The National Youth Organiser for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), George Opare Addo, has on behalf of the party, apologised for the cancellation of the teacher trainee allowances while Mr John Dramani Mahama was in office.
He assured the people of Ghana that if elected again, Mr Mahama will not repeat such a decision.
He explained on Accra-based Asempa FM that the allowances were cancelled after training colleges were upgraded to tertiary institutions.
But this decision, he said, was unpopular and won’t be repeated if Mr Mahama comes back to power.
He said “the NDC government was spending GH¢950 on teacher trainees. And we were looking at issues of equity since they were upgraded to tertiary institutions.
“So we wanted to migrate them unto the Student Loan Trust Fund,” he said, adding that “everybody has the right to change his mind, so there’s nothing wrong if former President Mahama believes the decision was unpopular.
“If he comes he will restore it because it was an unpopular decision and we apologise.”
For his part, the National Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Henry Nana Boakye, expressed shock at the sudden U-turn of the NDC on this matter.
He said: “In 2016, Mr. Mahama swore heaven and earth that he will never restore the trainee allowance even if it will cost him the elections.
“It is therefore strange and unfathomable that someone who said there is no sense in paying trainees allowance would make a U-turn, after President Akufo-Addo had restored the allowance, to say that he will continue with the payment of same.
“This is clearly deceptive politics that has assumed a fearsome crescendo,” Nana B added.
By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana