OHIO: Ghana has signed a new agreement with the City of Columbus in Ohio, United States, aimed at creating employment opportunities for qualified Ghanaian nurses and other health professionals in the US.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Ghana’s Ministries of Health and Labour, Jobs and Employment following months of technical discussions with their counterparts in the United States.

According to Ghana’s Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the agreement is designed not only to facilitate international recruitment but also to protect the rights, welfare and professional interests of Ghanaian health workers.

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The partnership is expected to establish a framework for the ethical recruitment and deployment of Ghanaian health professionals, particularly nurses, to employment opportunities in Columbus and potentially the wider US healthcare system.

“The MoU goes beyond recruitment,” Akandoh said, stressing that any deployment arrangements must safeguard the rights and welfare of Ghanaian health workers.

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A pathway for nurses seeking US careers

The agreement could provide qualified Ghanaian nurses with a more structured route into the US healthcare sector, where internationally trained nurses must generally meet professional licensing, credential verification, immigration and employment requirements.

Existing international recruitment programmes show that Ghanaian nurses seeking US employment may have to undergo qualification verification, meet US nursing-board requirements and secure the appropriate immigration pathway before they can practise.

The new Ghana-Columbus arrangement is therefore expected to provide a government-supported framework around recruitment rather than leaving individual health professionals to navigate international recruitment arrangements independently.

Building on Accra-Columbus ties

The initiative also builds on the existing sister-city relationship between Accra and Columbus, as well as Ghana’s Labour Exchange Programme.

The Ghanaian government said the partnership is intended to create credible and decent international employment opportunities while ensuring recruitment complies with Ghana’s Migration Policy and international standards.

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The agreement comes as Ghana continues to explore international labour opportunities for its health professionals. In 2025, for example, Ghana’s Health Ministry opened recruitment for experienced nurses to work in Grenada under a separate bilateral arrangement.

What the agreement means for nurses

Importantly, the signing of the MoU does not mean that every Ghanaian nurse will automatically receive a US job or visa.

Detailed arrangements still have to be developed, including recruitment procedures, eligibility requirements, professional licensing, employment contracts and immigration processes.

For nurses, the opportunity could nevertheless provide a more formal and transparent channel to seek employment abroad while reducing the risks associated with unregulated international recruitment.

The Ghanaian government said it would continue pursuing partnerships that provide health professionals with decent employment opportunities outside the country.

The development is likely to attract significant interest among Ghanaian nurses seeking international career opportunities, particularly as demand for qualified healthcare professionals remains strong in parts of the US healthcare system.

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