NABCo Personnel Threaten Another Demo Over Unpaid Allowances

Beneficiaries of the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) are planning a demonstration should their meeting with the government fail to yield positive results. The group had protested over the non-payment of their six months allowances in February, which prompted the payment of two months’ arrears. But they are now asking for the

remaining four months to be paid by the government. In an interview, the Patron of the Coalition of the NABCO beneficiaries, Nana Barimah, indicated that the coalition will meet with the government over the issue. He said the board was holding onto the pledges made by the government in the matter. After we ended the contract,

the government again assured NABCo trainees that our funds are secured, so with respect to the government being bankrupt or not being bankrupt, we aren't looking at that. We are only holding onto the government’s testimony and the government’s assurance that our funds are secured, Mr. Barimah said. He added that the

trainees will also pursue dialogue before opting for the second demonstration this year. In the week ahead, we are going to petition the government as to when they will be paid. If we don’t hear anything convincing, we will try to stage another demonstration. In November 2021, the NABCo secretariat too then admitted to some

challenges with persons who had for several months not received their allowances and said it had prioritised payment of those allowances to those who were owed about two months’ allowance. It however also gave assurances that the payment to all trainees is being made and would soon reflect in the beneficiaries’

accounts. The programme ended in the October 2021 though trainees were also asked to keep working. The government had indicated, during the presentation of the 2022 budget, that the YouStart programme and a Digital inclusion program would gradually absorb the remaining NABCO trainees. NABCo was introduced by the Akufo-Addo led administration in 2017 as part of a job creation plan.