A coalition of unpaid nurses and midwives operating under the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has issued a strong demand for the immediate payment of salary arrears, describing their situation as cruel, demoralising and dangerous to the future of patient care in Ghana’s public health system.
The group says its members worked continuously for twelve months across public hospitals and health facilities nationwide but have been paid for only one month.
According to the coalition, the partial payment does not come close to settling what is owed and fails to recognise the sacrifices made by frontline health workers who remained at post despite financial hardship.
In a strongly worded statement, the nurses and midwives said they worked day and night, attending to emergencies and sustaining healthcare delivery at a time when staffing shortages remain a major challenge. “We helped keep Ghana’s health system alive, yet out of twelve months of work, we have been paid just one month’s salary,” the statement said.
Leader of the coalition, Stephen Takyiah, described the situation as deeply painful and unjust. He said morale among affected nurses and midwives has been severely damaged, warning that continued neglect could undermine the quality of care patients receive.
According to him, financial stress has become a daily burden for workers who are still expected to perform at the highest professional standards. The coalition further disclosed that about 300 of its members have not received even a single month’s salary, leaving their employment status uncertain.
This concern is heightened by the fact that the extended financial clearance covering their recruitment is due to expire on December 31, 2025. The group fears that without urgent intervention, these workers could be left entirely unpaid and potentially excluded from future compensation arrangements.
“The saddest part is that about 300 of our members did not receive even the one-month salary and their fate is not known, since the extended financial clearance expires on 31st December, 2025. This uncertainty is frightening for nurses and midwives who have already endured months of hardship.”
Leader of the coalition, Stephen Takyiah
Selective Payment
The group also raised concerns about what it described as selective payment and unequal treatment among nurses recruited within the same period. According to the coalition, more than 7,000 nurses and midwives who began receiving salaries in April 2025 have since been paid all their arrears in full.
In contrast, 6,261 others, who they say fall under the same recruitment framework, have allegedly been abandoned. Some members of the coalition claim they were validated in November to receive full arrears, raising expectations that the long wait was finally over.
However, they say they were instead paid just one month’s salary, an outcome they described as deceptive and emotionally devastating. “This action gave us nothing but heartbreak and shattered hope,” the statement said.
The unpaid nurses and midwives accused the Ministry of Health of failing to honour its promise to publish a clear and transparent payment plan after the November salary. They insisted that weeks have passed without any formal communication, leaving affected workers in the dark about when, or if, their arrears will be settled.
“What we have received instead is a misleading press release claiming that we have all been paid, when the reality on the ground is the exact opposite,” the coalition said. The group described the situation as unfair and inhumane, warning that persistent silence from authorities could have serious consequences for the health sector.
According to the coalition, demoralised health workers struggling to meet basic living expenses cannot be expected to consistently deliver quality care. While members say they remain committed to their professional duties, they argue that commitment alone cannot replace fair wages and respect for labour.
Correcting the Wrong
The group is calling on the government, particularly the Ministries of Health and Finance, to urgently engage them, correct what they describe as misinformation in the public domain, and ensure the full payment of all outstanding arrears.
“We demand immediate communication and full payment of our accumulated arrears. We demand fairness, transparency, and respect for our labour and our dignity. We have served Ghana faithfully. It is time for Ghana to do the same for us.”
Leader of the coalition, Stephen Takyiah
The demands come amid official assurances from the Ministry of Health that progress is being made in addressing salary challenges. On December 3, 2025, the Ministry announced the successful payment of salaries to over 6,000 newly recruited nurses across the country, describing it as part of efforts to strengthen the national health workforce and improve service delivery.
The statement, signed by Tony Goodman, Head of Health Training Institutions and spokesperson for the Ministry, said the payments formed part of a broader recruitment of 13,500 nurses nationwide.
However, the coalition insisted that the announcement does not reflect the lived reality of thousands of nurses and midwives still waiting for their arrears. They argue that without immediate corrective action, the credibility of government commitments to health workers risks being severely undermined.
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