on drones, we have seen a Vice President, who is Chairman of the Economic Management Team, negotiating on drones. This is a big shame. John Mahama built E-blocks for schools. They (the NPP) promised to establish 350 senior high schools. As we speak, none has been done in the region,” he said.
Akufo-Addo has Benefited from Vigilantism— Opare Addo
Speaking to journalists after he had addressed the rally, the NDC’s National Youth Organiser, George Opare Addo, slammed President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over the “menace” of political party vigilantism in the country.
“It is time as young people we took our destinies into our own hands. Where the dishonest Akufo-Addo Government is taking the good people of this country to leaves much to be concerned. If you are a citizen of Ghana, you should be worried, especially with the menace of vigilantism.
“Akufo-Addo himself has benefited from vigilantism. Today, instead of the military being his 2IC or the military protecting him, it is two members of the Invincible Forces who stand directly behind our President. If you read the United States Department’s report and you are a Ghanaian, you should be sad. The American government has called out our President. It’s not a proper thing to do,” Opare Addo stated.
He added: “A president is elected to be an embodiment of the spirit of the people. Akufo-Addo is using vigilantism, his thugs, to chase out innocent Ghanaians, to unleash mayhem on innocent Ghanaians. If we don’t stand up and call out the President and seek from proper and good governance, our people will continue to suffer. Today, the business community is struggling. Today, fuel prices are unbearable.”
Old executives of the NDC’s Tertiary Education Institutions Network (TEIN) handed over to newly elected executives at the three tertiary institutions in the constituency after the health walk on Saturday. The Azorka-led team of national executives, accompanied by the Upper East regional executives and the Navrongo Constituency executives, graced the ceremonies.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Edward Adeti
