The Coalition of Hygiene Students and Unposted Graduates, representing the 2021-2024 batch of hygiene students, has taken drastic action to demand their long-overdue allowances and employment.
In a bold move, the group has laid their beds at the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, signaling their intent to stay there until the government addresses their pressing concerns.
The protesters, who are frustrated after waiting for more than two years, claim that the Ministry has failed to submit the necessary paperwork to the Ministry of Finance for the disbursement of their allowances. This has left them in financial hardship, with many struggling to make ends meet.
“We are not moving a foot from here if the government does not employ us and pay us our over two years of arrears owed to us,” said one of the protesters.
The coalition has voiced its disappointment over the repeated delays in securing financial clearance for their postings.
Despite the urgent need for public health and sanitation professionals in communities across the country, thousands of qualified graduates remain unposted, further exacerbating the gap in sanitation and public health expertise.
In addition to the unposted graduates, the coalition highlighted a two-year backlog of unpaid student allowances, which they say is placing severe financial strain on current students. Some students are reportedly at risk of dropping out due to the lack of financial support.
The allowances are critical for the students, helping them to support themselves while completing their training and preparing to serve in Ghana’s public health sector.
“Our demands are clear,” the coalition stated, calling for immediate financial clearance for postings and the release of their overdue allowances. They warned that they will continue their protest at the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources until their concerns are addressed.
The Coalition is now calling for immediate intervention from the government to resolve the issues and ensure the prompt posting of graduates. Without urgent action, they warn that the sanitation and public health sectors will continue to suffer from a lack of qualified professionals.
