Labour consultant Austin Gamey has addressed the escalating dispute surrounding months of unpaid salary arrears owed to nurses and midwives in public health facilities across Ghana. Amid growing agitation from a coalition of nurses and midwives under the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), who report working for nearly a year while receiving pay for only one month, Mr. Gamey has urged restraint and confidence in the government's capacity to resolve the issue. The group describes their situation as cruel, demoralizing, and detrimental to patient care, accusing the Health Ministry of broken promises and selective payments, and warning of weakening morale and potential impact on national healthcare quality.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express, Mr. Gamey emphasized that the problem should not be solely attributed to a lack of funds, asserting that it has now become a clear governmental obligation. Drawing on his own experience in government, he acknowledged that the issue of unpaid public sector workers is not new, but stressed that Ghana has advanced to a point where such situations should no longer be recurrent. He expressed strong conviction that the government possesses the financial capability to clear the arrears, particularly given the empathetic leadership of the current President towards working people's concerns.

Mr. Gamey further detailed that the core of the problem lies not in a deliberate refusal to pay, but rather in what he termed an “abysmal transitional process” compounded by "failures in validation" when these nurses and midwives were absorbed into the system. He empathized deeply with the affected health workers, whom he considers "brothers and sisters" facing severe hardship. He revealed having participated in meetings where concerns were openly discussed, and noted that the Health Minister himself has expressed frustration over the slow pace, underscoring that every effort is being made to rectify the situation.

While acknowledging the profound difficulties and frustrations faced by the nurses and midwives, Mr. Gamey strongly cautioned against resorting to confrontational methods such as demonstrations or legal action. He argued that such approaches may not yield quick results and could instead complicate the resolution process. Instead, he appealed for patience, advocating for continued engagement and follow-through, and assured that advocacy efforts are ongoing both behind the scenes and within the nursing profession itself to ensure that the affected health workers receive their rightful payments. He concluded that payment is inevitable and urged calm and cooperation from all parties involved, reiterating that the challenge requires collective patience and concerted efforts to achieve a swift resolution.