A senior member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwabena Frimpong, has called on the government to urgently clear the backlog of health sector trainees and reform what he describes as an opaque and inequitable recruitment process
Speaking at the PASAG National Week Celebration at KAAF University, Frimpong criticized the current administration’s handling of health sector employment, arguing that it departs significantly from campaign promises made to Ghanaian youth.
He referenced commitments by the government under John Mahama to implement a “1:3:3” employment model—where three individuals would share a single job across shifts—and to guarantee automatic postings for trained health professionals.
According to Frimpong, those assurances have not materialized. Instead, he said, the government has introduced what he termed an “aviator-style” recruitment system, which he argued lacks transparency and fairness.
Frimpong contrasted the current approach with that of the previous administration led by Nana Akufo-Addo. He noted that in 2019, the government cleared a backlog of health trainees inherited from the earlier Mahama administration, regularizing postings through a directive signed by then Deputy Minister for Health, Tina Mensah.
He added that even during economic constraints linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and IMF-supported programmes, the system maintained automatic postings for qualified cohorts, ensuring consistency and confidence among health workers.
Frimpong, however, said the current model has eroded that confidence. He claimed that multiple graduating classes are now placed into a single competitive pool, allowing newer graduates to secure postings ahead of more experienced professionals.
“This approach undermines fairness, disregards seniority, and opens the door to favoritism and potential abuse,” he said.
He also criticized the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, describing the current system as inconsistent with his past criticisms of recruitment delays.
Frimpong further questioned the timing of a December 2026 financial clearance deadline, suggesting it raises concerns about possible political influence in the recruitment process.
He called on the Ministry of Health to take immediate steps to restore credibility, including clearing the backlog of trained professionals, reinstating year-group postings, publishing accurate vacancy data, and honoring commitments to automatic employment for qualified health workers.
Frimpong warned that failure to address these concerns could undermine public trust and demoralize thousands of trained professionals awaiting placement.
The comments have reignited debate over recruitment practices in Ghana’s health sector, with stakeholders calling for reforms to ensure equity, transparency, and accountability.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
