You’re throwing dust in Ghanaians’ eyes — Minority slams Akandoh over expired clearance claims

The Minority in Parliament has called out Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh for allegedly misleading health professionals about the government’s progress in clearing arrears and granting financial clearance for new recruitments.

The criticism came shortly after the Minister’s press briefing on Monday, October 13, where he announced Cabinet’s approval for the recruitment of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other health workers. He also stated that the government had secured funding to settle outstanding arrears owed to some of these professionals.

But the Minority is challenging that claim. Addressing journalists in Parliament, Ranking Member on the Health Committee and MP for Effiduase-Asokore, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, described the Minister’s statement as “politically deceptive,” insisting that the so-called clearance being celebrated had already expired under the previous administration.

“The money was already allocated for 15,000 recruits. You came in, and about 7,000 or 8,000 had started. The remaining was employed by the GHS, and although they were late, they were at post,” Dr. Afriyie said. “You didn’t see the need to reject them, and neither did the institutions. So, what sort of cabinet approval do you now need when clearance has already been granted?”

According to him, the existing clearance expired on December 31, 2024, yet the government failed to renew it in time, leaving many health professionals in limbo. He added that the Minister’s recent announcement was simply an attempt to “repackage an old policy” for political gain.

The Minority further accused the government of mishandling health sector recruitment for months and attempting to mask its inefficiency with what they called “empty public relations gestures.”

“He’s throwing dust into the eyes of Ghanaians,” Dr. Afriyie alleged. “The government created a problem and is now trying to fix it after ten months.”