The National Chairman of the Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health, Bright Amissah Nyarko, has called on the government to provide a clear outline for the payment structure for the newly announced recruits in the health sector.
The Ministry of Health recently announced plans to recruit 15,200 nurses and midwives, with the recruitment process set to begin on August 5, 2024, following financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance.
Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem, Mr Nyarko stressed the need to ensure these recruits are paid promptly and fairly and cautioned against any actions that might appear politically motivated.
He stressed that, even if the recruitment occurs just before the elections, it would still be a positive development, provided there is a clear plan for their compensation.
Mr. Nyarko highlighted the need for transparency regarding the financial implications of this recruitment, noting concerns about the country’s financial capacity to absorb the new recruits without increasing the wage bill.
“Even if the recruitment were to take place just one day before the elections, it would still be a positive step as these individuals have been unemployed for a considerable period. However, we need assurance regarding the payment of these recruits.
“The government should inform us about the payment structure for the health workers, taking into account the country’s financial circumstances. This will provide us with the assurance that there is room in the wage bill to accommodate the new recruits without adding to our financial burden.
“The lack of clarity in the clearance regarding their allowance is a cause for concern. Giving these individuals hope by employing them and then failing to pay their salaries for the next three months would only add to the existing problem of unpaid debts,” he said.
Mr Amissah Nyarko pointed out that, over a thousand nurses and midwives leave their positions every month, suggesting that replacing these vacancies with new recruits, without exceeding the current wage bill, would be a more sustainable approach.
“Additionally, there are statistics showing that over a thousand nurses and midwives leave their jobs every month. By analyzing these facility-level statistics, we can determine the number of replacements needed.
“Matching the salaries of those leaving with those of the new recruits will not increase the wage bill, which is a more sustainable approach. Adding more people to the payroll would make it difficult to manage allowances,” he added.
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