Labour consultant Austin Gamey has described the process that led to hundreds of nurses and midwives working for months without pay as an “abysmal transitional process.”
He insists that failures in validation largely account for the crisis now playing out in the health sector.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday, Mr Gamey said he empathises deeply with the affected nurses and midwives, describing them as “brothers and sisters” who are going through severe hardship after working for nearly a year and receiving only one month’s salary.
The comments come amid mounting pressure on government from a coalition of unpaid nurses and midwives under the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association.
The group says its members worked continuously for 12 months in public health facilities but were paid for just a single month.
They describe the situation as cruel and demoralising, warning that the prolonged neglect is killing morale and could undermine patient care across the country.
Austin Gamey said he appreciates the difficulties the nurses are facing and believes government also understands the gravity of the situation.
“And my younger brothers on the program, I appreciate the difficulties they are going through, and I empathise with them. I’m sure government does in the same manner,” he said.
He stressed that government, as an employer, has a responsibility it cannot avoid, regardless of prevailing financial constraints.
“I think that it’s an obligation on the part of an employer, like the government in particular, not to shirk its responsibility. It will certainly pay our friends, no matter how tough the financial circumstances might be, they will be paid,” he stated.
Mr Gamey urged patience from the affected health workers, arguing that the situation is not a deliberate refusal to pay salaries. “It’s about patience on their part,” he said.
According to him, the core of the problem lies in how the nurses and midwives were absorbed into the system.
“I think part of the problem might come through the abysmal transitional process we went through in getting these brothers and sisters properly validated,” he explained.
He revealed that he had participated in meetings with unpaid health workers and officials in the health sector, where concerns about delays were openly discussed.
“I think I attended some meetings with some of the health sector people we work for that have not been paid,” he said.
Mr Gamey also disclosed that the Health Minister himself has acknowledged the challenges and expressed frustration over the slow pace of the process.
“And the minister himself lamented, followed and through the process as much as he could, and every effort is being made to get those people paid to whom we even work for as well,” he said.
He rejected claims that the delay is linked to government deliberately avoiding the financial burden.
“So clearly, it’s not a deliberate thing. It’s not because, as your chart clearly shows, that we have a huge cost on our hands, and so they will have to close their eyes and say there’s no sun,” he said.
Austin Gamey maintained that payment is inevitable and assured the affected nurses and midwives that their salaries will be settled.
“They will have to be paid, and they will be paid,” he said.
While acknowledging the nurses’ frustration, he called for restraint and understanding as efforts continue behind the scenes.
“All I have to say is that, whereas I empathise with them, I pray that they will be a little bit more patient,” he added.
He also noted that advocacy efforts are ongoing within the nursing profession itself.
“I also heard the nurses at various platforms making rigorous efforts to get their colleagues paid. So it’s not like nothing is being done,” he said.
Mr Gamey described the situation as a collective challenge that requires calm and cooperation.
“But it’s a challenge, and all of us must be patient and go through it, and as much as we could, would push for them to be paid as quickly as possible,” he said.
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