John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has unveiled a novel proposal aimed at addressing unemployment among health workers, particularly nurses, in Ghana. During his tour of the Savannah Region, Mahama outlined plans to export nurses to other countries as a strategic solution to combat unemployment in the healthcare sector.
Mahama argued that deploying nurses abroad would be a more viable alternative to leaving them jobless within Ghana’s borders. He emphasized the importance of ensuring that nurses are gainfully employed upon completing their education, highlighting the need for proactive measures to address unemployment challenges in the healthcare profession.
To operationalize this initiative, Mahama proposed the establishment of a specialized unit within the Ministry of Employment tasked with recruiting nurses meeting the requisite standards for international deployment. He underscored the importance of maintaining high standards to ensure that Ghanaian nurses are well-equipped to serve in international healthcare settings.
“We want to increase the production of health workers and nurses and we will employ them to work for us as many as we can but at the same time, we will sign agreements with other countries where we can post our nurses to go and work on fixed contracts,” Mahama stated.
Under Mahama’s proposed framework, the dedicated unit within the Ministry of Employment would oversee the recruitment process, ensuring that nurses selected for overseas deployment meet the necessary qualifications and standards expected in international hospitals.
The proposal signifies Mahama’s commitment to exploring innovative solutions to address unemployment issues while simultaneously leveraging Ghana’s skilled workforce to meet global demand for healthcare professionals.
As discussions surrounding Mahama’s proposal unfold, stakeholders are expected to assess the feasibility and implications of exporting nurses as a means of reducing unemployment and enhancing opportunities for Ghanaian healthcare workers on both domestic and international fronts.
