The Coalition of Unpaid Nurses and Midwives Association Ghana has delivered an emotional plea, urging the government to immediately cease misleading the public and instead pay over 10 months' worth of outstanding salaries.

Speaking in a press conference, President of the Coalition, Stephen Takyiah, vividly described the act as an "inhumane toll" on the lives of thousands of health professionals.

According to him, they are forced to borrow, go to work on empty stomachs, and walk long distances while battling severe psychological distress.

Speaking on behalf of the group at a press conference at the GRNMA Guest House Conference Room on Monday, December 15, 2025, Takyiah articulated the profound suffering, revealing "Our rents expired this month, and many of us are facing eviction. We go to work on empty stomachs, unable to afford even basic meals...

"We walk long distances to our facilities because we cannot afford transportation. We are sinking in debt, borrowing just to survive. And worst of all, we are battling depression, disgrace, and psychological distress from doing full-time work with no pay."

He slammed the government's actions as a 'betrayal,' revealing that despite working faithfully for a full year, the majority of the affected members have received only one month's salary out of the lots.

Furthermore, approximately 300 members have received no payment at all, with their financial clearance set to expire on December 31, 2025, leaving their fate unknown.

This dire situation, Takyiah explained, is exacerbated by the fact that over 7,000 of their colleagues, who commenced salaries in April 2025, have already received all their arrears in full, while 6,261 nurses and midwives remain completely abandoned.

He denounced the partial payment to some as a "deceptive action that brought nothing but heartbreak and shattered hope."

Takyiah also lambasted the Ministry of Health for its weeks of complete silence after promising a payment plan following the November salary.

This silence, he said, was compounded by a misleading press release claiming that "we have all been paid, when the reality on the ground is the exact opposite."

"This is not just unfair, it is inhumane. This is not just a delay; it is a betrayal. And this is not just our burden, it is a national crisis affecting the very foundation of Ghana's health system."

He reiterated the coalition's urgent demand for immediate communication from both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance, along with the swift and full payment of all accumulated arrears, emphasizing the need for fairness, transparency, and respect for their labor and dignity.