The Minister of State in charge of Government Communication Felix Kwakye Ofosu has stated that teacher trainee allowances under the Mahama government will be treated like compensation.
In a recent address, he accused the previous government of failing to sustain the reinstated teacher trainee allowances and engaging in financial mismanagement, which he claimed has led to economic hardships over the last years.
Kwakye Ofosu criticized the opposition NPP despite their claims of reinstating it. He pointed out that since last year before the transitioning, students were still facing difficulties due to delays in payments.
He further recalled an incident where former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was confronted by a student over the non-payment of allowances during a campaign event. According to Kwakye Ofosu, Bawumia was caught off guard and “fumbled,” unable to provide a convincing response.
“Not only has President Mahama allocated money, but he has also come up with a new system that says that teacher trainee allowances will be treated like compensation for public sector workers. So, every day that public sector workers are paid, teacher trainee allowances will be paid too.”
Felix Kwakye Ofosu Minister of Government Communication
This new approach, he stated, would ensure timely disbursement of funds and eliminate the long delays that disrupt the academic life of teacher trainees.
Beyond teacher trainee allowances, Kwakye Ofosu accused the opposition NPP of widespread financial mismanagement and corruption. He said;
“They came into government to waste everybody’s time. Squander precious resources. They were incorruptibly corrupt.’’
“Today, the former finance minister is being looked for all over the world, isn’t he? He’s even unable to submit himself to scrutiny.”
Felix Kwakye Ofosu Minister of Government Communication
Kwakye Ofosu also referenced the recent revelations in Parliament regarding the misuse of the tax refund account.
“Honorable Ato Forson was in Parliament only last week to review the fact that the tax refund account became a slush fund for them. That is what they were using to promote all the dubious things that they were doing.’’
Felix Kwakye Ofosu Minister of Government Communication
Redirecting Funds for Critical Development
In contrast to the NPP’s alleged mismanagement, Kwakye Ofosu asserted that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government would prioritize the prudent use of public funds.
“He [Mahama] has said that rather than use it as a slush fund, which essentially means using it to pay political operatives, he’s going to put that into financing critical government expenditure.’’
Felix Kwakye Ofosu Minister of Government Communication
He stated that under Mahama’s leadership, funds that were previously misused would be redirected towards key sectors notably health, agriculture, and education.
Kwakye Ofosu explained that this approach has enabled Mahama to allocate substantial resources to various development projects. He specifically mentioned the “Big Push” initiative, a strategic infrastructure development program designed to accelerate economic growth.
“He [Ato Forson] goes to Parliament and is able to tell us that he has allocated 13,850,000,000 Ghana cedis to the Big Push program, which essentially means that we are going to see the development of critical infrastructure, which would help catalyze our development.’’
Felix Kwakye Ofosu Minister of Government Communication
Kwakye Ofosu concluded his remarks by reiterating the need for responsible governance and greater financial accountability.
He argued that Ghana’s economic challenges are largely due to the previous government’s mismanagement and that only under the current President Mahama’s leadership would restore financial discipline and sustainable development.
“We are not inclined to engage in that kind of expenditure,” he said, reaffirming the NDC’s administration commitment to prudent economic management.
His statement serves as a strong critique of the NPP’s governance while positioning the ruling NDC as the party capable of addressing Ghana’s economic and social challenges.
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