The Coalition of Unpaid Nurses and Midwives Ghana has welcomed government plans to begin paying salaries owed to thousands of health workers but says it will remain cautious until the promise is fulfilled.
The group’s convener, Stephen Kwadwo Takyi, reacting to Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh’s announcement, said the coalition appreciates the assurance but insists that only concrete action will restore confidence among affected workers.
“We appreciate the assurance from the Health Minister, but we’ve heard promises before. What we need now is action, not timelines,” Takyi said in an interview with Happy Kaseɛbɔ.
Earlier this week, the Minister revealed that Cabinet has approved the payment of salaries for 6,500 nurses and midwives who have gone nearly ten months without pay. He explained that the government chose to retain the workers despite the expiration of their financial clearance to avoid worsening unemployment in the health sector.
However, Takyi noted that the prolonged delay has already caused serious hardship among members.
“Many of our members have struggled to afford basic necessities, and some have had to abandon their posts due to financial strain. The healthcare system cannot thrive when its backbone, nurses and midwives are neglected,” he added.
The coalition is urging the Ministry of Finance to expedite disbursement and implement structural reforms to prevent future delays in salary payments.
“We will continue to monitor the situation closely. If by November salaries are not paid as promised, we will not hesitate to resume our demonstrations,” Takyi warned.
The group also called for transparency and fairness in the payment process to ensure that all 13,500 affected nurses and midwives are treated equitably.
