The Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Hon. Dr. Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo, has assured that all outstanding salaries owed to nurses, teachers, and junior doctors will be paid before the end of the year.
Speaking after a series of protests by nurses, teachers, and junior doctors who claim to have worked for nearly a year without pay, Hon. Dr. Pelpuo said the government is determined to correct the situation.
Noting that the Finance Ministry is already addressing the issue to ensure that no worker is dismissed as a result of the delay, he added that the administration of President John Dramani Mahama has taken decisive steps to clear the arrears and prevent further hardship among the affected groups.
“The government has decided to look into their case and respond to ensure that they are not laid off but are working. Before the end of the year, they will be responded to comprehensively, and nobody is going to go home saying they are not paid”
Hon. Dr. Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo, Minister for Employment and Labour Relations
The Labour Minister attributed the prolonged salary arrears to what he described as “reckless recruitment practices” under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, which, according to him, hired thousands of workers without proper financial clearance or budgetary allocations.
“It has become the DNA of the NPP party. When former President Kufuor was leaving, he signed a salary scheme that was very difficult for the late President Mills to handle. This time again, when they were leaving, they picked people all over the place, and it is something we are now responding to”
Hon. Dr. Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo, Minister for Employment and Labour Relations
He explained that the previous administration recruited more than 12,000 people into the public sector after losing the 2024 elections, without making any provision for their salaries. “Where did they think the money would have come from?” he asked.
According to Hon. Dr. Pelpuo, the situation was worsened by the three-month transitional budget handed over to the Mahama administration, which he noted failed to include any allocations for the newly hired workers. “There is a fiscal basket that contains everything, but it did not include any effort to pay these people,” he observed.
Finance Ministry Taking Action
The Employment Minister expressed confidence in the Finance Ministry’s efforts to resolve the matter soon, referencing the active consultations that have been held with the Finance Minister, Hon. Cassiel Ato Forson, who has committed to settling the wage arrears before the end of the year.
“I cannot give a specific date at this moment but I am very confident that before long, he will resolve it,” he said, adding that the government is committed to fairness in handling the delayed salaries and its effect on the people.
He reiterated that the delay, while regrettable, was not a result of neglect but a fiscal burden inherited from the past administration.
“People were engaged to work without due process. For you to work and be paid, you need clearance to show that there is money in the account and that your employment has been approved. That didn’t happen in this respect”
Hon. Dr. Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo, Minister for Employment and Labour Relations
Hon. Dr. Pelpuo said the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations is collaborating closely with relevant agencies to ensure that all affected teachers, nurses, and junior doctors receive their salaries in full. He assured that their grievances have been prioritised and will be resolved within the promised timeframe.
The assurance comes amid growing frustration within Ghana’s health and education sectors, with several professional associations warning of possible industrial actions if the salary arrears are not cleared soon.
Hon. Dr. Pelpuo, however, urged calm, insisting that the government is fully committed to restoring normalcy.
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