The Government of Ghana has officially dispatched the first batch of 123 nurses under the Labour Export Program, a flagship intervention aimed at expanding employment opportunities for trained but unemployed professionals.
The initiative forms part of a broader strategy by President John Dramani Mahama to address joblessness while positioning Ghana as a reliable source of skilled labour for partner countries.
Speaking at the dispatch ceremony, Minister for Health Hon Kwabena Mintah Akandoh said the programme reflects government’s commitment to practical job creation, particularly within the health sector.
He explained that Ghana currently has a large pool of qualified health professionals who are not in active service, largely due to financial constraints facing the state.
According to the Health Minister, government inherited a backlog of more than 80,000 trained health workers who have completed various levels of education but remain unemployed. He described the situation as a national challenge that requires innovative solutions beyond conventional public sector recruitment.
“The Ghana Labour Exchange Programme is one of the interventions by His Excellency the President to create more jobs for the good people of this country, and today is the turn of the health workers”.
Minister for Health Hon Kwabena Mintah Akandoh
He noted that while government continues to absorb health professionals into local facilities, the national budget cannot accommodate all qualified workers at once. The first group of 123 nurses has been deployed to Antigua following a formal request from the Caribbean nation.
“Today is about Antigua. We are working on Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad, and we will be doing that in batches. We are here to say goodbye to you, but we will be following your progress with keen interest.”
Minister for Health Hon Kwabena Mintah Akandoh
The Health Minister urged the nurses to uphold professionalism and diligence as they begin their international assignments, reminding them that they would be ambassadors of Ghana. He encouraged them to demonstrate the competence and discipline that Ghanaian health workers are known for.
Hon. Akandoh also addressed public concerns about the apparent contradiction between deploying nurses abroad and reports of shortages in some health facilities at home. He insisted that the issue is not a lack of trained professionals but limited fiscal space to employ all qualified workers simultaneously.
“The availability of health professionals in this country is not a problem. We have inherited about 80,000 health professionals who are not in active service. At every point in time, our budget can absorb only a certain proportion of them.”
Minister for Health Hon Kwabena Mintah Akandoh
He explained that government is pursuing a dual approach by recruiting health workers domestically while also exploring international employment opportunities that benefit both the workers and the country. According to him, those remaining at home should remain hopeful as additional opportunities will be created over time.
Transparent Selection Process
Minister of State for Special Initiatives and Member of Parliament for Nkoranza South, Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum, provided further insight into the recruitment and selection process. He said government publicly invited applications from health professionals with a minimum of three to five years of work experience.
Applicants, he explained, underwent a rigorous two stage interview process. The first phase was conducted locally, while the second was handled by officials from Antigua. Only candidates who met all professional and ethical requirements were selected for deployment.
Responding to concerns about whether the nurses would return after their overseas assignments, Hon. Agyekum gave firm assurances that the arrangement is temporary and structured. He noted that the nurses are on fixed three year contracts with clear terms governing renewal or return.
“They will definitely come back. They have only a three year contract. Once they finish, if they want to continue, they will renew it. If they do not want, they have to come back home.”
Minister of State for Special Initiatives Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum
He added that the core objective of the program is skills exchange and professional development, enabling participants to gain international experience and later apply it within Ghana’s health system.
“Our idea is to exchange skills and let them have some kind of experience to bring back home. We strongly believe that all these nurses going to Antigua will return to Ghana.”
Minister of State for Special Initiatives Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum
Government officials say the Labour Export Program is expected to ease unemployment pressures, strengthen bilateral relations, and enhance the global competitiveness of Ghanaian professionals.
As additional batches are prepared for deployment, authorities insist the initiative will be carefully managed to protect national interests while expanding opportunities for citizens.
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