Mahama directs health minister to re-open recruitment portal for nurses to clear backlog

President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the Ministry of Health will reopen its recruitment portal to employ 16,000 qualified nurses in two phases as part of efforts to reduce the backlog of trained professionals awaiting posting.

Under the arrangement, the recruitment exercise will be conducted in two batches of 8,000 nurses each, providing employment opportunities for thousands of qualified nurses across the country.

The President made the announcement on Thursday, July 16, 2026, during a durbar on the government's Free Primary Health Care Programme in Ho as part of his working tour of the Volta Region.

He assured health workers that the government remained committed to improving their welfare as the country's economic situation strengthened.

"... I have told the minister [of heath] that as the economy gets better, we'll continue to improve your conditions of service so that you are encouraged to do what you have to do."

President Mahama said the decision to recruit the additional nurses had already been approved.

"Right now, we're giving him clearance to open the portal to absorb 16,000 nurses in two batches. First batch is 8,000, the second batch is 8,000, so that by the time my daughters and sons who are waiting to complete their training, there will be a shorter queue before they are posted," he said.

The President commended nurses and other healthcare professionals for their dedication to patient care, describing them as one of the country's most vital professional groups because they support people during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

Drawing inspiration from Florence Nightingale, he encouraged health workers to continue showing compassion and professionalism despite the challenges they encounter in their line of duty.

"When you get to work, you must put all that aside because psychiatrists and psychologists will tell you that healing is to do with the mind. If the mind accepts that the body will heal, then the body heals quicker," he stated.

Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, also disclosed that the ministry was considering new incentives to encourage health professionals to accept postings to underserved and rural communities.

According to him, one proposal being considered is to grant faster promotions to health workers who choose to serve in rural areas instead of urban centres.

"We are considering looking at promoting health professionals who accept postings to the rural areas quicker than those in the cities," Mr Akandoh said.

He further revealed that the ministry had expanded opportunities for professional development by introducing post-basic nursing programmes in specialised disciplines, including oncology and critical care nursing, to strengthen the country's healthcare workforce.

Mr Akandoh added that 32 scholarships had been awarded to support PhD training for health professionals pursuing specialised studies, as part of efforts to build advanced expertise within Ghana's health sector.