I’d rather lose the election than restore teacher trainee allowance – Ghana's President John Mahama

John Mahama President of the Republic of Ghana describe as partisan the call for his administration to restore the teacher trainee allowance which he strap.

He says he would choose to risk his second term bid on grounds of principles than on petty politicking which he blames his opponents for doing.

“For partisan politics purposes you have your political opponent come and say when we come back we will restore trainee allowances to colleges of education. For me it is better to lose the election on principle than win it on falsehood,” he said.

He made these remarks on Wednesday when he addressed students and faculty heads of the University of Cape Coast in the Central Region as part of his campaign tour ahead of the general election.

Government's decision to scrap teacher trainee allowance and replace it with the student loan has been heavily criticized but the President is unperturbed by the situation and has called their bluff.

Teacher Trainee Association of Ghana (TTAG), the mother association of trainee teachers, vented its spleen on government when its members hit the street on March 24 demonstrating over the decision.

They have threatened to vote for the flag bearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who has promised to restore the allowance when voted for.

Agitations have been building up but reacting for the first time on the matter, President Mahama says he would not shift grounds even if the decision cost him the December polls.

He says the decision to scrap the allowance was carefully thought out and is in the larger interest of the students.

“I believe this is equitable, it is a matter of social justice, and it opens more opportunities to young Ghanaians who want to change the profession,” he said.

However, according to their executives, “The trainees are positioning themselves well to do whatever it takes to get their allowance restored,” he said.

They explained the Student Loan Trust Fund which replaced their allowance has been inaccessible to many students due to the stringent conditions adding that the money given under the Fund is peanut and unable to help the teachers meet their academic needs.