Unpaid Nurses, Midwives Demand Immediate Payment of 11 Months’ Salary Arrears
A coalition of unpaid nurses and midwives under the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has called on government to immediately pay outstanding salary arrears, after receiving just one month’s salary for nearly a year’s work.
The group says its members worked continuously for 12 months in public health facilities across the country but were paid for only one month, a situation they describe as cruel, demoralising, and damaging to patient care.
In a strongly worded statement, the coalition accused the Ministry of Health of broken promises, selective payments, and poor communication, warning that the continued neglect of frontline health workers could undermine Ghana’s healthcare system.
According to the leader of the coalition, Stephen Takyiah, the single-month payment does not reflect the sacrifices nurses and midwives made while working day and night, attending to emergencies and sustaining health services nationwide.
The group further revealed that about 300 nurses and midwives have not received any salary at all, leaving their employment status uncertain as the extended financial clearance for their recruitment is set to expire on December 31, 2025.
They also expressed frustration that while over 7,000 nurses and midwives who began receiving salaries in April 2025 have been fully paid their arrears, another 6,261 workers have been left behind. Some members, they said, were even validated to receive full arrears in November but were paid only one month’s salary instead.
The coalition accused the Ministry of Health of failing to honour its promise to publish a clear payment plan after the November salary and criticised what it described as a misleading press release claiming that all arrears had been settled.
Calling the situation unfair and inhumane, the unpaid nurses and midwives warned that prolonged financial hardship among health workers could have serious consequences for healthcare delivery.
They are demanding immediate engagement from both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance, transparent communication, and full payment of all accumulated salary arrears.
“We have served Ghana faithfully,” the group said. “It is time for Ghana to do the same for us.”
