The Coalition of Unpaid Nurses and Midwives Association Ghana has issued a scathing indictment of the government, revealing that thousands of its members have worked for a full year without receiving their salaries.
They described the situation as forcing them into inhumane living conditions and profound distress.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, December 15, 2025, Stephen K. Takyiah, President of the Coalition, demanded immediate communication and full payment of their accumulated arrears.
“We stand before you today not as agitators, but as tired, frustrated, and deeply wounded health professionals who have served this country faithfully for a whole year without our salaries,” Mr. Takyiah stated.
He explained that after 12 months of dedicated service in hospitals, attending to emergencies and caring for the sick, the majority of affected members have received only one month’s salary—“we mean one month out of twelve months.”
Mr. Takyiah highlighted the dire situation of approximately 300 members who have not received even one month’s salary, noting that their fate remains uncertain, especially as their extended financial clearance is set to expire on December 31, 2025.
This situation, he said, is further compounded by the fact that over 7,000 of their colleagues, who began receiving salaries in April 2025, have had all their arrears paid in full, leaving 6,261 nurses and midwives completely abandoned.
He described the partial payment to some as a deceptive action that brought nothing but heartbreak and shattered hope.
The impact on the unpaid professionals has been severe.
“Our rents expired this month, and many of us are facing eviction. We go to work on empty stomachs, unable to afford even basic meals… We walk long distances to our facilities because we cannot afford transportation. We are sinking in debt, borrowing just to survive. And worst of all, we are battling depression, disgrace, and psychological distress from doing full-time work with no pay.”
The Ministry of Health, according to Mr. Takyiah, promised to release a payment plan after the November salary but has since maintained “weeks of complete silence.”
“This is not just unfair, it is inhumane. This is not just a delay; it is a betrayal. And this is not just our burden, it is a national crisis affecting the very foundation of Ghana’s health system,” he decried.
