The government has announced plans to pay teacher and nursing trainees’ allowances through the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) to ensure timely disbursement.

President John Dramani Mahama made this known while addressing a durbar at the Jubilee Park in Tamale as part of his “Thank You Tour” of the Northern Region following his victory in the December Presidential Elections.

“There is good news for teacher and nursing trainees. Nursing and teacher trainees' allowances are to be paid directly by the Controller and Accountant-General. This has been made a part of the compensations item in the budget and this will permanently eliminate the delay in trainees receiving their allowances. This means that anytime public sector workers receive their monthly salaries, teacher and nursing trainees will also receive their allowances,” the president said on Saturday, March 22.

For years, teacher and nursing trainees in Ghana have grappled with persistent delays in the payment of their monthly allowances, often waiting for several months before receiving them. These delays have made it difficult for many trainees to afford essential expenses such as transportation, feeding, and study materials.

Some affected students have staged protests to demand the timely release of their allowances.

To address these concerns, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has announced an allocation of GH¢684 million in the 2025 budget to cover the payment of teacher and nursing trainee allowances.

“We have allocated GH¢203 million for the payment of teacher trainee allowances and another GH¢480 million for nursing trainee allowances,” Dr. Forson confirmed while presenting the 2025 Budget on March 11.

He explained that this funding reflects the government’s commitment to investing in education and healthcare, ensuring that future teachers and health professionals are adequately supported during their training.

The Finance Minister also detailed other allocations in the 2025 budget, including investments in education, infrastructure, social protection, and disaster relief.