Ghana’s political discourse has, in recent years, been dominated by fiery debates over nursing and teacher trainee allowances.
Politicians have wielded these stipends as campaign weapons, making them central to electoral promises.
Yet, as Bright Simons, Honorary Vice President of IMANI Africa, has pointed out, the actual numbers behind these allowances barely make the headlines.
According to Simons, the government spends roughly $14 million annually on trainee nurses’ allowances and another $20 million on trainee teachers—amounting to a total of about $34 million per year.
Compared to other government expenditures, this figure is relatively modest.
However, what raises eyebrows is how easily this amount is politicized while far more dubious government expenses continue unnoticed.
“This is roughly the same amount of money being paid to the likes of Kelni GVG to supposedly monitor telecom traffic every year. And considerably less than is being paid to the likes of SML to monitor fuel distribution.”
Bright Simons
The problem, however, isn’t just about cost—it’s about value for money. Studies have repeatedly shown that these so-called monitoring programs are conceptually flawed and operationally ineffective.
In other words, the country is throwing millions of dollars into black holes while essential policies like trainee allowances dominate public debates.
The Real Scandal: Apathy Towards Waste
Bright Simons also drew attention to a crucial issue, questioning why trainee allowances spark intense political debates while costly monitoring programs escape similar scrutiny.
He highlighted the stark contrast in public discourse, where trainee allowances become a contentious electoral issue, yet substantial funds allocated to questionable monitoring initiatives fail to provoke the same level of concern or accountability.
Indeed, the sheer level of political energy devoted to allowances compared to wasteful expenditure on dubious contracts is baffling.
If the government is comfortable paying tens of millions annually to companies with little proven impact, why do trainee allowances stir such national outrage? Should there not be equal, if not greater, scrutiny of expenditures that yield no benefit to the state?
The answer may lie in how these policies affect the public. Trainee allowances directly impact a specific group—students in training—who can easily be mobilized.
Their grievances are tangible because the money goes straight into their pockets.
On the other hand, financial mismanagement in government contracts is complex, hidden behind bureaucracy, and affects everyone in an indirect way.
As this situation lacks a clearly identifiable group of victims who can readily mobilize against it, Simons urged citizens to demand greater accountability by posing tougher questions to both policymakers and the public.
“Would there ever be a large enough group of citizens concerned about how politicians spend public money? Large enough to matter, that is?”
Bright Simons
How Do We Make Public Finance a Political Issue?
The challenge, then, is to make issues of public financial management resonate with the ordinary citizen as much as trainee allowances do.
The reason politicians easily get away with questionable contracts is because there isn’t enough public outrage.
There’s no direct emotional connection between the wastage and the people’s everyday struggles.
Until citizens see wasteful expenditure as a direct attack on their livelihoods, nothing will change.
“Why do citizens not seem to care? What should activists do to ‘politicize’ important but seemingly ‘unsexy’ policy issues?”
Bright Simons
To bring financial accountability to the forefront, activists and civil society organizations need to rethink their strategy.
The first step is simplification—breaking down the numbers and demonstrating, in real terms, what those wasted millions could do for the average Ghanaian.
People need to see the alternative—whether it’s better healthcare, improved education, or even a reduction in taxes—before they feel the impact of misused funds.
Furthermore, pressure groups must work towards building constituencies around these financial issues.
Just as trainee nurses and teachers mobilize around their allowances, there must be an organized, vocal, and persistent group championing fiscal responsibility.
Until then, misplaced priorities will continue to dominate Ghana’s political landscape.
Simons’ insights expose a troubling reality: wasteful government expenditures go unchecked while relatively small amounts spent on students stir national controversy.
This imbalance must be addressed, not only by the government but by the citizens who must demand accountability for every cedi spent.
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