The Public Relations Officer for the Coalition of Unpaid Nurses and Midwives, Jeffery Nartey, has dismissed rumors suggesting that all outstanding salaries owed to newly posted nurses and midwives have been paid.
Speaking Aluta FM’s Anopa Koko with Agyaba Kwaku, Mr. Nartey explained that although some payments were made recently, they covered only the month of November, leaving 11 months of unpaid salaries still outstanding.
According to him, members of the coalition worked for a full year but received payment for just one month after staging a demonstration against the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance.
He stated that the demonstration compelled the Ministry of Finance to issue a clearance for the payment of only last month’s salary.
“It is true if you heard that they have paid us, but it was just November’s payment. We worked for 12 months but were paid for only last month,” he said.
Mr. Nartey added that although the Ministry provided a timeline for the November payment, no further communication has been made regarding when the remaining arrears will be settled.
He emphasized the severe hardship members are facing:
“If I say we are hungry, then I mean it. The one-month salary we received has already been used to settle debts and pay people we borrowed from. Nothing is left.”
He revealed that from December last year up to January this year and beyond, the only salary they have received is that of last month. He stressed that the coalition issued a press release to clarify misinformation and alert the public that claims of full payment are untrue.
“They promised to pay the remaining 11 months, but we’ve not heard anything – it is why we issued a press release to tell the good people of Ghana that if they hear anywhere that we’ve been paid, it’s not true.”
The Coalition is calling on authorities to honour their promises and release the remaining salaries to alleviate the financial distress faced by the affected nurses and midwives.
