Over 300 enrolled nurses from Ghana’s 2020-year group have been dealt a devastating blow as their four-year wait for employment culminates in shattered hopes. These nurses, who passed their licensure examinations and secured Professional Identification Numbers (PIN) in 2020, have faced prolonged unemployment, despite repeated assurances from the Ghana Health Service about recruitment opportunities.
Their frustrations peaked when they assembled at the Greater Accra Regional Health Directorate, expecting long-overdue job placements. Instead, they were informed that only 30 nurses would be recruited, with the region’s total quota capped at just 122 slots. The selected nurses are set to be posted to the Ada East and West districts, where a severe shortage of healthcare workers persists.
For the remaining nurses, this announcement felt like a cruel twist. Many had endured sleepless nights at the directorate, clinging to the hope of finally securing jobs. Veronica Anokye, one of the affected nurses, expressed her dismay: “We thought today would mark the end of our four-year joblessness, but instead, our situation has worsened.”
A senior official at the directorate attributed the limited recruitment to strict quotas set by the Ghana Health Service, which allocated 92 slots for other nursing categories such as midwives and general nursing officers.
This troubling development underscores the persistent challenges in Ghana’s healthcare sector, including inadequate employment opportunities for qualified nurses and imbalances in workforce distribution. The affected nurses continue to plead with authorities to address the crisis and fulfill promises of employment.
