The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Health Committee, Dr. Kingsley Agyemang, has accused the government of neglecting Ghana’s healthcare system by failing to recruit nurses and adequately invest in the sector despite approved budget allocations.
Addressing journalists on the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review, the Abuakwa South legislator said expenditure on nursing training institutions had fallen well below expectations.
According to him, although GH¢144 million was allocated to nursing training in the 2026 Budget, only about 30 percent of the amount had been spent by the middle of the year.
He criticised the Mid-Year Budget Review for failing to explain why such a significant portion of the allocation remained unused.
Dr. Agyemang also renewed criticism of the government’s recent nursing recruitment exercise, describing it as unfair.
He alleged that the recruitment portal was opened around midnight and closed before 6:00 a.m., leaving many qualified applicants without a realistic opportunity to apply.
The MP argued that the country urgently needs more healthcare professionals and questioned why recruitment and training had not received greater attention.
He maintained that healthcare should be treated as a national priority because illness affects every Ghanaian regardless of political affiliation.
According to Dr. Agyemang, government should ensure that expenditure approved by Parliament is fully implemented rather than merely reflected in budget documents.
He further challenged the government’s claims of economic progress, arguing that an economy that is unable to create jobs and adequately fund healthcare cannot be described as performing well.
The legislator urged government to release funds for approved health programmes and engage district health authorities to better understand the challenges confronting healthcare delivery across the country.
