Former nurses' PRO blasts government over new hiring plan

A former Spokesperson for the Ghana Nurse-Midwife Trainees’ Association (GNMTA), Akugri Gadafi-Avokbil, has criticised the government’s newly announced recruitment strategy for health professionals, describing it as a potential avenue for corruption and political favouritism.

Akugri, who is also a leading member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Pro-Forum for Nurses and Midwives, expressed concerns that the decentralised recruitment process could disadvantage qualified nurses, particularly those from rural and less-connected backgrounds.

Speaking in an interview on April 6, 2026, he acknowledged the government’s intention to recruit unemployed nurses but faulted the lack of specificity regarding which year groups are eligible.

According to him, previous recruitment exercises were more structured, with clear communication on which batch of nurses was being considered.

“This is not going to help the government, it is not going to help the nurses and it is not going to help the party…If we are going to recruit nurses, we should make public the year group that is going to be recruited,” he stated.

He noted that currently, multiple batches ranging from 2021 to 2025 remain unemployed, making an open application system problematic.

Akugri warned that allowing applicants to apply directly at the district levels without clear guidelines could lead to favouritism.

He further argued that individuals with connections to district directors or influential figures may gain unfair advantage, while others, especially those in rural areas, could be excluded.

“If we are going to recruit nurses, we should make public the year group that is going to be recruited… as we speak, we have the 2021 batch at home and even a referral batch of 2020.

“You know very well you cannot recruit all the five batches, so it will end up being who you know. And it is going to be an avenue to recruit party boys. Those who cannot go to Accra or reach district directors will be denied the opportunity,” he cautioned.

He further claimed that a similar approach attempted in 2018–2019 was resisted, leading to a revised system that ensured fairness by targeting specific year groups.

As a solution, Akugri proposed a fully online, transparent recruitment system managed through a central portal.

He suggested that the government should clearly state the specific year group being recruited, beginning with the 2021 batch, adding that districts with vacancies should then publish them online.

He also indicated that applicants should independently select preferred districts based on availability.

He emphasised that such a system would reduce human interferences and ensure equal opportunities for all eligible persons.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has announced the commencement of a nationwide recruitment of health professionals, set to begin on April 16, 2026, following the granting of financial clearance from the government.

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In a statement issued on April 2, the ministry indicated that the exercise would be decentralised and conducted at the district level.

“Recruitment will be decentralised and conducted at the district level based on verified vacancies,” the statement noted.

The ministry assured that the process would be competitive, transparent, and guided by an approved quota system across all cadres and year groups, within budgetary limits.

It also urged applicants to rely only on official communication channels for accurate information.

The ministry added that the financial clearance for the exercise is valid until December 31, 2026, within which all recruitment activities must be completed.

AM/AE

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