.…Goes 2 months without pay
Over 1700 government interns in the country are struggling to make ends meet after going two months of their internship period without receiving their monthly allowances.
The interns, who rely on the monthly allowance of K80,000, had not received their stipends for March and April.
“We ended up borrowing money, hoping that the government would pay us our money amounting to K160,000 each, but until now, we haven’t received it,” said one of the interns.
However, in a surprise turn of events, the interns received their pay for June, but nothing for the preceding months.
“We are relieved to have received something, but we are still owed for March and April,” said another intern.
The Graduate Internship Programme (GIP), launched in 2018, aims to provide work-integrated experience to graduates under 35.
However, the programme has been plagued by payment delays, leaving interns in a state of limbo, without clear guidance or support.
“We rely on that money for transportation to and from work, accommodation, and other basic needs. The allowance is already small; why are they failing to give us that money?” lamented another intern.
As we went to press, authorities were unavailable to comment on the matter.
The situation has left many wondering if the government is committed to supporting the youth’s employability and skills development.
