President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the Ministry of Health will reopen its recruitment portal to recruit 16,000 nurses in two phases as part of efforts to reduce the backlog of qualified health professionals awaiting posting.
The recruitment exercise will be conducted in two batches of 8,000 nurses each, with the first phase expected to begin once the Ministry opens the recruitment portal for applications.
President Mahama made the announcement during a durbar on the Free Primary Health Care Programme in Ho on Thursday, July 16, 2026, as part of his working tour of the Volta Region.
According to the President, the recruitment forms part of government’s broader commitment to strengthening Ghana’s healthcare system while improving employment opportunities for trained nurses.
“I have told the Minister 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.
“Right now, we’re giving him clearance to open the portal to absorb 16,000 nurses in two batches. The first batch is 8,000 and the second batch is 8,000, so that by the time my daughters and sons who are waiting to complete their training are ready, there will be a shorter queue before they are posted,” he added.
The President reaffirmed government’s commitment to improving the conditions of service for health workers as the country’s economic performance continues to strengthen.
He commended nurses and other healthcare professionals for their dedication to patient care, describing them as one of Ghana’s most valuable professional groups because they serve people during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
Quoting nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale, President Mahama urged health workers to continue providing compassionate care despite the pressures of their profession.
“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 said.
Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh also announced that the Ministry is considering new incentive packages to encourage more health professionals to accept postings to underserved and rural communities.
Among the proposals under consideration is a policy that would allow health workers who accept rural postings to receive promotions ahead of colleagues serving in urban areas.
“We are considering promoting health professionals who accept postings to rural areas more quickly than those in the cities,” Mr Akandoh said.
He further disclosed that the Ministry has introduced post-basic nursing programmes in specialised areas such as oncology and critical care nursing to strengthen the skills of health professionals and improve specialised healthcare delivery.
Mr Akandoh also revealed that 32 scholarships have been awarded to support PhD studies for health professionals, describing the initiative as part of government’s long-term strategy to build a highly skilled healthcare workforce capable of meeting the country’s growing health needs.
Source: Wesleyannews.com
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