The Institute of Economic Research and Public Policy (IERPP) has made the point that the government has no excuse not to pay the nurses from the 2025 budget statement.
A Fellow at IERPP, Dr Frank Bannor, stated that the NDC government allotted a whopping Ghc3.82 billion to the Presidency (Office of Government machinery) in the 2025 budget, an increase of about 105% compared to the Ghc1.86 billion same time in 2024 under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.
From the above figures, Dr Bannor said it will therefore be disingenuous for anyone, including the government, to say that nurses can not be paid because they were not factored into the 2025 budget.
“The figures only show the priorities and interests of the Mahama-led government! There’s money at the treasury! Pay the nurses and junior doctors!” Dr Bannor said in a short statement.
His comments come at a time when the Coalition of Unpaid Nurses and Midwives on Thursday, October 2, staged a protest in Accra to demand the payment of salaries for nearly 7,000 health workers who have been working without pay for close to 10 months.
The demonstration started at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park before the protesters marched through the capital and later gathered at the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health, where petitions were presented.
The group explained that they received official postings in December 2024 after financial clearance was granted.
While about 6,500 of their colleagues were paid in April 2025, thousands remain without salaries despite repeated appeals.
Convener of the coalition, Stephen Kwadwo Takyiah, said the continuous delay was unacceptable and demoralising.
“While some 6,500 colleagues have been paid since April 2025, the delay in settling the arrears of the rest is crippling the delivery of quality healthcare across the country,” he said.
Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Ampem Nyarko assured the Coalition of Unpaid Nurses and Midwives that their outstanding salaries will be captured in the next budget presentation.
“The message I give them is what I’m giving to you: that your issue is being addressed. We have inherited numerous legacy challenges, and we are working diligently to address them all. In the next month or so, the Finance Minister will be in Parliament to present a new budget. Issues of health workers who have not been paid, not just you, there are even some doctors and others, are seriously being considered, and you are going to receive your salary,” he stated after receiving a petition from the nurses.
The Deputy Minister also expressed gratitude to the nurses and midwives for their service, while apologising for the delay.
“We appreciate the work that you do for Ghana, and I’m sorry for those of you who are not even well, but have had to walk all the way here to present this petition. It will be given the needed urgent attention, as you have stated, and you’ll hear back from us,” he added.
