99% of Unpaid Nurses and Midwives Now Fully Paid — Coalition Declares End to Salary Agitation

Accra, Ghana — August 17, 2026: The prolonged salary crisis involving nurses and midwives recruited into Ghana’s public health system appears to be nearing an end, with the Coalition of Unpaid Nurses and Midwives indicating that approximately 99 per cent of its affected members have now received their outstanding payments.

According to Jeffrey Opata, Public Relations Officer of the Coalition of Unpaid Nurses and Midwives, the overwhelming majority of affected health professionals have now been fully paid.

“About 99% of us have been fully paid,” Mr Opata said, adding that the development means there would no longer be the need for a continued coalition of unpaid nurses and midwives.

The statement, made on August 14, 2026, represents a significant development in a dispute that has placed considerable pressure on government authorities over delayed salaries and arrears owed to newly recruited health professionals.

A Dispute That Lasted for Months

The salary controversy dates back to the recruitment of nurses and midwives who began working in public health facilities but, in many cases, went for several months without receiving their salaries.

In 2025, the Coalition of Unpaid Nurses and Midwives, which at the time represented thousands of affected health professionals, publicly demanded the immediate payment of outstanding salaries. Reports from that period indicated that some members had worked for months without receiving their remuneration, despite issues surrounding financial clearance and recruitment.

The situation subsequently escalated, with affected nurses and midwives organising demonstrations and demanding a clear timetable for the settlement of their arrears.

By December 2025, the Coalition had acknowledged receiving a partial payment but maintained that significant arrears remained outstanding. The group said some members had received only one month’s salary after working for almost a year.

Further Controversy Over Salary Arrears

The dispute took another turn in February 2026 when the Coalition raised concerns over what it described as the disappearance of previously validated salary arrears from some members’ government payment vouchers.

The Coalition alleged that arrears which had repeatedly appeared on the government payroll system were no longer reflected on some payment vouchers, despite the affected workers allegedly not having received the money.

The group subsequently called for an investigation and demanded that any legitimately outstanding arrears be restored and paid.

Government Payment Plan

The government later announced a structured payment arrangement intended to clear the outstanding arrears.

According to a February 2026 report on the government’s plan, affected nurses and midwives were expected to receive their arrears in instalments, beginning with two months in April, followed by three months in May, three months in June and three months in July. The plan was intended to settle the accumulated arrears by the end of the payment schedule.

By April 2026, the Ministry of Health had confirmed the payment of two months of arrears, while the Coalition expressed relief and hope that the remaining payments would follow the agreed schedule.

99% Paid, According to Coalition

Against this background, Mr Opata’s latest statement suggests that the payment process has now reached a decisive stage.

The Coalition’s assertion that approximately 99 per cent of its members have been fully paid would represent a dramatic change from the situation that existed in 2025, when thousands of nurses and midwives were demanding payment for months of work.

If the figure is confirmed by the relevant government authorities and payroll records, it would effectively bring the Coalition’s central campaign — securing payment for affected nurses and midwives — to an end.

However, the remaining one per cent remains important. Even a relatively small number of unpaid health professionals could still face serious financial difficulties if their salaries or arrears remain outstanding.

The latest declaration therefore shifts attention from the broader campaign to the resolution of any individual outstanding cases.

Relief for Health Workers

The development is expected to provide considerable relief to nurses and midwives who endured prolonged periods without regular salaries while continuing to provide healthcare services.

The dispute had previously raised concerns about the financial and personal pressures facing affected health workers, with reports highlighting difficulties associated with rent, transportation, family responsibilities and other basic expenses.

The Coalition’s latest position could therefore mark the conclusion of one of the more prolonged salary disputes involving newly recruited health professionals in Ghana in recent years.

For now, however, the 99 per cent payment figure remains a claim attributed to the Coalition, and official confirmation from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance or Controller and Accountant-General’s Department would provide the clearest independent verification of the extent to which the arrears have been fully settled.

Key Takeaway

The Coalition of Unpaid Nurses and Midwives says approximately 99 per cent of its members have now been fully paid, signalling a possible end to the campaign over unpaid salaries. The development follows months of protests, public pressure, partial payments and a government-backed instalment plan designed to clear accumulated arrears.

The remaining challenge is to ensure that every genuinely affected nurse and midwife receives all outstanding salaries and that no legitimate arrears remain unresolved.