Dozens of nurses and midwives, organized under the Coalition of Unpaid Nurses and Midwives, Ghana, took to the streets to protest the non-payment of up to ten months of salary arrears. The protest began with approximately 50 members converging on the Efua Sutherland Park, clad in their uniforms and red armbands, representing an estimated 6,500 health professionals affected by the delay. The protestors displayed placards with strong messages, including “Pay us now,” “We are dying of hunger,” and “We are nurses, not slaves,” highlighting the severe personal impact of the unpaid wages.
One nurse, identified as Jaqueline, expressed the difficult irony of their situation, stating that they could not afford to eat healthily themselves while advising patients on nutrition. Another anonymous nurse voiced frustration, saying, “We are tired, we voted for change, we didn’t vote to suffer.” The coalition, led by Convenor Stephen Kwadwo Takyiah, formally presented petitions to both the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health. Takyiah read excerpts of the petition, which countered the government’s reported reasons for the delay—budgetary constraints and the expiration of financial clearance—by asserting that it was unacceptable for duly recruited professionals with official clearances to be grouped with payroll irregularities.
The coalition demanded that the government allocate budgetary provision to clear the accumulated salaries, communicate a clear timeline for payment, and establish transparent collaboration between the two ministries to prevent future delays. Receiving the petition on behalf of his Minister, Deputy Minister of Finance Thomas Ampem Nyarko assured the group that the arrears would be factored into the next budget. Separately, Minister of Health Kwabena Mintah Akandoh stated his ministry would meet with the Ministry of Finance to resolve the issue. However, Mr. Takyiah later told the Daily Graphic that the coalition was not satisfied with either response and confirmed the group would meet with the remaining members to decide on their next course of action.
Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
