By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
More than 6,500 newly recruited nurses and midwives have expressed deep disappointment in the Ministries of Finance and Health for failing to pay their salaries for the past 10 months.
On October 2, the aggrieved health workers staged a demonstration in Accra and presented a petition to both ministries, demanding a clear and definitive timeline for the payment of their arrears.
The protesters, numbering over a hundred on the streets, chanted songs and carried placards to draw attention to what they described as neglect by the state, despite their essential role in the country’s healthcare system.
Receiving the petition on behalf of the Minister of Finance, Deputy Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem acknowledged the grievances of the health workers. He admitted that the salary delays were among several challenges inherited by the current government but assured them of government’s commitment to resolving the issue.
“We are aware of the situation, and we are working around the clock to address it. This challenge is not peculiar to you but is among many we inherited. Government is committed to finding a solution,” Mr Ampem stated.
The group later marched to the Ministry of Health, where they petitioned Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh to provide a concrete payment schedule. However, the Minister told the health workers that the Ministry could not give a clear timeline for when their salaries would be paid, a response that further deepened their frustration.
The unpaid nurses and midwives have since warned that if nothing is done to resolve the issue within a month, they will move their protest to the seat of government, Jubilee House, to demand immediate action. They argue that the continued delay is not only unfair but also undermines their ability to survive, given the rising cost of living.
Salary delays for newly recruited nurses and midwives have been a recurring challenge in Ghana’s public health sector. While the government often cites financial constraints and bureaucratic bottlenecks, the health workers insist that the delays affect morale and the delivery of quality healthcare.
The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has in the past raised concerns about poor conditions of service, warning that persistent salary arrears and neglect could trigger a larger strike across the country.
For many of the affected nurses and midwives, the protest was a last resort to push authorities into action.
