Leadership of the NABCO Trainees Association of Ghana is appealing to the government to make available their eight-month unpaid allowances before YouStart is launched.
According to the Association (NABTAG), there is an ongoing process to enroll a section of the trainees of the Nation Builders Corp (NABCo) onto the yet-to-be launched programme.
The GH¢1-billion programme will be funded with part of the proceeds from the Electronic Transfer Levy (e-levy).
But the National President of NABTAG, Dennic Opoku Katakyie, in a press release on Monday, June 27, said the prevailing conditions involving NABCo trainees’ welfare “do not cast a bright image over our prospect”.
“Since the directive was divulged up until now, trainees have been dutifully reporting to work with no pay for the past eight (8) months, which amounts to a serious National Security threat as a nation.
“We do appreciate the ongoing process aimed at enrolling section of trainees on to the yet-to-be-launched YouStart program, but we are pleading with government to pay the arrears due the disgruntled trainees because we are suffering.
“It does not send the right signal when you have not paid NABCO trainees for the past eight (8) months, which has plunged them into severe hardship, but readying for the launch of YouStart. What positive assurance can that serve to inform the public on the outlook of the YouStart?”
The statement bemoaned how many calls on the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to intervene appear to have fallen on deaf ears.
“The president’s nonchalant attitude over the current situation is disparaging to its lowest point. We have placed several calls on him to intervene, but the issue keeps exacerbating.”
The NABCo trainees poured their hearts out and expressed disappointment that the current state of affairs is not what they were promised.
“3kom de y3n (we are hungry), and we may not live to see the economy bounce back, Mr President.”
By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana