Thousands of rotational nurses and midwives in Ghana are frustrated with the ongoing delays in receiving their service allowances.
Despite working diligently for nearly a year without financial approval, neither the Ministry of Health nor the Ministry of Finance addressed the issue.
Ebenezer Boateng, President of the Rotational Nurses and Midwives Association, expressed profound sadness and dissatisfaction about the lengthy wait, citing the terrible deaths of five colleagues and six others diagnosed with chronic illnesses.
The group demands fast financial clearance, early payment of allowances, prompt postings following rotations, and compensation for affected families.
They have given the Ministries of Health and Finance 14 working days to grant financial clearance and settle any accumulated allowances. The association warned that if their demands were not met, they will take additional action, including going on strike.
Boateng went on to discuss the difficulties that Rotational Nurses encounter as a result of delayed allowance payments. Some nurses have been compelled to work menial tasks, such as running online businesses, to make ends meet.
As a result, many nurses are frequently seen using their cell phones while on duty—not for fun, but out of need to stay in touch with clients and manage their companies.
The Rotational Nurses and Midwives Association of Ghana has also voiced displeasure at being forced to pay for paperwork when their allowances are still owed.
The group is querying the National Service Secretariat (NSS) about the justification for these charges, particularly given that they have not received any service allowances since beginning their national service.
According to the association’s National Women’s Commissioner, Adelaide Boakye Dufie, certain batches of nurses have not received their allowances in over a year.
She demanded clear explanations for why they are being charged for paperwork while awaiting their long-overdue payouts.
