The President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Madam Ofori-Ampofo, has said the ideal salary to retain nurses in Ghana should be GHS10,000. She was speaking on TV3’s Hot Issues on Sunday, March 31, 2024.
Addressing issues of salaries for nurses and midwives, Madam Ofori-Ampofo said, “…the least person working as a nurse, a composite salary of GHS10,000 will be ideal.” She added that for “Chief Nursing Officers, the ideal salary should be at least 20,000 Cedis.”
According to Madam Ofori-Ampofo, the conditions of service for nurses and midwives in the country are not comparable to those in other countries. “It is not the best,” she remarked in a brutal assessment.
“It is not the best because, when you compare it to our compatriots who are in high-income countries or other countries where conditions are better, it is far better than what we have here.”
Though she admitted that the economy of Ghana is not the same as in other countries, she said things can be better. “We understand that the economy of Ghana is not the same as in these other countries. The situation of remuneration and other conditions of service cannot be the same.”
She, however, added that the association is currently “negotiating” “conditions of service.”
“We have made a number of proposals to the employer to say that this is what we deserve as nurses and midwives. If we are able to get them, it will help us retain our nurses—those who are eager to migrate outside. It will also help us in motivating us to also do our work,” she explained.
Commenting on the brain drain affecting the health sector in the country, Madam Ofori-Ampofo said “It is a worrying trend that we are all experiencing. Our nurses are leaving the shores of Ghana, and they are seeking to work in better work environments and earn better salaries.”
She said no one can stop the migrating nurses, as it is within their rights to seek greener pastures.
“It is their right, and we cannot stop them. But the truth of the matter is that as much as they are leaving it is having a toll on health service delivery in Ghana. Those that are leaving are those that are well experienced, with many years of experience. Even if we are going to recruit new personnel, these are the very people who would have trained them, so their leaving is a big issue,” she stated.
According to her, the time has come for stakeholders to seriously consider the issue. She called for motivation packages that would entice professionals to stay in the country.
“From where we sit, we know that we cannot stop them because it is their right to migrate. But it is about time we put in some innovation in terms of motivational packages that will really attract or help to retain them in the country.”
While acknowledging that there are many who don’t harbour the dreams of leaving the country, the majority of health professionals are hoping to leave the country. That she said is because they want “better opportunities,” things the country currently doesn’t offer.
“There are some nurses who, for various reasons, will never leave Ghana, but the majority are still nurturing the idea of leaving the shores of Ghana. It is all because they want to have better opportunities for career progression. They want to pursue some academic venture, looking for higher salaries or better conditions of service,” she explained.