The Minority in Parliament has urged the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, to swiftly release outstanding payments owed to health professionals, using funds that were already allocated by the previous Akufo-Addo administration.
At a recent press briefing, Mr. Akandoh revealed that Cabinet had granted financial clearance for several categories of health workers, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists.
However, the Ranking Member on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health, and MP for Effiduase-Asokore, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, disputed the Minister’s claims, accusing him of misleading the public about the actual status of the clearance and payment process.
Dr. Afriyie argued that the previous government had already secured the necessary funding, making any new Cabinet approval unnecessary.
“There’s no need for Cabinet to approve anything again. The government must stop pretending there was no clearance, it existed, even if it has now expired. What’s lacking is the political will to act. This mess was created by the current government, and they must take responsibility and fix it now. The money was allocated, so they should pay the health workers without delay,” he stated.
The Minority maintains that the delay in payments has worsened the frustration among health workers, calling on the government to prioritize their welfare and honor its obligations immediately.
