Ghana and the City of Columbus in Ohio, United States, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a formal nursing partnership that could open legal employment pathways for Ghanaian nurses in the state’s growing healthcare sector.
The Ghana-Columbus Nursing Partnership Programme is expected to strengthen nursing education and workforce development while facilitating the recruitment and placement of qualified Ghanaian nurses in Columbus.
The agreement was signed at the Michael B. Coleman Government Center by the Mayor of Columbus, Andrew J. Ginther, Ghana’s Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, and the Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum.
The partnership builds on a Sister-City agreement between Columbus and Greater Accra established in 2015.
Mr Ginther said Columbus, one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States, was looking forward to deepening people-to-people and institutional exchanges with Ghana.
He said Ghana had made significant investments in training nurses who could legally migrate to meet the demand for healthcare professionals in Columbus.
The Minister of Health, Mr Akandoh, said the agreement was not simply about exporting nurses but was designed to promote broader cooperation between the two healthcare systems.
He said the partnership would support skills transfer, institutional strengthening, joint research and health innovation, as well as efforts to improve patient outcomes.
The Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Mr Agyekum, said the initiative demonstrated the strength and resilience of Ghana’s workforce and could provide a model for similar partnerships with other US states.
The Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Ghana in Washington DC, Ambassador Jane Gasu Aheto, said the initiative should translate into tangible opportunities for healthcare professionals and institutions in both countries.
She urged stakeholders to ensure that the agreement moved beyond a formal document and became a programme that delivers measurable benefits.
The partnership was facilitated by Buckeye Africa Exchange, StrideHx and Columbus Sister Cities International.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
